Where dreams come true!

Hello friends! I am back from a vacation where "dreams come true". These are not my words but my son's. We cruised to Alaska for seven nights aboard the Disney Wonder! A magical and fabulous ship, filled with laughter and smiles  and  a destination that's filled with beauty and drama. Alaska  leaves you awestruck with its unparalleled natural beauty. As you can see.....I am so in love with my vacation and my first cruise :-)

Though My Dream Canvas talks of design and decor, I plan to shift the focus for a while. I invite you to see Alaska through my eyes:-) I look forward to sharing my memories with you in my upcoming posts......

It's so good to be back. I missed you all and I do hope you are having a good week!!

Image: Mine

Hello Monday and some news..

Hello Monday! I am just popping in to say that I will be taking a break for a week! I will miss you guys...... and I hope you will miss me too :-) I promise to be back next week so do come back and see me then.

Have a wonderful week and keep smiling..................Goodbye!!

Image: via

Hello Weekend!

Here's wishing you a weekend filled with smiles :-)

Image: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Home and My Mountain

Yay! We hit 70 degrees today. It finally feels like summer!! I know this does not make a lot of sense............. but trust me, you have to live in and around Seattle to know what this means :-) The city is coming alive, and the dark ominous clouds have given way to endless blue skies. I am aware that this may not last long, but today I am euphoric!!

 The kids are hopefully on the mend. Next week promises to be super exciting!! More on that later :-) Here are a few snapshots from home. My home and I both feel happier bathed in sunlight :-)

The kids have been stuck at home the past few days and have been dying to go out. As a result, I too have been suffering from cabin fever :-) We bundled up the kids and drove up to see the sun setting over "my mountain". There is nothing as spectacular as clear views of the snow clad volcanic Mt Rainier. It always takes my breath away....................

 

Images: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Linking up with My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday.

Sunshine and Me!

Hello, and I am back :-) I had thought that I would be away for a few days, however with the kids asleep....blogging beckons :-) Its such a beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, the sun is shining and the skies are blue............
Despite the utter chaos at home, the sunshine does help lift my spirits! This is how I want to be.......endless sunshine, books and me! I enjoy day dreaming ....don't you??

How about this gorgeous canopy by the beach?? The beautiful table setting, the lanterns, the beach and the sunny skies.......perfection!

 

Dream away with me and enjoy the day!!

Image: via

Adam Wiseman

Adam Wiseman is a freelance photographer and photo editor based in Mexico City. I recently discovered his work and its amazing. This is a photograph taken by him in an Eco chic hotel called Cuixmala in Mexico. To view more images from Adam Wiseman's portfolio visit his website here.

This lovely white room with splashes of pink looks so serene and beautiful.......

Hope you all are having a good week? Mine is a bit crazy as both my kid's are sick. I shall try and be back in a few days...........till then enjoy the rest of the week!

Image: via

Bhavana's haven (A home tour)

Hello friends! I begin this week on an exciting note. I have a tour of Bhavana Vijay's home in the US for all of you. When a common friend sent me pictures of Bhavana's home, I was struck by her lovely home. Bhavana is not only an artistic and creative homeowner, but an artist as well. She paints beautifully.....and you will get a preview of her art work in this post as well.

In Bhavana's words, "I am a mom of 2 (an almost 10 year old girl, and a highly energetic 2 year old boy). I am a self taught artist (www.bhavanavijay.com) and my favored medium is soft pastels. I also teach art in a Montessori school and take classes at home. Our home is not very large, but has very intriguing nooks and corners. The room above the garage, which was initially built for a hot tub, was perfect as my studio with the windows and skylights. The kitchen has a high ceiling, a huge window behind the sink, and a thick wooden beam, that gives it tons of character.

My husband and I are thankfully on the same page as far as decorating goes! We believe in surrounding ourselves with the things we love, and cherish those that excite our mind and soul. Growing up, I have lived in Hyderabad, Indonesia, Singapore, and Ahmedabad. The corners of my home are filled with objects from my childhood that take me down memory lane. I love brass, copper, interesting textiles and weaves, gorgeous dark wood, exciting colors, teapots, and anything with history and hence life"

Very well said Bhavana.  This aptly describes the true essence of your home.  I really like Bhavana's living room. The abundant sunshine, the oriental chairs, the brass knick-knacks.....its got everything I love :-)

Welcome to Bhavana's haven...........

This is where Bhavana and her husband enjoy their morning cup of tea! I love the diwan and the windows with the sun streaming through...........

Delightful brass knick-knacks.......................drool!!
 

Bhavana's prized possessions.......... the two dolls were handmade by her mother! I can see that creativity is in her genes!

Some more gorgeous brass......

Another lovely corner..............

Tea pots and unique pots and pans...................

This is a shot of a painting made by Bhavana. In her words,"the painting in the living room is fairly new and very close to my heart. It is a painting of my mom's Banarasi silk Sari, her bangles, her necklace, and one of my favorite brass boxes."  It's such a beautiful way to capture a memory....... don't you think? I must add that Bhavana is incredibly talented. I have had a chance to browse her site, and all her paintings are fabulous.  

This is a view of Bhavana's studio where she weaves her magic. In Bhavana's words "the large windows and skylights provide ample light for painting and I love the feel of the room. There are two levels in this room, and my kids usually do their own arts and crafts in the lower one."

Thank you Bhavana for sharing your lovely home with us. To view Bhavana's art work, please visit her website www.bhavanavijay.com

All images: Bhavana Vijay.

Weekend Wishes

Okay, that was a bit of a scare to see blogger down for so long!! I am so glad to be back online. I am sure all you fellow bloggers feel the same way. It feels good to start the weekend on a more relaxed note :-) Here's wishing you all a lovely weekend

See you here on Monday.......... where an exciting new week of home tours, new ideas and loads of inspiration awaits you!!

