Capture the Magic of Christmas! For December 2015

Colour Stories

This holiday season, we plan to provide you with plenty of festive touches for your home to make your Christmas merrier!

Festivals are happy occasions that come once in a while and must be celebrated with gusto. It keeps life afresh and adds a little something to our year, don't you think? Which is why, this holiday season, we plan to provide you with plenty of festive touches for your home to make your Christmas merrier!

As with every other year, the trends in the home décor industry are influenced by its cousin, the fashion industry. It comes as no surprise then that this year, the flavour of the season is animal prints, while the colours of the winter season are black and white, two eternal favourites. There's much more, so read and let's get ready to capture the magic of the festive season!

Shimmer and Shine

Make a statement and encapsulate the spirit of the season with shimmering mercury glassware or vases. Place these in open areas, especially where there is plenty of light. This will allow it to reflect the sun and bring in some shine. Place some flowers in the vases for a touch of colour and watch your interiors light up!

T-Light It Up
Nothing is as comforting as the flicker of candlelight, especially during winter. So bring in some holiday cosiness with t-lights. You can also create beautiful and creative DIY t-light holders for that festive touch. Putting t-lights in a hand painted mason jar or simply printing festive designs and wrapping them around t-lights are just a couple of suggestions.

Happy Colours
Keep the winter blues away by filling your space with little bursts and pops of colour. A boldly patterned cushion or pillow, a vibrant throw, or an energetic rug can do the trick. A colourful vase or dining table placemats or any other colourful element can work just as well. This not just ensures that your decor keeps up the colourful vibes of the season but also keeps you cheery.

Bauble Paradise
Christmas and baubles are unanimous with each other, then why not use this colourful element in your house to amplify that festive feeling? Hang colourful baubles on multi-coloured ribbons and hang them from window frames, in your child's room or even on your bed's headboard.

Give your house a quick and stylish festive update with these fun and simple tips that can transform your home into a cosy and holiday themed refuge. See you next year with more décor tips, trends and creative ideas.

Colour Trivia

Colour Facts For December 2015

1. A perfect white gown is what most brides dream of when getting married. However, if we rewind a few centuries back, the scene was quite different. Back in the day, green was the official colour of the wedding gown. The brides in the Renaissance era wore green gowns as a symbol of their fertility. According to Celtic myths, the Green man was the God of fertility. As seen in Van Eyck's 15th Century wedding portrait, the colour green was the best choice for the bride's gown because of its symbolism. However, the colour was discontinued in the later centuries.
2. In 2007, geneticists at the University of Maryland recommended that early life on Earth might have been purple in colour. The plants that now use chlorophyll to bind the sun's rays, ancient microbes used retinal (a form of vitamin A) to photosynthesise. Retinal is easier to produce in a low-oxygen environment similar to that of Earth. It absorbs green light and reflects back red and violet, which makes the microbes appear purple in colour. The team believes that microbes using chlorophyll later grew to absorb those red and blue wavelengths that retinal did not use.
3. In ancient Greece, the dye Tyrian purple was very popular. By the third century BC, it was more expensive than gold. The place from which the dye originated was called the land of Tyre and Sidon, Phoinike, "the land of the purple". 250,000 shellfish helped produce one ounce of Tyrian purple dye, making it very slow and rare. Vast heaps of shellfish were collected and decomposed in the sun. The dye was then produced and exported around 1,200 BC and powered the Phoenician expansion across the Mediterranean.

Colour Quotes For December 2015

• My world was the size of a crayon box, and it took every colour to draw her.

  - Sarah Kay, No Matter the Wreckage

• Let me, O let me bathe my soul in colours; let me swallow the sunset and drink the rainbow.

  - Kahlil Gibran

• A lie has many colours, while white is the only faithful colour of truth.

  - Munia Khan

Colour Tips For December 2015

1. Painting becomes much easier when you use the right tools. For water based paint, use a nylon-bristle brush and natural bristles for oil-based paint because the water in the paint can make the natural bristles loose. Similarly, a foam brush is ideal for tricky work such as painting details or window exteriors. The brushes are use and throw kinds as they turn hard and can’t be cleaned easily. If you are planning to work with oil-based paint, natural bristles like ox or hog hair work very well as they hold paint better than artificial bristles. In case of latex paint, go for nylon and polyester brushes as they don’t absorb water like natural fibres.
2. After a hard day’s work, cleaning up the brushes can be a challenge but it is essential. It’s important to use the right techniques to clean the paint off the brushes. For latex paint, use soap and water to clean instantly after painting. And in case the paint dries, use special solvents to take it off. Use your sink area to clean the brushes and be careful not to dispose of paint in an area where it might seep into the groundwater. Similarly, when cleaning oil-based paints, use a solvent such as a paint thinner or mineral spirits. Take a metal container, use two inches of thinner and twirl the brush till the paint comes off.
3. When you are done cleaning up the brushes, pack the moist paintbrushes and wrap them in plastic, close it with aluminium foil or paper. To maintain the shape, hang them upside down. For touch-ups, keep aside paint in a plastic mug or glass container. Label the containers with the name of the colour and brand. ‘Hatbanding’ is a common problem that occurs when you use a paintbrush for cutting in and a roller to apply the paint, resulting in an uneven texture along the ceiling and trim. To prevent this, roll the paint as close to the cut-in areas as possible.

