Spring Welcome Free Facebook Cover

Spring is definitely in the air. Skip along the pretty lanes bursting with blossoms, sing your favourite tunes and grin like mad. If you like the image above, head to my Facebook page and download to make it your cover image too!

Lots of pretty stuff inspired by the season is also available at my Society6 shop.

Season of Love: Free Printable Valentine Card

I know it's quite cheesy to say this, but am going to risk it - Love is in the Air! It is February after all.

While I believe that we don't need a special day to tell people that we love them, I still like to indulge mildly in this month of pink and crimson. Yes, St. Valentine's Day is a one of those hyper-commercialized days even in India. But, if we don't give in to the hoopla, isn't any excuse great to have special time together? To simply expresses how grateful you are that you found this person. To tell them you are the luckiest person alive to be with them. To just put all your feelings down on paper. And to do it in a fun and special way.

Each day of the year, we express our love through actions - by showing care, by tuning in to the other person's needs and even by just lending a helping hand. On hallmark days, a simple gesture to express your love tells your partner that you have taken the time to think about them. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be surprised with a love note yourself?

Ever since I can remember, I have never really obsessed about Valentine's Day. That specific date. Back in college, we used to have a 'Rose Day' sometime in February. A day celebrating secret crushes and love (because you could send anonymous rose cards). When I started working, my agency used the same idea, but we didn't make a day of it. A half hour after lunch was spent listening to poetic messages (most were anonymous, again) and swapping chocolates. All through my teen years, it was mandatory for girlfriends and boyfriends to give each other cards. So the point am trying to make, is that for me, the celebration of love is closely linked to messages on paper. An email will just not cut it.

All of this was running through my mind last week, and I wanted to create something that would let us say 'I Love You' without being predictable. I saw the abundance of flowers, cute animals, hearts and chocolates swirling around as tokens of love,  but my mind kept searching for more. Like most ideas that pop into my head, the one for this card popped in when I was engrossed in a totally unrelated activity. I was pickling! So bizarre. Red chilies being pickled led to me the image you see above. I refined my initial thoughts to craft a couple of messages that I think will work.

The picture above and a message variant is now available as an art print and on other merchandise like iPhone covers, totes and throw pillows in my Society6 Shop. And just for you, I have created a FREE printable card to tell your loved one that they are indeed the spice of your life!

To download your free printable click on this link: Only You Valentine Card

Can you think of a message that will go with this image? If there is something else that you'd like to say to your sweetheart, drop me a line in the comments section below and I'd be happy to work on a custom card for you!

Hope you have a lovely season of LoVe!

Food Photography: Great Tips from a Pro put to Use

Over the past month, I have been obsessing over the decision to buy a DSLR that I've had my eye on for a while. It's the Nikon D5100. Every few days I trundle over to the Nikon India website and wonder what is the one thing that will push me to place the order for one. And a couple of lenses while am at, I mean why not, right? Okay, the lens I start with will actually be the kit lens, but no harm in a little daydreaming...

It's not that I cannot afford to buy the camera, I have been saving up money for one. But something is just holding me back from making the commitment. Somebody (my rational voice) is whispering in my ears, what if am just another one of the many untalented enthusiasts toting a fancy piece of equipment? I have looked at some perfect, yet uninspiring stills clicked with high-end cameras and been really, really worried that I may be on the same path myself.

As always, common sense dawned upon me a little later, and I realised that I just had to believe I could get to a place where I could be good at photography. I may be far away from that benchmark yet, but I would never get there unless I tried. I have decided to take baby steps, instead of rushing head-on (which I was running away from doing anyway).

Now, I have decided to learn as much as I can both theoretically and practically. Am going to stick with my point-and-shoot Sony Cybershot for the time being. Am going to explore the several buttons, knobs and settings to see what all this little miracle can pull off. At the same time, I have begun to read up, watch videos, look at great photography and dig for pearls of wisdom from the pros.

A few days back I came across this excellent collection of tips from Penny De Los Santos on the National Geographic website - an eternal fount of inspiration. Head over here now if you'd like to learn a few interesting details about how you can bring a plate of food to life. I simply love how every picture tells a story and gives you a glimpse into a new culture. Penny has shared her inspirations and how she feels about her work giving impetus to my desire to fiddle around.

