Handmade Jewelries - New Craze

From past few days I was not able to post anything , since I was busy at work front. And also saddest thing, my dear son has spoiled , one of the important contributors to this blog, "MY CAMERA".
Anyways, in the busy schedule, one weekend I had attended Jewelry making workshop. I made few jewelries. I fell in love with this art. Love to play with different kinds of beads.
Here are some of them:

 

To my surprise , these are  already sold. My friend grabbed these from me when I showed it to them.

 

Some of the earrings I made.

This has drop shaped pearl and acrylic multifaceted opaque beads in maroon color beads

 

The one has wired beads and drop shaped orange beads(Already booked by a friend)

 

Golden color and green combination.

The below one is long earring in Orange color

 

 

Silver chandelier earring with small beads 

 

Anklet and bracelet

I had made many earrings and necklaces. Most of them are sold. This has given me courage to start a new blog only for handmade jewelries and the apparels I create, so that my creations will reach many.Here you can view my creations :

http://ranjuscreations.blogspot.in

 This was possible because of great support from all my readers. Thank you so much for your support to take one more step in this blogosphere.

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Another model of forest made by a creative Mom

I often receive mails from some readers, asking guidance about craft work.   Similar mail I had received from Meghna. She had read my post on  Model made for an exhibition in School .  She had to make a thick forest model for her son's science project .She had asked about how to make the mountains,  and I had replied her with instructions to make the mountain model. After that I had forgotten about that. Few days back I received a mail from Meghna with the photos of the thick forest model she made.

 I thought it might be helpful to other moms also if they get similar projects. With Meghna's permission I'm sharing the photos of the model.

The model has come out really nice, it reflects a mother's dedication. 

You will also agree with me seeing the below photos of the model. 

 

 Closer view

 

 

 

 Here are the instructions I shared with Meghna to make mountains:

For making mountains, use waste cloth. 

Here are the steps:

1.  Take the thermocol as base.
2. Pierce some long and short sticks , keeping some distance between them.
3. Cover the sticks with cloth.
4.  Then apply thin paste of Plaster of Paris
5.  Color that with brown and green color
6. On that, you can place some small trees.

 Another method :

1.  Make small pieces of thermocal
2.  Place them in a form of heaps.
3.   Cover them with paste of plaster of Paris. Then color it.

Sharing it through this post, it might be helpful to some other mom to make school projects.

Recently learnt, imitation jewelry making. Share about the same in the next post.

Until then,

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Handicapped in body, but not in spirit(IMFPA)

One day when I returned home, my son gave an envelope  he had received from the postman. But it was not mine. That was addressed to my neighbour, who had vacated the house. I called her told about this letter and also asked her for their new address to send it to her. She told not to send that , and also told me to keep that as gift from her. Gift!? I just laughed and told her what a gift !  an undelivered letter?!. Uh... She told me to see the contents in the envelope and then tell about the gift. Still I was not convinced, I thought she is making fun.
Whatever, I though gift is a gift, let me see this gift. On that envelope I saw it was written as :

Very interesting! When  I opened the envelope , I could see bunch of  greeting cards. Those are special cards, because they had beautiful paintings printed on those, very beautiful scenery  on them .

 

Very beautiful! 

Some of the cards have floral paintings on them :

 

And one of those had a cute teddy painted on that

 

I was happy to see these cards. On the backside of the card  I saw it was written, "Mouth and Foot Painting Artists" , which raised my curiosity and the website address was also given there - www.imfpa.co.in 

.I read about each of the artists.I was astonished to know that all the paintings were drawn by disabled artists.(Sorry, I can't call them as disabled).

I called my friend again and thanked her for giving these special gift.

 I have decided to buy some cards from these artists, not for charity. They don't need charity. 
Its rightly written on the website " Handicapped in body, but not in spirit". 

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Kerala Cotton saree screen printed

I've been very busy since last month. So could not work on any saree, all the colors were sitting idle :-).  For Dasara I had 2 days holidays. So screen printed on two sarees, one of them is Kerala Cotton saree.

 

On the border printed with Ambari designs and and on the body also printed small motifs of the same designs.

