~ Stuff launching and happening ~

It's time again for me to share with you the work of some incredibly talented people, products from some unique shops and new launches in the world of design and style blogs! A big thank you to all these wonderful people who have graciously emailed me links to their work, for it to be showcased on An Indian Summer. A whole bunch of more creative links and showcases are coming up next week!

I Me Am Designs

Chetna Vij Sharma, the brain child behind this design firm, is a graduate from The Pratt Institute, NY, and has been working as a graphic designer in India. Look through her portfolio to view some very creative print, interactive and styling projects. She has also launched a line of kitschy Indian bags, boxes and wrapping paper.

Ching Teoh's art work

Ching, from Malaysia, is a self taught painter. Her rich and vibrant paintings are inspired by colors, beauties, patterns and textures of nature, and reflect a multi-cultural influence. See more of Ching's work on her site and you can buy the paintings from her etsy shop.

Eva Hanusova

Eva, from Czech Republic, became fascinated with the handmade jewelry world while taking classes at School of Visual Arts and Parson School of Design in New NY. Besides working on her jewelry line, Eva also designs home accessories and dabbles in the world of folk art using primarily chalk pastels and acrylics

Not your grandma's needlepoint!

Laura's brainchild, Not your Grandma's Needlepoint is unique, whimsical one of a kind, canvas design. Using her photographs as inspiration, she has created customized canvases by borrowing fantastical imagery from a variety of pop culture influences, including pop art and sixties psychedelia - bringing the traditional craft she loves so much into a contemporary context.

Linda Arthur

Linda, a self confessed textile junky, is an artist from Canada with a passion for painting. Do look at some of her brilliant work on her blog..

Milgayi Style Diary

Milgayi is an premier image based directory of fashion and lifestyle web sites dedicated to South Asians worldwide. Sudeepa Khanna, the creative woman behind Milgayi brings to the readers the finest web links in various categories such as world-class South Asian designers, exquisite apparel, beautiful home decor, and timeless jewelry

DecorStyler

Décor Styler is a log of interior design trends and ideas, focused on inspiring the finer things in life!

Bloom.acious Cafe

Bloom.acious cafe is a spot where readers can get ideas and info about a range of subjects, as well as post updates about design/lifestyle projects they are working on. Readers can also start a group that focuses on their favorite topics, or join one that has been already started and add ideas and information there!

Maharani Wedding Blog

Maharani Weddings is a majestic blog soley dedicated to the elaborate, detail-oriented Indian bride. Conceptualized by Shawna, this blog bring you the most opulent ideas and unique vendors all with style!

Home Addict

Home addict, has been conceptualized by Caroline Gauci, a French textile designer working with weavers in Cambodia and Thailand on Ikat textiles. Following fair trade principles, her creations are modern, with graphic designs, using age old weaving techniques.

Design and Asia

Falling for the charms of Asia, Amandine and Sacha, a french couple, launched Design and Asia, an online 'traveling boutique'. They travel for months at a time in search of new products that come from all four corners of Asia. Each item is found with special care and is shaped by best artists, each item is unique and made in the rules of a responsible and ethical trade

Terra Furnishings

Terra Furnishings support an eco-conscious lifestyle and like to work with people who share a similar philosophy. They welcome the opportunity to work with design professionals and provide industry incentives to assist with your client and project needs. Do check them out - they are offering a discounts for retail showrooms/stores & can do wholesale pricing on many of our products.

Teo Jasmin

Teo Jasmin is an interior design company based in Paris. They have an eclectic collection of furniture and furnishing, each inspired by a geographical region or city. Check them out for their interesting use of photographic prints..

Sixx Design's Book Launch

Downtown Chic, co-written by husband and wife team, Robert and Cortney Novogratz of the NYC-based firm SIXX Design, has been launched. For over more than a decade, this young, hip and artsy couple has developed and designed many unique properties in Manhattan, rebuilt entire city blocks and turned funky into fabulous, with every detail considered and executed with the utmost taste and luxury. See all on their site and the book!

Eye Candy Alert...200th time!

This, is my cheesy way of announcing the 200th post on An Indian Summer! I have had a superb time sharing and talking to you via my blog, and I hope to keep doing so for many more delicious years to come. You gals, and guys, rock! Really! Warm or Cool bear hug (choose based on your local weather condition) being transmitted to you, like right now! Followed by a quick thank you peck on the cheek! :)

This being the 200th post and all, I have gone a bit overboard. Which translates into a lot of eye candy of design and style that I find myself drawn to these days. And I found all of this on one incredible photographer's site - Jordi Canosa. The fact that the images also had shades of India and Morocco, here and there, made it all even better :)

Starting with some dreamy salón de siesta!

above: this work is known as bhandej or bandhini...tie and dye

Now some living /sitting areas..

Some bathrooms..

And other details..

Time to step out of these beautiful rooms, and say Ah! :)

[All Images: Jordi Canosa]

de adobe en mexico..

Sun drenched homes

Colors - mellow, and rich

Cool courtyards

Cobbled pathways

Colonial estates

Rich heritage

I could have been talking about India..

