Latest finds

Being the bargain hunter that I am, I came across these great little jewellery pieces on Sunday. The hubs and I were meant to be visitng the Banksy exhibition, again, but we decided against it after witnessing the mad 4.5hours waiting queue!
Instead, we walked around in the sun and lined our bellies with grub and drinks before hitting the shops until our feet felt sore :-DSo, here are some of my latest bargain finds:
The rings, brooch and bangles cost less than a tenner from Accessorize! I was fortunate enough to find what was left of a good sale :-) and the GORGEOUS earrings were a steal at a little less than £2.00!

Now that's what I call recession busting :-D

5 things about me - tagged

Thank you to Skye over at Muslimah-in-Aus for tagging me a few weeks ago...got round to it eventually :-)

Okay so here goes:

1. I chew my food very slowly. I can't help doing something I've done for as long as I can remember! I like biting and chewing on something as small as a cumin seed to properly munching on a bite-ful of a chicken burger. Inevitably, it takes almost forever for me to finish a meal- but hey, apparently this way of eating is healthy as it's good for you to break your food down to aid digestion and plus because it makes you feel fuller quicker :-)
2. I like thick and well groomed eyebrows and it's a look I'm working on. My eyebrows haven't been threaded in a couple of months now and they are growing back as bushy as a pair of caterpillars! I've been tempted to have them threaded on a number of occasions but have so far resisted the temptation.
3. I feel a sense of peace and calm whenever I pray and remember the Almighty. Sometimes I end up sobbing which also relives me of whatever anguish I'm feeling. I love it and wish to indulge in my obligation even more iA.
4. I can roll my tongue inside my mouth and look quite freaky at the same time! :-D

• I love bargains. I hate buying things at full price, unless it's a gift for a dear one. I feel like I've been cheated when I pay something at full price for myself and often run the following thoughts in my head "why are you paying for something at full price when you know you're going to kick yourself for it!". So inevitably, I spend an awfully long time looking around, casually browsing for a real good bargain. Even if 20% off is a good enough excuse to buy something worth it! Anyway, this can often be a double edged sword in the sense that it can lead to me buying zero items or on a profitable day (hah) I can end up coming home with things that I don't actually need and so justify the purchase (to myself) by singing the "I'll need it one day" mantra :-D

Who to tag:

Aimie, Queen, White Orchid, Constructive Attitude and finally Ms.Mango! Plus, anyone who wants to take part!

My baby's done it!

Salaam dear readers

How are we all today? In good spirits I hope :-)

Something quite amazing happened yesterday and I feel this event alone deserves a whole post of it's own.

*Warning: Sick bucket may be required.

Sweet baby pie, also known as the hubs, got his results yesterday at 5.20am and alhamdulilah is now a fully qualified ACCA accountant!!! He has completed all his exams, icluding the last two which he sat in June and has not only just passed, but passed with flying colours mashaAllah! Neither of us knew what to expect as the last two papers he sat were the most toughest he had sat yet. The ACCA website was incredibly jammed as ACCA hopefuls the world over were all attempting to log on at the same time to check their results. When I finally managed to log in I quickly saw the words "Pass" "Pass" and gave out a little "ahhh you've done it" scream as the hubs continued scanning the page! My in-laws were over come with joy and called half of Bangladesh to let their families know of their son's success, mashaAllah it was a great feeling :-)

I am so incredibly proud of him and it really is so heart warming to finally see the fruits of his hard labour. When the hubs and I met all those many years ago (around 5 years ago now!), he was just starting off the ACCA course and now, all those many years later - he's done it :-D InshaAllah it will give him a new uplifting courage to go on to do even greater things and to make his, and our dreams come true. Even I feel free-er knowing that he is now stress free in that department and that we can now both move on in making our dreams come true iA :-D

To celebrate, I booked us a table at our local Slug & Lettuce (no I'm not kiddin'!) and yaa, indulged in some gorgeous food. The hubs even by that point still couldn't believe he had done it and was generally in shock, so conversation largely centred on work, ACCA, and work. Blah.

Yes, that is lettuce of some sort. And no, those fried things are not slugs, but king prawns! Haaoww! :-)

Oh well. My baby's done it! Well done you!

I'm procrastinating , again

Hey 'sup people?

• I came across this article just now and it made me chuckle. The kids on the face of it are just asking awkward questions, but I actually think they're quite deep and profound!

