Sunday, May 31, 2009

THAT NEERMATHALAM WILL NEVER BLOOM AGAIN.........


31st May,2009
sunday
11.30p.m






























A FORAL TRIBUTE
FROM THE LAND OF
PUNNAYOORKULAM


dear friends,



yesterday,after reading the article on KAMALA DAS based on the recent visit of leela menon and sarada rajeev in grihalakshmi,i discussed about the great writer with amma, for along time.but,not even in the wildest dream,i thought ,i will wake up into the sad news that my beloved writer passed away today early morning at 1.55a.m at jahangeer hospital in pune.i don't know why, amma and myself were awake till 2 a.m today.we slept very late.we were disturbed as sleep was far away.i was remembering fondly the meeting of friends after a long span of time!and far away,in a hospital in pune,my dearest poetess breathed her last.her eyes were closed for ever!

Right from childhood madhavikutty was my favourite writer not because she belonged to punnayoorkulam,my achan's hometown,but for her unique style of writing.it was always my dream to write and act without any inhibitions and hesitations.but,i never did dare;and whenever i had guts,my people,traditions and culture blocked me from opening up.as a college student,Madhavikutty was my role model.i had adopted acheerful and hilarious attitude towards life.A new and exciting world of loveliness opened before me.

born as madhavikutty in punnayoorkulam,malabar,kerala,she is the daughter of late shri.V.M .NAIR-ex.managing director of Mathrubhumi and the renowned writer, Nalappat Balamaniyamma.she was Aami to her dear ones.Aami spent her childhood in Kolkatta and the famous Nalappat ancestoral home in Punnayoorkulam.she was influenced by her great uncle,Nalappat Narayana Menon, a prominent writer.i just love the name aami![and will you believe,unexpectedly i came across a friend from this place and his wife is aami!]how happy i was to call her by that name!

another friend of mine who is a great fan of Madhavikutty named her daughter abhirami and calls her aami.


Madhavikutty's first book was,Summer in Calcutta.at the age of fortytwo,she published her autobiography,MY STORY which was translated into many foreign languages.i don,t know howmany times i have read that controversial book.Kamala das is famous for her short stories and her autobiography.she honestly discussed and wrote about the sexual desires of indian women.right from the servants of Nalappatu tharavadu to the high-society people inspired her to write the stories.her famous stories are,

Pakshiyude Manam,Neypayasam,Thanuppu,Chandana Marangal.she wrote a few novels among which Neermathalam Pootha Kalam was well received by the public and the crtics alike.and with all love and respects ,the famous writer Sara joseph planted a neermathalam in her courtyard;really touching.

i'm sure a writer never dies.she/he lives through the words in the hearts of the public for ever.

Madhavikutty's Balyakala smaranakal [childhood memories] is simply beautiful.one won't keep the book down till he reaches the last line of it.the simple and straightforward language is amazing.she didn't bother about the society.she was always honest.and for that she was unjustly criticized.nothing changed the intensity of my feelings for her!i didn't miss a chance of knowing her better.i was madly attracted to Aami.

our punnayoorkulam is gifted by natural beauty.and the neermathalam plant of her landed property is world famous,by now.the nagaraja ,the pond and the numerous plants are a feast to the onlookers.ispent my summer holidays in achan's house and i was always proud to say everyone that the world famous writer,Madhavikutty lived in our neighbourhood.Aami got married to Das in this tharavadu.this ancestoral house is demolished now,exactly eleven years before.she used to open the windows of her room to enjoy the fragrance of neermathalam flowers!the plant was a part of her life!

saying good bye to cochin was painful for Kamala das.after shifting to pune to her youngest son,i was really desperate to get her whereabouts.as we were getting pravasi shabdham magazine,i was kept updated.

Kamala Das travelled extensively to read poetry in different universities.she read and the public listend to the words from her heart.

Madhavikutty's husband Mr.Das is no more.she is blessed with three sons and grandchildren!she always wanted her people around her and longed to experience their love!without gender difference and age difference she won the hearts of people all over the world.

Born in a conservative Hindu Nair family having royal ancestory,she ebraced Islam in 1999 at the age of 65and assumed the name Kamala Surayya.i was shocked along with the world.but i got over it within no time.
A great personality like Kamala Das,who is kind,considerate,broadminded,generous and to top it all,so loving influenced me a lot. she is such a beautiful,charming and attractive lady!Aami reminds me a model of RAJA RAVI VARMA PAINTING!i admire alot.to me she was and will be a stunning beauty!
My dearest writer,Aamy is coming back to her beloved land and thousands of people who love her wholeheartedly wait to witness the last journey...........how peaceful the face is!how soft the words were!a real human being who gave away everything she had to the people who approached her!how blessed her life is!the great and famous mother and daughter of Nalappattu Tharavadu!but both of them lived in different world.

Aami,i wanted to hold your hands and tell you,''i love you''.i wanted to see the glow in your eyes.innocence reflected on her face!
with a heavy heart ,tears in my eyes,with respects in my heart, i pray that let the departed soul rest in peace!

