Shocks and Shoes

Weekly Goals Update – 8 April 2012

3:22:00 pm

Weekly Goals Update – 1 April 2012

5:00:00 pm

I’ve skipped a weekly update. I hated myself for two days and then let it go.

If you’re wondering why I was MIA for a while, there are a number of reasons. First there were some problems at home which needed my attention, then my knees gave out on me and I had to go to the doctor, medicines, blah blah and then I thought I might as well turn it into a little blogging break :-). Now, things are settled at home for now, and though my knees are yet to recover fully, I’m refreshed to resume blogging again!!!

1. Am successfully continuing my spending freeze

2. Didn’t nag anyone much

3. Had a lot of vegetables and less non vegetarian fare (I think it’s the weather)

4. Played with Cub – we learnt to make complicated bridge structures for his trains.

5. Read a book – ’13 Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher

6. Have significantly cut down food portions. (Again, I think it’s the weather)

1. Did not work out at all. (Knee problem)

2. Blogging was well, pretty much non existent.

3. Prayers were quite irregular. (I’d like to blame my knees again, though its kind of a lame excuse)

4. Watched too much TV.

Actually I can’t blame both my knees, it’s just the right one. It was so bad, I couldn’t bend them or kneel down or sit for a long time. It’s much better now, but I’ll have to put off the heavy workouts for some more time.

Monthly Review – March:

March saw me being ill for a week with cold and then plagued with knee trouble. All in all, not a good month for workouts, though it was better with regards to portion control. A hot, sunny climate isn’t exactly conducive to heavy meals. This iced coffee is more like it these days:

My blogging schedule was also completely messed up. Failed again on my two outfit posts per month goal. My prayers too, not at all regular.

On the plus side, Cub and I had a lot of fun time with outings, crafts and books. I also managed to catch up on my own reading, including the newspaper :-). Along with portion control, I was also loyal to my fruit/veg/vitamin/water intake.

So, all in all, not a bad month. I sure hope to do better in sunny April!!

Image Courtesy: graphicshunt

Links

Link List - March

10:47:00 am

Fashion

Sister's Spring Birthday!

10:13:00 am

Hi everyone and Happy Spring to people in the Northern Hemisphere!! I wonder if spring has any meaning here in India ;-). It’s quite hot already, though today is comparatively cooler. I was wondering why everyone was making a big deal about ‘the first day of spring’, and then dear Wikipedia explained it so – “In the USA and some other regions in the Northern Hemisphere, the astronomical vernal equinox (currently around 21 March) is often taken to mark the first day of spring”.

Even if we don’t actually have a spring season, it is something that evokes some kind of positive feeling in most of us. It feels like a beautiful start, some sort of clarity after cold weather. And of course, it does remind us of beauty; images of blue skies, bright flowers and green grass immediately come to mind.

Image Source: gapphotos

Taking inspiration from this, I decided to go with a simple spring-y Indian outfit for my sister’s birthday. I teamed up one of my favorite Fabindia kurtas with a white chudidar from Max.

The spring elements I tried to bring out were the floral print on the kurta and the bright dupatta.

The earrings carried on the floral theme. If you look closely, you can see a flower embedded in the last bead.

While focusing on the flowers, we can’t forget the grass, can we?

Kurta: Fabindia

Dupatta: Melange by Lifestyle

Sandals: Mochi

Bangles: Delhi

Earrings: Don’t Remember

My sister turned sixteen this year. All her friends had come and there was a lot of screaming and giggling and other ‘teen’ noises. Here’s a little peek at some of the stuff she got:

A purple tote bag:

A pink stole with white pompoms and some trinkets:

Close up of a really cute neckpiece with a little mirror and comb and some smiley earrings:

There was some more stuff, some dolphin earrings and things, but these are all I got photos of :-).

We had a great time even though I was a little sickly. The good part of that was that I wasn’t in the mood to eat much ;-).

So how have you guys heralded the onset of spring? (Assuming you live in a country that has spring :-))

Image Source: Garfield.nfshost

Personal

Weekly Goals Update – 18 March 2012

6:33:00 pm

Fashion

Some Realizations...

11:01:00 am

Last weekend, we had planned a little trip to the mall, and I was all excited about checking out the new spring/summer collections. But then, I happened to read in article in Femina about how there was an economic storm ahead and we had to curtail our spending and focus on the savings part. Well, that was a killjoy, so I ended up buying just two things.

A pair of flats from Catwalk. At one point in my life, all I had were flats. But presently, my shoe rack is devoid of a single pair of decent flats that I could wear when I just wanted to run around and get things done (and look good at the same time). This ultra-comfortable pair solved that problem.

I love how they look and they are soooo comfortable, I don’t feel like taking them off!! The covered back gives a perfect grip and the sole is anti skid, so no worries during brisk walking!! Best of all, I think it’ll go with a variety of outfits.

The second buy was a more impulsive one. There was a little stall in the center of the mall, where they were selling jewelry with Meenakari work. There were so many pretty pieces and it took a lot of self restraint to walk away with just one ring.

The world of rings is fairly new territory to me. It just seems a bit inconvenient, compared to bangles and such. Maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to them.

Well, I came home to my wardrobe and saw that I have quite a few things lying there with their tags still on. (Including accessories) Good God!! It was then that I realized that I would take Femina’s advice seriously. I’m going to go on a spending freeze till my birthday shopping session. Which is in May, so I should get a good 1 - 1.5 months of a freeze. I’m NOT going to scrimp on my b’day, especially considering I’ll be turning 30 this year. So yeah, frozen till then.

I also realize that by buying new stuff, I’m not valuing the old (or even the new, considering their tags are still on). Hence, it’s time to shake myself up and bring out some creative outfits. And take pictures. And post them on the blog. This will also help my Two Outfit Posts per Month goal. See, two birds with one thrifty stone!!

It’s my sister’s birthday this weekend, and so I hope to have an outfit post for next week. Let’s wait and watch!!