Celebrating With Gulmohar Lane!

There are some gifts that keep on giving. An Indian Summer is one of them. Ahem. Yes, the blog and I eschew all modesty for today. For good reasons, my dear folks, for very good reasons. One, we hit the 15,000 mark on facebook. Two, An Indian Summer and our instagram account got a sweet mention on Apartment Therapy. And Three, one of our favorite brands & friend Gulmohar Lane, is hosting a merry giveaway party right here!

Tis be the season of celebrations and Gulmohar Lane has put together the most glorious giveaway hamper for An Indian Summer readers! Since the last time I blogged about them, Gulmohar Lane has expanded it's repertoire of  beautiful & elegant products to now also include lighting, cushions and more handcrafted furniture pieces. I love the classic, vintage aesthetic of their product range! And not only can you buy their products online, but this weekend, you also have the opportunity to win this generous gift, lovingly put together by the good folks at Gulmohar Lane. 

 

The giveaway, open for readers from any where in the world, includes:

Gulmohar Lane Cushions  .  Gulmohar Lane Vintage Edison Bulbs  .  Gulmohar Lane Linen Bag with Leather Handles  .  Tea Kettle  .  Cups & Saucer  .  Chocolates! 

Yes, all this, to one fabulous reader, from any where in the world!

~ How to Enter ~

1. Tap into your hidden (or not so hidden) poet/lyricist/wordsmith, and pen a little ditty or a verse or a haiku or a paen or a poem, with the words 'Gulmohar Lane' in it.

  

[For my readers who don't understand Hindi, "Gulmohar" is the name of a flowering tree: Delonix Regia]

2. Leave your creative creation as a comment here on facebook and/or as a comment to this post.

3. To gain that extra edge, share the giveaway on facebook, instagram and twitter and tag 'An Indian Summer' & 'Gulmohar Lane'.

4. That's it! The winner will be announced on facebook on the 2nd of December.

See you again, on the other side of the weekend!

Gulmohar Lane: On Facebook, On Instagram, On Twitter

An Indian Summer: On Facebook, On Instagram, On Twitter

 

The Water Bearers

From Coppre

I am so happy to announce the launch of yet another fabulous new collection from Coppre, called the Water Bearers! Beautifully hand crafted, by the metal craftsmen in Tambat Ali, a small settlement in Pune, this collection is as much a decor statement as it is utilitarian. And that's not all! Traditional wellness wisdom talks of "Tamrajal" or "water ionized by copper" as having myriad health benefits. In ayurveda, water kept and had from copper vessels is known to be 'rich in antioxidants, kill bacteria, regulate thyroid, cure arthiritis, heal wounds faster, stimulate brain activity, improve digestion and beat anemia'. Phew! Something so pretty to look at and packed with such a punch! Drinking water just became way more cooler :)

The Water Bearer collection has Terracopper Jug, Terracopper Tumblr, Linear / Concave / Convex Tumblr, Bedside Carafe & Glass, Desktop Carafe and the Stepped Tray and you can shop for these and more from Coppre's repertoire right here.

~ The GiveAway ~

Coppre loves An Indian Summer readers and has gifted lovely products earlier as well to a few lucky ones. We are back with a giveaway and this time Coppre would like to gift one reader, anywhere in the world, a Desktop Carafe. This desktop carafe is beautifully finished off with handbeaten indentations of the Tambat craftsman and can be used both as antimicrobial packed drinking water vessel or as a flower vase.

~  How To Participate ~

1. Hop on to Coppre's website

2. Scroll down and sign up for their newsletter to get the the first dibs on all their exciting new launches & offers

That's it! 

Coppre will pick a winner from all the new subscribers who join their mailing list. The lucky (and henceforth very healthy) winner will be announced on facebook on Tuesday - May 5th!

Have a great weekend, folks! 

[All Images: Coppre. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

An Indian Summer & LimeRoad.Com

LimeRoad.com and I go back a long way. I have featured this affordable boutique online store on An Indian Summer, been part of their campaign and hosted giveaways from them in the past. And this time, the lovely team at LimeRoad has invited me to be a part of their Style Council to curate looks and my favorites from their ever growing home decor section. 

According to LimeRoad:

Style Council is a group of select few women who have created a niche for themselves. They belong to different walks of life and at LimeRoad they represent the true essence of 'Real Women Real Style'

 You just have to take a look at my selection below to know that I am thrilled be part of the Style Council. I get to spend my time window shopping through their vast collection, picking products that appeal to me and using their oh-my-god-so-much-fun online scrap book tool to create looks!

 The oh-my-god-so-much-fun online scrap book tool is actually that! It's not just for the Style Council members, but for everyone who signs up. You have picture postcard pretty templates and more templates at your disposal along with various other drag-and-drop features that you can use to create your scrapbooks/looks. You can share your looks, browse through what others have created, get featured by LimeRoad and also, earn shopping credits when people buy products through the scrapbooks you have created! Shopping is such a creative, fun, social exercise at LimeRoad!