World Of Colours

Colours & Emotion For December 2015

1. A good web design has increasingly become a need more than a luxury as we humans tend to associate emotions to certain colours, like blue evokes feelings of serenity and trustworthiness. These colour clues become an important foundation when creating a website. The hugely popular social networking website, Facebook, is known for its blue colour. So why is Facebook blue? According to The New Yorker, the reason is simple. It’s because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green colour-blind. In his own words, Zuckerberg says: “Blue is the richest colour for me; I can see all of blue.” However, this isn’t true in case of the other brands. Colours highly influence our purchasing decisions.
2. The first things that come to mind when you hear the word “green” are often plants, money, green peas, traffic signals, etc. Spanish playwright and poet, Pedro Calderone de la Barca, describes it well - ‘Green is the prime colour of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.’ Interestingly, green is also the colour of our heart chakra, and when this chakra is open, we’re able to love, empathize and feel compassion. Green affects our emotions both physically and mentally. It’s a soothing colour to the eyes and can alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety.

Colours & Fashion For December 2015

Floral prints might sound like a stereotype to most, but this is one stereotype we think not only looks good but is absolutely gorgeous! This year, the catwalks have been glowing with the vibrant colours of bold floral prints in jumpsuits, tops, hem skirts, kaftans, ballerinas and even trousers in fresh patterns. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your share of florals and take your wardrobe to the next level.

Colours & Gems For December 2015

1. A type of translucent quartz, Aventurine has flake-shaped layers inside. The colour looks spectacular when light refracts from the quartz and strikes these layers. The gleaming effect it creates is known as “aventurescence”. In some stones, the layers are dense which make the refraction abundant and it looks remarkable to the eyes. Commonly, the gemstone is green in colour, but the layers are what make it look outstanding. The gemstone can also be found in colours like orange, yellow, red, pink, brown, white, grey, and blue. The fuchsite, green chromium-rich mica is also a common kind of Aventurine.
2. The popular brand, Tiffany and Co., used the name Tanzanite for gem-quality specimens of the mineral zoisite that were blue in colour. The mineralogical name of ‘blue zoisite’ was too difficult for people to pronounce and remember. Hence, they came up with a simple name, Tanzanite. The belief was that the name ‘tanzanite’ would inspire people and be easier to sell. The name ‘tanzanite’ came from where the mineral deposits are found for commercial purposes in northern Tanzania. The name echoes the gem’s restricted geographic origin. The mineral is located in Merelani Hills, near the base of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Colours & Nature For December 2015

1. Legend has it that the colour purple has its origins strongly rooted in nature. Both the name and the colour stems from a dye made from the mucus glands of a tropical sea snail, the murex, known as “porphyra” in Greek. The Phoenician god, Heracles, the guardian deity of the city of Tyre happened to discover the creature. On a fine afternoon, his dog bit the murex shell and its mouth nearly turned purple. His confidant, the beautiful nymph Tyrus demanded that the god gift her an outfit dyed in the same shade. Heracles indulged her with a beautiful purple gown and that’s how the legendary famous Tyrian purple dye came into being.
2. Chances are, when asked to think of something black and white, you’d probably first think of a zebra. We often think of the animal as a dark one with white stripes. However, it’s the other way around. A zebra is a light-coloured animal with dark stripes, not a dark one with light stripes. Dark parts of zebras fade while the light parts remain unaffected. Black mambas are not black. Similarly, Black panthers are actually leopards but produce more black pigment than usual. They still have rosettes or the dark spots typical of the leopards. But because of the dark skin, they are quite hard to see, like the rest of the fur.

Decor

Bring Fall Colours To Your Home!

The colours of autumn will look as beautiful in your home as in nature! Why limit your admiration for fall colours to outside your home?

The good news is that this does not need any extensive changes or a lavish budget, adding fall colours to your house temporarily is rather simple! It is easy to incorporate an autumnal touch to any colour combination already existing in your house. A little greenery inside your home in the form of faux leaves, vines and multi-coloured flowers will help in setting the tone. You can also keep a brightly coloured bouquet in the foyer or your living room to add a variety of colours to your home.

For the dining table, you can start out with putting bowls containing mini pumpkins, little gourds, bright red berries, oranges and lush red apples. These can act as a very unique and pretty centre piece for your dining table. While you are at it, design an innovative wreath for your front door with artificial flowers, fruit, pine cones or any other item of your choice. In order to ensure that your sofa does not feel too left out, pull out that bright orange or yellow throw and adorn your sofa with it. For the cushions, you can opt for solid red or velvety gold cushion covers to provide the perfect contrast to the bright throw. It is also the best time to exchange those lacy and breezy curtains with heavier drapes, possibly in fall colours that make your room appear cosier.

The softened gold and copper contrasted with bright reds and oranges will add a whole new dimension to the meaning of autumnal beauty to your home. These warm colours of autumn will not only warm your heart but also prepare you for the upcoming holiday season.

