Unlocked! And Happy Diwali!

 Throughout this 'special' year one of the few terms we all used frequently were quarantine, lockdown, virus, sanitising etc etc. With just two months to go until the end of this year, our household has had enough, we have unlocked a part of our lives and are working towards a semblance of normalcy. Yes this crap has gone on for too long!

Yes we are still being careful, no gatherings at home, no going to crowded spaces and being sensible in general but WHOA we are so done sitting at home and doing nothing! 

All this year I have contemplated the impact of this isolation on adults and kids alike. There is NO comparison! Obviously kids have had it worse than us adults. In the beginning all they heard were these scary words thrown around in conversations about the virus and they had to comprehend and make sense of it in their tiny little minds. 

It came to a point where my younger son actually started saying things like 'we'll do this when the pandemic is over', 'we'll travel there after the pandemic is over' and it broke my heart into a million pieces every time he would come up with something new he would do after all this was over. That's when I realised we had better do whatever best we can given the situation because WHAT IF?

The crisis has been on for 11 months now and it doesn't look like it's ending any time soon. It's draining the heck out of us mentally and emotionally. Not good at all. BUT on the plus side - we have got ourselves more time as a unit of 4. Yes we're tearing each other's hair out (for real sometimes) and annoying each other a lot but eventually we are learning as we go! 

All this e-learning and work from home means that we are constantly stepping on each others toes but it also is true that we are learning to manoeuvre our way around it. 

We're doing good, we are trying to see the positives on most days. On the other days, we just socially distance from each other at home. HAHAH! 

On that note - HAPPY DIWALI, from us to you!! Enjoy, light diyas and EAT!

Paper Collaging for everyone

Earlier in August, I took a huge step forward and launched my very own Paper craft course on Udemy! If you have a passion for craft, that's all you need to be a part of this course. Using just 3 basic materials, alongside me, you will learn how to make beautiful journal/scrapbook pages, by effectively using just what you probably have lying around at home. 

This course is also designed as a parent and child activity, something that younger kids can join in too. 

You can view and purchase the course at the below link! If you have any questions, please email me at artsyurmi@gmail.com

https://www.udemy.com/course/create-a-handcrafted-flower-collage/?utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email

These collages can be used for cardmaking / journalling / cover designing! Some examples are as below:

It is a self paced course, can be purchased by anyone around the world and you can work on it on your own schedule! You also receive a certificate at the end of the course!! 

You can watch the video below to learn more!!

Course overview:
How to create individual flowers, leaves and stems - by hand!

How you can layer them together in a collage

Learn how you can present your creations!! 

Mid year Musings

Yeah, Mid-Year indeed. No, I'm not going to say where did the time go because I sure know where it went. We spent it all at home.

How have all of you been - and how are you transitioning into the new normal?

I wrote my previous blog post at the beginning of lockdown. Ever since, nothing much has really changed - our days have been effectively tunnelling into our nights. In the beginning it was really difficult to get used to e-learning but then we started actually looking forward to it.  I can't actually believe we completed one entire term using e-learning. Kudos to the teachers who jumped onto the bandwagon just like us, without prior notice!!


Anyway, our academic year has ended and the school holidays have begun in full earnest. Here everyone is allowed to move out albeit with masks and social distancing etc but we have still not gone anywhere. Unless the UAE becomes covid-free, I don't think I'll be comfortable going out comfortably. The lockdown has eased and the economy has opened up - so it's a wait and watch situation.

It's again a matter of perspective. How we will emerge at the end of this lockdown period, totally depends on us. I can see that this pandemic has turned some people into insensitive monsters - we're all going through the same thing, and some people actually have it so much worse with job losses, homes gone etc. Why is it so difficult to be kind??

Of course, I don't judge those who want to step out - It's truly a gamble. Not everyone who goes out will get Covid. Not everyone who gets Covid will die. It's all about how much risk we're willing to take.

Meanwhile, we surge ahead. Kids have found renewed interest in helping around the house. Yes, they really miss the social interaction but on the plus side they are learning to tolerate each other :D It's also blazing hot and humid outside so spending time outdoors is not comfortable.

We have a grand two months ahead of us and I don't really have a plan. Right now, we are just busy getting our extra snoozes which we didn't get during the school term - guess, it's ok to take it slow!

What we want to do with our time and what we end up doing are two very different things :D but hopefully we'll get through this like we have so far!!

Once upon a 'quar'-an-time

My God. Oh My God.

It is the last day today, of the first quarter of 2020. As of today, we have been in lockdown here in Abu Dhabi for around 3 weeks.

It is the small things that we never see coming, that can hit us the hardest, isn't it? I am looking now at a photo on my wall in the living room, clicked on the first day of this year. On that day we did not know anything about the stormy 2020 times that lay ahead of us, or these uncertainties.

In January and February, our life went on as routine as ever - something that we always took for granted as time zoomed from one day to another. The kids' schooling, their extra curricular activities, trips to the supermarket, my alone time, our family time - it seemed mundane then!

In the background we were always reading news about the coronavirus affecting Wuhan and before we knew it, the virus was at our doorstep and our government had issued notices for everything to shut down - schools, malls, shops, activities.

It is time now to segue into a new normal. What was normal then is not allowed now. I never thought we'll need permits to leave our house during the day time but it has happened. The weather is so amazing here in March, it is the one last month we cling on to because as soon as April arrives, the heat arrives too. But in the new scheme of things - we can't. We're making the most of chilling on the balcony though!

Every dark and stormy cloud has a silver lining and for us, we definitely have more time together now that we are all home. The kids have to log in to their e-learning for the first half of the day but the second half is time to chill. Life has definitely quietened down and we are quite grateful for it.

If you're reading this and if you're feeling any anxiety due to the lockdown - find a reason to smile today. Start a gratitude journal, rediscover hobbies. Move your focus away from the coronavirus and trust me, you'll feel a lot better. I know it's easier said than done but try.

We're all in this together - let's hold hands and take a deep breath!! This too shall pass!

2020: A year of Affirmations and Empowerment

Hello folks! I only wrote three posts on my blog last year and I'm not really proud of that! I have committed to writing more this year and hopefully I can follow through :)

How have you guys been? My life has been on the fast track with the freshly minted teenager in the house who was a tot when I started this blog. And following in his footsteps is a cutie patootie who wants to be the boss of the house, talks nonstop and doesn't let me focus! Ha!

In our house we literally live by the clock and that's what keeps us all sane - routines, organisation and a bit of pre-planning wherever possible.

Plans for 2020

For 2020, I want it to be a year of affirmations and empowerment for me personally. I am already on that path since a few years now and it has changed me in many ways. I no longer seek validation for my decisions or my way of living life and I lead my life in a way that suits me and what I believe in.

I repeat affirmations to myself on a daily basis and I think everyone should do this for themselves. Be your own cheerleader - you owe it to yourself!

Tell yourself you can do it! On many days I need help even to get through my day because I can so easily sink into the quicksand of laziness and languor. On those days I need to literally push myself up hour by hour and set tasks for the day - it is perfectly okay to have such days and perfectly okay to end up doing nothing either. Recognize that it is normal and don't go against the flow.

It is always nice to step back and review what you really want from your life and January is a very good month for you to plan accordingly so that you have something to reflect upon at the end of the year.

Personal goals are very underrated but they are the most important of all. You are accountable to only yourself and that's what makes it special as it is your goal, set by you and for you.

I wish you all a beautiful 2020, and hope you guys have a peaceful, prosperous and healthy year!