Side Project

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

السلام عليكم

I made a picture book for Ramlah and her friend some time ago - 24 pages, sort of illustrated, (trashily, of course) and just thought I'd put it here because there's nothing else I could think of to write.

Of course, I couldn't really write a long post if I wanted to, because I accidentally got liquid in my keyboard, which makes the 'h' become h7 and the 'g' g4. So yes, every two sentences, I'm actually editing out the numbers and wishing I hadn't tried to clean my keyboard. 

The backspace doesn't work properly either, which is why I have to go back and delete them. Normally I backspace whenever a typo appears on the screen, you see. 

Anyway enough about the keyboard.

I chose a very basic title for the book, for some reason. I probably could have done a better one, but that's what I chose. Oh, I just realized, the letter 'k' is working again.

The book is illustrated much like a drawing on skribbl.io, which, by the way, is great for playing with friends. I use it a lot with my best friend.

This is hard. I keep stopping to edit out the numbers and I don't think I can type for much longer, so I suppose I'll just dump it all down here. Enjoy!

(The exclamation mark apparently opens Task Manager, for some reason.)

Maybe if you're an early reader of my blog you might remember a post I made about Al Khor Park about four years ago. The book is sort of based on the experience. Well, I didn't think the noise was a crying bear, more like an explosive, but yes, it was mostly inspired by that and a few other incidents.

Anyway, I will post later - I just need subjects to talk about, and I need to finish some projects and take pictures, I suppose.

Alhamdulillaah I had a nice Eid - and I hope you did too, we got plenty of gifts too.

(Ramlah got elbow pads and knee pads and a helmet - and skates. She also uses the gear for her scooter.) Ramlah recently had an obsession with gel pens - much of her gifts were gel pens or just some kinds of pens. I made a fabric pen case and put in some pens for her a few weeks ago. 

I got a bunch of art items like compressed graphite sticks and charcoal and a large sketchbook. 

And, of course, a bunch of books - Scarlet and Ivy Book 2, A Place Called Perfect and Agent Without License. 

Some friends also gave me stationery - stickers and cute erasers and a few colouring books that look so familiar. I love the watercolour set too - that was my favourite gift!

I'm going to go now. I really have run out of things to say.

Maimoonah

P.S: The keyboard seems to be working now, and I don't have to edit anything. I think it'll be back to its broken self soon though, so I'd better not get my hopes up.

Completed Cross-Stitch Piece

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

 السلام عليكم

I completed the cross-stitch piece around 6-7 months ago alhamdulillaah.

That's how it looks framed (or stretched??) and hung. Bit blurry, I know!

For the frame (not quite the frame), I used a chocolate box. It's now lidless, because I used the lid, not the actual box. 

Then I folded the Aida cloth and pressed it firmly, it's quite easy to crease. After that, I glued the cloth sides down. 

Then I used a (binder?) clip to clamp the sides while they dried. It wasn't long though, only about seven minutes. I love UHU glue!

I also glued down the ends of the cloth. Then, I removed the clips and hung it on the wall! Yes, I know, the picture below isn't of it hanging on the wall, and it still has clips on. But it's the only (vaguely) good picture I have of the piece.

I'm working on another, different piece at the moment, it's for my friend on Eid, Inshaa Allaah. I've already done half, and all I have to do now are the top leaves and a few flowers that kinda resemble carnations.

I know I haven't posted anything for like, a year and four months, but I didn't really feel like writing. However, my brain has gotten refinetuned again, if that even makes sense. 

I need to find topics to talk about, though. It's hard to find stuff that is interesting for people, because maybe what I like is what you find weird or just not your taste. I understand that people apparently like to hear about Ramlah and what she does/is doing. Well, that kind of stuff got more views for some reason! 

I find her incredibly annoying and frazzling, since she's five in April, she might calm down a bit. She likes talking to herself and pretending she's about seven or eight people at the same time. Seven or eight siblings would be much less work to handle, honestly.

I'm glad locks were invented. I wish someone would invent mouth-locks, though.

Anyway, I have to go, I'll work on the Ramlah post even though I would rather not lol

Assalaamu Alaikum

Updates!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

 السلام عليكم

I have done numerous things lately, alhamdulillaah.

1. I finished the cross-stitch pattern - I'm framing it soon inshaa Allaah and then I will put a picture.
This was what I last put up on the blog.

