Introducing 'A little bit of Fabulous' ....

Yes. I did it again. Went into hiding. But don't send a search party just yet. I have a good excuse to be MIA. And i promise this time, the excuse is really solid. So after all the 'Just do it already' messages i've been bombarded with I have gone ahead and launched my own boutique styling firm. Any guesses what it's called ? Oh yeah, you there at the back... yes you....What did you say ? What's that now ? Yes, Yes. Drum roll. You called it - A little bit of Fabulous ! Ha. Excuse the shenanigans. What's life without a little drama after all ?

LBOF like it's fondly called (anyone reminiscing LVMH?) is a boutique styling firm that specializes in newborn photography, event staging and home styling. I have been busy the last two weeks setting up my studio, getting the cutest props I know you would trade an arm for, and of course designing the goods - Business cards, website, yada, yada, yada. A lot of it is work in progress but don't sweat just yet. I'm not gonna leave you hanging without a little sneak peek. Do tell me how it looks. Here's the logo and b-card.

And now let's take a view from the back.

Good, Bad, Ugly ? I will embrace all feedback I promise. Of course the best ones will get a secret check in the mail and a lot of TLC ha ! No, but seriously, I am looking forward to feedback.

I just styled a cute purple and orange welcome shower last night and have a newborn shoot this week. So I am super excited to get in a few new poses and use some of those awesome props. Watch this space for more.

Until then.... Spread the word. Spread the love. I'm just spreading my wings !

Stay Fabulous. As Always.
T

PS -  A lot of people have told me they are having difficulty leaving comments. I don't know what's wrong. If you cant leave a message, please email me at tarakhan@lbof.in

Newborn Photography - Have i found yet another calling ?

Ok, I don't mean to sound like a Jack of all trades, but my darling cousin had the cutest baby girl a few days ago and i randomly suggested we have a newborn shoot for her. I didn't think, i just said. You know those moments when your mouth doesn't consult your brain ? Something like that.

I'm mighty sure you have seen those God awesome pictures of little toes and little fingers hanging from a laundry basket and sundry. Now now, don't call Child Protection Services yet. These are priceless I promise and just to throw out a disclaimer - No child is hurt during the filming of these sessions. I had an NB shoot done for Imaan and I drool over those canvases till date.  Something about 5 day old wrinkley babies. They just seem so unaware and immune to the chaos around them !! And i digress again ! So, where was I ? Yes, come shoot day, I pulled out my car and filled it to the roof with random props in my house and headed to the client's house where i set up a makeshift studio. Imaan was confused as to why I was packing her Dr Seuss books and Toy bins and tutu's. But I was a lady on a mission and I stuffed my car with everything and the kitchen sink ! I later realized I had my yoga mat in there too !!! Don't ask why. If I ever figure it out i'll inbox you ! LMAO.

So anyways, moving right along. I went, I clicked, I edited. This is my first amateurish attempt, so please be kind. If you ever decide to be a ballerina or a tattoo artist, I promise to reciprocate the support !

I like how they've turned out and I think I might have found yet another calling. If you know me, you know I find callings like these pretty often. Ha !

Photoshop is kicking my ass but i'm taking baby steps. Anyone out there using Photoshop or Lightroom ? I'd love to know which one you prefer ? So help a friend out a little, won't ya. I might just have a business on hand here. Never know!

Stay Fabulous until next time,

Tara

Rosette Cake Tutorial - A Cinderella Story

I am my hungriest come midweek ! I mean the coming weekend seems half a week away and the one that went by seems to have faded into the timespace. That leaves you and something else to keep you busy - F.O.O.D ! So lets talk about some delish today !

Have you ever been in that place when you have some entertaining to do and takeout seems so blah. Don't get me wrong i would love to go all Martha Stewart on you but who am i kidding ! I'd rather just order in some canapés and crepes and make life so much easier not to mention tastier, but that just doesn't scream personal. Enter semi-homemade. No, No it's notcheating i promise. It's like Cinderella!! And we all love Cinderella. I mean Cinderella was always that pretty girl, but she did need some pixie dust goodness to transform her into the girl with the glass slippers who charmed Prince Charming.

Coming back to the point, i've been spying these gorgeous rosette cakes all over the internet.

