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picky eaters
ReviewsBook Review

Book Review – Picky Eaters? Guaranteed Hacks to make you Happy by Dr. Amrita Basu & Dr. Abhijit Misra

by tinabasu June 13, 2017
written by tinabasu

There’s no way you can rest in peace if you have a toddler in your life! I can vouch for that because I am a mom to an almost two-year-old. This almost-two-year-old sometimes drives me crazy with his, what I call – the food pandemonium. So when I came across this book Picky Eaters – Guaranteed hack to make you happy, from the ongoing Blogchatter Ebook Carnival, I knew I had to HAD TO read it.

picky eaters

I don’t even know if I can call my son a picky eater! He is going through the I-hate-food phase and I think he’s just happy without food and that is sending me into some panic mode. I am always asking every mom I meet – How do you make your child eat? I was looking for some guaranteed hacks from experienced moms of picky eaters. And voila here comes Amrita’s book – not just she is an experienced mom of a picky eater she is a doctor too. And this book is jointly written by Dr. Abhijit Misra, her husband, who is an experienced pediatrician and professor in Medical College!  It’s like some sermon from God for me – don’t worry child, he will eat!

About The Book – Picky Eaters? Guaranteed Hacks to make you Happy

Dr. Amrita, in her book, says the power is in the hands of the mother and if the baby is a picky eater it is only by making food a fun activity you can change the habits of the kid. She explains how the mother’s diet during pregnancy and her breastfeeding days have a huge impact on how the toddler or preschooler is feeding. The book has the ultimate guide to help your child eat – something that I needed very badly.

What did I like about the book?

Dr. Amrita and Dr. Abhijit are not only involved in the medical profession they are also parents to a five-year-old kid, who happened to be a picky eater. So this book comes with their personal experience too – something that I can relate too. I know exactly how it feels when your kid refuses to eat or is just not interested in food. I am going to use all of the mentioned tricks and hacks (and pray) so that my son starts having a proper meal.

What could have been better?

I wish the book had some specific food or recipes mentioned that I could use for my toddler who likes only crispy food. I, as a mother and a food blogger, am very conscious about the kind of things he eats. I try to make things crispy for him the healthy way by baking or air frying. Maybe some detailed nutritious food recipes for picky eaters would have helped even more.

About the Authors

Dr.Amrita Basu is an ENT surgeon, teacher in a medical college, and blogs about health, wellness and her journey as a mom blogger.She is an avid balcony gardener and a voracious bookworm.

Dr.Abhijit Misra is a pediatrician, teacher in a medical college and the rock solid support behind  healthwealthbridge.com. They are the co -authors of this book and partners in real life.

My Thoughts

This is a book that I will recommend to every mom if you have a toddler or a baby who is making your life a hell by not eating good. Understand the root cause, try the hacks to make the food journey better. I like how simple the book is. SO if you are looking for practical information – this is the book you want.

Download Picky Eaters? Guaranteed Hacks to Make you Happy

My Verdict – 4.5/5

June 13, 2017 2 comments
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free stock photo sites
Blogging Tips & Tutorials

13 of the Best Free Stock Photo Sites To Use In 2017

by tinabasu June 11, 2017
written by tinabasu

Have you been drooling at stock photos and wished you could use them for free, instead of paying for each photo? Here’s a comprehensive list of best free stock photo sites to use in 2017.

Presentation is the key for anything to look beautiful. As much as the quality of your blog post is significant, it is equally important to present it well. Okay let’s admit it we all need stock photos for our sites, blogs, social media posts and if you are a graphic designer, like me, then for your design projects as well. Now we know the internet is full of sites that sell stock photographs but as a blogger, you wouldn’t want to pay all that money for photos. Right? Well, it is true, high-quality stock photo needn’t be always attached to a high price tag.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Here in this post, I have compiled a list of 13 Best Stock Photo Sites according to your niche, you can use in 2017. Read along for the list. You can use these stock photos to make eye-catching graphics for your blog or social media. But first, let me tell you why you need to pay importance to the word Free Stock Photo.

