My sister’s hennaed hands

Posted on November 21, 2014 by myeye1

I’ve been trying to post more frequently but things have been super busy over the last few months with Eid, weddings and birthdays, (not to mention dodgy internet connections which hasn’t helped either!), but hopefully it seems a bit calmer now which means that I can get up to speed with my posts.

I wanted to share more pictures from my younger sister’s wedding that took place a couple of months ago. In Pakistan and other South Asian countries it is tradition for the bride-to-be to decorate her hands and feet with henna/mehndi a couple of nights before the wedding. The design my sister chose was intricate and very delicate and with the steady, skilled hands of the mehndi artist it came out beautifully

These patterns soon became much more complex and full, with henna being applied on both sides of my sisters’ hands and parts of her arms. You can click on the pictures below to view larger images, and close ups, (maybe if you look close enough you’ll find the name of the groom which he is supposed to look for on the night of the wedding).

I didn’t get a chance to have any henna applied to my hands, but a number of the guests did, including my baby niece who had a butterfly pattern applied (and which lasted about 10 minutes before it got smudged).

I think the finished result of my sister’s hennaed hands was beautiful, reminding me of lace gloves with intricate, delicate patterns. My sister kept the henna on until the following morning before washing it off to make sure the dye was as dark as possible, which you will be able to see soon in photos that I am hoping to post of the wedding

Remember

Posted on November 5, 2014 by myeye1

“Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…”

It’s Guy Fawkes night (also known as Bonfire night) in the UK today, which means that there will be lots of fireworks and sparklers being lit to commemorate the event when Guy Fawkes was arrested for trying to blow up The House of Lords on 5th November 1605

I don’t really celebrate the occasion but it’s nice to light a few sparklers and watch the firework displays in my neighbourhood

My sister’s Henna party

Posted on October 19, 2014 by myeye1

So I’m finally allowed to post some pictures of my sister’s wedding and I thought I’d start with the Mendhi/Henna party. The mendhi or henna party is where the women of the bride’s family get together to have one last fun party before the big day. Often the women of the groom’s family are also invited and are asked to bring the henna which is then applied to the bride’s hands in preparation of the wedding day.

The henna party is usually bright and colourful and my sister wanted a peacock themed affair so we spent months looking for anything that would fit the theme.

We decided on purples, blues, greens and golds and added small peacock feathers to really bring out the theme. The candles are lit and the tray of bangles and henna brought in with the bride as she is brought into the party by family and friends.

Me, my sisters and my sister-in-law decided to add a tasty aspect to the party by having a sweet table. I thought the biscuits made by my sister-in-law and the cupcakes by my younger sister were especially pretty

As the evening went on the usual traditions were carried out; feeding the bride something sweet and giving some money to charity in her name, singing traditional wedding folksongs and dancing (unfortunately I can’t show you photos of the singing and dancing)

We all had a really fun time, and the bride enjoyed herself too, with friends and family and being the centre of attention of course! My photos haven’t come out as well as I would have liked as the lighting wasn’t great, but if you want to check out the professional photographer’s photos which have come out really good, then you can head over to my sister’s blog

Eid-ul-Adha 2014/1435: Eid Mubarak

Posted on October 5, 2014 by myeye1

Eid Mubarak to Muslims around the world who are celebrating Eid-al-Adha which coincides with the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and honours Abraham’s promise to God. In these blessed days may all pilgrims’ prayers and ours be accepted

Sneak peak

Posted on September 30, 2014 by myeye1

I’ve been itching to post some photos of my younger sister’s wedding now it’s all over but I don’t want to spoil the surprise as I know she wants to be the first to showcase the exciting event, so while I wait patiently (well, kind of), here’s a sneak peak of a couple of pics

I know these don’t give much away but hopefully more to come soon

Vintage bridal shower

Posted on August 13, 2014 by myeye1

Wedding season is in full swing at the moment and this year we have a big wedding in our family too; my youngest sister is getting married. To get the ball rolling with the celebrations my older sister decided to throw her a bridal shower, the theme; vintage, which means florals, pearls, pastels and polka dots. We held the bridal shower in the garden so we can enjoy the good weather, the extra space and also have my mum’s pretty flowers to add to the theme.
To add a bit of shade and colour we hung some pretty, flowery scarves from the fences, across the garden and added my sister’s handmade banners. We also added lots of other little touches to make the garden pretty

We each made some food for the day; my older sister made macaroni salad, my younger sister brought along chicken sandwiches and my sister-in-law made a pretty trifle. My contribution was chocolate dipped strawberries, plates of cut summer fruits and old fashioned lemonade which I thought would add a nice touch to a summery party. Our guests also brought along food and other tasty treats to share so we had lots of variety

For fun my sister-in-law arranged a quiz for my sister who is getting married where she asked her fiancé 20 questions and asked my sister to see if she could guess how he answered. For each question she got wrong she had to put to put a piece of chewing gum in her mouth – I think she got about 2 right so she got through several packets!

Overall, it was a lovely bridal shower and everyone was able to enjoy the good weather, food and company. I think it was my baby nieces and cousin though, who stole the show with their pretty smiles and polka dot and flowery dresses, who got away with being cheeky and running off with numerous biscuits and cakes

Next up my sister-in-law is hosting a 1920’s themed party for the bride-to-be which we’re all looking forward to

Egyptian carvings

Posted on August 7, 2014 by myeye1

I came across these carvings in Harrods recently, in an area called the Egyptian escalator (which did include an actual escalator too) and thought they looked really realistic. There were lots of Egyptian carvings, patterns and statues dotted around, all with lots of detail and intricate patterns.
I hope to go to Egypt one day and see the real tombs and pyramids which are seeped in history, but for now maybe I’ll visit the British Museum and see the Egyptian exhibitions there

Ramadan Mubarak 2014/1435

Posted on June 29, 2014 by myeye1

Ramadan Mubarak to Muslims around the world who are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and this year in England the days will be quite long as Ramadan is over summer, but I will try to make the most of it and take things a little slower than my usual hectic pace. I hope that everyone fasting during this special month makes the most of the days ahead to shake bad habits, create new ones and purify heart, body and soul

Glass bottles

Posted on June 12, 2014 by myeye1

I recently went to a fair where many of the stalls were selling lovely things. Among them I found these slim glass bottles with a blue-green hue. They contain perfume oils, also known as attar, which is a traditional Arabic scent that is concentrated so you only need to apply small amounts. I didn’t buy any but I thought they would make for an interesting photo

Scarf pin jewels

Posted on April 7, 2014 by myeye1

I love the range of colours, shapes and sizes used in these scarf (or hijab) pins that can be used to dress up an outfit by adding a splash of colour or a hint of a sparkle. My particular favourite is the blue one which is nice and bright for upcoming summer days.

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trying to capture the world…my way

Category Archives: Culture