Remembering the journey

Most of my blogger friends are celebrating their blog's 10th anniversary and I see many blogging marathons happening in the blogosphere. For me, my blogger profile says I've been on Blogger since December 2004, so technically it's my 12th anniversary as a blogger. But since most of my previous blogging trials were short-lived I can claim only the last ten years ;)

Oct 7th 2006 was when I started this blog  and it took me a couple of months to gather the courage to   make this public .  When I started I thought it's going to be my private diary, just me and my thoughts, and no one will read it. But over a period of time, I got so many friends here and even though the blogging frequency reduced, the friends remained. So I just wanted to acknowledge the space and the support I got from here.

Ten years!!


We keep saying "time flies" but I really can't believe it's been ten years.  An entire decade has whizzed by!!   This chapter of my life has been...everything -   wonderful, exciting, scary, insecure, confusing, fuzzy and heartwarming. It's certainly been the most intense decade of my life. And I am grateful for all of it - the buzzing highs, shattering lows and everything in between.

So many things changed - my environment, my life, my outlook, my job, even places I lived.  Along with all these changes even my blog, the frequency in which I write, my tone of writing all changed. But I also realized that beyond all these superficial changes, there is me that doesn’t change. Come to think of it, our blog is our virtual home right? At some point in the chaotic life, you have had enough and you choose to leave it behind to explore other things that lies beyond. And after some time you miss the home and want to come back. But sometimes when you have packed your bags and said your goodbyes it gets difficult to do that...

Anyways I am so grateful for the connections I have made through this little space in the internet. Without this blog, I wouldn't have had a way into your home and life and you wouldn't have had a way into mine. You are all part of my extended family and I am touched that you have ventured over to this space, read what I wrote, and connected with me.

And I appreciate YOU!

Your comments help me to know you more. I know there are many anonymous readers. Tell me who you are and why you are here. Even why you like reading my blog and what do you want to read about will be an icing on the cake. If not just say a HiWon't you?

Onam - Opening the Treasure Chest of Memories

Another Onam has gone past and for me it is a festival that evokes so many memories; some very nostalgic and some bittersweet. Like in most Kerala Hindu households, we celebrate only two main festivals in a year - Onam and Vishu. In both these, the highlight was the kodi or new dress as those days’ new dresses where limited only to these festive occasions and the lip smacking sadhya in a plantain leaf. And of-course Onam used to be tad more favorite coz of the 10 days of school vacation after the first term 'Onam Examinations'.

During my childhood, the first activity related to Onam used to be preparing of pookkalam (floral carpet) early morning on a small cow dung smeared patch in the yard. All the flowers came from our garden itself and the variety of designs used to be in the colors of flowers and leaves used. After the exams when the vacation starts, the designs became more grand and intricate.  There were also the small local kids groups who used to do the Kummatikali and Puli kali. They move from house to house collecting money and amusing children. And temple visit was mandatory on Thiruvonam day.

When I moved to the city for work, the pookkalam decors were limited to the office ones during the customary Onam celebrations. Where else to find a cow dung smeared yard or a backyard to pluck flowers? And I was not in favor of store brought flowers for a ritual that was originally meant for integrating humans with nature. Every year a visit to home was mandatory as amma was very particular about the family to be together at least for Thiruonam which was the main festival day. I used to enjoy these visits as I always felt the high-spirited people of Kerala celebrated Onam with gaiety and fervor. So there used to be high energy in the air during this time in Kerala. During my travels in train, I used to enjoy looking at the different pookkalams in front of the houses and the happy kids playing. The landscape itself would have turned fully green with blooms all around. The heavy monsoon would have given way to an occasional drizzle as if to keep the atmosphere cool. The Nila on the way used to be full only in this season and would give a loud echo as train passed through. The markets and cloths shops would be crowded and some onam fairs/melas would be seen everywhere.
   
I remember for one Onam when I couldn't take leave, acchan and amma travelled to Bangalore. That was the first time they had come to blr in the entire seven years’ timeframe I was here and it was the last Onam together for us as a family. They stayed for a month where we went for some site seeing which was again a first except may be some temple visits. Three months later acchan passed away.  Next Onam was difficult without acchan, but I didn't want amma to be alone on an Onam day either. So as was the tradition, went home and that's when amma first complained of her chest pain. So despite being the Thiruvonam day I took her to hospital and though the junior doctor doubted some variations in ECG, the senior doctor told that it is fine and she just needs to come for regular checkups. On hindsight, I feel I should have waited for one more day for the hospital visit as doctors also might have been in a hurry to join their family on this festive day.  Unfortunately the junior doctor's diagnosis was correct and amma joined acchan the very next week. Onams after that was literally a nightmare although I kept coming back to an empty house and made the sadhya all alone year after year. After my marriage I couldn't continue as my in-laws felt going to an empty house for Onam was not required (which was logical), but the very thought that the house is silent and locked for Onam gave me heartaches but I didn't have a choice.

