Events Awesome Indian Traditions You Want To See On Your Western Wedding 11:16 PM India is one of the countries with bright, prominent, cheerful traditions. The amount of festivities here can rival with Latin America and even Brazil. Surely local wedding customs are awesome as well. There are literally dozens of these cool ideas that can be “borrowed” and adapted to a western ceremony to add flair to a boring party. For once I really wish we could ride a doli for wedding here in the US. Sure we can rent a few horses here but it’s not the same as when a decorated chariot carried by people is your equivalent of a limo. Horsepower sucks in comparison. Coolest Indian wedding traditions What are the best Indian wedding traditions that will be equally amusing to a western crowd? The Misiri. All of the ceremonies of an Indian wedding usually tale up to three days – these people know how to party! Aside that there’s the Misiri – the firs ceremony. It is usually held within days before the main event. This is a time for a bride and the groom to share rings, prayers, gifts and passion for the future. Isn’t that sweet? Imagine the possibility of having a fine day with your second half in the middle of all preparations to just relax and enjoy a nice bowl of fruit? The Sangeet Party. This is a time for song and dance where the families of the couple get to know each other better without the fuss and the haste. This is basically a fun way of having a family dinner we desperately need. The Mehendi Ceremony. This one is a woman-only closed party where a bunch of girls gathers around for the sake of good locks. Girls draw patterns on each other, share gossip and have lots of fun. This is the opposite of a bachelor’s party. Neat, right? The Mangalsutra. Why exchange expensive rings if a rope tied around a bride’s neck is as efficient? Sure some of the Mangalsutra ropes are made of gold peddles but, in either case – it’s way more fun than the boring old “I Do”. The fun must go on Do you know of any other entertaining traditions from other cultures that look like they are a perfect fit for a western wedding adaptation? Please share them with us through the comments and let’s enjoy ourselves with an engaging discussion. Why? Well, I’m getting married soon and I’m literally out of awesome ideas for a party and, perhaps, I will be able to help others in mu situation through this handy little article. Who knows? How about you? Are you planning a wedding soon? How do you prepare from wedding invitations to reception? Article submitted by: Amélie Blanche Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
For Moms 4 Ways to Be a Traveler When You Can’t Actually Travel 8:31 AM The pictures were beckoning and mocking at the same time. Clear blue water, umbrellas in the soft sand, beautiful mountains in the distance. I wanted to be there. But then came the reality check. You can’t go. Who would watch the kids? You have work. It’s impossible to get time off. Who would pay for this? And I closed the tab, feeling like I was shutting down a dream. Again. Can you relate? Maybe it’s not the kids holding you back or the job issues. But there’s something preventing your globetrotting heart from leaving home. Here are 4 ways you can be a traveler when you can’t actually travel. 4 Ways to Be a Traveler When You Can’t Actually Travel 1. Get Out – Locally. Find a new part of town. Take a Sunday drive and get coffee. Just change your scenery to someplace new. If you can’t make time for an hour long drive you’ll never have time for a week vacation. Baby steps. You can even go somewhere locally that you’ve been before and try to experience it in a new way. Sit somewhere different. Go for breakfast instead of dinner. Be open to seeing what’s close to you with a traveler’s eye. 2. Stay In – There are so many possibilities! Learn about a new place right from your couch or that armchair at the library. Watch a travel show. Read a travel guide. Absorb this new place. Then have a party. Make the food you might find there. (It may even require getting out and heading to a grocery store you’ve never been to!) Invite friends and make it an adventure. 