Cookie Monster

These days, the only thing I can think of is crafting :) But I cannot post it here as I make it because usually it is a surprise for a friend or relative! Now that I have gifted it, I can show off to the entire world :P 

Today, I am posting a cookie monster belly box that I made for a friend's daughter's birthday. It took me almost two days since I made many mistakes. If I make it again, I should be able to do it in a day. The inspiration and the template were from this awesome video. I converted the template to a cut file and cut out the cookie monster on my silhouette machine. I used craft paper to cut the design. But it was too flimsy to stand on it's own. So I cut some card stock and pasted the craft paper cut outs on it. Isn't it looking cute already?

A belly box has storage in the form of a creature's tummy. This is my first attempt at making a belly box. Instead of finding a box first and then scaling the cookie monster to the box's size, I went the other way :P The box should be big enough to hold stuff yet fit in between the animal's front and hind legs. Unfortunately, my measurements were not right and the belly box ended up at the wrong place in the body, that is behind the bum :D

Despite that, the box was too big. So I rummaged through my store. I have a habit of collecting perfume bottles and their boxes. Luckily, I found a smaller sized box. Yayyyy! I removed the top flaps of the box and covered in craft paper matching my cookie monster's body.

To complete the belly box, I glued the cookie monster's body behind the box. I glued the paws along with the cookie towards the front. And the cookie monster belly box is ready! As you can see, the left hand and foot are over lapping. But still I find it very endearing! :) I hope to make many more of these.

 

Book Review: Her - Harriet Lane

For this month, I chose Harriet Lane’s ‘Her’. The tag line goes “You don't remember her--but she remembers you.” It kind of excited me. Women are such complex creatures, capable of taking every emotion to the extreme. We can be fiercely protective or fatally dangerous depending on which buttons are pushed. As the saying goes “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, I expected this book to be eerie and filled with suspense. Almost on the lines of ‘Hand that rocked the cradle’.

And suspense I got. I finished almost 50 pages of the 227 pages long book and yet the story hadn’t taken off :( The book presents the lives of the two protagonists. Emma, mother of a toddler, due for another, struggles to meet the challenges posed by family life and motherhood. Nina, an elegant social climber, is financially independent and secure but craves companionship. The two characters are similar in a way that they are filled with loneliness despite having a busy life. Nina happens to see Emma by chance and is immediately reminded of a tragic incident in the past. Nina carefully slithers in to Emma’s life, pretending to help through self-created opportunities, gaining her confidence in the process. Meanwhile, Emma lost in her own troubles appreciates Nina’s life and her sympathies and fails to see her real intentions. Using her new found closeness, Nina manages to create small disturbances in Emma’s life. She finally goes in for the big kill, which is left as an open ending for the viewer’s interpretation.

I found the book rather disappointing as the plot had so much more to offer. The author unnecessarily elaborates on the mundane lives of the two women along with heavy descriptions of the surroundings, which adds nothing to the plot. When I read the index, I was intrigued to see the alternating chapters dedicated to each character. I love dual perception stories. Contrary to my expectations, the situations are so unimaginative that reading them twice through each character becomes monotonous. The characters do not develop any depth that could have led to such strong intentions. The author fails to describe any character in detail. Nina’s ex-husband Arnold is mentioned quite often and is told to have shaped Nina’s life. His importance in her life and the reason she left him is unexplained. Similarly Emma’s in-laws are expendable.

There are many subtle moments in the book. Nina’s obsession with Emma as she goes through the latter’s personal stuff. Her casual flirting with Ben. Her attempts to befriend the kids and to create trouble for Emma. There is something sinister about Nina, as if she is closing in on her prey. I could feel the tempo building towards the end which made me expect a dramatic climax. And when it did not happen, I got a bit confused. Is this a new way of story telling where the readers are just given a glimpse into the lives of the characters? With no details about what happened to the characters or what will happen to them? I don't know. Where I feel tremendously let down is the lack of character description. If readers cannot identify with the character and relate to its emotions, then they cannot be a part of the character’s journey. The author does not explain the childhood trauma that could have made Nina the way she is now. Her interactions with Emma as a kid is too minimal to have left such a lasting impression. As I poured over the pages, I found myself willing for a definite motive. Surely there had to be something more than just childhood spite that would make a woman want to destroy another woman’s life. I think I would have enjoyed the book much better if it was described to be Emma’s chronicles about her motherhood rather than a revenge story.

