Sundries and Plunder

Whilst browsing on Etsy, I have come across some wonderful handmade leather masks by Sundries and Plunder, two sisters from the United States. Their work is steeped in theatre and fantasy, with raccoons, giraffes and birds of abundant variety being depicted in their high quality masks. These would be great to hang on the wall and use for fancy dress, when the occasion calls for it. They say, "Between being raised by creative parents, and the need to stay entertained during the Pacific Northwest's long rainy season, it was probably inevitable that we would become two insatiable crafters. Being that we are two women who are constantly trying to find new ways to keep our fingers busy, our crafts change and grow frequently. And, since the older of us was born with the shopping gene, don't be surprised if the occasional vintage treasure turns up after one of her thrift shop expeditions.

Visit their Etsy store here

Colours of India

As it's Sunday and the house has been cleaned, the dinner has been made and the cupcakes have been iced, my mind has wandered to travelling. Where next? I recently went on an adventure to Sri Lanka, which was a fabulous experience. My photos of the South West of Sri Lanka can be seen on my flickr feed. That brings us North to India. I stumbled across some stunning photography on the National Geographic website, of India with it's delicious colours vibrantly jumping out. I have copied the captions below for context.

"Women in bright saris crowd together as they walk in a bridal procession in Mandawa, Rajasthan. Rajasthan is the largest state in India—a land of extremes—encompassing steamy forests, dry plains, and the snowy Himalaya."

"Decorated elephants carry tourists past the Jaigarh and Amber Forts in Jaipur, Rajasthan, constructed beginning in the 15th century. The marble-and-sandstone Amber Fort has intricate carvings; the immense Jaigarh Fort once served as a center of artillery production."

"To honor the dead, lanterns are hung from poles stuck into the banks of the Ganges during Akash Deep Puja, the sky lantern festival."

"The hands of a woman in Jaipur are covered with mehndi patterns painted with henna. Trendy in recent years, the lacework decorations are part of a 5,000-year-old tradition of creating designs to ward off evil or declare one’s happiness."

View more at National Geographic