Gratitude and A Few Words From The Heart!

Hello there! As a lifestyle blogger I get to share only a small part of me online. While design and decor is my passion, its only a part of my life. Life is often complicated and sometimes hard. Today, I realized that its time for me to stop fretting and be grateful for all what I have! I talk about pretty things and uncomplicated stuff on My Dream Canvas and I am so glad I do! However, life is not picture perfect and not a page from a magazine. Yet, there is a lot to be thankful for. Something as small as writing a blog is also a gift and perhaps a luxury for many others. I am grateful to each and every one of you who reads what I write. I am grateful for my amazing family, for my home, for my friends, for you, my lovely readers and for so much more!

This post is really not going anywhere..... but I just felt like saying "Thank you". I wish, I could remember to feel grateful everyday for all that I have. I think you will agree when I say this.........we all take so much for granted and forget to express gratitude. 

This is an auspicious time of the year for Indians all around the world and marks the beginning of the festive season. I am here to wish you all...... love, laughter, light, peace and happiness. 

Happy Friday and have a beautiful weekend!

Image: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright

A Letter To My Readers

A big Hello from me to you :) When I started My Dream Canvas it was simply my online diary. It did start out being personal and then slowly I was encouraged to include a lot more people into this space. I am so glad I did :) I am touched when you stop by to read what I write. We all have busy lives and even the few minutes/seconds you spare for My Dream Canvas means the world to me. I know I have said these things before but what can I say you guys are special :) While it sounds like a cliche, this journey has been a learning process and I have loved every minute of it.

 For those who are new to MDC, here is a little bit about me....I am a mom of two kids, I love to travel and I love photography. I like decorating my house and enjoy the world of interior design. In this crazy world, we all enjoy a few minutes of "down time" every now and then. I am a happy gal if you find that "down time" reading My Dream Canvas and the other wonderful blogs out there. Depending on your interest there are a variety of blogs out there for each and every one of us. 

Every once in a while I question the direction that I want for My Dream Canvas. While I have a lot of plans in the pipeline, for now I am happy to see the shape its taken. There are a lot of serious issues in our lives and in the world we live in. I would like MDC to be a happy place, a stress buster for me and my readers. For me its like an online scrapbook of pretty things. A place to share and discuss what inspires me. I would love to engage my reader in this conversation. So do join in whenever you can :)

I have made the most amazing connections through My Dream Canvas and have met some wonderful people. After a crazy day, its nice to connect with some kindred spirits and read a lovely comment or two :) I have also encountered some people who are not so nice!! There are people who are insecure and competitive and this reflects in their online interaction.  My advice to such people is that you are wasting your time. Be happy with who you are and don't try so hard. You are the only one competing because most of us are certainly not :) 

I have rambled on for quite a while now so I will end soon!! The endless sunshine in my home today and the bunch of flowers make me want to sing a happy tune :)

Thank you to all of you.............hugs Anu!!

Images: My Dream Canvas. Taken by Me and subject to Copyright.

Crumbling Cookie

"Crumbling Cookie" was the name of a delightful neighborhood coffee shop by sister in law took me to on my last day in Leicester! That name has stuck with me. I absolutely love it :) It is her favorite haunt and I could see why. The cappuccino was superb and the Victoria sponge cake was to die for :) Sigh! What a lovely vacation it was.........

I have the flu and ts really bugging me! I am cranky and sipping down endless cups of tea! However, I would rather be at the Crumbling Cookie :) I have a vacation hangover and its not going away any time soon!!

How is your week coming along??

Image: via

Winter Musings and Some Lovely Images

I can feel the chill in the air. It is getting dark by 4.00pm and winter seems to have arrived :) Do you like the different seasons in the year? I am sure we all have our favorites :) Dull and dreary Seattle is not one of mine and yet winter has so much to offer. The holiday season is such an exciting and festive time of the year!! At home we are gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My kids are so excited and we have been making a lot of fun plans :)

Today, was one of those days,  when the sun rays looked surreal and beautiful and the light was somewhat different. I could not take any pictures but this image very aptly captures the mood in my home today :)

Winter and the fireplace go hand in hand, don't you think :)

Endless cups of hot tea is a constant companion :)

I have a strong feeling that we will see some snow before this month ends! While, I hate driving in the snow and cleaning up my driveway...... the first few snowflakes are so worthwhile :)

 

 

I hope you are having a good week? Drop me a line, I always love to hear from you.

 

Image 1, 2 and 3 via, Image 4 via

My Thoughts Today

I was all set to do a long post on Diwali ( the festival of lights) and I just could not. I am glued to CNN and watching the wrath of Hurricane Sandy on the East coast. I am hoping that all of you are safe and this horrific storm dissipates soon!

Take care and hang in there!

 

 

 

We will be counting down to Diwali right here at MDC. Do drop by the next few days for decor ideas and Diwali vignettes. Here is a sneak peek......

