The Key Bunch

Interview with Leela Bordia, the Queen of Jaipur Blue Pottery

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Thu, 31 May 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Jaipur's Leela Bordia, who founded Neerja and gave a new lease of life to Jaipuri Blue Pottery has a candid chat with me about the challenges she faced, her quest to keep the designs original yet traditional, and the dangers of keeping them from being copied and mass-produced by others.

A beautiful display corner at the Neerja showroom with some press clippings in the background.

I know, it's been a while since my last post, so sorry! it's been a hell of a month, but I am back stronger, and that's what counts!

As promised, this post is about Neerja, and more specifically about the person at the helm of Neerja, Mrs.Leela Bordia... an amazing woman who has done so much for India's Jaipur Blue Pottery image, and made it such a sought-after possession the world over. Well, it's here finally, so without much ado, let's read the interview and gorge on the exclusive pics that Mrs. Bordia has so kindly sent to The Keybunch!

Sharon: Good Afternoon Mrs. Bordia, and thank you for sparing some time for me. I am honored to speak with you. I am curious about Neerja's early days - I did read what's on the blog, the impact that your mother's work with Mother Theresa had on you, and how you noticed the traditional blue pottery in Jaipur and wanted to do more - I think it is truly inspiring....is there anything you want to tell me about those early days when you started out with 4 craftspeople?

Mrs Bordia interacting with the village craftsmen

Leela Bordia: Yes, When I saw the amazing work being produced, I wanted 2 things for these craftspeople –

1. I wanted them to be in the village – they were essentially farmers, and from generations, they were involved with creating handicrafts in their spare time to supplement their meager farming incomes. So to uproot them, would have been disastrous, and caused a breakdown of their family systems.It was therefore important for me that these people should not migrate to the cities, and this way the whole family can work together as they have done for generations.

2. Income generation – I wanted them to have a steady source of income. There is a limit to the income they can earn alone, and the income they can earn while working with someone who buys all their work, someone who would take care of getting their work to the markets, and guaranteeing they get paid on time, and often.

Sharon: ..and I can imagine that cannot have been easy!

Leela Bordia:This was of course a challenge. Initially the crafts people did not have faith in me. They thought I was coming to them to teach them something they already knew. I never wanted to teach them. On the contrary I wanted to give them more opportunities, make utility items, etc. You have to understand that back in 1970-1980 handicrafts were just handicrafts, something fancy that people purchased. There was a limited market for them. It was only later on that bigger markets opened up, there was innovation, and today we have a whole world of opportunity for Indian handicrafts.

A blue pottery urn

A pretty display of knobs and accessories

Quaint blue pottery danglers

A console table embedded with blue pottery fixtures, and a matching mirror frame

The beautiful wall plates on display at the Neerja store

Sharon: Mrs. Bordia, I want to ask you about the design aspect - there is a lack of originality in design. When I read about you I was amazed at how everything you did was driven by your need to help the villagers. But design is also very important in product development, and I really love your designs. I just ordered some wall plates from you actually...How do you manage the design aspect of your business?

Leela Bordia: We try as much as possible to stick to the original Jaipuri designs - at present we have only a 150 year history. So we tend to keep the originality. A lot of people are involved with the design aspect in Neerja – my family is a big support, sometimes I have design students interning with us, but the craftspeople are the ones who actually have the best designs.

Finishing touches on a piece

Sharon: And, is that a challenge too? To keep the designs original, yet improve and innovate?

Leela Bordia: Yes, even here we have this challenge – the moment something gets commercial acclaim, the dangers of copying arise. I never wanted to go the big commercial way. Jaipur blue pottery is from Jaipur has uniqueness. However, we do realise that even while we keep our originality, we have to improve our designs, quality, etc. It is a challenge to keep our identity intact through all this. I happy to say that till today we have had no threat about the Chinese or Srilankans copying the uniqueness of our Jaipuri designs.

A view of the Neerja store in Jaipur

What a novel design!

This is a table designed with blue pottery tiles
- gorgeous, and I wish I owned it!

And dear readers, it was an absolute pleasure and honor talking to Mrs.Leela Bordia. She is an amazing person, so down to earth and so dedicated to her craft!

Do you know she collects blue pottery from every corner of the world? :) I am dying to see her collection,, and of course share it with you, if possible. Let’s keep our fingers crossed on that one! :)

My next post - what do you think it's about?

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:59:00 +0000

Have a look at the pic....and try and guess what or who my next post is about.

So what's my next post going to be about? Any guesses? ;)

UPDATE: I had to take off the pic of the broken plates - but I want you guys to know that they arrived broken from the FASHION AND YOU order. They did not take my complaint seriously at all. In fact, they just treated it on par with any other customer support issue, and it never went further than the standard support email reply.

On the other hand, the company which produces the plates - my next post is about them, and they are Neerja International of Jaipur - went out of their way to make sure the plates were replaced and delivered to me in record time, in ONE piece, and beautifully packed. I truly appreciate their support and would recommend to anyone that they always buy directly from them. The fact that they are going to have their own online store for Indian customers is super great!! Thanks Apurv for turning a customer's bad experience into one of absolute delight!

Someone special turned 6!

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:48:00 +0000

Yep! We had a b'day in the family, and we had so much fun! Here are a few snapshots!

It was special (in her words) because
1. Her grandparents were around.
2. The decorations were hand-made by her
3. It was her first b'day with her li'l bro (he missed her last b'day by 15 days!)
4. She had a blast because we had her fav food, fav games and a whole lot of dancing!

