Kalista

Just wanted to post some pictures from the exhibition I held on 10th Oct at Mantri Elegance. A BIG thank you to all those who supported and encouraged me!!!

I Love Paper!

My love for paper began at a very young age and it has only evolved in the years to come. It all started with collecting paper napkins from different hotels and making boats and four-paper cup games. I loved folding paper and was amazed at what shapes and forms it can take. As a kid, I remember making paper purses to hold monopoly money in and would accompany my mom on her shopping getaways with my multi-colored purse in hand (little did I know then that monopoly notes couldn't even buy a candy wrapper let alone a whole city!). I would even cut up paper and make small booklets much to the displeasure of my uncle from whom I would “borrow” his prized possession of crisp white bond paper. Just about any paper would do... My handy scissor would go snip- snip... Voila.. a new creation..


I didn't really pursue this interest in paper (I now wonder why!!!). Though I was always fascinated with all kinds of handicraft work, I never really thought of myself as a craft-artist. The urge to do break monotony of life prompted me to look for interesting things on the Internet. And to my amazement, I found art and craft work beyond my scope of imagination. Before I knew it, I was jumping from one site to another and squealing at every adorable creation I found. I was as happy as a little child at my new found treasure!




I began learning origami and made numerous objects from beautiful flowers, kusudamas, the infamous origami cranes to boxes and paper stars that didn't require a drop of glue to hold in it place! Its really amazing what paper can do!. I even made paper bags!!! And then I chanced upon the paper art of Quilling (or paper filigree as it is also known) and fell in love with paper all over again. Thin strips of paper rolled up to make masterpieces. I didn't even know its a 500 year old art!!!

I started off by making small flowers... It was loved by everyone.. As my interest grew, I started to pursue it as a serious hobby and made my first framework for a very dear couple whom I adore.

And so... One thing let to another... and now I have my own collection of quilling artworks and earrings called Kalista!

Reminiscence of child's play

Lunch at the "snack shack" (our office pantry) is anything but quiet! Come 1:15 P.M. and everyone has a story to tell, an opinion to state, an experience to share .... Just about anything consequential or inconsequential... Doesn't matter... From celebrity couple's parental skills to noodles with tomato sauce resembling leeches and blood... Every topic is covered in depth, analysed to the very core... and then... Peace prevails!

I love these lunch breaks... It is just so much fun :)

Yesterday , the topic of discussion was the games we played in our childhood. It brought back so many memories to all of us! We've all grown up in an age where for some, the television was non-existant and for some, doordarshan was the only option (rather not an option at all!). Compare it to the kids nowadays who'd rather watch Ben 10 or play computer games....

Everyone at some point in their childhood have played "mane mane aata" (playing house!) The girls would bring in their kitchen sets and the boys with their cars... As I recall, I don't think any girl has ever played the role of a working woman.. She would always play the dutiful wife cooking and cleaning the house while the man works hard at the office! And Vroom Vroom of his toy car indicates his return and the wife hurridly brings in the snacks with tea!!! When I look back and reflect on these games, I realise what a male chauvanistic society we were bought up in. We would always replay what our mother's did as a daily life... Thankfully times have changed... Cheers to Women Empowerment!!!!

Arrgh.. drifted away from the main topic of discussion (a deliberate move to make a point!!)

The food used for the games would typically be small grains, groundnuts and sometimes the infamous "ajji kudlu" or "buddi ke baal" which was nothing but disintegrated "soan papdi". The vendor would always bring it in a transparent bell jar and the "tin tin" of his bell would send us all out of our houses for 1 rupee of pure joy!!!

"ICE SPICE" !! ha ha ha ha.... I don't think any of us even knew back then that the game is "I SPY" But somehow no one ever bothered to correct us... and even today, kids play it with the same name.. Ice Spice which is the noun would even be turned into a verb. When someone got out.. the declaration would be.. " I ICE SPICED you" Good Lord!! what were we thinking!!

The other popular running games would be 'lock and key', 'sudden touch', 'cutting the cake', 'chain lock'..... I can't reall more right now... Each of these games would have a "denner".. Now I wonder how that word even originated!!!!... But no one would want to be the "denner" :)

" Kunte Bille" or Hopscotch was another favourite game of mine.. It tested so many skills at a time..:) how good one could aim.. sense of balance.. the art of picking up the "bacha" or the stone... And how we all pretended to not being able to see while walking with the closed eyes and asking "Am I right" as one moved from one house to another! we were all cheaters!! Ah .. Good Fun!

