DIY Shadow Boxes- Part One!

During my second trimester, at my mother's house, apart from eating there really wasn't much to do..... also since I was going to be missing a close friends wedding I decided to make her a really nice gift.... I also had another close friend who had had a little baby boy and another close friend who i don't remember giving a gift for her wedding..... so basically I had lots of gifts i had to give and with time on my hands i decided to make them!!

Now I say close friend close friend close friend because they really are.... they're school friends.... the kind you've literally grown up with.... and since we had a really small class with more or less the same forty girls from nursery to 10 standard.... we are all pretty damn close.... to the point that we know each others siblings and pets and boyfriends and now husbands and just about everything.... but these three in particular are my favorite! 

One has been my friend since nursery.... we lived a few lanes apart and when i was six i ran off to her house when I wanted to play and no one at my place would take me to her place.... One I have practically lived at her place for class projects and dance rehearsals.... my favorite dog apart from my own was hers.... Leo.... the sweetest most loving golden retriever.... and the third... well she is my first brush with knowing what a "bff" is!!!! Truly... we were soul mates... we were so close we used even post each other letters because we had so much to talk about!!!!!

so yeah.... special gifts for some really special girls!! 

I have always loved shadow boxes but never got around to making them..... seeing the wedding invitation of the friend who was already married, and the decor for the naming ceremony of the little baby boy, inspired me...and i decided to give this a shot!!! 

I started with the baby boy.... loved his name "Agastya". 

Of course as soon as i started i got confused.... a boy... that eliminates butterflies and flowers!!! Finally after much brainstorming and sketching i decided to give his name priority and make a cityscape.... my mum's suggestion! cuz she loves my cityscapes!!!

I took a 12 x 12 x 3" box, made by the guy who frames my mums paintings. I really wanted to play with the depth, so i made the 3D alphabets with thermocol and wrapped them in wool.
 (theromocol isn't the best idea.... I had one or two alphabets break while wrapping them in wool... and that just took up too much of my time making new ones)

I liked the idea of some elements hanging from the top some being placed on the base. Some being at the foreground and some at the back. 

This is how the box would look hung on a wall (right now mine is on the sofa!!!) The biggest mistake I made was in placing the car... you just can't see it once the box is closed  :( silly me.

Sorry the pictures are all dark.... still working on bettering my photography! But you can see the detailing of the felt flowers on the tree and the beautiful wool wrapped alphabets!!

The buildings are my favorite part.... and the car even.... even though it turned out to be a bit of a fail :(

This is the first wedding box.....

This was my gold attack shadow box!!!! I wanted this to be fully bling Indian wedding inspired.... but with a very sophisticated edge to it... just like their wedding card. Also for some reason I just couldn't find their wedding picture, so I hunted on their facebook accounts for a great picture and fell in love with this one!

Kaleeras were a major part of the wedding decor and my favorite part of the wedding too... So that was one of my main elements. I used a silk thread instead of wool for these letters because I feel it looks more rich. And I used a part of their wedding card, a leaf which was their wedding motif, behind the alphabets.

I loved that the colors of the box came from their wedding card itself..... such bright beautiful colors!!! 

So that's how this box looks completed!

The last box is in the next post  :)

DIY Shadow Boxes - Part Two!

And now for my favorite.... for no other reason but it has my flowers!!! I love love love making fabric and paper flowers.... !!

The color theme of her wedding was white and coral.....I fell in love with coral.... its just such a pretty color.... so feminine!  

So I made lots of  flowers with a mix of coral and white satin and net.... the four fabrics looked great together!

Again I used wool for the alphabets.... i think its given a very soft touch to them don't you think? The white rose was something my mum had saved for years... it was on her work desk and i robbed it!!! 

That's a part of their wedding card.... love the design!!!

Since I made this before their wedding I had to use their engagement pictures. I love the idea of photobooth pictures... so I've tried to photoshop them to give that effect!!! And black and white pictures I think are the prettiest!!

So yup.... these are all the fun gifts I made while in Bombay.... I also made two felt number books for two nephews..... they're coming up next  :)

Back to Blogging........?!!!

My last post in November was my last attempt during my pregnancy to actually keep up with blogging!!!!

coming up with new ideas.. actually going thru a DIY project.... and putting it up.... it was just impossible. Having said that, I did do a lot of crafty things in my second trimester.

I was at my mum's place in Bombay and completely relaxed (read *bored*).Also I was going to be missing a really close friend's wedding as it was too close to my delivery. So the guilt combined with the time on hand led me to make some pretty (if I may say so myself) fantastic stuff!!!

