For all you Ebay people..... and other stuff

Salaam Alaikum!

Just popping by to mention a few little things.... My hubby decided to list some clothing items on Ebay so all you who enjoy wholesale and have a home business, sell at vending fairs, at the masjid, etc., I think we might have something for you! If you check below this post, you will see the listing for the auction.

I truly miss all my sistas back home.... and for all of you reading this, please know that I love you all and can't wait to see you!!!! InshaAllah, I intend to be home next year for Ramadan... and we'll be in the new masjid, MashaAllah!!! I'm tooooo excited..... :)

On another note, since it's been the holiday, Life's Mosaic has been put on hold til after Eid, InshaAllah- then at that point, I'll send invites for those whom I think may be interested in the antics of my brood...... lol

So til next time, take care, be safe and if we don't link up again.... Eid Mubarak!!!! May Allah (SWT) have mercy on us all and accept our prayers and duas...... <3>

Wholesale Lot Abaya, Hijab, Jilbab, Islamic Clothing - eBay (item 150486722458 end time Sep-28-10 14:46:27 PDT)

Wholesale Lot Abaya, Hijab, Jilbab, Islamic Clothing - eBay (item 150486722458 end time Sep-28-10 14:46:27 PDT)

The Barefoot Empress Boutique is OPEN!

Salaam Alaikum to my brothers and sisters and greetings to everyone else in the blog world... just wanted to give a "heads up" that the Barefoot Empress Boutique is now open for business on Facebook.

Been fiddling around with everything and I'm NOWHERE near finished with adding items to the store but I decided to open with what I had the chance to list.... it has been a long process! Between taking pics of everything, the home, the kids, the hubby, and now the Holy month of Ramadan has begun, I usually start my "night job" of creating item numbers and descriptions and uploading pics after the kids sleep up until Fajr... InshaAllah, the initial set up of anything can be painstaking and tedious in the beginning- such is life!

Soooooooo, if anyone is interested in giving my little shop a look-see, please feel free to do so... AND as an extra added bonus, if you click that you "LIKE" me, you'll receive a discount off your purchase.....

And I would like to hear what you think of the items listed.... honest feedback to give me a better idea what people may want... I bought all those goodies based on the area and people (and what appealed to me) but a store location and an online store could turn out to be two different things... so let me know.

Don't hesitate to buy something for yourself, your sisters, your sisters in Islam, your wife, husband, brother, kids, blah blah blah.... you get the idea...... :)

I also added a little do-hickey Facebook thingy on the side of this blog so you can click to "like" from this site or you can click on one of the pics to take you to the FB fan page photos..... which is great as you'll be able to see the close-up detail on all the clothing items.

Please refer my page to your friends and family, InshaAllah.... please remember me and make dua for me and my family... and my store, InshaAllah!

I said I was looking for something to do.... this JUST might be it!

Iftar!

Beautiful images of iftar... even one pic from one my favorite foodie blogs: Yasmeen Health Nut!

Ramadan Mubarak!!!

Salaam Alaikum my brothers and sisters!

I just wanted to say to everyone have a very joyous, happy and healthy Ramadan..... spend it doing the best of deeds, feeding the poor, helping someone, showing more love to one another, reading Quran and other books of beneficial knowledge, and praying!!!

I doubt if I'll be back with any updates of any sort just maybe to post some beautiful pics of this remarkable month.... :)

From me and my family to you and yours, may Allah (SWT) accept all our prayers and duas.... please remember to make dua for me and mine!!!

Much love from the Empress, the Pakistani Prince, the Naughty Princess, Big Papi, Little Papi & Papito!

Random Update

Salaam Alaikum everyone... and greetings to everyone else out there in blog land. I finally had the chance to start my little private blog project... and it's almost complete. The only hold up is for some reason I can't load some pics of my brood onto the blog so as soon as I figure that out, it will be up and running..... and I mulled over more than a few names and came up with something I feel perfectly describes us: Life's Mosaic: Tales from the Noisy Kingdom.... LOL!

