Spirit of Mumbai - Random acts of kindness

I am a typical Punekar. In Maharashtra, there is a healthy competition between Pune and Mumbai residents about which city is better!

Over the years Mumbai has endured many calamities including floods, building collapses and terrorist  attacks. Every time the city faces a challenge, we hear about the spirit of people to rise over the difficulty and help each other. 

I have traveled the world over, but Mumbai still tends to overwhelm me! Especially the local trains. 

During a recent trip, I was at a cousin's place in Vile Parle suburb from where I had to go to Cuff Parade, the place I was staying at. 

I had planned to take a cab back home. My Mumbaikar relatives were shocked to hear that. This distance is good over 25 kms and by road during peak hours it would take nothing less than 2 hours and would cost over Rs.400. 

My cousin insisted that she would put me on a local train and I had to get off at Churchgate, from where my home was a short distance by taxi. She then put me on an almost empty and comfortable train. She entire trip cost rs 60 !

When getting off the train, I wasn't sure which direction to take for cab. I asked a sweet Parsi lady and she immediately asked me to follow her. She accompanied me to the taxi stand, made sure the driver knew where to go, waved happily and left. 

This was a small dose of Mumbaikars' kindness. I can now imagine how they must be rallying around each other during crises !

PC - Pinterest

Nightmare

This early morning I woke up with a start. I had had a nightmare

This is how it goes…

An angel came visiting me and said my time in this world is over and I need to go.

I looked at my husband beside me and thought, “ he will get by without me”. Then went to look at my daughter and thought, “ She needed me a little longer. But she has her father to take care of her. She will be fine”.

I told the angel to wait while I packed my bag and before he could say anything I rushed into my den to pack a few things for my onward journey. I quickly packed my things and came back. The angel looked at my big bag queerly and said that I couldn’t carry stuff.
What?  Yes. I couldn’t carry any stuff !!!

I looked at him pleadingly and begged him to allow me take my sketch book, colors, brushes and pen.

NO !

A few pieces of cloth, thread and needle ?

NO !!

My crochet hook and a small ball of yarn ?

NO !!!

Just scissors to make me feel at home ?

NO !!!! 

What will I do with my hands in heaven ? I don’t play the harp !!!

My goodness death is indeed scary.

I woke up with a start, went into my den. I was so relieved to see all my craft stuff in place….

Go fish

Needlework was something I grew up with. My mum used to sew, knit, crochet, embroider…. I don’t remember when and how I learned  all these crafts. It is almost like I have always possessed these skills !

Serious sewing started only a few years back on an old sewing machine. I picked up scraps from dress designer friends and started experimenting with fabric art, quits and stuffed toys. One experiment lead to a very cute fish design which became an instant hit.

I like to work instinctively and it doesn’t matter if the sewing is not perfect. Enjoy the process. Sharing the design here….

Material

1.       500 cms base cloth

2.       Some scraps for the face

3.       Matching soft flowing material like nylon or georgette

4.       Poly fill for stuffing

5.       Black felt

6.       Fabric glue

7.       White acrylic paint

8.       A cord to hang

9.       Beads, laces etc for embellishment

Method

1.       Cut out two pieces of the fish body as shown in the pattern

2.       Cut out two pieces for the fish face

3.       Sew the face pieces on the body

4.       Cut two 6” x 4”pieces of  synthetic fabric like organza, chiffon or satin for the fins and a 8” x 8” square for the tail

5.       Burn the edges of the synthetic fabric on a candle to avoid fraying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4Bi1f8_nDM

6.       Fold the fin fabric and gather it up with running stitch. Sew the gathered fins on to both the body pieces.

7.       Pinch the square tail piece at one end to get a nice tail. Tack it to one tail end of the body.

8.       Tack the hanging thread on top of the body.

9.     To sew up the fish, place the two body pieces right sides facing and pin well. Stitch all the way round, leaving an opening at the bottom.  

10.   Turn the fish right side out from the opening.

11.   Ensure the fins, tail and hanging loop are properly sewn.

12.   Stuff the fish with polyfill and sew the opening with needle.

13.   Cut out felt eyes and stick them In place using fabric glue

14.   Embellish the fish with sequins, lace or beads

15.   Voila ! Your fish is ready  !!

Insecurities of an artist

I have not studied art formally. Thus I feel a bit at a disadvantage when creating something. When you have not learned the principles of color, form, dimensions etc, you are not sure if what you are making is really good, average or just plain bad !

During the past 5 years, I tried various art and craft forms. In the times when anything you do goes on social networking sites, I was also tempted to share all that I made on Facebook. Most often than not, I received huge compliments for what I had made. However, it was never clear if the compliments were just kindhearted encouragement from close friends or a real measure of the quality of my work. Thus, I wasn’t sure of what I was doing. For that matter, after 5 years of making and selling art, I am still quite unsure of myself.

So, is it right to have misgivings about your work ?

I listened to several TED talks, read blogs of artists (both schooled and unschooled), to find out if other people felt the same misgivings that I do. While, there was nothing conclusive, one thing was sure…. The most content and happy artists, just created. There was brilliant work and then some stuff I couldn’t understand.

The crux was that they were making. They were creating without seeking approval. They were creating without wondering if the work would sell. They were creating without wondering what they would do with the stuff, if it didn’t sell. These were the very questions that were haunting me all this time.

This realisation suddenly cleared all the cobwebs in my mind. It felt as if I had received a new lease of life as an artist. This was a self discovery. I like creating things that do not have any practical use. I like creating without a premeditated plan of what it is going to be.

Result…. Most of the times awful stuff, but sometimes I do love the final output. This may not be a great lesson for most, but works for me.

Today I am happy with myself J

Life is full of magical moments

Life is full of magical moments. In our busy lives we miss them in a blink. A little bird singing outside the window early in the morning, a meek smile from a shy child, strains of an old song that can be heard from a distance, beautiful pattern made by a tree’s shadow, remembering your first crush, I could go on and on….

For me the most magical moments are the moments when I create something. After over a decade working in the corporate sector, I suddenly discovered the world of art and craft. It has been like a whirl wind romance filled with colors, glass, brushes, fabrics, paper, beads, craft supplies… Since the past three years there has been no looking back. Every day is like a new adventure, something to look forward to. Every night when going to bed my head is buzzing with ideas for tomorrow.

Pixie Dust is an attempt to capture these moments in my life. Share random thoughts, learnings, art and techniques.