This was totally inspired by

I don't know how, but we managed to fit all her fav things on the cake!

A hand-sketch - contact me if you want to convert one of your pics into a hand-sketch!

Another hand-sketch of the kids doing the Hokey Pokey!

'High-Light' of the week: Sharanya Menon's Customized Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 07:59:00 +0000

This one is called 'Tree of Life '

What do you do when you are jobless? Crib and wallow in self-pity, of course! Well, that’s what I did when I completed my degree and couldn’t land up in a job.

Satyam Shivam Sundaram

Now, that’s my story……..Sharanya Menon, on the other hand didn’t sit and wait for a job after she completed BSc in Microbiology. Having pursued a diploma in 3D Animation after her degree, she tried her hand in creating customized lights and shared the pics online. Guess what? She didn’t have to look for a job after that –she went ahead and created her own company – High-Light. Of course, she did land up with a job as an assistant in production design in Mumbai :).

Circus

Each of Sharanya Menon’s hand painted bottles tell a tale as she makes only customized bottles and lampshades. It’s interesting to read how she ventured into this business. Here’s what she had to say when I asked her about it.

Dirty Dancing

‘Being unemployed can have its advantages! I was between jobs and very restless. One afternoon, I found some really old 2L bottles lying in the loft at my grandmother's house (which is where I stay). I had a couple of tubes of paint and so decided to paint them just to keep myself occupied. I posted couple of photos online and got a decent response. People asked whether I was selling them. And that's how it started; as a hobby. Now I do only customize bottles for people, giving them a unique piece that will not be found anywhere else!”

Groove Planet

She prices the bottles depending on the amount of work, courier charges and the lights used. The base price is Rs.1850 onwards. Apart from bottles, she has also worked on wall-mounted shades and toying around with other surfaces to explore her creative streak.

Star Wars

She also showcased her products at ‘Sunday Soul Santhe, a flea market in Bangalore. She says ‘The response was overwhelming and I am very happy that people have accepted my little venture so well! So much so that orders have been coming in almost every single day!’


Kathakali Bottles - My Fav :)

Sharanya Menon at Soul Santhe

Wasn’t that an inspiring story? Do check out her website for more designs.

Saffron Marigold's Spring Collection with Shopping Guides

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 04:50:00 +0000

I love it when design houses use their products to create 'looks' or inspiration boards. Often people buy products, and then don't really know how to put together a 'look' with what they buy. What a waste of a purchase!

So that's why I want to highlight Saffron Marigold's attempt at putting together a pictorial guide giving people a good idea about how to set off their collections with the right furniture and accessories. These are images from their recent Spring Shopping Guide. I particularly loved their Moroccan look (hugely clichéd *smiles*, yet very well put-together).

Saffron Marigold's 'Sultan's Palace' Moroccan look

And here's their all-white decor featuring their Ivy-lace line.Nice!

Inspiration board for Saffron Marigold's Ivy-lace line

I felt they could have done a better job of their Indigo and Flowers inspiration board (check out the SM blog to see it). Their Morning Dew line is one of my favorites, and they chose to feature it in a French Provencal inspiration board (see below). While their inspiration board is quite charming, I felt they could have done a better job with this one as well. Maybe Vasu needs to teach them a thing or two about Olioboard ;)

French Provencal Decor board featuring Saffron Marigold's Morning Dew collection

and here's another board for French Provencal decor.

French Provencal Inspiration board featuring Saffron Marigold's Morning Dew collection

What did you think? I would love to hear your ideas!

All images via

Women's Day Special - Guest Post from Patricia from Colors Dekor

noreply@blogger.com (TheKeyBunch) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

What better way to celebrate women than have a very talented home decor blogger do a post for us, here on The Keybunch! Patricia from Colours Dekor needs no introduction. Her blog is testimony to her many talents! We trusted her completely with a meaningful women's day post, and she has done it brilliantly! Over to you Pats!
- Sharon

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone!! Happy International Women’s day to you and all the women who have touched your lives in some way…

I was wondering what to write today… and thought.. maybe I’ll talk about a few things that are important to me… and the various things I do (or am sure you do too!!) in playing numerous roles as a woman ~ a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mom, an aunt, a friend, etc.. etc..

Firstly… What I think about ‘life’…

“Life may not be the party we hoped for,

but while we are here we might as well dance."

Author: Unknown

Truly, I believe in enjoying the small pleasures in life… I like spending time at home, with my family…. Specially my kids!! I’d rather spend the evening watching them dance, than go for a dinner or party! I live each minute to the fullest… to my heart’s content. I do what my heart thinks is right and what makes me happy.. Be it setting up a tablescape just for myself and the girls… or camping on the terrace…

Now… My formula for ‘life’…

My formula for living is quite simple.

I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night.

In between, I occupy myself as best I can.

Cary Grant

I like my day to be super busy and full of things to do. Often I have more on my plate than I can handle…. But I truly enjoy this!! From my regular day job, to playing mom, to chauffer to my daughters, to carpenter, painter, plumber… yes I often play these roles as well… *grins*..

My purpose in ‘life’….

When I stand before God at the end of my life,

I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left,

and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.

Erma Bombeck

I love to share the little knowledge I have … Actually… I truly love to share anything.. And this is one thing I hope to pass on to my kids too… Simply share whatever you have… Give to charity when you can… and above all… start your charity at home…

My everyday ‘life’….

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world

and a desire to enjoy the world.

This makes it hard to plan the day.

