{quotable thursdays}

{from bbc}

{from Colours Dekor}

Yesterday was Diwali, so this week's quote is on the festival of light, coming from Tagore:

"The night is black kindle the lamp of love with thy life and devotion." 

                                                 – Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

{a photo I took on the Ganges in Benares/Varanasi in summer 2005. In the wee hours of the morning, lights are being lit & set afloat on the holiest of rivers}

Check out this Diwali site, with details on the festival, gifts, recipes, etc...
Here are some light inspirations:

{from beyond beyond}

{from the bride next door}

Happy Diwali!!!!

I'm off to Ottawa for a conference--looking forward to seeing my fellow Canadian art historians!

xo

L

{pumpkin carving party}

Last night I had a pumpkin carving party with new colleagues. I had a really fun time decorating (which ensured that my place will be festive for trick or treaters next week).
I made bats out of black bristol board. Unfortunately, they never wanted to hang right, no matter how I applied the string. Although I think I still got the general effect. I made large ones for the front porch, and small ones for hanging from tree branches in my house. I also cut out some silhouettes, which look good against the white of my house (a witch's profile, a scaredy cat & a tree):

{check out that gorgeous fall foliage}

{the advantage of having a white house is that you can still see all the decorations at night, as the black silhouettes stand out nicely against the white}

{here I dangled small bats from this branch, surrounded by gourds}

{added a few spiders for good measure}

{this one was near the fire place, and I also cut out a silhouette of a black crow. caw caw}

I also made pom-poms in black & orange, and bought some skeleton lanterns. I've made pom-poms for my living space in pinks, & blogged about making these and the bunting (click here & here (for martha stewart directions on pom-poms click here)). 

{diy pom-poms}

{the kitchen has a window into the living room, which I opened up to facilitate talking/hosting. I decorated the kitchen window/opening with apples & a skeleton lantern}

{pom-poms against fall foliage}

I attempted to make yummy chocolate-chocolate cupcakes, but the cupcakes were quite wet (yet pretty delicious) and the experimental icing didn't really turn out either. But I decorated them with spider webs & spiders, and put them near a raven:

{black & orange spidery cupcakes}

I quite like that raven:

{in the words of Edgar Allen Poe: "Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'"}

Drinks were ready, food out & my guests arrived bearing pumpkins, knives & drinks (a perfect combo!!).
...& we got to carving:

{carving my pumpkin}

{our pumpkins!!}

thanks to all who shared in the festivities--it was loads of fun!
Enjoy pumpkin carving this season. If you'd like more hallowe'en inspiration, check out my blog from last year on the danse macabre, gravestones & costumes.
On a side note, today is my Dad's 65th birthday, Happy Happy Birthday bapu-ji...wish I could spend it with you!!!
xo
L

{quotable thursdays}

L'histoire enfermé

Dans le vieux piano mort

Et c'est l'aventure

Qui bat la mesure

De plus en plus fort.

Au clair de la vie,

Les mains des amis,

Les yeux des lendemains,

La vie devant nous,

L'amour, et puis tout…

-le vieux piano, Edith Piaf {click on link to listen}

{Piaf at the piano, via amy's blog}

I absolutely love pianos. I grew up playing one. Every night before dinner my Dad would sit down to the piano for an hour or so, and I would accompany him on the treble clef or by singing. 

Here are some scrumptious piano shots: 

{absolute elegance = audrey + piano via forget me not}

{turquoise paint & a grand. from little green notebook}

{via online piano guide}

{pianos always feature prominently in Austen novels. via human science}

{the fantastic Piano via le western culturel}

{around the piano Christmas 2005}

I LOVE this picture of my grandparents at their wedding in Simla, India. Here they are cutting the cake with a piano close by: 

{My grandparents, Dennis & Gladys Clark, "Brancepeth" Simla, India 11 October 1941}

In my basement there is an old piano, that unfortunately is so neglected, broken & old that it isn't worth playing--un vrai vieux piano je suppose. One day I will own my own. For all of you out there who own pianos, let this encourage you to sit down & play...even if it's been years!
xo,
L

{pumpkin carving}

I'm hosting a pumpkin carving this coming weekend. I used to do these in Montreal, and it was always a blast. I've been trolling the web & pinterest for pumpkin carving ideas & images.
I used this image on my invite:

{via i mockery}

vintage hallowe'en cards are seriously some of the most bizarre things I've ever seen:

{3 above via wordplay}

{crazy pumpkin head via vintage postcards}

{via very vintage}

{these 2 via halloween wallpaper. What is going on in these images? Telling children that you might be attacked by a policeman, or if you dangle some strange unknown square device on a string a crazy pumpkin head may follow you? ha!}

{these 6 from i mockery. Strange cats seem to be the order of the day in these vintage postcards. or a crazy pumpkin with x-ray vision! & what's with the policeman again?!}

This advert is hilarious:

{via jezebel}

I have been looking at ideas for decorations too. I love this door & flying bats. If I find time I hope to do something like this: 

{from ohdeedoh}

{from style at home}

I love this look:

{from carina gardner}

& more mice from Martha Stewart:

I also love these framed silhouettes & prints: 

{from mommy on the bus}

{the crafting chicks}

Below are some images from pumpkin carving events in my flat in Montreal. I'll be sure to post some of the actual event this year!

Happy Pumpkin Carving my ghoulish readers!!!

xo

L