The Weave and Chain is here!

Hello Ladies! (and interested gents)
I am so happy to announce that I have added more items into crafted candies in Still Carvings' list of lush things to wear! Just recently, I was making a bracelet for my sister and took a picture on Instagram of it and got a request for an anklet! Of course I was more than happy to scatter my things on the table and work away. I like playing with colour and making little bits of trinkets to match. Voila! After the anklet, I made a bracelet for my sister in law and the result was oh my god can I make more? I want one for myself!

Anyway, if you like what you see and would like to get one (or a fewww) for yourselves, they're up for sale for $15 for the bracelet and $17 for the anklet. I'm bringing in more charms but I can't wrap my head around which ones I'd like to get. They're ALL pretty. 

I'm taking orders if you're interested but yes, do be patient if it tends to be really slow LOL! Get me on facebook inbox, email or whatsapp me on my number. You can even leave me comments in this post. Oh, and if you'd like to get them as a present of some sort, I'll get them packed nicely ;)

And to my previous, current and coming customers, I so thank you very much for your support. There is nothing in this world that feels better than making something that you've worked real hard for and be appreciated for in return. It is all about giving and getting back in return after all.

Hope you like what you see! Order awaaaaayy~~

Anklet $17

Bracelet $15

Photos are of customers wearing their gems after delivery.

How Bizarre

Assalammualaikum everyone!

Wow it's the new month already. Didn't even realise Blogger's changed its interface.

Anyhoot few updates of the progress of Still Carvings:

1. We took part in the Special Olympics Charity Bazaar at the Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium. It was a first for Still Carvings. It all started with a photoblogging trade, then my D50 kinda busted itself so I committed to another hobby - crafting. I have always LOVED giving things I make to other people, especially friends and family, and would usually get asked if I was selling them. I never did think that I would before but now, alhamdulillah, have been given the perseverance to sit and string and weave and braid, etc. Great calming feeling and always feels good to see the end-product. Plus, I just love working on my sewing machine. Makes me sound pretty old doesn't it? LOL! Anyway, sold mostly handcrafted things, made by my siblings and I, and also my cousin. Sold a few scarves and hijabs for my other cousin too AND the best thing was that I love looking at people rummaging through our trolley of Pre-Loved t-shirts and garments. Was SOOOO happy when a very frenchie chic young girl bought my swallow jumpsuit =') Now I know it's in really good hands.
2. I'm religiously making bracelets (and most recently anklets) during my free time after work. Last batch of hex bracelets were done last night. I am tres excited to show a variety of other hexes that I have for next batch. InsyAllah will share that in Beautiful Faith! (You know, I should blog this in my Still Carvings blog but it's too much work managing a few blogs at once!)
3. During the charity bazaar my fabric clutches were quite a hit. I didn't think anyone would buy them at first and I made only two! We weren't even through halfway and they were gone! Got a customer who kept coming and when she wanted to get the fabric clutches they were already gone. So now I know what next to sell to you peeps =) 

And that's pretty much it I suppose.

It's another busy month for the whole family as my cousin's getting married.  I can't wait for the dressy part of it though mehehehe.

I'm just taking life as it flows right now. I refuuuuusee to make a Still Carvings Facebook page because I don't want to be bombarded with orders just yet. I'm doing this slowly and steadily. I am at this stage of my life where my career has finally stabilised hence why I sometimes don't have time to blog, craft, sew and go out as much. My brain is constantly on gear 5 and before this I had a serious case of bruxism. But alhamdulillah, I've learnt to take control of my life (although sans teeth grinding, I now snore HAHA) and yes, sure I think too much sometimes but now I've trained myself to give myself a break. Thanks to PS3's Just Dance though, always fun to get 5 stars and imagine I'm on So You Think You Can Dance.

*pukes*

Jokes aside, there are things that cannot be avoided at times at work and life in general, but you just have to know how to handle it. Always keep in your head that Allah will not test you if He knows you cannot handle it so trust Allah in whatever choice you make. I don't believe in giving up, I believe in trying and reaching that limit where when I feel like I cannot go on, I'll just let go yet have closure with. So far, things are great and I am thankful. Sure there is a recent incident that made me think twice about my age against my position but oh that is just a spot of bother, especially coming from a person who is known to make enemy of everyone and never complete his task when given. May Allah help us all from the agony of Hell fire. People should understand that life is temporary - it is merely a gift for us to enjoy, to learn and to discover about ourselves and be close to Allah but somehow people forget how important it is to live wisely.

See, I have gone out of tandem again. That's my cue to stop, I suppose.

