Now And Then

When i was done with my previous banner, I was on top of the world. It was something unique and new i had created with the one ounce of creativity i possess. They say "happiness is ephemeral". So was something i experienced. The moment i saw it put up on my blog, it was appealing no more. And since then i have been breaking my head to make a *coughs* better one. After making 5 more banners, i decided to put up this one. I love dots and stripes. In fact i love all cute things. Sometimes it gets a little childish, but don't we all harbor a lil child in us?

Being a Company Girl, I am on a Cleaning Spree these days. Of course with the help of mom (I don't know how it would have been possible without her).

was cleaning wardrobes. (This time, I am not in sync with the site though, but it sure works as an inspiration.) I still cant organize wardrobes like she used to/does. The way I do (which i don't know how to explain) gets messed up in no time. But the way she does, is easy to maintain a wardrobe's looks for something like forever.

Now, after being a homemaker for two and half yrs, its easier for me to understand "organizing" things around the house, what used to be rocket science once upon a time, for I was in hostel during the learning-bits-of-homemaking days. Then suddenly i got married and responsibilities poured in from every possible nook. With in no time i conceived and along came more work and stress. I remember the days when i used to be breathless, hungry, tired with sour legs ALL at the same time and all the time. I either had time to eat or work. Coz in both cases Hiba honestly and equally played a role to trouble. My fault was, i gave more importance to work, which i was not able to do "perfectly" back then, reason being terrible weakness and hunger. I was trapped in a vicious circle. Work > no food > weakness > more work. I cried and fed Hiba. Cried and changed her soiled diapers. Cooked food with the baby clinging on to my legs, screaming to be taken in arms, and i cried more. Till Hiba was one yr 3 months old, i dont remember a single night when i slept for more than 15 minutes at a stretch. She was either hungry or had colics. For some unknown reason i wasn't able to put her into a regular sleep routine. She wanted to be nursed through the night. And thats what i did. She still wants at least 3-4 (bottle) feeds during the night. But thankfully I get to sleep at least two and half to three hours at a stretch. Its enough to take care of most of the tasks of a day. Only things is I am not able to get up early in the mornings for not being able to sleep through the night.

It was the worst but still the most beautiful phase of my life. I want another baby, but i am yet to muster courage to even think of what its gonna be like then...

P.S: You can use my meme/meme graphics for free.

Coping With Nostalgia...

I spent the Golden Days of my life in Chandigarh. Teenage, college life, hostel life, love life... every "first" thing happened at that (which NOW looks like) unbelievably beautiful place . Given a chance, I'd pay my life to turn back time and experience it all over again. I fondly reminisce and cherish those memories and often keep brooding over it for hours together. Last evening was one of those times. It was as if a blanket of warm memories had enveloped me tightly, not letting me go. As if they themselves wanted to persist on my mind and leave a mark forever. If only i was blogging "regularly" back then! I used to blog on and off . Even if i could, it will take me an entire life to muster the courage to read those entries. It would be absolutely impossible to hold back tears. The ups and downs those days were about some really silly and innocent things. Now i wonder why did those things ever bother me. I am wayyyyy mature now. The only side effect of which is, my friends have started calling me "bore aatma".

At the same time it was lovely like no other thing could ever be. Those carefree days and nights, when the sleep cycle was perfect and days were vibrant and zestful. Those longs hours of chats with DH (then, fiance. we were in to a long distance relationship (LDR). He was in mumbai.). Missing and then covering up lectures in college. Sneak peak at TV late nights at hostel. The list is so long, i can go on and on for more than 5 consecutive posts. Point is, at times i feel i am still hanging on to the my past. Maybe it is not actually hanging on.. but it sure affects my mood to a great extent.

Whatever it is, i just miss those days a lot.

Free and still occupied...

As i said I am a lil relaxed these days, but at the same time i am also trying to make most of it by looking after things that were longing for some attention, but i just didn't get an opportunity to pay heed to. Especially things related to cleaning. Now that i am done with some of it, i wish i had clicked some "before" pictures of the same. Its so cool looking at that before and after pics.

