Lovely Giaveaway

There is a wonderful giveaway here. Do visit to see what a lovely giveaway it is. Her blog is amazing too.
The temperature is soaring here. It is almost 40 deg centigrade now!!!! So, just trying to stay cool during the heat. What with the vacations going on, am also forced to take DD somewhere during weekends!!! Phew!!!

Have a great weekend.

Happy New Year

Wishing all Tamilians and Malayalees across the world a very happy and prosperous New Year. Today (april 14th) marks the birth of a new year as per the Tamil calendar. As per the tamil calendar, the first day of the month Chitrai usually falls on the 14th and sometimes 13th april each year. It is the day when the sun moves into the Meda veedu or Raasi. This is the day when the sun starts its travel across the 12 zodiac signs starting with Mesha/chittirai.


On the eve of the new year, we decorate the altar with a lot of fruits, flowers and money. Then we decorate the deity with jewels.

This is a picture of a decoration of the altar (no, this is not what I did at our place today). Ours is usually a lot simpler.

Elders usually gift a small amount of money to children. When we were kids it was great fun waiting for the elders in the family to give us some money, even if it was just a rupee. I used to collect all these and when it reaches a sizeable amount, I used to buy something that I wanted. Oh what fun those days were!!! We used to go visiting all elders on these occasions. But today, I did not even step out of our apartment!!!! I was totally tired for some reason.

Of course, each festival is associated with its own list of delicacies!!! Poli and vadai are usually part of the menu on the Tamil new year's day. But the MUST-Be-Made dish is the maanga pachadi. This is made with raw mango, jaggery, neem flower, a red chilli. Wondering, what kind of a funny combination of ingredients?? haha. Well, this is to symbolically say that the coming year ahead should be a well-proportioned mixture of a little bit of sweet, little bitterness, something sour and something spicy!!!

Before I sign off for the day, wishing all friends a very happy and a prosperous new year again.

Another finish!!!

Yes, my second finish in 2009!! Looks like this is a great year as far as my cross stitch accomplishments go. I managed to finish the card and give it to the teacher on time!!! Here is a picture of the card.

I did not have my handycam with me to take a better picture of the card. So, took a picture with my mobile phone camera, for whatever it's worth it.

DD's hols have started. So, I am making another attempt to get her into some activity. I bought her a sand art kit today. She loved it. And the kit really is very easy to do. Here is her first craft.

And here is the artist :d

Now I am gathering all my mojo to get back to the peacock. Come on, just a few more stitches, including the back stitch!!! I hate back stitch!!! But then I tell myself, come on that adds the real highlight to any work right???

Happy stitching!!!

And finally

After a long long time, I have a stitchy update . I am almost done with the bouquet I was doing for Vaishnavi's teacher. We have a PTA on the 8th, to collect the report cards. I plan to give the card to the teacher then.

Here are some pictures

And another one slightly closer.

I have pre-cut cards in white and a brick colour. Which do you think would look best? As the fabric is white too, would it look good on a white card?

Am still around

But again no stitchy updates :( Work is going to be very hectic the whole of this month. And today I had a small argument with my boss :( I hate to argue, but had no choice today.

Last sunday was vaishnavi's school anniversary day. The little ones did an amazing job. But the arrangements made by ther school were pathetic!!! The hall was overcrowded with no seats, air-con was very poor, we were all totally suffocated!!! I could not take any pictures as the school management requested us not to take pictures and that the school would send us a copy from their album.

Summer holidays start from the 8th of April. Am looking for some music and dance teachers. Vaishnavi is showing some inclination towards both music and dance. Hope she enjoys her classes.

Hope I have some stitchy updates in my next post.

An update and....

STASH!!!! Guess what, DH has received our parcel from silkweaver. I asked him to try and send me a picture of my stash, but no.... He says am crazy!!!! :( It will be another month before I can get it.
Life has been really crazy of late. Work is extremely hectic. I have been returning from work only around 9pm whole of last week. I think that's how it's going to be the coming 2 weeks as well. Hope I will be able to complete the card I am making for DD's teacher. I have to complete it by the 8th!!!! :o
Thanks a lot for your comments on finishing forms. Ok, so I will settle for cardboard :d

I think...

I have lost my mojo... Not just on the stitching front, but overall. Last weekend was sooo hectic, but when I turned back to see what I did.. well.. NOTHING!!!!!

Well, I did cook some palak paneer (spinach and cottage cheese) and that's about it. And I have been feeling so heavy lately, very sleepy, bloated... What's happening to me!!!!

I have no stitchy updates or pictures this time. Well, I actually do have a picture, but am yet to upload it to the system.
Hope to be up on my feet again. Wish me luck on that puullleeaase!!!