Twinkling lights...

Twinkling lights, loud music, the hustle and bustle, melas and bazaars (markets), chaotic traffic.....its the countdown to Diwali (The festival of lights). Diwali in Delhi........there is nothing quite like it! This city knows how to do it the right way:-) I am delighted to be here at this time, and thrilled to be with my parents.

Here are a few snapshots from their home. Do join me as we celebrate this lovely festival right here at My Dream Canvas.....

An Autumn afternoon and a trip

Its a lovely autumn afternoon here. I am so tempted to sit with a cup of tea and watch the leaves fall gently in my backyard. There is now a layer of golden leaves in the yard and I can imagine the delight on my kids faces when they see it. They love to stamp their feet and roll in the carpet of leaves....

Its such a lovely thought.... but I have tonnes of packing to do. I leave for my parents home in India in a few days. The suitcases are piling up around me and I need to start soon:-)

I shall be in Delhi soon, a city I love and call my own!! I am signing off from here for a few weeks. Stay tuned for more posts from India!! I apologize in advance to all my friends, whose emails, comments and parties I have not been able to respond to. Please forgive me, and thank you for always being a part of My Dream Canvas!

See you in a few weeks and have a lovely weekend.

Image 1 via, The others: via

My First DIY...

Keeping in mind the festive air around, I recently attempted my first DIY project. I know its not much, when I compare it to all the stuff you talented people create in blogland. However, I am new at this, and have taken my first baby step into the world of spray painting:-) I have had these wooden candlestands at home for a while now. I wanted to try and give it a new look. A can of spray paint, a sunny day, and a few coats of paint later I was done!!!! I love this deep red/burgandy color and my old candles go perfectly with them. So, what do you think? A new addition to my fall, Diwali and Christmas decor??

The before and after......

A Beach House!!!

I am here today to spread some Monday cheer, with this bright and breezy beach house!! I noticed it because of the riot of colors!! Krista Ewart has designed this California bungalow with modern prints and bold flower patterns. I am more into neutrals and earthy tones, however this first picture is so beautiful and girly, don't you think?? Krista designed this home for her sister on Balboa Island. She says, we all love bright fabrics in our family. So true:-)

To know more about the beach home, read about it here.

Image via: House Beautiful

Fall Weekend

The fall colors in the Pacific Northwest are stunning. I can never have enough of it!! This colorful extravaganza is hard to capture and yet....I keep on trying! Here are a few pictures from my day trip into the cascade mountains. Have a lovely Sunday my friends, and keep on smiling:-)

Cosy corner!

Its almost Friday!! This week has gone by really quickly for me. Hope you all have some fun plans for the weekend. I wish I had a cosy corner like this to sit, and daydream. A comfy chair, a good book and a chai tea latte. Sheer bliss!! So, what are you all doing this weekend?????

Image: via

Don' throw away those wine bottles!!

Recycling your used wine bottles...don't!! Keep a few, and use them as candlestands. I found this cute wrought iron bottle stopper which can holder tapers and even a few flowers!!! I bought it at a lovely place called Country Village close to home. You can read more about the village here. I love browsing through their little stores, as there are many treasures to be found:-)

What a innovative idea don't you think?

Here is a closer view......

Lovely spaces!!

These three lovely spaces have caught my eye today! Aren't they pretty? How is your week coming along? I am going to be a little slow with my posts as I have a busy few days coming up. I hope to be here as often as I can. I do miss blogging and all my fabulous friends:-)

Image 1. via, Image 2. via, Image3. via

Countdown to Diwali!!

Here are some more pictures from my Sunday evening. I have been dying to use these brass stake tea light holders my mom sent from India. I am going to be in India for Diwali (the festival of lights). However, last night was my countdown to Diwali with almost all of the candles being lit at home:-)

Hello Monday and Weekend wrap up!

Hello All!! Hope your weekend was fun. Mine was busy to say the least. Kids are still not completely well, and literally thousands of errands to run before my trip to India. Sunday evening was when things slowed down a little. I nagged ( I am a pro at that) my husband to move some paintings around in the living room. You see, I de- stress by redecorating much to my husbands dismay!! While he was hunting for nails, drill the works........I indulged in my favorite pastime. The kids were in bed by 8.00pm ( Yippee!!) I arranged some flowers, lit some candles and took pictures:-)

These are just a few pictures from last evening....more to follow! Have a wonderful week ahead and see you soon.
I am joining Patty at Colours Dekor for her Weekend up Wrap Up party!!!

Friday Dreams

A beautiful morning, a steaming cup of coffee, sitting on my balcony........perched over craggy cliffs looking down at the sea below. An outdoor lunch under the trees......followed by a nap!!! This is my plan for the weekend!

Okay, I am lying here, but hey, we all strive for perfection right??

Image 1. via, Image 2. via

Joanna Henderson

These gorgeous images by photographer Joanna Henderson are so pretty, bright and cheerful! To read more about her, visit her website here.

Images via

Let the Festivities begin!!

Its that time of the year!! Navratri, Pujas, Dussehra, Diwali, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.......its all around the corner. We as a family celebrate all the festivals. As you can imagine its a busy and happy time of the year:-)
I am going to be in Delhi just in time for Diwali and I can hardly wait. Here's wishing you all a lovely festival season. Durgaji ( Mother Goddess) from my home is sending lots of blessings your way!

Because this makes me happy!!

I am joining Prachi at her fabulous blog Purplehomes for an exciting party today! Its your thoughts, and not resolutions of what you want to do, that will make you happy in the near future.

Eleven things I would do in 2011 to make me happy! Here goes.....

1. Take my much desired vacation to the Amalfi coast in Italy. I have been there many years ago and I fell in love with the place. Now I yearn to be back!!

2. Clean the clutter in my house. I have too many things and they need to go!!

3. Move my daughter to her own room. Design and decorate it in pinks and yellows. I recently decorated my son's room and he loves his train theme.

4. Spend some quality time with my parents. I need some pampering. As you can see...I am a wicked and selfish kid.........I am thinking only of myself:-)

5. Spend some alone time with husband. You see, we only talk about our kids. It will be a test for us to see if we can come up with something else:-)

6. I need to spend more time in the kitchen and try new recipes. I am so bored with the usual stuff.

7. I want to get back to reading.....I used to be a voracious reader and now I read nothing. I blame it on lack of time but I need to try harder. Reading does make me happy!!

8. Blog away at My Dream Canvas....its my new baby and I love it more everyday:-)

9. Take that photography course I have been planning for years. Spend some time with my Dad as he is the best photographer I know!! His understanding of photography astounds me.

10. Plan a reunion with my friends. They are the best!! I am lucky to have some awesome friends and I miss them a lot.

11. Last, but not the least..start with my new venture. Ssh..Ssh.. Its a secret. I cannot tell you more at this point. It promises to be exciting!!!

Thanks Prachi for a lovely idea to spread happiness around!

Packing on my mind!!!

Happy Monday my friends!!! I got packing on my mind as I leave for India in a few weeks! There is excitement galore as I think of all the fun times ahead. To a large extent, its the anticipation of simply doing nothing at my parents house! Sounds boring and lazy, does'nt it? Hey, I just want to be a kid and enjoy all the privileges that go with it :-) Now if only I had my own personal packer, life would be perfect! I am not even sure where to begin. Hope you all have a fun and productive week ahead.....

Image via