Shop But Dont Stop- Chic Western Wear

NOI Ladies Knit top- Item Number: 7000880_9607

Kraus ladies Jeggings - Item Number: 6654413_9212

Latin Quarters Ladies Parachute Jacket -
Item Number: 7248976_9204

Inc.5 - Ladies Footwear -
Item Number: 4232607_9212

Real Effect Earring -RE20161EM-Item Number: 6932522_9999

Elliza Donatein Handbag - VL1672-
Item Number: 6757216_9607

ESPRIT Timewear - Ladies Watch - Pomona Black-
Item Number: 7242307_9999

Infinity Necklace - YP10338-
Item Number: 7190024_9999

As the snow falls and cold winds blow from the mountains, brace yourself for a season of dipping temperatures, hot soups, plum cakes and bells ringing in Christmas and New Year. Like every season winter has its charm and warm clothing can keep you feeling safe and snug. Personally I love the colour red as this colour totally contrasts with the bleak surroundings of a winter landscape. So my entry for the Shoppers stop perfect festive season outlook would be the above ensemble. A read knit top from NOI, will protect your neck from the cold and you can do away with a scarf. Black jeggings from Kraus, wll give your legs that oh so slim look. Put on a parachute jacket from Latin quarters. I chose a sleeveless one, since the knit top is a full sleeved one. Boot it up with calf length boots from Inc-5.

Since you are covered from head to toe with clothes and boots , I personally feel that the  accessories should be minimal and should stand out. Silver with stones go splendidly with the above outfit. I picked a pair of earrings from Real Effect and a beautiful long necklace from Infinity. I could not resist the Espirit watch, its black background is a perfect foil for the red top. I wish there was a section on caps too, since I would have loved to chose something in red or black to protect my ears from the cold wind. But you can always leave your hair unpinned to do the trick.

And before you set out don't forget to pack your stuff  into a bright red Eliza Donatein handbag.

Adios! and here's wishing you a very happy festive shopping experience along with a happy Christmas and new year.

Shop but dont Stop- Ethnic Chic Wear

Ayesha Silver Diamante Studded Heart Bangle- Item Number: 6824443_9999

Ayesha- Clear Crystal Floral Necklace- Item Number: 6824264_9999

Kashish Chiffon Jacquard Saree-  Item Number: 7292146_9900

Haute Curry Clutch- Item Number-  6891290_9106

Ayesha Chandelier Black Earrings- Item Number: 6824303_9999

Lemon Ladies Footwear- Item Number: 6532221_9208

Fossil Women's Watch- Item Number: 6570764_9999

OK I have to admit I am not a Fashion Designer., but when I saw the Shopper's Stop Perfect Festive Look contest,  I was mighty thrilled.  I was now been given an opportunity to showcase my fashion sense sans fashion shows or models. I chose to go with an ethnic style and chose a Chiffon Jacquard saree from Kashish. Stitch a sleeveless blouse or with sleeves according to your preference. Have a deep neck at the back with a cute bow.

I wanted the accessories to be in silver or gun metal to compliment the colour of the saree which was a wineish- pinkish colour. I did not want too many embellishments, so I chose light weight jewellery, to compliment the rich border of the saree. I chose Ayesha's collection of bangle, earrings and  necklace. Next came the clutch which was the colour of champagne and was from Haute Curry. I wanted the watch to be sleek and slim so I went in for a Fossil women's watch. Finally I chose footwear which had a touch of gun metal in  them and chose Lemon Ladies footwear.

Phew! by the time I finished my ensemble, I was tired , but victorious with my virtual mix and match shopping spree.

So go head don my selections and get set to hit the ethnic chic button to a top 10:)

Happy shopping..:)

Preciuous bundles of Joy

As the anesthesia wore off, a pain so terrible hit me. Along with the pain, other thoughts intruded. First and foremost was the thought of holding my baby . I did not know whether it was a boy or a girl. I mouthed the words, trying to focus my eyes on the doctor and was rewarded with a smile and three words, " Its a girl". Then I vanished into zombie land once again. I kept drifting in and out of consciousness and every time I woke up I asked for my daughter. Finally I was free of the anesthesia in the evening and I could not wait anymore. The doctor told me that I had to sit, if I had to hold my baby. So braving the pain, I made a valiant effort and sat up.  I had a triumphant smile and  as the little bundle was placed in my hands. Smiles, tears, wonder, curiosity all rolled up into one . She was beautiful with a head full of dark lustrous hair. No wonder my tummy itched so much during pregnancy :)
 This was 20 years back and tomorrow my daughter Nikitha turns 20.

