i haven't got a clue

its been quite stressful lately...there is lots of work...many more work opportunities but not enough hands to do it! i've been struggling to cope with it all and i haven't got a clue.

i have two part time tailors who work for me currently and two women who do the hand work for me, also part time. i think its time now for me to take the plunge and hire people full time, set up a small workshop and get serious. not that i haven't been serious about my work all this while...but i have not really taken a big risk money wise. what adds to the confusion is the fact that pune feels temporary...it will be close to 2 years in this city and gosh i still say it all the time!

mostly it is because my husband doesn't think he is here for the long haul. with the nature of the corporate jobs today...is anything permanent? does anyone arrive in a new city and say this is going to be my home from now on....does anyone feel the need to settle down anymore? what does settling in a city really mean today.....2-5 years?

i always wanted a nomadic lifestyle....living in a new city every 2-3 years and the  moving on. i was naive. i thought it will be fun all the way but it isn't fun now....and we have only just started! it is not so much the moving bit, but the thought looming over your every action that kills it.
so when i start thinking about work, home, furniture, anything....this is what goes on in my head:

"should i set up a workshop? but what if we move...will i do this all my life? set up shop and then move in a couple of years because my husband will/might get a better opportunity? what is a better opportunity?? oh foreign shores...that will be fun...but what about my work? what will i do in a new city/country? hey thats a beautiful side board...it'll be a wonderful addition to our kitchen....oh but what if we move into a smaller house in bombay? will it fit in then?"

so tell me then, what do you think? is it wise for me to set up a workshop now, here knowing that i might have to wrap it up in 6 months to a year? should i buy that side board for the kitchen, the two chairs for our living room and a better bed to sleep on?

help!!

so what next?

now that the exhibition is over....what should i plan next hmmm??
of course i have a few custom orders that i need to finish....so about a week-10 days for that. i must look at other exhibitions happening around town and see if i can fit in somewhere..reconnect, connect with friends, colleagues, bloggers...got to meet some in the last two days and it was great...so i must do more of this :D
check with all the store i am supplying to and refill stock...

i really wish i had spent more time with all the fellow bloggers who turned up to meet me and bought my products....so i am a little sad that i couldn't sit down for a cup of chai and a little chat with those of you who came...perhaps a bloggers meet now will be a good idea..what say?

also the society complex that i live in...mahindra woods, is organizing a small carnival for the residents (guests are welcome) and i have decided to participate as well. i will be there, displaying my wares again and so if you wish to drop by and say hello..it'll be great and i'd love to meet you again. the carnival is tomorrow i.e. 29th of January 2011 from 5 pm onwards....will i see you there?

this will give me a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow residents since i hardly know anyone....yes and i will soon complete a year in pune...my bad!!

another random post..it is my day off from work thanks:)

my new roses.....ooh new blooms make me so happy!!

believe it or not this is palak growing in my balcony!!

a new purchase from either or

a pune bloggers' meet

pune blogger meet is being proposed....and i am super excited about the idea!
i know Sulagna, Sonalee and Sharon in Pune and would love to know if there are any more of us in this wonderful city?

POA:
collect info on all the bloggers in and around Pune that we'd like to meet...and if there is only the three of us...we'll still meet... ladies what say??

decide the date and time
decide on a venue/cuisine (it is always about the food isn't it :)

here are my suggestions for the venue:
Mainland China (lunch buffet eat all you want)
Cafe Mocha
Trikaya (fine dining, award winning interiors, maybe on the more expensive side)
Bohemia (was featured in a recent issue of a home decor mag..rave reveiws on its decor...)
                                                    
lets plan the party !!

am i doing this to you?

i hope not....and if so my apologies :/

image via an indian summer likes

thank you and applause!!

hurray and good morning... i wish you all as great a start as i just did to my day!!
thank you Kamini of the wonderful saffron and silk for making my morning brighter and hopeful!

it is great to wake up to read one's name right there..amongst the wonderful desi gn bloggers isn't it....it reminds me that i'm doing something right and then i wonder if i really deserve to be named amongst such accomplished and creative women...??!!??