Yesterday i finally got a chance to go to the supermarket, which again was long over due. There was a time when i enjoyed trips to super markets... just to have a glimpse of whats new in the market. And apparently it used to get a lil expensive for we actually went to buy just the needfuls, but used to return with plenty-ful.
Since Hiba happened, those trips have merely reduced to "a CHORE"! Especially when i have to go there all by myself, carrying a toddler, who can neither be left on her own to walk, nor can she be carried in arms (which is what she wants) all the time... not to forget those huge shoppers (bags) on the way back home. Yesterday was not that tiring, coz i went with bro in his car.

And yes, i got a nice soup mug free with 3 Maggie soups.. which rather looks like a coffee mug. It "was" a pale blue colored piece until i painted it with some really ugly things in silver. I don't know why my hands were scratching-to-sketch so much last night. It was one of those late night coffee sessions when i turned it into a disaster. Only after i was done painting, i realized i could have simply made it look pretty with some polka dots and hearts instead of all that kalakaari :-D. The only "smart" thing *rolls eyes* i did was, i wrote "For DH" on it, to shut his mouth from (very much deserving) criticism. I admit, i am the worst painter EVER!
The good part it, the color i used seems like easy-to-wear-off thing. Soon our maid will "clean" it and i'll be able to paint it *coughs* better.




Here are the pics..I know what you all must be thinking. You have all the rights and my undeniable permission to laugh out loud :-D.

Relaxed or Thoughtful?

Since two days suddenly i have ample time. I used to save every moment of the day by finishing off chores asap, so that i get sometime to catch up with blogging and photoshop tutorials by evening. But it simply wasn't working. It was only around mid-nights after Hiba slept, when DH and I had a quite coffee time... to talk, surf and blog. But these days i am so relaxed. Not much of fussy-tantramatic Hiba, not much of cooking, no more scattered toys in toy land aka living room. Maybe coz mom has come over. Bhabhi is expecting a baby. So she has come over to take care of her. They live just across the street so Hiba is on her joy spree these days. She has two big houses to run about in. Suddenly she is an even happier child. Change of environment works a lot for toddlers. Half of her day is spent at mom's. Even our maid is happy coz theres not much for her to do either.

I wonder when will i start trusting people around. Theres just this one family i trust and let Hiba play with their daughter. They are one of those well cultured, spiritual family. There maybe others too, but i don't really like to take chances by testing an then deciding, at the moment. Maybe when she get a LITTLE older, i'll try to let her chose her own friends. I don't know... thinking of her teenage right now, it seems i'll never be able to trust her friends either. I mean come on! All of us has been in that age at one time. Even if we were not in those brats-gangs, we are well aware of the variety of kids that come to school. And these days bad ones out number the good ones.
OK Time out! I dont want to and I dont need to think of all this so soon. I just need to work on her learning abilities for now.

Moral of the story.. Hiba seems to be turning me in to a psycho mom!!

Top 5 Confessions of a 60% Techie Mom...

Ok 60% here means I m gradually getting closer to being a 100% techie mom. Seriously, having a geeky-hyper-techie (with a contagious attitude) DH like mine, its pretty obvious i'll be a 100% techie mom in no time. Not that i dislike it.. I am loving every inch of it. So we were talking about confessions huh ... Here are mine.
1) I am almost 25 now, and i am already scared of being 30. (On second thoughts, I am also scared of dying.. and lizards.. and being lonely. Ok maybe someday i'll make a post on "Top 10 Things that scare me the most" too.)

2) I love pink!! I don't know why i am so obsessed with pink. Though at time it gets somewhat embarrassing too. But what the heck?!

3) I get great ideas about blogging only when i climb on my huge bed!

4) DH hates my parents (for all very valid reasons...may be someday I will post the details here). Yes, i said it out LOUD and clear. I still cant imagine the aftermaths of this confession, but what the heck?! Isn't blogging all about being yourself?

