Trends vs Sentimentality

Summer is making its way through to my neck of the woods! I am sorry for missing in action! I have ben busy with my parents in town. It was my mother's 70th birthday last month and my entire family gathered at my place to celebrate the big day. I feel to fortunate that we were able to make this happen. As the years are passing by family time seems to have become one of the most important things I want to focus on.

My new hardwood floors have brought about a change in me! While, I always felt the need to declutter, I feel the need even more so now! I want my home to feel bright and airy. People always ask " What's your style" For me, its simple, comfort combined with style and the desire to surround myself with the things I love is my thing:) Often magazines and bloggers comment on what style is in and what's out! While it makes for an interesting read, I often wonder if you would throw out something just because its no longer trendy. What if you love it and enjoy looking at it everyday? What are your thoughts? How does one settle the tussle between trends vs sentimentality?

Are you striking the right balance? Do share your thoughts....

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to Copyright.

Happy Holidays and My Breakfast Nook

Hello there! the holiday season is keeping me on my toes. Starting tomorrow the kids and hubby will be home for the holiday break! Its going to busy to say the least! Today, I am sharing a quick picture of my breakfast nook at home! This space is still a work in progress and its the most informal room in our home! The old chairs have a new look with suzani prints! The walls are filled with tin signs and posters of books, movies and words that are meaningful to me! Tea cups of course are a big part of my life and they deserve a special place :) The breakfast nook is a rather unconventional space but it suits my family perfectly :)

Stay tuned as this is spot in my house is always changing and I will keep sharing pictures.....

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Image: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright!

Mr Darcy, Cupcakes and Dahlias

Hello there! As a another week rolls in life is getting busier for me! I am working on a catalogue for the new goodies at The Shop At My Dream Canvas! This time apart from the traditional brass artifacts, we are happy to present a collection of limited edition table mats, trivets and pillow covers! I am excited as its a fun collection handpicked by me!

I am also thinking of setting up a local pop up store during the festive season. As you can see there are exciting times and tonnes of work ahead in store for me! This weekend we drove into the countryside and stopped by a store which had some lovely things! I was charmed by these vintage style gift tags. I bought a couple but to be honest, they way to pretty to use as tags. I plan to use them on the wall in my breakfast nook :)

Are there any fans of Mr Darcy out there? I certainly am.... and therefore could not resist picking up the tag in the middle :) 

I am sending you smiles and cupcakes to shake off those Monday blues....

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Images: My Dream Canvas

A Summer Holiday

Hello there! I have been running around in circles the past few days! Its the end of the school year and my trip to India is just a few days away! I am shopping, cooking, cleaning, organizing and partying all at the same time :)

I will be missing for a few weeks but I shall resume blogging from MDC's new base in Delhi as soon as my jet lag is over! I want my kids to have an old fashioned summer break at my parents home!  Lazy days filled with fun, laughter and yes yummy food :) We have a family wedding to look forward to, a trip to the hills to escape the Delhi heat, a quick getaway lined up for me with my friends and last but not the least, sourcing and curating treasures for The Shop at My Dream Canvas. 

The Shop will be offline for a while I travel. However, there maybe a surprise in store, so do watch this space :)

Here's wishing you a wonderful week ahead! Keep on smiling.....

A Summer Tea Party At MDC

 Hello everyone! It is almost summer in my part of the world though the temperatures are still pretty mild! However, since we are almost at the end of May, in my mind I have declared summer :) I leave for India in less than 4 weeks for two months! While, I am super excited about being back in my parents home, I shall miss the glorious Pacific Northwest summer!

There is absolutely no place as beautiful as this in summer. The trees and flowers are in full bloom, the skies are a brilliant blue, the lakes sparkle, the sunsets are surreal and the mountains tower in the distance....

I simply had to celebrate the beginning of summer with a party in my backyard! MDC and tea time go hand in hand and today I invite you to join for impromptu tea party :)
Did I have a plan or a theme for the layout, absolutely NOT! The sun came out briefly and I ran out to the backyard with a few of my favorite things! Last year, I was fortunate enough to spend a month in Europe to celebrate my 40th birthday! Most of the things here are little things I picked up in Italy and England! 

• The lemon tablecloth was an impulse purchase in Positano! I loved the bright and happy print and every time I look at it, it reminds me of all the lemoncelos and gelatos we ate on the trip :)
•  The patisserie tin was a lucky find at a local store in Northampton, 
• The tea cups are from Anthropologie, as you might have guessed :) 
• The other tea tin and teapot coasters are gifts from my sister in law and brother who live in England and know me really well :) 
• The butterfly kettle is from Bombay Company which alas has gone out of business!
• The blue vase is by Rosanna Inc and I am a huge fan of her products! Luckily, she is a local and I get to go to her December wharehouse sale to shop for such goodies :)

These are just a few of my favorite things brought together to create a summer vignette! So, dig into your stash and find a few of your favorite things. You never know what you might be able to create :) Creating a vignette or styling a space should not be too much work! Keep it simple and close to your heart :)

The tea served at the party was special and local to the Pacific Northwest! Andy Hayes, the owner and founder of Plum Deluxe based in Portland, Oregon sent me some amazing tea to try out. I took to it instantly. If you are a tea lover, you have to visit The Plum Deluxe Tea Shop.

