doily patterns...

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534102855480869890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNGDiEIFlDIaSrxV_ZpBbb9Ki-S7yyXVMFfF6r2KdpDIDY6WA3n1FCTh0-hOXfMQBnGVYOtIX7wkId7Du7E0o_VYdfj1jMGbnXWaFoo2dPLQM05PwNwXG5GeioxBJk4J1oLKMTo_NySk/s1600/can4.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuXihxxJ2_LAx1F5zdNxB9cvcKc3rNhb1ecqENhiRIAA_t3s1iMge6F_gad6b-UGhVwKXhYcI4CTz5Me-p5vKkZrIn4mP_S3C5Y9dpofc9UsY4ytPg6FJTKohGF_XEvKBN6PtquAB-LQ/s1600/can6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><i>Tealight candles adorning our entrance...</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="540" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534100515017797106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGRHF6Jktlra8QTeOjvGYxOqtIApZ6eRhuLG0vEANh9MAWL9lw6QZ_xH4kwUQlUQ0dp_3rEwp3AmFJJPYKThfqXIuuQGcB0sMmewJtcGwDuaLzqEguobOd9r5zDGTBfMAKzKSztqEqW4/s640/can3.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tealight candles have become a big part of the Diwali illuminations in many <i>Indian</i> homes. I love using these along with the traditional oil diyas.</div><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534101262397643090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-XvWDMQ13fsw88dVbQTUytYdJzbmcWXLwcNn_wkAjf1QO_q3xcw5XGJdEsNdy2yUw4CsULRR3HFxkMMBxDwpoWVFueijRjy6pPtIN0uOOn468rghEuNdoI2SFm5IF10TY4kDBy5oTBHo/s640/can1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br /><div>I wanted an interesting background to form a base for these candles. Coasters were one option but I zeroed in on traditional <b>'Kolam' </b>stencils available widely in stores that sell <i>'pooja articles' </i>or stalls near temples.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><img alt="" border="0" height="515" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534101264381515090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhZalPpXeya5fOC7bCzsSGBhceboRPhiw0aM4capibI_FWtR7VGd6UAbY-zpT6iVJWl0rUc5biooJULBX5A170jgFMsTzus20RDHGlPF6qEac5lwY6nEPiANw24An4xYaxhtO8YyfJ68/s640/can7.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></span></span><br /><div><div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534101264032379938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcR8JfdngDQOTlSOKX9meVDYi7mRP7NxsgSVrPLeZPYzlYZwZQE5yIlkdFpFZsOEFUPN34EFWwMvLezMNyOhGn84dLTE5rcZinv4s65fNL5hH0U-CXFGkkluvXZm-T31DE6ba0nQ25VZ8/s640/can2.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="426" /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">The patterns remind me of <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doily">doilies</a></b> that my mother used to crochet during my childhood:-)</span></span></div><br /><div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534101272880708338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAvLa7kEslJUl4PXC-b7wPAvbLAphlBz8pvpbnmyHfLjOQRmzt7UYW22AIfo7d5yO6Ay6akAaPYX2RCjhJoEFn7Q0dF2q-bScDxfpgqHjYp47U8XHoQUVIBUWkvAdve2DvboWaN1FNCg/s640/can5.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="488" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">A lotus shaped kolam stencil...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534103666507335122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQuXihxxJ2_LAx1F5zdNxB9cvcKc3rNhb1ecqENhiRIAA_t3s1iMge6F_gad6b-UGhVwKXhYcI4CTz5Me-p5vKkZrIn4mP_S3C5Y9dpofc9UsY4ytPg6FJTKohGF_XEvKBN6PtquAB-LQ/s640/can6.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="622" /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i>Some interesting design stencils...</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(images by Arch)</span></i></span></span></div></div></div></div></div>

doily patterns...

Tealight candles adorning our entrance... Tealight candles have become a big part of the Diwali illuminations in many Indian homes. I love ...

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paint your prayers...

