This pickle jar that was given to me recently comes with a lot of legacy. It comes from my Mother-in-Law's collection of traditional pickle containers otherwise known as Jaadi in Tamil. So in a sense, it is special to both of us and gave me enough reasons to preserve it well and right.
Pickle Jar
Pickle Jar
Not wanting to let it store pickles and be stacked inside a cabinet, I decided to embellish it with traditional art and showcase it somewhere in the open. I have been wanting to learn Kerala style mural paintings and so used up this opportunity. I also settled for decoupaging on the jaadi.

To save me some time, I chose to reproduce sketches (duly credited at the bottom of this post) that were already available on the net and added my own choice of colors to the sketches.
Sketch
The sketch
Mural Painting - Work in Progress
Mural Painting and Decoupage - Work in Progress
The paintings themselves did not take much time which made it less time consuming to complete the entire work, though I did it in phases. Just as how Mod Podge is supposed to be used, I was very generous in smearing my paintings with the glue.

Mod Podge
Smearing the decoupage glue
I did not want to complicate it much and so left the top portion of the jar in its natural glory. When I tried decoupage on water colors for an earlier project, I had issues with smudging. This time I was careful enough to use acrylic paint to avoid any blotching.

Kerala Mural Painting
Mural Art on a Pickle Jar
Mural Keral style art
Jar embellished with Kerala Mural Painting
I should thank my sister-in-law for sending me a bottle of Mod Podge from Bangalore. Since I was able to source the decoupage glue, I did not have to resort to Somu’s cheap method of making his own Mod Podge.

I would love to try different styles of painting and your words of engouragement will certainly up my motivation levels. Do leave me a comment and let me know what you think of this work. It would mean a lot.  Also, enter you e-mail address below to subscribe to updates just so you do not miss out on our forthcoming blog posts.

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Painting Credits :
I have been true to the sources from where I picked the paintings. If these are not the original sources, I would be happy to make the necessary corrections.
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To be practising an art from an early age and continuing the tradition is one thing. But to show interest in a new art form, learn and master it at 70 something is completely another thing. Today, we learnt that everything is possible if the heart and mind is focused and age is no barrier to imbibing newer faculties and creating magic.
This portrait by my aunt Mrs.Loga Subramaniam, is truly an inspiration to us. Just as art is timeless, this painting establishes that talent knows no frontiers and there is never a laid down age to be trained, to learn and to acquire untried skills. 
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a traditional Indian woman
Showcase
This portrait apparently is my aunt’s first painting ever (can you believe that !) that she worked on after half a year of formal training. The portrait exudes a certain charm which we believe couldn’t have been possible without a certain innate artist who was only waiting to be unleashed all these years.

Athai, we were struck by sheer joy when we saw this painting and have been talking about it all evening.  You have so evidently shown us the blaze of passion can never be doused by the passing of time. We are eagerly waiting to see more of your work.

The artist with her painting
The artist with her artwork
Over to you now. Is there something that you have always wanted to learn but have been shying away from ? Have you kept  yourself away from learning a skill because you thought it was too late to grasp the concepts ? Tell us about it. And also remember to leave a comment rightaway on what you think of this painting. Your kind words mean a lot.

~Somu
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This post is partially a translation of a similar post made by my cousin Ramalakshmi who is a passionate photographer and a Tamil enthusiast. She is a renowned blogger from Bangalore who manages a very active Tamil blog. Her photos, poems and articles have consistently found their way into well known Tamil websites and print magazines. The credit for the photos in this post goes to her.
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All these tools were bought on a need basis as and when I required them for a specific purpose. These tools largely serve your basic DIY woodworking needs and will certainly help you make those little projects around the house. (Note: This is a repost)
Safety is of prime concern and so you should take necessary precautions. If certain tools need supervision or you are not sure of their application, try to get it done through professionals. Better safe than sorry.
Woodworking hobby tools
Woodworking hobby tools - Electric Drill

Electric Drill

This is certainly a must have tool in the house if you are a DIY lover. It helps serve multiple needs. Be it hanging a painting on the wall, or making a center table, it is the electric drill that paves way by creating that much needed pilot hole. I have used this to install cabinet doors too. The one I use costed me about Rs.700 and comes with very basic features of single speed and clockwise rotation.