- E. B. White

… I do!! I really do!! But… most days.. I’m super busy at work, then super duper busy at home…. And then come to my little ‘blog’…. Which is my moment of happiness…. And then I make a plan to improve the world tomorrow… *smiles*

What makes me ‘happy’…

Try to make at least one person happy every day,

and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy,

or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.

- Sydney Smith

*smiles* Do you believe in passing on a smile… I do!! Try it!! Smiling at people makes you happy… and makes the other person happy… and if you top it up by asking ‘how are you’… and then listening to the person… All problems in life… are solved by the words.. ‘I’m fine thank you’…

I always talk to my girlies… about ‘passing on a smile’… and about doing something for someone… And its impressive with what little ones think they do… I’ve held the door open for Ma’am today… I picked up Khushi’s books… I helped Roshan swim… Its impressive the things they do!!

A simple ‘life’…

Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts

to finding peace of mind and happiness inside.

No matter what is going on outside of us,

there's always something we could be grateful for.

- Barry Neil Kaufman

This is truly the motto of my life… I believe.. in counting my blessing… and when I do!! … the problems look so worthless…

My motto for my ‘home’

What I love most about my home

Is the people I share it with

~Anonymous

A few home ‘must haves’

1. De-clutter your space… Give away what you don’t need… I’m sure you know someone else who can use it.

2. This just means, that a clean and clear space is the most important

3. Use colours lavishly… trust me… colours can change your mood instantly…

4. Add a few lights and lamps in the corners… And watch the romance grow…

5. Oh... throw a cushion on the rug… and a shawl on the sofa… that’s instant comfort…

6. Don’t spend too much money on furniture or furnishings… It doesn’t have to be expensive to look good…

7. Show off your craft and your kids craft… Keep it on a tray on the coffee table or dining table… or simply hang it on the wall..

8. Make your home a reflection of yourself… Don’t do things for others to see… or coz someone else said it looked good… Believe in what you think or feel looks good…

9. And if nothing works… brew a hot cup of tea… and invite me… *smiles*..

Have something to add to Patty's list? Tell us in the comments section!

Women's Day Buildup ~Rachana Saurabh: Self-taught artist with a style of her own!

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:03:00 +0000

Women everywhere, everyday do extraordinary things to face life's challenges and come out triumphant. March 8 is a day to celebrate woman-power; it's for celebrating you and me, and women like Rachana Saurabh, who take what life gives them, and emerge with a winning attitude.

When I first saw Rachana's work, I was struck by her distinct style! I have seen kitsch, I have seen pictures of Goddesses, I have seen abstracts - Rachana's work has elements of all 3 styles, but yet an identity of its own.Since she is a blogger, I am sure many of you have already seen her work. But do you know her story? While you appreciate her work, read a bit of her amazing journey!

Rachana is from Anand (the Milk Capital of India, and the home of Amul) a small town of Gujarat, India. She is a qualified engineer, thought at heart she has always been an artist. Growing up in a small town, she did not have many opportunities to learn new things, and so she kept herself busy with art and craft. She taught herself to paint, and it became her favorite hobby!

Rachana started out by imitating the work of established artists - she could replicate them exactly! All that practice and study helped her to attain her current style and form!

"I have not learnt anything, but in my free time I used to copy (that's the word I think) well-known artists' painting, its just that I can make anything exactly the same. And today I have developed that in creating my own style :) And I am happy that people around me want to know more about Indian culture."

When she got married three years ago, and came to the US, and she could not join the workforce, her husband Saurabh encouraged her to start painting again.

"It's him who encouraged me so much, and today painting is my profession.. :) Its something that with his help I have created my own identity, and I am enjoying it".

Editor's Note:
Rachana recently went through a harrowing experience when she saw her work printed without permission on a leading Indian fashion designer's collection. If you wish to use or reproduce any of Rachana's creations in personal or business ventures, do contact Rachana first. They say when someone copies your work, it is the highest form of flattery. Sure, but copying with permission is the ethical way to flatter someone whose work you love and admire! All images in this blog post are the copyright of Rachana Saurabh.

Online Shopping @ Fashion and You, Heaven and Home: Same Product, Different Prices!

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 06:05:00 +0000

Metal Planter from Heaven and Home

Same Metal Planter from Fashion and You

I love virtual shopping - period! I can browse through shopping sites endlessly ogling at all the lovely products displayed – good time-pass, I must say J. It’s nice to spot a bargain, grab it before it disappears and revel at the thought of getting hold of things someone desperately wants.

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of online shopping sites, each promising the best deal. Of course, home décor is the first section I rush to when I open a site. Yesterday, I happened to spot some planters on Heaven and Home, a new online shopping site and fell in love with it. Just like any sale, I didn’t want to let go of this planter and ordered two planters without thinking twice.

As I was chatting with Sharon online, I told her about the purchase I made. When she mentioned about a similar sale on Fashion and You, I was keen to see if my impulsive purchase on Heaven and Home was worth it. Guess what? The same product I had purchased was on sale there too. Only difference – the price! Heaven and Home priced the planter Rs. 899 after discount, with original price tagged at Rs.1399 while Fashion and You priced the product Rs.999 after discount with original price tagged at Rs.1550. And both sales were happening simultaneously!Check out the attached screen shots of the products and the prices.

The variation was not limited to only the tagged original price and the discounted price but the dimensions as well. While the Fashion and You says the dimension of the planter is Length - 10 | Width - 8.5 | Height - 6.5, Heaven and Home says Length 10 Inch Width 9 Inch Height - 7 Inch. I am stunned, needless to say at my new discovery.