This evening, I baked a batch of banana muffins using a recipe by Kanan from her blog Spice up the Curry. My friend Bhakti who blogs at Lifestylerr.com, recommended this recipe a couple of weeks ago and I was waiting to give them a go. The only change I made to the original recipe is that used the natural sweetness of the bananas and didn't add any sugar to sweeten up the batter. My muffins came out just like freshly baked muffins should...fluffy, fragrant and divine!

Have I told you how, whenever I cook something new, I have to click pictures of it before I even try it? It is a just-in-case measure. If the dish turns out great and share-worthy, I want to share it with all of you. Must spread the love. Always.

So armed with my newly learned theory about great food photography, I got going and clicked until the sun went down. Here are the results for you to see. And judge. I'd love to know what you think.

Picking up where we left off: Back, alive and kicking

Hello again from Porbandar, almost the Western tip of India. The sun sets here around 7:30 p.m. which is crazy, for someone like me who's used to twilight around 6. It's taking some getting used to, my brain still thinks it's late afternoon even though it is time to switch modes from being an advertising professional to a blogging Sunny Nomad.

We've landed a nice little flat on the sixth floor and when I work, I gaze out at some greenery. If I crane my neck, I can catch a glimpse of a river in the distance. It's nice. The other day, a couple of flamingos cruised past as I looked out for some inspiration. Isn't it wonderful when you're rewarded so handsomely? Unfortunately, by the time I got out my camera, they were way past the zoom capabilities of my point-and-shoot.

Our very few neighbours are helpful and settling in has been made possible by our very efficient chowkidar (watchman) Karsanbhai. I also have to remind myself that every woman is a 'ben' while every man is a 'bhai' in these parts. You show respect by calling someone 'mota bhai' or 'mota ben' - loosely translated ben is sister, bhai is brother and mota means someone older. The other day I received a package, and the mailman called me Priyankaben Nayar!

While I speak a smattering of the Mumbai version of Gujarati, N is fluent in the Kathiawadi dialect spoken here. When I open my mouth, I usually end up amusing the listeners, but am learning to overcome my embarrassment and soldiering on.

The picture above offers you a glimpse of a lovely reflection from my balcony in the soft evening light. The breeze just completes the feeling of being on a vacation island, high above the noise and pollution. What a glamourous vision of Porbandar, don't you think?

Since my work has resumed full time, all the DIY projects I've been dreaming of will take some time before they take physical form. But I hope to share something pretty soon. My kitchen needs rescuing, every day I find a new way to organise and re-organise almost everything. Those tips I pinned about using baskets for storage (since we have an acute shortage of cabinets) have come in handy. In Mumbai, I dragged N to Crawford market just so we could pick up some quaint old wicker baskets. They've been an absolute life-saver.

This weekend, I intend to pretty up the open storage and hang some pictures on the walls. Am looking forward to making the home cozy and comfortable, one day at a time. Cookies and lazy mornings are what keep me going!

But enough about me. How have you been?

Goodbyes and New Adventures

Photograph: Mood for Reflection by Priyanka Nayar

It is time for us to move again. Yes, I know, seems too soon to me too. We're all packed and ready to push off to Porbandar for our next adventure. It's been a good first stint in Kerala. The people, the food, the beaches and the wildlife have made their excellent first impressions.


It's been just over a year since we came here, but we've travelled away from home so often, that we haven't seen everything that there is to see and experience. We'll be back some day. Maybe to another part of the state.


This has been the kind of sabbatical from normal life that only very few lucky people can manage. It has spoilt me, for now, wherever I go, I will miss the lush greens. The place where we lived afforded us a view of the Arabian Sea on one hand, and the beautiful backwaters that Kerala is famous for on the other. Will be hard to find something to beat that.


Am one fourth Keralite, but have been to Kerala only once, over two decades ago. I've learnt some local cuisine, picked up a few words of Malayalam, and bought my first 'set saree'! It's been wonderful getting introduced to my roots. I've floated through most of my life not belonging to a particular part of the country, I surely will continue to do that for the rest of my life too. But now I know a little more about where my grandfather came from, and perhaps a little about why I am a fan of curry leaves.