Associated Drill bits

The following are the drill bits that I bought over a period of time. All of these cost between Rs.10 to Rs.30 if you buy them separately.
·  Masonry bit for drilling into concrete / brick walls
·  Twist bits for drilling pilot holes
·  Flat wood bit which I used as a counter sink bit
·  Forstner bit for installing European style hinges for cabinets
Tools for DIY
DIY Woodworking tools

Claw Hammer

The use of a hammer is quite obvious. Since the only nails I use are the headless nails, I use the hammer mostly for pounding them into the piece of wood. You can use the claw to pull out any nail or screw.
Oh ! Did I tell you that it doubles up as a kitchen accessory? I use it to break coconuts.

Cutting pliers

I use them for holding the nails in place when I am hammering them into wood. Helps protect my fingers from being smashed.  I also use them to strip off the plastic sheath from the wires while installing my DIY lampshades.

Screw Driver Set

Again another useful tool to have inside the house. Not just for the purpose of woodworking, but also for other requirements at home, these are very helpful. A kitchen hinge that is loose, a glass door that needs installation or a key holder that is not in place can be easily fixed. The entire set costed me only Rs.80.
Essential woodworking hand tools
More tools

Wood Rasp

I remove all the sharp edges in my work using the Rasp. It helps give a slight curve to the edges. For the cabinet door that I installed, I used the rasp to give the edge a half round shape.

Measuring tape

Your projects will never have the symmetry you desire if not for the measuring tape. Sometimes even a couple of mm offset can make your project look awkward and so it is essential you get used to using the tape accurately. Sometimes it is also needed that you are able to quickly shift between mm and inches as the unit of measurement depending on the situation.

L Square

Perfect tool for drawing right angled vertical and horizontal lines.

Hacksaw blade

Serves all my cutting purposes. Again, the wood that I decide to cut is always of minimal thickness for which the hacksaw is very ideal. Not really suited for cutting wood that is beyond 6 mm in thickness. Not that it is impossible, but really makes it difficult to get that clean cut.

Mica / Laminate cutter

If you work regularly with Mica or laminate, this is a very useful tool. I also use it extensively for cutting 4mm One Side Teak sheet. Beyond 4 mm, this tool is ineffective for cutting.
So that’s about the handtools (with the exception of power drill) that I use. All my projects have been built using these basic tools. Will keep adding more tools and accessories to this list in due course.

What are your favorite tools ? I am not referring to just the ones you use for Woodworking. What are the tools that you use for your arts and crafts projects too ? Share your thoughts.

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I remember being in a leading furniture store in Chennai two years ago looking for a center table for our newly moved in home. A simple yet elegant low table is what we had in mind.

I remember how much we liked a particular table that had just the right height and width, but was too lengthy for our living room.
I remember how the store manager refused to honor our request for custom making the table to the dimensions that we desired.

And I distinctly remember those 6 words from Preethi. “Why don’t we make one ourselves”.
We are turning two

It didn’t take us much time before we decided to take the challenge of making a table head on. Despite having no knowledge whatsoever and the necessary skills, the prospect of dirtying our hands to make that table seemed exciting. And so we built it, with the same dimensions the store manager refused to custom make it for us. (Now you know why our logo is a center table)

And then later on when we needed something or the other for the home, guess what we decided to do ? We decided to build them all ourselves.
Woodworking and DIY projects
A Collage of some of our works
The seed for the doing-it-ourselves and building-things-on-our-own culture was sown by those very same words that Preethi muttered. And eventually they led us to Woodooz. And today we complete 2 years of having started that fun filled, zealous and near obsessive passion of ours. While the need for things around the house helped us with our enthusiasm to create, there were other factors that kept us going with our interest and momentum.
Thanks to Raji and Madhu for custom ordering and buying our first work. They made us believe that if we make good stuff, people will be willing to pay for it.

