DIY: Candles from a Mason Jar

Tired of those old boring mason jars lying around in your kitchen?
You can up-cycle them to these wonderful candle holders by using this simple DIY!

All you need is-
- old mason jar/cookie jar/any glass vase
-paper
-glue
-scissors
-gold spray paint (I love gold, but you can use anything really)
-black glass painting liner tube
- candle (thick)

Directions:
-Clean the jar with some soap and water. Dry completely.
-Cut out two heart shapes from paper (same size and shape) proportionate to the jar.
-Glue this paper hearts to the front and back of the jar so that you cannot see the other heart from the front of the jar. Use a tacky glue just to stick the edges of the hearts so that the paint does not bleed through the edges.
- Now use your favorite spray paint and spray all over the mason jar (protect your eyes and wear a nasal mask).
- After it dries out, peel out the paper hearts carefully.
- Line the heart shape with glass liner and draw small spirals all over the heart.
 and Voila! You have a pretty candle holder!

I just stuck to a simple design, but you can create anything you like with different colors, different shapes etc!

Feel free to post the pics of those you have made either here or on my instagram page!(@hzarswomen)

Zara

Recipe Log: Indo- Thai Chicken Sauté

Its almost lunchtime, I peek into the fridge, pull out some possible raw materials to make a last-minute-edible kitchen invention. I had no idea what I was going to make and how it was going to taste in the end. As I hurried, through the whole process of adding ingredients and spices to tasting it- I thought it is going to turn out fine, ONLY if I keep it simple. Keep it simple, ladies! Always! It's the rule of the kitchen.
I prefer to use chicken thighs/drumsticks for most of my cooking that involves a chicken broth/stock, simply because I do not like using those high-sodium chemical-tasting artificial chicken stock cubes. Also, chicken breasts dry out quickly, so I would not recommend using them for this recipe.
In the end, it turned out to be delicious. I decided to half-fry some eggs to go along with it (inspired by the Thai Nasi Goreng) and serve with Indian Flat bread/layered Chapati.


Step 1:
For Cooking the Chicken, You Will Need:
- 500gm Chicken Thighs
--2 tbsp olive oil
-4-5 baby potatoes
-5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-2 green cardamoms
-1 clove
-3 whole black pepper
-1 shard of cinnamon
-1/2tsp black pepper
-salt to taste
-1/4 cup of water

Add all the ingredients in a vessel, bring to a boil and then cook under low heat until the chicken is tender (about 20-30mins). Add splashes of water if necessary (if the chicken is drying out).
Check the seasoning of the broth and chicken. 
Shred the chicken from the bone. Peel the Baby Potatoes (optional). Filter the chicken broth and keep it aside for the next step.

Step 2:
For the Saute, You will Need:
-1 medium brown onion, diced into cubes
-1 green capsicum, diced
-1 spring onion, chopped
-4-5 Thai Red chillies, chopped
-2-3 garlic cloves split
-1-2tsp soya sauce
-1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
-salt to taste
-1/4 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2tsp Red chilli powder
-coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnishing

 In a wok, add the oil, onions, capsicum, garlic cloves, red chillies and soya sauce sauce and saute on medium heat. As soon as the onions are starting to soften, add the shredded chicken and the baby potatoes and mix well. Keep adding the chicken broth little by little until the desired consistency is achieved. I prefer the saute to be slightly on the dry side, so I use only 3-4tbsp of the chicken broth. Check the seasoning again and add the black pepper and the Red chilli powder (skip this step if you do not want it to be spicy!)

Garnish with coriander and serve with a fried egg and Thai Rice/brown bread/flat-bread! Enjoy!

Prep time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves 2 people

Until Next time,
Take Care Ladies
-Zara

What do You do, When You are feeling Blue?

 Clouds hugging the earth- Protective?

No matter who we are, we all have those days. Those days, when the whole world seems to be conspiring against us, we wonder what we  have done and where our lives are heading and we just feel like a total wreck!

We also tend to compare our lives with other people, with those around us, with the people on the social media, with that girl on the news who has got "everything".  Something which always leads to feelings of low self-confidence and ingratitude with what we have been blessed with. My husband had once told me: 'Everybody is writing an examination from God and everybody is trying to copy each other. But, they do not realize that everyone has been given a different question paper! So live your life as you want to and not as anybody else. And in doing so, you might be an inspiration to someone!' Strange! How one motivational sentence from a loved one, can change your entire thought process! I never found myself comparing myself to someone else, since then!

Some people adapt to stress easily, some people find ways to deal with it and some people get crushed by stress simply because they do not know where to channel the negative energy.

Here are a few ways I use to Detox my Mind:

