October Fetish!!

Hello there! Are you having fun using books as decor accessories.I sure am!

So bring out those old novels...the ones that have several dog ears...the ones that have yellowed over time...the ones that you just want to open and they still smell of the decades gone by...Isn't this the sweetest vignette ever. I like that tea towel detail.

How perfect is this vignette for someone who loves to click! Several books of the same subject & a camera to tie it all together. I see my cookery books all tied up with twine with miniature martabans ( vintage pickle jars) on top...what about you?

Check out the other Fetish posts here.

Images: 1 & 2

October Fetish!

Quick Update: Big Thanks to the BlogAdda team for selecting this post as a part of their Tangy Tuesday Picks. You guys always make my day!! To read an earlier post that was a part of their Spicy Saturday picks, click right here. 

Fetish time! Yay! This month I am looking for stunning table vignettes created with books. Books needn't be only kept in bookshelves. And since they tell you so much about the person reading them I think its great if we can give them a role to play in the decor of our homes. What do you think?

Before I show you some drool worthy vintage combined with books looks, a little reminder to all those who are working on their Because this makes me happy list. Come on people make those lists fast! And for those you missed my post, read it here and join us.

Back to those Fetish posts.

This one has three of my loves, a vintage typewriter, books & the vintage table-fan .

How good can things get?

Ah! Time to ask my parents for all those gorgeous vintage suitcases that my grandparents lovingly passed to them. I have a feeling it will be tough convincing them to part with those! And the books in complementary colors just ties the whole vignette together. Doesn't it?

Now I couldn't have got a better picture to close this post. The table-fan & the suitcase come together with dainty bottles & ofcourse the pretty patterned books. Ah!


How about you? Do you like to display your books around the house and tie them in with the rest of the decor? I sure do!


Find the other fetish posts here.


Images : 1,2 & 3

We are running out of space!

I SO very badly need to use all the wall space that we have in the house to store books. We've really run out of bookcases.Also the little one is very busy exploring the house these days, she loves the dresser and bookracks specifically. So we are currently reorganizing everything below the height of 71 cms! And will be doing that continuously for many many cms to come;)

My hunt for some ideas threw up some very interesting images that I am sharing with you.

I am really liking the use of branches for a shelf. Though how much weight will the real branch be able to bear is debatable. Which is where the branch imitation on the left comes in. Pretty and Practical.

I also like this zig zag bookshelf which makes quite a statement, art on wall. I am also liking this very simple shelf with the triangular bookends which make it so interesting. And how cute is this book annotation! 

A tree inside my home! Perfect for a child's room. And the right one, a complete contrast to the left but using the good old tree again. Perfect for any library or a den!

Completely smitten by this dainty-curvy-pretty bookshelf. And my favorite on the right. Love the rustic look.

Had to share this crazy & cute book seesaw!

So which one do you like? Just look at these animals walking in and walking out of the books. Superb! I am definitely going to twist this idea and shamelessly steal it ;) How do you like your bookshelves to look? Do you like them organized by author/subject or you color coordinate your books too? Do you like only books to make a statement on the shelf or do you like to keep pretty knick knacks to complete the look? 

Images :

Row 1: White vase branch, White branch

Row 2: Matrix, Triangular bookends, Book Annotation

Row 3: Green tree, tiered bookshelves

Row 4: Wriggly shelf, Rustic shelf

Row 5: Seesaw shelf

Row 6: Peeking animals

In my mother's kitchen

Last weekend I picked up this book called “In My Mother's Kitchen" and i finished it in one go. I just loved it. It’s a collection of essays, poems and recipes from loads of food writers and chefs. It’s a book where they talk about Family, Love and Cooking...need I say more...of course I had to love it!!!

It’s beautiful the way the writers explore their relationship with their mothers (in some cases with their grandmothers, aunts and children), kitchen being the common theme.

It reminded me so much of the beautiful moments I spent with my mom, in her kitchen...troubling her time and again with “Is dinner ready?”…chopping up stuff for her while she cooked absolutely divine stuff for us...waiting eagerly for weekends when she would make special brunches for all of us...spending hours looking at her cake books with dreamy eyes…but the memory that stands out the most, is of me waiting for her to put the cake batter in the oven and she handing me over the pan in which she had whisked the batter...I would lick it clean with my fingers ;) Till today I do this...yes with my fingers…there...I have admitted it here in front of everyone!!

I think spending time with her in the kitchen and seeing her make all those yummy goodies...that’s where began my love affair with food...I remember those days just after passing out of the B-School, I had just started living alone in Bangalore and I would often call up mom to ask her for instructions for making even rice and dal ;) Now years later I still depend on her for so many things and what feels wonderful is that at times she calls me asking me for my recipes ;) Today, we cook very differently but still love each others creations and even till this date whenever she cooks any of my favorite things she makes it a point to send me the same before she leaves for work...one of the pleasures of having mom living very close by ;)

I am really really hoping that someday my little daughter and I share the same wonderful relation...and together we bake lots of cakes and cookies, simmer lots of stews and make lots of casseroles...

p.s. Just look at the cutie pie on the cover...;) Must read for people who can't think beyond feeding their loved ones...

Bringing up Vasu : Review

Even before I could manage to get hold of my very own copy of “Bringing up Vasu: That First year” I knew it I was going to adore it. I finally got it yesterday. The fact that I managed to read it in one go despite having a five month old angel who keeps me busy 24*7 and the fact that I have been suffering from an acute case of Readers’ Block ever since she was born just proves the point that the book is good and I loved it .

Being a first time mom myself, I could connect to the main character Mira. Her sleepless nights, her attempts towards being a Supermom, not knowing how and when she would be getting back to the big bad world of the corporate jungle and in between all this jumble discovering the wonderful and warm world of motherhood.

The comical but sensible husband Anand, Plump Ghughni and yummy mummy Rhea were some other characters that made me laugh. Mira’s efforts at losing weight, her D2D parlour not remembering her existence and her determination to find a nanny were really amusing yet so very close to reality.

And. now to the hard part of finding flaws. It becomes even more difficult when the book has been written by a dear friend whose writing style you worship but here you go. Three things: Mira’s mom, the character of PNx and the Pumpkin seed Sandwich episode. I found these characters and the incident a little too “TV Comedy Show” type. They start off as funny people but their being “so over the top” made me lose interest somewhere.

So there, I hope I have done a half decent job of writing an objective review considering I love anything and everything that Parul writes. It’s a fantastic book so go and grab the book. Wish her luck for her second book. And yes, Parul I think now I know what you were talking about ;)

So very happy for you.

My friend P's book is finally out ..yeh yeh !!! Do check it out. Its available at all Landmark stores and other big stores across the country.

You can also order it online here.
http://www.landmarkonthenet.com/Books/Bringing-Up-Vasu-That-First-Year-Parul-Sharma/9789380032429 & http://www.flipkart.com/bringing-up-vasu-sharma-parul/9380032429-it33f993az

Wish her luck ;)