Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2015

Christmas is finally here…. My house is glowing in warmth with lit candles and light… past two weeks we had some friends and family come home and reconnect, have supper with us with lots of conversation and laughter. It’s wonderful to feel the true meaning of Christmas and it still exists among you wonderful people that I have come across… Enjoy the Christmas “paraphernalia” and at the same time discover the real meaning of Christmas…. Thankfully it’s not totally lost…

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas to each one of you and have a great 2015!!!




Image is clicked by me


 

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Chocolate Oreo Trifle

This is a dreamy dessert that guarantees compliments, easy to make and tastes divine. I love trifles and this was so simple to make if you have any last minute guests. I would say it’s perfect for any occasion! This is a trifle layered with brownies, rich chocolate pudding, whipped cream and Oreo!



 Ingredients:

  Brownies or Cake {these can be homemade or store bought}

        2 Containers of Cool Whip or 1 Large container

        1 Package of Oreo Cookies

        2 packs of Instant Chocolate Pudding

        Extras: you can add caramel sauce or hot fudge



Method:

Prepare the brownies or cake. If you choose to use store bought then you can get started right away, otherwise wait until your brownies/cake have cooled.
 
Next, prepare your chocolate pudding. I recommend using the instant pudding as its so much easier and time saving.
 
Crush Oreos into small pieces by placing them in a bag and using a rolling pin or you can use your hands as they crumble easily. Save a few big pieces if you want to garnish.
 
Start layering your dish with brownie or cake as a base, followed by a layer of chocolate pudding, then whipped cream and a layer of crushed oreos. Repeat the layering process again.
 
 
 
 
 
I really hope you get to try making this sometime soon... maybe for Christmas! Enjoy!!
 
 
 
Images are clicked by me
 
 
 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

A Simple Christmas Centerpiece from my home

This year I wanted to try out a different coffee table arrangement for Christmas and finally I came up with a simple centre piece by using some Christmas tree decorations. All you need is a fruit stand or any silver plated basket, a candle and some pine cone tree hangings and a nice bow.

Have a look at my centerpiece …..
 
 




 
 



Images are clicked by me.
copyright Tickled by Inspirations


 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

DIY: a bow for your Christmas gift

A bow on any gift gives an extra touch to make the receiver feel special, worthy and definitely festive. But I have always struggled to make a bow from scratch for my Christmas gifts. Have you?


Here are some useful tutorial links I found while browsing…  Click on the caption below each picture to view the tutorial steps.
 
via whipperberry
 
via Chatelaine
 
 

via Twig and Thistle

 
 
via Fab DIY
 
via Save on Crafts
 
 
 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Winter is here!

The winter has officially set in … the weather is fantastic here in Oman. The recent rain has brought down the temperatures… my garden looks green and fresh… flowers in full bloom.… and all the dust and grime washed away…  there was something so inviting about this rain… it brought joy and winter along with a blast of energy.. ..it’s a like a new beginning... Muscat as a city now looks even more beautiful in this weather... Muscateers enjoy this fantastic weather and hope it stays for long!

Here are some shots from my garden.... just wanted to share my joy



 



 


From my kitchen garden
 
 
All images are clicked by me
 
 
 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

House of the Month: Residence of Karishma Banerji Madan from Korea

I am always brimming with joy when I feature a fellow blogger’s home. It’s like starting a new journey with new inspirations to take away. Today I’d like to introduce Karishma Banerji Madan, her blog called Treat forthe Senses and a few corners of her beautiful home.  I believe that it’s the personal expression that makes a house a “home” and that’s exactly what Karishma’s home is all about. It’s an extension of her thoughts and her personality. And that’s what I felt when I read her beautifully written blog. Her interior inspirations, her thoughts and her skill in photography lured me to her blog. Karishma has accessorized her home with fresh flowers, beautiful drapes, bright cushions and her own paintings. Her inspirations and creativity has even led her to start her own home décor label called Kedgree that has a range of art, antiques and handcrafted products.