Lagori!!! Who can forget the wacks some of us got with those tennis balls.....

Much to the disgust of boys and their squirmed faces... We girls had so many hand games. We clapped, made actions with our hands.. sangs songs that co-ordinated with the hand movements.. (The boys were just plain jealous that they couldn't enjoy the games we played and how well we played them!!!!)
I can still recall some of the songs... They go like this... "Say say say , on the way we go... oh mama, she told me a 60 years ago, there came a lady knocking at the the door. She said a ooh aah, I want some ba, the ba is sweet I want some meat.The meat is rough... etc etc. Another one goes like this " Zip zap zoom.. Up together, down together, side together... etc etc.. ZIP ZAP ZOOM"!! We also had a hand game for a rhyme..." Yankee doodle went to town, riding on a pony. He stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni!!!"
Those were the good old days!!!

And how can I forget, the ever popular song to choose "The Denner".... "Inki Pinki Ponki.. Father had a donkey, donkey died, father cried, Inki Pinki Ponki" How adorable is that!!!!!

There are soooooo many games we played. And back then, we didn't require any gadgets or game cds to have a good time... Thermacol pieces became the dream cars of boys and could practically do anything one imagined. Kitchens, gardens would be raided for girlie games...

I'm sure you are also recalling your childhood games... I'll leave you to that..

Until the next post.... Happy Reminiscing... :)

Warm Corners

Its Raining!!!! I love the rain :) I had spicy bajji's sometime back... AAAAAH Bliss!

Why did I name my blog "Warm Corners"?

Well... Ever since I was a kid, I would always find cosy places in the house which would transform itself to my imaginary world. From a damsel in distress to a strict teacher, I enacted every role possible (to of course a non-existent audience). I would be so lost and involved in my story that time just flew and I would always be interrupted with my mother looking for me... And where would she find me... Mostly in the some corner of a house :) And so, keeping memories of my childhood in mind, I named my blog so...

Its a place I would gather all my thoughts- a warm corner of the house. Dream of the future..aspire.., come up with the wierdest of thoughts (like a genie suddenly sprouting up from nowhere to grant me any wish I want), have a million questions about life..
I'm still the same dreamer.. Somehow that part of my childhood refuses to die. And I will never let it. For that brief period of time, I can be anyone I want and have anything I want. Every evening, I sit on my chair and look out my window and reflect on the happenings in life.. Its my special time of the day and I still get so lost in those thoughts, that I need someone to bring me out of it..

As a child, one always wants to grow up QUICKLY and be like the person they admire. Have the freedom to watch television whenever they want, no homework, sleep late at night.. And how now we all wish we could go back to being just kids.. With not a worry in the world.. have 2 months of summer break and a month of christmas and diwali vacations and a holiday for every other occasion. What a pity!

Its good to sometimes sit back and just let your mind think of things apart of your daily chores and worries.. Think of quirky things.. dream of any possibilty... These are your thoughts so no one... NO ONE can take it away from you or be judgemental about it. It's a great stressbuster for me... I know some people think its just waste of time ;).. I find solace in it...

" Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today "

A Start!

I finally... Finally get down to start a blog for everyone to read.

The one I started earlier was just for me.. My online hidden diary.. where I would write endlessly about life's tragedies and miseries and why life had to be so cruel... Only to me!! On the outside, I always wore a smile but inside, I cried... drowed in my sadness

It has been over six months since I blogged. And today when I read those thoughts, I'm amazed at the transformation to what I've become today. I saw grey in everything... Today, I see bright colors.. happy colors :) Its almost like starting life afresh. I've come to believe that happy thoughts make a happy life.

I have so many people to thank for this change in me. Its because of their fun spirit and their ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel that I've changed my attitude towards life.

Look at me.. all philosophical :) I should stop now... or else I'll sound like an old granny telling tales about her younger life.. Heck!! I'm just 26..... I have my whole life ahead of me... I'm just STARTING!!!

I have so much to write.... so many feelings to express.. I have a zillion thoughts running in my mind right now that I want to pen down... I'm so excited about this blog....

My mind is telling me to SLOW DOWN!!! and stop with the first post... there will be more things to write in the coming ones... about me, my life, my work, my reignited passion with paper, about friends, family, the animated lunch talks at work :), politics, movies, music !... oh there is just so much...

Ok I'll STOP now.....

P.S. Shru... Thank you...