And one thing led to another... I realised I hadn't given a wedding gift to another friend as well, add to that another friend had just had  little baby boy, and I owed two nephews of mine birthday gifts.

So yeah now that I think of it, I did get thru a number of DIY projects but I just didn't have the heart or patience to photograph the process of any.

Now that I have had the little one.... a mere ten days ago.... I feel the extreme need to get back to making things.... stitching things glueing things together.... but that may take some time......

Till then I'm going to hunt for the pictures of the final products I made....and you can have a look at the little one that kept me from the blog for so long ;)

Come back soon..... for the fun stuff I made!!!

10 Things I loved about this November!!

1. Diwali.... no doubt my favorite.... the love affair starts a few days before itself with all the cooking and putting up of lights!!

2. Chilly mornings....... hmmmm!!!!! missed the hubby even more though :(

3. Cooked after almost 10 months...... loved it.... want my own kitchen... oven... fridge.... fancy knives......

4. Spending time with mommy and brother..... feels like pre marriage times ha ha ha!!!!

5. Watched a movie like Argo.... super awesome.....

6. Got to have mum's fried fish and fish curry and undhiya..... ohhhhhh yummy!!!!!!

7. Eating at Sammy Sosa..... can't wait to go again.

8. Getting back to the blog..... and being crafty again!!!

9. Dropped my phone.... enjoyed the peace for two days.... but was overjoyed the day it started ( six days later!!!!)

10. Looking forward to the Life of Pi..... well mainly Richard Parker.... yup.... that should make this month all worth while!!!!!



................................................................................Looking forward to December!!!!!!!!

Forevermore......

My strength, My support,

My sense of humor, My sense of reality,

My happiness, My darkness,

My life line, My reason for being,

My past, My present, My future,

My smiles, My baggage,

My warmth, My comfort,

My secret, My storyteller,

Mine,

For now

For ever,

Forevermore..........

Happy Diwali!!!

I remember my brother saying “I can smell Diwali” a few weeks before Diwali.

And I always wondered how?!!!!

Now I know he meant that he could smell the onset of winter….. there really is this feeling in the air every morning and evening….. you just know….. you know Diwali is coming!!!!!

As kids of course Diwali is all about the new clothes the endless boxes of mithais and the bags full of fire crackers…..

But now Diwali is so so different for me! The morning breakfast is the most important for me…. Being with family is super important….. then the lights and diyas…. And as little fire crackers as possible!!!

And somehow every Diwali is one of reminiscing!  I don’t know why I get all sentimental during this festival but I do!!!!

SO this year I’ve just made a little board of all the things I love about Diwali!

 

What do you like about diwali?? let me know....

In the meantime for more diwali inspirations and  love check out some of my favorite blogs as well!!!

From the beautiful Rang Decor: Love the way she has mixed fresh flowers and clay diyas!

http://rangdecor.blogspot.in/2012/11/spreading-light-and-happiness.html

From Once Upon A Tea Time: Love the collection of items she has this diwali!

http://onceuponateatime.blogspot.in/2012/11/diwali.html

From The KEy Bunch: Some great ideas!!!!

http://www.thekeybunch.com/2012/11/5-sparkling-diwali-festive-ideas_9.html

And one of my all time favorite Colours Dekor: Love her Diwali decoration tips!!!!

http://coloursdekor.blogspot.in/2012/11/an-inspired-rangoli.html

And here's a link to my own diwali post last year..... still seem to miss the same things today as i did then!!!

http://chroniclesofastayathome.blogspot.in/2011/10/happy-diwali.html

These diya stands are from Tresorie at Infinity Mall Versova Link road. They are simply stunning!!!

Happy Diwali people!!!! 

Eat lots! 

Play lots! 

Love lots!!!

Lust List 002!

Sometimes a lust list isn't just things you can buy..... its just things you fall in love with..... this week I have a love affair with all things gray and purple.....

I find these colors super romantic and beautiful..... and very calming!

 

one

It all started with these super pretty flowers...... its heartbreaking that you'll never see these colors on these flowers in India :(

 

two

love this beautiful door...... wonder where it goes?!!!

 

three

One of my own "inspired" pieces!!!!

 

four

So cozy....... if i ever get into this bed I'm never getting out!!!

five

Taking romantic to a whole other level!!!! super pretty!!!!!

I want I want I want!!!!!!!!!!