Thanks to Patricia Torres, her Colours Dekor and the link parties. She continues providing us with a wonderful platform and the support to showcase our works.

Thanks to all the fellow bloggers and our readers who never failed to visit and leave us a comment or two. It made us realize that we are not alone.

Thanks to all those Facebook fans, all of whom we would love to know personally in due course.  Every like in the Woodooz page has been a big boost to our confidence. Incidentally we also reached the 200 landmark yesterday.
Join us on Facebook
Click the image to like us on Facebook
 Two years on and we still want to continue what we do here. Share and Learn. Do continue supporting us and  join us in this journey filled with abundance of passion and enthusiasm.

Leave us your best wishes and comments. Let us know what you think about Woodooz. Good, bad or otherwise – Your opinion matters.

~Preethi and Somu
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Having a virtual group of like minded people to discuss your line of interest is a boon. While it provides the opportunity to network, it also aids in learning new ideas, having purposeful exchanges and making new friends.
Some of the online DIY Woodworking discussion boards tend to get overwhelming with surplus information up for grabs. While information is good, it gets muddled when the language and jargons used have local significance. It would be absolutely great if I have a network where I can discuss my queries, issues, and my work besides other things in a manner than I can better relate to and understand. And that is what “Anything is DIYable” has to offer.
DIY Woodworking discussion board - India
DIY Woodworking forum in India
It is a medium for folks with a strong inclination towards all things DIYable. This forum, in their own words, is home to Indian DIYers and Hobbyists. The growing member list is very enthusiastic and is made of multifaceted individuals with interest towards various activities around the house that one can attempt to do oneself. From home appliances, to Audio video, to Automobiles, to computers, gadgets, plumbing, tiling, to woodworking and carpentry - works are showcased, and ideas are exchanged.

And what makes the forum appealing is the fact that it is completely Indian. I also believe that the group gets together once in a while and have workshops on a topic of interest. If any of the categories mentioned above interest you, you should check out DIYable.

- Somu
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The requirement

What I like about the DIY projects I am getting is the variety in the requirements and the purpose that they are meeting. My recent assignment is to build an inverter battery case that will house the heavy battery and the inverter stabilizer. Considering the inverter is in the living room, the need was to build a cabinet around the whole thing which will look neat and can double up as a small side table.
Battery and stabilizer
The inverter

Making the trolley - Phase 1

One constraint though. The battery needs to be fed with water at least once every two months. So an enclosed cabinet will not serve the purpose. Either the cabinet should open up to expose the battery or the battery should easily move in and out. I went with the latter option and decided to place the battery on a trolley.

The first phase of the project was to build the trolley. I used 19mm plywood board for the trolley and had wooden laminate installed around it. I installed trolley wheels beneath the board and also had a door handle screwed in. The handle is to aid in pulling the trolley out of its enclosure. I tried using it as a skate board for sometime and ended falling flat.

Plywood with edge beading
19mm Plywood plank

Battery trolley
The trolley
Yesterday, I had the trolley delivered and installed. The dimensions ended up being perfect and it was really easy to pull the battery around.

Installation of the trolley
Battery on the trolley

Making the cabinet - Phase II


Cabinet design in #D
Tentative design and measurements
I have to now build the cabinet around the battery. Since the trolley needs to move in and out, decided to not have any base for the cabinet. It will have one additional shelf to house the stabilizer and will have doors covering the front of the cabinet. While the doors will hide the inverter, they will also have sufficient ventilation to allow for any smoke to sneak out. Adequate ventilation also needs to exist in the sides and rear.