All sites claim to sell authentic brands, genuine information about the products and give you the best deals. But, my experience has shown otherwise. I know what I’ll be doing the minute the product arrives- cross check the dimensions!

Moral of the story - Don't get fooled by the tall claims of online shopping sites, use your judgement before you hit that BUY button :)

Update: The issue was not to target FNU, it's just that I happened to notice the difference when I was shopping at that moment. Another product was far less on Fashion and You when compared to Heaven and Home. I agree with Sharon's version Moral of the story - whenever you shop online, check out the deals on other sites - buy from the one that gives you the best deal! :)

Have you had similar online shopping experiences? Share it with us.

Shopping Online for Madhubani Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:38:00 +0000

A guest from US couldn’t help staring at the Madhubani paintings we had put up in our living. He bombarded me with questions about the art and I felt like a fool when I could not answer his questions except that I said it’s a kind of tribal art. Of course, I did google search after he left but it was a shame that I couldn't answer him at that point of time. The point is, how often do we blindly buy art without giving a thought about its origin? I don’t know about others, but I have a tendency to just pick up things that fancy me without bothering to check about the artist or the art form.

Anyway, as I google searched, I found Madhubani art has its roots in Bihar and is painted using paste from powdered rice and natural dyes and pigments. Traditionally, women painted these on festive occasions on plastered wall to make it colorful. Of course, like all art forms, Madhubani too has made its way beyond the walls.

Come along as we go shopping for some exciting Madhubani art.

Painted paper mache from artsoftheearth and madhubani mirror frames from Bangalore based artist, Vidushini

Madhubani Vases from giftagift.com

Handpainted madubani wall peg from shopo.in ( I am in love with these)

If you are looking for more information about the art, do check out posts from culturalindia and indianart

Tia Pakhi by Anaïs Basu

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:41:00 +0000

Designer Anaïs Basu has just brought her Tia Pakhi range to India, with a debut exhibition in Kolkata. You know I am one for stories, and I have one for you here - it's about a French girl who fell in love with India, its crafts, its people and even an Indian man!

The Beginnings
It was March 2006, Anaïs' first visit to India. After her training in fashion and textile Design in Paris, she came here to work as a designer with a textile export-house in Kolkata. Although she had read many books to inform herself about the country and culture she was about to visit, nothing could prepare her for the India she stepped into - A world full of creativity, joy, energy, hospitality and such a rich culture! She immediately felt at home in the city. Through her work which was to create designs for embroidery for the European market, she discovered a new medium and so many new techniques, that the design possibilities fascinated her! The craft wich caught her eye then was the traditional Bengali craft of Kantha, for it’s beauty in simplicity, the texture and simply, the feel of it.

A few weeks into her arrival in India she met with a young Bengali man who was to become her husband some years later, and through whom she discovered more of the country and its culture and got more acquainted with the reality of India today.

TIA PAKHI

Being in India gave her the great opportunity to develop her passion for textile design and finally launch her line of Textiles for furnishing and accessories Tia Pakhi, named for the green parrots flying around the region of Bengal.Anaïs’ designs blend the traditional Indian crafts with her poetic, bold and colorful style, reinventing a contemporary ethnic look.

She says," My work is essentially dedicated to Kantha for wich I had a soft corner from the time of my first visit. My research is to use the traditional Craft from my adopted state of Bengal and reinterpret it with more contemporary Designs and Color palette; presenting Kantha with a new fresh look and making handcrafted products reach the homes of a more divers public. Hence the Craftsmen can keep their craft alive and find opportunities to develop their skill and their economic situation.

The Challenges

"It was quite challenging in the beginning to change the usual pattern of work of the craftsmen and get the results I was looking for; to develop a relation and their personal interest in this new style of work. My work has helped me to learn the language very fast as I had to be able to speak to the craftsmen directly and develop a personal relation to the people working with me as a team."

Inspiration, creative stimulation

"In India I could say that I am constantly stimulated creatively especially in a city as vibrant and colorful as Kolkata where the traditional culture is still so present in the urban life. People, Markets, architecture, food, everything is there all around calling you.

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for me: there are uncountable textures, patterns, forms and color combinations in God's creations. One just needs to look around and observe.

Art is also very inspiring for me. It beautiful when the work of an Artist can represent feelings, or emotions we can't express, but which are present in our
heart."

Today....

Anaïs divides her time between Kolkata and Paris. Her Tia Pakhi range opened in Paris, and her second exhibition took place in Kolkata. She is scheduled to take her work to Bangalore in April!

Did you enjoy the beautiful pictures of Anaïs' work in this post? Anaïs clicked them especially for us, and many of them were clicked in her own home, which she really enjoyed doing up with all her personal items and souvenirs brought back from France or her other travels.

Thank you for sharing your work and your story Anaïs!

All pics courtesy : Anaïs Basu
www.tiapakhi.com info@tiapakhi.com

Marie's little Asia-styled home in the French Pyrenees

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:18:00 +0000

Feel like a cuppa? Grab one and free up your schedule because today I want to tell you a story!

I was young and impressionable. It was a trip to Lourdes with my gran and her sister’s family. A road trip, and for me it was a lovely door opening to feed my fledgling wanderlust.

It wasn’t of course my first glimpse of France. I had been on a partial trip of the European continent earlier, when I was much younger, too young to enjoy the whole experience. This time would be different, I promised myself. But, nothing prepared me the chance meeting I had with a wonderful French woman!

