Applause!

Don't just expect an applause, Deserve it!

Colorful and joyful music shakers!

What you will need

• Empty paper towel or toilet paper tube

• Dried beans or uncooked rice

• Construction paper

• Gift wrap scraps

• Crafting scraps

• Crushed aluminum foil

• Glue

• Scissors

• Tape

• Pencil

Make the impression of the tube end on construction paper using pencil. Now draw another circle that’s half an inch bigger in size using pencil and cut it using scissors to cover tube ends. 

1. Take an empty paper towel or toilet paper tube and cover one end of tube by neatly taping construction paper.
2.  Then fill the tube with a few dried beans, uncooked rice, small crushed rolls of aluminum foil and a   small bell (optional).
3.  After filling, cover the other open end.
4.  Glue gift wrap scraps all over the tube. Decorate with ribbons and other available crafting scraps.

Colorful and joyful, your little ones music shaker or maraca is all ready to rock!!

Enjoy:))

Let’s shine like candles and light our world - A Christmas art project!

Featured in Times-Republican

A candle unites religions and faiths all over the world. It’s used as a visible expression for prayer, love, peace, joy, prosperity, righteousness, wisdom and knowledge. This months project is
Let’s shine like candle and light our world with colors and happiness. Let there be no clouds of fear and sorrow.
Let’s lead from darkness to light.

All you need is
• Construction Paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Card stock
• Paints
• Paint brush
• Markers
• Pencil (for sketching)

For candle, cut different colors of construction paper in shape of semi circle or any other desirable shape.
You can make flame by cutting yellow construction paper or by making thumb impression using paints or just pouring yellow paint in shape of flame.

Draw design on candle using marker. Finish with vibrant polka dots using paints and brush or Glue sequence.

Draw a dove on construction paper using pencil, cut it. You can use it as a stencil and draw polka dots using paint and brush around it and remove the stencil or you can stick the dove using glue and then put polka dots all over.

Thank you for visiting:)) Have a colorful day!

Be Peace!!

Gratitude note or Napkin Holder - A fun Thanksgiving craft project using paper towel tube

Featured in Times-Republican

Life is incomplete without the people we love and the most beautiful thing about this time of the year is acknowledging and showing love and gratitude to them. Being thankful is the most important step forward to love, peace, happiness and prosperity.

The slow cozy days are also perfect time of the year to relax, rejuvenate and get indulged in the stories and laughter’s with our loved ones that we have been missing because of our busy lives.

This month’s art project is Eco-friendly, emphasizes reuse and shows gratitude for the nature.

All you need is

• Paper towel tube

• Pipe cleaner

• Cardboard or foam

• Glue

• Wiggly eyes (optional) or marker to draw eyes

• Red foam or cardboard

• Scissors

1. Cut paper towel tube 2 inches long.

2. Cut card board to make face. Stick wiggly eyes and nose on the face. Stick face to paper towel tube.

3. Cut two pipe cleaners 7 inches long each for making feet. Fold and stick with glue to the paper towel  tube.

4. Twist and fold 4 colorful pipe cleaners to make wings.

5. Insert napkin or a gratitude note in the paper towel tube.

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!!

Our character!!

Our character is who we are when on one is watching!!

The hug bug candy creeper - Super fun Halloween crafts!!

For hug bug candy creeper all you need is

• Pipe cleaner
• Wiggly eyes
• Beads
• Glue
• Candy
• Tape
• Scissors

1. Cut the pipe cleaner in required size.
2. Insert beads and stick wiggly eyes on the ends of pipe cleaner using glue.
3. Stick candy in center using tape.
4. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the candy.

Enjoy and have a colorful day:))

Booo alien sucker and candy wrapper - Super fun Halloween Crafts!!

For this booooo alien candy wrapper all you need is

• Round candy or sucker
• Paper napkin
• Pipe cleaner
• Wiggly eyes
• Marker
• Beads (optional)

1. Insert beads and stick wiggly eyes on the ends of pipe cleaner.
2. Place candy or sucker in middle of paper napkin and tie tightly using pipe cleaner.
3. Twist and roll the ends of pipe cleaner in the back.
4. Using Marker draw eyes and mouth:))

Creepy candy bugs - Super fun Halloween crafts!!

Make trick or treating even more fun with these boo creepy candy bugs!!