5) I hated DH's being soooooo utterly techie during the initial days of our marriage.

P.S. You might notice frequent changes in this list from time to time. In other words, i'll keep updating this list as life goes by and things keep happening.

Thats all for now. These were somethings that have been on my mind a lot lately. Somtimes even disturbing. I'd be really glad to listen to yours..

Fab Friday!

Fridays always make me feel relaxed. Happy fab Friday!! Phew! weekend is finally here! Although weekends are equally hectic, but still there is a sense of relief somewhere. It tends to get less calm by the time its just Sunday afternoon. I plan on doing some more photoshop today. Sometimes i feel i know quite a bit. Other times i feel i am the least creative girl on earth! Its still a long long way to go. I wish we were something like people from The Matrix. You know.. machines, yet human. Download every hee thing you want to learn. Just one click and tadaa! "Congratulations! You are now an advanced user of Photoshop. We hope you had a pleasant time "downloading" our learning program."
Things are never the way you want. Don't i sound a lot like... impatient?? Ok time for some..

What Colour Girl Are You

You Are A Green Girl

You feel most at home in a world of ideas. You're curious and logical - and enjoy a good intellectual challenge. You're super cool, calm, and collected. Very little tries your patience. Your only fear? People not realizing how smart and able you are!

What Color Girl Are You?

Gadgets a Mom Would Love to Have...

Hoping to score some fun and useful tech toys, but not sure what should be on your list? When your kids and partner come asking about what you'd like for Mother's Day this year, hand over the following list and get ready to ooh and ah over your great new tech gifts. Following is MY wishlist, Which i would looooooovvvveee to have someday. I just wish i better get lucky sooner than later.

1) e Vac Robotic Vacuum: Cleaning house is the heaviest chore for any mom. But it wont be anymore if she gets this! e Vac continuously navigates an efficient path to thoroughly vacuum an entire room — as you relax, read, perform other chores...or even leave the house! Click for more info.






2)Non-stick Oven Liners: Don’t you just hate cleaning ovens? If so, Nonstick Oven Liners can be a real life-saver. The Nonstick Oven Liners can be used for regular-sized ovens or trimmed to fit smaller ovens and toaster ovens. Simply place the Oven Liner at the bottom of your oven or on the bottom rack. Any spillovers will be so easy to clean. Even burned and baked-on foods can be easily wiped off. Clean with some warm soapy water or in the dishwasher.




3) Extreme digital video cameras: A hot item at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung's Sport Cam SC-X105 features a rubberized and water-resistant body and a hands-free camera lens you wear on your arm or even on your head, miner-style, allowing you to capture your kids' magic moments — while you participate.
Cost: $849




4) MP3 Players: Do those hip iPod television commercials make you want to get up and dance? Then you'll want to check out one of the latest and most portable versions, the iPod Shuffle, a product which, says BestBuy, is "the size of a pack of gum and weighs less than a car key."
Cost: $129.99 for 512 MB, which stores 120 songs; $189.99 for 1 GB, which stores 240 songs.


5)Smart Phone: A combination cellphone and PDA, like the palmOne Treo 650, makes it possible to have all of Mom's communications tools in one device. Features include the easy-to-use Palm OS, e-mail, messaging and web access, an infrared port to beam information to other Palm devices, as well as an MP3 player and a digital camera.
Cost: $549





6) The Archos AV700E: Archos is my dream gadget! I have already started to plunk down some cash for it. For those who don't know what i am talking about, Archos AV700E is a portable media recorder and player. I like to think of it as my portable digital VCR because that’s exactly how I am going to use it. It has amazing portability. For recording stuffs, forget those set top DVD recorders. What if you want to record from another room?? Archos removes that huge hassle of moving and unplugging cables etc. It is a must have in ANY house!!

7) Video iPod Case for Kids:
Doesn’t that look so cool!

The handles look like the handles from sippy cups so you know it’s easy to hold on to. The case also is completely around the iPod so should the child get bored (or their attention wonder) they won’t be able to stick anything into the openings.

