దీపావళి స్పెషల్ హోమ్ డెకరేటివ్ ఐటమ్స్     దీపావళి వస్తుందంటే ప్రతి ఇంటిలో వెలిగే దీపాలు ఆ ఇంటికే కొత్త శోభను తెస్తూ వుంటాయి. దీపాల అందంతో ప్రతి ఇల్లూ సరికొత్త అందంతో వెలిగిపోతూ వుంటాయి. అసలే అందంగా వుండే దీపాలకు మరింత అందాన్ని చేకూరిస్తే ఎలా వుంటుందంటారు? చాలా బాగుంటుంది.. అయితే దీపాలకి కూడా కొత్త అందాలు చేకూర్చడమా.. అదెలా అనే సందేహం వస్తోంది కదూ.. ఇదిగో ఇలా...! రకరకాల డిజైన్లు తయారు చేసుకుని ఇలా వాటిలో  దీపాలను పెట్టుకుని వెలిగిస్తే, మిలమిల మెరిసే దీపాల కాంతిలో ఈ డిజైన్లు ఇంకా అందంగా కనిపిస్తాయి. ఈ డిజైన్లు తాము అందంగా కనిపిస్తూ, దీపాలకు, ఆ దీపాలు వెలిగించిన ఇళ్ళకి మరింత అందాన్ని ఇస్తాయి.ఇవే కాకుండా హోమ్ డెకరేటివ్ ఐటమ్స్ కూడా ప్రత్యేకంగా మీకోసం ఈ దీపావళికి మనం కూడా వీటిని ట్రై చేద్దామా?           Click Here for Diwali  Home Decor N Handicrafts      

Smart Paper Bag Storage Bins     I am an active Campaigner for Eco-friendly Living and Products. Most of the products i buy are either recyclable or made from post consumer items, and they come home in paper bags. And so my house has a good collection of paper bags from different stores. They were piling up so high that i started hunting for ideas to reuse these bags. And Lo, i finally found a good way to use them beautifully as storage bins, instead of buying plastic bins.  I started folding two paper bags one in another, from the top...for deep bins, i folded only once, for shallow bins, i folded twice, inside out. This way we can hide the prints too. And then cut hard drawing paper in good shapes to make them as labels. After these labels were pasted to these bins, they looked stunning. And here are some pictures for your idea. Initially, i made just 3-4 bins for my coat closet to store socks and winter gloves, but i am determined to make some more for my pantry storage.

Cute sippy cup wall storage     Right when i saw the sippy cups i bought for my Baby girl at the store, i loved the bright colors. I was just waiting for her to finish using them so that i can buy her a new set and use these old ones for my craft purpose. How to use them for crafting was my thought, when one fine day i found an idea.  I used Four bright colored BPA free sippy cups not so hard to punch through Florist wire ( you can use a strong transparent embroidery wire too, or strong wool thread) A wall hook or nail A hay needle to punch hole in the cups A marker Mark two holes oppositely on each sippy cup near the rim. Take the hay or book sewing needle to punch holes carefully, these holes can be just big enough to put the wire in. As shown in the picture attached, draw the wire through each hole and tie a knot underneath inorder to keep the cups maintaining distance between each. After you rope all the cups in, tie a strong final knot for hanging purpose.  If you already have a wall hook or nail empty, hang it against the wall and start using these sippy cups to store tooth brushes, pencils, small toys or think creatively and make smart use of these cute storage helps !!!

'Bru' it for a Brush Holder     I was searching for a Tooth brush holder that matches my Guest Bath decor and linen. I was almost tired after looking in every other Home store and then decided to make one myselves when i gazed at the empty Bru bottle ready to be tossed into the storage.  I collected a thick brown colored paper matching my shower curtain. A painting brush and a brown oil color tube Strong glue A pair of scissors A pencil       I cleaned the bottle, peeled the bottle clear of the label and sticky glue. While it was drying well, i drew patterns similar to those on my shower curtain with a pencil on the brown paper. Once the patterns were cut, i pasted them on the dry bottle using the strong glue ( can be Mod-podge or any strong glue). After they stuck well to the bottle surface and dried, i also painted them with a matching brown oil color ( inorder to stop the paper from color fading ). At this stage, the bottle needs to be set aside for a couple of days as oil color takes longer to dry. Last step is to coat the patterns with Mod-podge to give them a glossy and water-resistant finish., i initially tried coating them with clear nail polish but that couldnot stand the constant water spills from the tap. And atlast that coffee jar is ready to hold tooth brushes and goes well with my Guest bath decor too. No one new it was home decorated. You can transform the other glass jars in your stock into pencil, utensil, paint brush, sketch pen holders....go ahead now !!!