All you need is

• Construction paper, cardboard or foam
• Pipe cleaners
• Wiggly eyes
• Glue
• Tape
• Markers
• Beads and sequence (optional)
• Scissors

1. Using scissors cut the foam in circle or desired shape
2. Cut the pipe cleaners in equal size and stick them using tape on one side of foam.
3. Turn pipe pipe cleaners ends outwards to raise and balance the bug.
4. Turn first two ends of pipe cleaners upwards in front and stick wiggly eyes using glue.
5. Using markers draw circles on bug. You can also use sequence and beads to add more details to bug. 
6. Stick candy on top using tape!!

Thanks for visiting!! Have a colorful day:))

Tomorrow!!

The biggest labor saving device ever invented is, "Tomorrow" :))

Colorful fall leaves - A fun art project using construction paper!!

What you will need

• Card Stock
• Construction paper (colors of your choice)
• Glue
• Scissors (optional)
• Marker

Using marker draw leaves on construction paper and cut.
Hand tear construction paper in small pieces and glue them on leaves!!

Enjoy and have a colorful day:))

Listen!!

You cannot hear yourself into trouble!!

Significance of Navratri!!

Navratri The Art of Living

The festival of Navratri is celebrated with prayers and gaiety in the beginning of the Ashwin (autumn) and the beginning of Chatira (spring). This period is a time for self-referral and getting back to the Source. During this time of transformation, nature sheds the old and gets rejuvenated; and life emerges back afresh in the spring.

According to Vedic sciences, matter reverts to its original form to recreate itself again and again. The creation is cyclical, not linear; everything is recycled by nature - a continuous process of rejuvenation. The human mind, however, lags behind in this routine cycle of creation. Navratri is a festival for one to take the mind back to its Source.

The Mother Divine is recognized not just as the brilliance of intellect (buddhi), but also the confusion (bhranti); she is not just abundance (lakshmi), she is also hunger (shudha) and thirst (trishna). Realizing this aspect of the Mother Divine in the entire creation, leads one to a deep state of Samadhi. This gives an answer to the age-old theological struggle of the Occident. Through wisdom, devotion and nishkama karma, one can attain advaita siddhi or perfection in the non-dual consciousness.

Kali is the most horrific manifestation of Nature. Nature symbolizes beauty, yet it has a horrific form. Acknowledging the duality brings a total acceptance in the mind and puts the mind at ease.

Though Navratri is celebrated as the victory of good over evil, the actual fight is not between good and evil. From the Vedantic point of view, the victory is of the absolute reality over the apparent duality. In the words of Ashtavakra, it is the poor wave which tries to keep its identity separate from the ocean, but to no avail.

The three primordial gunas are considered as the feminine force of our magnificent universe. By worshiping the Mother Divine during Navratri, we harmonize the three gunas and elevate sattva in the atmosphere.

The inward journey nullifies our negative karmas. Navratri is a celebration of the spirit or prana which alone can destroy mahishasura (inertia), shumbha-nishumbha (pride and shame) and madhu-kaitabh (extreme forms of craving and aversion). They are completely opposites, yet complementary. Inertia, deeply ingrained negativities and obsessions (raktabeejasura), unreasonable logics (chanda-munda) and blurred vision (dhoomralochan) can be overcome only by raising the level of prana and shakti, the life-force energy.

The seeker gets back to the true Source through fasting, prayer, silence and meditation. Night is also called ratri because it brings rejuvenation. It gives relief at the three levels of our existence – physical, subtle and causal. While fasting detoxifies the body, silence purifies the speech and brings rest to the chattering mind, and meditation takes one deep into one's own being.

The nine days of Navratri are also an opportunity to rejoice in the three primordial qualities that make up the universe. Though our life is governed by the three gunas, we seldom recognize and reflect on them. The first three days of Navratri are attributed to tamo guna, the next three days to rajo guna and the last three days to sattva guna. Our consciousness sails through the tamo and rajo gunas and blossoms in the sattva guna of the last three days. Whenever sattva dominates in life, victory follows. The essence of this knowledge is honored by celebrating the tenth day as Vijaydashmi.

Though the microcosm is very well within the macrocosm, it’s perceived separateness is the cause of conflict. For a gyani (wise), the entire creation becomes alive and he recognizes life in everything in the same way children see life in everything. The Mother Divine or the Pure Consciousness itself pervades all the forms and has all the names. Recognizing the one Divinity in every form and every name is the celebration of Navratri. Hence, special pujas honoring all aspects of life and nature are performed during the last three days.

