Thursday, January 28, 2010

Two Threaded Batwa

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM







This is the next in row of my bag fever. while surfing for patterns I came across a pattern wherein two strands of different colored yarns are used to crochet. For long this thing was in my mind to experiment and I did it with this bag. The stitches here are very simple dc stitches with a 'v'pattern but just because of two threads crochted togather, the bag gets a different look. I loved loved loved this bag very much.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Granny Purse

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM








I am very addicted to granny squares. I should say this addiction is out of 'majboori'. Whenever I intend to start any new project I become very apprehensive about it, simply because my stock of yarns goes out of stock.... both with me and the shopkeeper. And I have to shelve the project midway or use any other yarn or pattern to finish it off.

Anyways I love granny squares also because they are easy to make anywhere anytime. I don't have to carry the whole pattern with me while working on it. I got bags fever after my granny was discharged from the hospital. I made bags in the hospital to kill time but even after coming home I was keen to make some more. This pattern I got from ravelry and is fabulous and very easy to make.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Hospital Bag

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM








My grandmom was admitted in hospital this month. I used to stay with her at night and that was the toughest time. I am quiet talkative but therez restrictions to talk to patients. Anyhow I made friends with the nurses and maushis from the hospital. Still there would be lots of time on hands and therefore I carried my all-time favourite hobby with me - crocheting. This bag I made it in hospital, and most of the nurses would gather around me at night chit-chatting and learning to crochet. And I should say my nani loved it too, she would be happy with all fun around. I've learnt one lesson from this, whenever life seems gloomy just smile and then laugh, all the darkness disappears in seconds. Though people may count you as mad but this works, and it works for good..

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

My First Swap Project

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM





Ravelry is a very beautiful site and more beautiful are its people. There was a swap organised last year during the month of september and I had participated in it. The moderator makes pairs and then a questionnaire is sent to every participating members. It contains basic info about the other participating partner, fav craft, colors, postal address etc.. Once this is received each one starts to make something for their partner and send it to them. I had made this for Zainab aunty, from Los Angeles, California. We had some 3-4 months time to complete our swap project.

Zainab aunty is a sweet soft -spoken lady, full of life. I just don't have words to write about her, but she is one of the most wonderful person i've come around. we've neither met nor talked on the phone, just in touch through ravelry message box, but yet there is a magical connection that keeps me binded towards her. "God Bless Her"

Well regarding my project, I not only crocheted this bag for her, but the box too I myself made it out of cardboard, wrapped it in red velvett paper, tied a ribbon and then again wrapped it in plastic sheet. Finally had to wrap it again in a cloth cover for international mailing. It is said when u make something for someone from ur heart with every knit, u knit prayers for that person. I've used glitter purse yarn coz I want her life to glitter and be beautiful all the time.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Treasure Hunt



BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM



Jewellery Making!!! I took up this new interest last year. My mom is an all-rounder and has done all of these as a young girl. Infact she used to make wire baskets too, which I've never tried yet. Taking up jewellery making was an effort to take my mom to her childhood memories. She always encouraged me taking up this art, bt things sometime depends on my mood na :-) . However, suddenly one day I decided to go ahead with this art and the happiness I saw on my mom's face was worth all my efforts. She always says, I am the only one among her daughters whoz crazy like her with regards to such hobbies. None of my sis are interested in any of these arts and therefore whenever I take up something new, my mom's face just glows up. I love it.



This was the very first necklace which I made. It looks such a beauty when worn over the sarees. Making it was a lil tedious work as dt being my first time ( I could have made a simpler one first too). However I've learned to make biryanis before dal. That's how I am.





Now that was my second project. This too goes well with sarees and looks very elegant.



More clear look........






After the above necklace, my mom asked me to make a small necklace in pearls for a baby girl. Shez a cute lill girl, I dunno her name bt we call her "mitthi" (means sweet). Shez a pakistani staying in Qatar near to my dad's place. Her mom.. Farida aunty.. is a gem of a person.





This set I'd made for my younger sis. She loves dressing up with most of the matching things from head to toe. Thats why I made this necklace to go with her dress.