After a gap of 4 years I had Natasha, who became 16 a few weeks back. The same anesthesia bogged me down, but the second time round, i came out of it much sooner and was able to hold her much sooner than i had anticipated. It was a repeat of all emotions bundled up as one big emotion called Joy. Both my pregnancies ended in a C-section, but the pain was peanuts compared to the pleasure of holding my babies  in my arms.

Both of them were born in the month of November, so as i was sitting today on my comp, i suddenly went back into my past to relive the moments when i gave birth to them. I cannot believe that so much of time has passed, but they are the living proof of the passage of time.

My daughters are my world and treasured gifts of nature. They both are different,  as chalk and cheese, but its this difference that make them both unique in their own way.

Nikki is a confident young women who speaks her mind and always love to have the last word. So there are a lot of arguments between us, but in the end we cannot be without talking to each other so the aloof spells last only for a short time :). She is very creative and loves to write. She is stubborn, loving, funny, has a squeaky voice ( which we often make fun of) artistic, secretive, introverted and a fantastic and meticulous cook.

Tasha is the opposite of her in many  ways. She cannot shut her mouth, she is a chatterbox. Very talented in the performing arts, she plays the keyboard, guitar and has a fantastic voice. She is stubborn in her own way, but talk to her in a gentle manner and she melts. She is a very good artist ( drawing ) and her favourite is Japanese animation. She loves to play pranks and is crazy about doing cartwheels. Quick to forgive and forget she is a beautiful charmer.

Many a times i have not been a perfect mother to them. I have lost my temper ( i still do), when they were small i beat them to teach them discipline, we still fight over little things, we argue, we cry , we laugh, crack jokes, hug and kiss each other a lot, but have never stopped loving each other. I guess our bond and love for each other is so strong that everything else pales into insignificance. And  I for one am mighty thankful to the mystical force above for blessing me not with one, but two daughters whom I shall always cherish and love.

Happy birthday my Nikku and a belated birthday my darling Ton Ton ( Natasha)

On A Sabbatical

 ( Image is copy right free and taken from Wiki Commons)

When i got a message on facebook from one of my friends, regarding a blog call from Yashodaralal, I remembered that " Oh My God", Dont i have a blog too?". So I promptly opened it and saw that my last post was somewhere in March 2012. I was aghast...What have I done? I had comitted an unpardonable sin against the god of words.. Did'nt i start the blog with a good intention of penning down my thoughts? But somewhere in the rigmarole of office and household duties I had completely forgotten that I had created one. So I made a promise to myself that i would regularly update it.
And what can be more better than the present. So i decided to pen it down. I dont have to rush to office and i had a whole load of free time on my hands. Yep, I am totally jobless now. I am on a sabbatical. Working for close to 2 years in a corporate environment somehow totally sapped me of my energy, but not my creativity. Being a content writer by profession, letting go of creativity would have been death knell for me.So even though I resigned from a well paying job, I held on to my creativity and I am glad I did, because I finally finished my first novel- a romance which I had started before I took up the corporate job.

Many emotions crossed my mind when i quit, main was the absence of interaction with my colleagues, deadlines and the hectic rush to reach office and immerse myself in work. I became very listless, depressed and could not sit at home. But, then it struck me that I had unfinished business, which was my novel and which I had shelved for want of time. So out came the saved manuscript and off went my fingers tapping furiously on the keyboard and Lo! in 10 days I completed my tale. Then i must have read it more than 20 times editing, rediting, snipping and adding and finally i was satisfied with the outcome. The day i wrote the words " The End", i had a goofy, but satisfied smile on my face.

Then i was faced with a hurdle. How do i go about publishing it? I did not have any clues about it. So i posted on fb and my friends gave their inputs which were very helpful. Then i found a very good website, which gave a blow by blow account on how to go about getting your book published. It became my bible. It is from here that i learnt to write a cover letter and chapter outline etc etc. Fully equipped now, the next task was to send it off to publishers with sample copies . I heard the wait is gonna be long to hear from publishers so here i am sitting with my fingers crossed. I am positive, but still have no other alternative, but to endure the wait.

In the interim period i wrote one more short story for the Indian Women's Press Corps short story competition. And as the creative juices started flowing so did my happiness and positivity. And i chided myself for thinking that i was jobless. I will ultimately go back to a full time job, but I decided that my writing is never gonna take a sabbatical again. So I said to myself, " Go girl! write as much as you can...reach out to people and entertain them with your stories...you are not jobless, you are a creator and your words are gonna blow them away."