Sri Sri explains the significance of yagyas (pujas) performed during the ongoing festival of Navratri. There are three levels of existence - Outer world, subtle world of different energies and Divinity or God. All the yagnas being performed here aim to achieve both spiritual and material benefits. When you go deep inside yourself, from where everything has come from, you experience the Supreme Peace. Only when you are in deep meditation, these mantras have effect. These are very powerful and beautiful and enrich the subtle creation. We are so fortunate to be able to be a part of this.

There are pundits from all Vedas, and they will chant mantras. It is happening from thousands of years. These are done to benefit the whole world. We have gathered here as one body, one mind and one spirit, totally immersed in what is happening. Even if we don’t know the meaning, we know these are doing something good at subtle levels of our life, and for the whole mankind.

The intellect may not understand but the subtle body understands the depth. And the vibrations that are produced are doing good to all the subtle layers of existence. This energy creates benevolence, benefits the whole mankind, washes away our bad karma, promotes harmony in the world and desires get fulfilled. Desires get fulfilled when there is strength in the subtle. These bring us close to self- realization and also to achieve success in the world.

As one body, one mind, established in the Ultimate Truth, fulfilling your worldly duties and relax in the depth of peace. Immerse in this love and devotion with the feeling that everything is happening well, everything is being done for you. Like corn – when it is little warmed, it becomes pop-corn. In the same way, consciousness is all Divinity, and with the chanting of mantras, it blossoms and manifests. This is a beautiful occasion for letting the consciousness to blossom. Om Shanti! (Let there be peace)

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Art Of Living

Marble rolling - super fun art project using marbles!!

Featured In Times-Republican

Full of colors, joy, grins and giggles, marble rolling is a super fun art project for all celebrations. Turn it spooky by adding black and orange or ornamental with red, green and golden. Add the colors of season, roll and let the paint trails leave an impression of fun, laughter and happy times.

All you need is 

• Paints
• Card stock
• Tape
• 20 Marbles
• One shallow cardboard box or pan (Like a shoe box or cake pan) The box or pan needs to be bigger in size than the paper.

All you need to do is...

1. Place the card stock inside the box.
2. Tape any open ends on cardboard so marbles cannot get stuck and the card stock to the bottom of container so it does not move from its place.
3. Put tiny drops of colorful light,bright and florescent paints on the bottom of box and not on paper.
4. Add marbles to the box and tilt the box in different ways to make the marbles roll and leave colorful paint trails.
5. Enjoy the art on frames, wall art, calendars, greetings, book marks!

Simply yummm...vegetable quinoa!!

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Cup sweet peas

1 Cup chopped carrots

1/2 Cup chopped green bell pepper

1 grated green chilli (Serrano pepper)

2 grated tomatoes

1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds

1 Teaspoon ground cayenne or red pepper

1 Teaspoon ground Coriander powder

1 Teaspoon garam masala

Heat used- Medium

Rinse the quinoa in ample running water for several minutes in a fine strainer  

1. In a medium frying pan heat 1Tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
2. When cumin seeds start to sizzle, add carrots, green bell peppers, peas, green chilli and 1 tsp salt.
3. Stir and cover the pan for 3 minutes.
4. Add 2 grated tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cayenne, 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp coriander powder.
5. Stir and cover the pan for another 3 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water.
7. Stir and cover the pan, Cook until all the liquid is absorbed. (approximately 20 minutes)
8. Open the lid, fluff gently and season with garam masala.
9. Allow to sit 5 minutes with lid on.
10. Serve with yogurt and enjoy goodness in every bite!!

Be Peace!!

Be Peace!!

Let’s benchmark ourselves!!

Let’s take forward the learning's and make each moment better than the previous one....

Let's Benchmark ourselves against ourselves!!

Reuse Ideas - Fun art project using crayon stubs!!

Create your own personalized piece of art by using old crayons.



All you need is

• Card stock
• Crayon stubs
• Pencil
• Glue
• Markers
• Scissors 

Remove any wrapping from crayons.

Using scissors trim uneven crayon stubs.

Sketch the letter on card stock using pencil.

Outline with glue and stick crayons:))

 



When I count my blessings I see you!!






Gond art on masks!!

 

Let's be the change!!

Let's be the change we wish to see in the world!!

Madhubani art!!

Madhubani or Mithila is a style of painting practiced in mithila region (Bihar state) of India. The origin of the painting is shrouded by mythology and antiquity. The style of painting can be observed on walls, pottery wares, clothes, bags, handmade paper and canvases. 

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!!