Floating candle pot painting

From a long time I was wishing to have this at home. It seems it is a symbol of happiness at home. Lighting diya everyday reminds us to light our inner self, that is the main symbol of lighting diya in front of god everyday evening before sunset. To remove darkness outside as well as praying god to remove our inner darkness. I had brought this long time back but had no time to paint it. I also had to protect it from my naughty kid (however she broke it in two days, I have to make another one;-)). Finally I could finished it quickly in half an hour with simple aquarium painting:

Without flowers it was looking like an aquarium;-)

Banana Flower Chutney

Recently I was reading health benefits of banana flower. It is high in antioxidants also helps to prevent PCOS (menstrual problems). My mom always used to prepare different recipes with this. I never used to like it and never tasted it especially because of its dark color and texture. But during my post pregnancy I was forced to eat this. I realized how tasty it is, especially the chutney which is made by my doddamma (mom's elder sister). She used to prepare specially for me without spices and tamarind for 3 months regularly. Many thanks to her:). I tried it today but with tamarind, it came out very well.

Here is the recipe:
1) Firstly clean it with water and discard 2-3 rough layers.
2) Now start peeling one by one petals until you get closed petals.
3) In these remove the white flower portion(optional). Otherwise it turns out little bitter and sour in taste, but more healthy.
4) Cut these petals including closed petals inside, into small pices, add turmeric, little water and pressure cook this for 2-3 whistles, you can also steam this.
5) Grind them into smooth paste
6) In a pan add little oil, sprinkle some mustard, put some garlic, once garlic turns out little dark brown color add tamarind water, salt, 1 red chili and lastly the flower paste, saute for some time until it thickens.

Our chutney is ready. This goes well with ganji (rice porridge) or rice.

DIY Newspaper Pillow

Recently I added new video in youtube. Pillow made out of waste. This is just a showpiece, you can't lean on it😃...Here it is:

DIY Jar lamp

I made this jar lamp from old jam bottle. Any figure can be placed inside the bottle. To make this you just need glass jar, trace paper, thick paper, tea light and some glitter.

Method:

1. Think of some beautiful topic like I choose Lord Sri krishna stealing butter. For example mother playing with her baby or butterfly on flower etc. Just draw the figure on white paper and cut it accordingly. You can also use ready made stickers.

2. Stick it inside the bottle.

3. Then glue trace paper outside the bottle and sprinkle some glitter.

4. Decorate the cap with lace or flowers and place a tea light inside.

That's all....:) very easy right.

This is how it looks like without light:

With light:

Paper bowl 2

Recently I made an another paper bowl similar to the previous one with different shape and design. Also I made base for the previous one.

Diy multipurpose stand

This multipurpose stand was made out of waste bottle. I was in need of knife stand, so I tried this out of waste bottle. I forgot to take step by step pics. Next time if I make the similar one, I will re-post it with pictures. 

Well, it is very easy:

1. Choose waste thin bottle.

2. Take off the top of bottle. 

3. Keeping the backside of the bottle as it is, cut the sides and front portion of the bottle till half.

4. In remaining back portion, cut 'D' shape hollow(downward facing). 

5. Then decorated it with your favorite lace and glitter. 

I had made similar one before as mobile charging hanger. Here it is:

Socks doll

Socks family :) . I made these out of old and left over single socks. Now it is my daughters favorite toy. especially the kitty one. I have referred few videos and tried it with some alteration. Last one I tried on own, here is my youtube video:

Kitty in kitchen stealing milk:) :

Just married:

Gadgets and kids

My Daughter is always attracted to colourful light which pops up from mobile.. her eyes twinkles when someone calls on phone. She is more alert when she hears 'hello'. I have seen this qualities in most of the kids. In many houses I saw kids busy with their parents gadget in some corner of the room.. they are very quite. Most of the parents don't worry about this much as it is relief for them and they are not disturbed at their work.

Someday my daughter saw some rhyme on device she was so much alert and quite. I made use of it for cooking food for her otherwise she would be holding my cloths and crying for food not letting me move. I started with some devotional videos. Few times I used this tricks as I can cook peacefully.

Later I realized how big mistake I am doing by paralyzing her physiological growth, stopping her communication , her beautiful expressions instead of looking into my impatience.

