Tea Time With Maryam The Illustrator

I am having lots of fun with the " Tea Time" series on My Dream Canvas and I hope you are too:) My inbox has been filled with tea time pictures that make me smile :) I am getting to know people from all over the world who share a common passion for chai :)  I am thrilled to introduce you to Maryam on the blog today. Maryam is based in India and is an illustrator and artist. I have spent the last two days reading her blog and admiring her illustrations. 

Maryam is truly multi-talented and in her words " My blog is my little corner in the world that is like completely mine, away from my duties as an Army wife and mother of two hyperactive boys. I am a children's book and fashion illustrator, a newbie potter and a BIG time foodie. I love trying out new recipes and experimenting them on my ever ready family-who relish everything (well almost) that I put on their plates"

As you can clearly see we also made a connection because of her being an army wife and me being an army brat :)

Here is Maryam's cup of tea and her beautiful tea time watercolor which she made a while back. 

Here is a preview of Maryam's work. You can connect with her via her blog and on Facebook.

Thank you Maryam for sharing your cup of tea with me and the readers of My Dream Canvas!

Images: Maryam Hasanahmad and subject to Copyright!

Tea Time With Nirmala in Seattle and Kunjan in San Francisco!

Today we are sharing tea time stories with two lovely ladies. Kunjan Chabra is a fellow blogger and avid reader of My Dream Canvas. In Kunjan's words " I am a Delhi girl who now lives in the beautiful city of San Francisco. An avid lover of colors, I thrive on pattern and textures all around me. I blog at An Affair With Color.

I have been drooling over this lovely tea tray and its pretty evident that Kunjan is a fellow chai lover :) 

Warm and inviting..............

Nirmala needs very little introduction. Her home tour on MDC is one of the most popular home tours on my blog. A fellow chai lover, I have known Nirmala for a few years now. She is an incredibly talented lady. Her home is filled with pretty things, she is also a DIY enthusiast and is extremely artistic.

In her words" Chai is my favorite beverages of all! My day like most of us has to start with a cup of tea, I particularly enjoy it all alone in my favorite spot on the couch by the window. The energy that I get from that one cup is enough to last for a few hours. Tea time gets even more special during weekends when I have my favorite chai companion, my husband around. We take  ten minute tea breaks by the kitchen island in the middle of a busy day. We particularly enjoy our chai in Kulhads (terracotta cups). It gets even more special when we have rain joining us…......which is most of the times in Seattle"

Nirmala's tea time looks pretty and exotic....I love the Moroccan tea glasses :)

Thank you ladies for inviting us for tea :)


Image 1 and 2: Kunjan Chabra, Images 3 and 4 : Nirmala Iyer and subject to copyright.

Tea Time With Manju of Mirch Masala

Our very first cup of tea is with Manju Mahadevan right here in Seattle. Manju is an absolute foodie, fellow blogger, chai lover and a virtual friend! I hope to meet her someday soon :) Her blog Mirch Masala is a treat and has the most awesome recipes. I am also a big fan of Manju's food photography. 

In Manju's words " I love cooking, eating and feeding my family with good food as much as eating out around the town. Fashion, travel and wine lover...... Obsessed with planning and making lists - it could be anything, the next party, the next travel plan, restaurants to eat, food to cook, things to buy........ changing the decor of the house or purses and shoes to buy (shh!)"

You can see why I made a connection :)

You are going to love me for introducing you to her very popular website and you can connect with Mirch Masala on Facebook.

Here's a sneak peek into what's in store for you on her blog. Mouthwatering and beautiful.....don't you think?

Thank you Manju for sharing your cup of tea with the readers of My Dream Canvas :)


Images: Manju Mahadevan of Mirch Masala and subject to copyright.

