Summer Inspiration : Outdoor Living

We are going through a heat wave in my neck of the woods! Summer has come early with temperatures soaring beyond 80 degrees. That s a big deal in my part of the world :) Its time to head outdoors but alas my backyard is a complete mess!! It requires a lot of love and care. So for now I am ogling at this stunning porch featured in Nuevo Estillo. 

The splash of yellow and blue makes me sing a happy tune :)

Image : via

A Colorful Day At Todos Santos

Todos Santos is a small coastal town at the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains on the Pacific  side of the Baja California Peninsula. Todos Santos was about an hour's drive north of Cabo San Lucas where I was based on my recent trip to Mexico. I had heard a lot about Todos Santos and was dying to explore it. While Mexico is all about beaches and fancy resorts, the wanderer in me just had to explore this cute little artsy town that I had read so much about. I am so glad I did :)

This little town draws travelers who enjoy browsing fine art galleries while taking in the vibe of an older and more traditional Mexican town. It’s one of few communities in Mexico to receive the honor of a “Pueblo Magico,” or “Magical Town,”. This is a designation awarded to places that retain their authentic historic and artistic charm. I came across at least 20 art galleries on the dusty streets of this little town. What I loved most about this town were the colors. All the shops, galleries and cafes were housed in old colonial buildings and many of them were painted in colorful hues! It really was pure magic :)

Come along with me as I take you along my walk in Todos Santos! I enjoyed walking down these colorful lanes with my husband and kids in tow. My little troupers actually had fun pointing out the colorful buildings for mom to photograph :) We loved our drive up to Todos Santos and yearn to go back there someday!

This was the window of a home in town.

A mural depicting the town's history in a small shopping plaza....

Quaint little boutiques along the way...........

Handicrafts galore..........

Splashes of color everywhere!

Hope you enjoyed this walk with me :)


Image: My Dream Canvas and subject to Copyright. Cannot be copied under any condition.

Etsy Finds " Suzani Runners"

Etsy is always so much fun! There are some lovely treasures to be found! I stumbled upon these really pretty Suzani runners and had to share them with you. You should check out the collection of Suzanis and Ikats at the Eastern Home Decor. The prices look pretty good too. 

I am particularly drawn to this blue runner, a striking and unusual combination for a Suzani, don't you think?

Images: Copyright Eastern Home Decor.

New Week on My Dream Canvas

Hi, I am popping in to wish you a bright and beautiful week ahead! I am still working on sorting out my pictures from Mexico and this is one of them :) This week stay tuned for a lovely Giveaway, come with me on a walk down the streets of Todos Santos, a cute and colorful artist town in Mexico and much much more.........

Keep on Smiling and have a Happy Monday :)

Come Fly With Me To Abode Mumbai

I am back with the Come Fly With Me Series to bring you a fascinating boutique hotel in the heart of Mumbai. The first of its kind in Mumbai, the Abode Hotel is housed in a 110-year-old building. The property was originally built in 1910 by Opium trader and businessman David Sassoon. The property's true potential was realized in 2013 when a British national and an Indian hotelier teamed up with an Australian architect to convert this neglected heritage property into a boutique hotel!

The Abode stands proud today as building that pays homage to Bombay’s heritage and bohemian past.The architect Sian Pascale has conceptualized a design process which draws on uncovering the history of the building and also the city itself. 

There are some spaces that make you comfortable and at ease as soon as you set your eyes on it! Its a winner if you can make an instant connection and picture yourself there! These images of  Abode" in Mumbai does that for me!

Take a look and tell me what you think?

This library at the hotel is inspired by the old book sellers in the city where tiny spaces are jam packed and stacked with books that can be bought by the kilo. 

Everything is unique at this hotel. These stacks of The Parle-G biscuit/ cookies  is for guests to give to homeless children on the streets of Mumbai or just to snack on!

I love the fresh and new approach of this hotel. Abode  appears to be filled with character! A hotel that blends the new and the old.......I am drawn to the restored vintage furniture sourced from Mumbai's secondhand markets, Many of the hotel's furnishings have also been handcrafted from recycled materials. What's not to love about that!!

Images: via

Fabulous Finds" Villa Valentina" A Unique Shopping Experience

The beaches in Mexico were fun, the sun healing, the landscape dramatic and Villa Valentina just happened to add to the magic :) I stumbled upon this unique store as we were leaving San Jose for Cabo. Something inside me told me to stop as we drove past it. Thankfully, we turned the car around as this place turned out to be absolutely fascinating.  