It had become habit for her, she would stand in front of tab and cry for it. So we decided to limit the use of gadgets in front of her. Also trying to fight with my impatience by bearing her whatever she does, and trying to understand her better.

Kids are newly opening up their eyes in this world. Whatever life style we live in, they adopt to it easily. If we make gadgets are prominent part of life, they too make it or even more than us. It is true that they learn from outside world too, it is not in our hand, but giving a better environment at home is definitely in our hand.

Constantly involved in gadgets paralyze mind and it becomes an addiction even for adults. Deep down we become so empty inside and constantly seek entertainment outside. It makes us forget our sorrows, loneliness but it is temporary and dangerous way to get rid of our sorrows, like alcohol.

Kids are super active and quick absorbents we must encourage them in learning new things and  becoming creative at each work they do.

Newspaper Craft

While tidying up the house, I needed some boxes and bowls to arrange the materials neatly, instead of buying a new container, I made this bowl using news paper. It came out beautifully than I expected. We can keep dry and lightweight things in this. Let us start with the easy and beautiful newspaper bowl.

Materials required:

1. News paper
2. Balloon
3. Fevicol
4. Punching machine 
5. Paint

Method:

      1) Cut the newspaper into small rectangle pieces

       2) Mix Fevicol with water.

       3) Dip paper pieces into fevicol and water mixture and stick on to balloon(start from half)

        4) Make it 4-5 layers. Once done keep it for dry. After it is dried completely (it turns hard)
            pin the balloon. Slowly it gets separated from the paper.  

         5) Now mark with pencil and cut the edges into required shape

          4) Make holes on the sides using punching machine

          5) Once done you can paint this bowl with your favorite color. I used 'Acrylic paints'.

Jackfruit Recipie (Gatti)

   Ingredients:
   
   Jackfruit 1 Cup
   Rice 1 Cup 
   Jaggery 1/2 Cup
   Coconut handful
   Teak wood leaves (it gives pinkish color) or Banana leaf


  Method:

 1) Soak the rice overnight( I used unpolished rice here for more taste)

 2) Grind rice, jaggery, coconut and jackfruit all together without water. Consistency will be
      thicker than idli batter.

3) Spread the cleaned leaf and pour batter on half portion of the leaf as shown in the picture.

4) Fold the leaf vertically

5) Steam this in idli vessel or steamer for 20 minutes.

6) Open lid 10 minutes after switching of the stow. Teak leaf turns to pinkish color after cooking.

 7) Serve hot with ghee

 

Palak Dosa

Palak Dosa

Ingredients:

Palak 1 bunch
Rice 1 cup

Wheat flour 1 cup

Ginger 1 inch

Green chili 1-2

Salt as required

Carrot, onion and coriander for toppings


Cooking method:

1)   Soak rice for minimum 1 hour to overnight

2)   Wash and saute palak for few minutes until it turns soft .

3)   Mix and grind palak, soaked rice, ginger and green chili.

4)   Mix  wheat flour to this mixture.

5)   Spread on tava and sprinkle carrot, onion and coriander.

6)   It can also be made like 'Neer dosa', so that it turns more crispy and thinner.

 

Palak Bath

Palak Bath

Ingredients:

Palak 1 bunch
Mint leaves Handful
Mutter half cup
Beetroot half (small)
Rice 2 cups( I used ordinary sona masuri rice)
Onion 1 big
Ginger 1 inch
Garlic 6-8 cloves

Black pepper 10-15
Salt as required


Garam masala 1 spoon
coriander powder 1 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon

Bay Leaf 1
Cinnamon 6-7
Cloves 4-5
Star Anise 1
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Cooking oil 1-2 spoons

Cooking method:

1)   Fry all the spices till the aroma comes.

2)   Fry onion till it turns brown.
3)   Mix ginger garlic and pepper coarsely grinded paste, fry till the row smell goes.

4)   Add palak puree, mutter, pudina and beetroot. Let it get cooked for 2 minutes.

5)   Add washed rice and fry for one minute.

6)   Now add 3 cups of water, salt and close the lid, wait for 3 whistles.( for basumathi rice 2 whistles and 2 cups water would be enough)

7) Serve hot