Lamp decor

Hi there, so tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi and here I am with a post on decorating your lamps before placing them in your Ganesha decorations.

Do not place your lamps directly on the floor or any other surface.  Instead follow these simple and easy ways to highlight the lamps.

1st way...

Draw a kolam or a rangoli. You can always use stencils which are easily available in the markets too. Enhance the outline with flowers and then place the lamp at the centre.

2nd way...

Take a banana leaf and cut a round piece, larger in diameter than your lamp. Place this underneath the lamp and encircle it with marigolds . Greens and orange make for a interesting combination.

3rd way...

Surround your lamp With petals of different colours just like a onam pookalam. You can make this floral rangoli according to the size of the lamp. This enhances the look of the lamp.

Try these ideas and let me know. Though am doing this for Ganesha chaturthi, you can always try these ways for the festival of lights, Deepavali 🪔🪔🪔

The foyer gallery wall

We recently gave a fresh coat of paint to our home. So thought of creating a new look wherever possible. The first wall under attack was the foyer wall where I thought of putting together all the Ganesha frames. 

As we got down to the placement, felt it would be a good idea to add other interesting pieces such as brass knick knacks  and a pair of  handmade mirrors. 

These mirrors are from an artist turned entrepreneur. Ashi Rastogi has an Amazon shop called handmade buzz from where you can order the same or shop for similar handcrafted decor pieces.

Another addition on the wall is a wooden handcrafted shelf from pepperfry. I keep changing the pieces on the shelf to create freshness around home.

This gallery wall is also a testimony to the various art and craft available all across our country and my love for these.

Let me know how you like the arrangement. Will be happy to hear from you. 😊

Meanwhile, keep checking my instagram account for regular updates and to watch reels that has caught the world by storm.

Welcoming little Krishna

"Kutti kana" is how little Krishna is referred to in our homes. Janmashtami is all about welcoming Him in our homes. Yes, he is worshipped but Krishna also also has this child like image and with a 'just born baby' in the house, the air turns infectious right?

So, let me share some images from my home. Krishna feet is drawn with rice paste from the entrance to our prayer room. Prasadams like appam, cheedai ( salt and sweet fried rice balls) , His favourite butter all are kept as neivaidya.

Baby feet can be drawn in many ways

And this is how I usually draw Krishna padam

So, this is how I made the day special for us. By decorating and highlighting the presence of Krishna in every corner of my home. 

Krishnan vande jagatgurum 🙏

Care for your cushion covers

I know, I have been MIA for a loonnngg time now. But hey, the festive times are here and with that let me give you some ideas and tips on festive decor and more. Will that make up?

Okay, so today let us talk about cushion covers. The furnishing that can change the look of any room in a jiffy! But do you know how you can take the best care of these magic accessory?

Jotting down some points here for their fine upkeep and if you can add any more to the list, let me know too in the comments please.

1. Change your covers atleast every fortnight. 

2. Best is to handwash them with a mild detergent or even better shampoo. If they are too delicate go for dry cleaning but most covers can be efficiently handwashed at home.

3. The most important part here after washing is to dry them in shade. Also, don't wring them too much.

4. Iron carefully on the wrong side if the cushions have detailing like embroidery, sequin work and paint work. Always iron on a low heat setting.

5. Last but not the least, keep a sachet of fragrance inside the linen cupboard. 

If you find these useful, I shall be truly happy. More is coming your way, so stay tuned and always check my instagram account.  All the action happens there! 😊

Healthy Eats with Saffola Fittify

When you are a mom, there is no escaping the fact that you have to keep upgrading your culinary skills. For our own sake, we also need to think of healthy dishes that looks attractive, takes minimum effort and can be made quickly. 

For me, when my kids are back from school is the time, I need to be ready with something they like. So yesterday, I prepared a salad  and some toasts. Nothing new in these but there were some magic ingredients in both these items which increased the flavour and my kids had a good time having them.

Let me share how easy and quick it was to prepare these.

