Blog

Sound Of The Loom

India is a rich and fascinating country, it is thanks to artisans like Chandrakar that we have had the fortune to learn this first hand. We have many artisans struggling for their rights to get the price they expected from the market.

On our latest visit to a small village in the Chattisgarh we came across Chandrakar, he welcomed us into his workshop, to see how he and his fellow craftsmen make beautiful silk sarees, dupattas, stoles, and scarves, etc. learn about their heritage and listen to the music that comes from their hard work.

The art of weaving, it is not easy, he told us not anyone can make this, total commitment is needed to develop the work, we take that message with us and try to apply this same passion and pride to everything we do.

Strawberry Smoothie

Smoothie Bowls are such a great option for breakfast. Just pop all the ingredients in a blender, give them a spin, pour into a bowl, top with whatever you have on hand and voila!
Tips : Using frozen fruit will make your smoothie thicker and creamier.

Strawberry Smoothie BowlsPrep Time2 minsCook Time3 minsTotal Time5 mins An easy breakfast made in the blender. Keep in mind you can top with whatever fruits, nuts, seeds, granola etc you have on hand.Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanKeyword: Easy breakfast recipe, kid-friendly recipes, smoothie bowlServings: 1 serving
Ingredients

1 cup whole yogurt or vanilla almond milk, or vanilla cashew milk
1 rounded cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoon honey
3 pitted dates
If using almond milk add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Toppings:

1/2 a kiwi sliced
1 Tablespoon sunflower your favorite
2-3 fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

Instructions

Place yogurt or almond milk into blender, add frozen strawberries, blueberries, pitted dates,honey and vanilla (if using)
Blend until smooth. Smoothies are one of those 'see how it goes' recipes, so if needed add a little more liquid to thin out...
Pour into bowl, top with fruits, chocolate syrup, sunflower seeds

Trend We Love: Earth Tones

Everything you need to know when it comes to decorating with this deeply saturated shade.

Potter clay, burnt copper, profound hazelnut it is difficult to pinpoint a title that can precisely portray this motivated shade, reminiscent of profound earthenware. Its gritty qualities welcome warmth, giving a sense of profundity to the space it epitomizes.

Terra-cotta has its roots in history, having been used by civilizations as early as 3000 BC for pottery. As such, its an interesting mix of contemporary and antique, which means that unlike other color trends, this one has staying power. Whether you want to instill a dash of desert style in your own home or just really like the sunset hue, here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate this trendy but timeless color into your own space.

You need dinnerware that can double as a kitchen accent piece. Enter: This rustic little plate. Pick up a few to stack on your new shelves and bring a pop of color to your space in the most utilitarian way.

Why settle for a run-of-the-mill teapot or-gasp-the microwave when this terra-cotta tea kettle exists? The matte wrap up makes for one chic kitchen extra that you will need to show on your stove at all times.

Pick up a sleek terra-cotta vase. The clean lines and simple silhouette make it prime for die-hard minimalists. Add a simple sprig of greenery or dried flowers (in a subdued hue, of course) for the tiniest pop of color or keep this vase empty and use it as a sculptural accent.

Earthen stories

Curd Setter: Natural way of setting curd in a clay pot.

Well, terracotta is a piece of earth that you carry home. Its a type of earthenware is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous.

Not only does it distribute heat evenly, making for perfect bakes, it also has a porous texture that produces crusts that are just right.

Terracotta is one of the most distinct types of clay you will find, given its rich, rust red/orange coloring. The reason for this distinct color is that the iron content in the terracottas clay body reacts with oxygen and gives it a hue that ranges through reds, oranges, yellows, and even pinks.

If you are wondering where and how to begin, let us get you started. Buy your terracotta cookware at tribaltales.com and you can just cook in it and serve in it too as its rustic charm sets the right tone to your table.

So, here is a quick and easy recipe to make curd in our dolma pot.

All you have to do is heat the milk in the pot, let it get hot till you see tiny bubbles on the surface then turn the stove off (it takes 30 minutes or so for 1/2 gallon of milk to heat up to this point).

Keep the lid open and let it cool till you can put your little finger in and hold it there for 5 seconds. Now the milk is ready for the culture. If making 1/2 gallon of milk, add 3 tbsp of plain whole milk yogurt (preferably an organic brand). Stir the culture thoroughly then close the lid. keep the pot in the oven with the oven light on. let it sit there for 6-8 hours.

Your yogurt is ready!

