Backyard Crush : Purple Hues For The Summer

Today was a cold and windy day in my neck of the woods. I froze on my evening walk! Yes the weather here is very strange :)  You can't blame me for constantly day dreaming about summer!!



I am usually drawn to earthy colors......however, my backyard inspiration today is all about purple/lavender hues. Though this would not have been my first color choice for doing up my backyard. I have to admit, that I have been swept away........ and this looks very..... very tempting.





What do you think?

Images: via

Lucky Finds and Weekend Markets

I love flea markets, fresh produce markets and weekend markets :) Luckily there are quite a few of them around where I live.  May is when many of the local farmers markets will be opening for the season. I can hardly wait. There are a few markets that are open year round. I usually stop by these markets to pick up fresh flowers. Sometimes, there are others things that there to tempt me :) I found this little statue for just 4 bucks! It is actually quite small but I love the carving and the serene expression.




Spring is upon us and the city is turning green. I wish I could capture how alive, fresh and beautiful everything looks. Sadly, the cherry blossoms are on their way out. However, the sight of them always makes me stop dead in my tracks. I took the second picture with my phone while walking around the lake. The wind has been gusting and there is a carpet of these blossoms by the side of the road. This was one of the few trees still in bloom.



Here's wishing you a great week ahead!

 

 

 

Images. All taken by Me and Subject to Copyright.

 

 

 

Weekend Inspiration From Me To You

I can see myself here this weekend :) The glorious vista, the comfy couch.....the dramatic windows to let the light in, endless cups of tea, a good book and I could hibernate here happily :)





I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Here's another one to make you smile :)

Image: via

rebooting...

I seemed to have left this space at the beginning of the winters. Here I am four months later in Spring with an interesting landscape outside my window. A fierce battle between Winter and Spring is on.

Welcome to Minnesota!

Strangely.
Surprisingly.
Surely.
We have adapted to our life here.
To the snowing, the shovelling, the skidding, the freezing rain, the ice-skating, the sledding, the severe weather sirens, jumpstarting a car and many many things of living in the American midwest.

Few frames from what the winter has been for us.

We continue to indulge in our passion. Travel.

We travelled to Atlanta and Florida in December and just returned from a happy trip to Sunny San Francisco.

I recently styled & shot a series for a very talented potter.

I have enrolled in a class, that I have always wanted to take.


I have developed a deep liking for flea markets and thrift stores. Amazed at the treasures that one can unearth.

I am working on a personal project that has been on the back burner for the longest time.

We have mostly gone organic and local.

A photographic project of posting one photo a day for 365 days. I have been shooting but I need to get back to posting them.

I know the Minnesotan birds by their first names, and have names for our backyard bunnies, squirrels, deer and the two ducks that visit us occasionally.

The branches waiting to burst open....

I look forward to Spring, which is just round the corner.
...but then.
I am the eternal optimist:-)

( Images by Arch)

The Perfect Accessories To Create Your Haven!

The room that I have been talking about for a while is finally ready :) There are a few other things that need to be done but for now I have my little haven! This room is actually an extension of my bedroom. However, it is more like a room in itself. For years this room was given the step treatment :) Finally it is getting its due.



I cleared out all the mess from this room. I need to get a nicer study table, but  for now I am using my old one. It is not fancy but it will have to do for now. I  wanted to do up this room without spending any money. It is amazing what you can find in your own house when you start looking. I highly recommend it. It is more cost effective and prevents you from rushing out to the nearest store to buy more things that you may not need. Everything in this room has been decorated with things that I already owned.



This room follows no trend but follows my heart. I have decorated this room with some of the most precious things in my life.  Things like a picture of my Grandmother taken by my Grandfather many...... many years ago! My Grandfather had his own darkroom in his house and developed this print himself. My maternal Grandmother (Nani) and I were room mates for many years in my parents home. She was more of a friend and a confidante than a Grandmother and a very big part of childhood. My Nani was an incredible woman and I miss her everyday!



My big red Suzani hangs on the back wall of the room. The Suzani reflects my love for vintage fabrics and my passion for travel. So does the globe which I bought at a flea market in Georgia.



Here are some pictures of the room after the makeover.........

The magnets on the board below are from the different countries I visited. They used to be on my fridge. However my little one likes to play with them and she managed to break quite a few. I have managed to salvage a few and now they hang on the wall in this room.

The postcards below are part a beautiful childhood memory. Postcards that my Dad sent me almost everyday for a year when I was five :) The postcards on the back have cute drawings and a few lines that he wrote to me. My mom and I were in India and he was living abroad for a year. I have kept them all these years and now some of them have gone up on the wall in this room.

I can never resist pretty tea light holders and vintage maps. This is what I have on the center table in the room. The maps are under the glass table top. I have quite a few of them!!

I hope you have enjoyed the virtual tour of my little haven. I believe that decorating need not be stressful. It should ideally be simple and joyful. I hope I have inspired you to create your little haven!  Remember, it is not about the amount of money that needs to be invested into a room or about following the latest design trend.  It is quite simply about who you are! Look within you to figure out what makes you happy. Spend time at home digging out the things that mean the most to you. These are the perfect accessories you need to create you own little haven :)





Images: My Dream Canvas and subject to copyright





Joining the Open House at No Minimalist Here.



