To Create Is Divine

"The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in..."

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:52:00 -0500

““The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life...

My very creative friend, V, conceptualized this work of art on...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:46:23 -0500

My very creative friend, V, conceptualized this work of art on her apartment wall by using her couch cushion as inspiration! When she asked me if I could help, I jumped at the opportunity.

How cool does this look? It’s modern, geometric and creates a wonderful point of interest and conversation starter. Thanks, V, for letting me help you decorate your wall!

Thank you favors for my loving friends and family! Materials:...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:17:00 -0500

Thank you favors for my loving friends and family!

Materials: cork board, backsplash tile, grout, sealant, industrial strength glue and the help of two dear friends!

Using this blog...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:07:26 -0500

Using this blog (http://www.addicted2decorating.com/how-to-make-a-decorative-chrysanthemum-mirror.html) as my inspiration from Pinterest, I decided to make my own sunburst mirror with plastic spoons.

Warning for those who take this project on: this is very easy to do but takes very long. It is NOT a one day project. I almost abandoned this one several times but came back to it. Finally finished it this weekend and I’m happy with the way it turned out!

This last December, two of my aunts who are more like my older...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:58:34 -0500

This last December, two of my aunts who are more like my older sisters, visited us in Texas. We got to spend quality time together and created memories that will last us a lifetime. Both of them are fans of Ganesha like me, so I made each of them this wall-hanging piece for something to remember me by (not that they will ever forget!).

I used a cutting board, nails and thread and most importantly, the help of a good friend, V, to put the whole piece together. I bet our neighbors had a headache with all the loud sounds we made with the hammer that week, but it was totally worth it! :)

"All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop."

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:53:56 -0600

““All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the...

A friend asked if I would paint a Ganesha on her dining room...

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:39:00 -0600

A friend asked if I would paint a Ganesha on her dining room wall. I had never tried this before but agreed to take it on as a project if she had touch up paint to cover up any boo-boos. Thanks, J, for letting me experiment on your wall!

The final product turned out much better than I expected and no touch up paint was needed. Moral of the story: when working with Ganesha, one rarely can go wrong!

‘No Strings Attached’, 3 ft x 6 ft 289 nails in the...

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:25:00 -0600

‘No Strings Attached’, 3 ft x 6 ft

289 nails in the wall, 8 colored strings.

“When Krishna plays the flute the whole world is filled...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:13:31 -0500

“When Krishna plays the flute the whole world is filled with love. Rivers stop, stones are illumined, lotus flowers tremble; gazelles, cows, and birds are entranced; demons and ascetics enchanted.”

—unnamed scribe, in the Bhagavata-Purana
{Acrylic on canvas; Prakash Kagal + Shibani Limaye}

We visited San Francisco last month and I had to think long and...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:05:00 -0500

We visited San Francisco last month and I had to think long and hard about what to give our host, my awesome aunt. She’s an avid accessory collector and absolutely loves her jewelry. So, I thought I would make her an ear-ring holder.

I bought a box frame from Hobby Lobby and got rid of the backing. With a gold paint pen, I drew a henna design all over the glass. Then I stringed gold wire to create the ear-ring hangers.

I was happy with the way it turned out, so I made another one for a good friend’s birthday gift.

Ok, I was bored of the Ikea lamp in our living room. No reason...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:50:00 -0500

Ok, I was bored of the Ikea lamp in our living room. No reason to replace it but I was tired of looking at it. So I took some old bamboo blinds that were on their way to the dumpster and wrapped them around the existing lamp. Added some dupioni silk borders on the top and bottom from an old blouse and lo and behold - we have a new lamp! Gives a new kind of light and ambiance to the living room and I love it! :)

“Where we love is home — home that our feet may...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:38:00 -0500

“Where we love is home — home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

An old frame re-purposed to create a frame with string art. Green bamboo wool, gold beads and rope makes a warm combination for my friend’s new home.

I found an old white box frame while cleaning out the garage....

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:44:00 -0600

I found an old white box frame while cleaning out the garage. Turning junk into treasures is my favorite type of craft/art project. I always felt like our Indian “masala dabba” or spice box would make a cool piece of art, so I used this old frame as an opportunity to recreate it. It represents the Indian kitchen - six boxes would never suffice for all the ingredients we frequently use, so these are just a few of them.

I always wanted to learn how to make ribbon roses and got the...

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:47:07 -0600

I always wanted to learn how to make ribbon roses and got the perfect opportunity with my friend’s baby shower. I made centerpieces for all tables to match her green and brown theme. The flower ball topping took very long (almost 15-20 roses on each) but looked very cute!

Adding pictures of table and room decorations for an event we...

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:33:00 -0500

Adding pictures of table and room decorations for an event we held last year: Dazzle, A Diwali Celebration.

Organic and Portable Rangoli What you need: One packet gold pipe...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:32:28 -0500

Organic and Portable Rangoli

What you need:
One packet gold pipe cleaners from Hobby Lobby
One piece of cardboard cut into a circle with diameter of 2 feet
Glue gun and glue sticks
Elmer’s glue
6-7 different types and colors of grains

1. Draw design on cardboard (you can use a ribbon tied to a pen as a compass)
2. Glue down pipe cleaners on your design with the glue gun
3. Use a brush to paint Elmer’s glue in one area at a time
4. Sprinkle grains of different colors in the different sections. The Elmer’s glue will allow you to create a bottom layer. When you display, you will need to put some grains on top to give it a more full look.
5. Ta-da! Your organic, portable rangoli is ready!

A good friend had a Jungle themed party a few months ago. We...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:29:00 -0500

A good friend had a Jungle themed party a few months ago. We made a life size giraffe and named him “Geoffrey.” :) Here’s some pictures of how we put him together. He still stands tall in my friend’s home!

Ship’s Ahoy! Nautical themed baby shower!

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:38:11 -0500

Ship’s Ahoy! Nautical themed baby shower!

"Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing.” - Shakespeare"

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:37:16 -0500

““Things won are done; joy’s soul lies in the doing.” - Shakespeare”

Diaper cake! Not edible (for those in doubt)…but a great...

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:08:37 -0500

Diaper cake! Not edible (for those in doubt)…but a great baby shower decorative piece. All parts can be used by the future mommy for her baby!