That Summer

Some photos are precious. No matter how many more of those photos you have, some of those will always be close to your heart. Because they bring so many memories . Memories of places,moments, people, experiences, beginnings. I had been eyeing those walls for a long time. It looked like such a stunning place for an outfit shoot. Though this shoot was unplanned and the outfit was a lucky pick, that summer was 'oh so beautiful' .

Think like a blogger

One way I like to create more clothing options for myself is through diy. And painting your own clothes can be tough job to so yourelf. So I try to find easier options of painting. It dosnt have to be freehand. You could use a variety of things. Just a little practice is the key. Block printing is for everyone. Even the kids. Whatever object you choose, try a few times on paper on rough cloth.
I chose to paint with leaves. I have a special affinity to leaves when it comes to paints since I was kid. They come in so many shapes ans sizes. And if you look close the web of veins is a beauty.
So lets get started!

Things you need

Step 1:
Put a newspaper under the cloth to avoid transfering the paint underneath.
Now choose carefully which side you want to paint. I painted with the backside of the leaf. The impression of the leaf from that side was better. You could see the veins more prominently in the painted image.  For a nice outline I would suggest the backside.
Paint the color you want. Keep the color consistenvy right. Not too dry, not too runny. If its too dry the color won't transfer nicely and you will have empty spaces. If color is too runny it might fall off the object while you try to put the object on the cloth. And it might also spread outside the outline you want.

Step 2:
Press it down gently. Applying too much pressure,if you're choosing a leaf, will diminsh the veins. And spread the color too much.
The bigger leaves below do no have veins visible, because I wanted it that way. I have painted small leaves too which show the outlines nicely.

Step 3:
Fill on color freehand, if you want.
Leave to dry for 24hours.
Iron on the backside of the clothing after the paint is dry.

 
The two waya I wore the dress. Before and after!

The love hanger

When everyone is busy getting ready for the Valentines Day, buying gifts for their loved ones and making dinner reservations, I decided to have a quiet Valentines away from my husband doing what I do best. Taking care of the baby and doing fun diys! I came across this cute wall decor on a blog and did a little something for my bedroom for the special day. Its all about feeling the love and being thankful for every special person you have in your life. The idea could spruce up a corner in the house be it your parents' bedroom too.

Things you need 
Scissor, thread/ribbon, pen , cello tape/hotglue gun, colored paper of your choice

Get started

1. Make little hearts on the paper. You could use stencil if you're a beginner.

2. Cut the hearts out and glue/tape them on the ribbon/ thread. I used craft paper that was white on one side, which was a mistake. Its better to used paper thats colored both sides to avoid the white when the hearts swing around.

4. Hang the thread/ribbon on an old hanger.

You could even hang pom poms or little bells for a Christmas Eve. Keep the thread a little longer and hang little buntings to give it your creative touch.

The good thing about this diy is you could hang it anywhere in the house. You don't need a day to show love, express love and fill the air with love. 

Make a quick pick for Valentines

It's that time of the year when there is endless love in the air. Everyone is gearing up for special day. Salon appointments, planning vacations, finding the right outfit to look perfect for that someone special. But the celebrations are incomplete without the perfect gift for your valentine The best part about Valentines Day is that it falls in between the sale season, lending us a lot of potential gifting options. As the day comes closer and the search intensifies, one must keep in mind a few necessary things while shopping for a gift that can leave an impression.
- your partner's personal style
- is he/she a gadget freak
- has your friend been looking for a particular piexe for the wardrobe( like those new Nike shoes or that tan bag in Stevve Madden)
-does he/she like to experiment or just stick to the basics.
The key to that thoughtful gift is keeping a close eye and asking a lot of questions to know him/her better. I have been browsing for budget buys on Jabong for a while now as there is also a family wedding coming up. I like to invest in things that my husband would love to wear and just keep in his closet because its not his style and never even part with it because I bought him that!  While browsing I have shortlisted a few options from Jabong's biggest list of lust worthy items. I hope it might help you further with your gift search.

1. (Manufaktura Home Spa mint and almond herbal soap Rs990)- This gorgeous soap will potray your out of the box thinking. The gorgeousness of this soap will light up your bff's face for sure!

2. (Osmo Professional fibre paste Rs770)- This is an ideal pick for a man who like extra hold on his mane while also turning heads around!

3.(Natio Wellness body scrub Rs1140)- Body scrubs ard the most underrated gifts. With the many skin benefits they can be a ideal gut for your friend who likes that extra shower time.

4. (Victoria Secret giftpack Rs7200)-  A  gift pack with other beauty elements could break the old superstition of gifting perfumes for cordial relations.

1. (Guess blue analog watch Rs 12700)- The dark blue tone sets it apart from its gold and silver counterparts,and makes it a modern day classic. Its adequately feminine and just as glamorous. 

2. (Diesel trojan grey analog watch Rs 9495)- If your man loves the outdoor lifestlye then this camo watch is great catch. I tops my wishlist and will definitely top your too. This sporty and low maintainence watch is a good investment shows your thoughtful side. 

3. (Guess latitude two-tone analog watch Rs 14300)- A mix of gold and silver tone, this unisex watch definitely is a classic piece and has the potential of an everday watch. This is a watch if you're not too sure of what color to go for.