Oh yes, since I'm paranoid about "putting my kids out there", I did state that the blog will be private.... so those who know me well (and good enough) will receive an invite to view.... and I hope I don't offend anyone but I feel the need to protect my kids' identities....

And I mentioned few posts back about me trying to open an Islamic clothing store and the owner turned out to be a big headache so I let the 2 small stores go.... I will be posting on Facebook within the next few days the items for sale. It includes abayas, usdells (overhead or on-the-head garment), a ZILLION hijabs, Saudi and Egyptian niqabs (material is waaaay different), butterfly abayas, girl and teen prayer garments, men & boys thobes, and gloves. I have a slew of very nice bras but I don't know exactly how to handle that one.... taking pics WILL take forever... but I guess that item will get listed sometime this month.... :)

So for you ladies in the Cairo area, I will basically be having "open house" for the month of Ramadan so you can purchase direct from me.... and of course, I can ship anywhere. Please tell all the sisters you know whom might be looking for some items for Ramadan and Eid for herself, her family or gifts for the sisters!!! In with keeping everything simplistic enough, the name of the page on Facebook will be "the Barefoot Empress Boutique".......

So just in case (again) I don't make it back here, I wish all of you a very happy and healthy Ramadan.... and may Allah (SWT) accept all our prayers and duas... InshaAllah, Ameen!!! I love you all for the pleasure of Allah.... please make dua for me and my family!

Checking In.....

Greetings all...... just checking in as previously promised.....

I've been thinking about creating a private blog for my babies..... been mulling around a few thoughts about what I would want it to include- haven't narrowed it down yet. I want to make it private as I don't share much info about my brood- as I like to protect them and their identities..... the world can be a strange place and I guess I'm just a little paranoid but that's me. I can't find it within myself to put my kids names and forget about pics, out there for just anyone to look at... feels too weird.... hence the reference to their nicknames here and everywhere else I might mention them.... lol

The years fly by soooo quickly and I was thinking about how to preserve this period of their lives... to capture it for me to look at in the later years and for them as well. For them to look back on themselves growing, smiling, fighting, living in a foreign country, making new friends, traveling around Egypt and the sorts. And now, you have the cool option of turning your blog into a book.... which I feel is totally cool- just might do that.......

Anyhoo, hope everyone is getting ready for the blessed month of Ramadan!!! I'm a mixed bag of emotions as I was looking forward to being in New York, in "my" masjid with my sisters.... doing it how we would do it every year. But instead, I'm here in Cairo, with my family and praying that this year won't anything like the last Ramadan. I was confined, cooped-up and not pleased about not being able to go the masjid.... I already beat that dead horse issue here.... ain't going there again.... sigh

InshaAllah, I plan to check in again before Ramadan officially starts but if I don't make it back and/or you can't come back to read my blurbs, Ramadan Mubarak!!! Much love and kisses from me and my family to you and yours....... :)

Sisterhood.... where art thou?

Salaam Alaikum sisters and greetings to everyone else out there reading my little blurbs..... there has been much talk about sisterhood lately or should I say, the lack thereof. It seems many sisters have some serious issues with each other- and most don't even have a reason.... been there. As I've said before, women can be their own worst enemy.... most can't seem to get pass the "cattiness", back-biting, scandalous slander and just making ugly, sour faces at a sister for whatever reason you don't like.... and most don't even know WHY they don't like the other sister: does she dress nicer? Is she prettier? Is she smarter? Is she articulate? Is she married to a handsome brother? Does she have beautiful children? Does she wear slamming shoes? Some may read this and chuckle but these things some sisters have issues with for some stupid reason.... where is sisterhood these days???

