Quick Update

I know its been really long i made a post here. I have some family issues to sort out. Just been busy with that. Its actually something that has taken all my attention and energy. Been too depressed lately :-(. I haven't felt like photoshoping these days. Just keeping my fingers crossed that all the pieces fall back in their place asap.

The only good thing that happened to me lately was me getting selected as a designer at piece of cookie. Its a new site by a really really talented upcoming designer Tamara...Very sweet and helpful. I am yet to be set up at the back end at the moment coz of some pay pal account issues from my side (actually I am confused if i should use my a/c or hubby's ^_^).

Well.. thats it for now i guess?

Changes on the other blog

Ok girlies!
I am finally up with my first freebie! as i said earlier, the name of my freebie blog might change till i post my first very own freebie, is sure did.
I think momnets (especially with our kids) are very precious. Hence i named it Opal Scraps.
It took me weeks to hang on to that one name. I am so so so great ful to all of you for sticking around with me all this time. I am so happy to have some people around me since i started off with the very idea of scrapbooking to hinting freebies to what i am today... an aspiring designer!! *almost watery eyes*
Here is a lit of people i want to tag to say thanks. I might be too occupied to visit you all's blog and leave a comment, but i'll be tagging you now and then to make sure that you all know you are being thought of!

Aryan's mom
Itching to write
K3
Shilpa
Swati
~nm for sticking around lately :-) thanks for being around gal!
Preethi

check out my other blog ans let me know what you think of the freebie. A whole lot of makeover is still left to be done to it though. requires time and patience, which i have been losing lately.
stick around
I love you all!

New blog

Hi dear bloggers.
good to know you all still remember me. i know its no season for hibernation, but still i am off for it every now and then. I am head over heals in love with photoshop (as you all know). I just cant seem to have enough of it. I am thinking i should better start off with making my own products, now that i know just enough to do the same. Although its a very very vast thing to master. Requires hell lot of time and creativity. Competition is something like i never saw before!

Anyways, to commence what i have (almost) planned, i have started another blog. I am not yet fixed with the name of the blog though. It might keep changing until my first upload. Till then, keep checking my profile (for the new name LOL). This blog will mostly have freebies. Papers mostly for now, for scrap booking. Oh ya i forgot to mention one thing Digiscrapshak hired me for their CT (creative team) which means i'll be getting their goodies for free to create LOs (layouts) for their gallery. How cool is that?! Thanks to Lori Giles (owner of the site) who has been really kind to give me the opportunity to do the same. The site is down at the moment due to some family problems at her place though. It will be up in a couple of months i guess. In the mean time, i have ample time to learn more of scrapping!! :-D

Right now i have so much on my mind...I am hardly able to focus. Got guests at my place too. Scrapping is something that helps me have some time for myself apart from sweating in kitchen to cleaning Hiba's potty! Just watching new colors makes me feel sooooo good. I wonder if its only me who is feels like this for colors nature has blessed us with, or is there someone else like me too. Raise you hand if you do!

Re-Entry

God! i know i disappear just as magically. Phew! After what looks like an eternal 2.5 months duration, i was finally alone since last week. House was a mess with guests and echoes of clattering of pots 19/7 (yes i am being that specific). I was exhausted like a cricketer after a day and night match. I am not too fond of cricket, but i have always been amazed at the stamina of all those players. Every day and night match i watch (which is very very rare), all the time i cant stop thinking how tired they must be feeling. They are humans too after all. DH had taken a week's off. Those were last year's pending holidays. But still we hardly had time for each other. Frankly i cant take a single person extra in my house 24/7 for more than a week or 10 days max. They start getting on my nerves. In fact anyone would feel the same way. I have drafted posts over posts many times, but my feelings used to change every time i got an opportunity to "post" them so i drafted another post. and then another and so on...
In the mean time i was away from scrapbooking too. oh how i missed my photoshop!! here are some scrap pages i created for DH and his colleague s's babies...