1. (Viari tan laptop bag Rs6400)- This bag is a quintessential closet staple. Its classic yet contemporary. A bag for all age groups . This is an everyday bag that adopts to the formal norms of the work culture as well makes those distressed denims edgy. 

2. (Bag Jack tan leather laptop bag Rs2989)-  If you're looking for a bag that is seasonless and super easy to style, this brown laptop bag is a great pick. The sauve classic is for both the sexes. 

3. (Mboss beige leather duffle bag Rs6299)- The color and design give a 90s appeal to this unisex bag. For the friends that like to add a little drama to their style this is the bag that they can stuff all their essentials inside for a weekend getaway. 

4. (House of Tara laptop sleeve Rs550)- if your girlfriend loves color, this quirky laptop sleeve will be a nice addition to her wardrobe.

1. (Invern by Monteil golden lapel pin Rs695)- Accessorizing your man can be a tough job. But Jabong jas somehing for everyone in one place. 

These standout pieces transform a basic classic to party chic. And are a total must have for every man.

2. (Calvadoss red tie Rs899)- The nautical stripes make it an effortless lunch-punch item. Ups the outfit an instant!

3. (Chasquido blue bow-tie Rs699)- Whatever color you choose,whether its polka dots or a bright red or even paisley print, tells him a lot about what you know of him. A tough choice there, but the effort will be surely worth all his love and praises.

4. (Rayban aviator sunglasses Rs6990)- Some pieces remain a total winner no matter what you're celebrating. And aviators are one of them!

5. (Gilderman silver cufflinks Rs1699)- Regardless of where he's going theese tiny add ons are for all occassions. 

6. (NEXT multiman charachter socks pack of 5 Rs 1490)- Even boys like to have fun every once a while. And a pair to unconventional socks can be a good way to start from.

1. (Philips 5in1 multistyler Rs2995)- A complete hairstyling range from Philips will keep your Valentine looking gorgeous. This includes a hairstrightner, a curler and rollers. You never know thia might even be in her wishlist!

 2. (Philips Aqua Touch shaver Rs2495)- A clean shaven look will always remain in vogue no matter how long the beards get with time.  The added benefits are you will be the first thing on his mind every day!

P.S : This post is in collaboration with Jabong. However the reviews and choice listed are my own. The original prices of all the products has been written. The discounted prices may vary.

Happy Valentines Day & Happy shopping!!

Happy Birthdays

Being a mother is the most exciting job. You're on your toes all the time. And when the kid finally starts walking around the excitement doubles. You want to teach her every possible thing you have known as a kid. The new toys, new games, words, dancing moves. Everything is special and you want to do it just right. Another special thing apart ffrom the first step,the first word and the first chocolate, her first birthday is the most special.  Every parent wants an unforgettable first birthday for the baby. From the decor to the guestlist and her gorgeous dress.

So just like any other super excited mom, I wanted a super birthday for my daughter too. And for this I wanted her to grow up and see all the effort I put in for her day. With the market flooding with party decorations I wanted to give a personal touch to everything. And so the series of DIYS! 

1. Birthday invitations

 I chose the minnie mouse theme for the birthday. Because the gathering was a small one of about 10 families, I decided to make the invites myself.

Things you need

chart paper, paints, fevibond/ fevicol, satin ribbon, double tape, any color marker pen.

 a. Using bowls make all sizes of circles on the chart. Paint them and leave to dry. For writing the invites I made separate circles and kept them white.

b. Cut them out and stick them together.  

c. I painted pink circles for the halves. And using a pen cap made polka dots. 

d. Using a double tape stick the bow between the ears. 

e. Write on the white circles and tuck them in the minnie mouse face. 

2. Return gifts

For the return gifts I wanted to add a personal touch too yet keeping it simple. Keeping the blue and pink theme in mind I kept the blue for the boys and pink hearts for the girls.

Things you need
newspaper/ brown paper, colored paper /glaze paper,glue

1. I used old newspaper to wrap the gifts. I cut out hearts of colored sparkle paper and pasted separate colors for boys n girls.
This might be a good idea to use separate colors when you have different gifts for all kids or have gifts according to age.

This is what the gifts looked like.

3. Birthday cap

Things you need

Glaze paper, scissor, fevibond

I cut out a bow out of the same glitter sheet that I used for decoraring the gifts. You could also use a ribbon bow or probably some pompoms to line the cap. Its all in your head and how creative you are.

I bought similar caps for the other kids too and decorated the birthday cap to make it stand out! 

4. Cake bunting

Things you need

Toothpicks,thermocol, fabricpaints , fevibond/hotglue gun

a. The glitter paper just did everything for me. It worked so well. I used it for almost everything. 

b. Cut out baby's name from the thermocol/ glitter sheet. Write the alphabets flipside if you using a paper that has glitter only on one side. Be careful with that. 

c. If you choose thermocol, cut the alphabets out, paint them and glue the toothpick on the corner of each alphabet.

Take a look at what my baby's cake looked like.

Hope you all like the simple diys to make your baby's birthday a memorable one and more fun than the last one. And please feel free to share any creative ideas from yourself.