Illustrated Christmas cards

Having visited a workshop on Fashion Illustration at the Victoria and Albert Museum earlier this month I decided to put my newly honed illustration skills to good use by making hand-made cards for a handful of people I know. The workshop was conducted by renowned illustrator Stuart McKenzie. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt a lot over a short span of an hour.

I am sure you all have that one friend who you could relate to in the illustrations below. Give me a shout if you need any made and I shall send them over. All proceeds will be donated. Merry Christmas!

The butter-fingered

The tea-lover

The Movember-man

The bead-wearer

The Brit-Indian

The foodie-drinker

The low-battery-complainer

The detox-dieter

The mulled-wine-mince-pie-lover

The beer-belly

The art-appreciater

The social-media-resident

The fitness-freak

The ice-skater

The graduand

The goodie-two-shoes

The cup-cake-drooler

The perpetual-traveller

The pastafarian

The smoking-quitter

The sailor

The Olympic-beer-drinker

The couch-surfer

The free-spirited

London Tube Tip Number One

A celebration of Christmas

Singing Christmas carols has been one of my most favourite past times. I've sung them anytime-anywhere and will do the same in the future.

On previous occasions I've gone into one of my singing fits while travelling in school buses, during camp fires, when crossing dry river beds in villages in Rajasthan, travelling in the tube in London and on Christmas eve at home with my sister.

My love for singing and Christmas songs, carols and hymns reached a new high when I joined the University of Westminster's Choral Society last year.

I particularly love the design team at the University of Westminster as you can see on your right with this amazing invite they made for our show.

The practice sessions were remarkable in the sense that amateurs and stalwarts all practiced together and our team-work clearly showed on the day with the audience members complimenting us; 'You sounded like angels from heaven' one of them told one of our choristers.

This year I was promoted to singing a solo for a medieval Spanish villancico called Riu Riu Chiu and according our Choir conductor, Robbie, this will be the next big thing when it comes to Christmas songs in the near future. Well, you know where you heard it first!

Thanks to Chunny Wai Lo who made it for the performance and took this picture. You are a great friend and seeing your face there made this so much more special.

Another friend came to the rescue of fellow chorister, Sueli, who thrust upon a video camera in her friends' hands with seconds to spare before the performance started with the orders 'Record!'. Sueli, please pass on our gratitude and wishes.

to you dear friend.

For all those who couldn't make it, presenting to you - A celebration of Christmas! Please click on the links below to listen to the carols/hymns.

Once in royal David’s city

Riu riu - Salem Ajmi singing the second paragraph and yours truly singing the first and third one.

Gabriel’s message

As with gladness men of old

Coventry carol

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

O little town of Bethlehem

We three King’s of Orient are

O come, all ye faithful

And now, please join us for some vegan mince pies and non-alcoholic mulled wine! :P

London Christmas decorations at night - Fom Nike to Zara

Every year during Christmas in Mumbai, a ritual practiced by one of my dear friends Ainee was to collect all her friends in one car and drive around Mumbai city to those spots which boasted of some of the best Christmas decorations in the city. From Marine Plaza and Taj in south Mumbai to Damian's three floored furniture showroom in the suburbs (okay, Bandra is not exactly a suburb but I wanted to give an idea of the length and breadth we covered!)

It has been two years since I came to London and my promise to Ainee to send her pictures of the decorations on display in the city of cities - London, is yet to be fulfilled. So this year I am planning to go on a evening walk down Oxford Street, Regents Street, Carnaby Street, China Town, Marylebone High Street and any other street which has decorations gallore. 

If you wish to join in and take in the delights that Selfridges, Harrods, Hamleys, Liberty, Covent Garden and Southbank have to offer, please click here and confirm here.

The walk will begin from University of Westminster's Regents Street campus at 8pm on 11th December 2012.

Don't forget to carry only your camera, with spare batteries as we will be doing a lot of walking and you don't want to get bogged with the weight of any unnecessary possessions on you. Do layer up in warm clothes and wear good walk-able shoes. Strictly no heels allowed.