This 3D design that I created using sketchup is very simple and tentative. Once approved I will be starting work on Phase II.

Most countries and states may not understand the need for inverters in the house. But, with daily power cuts being the norm in Chennai, almost every household has one. Do you have one too installed in your home ? How have you covered it up? There are ready made cases available. What did you go for ?

- Somu
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What my obsession makes me miss

Ever since we made our first DIY center table, I have been very passionate about doing one project after the other, and have taken a certain pride in showcasing all our works. This little balcony is where I do most of my work from. I roll down the bamboo blinds to beat the heat and get engrossed in my own work. It gets so obsessive that at times I have to be reminded of the things I miss. So, for a change, I gave DIY a break, rolled up the blinds and decided to open my eyes to the things I should not let pass (All pictures below were taken right from the comforts of our balcony).
Working in the balcony

While am facing the other side and working on my gate, there is a flock of cranes that are cooling it off behind my back in the mini lake that is an outcome of winter showers. Sometimes a dog playfully runs behind one of them. In a place like Chennai, such a sight is unheard of. Luckily for us, we have another year or two of this visual luxury and it is indeed criminal to show my back to this picture perfect splendor.

Flock of cranes
Flock of cranes - A view from the balcony
Like a sage in his unperturbed penance, this cormorant stays put in that pillar almost every other day. Unmoved and focused on that prized catch that it may spot inside the water. It takes a moment like this to realize the grandeur of life around that should not be missed because of certain fixations.

Cormorant
A cormorant waiting for that elusive fish
They are common mynas but they are not so commonly seen perching on our window sill. And so when there is a couple happily posing, I would rather not be elsewhere hammering. 

Common Mynas
Mynas on the window sill
Preethi’s mini balcony garden (that calls for a separate post by itself) invites humming birds almost every other day. Imagine seeing them flapping their wings and trying to suck nectar out of the flowers. We experience that sometimes, and know what keeps them away often ? Someone squatting on the balcony floor with  preoccupation, wood and tools. These birds have now inspired us to make a mini bird bath for them.

humming bird
A humming bird - Or so I think
On a rainy day, my work space is all wet and soggy and it spoils any project I may have in hand. The only consolation is the fresh change these rains bring. Next time, given the choice between sweating it out in my make shift work space (the guest room) and taking pleasure in the weather sipping a hot cup of chai, I should remember to go with the latter.\

Balcony Garden
Flowers in their full bloom - Balcony Garden
Oh sometimes, I spot these too. Considering this is not something I would see on a normal day, why would I even want to miss it. I played it safe and took this picture from 4 storeys above and at least about 50-60 meters away. Am obsessed with DIYing, not dying. 

Water snake
Slimy and slithery - A water snake
This is just one aspect of it. There is whole lot of other things that get hit because of my obsession. A weekend outing, a movie together, shopping, maybe my favorite show on TV, reading a book (4 years since I did that), or just that do nothing moments. This is a hobby and I should learn to give it only its due. But by being the addiction that it is now, it is really robbing me off my time that I would spend on otherwise more fulfilling things.  To step back and slow down is an art. Its about time to start mastering it.

Do you get overly obsessed too with your hobby? What is your way of ensuring that you do not get sucked into it ? Share your thoughts. It will certainly help me.

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When I made my first paper mache craft in Woodooz, the process of making the paste was very brief that many found it not so handy. Since then there have been many online and offline requests and so I decided to make a descriptive post on how to make the paper mache clay.  The DIY nameboard  and the paper mache tribal masks were made using the very same process described below.