KAMALA DAS-31ST MARCH,1934_31st MAY,2009

it's anu signing off................

''I shall pass this way but once;any good,therefore,that i can do or any kindness that i can show to any human being,let me do it now.Let me not defer nor neglect it,for i shall not pass this way again''.

please see that love and peace prevail.let's forget and forgive.

sasneham,
anu

Saturday, May 30, 2009

TastyLinks Saturday

Illustration Copyright Enoch Bolles

This has been a busy and somewhat stressful week. I'm hoping things are a little less chaotic next week...but one never knows! I'm attending Ranger U next weekend and I'm really excited to check out their new products and get my final certification. I'm officially certified in Perfect Pearls and Inks and Embossing Powders. Yes, I'm certifiable.

I subscribe to "Google Alerts" which are little web crawlers that email you whenever key phrases you've submitted are posted on the internet. One popped up in my in-box earlier this week and I followed it to discover I'd gotten a very nice write up on the HGTV Design Happens Blog! Wow! Check it out!

My friend Rachael Strange Morris recommended a site called Instructables to me. I decided to go ahead and create an account because they take absolutely no ownership of your projects. I always read the fine print, some of these websites try to lean in on your rights. I've uploaded one video and I'll get some more stuff up there soon. It's a really cool site...check it out!
I'm on QVC Silver Style tomorrow with three items in the show. It starts at 8am EST!

Here is this week's Linky Love shower from The Crafty Blogger gang with a full platter of TastyLinks for your crafty edification.

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

Cathie Filian Whip up some flirty summer fashions with Cathie as she dyes slips.

Blisstree Arts Cyndi has been featuring some awesome polymer clay artists recently. Check out Dayle Doroshow's work!

Aileen's Musings Are you looking for a new party invitation idea? Aileen has a mini tutorial for a banner invitation in a tin! Stop by and download your own freebie banner!

CraftyPod Sister Diane's been making some interesting stuff with her Cricut and Cuttlebug...

Crafty Princess Diaries Tammy reviews a book that may have answers for your crochet questions.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world Craftside's got the latest episode of the video series Look, Learn & Create with Amy Hanna author of Rejuvenated Jewels, 1 of the tips from the book: 100 Habits of Successful Freelance Designers, a sneak peek in Book-Art with more info about Swap-o-rama-rama at Maker Faire this weekend and how to make a stencil portrait from L. K. Ludwig's book: True Vision.

Cross Stitch at About.com Meet Mr. X Stitch - Learn more about the man who helps put the X in x-stitch. Mr. Cross Stitch aka Jamie Chalmers designs and supports modern Cross Stitch and embroidery.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery Old metal disk earrings get a industrial makeover with help from the new book- Chic Metal by Victoria Tillotson.

The Artful Crafter Eileen shows you how to make beautiful roses from paper clay. Paper clay is fun to work with and very easy on the hands. For this project the only molded shapes you need to make are balls and cones. Then you flatten them to make either rose petals or leaves.

Vickie Howell Download a free Pop Goes Crochet pattern for the "Doris" summer scarf!

The Crochet Dude Kick off summer with Drew's latest free pattern, "Brain Freeze"!

The Impatient Crafter It's Flip Out Flip Flop Summer madness at The Impatient Crafter. DIY a pair of lace up Goddess sandals with Madge!

Friday, May 29, 2009

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP


30th,may,2009

10a.m
saturday










SEEING IS NOT ALWAYS BELIEVING



























good morning !


hey,friends,

the other day i received a forwarded mail from my friend in dubai.


by the end of reading the last line,my eyes were wet.i was so touched and i'm sure you too will be.i was really upset.


with courtesy to my friend,let me share the mail with you.........


while a man was polishing his new car,his four year old son picked some stone and scratched lines on the side of the car.

In anger,the man took the child's hand and hit it many times,not realizing he was using an iron wrench

At the hospital,the child's hand lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures.when the child saw his father,with painful eyes he asked,''Dad when will my fingers grow back''?


The father was so hurt and speechless.he went back to the car and kicked it a lot of times.

Devastated by his own actions,sitting in front of that car,he looked at the scratches.his little son has written,


''LOVE YOU DAD''


The next day that man committed suicide.

MY GOD!i was totally shaken!do we have patience?do we listen?no,we don't have time!finding fault is always easy.do we think twice before we open our mouths?and think of the hurt we cause into small minds.can we measure the little child by the yardstick of our own years?

my friends,it's never late and it's better late than never!the little heart is full of love!let's laugh with kids,cry with them and play with them!can someone give me the marbles?i love playing with them and forget teh stress of life.


let's learn to bite our tongue when impatient words come.tell yourself-''she/he is just a kid''.please don't ask for too much.

before preaching,let me start learning to understand the little minds than condemn them.let me try to figure out why they do what they do.let me develop love,sympathy,tolerance and kindness.


i'm sure,you will agree with me.let the sweet hands hug us and whisper,''good night''.


as the child grows let's remind them,


you are always remembered,


you are still important,


you are still loved,


you are still cared for,


you are still wanted,


there is nothing good or bad,


our thinking makes it so.............


so,friends,let's learn the language of love and use it always.we will be experts in human relations.we can start thinking about the good points of others.then we will be less selfish.