I have more to come....

Phew!!

Since day one of my Photoshop training, i've been pulling out my hair to get my mind set on one particular theme for a logo for my blog. I made around 10 of 'em, but this was something i finally ended up on. I can do much better than this i guess.. i mean i now know many more things than just these, but somehow i am not liking anything else than this simple feminine logo. Any idea from you is appreciated. In the mean time, i'll be trying harder to do something better.

Kitchen Cleaning Tips

As the spot for preparing and enjoying family meals, the kitchen is one of the busiest spaces in the home, and one of the hardest to keep tidy. Here are tried-and-true ways to clean everything from the teakettle to the refrigerator.
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The fundamentals
1. Assign sponges to specific tasks, such as washing dishes or wiping counters. Sterilize sponges by dampening and microwaving them on high for one minute, or by tossing them in the dishwasher.

2. Start with mild cleansers, then work up to stronger chemical varieties. Lemon and distilled white vinegar help deodorize, and baking soda is a good scrubbing agent.

3. Maintain freshness and order in the pantry by disposing of expired items. Many spices and baking staples lose potency in six months to one year.

4. Wipe up spills as soon as they occur, before stains have a chance to set. Choose the appropriate cleanser for the material.

Large appliances
COOKTOP: Wipe the stove after each use, as spills will harden. Wash glass cooktops with a cleaning pad designed for nonstick pans. Gently scrape away caked-on food with a razor blade.

Wash burner grates every week by hand with dishwashing liquid (unless they are deemed dishwasher safe by the manufacturer). Use a scouring pad on noncoated grates and a soft sponge on coated ones. For electric burners, wipe off debris with a damp sponge. If residue remains, run the exhaust fan, turn the burners on high, and let the food burn off.

OVEN: Soak racks in warm, soapy water for several hours. Scrub with a scouring pad, then rinse.

Deep-clean the oven every few months or if it smokes when in use. If you have a self-cleaning unit, remove the racks, and switch to clean mode. Once the cycle is complete, wipe away residue with a damp cloth. For all other ovens, make a paste using 3/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of salt, and 1/4 cup of water, and spread it throughout the interior (avoid bare metal, and clog any openings with foil first); leave overnight. Remove with a plastic spatula, and wipe clean.

VENT HOOD: Wipe the hood's exterior with hot, soapy water and a soft cloth once a week; rinse with a second hot, damp cloth.

Remove filters once a month, and soak them in a solution of hot water and dishwashing liquid. Brush them gently with a plastic scrub brush. Rinse and dry well before replacing.

REFRIGERATOR: Empty the unit every few months, and clean the interior with a solution of 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 quart water. Wipe with a damp cloth, and dry with a clean towel. Remove shelves and drawers, and wash them in the sink. To avoid cracks and breaks, bring shelves to room temperature before replacing.

Clean condenser coils, commonly found at the back or front bottom of the unit, at least twice a year for maximum efficiency. Unplug the refrigerator first, then use a long-handled brush or the crevice attachment of your vacuum cleaner to remove dust and dirt.

Surfaces
CABINETS: Prevent grease from building up by cleaning cabinets weekly with a sponge and soapy water. (For wooden surfaces, use a product specifically designed for natural materials.) Wipe with a damp sponge, and dry with a clean, absorbent cloth to stop streaks.

FAUCETS AND SINKS: Clean crevices around the faucet with a soft toothbrush. Buff water spots with a soft, dry cloth. For mineral deposits, mix equal parts white vinegar and water; apply with a soft cloth, rinse, and dry.

Deodorize drains twice a year by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar; plug drain tightly. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, then flush with boiling water.

FLOORS: Sweep every night to prevent dust buildup and remove tracked-in grit, which can scratch floors.

Small appliances and more
KNIVES: Wash and dry knives by hand; a dishwasher can warp and dull their blades. Also avoid soaking knives, as this can cause wooden handles to shrink.