Bell metal - dhokra art steps

Dhokra art Steps:-

Finding the wet muddy clay from near river and making mold model structure of the piece that needs creating by mixing hay with the clay and drying it.
Putting another layer of wet clay and drying it.
Putting a final layer of mud to fill cracks and drying it.
Finish polishing the model with sand/emery paper and other tools.
Getting the beeswax and melting it with coal tar so that wax does not dry out and become hard, this soft wax is black in color and is made into threads of different sizes using various tools.
Putting a layer of crushed lima bean leaves so the wax would stick to the clay model.
Covering the model with soft wax and using different threads to create the intricate desired shape and design of the finished model.
Covering the model covered in wax and threads with wet clay and dried.
Making a funnel-like channel for the molten metal to go inside the model.
Covering the model with red clay from termites home and dried.
Covering the model with wet mud to fill up the cracks to reduce the spillage of molten metal disturbing the shape of the model.
Melting the brass, nickel, and zinc together to create the molten bell metal in a furnace for hours.
Heating the dried model in a furnace so the soft wax is evaporated leaving the space in between clay for molten metal to go inside.
The model is taken out of furnace which is piping hot and red in color and putting the molten bell metal inside through created channel and covering the model for cracks that may have been caused during evaporation of wax and heating of clay model.
The model is left to be cooled down for hours before breaking the layers of terracotta clay using the hammer and other tools.
The remaining clay and impurities is scraped off using various tools such as iron brush and sand/emery paper.
The model is then buffed using polishing tools to create the desired finish and shine into the products.

How to take care of Dhokra Artifacts

How to take care of Dhokra Artifacts
Dhokra artifact and items are known for their vintage appeal and an exquisite charm they reside in. Here are some quick and easy ways to maintain the shine of your prestigious dhokra artifact. Brighten up those pieces with these easy tips thus sustaining their original luster for a long time. Keep the frequency and intensity of polishing to bare minimum. And do the dusting for as much as you can.

Gentle Dusting
You want to retain the luster of your Artifact. All you should do is dust your jewelry regularly with a dry soft cloth. You can even use a soft-bristled brush which makes it easy to clean the fine crevices. This retains the antique look with a touch of sparkle.

Polishing
Commonly greenish-brown dark coloration forms on the metal that gives it an antique and enhanced look. Some people prefer to keep it that way. However, when your artifact yearns for a new makeover, dust it first before polishing. While applying polish on dhokra artifact, it may lead to excessive abrasion causing the removal of the original surface. If you want you can even coat the artifact with some quantity of microcrystalline wax. Remove the dust and grime first before applying any type of polish. Otherwise, you will do the blunder of rubbing the polish all over the dust ending up corroding the artifact.

Remove the Dull Discoloration
Carefully remove all the dust accumulated on the artifact. It is important to thoroughly remove all the dust to avoid corroding. Get any brass polish (such as Brasso which is readily available in the market and is suitable for the purpose) apply it on a dry and soft cloth rubbing it gently onto the dhokra artifact. Clean the polished surface with another clean and dry cloth which will retain the original sheen.

Citrus and soda
The paste of lemon juice and bicarbonate soda works wonders on dhokra artifact. Use this paste to rinse the dhokra metal surface and see how the artifact shines like new. Do not forget to run a dry cloth after rinsing.

Toothpaste
Toothpaste also works wonders in maintaining the sheen of dhokra artifact. Take a small drop of calcium-based toothpaste onto a soft cotton cloth, and gently rub the cloth in minor circular motions. Get rid of residual elements once dried.

Introduction To Dhokra Art

The word Dhokra is generally believed to be derived from the word Dhokna, which means To cast. Dhokra art is a non-ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax technique. This sort of metal casting has been used for over 4000 years and is still in use today. The earliest known lost wax artifact is the Dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro which was created between 4400-3700 years ago. Another Ancient book Vishnu Samhita written in 5th Century AD mentions that If an image has to be made, it must be made of wax first this text is referring to the lost wax casting technique which has been popular even 1500 years ago.

Dhokra Art is essentially stunning metal figurines fashioned from copper and Bronze based alloys, using lost wax casting. There are several processes involved in the making of Dhokra Art and the figurines are made of a single metal piece. The metal used is also known as Bell Metal for the bell-like sound it creates.

The process of Dhokra art is very tedious and time-taking as it requires an effort of weeks to create a single piece. After the casting is finished and the outer clay mold is broken until then it is unknown how the final piece will turn out to be. To create a single piece of Dhokra Craft at first a smaller than the desired artifact is created using a clay model which is then left to dry in the sun. The clay model is then coated with wax and then coated with multiple layers of different clays and dried till the mold is hard enough to be heated in order for the wax layer to melt and evaporate. Once the wax is gone then the molten metal is poured into the cavity in order for the metal to take shape in the cavity formed by lost wax. Once the metal is cooled off and dried clay mold is broken off to reveal the metal artifact.

The artifact is formed by molten metal hence there is not a single joint in them. Due to the process involved in formation in Dhokra art with lost wax technique, no two art pieces can ever look the same. For this reason, every single artifact is unique and one of a kind. The beauty of Dhokra Art is also resistant to corrosion and casting without any joints which makes them easier to pass down for generations to come.