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div>This post is largely inspired by <b><a href="http://blogdelanine.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #336666;">Geninne Zlatkis</span></a></b>, one of my earliest flickr and blogging friends. She is an extremely talented lady, who illustrates, draws, sketches, paints, carves stamps, crafts, cooks, home schools and also <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/geninne/sets/72157594533771018/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #336666;">paints on pebbles</span></a></b>!</div><div><br /><div>Yes, in her beautiful homes in Mexico <i>(designed by her architect husband)</i> one of the ways in which she adds cheer and beauty is by painting natural motifs on collected pebbles, an interest that I share with her:-)</div><div>I always bring back pebbles and stones from our various travels.</div><img alt="" border="0" height="466" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511811940932601954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcZ4CD1BnaI6Pd-YQ594v0ep3mgEoxnWVxxRO_oyej3GtPzOnqPYT_9ufrUm4uNBDlGkNxm7tNrC7SkR8zSqszPpJev1ikw1tTFFAt1GXb6Wioe1H5DzWrK5_URoM7FhE3nDDweZRFE8/s640/ko1.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="640" /><br /><div>I was inspired to try my hand in painting those lovely pebbles. I gave it an <i><b>Indian twist</b> </i>by painting the traditional <b><i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolam">'Kolam'</a></i></b> or painted prayers...</div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511811952767467186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rhfajnAKn_KcHRRUoGiD4fqekh93Lj-CsNTBELeSpgUW_OBBvKes2HlDy1simwFohHq7KNDDnHzo2k3cObGFRks0-Ko7PN5CAlox5VP-7VRlDG_5ssLeMBt0I0-fv5Dg9jf69uLtF-o/s640/ko3.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="454" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tiny Lord Krishna's feet, for <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Janmashtami">Janmashtami...</a></b></div><img alt="" border="0" height="426" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511811945759789410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivM-OaLMXC2ZPIF2HsMVxFbobPxlwo2cJA0Se6iJp8X5DXMVyNrOMlzMTz6KWIREe8k7Sl6EA8eMjWzreIASP9-Gh4BYr4jxbQmKvr4s3YD4zjUcj8DwMAcO3PThxJUd1wIpKdBSzAxOE/s640/ko2.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="640" /><img alt="" border="0" height="616" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511814021153299890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDZtcEKne86PRgBgFAcyED5evIETEFpWwWEvOKLSqz9DVm1OqMR3oDZ4rYSBlcfb0Jsze33Uisjg-7LAgyZnKH5giPVay_0KFvl1aRWsWg1EIz6GMERV5PA2vla-rHWYwKoQuVMLHXn0/s640/ko6.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="640" /><br /><div><div style="text-align: left;">Some painted prayers give company to my succulents....</div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511811955729791954" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-roAzZcxr6eqBy0_Tk-eiguyOKgg-lKLcAeyV18F943TGwkTkeAWs8ITcrgdiOlf8AjKyvFlpBT5WuRWn9kMKTFikYxMCObFXct5-J2FfIa3IgoyxHmFTAH8S4i1Fefyb2Vj6CJV6b8U/s640/ko4.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="426" /><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511811963331820802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqLdGKafiuDaF6EXDDVx12dbH0gXUZnbLtUgQ6W1qn062s8nNpdojm288MXja1XZqwxkq5Mi6BRAaKkHMCgerjHSCXw73mLVlhFM0nMZigbc0RpkyN_TCTpr93gzaUOKXf_h4pa28SXE/s640/ko5.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;" width="417" /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">Why restrict yourself to just<i> <b>Kolams</b></i>, let your creativity flow~ Try <i><b><a href="http://www.indianetzone.com/49/alpana.htm">Alpanas</a></b></i>, Blockprint motifs or any symbol that holds a special meaning for you:-)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;">Do paint your prayers and see them answered in the form of cheerful corners in your home:-)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(images by Arch)</span></i></div></div></div>

paint your prayers...

This post is largely inspired by Geninne Zlatkis , one of my earliest flickr and blogging friends. She is an extremely talented lady, who il...

Read more »