There are still a bunch of things that are on my bucket list - am yet to take a cruise on a house boat, live in floating houses and watch a Kathakali performance. I haven't had a whole host of dishes that I dream about, haven't caught a glimpse of Periyar, Thekkady, Kumarakom or Munnar and not even had fresh seafood by the sea in Cochin. So I am far from satiated and my heart wants to come back and complete the journey.


Au revoir Kerala and my lovely friends here. Unfortunately, I've had to use the farewell cards I designed a short while back. But like the card says, it's goodbyes only until we meet again.


The picture above captures my thoughts as I sign off, and prepare for the train journey tomorrow morning. If you'd like to see the art print for this and other pictures by me, you can find them at my store. Some of them are available as ipad and iphone skins too.


I may not be able to write again until we're well and settled in Porbandar. But my head is all abuzz with ideas for DIY projects and cozying up the nest there. And I've been busy pinning inspiration on my Pinterest boards. So when am back in full swing, there will be loads to share. On our way to our new home, we're spending a few days in Mumbai, I should also have some stories to share of my time at markets, old haunts and with dear old friends.


Have a super weekend yourself, and an even better week ahead. xoxo, Sunny Nomad me.

Soak up the Sun

This picture I took of a kitty lounging in the summer sun in Istanbul last year, makes me long for a day like that one. I wish I could find a grassy little spot under a tree and just stretch out, with a book and let my thoughts wander. This weekend may very well be the last lazy one we enjoy. A big move is on the cards for June and we need to get started with packing up our life here. And...we're getting a light drizzle almost everyday, so the monsoon isn't that far away.

Somehow, doesn't summer seem to always be full of so many things to look forward to? As kids, summer vacation meant plans for craft projects, hide and seek, late night card games, board games and climbing up every tree in sight, whether there were fruits to be had or not. It also held the promise of travelling to a new place. My dad is a civil engineer, and was usually posted to different parts each year. School year began with either a vivid essay or a drawing of some memory of the lovely, jobless time spent licking orange flavoured ice lollies. Mangoes were another treat that summer never failed me at. I miss sinking my teeth into a huge slice of cool water melon.

When we lived in Nasik, my sis, our best friend and I would plan sleep overs on our terraces. We'd spend the evening lugging up bedding, mosquito coils and other meagre comforts up the rickety ladder propped up at my friend's house. Going up was so dandy. While the other two slithered down skillfully, I had to be coaxed down like a cat stuck on a tree. I now am so grateful for their patience. They never gave up on me, and never stopped making plans to go sleep on the terrace. And there we'd lie, looking up at the sky, marvelling at the twinkling stars. Slowly, we'd pop off to sleep, conversations terminating mid-sentence, tired from all the planning and several trips up and down.

As we would be flopping around through the day, waiting for the ice-cream cart to come by, I don't recall much parental supervision or interference. We were happy they were at bay, they were probably enjoying the much needed break too. When it got really hot, we'd fill up a tank with water and get in, in our bathing suits. That was pretty much the only time the bathing suits came out, unless we were away for a beach holiday.

What do kids do today to while away the abundance of time in summer vacations? How come we don't make these plans anymore? Why did we really want to grow up so fast, when it seems obvious now, that there is no greater joy that just soaking up the sun?

Easy to make Flowers: Poppies

I saw these lovely flowers on Ez's blog Creature Comforts a while back and was dying to try them out. When I finally went to Mumbai in March, my sister and I picked up some satin to try our hand at all the enticing flowers we've been pinning onto our DIY boards. I'd seen the tutorial for these ones and tried them out.

Now that am back home, I made a fresh batch of two! The little one was a great accessory for my bright red saree. It made me feel like a retro film star, mostly because of my hairstyle really. The big poppy has been made for a special little girl. I just need to figure out how to get it to her now.

Go check out Ez's super easy tutorial. She's even added videos, just watch them even if you aren't making the flowers right away. You never know when you'll be in the mood for poppies too. These make excellent gift toppers, hair accessories or brooches.