Allow me to whisk you away to Karishma’s beautiful home and let's hear more from her...
"Buying furniture in Korea is an uphill task. Either the kinds you want just aren’t available or they are unaffordable! After much research we found a shop that makes furniture on order and we placed an order for a coffee table for our living room which proved to be a disaster. Too big and bulky and very unflattering design… however the challenges of living in a non English speaking land turned into a blessing when it struck me I could turn this around into a seating arrangement ! I got a raw silk ‘gaddi’ made for it to cover the surface and mixed and matched some cushions and placed it in a corner of our home that gets the morning sun. And voila, 'coffee-table-gone-wrong' turned into a cozy reading nook :-)"


"Silk drapes in neutral tones and white couches help me play around with colour in the rest of the house. I love complementing these with bright cushions, flowers and rugs."
 



"The decor in our home is a combination of family heirlooms such as my grandmother’s paan-daan which often rests as the centre piece on our coffee table and also treasured gifts from family and friends such as these beautiful Ganesha prints given to us by my brother and sister-in-law…"


 
 

 
 
"I love to paint at leisure and our home has art that has been put together by me." 



"Cozy floor arrangements such as these help me relax and unwind…a good book or a magazine, a cushion and a cup of tea is all that I need when I get home…"




"I am a tea mug hoarder and very soon we just might need to move into a bigger place to accommodate the unending addition to my collection :-)"


 
1. How and when did you start blogging? Why the name "a treat for the senses”?
I moved to Korea last year and had the thrilling task of setting up our new home together with my husband. Every step of piecing our little nest together was such a beautiful experience that led me to create a little niche here in the blogosphere, so I could share it with like minded souls. I am someone who appreciates and loves beauty in the simple things of life, fresh flowers, colour, fabrics, good food, photography…all this is a treat for my senses and hence the name of the blog :-)
2. Where did you get your inspiration to do up your home so tastefully?
I have always maintained that everyone has their own aesthetic sensibilities and a unique sense of style. Mine draws inspiration from my parents’ home and my mother-in-law’s beautiful sense of decor. I also love browsing through the decor pages of other aesthetes. There are so many gifted people out there, and blogging is a wonderful way to exchange ideas.
3. Do you have a design background?
I do not have a design background. I am someone who went to business school and worked for the corporate sector before taking a hiatus and a plunge into the world of interiors. The latter fascinates me and I enjoy exploring it as a hobby and passion. 

4. What does art and design mean to you?
Art and design are both spell a ‘perspective’ to me. It is the way an artist sees something and gives it an entirely new dimension, a unique definition. It is about seeing similar things, differently! Needless to say, taste in design and art reveal volumes about one’s personality. I usually like warm colours, Indian art and photos that tell a story!  
 
5. Your pictures are beautiful! Do you have a passion for photography?
So glad to hear that, I do have a passion for the lens. There are very few moments when you would find me sans my camera :-) You never know when inspiration may strike and you find a vignette that is calling out to you to be clicked! I love taking pictures and weaving them into my blog posts. 
6. Did blogging channelize your creativity?
  Absolutely, it did. It anchored my love for writing, decor and photography and helped me frame all of it together. Also love the fact that it allowed me to share this side of my personality with those who have similar interests. 

