mirasa design

Forever Summer

2015-04-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

Think about something or someplace that makes you happy. For me it's the sensations of summer.

Bright, colorful, warm, energetic and lively.

This is just what I felt upon entering the Butterfly Room at the National Museum of Natural History with my toddler. Here, it's Forever Summer. At mirasa we are all about color, texture, warmth, imagination and sensory stimulation.

We create so you can experience.

A New Balance

2014-11-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

It will be five years for mirasa on January 1st 2015 and sixteen months for #myakiraboy. This journey has been full of surprises, twists and turns. Exploring a new balance between work and my akira boy almost every week as this toddler realizes his new abilities and explores his new found world.

Yes, a single change can topple the week; And a single hug from this little fellow can bring an overload of emotion. This is the month of reflection and gratitude. So a huge thanks to all of you for coming to mirasa for a special something for the little ones in your life.

The Holidays bring us together. It's the time of giving and loving. Wishing you all a wonderful season !

Growing With Mirasa

2014-06-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

My Akira Boy and mirasa are growing together. Nine months for Akira in a few days- Friday the 13th. Here are some of my favorites of Akira Boy from the past couple months.

As Akira explores his new world on all fours and sometimes on his little tippy toes; I am awed by how the old is all new. And with his discovery of newness unravels a whole new world for us here at home.

Block printed tunics. Available in 12M & 2T

Snuggled in with his fav. mirasa friend.

Meal Time, Monkey Time, Mess Time
Bibs available in several prints

Our Owl friend makes a dinner date at the table possible.

He's My Tiger. It changes all the time!
My Akira Boy

SHOP

Online at www.mirasadesign.com

Fenton Street Market & Meet Market on Saturdays.

Eastern Market, Washington DC on Sundays.

Check mirasa design on facebook for exact market dates.

mother's day

2014-05-15T19:20:00.001-07:00

Cloud Gazing: On our way back from LA.
Monday May 12th 2014

Growing up in India we never dedicated a day to thank our mothers. It was my first mother's day as a mother and daughter as my mother was with us this year. It was in a way like any other day with one exception. Akira had just started saying "ma, ma, maaamme" early Saturday morning. I'm not sure if he has the ability to associate these words or if they are just his first sounds. Does it matter?

Being a mom is like being on an adventure everyday. I can admit without hesitation that I missed my old life. Who wouldn't? All that sleep and time! I remember feeling caught between my two lives. Motherhood for me has been a metamorphosis connecting me to a new self.

Akira is my light.

Fun At Six Months

2014-04-01T14:23:00.003-07:00

Akira reaching out for his owl & tiger danglers.
mirasa design

They say enjoy every moment because it goes by so fast. when I first heard these words Akira Boy was a few days old. I just rolled my eyes. I was sleep deprived and exhausted. But it is SO true. Babies grow quickly in every way. They are sponge like in absorbing life; developing new skills everyday.

This is Akira playing with his mirasa danglers. The first few weeks he could just see the general shape, then color. At about two months of age he would stare with curiosity. Soon after trying to reach out, trying to tap & grasp hold these colorful animal heads.
Now we have this.

Akira is energetic and curious. His world is about exploring textures, sounds and movement.

mirasa toys offer sensory stimulation with a gender neutral exotic color palette. It's so satisfying to see my boy grow with mirasa. Hope your special little one does too!

Names?

2014-02-03T13:11:00.001-08:00

There are so many things I thought, I wouldn't do as a mom. Silly & numerous names is one.
How many different names do you have for your pumpkin(see what I mean)?

We don't even realize, at least, I didn't, until a few days ago that I rarely call my baby by just his name;

AKIRA

Here's my list:

Akira boy, baby boy,

pumpkin, pumps, pumpy

sweet peas, cuddles, muffin,

kiki(borrowed from his cousin Lara), kiki boy, akiki,

thelonious,

babawalla, baba,

raja, angel(not when he's crying though),

loveee,

tajik(my husband's fav),

mr. squeaky, squeaks,

jaanu

....This is just what I can remember.