I've made much flatter versions of the original design, with only three whorls, which I think look good as hair accessories. If you add your own little twist, be sure to share it with us.

Little Rainbows in a Jar

Colours really make me happy, they put a smile on my face. Just glancing at this corner of my desk where I've stored some felt pompoms in an old jam jar, every once in a while makes me feel joyful. Colours have always had that effect on me. As you may have noticed, yellow is my favourite colour. It has the magical ability to uplift my spirits. Could be one of the reasons I love Goa so much. I have never seen such wonderfully yellow, mustardy, orchery houses anywhere else in India. And the police stations are painted a bright, inviting yellow, somehow making me fall for the Goa all over again. The beaches and sea food do a darn good job of enticing me there in the first place, but these special touches of yellow make a world of difference to me.

Hot pink and coral make me feel quite stylish, I really can't explain why. Must be some odd wiring in my head. And then there are the divine whites, blues, greens and warm, fuzzy oranges. What's really fun about shades is trying to mix and match to create interesting, surprising palettes that can help sprinkle some fairy dust on ordinary things to transform them into art. Am inspired by the myriad colours I see in nature - the ultimate master blender.

It's pretty easy to be my friend, just buy me a box of colours - crayons, water, fabric, glitter. Anything, really.

You can imagine what happens to me in candy shops. What makes your world go round?
Have a lovely weekend.

Vintage Treasures: Mahatma Gandhi's Home

A quaint little house stands testimony to the simple, rustic life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Father of our Nation. He was born in Porbandar and lived in this house until his teen years. As you duck when you pass through the short doorways, you wonder how a tiny, frail man could have managed everything that he did. About how he continues to inspire people around the world with his words - written and spoken.

A bus-load of senior citizens clamber up the precarious staircase, holding onto the rope for dear life. They speak a tongue, foreign in these parts but comfortingly familiar to me. I interject their chatter with, "where have you come from?", in Marathi. A happily surprised smile, a short pause and the dhoti-clad gentleman breaks into Marathi that could only be from Pune. Am from Mumbai, and there is usually a mildly cold war between the two cities of Maharashtra. One, the commercial capital of the state and India. The other, the bastion of all that represents the Marathi warrior. 

But in these parts, we bond over the syllables of a common language. I relish the texture of the words being formed in my mouth, and I strain to hear the gurgling sound of my mother tongue from these village folk. Strangely, am comforted by the fact that home is indeed not that far away. 

As we amble through the museum and get ready to leave the sunny courtyard, I look back one last time. The lady in the nine yard saree, who had almost not made it to the top floor, mops her forehead with the corner of her pallu. Even though she has skipped the trek to the third floor, she seems satisfied with her tour to a sliver of history.

Shutter Love: Porbandar

Hello, hope you had a lovely weekend. We spent ours travelling from the state of Gujarat to the state of Kerala. En-route, we had a grand time with family and friends in Mumbai. It's wonderful to be back home though, and am looking forward to a week filled with once-familiar, now blurry in memory sounds, sights and smells.

Before we left Porbandar, I had intended to do a full post which captured the city through my pictures. So here it is, visions of a wonderful time getting to know a new port and people. The pictures capture life around the sea, simply because that is where I hung out most often.

More pictures of Porbandar from a tour of Mahatma Gandhi's home tomorrow.

This Time That Year

Today, we're leaving from Porbandar and heading back home to Kerala. Today also happens to be our two-year anniversary. We didn't have a traditional Indian wedding, we don't really have a traditional Indian marriage either. We exchanged our vows in a registrar's office, and celebrated the occasion with an intimate party followed by a large reception in Mumbai. 

Did I mention we got married in Goa? By Goan law, I now own half of everything that N has! I don't think it works the other way around though.

Why this picture you ask? It's been quite the proverbial ride, these past two years. We've moved four houses, 2 states, travelled to yet another one, camped in a hotel room for four months, and visited two beautiful countries. Not to mention the countless trips from wherever I was to Bombay. We've moaned about the weight gain after marriage, walked kilometers along beaches, talked about the mundane, the interesting, and pretty much everything in between. Experimented with diets, attempted to recreate classic cuisines, made to-do, to-buy and to-gift lists. Run amok in malls (we've lived in tiny hamlets for a while now), exclaimed at the rising prices of milk and eggs, given up on saree shopping for the mothers since we're both clueless there and discovered the joys of online shopping. Who doesn't love stuff arriving in brown packages that can be ripped open?

