Tempting Templates-DCM


Ooh we have been very lucky! This weeks dare is sponsored by the lovely Jenn and Self Addressed she was kind enough to provide the team with some fab papers. So this week Jane set us a template to make good use of the stash we had been sent!

Here is my attempt. The papers are just sooo delicious!
So have a look at what gorgeous creations the girls have come up with and don't forget to check out the Self Addressed site

We are also really glad to have a new guest designer for a couple of weeks..so big waves to Tracy! We look forward to seeing some of her gorgeous creations!

xxsaffa

So much going on!

Phew its been a busy old week...actually its been a busy month or so! BIG DCM NEWS: We have the absolute pleasure of having Lynne join us as a full time DCM designer. We are so chuffed and we will get to se loads of her fab fab fab creations! So welcome aboard Lynne!

Today is the DCM little extra. This week it was primary colours! I had a great time with this card and went a little overboard with the walnut ink so it looks a little dirtier than I had intended!

FIL is still is still in intensive care. There are some serious problems with his lungs as well as other issues so continuing prayers would be much appreciated. I found this picture of him when he and MIL came to visit back in 2005. I love this photo I hope and pray to God that we will again be able to share moments like this!

Well Ibrahim started his new school today (yes I'm about to get all motherly so reach for a bucket as I've been gushing for two days over my boy) Yesterday was a well needed trip to the barber. We just popped in to a new place and he gave Ibrahim a great cut-although my kid sister said that its geeky....well I think that (mashallah) he looks gorgeous! So here is a before photo from Sunday morning at the park and an after photo from yesterday!























And here is my boy..you can now actually see his face hehe......
I really love this photo and it is going into my box of pics to scrap..that is an ever growing mountain!!!! I'm really pleased that he has been excited about starting his new school! I think it helps that he already knows one of the boys in his class. The last week or so was spent kitting him out...WOW uniforn isnt cheap, but we found a blazer at the thrift shop at the school for the grand sum of £8 which saved me about £90 would you believe!! Everything is labeled including socks as Ibrahim is as scatty as they come! He will lose anything! Anyway Ibrahim this morning looking all smart (Im sure he wont look like this when I go to collect him!!) My boy is all grown up..I don't know where the time has gone!!!!












































And if you have got to the end of this post..well done!!!!! Go take a well earned rest of go make a card for the DCM challenge!!

xxSaffa

Better late than never!

So this weeks dare was set by the fantastic Gillian it was to use the currently very hip felt on a card. Somehow Friday passed me by without me quite noticing. So here is my belated card.

Loving this song!!


OK OK OK I know its really old, but if its good then it should always be good if you see what I mean. This is Clannad's song from one of my all time favourite movies The Last Of The Mohicans I just adore this move so I thought I'd post the song!


Saffa

Crossing Continents!

This weeks dare for the daring card makers was set by yours trully and the girls have risen to the challenge with such style as ever!!

I (Saffa) come from a very multicultural background and love being able to see them all from within and this is what has inspired this weeks challenge....take a deep breath...
I would like you to make a card that celebrates and reflects a festival from another culture to your own....

So here are some ideas to get you started:
Chinese New Year,
Eid,
Hanukkah,
Persian New Year,
Diwali,
Sinhalese New Year,
Kwanzaa,
St. Patrick's day,

So this is what I came up with for my own dare this week. It is not what I had originally planned but hey when are my cards ever what I originally planned. Now I have been a bit cheeky with this dare. I chose Nowruz which is the Persian new year it literally means 'new day' and is celebrated in Iran , Turkey, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Albania, Georgia, the countries of Central Asia such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, as well as among various other Iranian and Turkic people in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, India, North western China, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Balkans.

It is celebrated at the time of the spring equinox which usually falls on the 21st March. This year it was around 1am UK time on the morning of the 21st. There are lots of traditions relate to Norooz, several days before we set out the Haftseen this is what Wikepedia has to say about the Haftseen

The Haft Sīn

Main article: Haft sin table

The Traditional Haft Sîn

Haft Sîn (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Norouz. The haft sin table includes seven items specific starting with the letter S or Sīn (س) in Persian alphabet). The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals protecting them. Originally called Haft Chin (هفت چین)^{[citation needed]}, the Haft Sin has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a Haft Sīn table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Norouzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.

The Haft Sin items are:

• sabzeh - wheat, barley or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
• samanu - a sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
• senjed - the dried fruit of the oleaster tree - symbolizing love
• sīr - garlic - symbolizing medicine
• sīb - apples - symbolizing beauty and health
• somaq - sumac berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
• serkeh - vinegar - symbolizing age and patience

Other items on the table may include:

• Sonbol - Hyacinth (flower)
• Sekkeh - Coins - representative of wealth
• traditional Iranian pastries such as baghlava, toot, naan-nokhodchi
• dried nuts, berries and raisins (Aajeel)
• lit candles (enlightenment and happiness)
• a mirror (symbolizing cleanness)
• decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
• a bowl of water with goldfish (life within life, and the sign of Pisces which the sun is leaving)
• a bowl of water with an orange in it (the earth floating in space)
• rose water for its magical cleansing powers
• the national colours, for a patriotic touch
• a holy book (e.g., the Qur'an, Avesta, Bible, Torah, or Kitáb-i-Aqdas,) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the Shahnama or the Divan of Hafez)

There are normally prayers said aroung the time of the equinox to welcome in the new year. So this is my card. Paisley is a big part of persian art and the cloth used on the Haftseen is normally a traditional paisley fabric called 'Termeh'.

We always have flowers, I tried to make a hyacinth bu that failed so resorted to the good old junkitz blooms! The sequin is for the mirror that is always on the haftseen and the colours are reds and greens and earth tones to reflect all the other items of the haftseen.

Just a quick hello!

Hello everyone, thanks to all of you that have poped in to my blog recently! There has been a reason for my lack of blogging. Apart from being mega mega busy with my studies and my work we had some bad news three weeks ago. My father in law who had been visiting family our in Saudi Arabia had been hit by a car as he crossed the road. Three weeks on and he is still in a semi-coma state. He has started to move his hand and feet and my DH Abdellatif who flew out is sure that his father hears them. Unfortunately the MRI scan showed some brain damage, but we will not know the extent for a very long time and recovery will be along process.

As you can imagine, in times like this blogging falls straight to the bottom of the need to do list as does crafting I'm affraid. It is difficult sometimes to come to terms with things like this but we must put our trust in God. Often there may be great good in something that appears bad to us. The family are coping as best as they can and it is good that MIL and her kids are all together. We didn't tell the family back home in Morocco until two weeks later as we were waiting for something conclusive to say so it has been hard on them too!

I will try and get back to some crafting and blogging. I would ask you to make a prayer for the continued recovery of my FIL who (mashallah/ God bless him) is the very best of men.


xxSaffa