Credits: I am sorry but i dont really remember this kit. But would like to thank the designer from the bottom of my heart. Oh yes! the alpha is by Shabby Princess in her Moody Blues kit.

Credits: Butter cream mini kit by cgram

Credits: Kit Fraicheur by Nani Douce

Credits: Pink Sherbat Kit by Kim Hill

Credits: Lorie M New lifes Dreams kit and many embs by different designers just that i dont have time to name them all but would sure like to thank them a lot. same case with other layouts too.

Credits: Lollipop kit by Kawouette

Seems my creativity has increased an ounce by this time. hehe. You can very well see the improvement from my first scrap page to these.
p.s: for a better view, click on the pic to enlarge them.

Some scraps...

Credits: Express Yourself kit by Ronna Penner @ www.Scrapadelic.com

Credits: Tabrizia Beach House Impressions Kit at http://digitalscrapbookgrapixs.blogspot.com/

This one is probably when hiba was 3-4 months old. Cute as a candy wasnt she?!

Quick update

I have just added this Blogarithm thing on my blog. So you can know when i have updated mine and hence saving your time by actually visiting my blog, waiting to let its contents downloaded and then read the newer post which really isnt there! Just subscribe to it and viola! I know!! Thank me thank me quick :-D

OK. After a week's pell-mell. we've finally decided to name the baby (bhabhi's) Ayesha. Its the only name her father has stuck his mind to since long before Ayesha was born. There were a variety of names we suggested especially the ones starting with Z, for he loved names that had or started with Z. So we are kind of surprised at his choice of name for his daughter. Anyways, its a really nice name from Islamic point of view, so we are all happy with it. Ayesha is yet to recover from jaundice and i am yet to make her scrap page. I will, sometime soon.

Thanks K3 for tagging me once again. Thats really kind of you. :)

We've been cooking really yummy things lately for the lactating mother. hehe. That way we too are getting to have things we usually dont get to eat....mostly coz they taste yummy only after following a long long recipe. Thanks to bhabhi's sisters who have come over. They have been a great help lately. I dont know if all of the bloggers around who read my blog are non-vegetarians, so i am not mentioning the names of the dishes we've had lately ..(uumm... yum yum) else i'd have.
Ayesha, Hiba and cooking are the only things that have kept us on our toes lately, so i am not that regular these days. maybe from next week i'll be more regular.
thanks for stopping by.

Back-Up-And-Scrapping

Hi all
I am BACK! Things are normal now. After a long time today i felt like blogging and thats when i thought.. THIS IS IT! It was this feeling, that was missing since the last mishap. I am so happy to see all your people's wishes. Thanks a trillion for the same. Aryan's mom, i am so glad you remembered me twice during this long silence of mine. I am so honored to know that i am actually being thought of by my virtual buddies and co-bloggers. I simply cant thank you all enough.

OK heres the good news... Bhabhi was blessed with a really really pretty baby girl the day before i.e. 28th Feb . Well actually ANGEL is the right word for her. Soon i'll be scrapping her pic here and you'll know what i mean by Angel. Awww... i miss Hiba being that young. Her first day in this bad bad world is something still afresh in my mind. As if it all happened just yesterday. I can never ever forget it. And i think no mom can. Naturally, women have been created with such a silly computer in their minds that they have the ability to remember every thing thats silly, especially for a man. Like dates, first every things etc. Actually i really cant make out if we are silly or men! I think i should do a poll on that. Any ways, back to the topic..
Bhabhi and my mom are still in the hospital. They were supposed to come home today, but right at the last moment, the baby was diagnosed with slight jaundice. Its normal though, but still we are worried...and thats normal too i guess?

Another new thing...
I made pasta today! yoohoo!!! No kidding.. seriously i had never made pasta in my life till now. The other day, on another supermarket trip, i came across this pasta sauce, which sounded really yum, but ended up being not so yum. Anyways i was excited for this weekend to try my hand at pasta, i did it, and i don't think i'll be making it one more time. Or maybe i will, if anyone of you gives me a nice recipe or if i come across a new sauce. GOD! I am so inconsistent!

