Tuesday 29 December 2009

Day 106-Anew

A New Year
A New Blog
Another Beginning...
In the beginning....
My brother, Win, was the very 1st person I sought to help me with the building of my palace. He bowed out after Xander was born but not before he handed me a set of drawings for the palace.

In the next beginning...

My brother saw how messy my blog has become through the eyes of my new Mac and decided to build me a new blog. Not just the design, which was by him but also the really time consuming debugging and error mining. Staring at my blog now, I remember vividly how I felt when I got that 1st set of drawings from him. The same excitement and thrill, pride. And love.

It is almost a tradition now. A gift from my brother, every new year, for my Maharaja's Palace. So here he is, dressed befittingly for the inauguration of my new blog, ladies and gentlement, my talented brother, Win with his gorgeous wife:

And in honour of my brother's artistry, please allow me to share with you The Maharaja's Palace artist-of-the year, Edwin Lord Weeks, a most celebrated American Orientalist . I have picked 96 pieces of his work . They are mainly of the everyday life in early 19th century India ( 1893-1895) with some on Morocco and Persia. I hope they inspire you as much as they did me. It will be a dream come true if one day, I am able to recreate some of his paintings in miniatures.


26 comments:

rosanna said...

I love your new blog !! Win has been great ! It's also much easier to read.Can I bribe him to do a new one for me?! I'm joking of course...but not that much.
Can you receive mail now? I restrained myself from writing since I was unsure that you might read them. I have some news... Have a nice day/evening Rosanna

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I would happily accept bribes. PayPal and major credit cards accepted.
Alternatively, a nice bottle of Italian sweet rose wine would do just fine.

Joking, of course... about the wine.

Sans! said...

Hi Rosanna, I didn't believe Win when he said light background makes for easier reading! I always thought black background does!

I can access the mail now. Sorted it out thanks to my wonderful brother, just yesterday. Email me.

But I will be leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia tomorrow and will be back only next year on 2/1. I can access the net from my iphone. Email me! I will like some distractions :). And DEFINITELY news!

Sans! said...

Win, Rosanna is a sweetie and she loves Xander. Plus she's a great cook, lives in Genoa which is probably one of the most beautiful cities in the world AND she's a great cook. So be nice and maybe she will cook for you a nice meal when she visits us here :)

Eva said...

Nice to meet you Win! :) The picture is so beautiful...
I love the blog's new look! It is more "fresh" and it is true that easier to read....
This week a small piece of Spain traditions will fly to Singapure...why? just because it make me happy :)

Sans! said...

Hey Eva ! How was the birthday celebration? :) I am packing as I type..always last minute and always blogging 1st ..haha!

Win, Eva's birthday is one day after Xan's. :)

I can't wait to see what makes you happy, Eva :):):).

Lize said...

Thought I arrived at the wrong blog, was just about to make a detour when 'Maharajah' started ringing a bell! Lo and behold... it is your blog but after a visit to the 'surgeon;, with a whole new look!!!

Looks super!

And Weeks is one of my favourite Orientalists!

Happy New Year to all of you!

PS 1 Win has to tell us what potion he uses to keep his swirly mustache so orderly...

PS 2 Rosanna has us all curious...

PS 3 Enjoy your holiday!

PS 4 Greetings to Xander!

Mercedes Spencer @ Liberty Biberty said...

WOW! Win is a genius! The new look blog is FANTASTIC. I think we all need his help!
Enjoy your holiday!
Mercedes

Tallulah Belle said...

I thought I'd come to the wrong place for a minute...I LOVE it.

Lucky you...a new blog and a handsome brother :-)

Have a great trip ((()))

Pubdoll said...

Congrats Sans! Win has done a fabulous job, I love the new look, very indian palace-y!
And I agree with the others that the light background makes it easier to read, so now I can look even more forward to your stories! Win looks like a handsome prince and his wife, judged by the little we see, is indeed gorgeous!

Happy New Year my dear, and have a safe trip to Malaysia!

Unknown said...

ahhh!! nice fresh start eh!!! ok i'll admit, i like the new blog better cos it's faster to load now. previously, i'd have to wait before any content loaded since you had so many scripts running ; ;

the colours work wonderfully well, with a cohesive theme! good job, Win! ^ ^ and the slideshow you've compiled is mesmerizing....thank you for introducing his work to us :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sans! said...

I am now sitting outide my friend's house in KL, situated in an eco park with 2 man made lakes. Tomorrow morning, I shall go running around this estate that looks a lot like where you stay, Lize :).