Each day invites a new experience and with each one comes a new memory to lock with a magic key.

Akira Boy

2014-01-22T12:51:00.001-08:00

And yes, how quickly they grow! My Akira Boy is now 4 months. We're enjoying him and he is loving mirasa!

Just a few days old here.
Snuggled in mirasa's softest organic cotton blanket

Exploring his mouth & fingers. At four months babies can hold onto
some of their toys. Oh yes, and everything goes into the mouth!

Our toys are NOT designed for teething but are safe for playtime.

Akira has started observing his new world- faces, toys hanging over his changing table...

taking all he can with his two big eyes.
Our organic cotton onesies start at 0-3 months and go up to 18months.

SHOP

Online at www.mirasadesign.com

At Eastern Market, Washington DC on weekends.

New Year. New Life. New Reality.

2014-01-07T11:36:00.002-08:00

Happy New Year!

Wishing all of you a fresh 2014. Cheers to new beginnings, health and happiness.

My little Akira Boy has made life full. A new relationship to be shared and cherished. Being a mother brings me strength, inspiration and fulfilment. That being said; I loved being back with mirasa over the Holidays at The Downtown Holiday Market . How I missed all the fun of meeting old and new customers. Working and playing at once on market weekends.

Being a mother is hard work. Perhaps the hardest job I've had so far. Do you moms agree?

We impact this little Being from the day it arrives into the world. Nourish all his needs. Understand his cries, the only way he will communicate for months to come. Give up selflessly to ensure the comforts and needs of this special little one. Thinking not only of the moment but of the future- constantly and yet cherishing every minute because they grow up so quickly. It's rich because it's selfless. It's consuming because you are their no.1 person. It's priceless because the love is unconditional.

My Baby Akira will soon turn 4 months. He continues to teach me something new everyday.

We'll be back at Eastern Market starting the first Sunday in February.

Always available for you at mirasa design.

Cheers!
Aashumi
Designer & Owner
mirasa design

mirasa baby

2013-04-18T07:20:00.002-07:00

mirasa baby

A few snap shots of mirasa babies.

Send us some shots of your little one for our next mirasa baby blogpost!

soft and comfortable for nap time & playtime!

mirasa quilts

this is one is mine and this one too. all mine!

mirasa quilts: 100% cotton, block printed and handmade

wrist rattles can be fun anywhere, anytime and for everyone!

mirasa's my fun doesn't stop.

work & play

2013-04-09T11:03:00.001-07:00

A visit to Washington DC from my brand designer and friend Rusha S.

Many coffee conversations about design & branding, social media and energy conservation.

Yoga at Past Tense Studio in Mount Pleasant

Delicious mexican dinner and latin night at El Centro

An afternoon with mirasa at the Flea Market at Eastern Market

Farewell from the zoo, until next time!

light & gratitude

2012-11-12T06:37:00.001-08:00

November is the month of light and gratitude. As we celebrate both Diwali; the festival of lights and Thanksgiving.
Thank you to all my mentors for your guidance, inspiration and faith. For giving me the confidence to dream and fly into the light.
My husband for always being there. Cooking the most delicious dinners after long mirasa weekends. For carefully folding my laundry because it's so out my realm.
My family for living the thrill with me oceans away- coordinating and communicating on my behalf while I'm a sleep. My father, a successful businessman all his life; always reminding me to ride the tide with gratitude.
My cousin, for generously offering advice and her beautiful children to model for mirasa.

To all my customers new and returning for enjoying my work and inspiring expansion. Thank you, for choosing mirasa as your baby's first onesie or toy. For sharing your stories, and returning to us weekend after weekend.

Thank you.

Wishing you all the best with light and gratitude.
-Aashumi

small things

2012-09-07T08:02:00.001-07:00

I've talked briefly about mirasa's process from conception to the final product as it lands. There are several steps before a product is finally ready for playtime.

