Fall - The story of Za

This is the story of Za - a leaf collector in the Kingdom of Zoop. All through the year Za eagerly awaits fall. This is the time when her job really begins. She wakes up early in the morning and collects uncrushed leaves fell overnight, carefully examining each one and picking up only most brightly hued, unblemished and perfectly formed.

Why leaves? Well, the Kingdom of Zoop needs leaves to make dwellings for its people. During fall, citizens of Zoop come together few hours a day and use leaves Za collected to reinforce their homes in preparation for the upcoming winters. Someone predicted winters would be particularly strong this year.

Fall, available for purchase here.

6 Lotuses

Aloha! I'm back from Hawaii and super tanned! 

We were in Hawaii for the last 2 weeks and it was fantastic. It has to be the most beautiful and happy place on earth. And the people are so nice and friendly.  

We went to 3 islands : Ohau, Maui and Big Island and did a range of activities from deep sea dives (scuba), hiking on a volcanic crater, admiring the acres and acres of lava fields,  snuba (Like scuba but with a hose instead of tank), snorkeling at the gorgeous hanauma bay, getting kissed on the lips by a beautiful macaw (really!), midnight strolls on the beach, drinking lots of Mai Tai's & passion fruit drink and of course eating really sweet tropical fruits - pink guava, mangoes, apple bananas (my now favorite fruit), pineapple and papaya... YUM!!

The best part was swimming with the giant sea turtles and not so good part was missing the lava flow. 

Now I'm all charged up and ready to get back to work. Let's talk about today's illustration. This lotus illustration was created before I left for my vacation.  The inspiration came from one of my favorite quotes from Bhagavad Gita - "One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus is untouched by water." I'm not a very spiritual person but, I think it's a beautiful way to live and possibly one of the few ways to a contented life. 

What do you think? Do you have favorite quotes that you live (or try to live) your life by?

6 Lotuses, available for purchase here

PS : Guess what? Turning 30 = Piece of cake!

Sing from your heart

On this fine day, I'm day dreaming of all things musical. It's incredibly quiet in here now (Bunny bee is taking a nap) and this illustration on my wall looks like the most appealing thing ever. I first read this 'sing from your heart' phrase on a Yogi tea bag (they have these inspiring messages - a unique one with every tea bag) and drew the illustration as a reminder to sing my heart out (in the privacy of home, when I'm alone) and not worry if I got the tune wrong. It is truly liberating.

What about you? Do you need a reminder to sing from your heart too?

I hope your day is amazing in every way!

Sing from your heart, available for purchase here.

Paper boat

We have been having lots of rain! It has cooled things off and that's been great! The not-so-good part has been Bunny Bee running scared to hide under the couch every time it thunders. To distract her I have been making lots of paper boats for her to nibble on. 

Paper boats, rain and I go a long way back. When I was little I found it impossible to concentrate on what was happening in the class during monsoons. I coped by tearing sheets of paper from the note books and making lots and lots of paper boats, all the while desperately waiting for the lunch bell to ring. With the first ring of the bell I would run out with the boats stuffed in my skirt pockets to look for flowing rivulets of water. I thought paper boats sailing on rain water rivulet was the coolest things ever!

Paper boat, available for purchase here. 

LOVE

Since, my sister and brother-in-law are visting us for a couple of days (yay!) I was looking at fun things to do/ see in and around Philly. The LOVE statue caught my attention. We have lived here for over a year and yet, I haven't gotten around to visting it or drawing it!

So what better time than now? As you can see I took some artistic liberties (read making it girly) with the letters and its color. A girl's gotta do what  a girl's gotta do :)

Swing on

Oh! I love swings!! Especially the ones on a rope that hangs from a tree. 

The pure unadulterated joy of gliding through the air, hair skimming the ground and toes pointed, almost touching the sky. Just thinking about it makes me smile (and feel about 10 years younger!)

We have a porch swing back home and I have fond memories of sitting on the swing - wrapped in a blanket - watching my cute little nieces and nephews run and play in the front garden, occasionally bring in some treasure (a pebble, dead bug or a wild flower) to show me. It's wonderful how swings are always associated with happy times!