Well this still pending: That hijab turban tutorial I promised a while back. Wait til I really have time then I'll do it =p

Come one Come ALL!!!

L'office!

Isn't the initial reason of setting up this blog for sharing modest clothing? Oh, shucks, I seem to have steered out of place. But here's to getting back on the pedestal! Top left is what I'm wearing today hehe!
Have a great day everyone!

Mufti Menk is the bomb!

Lavish weddings where much money is splashed, extravagance is clear, religious rules are blatantly disregarded, the poor are not invited and people forget that it is meant to be a sacred union and a gift of the Almighty, cannot bear much blessings and can even return to haunt the families later on.

The most blessed of all weddings are those full of simplicity where religious rules are given primeimportance and the whole function considered a spiritually filled celebration of a sacred gift of the Almighty.

The type of seed sown is determined by the type of wedding we have. How can we expect to reap beneficial fruit when we chose to sow the seeds of cactus? 

The sad reality is that people incur debts to hire lavish venues in order to live up to the Jones. They then suffer paying back whilst the food has long been digested, the function outdone by another and at times the divorce already taken place.

Remember, you can never achieve pleasure through the displeasure of the Owner of eternal Pleasure.

The Almighty, who gave us this day of happiness will indeed be unhappy if we choose to express our happiness through sin.

Let us seriously take heed for the future and repent for what has passed by.

Dear Family,

I'm tired of justifying myself. Read this. 

Thank you :)

Staying Positive

You hardly find somebody who's ever positive in everything they do nowadays. It's a lost art, this positivity. My take is that people have SO many wants, not knowing they can only afford so much, that they begin to get disappointed when they can't afford something. Don't you agree? Say a person, who earns $200, wants to buy a $90k vehicle. He knows that in the shortest time he wont be able to pay for that amount of money no matter how hard he tries to save. He has food to buy, clothes to repair, shoes to replace, and a family of 5 under his responsibility. The thing is, it is OK to be optimistic and dreaming about going somewhere but it is not OK to just lean back and be bitter for the rest of your life.

What I'm saying is that if you know that you cannot afford something, then you have to realise that you cannot afford something. Look for substitutes, work harder for it or simply accept the fact that living averagely is still acceptable. I don't understand why people have to go up to that level of arrogance, and ignorance, if I may, just to compete with people who earn more than them. Cut yourself some slack will you? It is OK to be average and it is OK to have less than the person who owns a horse. Some people would go that extra length for a loan just so they can buy a flat screen TV when in fact they don't actually need it. They don't watch TV! It's just there so that they can show it off to the people who come over to their houses. They bask in the "OOoohh it's so HUGE!" comments. How is it possible that petty things like this can make you feel good about yourself? How can your ego simply be lifted by comments like this when you're in pain paying interest?

Sad how this kind of ego + ignorance is common amongst our people. Everyone is always competing to be seen and recognised. Extra sad, if you ask me.

So stay positive. Stay uplifted even if you can't get what you want. Stay happy when you see somebody has something but you can't. Stay appreciative of the things that you already have and can afford without falling into debt. Stay positive always. Do not worry about the speed of getting "there", just worry about making something so you can have something in return. Work hard for your dreams and keep that dream in your grasp. Don't let go for if you do, you will look back and regret knowing that you were actually one step closer to success. Always stay positive. No matter how tired you get, how angry you get, how frustrated you get all these don't matter as long as you want change to happen. Positivity is the key thing that will encourage you to be a better person. It's the one thing that may drive you further forward. It will be that one thing that may make you as proud as a shiny medal.

I, too, have days when I feel like giving up and just quit everything. But over the years I learnt that if I don't give up I will always get to see myself moving forward. I keep my dreams in my grasp and I plant it deep in my heart. Every waking hour I will keep telling myself that I will get there, I will achieve my dreams and I will go to that place where I've always wanted. I have felt failure and I have seen failure so many times but this heart of mine will never let me give up. Sure, life IS a struggle and I feel it everyday, especially where I'm at today, but I want to see change happen and I want to reach out. I do that everyday, I reach out and encourage people to move forward. Alhamdulillah I see a few changes here and there, there's not much but knowing that what I've done have some kind of impact on my people I'm thankful.

Through all this struggle I am just keeping positive and I am always looking afar for more things that may shape me, us, them, him, and her to be better and not giving up on the reality of life. This is what staying positive is actually for. For you to be stronger and for you to fight for your lives.

With that, I wish everyone a splendid week ahead. Don't forget to start with the right niat and do everything with Bismillah. InsyAllah, the doors of rizq may be opened for us and our prayers be granted by Allah SWT. Good luck with your challenges today, everyone!