• Check it out here :-)
• So the past few days, well since Sunday night actually I've been quite busy with family as my only sis-in-law and her hubby paid us a visit. It was cool having them round as we rarely see them but gosh, it's awful having uni work to do at home while the family's around. They left yesterday which has freed me up quite a bit :-)
  
• Oh also on Sunday, the hubs and I checked out Bristol's Islamic Fayre. The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny which perfectly complimented the days activities in a pro-halal environment. We heard nasheeds, with live performances by Khaleel Mohammed, ate great halal food and ice cream, drank lots of cool slush while sat on the clean green grass. We even indulged in a spot of joy riding on the bumping cars lol and yaa generally had a great day out. We also promised to come back to the fair with our future kids so that we can chase them round the park and also put them on a donkey ride! InshaAllah :-)
• I also laid my eyes on some fore arm sleeves which I had only ever seen on the web. At £3.50 though, I did think they were a little over priced but hubs bought me a black and white pair anyway. Just earlier today I realised that they are indeed cheaper on the net and would've been a bit cheaper in places like Birmingham - grrr! But what the hey ho! I'm so penny wise and pound foolish, hah!
• Talking of covering up, I'm really in search of a piece of chest/cleavage covering garment that I came across earlier this year on an American website. The piece was triangular shaped and covered the collar bone and chest area, sort of like a pyramid shape. Stupid me, never bookmarked the so-hard-to-find web page and so have failed to track it down ever since :-( I ask you dear sisters to please post a link if you know what I'm talking about! It just seems to have disappeared! I would be ever so grateful :-)
  

Okay, I'm leaving this one here.

xx

This is one post you shouldn't really read

Salaam readers

How are we all today? What's new in your world? What things have you been upto? What have you read, watched, laughed or frowned at recently? Why all the questions hmm?

Well. It's been a number of days since I was last blogging and although there is tonnes to say, it's just not happening. Maybe it will treacle out, in dribs and drabs . Oh boy. Brace yourselves, this is gonna be yet another random post!

What am I doing right now:

• Sipping tea and eating cow biscuits. They're not really cows m'dears.
• Feeling annoyed for not being able to pray and read the Qur'an on a Friday. I wasn't expecting to be hit by the cycle again, but what can one do.
• In relation to the previous point, one should and could make the most of the days when one is in a state to read and pray instead of feeling annoyed and self pity for one's own self.
• I'm not listening to music - WHY NOT!! Not like me at all *reaches out to play Lighthouse Family*
• Trying to "write a story" about the data I collected for my 15,000 word dissertation. So far it's not progressing at the rate I need it to. *brainwave needed*
  
• I'm thinking writing a blog is great. GREAT. gReAt. Yup.

Jumma Mubarak all and have a smashing day. I'll be back later with some more randomness!

My Islamic Way of Dressing: Tagged!

Right, onwards and upwards with this iA.

First of all, hello, salaam and welcome to my new readers/followers. I can see that you're all from various parts of the world, which may I add, is hugely exciting! I look forward to reading your contributions, either on here or on your own blog, iA :-)

Okay soo...The lovely Lela has tagged me with the Islamic Way of Dressing tag where I will show you'z all how I dress on different occasions. Simple enough.

This is me on a casual/smart day out. I like to keep the look unfussy, chic and elegant with an edge. Don't know if I'm there yet but I do try, although I don't want to give off that impression! Hahaha! My look mostly consists of a dress/long top with a pair of jeans (usually skinny), teamed with a matching hijab and a pair of cute shoes.

On very special occasions, I will usually wear a traditional Indian outfit. ^ I am wearing a saree (belly covered!) with a matching hijab. I love sarees as they are sooo chic and give great overall coverage, if worn carefully!

I love shoes. Pumps are a necessity of mine. Style and comfort = must. The one below is gorgeous :-D
Around the house, I usually wear a kurta/kaftan type top with trousers or jeans. Don't have the luxury of walking around in my slumber gear anymore, now that I live with my in-laws!
I also like wearing cute casual dresses. I have one very similar to this:
Some days though, I enjoy wearing cotton salwar kameez, esp when the weather's hot.

Another staple is the long cardigan or a long jacket/mac to cover the bum etc.



Well well. Who to tag? I send this out to everyone and anyone who would like to showcase their daily, Islamic inspired, dress style!

:-)

Remembering Him

Morning world :-)

Hope you're all good and giddy!