Jet setter

I feel like travelling a lot these days. May be it's because travel is no longer as expensive or tiring as it used to be earlier. The urge to experience different cultures, people, cuisine is growing in me. There are so many beautiful places and I definitely want to go visit them. Now, I think India is the most diverse country with each state having its own heritage which is radically different from the others. Just travelling across the country will leave me spell bound. However, I have grown up in India. I am familiar with most of the practices and traditions here. I think travelling within India is easier and can be planned anytime. And that is why I want to cover most of my travel abroad during my 20s and 30s.

The first thing about travelling is budgeting the trip. It's important to cover transport, accommodation, food plus a bit of shopping :P Once you have this sorted, half your worries are gone. Next comes ease of travel. When travelling abroad, obtaining visa is the most time consuming process and can exhaust you even before the trip. Although, it's relatively easier to get visa these days, one can travel to many places without the need for visa. Below I have made a list of places that Indians can travel without visa, obtain visa on arrival and places which can be covered in Rs.50,000.

VISA NOT REQUIRED	VISA ON ARRIVAL	UNDER 50k
Bhutan	Jordan	UAE
Nepal	Cambodia	South Korea
Hong Kong	Indonesia	Singapore
Fiji	Bolivia	Qatar
Jamaica	Kenya	Oman
Cook Islands	Seychelles	Malaysia
Dominica	Thailand	Dubai
Ecuador	Sri Lanka	Vietnam
Grenada	Madagascar	Myanmar
El Salvador	Maldives	Turkey
Macau	Samoa	China
Mauritius	Saint Lucia	Lebanon
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Tanzania	Taiwan
Trinidad and Tobago	Uganda	Egypt
Palestine	Laos	Japan
Haiti	Ethiopia	Russia
Kish Islands	Guyana	Iran
	Comoros	Bangladesh

Felting joys - Simba

Hi guys! Few months back, I was talking about how I have let loose my creative bug. I started off making some paper crafts and quote art. One day while browsing Pinterest, I saw felt dolls. The looked so cute that I knew I had to make them. I went through quite a few tutorials. I have to mention Erica Caterina’s Hey Girl! and Keinia Araujo’s Friendly Felt. These tutorials are very well written and encompass almost all knowledge in the felt world. I appreciate their effort and most importantly their willingness to share knowledge!

Having said that, I am delighted to present my first doll - Simba, the jaguar :D You can look at the pattern for the Jaguar here.

Book Review: Doora Saridaru - S. L. Bhyrappa

As per my New Year resolution, this month I have chosen S.L. Bhyrappa’s “Doora Saridaru”. It is a Kannada novel which explores relationships at an intellectual level. It is definitely not a light read and can get you questioning some of the fundamental beliefs in life. Initially, I was apprehensive about reading a Kannada novel, especially one which deals with such a complex subject. However, I was familiar with most of the words and could comprehend the meaning of the rest as per context. Doora Saridaru was published in 1962 but it effectively holds the attention of the contemporary reader. Fashion, technology and human interests may change over time but human relationships are still the same. There is no equation to deduce what factors bring two people together, no formula to brew the perfect match. Always in a quest to understand the unknown, we fail to realize that every relationship is unique and only the people involved in it can make it work.

Door Saridaru describes the stories of two couples as they embark on a journey to unravel the mysteries of companionship. It is a love story set in a refreshing atmosphere of literature and philosophy. Sacchidanand is a literature student with a keen interest in philosophy. He falls in love with his classmate Vinata. Vinata loves him whole heartedly but is scared to go against her dominating mother. The latter does not approve of the match because the boy belongs to a lower caste and is not well to do. Vinata believes that pain is the only path to happiness. On the other hand, Vasanth is a student who gradually starts loving his junior Uma. Although both sets of parents agree, Vasanth is still not sure whether Uma is the right companion for him. He is under the impression that only a person with independent thinking can be his ideal partner. But when Uma develops her own views, he feels slighted and wishes for her to see things his way.

