My Achievements And Plans

Before the year ends and we ring in the new year with new dreams in our eyes, I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to my family, friends, fellow bloggers, all my wonderful clients, happy customers and lovely readers out there for their unwavering support, unabating encouragement and eternal love. I am completely overwhelmed with gratitude for each one of you, yes!! if you are reading this then you too :) You all are a part of my successful blogging career!! 

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!!

Expressing gratitude is a wonderful thing. Read my last year's blog on Gratitude and you will start believing in my statement!! That's why every year I take a moment to express gratitude.
I started writing my blog in October 2010 and it has been a fascinating journey thus far. Six years and 3D is still going strong. Let me start with some of the sweet notes I received from my dear readers during this beautiful journey. Such messages keep me going!!

Aren't these messages so encouraging and heartwarming. You are my biggest strength dear readers, you light up my life in so many ways and you all are one of the reasons why even after six years of blogging I still love it rather love it more than ever. Here are some milestones that 3D crossed this year:

Blog Pageviews: Over 1.1 Million views
Instagram Followers: 2.2K
Facebook Fans: 3.3K
YouTube Subscribers: 660

Not a big deal right!! No, it's definitely a big deal for me. With very little time in my hands, I kept alive my passion for blogging and every single reader, fan, follower or subscriber I earned is a huge success for me.
Last month I got the opportunity to make a dream a reality, my interview was aired on RadioOne Pune and here is a video I created with an audio clip of my radio interview and visuals of 3D's journey till date.

Now I want to share two big news. First news is that I am creating a coloring book for adults and I am super excited. I am working on it and half way through it. While creating "Indian Art Gallery Wall" for my living room, I painted various Indian art forms and shared the images on my blog as well as social media platforms and from readers' comments I got the idea of creating a colouring book. Indian art forms are regaining their lost charm and people around the world are just crazy about Indian folk paintings. So the theme I chose for my coloring book is 'Indian Art Forms'. Let me assure you that you will find all the drawings unique, authentic and awesome. Just wait for a month or two and the coloring book will hit the online stores.

Now the second and equally exciting news is that I am venturing into a business. Though I was selling my handmade products and paintings on a smaller scale till now but now I am planning something big. Right now I am working hard on designing products and getting them made by trained craftsmen. First few products have been designed and now craftsmen are working on them. Hopefully the products will make their appearance in Jan 2017.  I am having sleepless nights and need your good wishes, encouragement and support.
I have just one more and probably the last blog of this year and after that I will be going on a gadget free vacation with my family. You all have a lovely time ahead.

Wish you all wonderful people a very happy new year!! I wish you nothing but health, happiness, love and endless joy!!

It's Really been {SIX} Months!?!

Yes, you read that right. My last post was on January 26th. My how time flies when you are changing diapers, playing peek a boo and rocking babies to sleep. Can you believe the twins are now 15 months old!? My babies are now turning into toddlers. We have waited for these two miracles for so long and you better believe I have been soaking up the time being a mama to M & J. Time is fleeting and I must capture our moments together both in memory and pictures.

 I so have missed all of you and know that some of my long time readers are still there and if I hear crickets, well then so be it! This blog was meant to be a fun outlet from my days in the business world. I am in the mama world and need this blog just as much now, if not more. So I'm back! Will I post weekly? (Not Sure.) Do I have lots of great ideas up my sleeves? (Maybe). I am just going to post when I feel lead and have a moment of inspiration to share with you all. Thank you for sticking with me!

photo via Simply Genuine Photography

Handcrafted Home Contest

Hiya dear readers!!

Five years ago around this time I had started blogging with no big plans in my mind. 

I kept writing and sharing my decor and DIY ideas with you all without wanting anything in return. But I got a huge family of like-minded, creative and enthusiastic people from around the world and their endless love and support in return. It's because of you, yes each one of you who commented, encouraged, liked and kept reading my blogs, I have made it this far. My blog is completing five years on 12th Oct 2015 and I don't want to miss this opportunity to celebrate this occasion with my lovely and ever growing 3D family. 

If you are game, I am running a contest in association with 'Heart For Art' charitable trust. Before I go ahead and tell you more about the contest, here is a brief introduction about 'Heart For Art'.

Now I am sharing details about the contest. As 'Heart For Art' is all about handcrafted home decor products and I too love decorating home with handcrafted beauties, hence the contest we are running is 'Handcrafted Home'.