''Every man i meet is superior in some way .in that,i learn of him''.we will give honest and sincere appreciation to others.


let's be ''hearty in our approbation and lavish in our praise''.




the thookanam kuruvikal[small cute birds] are making nests on the coconut leaves...............can we too make our nest ,a paradise?


it's anu signing off.............


friends,if you receive very touching and beautiful mails,please forward it to your friends........


i owe an apology to suresh of kochi.i never wanted to hurt you,with my sharp language.i'm sorry.i don't have your mail id.


have abeautiful and pleasant day..........


enjoy this week end............


please don't wait to give the sweet kiss and a tight hug to all the little ones,the loveliest creation of GOD.
dearest maza and jeevz,wishing you a wonderful and happy birthday.................A BIG GOD BLESS YOU!

:):):):):):):):):):):)


sasneham,


anu





Mangolicious

Image Copyright K. O. Munson



I’ve been working on some big ideas and yesterday one of them was shelved. It’s a really cool idea and I think folks would love it, but at least for the foreseeable future it’s not going to happen. It’s frustrating sometimes knowing that the people in charge of approving your big ideas and getting them out to the masses are often entirely lacking in vision, but what’s a gal to do?

You never quite know if you fit the suit, Johnny Bravo and it’s often got little to nothing to do with your talent. More often than not, it’s one or two people who have decided they want oranges and if you’re a mango you can forget about it. So what do you do when your big ideas get shelved? What do you do if you’re a mango in an orange world? You have a good cry. You feel really bad about your big idea and yourself for a moment or two. You beat yourself up a little for not being taller or smaller or younger or older or curvier or skinnier or more orangish...and then you shout out...as loud as you can...

“SCREW THAT! I AM FABULOUS!”

You have to believe in yourself and your brilliance. You have to be willing to take rejection and keep on moving forward. You have to know that if oranges are popular right now with the ‘not visionaries’ in charge...mangos just might be the next big thing. So be ready to knock their socks off when that day comes...which might be sooner than later because the winds are constantly changing direction.

I have a page from a magazine taped on the shelf next to my desk with ghastly movie reviews of some of the most successful and well loved films in history. This page reminds me that even if you’re not everyone’s cup of tea...if you make great tea someone will love it. Maybe lots of folks will love it, but no matter how delicious you are someone will think you tasteless. C’est la vie. It’s a damn good thing Elvis didn’t listen to the person who told him to keep driving trucks...and Hemingway kept trying to sell books after over a hundred rejection letters...and Dr. Seuss didn’t listen to the children’s book publishers who thought his books too weird for the masses...because without that tenacity and self-belief the world would have missed out. All because some ‘not visionaries’ were looking for oranges instead of mangos.

I’ve got some other big ideas simmering right now and I do believe that one of them is going to cook up really nicely. Onward and upwards. Success happens when the right big idea and the right visionaries come together at the right moment. I’m a mango and I’m going to be as mangolicious as possible because when it’s my time to shine I’ll be ready.

I’m mangolicious. How about you?

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Flip Out Flip Flop Summer Free Craft Project from The Impatient Crafter Margot Potter


When I was a kid, rubber flip-flops worn anywhere but at the beach or on the boardwalk were considered to be the height of tacky. Somehow we’ve become so utterly casual that rubber flip-flops are everywhere these days. They’re flipping through the office corridors. They’re flopping along the shopping malls. They’re slapping and slopping their way into every location...even in the dead of winter.

Flip. Flop. Slap. Slop.

So...am I okay with that?!

Honestly? On one level I’m horrified and on the other I’m sitting here typing in a pair of rubber flip-flops so who the heck am I to judge?! Besides anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE shoes!

I’ve taken to the DIY Flip-Flop route after sizing up the price points of the upscale variety online and at the mall. When my daughter and I were shopping she mentioned wanting lace-up flip flops and I put on my thinking cap to make it happen. Here’s the 411 on The Goddess Flip-Flops...and stay tuned because this is the first installment in the Flip Out Flip Flop Summer™ Series!

Goddess Flip-Flops
Flip Out Flip Flop Summer™
Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Tie on these saucy sandals when you want to release your inner Goddess. The laces minimize the flip-flop sound to make them a skootch more office friendly.

Materials
Black Rubber Flip Flops from Old Navy
Pair of long hi-top style shoe laces in light grey
24 black grommets
2 swirl pattern grungeboard by tim holtz™ sheets
2 8mm 5002 crystal AB (001 ab) CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements beads
2 20 gauge silver plated head pins
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line paint in charcoal black
Ranger Adirondack pigment ink pad in snow cap
Inkadinkado Flourish Stamp 96253-P
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line paint brush
White pen (to mark hole placement)
Hello Kitty® Daisies Bigz™ Die
Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue

Tools
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
Chain nose pliers
Crop-A-Dile™
Ruler
Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine
Bead reamer or other drill with 1/16” bit

1. Die cut your grungeboard by tim holtz™ flowers using the Sizzix Big Shot and the Hello Kitty Die. Make two cut sheets.