I'm up early this morning, even after going to bed quite late. I just couldn't switch off last night, thinking, pondering with some what iffing chucked in. Most of my thoughts were to do with my dad and all that he's done for me, for all of us in my family. I was thinking how unfortunate it was that my dad was all alone at night in his hospital room, he's been there since last Sunday, my birthday. My family stay with him the whole day, but of course have to retire home as overnight stay is not allowed, thankGod that at least they can provide him with company. He is so fragile now, so weak with an unpredictable health. I know for certain that if my dad had been well and good and I was the one in hospital, he would be the first one to be there by my side. I know this because he did just that when I was five years old and fractured my arm and had to stay in overnight. Dad never left my side the whole night and day. And would you believe luck ehy, here I am, three hours away from him, in some strange town which is now apparently my 'home', so far away from him and caught up in my own life: the barrier stopping me from visiting him. I wish I could just drop everything and go to him, but I know that this would anger him more than anything as he wants me to complete my studies, which inshaAllah finishes at the end of this month. I dunno. May be I will just drop everything and go up to be with him, let's see how this pans out. Through Allah's grace, I found some solace after reading fajr and a few pages of the Holy Qur'an earlier this morning, all while praying in the back of my mind for my dad's recovery, inshaAllah. Allah certainly is the best of planners.

Sharing is caring, but pay for your own images!

Salaam world

How are we all today?

This is just a quick post to just say that I am still here (have been lurking around a lot recently, hehee), alive and kicking and have got rid of the dreadful flu! So yeah, I was flicking through some of my older posts when this particular post caught my eye, or rather the following image did:

It probably shouldn't have, but the image put an awkward SMILE on my face! Esp the bit that says: Do you think you could afford paying for everyone?

Hoooawh!! I mean, I know we all google up images and post them on our blogs, right? But seriously, am I thief? I feel like I've robbed someone of an income or something!?! Heeeheee :-D

And there I was thinking that the age old saying "sharing is caring" was true!

Snottiness

Salaam world

Hope you're all well.

Just a quick post to say thank you to all those that left a msg on my bday post, really cheered me up as I'm feeling really poorly :-( Have been down with a cold/flu thing for the past two days, and it ain't getting any better. Tickly cough, teary eyes and yes, a nose full of mucus, super gross, I know. I've even had to cancel my meeting with my tutor tomorrow as I fear it will get worse if I travel!

Anyway. I'm gonna be off. Need to recover from whatever this bug is doing to me.

Laters for now xx

B-day: the ahhs and naas.

Salaam world

So I'm no longer a young 23 year old! But am a young 24 year old instead ;-) Yes, yesterday I turned a year older and just this >> | | much closer to getting my pension! Heh.

It was a lovely day alhamdulilah, full of life's simple sweet things. I spent the day with the hubs and my in laws and for the second time, away from my parents and siblings. I don't think the whole "I miss you" thing will ever go away and yesterday was no different, although I have begun to get used to it.

I made it very clear from the outset that I didn't want any hoo-haa with this birthday. A double whammy b-day honeymoon celebration saw the hubs and I live it up in 6* hotels in Malaysia last year, and basically raised the bar so high that I doubt the hubs will ever be able to max the celebrations up ever again (not that I want him to btw)! I mean I would only be ageing, what's there to celebrate right? But oh no. The hubs spoilt me rotten, showering me with his endless love, and yes, not to mention lots of pressies, days well before my birthday. He really is the best and I don't deserve him! But clearly he thinks I do, so it's kewl ;-) lol.

Instead of dining out like we normally do, I insisted on staying in, cooking the family some mousakka. This took quite a while but thank God it paid off. T'was divine! What really topped it off though, was being with the family. Although we live together, we seldom eat together, let alone sit together. Yesterday however, we did, and we even managed to fit in a golden oldie, black n white old school Bengali film. Ahh. Family time :-) What didn't top it off though, was the news I got when I called my parents to bid them goodnight...I found out that my dad had to be taken into A&E last night as his breathing became dangerously difficult. He's had to stay in over night, but I've found out that he's doing okay now inshaAllah. *sigh* I knew he didn't sound well when he called yesterday morning to wish me a good day but silly me, I didn't pursue it any further :-( Allah knows best though, he'll be okay iA.

So. Another day and the future awaits. I'm really fortunate to have so many wonderful blessings in my life. These blessings are namely my nearest and dearest who truly care for me, something which admittedly I don't always succeed in recognising. Gifts are an obvious symbol of affection, but they are meaningless without the true meaning one attaches to them. I pray Allah always keeps me this blessed and surrounds me with his love through my loved ones. Ameen.

Aanyway. We took some pics to capture the sweet day. Enjoy readers :-)

Sweet card and the orchids from my in laws. So so so sweet!

Black and silver Asian dress from my parents.
Pink dress and second black dress from MIL.
Bag from sis
R. Lauren Style perfume (gift wrapped) from bro
Peridot (birthstone) and diamond earrings; Nintendo DS I with Brain Trainer - I was dying for this; card and chocs and not to mention insurance on the hubs car for my driving lessons - all from the hubs!

Home made mousakka! My first attempt mA :-)

Surprise cake, complete with candles and SHOES! lol Very sweet :-)


And that's the end of that.