Salt Can - Pencil Holder   Almost anything i see gives me inspiration to make something creative...my kitchen and pantry, no exceptions. I found this salt carton ready to be trashed the other day....i initially liked the shape and sturdy look so transferred it to my craft storage....there it waited almost 1-2 months until its turn to be transformed. I used Felt pieces of my color choice A strong glue The Hot glue gun A pair of Scissors First i removed the label paper from its surface, then i had cut open the lid to create an open container look. Next i started cutting the base felt piece into the necessary dimensions and applied glue to the container base...giving it a few seconds, i laid the purple felt piece on the glued surface without any creases. Then i had cut two other colors of felt pieces in desired shapes and used hot glue gun to stick them as felt - on - felr doesn't stick with ordinary liquid glue. You can use decorative ribbons to finish the edges, but i left it to showcase its original look. Use it as pencil or paint brush holder..due to its light weight, its purpose is limited but it is perfect as a gift to a child. 

క్విల్లింగ్ పేపర్ జ్యూవెల్లరీ     ట్రెండీ జ్యూవెల్లరీ అంటే  ప్రతి టీనేజ్ అమ్మాయి ఇష్టపడుతుంది. ట్రెండి లుక్ తో ఉండే ఈ జ్యూవెల్లరీని మీరే సొంతంగా చేసుకోవాలనుకుంటున్నారా. అయితే ఈ వీడియో చూసి క్విల్లింగ్ పేపర్స్ తో మీ క్రియేటివిటిని ఉపయోగించి మీకు నచ్చిన డిజైన్స్ తో వాల్ హంగింగ్స్ , జ్యూవెల్లరీ కూడా తయారుచేసుకోవచ్చు మరి ఇక ఎందుకు ఆలస్యం ఈ వీడియో చూసి ఈ రోజే మీ సొంత జ్యూవెల్లరీ తయారు చేసుకోండి...

Dreamy Paper Chandelier     Making things by hand is fun and a satisfaction to someone like me...i am sure you will like this craft item because you are already reading my lines here... Paper Chandelier, famously known as Paper Mobile among the craftsy crowd.. I used a metal ring that came with my hanging plant holder ( you can use a flour sifter ring, cut the wiring mesh or use as-is, or a foam (thermacol) ring used to make wreaths. I used transparent fishing wire ( you can use transparent embroidery wire) Hot glue gun for quick and stronger hold Printed papers with design ( you can buy the thicker versions) Thick Drawing sheets to paste the printed paper on both sides Spray adhesive or a painting brush and glue to apply the glue to the drawing sheet Net fabric in your choice of color Because i couldnot find thicker printed paper, i bought the papers, Sprayed glue on both sides of the thick drawing sheet and stuck the paper to it. Once it was fully dry, i started cuttting different shapes and sizes of pieces. you can think of butterflies, hearts, circle shapes etc. then i glued different lengths of wire pieces to the ring. and then glued the cut paper designs to the ends of the wire pieces. If you are at this step, make sure you give atleast few seconds for the glue to dry before moving to the next piece. After glueing all the pieces, i then cut tiny bits of the net fabric and simply tied them between each wire around the ring, covering the open edges of the wire. And finally with three long ribbons cut from the same fabric, i hung the ring to a hook in the ceiling. Voila !!! i was so happy to see my paper chandelier aka Mobile filling that void space in the room, so beautifully. People will fall for it, if you do it too. To make it easier, instead of paper, you can use felt pieces to hang.

Easy changes for Life     Resolutions are difficult to keep up with...but just some changes will make you feel better rather than declaring difficult or nearly impossible tasks and ending up not doing them atall....these small changes i started liking to do might inspire you too....sametime, there are only a few of these below, inorder not to repel your idea to take up easy things.   Drink Green Tea and Water instead of Soda or Sweetened Juices Replacing Plasticware with Glassware for storage Eating Brown rice and Broken wheat instead of White rice Using less sugar and salt Using Vinegar/ Baking soda for cleaning instead of Commercial sprays Exercising for atleast 30mins everyday Using the staircase instead of the Elevators at work place and Shopping areas, unless in a hurry. Using Bath powder (Sunnipindi) instead of the harmful soaps/ bodywash Finding few faults with my Husband ;)    

Home decoration - Spice up     We remember to decorate every other space in the house, but the Kitchen is mostly the neglected zone..and to see the obvious things at the obvious places is common...one fine day, i suddenly thought of using the 2-tier fruit stand to stack my spice jars, while it was laying idle during summer. Just Reminding you: Fruits are happy and healthy in the fridge during the hot days.  I replaced the boring and not-so healthy plastic containers with glass jars of all different sizes and interesting shapes. I bought a spray paint of my choice and sprayed all the metal lids. Once they were fully dry, i filled the jars and also labelled them. Now, i love to open my spice cabinet often and you know what....when friends visit, i sneak up to display my interesting spice space !!!