2. I read some books and maybe I'll put up a book recommendation soon.

3. Finished crocheting a cushion and I'm waiting to go to a store so I can get polyester stuffing. (Nope, I can't use a pillow for stuffing.)

4. A year back, I used an old book that had magic in it (my grandma gave it to me) and made it into a hollow book. I'll do a post on that soon, inshaa Allah!

It looks somewhat like this, but not as deep. My book was kind of thin. 

5. I finally got Scarlet and Ivy - The Lost Twin! I was thrilled to find it was cheap for such a thick book.

6. Our Peace Lily plant stopped putting lilies out, and some leaves are yellow. I guess this means it is NOT dying (I read that somewhere?) and in spring it will bloom again.

8. I SKIPPED NUMBER 7!!! (LOL)

9. I baked cupcakes on Fridays for two weeks (I hope I'm going to stop before it turns into a month, I mean, who wants to eat cupcakes for most of the month? Some people do, but even I can't eat 12 cupcakes every week. Guess what, Ramlah doesn't like cupcakes unless I let her lick all the frosting off.)

10. The cupcakes are eggless because we are eggless for three or four weeks. (No, seriously. I forgot to inform Abi to buy eggs.)

OKAY, so I made this list around a month ago. 

So, I added it here, just so you know.

Anyway, when I was trying my hardest to sleep one night, I got an idea (I'm like that!). I didn't have anything to write it down, but I tried to remember it. And I did! 

I'm starting a 'quest'. 

Ok, so I guess everyone has at least five books (fiction or nonfiction) in their house. If they don't... well, I just guess they aren't 'everyone'. 

This is my idea (part 1):

1. I'll find a blank notebook (somehow).

2. I'll read a book and choose five words that I like.

3. Without looking up the meaning, I write what I think is the definition, but in my own words. 

4. Then, I check the dictionary and write below the dictionary's definition. 

My idea (part 2):

1. YOU read a book and choose five words you like.

2. Do the same as part 1.

3. Post a comment here with your definition and the book title. 

My idea (part 3):

1. I'll write YOUR definition as well, in my notebook.

2. I'll be updating the words on the blog once in a while.

My idea - THE END.

Oh yeah, and you can choose any amount of books - but five words from each of them.

Well, my next post will probably be about a craft, so stay tuned for that!

Maimoonah

Puzzle #5

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 السلام عليكم

Last week's answers:
1. the letter 'G'
2. the doctor was his mother
3. breath
4. sky


This week's questions:
Sorry, but none! I am pretty busy so I will start in a few weeks again! More posts coming up, though: crocheting, sewing, baking, and art!

Puzzle #4

Last Week's Answers
1. You are cutting an onion.
2. Asleep
3. Nightshade
4. Middle East
5. Mug

This week's questions

1. it always ends EVERYTHING.

2. a little boy who was a doctor's son, but the doctor wasn't his father, went fishing. So who was the doctor?

3. light as a feather, yet the strongest person cannot hold it for long.

4. blue, oxygen, sometimes covered in grey.

Puzzle #3

Last week's answers
1. Earth
2. Donut/Doughnut
3. Russia
4. Potter
5. Friends
6. Heart
7. Apple core

This week's puzzle:
1. You cry but you aren't sad, only annoyed.
2. Your brain works, but you aren't thinking. You are...?
3. A deadly creature, not an animal, not a human nor a bird, alive, but captive on Earth, and the first word in its name is night.
4. Not West, not really South, not quite North, not exactly East.
5. A hit and run robbery, but is a synonym for cup.

Ashūra

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 السلام عليكم

So... you know it's recommended to fast Ashūra, but do you know WHY Muslims fast Ashūra?

This is a poster that was shared on one of the Whatsapp groups Ummi has joined. Ashūra is special to me, as my very first fast that I fasted was on Ashūra. On Ummi's blog post, it says I was 4 years and 3 months. Here is the link!

I also found some links.
https://www.abukhadeejah.com/story-of-musa-birth-struggles-miracles-victory-pharaoh-ashura/
This one is a most interesting story of Musa, and of course, it has a point about Ashūra.
https://www.salafisounds.com/the-month-of-muharram-and-story-of-musa-by-hasan-somali/
This is another interesting audio of the story of Musa.
https://www.salafisounds.com/muharram-and-the-day-of-ashoorah-khutbah-by-abu-idrees/
This is a Khutbah and it speaks about Muharram and the day of Ashūra.
https://www.troid.org/ibadah/knowledge/2441-why-did-umar-ibn-al-khattab-select-the-month-of-muharram-to-start-the-islamic-calendar
And this, the most interesting of all, is a short blog post telling us why Umar bin Al-Khattab selected Muharram to start the Islaamic Calendar.