There have been a few downs too, sneaking up suddenly. Just like you come down on the Ferris Wheel and think you're going to crash to the ground. Why are they called Ferris Wheels? In India we call them Giant Wheels, yes, even the little ones are called that. And Indians love their Giant Wheels. They're a rarity in the cities, just like the dwindling population of sparrows. That is something to talk about in another post though. The downs, well, while they last they also hold the promise of an upcoming high. So we've mostly managed to get by.

We've rationalised how we can't have a dog if we move around so much, and yet melted into a puddle every time one of us finds a picture of a cute pup-we-must-have. I've coaxed N out of his digital dinosaur phase and he's given me tips on driving. I will soon qualify as a woman navigator who's as good as a man navigator (yeah, apparently there is a bar to rise up to there). Meanwhile he's learnt to toss omlettes into the air like a chef at a breakfast counter.

I've discovered that the secret to marital bliss is lots of ice cream in the freezer and he knows that a morning without a cup of tea can bring out the grizzly in me! (That rhymes, I think I'll make it into a poster. What say?) And he's also realised that all those art projects I begin are not always going to get finished. While horror movies are his thing, crime series are my thang. When I say "You're my lobster," he just shakes his head and smiles.

It's been a mad two years. Am grateful for them and for the love of two families instead of one. I think I may have grown up a little bit too, against my own will. Maybe it's not such a bad thing after all. This business of growing up and growing old together. I look forward to it now.

Shutter Love: Vintage Treasures

This perfect setting was available at a friend's home in Delhi. I remember growing up with a Sony cassette player and Radio just like this. Today am thinking wistfully of a stack of mixed tapes with dedications that were the perfect gift for a close friend who loved music. Can a playlist create the same magic today?

Everyday Inspiration: Blue Buddy

The life of a nomad means I often stay away from all that is cozy and comfortable for long stretches of time. We have been away from our home in Kerala since early February. This little birdie has added to my sense of feeling at home on several occasions.

No matter where I am, I have always managed to spot my blue buddy - the white throated, blue winged Kingfisher. Am fascinated by this fisherman and have spotted him everywhere - in Mumbai, Delhi, Diu, Goa and Istanbul. A pretty little one visits us often in our backyard in Kerala. 

Back in Mumbai, I saw one almost everyday, on my way to work on a bursting-at-its-seams local train. I looked forward to that part of my journey and spotting one meant this was going to be a good day. Yeah, a little cuckoo maybe, but it was my way of holding on to hope. 

Once, while on a research trip to Delhi, I was lost in a maze of roads and traffic. I looked up, out the window, and there, perched on an electric wire was this harbinger of comfort. I smiled to myself and thought, if this little guy (his size is barely 28 centimeters while am 172 centimeters tall) can survive this city, so can I.

The several shades of the Kingfisher's blue feathers inspire me. The idea that we all have wings (metaphorically speaking) and a chance at freedom if we spread those wings, lifts up my spirits no matter how tough the going gets. Am drawn to nature and all things blue, so this one fits the bill perfectly. 

I've tried to capture the lovely creature through my shutter whenever possible, but like all winged ones, he's pretty flighty. I will continue my quest for a perfect shot, but until then, whenever am missing the blue one, these keep me happy.

Shutter Love: Thinking of Cochin

Last November, I was in Cochin for the first time. Over the years, I'd heard so much about it, I was dying to experience it. Since I know am going back sometime soon, I didn't lug my camera around everywhere, I wanted to actually absorb everything sans the viewfinder. Am like that about places, shy about using my camera at first brush. I prefer to see with the human eye, find something that arrests my attention, introduces me to the city, and only then think of using the camera to capture it. Sometimes, I let beautiful things go, not wanting to freeze them in time. Sometimes I regret the decision, most times am happy to have actually seen it.

