Happy Diwali!!!!

When we were kids diwali was all about firecrackers and new clothes and mithais....!!!!

The house would have lights on from dussera and mum would make a beautiful rangoli in the living room.... (which more often that not my dog would ruin in the middle of the night) we would make all sorts of eatables like chakli and chirotis and shankapadas!!!! all my marathi friends will get these!!!!!

the main event was the breakfast..... along with all the above mum would make dahi poha and kala vatanas ( back peas) so so so yummy!!

So we would be made to wake up super early and mum would put us on this little paath (stool) and put this perfumed powder oil mixture called uthna....I hated getting up that early... as i grew older i was made to get up even earlier to do rangoli around the stool... how i used to be grumpy!!!!  and then we would shower.... I still get that perfumed smell diwali mornings!!

Then we would dress in our new clothes!!!! and get ready for the guests..... everyone was invited for diwali breakfast! friends family..... a lot of times there would be certain relatives we would see only diwali to diwali!

and then time for crackers.... i don't promote noise pollution or child labor.... but a few cracker are just needed on diwali day!!!

Oh how i miss that breakfast!!!! I could eat it like three four times that day.... ! yes we can make it during the year but then whats the fun?!!!

We would eat so much that it would turn into a brunch..... the sleep you get on a happy full stomach is the best!!!!!! you start with lazying and opening all the gifts and eventually you just knock out on the couch!!!!!

Now diwali is different.... not because I'm married and we don't celebrate it like this in the new house.... even mum and brother don't do it exactly like this... there is the breakfast which is still super.... but something about that childhood diwali (i think its just the shopping and endless mithais and no rules that I'm missing!!!) feels lacking....

diwali is a festival for kids..... !!

For the husband diwali was always about the mithais and crakers and the diwlai parties.... the have a super big friend circle and each one throws a diwali party.... there are unlimited snacks and cold drinks for the kids and all the elders play cards..... and the kids too once they are on a sugar rush!!!

So for me today diwali is about the chill in the weather, the going home to jaipur, the dressing up for all the diwali parties, the eating heavy duty meals for every meal and the sleeping for hours in the afternoon!!!

Its different but its diwali.... :) 

Aiku at Candies!!!

Finally.... a sort of end point new beginning to this blog!! In these months of creating things.... i have finally going out there with a few and seeing what the world thinks....!!!

Scared nervous excited..... butterflies going nuts in my tummy.... did i mention scared??!!!! ha ha ha!!!

So here are a few of the things I'm going to have out there.... hope everyone likes it as much as I do!!!

paper lamps with fabric flower!

handmade cards!

handmade cards!

gift tags!

gift tags!

paper flower happy frames!

embroidery hoop art!

soooooooooo many flowers!!!

So at candies bandra... my favoritest place in the world!!Tomorrow Saturday the 15th of October from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm..... come come!!!

Wednesday Photos!

COlor color color!!!! nothing makes me happier than lots of colors... I truly am my mothers daughter!!!

I love how colors can actually change your mood.... make you happier and more cheerful.... or calm and peaceful....

Its amazing how from the moment we choose our toothbrush color... to the clothes we wear or the color of our cars and our sofa sets.... every where color plays such an important role.... while some people love bright colors some just can't have it around them...

So today as part of my wednesday photos.... here is, well... lots of color!!!!!!!

One day my kitchen will look like this!!!

This wall is a dream come true!

That's what my water color pallet looks like!

Ahhh... crayons.... ahhhhhhh carved out crayons!!!

why won't anyone do this in bombay?

my home one day!

I don't know what this is... but its super fun!!!!

This is just because the other day i commented on how red and pink just don't look good... i eat my own words today!!!!!! 

Stunning!

And so ends my love for color for today... hope the colors cheered you up too!!!

Wedding Tips Tuesdays- New family...

One of the biggest challenges in a marriage, more than adjusting to living with a boy are to live with new parents.... Its the biggest challenge because if you don't handle it sensitively you could not only ruin your relationship with them but also yours and your hubbys and your hubbys and his parents.... And yes it is all up to you... since you're the new equation in the family.

So here are a few pointers that helped me!

1.The most important thing is to stop referring to them as "his" parents. The day you acknowledge them to be your family, your parents too a lot gets easier. I know its not always easy to suddenly start calling someone Ma and Pa but its this familiarity that will help make the relationship work.

2.Start being honest with them from day one. Be frank but diplomatic, not manipulative there's a big difference!! If you like something don't like something, in a nice polite way let them know. No point in lying and doing something you don't like because that's only going to make you frustrated and angry. Also don't use your husband as a in between. Never put him in a spot...because its just not fair to make him choose.

3.That brings me to one of the most important points. Have an individual relationship with each of your in laws.  Do things with them minus your husband. Go shopping with your Ma in law or watch the news or bad hindi films like i do with my Pa in law....

4.Understand their age, the fact that they are now set in their ways. They will not adjust to you, you need to adjust to them. And there is nothing wrong with that.... I feel a lot of us think that because we are working independent girls we don't need to adjust to anyone... but if you think in terms of compromising and adjusting it will never work...those are just negative terms... just think that you need to do things a little differently now that is all!

5.Remember to do things for them. Sometimes you can't do everything... you may not have enough time or just plain can't do everything... so understand the things that are important to them and make sure you do them. Like if making food or going to visit some family once a week  is important do it... and then do it with love and not "because you have to". Because at the end of the day its that time you'll spent together that will matter to them.... it really wont be about the gifts and cards....

6.If you'll don't live together make sure you call them at least twice a week... and when they call always take their call. They call because they miss you. If you have a bad memory like me, put a reminder on your phone like you do for all things important.

7.Now this point is something that is very personal to me.... but i'm sure a lot of girls feel this. See i hate dressing up like in the whole salwar suit matching shoes and bangles thing... not always but most often i don't like it.... and after you get married... well its somewhat customary when you go out to "look married". The first two three days i did it in all the excitement of getting married... then it got more and more difficult... because that's just not the way I was used to dressing.... but then i realized.... having a daughter in law.... no a daughter was something my in laws were really looking forward to... so they really wanted to "show me off'!!!!! and that's a feeling I was just not going to take away from them... so for the first three months every time we went out... i would really dress up!!!! I remember jokingly telling my hubby every time that i looked like a christmas tree... but when i would come down from my room and see my ma look at me so proudly and have my pa take pictures of me... it seemed worth it :)

They are parents, your parents... some bonds may not be of 'blood' as they say but they are pretty damn strong bonds... and you have to ensure they stay like that.

And all you need to ensure that is a whole lot of love... real love.

Please ignore the red nose!!!!!