2. Paint the four smaller flowers black and allow them to dry.



3. Use snow cap pigment ink to stamp flourishes on surface of flowers.



4. Allow to dry.

5. Glue flowers together.

6. Drill a small hole in the center of each flower.

7. Thread each flower with a beaded head pin.


8. Bend pin flush to the back of your flower and cut to approximately ¼”.


9. Use largest part of round nose pliers to create a large loop at the back of each flower.



10. Measure your straps and mark six evenly placed spots for holes on each side. Make the front holes close to the strap fronts and your final hole should rest on the lower side of your foot.

11. Use your Crop-a-Dile on the larger setting to punch out your holes. (You can opt for a hole punch here.)


12. Set your grommets with the Crop-a-Dile. (You can use a grommet setting tool here.)



13. Thread a lace into the underside of the outside of one of your flip flops and lace through the holes until you reach the center.

14. Thread under over, under and over the toe portion of the flip flop criss-crossing the lace into a small x.

15. Continue lacing down the outside of the flip flop until you reach the final hole.


16. Repeat for second flip flop.

17. Open and thread the looped flower into the top lace in the x design at the front of each flip flop. Secure closed.

18. Lace on your new creations and go have some fun already will ya?!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Embracing Our Flaws

Image Copyright Enoch Bolles


I have flip flops to design, books to review, emails to send, projects to make for my new book and yet...I feel like writing about something else today. So there, straw pile!

Tonia Davenport posted
a provocative blog that got me thinking. I like to think, but it can be so distracting, can’t it? Tonia was discussing meeting ourselves where we are instead of comparing ourselves to others and I think that’s a point worth exploring.

It is easier to see the flaws in the tapestry than it is to grasp the beauty in the overall design. The key to success is in celebrating our strengths and more importantly in seeing the infinite potential in the things we perceive as weakness. The ‘flaws’ just might be the point and they definitely contribute something incredibly important to the totality of who we are.

The Impatient Crafter™ began in an email I sent to my husband when I finally and fully accepted that I am innately lazy. This laziness or impatience (or if I’m feeling like a Zen master-my desire to pursue the path of least resistance) deeply informs my creativity. If I can find a way to do something faster, easier and more simply, I will do it. If I can get there sooner and get on to the next idea but still have a rich and fulfilling journey and a worthwhile result, sign me up! So does that really make me lazy or does that make me innovative? Am I a sea slug or am I a visionary?


Does my not wanting to spend a month on one design make me impatient? Yes, yes it does.

Is that impatience a virtue? In my case, yes. Yes, it is.

Tonia brought up a great point and its one worth contemplating deeply. These things we see as personal flaws aren’t really flaws at all. In shifting our perspective we can see them as unique personal traits that can unlock opportunities.

We tend to be our own harshest critics and most failure to succeed begins with self flagellation that is followed by the failure to attempt. Many of us are far more afraid of the possibility of success than we are of the comfort of failure. If we create success...we are making a bigger splash in the pool and those splashes create waves and those waves create ripples and those ripples expand outward and make change. Change is scary.

If we don’t ever try...we won’t have to deal with the complications that result from succeeding.

Plus we all have that inner critic pecking away at our self esteem.

Next time the inner critic starts harping on you about something, see if there isn’t a gift disguised as a flaw in the topic of that diatribe. Crack the nut and see what’s inside. Turn that inner critic into your personal alarm bell for worthwhile possibilities.

The more we become ourselves without excuse or shame or fear, the richer and more fulfilling our journey will be. There are as many pathways to joy as there are people walking them.

Carpe Gaudium.

xoxo
Madge

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

True Craft Confession


The winner of last week's contest is: Julie Otte. Congratulations! Your prize will be on its way to you soon!

Yesterday I fully intended to relax, but instead I took on a project that's been lingering on the side lines of my studio for a while. During the better part of the afternoon I destroyed a metal bobbin case, a needle and an entirely innocent spool of thread. Take that, sewing implements! After many juicy expletives, a flurry of stray threads and wayward straight pins and more than a few temper tantrums...I ended up with two not too shabby curtain panels. They actually turned out to be pretty cute, but when you factor in the time, the broken items and the cost of the gorgeous Alexander Henry fabric (and the original novelty fabric I purchased at Reprodepot that didn't work out when I measured the first set of panels wrong)...well I'd probably have been better off not DIYing this project. My sewing machine has some seriously finicky tension, even my pal Jenny Harada had problems getting it to work properly. So it's not just user error...at least not entirely! I was determined to get these curtains finished no matter how frustrating the effort became and thankfully I persevered. I measured twice and I cut once (okay actually twice because they were a little too long the first time!) I think they pull the kitchen together beautifully. Huzzah!

(It's dark and dreary here today so I wasn't able to get a great pic, but you get the idea! I may double up the panels and sew two more, haven't decided if I'm ready for that yet!)

