We recently celebrated my daughter's first birthday. I spent quite some time pondering over what colors to use for her party. I love yellow as I think its a happy color. For the decor I was inspired by fall and chose hues of orange,yellow,green and gold. I had the bakery make the cake with the same colors. I was very nervous about how it would look but I was really pleased.....

The balloons were personalised with her name and she had an amazing time playing with them :-) Her smile and the happy colors will make for lovely memories in the years ahead!

Its grey,cold and wet in Seattle. However the vibrant fall colors on the trees and the orange in the pumpkin fields give me a warm glow. Its almost time for Halloween and my son's excitement is infectious. He is ready to march out in his costume and claim his treasure! The abundance of candy in my house after a night of trick or treat has quite an effect on my waistline :-) I love these gorgeous fall arrangements. I wish I too could fill my house with these orange,gold and brown hues. For now I can sit back and enjoy the view...

Images courtsey : Pottery Barn and HGTV.com

My brass Buddha head looked radiant on Diwali night with all the diyas around. I love the calm and serene expression and like to think that he watches over my home!

Diwali 2009

Diwali memories...

Images from my parents home in Gurgaon.

How I miss being in India and my parents home for Diwali. Diwali was always so special at home. Numerous parties, shopping, lights ,rangoli, new clothes and gift from parents! It was definately action packed. My mom cooked a lot of yummy food and the mithai supply was endless. Having my grandmother with us was an added bonus. I was the pampered daughter of the house who fussed about what clothes to wear :-) My part in the festivities was to decorate the house with lights and diyas. I loved to do all of that. I have very fond memories of all the Diwali's growing up at home.

Warm Diwali wishes from my home to yours. Here's wishing that your Diwali is filled with happiness, love, laughter and prosperity...

With Diwali round the corner my head is filled with ideas about how to decorate the house. A touch of gold always brings in the festive look. I absolutely love these centerpieces from Pottery barn. A few of these will liven up any corner of the house. A classy touch to brighten up my Diwali. I still do not have all these pieces and much to my dismay Pottery barn does not have them anymore. However my search is on to bring these gorgeous pieces into my home.

These are created by SurEvolution, an organisation of specialized workshops dedicated to creating environmentally responsible designs. The best part is that each of these "champa gold leaves" are created by skilled craftsmen in an Indian workshop dedicated to maintaining the livelihood of each of its employees.

Images courtesy Pottery Barn.

The hills are alive with the sound of music! In Seattle however they are alive with myriad hues...red, rust, yellow, crimson, orange and brown. These trees literally make me stop in my tracks..not the best thing to do if you are driving a car :-) I spent an entire day this weekend in pursuit of capturing the perfect image of Seattle's fall foliage. It was a gorgeous day and a lovely time of the year. Diwali is just a week away and these fall colors are the inspiration for my Diwali decor..

I woke up this morning feeling happy and relaxed. Nothing says happy to me as happy flowers in my pretty green jars :-) So here's to happiness, the beauty of spring and the promise of fall....

Countdown to Diwali and so many ideas....

Fall Decor

Bring fall into your home with these simple but gorgeous decor ideas from Pottery Barn...

The endless preparation and excitement with Diwali only a few weeks away. What makes it more special is that's its during fall here in the states. The trees turn a crimson red, a vivid orange and a sunny yellow. I love this time of the year. The sound of the leaves falling to the ground. The rustling of leaves under your feet while walking. The crisp cool breeze blowing around with the promise of winter. A perfect time indeed!

However I miss my family and yearn to be in India. I remember as a kid there were so many things to look forward to during Diwali. The discussions with friends and cousins about what to wear. Mom cooking up a storm and the constant supply of mithai in the house. I was always in charge of the diyas,the lights and the rangoli. The polishing of the silver,the painting and sprucing up of the house for family and friends. The puja was followed by blessing from the elders. Last but not the least, the lighting of the diyas and the lights on the trees. Finally we would all sit around and admire our handiwork and revel in the beauty of Diwali. I am looking forward to Diwali and enjoying experimenting with a few ideas for my table decor.

A wonderful weekend comes to an end and I am off to bed with happy thoughts. I was at Seattle's Pike Place market today and these colorful and vibrant flowers were a lovely sight. I have come home with a few dozen :-) Now these freshly cut gorgeous flowers bring the touch of spring to my home and I smile.....

Candles and More..

I lit a few candles this evening at home to lift my spirits. It was definately theraputic and calming after a very hectic day.

Christmas Moments..

Last year was an amazing year for me. My daughter was born in November and it was the perfect end to a great year. My entire family was visiting and we had the perfect Christmas. Its almost fall now and I am looking forward to Diwali, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The festivities, decorating the house, and all the yummy food! Here are some lovely memories from last year......

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A Perfect Evening

A gorgeous summer evening and a drive to Lake Washington. Its days like today that make me happy to call Seattle home. An attempt to capture the perfect sunset and the mesmerising beauty of the Pacific Northwest through my camera lens.