To answer your questions, Lize
: the potion is called MS Paint & Picasa. Haha! I have edited the photo by sepia-ing it and giving Win an oily curly moustacho. This picture was taken in my room. I threw a Moroccan themed party where we have Moroccan food and everyone came dressed to the theme. We even have an artist friend came and demonstrate Islamic calligraphy and a faux perfumier, another friend, showing us how to prepare traditional Persian incense. In the end, many of us looked more Arabian than Moroccan. Although I suspect their national costumes don't differ much.

Sans! said...

Thank you Mercedes. Win, Merce is another one who's birthday is just after Xander. There are many December babies in blogland :). O yes, just remembered that Rosanna's birthday is also in December!

Sans! said...

Helene, it was as if Win could read my mind. All I told him was that the era of my project is Victorian British India but I want the blog to have a contemporary edge (ie black) . He told me "black" was very yesterday, circa 1990s haha and yes, hard to read. I didn't make it easy for him because I really don't like white background. He did this remote so I actually could see his progress while I answer comments and surf other blogs. You must agree with me that the masthead is
gorgeous and to blend in the rest of the page, he used a "parchment" background with 2 side bars of Persian illustration. As you know, I am reading "My Name is Red" now which is all about Persian miniaturists & illuminations. So this is just right up my alley. I am going to the bookstore to buy another copy of the book cos I think I left mine at the airport! Sigh..

Sans! said...

Haha Cindy :), when my bro told me to get rid of the black so it will be easier to read, I told him noone reads my posts anyway. They just come and see pictures..now you tell me the pics weren't even load ..LOL!

I am glad he just took over. For this one. I can always trust that guy to know what's best when it comes to IT.

And yes, he told me the snowflakes was also circa 1990s and must definitely go. I told him you said it was dandruff and he couldn't agree more.

You feeling better, I hope?

Unknown said...

You might want to check out your Beginning blog as well. Same treatment, different country...

dalesdreams said...

Sans, you're so cool! :)

The new blog looks fabulous and I love the picture. What an enchanting couple. :)

Light is easier to read. Now that I am an ol' lady hoo, I can't see the writing on the black backgrounds as well as I used to. I always liked blck backgrounds as they look rich. :)

Fabulous to start the new year with a new blog look. I really like it.

Oh, oh, oh, and I got your goodies the other day. Thank you so much! I know exactly what I am going to do with it. :)

Hubby nabbed the stamps. ;)

Well, that's all for now, I posted on day 103, too, as I'm still a little behind. ;)
dale

Unknown said...

lol Sans! i'm glad you weren't offended by my comments > < i tend to not think how it'd be received *mortified at self*

the pictures loaded fine, which is why i keep coming back XD i -do- read your posts! but uh, yea, you know i'm easily distracted anyway XD it was more the little scripts and add-ons you had, the 'dandruff' was the one that caused the most trouble, as it took longest to load...

see, i practiced self-restraint, or i would have said exactly what your brother said about it XD

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! *pulls your ear*

Texas Belle said...

Love the new look! And I agree that the blog is easier to read now. Hope your trip to KL goes well. Happy new year!

Sans! said...

Hey Dale :). Glad you like my bro's work :). He's very talented .

I just checked out your blog and see that you have been busy too! Finally, the Xmas week is over and I am glad somehow that things can more or less get back to normal and I can work on my hobby again.

I think you are probably the 3rd or 4th person who has received the flowers. I ma glad :). Can't wait to see what you will do with them.Happy that someone thinks our stamps are precious..lol!

Sans! said...

Hah Jayne, I have somehow missed your comment. You think my brother is handsome? I am sure he will be soooooo pleased :).

Sans! said...

Wow, Win. I love the work you have done on "My Beginning" as well! Fantastic. Need to ask you why my middle "container" ends up lefty. This is happening to "My Projects" blog as well! Arghhhh! I may want to keep one black for nostalgia.LOL Forgot to take pics of my old blogs!

Sans! said...

Belle, you have been missed! KL was hectic and way too much eating. I have put on the pounds I can hardly afford :). Well, same old resolutions I guess for the new year, diet + exercise. Then Chinese New Year again, more food ..lol!

Haha Cindy. I will always appreciate your "say it like it is" style! It is a breath of fresh air, babe!

Ara said...

I LOVE your new blog as well!! How wonderful to have such a giving brother!! And one with such a sense of humor as well! I am sure you will treasure that picture for years to come! Wonderful inspiration as well! hugs, Ara

Sans! said...

You betcha, Ara! Until next year ") lol!

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