oooh there's going to be more time for thinking....now is the time for THANKING and CELEBRATIONS!!

a big shout out to all the ladies mentioned over at Kamini's Blog....you rock!

holler to SONALEE of bunnymandala for a super mention! she is all over her blog, is in your face graphic and has a super edgy style of writing that i love!! her pictures of amsterdam show you how keen her eye is and how creative her mind! when you visit her, you'll see the a die hard rocker chic romantic, her super workspace, beautiful neighbourhood (she makes it look good i'm telling you!), wonderful pets and it'll make you want to be her!


wonderful...just wonderful :)

the 1 for shagun

hello all!

i wanted to take some time out to thank all of the wonderful you who visit and read my blog regularly. this blog officially has a 101 readers and that is a lucky number!

i know i have to reply back to some of your mails and responses, i still have to plan the giveaway i know i know things have been a little slow with me lately...i will get back on track soon i promise!

till then thank you for being there...ever so patiently :)

love

kanika

dhamma giri experience!

finally i am posting pics from Dhamma Giri in Igatpuri, dist. Nashik where i had gone for a 10 day vipassana meditation programme. the place is beautiful and i was super lucky to have a great view from my room as well. seems like i've been undergoing an introduction to buddhism course with our honeymoon in bhutan and now this!

this above is the main meditation hall for women

the place was in full bloom, it was green everywhere, flowers were blooming and the trees were abundant with fruit

there were jackfruit trees, figs, lemons, some berries, mango and what not!

we observed strict segregation of men and women and so this board in the men lunch area where we were allowed to go on the last day :)

it was a great experience for me in terms of its uniqueness, the fact that i was able to take 10 days off for this and not for a holiday with family was super since i don't know when i'll get this opportunity again!

observing silence was the easy part for me, what was tough was to meditate for almost 12-15 hours everyday and not having anything to do in the free time that was given for rest.

i certainly feel just a little calmer than before...and hope that this phase lasts a while (i have serious doubts), the merit of this form of any form of meditation technique is in its regular practice and i hope i find the motivation to make it a part of my life everyday!

it is time to meditate and introspect

hi

how are all of you? 

thank you and welcome to all my new followers...you all make me so happy! i am planning a give away after i reach a 100 followers on my blog so look out for that.

i am taking a 10 day break to participate in the Vipassana Meditation Programme at Igatpuri.

this is a residential programme, i will be back on the 13th and will share some pictures and photographs with you.

i will be required to stay quiet for all the 10 days and will not be allowed to have any form of communication (no mobile, no laptop, no books, no music, no note pad, no pen) unless it is with myself :)

if you are interested to know more just click here

here is a video you may want to watch to know more 



see you on the 14th!
love
kanika

~ welcome ~

a big hello to all my new blogger friends who have joined my blog! i hope you always feel welcome and happy here..have a comfortable stay :D

love
kanika

i have one on my balcony do you have one too?

love is walking hand in hand

Peanuts: Charles Schulz

Via: HI+ LOW
:)

happy birthday+ 100 posts!

i am 26 today and looking forward to being 27 hurray :)
i don't like the number 26....largely i find that i like odd numbers better...they somehow seem more exciting..like 27 as compared to 26..hmm??
so here is wishing myself a wonderful and prosperous year!!

orange spiral staircase!

remember i had told you about the nid's bright orange spiral staircase? i found a picture on a fellow nidian's flicr stream! yayayyaya!!!
and i am soo glad i found it...this revives such great memories!
also when i checked out photostream i was awestruck by the quality of pictures...gaurang prajapati's are simply fantastic..check em out for sure! gaurang is a user experience designer from NID, Ahmedabad.
:) find my earlier post on spiral staircases right here!
this makes me soo happy!

girl's guide to the world

look what i found!

a world guide by girls for girls! its just what i needed...the woman behind this fantastic website Carey Schuster is an interior designer by trade with design, travelling and writing as her three passions...that just makes it all the better. check it out now!