3. Relive Travels – Maybe you did travel once upon a time before family and job and life took over. Look at your pictures. Really sit down and remember your experience. Watch your videos and allow yourself to remember what a beautiful, crazy, fun, adventurous, or even disastrous trip it was! 4. Play Someday – If you could go on a trip, where would you go? What would you do there? Where would you stay? What food would you want to try and what places would you visit? This can be a dream trip or a practical plan. Share it with someone who knows you. Dream together! If you have a vision for the trip it is more likely you will make it happen! Side Tip – If it’s about the kids… Kids are great to travel with. Seriously. No, it won’t be perfect, but it will help instill a little wanderlust in your babes. Check out how this family traveled the world! If you really can’t go far, stay close-ish. Kids can find adventure in anything, and you’ll see things through their eyes. Plus, cars are great for naps! Know the world. Hang a map. Have a globe handy. Plant seeds in your kids that the world goes far beyond their four walls. Not all travel can look like a magazine. Find what works for you today and let your heart wander! About the author: Becky believes in embracing grace in the messy real of life. At My Ink Dance, she captures hard, uncomfortable, often unspoken feelings and brings light, honesty and God’s truth to them in a relatable way. Becky is a wife and mother of three in Connecticut writing imperfect and finding faith along the way. LINKS: My Ink Dance: http://www.myinkdance.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MyInkDance Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/myinkdance Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Lux Thinking Aloud I'm Here To Win 8:00 AM Dear 2017, I'm here to win. Your argument is invalid. Love, 2017 Me What are your 2017 goals? Please let me know in the comment. 🙂 Happy New Year, Life-lovers! Let's win this life together!
Books My Top 10 Favorite Words For 2016 9:23 AM Logophile - a lover of words Call me weird but throughout the year, I've encountered new words (and some old ones I've forgotten) that I've been fond of. Because I like the sound of them or their meaning, I compiled my top 10 favorite words for 2016. Allow me to share them with you. My Top 10 Favorite Words For 2016 1. Gumption ˈɡəmpSH(ə)n noun - means courage and confidence Describes my favorite weapons in life. Tenor 2. Reticent ˈredəsənt adjective - not willing to tell people about things An introvert like me can certainly relate to this. Giphy 3. Stalwart/Stalworth ˈstôlwərt adjective or noun -very loyal, dedicated, physically strong One of the many things I look for in a partner. Tenor 4. Solivagant sōˈlivəgənt noun -a solitary wanderer An item in my bucket list I'm so looking forward to tick off. I've been traveling mostly with friends. At least before I'm too weak to ride a plane, I wish to go and be a solivagant. Even for once. Says.com 5. Blithe blīT͟H,blīTH adjective -happy or joyous The kind of life I always choose to have. Tumblr 6. Trenchant ˈtren(t)SHənt adjective - very strong, clear and penetrating The voice of the critics in my life may be trenchant, but the Voice of Truth is louder. Chihayafuru 7. Lily-livered lil-ee-liv-erd adjective -weak and cowardly I don't like its meaning so any guy with this attitude is a big NO. But I love the sound of the word. Tumblr 8. Uxorious əkˈsôrēəs,ˌəɡˈzôr- adjective -excessively fond of or submissive to a wife Obviously, another trait of an ideal partner. But hopefully, not to the point when I have to do all the decision-making in life. He still needs to be man enough to lead me. Fanpop 9. Halcyon ˈhalsēən adjective -happy, golden, idyllic, carefree, blissful, joyful, joyous, contented Serious #lifegoals. Her campus 10. Caveat ˈkavēˌat,ˈkävēˌät noun - explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something. Just another better way to warn. That's Normal I'm amazed by the English language. How about you? What are your top favorite words for 2016? Please share them in the comments.
