Teaching the History of Indian and Western Costume and Traditional Indian Textiles

  I spent about two weeks teaching a bunch of enthusiastic students the history of Indian and Western Fashion and Traditional Indian Textiles at the Kerala State Institute of Design, Kollam.

The weaving studio.

I couldn't decide which was my favourite - the owl or the chameleon

 The Foundation studies classroom which overlook the amphitheater. 

A wonderful campus with fantastic murals on the walls of the buildings.

 The Product design workshop. 

October's here

 I got up early last week, drew back the curtains in our bedroom and was greeted by this marvellous sight.

The magic of rain which was like a fine mist and early morning sunshine.

 At times I despair but a sight such as this rainbow gives me hope. I welcome all that October has to offer with open arms. At present it's rain, lots of it every night. A commission, which was quite unexpected and a teaching assignment.

Hope you have a great October. 

Getting started on the festive season

Every year I think I should start making Christmas ornaments in January but that's never happened. It's usually a mad scramble sometime in late October to get things started.
This year on the 1st of September I decided I would make an ornament a day.
It's the 14th today and I'm averaging an ornament in three days. Not too bad.   

In search of the Neelakurinji

It's twelve years since the Kurinji flowered last.

People have been venturing out to view hillsides a purple hue and I wanted to see this phenomena too.

So on Tuesday along with a school friend and hubby dearest, we set out to find the hillside bathed in Kurinji blooms.

The Strobilanthes kunthiana grows in rocky outcrops 

After much driving around and huffing and puffing up through a tea garden we finally found the Kurinji blooming high up on a hill in Kil Kotagiri.  

 The tea pluckers told us the blooms were in full bloom two weeks back and are now withering and drying up.

 It was a great day and worth the trek up the hill through the tea.We got to know later that there are bears in the area. Good we didn't encounter any.

Progress on 1 Year of Stitches 2018 at the end of May

 It has been a busy month with guests at our B n B but there have been periods of quiet when I could put up my legs and take out One Year of Stitches and add a couple of lines of embroidery.

Doing embroidery has been a contemplative affair. Contemplating the attitude of people because it's been a month of interactions with so many different types of people.
The learning for me has been to be more like those who are appreciative of people and the service they provide, sensitive to the environment and the judicious use of resources. There are those who have come into our lives, luckily for a very brief period to remind us that your attitude and demeanour determines the response you recieve from other people. There is no excuse for high handedness. There's no free lunch, you have to pay. Don't blame people, the place, the traffic or the weather for choices you have made. Finally happiness and the creation of great memories aren't packaged goods, it's a state of your mind.
I'm off to make caramel custard for dessert tonight.
Remembering a childhood friend who passed on last year on the 1st of June. Miss your zest for life and brilliant smile Monisha.

Purple Haze

By the end of March the mountain side is dotted with hazy purple. The Jacaranda begin to bloom.  

Captured with my cellphone. 

Jacaranda trees line the mountain road which leads down to the plains.  

 

 The Jacaranda trees are in bloom for about a month. Purple gives way to the yellow blooms of the Laburnum or Amaltas by mid April, right around the time it's Vishu which is on April 14th each year  and then the orange of the Flame of the Forest. It's a pleasure driving down the ghat roads.
What's blooming in your neck of the woods? 

One Year of Stitches 2018 - At the end of March

 The One year of Stitches 2018 goes along with me in my bag when I travel. I worked on it when I was in Bhubaneshwar.

The kittens, Gin and Tonic, got their claws into the woven wheel which was meant to represent Tonic so it looks a bit ragged. I'm leaving it that way.

It's the end of March and as I type it's begun to rain and there's sunshine too. When there's sunshine and rain at the same time my mum will say 'it's the fox's wedding'.Sunshine and rain gave way to rain and hail. These must be the April showers which will bring May flowers. This year the fence should be up in the next two weeks and the bison will be kept out so we can hope the garden will be a riot of colours and blooms by the time it's May.

Happy Easter to all those celebrating. Hubby dearest and I observed Lent this year and we are going to have Easter dinner with friends and neighbours.

Bison Slumber Party

The Bison or Indian Gaur are frequent visitors to our property. They visit once every ten days.

Since the beginning of this year they've taken to spending the night on the lawn.    

This was the sight that greeted me this morning at 5.45 am. Five bison - a huge male, a calf, two juveniles and the mother of the calf. The calf was born on this lawn in late January.

They must find the lawn safe and secure.

The large male we have named Bhima. He's the one sitting down and stuck on one of his horns is a dried up tea bush if you please. A very curious sight.

Bhima sits unperturbed chewing the cud. Needless to say the lilies in the garden have been decimated. Bhima's weakness. 

At this time of year the Agapanthus lilies would have begun to bloom but what I'm left with are the bulbs with some short green stubs protruding from the bulbs.    

