New Goodies at The Shop:)

Here is a sneak peek at the Summer 2012 collection for the Shop at My Dream Canvas. I was nervous and excited when I thought of starting my little online boutique. Today, I am so glad that I actually went ahead and did it :-) It has been a constant source of joy. I love sourcing things for the home.......little knick-knack and artifacts that I am attracted to as well as things that are one of a kind. The best part of the entire process is when you all "like" what you see :) I appreciate each and every comment and your constant encouragement and support. A big thank you to all the lovely people who have made something from my Shop a part of of your home.

I also want to thank my International readers for all the emails and requests. Maybe someday my little boutique will grow enough for me to begin International shipping as well:) The Shop at My Dream Canvas accepts payment via Paypal. So for those of you who are not based here but want to purchase something, you can, as long as you have it shipped to a US address. We will also be happy to send birthday/anniversary gifts to your family and friends here in the States :) Our products usually ship via 2 day Fedex.

For more details on the new collection please email me at anuseattle@gmail.com. I am waiting to hear from you :)


A vintage style antique incense holder.

An intricately carved white metal vase.

A set of hanging tribal metal fork and spoon set.

Images: via

A Room With Drama and Style

The Suzani rage may be on its way out or here to stay. One can never say!! However, one thing is certain. It always adds an element of drama to a room. I have fallen yet again for this gorgeous red and burgandy Suzani and the distressed turquoise wooden beams!!

It is certainly a dramatic dining room to sit and dine as well as mingle with family and friends!!!! What do you think?

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Welcome to My Backyard Party

My summer seems to have come and gone!!! Yes, the rains are back but we had a brief respite. It was the the perfect time to host a backyard party fo my wonderful readers :)
I have a tiny backyard which backs up into a green belt. Thankfully when I look out from my famly room all I can see are trees.  My little backyard  requires a lot of work and I plan to tackle it head on this summer.........wishful thinking the summer bit I mean :)  However, given a chance my family likes to spend time outdoors and we love to barbeque!

I wanted to capture my short lived summer with a party outdoors. As usual Peonies have to be a part of my decor:) Instead of tea, I am using my Great Grandfather's soup bowls. Yes, it is a party with a twist :) This soup bowl is part of a  Royal Cauldon dinner set my mom gave me a few years ago. Did you know there are different bowls for hot and cold soup? The soup bowl was part of a set and bought in England by my Great Grandfather in the 1930's.  My quest to know more about these pieces led me to do some research . I have been able to gather some information about the history of Royal Cauldon and have written about it before.

Cauldon Potteries manufactured china and earthenware at the Cauldon Place Works in Stoke-on-Trent in England. The owners of the Cauldon Works were " Potters to Her Majesty " and as a result Cauldon were able to adopt the branding Royal Cauldon in 1930. The printed backstamp " Royal Cauldon England Est. 1774 Made In England " was in use from 1930-1950. In 1962 the firm Cauldon Potteries Ltd. was divided and the porcelain side was continued by Coalport, which in turn is part of the well known Wedgwood group.

Time to get back to the party!!! Thank you for dropping by my virtual party. I wish I could host each one of you in my home in reality.........but I guess this will have to do for now :)

Have a lovely day..............

Images: My home

Joining Tuesday Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Joining Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Joining Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage.
Joining Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence.

A Historical Home in England

I love period homes. So when I came across a home dating back to 1435, I was certainly intrigued. This lovely home is located in the town of Haslemere, in Surrey, England.  During the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell's soldiers were stationed here! Since I have studied British History in depth, the history of this house fascinates me!  

The present owners Annie and Nicholas Jackson have lovingly restored this country home and given it a style that is their own. Annie has a weakness for red and therefore the entire house has splashes of red everywhere. The house has white washed walls. The home is rustic and elegant combined with flea market style and filed with some lovely antiques.

It is pretty, warm and inviting......don't you think??

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Madeline Weinribs's Studio

Painter and Designer Madeline Weinrib's work has been written about in various magazines and featured on many blogs. Her style continues to fascinate me! She uses vibrant colors and opulent patterns and has a distinct global style. I adore this image of her studio featured in the New York Observer Home's Spring 2012 issue.

Her website has an amazing collection of furniture, pillows, fabrics and accessories for the home. I have a crush on this beautiful plum colored Ikat Hollywood regency wing back chair........

In case you missed this before, Madeline's studio has a collection of vintage Indian photographs. She has collected these during her travels. I can see Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman in the first picture and Pandit Nehru in the second:)

Image 1: via , Image 2 : via, Image 3 : via

Happiness = Sunshine

Hi there!! After two days of incessant rain the skies have cleared and there is brilliant sunshine filtering through my window. It feels so good :)

I am looking forward to the months ahead. Summer is so short here in the Pacific Northwest that it is a season to celebrate :) Z Gallerie have these colorful lanterns in an assortment of colors and I love them. They add an instant pop of color to any space!

Have a wonderful new week! On another note, I have been discovering my images on many websites. While I appreciate that you like what you see here, PLEASE DO NOT lift images from my blog without crediting it to My Dream Canvas. It is the right thing to do!!! While I do not usually rave and rant on my blog while some thrive at it :-) I think it is nice to follow proper blogging etiquette.