What else.. uumm... Ah yes! Hiba has started singing Twinkle Twinkle. The words are all broken like a crushed glass, but its so so funny and cute and satisfying to have her reached another milestone. Her lyrics are like this:
Titu titu lilly saar
Aow I wonna wa ee waaarr
papapapa wol so waaa
lak e dama @$T%#$Y%$#$^#^ (dont know whats that)
YAYYY!! *applause*

You might not find it that funny reading it, but its really sweet to hear it. Thats all from my side at the moment..
Ciao.

Feeling Low

Before I forget, I want to thank K3 for tagging me once again.
Things have been rough at my place lately. First bhabhi got admitted to hospital for lil pregnancy related complication and then some conjugal problems. I just dont like scrapbooking and blogging right now. I wanted to and i am loaded with ideas for both, but somehow i dont think its going to happen for sometime soon. When i am low, my mind is blank. Simply blank. I dont even feel like looking to my left or right. I get worried and discouraged really soon. I am not the FIGHTER types, like i read about people in articles/books. I rather wonder howcome that woman's mind was WORKING all this time?? Coz i rather go numb when things go wrong. See....i dont even have the energy to write what i am feeling like. So i am making it short and not-so-sweet.

Right now I just feel so lonely and wrong and depressed and tired and sleepy and breathless and i just wish thing would get better asap.

Wow
I've been TAGGED by K3. Though i have been tagged before by Aryan's mom, but this was the Blessings Tag that i saw yesterday on almost every blog and was desperately waiting for my turn! Thanks K3 once again.
I have been going nuts over Scrapbooking lately. I have created loads of templates and layouts. But right now i am short of photo supplies. I mean scrapbooking means a lil classy pics. but most of ours and Hiba's pics are from day to day life, and kind of boring for scrapbooking purposes. I have made a couple of "ours" (DH and mine) too, but unfortunately, cant upload it on this darn internet for privacy purposes. Last night I even tried my hand at Corel Draw. It was the first time i ever used it. I dread it is going to be my next addiction. I can say it by the way my mind was craving for its video tutorials and my hunt for the same till 4 in the morning. I did find some, and came to know lots of different things, which is possible in Corel Draw, which i itched my brain wounded to do in Photoshop, with no positive results. The hence achieved li'l triumph had no bounds of joy. I felt the techie side of my soaring high.. *Grins*

OK. About the blessings tag..
I want to tag

K3

Aryans Mom

Shilpa

Ojas/Tejas's Mom

They and a couple of more blogs are the only ones i visit. They have really nice posts and really cute kids too. I love them all. Blessings to all of you and also to the ones i have not tagged. Apparently my heart is not stingy to give out blessings. BLESSINGS BLESSINGS BLESSINGS!! Its a blessed month it seems.

My Blog circle is still too short. One of my, in fact my only New Year resolution was to increase the readership of my blog. I've been working on it, but Photshop has kept me from giving in my 100%. Lame reason i know... but i need someone to bear the blame and Photoshop is not a living thing to mind it! Right PS? :-D

My first few scraps

This is my first scrapbook page. As i promised, i have used LATEST Hiba's pics, which shows her face clearly here. Darly is one of her oldest and most favorite soft toy. Its a pink hippo as you can see. There was a time when she was smaller than Darly. Then they were of the same height. And now Hiba has beaten him! Though its still a li'l big for her (still) tiny hands, but she manages it as good as any of us elderly being.


This is another one, when Hiba was 7 months old. Aww so CUTE. I miss her being this young. She was truly an angel. Her goo goos and gaa gaas still echo in my ears. How time flies! There are so many things from those days that i cherish. If only i was a wonderful writer!

Pic pick

I don't know why i didn't upload any of Hiba's pic till now. This one is latest. Though its only her profile visible in this one, will upload another one which shows more of her.

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.