The salad had all essential and healthy veggies and nuts. I added boiled corn, pomegranate, cucumber, carrots, fine chopped lettuce and nuts like  sliced cashews, pistachios and roasted sesame. You can even add a handful of cooked pasta to make the salad interesting. Will be widely appreciated by the kids too! The final dressing was done using a spoonful of the magic ingredient Saffola Fittify Extra Virgin Olive oil. 

Let me tell you about certain features and benefits of Extra virgin Olive oil from Saffola

Saffola Aura Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a premium edible oil, imported from Spain. It is rich in anti oxidants and unsaturated fatty acids.  It has a rich and flavourful taste that beautifully compliments your dish. 

This oil is a recent launch by the premium group of oil manufacturers and hence one can be assured of its quality. Prices are competitive and for best deals you can always buy from  Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket and the like. The shelf life offered is 18 months which i felt could have been better since this oil is mainly used in salads and dips, it tends to be used less. In such cases you can opt to buy the oil of a lesser capacity. 

 Overall I liked the taste and the richness it adds to the dish.

Vegan Peanut Butter, another item from Saffola Fittify is a super food. Saffola Fittify Peanut Butter is made from finest quality of peanuts and is powered with the goodness of high protein and fiber. Indulge yourself in rich & delicious taste with every scoop of peanut butter.

There are no artificial flavour, colour or preservatives added to this. They can be added to your shakes or can be consumed as energy balls. I chose to smear it generously on toasts and serve my kids a delicious healthy evening snack.

You may wonder what makes Saffola Fittify Different?

Saffola Fittify is a health and fitness brand that is nutritionist-recommended with your everyday food in healthier alternatives. It has come up with products that are made with the best ingredients. These products are infused with vitamins and minerals that make them the healthiest choice to improve your, and your family’s health and well-being.

I recommend these healthy options and would urge you to try these products and verify their goodness.

Wellness with Pure Sense

As we hustle through our every day life our health and well being sometimes takes a backseat but this year, I  have made the conscious decision to choose products wisely and one that help us relax and rejuvenate.

Our wellness should be our priority isn't it? Today, am going to talk about hair care and skin care products from Pure Sense. 

Recently, i tried Macadamia deep nourishing hair cleanser and Grapefruit revitalising hair conditioner. 

Enriched with macadamia nut oil and packed with the goodness of Vitamin  E and B5, this shampoo has a creamy texture and a very mild fragrance. It does not foam on application but leaves the hair soft after wash nonetheless. The hair cleanser is paraben and sulphate free.

 I followed the hair wash with an eco certified Grapefruit conditioner on the hair tips. Helps to give a silky touch and shine to the dull hair. The fruity fragrance really uplifts your mood. It is packed with hydrolysed rice protein that also helps controls frizzy hair.

Application friendly, you only have to pump out a coin sized amount of these hair products to cleanse and relax.

If you ever want a spa like feel at home, try Pure Sense Grapefruit shower gel. It is recommended for all types of skin. A luxuriously unique cleansing gel that cleanses your skin gently without stripping its moisture. It has a nourishing formula that pampers your skin by satiating its quench for thirst.

The next product on the pamper list is a Macadamia 3 in 1 face mask, scrub and cleanser. Multi functional, it has a slight grainy texture that is useful in scrubbing the grime away and buff away dead skin cells. Apply gently on the face, scrub and after a little while, wash it away.

Packed with Capric Triglyceride, this unique Face Mask, Scrub and Cleanser, hydrates and makes your skin supple. Loaded with Kaolin, this pure formulation gently exfoliates, cleans pores, as well as prevents breakouts.

It doesn't dry your skin. In fact leaves your skin looking bright.

I truly felt that these products from Pure Sense are the  perfect companion that inspires you to harmonise with your mind & soul. Their wellbeing spa range, self-loving skincare range, and the mood-boosting haircare range, make your every day better!

 

Lotus Botanicals skin care products

This post is specially for all my girl friends or those men who want to make their women feel special !

I have been using certain products of Lotus Botanicals since sometime now and thought I shall share my views about it with all of you. The reason being, we are nearing Christmas and New year and this is that time of the year when we gift our near and dear ones. This year am going to gift my girl gang with  amazing products from Lotus Botanicals.