Joining the party at Somewhat Simple.

Joining Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage.

Joining Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage.

Come Fly With Me To Turkey

I am back this morning with another edition of the "Come Fly With Me" series. I do realize that this long overdue :-) Turkey is the featured destination of this edition. Turkey has been on my must see list for several years. I hope to be heading there next year. My plan is to see the sights in Istanbul, shop at the Grand Bazaar, and stay at the lovely Hotel Macakizi. Of course, this is still an idyllic dream at the moment. We'll see if I can translate this dream into reality next year.



I am mesmerized by the sweeping Bougainvilleas and the endless expanse of the sea below. Maçakızı was established in 1977 by Ayla Emiroğlu as a pension and a private beach located in Bodrum town. The aim was to create an inspiring environment for writers, painters, and intellectuals. This sounds like my kind of place :) Today, Maçakızı has been transformed from a bohemian bed & breakfast into a beautiful boutique hotel with a private beach and a world-renowned restaurant.



I can certainly see myself holidaying in Turkey or even living there:) If you do decide that you want to make Turkey your permanent home, you can always look at www.spotblue.com/turkey-real-estate.



Sigh! A few months in Turkey sounds heavenly :)

Images: Copyright Hotel Macakizi

Fabulous Find : Non Perishable Goods

I am on a mission to preserve vintage fabrics in my home.......fabrics that have been in my home for years that are now faded, torn and generally not in good shape. However, their beauty remains intact and I want to restore them and use them as part of my everyday décor.





While researching for vintage textiles on the net, I came across a site called Non Perishable Goods. This is a venture started by Shay Carrillo based in Portland, Oregon. NPG was born out of a love for textiles, hand-crafted goods, and a desire to make useful products for the home.



All  the products are entirely hand-crafted using only natural fiber materials including linen, wool felt, vintage wool, vintage textiles, recycled cotton/hemp, re purposed denim, leather, cotton & paper.

 

Limited edition Laotion pillows.......

Images:  Copyright Non Perishable Goods

Sale at The Shop At My Dream Canvas

I am here to announce a sale at my little boutique. I only have a few pieces in stock of the products featured here. So grab them while you can :) The Shop At My Dream Canvas has been a dream come true. I owe it all to those lovely people who have made something from my collection a part of their homes!

I hope to continue this journey and bring you a collection of global treasures and eclectic finds handpicked by me for your home!

Please visit my Shop Here or Email Me for prices and shipping within the United Stares!





Presenting the Sale at The Shop At My Dream Canvas................

Images: Shop at My Dream Canvas and Subject to Copyright.

Flowers, Sunshine and A New Week

Hello my lovely readers! Are you all set for the new week? I was not, but then the skies cleared this afternoon. The rain stopped and then............. there was sunshine:) Its is amazing how the weather affects my mood. Does that happen to you? The sun rays played peek-a-boo as the clouds hovered above! However, it certainly lifted my spirits and my camera clicked away:) I need to work on a photo shoot  at home for a brand I love. Its going to be my first and I am really looking forward to it.

 

Here's wishing you a great week ahead, stay tuned for an action packed at My Dream Canvas :)

Images: My Home and subject to copyright.

Inspiration : Outdoor Living

With spring upon us , I have had some requests for backyard inspiration. My plan was to work on my own neglected backyard and share a few images. However, the incessant rain and cool temperatures have made that impossible! Hopefully someday.....but for now I can share some images that will hopefully make you smile :)



Happy Friday my lovely readers!!

Images: via

My Bedroom Gets a Makeover

I am pleased to report that the sitting area in my bedroom is starting to look more like a room than a dump yard:) I want to create a space that is all mine! The room has a couch, an old study table (it needs to be replaced but for now it will have to do) books, magazines, some shells from the beach, a suzani on the wall....... and I am slowly creating my haven:) My first choice for the wall would have been my Great Grandfather's Shyrdak rug. You can read about it here. However, the rug is in India and has to be restored. For now, I am happy with the Suzani. I prefer it on the wall as it ensures less wear and tear!





My quest for preserving vintage fabrics in my home continues. Here is my latest article on iDiva.com on the same topic. I have received some entries for the vintage fabric series. I look forward to sharing them with you. There is still time to send in your entries. Click here for the details about this series and do send in your images.





The room is far from ready but here are a few images.............

 

 

Images: My Home and subject to copyright.

 

 

Joining the Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage.

Joining the Aloha Blog Hop at What Jean Likes.

The Home of Shiva Rose

Today, I want to share the lovey home of actress Shiva Rose in California. A tranquil home that is inspired by nature and a quest for a healthy lifestyle. She lives in this home with her two daughters, a roost of chickens, and bunnies. They actively grow their own produce, harvest eggs from their chickens, and make crafts out of what they find in nature!





Shiva is a naturalist and an activist for holistic, authentic lifestyles. Her blog, The Local Rose, celebrates this lifestyle and is filled with inspiring stories and tips for healthy living.

 

 

 

 

The lovely lady herself......

 

 

 

 

 

Images: via