The car trip meant passing through miles of countryside. Pretty villages, beautiful maids, handsome young men working in vineyards, sweet wrinkled old people with toothless smiles and big hearts, and the piece de resistance, the pristine beauty of the mountains. Looking back, I know this little countryside holiday played a big part in the reason I have this home décor blog – beauty in simplicity, well-tended gardens and neat, well-loved homes – isn’t that the first step in beautiful home décor?

When we approached Lourdes, the Pyrenees stood tall and surprisingly, not imposing at all. I remember being surprised. Don’t mountains generally look powerful and make everything around them look small, as if they are cowering in fright? Not the Pyrenees. At least, not the view I had of them from Lourdes. Here the mountains had a neighborly, a kind of just a' mound in the backyard' kind of look as it rose lush and sweet.

But that’s not what I want to talk about today.

I want to tell you about Marie, a sweet middle-aged woman. And she lived  in the Pyrenees. Her simple, well-kept cottage was sort of a poor-man’s  inn. On day 3 in Lourdes, when the grans longed for their  post-pilgrimage lie-down, we happily left them at our little inn and  took the narrow pathway near the kitchen. Pierre the inn-keeper warned  us to stay safe – or that’s what it sounded like to my un-French ears!

The path was beautiful. French summers are  the loveliest! Flowers bloomed pretty and colorful in the wild. It was  like a dream – a sunny azure sky, sweet smells of the wild, a slight nip  in the air and the prettiness of the mountainside. Green carpets spread  across for miles, decorated with daffodils, wild irises and little  yellow pretties (I think they are called Calthas), the clank-a-tinkle of  the cowbells and quaint little stone houses with a homely smoke coming  out of their chimneys. We were in paradise!

As we passed houses, there were friendly waves and our skin color  invited the same curious questions– where we were from, they wanted to  know. And their reactions to our answer of “India” were as identical!  And so we happily trudged along, until I passed by the prettiest little  cottage I had ever seen! I had to stop and stare and as I drooled over a  gorgeous bramble of red roses above a window frame and sighed, I  noticed an old wrinkled face peering at me from the window.

An artist's rendition of my first glimpse of Marie

She must have been watching me while I stared in admiration at her roses. When she caught my eye, she smiled and rushed out of the house, and welcomed me with open arms! I was stunned. Was she expecting someone? Should I be telling her? Oh chuck it, her hug was so warm and her smile so sincere, that I couldn’t wait to get into her home. I was sure it would be cozy and delightful!


This image from ethnichomedecorstore is digitally converted to a sketch. It gives you a good idea of the beautiful Asian colors that delighted us visually as we stepped into Marie's home

It was filled with beautiful Indian art, Moroccan tapestry and Suzani work. I was in awe! Something deep within me stirred. It was not just the beauty of the things she had, it was the way she arranged them– neat, arty and somehow nothing looked out of place in their absurd location - Asian decor in a Pyrenees home for heaven's sake! Lanterns, tapestries, brass and marble, ceramics and teak chests, linens and cottons – she explained that she brought out all this only in Summer, her Édouard indulged her!

Looking at our shocked expressions, Marie explained to us that she lived her early life as a diplomat’s daughter and was born in Morocco! With her parents she traveled, mostly in Asia, spent 2 years in India and this was her mother’s collection. After her parents passed away, she inherited all their belongings! Well, that explained the stuff. I glanced at my cousin and she blurted out the question topmost on my mind – how did Marie come to live in the Pyrenees then?

To protect her privacy, I have digitally converted Marie's picture into a sketch.

Marie blushed. It seemed that when she was 17, her parents came back to their country and she went to college in Paris. While on a trip with friends, she met Édouard, a farmer’s son. Over the summer that she spent hiking in the Pyrenees they fell hopelessly in love. She gave up everything, and she and Édouard lived a humble but happy life. Marie didn’t have children, and somehow when she saw me, she remembered her childhood and early life in India!

We spent a long happy hour with Marie as she told us about her lovely, adventurous life. Did she miss the glamorous lifestyle that her parents had led? No, she said, not one regret!

As she smiled and bade us goodbye, I knew in my heart that the pilgrimage to Lourdes and Marie's little home would make this one of the most special trips of my life!

This is my entry to the Indiblogger Around The World With Expedia contest.

Images - Google, The Keybunch

Indian Design Talent: Suhasini Paul and her Lilliput Army

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:09:00 +0000

I'm sure you must have met Mr. Prick, Mr. Mind It, Mr. Big Head, Mr. T.Ray, Mr. Elevate and Mr. Striptease before. They are of course Toy Designer/ Play Strategist (how cool!) Suhasini Paul's little band of house assistants. Here they are, in case you haven't met them!

Now that you know what each of them does, don't you think these are super cool designs? They are useful and have great looks - no wonder My Lilliput Army won Suhasini the Elle Decor International Award in 2010!

Suhasini Paul post-graduated in Industrial Design, and specialized in Toy Design and Development, National Institute of Design, India.

She says, "India created the world’s first recognized board games: Parchesi and Chess. However, surprisingly Toy design as a profession is still at its nascent stage. My drive to reinstate India’s claim of being the originator of board games gave me the impetus to serve the Toy Industry as a Play Strategist."

Just after post-graduating from NID, Suhasini began her journey as a design entrepreneur in 2005, hunting opportunities for design intervention in the toy sector. Ever since, she has been actively involved in spreading awareness about Toy Design, the new profession in India, by giving lecturers in design Schools like IILM school of Design, NIFT Delhi and NID Delhi cell.