Health Tips For Pet Lovers         Dogs are a best-friend of Human Beings but many of them restrict themselves from raising a dog as their pet due to reasons related to health. There are pet lovers whose family members are allergic to dogs. However, not all dogs are that dangerous. If you are wise enough in taking some precautions, then there should be no issues in raising a pet. The following are a few points that one needs to keep in mind before buying a pet.  1. Choose breeds which sheds less : Dogs shedding less hair will also shed less dander. This way you are putting an end to the major allergy causing factor. 2. Spend Time Before You Commit :  It is important to identify whether you or your family members have an allergy to a particular breed. To come to a conclusion, spend more time with the dog before you choose it as your pet.  3. Choose Smaller Breeds : People who are doubtful about raising a pet should actually go for a smaller breed. Smaller breeds will create lesser allergens and they are also easy to maintain.  4. Bathe Your Dog Often : This is one major tip to all pet lovers. Make sure you use medicated soap and shampoo on your dog and bathe him/her on a frequent basis.  5. Keep your Home and Air Clean : Use air fresheners to purify the air and also mop your home on a daily basis to create a hygienic atmosphere.  6. Set up an exclusive Pet Zone : If you don't like your dog roaming around the entire home, make sure you set up a self-sufficient and spacious pet zone for your dog.

Tips for Dressing up for an Interview     First impression is the best impression and also a lasting impression. Whether it’s your first interview or your second, it’s extremely important the way you look and present yourself when you are at the interview table. A well groomed, appropriately dressed lady is what they expect to see unless you are heading for a job of a DJ !   Check out these few tips on how to dress for success before you head for that interview call. Dress Professionally The old cliche, "dress for success," still holds true for employment interviews, particularly for younger job-seekers. For women, this means a dark- or neutral-colored clothes with minimal accessories ( no bling please ) Tailored pants suits with a jacket is the norm abroad and has also gained acceptance in India too. You could also wear a plain kurta and legging or simple salwar set in neutral tones with a good black or brown hand bag in place ( No over sized totes or jholas).   Accessories, Hair and Makeup Another important aspect is the hair a. No one wants to see a frizzy haired girl ,so if you are coming in a two wheeler , ensure that your brush your hair before you enter the room , if you are leaving your hair open that is. Wearing a straight plait or pony is the best thing and stick to minimal jewelry. Your watch a bracelet and matching earrings is the best way to accessorize your interview outfit. Same thing applies to the make-up, we are not headed for a party so a little foundation to set the face and some lipstick in nude colours is all that you need.A compact in your bag is a must in case you get time to powder your nose before the interview.   Night Before the interview Ensure that you stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. Proper grooming is a must, so at least three days before get your hands and legs waxed, your eyebrows shaped and if you have frizzy hair get yourself a hair spa or wash your hair the day before and condition it well and set it. No partying , clubbing and boozing because we can’t be groggy before the D Day. Avoid eating outside also just in case. Deep breathing to let go of the butterflies in your stomach and spend some quiet time meditating before you hit the sack. Examine your thoughts and visualize a successful interview and stay Positive. List of Donts NO Jeans, cargo pants and low helmlines , short skirts. NO T shirts or sweatshirts. NO sneakers, flip-flops or boots. NO flashy bindis and hanging jewelry and chunky bracelets. NO skin show – including your midriff, bare back or shoulders, or too much leg or cleavage. NO hats, heavy makeup, wild hairstyles or distracting jewelry, and keep body piercings and tattoos covered. You can show them of later.

Handy Tips For Clothes       It generally feels bad when expensive or favorite clothes get ruined due to stains, tearing and so on. We have some important and handy tips to keep your clothes safe and long lasting.  1. Use white wine to get rid of red wine stains. 2. In order to avoid odor from vintage clothes, sprinkle them with a mixture of one part vodka and two parts of water.  3. Wash new jeans twice or thrice before giving it to a tailor as jeans have a tendency to shrink. 4. Avoid putting your swimwear into a washing machine. It is generally preferable to hand wash swimwear as washing machine  will cause elasticity loss in the attire. 5. Tights are generally prone to holes and runs. To avoid this, spray it with a dash of sticky hairspray.       6. While shopping for an occasion, go with your make-up on. In this way, you will know what suits you best !!! 7. Lipstick stains on clothes can be removed using hairspray. 8. If the garment you’re ironing has delicate buttons or detailing, cover them with the bowl of a metal spoon and press the surrounding fabric. 9. Use unscented, oil-based makeup remover to remove excess perfume on your garments. 10. Freeze jeans inside a plastic bag for two days to zap odor without running them through the washing machine.

