Oh, what a year!

Late December, It is now
What a special time for all of us
As I remember, what a year!

[creative messing with Oh, What A Night]

Where? Just where does the year go? Did I not just wish you guys a happy new year? And here I am, bundled up in a blanket, listening to the thunder outside and the pitter patter of December rain, doing the last post for 2013!

But what a year this has been! Starting with a shoot at home, media features, fabulous inspiration from different corners of the world, home tours, super giveaways, profiling work and products of brilliant designers and new stores, and, travel! Oh the travel. For me personally, this has been a wonderful year for I gave in to my inner nomad, and traveled as much as I could, and always came back to the comfort of my home and this blog, and you - my dear dear readers :)

Here are some of my favorite images from a years' worth of posts. I had to restrain myself, for everything I share on the blog, is a favorite. Hand picked goodness from the world of decor and lifestyle. Just click on the images in this post to go to the original post.

~ Wheels on my feet. Travel and more ~

~ Prettiness from world over ~

~ Oh, and I managed to sneak in Ryan Gosling too. On the blog that is ~

~ Mood boards ~

~ Creative peeps and Lovely stores ~ 

Yeah
Oh, what a year! :)

And I can't tell you just how excited I am about 2014! I mean I can definitely tell you, but then this post would go on and on. For one, the new website is on its way. For two, I am collaborating with some very interesting folks and am going to bring the best of products, decor and lifestyle to you. For three (ok, last one. rest next year now), Travel! And not just me traveling, but you and I travel together! Yaaaay! Will share more on all, and of course, our regular dose of prettiness, in the new year. I am off for a vacation and will be back with you in the second week of Jan. 

You, 

You have a fabulous fabulous new year's eve

And the most brilliant 2014!

See you soon :)

Deepak and Aparna's..

There are times when you merrily skip work (aka don't blog) because there is such a holiday spirit around you and you are totally in the mood for taking a vacation. You come across pretty things and you bookmark them, for you want to share them with your favorite people, but umm...not today, maybe later. You think you'll cuddle into that warm throw with your favorite book, just one more day. And then, on one of these lazy days, you get an email, full of such treasures, that your heart skips a beat. You get very excited. You throw that throw off and open that laptop promptly. For you gotta share this exciting new indie store on the block! So my dear readers, here I am, back after a weeks' hiatus, with Phantom Hands! 

Deepak's love for history and mythology, and Aparna's innate interest and skill in art, is what propelled the couple to start Phantom Hands, the online store of carefully selected, unusual to rare antique furniture, collectibles and decor objects. The name Phantom Hands is a metaphor for all the unknown artisans who have contributed to the perfection of each object and artifact, which truly are a culmination of centuries of craftsmanship and skills, passed on from generation to generation.

I love the range of antiquities and curiosities that Deepak and Aparna have collected. From exceptionally well crafted furniture pieces to beautiful figurines, metal masks, old books to vintage flasks and bottles - and everything available at the click of a mouse!

Here's what Deepak and Aparna have to say when it comes to their aesthetic and curation process:

"Phantom Hands evolved out of our personal interest in antiques and curious vintage objects. When we are in the presence of a beautiful antique of vintage collectible, the craftsmanship, pride and attention to detail become obvious - and a certain kind of real energy fills the space around it. To us that's a very palpable feeling. We also feel a subconcious comfort around old/used things.

This is not to say that we genuinely like all antique objects. We like an aesthetic that is less ornate and where the simplicity, lines and proportions and logic of construction stand out. What is really interesting to us is that many antiques have this simplicity and minimalism, qualities that are not usually associated with antiques. Therefore the antiques we offer fit in with our contemporary lives without having an air of oldness or anachronism in its look and feel.

Then there are the fascinating stories associated with these objects. These objects take on a new meaning when you learn about their origins or about people who used them. Antiques hold a part of history, which is largely undocumented and undervalued. We like the idea that the homes of each of these objects become custodians of this history.

At the end of the day, we don't have a checklist to seek out things we like. We just pick what we connect with and then later rationalize why we like it."