So this year, it felt so surreal to be back in a lively livable house for Onam after almost a decade. It was so fulfilling to walk on the familiar streets, the buzzing market places, to visit the neighborhood temple, or just be in the Thrissur round watching the Puli kali procession. Onam has changed in a huge manner over the years and there won't be any going back. Almost all traditional flowers in pookkalams has given way to market bought ones which are cultivated exclusively for Onam season, Onakkodi has lost it's significance as now we buy new dresses without any occasion, home-made sadhya is slowly giving way to ready-made ones, Onam family gatherings are giving way to club celebrations , traditional onam games are almost extinct and the biggest entertainment seems to be the 'beverages'. Now a days I hardly see any Kummatti groups coming to houses and even Pulikali seems to have gone the commercial way. Nila has remained dry even this season which indicates the severe damage we have done to the nature and although originally a harvest festival, not many families are into agriculture and so nothing to harvest and 'buying' is the new norm. But as they say sometimes you will never know the true value of A Moment until it becomes a Memory... So just wanted to cherish these moments and record it before it fades away from my memory.

Live your best life

Few days back was Women’s Day and it came with all the bells and whistles and everyone was so compelled to say or do something that acknowledged the day. I guess as soon as the clock stuck midnight, women got back to their favorite game of juggling – cooking, cleaning, laundry etc. at home or if at work – calls, meetings, mails and the innumerable to do lists. And the worst part is she is always guilt ridden and has this fear of being a bad mother/wife/daughter even if she is doing things much better than her men counterparts. Funny thing is I don’t understand why people think 15% discount in the neighborhood beauty parlor or playing a women only game can empower women!!!  Same way I don’t understand how men and women can be equal when our physical attributes, sensibilities inclinations and emotions are so very different!  Anyways that's for another time.

Now I just felt like jotting down these points which I felt is important to move ahead when women get hit by emotional exhaustion (yeh most women do). Maybe a few applies to men as well ;)

1)      Discover yourself

This is definitely the toughest challenge in life for anyone. Take some time and think about the things that you really like to do, things you used to enjoy, your hobbies, your heart’s desires, goals and dreams. If we are spending too much time to fit into everyone else’s perception, we will eventually forget who we really are. So, by all means, be a good daughter/wife/friend/mother; but be yourself and realize your own potential first.

As they say, you are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you.

2)      Overcome your fears

Everyone has their fears, their weaknesses and their selfishness in spite of how much experience, talent or confidence they have. Let it be..  Just go out of your comfort zone, start something new, take risk and do something that you have never done before. 

Remember the quote: ’’Today’’ is what you did and thought yesterday, and ’’tomorrow’’ is what you do and think today

3)      Keep your old friends

I have felt that staying connected to people from my past is an important happiness booster. In each stage of our lives, we would have had great friends and great experiences, but when we move to the next stage, we find it difficult to stay connected to them. It is sad that usually in the hierarchy of relationships, we keep friendships at the bottom. Family, children, romantic partner all these comes first. But remember good friends are hard to come by. So don’t lose one just because we are lazy and egoistic to get in touch.

4)      Learn to Relax

Probably most of the women especially the perfectionists find it very difficult. There is no need to micromanage every single thing happening around us (unless it is rocket science). Few unfolded clothes or untidy dishes will not bring the world down. So accept things as they are and let go of your expectations. We can’t move on if we are stressed about little things all the time and don’t know how to relax.

5)      Be kind

Open your heart through acts of caring and compassion for both nature and all of humanity. It can be a small gesture as simple as a warm smile to a stranger, a kind word or positive remark to the office boy, a pat on the head for a street dog. We never know what kind of day that person is having and that smile might just make their day a whole lot nicer.

And, No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Wishlist for the New year :)

It's a brand New Year and I thought I MUST sneak in to this ignored space at-least now. First and foremost, Wish you and your loved ones a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2015 !  May the new year bring to you everything your heart's desire and let the coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.. :)

Although, theoretically, any day can be a new start, there is always an excitement in the air when the old calendar gets replaced by the new - isn't it? We all resolve(at-least mentally) to be that better person we always wanted to be.. Even-though, in most cases, we hardly stand by them for a week/month, and yeh I am no exception ;) However, does it prevent me from reflecting on some changes that I really want in this year - stuff that can give me a sense of excitement and fulfillment? Definitely No.  So here is my wish list for the year..