 

 

 

Image 1 : via, Image 2 and 3 Mine. Copyright My Dream Canvas.

You are My Sunshine :)

Today is a special day!! My Dream Canvas is celebrating a very important birthday. My miracle baby turns seven today. I cannot believe how fast kids grow!! He is an absolute delight. I think I would have been a very different person today if it was not for him. I have planned a fun day for him and we are heading out of the door this minute :)

 Have a lovely day. I am sending some smiles your way :)

Image : My Own

My Home and My City

Seattle has been blessed with a pretty good summer this year. There has been no rain in the forecast and temperatures have soared to over 80 degrees. We are certainly making the most of it. From road trips........to walking by the lake.....to kids playing under the water sprinkler......yes we are doing it all :)  We have only a few more months to see the good old "Sun" in all its glory so might as well make the most of it :)


I love the sight of sunlight streaming through my window.....I never ever get tired of it :)

A walk along Green lake with my family......it really is a nice way to spend the day!

Date night with hubby :) Finally saw a play after years at the Fifth Avenue theatre. This stunning bulding dates back to 1926 and is a landmark in Seattle. Kids spent quality time with the grandparents and loved every minute of it :)

Images : My Own

Rain Rain Go Away

I am popping in to say a quick hello. My days are filled  with incessant rain and now I have the flu!! I do hope your week is going well? I hope to be back to regular blogging soon.  I need some sunshine in my life and  hopefully then all will be well in my world :-)

A corner in my living room on this rainy day!

Image : By Me

What Do You Love The Most About Your Home?

It is a beautiful day.....and it promises to be a beautiful summer! I am looking forward to my little ones being home. Hopefully we will have a few lazy mornings during the summer break. Though the noise level in the house will go up significantly :-) the monotony of each day, when everything has to get done in time and in an organized fashion can get to be quite mundane!! We all need a break to simply do nothing.......and a few days without a set routine sounds very appealing.

I was thinking today about what I love most about my home? Apart from the happy faces around me :-) It is most definitely the the things I have brought with me from India. The little bits and pieces of my childhood. They all come with  memories and stories that make them MINE!!! I smile each time I look at them :-) When I moved here twelve years ago,  my two suitcases were not enough for all my stuff. I was fortunate to have family and friends based here who carried stuff back for me. It took me a few months to collect all my belongings as they were in different cities all along the Eastern seaboard :-) A memory that I will always cherish is finding little handwritten notes from my cousins and friends between my clothes. The notes said, how much they will miss me or how pretty I would look in the sari they packed for me :-) I am so thankful to have such amazing people in my life.

Amongst the first things I brought back here was a painting from my parent's home. The minute it went up on the wall in my tiny apartment in North Carolina, I felt closer to home! Stuff from my room back in India......... family heirlooms and little knick knacks that have no significance to anyone except me, are all part of my prized possessions. Adding to these, are the things hubby and I have bought on our travels around the world.

I will stop rambling now and turn the focus on you :-) So what do YOU love most about your home? I would love to know.

Image : A quiet sunny afternoon at home!

Joining Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.

Joining Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence.

Joining Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage.

Joining Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense.

Happiness is....

Sometimes happiness is...... just staring at a lovely image at the end of a long day :-) This vibrant, colorful, bold and beautiful patio is  the perfect way to welcome Spring! Remember the backyard makeover I have been stressing about......this would make my dream come true :-) These colors would make any dull and grey day appear magical :-)

I have a thing for bougainvilleas....... I guess they remind me of my childhood. Growing up in Delhi and Rajasthan bougainvilleas were everywhere!

Here's wishing my readers joy and happiness always :-)

Image: via

Hello Monday!

Hello to the New Week and I hope it is an awesome one for you :-)

Image: via

Rain Rain Go way.......

This dreary, dull and very grey day makes me dream of the outdoors. Sunshine, blue skies and gorgeous picnics! My dear Sun, where art thou?? Growing up in India and that too in Rajasthan and Delhi, I waited for  the rainy season to set in. That pitter patter of raindrops and the time when the dusty trees got a new life......in my mind everything looked beautiful :-) Now, I am wishing for the rain to go away so that my kids can go out and play. Ah! How times change:-)

I still love the rain but maybe not the endless rain here in the Northwest. I am eagerly looking forward to a trip in April. Sunny skies here we come :-)

How is your week coming along?

Images: via

A Fairytale!

If life were a fairytale, this is how I would live it........a walk in the morning along this beautiful trail.

Some Earl Grey tea on my sun soaked veranda.................

Some quality time in my library surrounded by old books!

A long and luxurious bath after my busy day :-)

Ah! my gorgeous bedroom.........

A quiet evening in my garden...........

I am running off now to rejoin my real world :-) Hope your week is going well. Make sure you pause, take a deep breath and indulge in some day dreaming :-)

Image 1 : via, Image 2 : Unknown, Image 3: Unknown, Image 4 : via, Image 5 : via, Image 6 : Unknown

February!!