I'm not telling you something that I haven't experienced myself especially in the beginning when I "reverted". Then I had a very good job that paid me very nicely, had a beautiful huge apartment in an upscale neighborhood and drove a very nice 4X4, MashaAllah. I later heard after a few gatherings in my home when I wanted to get to know the sisters better, that I was "flaunting" my wealth, thought I was better than others (?????) and was a know-it-all (because at the time I was working on my BS in registered nursing)... where did ALL that come from you ask? To tell you the truth, I don't know! The only thing I could conclude that it was based off of pure envy and jealousy... but why? I never treated anybody "less than" but just the opposite- I tried to make everyone feel very comfortable in my home. I even heard that I went out of my way to impress people with food!!! But I fed the sisters what I had in my freezer..... nothing special. Some said I couldn't possibly eat these things myself on a regular so I was looking to "impress"..... geesh. Lobster tails, shrimp and pasta was my favorite food (still is) but life was different then: great paying job, no kids, single and had access to buy those things regularly. But the long story short, you see how I was being bashed for no reason? Where's the love??? I was a new Muslim, new in this Islamic community and instead of embracing me for the love of Allah and as their new sister, some had their own personal issues with me. Needless to say, the gatherings slowed down to a halt and I immediately got rid of the soon-to-be found-out troublemakers.... I don't deal with garbage and if you have issues with me for SURE you're not welcomed in my home!

There is a sister on Facebook, who, MashaAllah, really tries to correct sisters whom she see might be going down the wrong path with sound, loving advice... but yet in return, she's being talked about and "deleted"..... and more than a few sisters have stated this has happened to them. If someone was posting pure rubbish, you get a million people who click the "like" button but post something about correcting people on their behavior and/or about what we should be doing as Muslims, people have a problem with that. Shouldn't you THANK your sister for pointing out the error and/or bad practice? What's wrong with us as women? As Muslimahs???

I think we ALL need to rethink our behavior as women..... but as Muslimahs FIRST because just being an ordinary woman, to me, means one thing: the back-biting, envy, jealousy, slander and nasty behavior might be acceptable to most BUT as a Muslim, these things are NOT acceptable.... and forbidden!

Love for your sister what you would love for yourself.... if your sister see you straying from the right path and pulls you up on it, don't go on the offensive and start talking smack.... thank her for caring enough to want to tell you. Some people won't even bother to correct you but laugh at you behind your back and spread gossip about your short-comings.... believe it.... it happens out there amongst us Muslimahs more than some people realize. Your sister want you to be pleasing to the Al-Mighty, Most-Merciful, Oft-Forgiving..... if she didn't care about you and your Hereafter, she would keep her 2 cents to herself!!!

I think we need to learn to love one another truthfully and stop being so petty.... and I include myself as well as I use to have the tendency to cut people off at their first offense..... my old three-strike rule: it's not right because I'm a Muslim now and this isn't proper. My husband corrected me on this issue when we first married... he told me Muslims don't cut off their relation with their brothers/sisters because they might have done something to hurt you... and he was right. Honestly, I don't do it nowhere near like how I used to (maybe 3-4 times since reverting) but when someone REALLY violates, I mentally wipe their name off the list.... like you never existed.... working on that....... I'm human.

Let's all ask Allah (SWT) this upcoming Ramadan to forgive us for our sins and let's make an effort to show REAL love for one another.... and not just for the month of Ramadan!

My henna addiction... and other stuff

Jumaa Mubarak everyone!

Just trying to keep my promise of stopping by to post a little something to let you know I'm still here- I think Fridays will be my posting day... a little more free time.

I'm here trying to decide on what's for lunch... what's for dinner.... and I want to become a little more active here since me and the hubby were discussing "the future" last night. It looks like for sure now we intend to make this place our home. So, I'm thinking about what I can do so I can feel like my old self again. Since I can't attend masjid here, there aren't any projects/gatherings or committees to join..... so what is a sister to do? Groups here come and go: people attend in droves then disappear for lack of interest, other commitments, family issues, moving back to their countries and the list goes on. I was trying to establish an Islamic clothing store here but the owner of the shop turned out to be a real jerk so I let the spot go... I'm not trying to create more of a headache for myself! They ARE a unique breed..... lol

So the idea is to maybe sell some stuff online and from another location here if I find a decent spot- hijabs, abayas, intimate apparel, a few thobes for men and boys and those prayer garments for girls which I see some people actually wear outside around here.... I invested in some quality stuff not garbage and I contacted one of my best girlfriend's who lives in Mecca and shipped some very nice (and different) clothing here... I have the need to do something so I think I'll see how this little venture goes....

