Ring it On

Ahoy, it's a boy!

On June 27th (give or take a day), Kari & Brian will welcome Baby Strong into the world. Yay! In the meantime they've been busy settling into their new place and putting the finishing touches on the baby room. I embroidered this whimsical whale scene to help them fill some of the remaining wall space. 

Market Run

This time of year any temperature reaching above 50 degrees drives New Yorkers outside, some optimistically wearing flip-flops & shorts.  More vendors noticeably pop up at the the farmer's market selling their bounties, products, and plants-- fooling some into thinking that Spring is officially here...

So on this 60 degree Saturday, I took my newly-finished grocery tote for a test run to the farmer's market. The bag is made of a loose-weave linen and lined with lightweight cotton. I reinforced the handles, and to add a little embellishment (and practice my embroidery skills), I chain-stitched a simple floral motif onto the front side. It passed the test, toting home my lettuce, carrots and potatoes with ease.

Something to Write Home About

Shopping in Mumbai didn't offer the same feeling of instant gratification as other places, say Paris or New York for instance. But with an open mind and some patience, the city delivered quite a few treasures. Ronak and I got around in a Cool Cab (with our trusty driver Harish) and scoped out Mumbai's hidden gems, most notably Chimanlal's and FabIndia.

Located on a side street behind New Excelsior Cinema, we almost missed Chimanlal's unassuming entrance. The door to this paper shop was a portal into a world of saturated color and pattern, insulated from the sounds of traffic outside. The prices were so good, I left with a huge stack of paper and a guilty smile feeling like I had gotten away with something.

Next stop... FabIndia, a local chain that provides a platform for rural artisans to sell their handicrafts in the urban marketplace. I love the concept of this store and was happy to support their mission with my purchase. With my increasing interest in embroidery I was drawn to these pillow covers that showcase traditional Kantha stitching techniques. They look perfect in our bedroom and complement the pillow we already have from Anthropologie.

Merry Christmas