life in the fast lane...

Yesterday I thought it was Saturday and was told only Friday- Yeh an extra day this week....then on the way home Monish pointed out 2 weeks before we start our tour....I have been running like a crazy person thinking I start out next week!

 

Our workshop is rocking along at a crazy speed- so much khadi to chase, indigo and traditional dye colours to organize....hand work for a our women, getting it into machine room and then cleaning and labelling and packing to send.

Monsoon has finished, weather is finally dry and heating up and so many staff off sick with a vile fever.

 

We really realise how much we depend on each and every member of our team.

Madly trying to train people in a second task so they can act as back up if our primary person is away.

I must admit I am a bit of a princess, I am so used having my very helpful staff find things for me, answer questions like "how many? show me?.... help!"

Key people away and we are all scrambling to find the things they know....and we all realise how well we work together.

We have started a new gentleman to be my production assistant/our workshop production manager...idea he has a big picture idea of what is happening, which comes next and lines things up.

He keeps our machine men focused and consistent quality coming out. Generally they are good, but it can be they get into chat-fest and work slows down, one or two can't talk and work at all so if chatting not checked we have rejected pieces.

If our lads who check send things back they like to grumble.

So like the ladies we have a production register and my production assistant's job is to monitor rejects and record them.... so they can't be swept under the carpet.

The two machine guys who consistently chat and make a mess are on notice- straighten up, mate.

Should be good for us all- usually a bit of gentle 'encouragement' helps focus. This has worked wonderfully well with our ladies.

 

 My Baba looking so cute...finally got the maggot problem in his nose cleaned up and all on the mend...poor middle aged man, that he is.

 He is such a funny fellow....

 Ladies in training with new ideas...scrummy shaggy coats coming for our Anna Madam [ Anna Reynolds] I really enjoy her cloth and she has the guys in the stitching room smiling with her out of the box approaches in her garment construction.... you will have to follow her to see what she has hitting CLOTH.

This week has been huge, did I say that before ? so many orders finished and out....I think today I can draw breath a little...
Fingers crossed with my Production Assistant, I think he will be fine. I had to be careful and not hug him yesterday- not the done thing in India!! as I watched him pick up on and handle details I would usually have to follow up.
Creative Arts Safaris season is getting going, our Teachers Tour are just arriving, we are off on our Rajasthan tour in 2 weeks and it will be the last in the present format, once we start our Gurjarat Tour next year we will take Ahmedabad out of the Raj tour and can go visit some other wonderful places we have not been to on tour for a few years....
Almost closing date for our Glorious Ghana tour- we have a great bunch joining us, it is going to be fun!
Bengal Tour is already full, everything is in place...a big yeh AND we already have a list for 2018. Cool.
Tours we definitely earn our keep, we work hard looking after everyone, sharing information etc, etc and etc but it is also a lot of fun. A change is as good as a holiday, as they same. They are our holidays, it seems. We dream of a loll around do nothing type one, one day but I wander how we would cope
I am off upstairs now to finish off our workshop shop. Once tourist season hits we have plenty of visitors here in the workshop...I leave them upstairs and they have great fun trying on things. It is cute.

Delhi almost

Time passes so fast when you are having fun.....

Tour happiness

Tour eye candy...

homend still a little blurry....

We are finally home and have internet access again...ohh I do miss some of India's luxuries like cheap and easy internet access anywhere, anytime, someone to help carry the bags and other such treats.

I am in the office...so much to catch up on, lights are on but not much is happening in the mind. Can feel the coffee inside me...but wheels not slotting into gear yet...so sitting here looking busy and hoping this familiar location will result in something constructive starting to happen.

We had a great trip- very busy, as you would expect looking after people and trying to keep everything running as you would like. Think generally we succeeded- yippee!

Then 2 weeks in France as a research trip for a new idea...it was a good idea as we were in the neighbourhood but also ambitious as you are always exhausted after a tour....so first 2 days in Paris we grumbled at each other and then started to get our breath and into the work and fun of exploring our new idea.

Now home, no mind but it will come.... Home looks great, monsoon is early and everything looks so happy and green, there was a huge downpour a few days ago and Praveen's work fixing the house roof and the workshop roof has been successful...rain was only on the outside of the buildings not flooding in through any roofs. What a relief!!! I can't add enough exclamation marks for that comment.

When I arrived at the workshop this morning, gate was newly painted and locked, I had to knock to get in and there were many smiling faces and a shower of rose petals...what great guys we have on our team - BIG SMILES all around.

 

I am staying with our time line...last talked in Marrakesh

 We had dinner one night with another couple from our group...foodies as well and keen to try some of Marrakesh's many great restaurants -this one took Praveen's eye as they has an evening performance scheduled as well. Boy did he get a surprise- he did not realise it would included the dancers coming up and interacting- embarrassed or what!
 I have another picture of the gentleman we were with as one of the other dancers came up and he was tucking money into her skirt waistband- he looked like a guilty schoolboy caught red handed. I sent it along to his wife- good blackmail material. I have a similar one of Praveen and have informed him- if he mucks up I will show it to his Mum!! hahah

 Our riad - cosy

 some of our companions- good for fun

 Rick's Bar in Casablanca may have all been fiction but there is one there now and it is lovely- all the movie would demand and a great place for last nights.

