Photography by Christopher Baker

How are you doing today? I am mesmerised by this image and the photography of Christopher Baker.

To quote him " The subjects in my best photographs have the feeling of existing in a perfect state. You deeply understand it but what “it” is remains elusive. The image compels the viewer to consider a larger, unseen reality not based in logic."

Sigh............need I say more :)  Tell me, what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see this image???


Please don't forget to enter my Giveaway here :)

Image : via

Stories To Share ( A new series on My Dream Canvas )

Welcome to a New Series on My Dream Canvas. It is called "Stories to Share". I am revisiting an old post and giving it a new twist :) In every home there is something that is unique to you and your life.  That special souvenir from a trip somewhere, a little trinket from a flea market or an antique store, an elegant curio from a store you love or an heirloom that has been passed down generations.

Look around you..........there must be something that you own that has a story that goes with it. I would love to know about it :) Your story will be featured on my new series Stories to Share. I firmly believe that these are the things that make your home uniquely you. Click a picture and send me your story. It can be anything......pebbles/ shells from the beach........a leaf hidden inside your favorite book.......a cherished post card, an heirloom, wall hangings, a photograph......whatever you like :) Don't keep such things tucked away in your drawer. They need a special space in your home.......bring them out, find a place for it and tell your story :)

Lets get this series going and soon If I get enough responses I shall start a linky party. However, for now just email me a picture and send me a short story to go with the image. Please remember that this is not about rooms or your home in general but something that belongs to you :) Email me at anuseattle@gmail.com and please make Stories to Share the title of your email.

Thanks a lot........Anu


Don't forget to enter the HomeGoods gift card Giveaway!


Image : Tea time at My Dream Canvas :)

Come Fly With Me ( Spain )

Hello to the new week! I am back with the series Come Fly With Me :) Yes, I know I skipped last week. My apologies, I promise to be consistent in the future :) Click here to visit the first post in this series. Today, we are travelling to one of my favorite parts of the world - Malaga, Spain!!

The Cortijo El Carligto is a private Andalusian villa perched on a hilltop with views of the Mediterranean Sea. This place is a haven for people who want to get away from it all.....splendid isolation is what it represents :) The interiors are exquisite. Each and every corner appeals to the dreamer in me! Have you been swept away???

Here's wishing you a beautiful week ahead. Please don't forget to enter my Giveaway to win a 50 dollar gift card to the store HomeGoods!!

Images: via

Friday Musings and Some Tea !

Friday is here and my weekend looks quiet for a change :) I have some projects at home that I need to tackle. As I sit and enjoy my cup of peppermint tea ...........I am here to invite you to join me as well :)

Have you tried peppermint tea? I really like it. It can be very soothing. I can't believe it is almost August. The year seems to be whizzing past. It will soon be Fall and I will have to wait almost another year to sit in my backyard :)

Have a beautiful weekend and remember to have fun!!!

The 50 dollar gift card from HomeGoods is waiting for you:) So remember to enter my Giveaway!!

Image: Tea in my backyard :)

Linking up with Potpourri Friday at 2805.

The Color Caravan Online Sale

Hello my lovely readers. Today, I am here to share something that you simply cannot miss :) An online sale by The Color Caravan based in India.  This is a venture that links rural Indian artisans to the urban market. It presents traditional handicrafts in a contemporary style and markets them to urban buyers. Their aim is to create livelihood opportunities for artisans and in turn preserve traditional Indian crafts.
The founder of  The Color Caravan is the lovely Swati Seth. Her dedication and vision is what gives Color Caravan the edge in the market. I am personally a huge fan :)
Now for some exciting news. The online exhibition cum sale is now online on Color Caravan's Facebook page. The exhibition presents leather work from Kutch in Gujarat (India).

Here is some information about the people behind this collection.
"The Marwadi Meghwals, a community believed to have migrated to Kutch from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, are famous for their leather work and unusually bold patchwork. In Kutch they work both as leather workers and wool weavers, living and working closely with Maldhari cattle herders from whom they source hides of dead animals.The men make leather products while women embellish these objects with embroidery executed with multi-coloured threads."

Click here to visit the The Color Caravan and to browse the entire collection on sale starting today :) The buying instructions are mentioned in the album featured on their Facebook page. The Color Caravan will ship internationally as well :)

Thank you Swati :)


Images: via

Home Of A Designer in Portugal

Today I am taking you to a designer's dream home in Portugal. The home of designer Pequenino Rodrigues in Comporta. A designer and creator of recycled furniture, Rodrigues has designed his home in a manner that makes him  feel connected with nature.