done dana done

so i have already told you about this friend of mine in one of my earlier posts...now its time to talk about what he does..:)
so Neil is part of this group of people who call themselves 'the doers'.
they design T shirts, smart products and concepts.
so a few days back i had seen this concept Tshirt at their site and loved it. so i ordered a twin pack, one for my boyfriend and one for me..:) and my T shirts arrived today yayayayayay!!!!
so below is me trying it on....the material and finish of the Tee is really good and you must check out more stuff on their blogs..you can order by writing to them...esp. if u are a mumbaiya...there is lots of bombay grafix for you!


there is something about the equal sign (=) that i have always loved...it is graphic balanced and simple...super form don't you think?? (i must really stop saying super shouldn't i:)??

in the front is = and the back reads we are all =qual....i think this is a super concept! thanks neil!

super sunday

last sunday was a super sunday for me!
i got the chance to meet students from Zurich University of the Arts and their two Professors, right here in delhi!

so let me start from the begining...
last month i received an email from Hansuli Matter telling me that he got to know about me through my Blog (i nearly fainted as it was a first for me). he told me he was the Head of the Department for the UG programme at Zurich University of the Arts and was planning a trip to India at the end of March along with his group of 12 students for a project. he asked me if i thought it might be a good idea for me to meet him and his group for a chat during his stay in delhi. i couldn't believe what i was reading and wondered if i could carry on a conversation with 13 people from a foreign land all by myself. i replied to the mail anyway and said that i'd be delighted to meet up when the group was in delhi. i was soo nervous...but then there was a gap of a month and i forgot about it. 28th i got a mail saying that they were all here and that 29th, the sunday would be great to meet up...and so i did.

we met in CP at the central park. sat and chatted for a while. everyone gave an introduction and i answered a few questions that the students had about Indian culture, about me working as a designer in India and about being a working woman.
it was so much fun! all the students spoke hesitant english :), were very warm and friendly.
Hansuli got me a a book documenting the graduating projects of the students and a box of chocolates....it was so sweet...thanks Hansuli!
after the brief chat we headed out for a coffee and later i took them to the crafts museum. we all loved it....it had been a while since i had gone their myself!

the group made me feel good about myself and the stage i'm at in my life...they gave me confidence and encouragement for which i am most thankful. for me this was a first of its kind experience and i got to learn a lot about myself as well as an introduction to a country i don't think so much about in my daily living...except when i think of chocolates, watches, the Swiss knife or the secret banking system...:D
it was a great experience and one that i'm not gonna stop gloating about for a while...

ps: they weren't all intimidatingly tall as i had expected them to be....i'm only 5 feet you see

shagun

remember i had talked about the custom of giving money in India on religious or festive occasions? that was my 51st post (ikyavan=51 in Hindi).
so i recently figured out the reason why the custom of adding that one rupee to the total sum of money as Shagun (something auspicious) exists. the reason is simple and logical. an amount that ends in zero=0 means the end of the transaction; there is no continuity in the amount, so a rupee is added to make the amount odd and hence guarantee future exchanges...:)

i think its a really sweet custom and i like the significance of that rupee.. what do you think?

i cannot believe i missed it

now i know i am really bad with dates...but to have missed celebrating the 1st birthday of my blog is shameful!
its been more than a year since i started blogging people...and i am really pleased with the slow but sure progress that i have made. :) on this happy realisation that i missed the date i would like to introduce a co blogger(who by the way doesn't miss anything)...if you will allow me... to keep the activity alive on my blog. the co blogger however is not related to any aspect of design.
he'll be here talking about movies!! what do you think? is that a good idea? why not? lets try it.
Vivek (my boyfriend remember... and now my co blogger) is an avid film watcher and critic. he watches a whole lot of movies and needs to share what he feels about each one of them.
somehow i feel it justifies film watching if you can share the reviews with somebody doesn't it?
so how should we do it...fix up a day...every week to give you a weekly dose of movies? let me check with him and we'll take it from there...do let me know what you think about the idea ok?
cheers
kanika

JAI HO!

about time i say!
Rehman's music is best! he's ruled the Hindi Cinema and now i hope to so more and more english and other foriegn language films with Rehman score!

oscar for
best score-Slumdog Millionaire
best song- Slumdog Millionaire