A weary bunch of travellers, we travelled far, across sand dunes, over mighty mountains, through many a crowded bazaar.
I learnt a great lesson through this group...you just have to get on with things...no matter how they might upset you, make you fed up and even sick...life is here to experience and you need to do just that!
One of our people loves travel, has a real bubbly excitement to explore and see everything, also suffers terribly from motion sickness, heights, riding camels, many things ... you would think it difficult to leave home. Yet she just gets on with the experience, works through or around the difficulties and is a fabulous travelling companion. I admire her immensely and really appreciate the chance to learn from her example.

home sweet home...time to get back into gear...I have lots of pictures and stories yet from the last few weeks but need to ration my time for telling stories and savouring the journey with picking up projects, catching up with people and many new samples to make from various new clients- all lots of stimulation...and tours to plan
ohh la, la :) 

A Baba good morning

 Ok new phone...after one last dash yesterday- again!! we think we have everything sorted and understood about running the new contraption...internet is working correctly at the moment and is FASTTTTTTTTT- oh boy is it fast and perhaps we can settle down and get some work done.

 First things first is early morning snacks for Baba, play with the new phone, pictures pretty good- heh?

 Notice the new hair cut, even a top knot on the top of his hump....Baba does think he is pretty cool

 and being a good Indian boy flowers on the rump is just fine.

 Lovely Puja who looks after the house and flowers from the garden...we are luxuriating in them while we can; the heat is building....dust is starting to fly...sneezing fits all the time the last few days....

Both Harry the goat and Matilda the cow are due to calve or kid in the next few weeks...lots to happen and now time to catch up on all the things that got disconnected over the last 2 weeks whilst trying to get connected...
I don't think it is famous last words this time- perhaps I will have a minte to stitch later today...
hopefully :)
oh and finally made head way sprucing up our website for Creative Arts Safaris- a few more batches of pictures to load and Gloriuos Ghana itinerary to write up....big dreams for France: the Mirabelle Trail to detail and life goes on....

 The week has had its up and downs...The boys [not being condencending, that is how they and Praveen have been acting] have been fixated on the new camel cart tent.
I was trying to be patient thinking ohh it must be a 'surprise' for me but after a few days of being told just one more hour and still not finished I lost the plot and got a bit snarly- we have clients to think of, we have samples to sort out so we have things to show buyers....

 Finally it was finished [and very flash I admit] and NO, NO, No there was going to be no doors or no coat for the camel,
got home last night and Sohan, the lad who looks after the animals had decorated Baba, new rose on his nose, necklaces down his neck, all the hair from his ears [his lovely fluffy ears and even eye lashes trimmed] the penny dropped.
There was a boys spitting competition going on here. The Camel Festival is starting and this is all about having the flashest camel and camel cart around.
Last year Praveen was offered twice what he paid for Baba because a year in our care and he was twice the camel he had been [yes a fat camel] so obviously the boys are out to get even more notice this year.
I just asked Praveen to take me and some visitors out driving in a few days time and he was all "oh no, Baba is working at the Camel Fair taking clients " you will have to charge your friends".
Well! as you can imagine I was all "WHAT!!!! my camel???" Smart man only a few seconds and he was "yes your highness, of course I would like to escort you are your friends out in our new camel cart" got to love a man who knows which side his bread is buttered on  :)

So that was an up...the down 2 new tailors whose work has been good, came in the day after Diwali [and so receiving their Diwali bonus] to say they needed huge advances on their wages or they would leave. Why would we give them the equivalent og half a years wages? In advance we were talked into this once before and the guy seemed to think he could not be fired because he owed us money....never again...
so now we are down on tailors and I have a lot to do....more tailors will come but sometimes the way people behave drives me nuts.
Next week we are running away from home to Ahmedabad for a few days to the Make it New Again conference  should be most inspiring, it is all about ethical design, fair trade, cross cultural associations.
Also a little get away for us I do admit- we have splurged and are staying at the House of MG my most favourite hotel ever...so everything will be exciting...
happy week to you :)

picnic Pushkar style

 Still got the boys on holidays with us- all is going well...they don't want to go home and as you can see do seem to be fitting into country life pretty well.

 New Moon yesterday and workshop closed so decided to head out for a picnic, camel cart packed and loaded up, Mohit was up on top of Baba and as you can see Baba was feeling very happy to be heading out.

 some of the gang...

 Baba learnt a new trick yesterday- begging at the picnic mat. It started off with him sitting next to us so he would not wander off. He was on chapati watch and so trying to look as cute as possible.
Praveen tried hom on a spicy snack biscuit thinking he would say no....but boy he had found a new favourite.
For a camle who used to look at one and all so disdainfully he has really changed.