Work Stations for Kids at Home Stationery Corner for Kids Stuff: As the kids grow so do their needs for space as the papers, homework, pencils, colors stationery items keep increasing as they go up each class. The need to create a separate corner with proper storage facilities is a must to avoid any kind of clutter or disarray happening in the house. Check out these tips to create Space for your children’s Corner: -> First figure out where they do their homework on  a daily basis, If it’s not in their bedroom and somewhere in the hall or dining area close to you , make it  a habit that they sit there on a regular basis. -> Buy  a separate shelf , or rack and place it in the  designated space you created which can store everything to the kid’s school, homework and drawing etc. You could also put their names on top so that there is no jostling for space. ->You have great storage and space saving ideas in stores which can help you keep your papers, stationary and files neatly. You could pick up one based on how many things you need to store. ->Mark each drawer or section ex. if it’s for stationary like staplers, file sticks, clips, glue etc. you can earmark it as stationary. A separate one for colors, pencils, rulers etc. Based on the items you can mark sections for the kids to know where to take and put back things. ->Make space for their school books separately. If you can fix a small pin up board to put their time table, exam time tables etc. as and when they have exams coming. ->Sorting and clearing the shelf once a month is a must and as and when the exams get over you can clear the old files, papers associated with that term and keep it in their rooms for use later. ->You could keep hooks to the shelf to put their bags if they are young and as they grow older the hooks can be put on the wall to hold the weight. Multiple hooks come in handy if they kids have other activities and separate bags for these can be hung separately. If you have any other creative  ideas for storing Kids stationary do share it with us …

How to Make a Crepe Flower Bouquet Creative Corner: Watch our craft expert Naveen show us how to make  flowers with imported double sided crepe paper. You could make a bunch of these and gift your brother or friends on this Raksha Bandhan Day.

Easy tip to keep your Kitchen Sink clean Tired of scrubbing away your steel sink and still don’t feel satisfied? Check out this easy tip to get a sparkling kitchen sink in  a few minutes.

Sravana Sukravaaram Ladies Special   It is the first Friday of the holy month of Sravanam and a very auspicious day and month for the newlyweds and maidens who wish to marry...  and married women who pray for health, wealth, prosperity and happiness for their husbands and family! The 4 Fridays in this month or the 'Sravanasukravaraalu' are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Indian women wake up early in the morning to worship the Goddess. By performing the Varalakshmi Vratam they enjoy the grace and favour of the Goddess Lakshmi who grants abundance and prosperity and longevity of their husbands. No Telugu house hold is complete without the Muggu/Rangoli in front of their door step. Try this Sravana Maasam Special Muggu  right here on ourMuggulu Page… Check out our Varalakshmi Special Page below where the entire Pooja Vidhaanam or Ritual is explained and also the Mangala Haarathi and special songs on Goddess Varalakshmi are shown. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvS3k4MyaWFeR7YjIwgeSS7cTu_saD-nG Wishing you all the choicest of Abundance and Prosperity this season!

Santoshi Matsa-Pride of Andhra   When 20 year old Andhra Pradesh girl Santoshi Matsa grabbed the bronze medal in the women's 53 kg category at the 20th Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow ,Scotland and it was a moment of pride and joy for her and her family who hail from a small village in Vijayanagaram.   Born in remote Kondavelagada village, Nellimarla mandal in Vijayanagaram district,in Andhra Pradesh, Santoshi had shown keen interest in weight lifting since her younger days despite the hurdles  in her family . Her coach Challa Ramu said that despite poverty and lack of modern training facilities in her village which had many weight lifters who are in dire need for sponsors, she was steadfast in her determination to be on the top and this is evident with the number of medals she has won over the past 8 years in her weightlifting career. She has won many medals in the National Level before moving on to the International weightlifting arena.   She has won several gold medals in the Junior division between 2006 and 2013. In 2010 she won the gold medal in the ASIAD held at Uzbekisthan and was adjudged the 5th place in the Youth Olympiads held in Singapore. In the Common Wealth Youth Junior Championships  held at Malaysia she won the Gold Medal.With her winning the Bronze medal at the Commonwealth  games she has put Andhra back on the International Map and made the Telugu people proud of her achievement .

An App to protect your Mobile from Theft A great way to save your phone especially us Women who are prone to losing cell phone comes a new app called Lookout Mobile Security’s app. This is available for Android and iOS, which can provide you a picture of the if when he/she steals your phone. When the  Theft Alerts option is activated, Lookout will monitor your phone for suspicious behavior when a thief  tries to remove your SIM card, turns on Airplane Mode, enters your passcode incorrectly, turns off your phone or attempts to remove Lookout, the camera will activate and you’ll receive an email with a photograph and location of the thief. There are other apps similar to this so all you need to do is check which one is compatible to your phone and use it and keep your mobile safe!