1. Prayer: Leave everything aside, go and pray. You can say anything you want and ask anything you want from your Creator. You will suddenly feel so light and relaxed as you know your troubles are being taken care of, by the Almighty. Spiritual Bliss!
2. Spend time with your loved ones. Go to your mom's. Date night with husband. Call a friend for tea.
3. Clean your home and your workplace. There is something therapeutic in this. It's like you are sweeping away your troubles and putting them in the thrash can for good! 
4. Refresh yourself, with a warm long bath!
5. Dress- Up, (add a dash of Mascara if you can ;) )! Nothing can boost your confidence more than this : Looking Good = Feeling Good!
6. Exercise! Whether you choose to go for a walk or to the gym for a good hard work out, it is going to release those  feel-good-chemicals in your brain- endorphins and you suddenly realize that you feel light and happy!
7. Chamomile Tea instead of your regular Coffee- Caffeine tends to trigger or worsen anxiety, so choose herbal infusions instead. Chamomile has shown to be a relaxant and Immune -booster. It  relieves muscle and nerve tension and is effective against menstrual cramps. It also has mild sedative properties- great for people suffering from insomnia.
8. Indulge in any activity that interests you. It can be anything from reading a book, painting, going for a movie, shopping, walking in the park, photography, cooking or baking!
9. Help-Somebody-Today attitude: It does not have to be something big, even small things can make a big difference to someone else. Giving way to the rushing lady behind you at the shopping counter, allowing someone else to get onto your lane while driving in traffic, giving up your seat to a pregnant/elderly lady at the clinics/airports, buying a bottle of water for the poor construction worker, old clothes to any nearby orphanage, etc. Kindness begets Kindness, so you never know when Karma can hit you!
10. Smile! No matter what mood you are in, Smile even if you cant. The gentle curve of your lips breaks down that negative energy and those stiff frowning facial muscles and make you feel good in an instant! Remember, your smile can do wonders for that person at the receiving end too!

 Lovely Roses in my Garden! Aren't they pretty!

So, What do you do, when you are feeling Blue? Let us know in the comment section below :)

Until Next time,
Take care Ladies!
-Zara

Garnier BB cream: Hit or a Miss?

I used the original formula of Garnier's BB cream, and no matter how hard I tried, it always failed on me. It got greasy, slid off my face, oxidized on my skin and wasn't long wearing enough!
I was so reluctant to try the new one which was launched earlier this year. The 'noncomedogenic and combination/oily skin' label caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try. And I do not regret it at all!


Garnier Skin Naturals BB Cream: Miracle Skin Perfector for Combination to Oily skin
Price: 12$ approximately, available in almost all drugstores
Amount: 40 ml
Claims:
- Anti Shine, mattifies non-stop- ultra absorbing mineral pigments
- reduces pores and imperfections
-unifies and boosts healthy glow
- moisturizes
- UV protection- SPF 20
- non comedogenic, non - acnegenic, oil- free, non greasy
- dermatologically tested

Packaging: Long vertical tube, with a nozzle top

Color Selection: Only two shades(light and medium) though on the website they have listed three (light, medium ans deep).

Consistency: Liquid

Application:
-Applies smoothly with fingers or even a beauty blender. Too watery to be used with a brush, but you can try!
-evens out the skin tone, minimizes redness, dark patches
-reduces the appearance of pores
-Low to medium Coverage, which is buildable. Covers minor imperfections

Finish: Natural Matte, Skin feels brighter!

Long Wearing: Yes (6 hours or more if used with a primer or setting powder)

Pros:
- Inexpensive
- Medium Coverage for a BB cream since most of them are so sheer!
- stays matte for a long time, controls sebum secretion especially in the T zone
- Brightens the complexion
- Non comedogenic
- Hydrates the skin
- Added protection due to the SPF in it
- Lightweight

Cons:
- the liquid tends to ooze out from the nozzle top. I recommend to store it upside down to prevent it spilling all over. 
- only two color shades to choose from.

Will I repurchase it: YES!

I actually like this BB cream much more than the high -end ones because they are just so sheer (like tinted moisturizer ) and this one gives a glow with a matte finish while covering those annoying spots/patches/redness!
If you have acne prone, combination to oily skin, this is an amazing BB cream for you all to try! I highly recommend this product for use on a daily basis! Just set with a good powder and you are good to go.

NARS Concealer stick in Ginger

NARS does some really good products, totally in love with their ever-so-famous Blush in "Orgasm". I wanted to try something else from their Make-Up range, and since I'm always on the look out for good Blemish covering- concealers, I decided to try their concealer stick.
I picked this one up in a hurry, So I ended up getting a shade, a tad bit darker than my skin tone.

What is it: NARS Concealer
Price: 24$ from narscosmetics.com

What it claims: 'Brilliantly obscures imperfections and dark spots with a creamy, vitamin-rich formula that nourishes the skin for all-day wear. Crease-proof and easily blendable for a flawless finish.

• Long-wearing
• Enriched with moisturizing Vitamin E' 

Shade Collection: 10 shades from Chantilly (lightest) to Cacao (darkest)
I got 'Ginger' - Golden undertone for medium complexion

'Ginger'- swatch

After blending, slightly darker for my skin tone, but works well under foundation!

Pros: 

• Creamy, smooth, easily blendable with a concealer brush
• Medium coverage, build-able to full,  for post-inflammatory pigmentation spots (acne), scars, sun spots etc.
• Does not settle into fine lines/wrinkles
• Long wearing
• Stays matte especially over the T-zone
•  The darker shades (cafe and cacao) are excellent to be used as Cream Contour for the face and the light shades (chantilly and ivory) can be used as a cheekbone highlight.

Cons:

• expensive
• Is not a heavy duty concealer- does not cover major skin imperfections
• I do not find it to be very effective for under-eye brightening. Has a slightly heavy feel when applied over the under-eye area.

Final Verdict: I really like this concealer, it has good coverage and does not slide off by mid-day- the most important point, I look for in concealers! The quality definately makes it worth the price.

Will I repurchase it? Yes, probably in Cacao and Chantilly -For contour and highlight.

What do you ladies think of this product? What other Concealer- sticks would you recommend?