I mean, they look pretty and intricate and expensive might i add at first glance, but this is just another Cinderella story. Here's how:

Just buy a plain store bought cake. Or you can make one out of a Pilsbury box. Or you can go all Martha and bake one of these babies. Whatever route you choose, here's how you go from good to glam !

The tutorial i am choosing to show you is from iambaker.net. Enjoy !

What you need:

1. Store Bought Cake

2. Wilton 1M tip

3. Buttercream frosting

Start with your plain jane cake. Put a good crumb coat on… as in, a crumb coat that conceals the cake underneath. It can be sloppy and uneven, but you should not be able to see what color the cake is.

 Put your 1M tip (or any large open star tip) into the pastry bag then fill it up with buttercream frosting.

To make your rose, start in the center, then slowly move your tip in a circle around the center point. I wanted a single rose to span the side of the cake so I looped around my center point twice.

 Go all the way around the cake and complete with one last rose!

This is how it looks after completing the circumference of the cake.

Then go back and add the roses to the top using the same method.

 Now… if you are really adventurous and want to add some color to your cake…     You can pick up some of these.

Spray & Viola ! 

Now, how easy was that ? Have you run out to buy your 1M tip yet :) See, it doesn't take much to add some va va voom. And the best part about this fairytale recipe is; Come midnight it's still sitting all pretty waiting to be devoured !

Until next time,

Fabulously Yours,

T

Birthday Goodness - Life's a ZOO when you're 2 !

TGIF Peeps ! Nothing say's 'Let's put the week behind you' like a cheery Friday morning. And this morning i woke up to a colorful yet noisy hangover. Last night i came home from the cutest Angry Birds birthday party ever. I mean i've never really been a fan of the game but man have i been turned since last night or what? The party had such darling details and the best part was that my own little birdie got to take home the cutest favor ever !

HOW CUTE IS THAT ? 

She's an angry bird fan like the rest of the universe and i was saving this theme for her 3rd birthday, but no sweat because I'm pretty sure by the time her 3rd birthday rolls around, she'd be over angry birds and onto something quirkier and angrier. I mean, she already onto 'rat on a scooter' (why would they come up with such things?) but make no mistake - i am NOT planning a party around a pesky pest on a two wheeler ! NO way in hell ! LOL !

Anyways, the cute red and yellow chickens were prancing around in my backyard all morning. A very annoyed Imaan tried giving the red one a timeout when it didn't do poo-poo in the potty !! How the tables have turned ! Talk about Karma !!  Still talking about Karma, the 'not so potty trained' red one didn't make it through the afternoon (it sneaked into the neighbors backyard and got devoured by the dog. Atleast that's neighborhood gossip doing the rounds FYI - so that leaves the yellow one. Imaan has decided to name it BOOTS. She's Dora and chicky is Boots. Fret not ladies, if you think I'm babbling spanish. Some proper noun vocab skills are only inherited with the co-existance a 2 year old. Anyhow's, hovering around spanish explorers and toddler fantasies i thought in this weeks post i'd give you guys a sneak peek into a party i planned not too long ago to celebrate my daughters 2nd birthday. As you can tell, Dora and Diego are the flavor of the season. I usually try to stay away from character birthdays, instead translating it into a thematic ambience. Hence, i took dora, diego, boots and all that jungle madness and extrapolated it to a safari theme - "LIFE'S A ZOO, When your'e 2" Oh well, its a zoo awright, at least for the mommies. Raise your right hand if you agree !


The biggest challenge of planning the party was that we were still in transition mode and in temporary accommodation. So one, i had no house to throw the party. Two, i was working outta brown boxes. I had bought most of the party supplies while in chicago and luckily had enough foresight to label them as 'For Immediate Party Use'. So while the rest of the boxes made it to a dark hole(otherwise called storage) these lucky fellas sat stacked in our makeshift living room until it was their time to shine. I also got lucky since my sweetest sister-in-law offered me her gorgeous farmhouse on loan for location ! Get...Set...PARTY !

An outdoor location adds so much drama and makes for great lighting however decorating large spaces poses a potential threat as smaller elements tend to get lost or hidden in oversight. Hence, if you find yourself with an open space make sure you sprinkle around posters, banners and balloons so as to give the area a sense of decorative continuity.