Now I have to buckle up and get to work on my new book. I had to take on some freelance work last week that got me a little behind schedule, but until mid-August all of my attention is going to be on pumping this book out. Don't even think of asking me for anything else because I've got to put the nose to the old grindstone here.

Stay tuned for the first installment in my 'Flip Out Flip Flop Summer project series'. I've also got some book reviews to share soon. Until then...craft on with your bad selves!

xoxo
Madge

Monday, May 25, 2009

Happy Memorial Day!


Happy Memorial Day to my American readers! A heartfelt and sincere thank you to all of the brave men and women who fought (and many of whom died) for our freedom. My greatest dream is that one day, the human race will look back at the brutality, futility and absurdity of war and wonder how we ever participated in such madness.

"Imagine all the people...living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us. Then the world will live as one." John Lennon

On a totally unrelated note...stay tuned for my first installment in my series on DIY flip-flops starting this week! I'll announce the winner of last week's contest tomorrow, today I'm taking the day off.

Love
Madge

Saturday, May 23, 2009

TastyLinks™ Saturday


We hit the local weekly flea market today. My husband and I used to be quite the bargain hunters, but living in a big old school house without closets or much storage has curtailed our junking habits. Well...it’s curtailed his habits, I still seek out old paper and vintage jewelry with a vengeance. Today I bent hubby’s arm after we spied a cool cabinet on the road side and went in to investigate further. We checked out the scene and I scored some great ephemera...Victorian postcards, a vintage children’s book, a never used tracing set from the 30s with some great cartoons and we got three super deals on furniture pieces.

Since then we’ve been knee deep in potting soil. We’re getting a very late start this year...the weather wasn’t working in our favor until today. The veggies are planted, now we’re on to the flowers. I can’t wait for the part when it all starts growing. Yay! We just need to keep those pecky chickens out of everything...

We were delighted to see our Amish neighbors have their strawberry stand back up. There is nothing as scrumptious as a fresh from the ground strawberry. You have to love something so mouthwateringly good AND so good for you! YUMMY! I will be on full force strawberry overload for the next few weeks until they’re all sold out.

Speaking of yummy...here’s this week’s heapin’ helpin’ of TastyLinks™! TastyLinks™ are all the best blogs...all the best blogs wrapped up...in...one!

Here’s a little linky love for dynamic design diva and TV host Kathy Peterson who posted a blurb about our shoot for The Balancing Act on her blog today! Thanks Kathy!

Check out this fab blog from artist Leigh Ann Tenant chock full of great ideas called The Object Project.


Here’s what the Crafty Bloggers gang have brewed up this week:

Aileen's Musings
Get your groove on with Aileen's tie-dyed deli paper background technique. While your at it download her freebie fractal backgrounds!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
How do you brand yourself and your business? Alexa shares how she brands herself and offers some helpful marketing and graphic design ideas to help you build yours!

Blisstree Arts
Many of Cyndi's favorite Photoshop tricks!

Cathie Filian
Forget about "gone fishing" signs and "golf anyone" trinket boxes. Grab some fabric paints, freezer paper, iron-ons and get creative making one-of-a-kind fashions for your pop, pal or hubby.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has the first in their how to video series, Look, Learn & Create with this week's guest Christi Friesen author of Polymer Clay and Mixed-Media Together at Last, as well as some inspiration and tips for working in series, wordless journaling and a free deer stencil from the new book The Art of Paper Cutting with a how-to for a pattern slider card.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy shows off an oldie but goodie, her old Kenmore sewing machine.

CraftyPod
Sister Diane shares some tips for using Twitter and Facebook to market a creative business.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Connie's Grandmother was a quilter and she's created a special chart to memorialize her. Stitch it up for the quilter in your life.

Naughty Secretary Club
Inspired by Marty Stevens-Heebner’s new book Altered Shoes, Jen gives a pair of white cotton Mary Janes a full makeover.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie's cross stitched up the 7 deadly sins in Latin with a scissor accent and gives you the pattern so you can make it too!

The Crochet Dude
Drew talks about what could be better than a crochet cruise to the Caribbean!

The Impatient Crafter
Madge is giving away a melange of beads from her Bead Board of Wonders and shares a fun mixed media project!

Vickie Howell
Create earth-friendly vases out of re-used mason jars & twine. This one's for both knitters and crafters alike!

SMILE PLEASE.............