A new month begins.......I have to say, I quite like February! There is the promise of spring as hopefully we are over and done with the "severe" part of winter. I am ready to move my blogging head waters to the beach now :-) I also want to thank my readers for their continuous appreciation and support. I would love to respond to every comment that you leave on MDC but I know I have been unable to do that. My plan to is become better...I promise :-)

What started out as an interest has now become my passion, and is a part of me. Thank you once more for making My Dream Canvas a small part of your lives.

Image: via

Hello Sunday!

Hi there! How is your weekend coming along? Mine has been super busy and unfortunately Sunday looks just the same! I am busy working on the new collection for the Shop. I will share it with you soon. I am also indulging in my favorite pastime, re-decorating :-) Yes, to my husband's dismay I made him move some furniture around! He cribbed like crazy..... but I can be very persistent :-) I am also shifting other things around, books......curios......some stuff goes in and some more comes out.....you get the drift!

My toddler starts school next week! I am excited for her and yet, I must admit I am feeling a wee bit emotional too! Now with both the kids off to school I shall have my mornings free! It's going to take me a few weeks to get used to the solitude :-)

As usual Seattle is dull, wet and dreary. I am so looking forward to a sunny day! Enjoy your Sunday and here's a virtual hug to all my wonderful readers. You guys are the BEST!!

Image: via

Musings in the New Year.

Wow! It's 2012....and we have another year to look forward to!! I am back after a glorious trip to India. My brother's wedding was fabulous to say the least. Catching up with friends and family....and the best part of it all was welcoming the newest addition to the family...my lovely sister in law :-) The smiling faces....the chitter-chatter, the chaos, the confusion......they all make for wonderful memories!

Now it's back to reality and the trials and tribulations of dealing with jet lag. Yes, that means dinner at 2.00 am. Comfort food and the endless cups of caffeine are my constant companions!

Someday, my household will function at a sane pace :-) However for now join me for a cup of tea and lets talk about our plans for the New Year! So, what's going on with you? At my end, The Shop at My Dream Canvas will be up and running soon. Make sure you stop by and take a look at the new goodies!!

See you around....I shall end here as the lack of sleep might result in a wee bit of rambling :-)

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A Toast to the New Year!

Yes, I am back :-) Its the New Year and I wanted to drop by and wish my fabulous readers an absolutely fantastic 2012.

Enjoy your day today......and I shall see you back here in a few days!
Till then.....keep smiling:-)

Image: via

A Princess :-)

The princess is mine :-) My baby turns three tomorrow! Time has flown since we brought her home from the hospital. She is a three year old with an attitude and her own personality :-)

She makes me smile and fills our life with sunshine......Happy Birthday little one!

Have a great week!

Image: via

My Mom's words!

We have all been talking about the crisis in Japan. Sometimes the thoughts in your head just stay there......don't you think?  Sadness, confusion, despair, anger, empathy, fear.....and so much more!!

Today, I want to share parts of an email my mom sent my brother and me about the recent tragedy in Japan. I know I am moving away from the usual topics I blog about...but this is an exception. My mom too will be surprised by this post, as she has no idea that I am quoting her today. Her concerns, as a mother and a human being, have been eloquently put into words in an email to me.

My mom's email.....

"The trauma that Japan has been growing through is certainly very very distressing. May be it is a wake up call for the world and the people in general and we must all sit up and think. Modern technological advances are all very exciting and good for our comfort, but at what expense? The ecological balance is going awry. The life and food chain is disrupted, the world after all is not just for humans but for other species as well. Besides we are all getting more and more adept at tampering with nature's way. It is also time we all woke up and realised that energy is limited and we must all start conserving it.....be it oil, coal, electricity, water and minerals. Indiscriminate mining, drilling, felling of trees....and so much more. I am worried. Not so much about myself, but the world that you all have to live in. So please do your bit. Looking after the world that we live in is not the responsibility of others or a government. We all need to contribute. I am saying this with all seriousness and this is not just an emotional advice. I think I must begin with my family.

Not for a moment, am I suggesting that nature can be controlled or tamed. There will be earthquakes, Tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, floods, etc etc, but let us not over stretch and exploit what we do not understand fully. The repercussions can be horrendous......"

So these are simply a mom's words to her kids. She is merely looking out for her family!  However, when you think about it........if we all take a tiny step in the right direction we might be able to do some good!

Image : Pic taken by me in Bali

My perfect day!!

Hi! Hope your week is going well. The dull and grey weather in Seattle has finally got me down (-: How I crave for sunshine!!! My perfect day would be to wake up in the morning with the winter sun streaming into the house.......sigh!!! To add to the bliss.......endless cups of caffeine:-)
Sending some sunny wishes your way...... and please remember to send them back:-)

Image via: Rodney Smith