After recent posts here focused on “stuff” and “things,” perhaps this post should have more intelligent words. Like big words with five syllables. Like “extraordinary.” I had shared some inspirational thoughts here a few weeks ago about how “extraordinary” should be within our reach if we want it.
Priya Iyer of Once Upon a Tea Time blog and curated magazine asked me to talk more about this. So I’ve revealed more in the April issue of curated about how to actually do it. How to get the kite of your dreams aloft and soaring high.
Mixed media print from The Freckled Army shop at Etsy
How?? One bit of advice involves structure. Even if you have a creative soul, structure helps. I tend to want to rebel against structure and discipline, honestly, but maybe I shouldn’t. When I think about the high-achieving times of my life at work and school, there was structure. And maybe, just maybe, we really are not all that different from people like Thomas Edison. Maybe what extraordinary people like him do is possible for us too. Do check it out!
And notice … the kite on the cover of curated!
If you are following along here, you might like global style and especially the colors and style of India. My article starts on page 30 but feast your eyes on the other pages too! You may want to fill a cup of tea for this magazine and spend some time with it. Its pages are full of saturated color and patterns and even textures of India’s zardozi textiles.
The home of Sruthi Singh of The East Coast Desi blog is featured. Pages 7 through 29 are like a generous journey through the style of India in her home. I love how she has hung brass bells from carved wooden corbels. I think they are lotus bud shapes? It’s a really unique way to decorate a wall and feature iconic things from India. She is masterful at mixing patterns in her home! Nearly every page has some pattern play to enjoy and study to learn from how she puts things together.
Ahem … that coffee table! Love it!
And we get to meet the person behind the popular design blog An Indian Summer, Bhavna Bhatnagar. After all the style inspiration her blog has delivered to the world over the years, we get a peek into her own home’s style!
She talks about how her style has evolved and her blog along with that evolution. All I know is, my eyes want to drink up every post and photo at An Indian Summer. Bhavna has a talent for choosing gorgeousness!
What I’ve seen there over the years is an elegance, even when images are rustic there is an elegance to them, and an appreciation for detail. The scenes are loaded with fine, subtle and sometimes contrasting detail. As an example, this is an image I remember seeing on An Indian Summer blog and have remembered it ever since. It’s a delight that she recently re-ran this photo:
Here are links to these India home decor and design blogs. I’ve enjoyed them all for years and you may too!
Deb, thank you for writing that article and being so generous. I am sure it got a lot of people thinking about living each day with intention.
Hi Priya, thank you, and I do hope it helps some people! Deb