Free Stock Photo Sites

There are tons of images on the internet. Google images could be your default destination for image search but hold on, you cannot use up any and every image that shows up on Google search. It is important that you remember you can ONLY use images on your blog/site / social media which are allowed by its owner. Photographs are creative digital assets and copyright lies with the photographer. Unless the photos are in public domain or released under Creative Commons Zero License (CC0), you shouldn’t use them for your personal or professional use. Unless you are clear about the Image Licensing DO NOT use the photo – it can get you in trouble.

With that information sorted, let us see which are the Free stock photo sites that can give you unlimited high-quality free photos for your blog.

13 Best Free Stock Photo Sites to use in 2017

(Click on the names of the sites to visit)

#1  Pixabay

Pixabay is one of my go-to sites for stock photos. I have been using it for over a year and it has an amazing collection of over 500,000 stock photos under CC0 license. You can download the images in various sizes according to your need and you can even use them for commercial use, no attribution needed.

#2 Pexels

Pexels is yet another awesome site for your high-quality stock photo requirement. They have tons of photos – all under CC0 license which means they are free to use for personal or commercial use. No linking, no seeking permission and no attribution at all.

Free Stock Photo Sites

#3 Unsplash

Unspalsh is one of the oldest free stock photo sites on the internet. With over 500,000 free high-quality photographs it is one of the most popular sites amongst bloggers for photos. They are all under CC0 license and you can download, edit, modify the photos for your blog. Unsplash has photos from various niche and you can easily use their search feature to find the perfect photo.

Free Stock Photo Sites #4 Flickr

Flickr is another go to site for me for free stock photos. It has a huge database of photographs and you can easily find out the ones under CC0 License.

flickr stock photo

#5 Skitterphoto

This is one of my newest find in the free stock photo sites category – I have in fact even a bigger list in my bookmark bar. Launched in 2014 Skitterphoto is managed by Rudy and Peter, amazing amateur photographers from The Netherlands. It is worth its mention in this list.

#6 Stocksnap.io

They add new photos every week and have free to use photos for various niches. The featured image you see in this post is from this site.

#7 Life of Pix

Life of Pix is a community by photographers who contribute in this platform. Photos are released under Creative Commons Zero and you can use them for personal or commercial use. It is great for travel bloggers.

#8 Gratisography

I am absolutely in love with this free stock photo site from last year. Created and managed by Ryan Mcguire, Gratisography has an amazing collection of photos in various categories all free to use under CC0 license.

free stock photo sites

#9 ISO Republic

ISO Republic was created in 2014 by Tom Eversley, a designer, and photographer from England. The images provided by the ISO Republic are free to use for personal and commercial projects.

#10 Free Food Photos

As a food blogger myself, I keep looking for high-quality food photos for Instagram promotion. Free Food Photos has an awesome collection of free stock photos. You can use them for your personal and commercial projects without any attribution.

free stock photo sites

#11 Foodies Feed

Foodies Feed is one of the most popular free stock photo sites for food bloggers and food enthusiasts. They offer a huge collection of food photos for bloggers which are free to modify, edit, print or just about anything. I have been using this site for some time and I find it solid.

#12 BucketListly Photos

Travel bloggers, you must check this site out. The have free to use photos, specifically on travel theme from around the world. I love this site by Pete R. The images are crisp and not just the usual destination photos.

free stock photo sites

#13 Travel Coffee Book

Travel Coffee Book is a large collection of beautiful travel moments, all images are available as CC0 photos.

Bonus Tip: Updated

#14 Good Stock Photos

Found another good stock photo site Good Stock Photos is run by Steven Ma and he updates the site with a new fresh photo every day. They are all released under CC0 and free for personal and commercial use. You can find photos on nature, architecture, people, food, stationary and many more.

free stock photo site

#15 Burst on Shopify

I am updating the list again because I found out Burst on shopify is equally a great site for free stock photos. You can find lifestyle related photos, product shots, travel and many more.

SO, are you still searching Google Images for a photo for your blog? Forget searching that way. Bookmark this post and have your life sorted – stock photo-wise! Let me know if you liked my list of free stock photo sites in the comment section below.

