Young, Wild and Free - A Collage from Yesteryears

Today is about reminiscence.
About the truckloads of fond memories you bring back from college and hostel life, and sometimes memorabilia... like this collage I made in my first year of undergrad school. It was on my wall then, moved with me, got packed in aluminium trunks, got unpacked, unrolled, pinned back on the wall as I moved rooms after each year ended... till the last year of study.

Looking at it now, I'm reminded of those things which used to excite me then, what appeared "cool" then, a celebration of the first year with new friends, and a break into life in a college hostel.

Red had to be the predominant color, signifying well, defiance. The red handmade sheet from Auroville's outlets in Pondicherry came handy! And all the teen magazines, newspapers were scoured and dissected for interesting pictures.

Here are portions of the whole...

Veerappan was smart I thought ;-) for being RobinHood

I guess this put the whole effort in a nutshell... I'm young, so is my world!

It was the beginning of the www exploration

Somehow, a kathakali also fit into the scheme of things

And here's the whole collage...

I cannot put this up on my wall now, of course, since we've grown out of "go punk" and "go funk"! Better-half S laughed it off :D
But it will always stay with me as a happy reminder of the years when friends and I first tasted Young-Wild-and-Free..

I'm sure you've got stories to tell as well ... what have you folks treasured as memories of your yesteryears?

MyMela - Shop, Learn, Invest, and Reach Out

A great initiative, I simply love what they do. Was quite kicked n delighted about sharing their work with you folks after I received Leah Herman's email on the interesting concept called MyMela.

An online marketplace, MyMela was founded by Navroze S. Mehta, and envisions the creation of a dynamic online marketplace for Indian artisans, providing them a sustainable market for their work as well as a source of loans to ensure their independence and long-term viability.

Through their website you can buy distinctive handcrafted artwork while learning about the organization/artisans who created them. So you pick a durrie online, scroll down and read about Sanjay Goel from Agra who wove the Rajdhani Durries. Or you buy a wooden photo frame, while reading about Abid Hussain, a first generation wood carver from Uttar Pradesh. It completes the shopping experience!!

What's more, you can also choose to make small "MyMela" loans to artisans will be used to buy materials, make capital improvements or train other workers and will be repaid to you with interest in credits on the MyMela marketplace. Read in detail on how this works, in Navroze's interview with Forbes.

Here's a teaser for you of what the marketplace offers...
Hand embroidered silk and cotton cushion covers

Carved wooden photo frames

Stone Tealight holders

Flatweave wool rugs

Jewelry boxes

Evening tote bags with 'Ahir' embroidery

Wall decor ... this one's made of (finger-licking-good)-mango wood :P

and silver necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets, embroidered silk wall hangings, coasters and incense holders, and more!

You can also stalk them by subscribing to their monthly mosaics/newsletters or by following their blog, getting updated through their Facebook page, or following them on Twitter.

So "this is the unique MyMela experience: shop, learn, invest and grow while reaching out across the globe to form a new community committed to the survival of Indian crafts."

                   

A hurrah for this social entrepreneurship initiative!

(All images courtesy MyMela)

Guest Post: A Handful of Decor Ideas

Ta-da!
Say hello to Joanna from Arcadian Lighting who wrote in offering to do a guest-post on this blog. She's here today with a handful of interesting decor details which would make all the difference in a room. Over to her ...

Hello, my name is Joanna. I’m a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a top online source for lighting fixtures across the spectrum. I spend my work hours searching the internet for the best images of interior designs and then write about them for blogs around the world. I love my work because it allows me to share my finds with readers such as you. Thanks to A Sunny Yellow Window for letting me guest post today! Many tiny details within a room combine to finish an overall style or look. Without these tiny details, such as texture or a spot of color, a room can fall short of its mark. Below we’ve gathered some tiny details to help you start looking at every element in a room with a new eye.

Here’s an unexpected touch, dainty clear feet on the sofa. We’ve sees ghost chairs and ghost tables, but now we have ghost legs to carry the look through.

Silver nail head trim on turquoise doors is the kind of detailing that adds excitement to an otherwise plain décor element.

Fabric covered shades for lamps like this one can give a punch to an all white décor. The contrast of black and white with turquoise also adds interest.

Books add interest when placed in a haphazard way framing the door to the next room.

Differing textures come together to add tactile detailing to a linen covered sofa. The tiny details on the mirrors make an impact as well.

Pops of color, like the orange on the mirrors in this room, are details not to be overlooked. They can add excitement to any space.

A stark white passageway takes on a whole new look with a grouping of ornate white picture frames. The black chair and rug contrast, adding a new dimension to the look. A light source such as a floor lamp, pendant light or chandelier would be lovely here.

When looking to spice up your decor or when starting from scratch, don't forget the details! 
(Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
                                                                             
... Ah, among all, I loved the fabric lamp-shade the most, and I'm thinking of Ikat on it.
I hope you enjoyed these ideas too.. Do stop by Arcadian Lighting's blog for plenty of ideas and inspiration daily.

A Taste of Balinese Artistry

Back from a vacation in Bali, with fresh memories of the beaches, paddy fields, wood craft, seafood, wayside temples, rustic orange brick buildings, friendly people, frangipani trees and fallen flowers on the streets.

I read this somewhere "The soul of the Balinese is in his religion, so it finds its expression in the arts." Indeed!
What I found irresistibly attractive were the artist villages all along our route to the town of Ubud. It just seemed that every other person was an artist in some way - kite makers, painters, weavers, stone and wood carvers, mask makers ...

We visited a few homes/galleries where the artists live, work and sell their creations.
Dear readers, here's a glimpse of it -

The master artist adding his finishing touches 

It's all in the details

Plenty more to choose from

Art supplies in the backyard

Carved in stone - A streak of sunshine falls across his curls, and all-knowing smile

The hundreds of these sculptures didn't seem to compete for the buyers' attention - they just stood weathering rain and shine, at peace with their surroundings

After day one of our stay, I sighed in realization that our short trip was going to be just too short for this beautiful a place, and resolved to come back for longer, someday ... for a better taste of local Bali.

Balinese (art) villages - I am certainly coming back for more!

(Linking this to And then she snapped.)