WILL YOU GIVE ME A SMILE?























friends,
before you start reading my post,please put on the best smile of yours.....................
Look at the two phases of life!the cute little baby and the loving old grandmother!i wanted to share the images and value based thoughts with you.
truly said,the smile causes happiness and peace around.it costs us nothing.still,we hardly smile.why?
how beautiful we look when we flash a smile!and the smile should come from our heart!please smile and cause a smile today.....you will be blessed.this is the best gift we can give to others.........the ice melts,the uncomfortable feeling disappears and we get relaxed.a bond is built.can we deny the magic it performs?it diffuses stressful situations.it eases the tensions.allow your smile to flow...............
look at nature.the leaves around us change their colours,the buds smile and bloom,the lush green trees,the bright sun rays,the flowing streams,the chirping birds,the blue sky.......................there are numerous reasons to smile.
the rain will fall softly;the wind will blow.nature is a beautiful gift.let's take time to enjoy this beauty and start smiling.
please don't deny your child the love of his grandparents.they are safe in the lap of grandparents.let them sing the lullabies once again and narrate the bed-time stories.once again,let them enjoy the childhood........nothing can replace that love,care and attachment!they forgive us wholeheartedly for the wounds we caused!they bring a change to our whole world.
this love is unconditional.they share aprecious bond.there are no pressures to perform,no expectations to be fulfilled.there is only the warmth,love and sharing.....she held himclose to her bosom with her trembling hands and he hung to her...

''every time you think a thankful thought,
you connect your life to more abundance.
everything for which you are grateful,
takes on added value as a result of your gratitude
blessed funday to enjoy.........................''
my little star,i think of you fondly for everything you do to make us smile and i love you dear,for that....i'm lost without your smile......maza is doing that now.
and grandma,lots of love to you for the happy memories..............you have given me a world of dreams.
it's anu signing off..........
friends,i want to thank you all for the smile you have caused.........
hoping everyday of your life ahead is full of smiles..............i send you a basket piled with flowers of smiles from trichur.ask yourself,''when did i last smile?'
'
thank you dear friend,for the time you spare to bring a smile on my face daily morning since long.miracles do happen.whenever i write a post the right quote and image reach me from chennai as morning mail.he doesn't know i'm writing apost or i'm in search of an image.unbelievable,na?here is a sample of the latest mail.
''sun glows for day,candle for an hour,match stick for a minute,but a good smile can glow for ever.smile as much as you can and make others laugh as much as you wish.''
how did he know i'm writing a post on smile?is it telepathy?
and many thanks to my friend who sends me smiles from across the seas every night and sees that a smile still lingers on my lips while sleeping..the best gift i received during my holidays is this friend from far away.......
''smile and the world smiles with you''.we will make the world smile with our smile.i really hope you agree with me.
wishing you good night and sweet dreams,
Just the way a rain drop brings hope to a
dying flower,
Your smile might bring hope to someone who
is lost...
Give the world your best smile,
Today, tomorrow and everyday
sasneham,
Just the way a rain drop brings hope to a
dying flower,
Your smile might bring hope to someone who
is lost...
Give the world your best smile,
Today, tomorrow and everyday
sasneham,
anu

Friday, May 22, 2009

Viral Marketing with Madge

Howdy Pardners!

This has been one of those weeks where the things I've put out there started to congeal suddenly and without warning! I'm all over the interwebs these days and it's been a huge boost for me professionally. The more you can get yourself out there in terms of internet PR, the better your chances of connecting with the right people. I know sometimes my family and friends scratch their heads at the time I spend on viral marketing. It's not like I get paid to make my videos or write this blog or Twitter or FaceBook market. The pay off is in the amount of searchable information that's out there about me.
Earlier this week I got an unexpected and exciting email from someone who was doing internet research and kept finding my work, my videos and my information popping up. They were duly impressed, which is a good thing! So now I'm up for a very cool opportunity because I put myself out there. If it actually happens, I'll let you in on the details.

It's not enough to just have a blog or a website, it's about how many ways you can connect yourself. I call this the "Googleability Factor." It's important. No one is going to discover you sitting at a lunch counter or blogging in the wind. The chances of them finding you increase exponentially if you put yourself out there as much as possible and if you create connections. It's crucial that you do so in a productive way, meaning everything you do should reflect your brand.


Who are you?

What do you want to build?

How do you want other people to perceive you and your work?


Ask yourself these questions over and over again.
Then ask yourself if what you're about to put out there reflects your answers. Don't put pictures of yourself surrounded by empty beer bottles, three sheets to the wind and mackin' on your best friend on the net. That isn't going to serve your brand...unless your brand is Drunkin' Idiot. Which could work for some folks I suppose. There's also such a thing as the 'over share.' Ask yourself before you blog, tweet or post on FB if what you're about to say is more than anyone really needs to know...unless the 'over share' is part of your brand. Shock value has its merits and can certainly get you noticed. I admittedly 'over share' on occasion-to a degree. If it's not going to help you sell brand you, it's not worth it. There's a whole generation of people who are going be surprised when it comes time to job hunt that those half naked Spring Break pics and the sexting they've been doing might become problematic.

I have to tweak my message on a regular basis. I'm here on the internet to build something. Everything I do has to serve that...and a big part of my brand and my message is transparency. I also hold back far more than I reveal, I'm selective.

Think deeply and often about your message and how to best get it out there. The internet is a powerful medium. Use it well and use it wisely my friends!

And now I have a couple of fun links to share!

Here's a guest blog post I wrote for Craft for Health that went live yesterday.

Here's a link to an interview I did with the delightful folks from The Vintage Indie Blog that posted yesterday.