I am drawn to the home's rustic and earthy beauty. The white washed walls and the the vivid blue accents. It makes you want to slow down and enjoy life :) The home is built on sand using recycled materials..........it cannot get more perfect than this :)

The charm, beauty and privacy of this secluded area has drawn many celebrities to Comporta. A celebrated artist is organizing his painting studio here. Sounds idyllic and exotic doesn't it ?

Have you entered my Giveaway to win a 50 dollar gift card to HomeGoods? What are you waiting for :) Click HERE!!

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HomeGoods Store Giveaway!!!

If I could meet you in person I would :) If I could send each one of you a bunch of flowers I would :) However, for now I am saying Thank You to my readers with a 50 dollar Gift Card from HomeGoods. I recently conducted a mini poll on MDC and my Facebook page. It was HomeGoods vs Pier One and Home Goods won by a small margin :) I promise you that a Pier One Giveaway will follow as well :) Yes, it is Giveaway season on MDC and there will be one for my international readers as well :)

If you have never shopped at HomeGoods before, I can tell you that you are in for a treat :) If you have, you know what I mean :)

You have three chances to enter :

For the First entry -  Follow MDC via Google Friend Connect and Join my Facebook page. Please leave me a comment and let me know.

Simply leave me a comment if you are already following.


For the Second Entry :  Spread the word about this Giveaway on your blog or via Facebook.

For the Third Entry : Tweet about this Giveaway.

Lets have fun and get Home Goods happy :) This Giveaway is open to readers in the United States. Feel free to enter if you don't live here. You can always enter on behalf of your family and friends living here :) The Giveaway will end on August 24th 2012.

Image : via

Linking up to the party at Homemakers on a Dime.

Dreamy Outdoor Decor

Summer is all about alfresco dining! There is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than dining outdoors. It could be out in the garden, a picnic by the lake, out in your backyard or the terrace of your apartment. Especially for people like us where it is cold 7 months in the year..........that is something very very exciting :) Everyone moves outdoors during the brief summer months. I for one love to entertain or dine outdoors whenever I can.

I could not keep my eyes off this stunning outdoor haven. The setting has a  dreamy, lazy vibe which I love. The style is warm and rustic. The striking cushions, the fabric, the rug.......it is so me :)

It never really gets very very hot here and this kind of decor seems so perfect for Seattle!!

 

Images: via

Summer and Road Trips

A new week dawns. It is actually chilly outside today. Yes, summer is on a break in my part of the world :) However, I have no complaints. With the kids out of school and my parents visiting from India.........my home has come alive. This summer we have spent a lot of time in the car. Mini vacations where we have hit the road and travelled to places 3-4 hours away from home. There is so much to see and I feel so blessed and happy to call the Pacific Northwest home.

It is so refreshing to step away from the realities of everyday life and just get lost :) I took these pictures on a recent road trip to the Oregon Coast and the mighty Columbia Gorge. I know it is not fair to talk about holidays at the beginning of a new work week......... but then MDC is all about happiness and dreams :)

Have a great week.

Image: Mine. Please be polite and link back if you chose to copy.

Weekend Wishes

From my Home to yours :)

Image: My Home

Lavender Sprigs and My Home

Hello there :) Another day dawns in my neck of the woods. It is time to spread some sunshine and smiles at My Dream Canvas:) I am enjoying a beautiful morning with sunshine filtering through my windows.

It is lavender season here in the Pacific Northwest. In fact you can even spot them growing wild in some places. Yesterday, I took my kids to a farmers market near my house.  I picked up a few sprigs for my antique lavender jars. As the gentle fragrance from the lavender sprigs fill my home, I cannot help but smile :)

Now for the little poll I have up on my Facebook Page. This question is for my readers based in USA. If you had to pick between Home Goods and Pier One......which one would top your list?? Don't forget to leave a comment.......trust me, this is all heading somewhere :) You can leave a comment here on my blog or my Facebook page. I am looking forward to it :)

Images: Exclusively mine :)

Joining Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style.

Joining Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

The Blogging Fraternity and Some Thoughts

Hello there! There have been thoughts in my mind for a while now and today I need to share it with you. Join me for tea and lets chat shall we :) I believe that you are not just my readers but also my friends. Your continued support is what has made My Dream Canvas a happy place for me. Your emails and your comments brighten my day :) While I started this online diary purely for myself.....today it has taken a different turn. I was coaxed by my family and friends to spread the word about MDC and I am so glad I did :)

I have always said that My Dream Canvas is my happy place and I wish to spread happiness around. I want you to smile when you read my post. I want you to browse through my site as you would a magazine, that you look forward to reading. I created My Dream Canvas for myself but it has been gratifying to make you all a part of it :)

Now for some other things that have been on my mind. Unfortunately, this is something I never ever want to do in " my happy place" but then sometimes you just have to share your thoughts with your friends :) So here goes.......