Tea Time Around The World Part 1

I am thrilled to kick start the "Tea Time" series on My Dream Canvas. Today, I am sharing a cup of tea from my home.  For me, a cup of tea is the much needed fuel to get me to start my day :) Its usually a pretty tall cup! I have to admit that on most mornings Mr MDC makes it for me :) I am usually packing the kids lunch in the morning......and running around so I appreciate all the help I can get!! My morning "cuppa" is pretty easy, I love my Earl Grey tea bag:)

My ideal tea time moment would involve a good book. However, these days I am not reading a whole lot ! I need to rectify that immediately. My tea collection includes a variety of tea cups. There is nothing matching or symmetrical in my collection! I have started buying tea cups as souvenirs and this particular one is from Mexico. The brownie is from a friend who makes the most fabulous desserts :) The tea coasters are a gift from my sister in law in UK. She and my brother know me rather well..... and they give me the most awesome gifts :) I bought the book box in the image from HomeGoods. It is actually a storage box with the names of all the classics I grew up reading.

I do hope you have enjoyed joining me for tea at the MDC casa. Stay tuned..... as we head to another home here in Seattle for a cup of tea. I promise to begin in Seattle and end up around the world, sipping endless cups of chai :)


Image: My Dream Canvas

My Vacation Home :)

Do you dream of having your owning your own vacation home? I do :)

This delightful home overlooking the Pyrenees comes pretty close to my idea of a vacation home. Its rather beautiful in a charming and rustic way!

Here is my checklist for my imaginary vacation home :

1. Cozy and cute but with enough room for family and friends :)
2. Bright and airy
3. Scenic location, (beach or mountains) is fine, I am not all that picky :)
4. Large kitchen with an orchard and a vegetable garden ( Hey! in my dreams I get to be extremely demanding)
5. Fireplace is a must!
6. Books and books galore......

I could go on and on.....but you get the drift :)

Now, I want to hear your checklist?? Do please share...... and lets day dream together!

Here's wishing you a dreamy Sunday!!

Images: via

Sunshine at My Dream Canvas

It was a beautiful day in my neck of the woods. There was brilliant sunshine outside my door and gorgeous light filtering through my windows! Armed with my camera I walked around the house clicking pictures! Here's a look at my day....

Pretty roses gifted to me by Mr MDC add a splash of color!

The light coming through created some interesting vignettes.....

A pretty yellow rose.......

As the sun was setting everything around me was illuminated........

I hope you have enjoyed a peek into my casa ? Next up.....its tea time around the world :) See you around and have a great week ahead!!

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright.

Lets Talk Tea!

I am so glad I decided to bring the "tea series" back to life on My Dream Canvas! The emails are pouring in with images and stories about tea time from readers homes around the world! I am excited and looking forward to sharing them with you next week :) There is still time to send in the pretty pictures and the delightful stories............. so keep them coming. I took a quick picture with my Ipad of the the tea chest my mother in law gave me to kick start the series. It sits pretty on my kitchen counter and I am quite in love with it :)

To know more about the tea series, click here!

Happy Friday and here's wishing you love, laughter and happiness for Valentines Day !!

Image: My Home!

Tea Time Around The World!

Tea time is always a special time for me at home :) Its that few minutes of solitude and relaxation that I look forward to everyday. While I enjoy having tea  with family and friends, I have to admit that I enjoy my cup of "chai" even when no one is around :) It is truly my "me" time!

For those of you, who have been reading MDC for a while might recall a "Tea Series" on the blog which I started in 2010. My aim was to  presents a series of tea moments from homes all over the world :) You can click on the link to read the first and the second post. There are some dreamy images in both the posts send to me by some lovely ladies who share my passion for tea. 

Today, I want to invite my readers to share their tea stories with me. If you think that this sounds like fun, do click an image that captures your tea time moment and inbox it to me! Please add a few lines about yourself and where you are based? It will be a fun way to get to know each other :) Over the next few days, I shall share images from my home as well!

Sharing a lovely poster about tea time to get the party started :)

Image 1 : My Home, Image 2: via

A Beautiful Room

I am in love with this salon featured in El Mueble today! It looks likes the perfect space to relax, unwind or even entertain. I like the books lining the tall bookshelves, the fireplace, the rustic yet elegant touches throughout the room.

It does look warm, cozy and inviting, don't you think??

Image: via

Happy Monday!