KETTLE: Dissolve mineral deposits in your kettle every few months by boiling equal parts water and white vinegar. Remove kettle from heat, and let it sit for several hours before rinsing.

COFFEE AND SPICE GRINDER: Run white bread or uncooked rice through the grinder to pick up remaining particles and the oils they leave behind.
Source

Health Tip of The Day

Take 3-4 cloves of garlic every morning with water before breakfast, to keep your cholesterol levels normal. Tried and tested with positive results by many of my male family members.

Photoshop

I am simply amazed how Shabby Princess makes all those pretty graphics. I too want to make something similar to it. Yes, we were not taught anything even remotely close to something like that in school. Hence learning Photoshop has been my latest crush kind of hobby these days. I don't remember when was the last time i slept properly. It gets really late at night watching, reading and leaning its tutorials. Then Hiba keeps getting up lots of times during the night. I wonder how and when will i be able to eradicate her midnight "Bottle" feeds. She is simply in no mood to accept anything coming between herself and her bottle when she wakes up at midnight. She screams so badly, i don't have any other choice than to shut her mouth up with the feeder, unless i want my tired hubby to wake up only to get back to feeling sleepy by dawn. I feel so tired. I have only a thousand ideas to make PS stuffs running in my head even while sleeping. But not enough energy to put it into practice. Sigh!

All Thanks To Shopping Malls

Beware of Sales!!

Trips to shopping malls are always exciting. What follows is something different from what we are usually expecting. It brings a series of both, positive and negative aftermaths. Frustration.. for the stuffs you want to buy, but you can't, for some reason. Maybe cost cutting or maybe you already have something similar to it. You have to force yourself to leave behind "But oh!! it's sooooo pwetty! i don't wanna let it go!"
This frustration is then followed by ideas, how you can substitute that particular thing. Sometimes it works, some times you make it work, for you still can't BUY it. Then follows encouragement. You encourage yourself to supplement family's income in some way. All thanks to "that stuff" which keeps bringing in inspiration to keep going. You then sign up on google adsense. Or start selling the graphics you made in PSP or Photoshop lately. Or anything similar to it. I'll give you a small example...
Last week i got an oil diffuser. Exactly the types i was looking for. We went to the Mall last night to buy a Breakfast Table.. the ones you can keep on bed too. We bought it for using laptop though. There i came across better diffusers and OMG! So many pretty candles and incense sticks! Candles are my weakness i must mention here. I don't know why i am so obsessed with candles. Ok back to the topic. I knew i can't buy them. Rather i knew i should not buy them. Come on! i just bought one. That night, i dreamed what all i saw there. And thats how these trips actually come to an end. With a whole new dream.

Happy New Year!!!

Mughlai Whole Chicken in Gravy

Whole Chicken (called murgh in India) marinated and cooked with a spicy gravy gravy in a typical Mughlai style.

Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 29 minutes
Style: North Indian (Mughlai) Non-Vegetarian
800 grams chicken (whole)
1 cup yoghurt well beaten
1 tsp each of turmeric, hot spice mix (garam masala) and red chilli powder
2 green chillies made into a paste
1 tsp each of ginger, garlic pastes
4 cloves
1" piece cinnamon broken
4 brown cardamoms peeled
8 black peppercorns
10 almonds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 large onions finely sliced
1 cup tomato puree
1 cup water
2 tbsps oil
salt to taste
fresh cream (optional) and finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Make cuts on the chicken. In a bowl mix together half of the ginger-garlic paste and red chilli powder. Add the garam masala powder, turmeric powder, yoghurt and salt to taste. Mix well. Rub this marinade into the chicken very well and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two.
In a pan roast together cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamoms and almonds till they are aromatic. Fry the sliced onions till brown. Allow to cool. Grind together browned onions, roasted spices, and the remaining ginger garlic pastes with a little water.

1. Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot add the chicken (without the marinade) and fry on medium level for about 2 minutes or till the chicken is browned lightly. Remove fried chicken from the pan and keep aside.
2. Add the remaining oil, heat it till hot and fry the paste on medium level for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, marinade, tomato puree. remaining red chilli powder, water and sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for about 25 minutes or till the chicken is fully tenderised.

   Garnish with fresh cream (optional) and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Aromatherapy Bath and Diffuser Blends

For the first timers, I'd like to mention that I use essential oils, for personal use only. None of my knowledge is used for any commercial goods/purposes, although I make my own aromatherapy candles, bath salts, bath oil blends, massage oil blends and sometimes even facial creams. I'd like you to read our disclaimer before you proceed. The below mentioned recipes are tested and approved by me as just another "user". Rest of it is in the disclaimer.

Aromatherapy is my passion. It adds a zest to the daily dull life. At least "I" find a difference when i use it. Here are bath blends I'd like to share with you, which you can even use as a diffuser:

Sensual Blend:
10 drops Lavender
5 drops Neroli
2 drops Ylang Ylang

Soothing Blend:
1 drop Jasmine
4 drops Bergamont
3 drops Sandalwood
2 drops Grapefruit

Just a belnd i like:
4 drops Rosewood
5 drops Lavender
1 drop Ylang Ylang
(i got this recipe from here)

Another one I like
1 drop Jasmine
6 drops Sweet Orange
3 drops Patchouli

You might also want to check out:
Aromatherapy Basics
Ylang Ylang
Day time uplifting blend

Basics of Aromatherapy

aromatherapy: aro·ma·ther·a·py - noun - The use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being.

The origins of aromatherapy date back thousands of years. This intriguing article summarizes the key events in the practice of aromatherapy. In aromatherapy, only pure and natural essential oils, absolutes, floral waters, resins, carrier oils, infused oils, herbs and other natural substances are used. Though being 100% natural, essential oils still must be treated like medicines. As nature, if trespassed its limitations, can be hazardous.

Now the question arises, Is All the Hype About Aromatherapy True? Are all the claims and is all the hype about holistic aromatherapy true?

This is a question I have received many times, however the answer does depend on the claims that you have personally heard.

So many products, often incorrectly, use the term aromatherapy on their products. Some media reporters and vendors even refer to aromatherapy as a "new discovery" thus giving a false sense of hype to aromatherapy and promoting inaccurate information about aromatherapy.

The practice of aromatherapy is the use of volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being. Holistic aromatherapy does not include the use of fragrance oils or unnatural products. Unfortunately, many sellers of so-called aromatherapy products just use the term aromatherapy to sell their pleasant-smelling product and sometimes even go so far as to "hype" unfounded claims.

Can aromatherapy cure my major illness or psychological problem?

If you expect or hope that aromatherapy will in itself cure a major illness or actually cure "stress," you will probably be in for a disappointment. But if you expect that aromatherapy can help with a physical condition, can help with symptoms, can effect your mood, or help alleviate or temporarily eliminate stress or other psychological factors, you may be delighted with the results that you experience.

For example, aromatherapy will not cure serious illness such as cancer or AIDS. Aromatherapy, however, can help enhance a cancer patient's quality of life by enhancing the patient's mood, calming fear and can help ease nausea during chemotherapy treatments. For AIDS patients, aromatherapy can also help enhance the patient's quality of life psychologically and essential oils can help improve one's immune system and thus potentially assist an AIDS patient that way.

Aromatherapy is a complementary alternative health modality. Its current use is not intended to replace standard medical care, but is meant to complement it. Aromatherapy can offer an alternative choice to taking prescription or over-the-counter chemical drugs. Aromatherapy can offer practical benefit for a variety of common ailments or symptoms such as assisting with cuts, wounds, bruises, inflammation, indigestion, acne, skincare, haircare, hygiene, PMS, menstruation, and for providing mental and emotional assistance with such issues as stress, fatigue, anxiety, fear, and the list goes on and on!

You might also want to try:
Day time uplifting blend
Aromatherapy candling making tutorial