Having said that, choose one area to be your party focal point. In lieu of a stage this spot is usually in or around the dessert table. Announcements, gatherings, distributions can all follow suit here. I had great fun designing this table since i used natural grass mats, green christmas garlands, and animal gift wrapped shoe boxes to add hints of 'safari' to the mix. Oh yes, and Imaan's stuffed animals came to the rescue !

 Every kid got a safari hat that read 'Safari Guide' and yellow plastic binoculars which they used for an animal hunt throughout the party. I found these gems on Oriental Trading and was thrilled to bring them with me across the seven seas. The Monkey Munchies Treat bags below were also favors and were stocked with animal stamps, zoo crackers, animal sippy cups and other themed goodies. 

My little Zookeeper Imaan kept the WILD factor going and despite being a little under the weather played the perfect host ! I'm so proud of her.

The children had such a blast ! Its pure joy seeing some 20 odd kids bouncing around from cotton candy to popcorn to piñata. 

 Ofcourse, sheer joy quickly turns into sheer exhaustion and no amount of sugar, courtesy the candy table can come to your rescue!! But the sheer thrill on the face of your little monkey somehow makes it all OK.

What do you prefer outdoor or indoor? I find it such a pain to carry the props, especially glass canisters to and from. If you have an upcoming party and need tips or suggestions do ask. A little brainstorming never hurt :) ! Or maybe you can share some of your own eye candy with us. I'd be happy to feature your party on this blog !


Alrighty people, i hope you had a roaring good time. Have yourself a fabulous weekend ! Until next time...


Fabulously Yours,
T

Wild about Walk In's

Welcome back ! So sorry to go MIA so early into the blogging game. But a girl needs a vacay right? Just back from a much needed holiday weekend. Well, for those of you who've tuned in late into the game i must tell you that we just moved. No, not just down the street or a quick zip code change but bags & barrels across the globe from suburban America to the hustle and bustle of chaotic Bangalore. Anybody who's moved in their lives before will tell you this - Be prepared to have the life sucked out of you. Forget the physical distress. A pedicure could fix that. But somehow seeing your entire life being boxed and shipped out just like that is heart wrenching. If i forked out $50 to see a therapist I'm pretty sure she'd give my condition a fancy name.


The move so far, 6 months in, has been both good and bad. I mean it's always nice to be close to family and your social calendar is in constant overdrive, however i must admit i have serious withdrawal symptoms at least twice a week - Home goods, Micheal's and Hobby Lobby, how i miss you! I crave to feel the touch of craft paper in aisle 6 ? Or make a quick dash to the dollar store. I miss it and HOW ! Is there a patch or something to fix that ? Nicotine or otherwise ?
I'll save you the house hunting nightmare and get you right up to speed. You can thank me later. We currently rent a 3 bedroom villa style house right in the middle of the city, but have plans to build our own home hopefully in the coming year. We've bought a plot in a good neighborhood, tree lined street and all and will soon start construction.Now that's a project i would look forward to. I mean i already have my wish lists all filed and tabbed by room and style and not to mention i have been pinteresting with a vengeance ! God bless the founder of Pinterest ! Do you pin ?


One MUST-HAVE feature in our future home (i promise to give you a peek into my current digs later this week) would be a generous Walk-In Closet. I mean i would love if it could make Mariah Carey's closet look like a shoe box but let's not get carried away just yet.

This is called Closet Royalty !

What makes a perfect Walk-In-Closet ?

Moving away from pop star royalty for a minute, lets talk about closets for mere mortals. Here are the elements of a perfect walk in closet and some eye candy I've been drooling over. Inspiration much ?                                                        

1. Island

An island is a super must have. First, it immediately gives the room a focal point. Second, it's a much needed space to place a nice looking jewelery box or maybe some fresh flowers or a bowl of candy. I'm almost tempted to call it the closet mantle. You can decorate it & style it to your heart's content and by just changing the vignette on the tabletop from time to time you get an instant fresh update. Viola ! 

2. Mirror

A tall standing mirror can go a long way when prepping for a night out. But like everything else, it needs to be placed right. I think a mirror that stands 10 feet away from you is perfect. Any closer and it would be impossible to see yourself the right way. Ladies, please don't ask your husbands if you look fat. Just buy a mirror. It's far more honest and i promise it will not resent your shoe collection.