Their tea is hand-blended in small batches at their studio in Portland, Oregon, Plum Deluxe’s line of signature teas  are organic, non-gmo, vegan, and free of chemicals and sulfites and the ingredients are sourced from the Pacific Northwest where possible.

I do hope you enjoyed my little tea party :) Celebrate life's little moments and keep on smiling :)

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright

Transition To Spring At MDC

Good morning! As spring makes its way towards me, I have the desire to redecorate and de-clutter. In winter, I tend to display more things around my home and in spring, I feel the urge to clear them out. Does that sound crazy to you:) 

I like to update my home for the season. Each space in my home has a few permanent elements and some that are temporary. For this reason I am very partial to a neutral palette for my furniture and my walls. I only need to change the pillows, add some plants and a few accessories to give the room a new look! For Winter and Fall I like everything warm and cozy with a lot of layers. For Spring and Summer I like to remove the extra rugs on the floor, reduce the accessories and try and make the space look more breezy and open! 

I strive towards making "my dream canvas" clean, refreshing, light and tranquil. I am trying to attack the clutter in my home. It is taxing work but rewarding. While, I am trying to clean the home on the surface, I am also attacking my closets, shelves and drawers :) Sigh! I am going to be working for a long long time.....

Do you have some ideas on how to effortlessly transition into spring?

The light this morning was just brilliant. I could not resist taking a few pictures to share you. I have switched to lighter curtains, added more house plants and reduced 
the pillows around the house! Of course, I have added a new berber pillow:)

Images; My Dream Canvas! Subject to Copyright

Happy Friday From MDC

We have declared Spring in my part of the world! Even if its for a day :) Happy Friday folks Stay tuned for some exciting stuff coming to MDC next week!!

Keep on smiling!

Image: My Dream Canvas

The Beauty and Soul of A Home and a Nomination

Good Morning! How have you been? Its come as a complete surprise to be nominated for the IDIA Asian Paints Decor Blogger of the Year. I want to thank each and every one of you for reading MDC and for making this possible. For those of you who voted for me, I am really touched! This journey of becoming a decor blogger happened quite by accident, and its been an incredible few years! 

I want to share a post I wrote a while ago, about what I consider to be, the beauty and soul of a home! Here are a few lines ............

 " I can simply state, that my home "moves me". I guess because these four walls are my comfort zone. Living here with my Family, is what makes it perfect! We build our home over time and with layers. The layers in my home are far from perfect, nothing matches and not everything fits perfectly :) However, beauty does not come from perfection....right? Your home does not have to be perfect in the conventional sense....but you should love it, and make a connection with it. Call me a sentimental fool, but my Family, my Friends who live close by and the imperfect layers in my home gives it beauty and a soul! 

 I am grateful for my home and to all my readers who bring a smile to my face! 

The voting for the IDIA awards will end soon! You can click on the image below to go to my profile page to vote for me if you like :)

Happy Holidays From MDC

Hello All! I am popping in to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Here in Western Washington we are eagerly waiting Santa's arrival. My kids are tucked in bed. The cookies and milk for Santa awaits..... I can hear giggles and sense the excitement :) My parents are here and that makes this holiday season even more special!

Here's wishing you all peace and happiness today and always!

Images: My Dream Canvas

Personalised MDC Coasters :)

Photography, tea, travel, decor and design have been a part of MDC ever since its inception nearly seven years ago! I take a gazillion pictures when the light is good at home. Unfortunately, winters in Seattle means incessant rain and lack of sunshine! I run around like a mad woman when "Mr Sunshine" makes an appearance :) 
I love capturing a mood, a light, a moment and enjoy seeing it framed on my wall! The past few weeks I have been thinking of incorporating more of my work at My Dream Canvas around my home. As you might already know, I love tea and I have a thing for collecting coasters :) I have them in all shapes, sizes and materials. I am guilty of being a hoarder when it comes to coasters:) It struck me recently that I could create my own coasters using my photographs :) Here are a few images of my shiny new coasters. It represents everything I love. My love for tea and tea cups and my passion for travel ( the red rug is from a trip to Mexico ) Printing My Dream Canvas on the coaster was an after thought and I am so glad I decided to  do it! 

 So, what do you think? I am now debating about creating a collection of coasters for The Shop At My Dream Canvas! I would love some feedback and suggestions. 

Happy Holidays my friends!!

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright

Hello There

Hi there! Hope you have been missing me ??  Blogging is such an integral part of me, that it's hard for me to step away! However, sometimes life takes over and there is so much to do.

I have also been suffering from sinusitis which is making me cranky...sigh!! I will spare you the details of my misery and talk about happy things! I am sharing an image from my home! This was taken a few years ago! I have always liked this picture because of the sun streaming into my living room!

At the moment we are just recovering from a massive rain and wind storm so seeing this makes me happy! I hope it brings a smile to your face as well

See you around! I have a few exciting holidays posts coming up for you!!  Stay tuned.....