June 11, 2017 21 comments
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alleppey-houseboat-kerala-backwaers
TravelTravel Destination

Beaches, Books & Backwaters – The Magic of Alleppey

by tinabasu June 9, 2017
written by tinabasu

Located along the coastline of “God’s Country” is the city of Alleppey or Alappuzha which is famous for its backwaters, houseboats, lip smacking food and beaches. Fondly referred as the “Venice of the East,” Alleppey is the perfect place to head out for a relaxing and quiet holiday. The greenery and the ecosystem of the lagoons in the area shall impress holiday seekers who dream of unwinding in the lap of nature. The fasted way to reach Alleppey is by air. The nearest airport to Alleppey is the Cochin International Airport which is approximately 75 km away from this picturesque town.  If you book in advance, there are several cheap flights domestic India that can be comfortably booked from travel and booking websites in the like of Yatra.

Once in Alleppey, you can indulge in a very luxurious holiday amidst books, beaches and of course the backwaters.  To ensure that you have the best holiday ever, here are some recommended things to do when you are in Alleppey –

Book your stay in a Houseboat

alleppey-houseboat-kerala-backwaers

This recommendation goes without saying. Most tourists visit Alleppey because they wish to stay in a houseboat. As discussed earlier, the quiet and stagnant backwater in Alleppey sets the base for a relaxing overnight cruise. There are several operators in the city that organizes overnight stay in the houseboat. You may book a houseboat as a couple or as a group. Each houseboat is well furnished and well reequipped. The boat house is also well staffed and will include a cook, oarsman and a guide.

While you spent time on the boat house, you get a glimpse into the local flavors of the region. For instance, along with the backwaters, you can witness the regular village life. You will also get to savor the local cuisine made from fresh spices and produce. The vibrant ecosystem of the lagoon and the backwaters will present you the opportunity to taste the freshest seafood. The cook shall offer you meals made from the freshest and locally available ingredients which will be truly experiential.

Watching the sunrise and sunset from the deck of your houseboat is yet another magical moment you shall experience on the houseboat.

Experience the Kerala Ayurveda

kerala-ayurveda-backwaters-holiday

There are two main reasons why individual looks to travel. First is to explore and experience new places and second is to relax and unwind. Well, Alleppey is one of those places where you can have the most relaxing holiday ever.  After cradling the boat ride, a relaxing session at an ayurvedic center shall indeed work wonders for those overworked muscles and tissues. Ayurveda is one of the oldest health care system known to man, and the essence of this tradition continues even today.

Spend Time at the Beach

beach-holiday

The Alleppey Beach ranks as one of the most naturally beautiful and pristine beaches in India. Tourists visiting the city must spend time at the beach to soak the sun and enjoy the cool breeze of the Arabian Sea. The palm grooves and natural rocks that cover the length of the beach is also a sight to behold. Another beach in the region is the Marari beach. Located nearly 10 km away, this beach is regarded very safe for swimming. Therefore, if you are looking forward to a relaxing time at the beach with a book in your hand, Marari beach is where you must head.

Kerala is one of the most progressive and cleanest States in India. Millions of tourists visit the State to enjoy its hospitality and warmth. So, to enjoy the serenity and beauty of Alleppey book cheap flight domestic India to kick start the best holiday ever.

June 9, 2017 9 comments
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skills to be thankful for
LifestyleLife & StyleThankful Thursdays

3 Skills to be thankful for – #ThankfulThursdays Week 28

by tinabasu June 2, 2017
written by tinabasu

Skills and abilities become a part of who you are. Skills define you. The world is changing every day and your skills help you to face the challenge. It is important you pick up skills early in life so that you are prepared for the challenges life is going to throw at you, invariably. Skills shape up your life, don’t they? So what are your skills to be thankful for?

When I think about skills I can either find I have loads of life skills *brags a little* or I simply loathe at not having so many skills! I think I suck at taking photos and I seriously need to take better photos for my food blog Twinkling Tina Cooks. I have bettered from my earlier days but once I open Pinterest I feel like my life is doomed! Yes seriously! I am horrible at doing household chores – I hate doing mundane work – I secretly wish to have a robot to do these unproductive works. I also fail to be diplomatic – most of the times. I can be blunt or I can just shut up and not talk – that happens rarely though! But being diplomatic isn’t what I have picked up so far. But do I really not possess skills I am thankful for? Well let’s see the which are my top 3 skills to be Thankful for.

