The Art shop

Shifting to Pune from Bombay was a tough decision to make 9 years back. There are still times when i feel Bombay to be more like my place than here and there are times when i cant thank myself enough for shifting!

Over the years i have been on my little journey discovering and finding new places/ stores/ restaurants/ getaways of my interest and i keep discovering something new every time i step out!

One such place that i found was ' THE ART SHOP'. 

A lovely store tucked away on Baner Pashan link road. The store was started by a couple Devesh and Amisha in 2010. Devesh had always loved art and thought that some day when he retires he will open an art store! well it did happen earlier than that !

Devesh travels all over India and hand picks the pieces for his store. The store has an amalgamation of art, artifacts, ceramics, jewellery, outdoor furniture and home furnishings. 

 From Brass Buddha's to Ganesha's you are sure to find metal in all forms in the store and to match them are a range tastefully lotus printed cushions.

Tea light holders and embroidered cushions in whites and beige are my favorites at the store.

Small boxes, tableware and lamps in blue pottery of Jaipur are perfect gifts for any occasion. 

If you are an outdoor person and love to spend time in your balcony, terrace or patio, do visit them for their durable, all weather outdoor furniture. Devesh will be happy to show you the wide range of chairs, swings, loungers available and guess what they will be happy to customize the furniture to your preference.

 And to ice the cake they are introducing a section for home furnishing this weekend ! 

The Art Shop now houses beautiful curtains made in hand woven cotton which are block printed by artisans in Kolkata; They now house drapes in silk, woven jacardes, cotton and silk blends, chanderi and yes the list goes on. 

There is an array of cushions to select from - They have cotton silks, silks, embroidered, hand block printed, cottons and many more. 

Among all of this you are sure to find bed linen, bed covers, throws, table mats, table cloths and table runners.

The list can go on but i would highly recommend you to visit this lovely space and experience it yourself. 

Do visit over the weekend and  i assure you , you will find something for your lovely homes. 

The address is - 

THE ART SHOP 

Shop no 2, Regent Plaza, Baner Pashan link road, Behind Symantec, Pune. 

Let me know what you bought and what you liked !!

Baking makes me Happy !!

I keep running around like a headless chicken all day long for my work and by the end of the day all i can think of is my couch, my TV remote in my hand and a bowl full of soup

(which i can just gulp down my throat and fill my belly). 

Nevertheless when the master-chef in me wakes up from its slumber i do indulge a bit of cooking and baking ! So yesterday was one such day ! i decided to make a CARROT CAKE !

As Donna Hayes would say it it was FAST FRESH and SIMPLE !!

so here is what i used and did. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup normal olive oil 

2 table spoons walnuts - broken by hand into bits 

2 cups of grated carrots

1/2 cup raisins/sultanas

3/4 cup of coarsely ground sugar

1 tea spoon vanilla extract/essence

3 eggs 

2 1/2 cups of plain flour ( you can do some portion of almond meal if you like the cake a                                           little grainy )

1 tea spoon of baking powder

Method:

In a food processor (you can also also mix with a whisk or hand blender) whisk the oil and sugar to make a creamy paste, then add the eggs and vanilla and whisk further. Add the flour, baking powder, carrots and the raisins to the mixture. The mixture looks like a sticky dough. 

Pre heat the oven to 250 degrees and line your baking tin with baking paper( trust me this is the best thing to do, your tin comes out clean and you don't have to scrape the edges of the sticky dough), add a little butter / oil to the baking tin and pour your mixture and add the walnuts on top. Bake in the over at 250 degrees for 25 mins or till your skewers come out clean. 

Let it cool and take it our of the tin. 

                                           

I used a small tin to bake the cake and the left over mixture i used in my cupcake molds to make yummy carrot muffins !

P.S. if you are not patient with the oven you can micro the same mixture in a microwave safe container for 8 mins and get a soft yummy carrot cake !

Do share with me your recipes too !!

Multifaceted Trays

Till sometime back there was nothing exciting or even remotely interesting about TRAYS for me. In the recent past i was researching online for a project and happened to come across a few images which changed my perception of TRAYS.

For the longest time i used trays only to serve water, tea or some snacks. In this post i am sharing with you the many ways in which trays can be used to organize and beautify our existing spaces.

You can use leather tray like this one to organize your study space and with the addition of a  frame to match. it makes a statement in the room.

If you are a coffee/ tea lover these wooden trays placed in the corner of your kitchen platform can be used to keep your java handy and of course you can carry it to your living room to serve in style.

For all my friends who love their washrooms as much as any other corner of the house.Stack your towels, maybe some flowers and candles and some fragrant lotions in a smart leather tray on your counter sink and lift your washroom's spirit !

You love succelents and indoor plants ? plant them in these wooden trays medled with a few candles and they are sure to make a great center piece for your dining table !

Pretty coffee tables deserve a pretty tray in which you can place a few books, some fresh flowers and a few candles and voila your table cud'nt look better !

 You have a reading corner in your room or like to snuggle up with a book and your cuppa these lovely trays are a must for you to carry around or place them on your beds, window ledges and coffee tables. 

I hope you enjoyed the tray journey with me  ! Do share with me images about your usage of trays in your homes !!

 You can write to me here 

Do visit my facebook page here to see more trays !