In the mood for

Some music tonight

Listen to what I am listening to right now

As you step into these beautiful rooms with me

In a sentimental mood - Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

Unrequited Love: Lykee Li

At Dawning: Coleman Hawkins

Hey You: Pink Flyod

I'm a cat: Desa

Sigh. 

Sometimes music is all you want and you that all need

 Some room candy by the side doesn't hurt either :)

[Images from: Here, Here and Here. Second image from here]

Oh, and are you traveling with me this February? Make sure to check out this splendid itinerary, and join me!

All that is beautiful and original

With Craftisan

When I first saw Craftisan, I was drawn in by their collection of beautiful textiles and crafts from different regions of India. I was happy to see that they are not only bringing one-of-its kind products from established craft NGOs like Dastkari Haat Samiti, The Rehwa Society, Kilmora to name a few, but also helping eliminate the middleman, and providing a platform for e-commerce to the craftspeople directly. Hearing the team behind Craftisan talk about their passion and the vision with which they have started this online venture, I knew that I had to share Craftisan with you! 

Craftisan recognizes and celebrates the existential philosophy behind crafts. It acknowledges the need for beauty and creativity that urges human society to create, and also recognizes the value of the act of creating craft as an utilitarian task, that reflects the way and means of a particular region, society or a certain social environment. Craft is utility, decoration, ornamentation, meditation and aesthetics all rolled into a single product. 

Craftisan aims to offer an ethical architecture for India's creative manufacturing sector and be a curated art and craft collective for connoisseurs of original, hand crafted products. Replicating a traditional 'haat' (marketplace) online, Craftisan will bring to us handpicked products straight from individual craftspeople, various craft clusters and also craft ngos. Having a positive impact on the livelihoods of craft communities, as well as supporting preservation and promotion of dying crafts are Craftisan's driving values. 

 

Apart from the lovely products on show on Craftisan's site, do not miss the specially commissioned and curated exhibition and sale by Dastkari Haat Samiti, called Akshara. Akshara (crafting Indian scripts) encompasses the attempt to combine literacy, artistic sensibilities and marketable museum quality crafts so that the craftspeople value education as a necessary part for their economic and social uplift. The initiative has produced some beautiful works of art - on textiles, pottery, wood, paper and metal. Craftisan plans to bring more such specially created collections in the coming months.

Buy from Craftisan right here. Register on the site and instantly get credit worth INR 1000/$20!
Remain updated with their latest offerings by connecting on facebook.

  Happy Shopping, folks!
Have a great weekend
I'll see you all next week!

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

Travel with me!

Yes!

You and I 

Will travel together!

I couldn't have found a better way to kickstart the new year. A journey designed and created, especially for An Indian Summer and my readers! Do you remember the fabulous trip I had with Pugdundee Safaris last Oct? I had such a great experience overall - the beautiful long drive between the two forest reserves, the stunning luxury lodges, wildlife safaris, photography, village walks and interaction with craftsmen, shopping at local bazaars, discovering tribal art and craft at the lodges and the stories behind their origin, excellent food and service, and the many brilliant conversations. And now, I have the opportunity to experience all of this and more, with you! 

You are invited to join me on a journey of discovery, adventure and luxury, to Satpura National Park and Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. Designed to include many interesting experiences, beyond just wildlife safaris, it's the perfect itinerary for you and me. Click on the image below to get an overview of this upcoming journey:   

You can find the details of the itinerary right here

The good folks at Pugdundee Safaris will be able to assist you in whatever way you desire to help you plan and book your trip

Write to them if you have any questions or need any support with the logistics

And drop in an email to me if you would like to chat with me about this trip :)

Do decide quickly though

To keep the entire experience memorable, the group size will be quite small

Make sure you are not late in joining me on this incredible journey!
Book here!

[All images: An Indian Summer. See more pictures from my last trip here]

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!