Happy X'mas & New year

hi friends
                               "wish you all a very happy x'mas and new year"

TAST 2012 Week 43 Buttonhole Wheel Cup

i have finished my Buttonhole Wheel Cup sampler in a hurry as we are setting out for a pilgrimage day after tomorrow early morning..will be back after a couple of weeks..so i will really miss next 2 tast stitches:( but surely catch up soon..

hope you will like my pendant where i used golden metallic thread and a mirror inside..pearls were used for chain and finally i decided to add 3 pearls at the tip of the pendant as well just to embellish the neckwear..

which one looks better? 1st or 2nd one?

Happy Navaratri - my 100th post

hi friends

iam happy to inform you that i am crossing my 100th post today..thanks everybody for giving a good support and motivation so far..iam expecting more encouraging comments and feedback from all of you in future as well..i would be grateful to you for spending a few minutes of your day watching my hobbies and creativites in my blog..i love you all..

iam posting my navaratri 'GOLU' pictures to this particular day..we are celebrating in a simple way by singing bajans and sthothrams,taking arathis and making pasadams on all these 9 days..may goddess Durga bless us all with good health happiness and prosperity..

Happy Navaratri!

 

                 



                         

                 HappyNavaratri!

TAST 2012 Week 42 Italian Knotted Border Stitch

the Italian Knotted Border stitch is the new interesting one introduced by Sharon for this week stitch challenge..i really enjoyed this stitch while making an owl..

Pumpkin Leaf Thoran

ingredients

pumpkin leaves and stems(tender)-1 bunch

grated coconut-1/2 cup

chilly powder-1 tsp

turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

salt-to taste

for seasoning

oil

mustard

urad dal

method

1.collect some fresh tender pumpkin leaves with stems..

 2.clean and wash the leaves and stems..

3.cut into small pieces..

4.mix grated coconut,turmeric and chilly powder and set aside..

5.heat a wok with little oil,season with mustard and urad dal..then add the leaves and salt,stir well, cover with a lid and cook on a low flame..dont add water..

6.when its done,add the coconut mixture to it and cook for another 2 mts.. open the lid and stir well again..

now the thoran is ready to serve..have this healthy vit.A side dish with meals..

TAST 2012 Week 41 Knotted Loop Stitch

this weeks stitch challenge is Knotted loop stitch..my attempt on happy Angel fish is here..

happy stitching!

TAST 2012 Week 40 Beaded Hedebo Edge

As i was busy with some personal matters i was not able to try last weeks tast stitch,Beaded Hedebo Edge..but i have caught up with the amazing stitch soon..here it is posting for your view..for the 1st round golden metallic thread was used and anchor cotton thread (6 strands) for the 2nd round..hope you like it..

TAST 2012 Week 39 Knotted Buttonhole

This week stitch challenge is Knotted Buttonhole..i have made a simple attempt here..hope you like this poodle puppy..

Double Strap Baby Booties and Baby Sherlock Hat

i have made 2 more items for my grandson, my little prince Ronith .. a hat and a pair of booties..hat has been made using doubleshaded woolen yarn ..and for booties i have used 2 yarns(light pink+green) together and for the sole,2 white yarns together..i got the double strapped baby bootie pattern from a friend of mine..and the pattern for baby hat is from Red Heart here..

TAST 2012 Week 38 Drizzle Stitch

Sharon's this week challenge is Drizzle Stitch..its an ineresting and funny stitch but hard to find out apt design for applying it..finally i have decided a simple design for this stitch..i used cone thread for drizzle and tatting thread and sequins for couching.. here it goes for your view..

🍌Ripe Banana Sassam

Ingredients

1.ripe banana-4 no:s(small kerala banana/cherupazham-preferably poovan OR njalipoovan)
never pick nendrapazham
2.sugar-1/3 cup or more as per your taste
3.fresh curds-2 cups
4.green chillies-3 to 4 cut into rounds
5.salt-a pinch
6.ghee-optional

for seasoning
oil
mustard
jeera
curryleaves


Procedure
1.cut banana into pieces..

2.take curds in a large bowl,add sugar and salt, mix well..

3.then add banana pieces,green chillies(crush with 1 tab sp sugar) and mix again..

4.add the above mentioned seasoning into it..if you like,add 1tsp ghee for flavour..