 

Closer view of the motif:

 

Another one is Black color South cotton, with Orange border, printed with two colors:

 

Here is the motif: 

 

And for the  pleats, flower motifs:

 

Still orders from my friends are pending. Hope to complete those soon. Once completed definitely share those designs with you. 

Until then,

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Devi idol decoration during Navaratri

During Navaratri , in almost all Devi temples, the idols are decorated and worshiped. Last week I had been to Tiruvannamalai. In the premises of Ramanshrama, there is  a Devi temple "Matrubhootheshwara". This is a shrine of Shri Ramana's mother. There is also a Shree Chakra. When I visited this temple, I could see idol of Devi is decorated as Shri Krishna.

 

Behind you can see a cow, mantap is decorated with Gold, Blue and Maroon. 

Here is the closer view:

 

May the blessings of Shri Devi

shine on you and all your prayers be granted   on this Dasara

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Dolls taking you to era of Ramayana

Already I've posted about the Dasara dolls when I visited a shop,  in  previous post . I entered another shop. At the entrance itself, there were many beautiful dolls. Here you can view those:

 

When I entered the shop, I felt that I was in the era of Ramayana. I'm not writing anything, you just experience the same. These dolls take you to the era of Ramayana:

1. Ramajanma- Birth of Rama(Can you see those cute cradles?:-))

 

2. Taataki Vadha- Rama and Laxmana killing demon Taataki 

 

3. Rama and Laxmana fighting with the demons Mareecha and Subahu

 

4. Seeta Swayamvara

 

Closer view of Seeta Swayamvara

 

5. Rama going for Vanavasa

 

6. Shhorphanakha and Laxmana

 

7. Seetapaharana- Ravana kidnapping Seeta

 

8. Rama meeting Shabari

9. Vaali vadha- Rama killing Vaali

 

10. Raavana and Angada

 

11.  Seeta in Ashokavana

 

12. Kumbhakarna.

 

13. Seeta Agnipravesha

 

14. Shree Rama Pattabhisheka (Crowning ceremony)

Hello...already in era of Ramayana?  Could meet many of the characters of Ramayana? Even I felt the same, when I was in the doll shop. 

Dasara is also celebrated in Devi temples, by decorating Devi in different forms. Last weekend I had been to Tiruvannamalai, where I visited a Devi temple. Idol of Devi was decorated as Shri Krishana. I will share about that in the next post. 

Until then,

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana

Walking down the street of dolls

Now its Navaratri. "Navaratri", is a festival dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga. There are lots of traditions and customs which are part of Navaratri celebration. One of the customs which mesmerizes me is Gombe Habba- festival of Dolls. This is celebrated in Mysore  and Bangalore region. A few days before Navaratri, market place will be filled with dolls, if you visit major market places, you will see dolls everywhere!
Though we don't celebrate Gombe Habba, I enjoy this festival a lot. Love the colorful dolls.Few days back I visted the market place to see the dolls.I visited 3-4 shops, captured photos of the dolls , sharing with you.
The first shop, had lots of dolls arranged in different shelves. At the entrance these two dolls, welcoming you

 

When I looked below, I could see these beautiful dolls,

 

Among these, the one attracted me the most is the Vishnu resting on laps of Lakshmi. Here it is :

 

When I entered the  shop, I felt like I've entered world of dolls. All the dolls were arranged in shelves, 

Are all of them waiting for buyers, eager to decorate the house? 

Here are closer view of the dolls:

Dolls - Theme Krishna and stories about Krishna

These are very interesting , the dancers performing on drums.

 

One more set, worshiping Lord Narasimha 

 

 

I could see many dolls , arranged to depict different stories. Below is the dolls depicting story of honest wood cutter.

 

Look at these cute Manipuri dolls:

Krishna and Arjuna- Geetopadesha

I wished to buy at least some of them, but I was strictly warned by my family members not to buy any dolls. because already I have so many in my collection. They also threatened me , saying that if I brought any  doll , they would not  allow me to enter the house.So I had to control the urge of  owning some dolls, said bye to these dolls and entered another shop. There I could see dolls arrangements, depicting stories of Ramayana.
I will write about that in the next post,

Until then,

Love , laugh and live the life to the fullest,

-Ranjana