This is again for her. She needed a set for the occasion of Eid. Her dress was in blue and pink colour. She wanted a necklace in similar colour to go with the dress. Hence came up with this.



Closer look.......







Thats a pair of anklets. We all love anklets, and I specially love the ghungru ones. But wearing such anklets in mumbai is just not feasible. It is worned only on certain special occasions. However I made this for my sis and it looks really great on her feet.






After making those above, I thought of making them in pearl too. Really apart from silver anklets these types too look cute to wear on.






My daily wear earrings......... I love making things but hardly use them. I either gift it or they are stacked up in my cupboard, till I need them. These earrings I thought I'll use it but they too are resting in my cupboard.








Aaah Haa!!! Bangles!! My favourite...... I might not wear earrings or necklaces but I really really need bangles and more bangles. I am Bangle Crazy. Just give me any colour, any design, no matter they be different from each other. I can wear all at the same time. Bangles just make me very happy.





I had seen this kind of bangles on my trip to Hyderabad. When I learnt jewellery making, I thought to give it a try and the outcome is awesome. This goes well with most of my maroon dresses.





This bangles are class. The lady who taught me jewellery making said these were everybodyz favourite. And true to her words, these bangles became an instant hit at my place too. Everyone from my mom, sis, aunts to my friends, they all loved it and demanded (demanded... not requested) a set for them too.

Well that's it as of now. All my materials have exhausted and I wanna order for more, bt strict orders from mom........everything after the exams. God!! Exam time again.......

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Thank You Everybody

BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

Now that my nani is back home from hospital, I am a relieved person. I was really really stressed out with her condition.. I couldn't see her in pain for long. And in mom's absence it had become a difficult task managing and running to and fro from hospital to back home and vice-versa. My nani prefers rotis made by me. I roll it lill thin like phulkas so that would be easier for her to chew. So even though my both sis cooked all other things, for making rotis I had to come back home and then again go back to hospital to feed nani.

However one thing I would like to mention is that my thanks to everybody. First I'll start with my Rab. He is the one who deserves most thanks. Next is samidha. I was really stressed out in the year end, last yr. If it wouldn't have been for sami I would have myself got hospitalized alongside nani. She took me for the village trip which really refreshed my nerves. Although I refused her first, later on tupi called in and I agreed. Thank you tupi for that. Thank you didi, Thank you aunty, Thank you pinky, Thank you nitin and Thanks to pinky's parents (their place we visited). I didn't knew pinky, nitin and their parents but they treated me very well. That's y I say, I love the simplicity of the village people very much. They are simple, good-natured, friendly and very helpful people. I would also like to thanx my parents too as they never stopped me going anywhere with my friends, always giving me permission even before I ask for it. And hey thanks to driver dada too........

Visiting a village, not only refreshed me but gave me energy mentally and physically too. My nani was so weak that she couldn't even sit on her own, I had to hold her up and make her sit. She is lill on the heavier side so it was very difficult for me to lift her and make her sit. I got the courage only because I myself was relaxed and fine. Really Rab knows well what things to happen when.... Ultimately I would say my thanks to my Rab who is always there for me...... silently helping me...

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Through The Window of Two Worlds


BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM






Life looks so different from the other end. Though it may be same but it still looks different. My nani was hospitalized for the past few day and dts where I saw a lill different world, different than mine..


Our house is in a fully residential area, so I was amused at this roadside view from the hospital room. Yes at that point of time, life looked very different to me, I dunno why. What I see when I wake up is greenery. Therz a garden right near our house. I see kids laughing and playing, elders strolling, some people sitting and chatting happily. That's what I've always seen and felt about life.


The above pics though are early morning pics with less traffic on the roads, yet they look gloomy to me. For me Alhamdulillah life has always been joyous. Ups and downs comes in everybodyz life, but looking at the laughing faces and the greens near us.. takes away all the weariness from us.










Dts the view from my world................... Same early morning pics.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Hip Hip Hurray!!!



BISMILLAH HIR RAHMAN NIR RAHEEM

Hip Hip Hurray!!! This is what we used to say while leaving and coming back from our school and college picnics. I am back and I enjoyed a lot. And after visiting a village home I wish I too had a small village home and a farm near to it. I just love picking up fresh vegetables from the farm to cook them. The feeling was just superb.







