Divinity on diwali!

I simply love the approach of the Diwali season. 

The slight winter chill, the happy faces, the excitement of shopping, Diwali decorations and all that.Its now that the festivals has gained so much popularity and we celebrate it in various styles At home it was always the Divinity,the Pooja,the Ghee lit lamps and Marigolds.Still it remains all the more traditionally rooted at our homes.


Let the Divine ideas of Diwali surround you forever.Here are some snippets from the earlier celebrations of earlier years:)-

All images :Lakshmi Arvind

Please do not copy images..nor share without permission

Simple Decoration..

Decorations at home can be simple too .Hang flowers upside down can help brighten the area of your home.A change of decoration can be a nice decorative element.. Hanging flowers will create a colorful overhead canopy in a room or just create a special touch to brighten the festival feel.

Marigolds can be inserted into the midribs of the coconut fronds.Select small flower and medium in length for the midrib.The flowers beautifully bend their heads and sit perfectly on them.Select wine bottles and you can insert them into these as shown..As the flowers are slightly heavy they can be kept at intervals in the midrib and do not easily dislocate from their position.

All pictures copyright:Lakshmi Arvind

Waking up to Diwali Day

The Diwali day dawned with Celebrations at home.

Waking up to the elaborate decorations at doorways and the inside of the house with marigolds.

Waking up to the different designs of Diyas.

Waking up to the sounds of cymbals and crackers.

Waking up to the fragrance of flowers and home cooked food, ghee and sweets.

Waking up and waiting for the lights and lamps to be lit...

Waking up to the lights of wisdom from the darkness of ignorance.

These are some glimpses of the Diwali preparations at home. Hope you all enjoy these images as

I take some time to assimilate the festivities around me.

Images and Ideas By Lakshmi Arvind

Please do not steal nor copy images

A perfect way to wish Happy Deepavali !

Deepavali is keeping all of us enthralled at home by its magic wand and it lingers on even after many days.The creativity at its best and it reflects in the types and styles of arrangements at home.Some prefer the traditional decor and some have a combination of the modern and traditional arrangements.Any arrangement is a welcome in the special festive season.

Some simple arrangements which I love ,the mix and match of easy available materials are a delight in these arrangements.All fresh and fragrant ideas never seen before...Regal and opulent ,the lustre of gold has bewitched for millenia.Below you can see all shining ideas for your Diwali...Mix and match things you already have to create this colourful Indian look.

1..A very simple arrangement where in a swastik sign is made of kumkum and the arrangement is on a banana leaf with marigold and swastk diyas intermingled.

2..A small diya kept on top of a terracotta tea light holder and a small traditional south indian lam,with haldi and kumkum and marigolds on a brass plate

3..diya on top of the terracotta pot and sweets on the plate to the side of it and marigolds around the lamps.a silver coin of ganeshji and lakshmi devi kept near the small lamp.

4..A simple arrangement where in the sweets are kept in a big brass thali and a lamp is kept in the middle of the sweets.

hope you all liked the arrangements.will come back tomorrow with some simple decor..Entertain,circulate and celebrate this Diwali with your loved ones with full gusto.

Images and Ideas By Lakshmi Arvind,help provided by Gayatri Arvind

Please do not steal nor copy images

Blockprints, Marigolds and Diwali..

Diwali being just around the corner, even I am trying my best to have some ideas new and special for this time. Simple and yet traditional and very soothing to the eyes. Let these ideas heighten your festive mood.

Simply create the mood using block prints,blockprint patterns in Diwali. A simple and colourful blockprint pattern coaster underneath the big brass lota where my daisies are just uplifts the festive mood..

how about some intricate blockprints below the daisies?

isn't it interesting to have a holder space for a tealight in the centre of the blockprints?

yes they are called surya kiran lamps and they come in sets of four.

some small blocks and marigolds accompanying the suryakiran candles..

peacock blockprints and marigolds and the lamp

the lamp is lit

some marigolds in a round bottomed container looks cosy

the marigolds truly look divine

dont worry if you dont have candle holders,you can make use of wine glasses,invert them and place candles on top of the flat base

fill the wine glass with marigolds

Simple ideas that can transform your space,dining table and centre table and these are going to be part of my diwali decor..

wait for some more ideas ..

Ideas and images by Lakshmi Arvind

pl dont copy nor steal images

my lovable antiques:sweet and tangy...

I am passionate about antiques.much of our travel is in the search for antiques. An old reading says Antiques are like old books. They hold a limitless universe of knowledge waiting patiently to be revealed. Like a red violin, waiting for it's next owner as it passes through history from generation to generation. And people who collect antiques are as passionate about their collections as they are about the pursuit and discovery of something old that brings them closer to the past.

There is no right or wrong way to collect antiques, but remember, items of good design and beauty are as important as price. Buy what you personally like and are compelled to collect, and incorporate these pieces into your homes in ways that fit your own lifestyle. This way the age-old passion for antiquing and cherishing the past will never fade or loose its patina.

Some of my prized possessions include the betel nut crackers and some brass hair accessories of the yester generations,some hair clips and combs which I am passionate about.They some times accompany my centre table.i treasure all antiques from home including the various lamps and brass lotas and containers in brass.

Getting to know the sweet,tangy taste of one of India's most exhilarating culinary delights.Betel chewing has been one of India's favorite culinary indulgences for more than 8,000 years, the betel leaf itself is also used in Hindu ritual worship, where it is prepared as an offering to the Deity along with coconuts, fruits, incense and flowers.

betel nut cracker has 3 peacocks on it,a very old one

two hair clips ,a brass spoon

hair clip in the shape of a fish and the other has got devi saraswathi on it,unique designs
an old brass comb,which has got unique designs of lord rama and sitadevi and hanumanji sitting bowing to them..
staged artefacts

Hope you enjoyed my antiques as much i enjoyed sharing them...

ideas and composition conceived by Lakshmi Arvind