1. Materials Required

  • News Paper strips
  • Flour (Maida)
  • Salt

2. Start with the paper

  • Cut the news paper into small strips
  • Soak the strips in water. Allow it to be in water over night (Atleast about 8-10 hours)
  • The strips should be completely soggy
  • Alternatively, you can boil the strips in water to quicken the process
Make strips
Cut the paper into strips
Boil the strips in water
Soak the strips in water and boil

3. Grind the boiled strips

  • Allow for the strips to be soaked in water (at least 30 mins) after boiling
  • Take the strips and drain the water
  • Grind the strips in a mixer 
  • The picture below is after the strips were ground
The clay should be ground
Grind in mixer

4. Add maida (flour)

  • Slowly add maida and salt to the ground mix
  • The need for maida is to provide the necessary consistency to convert the mix into a clay like paste
  • Keep adding maida and salt as you knead the mixture until you get a dough (Chapathi) like consistency
  • For this demonstration, I used two sheets of news paper and 250 grams of maida
  • The key here is the dough like consistency and so you would know when to stop adding the maida
Add maida and knead
How to make paper mache pulp

5. Use the clay

  • Once you reach the desired consistency, your clay is ready to use
  • Lay it on a plastic sheet so that it does not get sticky
  • Make the shapes that you want to make using the paper mache clay
  • Allow it to dry for more than 24 hours
  • Once dried the shape you have made is ready to be painted. Use an acrylic primer base if required
  • Unleash your creativity and add colour to your paper mache project
Paper Mache Project
Make your paper mache project
Just ensure that you do not disturb your project while it is drying. Once dried, it becomes very strong and stiff. And so, that's how you make the paper mache paste. I have something in mind for this project which I shall save for another day after it is complete. For now, it is just work in progress.

Do leave me your comment and let me know if there is anything amiss. Let me know if you used a different method to make this clay. If you do use this tutorial and make your paper mache project, let me know. I would love to know how it turned out.

~ Preethi
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Owing to increasing number of queries on where Mod Podge in India can be found, we requested Hobby Ideas to give us a list of stores across the country where their Mod Podge product is available. We have personally not checked the validity of these addresses and numbers. Nonetheless, we hope you will find good use for it should you be in need of Mod Podge.

This post is not sponsored. We put this up here based on our own interest to assist our readers in finding what they come here looking for.

If your city is not listed here, and you are not able to get hold of Mod Podge, learn to make a cheap alternative to Mod Podge using Fevicol.

If you came here looking for information on Adhesives, we have some inputs on different types of adhesives.

Leave your comments and let us know if you found this information useful. It will make our day.

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My cousin Raji would always ask Preethi, “What would you need from Michaels?” or  “What would Somu need from Home Depot or Lowes?” and we never had an answer. We were doing our DIYs with available materials and resources that we didn’t stop to think what else we would need that can help with the quality quotient of our work.
And so, when she mailed that she has sent me few gifts through my BIL who was visiting Chennai, I was very excited. Not only was she thoughtful in her gesture, but she was also bang on target as to what I would have loved to own.

Woodworking projects for DIY
Woodworking projects
One of the gifts was “The Big Book of Weekend Woodworking” that has 150 easy to do projects. I always roam the internet looking for inspiration and this book had everything to keep me busy for many weekends together. All the projects are easy to do with clear illustrations to aid the hobbyist in me.

The projects are categorized into 12 different categories with kitchen projects, office projects, useful household projects, clocks and more being among them. The illustrations with drawings and patterns are a treat to my itching hands that are of late up to indulging in one project or the other.


I have read the book end-to-end couple of times in the last week itself. Now it is just a question of deciding what I want to make for myself and our home. The book is an inspiration galore and I am way too excited as I figure out the projects that I want to get going with immediately.

Tool Box DIY
DIY Tool box
Rail Planter you can make
A Rail Planter
Serving tray project
Serving Tray
Thanks Raji for the thoughtful gift. The book is a source of inspiration and your gesture a source of encouragement. This book got me thinking about why such knowledge resources are not locally available for an India based hobbyist. But then, I shall save that thought for another day.

Tell me what was your first gift that got you going with your passion. Leave me a comment.
Other useful resources you may be interested in
Picture credit : The pictures were taken from the "The big book of weekend woodworking" book
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- Somu
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