It is interesting to see how the author maintains the title as the main theme of the book. The story demonstrates the various reasons due to which a couple may drift apart. While one couple falls prey to external prejudices, the other is a victim of its own beliefs. The story takes a new turn in every few pages. Something I liked about the book is the unique perspective held by each character. All in all, I'll say it’s a good read!

Welcome 2016

Time flies so fast! I barely wrote anything in the past year and we are already in 2016 :D People who know me will also know that am absolutely crazy about planning and organization. Although I believe that any time is a good time to make a resolution, the new year comes a close second. When you think of doing something, get the wheels in motion right away. If you don't do it now, chances are you will never do it. So here is your chance to stop lamenting and start revamping your life.

I may be showing off a bit here but am more than pleased to say that I accomplished quite a lot in the past year. And to keep the momentum going, I have come up with some new resolutions. And mind you, these are not randomly chosen. I went into flash back mode and thought about the things that made me the happiest and the things that made me feel low. If you haven't made any resolutions so far, feel free to join me :D I don't now how many of these will be knocked down by the end of 2016 but they will definitely pave an exciting way for the year :)

Here we go!

Finance:

1. Shop right - I am thrifty and often end up buying cheap stuff at sales which cannot stand wear and tear. From now on I am going to think about what I buy. A simple way to decide on the right price is to think of the number of times you are going to use the product. If it's a regular use item, buy it from a good brand. Do not hesitate to pay more.
2. Invest better - It is wise to save up money but it is also important to make your money grow. I have been saving quite a bit but this year I want to invest a part of my money in ventures that will give me better returns.
3. Get documents in order - The internet is so ubiquitous these days. It is always better to have a scanned copy of all important documents on cloud storage so that it can be accessed anywhere anytime. But make sure to have it password protected.

4. Save for vacation - I have enjoyed travelling so much in the past year that I have decided to have a vacation every year. The first step is by having a fund for it :)

Health:

1. Good skincare regimen - Although I am already working out for my body, I haven't been able to take as good care of my skin and hair. This year is for being beautiful - in and out :)
2. Focus on toning - Gym has helped me in weight loss. But toning is still a far away dream. I am going to start doing planks every day to strengthen my core.

Hobbies:

1. Reading books - I used to read a lot but somehow I cannot make time for reading these days. The aim is to read at least one book every month but from a different genre.
2. Learn something new - Sometimes I try googling the most basic chores and I am surprised to see an easier or more efficient method to accomplish the same stuff. So I am going to keep learning and share my discoveries here :)

3. Volunteer - This is the right time to try out different things while giving back to the society.
4. Cook more - I know I have a cooking talent hidden somewhere inside of me. I am going to find it this year :P

Lifestyle:

1. Do one thing every month that scares you - I want to get rid of my fears and this is a good way to achieve it. Now I need to make a list of things I am afraid of :S (which is a never ending task)
2. Getting out of the house - If people let me be, I will stay locked in my room with my books and crafts forever. I have to make sure that I get some fresh air at least during the weekends. 
3. Increase IQ and EQ - I am terribly bad at GK. I should read the newspapers and stay in tune with whatever is happening in the big bad world. I also want to be more receptive and sensitive to the emotions of the people around me.

4. Start my own business - I want to start laying a foundation to my future dream :)

Well being:

1. Treat others as they treat you - This may seem harsh but I have to definitely stop letting people walk all over me. I have to learn to say no to fair weather friends so that I can be there for people who are ready to do anything for me.
2. One small act of kindness - Even once a month will do. But the joy it will bring is immense.
3. Bring more peace into my life - I have to learn to calm down and think through things with a cool mind. After all, it's all about inner peace.
4. Celebrate life - Amidst all these resolutions, do not forget to appreciate the small blessings in life. Live, laugh and love more!

Phew! That's quite a lot :P Kya kare, yeh dil maange more :D Let's see how it goes. Happy new year to me. Cheers everybody!

Gym jam

I have always been a perfectionist, trying to master whatever I do. Sometimes, I get so lost that my quest turns into an obsession. And soon it starts having negative impacts on my life. The most recent victim of my chagrin is gym. 