5.banana sasam is ready to serve..

this is a must try recipe for those who favours curds..a jiffy dessert to be served  after main course..hope all of you will try this and feed back ..

TAST 2012 Week 37 Pistil Stitch

Sharon's challenge stitch for week 37 is Pistil Stitch..this stitch belongs to my favourites..so i played with this stitch doing a few variations..thats why i have chosen this basket of flower bunches as design..here i used my left over variegated anchor cotton threads..2 to 3 strands were taken..you can see the variations clearly in close up pics..

close ups

here i incorporated pistil with fly,detached chain and sheaf stitches..

 for basket,long pistils were woven or interlaced..

Award for my Recipe

i recieved awards from Julie's "EP series-curry leaves or dried red chillies" @Erivum Puliyum hosted by Poonam Borkar @ Spicy-Aroma..this was the 1st time iam  participating and recieving an award for best recipe from food bloggers...really an encouragement!! thank you Julie and Poonam..and my congrats to all other winners as well as participants☺..

my entry was "Roasted Coconut Chutney Podi" which was selected as one of the best innovative recipe by Poonam Borkar..46 participants were there in this event..all recipes were yummy and different ones to be tried..

Best innovative Recipe Award                                              Participation Award

                               

cheers!

Crochet Baby Accessories

Here iam sharing some crochet baby accessories which i have done for my darling,1st grandson who is just one month old now :)..a divine hat, a pair of sandals and a toy pacifier were made so far...some more are still pending, will post shortly afterwards..for those who wanted,i have posted the links for the free patterns below each picture..

hope all of you luv these items..:)

free pattern for Divine Hat is here

free pattern for baby Summer Sandals is here

free pattern for crochet Baby Pacifier is here

TAST 2012 Week 36 (catch up)

i joined tast recently just in May..so many TAST Week stitches were left which i could not use for samples..this week was announced by sharon as a catch up week for everybody.. so now i have chosen 6 stitches for week 36 sampler..buttonhole(2),detached chain(7),satin(14)stem(15),french knot(16), and bullion knot(20)..iam posting my sampler here..

Sweet Pleasant Surprise from TAST 2012 week 35!

i dont know how to convince you how thrilled i was,while going through sharon's TAST 2012 week35 Highlights for sheaf stitch..i was on cloud9 today on knowing that my 'fan sampler' caught her eyes as the first..as an embroidery lover i value this moment very much..it certainly boosted my confidence and i suppose iam able to concentrate more and do my level best in future works :)..i love Pintangle which gives me chances to learn new stitches as well as share my works with others..thank you sharon for the encouragement :)..

today i like to share this happy moment with all of you sharing a sweet dessert,Microwave carrot halwa..i have taken the recipe from dear Priya's blog here..it turned out well and tastes yummy..thank you priya..

i made this halwa like priyas but with a slight change..i took 1cup milk for 2cups shredded carrots and nuts and raisins for garnishing..see these ingredients which i have taken..

Microwave Carrot Halwa

ingredients
shredded carrots-2cups
sugar-1/2 cup
milk-1 cup
ghee-2 to 3 tab sp
cashew nuts
raisins
elachi

                                                                                                                                                      after 20mnts halwa looks like this..

i added more ghee and microwaved again till it becomes creamy..it took me almost 35 mnts to prepare this yummy carrot halwa..

TAST 2012 Week 35 Sheaf Stitch

my sampler for this week's stitch challenge Sheaf stitch is posted here..for tutorial and further details visit Sharonb..

My Fav Golden Champa!

yesterday i was very surprised,know why??..actually the reason is that a sweet fragrance in the air made me to find out my ever favourite golden champas(3 no:s)which bloomed in my garden after a long wait for almost 10 years..though the healthy tree grew up too high, it didnt have flowered for many years.. now i hope it will be giving more flowers in future..

if iam not wrong,there are 2 similar varities yellow and golden..being fallen in love with golden champa, hopefully it had been planted in my courtyard..

now some more buds are there to bloom..but i dont think i can pluck it easily as it is high up in the sky:((..yesterday i got just one of  the 3 in my hand after taking an hours effort and  i like to share the photo with you....:))hmmmh what a fresh sweet pleasant fragrance!!!! 

TAST 2012 week 34 Linked Double Chain

i have just finished my sampler for TAST 2012 week 34 Linked Double Chain introduced by SharonB....just did a simple octopus..:)..