Let's just focus on one. Labeling. How challenging can that be? It's a small detail that most people don't even notice. But for a brand and business owner very important- from information to aesthetics. So when informed that 5,000 labels were printed on the wrong ribbon size, it became a valid concern.

Now what?

Not only are we stalled on wrapping up production but also responsible for managing this wastage. How can we be creative and find use? How can we not make this a loss to the printer? How can we continue to be assertive with a soft edge? Finding reasonable solutions is part my game. After all we are all human!

finding my fun

2012-08-29T16:56:00.002-07:00

It has been a bustling year at the mirasa workshop. Constantly on the go from concept & product visualization to production. Setting goals and rearranging life. So many little steps to make the leap, to jump and stride forward. There is always something left on that list as the day ends...and whatever that means!

But finding time to monkey around in the day makes it all so much more fun.
Finding my fun; as I like to call it.
Whether it's riding through Rock Creek Park, balancing upside down on the yoga mat or reading on the roof. It's a place that makes the day dissolve. A space for new ideas and more mirasa.

Remember to find your fun!

nostalgia

2012-08-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

whimsical cotton quilts

Cooling soft cotton, bursting Bombay heat, colour, colour and more colour...

Designing this line has pulled me back into the days of my childhood in Bombay.

Waking up with reluctance to the school day ahead. Just wanting to linger in

the softness of my cotton quilt and my world for a little longer...just a little longer?

hand carved blocks used to print
my elephant quilt

It’s taken over six months to develop this collection. The teak blocks are carved by hand and printed onto fabric, of course also by hand. The colours are somewhat unpredictable depending on humidity, dryness, sunlight- elements we have little control over...and admittedly quite liberating. The uniqueness of each elephant, monkey, lion and tiger embraces the unpredictability of finding beauty within imperfection.

The dye is part of the fabric and print part of the dye, making the fabric soft, and still softer when hand quilted with a layer of Indian cotton.

The softness is comforting; The prints whimsical.

Yes, this is handmade imagination!

Photos: Stacey Vaeth

cheers!

2011-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

A New Year brings a new tide. As we wrap up 2011 with gratitude I look forward with excitement to the offerings of the New Year. My goal, ever forward.

photo: stacey vaeth

Thank you all for a wonderful 2011. It has been a fun year for us.
Wishing you all the best in 2012.
Happy New Year!
Aashumi
mirasadesign.com

Lets Do. No Reaction.

2011-08-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Lets Do. No Reaction.

These words have become part of my mantra this past month. I just finished my 200
hour intensive yoga teacher training with Heather Seagraves at Quiet Mind Studio in Washington DC. We only held Parivritta Utkatasana (revolved fierce pose) for 10 breaths...yesss, I was so ready to untwist and spring back up to straight legs; Sigh and make facials with my fellow yogis. “No Reaction” said Heather “Lets Do, Utkatasana on the left side”.

At Quiet Mind Studio with Heather & gang on our last day of training.
8.26.2011

My mirasa wall

Saturday 8.13 wasn’t quite as stormy as today with Irene passing through. The clear summer sky suddenly whirled up into a grey and we felt the air change at Eastern Market. I just stood there with mirasa’s My Fun, hands on hips staring up and just being. Day dreaming.

“Aashumi!!! can we help you pack? It’s about to storm!! Where are the plastic bags? Do you have any? Just tell us what to do!” Sunny and Jenna came out of no where to my rescue, and just in time. Thank you, my co- work study yogis from Past Tense Studio. For the first time in my life I was calm and with out panic.
It was just rain.

Lets Do. No Reaction.

my fun, my family

2011-07-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

We were introduced to the Reston Market a couple weekends ago. Morning set-up is quite a bustle but once the animals find their way to the baskets it feels like being on vacation. Surrounded by bursting green trees right by Lake Anne, the plaza is buzzing with people. "Good morning!" A bag in hand for the Farmers Market and a leash in the other. "I'll stop by on my way back" and sure enough he does. We also met little Jacob for the second time this Saturday and maybe next time in his My Giraffe onesie.

