My First Cake

Thanks Anoo, JoyofBaking and Jamie Oliver for making this weekend so yummilicious!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Glistening, caramel soaked pineapple resting on top of moist butter cake 

For main course we had Oozy Mushroom Risotto.

Oozy with white wine, cheese and a generous knob of butter!

An Affair with Blue

Blue Scarves, a Woollen Beanie and a Pink Bunny

There is no denying it; I love Blue. 

Teal to Powder blue.

Geek Art.

It is amazing how much you think you will get done over a weekend. When it's almost over, you realize you haven't done squat. Essays, laundry, cleaning up or cooking and storing food for the week. Nope, nothing!

But the experimental Chocolate Mousse you made turned out to be pretty darn good and the little postcard collage of  Kids with the Geeky Glasses cracks you up. This weekend will not be labelled 'Meh'!

My Sunday Project with Tate Modern Feedback Card.

Pinned to the notice board!

The Button Lady

One of my loveliest ever finds (thanks to my friend and her love for things gorgeous and rare) in my most favourite part of London; Hampstead. The Button Lady.

The owner is a warm, affable lady with a love for collecting buttons passed down genetically from her mother who got it from her mother. This tiny corner shop makes you feel like a child in a toy shop. She has buttons of all kinds; small, medium, large, metal, glass, enamel, mother of pearl and more.  Some seduce, some shine and  some wink. I fell in love with a winky one with an intricate carving in metal. The back of the button is made of a shiny metal, so it can catch light through the pattern and be its winky self.

I cried a little inside when I saw that it was slightly damaged and I couldn't find another one I adored as much. When I was about to leave clutching the business card, she gave me the button saying 'Here is a little compliment from me.' Ah, it was joy!

The protagonist

The postcard sized business card

Gold...old..old..gold!

These pictures are part inspired by the Pirate English option on Facebook that cracks me up; part inspired by all things old that comes in shades of ochre and brown.

The gold bead chain (Manimaala as it is known in Mallu land) is about 50 years old and belonged to my grandmother. 

Closer look at the beads.

It is three-layered and has a small flat pendant that should rest on the right-side when you wear it. 

closer look at the pendant.

Although it is a very traditional ornament, this piece is extremely versatile and can be teemed with a number of things! 

I have stuffed a long chain I bought from Sydney, an old worn out book and a piece of gold-coloured silk cloth, along with the bead chain, (ofcourse!) into our antiquey cupboard's drawer for the pictures.

Treasure Hunt - 8

This post is about a jewelry set inspired by the dragon, a magnificent creature!

The dragon bangle is made of panchaloha or 5 metals; that is copper, white lead, silver, gold and iron.

Here is the stud that came with it:

The stud resting on a maroon silk saree

The loop at the bottom of the stud allows you to attach a jhumka or any sort of hanging piece to it. Although, he looks furious, it doesn't take much away from its charm I feel.

The dragon set was a gift to my mom from her brother who bought it from Sikkim.

Location: Elamakkara, Cochin

Treasure Hunt - 7

I used to hate bangles for a long time. Not without reason. I have shockingly tiny wrists and whenever I went bangle shopping, all I heard was 'No small size madam'! Did I mention the pitiful looks? 

So I stopped trying... but the boycott did not last very long... Now, I am pursuing the hunt for small bangles with a passion and it has not been a complete disappointment! Anyways, this piece is anything but new.

This is the Dasavatharam bangle. 

A lovely screw bangle my mom added to her collection 28 years ago. The bangle depicts all ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Hence the name Dasavatharam.( Dasa: Ten, Avatharam: Incarnation). 

Some people believe that Sri Buddha was the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. However, I think in the south, most people believe that it is Balaraman, Lord Krishna's brother. The bangle depicts Balaraman as the ninth incarnation.

Image Courtesy: Rakesh Kishore

Location: Elamakkara, Cochin