I'm honored to have two designs in the upcoming book Steampunk Style by Jean Campbell. The roster of artists who've contributed is impressive and I can't wait to see it! Here's a link to the Amazon page with the 411.

I've also got a design slated for the intriguing new book Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton. Check out their Facebook Fan Page with lots of fun stuff to explore!

The folks from Create Your Style posted info about Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed by yours truly, Fernando DaSilva and Katie Hacker on their site. Check it out here!

Until tomorrow...craft on with your bad selves...and remember you're not just making crafts...you're crafting your reality.

xoxo
Madge

Thursday, May 21, 2009

American Idol...yeah I got sucked in.


I admit it.

Even though I mostly don't watch TV I got totally sucked into the American Idol season this round. Why? Because I heart Adam Lambert. Plus my kid is performing now and it gave us something over which to bond...we both heart Adam.

The following post has absolutely nothing to do with crafts, but check out the crafty goodness in Adam's outfits in these pics! He obviously knows his way around a glue glun and the glitter aisle!



I'm an actor, a theatre geek and a former front person for several bands. I have always been a believer in putting on a great show. If you're just going to stand there in an old t-shirt and wrinkled jeans, meh. Being a crafty gal, I was always making funky outfits to wear onstage. It's SHOW BUSINESS...give a little razzle-dazzle AND back it up with some kick ass vocals and I'm all over it! Spruce it up a little, look like you actually made an effort!

Kris is a talented, handsome and utterly endearing young man. He wasn't the best vocalist or performer in the competition, but I do give him props for playing instruments, arranging music and staying true to himself. I understand why he won because he's quintessential teen idol material and Adam is unapologetically androgynous which makes him rock star material. It's like Pat Boone versus Elvis...or Donny Osmond versus David Bowie...apples to oranges and both have their merits.

For all of the blather about Adam being too over the top...he was the most polite contestant I've ever seen on the show. People are saying Kris was unassuming, but Adam was too. Everytime he performed he took time to thank the band and he was absolutely gracious in defeat last night. His confidence never reeked of smugness or self satisfaction, he was always incredibly polite when taking feedback. They both seem like genuinely nice guys and they're polar opposites in terms of their performance styles. Viva la difference!

I'm quite sure they're both going to be just fine.

I have been blathering on and on to my family about how Adam should have done a Queen song on the show and quite frankly I wish he'd have sung alone with Queen instead of Kiss. He's got that Freddie Mercury/Robert Plant rock star swagger. Theatrical?! Uh, yeah. That's the idea. He was a champion last night for sure. If only he'd have sung Killer Queen...I'd have been in glam rock heaven.

Oh and that shoulder dealio he had on last night with Kiss?! What the?! AWESOME! I want to make one!

I know that he's not everyone's cup of tea. Looking at these photos I can see he actually did try to tone it down for AI, but I'm glad he stayed true to his inner glamazon! I hope he has an amazing career and gets to make the kind of music he loves, put on incredible live shows and that he gets to act too. He's the true triple threat.




Actually he's incredibly lucky that he doesn't have to sing that insipidly nauseating mountain/hurricane/higher/deeper cliche ridden song as his first single.

So there's that!

Okay rant concluded.

You are free to disagree with me...but you're wrong.

So there.

Ha ha.

xoxo
Madge

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Real Secret

Image Copyright Enoch Bolles
"When negotiating, you have to be a pirate AND a diplomat"

Over the past five years I have worked tirelessly to create a presence online, on-air and in print. It’s been an incredible amount of work and blood, sweat and plenty of tears. It’s been triumph and it’s been tragedy and it’s been a wild, wild ride. Five years ago I was a woman who had exhausted her options, sitting in my kitchen at a tiny table between my refrigerator and my stove, fully believing in my talents, tenacity and vision and sending out signals into the galaxy via my computer.

"Hello, hello, hello is there anybody in there?" Pink Floyd

Had ANYONE told me that I’d be an author, consultant and a design expert ten years ago, I’d have guffawed heartily. I had other plans. I was going to be an actress. In the theater and on film. But like all of the best laid plans of mice and men, real life has a funny way of intervening.

It took a long, long year for me to reinvent myself, but I created something tangible and it was unfolding beautifully. Then suddenly after five years of unfolding ...inexplicably...everything came to a full stop. You literally could have heard a pin drop in my studio.

We were all there, something about the economy...she says with her tongue planted firmly in her porcelain cheek...

I was casting my line all over the place and not even getting a nibble. I was trying to figure out how to reinvent myself, yet again. Then without a warning notice it all went into hyper speed. If only I could create pockets of time and take those slower periods and add them into these crazy times so it evened out. Alas and alack, I’ve neither been able to defy the laws of physics nor bend the time-space continuum to suit my needs.

If you figure it out, let me know.

So it’s looking like I’ve got my work cut out for me for the next few months and I’m hoping I can manage to juggle all of the balls without dropping any or many. It’s almost summertime and my kid really wants to spend her summer with me rather than at Camp Snoopy...so there’s that. That’s important. She’s a big part of why I do what I do. She’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that when I start feeling self important or special or I neglect to connect because “I’m busy doing something important.” It’s very easy to forget that what we do does not define us. How we love and are loved in return is the full measure of our existence.