And here are the steps to participate in this contest.
1). What we want to see is a picture of any beautiful corner in your home that is decorated with the handicraft from any Indian state/city for example Dokra from Jharkhand, Sabai grass craft from West Bengal & Odisha, Wooden toys from Channapattna, Longpi black pottery from Manipur, Kottan from Chettinad and many such exquisite and unique crafts of India.
2). Check out 'Heart For Art' store and let us know which handcrafted product you liked the most.
3). Post image along with comment about Heart For Art products (Step1 & 2) on my Facebook Page (click here). Multiple entries are allowed.
4). Contest is now live and will end on my blog's 5th bithday i.e on 12th Oct 2015. Keep posting and have fun. I will announce the winner on 13th Oct 2015.

Now you will love me more because goodies that the contest winner will get are the best craft from WB, Odisha and Chttinad. These handcrafted products will be a perfect addition to your decor this festive season. Flaunt them to add panache to your home decor. 

Here's goody1: Sabai Grass Bread Brasket from West Bengal

Sabai grass grows extensively in the districts of Midnapore, West Bengal and Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Natural dyes as well as lead free chemical dyes which are skin and environment friendly are used to dye the products. Here is your chance to win this eco friendly beauty. Go ahead and post images. 

Here's goody2: Kottan Gift Box from Chettinad

Made in the finest Kottan traditions, from finely strip cut palmyra leaves. The Kottan tradition has been associated with the Aachis of the Chettinad region in Tamilnadu and has many weaves and designs that are used to make these exquisite baskets. This gift box can be used as trinket box or to store cards. 

Now lets check out how Sabai grass tray that I got from 'Heart For Art' is beautifying my place. I am totally in love with the beauty of this handcrafted basket. 

I have been using it in various ways. Sometimes it holds my coasters and sometimes I use it to display knick-knacks. 

Sometimes it serves as a beautiful tray and makes my tea time even more enjoyable. 

I know longingly you are looking at all the beautiful products from "Heart For Art'. So without much ado go ahead and start sharing beautiful pictures of your wonderful haven. I will be coming up with the video of all the entries I will receive. 

Good luck to all of you and have fun!!

What's On Your......Bathroom Vanity?

Welcome new and old readers! I am so excited to be apart of this fun series called "What's on Your?...." A few other fabulous bloggers and I will be sharing the pretty, the bad and the ugly around our homes over the next few months. To kick off this series we are looking at what we have on our vanities for February.

For the most part, this is one area of our home that we keep pretty well organized. I set up a tray in the middle of the vanity for the items that I use most frequently. 

The antique tray was found at a thrift store and holds my everyday facial products. Everything that I use in the morning and at night is at an arms length! 

I found these adorable acrylic canisters at The Container Store and the small bowl from Anthropologie. 

A quick and easy DIY....adding pebbles to a small vase to hold make up brushes! This has seriously been the cheapest and most used DIY to date!

That's it folks! Nothing too exciting on my vanity. This was one area that I thoroughly organized last year and now everything has its place. I have even organized the drawers, which you can check out Here. The Vanity was also painted Urbane Bronze. You can find my bathroom updates Here.

Next month you won't be as impressed....we will be talking kitchen counter-tops! Yikes.... Things are about to get real! 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Now let's see what the other bloggers have on their bathroom vanities....

Brittany French- Brittany

Design Chic- Kristy

Domestic Charm- Brenna

Little Black Door- Elizabeth

Southland Avenue- Mary Keller & Heath

The Grit & Polish- Cathy

702 Park Project- Sarah

So tell me....what is currently on your bathroom vanity? We won't judge...promise! 

My latest Crush - Asus Zenfone 6

You can call me gadget geek. I just love trying my hands on latest in technology devices and appliances. I love the fact that how technology is shaping our lives and can be a great help, provided you are using it in proper manner and for better. For me it has always been a great help, be it blogging, online interaction with clients, raising a tech wizard kid or fun with family and friends far away from me, I always need a good device that is packed with latest technology. Sometimes this is how I work.....

Recently I have been given Asus Zenfone 6 to use and write my experiences about it. I have been using Zenfone 6 since past 4-5 days and found it quite impressive phone. It is the most beautiful phone that I have ever used. It has very useful features and it's quite robust mobile.

How I am using Zenfone 6:
 Lets see how I am using it. I found some unique features in Zenfone 6 and here they are...

