The Vintage Charm :Lai

Exquisite silver jewellery,by the gemologist Puja Bhargav a Graduate from the NIFT(Delhi). Her designs have won the awards including those form the De Beers,World gold council and Perles de Tahiti.Jewellery ranges from exquisite silver pieces to quirky wood, bone, glass & fabric based handcrafted fun jewellery under its sub-brand   "Jujubi jewellery".


What I loved about them is the interpretation of Indian themes rendered in contemporary designs. Themes such as the paisley motif, design details from old palaces, havelis etc.- researched and stylized into jewellery designs to suit modern tastes & sensibilities.


 LAI 's indian soul and global spirit appealed to me much more than anything.

the paisley collection

what a thought behind the coin collection jewellery

the very colurful rangoli collection

the enamel work collection

the last of their series,Greek collection

All images copy right:Lai

Indu Harikumar...

A childrens writer and a brilliant illustrator as I say ,but you will all be  very clear from her blog posts and in all the works she does.She says she is an elephant lover,traveller,fabric fiend,lover of languages,totes,hand bags and what not..It was accidentally some months ago reading about a cafe in Delhi and heard about the exhibition she had there led me into her blogs and finally found a good friend in her..eventhough we have not met.She has authored books and hope she gets many many accolades for the brilliant work .She is recently into recycle and reuse and makes small bags,totes,from scraps of cloth and some of them are for sale too..

 loved this one,for all mango lovers,mangoes are very much in season,i would have framed this..summers and mangoes

a match box book for the tomato lovers

a cover  form some bakery ....becomes a man with tie,love the moustaches

another bus ticket becomes abus..,brilliant imagination

a chance to convert the ticket tub into art.this was when the common wealth games were held.Kunzum cafe held this event with Indu harikumar..Walk in with the ticket and walk away with art.this is how they welcomed common wealth games with a difference. 

another beauty

its chocolate season

 these are some beautiful bags which she recycled from old materials and were for sale..these might have been sold..but there are more flowery bags and brocade bags for sale.
Find them here
Visit her blog here:

Indu:...it took me along time to post,but your illustrations are brilliant..waiting to meet you


All Images:Indu Harikumar

The Streets of Mandawa.

A very long and tiring journey from Behror took us to the town of beautiful Havelis..The lanes and streets are quite dusty and narrow ,but  the havelis are the glory of the old days ,a must see.We went by car,wandered on foot to the near and far havelis in search of the beauty within.Remembering the bygone eras.The stunning paintings,the gods and godesses captured our hearts and soul..As we walked along..dont forget to walk with us ..

the Sonthaliya gate,the main entrance to the town of Mandawa

the most beautiful arches can be found in MAndawa

as we walked...

there were all heritage structures on each side of the road

a peek into one of the havelis

lot of old buildings ,some were closed for ever and most of them had the caretaker's  family living there

all havelis were distinctly different and none of them had the fresco paintings similar

this haveli had aroom painted in gold,all had translations in french

towering buildings

there werent any striking colours ,but all of them were in pastel shades

it was funny indeed to find a room for phone booth...converted a room..somehow,disappointing the peeling paints and plasters

and finally into the MAndawa Haveli,where we stayed for the next two days...
All images :Lakshmi Arvind,please do not steal nor copy..

Shekhawati via Behror

Remembering the last monsoons,wherein it was the first travel my little son did when he was 6 months old..Travelling to known and unknown places had been a part of life from the time we got married.My daughter already knows it and has been grown onto it.Looking at her  Almancs,we hurriedly look for vacations. Tripadvisors help a lot in planning and are inevitable for us with the two little ones..

We traveled last monsoons to the Shekhawati region ,which is at the tip of the triangle which includes the Delhi Jaipur circuit.Shekhawati once used to be the caravan trade routes linking Pali and Bhiwani Read more here .The palatial fresco painted buildings now deserted are a living memories the days that flourished .We took the route via Behror and even stopped for a night at the Rajasthan Motel Midway.It was nothing great ,but the next morning,some designs in the garden just made me stop and gaze..The hotel was in a mode of reconstruction.

All images:Lakshmi Arvind
Pl do not copy nor use without permission

The bit of Kutch at home

The journey to the wonderful and vibrant state of Gujarat started with the idea of covering the wonderful city of Ahmedabad and surrounding places of interest and then also to the beautiful Kutch.As time was not enough for us and travelling with an eighth month old and a  6 year old left with us no choice of going to Kutch as it required much more time than we thought it would take.So leaving Kutch  later for this year we returned.

A way of Delhi Life,being in the whirl wind of exhibitions and melas and its share of fun and frolic..So what if we didnt make it to the kutch regions,it was as though I got to see their products together.It was the Annual exhibition of Kalaraksha,the NGO working in Kutch region.It was memerizing to see their products and a life time of experience for us and yeah i didnt forget to shop a little ...Read more about here.

upcycled exhibition

pamphlets and leaflets and calender are showstoppers

the video of the craft

Nina sabnani the great illustrator has written a book for children.

the calender had so much information...a good read

upcycling patch work quilts and applique quilts

the hat of a Rabari child,when she is ceremonially given a  name.An inventive artisan combined the two old head coverings converting them into fashion,a very thoughtful upcycling

Chotlo was re made using old beads and tiny cowrie shells which have not been available for decades.The artisan added pink plastic beads to give it a contemporary feel

the Stitching Stories,some illustrations from the beautiful book

beautiful illustrations

the kutch upcycled rajai at home,made us cozy this winter

those cushions,loved the beads..

did make my heart flutter

the rustic feel

the beauty deep down,...

Images and Ideas Lakshmi Arvind