Anyway, I gotta ask again: if any of you sisters here in Cairo are reading this, does anyone know of a GOOD henna artist??? I'm like really craving a nice henna job with REAL henna NOT black dye!!!!! If ya do, holla back at a sista.... all I can do around here is "ohhh" and "ahhh" over Ash Kumar designs.... his stuff you can get replicated in any decent henna salon home but here.... it's just a dream...... :)

Until next time.... take care, be good, stay positive and try to remember to make dua for your sisters!!!

Just popping by........

Just thought I'd give everyone a quick shout-out since I had 2 seconds to check to see if there were any new comments I needed to post... there was a few so I know someone is still reading! LOL

Still keeping up with the lives of most of the people I've come to know here on Blogger- everybody posting their lives on Facebook.... me included! But just thought I would ask: has anyone missed me????? :)

All things here in Cairo is fine.... spending time with the babies.... kinda wishing I was in NYC for the summer but ya can't have everything!!! But there's nothing like summertime in the BEST city in the world.... and I miss my friends and family!

Working on a few personal projects here so when/if something materializes, I'll let everyone know.

The clan is back from their evening walk... gotta run..... remember to keep Allah (SWT) in your lives and love those who don't love you!!!

Yeah... I know.... went missing again!

Salaam Alaikum everyone!

Yea.... I know.... it's been a LONG while but I've been incredibly busy with daily life and all my babies. And I've also found it much easier to jot a quick blurb on Facebook... with life being the way it is, I only have a quick sec to post something and keep moving!

But I must tell you, I've been pretty much up to date with info on the daily lives of some of the sisters here on Blogger since they post daily on Facebook as well: some have added new additions to their families, others have had their first arrival (MashaAllah!) while others are dealing with family issues and some are still battling their demons, psychologically speaking.

Egypt has improved immensely since my last post- I have basically surrounded myself with expats and I have 2 really good Egyptian friends so my inner circle is tight and I'm in a good place right now, Alhumdulillah. After all that initial drama, I finally have some relief, some peace of mind about my state of "being".... so overall, I feel like my old self again!

My Papito is 3 months old now- yes. Three months have flown by and the Naughty Princess and Big Papi started school the beginning of October but since this past Sunday, school has been shut down until December 1st (alledgely) since a few boys in the primary area have been diagnosed with swine flu... we're supposed to have a meeting next week at the school to discuss how we're to handle their work load while they're out.... so I guess we'll receive a complete lesson plan to follow until school resumes. Gotta keep them busy.... especially since both of them are doing exceptionally well, MashaAllah! :)

Planning a trip home, InshaAllah, while they're out- hopefully, I'll be successful in finding some decent fares- and I plan to use my frequent flyer points to purchase at least one ticket .... I gotta buy more than a few! Thank goodness, I only have taxes to pay on Little Papi and Papito!

My family and friends are eagerly awaiting the actual arrival news so I need to get crackin' with my ticket search.... and this is the start of the busy holiday season so tickets won't be cheap- but just landing in New York and being able to smell my city is worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY! Must haves when I get home: Junior's cheesecake from Brooklyn, a bacon & egg sandwich from Al-Noor halal deli on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn, a FEW containers of Haagen-Dazs (well, gotta make up for ALL those months I wanted and couldn't get it!), a Nathan's hot dog with some fries and a REAL Pepsi down in Coney Island, have some delectable orange beef with fried rice and yummy spring rolls from my favorite Chinese restaurant and consume enough pizza at my favorite spot, Gino's, to last me for a year...... LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.... but I'm not kidding! And a visit to my nail salon for a SERIOUS manicure/pedicure and an elaborate hands, legs and feet henna job at my favorite Indian henna palace! NO ONE does it like this sista........ unless your name is Ashkumar (professional world reknown artist)!

Okay.... gotta run as it's lunch time for the rugrats.... and I'm waiting for the Olympic man to come service my washer/dryer for the 2nd day in a row: he checked it yesterday, it started to work with no problem.... as soon as he left, it had an error message! So much for expensive, state of the art machinery.... oy!

Everyone be good and safe.... take care of yourselves and remember to love each other... even if someone doesn't love you back!