Guest Blogger 8 Makeup Hacks You Need to Know 2:04 PM Sometimes, you get stuck in the same rut of using your makeup. You don’t try anything new. You just accept that the way you’ve done it is the way you must always do it. Look through these eight makeup hacks, and you will see that they can change the way you apply your makeup. There will be no need for fighting to put on fake eyelashes or redoing your winged eyeliner over and over. (Click individual photos to view in full size) 8 Makeup Hacks You Need to Know 1. Removing Nail Polish without Nail Polish Remover credit: http://www.beautyjunkees.com Many times, you just accept that glitter nail polish is not going to come off easily. If you are trying to pick it off, it only comes off in small chunks, and it never looks good. Using nail polish remover can take a long time. However, if you put a thin coat of white glue on before you put on the glitter nail polish, you can simply peel the nail polish off when you are done with it. 2. Makeup Fell on my Carpet! credit: https://www.bisselldirect.co.uk/ Don’t worry. This is no longer the end of the world. Depending on the type of makeup on your carpet, you will need different materials. In the case of lipstick, you will need rubbing alcohol and dry cleaning fluid. You will apply the cleaning materials to a clean washcloth. Blot the stain without rubbing. Check out this article on how to clean makeup from the carpet so that you can know the specific ingredients when it comes to different makeup solutions. 3. Intensify Your Eye Shadow’s Color credit: http://images.wisegeek.com/ If you are going with a bold eye shadow color, you want to make your eyes stand out. However, what you are using may not be as bright as it could be. Apply white eyeliner across your eyelid before you put on the eye shadow. When you are done applying the makeup, your eye color will appear brighter and bolder. 4. Remove Makeup without Makeup Remover This tip is a good one for when you are traveling and you forgot your makeup remover or if you simply run out. These solutions are also a bit more natural and do not contain alcohol. First, you can choose to use Vaseline. Using a Q-tip, you can apply the Vaseline, rubbing in small circles as you go. Because Vaseline can be oily, you should be careful to remove the Vaseline when you have finished with your makeup. Vaseline is one, but not the only, option for removing your makeup without makeup remover. To read about a few more options, check out this article about removing makeup without makeup remover. 5. How to Easily Make Winged Eyeliner credit: http://www.wikihow.com/ Sometimes, you have seen a great look on a girl, and you want to know how to do it. Maybe you look up a Youtube video, but when you try it, it turns out a little funny. Winged eyeliner can be one of those things that is a bit tricky to do. One way that you can make your winged eyeliner look great is by using the edge of a spoon against your eye. Slowly move the spoon outward with your eyeliner following it. You can also draw the cat eye with your eyeliner. Fill the middle space with liner to complete the winged look. 6. Look Slimmer in Photos credit: http://makeup.allwomenstalk.com/ Photos can cause your face to look shiny with grease, and that problem can be taken care of along with the problem of making you look thinner with one simple trick. Apply a attenuated line of mineral powder down the center of your face. If the powder is too thick, it will be noticeable in the photos. Try taking a few test photos on yourself at home to see if you got the line right. It make take some adjusting before you get the look you want. 7. Make Those Lashes Thicker! Who doesn’t want thicker eyelashes? If you are trying to draw attention to your eyes, you may need more than mascara. After you apply the first coat of mascara, sprinkle on some baby powder. Apply a second coat of mascara, and you are ready to go! The powder will stay in place from the second coat of mascara, which acts as a sealer. You will have thicker and bolder eyelashes. 8. Apply Your Eyelashes If it is a battle to get the glue on your fake eyelashes correctly, then this hack will help you. Put the glue on the end of a bobby pin, and use the bobby pin to apply the glue. It will get just enough glue on the eyelash to make it stick well, but it will not create pools of glue that make a big mess. You can clean the bobby pin off and use it again later. If you enjoyed these makeup hacks, let me know in the comments below. I love making your life easier by sharing a few tips that have changed mine. Go try them out! About the author: Kaylee Young is a blogger at Kayleebeauty.com. She has a lot of beauty and skincare tips in her pocket. Find Kaylee on Twitter at @kayleebeauty19 Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Fashion & Style 3 Ways To Dress Up This Winter 12:28 PM Winter is here. Time to sip your hot drinks and bundle up.It's a good time to dress up and be merry while waiting for Christmas. Winter may be cold and it gets dark early but it doesn't mean you should look drab.You don't have to be a chionophile (person who loves snow and winter) like Lorelai Gilmore to enjoy the snow and appreciate winter fashion.Accessories that are in season include shawls, shrugs, blazers, and mufflers are coming out of the closet.What are fashion things you need to have this chilly season to look your best? Here are 3 ways to dress up this winter… 3 Ways to Dress Up This Winter 1. Red Winter Coat Keep yourself warm and fight the rather dreary cold days with a kick of red.Red conveys passion, courage, and warmth. You don't need to spend a lot of moolah to look fashionable this winter.Check out some red Jabong winter jackets. They're durable, affordable, and stylish. 