Im still here just.....Distracted

Hello all

Sorry
Work has introduced its self into my life once more and I have been very busy hope to catch up soon!

It not all sarees you know, there is also Henna

I am also quite fond of henna, I love looking at some of the Mehndi patterns and the flowing artwork. I have spent some time trying to create my own but with not a lot of luck, I cannot create my own flow and always end up having to copy something I’ve seen. There is also a distinct lack of people to practice on and there is only so much you can do on your self.

Early self applied henna

I apply henna on special occasions such as my birthday, Nivratri, Diwali and Christmas, but of a mixture I know, but why not! But a lot like my cooking the boyfriend has barged in, taken over and turns out to be a lot better at it than I am!

One of the boyfriends busy creations

So far I have been buying pre made henna already in the tube, it’s a bit hit and miss and I have not yet found a brand that I have got on with. There is some powder in the cupboard and its just waiting for me to mix it my self but I have not yet found the time or the courage to try and make my own tube!

My boyfriend allows me to practice on him but strictly no flowers which are not much help, but I am getting rather good at the Koi Carp!

I love the full on bridal henna and would love to have it up my arms and legs one day traditional on the inside of my arm and a more modern look on the outside. I love the idea of a Mehndi party one day.

One of my work colleges daughters kindly applied it to my arm one day and I have been in love with it ever since

Unemployment looms but there is always….

Well. If I am made unemployed this year I have got another job lined up in Candem market. There is a pitch for the saree workshop. A space you can enter. Be shown how to put on a saree, have a professional photo taken at a fee and the option to purchase/order one if you have caught the bug. It also provides me with an excellent opportunity to wear one every day all day. So Candem watch out!

Trip to the theater was with out saree, or Irregular choice shoes. I don't think Bill Bailey noticed.

The saree I would most like to buy this month is

Photo from http://www.sareez.com/

This is currently for sale for RS 21,366.90 which is $474 and in EUROS 363 approx £345
in other words VERY EXPENSIVE.


But look at it, isn't it wonderful! I love that huge red border along the bottom, and the smaller gold border running along the top of the saree. I love the contrast between the blue wrap and then the white coming across it.


My green and cream saree has this sort of affect and its very hard (for me) to get the part where it changes from cream to green in the right place. I would love to see how this saree is put together. i.e. where the blue stops and the white starts, especially if I was to spend this much on it.


What I love most about this saree is the blouse, the sleeves have a fabric that is not in the saree, its odd but it works, sorry the photo does not show it too well how ever If you click it it will take it to the web page.


It must be wonderful to have the money to spend on something so wonderful, sadly, that sort of money is more useful for keeping a roof over my head!


No harm in dreaming!


Many thanks to www.sareez.com to allow me to use their images if anyone owns this please tell me all about it!

I'm Alive!

Despite having a rotten cold over the Christmas period I still managed to have a great time.

The silk sari that was being held hostage for Christmas is wonderful. Thick, heavy and so smooth, and very hard to pleat. I used four large pleats and that seamed to work very well.

No photo yet however will post as soon as I get one taken, It may even get an outing to see Bill Baily Dandilion mind in London this weekend

Season’s greetings from the UK

I feel like a pompous, ignorant, uneducated fool.

At least I can comfort my self that yes; I did know that England at one point ruled India. Why, when and how is the bit I am not too sure on.

It is easy to throw my anger at my school, why did I not have a decent history lesson or a decent any lesson for that matter. Why was every class dominated by unruly pupils, the worst culprit being now quite big in the porn industry and the other culprits riding the benefit systems.

Its easy to blame the school and then I could blame the TV maybe they should stop running all these documentaries about forensic evidence of Christ and how a tennis racket is made and run something that might educate us Brits in something that happened not so long ago.

Exactly what did I learn in History? I cannot think of a single thing not one, vague recollections of medieval torture. I remember the great British plague and the great British fire every thing in history seams to be the Great British something. But what about the great British reign of India?

There have been hints of it as I grew up I guess, Mary Poppins for example, how the British economy was built on the East India Trading Company, Pirates of the Caribbean and also spotting Indian fabrics in stately homes.

I have a theory. Maybe what I did learn in history disturbed me so much I just blotted it out of my mind to protect my self from the cruelty of early Britain. I mean if having a king who killed his wife’s and divided religion even more wasn’t bad enough. But the truth is I have not had any formal lessons in any thing to do with the British Empire.

Recently a friend in India stated that that the Indians have a soft spot for the English because of the reign. It made me think. Why the soft spot? What on earth did we do except exploit recourses, labour and divide and rule with some devastating consequences. And of course shoot men, women children and tigers.

I guess there are always the trains, science and languages and it certainly made the stuffed animal collection grow in the Natural History museum, but really, was it worth it? To me it looks like the English came, wrecked, hung on for far too long and ran away with their tail between their legs.

I have not yet studied it fully and I know it will not be a pleasant learning, and what I have so far have found has made me feel uncomfortable being a Brit who is enjoying learning about Indian culture to find that possibly a late ancestor was overseas pinching ivory and exploiting the land and its people. Not a nice feeling.

My boyfriend is constantly reminding me of the fact that I am not Indian; I have never understood that until now, “of course I know I’m not Indian! what do you mean?” I ask him.

The rose tinted glasses have not slipped from my Indian closet, they are not firmly on my nose either, and however they have fallen off at my English one. And it has certainly stirred up some horrid memories from my school days!