Since I started working out, I have lost almost 10 kgs and I feel awesome! I have to catch myself from floating off the ground when people compliment me. That’s figurative BTW. I haven’t lost so much to fly off the ground :P Having spent most of my childhood as a chubby kid, I felt insanely happy when I was commended on my weight loss. Every compliment fueled me further and I grew hungry for more. I was so hung up on reaching my ideal weight that I reduced my food intake and killed myself in the gym. Being a foodie made things worse. I started loathing thin people with unbelievable metabolism. They ate twice as much as me and still managed to stay the same. Naturally, I would get frustrated and depressed. I started hating gym because the scales were not moving in my favor. 

I started seeing gym as a monster which did not let me eat what I want and do what I want. It ate two hours of my day and gave me nothing in return. I was furious that I had to sweat it out every day while others were born slim and did not have to go through this torture. My mom and friends are my biggest support. They encouraged me not to give up. But no matter what, my weight stubbornly refused to drop lower. I continued gym on their persuasion but I had lost my enthusiasm. I went there grudgingly without any hope of improvement. Slowly but steadily my resentment kept consuming me until I became very bitter. That’s when I decided to take a break from gym. 

Initially I appreciated the extra hours it gave me during the day. I relaxed and spent more time reading and indulging in hobbies. It seemed like I was on equal footing with the others. I felt cheerful again :) As I calmed down, I sensed something else in me. Separation pangs I realized. I missed gym!! Can you believe it? :D Still, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to join back. The turning point was when I read a quote from Milind Soman, the actor who recently completed the toughest triathlon at the age of 50 and is now known as IronMan. He said 

“Fitness to me is freedom. People think fitness means not eating this and doing things you don’t like. To me, fitness is liberating.” 

“Endurance sport teaches us one thing – that if you work at something you love, patiently, consistently and with focus, not only will you get where you want to get, but every moment you will be where you want to be.” 

I realized it’s true. Working out had helped me in innumerable ways. I became more confident and comfortable in my skin. I gained stamina and resistance. I looked better and healthier. Most importantly, I had shut up all those people who constantly used to rib me about my weight. Milind is right. Fitness gives us the freedom to eat what we want because we know we will be burning it out at the end of the day. It gives us the freedom to wear what we like without having to worry about hiding flab. When we exercise consistently, we are actually moving towards success. And every moment, we are one step closer. How had I been so dumb to ignore all these positive aspects of working out!  So I decided to hit back to gym albeit without a vengeance :P 

Now that I had decided to return, I wanted to understand my problem and so I did a bit of research. Here is what I found. This piece is from a weight loss point of view. Apparently, the way it works is when we start out, the body weight increases in the initial few weeks. This is where our body is building up muscles initially. If we continue working consistently, our body will get into the weight loss mode. If we stick to the diet and work out plan, the decline may be faster. Eventually it may so happen that our body may get used to our training program and calorie intake. The number of calories gained becomes equal to the number of calories burnt, thus hitting a plateau, where in our body weight remains constant. So what is the solution? The top three things I found on the net are:

1. Make sure the number of calories consumed is less than the number of calories burnt. That doesn’t mean eat less food. It means break up your meals to include more fiber and protein and less carbohydrates. 

2. Progressively take your work out session to the next level. Increase the intensity or the number of sets in each type of exercise. 

3. Increase the water intake. Strange as it may seem, the more water you drink the less water the body will retain. Thus flushing out toxins and fat and helping weight loss. 

Despite all this research, I have come up with my own rules (I was never good at taking advice :P). After all, we know our body the best right? Recently my work place moved further from my home and the travel exhausts me. This must be the reason why I tire out quickly in the gym these days. So, I am going to shift my schedule a bit and move my weekly break from Sunday to Wednesday. I always work out more during the weekend. This way I will have a break mid-week which will give me time to recharge. Also, I will not monitor my weight like a hawk. I will not imagine myself constantly running towards some target figure. I figured out that am marginally over-weight. Someone even called the extra weight as ‘vanity pounds’ :D I am not exercising to impress anybody, so why the pressure? I will take it easy and enjoy the process instead of mulling over numbers. 

I hope my beloved gym will forgive me for deserting it and welcome me with open arms and never let go <3 Sigh! So romantic!