And, keep a look out for more looks that I create in the coming weeks! You can view the looks and buy the products featured easily by clicking the links that are automatically shared along with look. Infact, tell me what kind of looks you would like to see, and I will be happy to curate those for you! Make sure to follow me on LimeRoad so that the new looks appear on your LimeRoad profile's newsfeed.

 

This should be fun, my peeps!

Let's scrapbook together!

I will see you in a day's time!

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

Another New Year

Where do you start?

How do you begin?

Afresh

In the wake of a new year

You begin with what is at the top of your mind. And there are two things at the top of my mind right now. The first one ~ heartfelt warmest wishes and hopes for all of you, my favorite people. May you have a year you cherish and remember fondly for many years to come! And second, Goa is on my mind! I will tell you why in the coming weeks, but for now, look at this little gem I found! Le Roi Arthur, a boutique and cafe in Verla Canca, Goa , has been conceptualized and is run by Chef Romain Auguy and Designers Melyssa Falque & Florence Dor. I was drawn to the lovely pictures of their quaint space and the eclectic collection of handmade bags, jewelry, accessories and home decor items they have curated. Le Roi Arthur has been duly bookmarked to my list of places to visit in Goa when I am in Goa next, which is going to happen very soon. I'll see you there :)

Sigh. Isn't it all so pretty?

Speaking of Goa, I need some help. So my dear readers, those of you who belong to Goa or are currently staying there, please drop me an email to say hello. I would love to hear from you!

[All images: Le Roi Arthur. Creative Storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

 

The Gleam Of Coppre

Ah! the little joys of life. One of them being when your perennial favorite brand launches a new collection. And along with the new collection, they launch a brand new web store. You think that's all the joy you could handle in a day, but wait, there's more. To add to the festive cheer, they also offer a fabulous discount to you and to your splendid readers. Well, I am extremely overjoyed. To put it mildly. It's taking all my poise and restrain to not inundate this paragraph with happy exclamation marks and add in twinkling stars and chirpy birds and fluffy kittens while I am at it. 

Read on to know all about my top-of-the-lust-list brand - Coppre, and the passion with which Coppre's team is reviving and making relevant the old age tradition and skill of metal crafting. Not only will you fall in love with Coppre's beautifully hand crafted products, but I will also share the discount code that you can use to bring these goodies into your home, at the click of a button.

 

Coppre reflects the legacy of metal craftspeople. Having a fascination of objects from yesteryear and the brilliant craftsmanship of these objects, the Coppre team collaborates with metal craftsmen and women from the Tambat region of Pune, India, to evolve a contemporary range of copper products that cater to the present while retaining intact, the heritage craft process. Coppre brings dignity and efficiency to this ancient craft by linking talented designers to the metal craft families of Tambat and presenting their craft to the world in the best ways possible.

Coppre strives constantly to widen their product base and support as many talented crafts families as they can. Their latest 2014 collection is yet another beautiful line of products that are festive, aesthetic in their appeal and yet utilitarian. With this expanded range, the designers and the metal craftsmen have created a range of uber cool copper products and leveraged the versatile metal to it's full capacity.

Owning or gifting a product from Coppre is like owing and sharing a piece of heritage. As the product gets older, it develops the beautiful patina and sheen that is so coveted by vintage  and antique connoisseurs.   

With the festive season hitting us with full force, Coppre's new online shop is a blessing! As you shop, make sure to use AIS10 to get a discount of 10% on your purchases till Oct 16th. I have made my list of what I am going to pick up; let me know what tempts you the most :) 

Connect with Coppre on Facebook

Follow them on Twitter

And shop right here!

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

Say Yes To

No-Mad!

No-Mad and I go way back. I still remember my conversations with Valerie and Anuj, about this splendid creative idea and vision they had, and I have been waiting with bated breath for the launch of this vision, the lifestyle brand: No-Mad. The wait has been worth it's while - No-Mad showcases, yet again, Valerie's brilliance as a designer and Anuj's enthusiasm as a creative entrepreneur. No-Mad products are quirky, they are contemporary, colorful and bright, elegant yet exuding a sense of comfort & familiarity. I can see the attention to design detail and the high standard of production quality from the images, and can't wait to feel that fine fabric and trace the intricate embroidery in person.

The driving force behind the products at No-Mad is India. India and it's culture, it's day to day objects, how people interact with these objects. Valerie has brought in an interesting viewpoint - creating products that are quintessentially Indian in nature, but using design inspiration from outside; Morocco specifically for the current collection of Red and Black. That's the reason why Valerie and Anuj like to call No-Mad, 97% Indian, with 3% (more or less :)) influence from outside India. Read more about their creative journey together right here.

With current collection of products ranging from pillow covers to bags, to poufs and 'moodas', specially formulated incense and candles, No-Mad is getting ready to launch a new color and more product lines. All products are shipped world wide and are available via No-Mad's online store. 

I already have my favorites wishlisted and as expected, the list runs long! It has to be for where else can we find the brilliance from India and Morocco together? No-Mad has hit the nail on the head with it's design philosophy and products. I am eagerly looking forward to what next the team at No-Mad conjures up!

Shop at No-Mad right here, and tell us what you love. :)

[Copyright - All Images: No-Mad. Creative storyboarding: An Indian Summer]

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]