7. Tell us about your home décor label "Kedgeree"... what kind of home décor products do you provide?
Kedgree is the culmination of my passion for all things beautiful and is anchored by an obsession for everything that spells ‘decor’. I have always loved art, antiques and handicrafts and had a dream to share my passion for home decor curated by me with a global audience, to bring to the doors and walls of others what is beautiful to my eye and more importantly, through this endeavour, to narrate the stories of those who craft these products and share the history and culture associated with these objects. 
Every store or curator has a concept and a vision behind their label. Kedgree has its roots in the term ‘Kedgeree’, used by the British for Indian ‘khichdi’. The label is a blend of the old and the new, of the rustic and the modern, of ethnic boho-chic items as well as collectors items and objets-d-art, items from the exotic east right across to the elegant west.
Kedgree offers you a delicate blend of curios and collectibles from across the world to infuse vibrance and colour into your home from different cultures. Its mission is to deliver the perfect fusion, a beautiful mix, the 'perfect kedgeree' to make your beautiful home even more gorgeous than it already is :-)
Kedgree’s collection is sourced from artisans across the world. The effort is to curate the very best from the actual artist herself and the desire is to share the results of her skill, toil and labour with people who would appreciate all that goes into developing the ‘character' of the object of art in question, through the platform that is ‘Kedgree'. The vintage collection at Kedgree includes rare and exclusive items that are procured from connoisseurs of art and antiques in India who have been collecting these artefacts for many decades.
 
Karishma, thanks for sharing your lovely space with us!!
 
Click here to hop on to her blog and here to browse through her home décor products.
 
Images via Karishma
 

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Happy And Prosperous Diwali!

October… November… December…… my favorite time of the year, the festive season begins with Diwali, festival of lights, love, joy, colour and constant crackle of fireworks…






 I say it’s also the festival of sweets. It’s one of the best times to be in India to actually feel and absorb the vibe of this beautiful festival. You will find each home decorated with lights, Diyas, t-lights, candles, colourful rangolis and flowers.
 
 
 

 To all those who are celebrating this wonderful festival, Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous Diwali!!! And please remember me when you indulge in Diwali Mitai! Enjoy!

 

All images are clicked by me



 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Recipe for the month: Vegetable Pie

This is one my favorite comfort food during winter. Pie season begins as soon as the winter sets in. Vegetable pie is a dish where you can incorporate your choice of vegetables (or even leftovers) and cheese which will sway even the pickiest of eaters.




Here is one of my version of vegetable pie… hope you like it!
 
 

Ingredients

Potato - 1/2 cup boiled and cubed

Broccoli (boiled cut into pieces) - 1/2 cup

Chopped Mushrooms - 1/2 cup
 
Corn (cooked)  - 3 to 4 tblsp

Chillie flakes - to your taste

chopped onion - 3 tblsp

chopped garlic - 2 tsp

chopped ginger - 2 tsp

salt to taste

Pepper

Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese - 1 tblsp

Butter - 3 tblsp

Flour - 4 tblsp

Milk -  1 1/2 cup

 

Preheat oven at 180 degrees

 
Method

Sauté chopped onion, garlic and ginger for a few minutes and add mushrooms with chillie flakes, salt and stir fry till done. Set it aside.

Prepare white sauce: Melt butter, add flour and stir continuously for 1 minute on low heat. Add milk, stirring continuously until there are no lumps and becomes thick. Add salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick add a little more milk.
 
 


Mix the potato, broccoli, corn and mushrooms and place in your baking dish. Pour the white sauce over it.


 
Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on it and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till the top layer is golden brown.
 


 
Tips:
  • Incorporate your choice of vegetables like bell pepper, sliced tomato, chopped celery or sliced and grilled egg plant.
  • Broccoli, mushrooms and other vegetables can be prepared one day in advance. All you need to make is the white sauce on the day you bake.
 
 
Images are clicked by me
 
 
 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Tuesday Inspiration

Image via HomeLife, Photographer Mark Roper, Styling Annabelle Kerslake

This beautiful countryside porch serves as an inspiration for my own little space for my backyard… a great place to have a chilled glass of rosé… what a beautiful way to arrange beautiful roses, fig leaves and artichokes from your own garden…. It just takes you back to nature… the weather is slowly changing here in Oman and I hope the winter finds its way here soon… a great way to start my Tuesday by just visualizing…

Hope you are off to a great start too.... Enjoy your day!


Image via HomeLife



 

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Morning Rays

I love how my morning rays plays around in my home…. Am in a sunshine state of mind and was clicking away, taking advantage of the light filtering in… trying to capture the morning beauty….


Happy Sunday Everyone!



 










Images are clicked by me