Colours & Ancient Sciences

Feng Shui For December 2015

Learn how crystals in Feng Shui play an important role and can improve your energy!

Improve Your Energy With Crystals!

The power of crystals has been recognized by Feng Shui. They can do amazing things to any kind of energy and help in personal growth. They can help attract positive or good energy, power your energy field, and clean negative energy and so on.

Crystals have their specific specialties. They possess properties like love, safety, health, etc. Feng Shui uses these crystals in many forms and shapes like Jade Wu Lous, money frogs and rose quartz mandarin ducks.

However, in order to make the crystals work in your favour and cure your problems, you need to employ the right method.

If the classical Chinese crystals are not your thing, then here are a few other suggestions that would prove very helpful to improve the energy around you.

1. Rose Quartz
The energy the rose quartz exudes is pure smoothness, benevolent and therapeutic. The crystal cures hurt and swabs the pain; it rids you of discontentment and other undesirable energies that make the heart heavy.

Since the crystal is all about the heart and it emanates a pure energy of love, it is perfectly suited for any bedroom.

Place the rose quartz stones in your bedroom drawers or place them beside your bed; you can also create a grid in your bedroom or just place them under your pillow when going through troubles in love relationships.

2. Clear Quartz
Clear quartz is a multipurpose crystal that can serve a variety of purposes – from cleaning, caring and powering your energy to possessing any specific property of energy, be it love or fear.

The clear quartz is known for its cheerfulness, profusion of light, colourful rainbows and its mystical charming and positive inner world. It can be easily channelized for any need; it comes in many forms and is not heavy on the pocket as well. It is one crystal that suits anybody and any space.

It is the preferred Feng Shui crystal of many interior designers because its neutral colour goes well with any interior and any style. One can use it as beautiful doorknobs, candleholders or numerous table decorations as well!

Reiki For December 2015

Peace is a vibration that can be achieved with the help of light of the Reiki energy. Learn how to tap into this valuable resource!

Peace as Vibration!

Reiki believes that we all are different manifestations of energy. At a pragmatic level, energy is constantly altering. According to Reiki, energy is vibration that differs according to the light available.

Peace is a vibration that can be achieved with the help of light of the Reiki energy. Therefore, when we have peace in our heart, we bring into line our own personal purpose of being truly alive, and we are then able to realize our full potential.

We, as human beings, have the ability to transform the world with our power of love and kindness. Reiki is about us realizing the power of love and accepting that we are divine. We have to tap this power, and carry on the divine's goal of consciousness.

One way you can utilize the power of this energy is by meditating in the morning. The peace it offers can be felt deep throughout the day. Pray by calling on the most powerful energies and experience the guidance your inner self has to offer. Thank the energy for aligning with the power of light for the day.

Incorporate the distant Reiki symbol into your day with the help of a light bridge that paves a path of enlightenment before you. Have your Reiki symbols in your mind and walk this bridge. Then sit and meditate in the energy for as long as you wish. You will notice that you have a clear mind and focus to help you throughout the day. You are in alliance with the light of Reiki that will help you with your ultimate goals. This divine purpose helps you lead a life of goodness that brings back peace to yourself and others you are connected to.

It is fascinating how this peaceful energy can help one through their daily tasks and greater things. You just have to concentrate on your breathing every morning and you will experience good energy flowing everywhere. Often, we get lost in our thoughts but it is important to keep coming back to this positive Reiki energy. You can make this a routine every morning for 10 minutes; allow it to be the holistic healing that your mind and body needs.

Vaastu For December 2015

Learn about the roots of Vaastu, its beginnings and what it means in the modern age. The idea is to stay true to the ancient science, yet make it work for the modern times.

The Roots of Vaastu!

The earliest source of Vaastu Shastra can be found in many sacred books. The records date back to the glorious Vedic era. Some of the notable scriptures are the 'Birat Samhita' complied by 'Varahamihra' that talks about the authority of master Stapathis, namely Maya, Visvakarma, Garga and Manu.

The ancient science came into being before electricity or any modern amenities were discovered. For light, man depended on natural resources like the sun and the moon's natural rays. So, the science has not established rules on the effect and extent of the optimum use of electricity and machines. The human habitat in modern times is always surrounded by wires and machines and electrical energy is omnipresent. In recent times, with the invention of smart phones, there are high frequency radio waves that affect the human body and mind. Therefore, many Vaastu experts are looking into forming new guidelines for external sources of energy and how can it be used in a way that benefits the human race and the environment.

The idea is to always stay true to the ancient science yet make it work for the modern age. In the earlier days too, Vaastu was never about rigidity but about being pragmatic and adopting clever remedial measures with the help of Yantras, mirrors, paintings, construction materials like limestone and pure metals like copper, silver, etc. For instance, in a temple, if the idol in the Garbhagriha faces a direction other than the prescribed one, the remedial measure adopted was fixing a painting outside the Garbhagriha, as in paintings, the gods may face any direction.

There are always alternatives available. In order to retain the values of the science in this ever evolving world, one needs to be open and constantly refer back to the teachings and have a solution oriented approach.