Didaz

Your elusive creative genius

I couldn't agree with Elizabeth Gilbert more...in fact after seeing this video I immediately came to my blog and went way back to the first blog post that went something like this...

"Art is bigger than me,I cannot create a piece of art.

In the process of its formation, I am only a medium(though a shaky one), and it is ITS will that will conclude ITSELF in whatsoever state it wants to be."

There is a bike parked in my living room

Yes! It really is.
I have always struggled with inspiration. Some days it would come to me, most days I had to go looking for it. But I have to say N boy has changed the situation. Apart from the time issues, which is sparse, but when I actually sit down to do something, things fly at me.
For instance this bike, all I had to do was shift my gaze and there it is!
I am telling you, there are so many adorable, colorful and playful things around the house that I can document them forever. Which is a good thing ..right??

A trip to the art store

New art supplies surely motivate you. Specially when you are unable to locate your older once.
Past weekend, I got a chance to sneak few minutes out from my grocery trip to my fav. art store.
I went to Blick. And here's what I got...

The pink pen with an owl on it... apparently its a seven year pen, the ink is suppose to last that long. Hmm its a matter of months before I miss it! But I love pens and this one looked like hard to pass.

I have been eyeing water colors for a while, have never really explored this medium in detail so I thought I will give it a go. I have no idea what do they mean by Transparent or opaque watercolor.

Got a refill on eraser and black fine tip markers...if you know me you know that I HAVE TO OUTLINE IT! And these surely do come in handy.

I got a pot of green ink, I use old fashion fountain pen and fun ink colors are always awesome.

The water color pad I got is pretty cool, its glued on both the sides, keeping the paper in place and not letting it curl. You see how its intact, in spite of the volume of water I used.

And last a pair or Conté markers...these are like butter, always a pleasure to work with...

I am one

That's right, last week I turned an year old mommy.

For a change there was a reason for my absence from my blog.

I took maternity leave from blogging.

Enn and I were blessed with a beautiful baby boy, who is a super active toddler now.

I will be calling him N-boy in this space.

This past year just zoomed by. I have no idea where time went. And as if having the baby wasn't enough we moved too.

Its been more than 8 months in the new place and I don't think I have still settled in. A lot of things are still missing because of the move, forget my art supplies a lot of my pots and pans are missing in action.

And life has no time. As much as I'd love to create, sit down and draw or knit or sew...I am just too damn tired or occupied with something else.

If my creative spirits desperately need an outlet, I doodle random stuff and that gets me by for a few days.

I hope I get a chance to sneak in a post or two hear and there.

We will see how this goes.

Or I can always write about my 1st time mom adventures :)

I carry your heart,I carry it in my heart

-ee cummings

Drunk on Knitting

Knitting is my latest obsession!
Well I have knitted in the past, but this time around its different.
This time we are serious, and are looking for long time commitment.
And you have to appreciate the portability of the craft, I can carry it everywhere with me, and continue working on my project.
Also it doesn't hurt that I am taking knitting classes from a lovely lady, who has sort of changed my perspective on knitting.
Here are some of the yummy colors I got last week. This is Cascade 220 wool.

The colors are so pretty, unlike the weather outside. I am not sure what I plan to do with these.

Here's a "Fear of commitment" cowl that I made for a dear friend. The pattern for this cowl is free, and you can find it here.

Here is a scarf I am making for Enn. He chose this yarn for himself. And the pattern on the scarf is basket weave pattern. I could not click a picture of the pattern, perhaps in a better light.

After knitting nearly 6' of it, he tells me its slightly itchy!

And unbelievable but true , I am so courageous that I am knitting socks for myself!!! Well I would not comment unless I finish it. But here is the proof of the beginnings.

i need to show some love ....

To my abandoned blog...

that's all.

Finished mosaic project

Since I have been a lazy lazy blogger....I made this one ages ago and realized I never updated it here.
Thankfully I have a pic at each stage.
This is one of those things that you use to put hot pots on to save the surface...(what do u call it??? )

I was very determined to go slow, have patience to break 1000 small pieces and actually have a plan.

After I was done cutting and gluing down all the pieces.

And the grouting...

Grouting brings in world of difference. Its not very evident from the picture but trust me it does.

I finally found my dream house...

Its apple green and its close to a beach. I saw this house in Old San Juan and was about to live here forever, then our vacation got over and it was time to go home (the non-apple green one) .....

That's what I have been up to...

Just hanging out....and doing nothing.

Sounds like a plan to me :)

Guess who got a makeover...

Aha...

this guy..!!

Story of a girl who could not draw loosely

I found this about my self when I was taking the basic drawing class. And we were exploring gesture drawings. That I could not draw loosely.

This was my object

This is what I interpreted of it...

This is what I was suppose to make...(made by my prof.)

This is what I was told... :(

And then began my journey...

I absolutely failed to comprehend what "loose" or "expressive" is

I tried drawing with left hand :FAIL:

I tried procrastination :DID NOT HELP: (never does)

I tried pretending to be messy :FAIL:

I tried with closed eyes :COULD NOT SEE MUCH:

Tried

And then LIKE THAT I was "genuinely" loose

I thought may be I got lucky, I should try again to test it :IT WORKED:

And again...:IT WORKED:

I thought may be I should try with another color:IT still WORKED:

I could not contain my excitement , I could not believe I can actually draw like this...

I was unstoppable

And following two were my submission in the finals

And I got good grades :)

Moral of the story : "I don't know" (in Spongbob voice :)

Green ware

My project "Thing a day" tanked terribly!!
I could not keep up with the tons of commitment I thought I could handle! But seriously I was doing a lot of stuff during the whole month. I am taking a mosaic class, a sewing class and continuing with pottery... all this with some travelling, attending parties / events along with some serious addiction of Desperate Housewives ....ok I will stop now. (just trying to explain my seriousness)

Some pottery stuff I worked on lately...
Here's a baking dish, I luv these, they also fit in my toaster oven. And my fav. part of making them is decorating the handle!

Mug with a cage free singing bird...

Feel free to admire the sunny-ness :)

I have been experimenting with hand building, the results I'd say, not very pleasing. It takes more work than throwing on a wheel, but one thing I can achieve with hand building, six identical bowls which stack.!!!

If the shape seems familiar, its because I used one of those regular styrofoam bowl as a mold. And the white stuff is talcum powder to prevent clay to stick to styrofoam bowl.