My Fun in the shade of orange drapes.
Our newest display addition.

Ok, I did say vacation, but markets are work and there is nothing better than a delicious meal right after. We spent the rest of the evening with the Santhanams playing Wizard with the kids and devouring fresh mozzarella over tomatoes, saffron and mushroom risotto and Nielsen's frozen custard- thanks Toral & Raj!

Oh Yes, and the kids did have this to share with me.

Zaahir: "Shumi we love the mirasa floor pillows!"

me: "Really? What do you use it for?"

Annika (rolling her eyes): "Oh, he uses it for everything...."
Umm... yes and he sure does- please Zaaz, that Monkey Floor Pillow

needs a wash!

Annika(8) & Zaahir (11) hanging out with their My Fun Floor Pillows.

mirasa in mumbai

2011-05-31T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's almost time to pack up and head back home to DC. I feel lucky to call two very different cities, thousands of miles apart, Home. My Fun animals had some great adventures in Mumbai. As I worked away creating new friends for mirasa's next collection; my friends here had some fun exploring and digging through my Mumbai.

Filling up on some delicious Haapoos (Indian Alphonso Mango)
before staring a day of FUN!

My Monkey waiting for the bus to Colaba

no. 63 to my grandparents home at Napean Sea Road

no. 80 to Chowpatty Beach

no. 81 to school, J.B Petit High School For Girls

shopping Chappals (traditional Indian footwear) at Colaba Causeway
before heading to Chowpatty Beach.

A taxi ride to Chowpatty Beach

Sneaking in between lovers for a perfect picture at the beach.

Snacking on Makkai ka Butta(corn on cob).
A must have at the beach!

My Monkey's view: Arabian Sea on the left and traffic jam on the right.

So many flavors for my Baraf Ka Gola! (ice balls dipped in syrup)

A stop at the temple before heading back home from a day of FUN!

handmade in mumbai-from the workshop

2011-05-14T00:13:00.000-07:00

playing with pleats

Engine failure, 8 hours in Newark and 15hours of flying, two days later finally home in Mumbai.

Nostalgic, Rooted, Inspired...
I spent my first day in Mumbai at the workshop with our karigars (crafters). There is rhythm as Ganesh (lead crafter) needles the thread in and out of the fabric creating form and texture. I watched and watched some more, completely mesmerized!

Backside of the monkey wrist bands. Look at all the knots
and thread work needed to create the monkey.

I am shy, actually very shy but the crafters, Oh My! refused to let me photograph them so this is a glimpse of their work in action.

We are handmade in Mumbai with a lot of patience, skill and talent; making each mirasa toy special and unique in itself. Stay tuned for more mirasa from mumbai!
-Aashumi

Atia wearing mirasa's my monkey wrist band
photo: stacey vaeth

what we hear...

2011-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

my owl
photo: staceyvaeth.com

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Those are so cute!"
"I need a baby."
"So soft, I want to sleep with them."
"Aaaah, these are sweet!"
"So awesome! I want to steal a baby and put it in this cute stuff."

my onesies
photo: staceyvaeth.com

This is some of what we hear every weekend.
We appreciate all of you who stop to learn about mirasa design. Those of you who've shopped with us and return to tell us how much the little ones enjoy their toys.
You keep us inspired to create More FUN.

We will be away from the markets for a few weeks after May 8th to return in June. We are always available for you online at mirasadesign.com and YES we do offer FREE shipping. If you want to shop with us in person(of course we love it!) we will be at Celebrate Mama Saturday May 7th and Eastern Market Sunday May 8th.

