Hi again! I'm back to bring you a little round up of our weekend in the sun....the past few days have been so warm, it's almost like summer never left!! Saturday saw us at a family-centric fall event in the sun, bouncy castles and llamas, train rides and helicopters (the real deal!), one lucky pumpkin came home with us, as did a little stuffed polar bear. I, sadly, don't have pictures to share as we forgot the camera at home (and we all know what cell-phone pictures look like, right?) :) It was worth the (very stressful) search for a parking spot as we all had a good time, though I wish that the next time round, they'll do a better job at organizing the parking. It's always fun when we do things as a family.....Fear not, there are more melas (fairs) around the corner, and you know I'm a sucker for fairs.........I promise to take along the camera next time!
Sunday was not very glamorous, as there were several chores that needed to be tackled and I honestly don't remember where the day went. There was food involved too, but I don't have any pictures to share. I do have a project that I'm mulling over at the moment that I'd like your opinion on. There's this little elephant who's visiting us you see. And he's a handsome little guy-- very lovingly whittled out of wood by some stranger somewhere (he was a thrift find!). But ever since he came home he's been having a bit of an identity crisis. You see, he wants to be a haathi, not just an elephant. And who can blame him? he sees all these majestic specimens flaunting their finery and he wants to play dress up as well!! He's also hoping that he can carry some diyas (earthen lamps) on his back for diwali... He's an ambitious one alright!
So my question to you is...naked or decked up? (Don't get any ideas, I'm talking about the elephant). Should I paint him? decoupage him? Stick stuff on? Or just let him be (he is quite cute the way he is too)? What would you do? We await your verdict, oh wise interwebs....
Sunday was not very glamorous, as there were several chores that needed to be tackled and I honestly don't remember where the day went. There was food involved too, but I don't have any pictures to share. I do have a project that I'm mulling over at the moment that I'd like your opinion on. There's this little elephant who's visiting us you see. And he's a handsome little guy-- very lovingly whittled out of wood by some stranger somewhere (he was a thrift find!). But ever since he came home he's been having a bit of an identity crisis. You see, he wants to be a haathi, not just an elephant. And who can blame him? he sees all these majestic specimens flaunting their finery and he wants to play dress up as well!! He's also hoping that he can carry some diyas (earthen lamps) on his back for diwali... He's an ambitious one alright!
So my question to you is...naked or decked up? (Don't get any ideas, I'm talking about the elephant). Should I paint him? decoupage him? Stick stuff on? Or just let him be (he is quite cute the way he is too)? What would you do? We await your verdict, oh wise interwebs....
Awwwww..
Give me your gyan (wisdom) oh wise ones.........
Linking up my project (in the making, hope that doesn't disqualify us? ;) ) to Patty's weekend roundup....
How cute is he! Paint him, desi-colourful style. You can look at the elephant parade elephants for inspiration ;)
ReplyDeleteaaawww... the elephant is super cute!!
ReplyDeleteYour weekends sounds more mad than mine... I'm so super excited you linked it... Its lovely to see what all of you do.. :-)
Hey.. I like him the way he is.... but part of me says.. I'd also like him dressed... Maybe painging would do.. And the diya on his back looks gorgeous... A smaller, brigher diya would do the trick for sure.. Wow!! You have already started preparing for Diwali.. I'm not going to be done with what I wanted to do around the house.. Im running late.. So Diwali preps.. have taken a back stage.. :-)
Hope you have a fab week ahead...
Please GB....dont paint that little cutie and refrain from those glittery stuff which is available in abundance in the craft section.Dont let that glitter steal the panache of the poor baby.I like him the way he is...may paint him in a darker brown hue...I got 2 haathi's the other day from a chinese ..yes vendor the other day and they have little rubies sticking on them...look good..maybe I can send u a pic someday!
ReplyDeleteAnd I also have to bring some pumpkins home and try my hand at decking them:)
Your elephant is cute. If you decide to paint, I think something colorful and abstract will suit him.
ReplyDeleteGagan, he is adorable....Don't paint him, get a big bright diya for him to carry on his back. Will look more unusual as there are quite a few paited ones. My opinion...but do what feels best to you and it will be lovely!!
ReplyDeletePainting him white, and then painting traditional Indian black motiffs on him will make him look desi, yet contemporary :)
ReplyDeleteBut he looks just lovely the way he is now... Anything you do will suit him :)
GB, you have asked everybody for giving you "GYAN" (:))about the decoration of the HATI...but I think it will make you more confused...I think the best option is listen to your heart..look around you room and see whether the little cute one needs any change or not....you can put a barnish to make it more bright....
ReplyDeleteGB....i like the little guy but I think he would be a wee bit happier with some more style/color?? But at the same time I like the sort of grainy pattern on him...so I wonder if you could paint him or stain him a nice color of brown so the lovely grain shows through? And i agree...don't glitter him up, just some simple embellishment will be enough...just a red tassel at the end of his tail or a colorful diya on his back, like a howdah!
ReplyDeletei like what uve done in the last pic..great idea.
ReplyDeleteCute elephant. I like him 'naked' he he..
