It's been a very exciting month ..I have just returned from steamy monsoonal India, galavanting round Bengal, Rajasthan and Delhi. This time I was accompanied by my dear multi talented friend Victoria Alexander who was taking photographs for her latest book. I was working with all my lovely artisan friends, checking the latest stock and creating new designs. We landed in Kolkata, diving into extroardinary heat and drizzly rain, just how I like it. The first morning we left the hotel at the crack for the Kolkata flower markets. A sublime experience. The Hindus use flowers for worship in their temples and shrines....plus ornate over the top displays in 5 star hotels. It is very rare for them to be used in the home like we do. I think this must be a western custom. The flowers are sold in garlands in temperatures of round 40 degrees at 7am. There is heaps of action darting up and down squiggly alleys, dodging men in dhotis and singlets carrying towering infernos of flowers. They were very bemused by a couple of westerners so intrigued and over excited. One dripping in cameras and the other dripping in perspiration. So much inspiration came from the flowers and colour. Oranges, lemons, lilacs, lotuses galore.....all heaven. Not to mention the spice markets of Delhi, where I sneezed,cried and coughed my way through spice mazes. And amazing discoveries in the medieval old parts of Delhi. Distressed doorways, pink havelis, exotic animals and red rose petals galore.....as usual seduced all the senses.
A cocktail dress of marigolds and 100 year old Suzani were a marriage made in heaven.
My new handwoven sarong in electric orange and hot pink passion is just loving the marigold madness
The current spice of my life….a delicious vintage tie and dye sarong in electric oranges and pinks
( all natural dyes). Marries beautifully next to turmeric and chilli powders.
Signs and divine doorways in the old Muslim quarter of Delhi
Spicy prickly green fruit were responsible for this vintage hand stitched patchwork quilt range. Green with Envy, yes I think so!!
Iris to Dye For started off a passion for lilacs,lavenders and sea greens. My new handwoven Scarves and a range of hand stitched vintage quilts
Blue Tin Doors and Distressed Green walls ...a discovery in East Nizamuddin, the old medieval part of Delhi.
Works wonders with my new handwoven sarongs in Matisse blue and Acid green
Family pet goat peeping at me while it hangs in the cool doorway. Outside is favourite mode of transport,
rickshaw. We won't go down the path of how brilliant the colours of walls and doors are.
Sea Greens and every Orange....are new total faves of my vintage hand stitched quilts and throws
Wooden Carts displaying mountains of Pink Rose Petals were enough to send me into a frenzy.
And how divine do they look next to my hand embroidered vintage cushions.
Lotus Buds Peaking!!! My new bundles of vintage embroideries, yet to be transformed into a new textile existence.
My Hand Embroidered Vintage Cushion Range Showing Off Next To Hot Pink Lotus Buds
A Riot of Red Petal Paradise...Performs Wonders next to the red hand stitched quilt range
Always A Complete Thrill Stopping By My Fave Button Shop...Every Button A Girl Could Want And More......
More Red Petal Power Next To Divine Diety of Red Hot Sari Lady
My more subtle range of red and cream vintage hand stitched Quilts. Yes I do know the meaning of calm!!!!!
Of course had to stir the senses with some red vintage embroidery to talk to these sublime hibiscus.....
Just happened to spy this gorgeous Ganesh casually hand painted on an alley doorway.
Mood Indigo As Always...6 new award winners created by Jabbar, Living Blue and the Mura Girls. All amazing talents and totally heavenly people.
Meeta's wonderful naive mud resist hand block printed knives and forks in natural dyes and
Shamji's superb silk/wool throws in natural and indigo...handwoven and hand stitched ( in stock soon)
How Amazing Are These Indigo Stunners....Handwoven Weaves From Nagaland. Both vintage and new versions.
This Goes With That Perfection in East Nizamuddin
Bar Palladio - Jaipur's glamorous new cocktail bar at Naryan Niwas Palace...not to be missed!!
Pairs beautifully with my new range of blue and white gently does it vintage throws, and Kalamkari to dye for.
I could not believe my luck to find these rare vintage Kalamkari throws from Iran...perfect to hurl over an antique charpoy or two.
As you can see I cannot get enough of these unique amazing Kalamkari textiles
My Blood Red Kalamkari Cushions...patched and un patched
Now we enter the world of kantha dowry pieces….about 80 years old. Near perfect condition and
stitches you can barely see,they are sooooooo tiny. Folk art tooooo exquisite for words. Teamed
here with 2 natural dye silk Ajrakh shawls…will turn you into an instant maharani goddess.
Eccentric water buffalo with crew cuts, dancing birds and fish on balloons are embroidered on these ancient dowry kantha pieces. All in red/white/blue
More Kantha Folk Art...fish creatures, jelly fish and birds with umbrella head dresses. Orange swirls
and geometric shapes. All created for family dowry pieces by incredibly talented women embroiderers.
Such great booty, I feel like I am sitting on a magnificent museum.