Related Story – 5 LIFE SKILLS I LEARNT LIVING AWAY FROM FAMILY

skills to be thankful for

skills to be thankful for #1 – Design, aesthetics and all things pretty

I was an inquisitive child and spent a lot of time drawing and painting – almost everywhere – walls, sofa upholstery, curtains, bed sheets you name it, I have done it. I have also ruined bed sheets by doing origami stuff with scissors! I am very fond of things that look cute, beautiful, and aesthetic. I have done a full-fledged diploma course in graphic design and multimedia along with my graduation and post-graduation because I simply loved the idea. I have quit my job last year to be with my son and I am anything but SAHM. I am not meant for being a home-maker – I’ll be a terrible one if I had to be just a homemaker. I am doing graphic designing and branding for my clients and that’s how my business is shaping up. It’s my source of income apart from my blogs and I am happy that I am still independent financially! I have loads of plans with my design career but that will require my son to start school so that I can devote adequate time.

skills to be thankful for #2 –Being the Experimental Chef

This is a new skill that I have developed since 2007 – the year I started staying away from family. Life teaches you everything. I wasn’t bad at it the first few times I tried. I still remember asking my friends at PG to taste the curries I made once and when they gave a go ahead I started doing more experimental stuff. After I got married and had my own kitchen and learnt my husband is an equally big foodie, there was no stepping back. From the quintessential Bengali Daab Chingi to the French macaroons I have done it all and you can find all the experiments on my food blog.

skills to be thankful for #3 – Writing

This might sound obvious, since I am a blogger – writing has always been an interest. I have always loved writing – apart from the history papers at school, of course! Did I tell you guys I have interned at The Indian Express as a journalist and have several articles published in the paper with my by line? I am not sure if I mentioned it. Now, not to brag but the editor did ask me to join them right away but I had not finished my post-graduation yet. The life of a journalist or any media person may seem all glamorous, but it’s not all bed of roses – they work crazy hours. Now my skill is not just being sort of good at writing. I can write on just about anything that interests me.

Now these three skills are enough to be thankful for because they make me who I am! What about you? What are your skills to be thankful for? Tell us and link up with us.

#ThankfulThursdays Week 28 Prompt

skills to be thankful for

How to Participate in #ThankfulThursdays?

  1. Follow @twinklingtina  @misra_amrita @Mayuri6 and @Deepagandhi1 on Twitter
  2. Prompts will be announced every Wed 20:00 hrs IST
  3. Write the post and Link Up with Tina or Amrita or Mayuri or Deepa 
  4. Read, comment, share on host and co-hosts posts and at least two more posts linked in the party Pro Tip – Networking and commenting is good for your blog’s health and ranks.
  5. Use #ThankfulThursdays in your post and share in social media using the same hashtag.
  6. Every week we will have one featured blogger who is the best reflection of this community spirit

June 2, 2017 5 comments
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MatrikaS woman’s creative journal
ReviewsProduct Review

The MatrikaS Woman’s Creative Journal – Product Review

by tinabasu May 30, 2017
written by tinabasu

The MatrikaS woman’s creative journal is just the perfect journal for the millennial women – cute, chic and full of lovely pages for the creative woman in you.

MatrikaS woman’s creative journal

I am a big stationary junkie, I like everything cute – cute pencils, cute pens, sharpeners, even paper clips! I am currently even looking for some cute binder clips that I can use up as props in my photos! But keeping all that aside, I love my journals. I have 4 currently that I use for various things that I do depending on my mood. The latest addition to it is this elegant Red Journal by Matrika S Paper Products. When I got to know about their Blogger Outreach Program for the Creative Woman’s Journal series I had to jump into it because I couldn’t take my eyes off the Pink and gold cover (which was my original choice).

Are you thinking who writes a Journal?