Have you ever entered a space where you want to get lost wandering?? Well this was one such place. Villa Valentina " is a beautiful art and design center housed in a Mission-like building". For me me it was so much more, I loved everything about this place. It appealed to my design sensibilities completely. It had a casual yet refined air. There was an endless treasure trove of goodies tucked away in every nook and cranny. There were exquisite things placed effortlessly just poised to catch your eye! It reminded me of a haveli with an old world charm. To think I was in Mexico and yet it felt like I could have been in Rajasthan :)

Haciendas or Haveli.....what can I say, I have a weakness for both :) Villa Valentine apart for being a lovely shopping experience, houses a restaurant, an art gallery and features art classes as well. Need I say more ?

Have fun looking, I certainly did :) Have you had a unique shopping experience that has stayed with you forever, I would love to know? Do share your story in the comments section below. As people join in I am sure we can come up with some interesting stories :)

Image: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright

Postcards From Mexico

I am back from my vacation. I have missed you and I hope you share the sentiment:) The vacation was idyllic. The sun and the sea was therapeutic, just what we needed after a long harsh winter! However, for me this trip was also about the colors, culture, interiors and craft of Mexico. Over the next few weeks I shall bring you a series called " Postcards from Mexico". I have to warn you I did take almost 2000 pictures :) Are you ready to run away??? Okay, I promise to sort them out for you but I will need some time :) These pictures below are the tip of the iceberg. They are from my phone and not the camera!! 

I hope you to see you here often as I take you along on my photographic journey.......

The colors that greeted us every morning as we stepped out of our room at the hotel............

The bar in the famed " Hotel California" in a town called Todos Santos........

At the same hotel, we stopped in to have some coffee and ice cream..........................

The steps we climbed everyday to get to the car.  I loved the tiled staircases all over Mexico.....

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright!

Coffee Table Books, Green Tea and Flea Market Finds!

The weekend beckons and brings with it abundant sunshine!! I am heading off on a "bloggy" break! Yes, I need to recharge my batteries so for the next week or so. I may or may not be around for a few days. Miss me :) 

I have travel on my mind these days!! Coffee table books have become my weakness off late. One of my favorite trips was to Italy many years ago. I found this book for 2 bucks at a Library sale. It is filled with incredible pictures and brings back wonderful memories :) The tray is a flea market market from North Carolina and is 12 years old. 

Here's wishing you a Happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!  Keep on smiling and see you in a few days :)

Image: My Dream Canvas, please be polite and do not reuse without prior permission.

Don't Take Your Decor Too Seriously :)

I have a question for you! Do you take your decor too seriously? Do you want everything to be picture perfect and elegant? I have to admit that I like to keep a neat, clean, and pretty home. However, I also want the home to feel lived in. I want to come back home after a long day and plop myself in my favorite chair :) I also want to surround myself with things that are comfortable and make me feel loved. My home should always have a warmth and coziness, because this where I see my family nurture and grow.  My home is where memories are created, everyday!!

I have seen a lot of lovely homes in person and online in my five years of blogging. I love the homes that have a character and tell the story of the people who live there. Then there are those homes that seem to be" trying to hard" I am not sure if I can explain this well, but I shall try :) There are also homes that suffer from an overdose of decor.  It's decor to the point of clutter.  The artwork and prints on the wall, while stunning, are simply too many. It is like walking into a museum and not a home :)  Patterns everywhere seem to collide and simply stress me out! 

I know this is my personal opinion and I am not commenting on any one style in particular! We all have the right to decorate our homes in our unique way without caring about what people think :)

Over the years, I have realized that I don't want to take my decor too seriously!! I want to relax and enjoy the experience :) A house turns into a home because of the people who live in it. It could take days, months, or years to turn a home into a haven. This process should ideally be effortless, but for that to happen, you need to have fun :)

This is a corner of my home, which is my fun space. I add color to it when I feel like it.  A happy thought, a few flowers, lovely memories from my travels, and thoughtful gifts are what make it special! It follows no trend :)

Do you have fun decorating or do you sometimes think its too much work ? Do you have a happy corner? I would love to know?

