Anahata Katkin

Workin in the painted ladies

Revising the painting I did and doing the metamorphosis for good ol' PAPAYA!   Still have to add in the fonts but loving all the negative space.

Inspiration: Cool Winter Colors & texture

I think we can all use a break from the intense reds of the Holidays. I'm craving cold tones.  Loving that vacant palette that can be enchanting and haunting all at once.  I'm hoping to infuse some new designs this week starting with some color inspiration from these and other wonderful photographs.  Artists from Flickr Land: Top Left -abbytriesagain, below-such pretty things, below- L. Grainne, top right- Okinawa Soba, Below- Chotda

 

And some other fun news!  The Lucy b. perfumes I helped design are now available.  Using tropical, Australian oils and infused with flower essences for confidence and self esteem! Their line is truly special and responsible beauty.  Lucy b's cosmetics are some of the only cosmetics and fragrances I will wear!  It was really fun to help with their signature packaging.  Click here to learn more about Lucy b.  
 

Christmas Day

Feelin blessed this year.  Christmas was a little low key for us actually since we all kinda came down with a bug.  But not my son.  He was sneaking his DS Nintendo games in bed until the wee hours of Christmas eve.  This was all I could do to get him near the tree for gift festivities.  So cute.  I love it actually when I can catch him in his little baby-face mode.  It's slipping away these days.
It was wonderful to be back in the states this Christmas and to be sharing it with both my little man and my big one.  I couldn't ask for a better gift than being with both of them.  We had lots of extended family to start off the morning with quiche, berries, yogurt, and an endless warming station of coffee and chai.  I never did manage to make a proper "floor party"  but it was all so lovely and just right.  I still have enough catered Indian food to feed an army.  It's boxed neatly on the cold porch to keep racoons from finding the gourmet stash.  I really wish I could invite you all over for some samosas and rice pudding!  Hope your Holiday weekend was just what you needed.  xoxox

Merry Christmas!!

 Have a wonderful Holiday weekend!! Revel in the food, the wrapping paper and hopefully a little down time.  And if you are into movies at the Holiday times go and see AVATAR!!  My family and I went together and we ALL loved it!!  It was truly wonderful, impressive, engaging & awesomely fantasy.  A perfect "Make-em-all-happy" film that you can take everyone away from the house to see.  And love every minute of it!  
 I think I'm going again to see the 3-D version this weekend !  xoxoxox,

A "Floor Party" Christmas & Other Efforts:

(Top-Dandelion Ranch Flowers via OhJoy, Acorns from Pam G, and boy cameo from Amy Hanna) There's not much I can do to really change the full effect of my home this Christmas.  Not with so many colors, patterns and artwork happening all at once.  (I never am very restrained I must admit.  But tonight I'm pretending I could change my home with new Holiday colors and perfectly wrapped gifts. 
(from Style Me Pretty)   At my house we are worshiping a giant, all plastic, white christmas tree complete with oodles of costco-paper wrapped gifts underneath, Handmade ornaments as well as trimmings from the Dollar Store! But I must admit it's quite lovely in all it's garish splendor.  But these lovely photo's have me dreaming a very different kind of Christmas.  Once where we make handmade berry garlands, glazed pear tarts and homemade Sangria.  Somewhere between Anthropologie catalogues and a 1950's PTA meeting. "JELLO!?"  I don't know what comes over me.  But i'm going to indulge in my best efforts with a Christmas Morning gathering of breakfast delights, friends and family.  And ooooh how I miss wholesale flower markets.  GO!  Go!  If you live in a city you have no excuse!  Get your hands on oodles of blooms this year!  I'll be working my wannabe florist magic with the crap from Safeway!  (But they won't know...)
(Photo via Flickr) I'm also planning a "floor party" set up around the tree for the morning events and gift bonanza.  I'm thinking sheepskins and cushions around the plastic tree!  These Kilim cushions would be perfect since I already have lots of Moroccan rugs to match.  And they are certainly Chrsitmas-ie without having to have santa on them.  (sorry santa)
 I'll be signing off for some fun in traffic and super shopping over the next days.  I'll be back with evidence of the festivities.  in the meantime give me some of your links, ideas and Martha Madness too.Xoxoxoxo...

 

Inspiration: "Holi" a festival of colors

 Thanks to a tip from Sugar Power these gorgeous photo's from Flickr have been circling around the office. 
 
A brilliant display of tradition, faith and celebration.  I have such a love for India. It's colors, festivals and arts.  
 
Any place where people are willing to gather in the streets for complete immersion in dye and general town mess have a thumbs up from me.  These photo's are so special.  I love the vivid energy in all of them!

Cool Blog...

Tara Bradford over at the Paris Parfait is serving up some lovely photos and posts from her Paris perspective and further travels.  A friend sent me her link and I had a field day over there. Have a look-see!  Flea Markets, journeys and great photography!

 

Giveaway Reminder

 Just a little reminder that Holidays are sneaking in and that you may want to place your orders for those of you wanting to take advantage of my 

Bag and Print giveaway only offered through this blog.  Click here for the original details...xoxoxo

 

Booth Development

Remember when I showed you my inspiration board not so long ago?  Well our entire staff has played a part int he construction of this years traveling Trade SHow booth that is the manifestation of that inspiration.

 Little by little it has been forming in the back of the http://www.papayaart.com/PAPAYA warehouse.  A lot of muscle and grit went 

into this baby and she was just shipped on her country tour yesterday.  

 It's all about the behind-the-scenes victories around here and this was such an exciting project for many of us here.
 In real life it won't be filled with dust and chords and messy-mess.  It will instead have flowers, carpet and good lighting.  But we where thrilled with our trashy pre-set up version.  Here's a huge shout out to everyone who labored over this beast these past weeks.  xoxoxox...

new stuff

After a bit of a transitional dry spell I'm feeling quite full of new designs and artwork lately.  I've learned to trust in the waves of productivity and roll with them.  In the good times I can produce three times the amount of artwork I can when I am fighting the uphill, creative stream.  It's like cleaning your house only when the mood strikes.  You know when you start on the dishes and suddenly three hours later you come out of a bathroom scrubbing, vacuum wheeling trance?  Vs the days you can barely pick your clothes off the floor?  Well creativity is much like this for me.  
  And Ironically creativity spells often mean a break in my cleaning streak unfortunately.  You can usually tell I'm on a roll if my house is a disaster.  Around here we are getting ready for our Bi-annual debut of new designs and offerings.   So it's good timing 

to be feeling productive.  These pieces will be ready around February but I love sharing the early previews with you.