A Cup of Shai

Mosque Opening Hello and Salaam everyone! Yes, here it is, "Eid Eve", and sadly, the last day of Ramadhan 2020. *wipes away tear* It feels emotional because it feels like you're bidding farewell to a friend who has stayed with you for an entire month :) This year will of course, be more so different as there'll be no Eid Prayers or Festivals in the park due to Covid19 regulations. That, and people won't (or shouldn't!) be visiting loved ones from different households, and less people will be sending/recieiving delcious plates of baked treats and Biryani due to Social Distancing rules. I'm sure people are still going to make the most of what we do  have though :) For some much needed festivity, I have brought to you four different, and simple Eid card ideas you can make with your little ones. :) All of the cards are super dooper easy to make because they just require a printoutthat needs colouring in, sticking on the card and decorating. :) If you ...

Salaams and hello all. Remember when I said that I've had a few craft ideas I'll be sharing? Well, here's another one, as promised. I'm going to share with you a little Eid idea that you can start making from now :) It is the 'Ka'bah Kube gift box' which you can make at home in no time. :) You will need:  Black card (you can always use any coloured card and colour it in black, so it's fine if you don't have black card.) Gold pen/ribbon/foil (can also be used interchangeably.) Scissors Tape Glue. 1. First, draw a cube net. Then draw tabs onto your faces. I always draw extra tabs because I can never remember which tabs go where. Then you can easily cut off any excess tabs later on. Cut the net out. 2. Then, score on the lines, as this will make the folding easier.  3. After this, start sticking the tabs and the faces together to form your cube. Use sticky tape for reinforcement!  4. Now, this is the fun part. Add in ...

 Hello everyone. Since Muslims are observing Ramadhan, I thought it would be a really cool idea to come up with some crafts inspired by the Holy Month. So! I have come up with some ideas, and today I have brought you *points above* the " Musallah!" A Musallah is another term for the Prayer Mat that Muslims pray on five times a day. It's a little cute card craft you can make with little ones in a really short space of time. Read on if you'd like to make your very own Mini Musallah with your Munchkin! 1. Firstly, fold a piece of card in half, lengthways, and cut along the fold. 2. Then fold it in half again so you have an A5 sized card. This will be the basis of your prayer mat. 3. Next, paint your prayer mat any colour you wish to. Try to use bright, cheery colours! 4. After this, you will need to decorate your prayer mat. You can use paint, metallic pens, and even embellishments like ribbon, table confetti and stick on pearls. ...

Salaam and hello everyone :) Feeling ok? Feeling rubbish? It's fine, ride the wave as I have said previously, and be kind to yourself :)  Below is a list of what I was grateful for in April 2020, so I am going to crack on! :) 1. Ramadhan decorations in the house. 2. Making star shaped snacks. 3. Starting to learn French. 4. My family being alive. 5. Making new friends. 6. Cooking lasagne. 7. Being alive. 8. Cleaning and decluttering. 9. Praying in Jama'ah (congregation) with my family. 10. Creating art. 11. Making my first video! 12. Food that we eat. 13. Feeling rubbish, crying, and being ok with that. 14. Walks in the park. 15. Foot soaks! 16. The sound of birds tweeting. 17. The taste of cold, sweet watermelon after a day of fasting. 18. Video calls with my friends. 19. Devouring Rasmalai (Indian milk pudding with dumplings in it) !! 20. Dua (wish-prayer) at Maghrib (sunset) time. 21. The beautiful flowers in the park. 22. The smell of grass. 23....

Salaams and hello everyone! How are you? My post today is a creative, hands on one! It's all about how you can make these beautiful, colourful and vibrant canvases using the concept of Islamic geometric art! Below is an easy peesy step-by-step guide on how to create the above masterpiece!  You will need:  A price tag Canvases Pencil and rubber. Acrylic paint. Metallic paint. Paintbrushes. Plastic sheet/newspaper to cover the surface you're working on. 1. Firstly, on your canvas, draw around the price tag, ensuring you have filled the space.  2. Then, paint the white space around the eight-pointed star in various colours. Make sure you blend the colours properly whilst still wet or else the acrylic paint will dry. 3. After this, outline each eight pointed star with metallic paint to create that sense of  "Middle-Eastern" opulence. 4. Repeat this until you have completed the full set of canvases. 5. Finally, arrange in a space and ...

Hello everyone. How are you doing? I  hope  you're well, but it is totally understandable if you're not well either. Know that it's okay to not be okay during this testing time. Some people are rightly taking advantage of the time and pursuing new hobbies or taking online courses, and then there's going to be times when we just feel like having a cry about when (if) we will see certain loved ones again. That's the reality. We're all bound to ride the 'emotion' wave. God knows I've been riding the emotion wave and trying to keep my surfboard well and truly balanced! So in this post, I've brought to you six ways you can keep going :) 1. Get creative. Simply grab a pencil and doodle on paper. If you're artistic, reach for the stars and go crazy with collages and paints! Research suggests that creative activity increases the production of dopamine, the hormone which creates pleasure in you :) 2. Meditate and Mindfulness. By swi...

  Hello all! Since Mother Nature is in full bloom, I've brought to you some brilliantly bright and downright cheery card ideas that you can use with your little ones at home. Some of these cards can be used as a belated Easter craft, as a Spring craft, or just to have plain old fun :) Let's get started! Cherry Blossoms (above). You will need: Strips of black card. Cotton buds. White and pink paint. Pink tissue paper. Steps: 1. Firstly, stick the strips of black card down to make it look like branches of a tree. 2. Then, with a cotton bud, dot some white paint in groups of five to make your cherry blossoms. 3. Repeat with the pink paint. 4. Finally, scrunch up your pink tissue paper and stick on the branches to make blossoms. This will add depth to your beautiful blossoms! Sunny Spring!  You will need: Plastic fork. Yellow paint. Googly eyes/black paint. Coloured tissue paper. Steps: 1. Firstly, draw a circle at the top of your card and using...