Have FUN!
Aashumi

Shop For Japan

2011-03-23T15:52:00.001-07:00

Sara Walker (Thank You for thinking of me!) sent me a message on Facebook last night about participating in Shop for Japan. A One-Day global community event to benefit Japan. As I read through the "about" section and browsed through the very concise website I was amazed by the power of technology and social networking. It has made our world smaller enabling us to make change. Yes, it's no longer a new realization especially after Egypt, but still, its a reminder of how we can make a difference. So YES, mirasa design is a Shop For Japan on Saturday March 26th. We will be contributing 20% of all proceeds from sales on this day to the American Red Cross.
Spread the word, we can all participate together as a business or consumer to make a difference!

playtime ny

2011-03-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

We're back from an invaluable three days at Playtime NY. It was our first international trade show. These few days in NY were fun and intense; from business to bonding with old friends and family. Now back in DC and still fueled by NY's energy, we're ready to head on.

We were well prepared for the show, except I should have trained with a handyman or interned at a construction site. I silently panicked as my fiery hammering resulted in only an annoying TTTHKKKK, THHHKKKKH, and then a "Tiiiiing" loosing the nail to the floor. Thanks Cristina for your fearless and precise strokes to the temperamental - plywood - make shift walls.
Now back to creating More FUN, Eastern Market, Yoga at Past Tense Studio and life in DC.

my animals are hungry

2011-02-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

I landed at the tree house (or the Parikh Pyle residence) when my niece Atia was just finishing a wholesome breakfast her father had prepared. She was relishing the last few blobs of sour cream over spinach and eggs as baby Tino charmed his way into a post breakfast snack of Cheerios. Atia is in the developmental phase of adult modeling. It's interesting to see how a child's experience forms fantasy and directs play.
Of course it was Atia's turn to feed her My Fun friends!

atia's playtime

2011-02-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

I spent a sunny Tuesday morning with my niece Atia and nephew Santino. Atia was excited to see me twice in the same week.
"Shumi is coming over again!?!"
"Shumi wears nice shirts, I love Shumi's shirts..."
Atia is 3.5 years old. Do you remember what that age felt like? Did you make up stories? Did you have a favorite toy? Did you find different textures fascinating? I did and it hasn't stopped for me!
Here is a glimpse of Atia's playtime with her collection of My Fun!

ONE

2010-12-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

mirasa design turns ONE on day ONE of the New Year. We are filled with joy and gratitude.

We are just like toddlers. Having learnt to crawl; by clutching, grabbing, leaning, falling
and crying. We are now learning to walk and run with all the little steps learnt this first year.

photo: stacey vaeth

Each day has been a new lesson, finding ourselves forever learning, exploring and discovering for the next.

storytime over the comfy My Tiger FLoor Pillow
photo: stacey vaeth

There is no better reward than being appreciated. When a child stops crying as My Monkey does the mirasa monkey dance; The confusion of decision making between the My Tiger or My Owl be it an adult or a child (It’s happened plenty!); The big hugs My Lion Floor pillows receive; Story time only over the comfy My Monkey Floor Pillow; The surprise and laughter when the wrist bands rattle. Want more?

my owls likes to....
photo: stacey vaeth

I hope we can continue to enjoy mirasa together as we enter year Two. We look forward to 2011 with inspiration; to creating More FUN for you!

Atia(my biggest inspiration), giving her My Lion Floor Pillow ALL the love
photo: stacey vaeth

Thank YOU for making this year special. Happy New Year to you ALL.
Have FUN!
Aashumi

mirasa design

Forever Summer

A New Balance

Growing With Mirasa

mother's day

Fun At Six Months

Names?

Akira Boy

New Year. New Life. New Reality.

Happy New Year!

mirasa baby

mirasa baby

A few snap shots of mirasa babies. Send us some shots of your little one for our next mirasa baby blogpost!

A few snap shots of mirasa babies.

Send us some shots of your little one for our next mirasa baby blogpost!

work & play

A visit to Washington DC from my brand designer and friend Rusha S.

light & gratitude

small things

finding my fun

nostalgia

cheers!

Lets Do. No Reaction.

my fun, my family

mirasa in mumbai

handmade in mumbai-from the workshop

what we hear...

Shop For Japan

playtime ny

my animals are hungry

atia's playtime

ONE

A few snap shots of mirasa babies.

Send us some shots of your little one for our next mirasa baby blogpost!