What you find in Phantom Hands has been, over the years, sourced from collectors, dealers and antique experts. The couple also travel and hunt for treasures, and often find beautiful objects in the unlikeliest of places - an old printing press, a precision machining factory or through the grapevine. They then go through the process of determining authenticity and provenance from experts and proceed with careful restoration if needed.

Shop for the many treasures at Phantom Hand right here. Each object is well photographed and details of its antecedents listed out. Phantom Hands also takes great care in packing and shipping each item, which takes care of a big concern when shopping for collectibles. I shared my favorites with you in the post; tell me what you like the most!

[All images: Phantom Hands. Creative Story boarding: An Indian Summer]


I'll surface once again later this week, to share with you some very creative folks and wonderful new stores, before I don on my holiday cap and wine & dine the last week of the year away :).
See you then, folks!

Chobhi's Holiday GiveAway

The lovely ladies behind Chobhi are back on An Indian Summer, this time with a line of beautiful jewelry. You do remember their lovely scarves and the giveaway, don't you? This line of earrings and necklaces are a perfect complement to the scarves! Take a look at the entire range here.

~ The GiveAway ~

Chobhi would love for one of An Indian Summer readers to win the Lahari necklace. This elegant neck adornment can be yours, wherever you are in the world! Yes, the giveaway is open for all An Indian Summer readers.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Tell us what dress will you wear with this necklace, in a comment here, on An Indian Summer's facebook page. 

2. Leave a comment on this post too, to double your chances

3. That's it! Winner will be announced here next Friday, on Dec 13th.

Thank you Chobhi! And you guys, have fun! See you again next week!

[Images: Chobhi. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

Kismet

ˈkɪzmɛt,-mɪt,-s-/

destiny/fate 

It's kismet  that Kismet Jewell Nakai and I 'met' each other in the virtual world. Like the face that launched a thousand ships, an absolutely ethereal photograph shot by Kismet, that was part of my diwali inspiration mood boards, launched a full fledged post!

 Kismet and her stylist friend/partner April Sher Bhaika, conceptualize, style, create and capture magical moments via The Unreal Bride. Not limiting themselves to just wedding photography, they have experimented with a bunch of other conceptual shoots and also offer to make any moment that celebrates love and life, into a memorable one.

What I love love about The Unreal Bride was just how thoughtfully styled each shoot is. There is a certain elegance, an old world charm, opulent yet subtle accessories and props, without it being too stuffy. You can see and feel from the pictures that the photographer, the stylist and the subject had fun while shooting! With rich heritage saris and textiles, combination of modern and heirloom jewelry, the would-be and the already brides caught candid in various moods, the color and the lush setting that is so Indian in its mood - each shot is a visual delight!

Take a look at Kismet's photography portfolio here, and take a stroll through the stories and gorgeous imagery from the The Unreal Bride photo shoots right here.

In Kismet's own words:

"I started as a photographer back in 2008 officially. I chanced upon my love for photography rather late in life and went through a number of jobs before actually realizing that I wouldn't mind taking photos all my life. Sitting with a friend, we started talking about the wedding industry and how it would be a fun idea to do different photo shoots of brides - something atypical. You see it a lot in fashion but not with real brides, so we thought the combination of my photography and April's styling - we could do some real fun stuff. The blog - The Unreal Bride, was meant to be a way to advertise what we did, but instead we started blogging a lot more and we enjoyed it! From there we have done loads of fun projects, which have varied from wedding stuff to food photography to all sorts of things!" 

[Kismet and April]

You can connect with The Unreal Bride via email or through their facebook page.

[All Images Copyright: The Unreal Bride. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

Yesterday Once More

And now, even better!

Presenting

Chandan Dubey and her treasures!

