52 Projects

Have you heard of 52 projects?Originally a book by Jeffrey Yamaguchi, it is a brilliant idea to push ordinary people like you and me to explore our creative sides.The idea is to create 52 projects (or more) in a year.This could be any medium,any area.All you need is enthusiasm, imagination and a keen interest in unleashing your creative genius.See more here

So, I have been very inspired and have decided that I will attempt to do something like this here too.Well it is not exactly going to be '52' projects but maybe 20 projects and that too, I must tell you, is overreaching for somebody like me.I have a crazy busy work life right now, but I will try.I am going to merge my recently acquired 'start small' philosophy with this idea and make some stuff and I do not plan to stick to just one thing.The whole purpose is to learn something new, so maybe one day I might just bake a cupcake and call it done.No, I don't know how to make cupcakes.Surprised?

Anyway, I am pretty excited and hope that I do not lose interest in this like I do with other resolutions.Wish me lucky luck and if you do actually read this, tell me what I should call this project.20 projects is just so blah!

Creative Genius in the making ;-)
Sumi

Reminiscing...

I am happy today.Had to open husband's mailbox to access some urgent mails(with his permission of course!) and saw that he has saved all the mails that we had exchanged during out courtship.So sweet.Most of them are quite funny though.Usual cribbing about work and pulling each other's legs but it is so much fun reading old conversations.Not a smidgeon of romance in any of them but we always had such an easy camaraderie.It was nice to remember why I chose him as my beau.:-)

We used to send poems to each other sometimes and I found one which I had sent.It is apparently a celtic wedding vow.Quite like it.Maybe you will too.

"You cannot possess me for I belong to myself



But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give


You cannont command me, for I am a free person


But I shall serve you in those ways you require


and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand"

"I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night and


the eyes into which I smile in the morning


I pledge to you the first bite of my meat and the first drink from my cup


I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care


I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine


I shall not slander you, nor you me


I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel we shall do so in


private and tell no strangers our grievances"



"This is my wedding vow to you


This is the marriage of equals."
 
by Morgan Llywelyn
 
Nice, isn't it?

I hate being a grown up..

The last few weeks have been really crazy for me.My dad was sick and was diagnosed with cancer.It was not as shocking to us as it sounds, because all of us had a niggling doubt that it could be that.It was just a relief that it was diagnosed and is being treated.

The exhausting part was to convince, cajole,threaten my dad to go to the doctor and get diagnosed.He being ex-army, is expected to be brave and all but he totally chickens out when it comes to doctors and hospitals.Much like me.:-).

The biggest adjustment that I had to make was not to get used to the idea of him having cancer, but to adjust to the role reversal.We have been brought up in a typical traditional setup where whatever dad says is to be followed without question and you can't even begin to think about arguing with him.I don't remember a single instance where I have dared to question his opinions or decisions.I may not have followed most of them when away from home, but telling him he is wrong or that I don't agree with him or telling him that he is being unreasonable is out of the question.So obviously the communication channels are not as open as they should be.

Now, things have suddenly changed.He is older and weaker and suddenly I am the grown up.I have to decide what is right for him, I have to look him in the eye and tell him that he needs to get treated (even though I know that it scares the living daylights out of him), that he cannot lose his morale.I had to see him get weak and helpless and it is not a good feeling.I also have to adjust to the fact that I am an adult now and I am expected to make some decisions if I know that my parents are not making the right ones.My parents suddenly look up to me and my brother to take decisions on their behalf.

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that my parents will be getting older and more dependent.I know all this is a natural cycle of life and one day they will not be there, but I am not ready for this.

I want more time!More time to be selfish and ask my mom to make me custard with cake and jelly, more time to be childish and tell dad my problems and expect them to be taken care of with minimal effort from my side, more time to get angry over his lectures on fitness and discipline, more time for me and my brother to laugh about dad treating us as kids.I just want to turn back time and freeze it.Change is so bothersome and I sure don't like it.

Melancholy Sumi

Repurposing Bottles

Old glass bottles and jars are a craze in the craftworld nowadays.These are being tinted, painted, decorated, turned into lanterns and what not and every single one of them looks good.So I thought maybe we can take a look at some ideas to recycle glass and be more eco friendly.What more could one want!The pleasure of crafting something AND contributing towards making our world greener.High five for that!

My mom has some talented bunch of friends who are really into crafting and stuff and one of them is totally obsessed with glass bottles.See what she did with some empty bottles.Aren't these pretty?

Mirror Revamp

Hi

I am back again.Shocking,isn't it? Two days in a row!Well,there is a reason behind it.Yes,everything has an explanation and the expalanation is that I had taken off from work so I had spare time to work on some things.Going back to work tomorrow :-( so back to my normal,infrequent posting.

Anyway,today we are going to revamp a mirror.I am living in a rented flat right now and there are some awful plastic framed mirrors in each of the bathrooms.I am going to  move into my own apartment really really soon,so I did not want to bother with buying new ones.But why live with ugliness when you can beautify for cheap.Long story ahead,prepare yourself.

I'm a little teapot,short and stout.Here is my handle and here is my spout.

I have a project.New! New! New! :-)

I cannot claim it to be my idea.I saw it in a home decor magazine and have been itching to try it out but I had run out of spray paint.Weekend was utilized in repleneshing my stock and hence the project.

Remember this ?

Okay ,so I did mention that I was a little iffy about this teapot and wanted to experiment a little bit.I wanted a white porcelain-ey look for it.So I spray painted the heck out of it.I used a fast drying glossy white enamel spray paint.

Then,I did this

Another Mod Podge Makeover

I am back after a pretty long time but I am back with a small project to make up for it.Nothing special, but since I have done pretty much nothing crafts-wise this would have to be it.

My colleague at office has been using a cheap wooden paper /magazine rack thingy to store her office papers and I have been dying to make it pretty.Ever since I have discovered Mod-Podge,all I do is look at different surfaces and want to "cover 'em up".Does that happen with you?Anyway I asked her and she happily gave it to me to "beautify" it and that's what I did.