DIY Apple Outfit Tutorial

I am following up on the previous craft related post with this 'DIY Apple Outfit' tutorial.

I had a request like 2 years ago from this post here... but I completely forgot about it until recently when I have been collating all my craft projects into this one folder. 

So this is a little apple outfit I made for my preschool going son 2 years ago. With nothing but a FabIndia shopping bag and some inexpensive felt paper that you will find in any craft store. 

I should say this was a fairly original idea and I was quite pleased with how it turned out. The motivation however was to be the 'Creative' mom with THE cutest at the 'Dress up like your favourite fruit' day.

Here is a picture of the finished product: 

This is entire outfit is one single piece. 

What you need:

- One large size thick paper bag.
- Sufficient red felt paper to cover the whole bag
- Bits of green felt paper to make leaves
- Scissors 
- School Glue

How to make it happen:
-Make sure your kids are asleep. :)

-Neatly trim the edge that holds the handle straps. We don't need this end.

-Make a cut on either side of the bag till the base (which will later allow you to open up the bag lengthwise).

-Base/bottom of the bag is what eventually turns into the 2 shoulder straps.

- Draw your apple. Top of the apple is towards the base of the bag, Remember to make the straps at least 2 inches wide. And there should be a sufficient round for your little one to slip his little head through. (Sorry no pictures here... :( )

 - Cut out the apple shape carefully so as not to damage the shoulder straps. 

-Trace the shape of your apple on to the red felt and extra for the shoulder straps. Cut and stick. 

- Cut leaf shape from the green felt paper and stick. 

- Let dry


Now there is the apple of my eye!

Please Note:

This was 2 years ago and I do remember that I had to reinforce with few sheets of newspaper to make the outfit sturdier. Another method would be to use 2  large pieces of cardboard which will be the front and back and use some old scrap fabric or cardboard pieces itself for the shoulder straps. At that point, I had no time to research for alternatives. 

Easy Peasy Recycling!

Of late I have been feeling it in my fingers and in my toes. My cousin suggests it could be just a symptom of motherhood and subsequent domestication. But whatever it is, I have been feeling like I want to craft. Not just a paper boat or an origami flower. More. Much more. With the Internet, Google, Blogs, Facebook and Pinterest and of course the fantastic super creative people who are willing to share their creative ideas, fabulous pictures and easy to follow instructions  on the social media, why not!

My heart misses a beat every time I read the letters DIY attached to a beautifully taken picture. It makes me feel confident. Like I can do it. Make it. Create it. Something beautiful. Not necessarily useful. But beautiful. 

And good ideas are contagious. So what if its not your idea? Use it, abuse it, improvise on it. As long as you give credit where credit is due. 

Here is a simple example of how to transform something as mundane as an ice cream tub into some very clever storage. We can all do some recycling and show mother nature some love.

What you need:

-ice cream tub

-scissors

-glue

-leftover wrapper or any pretty paper. I have gorgeous poppies on a pastel pink background

How to make it happen:

- Cut the pretty paper to fit the tub. Circle for the lid and a rectangle for the container. It does not have to be perfect. But wrap the paper around the container to get an idea.

-Apply glue on the surface of your tub and stick  the pretty paper on (I used Fevicol)

- Wait for it to dry 

- You could brush a coat of Glue on top of the wrapping paper to form a coating (like in Decoupage)

- Some more waiting....

Tada! Your recycled dubba!

I left the blue rim on a for a pop of contrast. And I like how it turned out. :)

Bubblegum Pink

Such a gorgeous colour right? That's the new colour of my husband’s new boxer briefs!

No, he did not go scouring the marketplace for this fruity shade of pink. Nor is it a cheesy valentine's day gift from me.  

It’s just what happens when you accidentally put a brand new, whitey-white, unused pair of boxer brief into the washing machine along with a bleeding-red, dry–clean only kurta.

How did it happen? I swear, I am not one to usually mess up or mix up laundry. I have very particular -girls only, boys only and babies only wash cycles. Towels and bed linens get their time alone too. And my post baby- 'lack of sleep’ excuse did not run very well with my husband. He was in shock for 5 whole seconds (which is very long considering his usual superhuman response time to just about anything!) and then gave me a lecture on how I should sort my laundry.

Me: “Don’t lecture me! Do you know how much laundry I do? I know how to sort my laundry! I toss everything out of the laundry basket, sort them into specific piles and finally drop each sorted pile into the machine.”

He: “Then how come my white boxer is now pink?”

