Diwali themed decor

Hi lovely people, gearing up for the most awaited festival of the year? Confused on how to give a festival vibe to your home! 

Well,  I have created a simple Diwali theme for you all, mostly using elements I already had! 

Hope this will at least give you some ideas for your own home. You can always add new elements to what I have suggested and create a happy space this Deepavali.

Firstly, gather all stuff related to the festival that are considered auspicious like Idol of Lakshmiji , Ganesha, earthen diyas, lamps, candles, rangoli stickers, kundan rangoli, kalasha , bright runners etc.

You can design this theme on a shelf, console or a table. 

 Here, I have used a duppatta as a runner. It is a bright pink, yellow and golden one  with beautiful embroidered motif of a flowerpot.The other personalised addition are the earthen diyas that I hand painted. This way I choose my own colour scheme for them.

Apart from these, Diwali is incomplete without sweets but instead of traditional sweets I have kept cupcake moulds filled with chocolates. This arrangement is specially for the kids. The cupcake moulds also lend a colourful and cheerful twist to the theme.

At night with just the lights on...

Ideally, you can create this decor in your entryway welcoming guests and Goddess Lakshmi blessing them with health, happiness and  prosperity .

Hope you get ideas from this post and yes I would really love to see how you have come up with your own versions...

Happy Diwali my sajavat family! Enjoy and have a safe one!

A simple makeover (gone wrong and then rectified )post coming up soon...

Diwali decoration with quilling and T-lights

Did you read the last post on adding that extra little on to a T-light and making it attractive.?If not, read it here

Now, again a very simple idea for those who know quilling. Quilling is the process of coiling coloured strips of paper and giving it the desired shape.To learn the basics of quilling go here.

In this post what we are going to make is a quilling base for your T-light candles.The base can be as big  and colourful according to your choice.

 So this is the one for this year's Diwali...

Design achieved by sticking many quilled coils with each other...

Doesn't this look neat and glam?

Such bases can look very pretty when displayed as a table top decoration.It enhances the beauty of the T-light too!

Are you finding the series interesting...well we have more here. Make sajavat a daily read ! Am eagerly waiting to hear your comments too!

Trinket holder DIY

Are you planning a get together or a haldi kumkum during Navratri? Do you intend to hand over a small thoughtful gift for the women folks or the little ones who accompany them? Here is a DIY that will hold your gift and  make for an excellent packaging too.Read further for the complete DIY.

Materials required: colorful cardstock, CD for marking, attractive laces and accessories for decoration

Step 1: Draw a circle on the cardstock with the help of a CD. Mark the diameter from both the sides.

Step 2: With the help of CD mark arc on all the four sides as shown. Now using the arc on the lowermost side, draw another circle using the CD.

Step 3: Similarly draw arcs on this circle too.

Step 4: Cut out both the circles as shown.

Step 5: Now, slowly pinch all the arcs on either ends and bring them closer to form a box.

Step 6: store your trinket inside the box and secure it using attractive laces. Decorate your box with satin roses.

One more in another colour, another design..make your own...Do tell me when your guests like it!

Painted Prayers

You know what PAINTED PRAYERS are? They are traditional Kolams or Rangolis.

According to wikipedia,"Kolam  is a form of drawing that is drawn by using rice flour/chalk/chalk powder/white rock powder often using naturally/synthetically colored powders in various parts of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and a few other Asian countries. A Kolam is a geometrical line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. In South India, it is widely practised by female Hindu family members in front of their houses. Kolams are regionally known by different names in India, Raangolee in Maharashtra, Aripan in Mithila , Hase and Raongoli in Kannada in Karnataka, Muggulu in Andhra Pradhesh,Golam in Kerala etc., More complex Kolams are drawn and colors are often added during holiday occasions and special events.

Kolams are thought to bring prosperity to homes." In earlier days,these rangolis were made of coarse rice powder not with the only intention of decorating but also to invite ants, small birds and other creatures to feed on them.It signifies a world of harmonious co-living.

A little variation from the traditional South Indian style are these rangolis but nevertheless amazing.

This festive season get inspired by these designs and try some in your own home.

Sharing some designs I found on Pinterest. Kudos to the artist. 

Simply superb isn't it? Floored by the floral motifs... The name' painted prayers' is apt. You are sure to invoke God's blessings too, thru these hand paintings.

Enjoy the festivals all of you and try implementing some of these beauties in your own home.

5 TIPS TO SPREAD THE FESTIVE CHEER AT HOME

Christmas and a Grand New Year awaits us.So let us make our home festival ready. Some tips to enliven our home and spread happiness.

 To know more read my post at Hometalk.Sulekha

Candles & Flowers... say it all!

Pic courtesy: Internet

INDIA, FESTIVALS AND COLOURS

Ganesha has marked the beginning for all festivities to follow.





(Ganesha made by me on Ganesha Chaturthi with rice paste.)

(Rangoli in our building reception area)

Onam just passed by.(festival associated with flowers and colours)POOKALAMS -Rangoli with flowers is a sight to behold in all keralite households.