"Within a period of 5+ years I have been able to serve quite a number of toy manufacturers, helping them accelerate their business growth and now I am on my way towards creating my own Brand" - Suhasini Paul

Suhasini is often seen on the NDTV chat show - 'Bringing up baby', where she offers advice on choosing and buying appropriate toys for children. In 2005, she was honored by the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri. Narendra Modi as the first lady ‘Designprenuer’ of India. The same year, her "Dialogue" - communication aid toy was selected as a top finalist at the Business World Design Excellence Award.

Suhasini's list of achievements is long and impressive. The Lilliput Army is just one of her creative and innovative contributions. She is married to Paul Sandip, 2 times red dot award winning product designer whose work has been featured internationally over the past 6 years. He specializes in contextual innovation, likes exploring forms with fantasy and loves story telling!

India needs creative designers like Suhasini who has a depth of creativity backed by sound training, and the will to succeed.

Images Courtesy:
http://mylilliputarmy.blogspot.in/ http://www.pinkelefant09.blogspot.in/

Little known definitions of love

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:36:00 +0000

The Poonch Collection - A doggy exhibit by Aarohi Singh

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:07:00 +0000

Artist par excellence Aarohi Singh
admits her work is going to the dogs!

And I mean that literally. Why, Aarohi told me herself! Here, have a look if you don't believe me!

Now that you know the details, and also know that Aarohi is an exceptional artist, please make sure you save the date(s) because you don't want to miss owning her artwork.

More information

Aarohi Singh is a self taught artist. What started as an interest in art a couple of years ago is now a full fledged profession for her. Art, for an artist is living their lives through their art and Aarohi transfers her thoughts on to her canvas. We, at The Keybunch are great fans of the kitschy art she creates on kettles, mugs and buckets. Try this painting demo that Aarohi designed exclusively for The Keybunch readers some time back!

But if there’s one thing the self-taught, multifaceted artist hates, it is being pigeonholed. The moment she began to be slotted in the media as a leading ‘kitsch artist’, Aarohi went back to her first love – painting on canvas – in a variety of media – pen and ink, charcoal, watercolours, acrylics, oils. She also began to dream of other avenues of art and design that ArtByAarohi could explore.

That was the genesis of what will culminate in her upcoming exhibition at 100 Ft Boutique and Restaurant, Indiranagar, on the 10, 11, and 12 February 2012. Bringing together two themes close to her heart – dogs and design – the Poonchh Collection is ArtByAarohi’s first foray into accessories. The bright, colourful collection – featuring totes, clutches, wallet-cum-key-pouches, laptop cases, iPad cases, iPhone cases, and cushion covers – is themed entirely on dogs. And not just any dogs, either. ArtByAarohi’s Poonchh Collection is exclusively about stray dogs.

Why Stray Dogs?
Says Aarohi -

“Stray dogs get a lot of bad press, which they do not deserve..” She continues, “..after all, they are really community dogs, which protect our streets from intruders. There is a need to educate people at large about the positive role of strays, and this is one way for me as an artist to do so.”

And....Here's exactly how her art is going to the dogs!

50% of the profits from the sales of every item in the Poonchh Collection will go towards the welfare of strays in perpetuity, particularly towards spaying and neutering them.

“I believe that, over time, animal birth control and better garbage disposal in our cities will help in solving the problem of strays on our streets.”

The organisation that Aarohi has picked to receive the donation is The Voice of Stray Dogs (VoSD).

“I have known and interacted with VoSD and its founder, Rakesh Shukla, for the last couple of years and I have seen up close their tireless efforts and deep commitment to the cause. I am confident that every penny that goes into the VoSD coffers will go towards the welfare of strays.”

Talking about the collection, Aarohi reveals that every piece in the Poonchh Collection has been hand-crafted using the best quality products, not mass-produced on a factory floor. As a matter of principle, she did not haggle with any of the craftsmen along the value chain.

“Since this is for a good cause, I wanted the ‘vibe’ associated with each piece to be positive,” she smiles.

Good luck, Aarohi!

For more information:
Aarohi Singh - ArtByAarohi - www.artbyaarohi.com ; Ph: +91 98801 98814, aarohi@artbyaarohi.com
Rakesh Shukla - The Voice of Stray Dogs – www.strays.in Ph: +91 99450 41426, rakesh@strays.in

Your work lives on Mario!

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:43:00 +0000

via

I was saddened to wake up to the news that Mario Miranda is no more. Though he was 85 when he passed on, he is one of those people that we wish lived on and on - to give us more of his awesome signature MM cartoons!

via Wiki

When I was younger, no trip to Goa was complete without picking up a jumbo pack of Vinicola Wine because the box was adorned with MM's cartoons. Mario's style was unique, and I loved looking at them in the Illustrated Weekly.

Here are some of his cartoons in his inimitable style!

via

Mario's signature style and Mario's work are irreplaceable. You will live on through your work, Mario. Thank you for your cartoons, for giving it to us!

'A Bit of India' in Michigan

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:06:00 +0000

Gombe Habba - Mysore Dasara as theme

Dasara marks the beginning of month long festivities. Festivals give us a chance to bring out the Indian artefacts that are stacked away in the attic. Rupa, a trained vocalist and an interior design enthusiast put up an impressive ‘Gombe Habba’(Doll Festival) at her home in Michigan and sent us the pictures. Gombe Habba is the time to get creative and think different. Choosing the theme and putting together things that blend with the theme involves time and effort.The preparations begin a month earlier.