1) Read, Learn , Make

    I have a huge backlog of "to-read" books and "to-take" courses in my wish list and I am planning to clear them one by one. Planning to complete 1 book a month and at least 2 courses this year. And need to remind myself to make some art - write or draw or build or grow new stuff - all those small things that makes me happy

2) Pick a few good habits

    I had complained about my wardrobe item's obsession to be size zero and for some reason they are doing it with a vengeance now. So I don't have an option other than to shed those extra pounds and any delay is going to warrant a complete wardrobe replacement. I know this is the toughest challenge given my crazy eating habits and laziness. Some small steps that I'm planning to take are

 1) Drink at least 2 litres of water daily

 2) Eat 3 proper meals a day n not their chocolate/snack substitutes

 3) Include 4-5 servings of fruits n vegetables daily

 4) Exercise/walk at least 5 days a week

3) Take a vacation

   Of late, although I have traveled (rather shuttled between places) a lot, there has never been a real vacation or a relaxed trip. In fact, even our honeymoon trip is pending even after 2 years!!! So I really wish to make at least one long vacation this year and yeh short ones are always welcome :)

4) And for this abstract one

Try, try out everything out there that interests me (yes I have a long list here)

Experiment – some fail, some work. Learn and move on, to another one

Finally, whatever is in the list, It's certain that we make those things happen which is something that we really, really want. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, I will surprise myself :) 

It is said that to heighten the chances of succeeding with your resolutions, make sure to tell lots of people what you are doing. I would be happy to find someone with the same or similar resolutions to be my change-buddy - we can support one another as we go through the process. Anyone?

The importance of Today

                                                          Source: http:// Asja, CC BY 2.0, flickr.com

"What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it"

I read this quote and was thinking about it for a long time. We all know life is not endless and the no of days in it are very much limited. Still why do we pretend as if it is unlimited and so much time is left to do all we love to do? Most of the time we dream of some imaginary point in future when we have sorted out all our issues and problems to start "living"!

Earlier in the day, I was doing some case studies and came across innumerable real life stories of people in their 20's and 30's or even younger who fell prey to diseases like Alzheimer’s/Dementia/Cancer and what not.. Some  of them struggled and came out victorious, some succumbed, some still waiting for help.. And again another note from one of those patients that strike a chord with me is "Those of us with Alzheimer’s are better off looking at what we have left… not obsessing about that we have lost". And I guess it's true for all of us. Life throws you surprises, in all possible ways, whether you like it or not. So why wait until you are shaken up to live your life?
Start today, remember it will never come again...

New Beginnings

I know I have been ignoring this space for long, but believe me, I really feel guilty about it. There was a time when I was totally addicted to blogging and the blogging world and struggled to come out of it. But somewhere down the lane, things changed and it became once in a blue-moon affair. But this is the place where I always came back to vent out my emotions and it kind of recorded my life events and feelings. Many people came into my life only because of this small space and have affected my life in ways I would have never expected. So I felt it's unfair not to record it here when another important turning point happened in my life...

Some of you who knows me outside of this blog might already know about it.  Anyways the news is that I got married!!! It's already 6 months now, but the fact remains that it's yet to sink in. Many a times we both wonder how it all happened! For me it really feels odd when I think that this person who was a complete stranger to me till a few months back, has somehow become the reason behind anything that means something in my life right now :)

And as I embark on this new journey, wish me luck and shower your blessings and good wishes please. I need lots and lots of it :)

Peeping in

I know it's so long since I have visited this place and since I visited today 'by mistake' didn't want to leave without saying a Hi ;)

Well of late life has become very hectic and I am hardly finding time to breathe :P  But as I was telling a friend sometime back, I have always been the most creative when I have the least time. So hoping something will come up soon ;)

In the meantime, I am just posting a travelogue of a trip that we did few years back. We had posted it that time in our travel blog which is also dormant now. Even the flickr pics have taken off. Still there are many who ask us about the place and as years pass by I am finding it difficult to dig it out from my old mails. So thought of posting it here once again.