So that's my short post today,
Maimoonah

Puzzle #2

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

 السلام عليكم

1. Book  
2. Painting  
3. Tsar 
4. Juice 
5. Stars
6. Computer
7. Australia

This week's puzzle:

1. Live on it, grow food and it is a ball.

2. In the shape of an almond traditionally, and sometimes a hole in the centre.

3. Largest country

4. A person who doesn't pot, but makes them.

5. They come and they go, some you wish to keep and some you wish to leave.

6. The core of all feelings.

7. What you don't eat usually, but it is the most important part of a fruit.

Short Post: Puzzle #1

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

 السلام عليكم

I am starting a weekly puzzle! I haven't posted in a while so I want to fill in the gaps until I can post a full post full of stuff.

The puzzle will be every Friday, inshaa Allaah.
The answers to this puzzle will be given every Friday.
If you guess a word correctly, I will reply to your comment with an affirmative or negative answer.

This week's puzzle:

1. it has different genres and starts with B  
2. a thing that speaks without words  
3. a four-letter word for ruler  
4. like water, can be thicker or thinner and has different flavours  
5. used by the angels, used to decorate, used to help travellers
6. what most people have today and it starts with 'CO'
7. smallest continent

Everyone in your family can post in separate comments!

To post, just write:
1.
2.
3.
4.
ETC, and type the answers in each point.

I am in a hurry, as you probably can tell, so,

Assalaamu Alaikum and once you comment I will reply!

Book Recommendation #6

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

 السلام عليكم

The sixth Book Recommendation... it should have been six months, right? Let me check. It's been eight! O-o-oh, the time passes so quickly.

Book #1

I read this book yesterday having remembered this book from long ago and I completely forgot the title of the book and searched these exact words: 'twins baby shipwrecjed book'
.
YES, I wrote 'shipwrecjed'. It was a spelling mistake. And then I saw it. And remembered the title. A bit too late, don't you think?

Age Group: 8-14
Why I dislike it: There is some Jewish/Christian stuff in the book which can be easily crossed out and continued without the parts. I don't know if they are Jewish or Christian.
What I would change: I would cut off the un-Islaamic parts obviously and I think I would make everyone SPEAK properly and not like a pirate. 'Pieces of eight.'


Book #2

I remembered this book at the same time I read Baby Island. For - same author - almost the same style.

Age Group: 9-15
Why I dislike it: Well, there are some bad parts that can be skipped and crossed out.
What I would change: I can't remember the book - not really, but I remember Caddie had to ride to somewhere and try and warn someone. I don't think I will delete anything except the un-Islaamic stuff.

Book #3



Age Group: I read it at age 9. I would say... 9-12
Why I dislike this book: There were some un-Islaamic things in the book, I think. And the bad words, and the punctuation.
What I would change: The un-Islaamic stuff to Islaamic, and I would also make the books happier and not always on sad times. I also remember the lack of punctuation, which is SOOOOO annoying. I think, if I was not reading it online, I would have physically got my pencil and added the commas. And one thing you should know, there are one or two bad words in the book. 

Book #4



I did a review on this book around three years ago. Though not on this blog, I was part of a group in Qatar, we all met at a location and I think, one day we had to go home, choose a book, read it, and review it. We were given some questions. One of them was:


If you were to rewrite this book for Muslim children like yourself, what would you change about the setting, characters, problem/conflict, or ending, and why? What would you not change, and why?

Age Group: I'm not sure. I guess about 8-14.
Why I dislike this book: Just the part about the running away. I haven't exactly read it in a while, but inshaa Allaah I will soon.
What I would change: I will say the nearest thing that I said at that time, now.
I would change the plot about running away. Running away worries the parents, and apparently, the boy didn't think of his parents who were quite worried all the time he was on the mountain.


Well, I can remember more books, more frequently, but I'll leave it for later inshaa Allaah.

I am thinking of making a bookmark to go along with the books. Maybe a hundred because I keep losing bookmarks and I don't use them. Now would be a good time to make bookmarks!

See you soon inshaa Allaah!

Maimoonah