Squish

[Stick it in your ear and call it vintage-earrings]

[Some people strive fora higher education, Cambridge, oxford, I can make play dough from scratch-I feel privlaged]

Today was okay for fasting, I've been feeling pretty ill for the past few days due to a bad eating routine,and also because lack of fasting outside Ramadhan is taking effect, lesson learnt, I will be making more effort Insha'allah.
I also managed to make a dent in my book [Madrasah life-By-Mohammed Akram Nadwi],
It seems I'm always eating chunks out of and denting my books, mostly because my reading reflects my character, flitting, with no set time, hence the reason my books appear to travel with me, every where.
Its a fantastic book [invest in it-NOW], to give you a brief idea it covers a day in the life of a student at Nadwat-Al-Ulama Madrasa,
It putts you to shame when you come to the realisation of how little you do in your day compared,
I was exhausted reading the book never mind living the life.

Have your eyes been distracted by that mess of a photo up there?
That's what you call Home made play dough, of the crafting with small sibling kind.

Pixie hats and spock ears are the perfect compliment to a Hijab

[No, I haven't taken up Knitting or Crochet, I don't have and wouldn't have the patience to create something from wool without getting completely frustrated and maybe resorting to throttle someone with the wool and gauging out eyes with hook.]

This absolutely gorgeous bundle of wool is soon to be a Pixie hat, made by the ever so talented Mom, for her ever so crazy and not at all fashion conscious child, i.e me.
The weathers took a nasty turn in true British style, and it is,quite frankly,freezing ( I have no tolerance for cold/hot weather)
And although I do wear Hijab, I have a yearning to wear a crochet Pixie hat too,
I'm fully aware that this is maybe not 'in', and that all fashion conscious Friends will disown me without warning,
But, a pixie hat is a pixie hat, we have prioritise the hat ;)

I might be a part time insomniac

Lack of sleep is turning me into an exhausted heap of uselessness.
Although there's a great Hikmah is early rise, there isn't in late sleep, unfortunately in Ramadhan that's something that can't be avoided, or it could but only if you were on the ball and very clever with your time,which I'm not.
And so waking up at three to take Suhoor and then staying up to read Qur'an etc is taking its toll, and for some reason that afternoon siesta doesn't seem to be happening either,
Consequently, I walk about the house with little to no awareness of whats happening around me, and then collapse when the time seems right.
I'm not a huge fan of makeup, in fact I detest the stuff with a vengeance, however at this moment in time utilising this abomination for the bags under my eyes might just be within my best interests,before they engulf my entire face.
Not just my best interests you understand, Lack of sleep turns me into a fustrated mess, intelligence flees as does speech, and whats left is a series of grunts and moans and the occasional Argghhhhh if things really start getting to me.
This Ramadhan hasn't been the easiest by far, although (I have managed Alhamdulilah to keep up with reading my Juzz and Islamic literature, alot of time is wasted in catering food for angry mobs that's are male fasters,
So I'm conserving my energy, I will, make the most of the last ten days despite having lost a noticeable amount from the first two weeks, and if I have any intention of praying Qiyam for a longer period in the last ten nights, then I have to catch upon some sleep now.
Not to mention that lack of sleep creates lack of apatite, which is not a good thing when food in scarce anyway.

On the reading front, I've managed to make head way with most of my reading material, I now have a book and a half to finish, but I'm sure it wont prove to much of a burden because I'm enjoying them so much,
I'll have to run away to the park one of these days and eat a chuck out of all my books, I need a walk to burn of all the fat I've been eating, amazing ,and I'm sure its been said before, that in the month you're supposed to be eating less you always seem to be cooking more, Damn I think we've made a mess of the subject.


Art has also gone to pot, frankly, I have so many ideas written out, and every day I set out with some intention to draw something, only after a days work and read, I don't have the stamina to draw.
I think I might just use photo reference, I've found some good photos on Flickr that I could use to help me practice my charcoal sketch's, that or I could work on some illustrations.

I'm working on Eid gifts for Friends/family etc, I'm not one for buying gifts (No not stingy try skint, and after witnessing last week a man actually offer a shop keeper his shirt buttons, I don't think its worth the effort),
So Frenchy Bags,and Pleated Clutches are on the list, and I might just browse Etsy for some other ideas, I'm looking for eclectic variations. Everyone shall receive something unique, what could be more cool and comfy than that?

I'm easily confused, I'm deliberating with myself and trying to determine whether there have been some immediate changes in me this Ramadhan, I'm no fool, I was discussing it with my Mom the other night,and she said that Ramadhan isn't about being the perfect Muslim and we shouldn't enter it thinking there will be an immediate change, but about striving to be a better Muslim, and striving to better yourself.
I agree, its not been the best Ramadhan but I've learnt some valuable lessons.

As for Ramadhan journals, I have written on occasions,but maybe prefer to have reflections now and then as apposed to every day journals, which can, be depressing.

An all time favourite

Anwar Al-awlaki is one of my all time favourite speakers and lecturers,
I made a mental note (as well as many other scatterd paper notes), to listen to as many of his lectures this ramadhan as possible.
And applied one of those mental notes yesterday when I finally managed to sit down and listen to 'Battle of the hearts and minds', which can be found HERE, at Kallamullah.com, which also has a collection of his other works.
And you can learn more about the Brother HERE on his blog.

Some good reads I stumbled across, well not really a stumble twas intentional:
Kudam

Ladies First

I take snapshots

I'm disconnected.
Half the time day dreaming and the other working aimlessly,
It so turns out that the courses I was intending to sign up for in Beauty Therapy, Henna body art, Photography and Make up are of limits, only available to over 18's, other wise you have to pay extortionate prices to take the course, and so you have to ask, is it worth it?
People are so prejudiced, after ringing up the local college for more information, it seems I would, only, be able to take courses that lead onto some from of further education, and if not then fees must be paid, despite being only 16.
Interesting that in order to pressure any form of education you have to pay, since when was it deemed acceptable to make people pay for an education and to pay to gain knowledge,
and so people who aren't able to pay ridiculous prices to take short courses, either have to drop any hopes of getting into that line of work/education, or have to go out of their way, emptying their pockets, and letting themselves into a vicious cycle of poverty.
Far from fair, people don't deserve it that bad.
I guess I'll be buying that psychology study book after all...

I only get snapshots.

elle.Sufi

Ramadhan 2008

(My bling version of the Taj Mahal, fit for any Baba Ali)

Its here already, comes so quickly and goes so quickly, that you hardly have enough time to great it before its time to depart.
I have so many ambitions for this Month, and its my sincere intention to accomplish them all for the pleasure of Allah.
The first and last day of Ramadhan are always special, its almost like a reunion with an old Friend...
I find that I slowly fall into the the routine of Ramadan...well really the routine should be a firm one through out the year, unfortunately we become lax, or at least I do, and instead fall into my own haphazard routine, devised and constructed on the spur of the moment.
I woke up for Suhoor this morning, and stayed up to Read my Juzz of Qur'an,
You always find that you have less time towards the evening, and the morning quiet always helps me concentrate,
Needless to say I dosed of at least three times, with head in Mus'haf, But I get accustomed to the sleep schedule...
And if I keep to sleeping after the midday prayer, then I should eventually revive my sleepy self insha'allah.
I spent the majority of the day crafting Ramadhan crafty things with small children,
Namely sun catchers and a mosque display...both of which will eventually find themselves on my Blog,
However lack of sleep has finally caught up with my,
I will now retire...leaving you with just a glimpse of the project at hand....