Images: My Dream Canvas

Sentiments in Decor and A Project

I am a sentimental fool and I am quite happy being one :) I am very zealous and protective when it comes to family and love preserving memories......be it scraps of paper, frayed photographs, heirlooms and so much more. Every trip back to India, I insist on working on some project or the other related to the past! It keeps everyone including my parents on their toes :) 

My aim is someday to self publish a coffee table book about our family and gift it to my children.....maybe on their 18th birthday! It is going to require time, a lot of effort and research. I need to get information from a lot of people to make this happen!The book will be filled with pictures, letters and memoirs and my hope is that they will treasure it! 

I think along the same lines about my decor. I want our home to be a visual collage of our memories, our life and our roots! The anklets/payals  in the image below belonged to my Grandmother. Displaying these anklets at home make for an unconventional decor accessory and yet, I want to find a place for them somewhere in my house. I don't want them tucked away in a drawer! These anklets might never be used again !! The reason is simple.....they are simply too heavy to be worn unless you are a modern day princess:) I don't know how the ladies managed it in those days!! I wore them at my wedding, so I know just how much they weigh :) 

I would love to hear suggestions on how I could incorporate these anklets into my decor at home.  Do please write in your thoughts and ideas! It will be great to hear from you. 

For those of you interested in jewelry and history, you should visit Puja Bhargava's "Indian Jewellery Project". This venture aims to source the visual history of Indian jewelry through the personal archives of families. A fascinating initiative in my opinion. To know more, you can join them on Facebook!

Image: My Dream Canvas

Bedroom Crush

Spring is in the air. Everything looks bright and colorful.  Incorporating a fresh look into the decor at home seems like a good way to welcome the new season. For me, this bedroom featured in El Meuble looks absolutely perfect for Spring. It is pretty, its feminine, it is bright and beautiful...... and yet has that understated elegance that I so love!!

Of course the dash of turquoise just steals my heart :) If you were to give your bedroom a makeover, what are the colors you would use??

Images : via

Travelling My Dream Canvas Style

Hello there!! Today, I am going to talk about my other passion " Travel".  Mr MDC and I are poles apart....and are very different temperamentally, the one common ground we share is our passion for travel. He and I are very alike in that respect. We can hit the road anytime :) Travelling is also an expensive passion. Therefore one has to get creative and he is good at that :) We hate making quick trips and try not to fit in too many things. 

We travelled extensively before we had kids but fortunately we are continuing to do so even now. My kids love it and they are very sporting!! The destinations have changed a bit, its no longer as hectic or adventurous but its still pretty good :) My favorite trip so far has been to Italy. We spent 14 days there and I came back thinking that it was just the tip of the iceberg :) The build up to our trip involves scouring the library for guidebooks. Hubby is also a part of some travel forums online etc. My favorite author for Europe is Rick Steves. I think he is brilliant. We also read Frommers and Fodors for other destinations.

We am more of the "off the beaten path" kind of people. We usually rent cars or use public transport and explore places on our own. Trying out the local cuisine in a "hole in the wall" kind of place is a must on our trips :) Hubby conveniently learns a few phrases, and puts on the various accents with ease as well. I have a tough time doing that :)

As you can clearly see, I have travel on my mind! I can't wait to be off soon..............

What about you, do you have some special family travel trips and traditions? I would love to hear about it ?

Image: My Dream Canvas

Giveaway Winner and A Tea Party

Today, you have to walk through the blue door into this garden.....sit down and have a cup of tea with me :) I am hosting a virtual tea party where I sit you down, offer you tea and cookies and thank you for being the most awesome readers!! You guys are simply the best. 

The Jaypore and My Dream Canvas Giveaway received a fantastic response! A big thank you to all those who participated and helped spread the word around! The winner has been selected via Random.org. The lucky lady who gets to take away the pretty products from Jaypore is Reshma of Masala Mango Mantra. Congratulations Reshma, please email me your address. 

Thank you all for participating! 

Have a super weekend!!

Image 1 : via and Image 2 : via

The Simple Joys in Life

Friday is my favorite day of the week :) The weekend looms large with endless possibilities! Yes, I do like to romanticise and dramatize my life sometimes :) My weekend will be fairly ordinary but who cares!! Today, as the sunshine filters through my Casa, I am immensely grateful for all the little joys in my life!!

Life is complicated and stressful but at times its good to pause...take a deep breath and simply smile and say thank you!

On that note, Happy Friday and have a good weekend!!

There are a few more hours left for the Jaypore and My Dream Canvas Giveaway!! Do make sure you enter here!!

Image: My Dream Canvas