Hi! Just popping in to wish you a very Happy Monday? Do you love this Zumi Quilt? You can find it on Urban Outfitters. I am working on something this week at the MDC casa and I shall share the details shortly:)

Enjoy the week and stay Happy!!

Image: via

Shop At My Dream Canvas : Vintage Style Fan

A few old time favorites like the fan above.... are back in stock at The Shop At My Dream Canvas! Thank you for all the wonderful comments about the new collection! For those of you, who have picked up something from my little store.....I am thrilled that something from my "Shop" is a small part of your lovely home :)

Keep on smiling and enjoy the weekend!

Image: Shop At My Dream Canvas.

The Story Behind The Trunk Full Of Memories!

I believe that a great way to personalize your home is to weave your memories into your decor. I shared a image of my trunk last week and today I am here to tell its story :)

I have always wanted my home to speak of my personal style. When I saw Chandan Dubey's vintage styled trunks I instantly knew that I wanted one with my personal stamp on it :) Chandan was extremely patient with me as I bombarded her with photographs and images of numerous things that I wanted to display in the trunk. She has given this project a lot of thought and created something unique and special for me. Chandan found this old trunk and restored it beautifully. It has an old world charm and a patina that I was looking for when I imagined what the trunk would look like in my head :)

A beautiful way to tell a story is to create a "heritage display."  My aim was to display my treasures as well as have the space to store pictures and letters that were meaningful to me! The trunk now serves that purpose beautifully :) The trunk has images of letters written to me, family pictures, a favorite piece of jewelry, a few heirlooms..... my Grandmother's sari border and a poem written by my paternal Grandmother and so much more....

The silver powder puff is the logo of My Dream Canvas and a treasured gift from My Nani ( my maternal Grandmother) 
I had to have a picture of it on the trunk :) 

The cover of the trunk has picture of both my Grandmothers. My Nani ( maternal Grandmother) was my best friend during my growing up years. I shared a lot with her. She gave me unconditional love ( like all grandparents do). Nani was my biggest ally and I miss her immensely. I miss her softness and her quiet strength......she was truly an incredible woman!

My Dadi (paternal Grandmother) passed away when I was quite young! I remember her as a strong and beautiful woman. She was extremely modern and very liberal for her time. As I look back and remember her...... she seems almost mysterious and rather glamorous :)  She was a writer and a poet and has many books to her name!

The two ladies had very different personalities. Yet, I believe that they had a few things in common They were both very well educated and forward thinking. My trunk is primarily dedicated to the memory of these two amazing women! I have grown up being surrounded by strong and capable women, including my mom. I only hope I can end up being a wee bit like them!

The border along the trunk is from my Nani's sari. Its amazing how Chandan managed to transfer it onto the wood from an image I emailed her!

Lately, I have been sharing a lot of personal stories and memories on the blog. What can I say, my home is a reflection of who I am and where I come from. Its hard to separate the design and decor aspect of my house from my personal story. My roots and my legacy are both deeply embedded in my decor!

I hope you have enjoyed the story of my trunk ? A big thank you to Chandan Dubey, without her immense talent and creativity, this would not have been possible!

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to Copyright!

Etsy Finds: Suzani Coasters

Etsy is such a fun place to browse for unique and cool stuff. Recently spotted these striking Suzani coasters on BungalowWilde. Pretty right? The store is based in Florida and ships within the United States!

Image: BungalowWilde and Subject to copyright!

Is Your Bedroom A Sanctuary ?

I spotted this bedroom recently and immediately fell in love with the style. It appeals to me due to its casual elegance. Is your bedroom your sanctuary? Mine is :) It has everything that makes me feel at ease. Its comfortable without being over dressed. I am going through a phase where I am losing the appeal for over decorated spaces. Cramming the space up with tonnes of stuff is not necessarily layering, its more like cluttering in my opinion :) My bedroom for one has a few simple things.... family pictures, my favorite books, a few trinkets and a comfy bed :)

I think it makes perfect sense to dress up some areas of the house however other areas like the bedroom should primarily be a comfort zone. A safe haven to come back to after a tiring day or a long trip. 

What do you think? How do you balance the two.... comfort vs design and decor?


Image: via