He tried namkin [spicy snack biscuits], spiced peanuts, chapatti and finally licked a few plates and finished off the left over dal.
all really nice as far as he was concerned and he was not complaining about crumbs of choclate cake either....such a nice friendly camel.
Good fun :)

excitment yesterday

 Madly busy day, doing lots and waiting for my very good mates from Leicester to arrive....all day there was a bubble of excitment in my belly.
Hung out with Nandu for a while helping with the printing, posted this picture of my current "most favourite block" wanted to thank Julie S for the inspiration....this is on a dhoki khadi- lovely subtle texture...had thought I would add layers of colour over it but liked the simple black and white - new dress here it comes!

 Nandu's next door neighbour wanted her photo taken...everyone thinks it amazing a while woman would spend the day printing....dahhh- we are all the same, if you don't work, you don't eat! I suppose it is just that other side of the fence thinking.... other people have it easier, other people have more money....other people.... darling we are all the same- you just dress nicer!

 Working on handloom for block print fat quarters...I only do the simple prints-I leave the complex ones to the master.

 Look what happened to Baba yesterday. Sohan the young man who looks after him borrowed a razor to give him a hair cut!! First Punk Rock Camel I have seen- by the way Baba had his head cocked he thought he was really cool.

 My mate Anne, has been working on some designs using Pukka Components to make Bag Kits so last night was the first show and tell, spilling a mountain of samples out of her bag for us to paw.

 VVVVEeerrrrrrrrrryyy nice

Anne often has articles in magazines ...we keep supplying her with some of our fabrics and sparkles because I love to see what she will come up with next. She is a very clever girl.
And we have her and her husband here with us for the week!! yippeee, they are my home away from home in England and have always been a warm homely haven when I have been on the road. It is so nice to be able to welcome them here with the same warmth.
happy day to you :)

treasures have been arriving

I was enjoying all this treasure the other day, imges people have sent me of things they have been making....ooohhso nice to see and admire

Beautiful silk, collected from the forest of Bihar, hand spun , hand loomed aquired and hand painted by Caryl Plant- what a combination. It along with much treasure will be part of an upcoming exhibition she and her sister Rhyll are producing  called ‘Beyond the Nightingale Floor’ and will be at the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery June 2012

A departing image collected by Cas, the day after Diwali as she was departing Delhi has been transformed into this work in progress- it will be wonderful to see the full results of these women's hearts and imaginations when they are all ready to show.

This next lot was an equal pleasure for Praveen and I to receieve. Our student Kylie [I know that sounds so grand and really she was here for a short period of time but she is the first student to visit us as part of her studies with an Australian University] and it was very exciting and stimulating to show her around and discuss ideas.
This is her final exhibtion basedon Kylie's block designs, carved to her request carved by our connection in Bagru, hand spun, handloomed cottons and Kylie's block designs,  and then printed by Mrs Nandu. Some of the stitching was undertaken by some of our women and much was completed by Kylie [ we realised the time factor in these new undertakings can be longer than expected].

This is the work of her final project for her Bachelor of Design based on interaction with developing world artisans and techniques.

We learnt a lot about what is involved being facilitotors in such a process and found it very stimulating  because it forces to you do things the way you always do them. It also sparkled off many thoughts on where we could go with some of the work we are producing- nothing like Kylie's work but certainly inspried to think out of our square...creative energy is so positive it always leads to more new ideas and positive growth.

Good on you Kylie, may your future be bright :)

 Our long awaited new workshop [ I know not really that long but it sure feels it!] 
I arrived home all excited to get at it and sort everything out to my satisfaction when I got some weird belly thing and have spent about 15 hours a day sleeping for the last 5 days and the rest groaning with a sore belly- not fun...not fun but the sleeping was quite nice.
I usually find it hard to sleep anywhere near enough- too much excitment in life.

 Well now I am perky and loving it....we still have electric supply problems but our brand new generator arrived last night and by tonight that will all be something of the past, that is why the guys are sitting in the sun cleaning garments- no power. You can see where one day we will set up my painiting table.
Above is the entrance to the cutting room on the right and the stitching room on the laft, to the left side is the entrance to the office....my domain :)

 This view shows the entrance to the office directly in front, the door to the left side is the kitchen and across to the right at the bottom of the steps is the entrance to the store room.
Space, beautiful space to be able to keep things sorted out, clean and organized. Almost everything has been cleared from home so all will be in one spot and days can be so much more productive, before this I was always bouncing back and forth trying to find things.
Sagir my office guy is slowly getting a handle of much of the paperwork soon I will actually have leisure time at home because all thinsg will be at the workshop.....Praveen has never really known my like that and I know he will get a surprise with how much I like to read. I have found an Indian website like Book Depository [I do love them but they do not deliver to India no matter how much you beg....and I have tested this out many times]
Exciting future in 2012.

 Our car is off the road and so I have had to rely on Baba support...this is me being ferried home from work yesterday.....good thing about a camel cart is you can lie down, watch the world go by and take business calls all at once. Just after this picture I receieved a business call, plotting and planning with a prospective new client laying in a camel cart....what would she have thought if she could see the pace of life here?

I did give her a clue when another camle cart overtook us along the way....what fun :)

Christmas greetings to all who celebrate this event may yours be truely happy .