The rest is just the stuff we do to mark time.

Well...and if we’re smart...the rest is what we do to pay it forward, to love and celebrate ourselves, to explore our passions and to bring that joy we’ve sown back into the love we give to others.

Now there’s the rub.

I’m balancing the things that matter with the things that pay the mortgage and trying to find some semblance of normal in this reality and these dreams I’m spinning with the straw. Is it turning gold or merely turning?

That remains to be seen.

Here's the real secret. It's not enough to dream big dreams. Dream big dreams and then get up each and every day and take the small steps towards them. Even when you feel like nothing is working, keep taking steps. It's when you think that nothing is working, that those seeds you planted are beginning to quietly sprout beneath the surface.

1. Do what you love.

2. Do something for which you have a true proclivity.

3. Be willing to do the hard work to make it real.

I can’t quite resist a resounding “WOO HOO!”

Yeah, I said it and I meant it...but I’m not ever taking myself or reality seriously...and if I start to do so please feel free to shower me with raspberries...and not the tasty kind.

“Human folly does not impede the turning of the stars.” Tom Robbins

xoxo,
Madge

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

FRAGRANCE OF LOVE!











































A TAJ MAHAL FOR YOU!


BASED ON A TRUE LOVE STORY

''To the world you may be just one person,but to one person you may be the world''.



This post is dedicated to all those who are young at heart and who can feel the most beautiful feeling,love.
so,hold on to your seats and take a deep breath!

hello,friends,

i have reasons to smile and by now you know,anu has started smiling even at small and silly happenings!hey,but this is an occasion to celebrate.i'm completing half century in the world of blogging.i want to thank each and every friend, reader,well wisher for taking time to read my posts and encourage me.i value your suggestions.

really,without your support,i wouldn't have reached this milestone of writing.

let me be happy!i'm living and reliving my dreams!my mind is filled with delight.let me glow like a pearl.do you wonder?anu is like this,simple and silly.she wants to tell you a heartening incident this time................


hey, a must- read.



There was a time when he was not in her life

she was so romantic by nature,

always with a refreshing smile on her lips,
and a dream in her mind.

but,there was no romance.

she had a heart full of sweet nothings ,

which she wanted to whisper in his ears.

she wanted to be synderella and suhra,

to be, the heroines of the books she read.

she longed for his caring loving touch,

night after night she waited for that,

but she could never hear his footsteps.

again and again the flowers kept on falling,

the jasmine,the champak and the pavizhamalli.

days turned into months and months to years ,
there was no sign of him,

and she lost her hope.

she thought the sun had set on her dreams.

suddenly, one day he appeared from nowhere,

her prince charming,with dreamy eyes,

she could see an ocean of love in his eyes;


and she was told,''life is beautiful'',

she was frozen with thrill .

softly,he brushed her cheeks,

holding her face between his hands.

slowly he leaned towards her,

and gently embraced her!

a dream or reality?she was confused.

she bloomed like a jasmine branch!

he had to leave and go back after his holidays,

she was shattered in his absence.

she could hear the soft voice,

so loving and caring it was,

and the picture was perfect as in her dream.

the birds again started singing hymns,

the music flowed and she told her mind,

''you must be kidding'',

and she cried in disbelief!

hope the fences of life won't bar the way to reach him,

the man of her dreams of years

let her play her flute again,

hope the melody reaches you across the seas.

he gifted her these cool raindrops,

into the draughtness of her life.

he has brought the spring for her

and the flowering branches filled with fragrance.

her heart has found its own raga,

his smile has touched her by intoxication,

her jasmine blooms with maddening smell,

let her save the dreams forever!

he gave the poetry to her voice.

an unheard song is always sweeter,

they can hear each other in silence.

what a divine feeling,

what a pleasant turning point!

she doesn't know about future,

whether storms are in store for her!

for they belong to different status.

she has the winning feeling now.

and she feels good in life.

when she stands at the crossroads of life,

hey,romeo,reach her before

the last rays of falling dusk.

across the ocean can't you hear,

the tinkles of love ,

ringing in her mind?

once more let her tune the strings of her sitar,

and once more let her sing,

the song of love just for him.

a rising chant mounts to the skies-

can you hear it says,''I LOVE YOU!''

the crashing waves are her morning alarm,

the lush green trees give her shade.

hope gives strength to her mind.

she knows her dreams won't be broken off,

when she is building a TAJ MAHAL for him.


wondering who are they?

she is suhra and he is her majnu.

it's anu signing off.................
with a special dedication to majnu,the following lines are for you.
''when i looked into darkness,
the world was void of light.
i could hear the waves lapping,
but not a ray in sight,
then slowly the water turned into gold,
as the sun came on the horizon,
my heart jumped with glee,
And all thoughts of despair faded into oblivion''.

''sometimes you put up walls not to keep people out,but to see who cares enough to break them down.''

good night and sweet dreams!

sasneham,

anu