(Floral rangoli or pookalam made by my cousins)



Next in line is navratri,soon to be succeceeded by Diwali.
The dandiya raas,Durga puja ,bommai kolu and sarswati pooja all mean Navratri in different parts of India.One country and  various ways of celebrating the same festival.YES!It happens 'ONLY IN INDIA'




(Bommai kollu as part of dusshera celebration in South India)




(A merchant selling his wares)






(Dandiya raas)



(Durga puja in full form -Calcutta)




(Lanterns and colours that signify Deepawali)



(lights,diyas,rangolis,flowers mark DEEPAWALI)



(Sivakasi Fireworks-another feature of the festival of lights)




I know cleaning,arranging, rearranging,decorating and beautifying every nook and corner of your home has started in all the households.Brass artefacts polished.New torans for the  front door.
Rangolis,floral arrangements,candles and diyas all to give that extra special touch to your abode.
The pooja corner is the brightest, lit with the special silver lamps that come out of the lockers for the special occasion.



Festivals mean not only decorating our homes but also taking a peep into our wardrobes.Those gorgeous six yards have to come out of the closets.The traditional kaanjipurams,paithani,chanderi,maheshwari,tussars... vow am speechless..India has so much to offer.Not to forget  jewellery.Painstakingly bought and reserved for such occasions,women dress up from head to toe.How beautiful it looks!!A women adorning neckpieces,rings and earrings,nathni or the nosepin,anklet and toering...I know they need a seperate post..

(from my Saree collection)


Food finds a special mention here.Those mouthwatering sweets and savouries.


These are our childhood memories of a home filled with little girls,boys men and women dressed  in their best traditional attire,sweet aromas of food and flowers filling the air...

I know our generation also tries its level best to keep the traditions alive.Let their young ones also bathe in the beauty of these festivities and savour each and every moment .


So here is wishing you all a happy festival time.Enjoy every bit.keep blogging and posting and another thing....If you like what you find here in SAJAVAT,let me know your opinion.
Please do comment.I would love to hear from all of you.Share with me how you celebrated these festivals,(loaded with pictures) and I will post them on my blog.


(unless mentioned all images are sourced from the internet)

 BE HAPPY ,SPREAD HAPPINESS AND THAT WILL MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

Karthikai Deepam

Last week  we celebrated a festival of lights at home.No not Deepavali..

It was Karthikai...

Rows of Agal vilakkus (oil lit lamps) are lit in every house. Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai. This festival is also celebrated to commemorate the bonding between brothers and sisters in south India(similar to Bhaiya-Dhuj and Raakhi). Sisters pray for the prosperity and success of their brothers and light lamps to mark the occasion.

All this while since we are just the two of us,  myself and my younger sis,this festival did not mean much to me but now that I have a son and a daughter,it took on a whole new meaning.
I celebrated it for them!!!


sending across some pics of the same....Also  pics  from here& there accompanies this post.

(Brilliantly done by members of my society!!)


On a lighter note,while I was busy doing the rangoli and my 7 yr old daughter helping me in lighting the lamps and so on,my son just kept looking at us( sucking his thumb!!) and suddenly he was stuck with an idea.. He bought his blocks ,arranged them as best as he could and he says..mamma my rangoli....

Home decor tips- entrance or foyer area

So...A year almost coming to an end.How do you intend to welcome 2011?
With a big bang of HAPPINESS,LAUGHTER and of course a clean,pleasant and a stunning HOME.
Starting this week I plan to dedicate a separate post to each and every room in a house.Hope you will enjoy this house tour.

where do we start?

Right at the entrance of the house.The entrance to any home can give a wonderful insight to the people residing inside.

what do we do to enhance the outer portion of our home? In a place like Mumbai people live in flats and they are deprived of a garden or a courtyard in front of their homes.But a rangoli or a flower arrangement can work wonders.

A beautiful peacock rangoli to welcome your guests at the entrance.
(My neighbour's creation)



some floating flowers..



Rangoli design made by my mother(with rice paste),some flowers ,and a diya or a candle...





Step inside for a beautiful interior and into a wonderful 2011!

Happy New Year

Navratri & Bommai golu

I visited some homes and clicked pictures of "BOMMAI GOLU". Let me share them with you all.Before that let me give you a brief idea of how it is placed and arranged.
These bommai's or dolls are proud possessions of a family and handed down through generations.every year a new doll is added to the collection. The marrapacchi dolls,the chettiar family, idols of goddess Saraswati,Lakshmi,Shiva, parvati and their son Ganesha are the main attraction of the kolu which are arranged on the steps.These steps are kept in odd numbers 9,7,5,3,1.The last day is the vijaydashmi day on which we offer prayers to Goddess Saraswati.On this day books,musical instruments are kept and worshipped.To make it more attractive,various pulses are sown in mud in a tray or bowl.Huts,animals etc;can be used arround the plants to create a farm house,park or a cottage effect.These attract the kids also and they participate actively.Another attraction is all the sweets and savouries that are made during these nine days of pooja.chundal is my favourite made with chana,peanuts and garnished with grated coconut,kaddipatta and coriander.



Variety of dolls..


The lady of the house serving meal to her family..


The chettiar and his wife..


Such a cute little boy..




A village home..


A mini zoo(cars parked outside represent the inevitable modern day evil...