So here's the 'The famous Chimony trip' experience :)

1) Day 1 : A jungle to get lost in

2) Day 2 :Stretching the limits

Chimmony Jungle Camp - A Jungle to get lost in

We have been traveling extensively for many years now. But the trip that we had during the Diwali weekend has beaten everything heads down. It is full of unique and crazy experiences and I just can’t resist penning it down

It was KK who found the details of the programme from outlook traveler and booked for the five of us – KK, JK, Sid, me n Rash.
The Jungle Camp package was roughly like the following:
We will be taken to a tented accommodation on the eastern edge of Chimmony Reservior. Once in the camp on the banks of a stream we can go for treks, bird-watch, swim/relax in the pool at Cherpulikkuth etc. Check in time 10 am and check out after breakfast the next day.
But since we wanted to be in Chimmony till evening they suggested us to go for either of the following the next day.
a) Come back to Chimmony and go for a bamboo raft ride (can combine with short treks as well).
b) Go for a trek to the highest peak in the PA, the Ponmudi peak (1116 m). They said the trek passes through some good rain-forests and the view from the peak is breath taking and the trek will take about 6 hrs.
KK was too keen in making the most out of this trip and so he wanted to have both. So we decided to take the 2 hr raft ride before going to the camp. We had gone to the dam last year and were impressed by its calm n quiet atmosphere and so all of us were looking forward for the opportunity to be there for two days. Our plan was to start on Thursday evening around 6.30 pm and reach the place by Friday morning. Two hours prior to the trip Pint called up and said he also wanted to join. He just couldn't resist the raft ride and joined us in 1 hr :)

Day 1:


We went straight to Chimmony on Friday morning. At the check post, met the officers and they took us to the dormitory. After freshening up and a quick breakfast we were set for the first activity – the bamboo raft ride. This was the one all of us (except may be JK ;)) were eagerly waiting for. Since there were 6 of us they took us in two rafts. The rafts were beautifully made with nice bamboo seats so that we can sit comfortably without getting wet. It was a bit sunny in the beginning but later it changed to a pleasant one.

The place had a very soothing effect and had all the settings of a perfect holiday - far far away from the crowd, just amidst nature, nature and nature all around. And about the scenery surrounding us – what can I say? It’s far too stunning to describe in words. You can’t help but be mesmerized by the silky, shimmering waters and the stately mountains and hills filled with trees that stood proudly on almost all sides. We were busy savoring (or trying to savor) the beauty around us in the cameras (These are some situations were we realize that man/camera has limitations but nature doesn't).



Once we got used to the raft’s balance we were comfortable moving up and down. We even tried our hands in pedaling (not the main one of course). After sometime Pint got the idea to jump into the water (he can never resist a plunge). So Pint dived first. KK and Sid followed. Sid even swam from his raft to ours which was little far apart (n got exhausted).

Pint was insisting us also to jump but we didn’t want to wet ourselves…We then heard some elephant’s noise and so decided to try our luck in spotting it. So everyone returned to the respective rafts and we started again. But after some time pint got restless and started splashing water all over me. I was totally wet and so we decided not to leave others too.

The first target was obviously JK who is supposedly hydrophobic. In order to escape from us, he took 2 cameras, put it through his neck and was running around. But after a lot of effort we managed to take the cams from him and then it was real fun time. Splashing water all over, jumping from one raft to another, pulling others to water,… Pint even tried some diving and ended up in some distance from the raft and I had to pull him towards the raft.


In another 10 mins all the 6 of us were in 90 ft deep water without any life jackets and none of us were expert swimmers either!!!! Anyway after frolicking in water to the hearts content we returned to the IB. All of us were really hungry and so devoured the simple and delicious lunch waiting for us.




















To the Wilderness
After lunch we started towards the camp site. A 45 minute ride in the speed boat along the lake took us to the depths of the sanctuary on the eastern edge of the Reservoir. We were accompanied by an armed forest guard with communication facilities and 4 tribal men. Once we got out of the boat and trekked to the campsite, we were exposed to the virgin forest which was the home for all sorts of creatures and many medicinal plants. We could spot some huge praying mantis, some rare flowers, medicinal plants, different varieties of mushrooms,…

 

The camp site was a clearing near the stream and some elevated base was already there. Our hosts (they are the tribes from the settlement of Echipara) were quick in setting up the almost ready made tent

 After spending some time near the stream we headed towards a waterfall nearby. That was a beautiful sight indeed.


There was a tree lying horizontally from one end to the other (kind of natural bridge) and it seems they used it for collecting honey (info from KK). We walked on that tree and went near the falls. But after sometime it started raining and we got completely wet.