Sleek and light:
The moment I picked up the Zenfone 6, the very first thing that I noticed about it is, it's sleek body and light weight, which is 196 gms only. It perfectly fits in my palm but, yes, I have to use other hand to operate it. Back cover of this mobile is in a matte finish that allows perfect grip. My earlier phone's screen shattered because of its glossy back, that doesn't allow perfect grip and it slipped from my hand. Zenfone 6 screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is a benefit for user like me.
Though it's a bigger phone but, it fits perfectly in my jeans pocket, bigger and better it is. And because  of its light weight I will give few extra marks to Zenfone 6, because unlike my previous phone I can hold Zenfone 6 for longer with feeling any discomfort or pain in my hand.

Bigger Screen:
Zenfone 6 screen is quite bigger. With its 6 Inches LCD display, it is a large beautiful phablet. I loved the device for its better and wider display. Brightness level offered by display is quite good that results in brightly lit visuals. I love watching videos and playing games on Zenfone 6  because of amazing picture and graphic quality. I am a big music lover. I love to listen to music whenever I am stressed out but, with Zenfone 6 not only I enjoy music, but I can write my blog post also at the same time. Isn't that icing on the cake.

One more thing that I liked a lot about Zenfone 6 is its touch, which is quite sensitive and accurate. I faced lots of problem with touch screen of my previous mobile. Thankfully Zenfone 6 offers wider screen and sensitive touch, now no more typing mistakes. Writing a blog post and replying to mails have become pretty easier and time saving. With my previous mobile it was a hassle to write post, upload pictures in a blog and then editing a post. I tried writing blog post using Zenphone 6 and I was quite amazed with the result. I wrote the entire post with great ease.

See the size of virtual keys in type pad, it allows your finger tip to freely tap the specific key. Zenfone 6 earned extra bonus in terms of touch screen sensitivity and accuracy. You can switch to glove mode too when you are using the phablet with gloves on, useful feature specially in winters.

I am exploring the device and finding something new, exciting and extra ordinary everyday, I will share more of Zenfone 6 unique features and how I am using it. Stay tuned!!

Coming up next "Lippan work panel made by me".

Gratitude!!

I have so much to be thankful for. As the new year begins I strongly feel that it's a time to say 'thank you' to each and every one of you. You all have been my strength, courage & support throughout my blogging journey. I was nothing and you all made me a beautiful person, I feel content and happy all the time. I find myself very fortunate that I got connected with such wonderful and lovely people in this virtual world of blogging. Now I have friends from many different countries, religions, and cultures and that's what I love about blogging. 

I am grateful to God for giving everything that I had in the past, I have today and will have in future. I am grateful to my parents, siblings and my wonderful, lovely, sweet & small family for their endless support and selfless love, for their precious time that they spend with me and make me feel special, for their encouraging words that keep me going, I couldn't ask for more. I am grateful to all fellow bloggers who are always there to help and keep inspiring me. I am grateful to you all my friends and readers, you never fail to encourage and support me, no matter in which part of the world you are, you are always there for me whenever I need you. Thank you! Thank you very much.

I would like to thank those friends too, who always see negative in me, who try to put me down, who always discourage me and try to create negativity around me, who criticize me in every way possible, who never even congratulate me on my success, people....believe me you are my best friends because you bring the best out of me. Every time you try to put me down I rise and run with strength double than earlier. I am very grateful to you friends, but I request you to stop being jealous, instead be grateful for what all you have got, as gratitude blocks toxic emotions :) look in the mirror, think about me and SMILE :) kill those toxic emotions as soon as possible. 

My dear friends and readers, I read somewhere and would like to share the secret to happiness with you, it's Gratitude!!

"Gratitude is not only the greatest virtues but the parent of all the others".

                                                                                                                   -Cicero

The secret to happiness is- express gratitude, practice kindness, spread cheer and savour joy. 
I have experienced this many a times that when you become grateful for everything that happens in life, you see the world with new eyes, you find yourself calm, happy and content, your life becomes full of wonderful opportunities.

I have a lot to share but I wish I had at least 36 hrs in a day to make it possible. Let me quickly share some very important things that happened in my life after I started blogging:

1) My blog is considered as one the best Indian design blogs. Thank you, Hindustan Times :)

2) It crossed more than 4,50,000 hits recently. Thank you, readers :)

3) I earned money in six figures in just 4 months and that too through blogging. Thanks to Blogger, Google and my clients :)

4) I did very first commissioned wall art project, post about it will be coming shortly. Thanks to the wonderful client :)

5) I took a plunge into the video blogging and it's also paying me handsomely. Thanks to viewers :) You can subscribe to my Youtube channel here.

