Thursday 18 September 2008

Playing Catch Up - Ramadan & New Blog Banner

I feel so guilty for not having checked in any sooner. I've left it a whole month before coming back here and yet I've had a whole load of stuff that I wanted to post and share but somehow time evaded me and the routine of daily life was always there. On top of which it's our holy month of Ramadan and we're busy with fasting and devotional prayers take up most of the day.


We fast from dawn till sunset, where we can't eat or drink anything. Fasting has been prescribed by God for all Muslims in order for us to attain piety and to make us thankful for all that He's given us and believe me when one refrains from eating and drinking all day for so many hours and then it's time to break your fast - a glass of water has never tasted so sweet:-) It makes us empathise with the millions of people in the world who don't even get clean water to drink, who are starving and dying everyday through lack of food and water. It really puts things in perspective for us and we become sober at the thought of it and we devote our time praying and reading the Quran so that we can gain more knowledge and do charitable deeds and give alms to help needy people.

So, this is going to last 30 days (Ramadan started 1st Sept) and at then end we celebrate with Eid, which is our festival (the nearest I can describe it to is Christmas) - where families gather together and eat, drink (not alcohol), wear new clothes, exchange gifts and generally celebrate the end of the fasting month.


I've been kinda quiet on the Art front aswell during Ramadan but have been busy making Eid cards for all my relatives and friends. I gotta do a little Art everyday otherwise I feel something is missing from my life:-)

By the way... have you seen my new blog banner? How can you have failed to notice it when it's right there blinging in your face:-) Isn't it just so beautiful? Well sorry to blow my own trumpet but I think it is and I defy you to say any different;-) I had it personally designed for me by Shabby Cottage Studio's very own Gail Schmidt. We liaised together (yes we did!) for a few days in order to get the elements and look of the banner just right and Gail was so helpful and friendly, giving me advice night and day on how to get my banner just right. My banner showcases some of my Art from mosaics to ATCs. I wanted it to reflect my personality and love of colours and I think Gail has managed to capture exactly that. Oh and by the way, that lovely red chandelier swinging from the centre is my very own which hangs as a pair in my lounge - I just had to include that because it's my most fave colour RED! Along with the newly designed banner I've changed the name one last time to suit ME. Don't worry won't be changing it again:-) So a very BIG Thank you to Gail for all your help with my new blog banner and if anyone out there in Blogland is stuck for ideas go visit Gail she'll help you all the way:-D

Well, as they say, tomorrow is another day and I will hopefully offer up another post - I want to really I do!

10 comments:

Sherry said...

How lovely Lubna! I'm a friend of Gail's and I popped over to look at your banner...it's exquisite!! And how delightful to hear an old favourite song -- Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again, Naturally". Happy Ramadan!

Anonymous said...

The new banner is just glorious and well worth the effort you both put into it, it shows..love the name too :).
I also really enjoyed reading your piece on Ramadan, tis beautifully expressed, you have such a beautiful spirit Lubna, it is a joy to know you.
Jill

Lubna said...

Hi Sherry
Thank you for popping in and I'm glad you like the new banner, I'm really happy with it - only thing that's stumping Gail and myself is how to centre it on my blog page - as you can see it's all to the right - if you have any advice it would be much appreciated:-)

Yes that song is lovely isn't it:-)

Lubna said...

Jill I found your comments so endearing. Thank you so much for those sweet words - they really touched me:-)

I'm glad you like the new banner too! If you have any advice on how to centre it - it would be a great help - Thanks! :-)

MARGARET FIELD said...

Really lovely banner
I'm not really sure why it's to the right, but i noticed that when you click on it, the 'box' it is in goes over on to the brown side piece?

Is it possible that it's too large?

I'm no expert, so am probably wrong lol.

LOVE the chandelier, and especially your work

Lubna said...

Hi Margaret
Thank you:-)
Actually I'm stumped about my banner being off centre and don't know how to fix this prob. I'm hoping someone with a little tech savvy will be able to help me. I don't think it's too big as Gail from Shabby Cottage Studios designed it for me and she can't understand why it doesn't fit either.

I've been absent from blogging for a while but will be resuming any day now - have so much to say:-)

Thanks! I'm glad you like my chandelier:-)
Thanks for popping by:-)

Lubna

Anonymous said...

Your blog banner is gorgeous!

Ginger said...

Hi lubna am with you making Gothic arches love that you joined us!Also enjoyed the music and Happy Ramadan! Loved the art i saw on your blog!hmm never did felt have to try it.

Lubna said...

Hi Kersten
Please forgive me for the delay in my reply to your comment on my banner - I Thank you so much for your kind words and am glad you like it. Only thing is it's not centred and I don't know how to go about fixing that I'm afraid:-)

Lubna said...

Hi Ginger
Please forgive my delay in replying to your comment. I really appreciate you taking time to leave me such kind words:-)

Yes I'm finding creating Gothic Arches is really freeing of the constraints from creating ATCs for so long:-) I'm enjoying it so much!

Felt making is a little bit more strenuous but I can thoroughly recommend it for it's therapeutic value alone:-)