After spending sometime there we headed towards the next falls. It was a stream flowing through the huge rocks. They said in monsoon the entire rock area will be covered by water. By then the light was very dim and Pint tried out some excellent long exposure shots.

As the dusk fell, we came back to the camp site. There the lanterns (I’m seeing it after a very long time) were kept on the dining table (don’t mistake. It is a nice bamboo structure) and a camp fire was also lit(tho it got extinguished soon). We were ready to crash but discovered that the tents were wet due to rain :( Our hosts immediately changed two tents under the tarpaulin and they were busy preparing dinner for us – chappathi and peas curry. After relishing the same we immediately went to the tents and crashed while our hosts were awake. It seems in the middle of the night some wild boars came and they shooed them off. They then lit a camp fire so that some more attacks will not be there.

Day 2 : Stretching the limits..

We got up early and started off to the mainland after dismantling the tent and other stuff. The early morning ride was really awesome. Weather was simply gorgeous with the sun shinning its golden rays through the clouds and giving it a fine blend of colors. Mist was there all over the place. In addition, the high rise mountains and it’s reflections in the placid water was like a perfect painting...

After a tasty breakfast of puttu and kadala it was time for the Ponmudi trek which was around 1100 mts high. I had my own apprehensions about it mainly coz of the story from Simanta about the leeches. Also I was not sure of my health and fitness level as I was on medication for quite sometime. Anyway everyone ignored my reasoning as lame excuses and so by 10.30 we started our trek (tho we were supposed to start at 6.30 am!!). The climb was not very difficult except for the leeches who gleefully welcomed us :(  The route was definitely interesting with dense forest, some stream crossing, interesting creatures, rare flowers etc. Our guides were giving us gyaan about the different trees, medicinal plants, it’s uses and all on the way.

 By around 1.30 we reached a clearing from where we could see the chimony dam. We then thought we have almost reached the top and slowed down a little. After a while thick fog surrounded the entire place and it was lovely… But only then we realized that we were no were near the top and had to hurry up. The climb further was becoming bit difficult also. Our guides asked us to be in a close group as well since the visibility was greatly reduced coz of the fog.

Once we reached near a stream we had packed lunch and continued our ascent. By around 3.30 we reached the summit. It seems on clear days we can see three dams from that point and that view was supposedly very breathtaking. But unfortunately for us it was little foggy (Although it had a beauty of its own). The mist was clearing fast but we couldn't stay there for long as it was quite late…

Soon we started our descent. We took a different route which was shorter but little steeper. All of us were tired and so the pace was not very fast. Our guide wanted us to cross two difficult parts before 5 and we were struggling to do that. Anyway we somehow managed that part and they said the difficult part was over (in terms of steepness) But for us it just began!! The route seemed never ending.. :(

It was getting dark and there were symptoms of a heavy rain. The ranger was getting anxious and was asking us to hurry up as there is a possibility for the elephants to charge us. But as JK rightly said “In that case you run and take care of yourself. None of us are going to run even if it happens. This is the max pace that we can walk in the current situation”. For me I was loosing my strength and was finding it difficult even to balance. Many a times I had to depend on JK. So was the state of Rashmi. Pint and Sid was helping her. Pint was saying “Even I’m tired and I can imagine the state of you ppl”. Sid was like “I’m stretching my limits”. Rash was continuously asking “Can I be tired” but KK’s diplomatic answer was “I have faith in you”. I really pity the state of boys. Although they themselves were tired, they had to take care of us also :( .

Soon night fell and it started pouring heavily and no umbrella (not that it would have made a difference). Since we never expected such a late return, we didn't have any torches and to make it worse - it was an “amavasya” night (new moon). The situation was abominable - pitch dark, dense forest, heavy rain, uneven ground and possible hidden dangers behind the bushes. Soon we had another hurdle to overcome – a stream crossing. Even before, we didn't have any idea where we were stepping. Now we don’t know what the depth is, whether the rocks are slippery and also how strong the current is!!! We somehow managed this also and soon I had the next set back. During the wayanad trip my leg was twisted and it was not completely cured. The same leg was twisted again and the cold made the pain worse :( .From there on I couldn't apply force on one leg and literally had to manage with one leg. After rambling in the dark like this for more than an hr we finally saw some light (of the jeep of-course  and a big crowd to receive us. The walkie-talkie was also not working and so they just couldn't contact us. They were clearly worried and were happy to see us back safe and sound (?). Anyway all of us were unanimous in saying that we stretched a little too much (tho KK won’t agree).