That's all from me. Stay tuned lovely people, a very talented artist will be joining us shortly.

Tuesday Treats #25 {Ideas & Inspiration from around the web}

Well...how you do'in...? Can you believe that we only have 16 days till Christmas!? I am getting there on my Christmas shopping. Only a few items left thanks to black Friday and Cyber Monday specials. I really ordered a lot from online this year. I usually love going to the malls and actually enjoy the crazy atmosphere of the holiday shoppers, but this year I just didn't have enough energy or patience. I wonder if that has to do with two little beings growing inside of me? hehe

My Christmas decor is pretty much finished as well, but Trader Joe's totally disappointed me this year with their lack of boxwood wreaths. I went last week and they had already sold out of them and aren't getting any more. Boo! So I am trying to figure out what to do with my front door and then it will be picture time. I hope to have my holiday tour up at the end of the week or beginning of next.

Today is another round up of so many ideas and inspiration from around the web. I think I could do inspiration posts everyday! I have so many great things to share with all of you.

#1: Puff Pastry Bites
Okay..let's start off with some food! I made these last year for my Christmas party and also this year for girl's craft night. They are always a hit and so so yummy! Great little party appetizers and so much flavor wrapped into such a small little package. You must try!

Cranberry Brie & Caramelized onions w/ Goat Cheese Bites

#2: Avocado, Honey & Yogurt Face Mask
I know this is an unusual Tuesday Treat, but since this time of year is so crazy busy there is very little time to make an appointment for the spa. Why not treat yourself to a little luxury one evening by making your own face mask. I am so going to try this. My face has been awful since I have been pregnant. Time for a change hormones!

At Home: Avocado Face Mask

#3: White & Pink Christmas

I can't get my mind off of this lovely space created by Kristin from The Hunted Interior. I love the glamour of the black ceiling against the pink, green and white surroundings. She never disappoints! 

Pink and White Christmas

#4: Arrow & Sage does it again!

So you all know by now my obsession for Anna's gorgeous pottery. Well this past week I was able to snatch up this gorgeous jewelry dish for me! Merry Christmas to me...from me! She has also created these fabulous gold rimmed bowls. Anna's new farmhouse line is also quite amazing! She restocks the shop every so often, so you have to grab what she has fast! But...you can always gather wonderful daily inspiration from her instagram account.

source

#5: Cha-Cha- Changes

If you aren't on your mobile device, you may have noticed just a few changes on the blog today. Since it is the holiday season I thought I needed my sparkly banner up through New Years! I was also in need of a new profile picture. Thanks to my dad, who helps me with may photography projects, he was able to capture a pretty professional picture. What do you all think?

Alright...hope you are having a great week! I am sharing our holiday craft night DIY's tomorrow on the blog! Some fun and easy crafts to get you in the mood for the holidays.

XOXO

Laboring Away Blog Hop {Good-bye Summer..Hello Fall Tablescape}

I hope you all are having a fabulous long weekend. Can you believe that summer is coming to an end? It always seems bittersweet to me. I love summer, but am usually very ready for fall to come. The cooler weather brings color, football, texture, warmth and naps on the couch!

Today, I am honored to be a part of a fun blog hop featuring these amazing ladies:

Each of us are sharing a DIY that we have currently tackled. Make sure to hop on over to each blog for a special DIY as well as lots of inspiration...you won't be disappointed! Sarah from 702 Park Project, Mary from Lemon Grove Blog and Brittany from Brittany French. Some talented ladies!

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Today I am sharing a "So Long Summer, Hello Fall" Tablescape. Since I am a HUGE fan of mexican food, I decided to create a sort of nacho bar theme. And the real reason...I have been dying to use my plates and bowls from Mexico!

All of the bright colors still remind me of summer, but the added texture with the napkin ring and place mat overlay bring in a bit of fall. The green place mat is actually a napkin draped over the side of the table. The little overlay was made on my Silhouette and I love how it adds another layered element. Can you believe that those navy and white striped napkins are actually paper napkins from target? Yep! The sunflowers also say summer, but the burnt red color says fall.

I am loving the mix of both seasons. How about you? Are you sad to see summer go or are you excited for the season ahead?

Don't forget to stop by and see what these lovely ladies have created.... Sarah, Mary & Brittany