The sloping roofed houses I saw on Willingdon Island warmed me up to the place. Here are two clicks I liked from my short trip to the beautiful city. Hope you like them too. Tell me, how do you like to remember a city?

Photo Project - B for Bougainvillea

In continuation with my resolution to do new things everyday, I have learnt to toy around with Picasa. Until recently, I was happy with leaving pictures untouched. But editing is an addiction. I began with just brightening up the image and now am hooked!

I've embarked on an ambitious photo project which requires me to click pictures through the month to cover the English alphabet. I first got inspired to do this when I read about it here on Ez's blog . However, it's super difficult to find the time or inspiration to click an image a day, what with the crazy demands of a full-time job in advertising. So am doing a couple of letters at a time over the weekends. I don't know if I will survive through all 26 letters. But here's a start.

B for Bougainvillea. Orange, pink, red cascades of these abound in India and make any garden pop with colour. This is a shrub that's on my way to the beach. I've been planning to click it for a while now. The first picture is mildly edited. I've played around a lot more with the next three, which are versions of the same click. I love the last one, it reminds me of a Japanese garden.

Shutter Love: A day at the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary

Porbandar is pretty much complete chaos - madly honking motorcycles, deafeningly noisy chakdas (hybrid motorcycle carriers), stray bovines and their worshipers, smoke, dust and the omnipresent smell of drying fish! Yes, welcome to the land of the Mahatma. It's one saving grace is the promenade by the sea. Until we discovered the bird sanctuary here.

I've had a grand weekend filled with chirps, gentle sounds of water and serenity at the sanctuary. Tucked away in one little alley down the main street, this place is an absolute treasure. As N and I pushed open the metal gate of the sanctuary on Saturday evening, I wasn't expecting much. I had read that several species of birds come here, some migratory. But nothing in my mind's eye had come close to what we saw - cormorants and herons by the dozens, peacefully lounging on the man-made isles on a lake. Pelicans swimming along regally. Naughty Pintals splashing about. And a few others I haven't been identify yet.

The light wasn't right that evening, so I returned the next morning and again a couple of hours before sunset. A friendly dude who was busy clicking like a pro pointed me towards another cove where I could find Flamingos! 

I had a field day snapping away, I was so excited, I just couldn't stop. I must have clicked about 300 pictures that day. Needless to say, the avian species is not one to pose for bumbling photographers. I think I have about  two dozen really great pictures!

Here's a few of my favourites.

Drenched

We were driving back from a roadtrip. We stopped to take in the view of a dam. And to make some bhel, no real picnic is complete without this lip-smacking snack. As I chopped some red onions, tomatoes and chillies on the hood of our car, N wandered off with the camera.

He has a keen eye for detail. He spots stuff before I do, always. He sees a change of colour in a cluster of grass stalks and discovers a ladybug. All from a distance of a few feet. Am inspired by his way of looking at things and creatures. Am delighted by his love for beautiful things, both in nature and man-made. Though music is his first artistic expression, he dabbles in photography long enough to capture a few treasures.

Here's the one from that roadtrip.

Fly, soar, just touch the sky...

I live in this unique part of Kerala. It's in the Malabar region,with hills, the sea and backwaters all calmly co-existing with the huge hoardings, bright pink buses in a tearing hurry and Theyyam - a powerful dance form indigenous to these parts. I feel blessed to be surrounded by so much beauty - trees, flowers, animals, sands, birds and the blue blue sea.

Some Sundays when we're not feeling too lazy, me and N head out for a long walk down to the beach. It is a long, long walk taking about an hour to get there and then a little over an hour back. When we get to the beach, we just walk about aimlessly, collecting shells for some fish tank, enjoying the sound of the waves lapping against the shore.It's like a shot of soul nourishing music.

But this Sunday, we had a special treat waiting to be discovered. Seagulls - lining the entire shore...there must have been a hundred at least! We just sat across from the shore, at a vantage point, just looking at them come and go and come back again. Swooping low for fish, paddling on the waves, simply spreading their wings and stretching. The last time I saw gulls was in Istanbul in September, I hope to see them again soon.

Pink Love

I love dragonflies, and managed a lucky click on my way to Coorg.