ReplyDeletethe grain of the wood is beautiful and i think he will look great in the company of your succulents or may around a lamp..
I think you should definitely paint him so we can see a before/after shot. i am not sure what color but something rich and bold to make a statement. Can't wait to see what you do.
ReplyDeleteWow! very impassioned pleas on keeping him unadorned!! I like that the handiwork shows through and I love the grain of the wood as well. The only thing that bothers me is that his eyes have no "life" in them. I've been thinking of making him some "clothes" to pretty him up for diwali, and after that he can run free, as nature intended him.... lets see. I'm still in two minds ....meanwhile, if you want to please do send in pictures of your hathis!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Silence Sings (love your nic) in that you should listen to your heart. Anyway, from my experience, he can always be nakiiid again with some sanding and whittling if you are sick of the paint. If I own this darling, I will probably paint it. Have you read about the elephant parade? (Think I saw your comment on Sound Your Horn's blog??) You may want to add yours to the parade :)?
ReplyDeleteI think this Diwali he should wear something bright & cheerful with a diya on his back...he can be back to his nude-y self after the festival season :) Do see the elephant pics on Sound You Horn to get ideas if you want to paint this little fellow.
ReplyDeleteStitch him some threads for special occasions like Diwali, then have him bare, with plants around him...If I were you, I would also place a largish diya on his back, safely if you have adjustment problems.
ReplyDeleteOh God ! He is so cute , please, please don't get tempted and paint him, for then the beauty would be gone and you won't be able to reverse it. No plants or diya too, maybe just next to him but not on him.
ReplyDeleteOk this is my first visit to your blog, and I am really saying too much. Have a happy Navarathri and a Happy Diwali too.
I think u should dress him up with some cloths instead of paint so anytime you want, you can revert back and admire him the way he is, becoz he is cutie:) love ur photography and blog is amazing.
ReplyDeleteHi Gagan,
ReplyDeleteI think u should not paint him... U can make a small caparison (nettipattam) and decorate him with festive cloth ( similar to the temple elephants used in religious processions) .. That way u can change the decorations whenever u feel like... from traditional to modern ones... & for a change u can leave it as it is now... !!!
I would have coloured him in brown and balck (you know those bloth kind of painting...splashes of two almost same hues to show both the colour) and would have left him with that only. then on special occasions like Diwali would give him block printed caparison (with little colourful thread embroidery)to cover his back. and would tie several layers of colourful threads around his legs. place a big colourful diya (with 3-4 small diyas) on his back.
ReplyDeletedo let us know what you decide.
I meant blotch sorry for the typo
ReplyDeleteNaked, naked! He will look great next to anything in his beautiful birthday suit!
ReplyDeleteGirls, I love this, look at all of you, jumping in to help! I have the biggest grin on my face right this minute and I just need to thank all of you for putting it up there! You rock!!! I'll share pictures of him in his diwali glory...I'm not planning on painting him anymore just because I can't bear to botch it up!! So a little caparison (new word for me, thanks Sayantani and Emreen!) it will be, with a few desi embellishments thrown in for glamour. He will revert to living as nature intended and will get a big bunch of bananas to feast on for being such a good boy!
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to say hi to a few new voices (hi Rama and Nayana!)So happy to have you on board and please do drop by often!
XOXO,
gagan
bravo girl..i simply adore elephants....u r lready doing a great job..love tht last pic...
ReplyDeletei would suggest some nice tradional cloth to cover his back and place him @ corners on some big decorative pot of opposite color may b black or dark brown and neutral walls/backdrop...i dont knw how big he is...u can decide on the size/space...best is if u had two u can keep diagonally on the front door with diyas on his back and a bful piece of sand art (rangoli in the center and i think it wil look very colorful and glorious in this festive season of diwali and navratri...other option is u can let him stand on some corner shelf in dark wood or glass surrounded by some arry of diyas @ 3' level or window sill level and below him some tradional sculptures/murals to enhace tht corner...u dont need any suggestions as u r very smart and creative urself....waiting to c how to treated a cute sweet elephant sculpture into a art piece...best luck...
sanyukta
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/
I like him in his birthday suit. Not paint or glitter for this young fella.
ReplyDeleteBut putting a brocaded piece of cloth on his back for diwali which will also act as a placemat for the diya would make him look terribly handsome.
BTW I am home for this entire week... hehe in Texas as this is the long weekend.
Love the wide open roads, absolutely no traffic..
Back to chicago this saturday. Did tour schaumburg area last weekend. Really liked it a lot. Saw the second largest Mall in USA.. the woodfield mall. Loved it too.
Let's see how things go.
I like him just the way he is, I like the patterns in the wood.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe, like the commenter above said, just a little piece of cloth for his back for the holidays?
My vote is for decoupage or something colourful !
ReplyDeleteHe looks cute in his natural colors but I would either stain him (not paint) in dark brown or dark cherry stain. Stain will preserve the wood grain, paint won't. You can still do the caparison for special occasions!
ReplyDeletehere after ages...hardly blog hope these days. Know what, let this little chap just be. he loos nice, this way :). Happy festivities to yu too.
ReplyDelete