Me: “Er...it was an accident? Some piles overlapped....I meant to remove the kurta but it was hidden beneath and.....”

He: “Hah! See, your method is not foolproof! Everybody puts clothes into the washing machine one by one. And besides you always forget to empty the pockets. You always wash my money. And the last time you  my washed my USB memory stick, remember?”

I forget now, if the emphasis was on ‘always’ or ‘my’. But we spent the next 15 minutes arguing over the “my” money -“your” money issue which I felt carried more weightage. More than the bright bubblegum pink undy lying on the  dining table.

Me: “Your money? I thought it was OUR money”

He: “Don’t change the topic. OK. OUR money. So not only do you always wash OUR money, you also just wasted OUR money turning this into a tutti-fruity thing.” *nostrils flaring*

I feel silly and bad. Silly because I cannot help but think how fantastic the colour actually is. Perfect for a tote bag or a strappy summer blouse. And bad because I ruined my sweetypie's brand new chaddi. He just came home the previous night proclaiming he had found the perfect pair. We had been searching for months.12 months to be precise. He is crazy like that. Very, very, very particular about the type, the colour, size. He splurged on 7 pairs and ordered for another 7. I don't know if numerology is involved. Its possible. 

And after all that I go do the unthinkable. 

Me: “But your USB drive turned out OK. How am I supposed to know about this secret pocket in your jeans? What is it for anyway?" 

He: “It’s not a 'secret' pocket. It is a 'coin' pocket. And just the right size to hold a USB drive securely, by the way.”

Phew! Thank God the memory stick stayed in there snug. And after 2 days of drying, praying and painful waiting, it came out alive. 

But coming back to this 'coin' pocket, you know what, it just cannot be a coin pocket. Go check out your man's jeans if you haven't seen it. I mean, sure it is small enough to hold coins but its definitely not big enough to fish them out easily.

Me: “And so what if I washed a few bills? I did the universe a favour. Do you realize how filthy money can get?” 

He: *rolls eyes* 

He switched on the TV; an indication that the argument was over.

OK so it is my fault. But why should I have to wash brand new undies in the first place? Bought from a store that does not have a trial room, so you don't have to worry about anyone having tried them.  And even if it did have one, they won’t let you try it anyway, 'coz  that would be inappropriate. And even if they did let you try it, you would be too shy to anyway. I should know ‘coz he bought multiple sizes of one brand before we realized that nothing fit.

But yes, every new piece of innerwear cannot be worn unless its washed, sun-dried and ironed. That's one of the house-rules.And poor me was just trying to follow the rules. 

He: (over the voice of the television) “Did you try bleach?"

Me: "Yes. I even washed it 3 more times in the machine."

He:WHAT?!! You wasted that much water?!!!

Me: *screams silently*


This is not going to go away soon. Me going on about his particularities and him going on about my 'Perfect laundry process' gone wrong.   

But then again, this story also had the entire family in splits when we met for dinner the other day. And my husband dearest did not look so upset and we were smiling at the end of it all.

I really want to put up picture of it. But permission has been understandably denied.

New Baby

I know I haven't been here for a long long time. Almost a whole year. My last post - for the indiblogger contest  was more of a challenge I took up; just to get creative and write something.  I don't know if the judges will see my compilation as stylish enough, but I had a whole lot of fun bringing it together.

I had a good reason for not being here this whole time- I was too busy having a brand new baby! Yes, we had a girl! Our princess showed up a  week before her due date on August 23rd and via c-sec. So yes, I was totally drugged  and if I ever boasted of enduring labour pains, that would be a lie. But trust me, post surgery pain coupled with constipation (I can't believe I said it!) is terrible enough. 

Unlike the first pregnancy when you can put your feet up, pamper yourself and and take it easy, the second one just zooms by. But because you have done it before, you are not going to be googling every little thing or constantly bookmarking your copy of the 'what to expect when you are expecting'.

This time, I felt I had a whirlwind of new emotions to deal with. The first being 'possessiveness'. How could I possibly love another child? My first born is my first born and how can I share that selfish love I have for him with anyone else? I could not feel love for the new baby in me. And this frightened me. My mothers reaction to this anxiety attack was casual, "Oh you will get over it. Have another 2 and then you will be fine". She should know, I am her third child. And I never felt unloved. And its true, it happens, the love begins to grow from the moment the little one moves inside of you.