Anyway we soon reached IB, packed and bid adieu to the place taking with us some long lasting memories…

Info: Chimmony is 35 km. from Thrissur. There are buses from the North bus stand. If you are coming in your own vehicle, turn east at Amballur jn. Amballur is 11km. from Thrissur on the NH47 to Kochi. Chimmony is 24 km. from Amballur, the road end at Chimmony Dam.

PS: Far from the hustles and bustles of city, this place unleashes a whole new world of sunshine, fresh air, varieties of birds, trees, mountains, streams, flowers,… In short, Chimmony doesn't disappoint :)

My Garden Resort

My post on ceramic works  was actually a filler post when I was trying different ways to engage myself somewhere. But it got me many like minded visitors, mostly complete strangers, but eventually we hit it off beautifully as we all liked the same things - art and crafts. I did learn some new tricks from them as well and one of the frequent requests I get is to share the works. So here I am at it again :)

Have a look at my very own garden resort which I toiled for a very long time and I have to tell u working on this really tested my patience what with 60 odd shades, 200+ threads and 1000 odd minute areas for each shade! When my mom saw me doing this, she had scolded me saying my eyes would go for a toss by the time I finish it as she felt it's too strenuous for the eyes. I did get bored and stopped it in between many a times, but finally managed to finish it and waited for still many more months to get it framed and this is the end product. You should tell me if the effort was worth it ;) While doing this, I had thought that this will be my last attempt at quick stitch work, but a visit to a friend's place and seeing a new design saw me running to the store and I am half way through the next work already and thankfully it's not this intricate :) Will post it once it gets over, hopefully soon ;)

In the mean time, some stitching I had done long back. It does look very kiddish now, but yeh I was a kid then ;) If I remember right I hardly took a few days to complete them and was super excited at the end of it. I was always fond of cute cartoon characters and I have many stories related to it. I made sure I filled the greeting cards I sent to my friends with them to give it that personal touch. Even margins of my boring textbooks (mostly Hindi) used to be full of these characters much to the dismay of my mother ;) I even used to draw some cartoons and passed it around in the class and end of the period it used to come back with lots of funny comments from everyone in the class. And drawing them on the hands of my neighbors was also one of my favorite pass-time :P Yeh I was quite naughty though very few close ones realized it. Many a times my neighbour used to get caught for our pranks and no teacher even assumed I could also be a partner in that crime. Looks can be very deceptive u see: D

Now here is some wood work done sometime back. Now it badly needs another coat of varnish. This is one of the easiest to make if you know what shape of wood pieces u want. You can pick the same from a carpenter and then just unleash your imagination. 

This is another piece that most of my friends don't believe I did it myself. You knit the frame of your pattern by wool (The same way u did your bangle decoration back in school), dissolve the alam in hot water n immerse the frame overnight. Next day u get a crystallized version of your frame. Unfortunately I didn't have a big enough container to immerse my cart and had to do it over two days and that explains the unevenness of crystallization on either side.

Embossed painting is done in different mediums. Common one is done on felt cloth using an embossing liquid. The embossing liquid is applied on the pattern in the felt cloth and ironed at the back so that the pattern is embossed which can be painted accordingly. But a visit to Raja Market and I realized you get all sort of designs ready-made. Only problem being the patterns may not be very well drawn and you might find many duplicates of your work everywhere. I am posting some of my trials anyways.

  Whenever I see medium sized stones cut n kept in construction sites I am tempted to pick them up. I have invited many a curious glances and questions when I search for that perfect shape from the pile. This is again one of the easiest to make using m-seal and perfect for a quick gift. This is one such piece lying with me as I felt the painting on it is too silvery and needs a repaint which hasn't happened yet.

Thermocols are another good friend of art lovers. I have no clue what all they can be used for - greeting cards, wall hangings, stage props, decorations,.. - the list is endless. So here is one of my attempts - a waterfall. But I really have to confess: it was way too messy. You need to first shape each block to resemble a stone. This involves scrapping it using a sandpaper and the stupid thing flies all over. End of it I had a layer of thermocol flakes on everything in the house - books, dresses, vessels, bed even water.  Then it had to be waterproofed using white cement and then painted. Water is filled in the base and I used a 1/2hp motor to make it flow from top. Actually mine now needs a touch up n repaint but the very thought of a snow-flaked house is putting me off. And I don't feel like throwing it when I think of the effort I had put in to make it. So poor thing is now resting in the car-shed, all dusty :( 

[N sorry for the bad pic also. I fished it out from some old collections]