Family, Illustration, Mou's Sketchbook, Travel, Vacations

Vacation Memories Preserved in Watercolors

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The 2017-18 winter is still dragging its feet here in Jersey. It snowed again this morning. It’s still bitter cold and the wind still bites. We lost count of the number of snow days we had this season. The school year got extended and spring break was cancelled. But we had already made plans and decided to have our spring break trip anyways. So, on the 23rd of March, we packed up and flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Our home for the week was a penthouse apartment in the Aquatika BNB in Loíza. We had arrived in the wee hours of the 24th and had fallen asleep. We woke up hungry and drove out to get food. As we drove, the El Yunque rain forest in the distance played hide-and-seek with the clouds.

When we reached El Yunque, we tried asking the Ranger. He explained in fluent Spanish with a hearty smile and gave us a map. As none of us speak much Spanish, we relied on the road signs. La Coca Falls was our first stop.

For the next few days, whichever way we went, we crossed the bridge over the Rio Grande de Loíza at least once.

On one of the days, while we were filling gas in Loíza, I noticed a guy with a can of beer, leaning on the gas pump, smoking nonchalantly, apparently indifferent to the fire hazard. I wondered if I should caption that scene, ‘Huh, I laugh at the face of danger!’ I guess when one survives a natural disaster like Hurricane Maria, one gains a more fearless perspective on life.

From the time I loaded bags in our rental Kia, I was impressed with the little fort image on the license plate and had googled it. That led us to the Castillo San Cristobal in Old San Juan. This was my favorite gem from this trip. Boy, I could have spent my entire vacation sitting there drawing the fort from various angles. I LOVED the watch towers. They were incredibly beautiful to me!

As we walked through one of the dimly lit tunnels in the fort, with Nini ahead of me, I paid attention to the ground to keep from tripping and then looked up and saw this – light at the end of the tunnel and she was stepping into the light. That moment will remain etched in my mind forever.

Vibrant bougainvillea and hosta overflowed the colorful doors, fences and walls of the houses in Loíza and other towns we visited. Cats and dogs lazed under their flowery shades, only lifting an ear as an unknown car drove by.

After we got back each day, we finished dinner and cleanup and spent the remaining waking hours, each doing our own thing. I painted scenes from the day sometimes till 4 in the morning and then slumped into a slumber.

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Handlettering, Illustration, Inspiration, Mixed Media Ventures, Mou's Art Journal, Travel, Vacations, Video tutorial

How to Create an Art Journal Page from Coloring Book

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Celebrations, Illustration, Inspiration, Life, Mou's Sketchbook, Seasons, Shop, Vacations

New Coloring Book: At the Beach

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When we lived in Florida, I didn’t think I could miss summer… ever! But when we moved north, I found cold weather for most of the year. Even though we have pretty beaches here too, the drive is longer and the water much colder. All of a sudden summer days and our trips to the beaches became a lot more precious to me. 

As I washed sand off the beach toys, I felt that soon this summer too will be a thing of the past and we can only hold on to its memories. And I wanted to re-live these moments and cherish the fond memories we made. To do so, I compiled my drawings inspired by our beach vacations – things we saw, things we shopped for, things we did, and created a coloring book named At the Beach. 
 
At the Beach is a printable coloring book of fond beach memories. It includes a fun collection of 30 hand-drawn images that bring back memories of carefree sun-soothed, surf-soaked beach vacations. Plus, there’s a bonus section of inspiration to help you bring the black-and-white pen drawings to life in full color!

In this coloring book, you’ll find cute flip flops, stylish swimsuits, the dyed woven straw beach bag with raffia fringes which we ended up not buying as it wasn’t big enough, the rose colored sun glasses I bought at St. Maarten and many more. At the Beach will surely help you re-live YOUR beach vacations and enjoy the special summer memories a while longer.

I’ll email you the printable PDF within 24 hours of purchase. No shipping fee, no waiting for the mail to step into coloring bliss!

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Family, Handlettering, Illustration, Inspiration, Life, Mou's Sketchbook, Travel, Vacations

Art on the go

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I always take a few art supplies with me when I travel. Just a sketchbook, a few color pencils, a black pen, some sort of watercolor paints and a brush or two. I look for little pockets of time to draw or color something. Nothing elaborate, just a quick sketch of what’s in front of me or something I saw, snippets from magazines or a photo I took because it’s not always possible to sit down on the spot to draw. And some brush lettering. Here are a couple of quick watercolors from the cruise.

