All for the sake of art!

Sept 2011

It is apprent that motivation is off short order, when you most need it..like for example- the task of choosing a theme when the need to start the art work is imminent...

After lounging and not picking the theme for about 3 days into the vacation, I picked this picutre....nothing else called out to me. The call was for self-touture, as I realised working into the weeks on this piece.

There are certain steps of this art work I enjoy and some of which I abhor, (the repetivie, tedious and monotonous work). But doing all the steps meticulously adds to the quality of the final product.

Great motivation provided by Mum and Dad! They are the best indeed...

After much help in this project, it was done in less than 13 days I believe...From the point of buying the board, the linen cloth, the stones, the printouts and xeroxes :)

I do not wish to write the methodology here...For I don't believe I will be needing it anytime in the future (Unless ofcourse I find a piece which I just must do!)

Preparing the board was fun..I have an idea for the board, with the tinge of Arabic Gum...it seems perfect for Warli art...perhaps for another day.

First came the tracing..QED..
Then came sticking the stones, which was relatively easy using the tweezers...The muck work was quite interesting, much like henna drawing...Cleaning muck from the stone, didn't fancy this step...Then came the gold foil..ah..how I hated it... First came cutting them onto tiny tiny pieces, them came sticking them onto the muck, then came cleaning them off the stones..nothing to be done to hurry this along, expect grin and get with it...I enjoyed painting, not much surprise there...Could have done better, had I started early!

Well it was passable and frammed it looks quite nice! :)

Vola!.. My first and last(?) Tanjore Art

Paper Buddies

I want to put together the list of folks who have been keeping me company...the new aquaintances, the good'ol pals, exciting strangers, poised wise men...lest I forget'em ;)

C.S. Harris - Sebastian St. Cyr -No better description  than 'Mr Darcy with a James Bond edge'..and Hero Jarvis.. a strong heroine like no other...Awesome histroric mystery series..

Karen Marie Moning- Well I started reading one book...so I kinda read the series...O.K. not head over heels over this one

Brent Weeks - Durzo and Kylar Stern...well they won't come close to the Icewind Dale folks...but yea..an interesting read...Completed the Trilogy on iTouch (thanks to overdrive)...now waiting to read Black Prisim as a hard copy

Darynda Jones - For me to start a series from the first book...my my...its gonna storm somewhere!! :)

Jim Butcher - I am reading Ghost Story as I write this blog....I just have to read Dresden till he exists, in whichver plane of existence...

Kim Harrison - Rachel Rocks as usual...awesome latest book from start to end...Pale Daemon

Terry Brooks - after all the books I have read and loved...I am waiting for his new series...Gypsy Morph didn't quite get me...

No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency  - Came highly recommended from a friend....it was a little too vanilla for me....guess I am too into urban fantasy, where things go BOOM all the time...

Kirstin Cashore - Interesting books...Will surely read more of what will come

Love among walnuts - Such a heart-warming tale...told in a hearty way..reminded me of English plays at school...

Discovery of Witches - 108 - that is the position I was in when I placed a hold on this book...now to see if it lives up to its name,,,

Creole Cooking

Ok..given the fact I have discovered that I am allergic to red chilli pepper, I should not be cooking creole dishes...but...they are just SOOooo good. I dared the allergy and went ahead with making a hearty jambalaya (rachel ray's), honey corn bread muffins(neely's) and pineapple-coleslaw (lorri's).

They all came out quite well..given the veggie stint I am soon to embark, jambalaya seems an ideal way to bid adieu to meat. With four different kinds of meats and veggies..it came out as hearty, hearty can be.
Amazing corn bread muffins...My search for corn bead muffins has ended.Ahmen. If at all, any complaints it would be from someone saying that it was SO soft that it crumbled before you try to soak up the sauce....well..u can't please some people...what can I say...;) . Pineapple cloeslaw is something interesting that I tried at Good'ol  ST. Like their brocolli salad, this was quite the summer salad. I would not say I would keep making it, but its a nice twist off the normal coleslaw.

So all in all ...my venture into cajun land in my kitchen was quite the treat.

Haka Haka Haka

Well...thank goodness I never took a resolution to write a blog entry bi-monthy.....it would have made me look tardy...



Jan 2011- AWESOMEST trip EVER!!! Trip to New Zealand - 16 day Haka tours...SO much to write,would have written a 10 page essay had I done this in Jan..... from food choices to bunk bed assignments everything would have gone in....but for now, highlights would suffice.
Was so upset to see such a lovely country wracked by earthquakes in less than a month since the trip....

Highlights:


Christchurch- Favorite City - Lovely gardens

Bungee/Canyoning/Caving- ROCKS!

Swimming with the Dolphins - Everyone needs to do this at least one a life time

Potable running water!!! Never seen that before!

Swim on lake taupo- rather should I say almost drowning on lake taupo?!

Mount Ngauruhoe climb in record time

Hostel accommodation - Not dying to try out anytime soon, but good to know  that it can be survived

Lavendar everywhere - wretched thing refuses to pop a bud back home


Conclusion: Need to go again!!!