Swing on, available for purchase here.

Enjoy your weekend! 

Trombone

When I shared the Cornet illustration last time I asked for suggestions for the next musical instrument. Maggierossetti, a Trombonist herself, suggested a Trombone. So there you go Maggie!

I loved drawing this one. Listening to I'm Getting Sentimental over You and swaying with the music. Talking about music, we have tickets to 'Kiss Me, Kate' a musical comedy by Cole Porter. It's been performed on the stage of Longwood's picturesque outdoor Open Air Theatre. 'Kiss Me, Kate' under the stars in the outdoor theatre! Can't wait! 

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend! 

Trombone, available for purchase here.

Rain Boots

Philadelphia has been scorching hot for the past few weeks. It's become almost impossible to step out during the day. This has me craving some summer rain to cool everything off a little. It could be just what the doctor ordered... Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for the sunshine. I know I will miss it come winters, but I'm allowed to dream right?

I dream of gray clouds forming in the sky, gentle droplets falling down and a sweet smelling breeze. I would then don my pink rain boots, go out in the rain and twirl in circles till I'm too giddy to stand. 

Rain Boots available for purchase here.

Rainbow Umbrella

As a child I had a rainbow umbrella hat, the kind that had an elastic headband to fit around my head. I remember running in the rain, jumping in puddles and croaking like a frog all the while wearing the umbrella over my head! 

In India, we love the rains. As soon as it starts to pour we all head out of our homes, either to go to the nearest scenic long drive or to sit on the verandah with the family and drink hot tea, eat spicy onion fritters and watch kids play in the rain.

I  believe the rain is just as beautiful as the rainbow. 

Rainbow Umbrella, available for purchase here.

Calla Lily

These beautiful flowers that are technically neither calla nor lily (Who would have thunk!) look so much like modern art sculptures to me.  Here is a quick DIY tutorial to make paper Calla Lily.  I have only ever seen them in white but I'm told they come in several colors - pink, purple, yellow, orange and green. 

Here is my interpretation of how the colored ones look. What do you think? Have you seen them in color?

Calla Lily available for purchase here.

Cornet

Let's start the week on a musical note! This Cornet illustration is a companion to the French Horn that I did a little while back. If you have not heard a cornet, click here to hear Julian Bright play.  

I keep getting inquires for more musical instruments and I'm slowly adding more to complete this collection. I'm thinking of drawing a piano next. 

Do you have any favorite instruments you would like to see me draw? 

Cornet, available for purchase here. 

Snowdrops

The other day while looking for tutorials to make paper flowers for a project, I landed on this page with a great tutorial - Crepe Paper Crocuses and Snowdrops. The mouth watering cake decorated with delicate white Snowdrops prompted me to draw a colorful bunch of Snowdrops for myself. These gorgeous flowers symbolize new beginnings and hope mostly because they bloom at the end of winter and announce the approach of spring. 

Does anyone feel the drooping white bulb of Snowdrops look more sad than hopeful?

Snowdrops, available for purchase here.

It's time

Running a business, however small is not easy. For the past week I have been buried under tasks that kept me away from illustrating. Marketing, PR and keeping accounts are the daily realities of business and sometimes it gets pretty overwhelming :)

Saturday morning, with my To-Do list complete,  I woke up dreaming of an old fashioned alarm clock ringing - telling me it's time. Time to do what? Illustrate? Well I ended up drawing the dream and it turned out well enough to share with you guys. What do you think?

Have ideas come to you in dreams? How did you turn them into reality?

It's time, available for purchase here. 

Unicycle

Hello Friends! I hope you all had a fabulous long weekend! We spent the weekend soaking in the beauty (and plenty of cold water!)  of Niagara Falls. Even though I had read about and seen pictures, the grandeur of the falls still took my breath away!

Early that week, I caught a segment on Colbert Report about an unicyclist in NYC who apparently sued the city to allow him to ride his unicycle on the sidewalks. It was hilarious like everything else on the show. It made me think of these fascinating vehicles. When I was young, Unicycle acts were my favorite in circuses. I'm sure its plenty difficult but, I would certainly like to learn how to ride one!