On the second night of our cruise, we sat down to figure out what shore excursions we could go on. That task usually is not easy because we have different interests. None of the kids are old enough to go on any excursion by themselves. Jia is too young for most things. If I could help it, I would just pitch an umbrella and sit with my sketchbook but that is not doable at the moment. So, we divide and rule. Ashis takes one, I take the other two. He keeps the younger two, while I take the oldest shopping and so on. Plus, Nini is getting into photography and we go on photo walks together.

Everything in Nassau was heavenly! This was my second time to the Bahamas. Nini went snorkeling with Ashis. We all went on the glass bottom boat to the reef and saw colorful fishes. We took in sights all around us on this sunny day on the island surrounded by turquoise waters. I loved this lighthouse. We shopped for jewelry. When we came back to the boat, we took quick showers, had some snacks and I settled down to paint the lighthouse before the daylight died down.

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Celebrations, Family, Inspiration, Life, Seasons, Travel, Vacations

Back from the Bahamas!

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Helllllooooo!!!

We are back from our spring break cruise to the Bahamas! Here’s the story of our trip in pictures.

Leaving the cold and rainy weather behind was not hard. As we drove to Cape Liberty to our cruise terminal, I took this photo of the Harbor Pointe light house. Blurry as it was on a cloudy, rainy day, it was still beautiful!

Car parked. Luggage out. Family shot.

First view from the cabin on board of the Anthem. Bon Voyage!

Since I take all the photos, I’m never in them. So, here’s one mirror selfie!

Day 1 was sea day. Nini and I took our cameras and explored the ship. Found several pieces of amazing art all around.

The Pulse Spiral by Rafael Lozano Hemmer, is a grand chandelier with 200 light bulbs that pulses rhythmically to heart beats. We added our own heart beats to this mix by placing our hands on the metal plate.

Also loved Andrew Myers’ Topographical Facial Series 1-4 and Kerry Miller’s Flowering Plants of Great Britain.

The first few times we passed by this chair, we found an older gentleman fast asleep on it. Much to my daughter’s frustration, we came back to it one more time and took this photo.

Because of inclement weather, our itinerary got an overhaul. Day 2 was no longer to be a day in Cape Canaveral but another sea day.

We made it to Coco Cay on day 3.

EVERYONE LOVED THE SAND, SURF AND SUN!!!

Ashis floated around in a surf mat for hours.

After that the boys went back to the ship with the baby and I stayed back on the island with Nini for shopping. Some cool local handicrafts and musical instruments were bought.

Day 4, we were at Nassau. We spent the whole day in the island. Ashis took Nini for snorkeling with the shore excursions.

Around noon, I took Ayush and Jia for our glass bottom boat excursion to the coral reef. Ashis and Nini made it back from their snorkeling trip just in time to hop on the boat. When we came back, Ashis took baby Jia back to the ship while Ayush and Nini came shopping with me.

This gentleman is a young police officer and was happy to pose for a picture with Ayush!

Oh the colors of this Bahamian island!

After a while, Ayush was done walking. So we took him back to the ship. Changed. And came back out again for more photos and shopping!!! Pretty jewelries were bought for this young lady!

The kids were the most excited to reach Port Canaveral on Day 5! It was strangely emotional to go back to Florida again, but this time as a tourist.

Jia embraced the ocean with open arms! Looks like she too is a sea girl at heart.

One word: BLISS.

I came to Tampa, Florida back in December 1999, a week after I got married. I had left my home and family back in India. A new phase of my life began unfolding in the gulf coast. We built our first home from ground up. We had our three children. We got our first puppy, Brave. Then sixteen and a half years later, we had to move. To New Jersey. Ayush and Nini were beyond upset. Jia was too young to know. I steeled myself and left my neighbors and friends behind who had become family to us. I promise you, I did not cry as we drove off 10748 Plantation Bay Drive at 3.20 pm on July 17th, 2015. But as the ship sailed away from Cape Canaveral, it hit me that I had left home once again. My Jia will not go to NASA for school field trips. Or pet manatees in ocean reserves. Or have an annual pass to Disney and Sea World. Or smell like chlorine swimming in the home pool. Yes, she will do other things in New Jersey. But that’s a part of our lives she will only know from our stories.

An excess of food was consumed EVERY SINGLE DAY. Desserts were had even at breakfast. Can’t tell if we liked the taste or the look more!

A large debate was had over whether this towel beauty was a peacock or a turkey.

At 6.30 am on Sunday, 4/2/17 the Anthem of the Seas docked at Cape Liberty.

One last photo was taken on the cabin balcony.

Luggage was hauled. Customs cleared. Last photo of the Anthem was taken from the parking garage.

And then, we drove back to routine. From luxury to comfort. Exhausted. Somewhat sunburnt. Happy. Full of beautiful memories and stories to tell.

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