My Dream Canvas is a happy place filled with happy thoughts just for you :-)

Image : My home

Hello Friday and an Outdoor Party

Hurrah for Fridays!! I am having a lovely time with my parents here. We had a  barbecue in our backyard yesterday, both my kids are out of school and we all are looking forward to summer!! My purple/ lavender crush continues and this outdoor table decor looks perfect for a summer party. I love the simple yet elegant style and  the purple hues add to the charm.


Here's wishing you a lovely weekend. I am heading out to the preview party of the Home Goods Store opening in Seattle.  It should be fun!!

 

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Greige - Stylish Entertaining

I am loving the stylish look of Greige designs and these amazing products are this week's "fabulous finds" on MDC. A popular popular lifestyle blogger Christina Fluegge branched out into furniture and bedding manufacturing at a California Interior Design firm and eventually launched Fluegge Interior Design. The items in her store are a stunning blend of beauty and elegance. Click here to visit the store.

I really like these hand painted black and white patterned square plates.

I also like these striking and unusual iron and gold leaf sea urchin bowls with glass liners.

 

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Antique Stores and Flea Markets

I am a happy gal :) My parents arrived last night from India to spend the summer break with us. The best part is that I get to be a kid again :-) I love having a full house, where everyone is talking and chatting all at the same time :) 

 The sun is shining today and as usual I could not resist taking a few pictures. I found this lantern/ lamp at an antique store some time back. I love the rust color as it goes well with my decor. The lady I bought it from said that the original lamp was brass and somebody had painted it to this color and added an electrical fitting to it as well. So while it looks like an oil lamp it actually has a light in it now.


I am really not a mall type person and love my finds from inexpensive antique stores and flea markets :-)

Images:  My home. Please link back if you chose to use these images.

Celebrating Sunshine

Yay!! The rain has gone and the sun is shining brightly around me :) Everything in this image echoes how I would celebrate this much needed sunshine! I love being by the water, the chairs look lovely and so do the cushions. I like taking my kids to the lake nearby on a sunny day. It has become a ritual that we love as a family :)

Enjoy your day!

 

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Creativity using Chalkboard Paint

I saw this and literally gasped :) This is so beautiful and so very creative! A stunning headboard that you can design yourself using an inexpensive can of chalkboard paint!! I am so inspired to try this in one of the rooms in my house. I would go crazy :-) Unfortunately I cannot draw to save my life but I guess there is always a first time :-) What I love about it is that you can change it on a whim!

You can read more about this headboard tutorial right here! There are so many creative and talented people out there and Emily is certainly one of them.

How it all began........................

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A Room For Today

 It is a dark and dull day in my neck of the woods. It has been raining since the morning and all I want to do is curl up on my favorite chair and read a book!   I have finally picked up a book after ages and loving it :)

These two rooms are caling out to me today. I could spend hours here with
not a care in the world :) Me and my books and endless cups of chai!

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A Home in Ibiza

Hello to the new week! Come away with me today to Ibiza where we visit a home that captivates me with its beauty and the story that goes with it. A fashion designer from Belgium took twenty years to create this magnificent home out of  three stone cottages, one large and two small that was built into a quarry!!!

This home is rustic with an understated elegance that I am really drawn to. I love the white and blue color that dominates the entire house.

I wish I could tell you more about this home but translating from Polish to English has been a bit of a challenge :) To be living in a home like this on the very picturesque island of Ibiza...........now this is what dreams are made of :)

Have a good week everyone!! So do you love this home as much as I do???

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IKEA Lantern and Peony Love

I just wanted to pop in and wish you a great weekend! I am working on my backyard and invite you to my backyard party next week :) Pictures coming soon.........

Here's wishing you a wonderful Fathers Day as well! Have you stopped by Ikea recently? I love these cute lanterns. They have them in many colors!

Keep on smiling :-)

Images: My Backyard

At Home With Simi Nadeem

Happy Friday my friends. I am happy to begin this day with a House Tour. It is more like a sneak peak into this lovely home. I will try and share more pictures at a later date :-) This is the beautiful home of Simi Nadeem, one of MDC's readers from Karachi.

Simi sent me these pictures a few days ago and I was struck by how colorful and elegant her home is. Simi Nadeem is a freelance interior designer and a mother of two teenagers. Simi says her home is a blend of different styles. She loves collecting antiques. She believes in colors and her home is filled with many different hues. Simi has a particular interest in ceramic pottery and has a extensive collection from all over the world.

I like the warmth in Simi's home. This is a home filled with interesting knick-knacks that have a special meaning to Simi and her family. The first picture is my favorite image of the house. I love this cosy and sunny room. It seems like the perfect place to unwind and read a book :)

I hope you have enjoyed visiting Simi's haven.  I love sharing real homes from around the world :) Simi, thank you for inviting us to your home!

Have a lovely Friday and a fabulous weekend.

Images: Simi Nadeem

Fabulous Finds Galore

There are so many fabulous things out there for your home! Here are my picks for this week! The first one is Illume Candles by Layla Grayce. The striking patterns and gorgeous colors make it Oh! so tempting........

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The beautiful crochet designs by Creative Carmelina have stolen my heart. These cotton tea cup sculptures are made from starched crochet. They are handmade and are approximately the size of a real bone china tea cup and saucer set.

What a lovely way to store little trinkets.......don't you think ??  You can visit her lovely Etsy Shop and her blog by clicking here.

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I do hope you have enjoyed your virtual shopping trip at My Dream Canvas :-) Have a lovely day!