 

Let me first introduce you to their brand.

Brand Story: “Our wellness cannot come at the cost of nature.” Lotus Botanicals was born keeping this very truth in mind. The mission is to find beauty secrets that creates a perfect balance between humans and our planet and between science and nature.

Lotus Botanicals embodies all things pure, balanced, and botanical.  They believe that true beauty lies in creating a harmonious balance between nature and science.  Between what we take and what we give. Between looking good and doing good.

The six key feature that pulled me towards the brand was

1.       Certified safe cosmetics

2.       Pure plant power

3.       Ethical beauty

4.       No preservative

5.       No toxic chemicals

6.       Unique time-tested formulas

 I have used their combo pack for skin care that consists of

Bio-retinol youth radiance face wash

Bio-retinol youth radiance ultra-crème

Bio-retinol youth radiance sleeping mask

Bio-retinol anti-ageing combo

Yes, ageing is a natural process but at the same time maintaining our skin as it goes through the various stages in our life is also essential.

The search for youthful skin ends here with Bio Retinol. One of the most talked-about, amazing skincare ingredients that have created a storm in the SkinCeuticals industry is Bio-Retinol. This plant-based ingredient, also known as Bakuchiol, is a stable, safe, plant-based alternative for all kinds of retinoids to tackle issues like acne, dark spots, wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin tone. Bakuchiol or Bio Retinol is a tropical plant used even in Ayurveda times. But due to the increased awareness about the goodness of retinol for a skincare routine, you can now get amazing skincare products that contain Bio-Retinol as one of their star ingredients. 

Lotus Botanicals now offers you a range of Bio-Retinol products with the goodness of Bakuchiol. Bakuchiol has proven to have multiple anti-skin ageing effects like decreasing fine lines, boosting collagen growth, etc. 

Bio-Retinol Youth Radiance Ultra Crème helps with skin renewal and boosts collagen production. The creme’s formulation helps restore skin, giving it more clarity and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It revives the skin to become healthy and gives you a youthful state. Bio Retinol works best when applied at night. Usually, Bio-Retinol is a powerful active ingredient. Also, it makes your skin photosensitive. So, bio-retinol works best when you apply it at night. Try Bio-Retinol Youth Radiance Sleeping Mask, which increases skin cell turnover that helps with skin regeneration.

 

Also, the Bio Retinol sleeping mask also locks moisture, making your skin supple and smooth. This Bio Retinol Youth Radiance Sleeping mask is non-comedogenic, making it perfect for sensitive skin and skin prone to acne breakouts. You apply this mask at night and get youthful-looking skin in the morning! 

Also, you can start your morning with our Bio-Retinol Youth Radiance Face Wash which not only cleans the dirt off your skin but is a lightweight formula that also targets various ageing symptoms like fine lines and crow’s feet. 

My experience: Every morning, I use the face wash which has a mild fragrance and leaves your skin fresh and ready to face the day. 

The Ultra day and night creme certainly softens and nourishes the skin and regular usage I feel is effective in making the skin breathe well and make it feel youthful.

 

Another product that I would like to recommend from their range is

Ubtan De tan face and body mask

Traditionally we Indians have always used ubtans. Now, get a glowing skin with Lotus Botanicals Ubtan De-Tan Radiance Face & Body Powder Mask infused with 24k gold. It is made with natural ingredients like turmeric, chickpea flour and sandalwood. It gently exfoliates the skin giving a healthy glow. If you spend hours outside, it helps in de tanning and brightens dull skin.

My experience: our daadi naani k nuskhe for a clear skin always recommended scrubbing our skin with chickpea, turmeric and to top it with  sandalwood for a cooling effect. That's exactly how I felt about this ubtan from Lotus Botanicals. Mildly scented, easily mixes with water and gets absorbed fast.

Currently I apply the ubtan twice a week.

Hope this article on the skin care products from Lotus Botanicals helps you in making the right decision and choosing products fit for you. We shall come up with more such informative posts in future. Till then, ciao.

Bidding Farewell to 2022 and looking forward to a grand entry into 2023 !!!