2. Turtlenecks Turtlenecks have been around since the 1800s. They come in different styles, materials, and colors. It's great to be paired with a flannel skirt, suit, blazer, cardigan, denim jacket, long coats, and suit. A turtleneck is a versatile piece to keep. Plus, it keeps your neck protected from the cold. 3. Long Coats Long coat is also called an overcoat and can be worn at any season and at any time.You can wear a long coat during the day or on your night outs. They can be paired with your casual outfit or formal dress. Winter long coats can transform a plain outfit to a more sophisticated look.An overcoat is a must-have during winter when you want to dress up. How do you stay warm, comfy and still trendy while dressing up this winter? What's your favorite winter fashion statement piece?This post contains affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you purchase through my links at no additional cost to you. This helps me maintain my site. Thank you in advance.
Dating How To Ask A Girl Out And Succeed 9:40 PM Article submitted by Adam Smith: It seems quite strange that many modern guys still doubt if they should approach the girl of their dreams or not. Despite all those smart means of online communication, humanity remains the same. Men are still afraid of getting rejected and women continue to wait for them to make the first move. In this article, our experts from Jump4love Scam decided to provide you with valuable tips on how to solve that delicate of how to ask a girl out and succeed. (Click individual photos to view in full size) How To Ask A Girl Out And Succeed 1. Clarify everything in advance Before you start conquering her heart, make sure your efforts won’t be in vain. What if she isn’t even single? Better if you know that her heart is free first thing. Next, try to study who she actually is. Perhaps, you already communicate as friends so pay your attention to what type of guys she is into and what things she likes. 2. Is she into you? As a rule, girls expect guys to take the initiative. Even in our modern times, most women wish to be treated like princesses. Indeed, a rare woman will just come to you and ask you out. If she likes you, she will rather drop some hints. Keep those on your radar! It’s really possible to define whether she is interested in you or not. Just be attentive and don’t run ahead of time. 3. Choose the moment Asking a girl out isn’t always that simple. Like all other people, she has her own business to deal with. To receive a positive answer, you should pick the moment when she is in her best mood. The atmosphere should be relaxing and casual. Try to detect when she could be in the mood for romance and flirting. 4. Look your best The way we look hugely impacts other people's impression. Without any doubts, a girl you wish to date should see how attractive you are both inside and outside. Of course, your inner self matters above all yet the exterior helps you draw a girl’s attention to your personality. To ask her out, you don’t have to dress as if you were going to a party; however, your outfit must be fresh, elegant, and clean. Work on how you smell too. 5. Feel secure about what you do If there is a manly feature any woman would appreciate, it is confidence. This is probably the most important factor defining our overall self-esteem, which is critical in relationship building. Surely, no girl likes timid guys; neither does your potential date. So while actually asking her out, be calm, welcoming, and relaxed (or at least appear so). 6. Communicate your intention The way you convey your thoughts to her also matters. When we are truly into someone, we likely get nervous and tense if this person is around. And this undeniably impacts our communication skills. To sound confident and clearly, you should set your mind in a certain way. Better if you plan what exactly you want to say in advance – no, seriously, think it out! 7. Have the plan This tip refers to various aspects. First, you should pre-plan your potential meetup – when and where it will take place and what you two can do together. Even such romantic occasions as the first dates should run under the proper scenario. Not to mention, your girl will likely ask you a question about it. Second, you’d better be ready to respond to her whether she agrees to go out or rejects you. All images were provided by Adam. Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email