Image: My home

Home Tours are back with Tihana from Bosnia

Good morning all! After nearly two years of blogging the thing I love most about it............ is the "Home Tours". I love peeking into the homes of people all over the world:-) Getting to know them and their design sensibilities is a lot of fun! It's fascinating to connect with people living in different parts of the world. Despite all the diversity a common link we all share is the love for our "home". It is the haven we create for ourselves that clearly reflects our individual personalities....


Today I am delighted to feature Tihana's home in Banja Luka which is located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tihana's first home is an old apartment which once belonged to her grandparents. The apartment is in one of the few buildings that survived a massive earthquake in 1969.

A proud 28 year old homeowner, Tihana is a  professor of Italian and Serbian languages and literature. Besides, her degree in Italian and Serbian languages, she is a final year student studying Philosophy and Sociology. In her own words, "I love reading books and studying". Impressive don't you think?

Talking about her life in Bosnia, Tihana says that travelling out of Bosnia was hard until a few months ago.  Off late the visa regulations have changed as its easier for her to travel and she absolutely loves it. Her home is filled with souvenirs from her trips and trips to Ikea! She also said that she has decorated her home without spending a lot of money, but with a lot of love!
I could not agree more.....the love and warmth is visible in every corner of her house.


I love the bright, fresh feel and simplicity of her apartment. Yet it has a very chic look with tonnes of warmth and beauty.......

Welcome to Tihana's world...............................


  

Books and more books......her passion for reading is evident here!
 

I love this corner and especially that box.......
 

What a delightful place to eat......beautiful!
 

Some tea maybe??

Her bedroom..........
 

 Her cute terrace is so pretty and cosy..........

Thank you Tihana for sharing your lovely home with us!

All Images: Tihana via here

Weekend of Celebrations.

This weekend was my husband's birthday and Mother's day all rolled into one. It was a lot of fun and we all enjoyed it immensely. It began with a quiet birthday celebration with cake and flowers at home followed by a visit to the Space Needle. We dined at the Sky City revolving restaurant and the views were amazing. The kids of course were thrilled watching the floor move :-) I bought the most beautiful roses for the "birthday boy", though it was more for me! I guess.....husbands too can be showered with flowers once in a while!!

It was a weekend of celebrations.........here are a few of my memories in pictures!!

The view of downtown from our table high above..............

 

An Alaskan cruise ship leaving the Seattle docks.............

All Images : Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Linking up with Colours Dekor Weekend Wrap Up, A Beach Cottage's Good Life Wednesday's and Savy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday.

Hello Monday and Summer House 3

Happy Monday my friends :-) As part of my summer house series, here is a renovated barn located in Tuscany, Italy. How many of you have seen and liked the movie Under the Tuscan Sun?? I absolutely loved it. On a trip to Italy many years ago.....hubby and I missed our train while wandering the streets of Sienna. It is a lovely town..............
We literally ran to catch the last train of the day. We had to leave for Florence as we were spending the night there. It really was quite an adventure! Looking back I wish we had missed the train as it would have let us spend another day in Sienna :-)

The barn has been completely restored and renovated by architect Daniele Bedini. The home is furnished with flea market finds and items that once belonged to Daniele's grandmother. Hues of lavender and sunflower yellow are the colors that dominate this lovely rustic home.

Tuscany beckons......hope you enjoy the trip :-)

I love this image of the door.....

 

A typical porch found in the Tuscan countryside.....

All Images: via

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mother's day to all the mom's out there! Here's wishing you a day filled with laughter, love and sunshine........

Image: via

Hello Friday!!

Okay, I am officially exhausted and alas this weekend is going to be super busy. The only silver lining is a surprise I am planning for someone at home:-)
I have an endless list of things to do..........and I have not even started. Do you know that feeling when things are out of control? I just need to get a grip and get going!

I guess a good start would be to stop rambling here....... and spare you all the torture as well :-) So, anyway.............my gorgeous lilies are here to wish you a very Happy Weekend!
I am joining My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday.

Images: My home. Please do not use without permission.

Summer House2

My summer home series continues with yet another home in Spain. This apartment near Malaga with its cool whites and deep blues has such a lovely summer vibe!

I really wish I should pack my bags and head to Spain for the summer. These homes are way too tempting and appeal to the dreamer in me :-) If you missed my post about the first home I featured in this series, you can read it here!

So if you absolutely had to pick which one is more you?? Stay tuned for the third home in this series................

 

Images: via

Happy Birthday........

We are celebrating a big birthday at home tomorrow.  Its my husband's birthday and its also the day I met him eleven years ago. So..........his birthday has always been a double celebration :-) Balloons and cake are part of the plan for the day.....my kids won't have it any other way :-)

Its almost midnight and I am signing off...........have a wonderful day wherever you maybe!!

Image1:via, Image 2: via

Fields of beauty....

It's Wednesday and sunny in my part of the world. I am dying to go out and forget all the work and errands for the day. I wish!!!! Remember the Tulip festival we drove to a few a few weeks ago? Today seemed like the perfect day to share the pictures with you. I like to live vicariously through My Dream Canvas - sharing bits of beauty and reliving lovely memories!!!

These are my endless fields of beauty :-)

My daughter getting a bit lost........... surrounded by all the flowers:-)

Hues of purple, shades of lavender and bold reds......

 

I love the lone warrior.......the yellow amongst the reds!

 

I could go on and on.................I just love Tulips :-)

 

Mt Baker is a snow capped Volcano and its peeking through to admire the Tulips.

 

Images: Mine. Please do not reuse without permission.

Joining A Beach Cottage for Good life Wednesdays.