The next thing that had me worried me was how my son would deal with having to share his center position in our universe with someone else. Someone he has never met. Will he be sad? Will the smile that usually lights up his face be of a lesser intensity? Will he feel betrayed? Will he think its unfair? It drove me crazy. And it was tough. He did feel betrayed and insecure. Tantrums were on the rise. I think it took a good 2 months and a whole lot of support from family to deal with this. Now he is crazy about her and you have to see the way he makes her smile and giggle.

Fortunately he never harmed the baby and I thank God for that. I have heard of numerous scary stories where the elder child attacks the new baby out of insecurity. He would want us to keep her down and pay attention to him, rock him and even burp him, but he would never attack the baby. Phew!

I dreaded the 4 nights at the hospital. Not one day, since the moment he was born has he not slept without me, or I without him. Will he miss me? Will he be OK? The evening after the surgery, they let him in to see me for a minute and I saw a sadness in his eyes I had never seen before. Then the next day and the next and for a few days after that, I noticed he was not looking into my eyes. It was like he felt betrayed and he would not give me his heart again. Its like he became a big boy over those 4 days. (Sounds sloppy but I have tears in my eyes as I revisit this moment.). I yearned for him to come and hug me like he used to do, but he would not. One night, he looked at me and said, "I like amma" and then he left with tears in his eyes, to sleep with his dad in the other room. This was by far the toughest part for me. For me and him. To break our bond and then re-tie it with one more person- his sister. He probably does not remember it. But I can never forget it.  

But all is well that ends well. A gem of a husband and a very supportive family made the experience  smooth  and memorable. 

So if you're expecting a second baby and you have similar fears.. hang in there.. this is life. It hurts for a while. But there is enough and more love to heal it soon after.

PS: That's a picture of her cake at the christening ceremony. Gorgeous right?

The Perfect Festive Look

This is most festive time of the year-  Diwali kicks it off with sparkling fireworks and then makes way for Christmas trees, carols and sweet smelling plum cakes before starting the final count down to a brand new year. 

Its a time to be merry, to eat, to drink, to give and to get (gifts ofcourse!) and to celebrate with loved ones.

And for the diva in you, there is nothing more exciting about this season than 'what to wear?'! No better time to deck yourself up. Top to toe. 

Shopping during the festive season is definitely exciting what with the new collections, the big discounts and every store is decked up …but at the same time it can get tiring with the rush and the long queues at the cash counters.

Shoppers Stop comes to the rescue with its online store shopperstop.com. You could be sitting at home, sipping chai, listening to your favourite music and creating your own stylish outfit with just a few clicks.

After mixing and matching outfits and accessories on shoppersstop.com, here is my idea of a fuss free and stylish ensemble for this festive season. 

The Kurti, from  Taj The poetry collection- is in classic black and white but with just enough fuchsia, purple and gold to make it festive and fun. With an intricately embroidered yoke this stylish kurti paints a very elegant look. Both its V neck and ¾ sleeves have pink, purple and gold detailing. 

One could easily pair this with a black, or white churidaar bottom, but this fuchsia one from Stop Mix n Match would be a more vibrant choice.

To add to the oomph factor, you need to accessorize. And with the bold combination of black, white and fuchsia, one could choose fine jewelry that is subtle and sophisticated. And nothing says it better than diamonds. A girl's best friend. Buying a few timeless pieces is definitely a worthwhile choice. Fortunately shopperstop.com offers a sparkling range of fine jewelry and here are some hot picks.

These pair of Nirvana diamond earrings are classic. It can never go out of style. It looks longer than a stud yet is not a dangler. How pretty is it? And definitely worth it at 25% off!

Your neck piece should be this stunning Carbon Diamond Pendant but pick a delicate chain that lets it fall just between your beauty bones.  

If you felt the earrings and the pendant was a splurge, cheer up and save on this 18K gold plated Infinity bangle. It’s beautiful and definitely looks like the real deal.

For the time piece strap on this Titan watch- in a gorgeous gold tone and studded with Swarowksi crystals. 

For your pretty feet these antique gold sandals from Lemon- Ladies foot wear will blend well with your traditional attire- Don’t forget to pamper your feet with a  pedicure and some hot pink nail colour before you slip these beauties on!

Hold this this fuss free Haute Curry clutch in black , that looks clean and stylish and formal with its studded clasp. 

Complete your stylish ensemble with a dash of your favourite fragrance and you are ready to be the show stopper this festive season!

Who knew it was so easy? 

This is an entry for the competition “The Perfect Festive Look” by Indiblogger and Shoppers’ Stop.