Unicycle, available for purchase here.

Swim

Happy Monday! Did you all have a nice weekend? We spent saturday morning catching up on chores and evening with friends playing poker (till the wee hours of morning) and eating yummy home made pizza. 

On sunday we went for a hike and spent a few hours at the pool (trying to burn some calories from saturday!). Since I started taking swimming lessons I have been completely obsessed with drawing swimming paraphernalia. Kick boards, caps, nose clips, swim goggles and pull buoys. The swim goggles one turned out quiet nice so here it is. 

Swim, available for purchase here.

I wish you all a happy week! 

Yellow Flip Flops

Did I mention I'm taking swimming lessons? I got to YMCA every tuesday and am slowly picking up on exhaling under water. It is so much more difficult than it looks! 

These lessons prompted a series of illustrations loosely based around swimming. Flip Flops were the first things that I drew. I love the multitude of colors and prints they come in and how comfortable and relaxed I feel while wearing them.

 

This illustration is based on my desire to paint magnolias on my favorite pair. I wonder if there is a place that does custom printed Flip Flops. 

Yellow Flip Flops, available for purchase here.

Carnations

I know what you're thinking. Carnations? How boring! Well, I have a soft spot for carnations :) - The delicately ruffled petals, gorgeous colors and longevity make it a favorite flower for my home. And they are certainly fun to draw! 

I usually have a basic idea when I begin working on a illustration. This one was a mishmash of all the times Tarun (with a twinkle in his eyes and an impish smile on his face) brought home a fluffy bunch of white, pink or red Carnations. I began with the flowers, detailing out the petals and making sure the colors were just right.  Then came the birds and everything just fell into place. 

What do you think? What are the flowers you buy for you home or loved one? 

Carnations, available for purchase here.

Tulip Forest

Happy Thursday to you all! How is the week already over? I guess I spent way too much time outside and loved every minute of it! The mixed flower seeds we planted a few days back have germinated, yay! Now I'm waiting for the Cilantro to sprout. I'm told, good things grow for those who wait :D

Today the grass in the front yard is dotted with bright yellow flowers. Tiny flowers packed with hundreds of slim leaves. It is a beautiful sight! But, I guess they are weed flowers and will be mowed off pretty soon. What a pity. I'm playing around with the idea of doing a series on weed flowers. Bring the wild inside?

On the work front, I'm continuing to draw more flowers. I love how effortlessly graceful the blooms are and how I can almost smell their fragrance while drawing. Today it's Tulip time. This tiny little bird is taking a walk in a Tulip forest. 

Tulip Forest, available for purchase here. 

Have a great weekend!

Bonjour!

Bonjour!! It is a beautiful day. The rain is all but gone, squirrels are back to running up and down the tree trunks and I can see new green leaves unfurling. It's so lovely this time of the year!

This saturday I'm looking forward to The Container Herb Gardening workshop with Master Gardener Peggy Rastiello. It's a part of the earth day celebration at our local library and can't think of a  better way to greet spring. 

With gardening on mind for the past few days it was inevitable that I would end up drawing a bunch of flowers. The flowers had to be poppies coz they are my all time favorites.  Bonjour Spring!!

Bonjour, available for purchase here.

The Bird Gardener

I'm so grateful for the trees that surround our home. I get to watch a variety of birds just by looking out of the french windows. A robin couple have become frequent visitors to the garden.  Their ever changing activities keep me entertained as I draw or keep accounts. Unlike the other birds this pair is wonderfully energetic, playful and a tad noisy. They feel like a old married couple. Squabbling, talking and pecking... I'm hooked to this birdie soap opera :)

We have beautiful weather today - 81 Degrees and very sunny. I have brought out my gardening tools, potting soil, seeds, bulbs and a bunch of very colorful pots ready for intensive planting today.  I hope I have better luck this year. Last year all of my seeds grew to about 6 inches and died :( 

So this year I'm thinking of enlisting this little birdie to take care of my plants. What do you think?

  

The Bird Gardener, available for purchase here.