Thursday, November 20, 2014

my daughter's POEM



I stumbled upon a poem written by my daughter in chauthiduniya e-paper the poem was published in December 16-22,2013. 

xoxo

Sunday, November 16, 2014

My daughter's poems.

On Monday, Oct 20, 2014 there was a poem recital event at  India Habitat Centre(Lodhi Road)
I found it  here   on  the  site it  was like this…………..
Enjoy an evening of poetry recital by eminent poets like Jitendra Srivastava, Umashankar Chaudhary, Vipin Chaudhary, and Vimal Kumar. All the poets write on different themes like love, historical, and political satire. The potery recital will be followed by an interactive session where they will be read more
My daughter reciting her poems at  India Habitat Centre








Again a poet recital event at jnu in collaboration with sahitya-akademi my daughter and two others 

Reciting her poems in JNU


My daughter in JNU on * NOV,2014




xoxox

Saturday, November 8, 2014

crochet slippers, baby rehana,क्रिसमिस के लिए कपड़े से खूबसूरत फूल


 Its winter here and I like to make slippers for gifts for friends. I have not collected too many patterns for slippers yet, but as I find more that I like I will be adding the links here.oked on Crochcrochet addicts are wel
Slippers
Snowball Slippers- very fluffy looking
Button Slippers- remind me of ballet shoes
Sarah's Simple Slippers- looks like an anklet sock
Fun Folded Toddler Slippers- I think this could be altered to make adult slippers too. Interesting technique.
Sugar and Cream Slippers- simple, elegant, and feminine
Granny Square Slippers- just what it sounds like (part of me thinks that if you sewed the opening shut it would make a good potholder too, lol)
Slipper Socks- this looks like the heel up is worked vertical. Interesting technique.
Adult Slippers- look like running shoes
Molly's Mukluks- great looking boot style slipper.
Simple Slippers- these look very tailored, like shoes almost
Crocheted Moccasin Slippers- I like the sole on these, Mark might like a pair of these
Slipper Socks Diamond Pattern- I like the diamond on top of the instep
Slipper Sox- these have a leather looking sole and sock like tops, very cozy looking
Zebra Slippers
Socks



. . . look who's going to be two months old on Monday!
I can't believe it -- can you? Time has gone by so fast. She's doing much better, with the gassiness and all (thank you, aloe vera juice!) and is finally settling into a semi-routine. We are  getting to sleep more, and in an actual bed, too  so things are definitely getting back to normal.

क्रिसमिस के लिए कपड़े से खूबसूरत फूल बनाएं 


कपड़े से बने इन खूबसूरत फूलों को गिफ्ट बैग, मुकुट,या हेयर पिन पर टांका जा सकता है, इसका प्रयोग ब्रोच के रूप में भी किया  जा सकता है।  तो फिर बना लीजिये आप भी इसका तरीका नीचे दिया जा रहा है .... 

आवश्यक सामग्री :
कैंची
मोटा कपड़ा
बटन या माला
सुई और धागा या ग्ल्यू गन, गोंद
विधि :
एक फूल बनाने के लिये आपको 6 से 8 समान पंखुड़ियों की आवश्यकता है, प्रत्येक पंखुड़ी दूसरी  की तरह होनी चाहिए। उदाहरण के लिए, एक पंखुड़ी 4 से× 4 सेमी कपड़े से बनी है।

अपनी मन पसंद कपड़े  का एक टुकड़ा (4x4 सेमी) लीजिये  और इसे क्षैतिज रूप से मोड़कर  नीचे के कोने को ग्ल्यू गन  या गोंद से नीचे दिए चित्र 1 की तरह चिपका दीजिये :

अब दाईं ओर के कोने को निचले कोने पर रख दीजिये - इसको चिपका दीजिये, बाईं ओर के कोने को भी ऐसा ही करें, चित्रदेखें। यदि चिपकने का उपयोग कर रहे हैं, तो पूरी तरह से चिपकने तक उन पर कोई वजन रखें:
इस तरह से बने टुकड़े को उलटा करें और नीचे दिए चित्र 3 के अनुसार दोनों साईड के कोनों को सामने एक साथ लाकर सूई धागे अथवा गोंद का उपयोग कर जोड़ें:


 चित्र 4  के अनुसार मोड़ें:
चित्र 5  के अनुसार  इसे मज़बूती से पकड़ें और दाहिने छोर तक काटें:
चित्र 6 के अनुसार पंखुड़ी को नीचे से सिलाई कर (या गोंद) जोड़ दें इसी तरह सभी पंखुड़ियां बना लें:
ओर अब नीचे दिए गए चित्र 7 के अनुसार सभी पंखुड़ियों को गोंद से चिपकाएं या एक साथ सिलाई कर जोड़ दें, फूल के बीच में एक बटन  टांक दें लीजिये आपका खूबसूरत फूल तैयार हो गया:

अब इसका मनचाहा उपयोग करें इस बार क्रिसमिस पर ऐसे ढेरों विभिन्न फूल बना कर इन्हें गिफ्ट पैक पर टांकें अथवा हेयरपिन बनाएं या इनका टियारा बनाएं और सबको खुश करें 

xxoxo

Friday, November 7, 2014

Its winter here



Its cold, it’s gross out, it’s winter  in Haryana.  Please don’t mistake this as complaining, I am happy about this.  Winter is my favorite time of year (after summer of course).  So there is nothing that I want more on a day like today than to sit in front of computer with a shawl and sip on some hot tea.
Luckily for me my cup is cuter than yours.
This isn’t bragging.  Just stating the facts.
 Then  this week my daughter  asked if I made cup or mug cozies.  I usually fill my coffee or tea cup half full and go back and forth for refills quite often.  I was told that cozies keep your mug warm for twice the time.  My mind immediately went to the tea cozies I make which keep your tea pots warm much longer.  The best insulating fibers for cozies are wool or cotton.  I viewed several cup/mug cozies on the Internet and found many varieties.  Many of the artisans used buttons for closure, some made cozies without any openings and other cozies were only connected at the top and bottom like the one I made.  I used hand-spun wool to make my cozy.   i   crocheted its bottom.   I  intended to use it as decoration and for keeping the sweat off of table tops when drinking iced drinks.  Do you use a cup/mug cozy?  What type of a cozy would you prefer? 


 My Hibiscus, the china rose


Its my Hibiscus ……………….Oh no..it’s not today’s bloom I am just putting the old photos of July the month of my grand daughter’s  Bday. The so called single-petaled Hibiscus has a single tier of five petals. This red  variety is the national flower of Malaysia. It is robust, carries many blooms and rather disease-free so much so that at one time, it was commonly used as living hedges. Recently there seems to be a revival of  this practice
 The hibiscus flower appears to be quite cheeky with its "tongue" sticking out.

The petals are seen peeking out, waiting to burst at the seams of the calyx.
The next day it emerged and protruded forwards.


When the hibiscus is in full bloom, the petals flare out and curve slightly backwards. The edge of the petals are frilly.  The staminal tube comprising anthers and five-branched stigmata hangs freely down and sways with the breeze.With their striking vermilion hue, these Hibiscus flowers overshadow the Jatrop filled with so much blooms which framed them from above and below. 

  
This bush was transported from another clay pot in my backyard, then re-potted here in this recycled clay mosaic pot where it seems to be thriving. In order to transplant this Hibiscus plant,  I had all the flowers and most of the leaves pruned off. 

Baby Rehana is just 15 days old staring the bush
it seems she listens lullaby from the flower 




A simple arrangement where leaves and flower are plonked into a glass globe of water.

xoxoxo

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Traditional leisure activities

Traditional leisure activities like spinning; knitting, crocheting, embroidering   Isn’t Just for Grandmas

"More than any other part of the body, our hands reveal our inner state."

I had learned to knit  first, it was the year 1962, I was ten years old and studying in nth standard in  Shishu Vihar Hindi School,  Jamnagar.  Jamnagar  is a historic city  Lord Krishna established his kingdom at Dwarka town in Jamnagar district, in later years when I was in teen years I learned the basic stitches of crochet. Then came a time in life that Knitting and crocheting has always been an outlet for my stress. I love the magic of using my hands to create something from a beautiful ball of yarn. I took yarn for granted until I observed my aunts, grand maa and other ladies in my family    spinning and dying the spun yarn, and making bags with tapestry crochet technique. Then  I understand the process that the yarn has to go through before I ever see it and it has only added to the magic.

I've spun lots of punies(cottan balls) and  dyed a bit, even if it was with Kool Aid…and I enjoyed using a canvas of yarn to create a whole different kind of work of art. My eyes have opened up to color and the combinations one can make with joining hues and crafting something fresh and vibrant.

But what about creating the yarn itself? I  t know that  my ancestors spun that’s why to keep the tradition on and to handover it to the younger generation  I feel it calling to me…previously I use to spun in a lot but there is a big gap in between, the need to spin has been strong for a while now and I’ve pushed it away because of non availability of charkhas in my house   . I’ve wanted  a Traditional Charkha for a while now. I can’t really tell you why because I’m not an expert on spinning wheels or anything…but it spoke to me the minute I saw one. No other wheel gave me this same feeling and the sense that I’m destined to spin has not diminished…if anything it is growing stronger.

In the month of August we visited the village Bhagana I saw a charkha in one of the house I visited, it hit me head on , I told my intensions about charkha  and found  that there was a sweet woman needing to sell her wheel with all its attachments. I practically freaked out. A beautiful  Traditional Gharkha and it had my name all over it. Being none too patient I waited until nightfall to discuss the purchase with my daughter  and she knows how much I’ve wanted one…even if I can’t spin yet due to lake of space in my house …but any how .i got it and now it is mine!!!
My front corner today

xoxo