A little worrying

Believe it or not, this is a planner of a fourth year medical student with a very 'busy' life. I just feel for my poor parents who are under the false impression that their studious daughter is working hard and will make them proud one day. lolllllllllll awww i do love and adore my sister. Only in her planner will you find a whole day dedicated to eating cake as well sunday quidditch practice.

a little bit of this....

A few months back, while i was staying at my parents' place, my brother came back from university and told me about their ISOC charity dinner. Apparently him, and his best friend were bidding on a some Islamic canvas prints which they lost out on and even through it was all for a good cause i could clearly see that he was a little annoyed. So, i casually offered to paint something for him in case he was interested. The poor boy got really excited and kept badgering me through texts and phone calls to make him two canvas prints which he wanted to give to his friend as a gift. So like any good sister (of course, i'm very modest) i spent a lovely Sunday afternoon painting and here is what i was able to come up with.

I have always considered myself quite lucky because Alhumdulillah from a very young age i have had a bit of a passion for all things creative. This little pastime of mine has really helped me in times of stress or boredom but then there are also just random moments when i get an idea in my head and have to make it happen there and then. I love any type of craft, art, diy any thing creative basically.

One of my loves

Listen up peeps, sharing a little secret here. Are you all ready... Well i just wanted to get it off my chest that i love ASOS. It started with a little crush but has now flourished into a long lasting, comforting and loving relationship ;)

I discovered this little (online) treasure island about 5 years ago and remember thinking to myself why is this online store so cheap... I ended up concluding that there quality of clothes must be very low and left it at that. However a few weeks later i was in desperate need of a maxi dress and by chance came across a gorgeous dress on ASOS which seemed perfect. Half unsure, I ordered the dress with next day delivery and not only did the dress arrive early next morning, it managed to put a whole new meaning to ordering stuff online. My package arrived gorgeously packed with an ASOS magazine and wait for it TWO CHOCOLATE BARS... can you imagine how i felt??? A new dress and chocolates, i was over the moon really. As for the quality of their clothes, i was proven wrong because i still own that dress after so many years.

ASOS has come a long long way since then, and its safe to say that they produce new designs by the nano second. It is now UK's largest online store. Their collection now consists of curve which is aimed at plus sizes and a very trendy maternity line. However what i love most about them is that you are able to see all their clothes 'modeled on a catwalk', which gives you a far better idea about the cut and shape of clothing than seeing them modeled on mannequins, as is the norm with most online stores. You also get detailed information about the clothing like the material, care instructions and the length. Finally i love that they state what size the model is wearing rather than making the customer guess whether a dress looks only flowy because the model is wearing it three sizes bigger than her actual size. Oh and the fact that their customer service is great and postage and returns is free doesn't hurt either.

You only need to check out the most popular fashion blogs to see that almost all the fashionistas are singing praises for ASOS. Whats more is that they now stock a lot of the popular brands like french connection, river island, ted baker, etc... Their sales are also great with many items up to 80% off. So if you haven't ordered from them yet, i suggest you take a cuppa, sit back and browse the website for yourself...

waiting for the sun....

Spring is around the corner and so among many other things, its time to get excited about the latest trends and collections that will be hitting the stores pretty soon. I spy pretty feminine hints and cheeky mix and match looks. Other than that a lot of sporty looks have started appearing all around the fashionable blog sphere. Ohh, and its hard to ignore all the neon colour injected everywhere. There is also a lot of print on print, usually achieved with mixing florals and futuristic patterns.

For me personally, its always fun to find out what will be 'in' for the coming season because i love mulling over latest trends to figure out which ones i can incorporate into my wardrobe, where the focus is always on modesty before anything else.

For spring summer 2012 trends, I'm loving the feminine feel that was showcased by Louis Vuitton for example. The collection was so poetic, flowery and most importantly very feminine.

This look is easily adapted into modest wear. I'd go for flowy maxi dresses or skirts with vintage looking blouses, in different shades of pastels, teamed with cute floral hijabs.

I bought this Asos dress a few seasons back but never got around to wearing it. Think its time to dig it out of the back of my wardrobe for the coming season.
As for the neon trend id pretty much keep that the accessories department, unless i am feeling extremely brave. This Asos clutch is perfect for adding a splash of colour to any spring outfit and the fact that its so affordable only makes me want it more.

Will discuss some of the other trends that will surely be hitting the shops soon, in the next post inshaAllah. For now i have a few very hungry kiddies lurking around my kitchen trying to find snacks before dinner, so i must run and prevent that disaster from happening.

A little effort...

I always knew that when i became a mother i would go out of my way to try and make sure that my child was not a little monster obsessed with tv, video games etc but rather someone who appreciated and even enjoyed the great outdoors. Some of my fondest memories of childhood are the ones playing outdoor with friends and cousins, acting silly in our make believe adventures. Seeing young children constantly cooped up inside their homes, glued to their tv screens or playing virtual games with friends sends chills down my spine. It just seems like this generation is losing out on something very special. Unfortunately the culture of children that played outside is gone and children’s everyday life has shifted almost completely to the indoors. As a result, spontaneous contact with nature is a vanishing experience of childhood.

In the recent years a growing body of research has shown that the natural environment has profound effects on ones well being. However today, with children’s lives disconnected from the natural world, their experiences are mainly shaped through the media. It is the sad truth that the virtual is replacing the real. Children of today do not have the understanding that nature exists in their own backyards and neighborhoods, which further disconnects them from the knowledge and appreciation of the natural world. Having said all that, I do however understand that its not as safe as it used to be for children to be playing outside. In today's busy lifestyle there are many factors which contribute to children's lack of interaction with the natural world.

Nonetheless I still think that it is up to to the parents to make the effort and give their children an opportunity to explore and consequently love the natural world around us. There are so many little things we can do. For example family outings can be an opportunity to explore the great outdoors. I personally love picnics and walks in the summer. After a Sunday spent in a country park i always feel re energised. During winter months there are other places parents can take their children, local zoo, farms or botanical gardens are only some examples.

A few weeks ago the hubster and I took our little monster to the Syon Park tropical Zoo. I can honestly say that if not more, then i definitely had as much fun as my little munchkin. It was an amazing experience as we made it just in time for the zoo's daily show and tell session, where parents and children are allowed to hold/stroke some of the animals. The team at the zoo was super friendly, making parents and children feel very comfortable the whole time. Most of the animals at the zoo are rescued from the illegal pet trade, private collectors or zoos and you get to hear a little about their rescue stories, during the show and tell session. The munchkin did not want to leave the zoo, she fell in love with the rabbits and the snakes. My personal favourite were the chinchillas.

Here are a few pics of our adventure:

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Heavenly

The hubster made me listen to this Adhaan a few days ago and i can honestly say that its the most beautiful adhaan i have ever heard. The voice is so powerful with amazing clarity in it. I can not stop listening to it and just wish there was a way i could hear this at home before every prayer...
Also amazing is the fact that this adhaan was performed in a church in Ottawa. It was part of a program to bring about peace and unity. People from different faiths were invited to gain awareness and become more tolerant of others religions and cultures. The adhaan (the Islamic call for prayer) was performed by a muslim student as to make people sense the beauty of the call.