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!!

Find your way!!

We never know how far we can go...unless we make a move!!

 

Talking and Silence

Talking comes by nature

Silence by wisdom!!

Perception in today’s social world, a very nice experiment by washington post!!

At Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007 a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children.. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly..

45 minutes:The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*Do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

"How many other things are we missing?."

A wrinkle in time- fun art project using yarn!!

Featured in Times Republican

I can’t believe that shelves are already loading up with back to school stuff. Life is flying really fast. I wish I could just hold on to the moments, freeze them from flying by and turning into memories so quickly.

The best things in life are not things. They are little moments that bring smiles and joys in our lives. My 5 year old daughter loves to love and draw hearts and write I love you mom on every paper. Yesterday while I was at the Y working out I noticed so many hearts on my water bottle with I love you mom!! My eyes were full of tears. For few moments everything paused. Not that I saw it for the first time but we get so busy that we start taking people we love for granted. It just touched my heart. Let’s not let this fast life take all the beauty of present moments. For a loving tomorrow we all will need our own beautiful collection of memories!!

This month’s project is Yarn painting- A wrinkle in time! It’s creative, colorful and so much fun to do!

All you need is

• Card stock or paper folder or plain greeting card

• Yarn (1 ft long)

• Paints

  

For card stock fold it in half and then open it like a folder or greeting card.

Generously pour paint onto a plate.

Dip the yarn in the paint leaving the tip for you to hold.

Lay the painted yarn on one side of the folder in the spiral shape leaving the tip that’s not painted outside to hold.

Close the folder. Press it with your other hand. Hold the tip you left outside with the right hand and just pull it outside with the force, open the folder and you have your own unique abstract art work!

Enjoy it on folders, greeting cards, even wall art!!

Thank you all so much for trying out the project and for feedback!!
I really loved marecela's idea of using vibrant colors on cardboard boxes for the project. Its reusing, then reusable and when done using....recyclable!!