3. Sitting area

There is nothing more annoying than having to lean against a wall to put on my stockings or heels while dolling up to head out. I would love to have a sitting area where i can slowly and deliberately put on my heels without worrying about falling flat on my face. And a striking bench can add just that dramatic appeal.

4. Space for shoes and handbags

Who am i kidding ! I might not be a Picasso but i embarrassingly own an obscene shoe collection(some of which have not seen the light of day) and it would be such a shame if i didn't get to showcase it. Now if you owned a Picasso you wouldn't just roll it and box it in a picture tube now would you ? Shoes are like art. So please show some respect and treat them well.

5. Drawers

Sometimes, modesty is much required. So please, even if you own the entire La Perla catalog, don't flaunt it. Cover up ladies. Lingerie, Scarves, Stockings need to be stashed away in drawers. I've always loved the white glossy island with lucite drawers at Victoria Secret where they neatly fold all that 5 for $25 underwear. Watches, Sunglasses ditto. And oh you men, i don't know if you read blog posts about walk in closets but both God and you know you need a place for those socks and ties !

6. Lighting

The wrong lighting can make you hate yourself and highlight all your flaws, so for the love of all things silhouette, avoid spotlights and go for softer lighting that highlights your best assets.

When selecting your lighting for the perfect walk-in closet, make sure that it is soft and welcoming rather than spotty, which tends to create unflattering shadows. Your objective is to feel great in your walk-in closet, not hideous. And i could write an entire post about statement chandeliers i would kill for. 

Swooning already ? I am. Well, i know it's not realistic to have a closet the size of Alabama, but hey, a girl can dream right ? I think incorporating the right elements into a closet, big or small, can add so much drama to the space that size becomes a non issue. I am a fan of the last closet from Honey we're Home. I think its all the flair you need while still keeping it real. Bonus Points for using those Tony Burch shopping bags as props ? What are your closet must haves ? Do share. 

I can talk about closets all week long, but i think you get the idea. I hope. See you soon, until then stay fabulous !

Fabulously Yours,

T

The little 'fabulous' things that make it count...

Ok, so this being my first post and all, i thought it was only appropriate to dedicate it to my blog title. Life can be good, bad and ugly. Of course you already know that. Duh me ! But then again, i think amidst all that chaos we all need a little bit of fabulous from time to time. I mean it doesn't have to be a fancy schmancy limo date to the prom. You know just those little things that make it seem all OK - it could be a fabulous trellis pillow cover, or fresh daisies or just a pretty looking macaroon. I don't know about you all but i just light up when i spy those LFT's (Little Fabulous Things). So in today's post i will give you a snapshot of 5 LFT's that greet me with a cheery 'Good Morning' every day :)

1. LFT ONE
Of course having it jump onto your bed every morning already makes the day seem brighter. No, i do not own a puppy in case that's the route your'e headed, i'm talking about my little 2 year old gremlin Imaan.

2. LFT TWO

Sitting pretty on my nightstand as we speak, this woman is my current Guru. She's not called the Sweet Stylish for nothing. A little LFT viewing before bed is taking the 'Sweet Dreams' sign off to another level !

3.  LFT THREE

How can i talk about Fabulous and NOT talk about Jonathan Adler. Anybody else out there with their hearts in their mouth when they spy JA. But the L in this post says 'little', so here's a little JA fabulousness on my desk.

POST-IT makeover much ?

4. LFT FOUR

When you have a transatlantic move, a house hunting project that makes the wild goose chase seem like cotton candy and a 2 year old who's questions go from 'Why did you just do that mommy' to 'How come birds fly but animals don't", you seek not buddhism or pure will. Just the magic potion that didn't make it into the fairy tales. Yup, meet good old coffee. I hope you will be BFF's until the sun goes down.

And at $7.99 that's a pretty Fabulous deal. Long Live Home Goods

5. LFT FIVE

The first impression is the best impression. No, I didn't say that. But whoever did, knew exactly what they were talking about. Bless. So when my entry foyer needed a some much called for pizzaz. I went straight to box 131 labelled - I LOVE Z GALLERIE ! This Angelique mirror (retails $350) was something i had set my heart on for months and when time came to pack our bags and move ship i knew i couldn't leave it behind. I mean what if i never saw it again ? They don't say follow your heart for nothing right :)

Well, Well, time's up. See you soon.

Fabulously Your's
T