But no, I am talking about Mexico!

All this and more, from the design galleries of award winning authors

Karen Witynski & Joe P. Carr

Hacienda Style!

[All pics from Hacienda Style]

Rediscover the old..

It is really heartening to see Indian and Asian influence on international design and products. Things that are used on a daily basis, or some that have been forgotten as 'old style' or 'traditional', are now being feted in international boutiques as the latest in chic home possession. Take a look at the latest catalogue of Toast to re-discover Indian utilitarian items - from the ubiquitous dibba (lunch box) to colorful lanterns to the humble madras checks to steel dinnerware :)

(All images: Toast catalogue)

On another note, also sharing with you a quick dose of goodness from the hammams of Turkey, brought to us by Tad'e Pays du Levant. This mouthful of a boutique has a range of products inspired by ancient traditions of hammam (Turkish bath), keeping in line with ethical and ecological trade. Take a look at Tad'e Pays du Levant for its delicious sounding products and lovely pictures...

[Read more on Hammam...]

Flights of Fancy

"What's tickling your decor bone these days?"

You may ask me.

Even if you don't ask,

I have to tell you!

Here is what has caught my fancy these days...

Am on the look out for unusual headboards..

Distressed furniture...

Use of (empty) bird cages in decor...

And summery inspiration for outdoor living...

How about you? What are you fancying these days?

[Image source from top> weheartit.com/mebhavs<: sfgirlbybay.blogspot.com, tumblr, decor8blog.blogspot.com, flickr.comphotos27350418@N072786654219, londonsouthernbelle.typepad.com, tinypic.comview.phppic=wk4t2x, tinypic.comview.phppic=2ngzi8p, shoptalkbuzz.blogspot.com]

Lost and Found

The biggest Hello! ever

How have you been doing,

As the season changed from spring to summer?

I have been super occupied

With work, family and travel

(look - the pics from travel below!)

And,

I also lost my blogging Mojo :(

I searched high and low

But it was nowhere to be found.

And then,

I was bombarded with emails and comments

Some concerned, some upset

That demanded that I better speed up this finding schmiding bit

And come back. Pronto!

So here I am

Putting together globs of Mojo

(I always visualized Mojo as a glob. You?)

To gradually ease back into

The beautiful world of blogging and You!

So,

Hello! again :-)

Some glimpses from:

Tashijong Monastery - Palampur, HP [India]

Kangra tea estates - Palampur

St. John's Church in the wilderness - Mcleodganj

And, London

[Pics taken by my new camera. i.e. by me, using the new camera]

And, thank you - new and regular readers, people joining the An Indian Summer gang (Followers), people who commented and emailed, readers who subscribed to feeds even when there was silence on this blog! :)

Where am I?

Hello! Sorry for not posting in a long time. I am traveling, and will be back home this weekend.

Talk to you then!

indenfor

Just a hint...

...of the Orient

in these rooms

from Octopus

Inspiration from South East Asia, Morocco and Scandinavian design

Diwan [daybed] with bolsters

Indonesian cabinet and gorgeous embroidered throw with marble table decor

Love this room! The color of pillows against the green wall, brass lamp shades and the smocked blanket

Ikat! Are those rugs or fabric?

Your personal chattri (umbrella)!

Rattan chairs with antique look wooden pillar table

Isn't the color of the parapet lovely? Looks like the floor covering is a jute chattai (rug)

Another use of paraat (plate)!

Rattan recliner in orange!

Adore the chair color!

Just a hint....works too!

Dastkar and me

[Puppets from Rajasthan]

What better way to spend a springy Sunday afternoon than browsing through stalls after stalls of gorgeous craft and art from different regions of India? That's exactly what I did yesterday, at the Dastkar Mela (Dastkar means craftsperson and Mela means fair). Below is just a sample from the absolutely eye catching colors and designs available at the mela..

[Kantha work on silk from West Bengal and Dokra craft from Bihar ]

[Multi-hued woven baskets and jars from Tamil Nadu, and ceramic pottery with typical sanganeri motifs from Rajasthan]

[Spice box from an NGO e'thaan, and wooden lacquered toys from Andhra]

[More products from designers who are working to revive age old craft traditions]

[Phad painting from and rugs from Rajasthan]

[Pottery and Tableware from Himachal]

[Jewellery, block print fabrics and more tableware]

Info for readers in Delhi and around: This fair is on at the IGNCA grounds (Janpath). I would recommend at the least one visit! Things to look out for: Rugs, maheshwari sarees, leather bags, the e'thaan stall, Atler ego's stall, raw silk and khadi silk fabric.

[All pics clicked by me]

Are you in the mood...

..for some shopping?

Or, maybe virtual window shopping in these times of recession ;-)

Don't look any further

Here are two sumptuous online shops

Bringing India closer home to you

Devotion: The online emporium

From marble decor objects to brass thaalis (plates) to gorgeous cushion/pillow covers to dresses by Brigitte Singh - you will find it all at Devotion!

L'aviva home

L'aviva Home brings to you a series of curated online trunk shows, showcasing goods from India and Africa. Current showcase is of textiles and objects..