Versatile Blogger Award

Got nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by fellow blogger Yuvika of My Musings. Well, many thanks for choosing me, Yuvika. Am truly honoured! :) Must say the year has started on a great note...

But the award comes with a catch - now I have to follow a set of rules that I'm too lazy to jot down here.

For one, it involves tagging 15 more people for the award, which I confess is a tad difficult. Not because I do not want to share my appreciation of fellow bloggers, but simply because it is too tedious to go around informing each of them. So, all you wonderful bloggers on my blogroll, I nominate each one of you for being part of my daily inspiration!

As for sharing 7 random things about myself (another rule), here goes:

1. I am an adrenaline junkie - give me roller coasters and bumpy flights anyday. I'll be calm through all that turbulence.


2. I am a fairly private person; I simply cannot share everything with everyone.


3. I used to be a voracious reader till I had kids. Now if I get through the newspaper, I feel blessed. Writing has gone out of the window altogether.


4. I carried out my first business transaction in high school when I sold a set of handmade pressed-flower cards to a friend. Was a big deal for me, of course!


5. I love travelling but get to do very little of that now. Road, rail or air, anything goes... I find the journey to be a de-stresser, when I can be with myself.


6. My first job was as a casual announcer on the radio; did it for about 2 years and loved every minute of it!


7. I hate waking early but with two brats to be sent to school, I have little choice!

There, now you all know me that much better. :) Will be sharing another special piece of news soon. Till then, get creative!

Fruity Feast

First post of the new year, and I have a special treat for my readers.... A fruity feast to start the year with!

Sitting out in the sun and chomping on fruits is a favourite winter pastime for us. And for those of you who skip the daily intake, hanging some on your walls may just serve as a reminder. :)

So go on, indulge in some fruit-laden goodness for your health and your hearth. As I enjoy the holidays with my kids, friends, and a large dose of happiness and bonhomie!

Annual Recap & HNY

It is that time of the year again. Time to sit back and mull over the year gone by, and make wishlists for the coming year.

This past year, 2011, has been a mixed bag. But most of all, it has been a year of immense learning. On a number of fronts. And that is what is the most important takeaway for me. So even while I have not been able to paint as often, or finish as many pieces as I'd like to, the fact that I have grown through my random experiences (good and bad) is what I'd like to remember this year for.


As for 2012, I'll use these much-loved lines from Robert Frost:

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

Wish you all a colourful and creative new year!!!

p.s. - The kids start their vacations tomorrow, so the artist takes a backseat for the next couple of weeks. Just an alert, that the posting may get a lil' sparse till the mommy is kept busy! :)

Poppy Fiesta

It is too early for the poppies to sprout. They only show up when the chill recedes a little, and the days start to get longer. But their deep red colour is so evocative of the holiday season, of X-mas cheer and year-end happiness.

So I thought it appropriate to share with you all this piece I had painted sometime in spring this year. A wave of red poppies dancing merrily through the swirling fog as I drove down for my groceries every morning is one sight I'll always remember. Much like Wordsworth's Daffodils! :)

Merry Christmas to all my readers. Catch you next week with the last post of this year. Phew, another one gone!

City Lights

Painted a smaller piece (8" x 11") after a long time. Came across a picture in the papers that caught my eye, especially the juxtapostion of the brightly lit buildings against a deep blue sky. And that is how this painting came about.

Probably one of the last pieces of this year. Wish I could paint more frequently and quickly, but try as I might I never seem to paint as often as I want to. Hope the next year changes that a little!

By the way, have you all noticed that the Creative Rumblings Facebook page gets some extra art-related posts while this blog continues to focus on my personal journey in the world of colours. Well, to catch up on those additional updates, visit the page and click on the Like button now. That'll ensure you never miss out on any of the news!

Sending Some Winter Warmth

The best way to enjoy a foggy winter day? A mug of steaming hot strong coffee... ...and blobs of bright paint on my brushes.

Always brings a warm fuzzy glow to my heart.

Enjoy this bunch of flowers that are part of a painting I finished last month. And have a great weekend, everyone!

Portrait Trials

Last weekend I tried my hand at portraits despite having zero training on this. Just picked up a newspaper, opened a random page, and attempted a few mugshots from it.

Managed to get some degree of likeness with the actual pictures but eyes do seem to be a tough area. It is not for nothing that they say that eyes define a person's face. You get them right, and almost everything else will fall in place.

As my dear hubby rightly says, portraiture is all about lines. You have to know which ones to use and which ones to skip.

With one of my favourite Bollywood icons, the inimitable Dev Anand passing on last weekend, I just have to try sketching him now.