This was our first stop on our way to the village. The place is very mesmerising, very airy and cool. Taking photos was prohibited here but I couldn't resist the gushing water and hence chori chori chupke chupke I clicked this pic. In the very same moment my friend who was sitting down and didn't knew I was clicking, got up. A part of her head can be seen. The force of water is too fast and hence we were not allowed to go into it.






Hurray!!! We reached the village. Its Sultanpur, in Junnar in Pune. That's it I know about it. I loved the simplicity of the village and its people. The first thing I and samidha did after reaching there was to feed these cows. We just left our luggage in the car and ran towards the shed. Look I fed her those sugarcanes.








The above two pics were in the same evening. Thats the farm right infront of the house. I am such an idiot who forgot to click the house pics. Isn't the farm lovely? Simplicity is the theme of every village and I love it.







That's the tamarind tree. This pic was taken on the next day i.e saturday. We were on our way to Pandharpur. We had a small kid in our car something around 8 yrs. She vomitted and looking at her I too couldn't hold for long. After travelling some distance I too threw up. That's were we stopped our car. The tamarind tree was on the other side of the road and my friend, her sis and the driver got down to get some tamarind for me. Hahahahha. It is said if one eats something sour and salty they won't feel like vomitting . But my bad luck all those tamarinds they collected were very raw and I couldn't eat them. However I didn't threw up after that. I have one more pic of all those people gathering tamarinds and its one of the most beautiful pic, but I cannot put it up here.







This was the dhaba where we stopped for our lunch. I loved the place but the place had nothing to offer to eat. We ordered dal fry as they said dts the only thing they could offer right now as their cook had gone out to bring stuffs from the village. The aunty whose place we had visited had prepared chapati and shendana-mirchi kut for the way. It took a long time for dal fry to come so we had to eat that kut with chapati. Ultimately when it arrived nobody could eat it, it was stale of previous night and smelling. We felt like yucks and thanked God and that aunt for carrying chapati and kut along. We could only have nimbu pani over there and nothing else. Ultimately with half-filled stomachs we left from there. There is fun in all such things also.







These were two water filled pots kept on the tyres, in dt same dhaba. Truly speaking though the food was not good but I loved the place and its calmness. It was really soothing and relaxing. Given a chance I will go there once more just to relax for sometime.







Thats a river in Pandharpur. Its a religious spots and there is a temple near the river too.







The above pic too is of near the lake. The scene is beautiful. My friend's sis Tupi (Trupti) clicked this pic.








Working on the farm.......

All of us were busy picking up veggies from the farm. The two veg which we picked up were sepu and methi. I just loved the feeling of picking out the vegetables from the farm, its amazing.








Thats Pinky, whose place we had visited, working honestly at farm.









This is gawar vegetable. I have seen it growing like this for the first time in my life. They look so beautiful growing togather like this.










These are chillies. They were green, later on they turn red if not removed from the plant. All these things to see were very new for me.







That's the cow shed. Beautiful, isn't it?






This is bhimashankar. Its a trekking point and a tourist attraction near our city. We went there on sunday evening while on our way back home. The bell which is seen here is from the year 1711. Its written on it.







This is the temple. It is said that the idol is swambhu, means it appeared on its own.








The entrance door to the temple.









Bangle Craze..........
I am very crazy about bangles. some of these bangles I had purchased from Pandharpur. I bought them and wore them on the spot. everyone was amazed by my this craze. so while coming back home they clicked this pic in the car...........moving car, hence the quality is lill bit hazy.







Pandharpur Momento:
Thats aunty ( my friend's mom) holding my hand. She was excited by my bangles and therefore asked me to give poses. But sitting on the back last seat of the car and giving pose was just not possible as our battery was totally down. We were very tired. Therefore she held my hand.











The above three pics were also clicked from the moving car. Philosophically speaking these pics remind me of blanket that covers the world. these blanket is provided by God for us to rest. We humans have become machines and forget to see such beauties of nature which helps us to keep grounded. These 3 pics were clicked by Nitin, my friend's sis's brother...