It is sad when people in the blogging fraternity rave and rant about copycats in the blogging world and do the same themselves. I have noticed this many times. What I want to say is please look at what you are doing yourself before you judge others. If you can't say something nice please don't say it. My Mother and Grandmother shared this with me in my early years and it has stuck with me. It is a tough act to follow sometimes, but I do try :)  I like to believe that most of us in the blogging fraternity are decent human beings. Drop a mail and clarify things before publicly commenting about other people and spreading rumors. However, I do agree that there are  some copycats who need to be stopped immediately.

Let me end by saying that just because you are more vocal does not mean you are right!!!  I like to believe that most of us blog with honesty......maybe I am  an idealist but then I would rather be an idealist than a cynic! I am not here to win a popularity contest but here to make friends with you :)

Okay, I am going to stop rambling now .....see you around and have a lovely day!

Thank you for being you :)

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Come Fly with Me : Argentina

I am a dreamer at heart and I dream of new places everyday :) I am curious about the world and long to see and know more. Fortunately, I am married to someone who shares this passion.....infact he is a bit crazier and way more adventurous :)

There is so much of the world to see, yet I know that the two of us will try and conquer as much of the world as we can. I really hope my children grow up to enjoy this as much as we do. They have been pretty good so far!! We have taken them on endless road trips and long plane rides to new countries and different places.

Time and expense are two major factors that keep us from travelling all the time :) However, my wish list keeps on growing.......... and someday, I shall get there!!!

Argentina has been on my list for a while now. A few weeks ago I met someone who had travelled to Argentina. It was fun talking to him and the chat rekindled my desire to go there.  I was looking up some information about Argentina and I came across a beautiful property called House of Jasmines.

Come Fly with Me is a new series on MDC, where every week I will take you on vacation with me :) I hope you enjoy these virtual trips on MDC. I have blogged about hotels in the past but this will be more of a regular feature. I will try to bring you hotels that are both unusual and off the beaten track.

I am taking you today to visit the House of Jasmines in Argentina. " At the foot of the Andes mountains, the Fenestraz family have created a traditional boutique hotel filled with romance, beauty and charm. The House of Jasmines is a centuries-old mansion that has been converted into a luxurious retreat. I really like the interiors of this entire property.......come along and see for yourself :)

I really like the wrought iron grills, they remind me of my grandmother's home :)

Image : via

Sesame and Lilies at Cannon Beach

I spent this weekend with my family at Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was a fabulous road trip. A post will be up soon about the vacation :) However, I was keen to share the images of this gorgeous store called Sesame and Lilies.  The store had a unique collection of things beautifully laid out in a series of little rooms. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a rush so I have very few pictures to share. I apologise for the quality of the images as they are from my phone and the light was not good.

These pretty and dramatic chandeliers stole my heart. I also liked the turquoise cushions with the beige ruffles :)  There was so much to drool over and admire. The store also had a large collection of vintage posters and maps.......something that I have a weakness for :)

My family, the ocean.......the mountains and some wonderful window shopping..........it was a good weekend :)

You can visit the store here!

Image : From my red phone :)

A Pretty Kitchen

It is that time again.........the beginning of a new week :) I always like to start off the week with pretty things and pretty places :) We begin today with a  a lovely kitchen. It is a bright and beautiful kitchen with cute little knick-knacks......just the kind of space that I love! This kitchen has so much character and warmth. It shows that the person who cooks here must love her job! I too spend a lot of time in my kitchen. Not that I am a gourmet cook or anything :)

However, I think my kitchen is a big part of my everyday life  and it is certainly an important part of my home!! Lately, I have been admiring the kitchen cabinets from RONA!! Dreaming of a kitchen makeover :)

What about you.......are you a kitchen person? Have a beautiful week ahead.

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Weekend Moments

Happy Friday!!! Have a beautiful weekend. See you Monday for an action packed week on MDC :)

Keep on smiling......

Image: My Home

Good Earth Meets Home Goods

Good Earth is a lovely store in Delhi, India and every trip of mine I visit them to drool over the fabulous things they have the home. This is an expensive store so I don't buy much from there but that does not stop me from admiring their collection. Last year as a gift from my brother I did go there to do some shopping. I bought these pretty purple cushions for my living room and a few other things. I always felt that my couch needed something more and yesterday I found it  at my local Home Goods!! Yipee:)

So the large cushion that you have seen before is from Good Earth and the round long one is from Home Goods Global collection. I did not want a complete contrast. I like how the different shades of purple blend with each other.

The world today is truly a global marketplace and it makes shopping so much fun :)

These are shots of my my living room at night..............

Image: My Home

Linking up with the party at Somewhat Simple

Linking up with Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage.

Linking up with Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home