I am leading an online life, completely. MS word had replaced a paper long time back in my life. But I still love doodling and writing one-liners in my journals. I have a tiny journal which I call the Book of Ideas. I write down the blog topics, tentative titles. I have another journal which I use only for doodling – random stuff. I have some fascination over eyes and you will find loads of sketches of eyes in the corners of my notebooks right from my school! This beautiful Creative Woman’s Journal lets you do all that at the very same place.

Related Articles

Why Fiction Writing is Good for You

5 Tips for Writing Flash Fiction

What did I love about this pretty MatrikaS Woman’s Creative Journal?

MatrikaS woman’s creative journal

The journal is extremely pretty to look at. The velvety red and gold cover looks elegant. It is undoubtedly one of the prettiest journals in my repertoire. I love journals with smooth paper for writing. While the handmade paper ones are good for sketching and doodling, the smooth papers are great for writing. The journal has both blank pages for you to scribble and ruled pages for you to write something nice. The prettiest, however, are the adult coloring pages and doodle stickers that make any of your masterpieces a work of art. I haven’t come across a single journal that offers so many things together.

It has an elastic strap to keep it tight and secure, it also houses a ribbon mark and a tiny penholder so that you are always ready to take out your arsenal. A little envelope pouch at the back ensures you are not leaving behind any important paper or sticker when you are out somewhere.

What did I do with my MatrikaS Woman’s Creative Journal?

The first thing I do whenever I see a blank page is draw something. I have done it always. I am known to make doodles in restaurant paper napkins! So my I love you Moon to back couldn’t wait much longer. I had to doodle something when I laid my hands on this creative women’s journal.

MatrikaS woman’s creative journal

I love writing on white pages. It is such a freedom from the lines! I had to scribble some lines from one of my poems.

Just as I was writing this poem The Untold, I thought of doing a Free Write exercise – where you write for 15 minutes on whatever you are thinking at that moment. I wanted to see how is my handwriting after all those years of not writing often with a pen. You can see the results. What do you think? Is the handwriting legit? It isn’t as good as it was before. But it ain’t bad either. Or is it?

free-write-journal-writing

Here’s my challenge for the year. Wish me luck and let me know how the left over handwriting is.

How I wish I could have all the four journals from MatrikaS – they look so gorgeous. Check out their Facebook Page for some awesome journals and stationaries for your needs.

Pin it if you liked it

journal writing

May 30, 2017 10 comments
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dark brew
ReviewsMovie Review

Movie Preview – Dark Brew starring Vinay Pathak – A Dark Humor Movie

by tinabasu May 27, 2017
written by tinabasu

We all love humor in life, don’t we? I love films with a good amount of humor. But do you also enjoy dark humor? I do, I like offbeat films once in a while. It’s good to enjoy all kinds of films.  Just saw the trailer of Dark Brew on YouTube which stars the funny man, Vinay Pathak, in a not so funny role.

dark brew

Produced by Warewolf Films this 2017 release is going to come out in both Hindi and English languages for a larger audience.

Dark Brew -The Movie Synopsis

The movie revolves around a Man’s realization where he visualizes in his dream that his wife has caught him two-timing with another female and in the process also learns that she has plotted to kill him in the process. When the man wakes up he realizes he is still alive and starts firmly believing that his wife will actually kill him. Will he survive? Will his consciousness make him a loyal man?

Directed by Akash Goila, a visionary entrepreneur, and film director – Dark Brew looks different. Akash wishes to transform the short filmmaking scene by launching short theaters in India and transform the way filmmaking is done at grass root levels via his and Aashish Sachdeva’s brand Filmeraa.

Lead Actors

Dark Brew stars Vinay Pathak as Anila Vadera who’s a writer, Sheetal Thakur as Ria Bajaj who’s a psychiatrist and Shibani Bedi as Geeta Vadera, an ex-dancer.

Dark Brew

A man commits a sin his dream and gets killed, will he survive when he wakes up? Watch the Trailer.

May 27, 2017 0 comments
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Welcome! I’m Tina Basu, a parenting author and lifestyle blogger dedicated to making family life simpler, healthier, and more creative. Dive in for practical parenting guides, self-care routines, and fun DIY inspiration. Let's make everyday life beautiful - click my photo to learn more!

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