Chandan is one of my earliest blogger pals, and her home, her aesthetics, eye for color, design taste and her photography has always inspired me. She has an unique take on the mundane and also the exquisite, and it's always refreshing to read her perspective and experience her visualization. So, today, I am not only happy, but also proud to announce the launch of her project, where she is attempts to, and succeeds so beautifully, in combining her different skills sets and interests. As I put the post together, it was so hard for me to decide what to leave and what to showcase - I wish I could have shared her entire portfolio of products with you here :)

In Chandan's own words:

"This select range of fine art photographs, hand crafted objects and graphic prints are a coming together of my skills as a photographer, artist and collector. The range of art work comprises up-cycled objects such as old boxes, small cabinets and platters. The idea was to restore and reinvent old objects by lending a fresh layer of interest to them with the use of equally old material, both collected and found. This includes vintage photography, film posters, postcards, old books, art and fashion catalogs, hand writtern letters, coins, stamps interspersed with hand painted detail and graphics."

Chandan is displaying and retailing her exquisite products soon. Mark your calendar for:

 AWC Annual Fair

Date: Nov 30th, 2013

Where: Trident, Bandra Kurla

Bombay

And, for the rest of us, not in Bombay

We can connect to her via her facebook page, and demand request her make this gorgeousness available to us too :)

Read Chandan's engaging story behind the project right here on her blog.

Don't forget to look at her other work

And the entire portfolio of these products on facebook, in the days to come

[All images: Chandan Dubey. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

Dammit! I miss you.

Eye candy rooms

Lovely corners

Quirky art on walls

Interesting displays

Bright fabrics

Flowers in cups

Twigs in vases

Vintage curios

I miss you all!

Sniff.

Here's my post (card) to you

From Home Life Australia

So I would miss you a little less

Sigh.

I feel much much better now

How about you?

[Prettiness from Home Life Australia. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

When Fishes Fly

They are called Flying Fish!

Excuse the inane joke, but it's friday today!

And I am not only Friday evening happy

But also glitter and all-things-shiny happy

Gorgeous jewels

From Nitika Bose

And

One lovely pair of earrings to giveaway!

Flying Fish is Nitika Bose's world of whimsical and exquisite jewels, designed for the contemporary woman, and handcrafted by skilled craftsmen. I love the attention to detail in each of her beautifully designed unique pieces. Crafted in sterling silver and gold plated with 18k or 24k gold, I can see myself wearing these jewels with both traditional Indian dresses and western outfit. It's just a question of how to pick and choose from among the many many lovely designs!

~ The GiveAway ~

Nitika would love to giveaway this exquisite pair of silver earrings to one lucky An Indian Summer reader, from anywhere in the world! That's right - all readers of An Indian Summer are invited to participate!

All you need to do to enter:

1. Click right here, and leave a comment. In the comment, use the words Flying and Fish. Tell us a story around the words, or a song, or a poem, a haiku, a joke - anything! Make sure you are logged into facebook to leave the comment.

2. To double your chances, you can leave another comment on the post on Flying Fish's facebook page too!

3. And, if you are feeling specially creative, leave a third comment on this post

4. That's it. Winner will be announced next friday -  Nov 22nd, on facebook.

What a happy Friday!

Right? :)

[All Images: Flying Fish. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

Gaatha, a tale.

Gaatha, a sanskrit word meaning 'a great story' or 'a legend', is an initiative launched in 2009 by group of students and alumni at National Institute of Design [NID]. What started as a project to research and document the unfortunate erosion of Indian crafts clusters and heritage, has now evolved into a online repository of stories, folklore and myths associated with these crafts and their creators. Gatha has also launched an online store, aimed at helping these craftsmen reach a wider market and earn sustenance. 

Gaatha's blog is a lovely read, where the reader not only gets to know how each of these beautiful products is created, but we also get to 'meet' the skilled women and men behind the various crafts. 

Beautifully photographed, the products are a visual delight! Gaatha's online store is filled with handcrafted unique pieces for personal use and for home.

Visit Gaatha's online shop here, and immerse yourself in the enriching tales of craft, right here.

How have you been, my dear readers?

I am back after a break for Diwali and post Diwali recuperation

See you this friday, with a lovely giveaway!

[All images: Gaatha. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]