Saraswati - the Goddess of Knowledge

The Procession

Rupa chose Mysore Dasara as the theme. She set up the whole procession as it happens in Mysore Dasara with Mysore Palace and Mahishasura props as the background. You don’t really have to be in Mysore to experience the beauty of the festival. Take a look at Rupa’s pictures. Don't you love the colorful dolls?

"A Bit of India in Every Home" doesn't end with the blog party, you are welcome to share pictures of your home any time with us.

September Carnival Roundup: A Bit of India in Every Home

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:14:00 +0000

The September Carnival invited entries showcasing a “A bit of India’ in your home. Funnily, I got busy with travel plans and Diwali and forgot to click pics and create a post for the carnival on my own blog! Nevertheless, the event saw many enthusiastic entries. Thanks to all your contributions.

Here is the round up of the carnival entries.

September Carnival: A Bit of India in Every Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 06:50:00 +0000

Wow! The Key Bunch is 3 years old. Time to party, right? Our tag line says ‘A bit of India in every home’ and that precisely is the theme for the anniversary link party. You are invited to join in the celebrations and make our blogversary memorable.

We may be going global all the way, but there is a bit of India in every home, isn’t it? Grab this chance to showcase the brass ware, copper ware, warlis, madhubanis......and all things that say 'India'. The post you link need not be décor related, it can be a post related to Indian culture, festivities, and so on. Yes, Dassehra and Diwali posts too! The party is on till October 31^st, so hop in all through the month.

Here's how you join in the party!

1. Do a “A Bit of India in Every Home’ post on your blog. The post can be just about anything related to Indian theme as mentioned on the post. Please do not use images from other sources.
2. Then link back to this post as follows :
- Copy the 'permalink' from your post (in other words the URL of your post, not the URL of your blog).
- Add your 'permalink' to the 'inlinkz' at the bottom of this post.
3. Inspire and get inspired by leaving a comment on the participating blogs.. after all it's a party! :)

4. You can link in as many posts as you wish, the more the merrier.
5. If you don’t have a blog, you can always email your pictures to me at thekeybunch@gmail.com and I will post them here, as well as link back from the party page.

Advertorial Guest Post: The Colors of India

noreply@blogger.com (TheKeyBunch) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 06:55:00 +0000

Today’s guest post is from Susi, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, a great resource for beautiful light fixtures.

When we think of India we think of a riot of colors: bright saris, pastel buildings, flowers, and ceremonial painted cows. India does not hold back when it comes to color and colorful patterns in design. We love the colors of India and love to bring them into interior design. Golds, purples, reds, pinks and oranges mix with royal blues, lime greens and blacks to create striking décor. Here are some of our favorite interiors that celebrate the colors of India.

A Designer Spot via

This modern roof terrace outdoor living area uses creams and subtle golds in the sectional upholstery, which provides a backdrop for colorful accessories and decorative items. The soft purple sunset is the star color of the space.

The Star via

A traditional room in Mulbekh from the book "Indian Interiors" (read Sharon's review of this book) clearly shows the riot of colors used in Indian design. The variety of strong colors gives an energetic feeling to the space.

Interior Alchemy via

Contrasting colors of red and green border each other yet are unified by an overlapping stencil of gold. This more traditional take on a bedroom also has a colorful coverlet on the bed and an aqua painted chest that introduce more color to the room.

Flikamag via

Also from the Taschen book on Indian Interiors (read the review here) is this study in cool tones. Not all colors from India are hot hues. We love cool purples, blues and greens.

Jennifer Connolly Interiors and Design via

Warm reds, oranges, and pinks combine in this modern interpretation of a traditional India interior. Often warm and cool colors coexist in a colorful harmony.

The Star via

Pink plays a strong role in colors used in India interiors. We love pale pink walls, fuchsia accents, and rose colored accessories, especially when paired with lime greens and bright blues. We also love the different colors of ceiling lights they use in the space.

Home Interior Designs via

This transitional style living room draws on the warm hues of India. Love the yellow sofa mixed with fuchsia and orange throw pillows—the room seems to glow in the light cast by the lamp and ceiling fixtures.

UK TV via

Textiles in a rainbow of hues take inspiration from India. Deep red creates a strong background for the sari inspired pillows.

Th author works for Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures. If you like this post, do stop by the Arcadian Lighting blog and say hello!

Hemant Sonawane - now on Style Radha Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:29:00 +0000

It's my pleasure to introduce a very talented sculptor, Hemant Sonawane. Style Radha now has a high-end art museum and Hemant's beautiful sculptures are on exhibition there.

Do have a look, especially if you are designing for hotels, corporate clients or if you are an art collector. These are exclusive pieces, and you qualify for a discount if you buy Hemant's sculptures through us.

Incidentally, I have profiled Hemant and his work recently, and for those who want to read it, or need more information on the sculptor, it is published on the latest issue of Prismma.

Sariscape Paintings by Meera Sethi

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:55:00 +0000

"Hold Me Close" is the first in a new series of Sariscape paintings by Toronto-based artist Meera Sethi (see her home here). Each work spans five yards, the length of a sari. Says Meera, "In this work, I use colour, geometry and embroidery to bring dreams wrapped up in folds of cloth to life. This is the beginning of a new line of investigation into South Asian women’s relationships to colour, pattern and intergenerational gift-giving. Saris traditionally express complex markers of ethnicity, nationality, class, caste, age, gender and religion."