Bhima left with his tea bush crown.
I have a love hate relationship with the bison. Majestic creatures especially Bhima who is a fantstic specimen of an adult male bison with his black body rippling with muscles and distinctive white socks, one can't can't help but admire but I hate it that they come in and ruin my garden which I have been trying to develop for the past three years.
I hope the fence we're putting up will give the plants in my garden a chance to bloom and we'll still be able to see the bison when they graze on the opposite hill.
Welaro our home is truly a place where wild things wander.

Speaking in Cursive

A little something I finished yesterday. Between seeking inspiration and speaking in cursive I've participated in a travel writing scholarship.
I see travel writing becoming my alternate career.
I'm off on a small trip, work and some time with the family.
I'm going to be on the lookout for things to write about which I come across during this week.
Will have to wait until Easter before I start speaking in cursive.
Have a great weekend. Everyone in India will be celebrating the Spring festival of Holi starting this evening.

One Year of Stitches 2018

I've decided to take up the One Year of Stitches 2018 challenge and combine it with Take a Stitch Tuesday. 

 I've begun with multiple rows of embroidery around the circle to create a border of sorts as well as to increase the size of the circle. Couldn't find a lid or anything else which is a 12" diameter circle.

I've decided to explore circles this year. So all the embroidery stitches or events I want to represent will have to take on a circular form. First to be represented are the kittens Gin and Tonic who we got in January. 

Gin is a white kitten with smudges of black and fawn on it's tail and ears. Tonic is a black and white  chap who reminds me of Socks. Gin and Tonic are brother and sister.

 Next to be embroidered is the Blue Moon, Blood Moon and Lunar eclipse which occurred on January 31st. What a spectacular sight. I used Blanket Stitch - Stitch #2 in TAST, to create the Blood Moon.

 Running stitch. My favourite stitch and Stitch #1 to explore in TAST this year.

 TAST Stitch # 7 - Feather Stitch. Another of my favourites.

Herringbone Stitch. TAST - Stitch #5

TAST - Stitch #6 is Chain Stitch. There's a circle of chain stitch around one of herringbone Stitch and TAST - Stitch #4 is Detached chain. I've embroidered a circle of Detached Chain stitches around the circle created with running stitch.

I'm pretty upto date with TAST.

Have a great weekend. I have to do some writing this weekend.

Seeking Inspiration

I can't sit silently and listen but I can sit silently, do embroidery and listen. Embroidery in my opinion is meditative and I'm hoping that will be sufficient for inspiration to dawn. 

1 Year of Stitches - 2017 - Completed!

 1 Year of Stitches - completed.

 An unusual journal, a departure from the fabric journals I've been making.

 Spontaneous and kind of all over the place but I think the year was a bit like that.

 I've been listening to a lot of Reggaeton as I work and I turned fifty this year.Don't feel any different but it's been a good life.So much to be grateful for.

Learnt that life is so uncertain, one has to live in the moment and love and cherish family and friends.

I'm considering taking up 1 Year of Stitches 2018 and combining it with Take a Stitch Tuesday.
Will get 1 year of stitches 2017 framed.

Any other exciting challenges around?
Hope 2018 has been treating you well. Have a good week.

2018

Polar Bear Ornaments

 I've been embroidering these little Christmas ornaments for my sister's class children.

It's become a bit of a tradition.Last year was the first time I made an ornament for each child.

I made twenty one ornaments this year. I hope the package reaches on time.
Hope your plans for Christmas are coming together nicely.
The weather is beautiful, typical December weather - bright warm days and chilly cold nights. Had to start using hot water bottles last night.
Have a great weekend. 

New Beginnings

Three weeks of October our routine was thrown off course when the caretakers simply upped and left one fine day, after getting their Diwali bonus. It was a nightmare to deal with guests, cooking, washing,cleaning and taking care of the dogs.

There was no time to update my blog or work on any of my projects.

There's so much truth to the quote

'New Beginnings are often disguised as painful endings...'  Lao Tzu  

There were days when I would despair and wonder if we would find good trustworthy people who would love the dogs and I must say I have to learn from the dear husband's 'can do and everything is going to be fine attitude'. He sure was a pillar of strength and support. 

Since the 1st of November we have got good help and I can sit down and try to complete some of my projects. 

The image above shows where I've got to in the 1 year of Stitches Challenge. The end of 2017 is fast approaching and there's still considerable amounts of blank fabric waiting to be filled  with stitches but I can do something about that. I'm saying that from a stress free position unlike the three weeks where I was like a headless chicken. The three weeks taught me some valuable lessons.

There's always scope to simplify our lives further.

Learn new skills and be more self reliant.

Angels exist.

Help comes from unexpected sources.

There is so much to be grateful for.

To New Beginnings. Cheers!

I hope you have a good week.