Autumn Splendor in My Backyard and An Update

Good Morning all :) Its been a late start to the day for me! What can I say, its been a a busy few weeks at my end and everything is out of control. Sigh....

Yesterday, after a long time, I pulled out my camera and indulged in a mini photo shoot :) It was therapeutic to spend time with my camera :) Diwali is always a big deal in my home. With my parents here, its extra special :) While my home is all spruced up for the festivities my backyard is a complete mess!! Its been raining incessantly, and the big tree behind my house is constantly shedding leaves! As a result the backyard is strewn with leaves in a myriad hues! I could not resist stepping out in the cold, armed with a hot cup of black coffee! 

Ah ! The cool crisp air, the pretty leaves, the hazelnut coffee had me mesmerised. As you can see....... I went a bit crazy :)

It was Diwali :)

I am signing off now. I  will be back soon with some shiny new items coming soon to The Shop At My Dream Canvas :) i have missed you all. How have you been??

An Autumn Day at The MDC Casa

Good Morning all. I apologize for the late start to the work week. This is a busy time of the year for me! Halloween, Diwali and my daughter's birthday....its all coming up.... and I am trying to juggle multiple things! My calender is full, and sometimes a quick tea break at home is all I need to get recharged :) 

 Despite the madness that surrounds me, a few quiet moments with my camera always relaxes me! A few days ago the autumn light filtered into my living room. The play of light and shadow, and the golden glow was hard to capture through my camera lens, but I did try. Here are a few quiet moments from home on that fine Autumn Day! In the words of John Donne, the famous literary poet "No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face." 

 Here's wishing you a beautiful week ahead!

Images: My Dream Canvas Copyrighted and cannot be used without written permission.

Memories, Decor and A Discussion

I am back again today with a question for all my readers today! How do you weave your memories into your decor? At the MDC Casa, my decor is extremely personal, it conforms to no rules and follows only my heart :) What about you? What is your secret mantra to make your home personal? 

 I have always wanted my home to speak of my personal style. I literally spell it out :) I weave a story by creating a "heritage display" at home. I collect old photographs and letters of my family and display them around my home. I have diligently been rummaging through closets and albums in my parents' home in Delhi. As a result, I have managed to bring back some lovely photographs to Seattle! You can imagine my excitement when the pictures go up on a wall or find that perfect corner to call home:)

 Yesterday, I came across these vintage style frames which seem perfect for the black and white photographs. The first image is personal favorite. The little girl is my mom :) The picture was taken by my grandfather half a century ago. My Grandfather was a brilliant photographer. At that time....years ago, he had a darkroom in his home where he developed his own prints. I adore this picture as my daughter shares a remarkable resemblance to my mom in this photograph :)

Today, join me in a discussion and lets come up with creative ideas on how to weave memories into decor??? I shall await your thoughts eagerly :)

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright

Celebrating Summer MDC Style!

Hello there! After two days of rain and cooler temperatures we are back to sunshine and blue skies. The summer in the Pacific Northwest is so short that we make the most of it. Each day of sunshine is celebrated :) It is the place to be outdoors, with lakes and mountains at your doorstep! I love this time of the year. 

At home too, I dress up the place for summer. Fresh flowers, hints of cream, orange and green dominate my space :) My beloved heirlooms sparkle and shine with an extra coat of silver polish. I plan to try my hand at block printing, hence my recent fascination with blocks :) Here are some images that capture summer at My Dream Canvas. I am taking these pictures for a project and I shall share the details soon. 

 Happy Friday people and have a beautiful weekend :)

Images: My Dream Canvas and under Copyright!

Benefits of Blogging At The MDC Casa :)

“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” – Danny Kaye

I love the quote above! In my opinion its really apt for My Dream Canvas and the way I want to live my life! These roses came home on Mother's day. The greenery outside my window, the pale peach color of the roses and the aqua hues of the lamp all came together to create the perfect summer palette. It was not by design, but I can't help but smile as I look at this!

Do you believe in seasonal decor? While I do not actively pursue it. I do believe in versatility in decor. I typically buy things that I can use in most seasons. However, I shuffle things around. Sometimes a rug gets put away or something dark and heavy is pushed back and replaced with something light and airy. My prized possessions like the aqua lamp and family heirlooms stay in the limelight forever:)

I know that my blog" My Dream Canvas" is a public space, but for me its my stress buster and still feels incredibly personal. I sound confused....don't I ? Its where I dream, create, photograph and write. That's pretty much all the things I love:)

Lately, one of the biggest perks of blogging is something that helps me immensely when I move things around my house. These days when I take pictures of a room in my house, I look at the photo and go, "Whoa! What was I thinking??" I see the space sometimes as visually cluttered. I can see what's wrong and what's right :) I think taking numerous pictures like I do, really helps control the clutter. As I look at the picture, it enables me to look at the room differently than when I am physically standing there. 

For all you bloggers and decor enthusiasts.....does that happen to you?? Do share your experiences with me!

Decorating should not feel like work. For me, it never is! However, I do strive to create a calm and peaceful home devoid of clutter! I am going to stop rambling now, and leave you with these summer inspired vignettes from my home!

Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to Copyright