She continues, "Sariscapes uses an abstract visual language to explore delicate intimacies - the dreams, desires and longings wrapped around our bodies and lives, and into the length and breadth of worked cloth."

Have a look.

Isn't this unique? When I asked Meera how all this began, she told me she wanted to draw attention to the beautiful action of passing down saris from mother to daughter to granddaughter. She said, "The sari is in essence a "canvas" that has been passed down to me by generations of Indian women. I use this canvas to create something new, something contemporary, something that I can open up and share. Through this new series I explore the visual culture of this heritage that I am a part of."

And you have done a fantastic job of it, Meera!

Summer and Butterflies by Saffron Marigold

noreply@blogger.com (TheKeyBunch) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:50:00 +0000

I know, I know - our posts are so few and far between these days. Sigh! We'll blame it on a hectic work schedule...but we haven't forgotten our much loved blog and its visitors, so you can be sure we will keep coming back with posts!

Today, I'll share a few beautiful images from Saffron Marigold's summer collection titled La Chasse Aux Papillons. How quaint! A butterfly-inspired collection! When I saw these images I had to share them with you:) and you will see why they make me want to be a little girl chasing butterflies all over again!

We will be back soon we promise! ...with all the things that you love us for - home tours, interviews and artist profiles - and oh yea, there will soon be lovely new products in Style Radha. So do come back! :)

Shop for these Saffron Marigold products here

Warli in my home

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:28:00 +0000

I am writing this post with a sad heart. Yesterday's Mumbai blasts took away the breadwinners of so many honest, hardworking, well-meaning families, and my heart goes out to them! Another sad day for our country...when will all this end, will it ever end?
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I hope you are all looking long and hard at the stuff in your homes - see any Warli?If you are Indian, there must be something Warli in your homes. Well, I certainly have - not one, but many Warli pieces, and here I am reposting the pics for our Warli Carnival.

Warli on my floor

Pin It

Warli nameboard and painted pot outside our front door

Warli in my garden


A warli piece I picked up in Ahmedabad

My very first attempt at Warli

So, that's my Warli. Where's yours? Show it off in our July Warli Carnival here!

July Carnival: Warli

noreply@blogger.com (Rekha) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:49:00 +0000

Warli Key Chain Holder

The Key Bunch is having a carnival after a long gap. Warli is one of my favorite art form. My fascination for Warli started when I saw some beautiful art work on the compound of an artist’s house. A couple of geometrical patterns are all you need to tell a story! Amazing, isn’t it?

I tried my hand at creating this Warli Keybunch holder for my daughter who loves to collect key bunches. Of course, it doesn’t look professional... but my li'l one loved it. I am curious to see and learn more about warli art. There can’t be a better way than the carnival to share warli ideas. Bring out the warli art in your home and share it with us.

This is how you join the party -

1. Do a “Warli’ post on your blog. It has to be 'your' photograph of the art form. The art need not be a painting only, it can be an artefact, a dress, accessory..you get the idea.
2. Please do not use images from other sources.
3. Link back to our blog ‘thekeybunch.com’
4. Copy the 'permalink' from your “Warli” post.
5. Add your 'permalink' to the 'inlinkz' at the bottom of this post.
6. Click the link before you. As always you can leave a comment and spread the word around. The more the merrier, what say?
7. If you don’t have a blog, you can always email your pictures to thekeybunch@gmail.com.

Guest post: Indian-inspired Rooms

noreply@blogger.com (TheKeyBunch) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:06:00 +0000

Dear readers, here's a guest post from the guys at Design Shuffle. They have put together a great write-up on their favorite Indian-inspired rooms, just for you!

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It was difficult to narrow down our favorite Indian inspired rooms to just a few. We love Indian textiles and bold colors, whether used as accents or layered one on top of the other in a riot of color and pattern. Indian and Anglo-Indian designs have a rich history and can be incorporated into many different style interiors. Mirrored and inlaid furniture, paisley patterns, rich, deep colors, intricate carving, and gold accents are all trademarks of Indian design. We hope you feel inspired with a few interior design ideas to add a few touches of Indian design to your home.

Fetching via

Paisley is a wonderful Indian inspired design motif. Love the mix of warm neutrals, reds and patterns in this living room.

A Design Enthusiast via

Love the intricate carving of the bed and table in this Indian inspired bedroom design. Gorgeous deep hues on the bed linens add to the rich feel of the room.

Lifestyle Coutures via

Love the Anglo-Indian furniture in this room, but what really caught our eye is the architectural details. The arched windows and wood ceiling are incredible.

Lifestyle Coutures via

The quintessential Indian arch frames this sleeping nook. Love the mix of patterns and dark accents in this otherwise cream space. Decorating ideas about from every corner of this room.

Indian In Spirit via

Beautiful draped fabric creates modern feeling canopies above simply made beds. The soft purple is lovely.

New York Social Diary via

Look at the incredible photo mural of a Palace bedroom in India by photographer Pieter Estersohn in his son's bedroom.

House and Home via

Love the palette of blues and greens in this Indian inspired guest room. The shaped headboard recalls Indian arches. The intricate wallpaper is beautiful.

HGTV via

Things we love about this living room include the strong colors, tons of patterns, great textures, gold accents and fantastic Indian art. Add any one of these elements to your own space for Indian Inspiration.

This post comes courtesy of Design Shuffle, where you can find top tier interior designs from around the world.