I was shown a quote recently by a friend. I can’t recall the book or the exact words, but it was by Mel Brooks and it said: “When I hear my wife turn the key in the door, I think great, the party’s come home”. What a lovely think to say about his wife and […]
Most times when you feel like something is immense or significant, a little perspective can help you determine whether that really the case. Often we step back and see the bigger picture and realise that the thing is not as huge as we thought. But Ramadan is different. No matter how significant and special we […]
This week was the last week for one of my colleagues who has also become my friend. I sit next to H every morning (we both get in super-early), I give her advice and she lets me bask in her coolness and feel cool by association. She welcomed me to the team when I was […]
I love all things creative, be it paper-crafts, jewellery making or handmade gifts. I have been so busy and exhausted this Ramadan that I haven’t been able to attend to my creative side very much at all. During previous Ramadan in previous years I have made Ramadan greeting cards, banners for the house and gift […]
My bedside table has a pile of books including Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, Susnet Oasis by Bahaa Taher, The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Long Song by Andrea Levy, Life Coaching for Muslims by Sayeda Habib and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I’m not reading any of them at […]
When I think of the abayh, the long, loose dress that many Muslim women wear, I think of how elegant it looks: image source or how chic: image source or how smart and conservative: When I see sisters wearing it, I usually think the same, especially some of the younger sisters who really know how […]
I have a big pile of cards that I have started and not finished. Many of them are a repeat of a theme or a set of papers in the same colour or style. Many are where I created a background, ready to work on when inspiration struck or when I needed a card at […]
As the days get longer, colder and darker, I find that I have to re-frame my attitude towards the dark and the cold.I used to hate summer because I could not stand the heat. I used the spend the whole summer holiday cooped up in my room reading and mostly refuse to go anywhere apart […]
I wasn’t planning to make any of these, but had the stickers and wanted to take my uncle’s family something special when they invited us to share iftar with them. I used a basket I had at home (to store my printing stamps and inks), similar ones can be found at the £ or dollar-store […]
I recently overheard a conversation (no I wasn’t listening, it’s an open plan office) between two of my colleagues about motherhood. They were two of a number of recently married, hip young women, in their mid-30’s, a little older than me and mostly a few grades senior to me. They were discussing motherhood and thoughts about […]
I am sure I am not the only one watching events unfold in Pakistan at the moment, feeling horrified and helpless. Anjelina Jolie recently hit the nail on the head when she said that many people wanted to help but were unsure about the best way to help. Of course there are charities trying to […]
I am sure I am not the only one watching events unfold in Pakistan at the moment, feeling horrified and helpless. Anjelina Jolie recently hit the nail on the head when she said that many people wanted to help but were unsure about the best way to help. Of course there are charities trying to […]
We don’t celebrate New Years Day, but it is one of the only days that my whole family tend to be off work. This being the case, I invited everyone to mine for dinner – my parents, sisters and cousins. The day could have started better, I burnt the lamb curry that I had taken […]
As the person doing the cooking at home, I always feel responsible for trying to get everyone eating healthily. This year I decided to try and learn a few new things and try to minimise all of the fried food that Ramadan has become synonymous with for some people. I have been following recipes I have found on the internet with varying success. […]
