Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Book Recommendation #2



 
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم


السلام عليكم
Image result for book recommendation


As you all know, I said in my last Book Recommendation post...
I have decided to make a Book Recommendation Series, uh, every month? Maybe every two weeks as I cannot remember every single book I have read... Plus it's just not book recommending, it's also reviews! If you want to find more of these Book Recommendations *If you are reading this a month later, then click on the tag 'Book Recommendations'.

And we know that's not true. 18th of December - is almost one month,  two weeks and three days past.

I should have posted two weeks and three days ago, but NEVER MIND - THIS POST will probably make up for the time I didn't post. Won't it?

Well, to get on:


Book #1

 Toro Toro

 
Image result for toro toro book














 Antonio lives an idyllic life on his parent's bull farm in Andalucia, Spain. But the idyll is shattered when he realizes that his beloved bull calf, Paco, is destined to the struggle of the bullring. What can he do? He has a plan -- a plan of such daring, it will take enormous courage to see it through. But it is 1936, and the rolling drums of war are echoing across the Spanish plains. Little does Antonio realize the full consequence of his actions - and Paco has a destiny far exceeding Antonio's dreams.

Age Group: I actually wouldn't recommend this to anyone who doesn't like war. Bombing and shooting are involved, but won't horrify a child too much. It would be recommended 8 to 11.

Why I dislike this book: As a ten year old, I enjoyed reading it, but I felt it too harsh to lose a bull you really love and only see it once after you've lost it. Maybe if the author had included more glimpses, it would have been more satisfying. As well as that, there's a short chapter on bull fighting, and a sword. Yes, so in an older book it would have been worse, more detailed. To what I can remember, I did feel sick that bulls were being tortured to death for nothing, just because of the people who like watching man and bull fight. In Islaam, it is NOT allowed to torture animals to death. Period.

What I would change if I could: The details to a more friendly environment, and the ending to a happier one. I also would change the 'crime' the little boy committed on the start of the book - breaking windows isn't nothing, nor is it a huge deal. What about breaking a very expensive vase instead?

************

Book #2
Animal Ark Series

Image result for animal ark classics 

 I have currently 5 books.

Age Group: 8 to 12
Why I dislike these series: I DO NOT dislike these series. It's just that some of them are sad, and Mandy's parents are vets. Sometimes there is surgery involved, though the AUTHORS have smoothed it out so kids don't get upset. And yes, I said AUTHORS. Lucy Daniels is a pen name, meaning a made up name used by the writer/writers instead of their real name. Etc, stage names.
As well as that, the book above - Foals in The Field made me very, very sad. When I was younger, horses were my favourite animal, but now not so favourite. 
What I would change in the book: more details in the book, smaller print size, more advanced words.

**************

Book #3

 The Secret Garden

Image result for the secret garden

When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors.
The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in—and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life...

Age Group: 8-13
Why I dislike this book: There are mentions of 'Magic'. That is pretty much all, though. Except that I found the beginning too dramatic and tragic, I enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind reading it twice a day.
 What I would change in the book: I would make more mentions of her parents, who died, yet I can understand why the author didn't put them in. I would also make the book slightly simplified, not too much though.

I would recommend you to buy the full version if you have a sibling/child/or-you-are-a-child - IF they/you are over 9 years old and can understand the bigger words.

*************

That's actually it for today, small side note on the previous post - I will not be doing checkers on the other side of the Tic Tac Toe mat I did - I've run out of fleece. YUP - That means I've finished the mat. I am sharing pictures and How To Do It in a few days - 1st February inshaa Allaah. I have a busy day on February LOL - three different, tiring things to do! You'll see what they are - HUGE UPDATE ON 1ST FEBRUARY!!!

***

Will keep you in suspense - remember 1st February.

Until Then,

Assalaamu Alaikum

Maimoonah

P.S: I hope the next book recommendation doesn't take a few months more...

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Sewing Guide pre-test



بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم
Well.........................................
If you haven't seen my post about Help this Book, you could check it out now. But I wasn't going to talk about that today. I'm going to talk about... well... check out the video in the link below.
Image result for swiss arabian perfumeIf I sound a bit off, it's because, well... a few years ago a friend gave us a Swiss Arabian small perfume box.
And that is pretty expensive, for a 9 ml bottle. Well, knowing Ramlah, I thought she would do something with the bottle. 

And it turned out I was right. 

...........

....

...She spilled the perfume all over Abi's keyboard. Now the keys from f10 to f12 don't work and the keys from 0 to backspace are extremely stiff, and won't rise as you push them. 
Well.... since the keyboard doesn't work anymore, um, Au revoir?
  No.  I mean Adieu. 

Let's just try and get on with the post. 

So for those of you who prick your finger every time you sew, well, you're better than me. I hate sitting on a table, sewing. I usually take the bed as my sewing space, not a great idea. I once sewed with a very long thread and even though I doubled it, I had to almost stand up to pull the needle through.

And obviously, it made a long, thin scrape on my thigh. Actually, two.

So I wouldn't recommend using long threads haha!

So, how long have I been sewing?

Well, almost four years. Not bad, right? And here's the problem. You would expect me to have a lot of experience. Well, I do:

  • French knots aren't great for me.
  • Embroidery has to be done with embroidery thread and certain types of needles.
  • You can alter most instructions in the way you like.
  • You don't have to go by the book.
  • Sometimes it's better to follow instructions.
    You need to stock up on material.
  • Felt is good, but pretty much for beginners.
  • Some materials are very expensive.
    Decorative tools, such as embroidery scissors are MEGA EXPENSIVE - one scissor cost me 7 dollars, 70 c - 28 QAR!
 But everyone makes mistakes. Everyone does. I remember throwing away a paperish needle-threader just because it was weird hehe!!

What needle do I use?

Well, tempting to say I use a high quality needle, but I don't. I have two types of needle, if you don't count a plastic one that has long since escaped my clutches!

1: Image result for embroidery needle 

The Embroidery needle


2: Image result for small embroidery needle 

The cross-stitch needle


 Actually I have a really tiny cross-stitch needle, more smaller and definitely blunter than the real needle, but when I was sewing with thin thread, the eye broke. Definitely why I said it was tempting to say I have high quality needles.

 Am I good at cross-stitching?

Well... no. It's pretty hard and when you do it from your mind it might drive you crazy, plus I have the cross-stitch fabric known as Aida. Aida is known to have little square holes, pre cut. Aida comes in different hole sizes. 

This is the one I have: 14 count

Image result for aida cloth 

AND SUBHANALLAAH IT'S SO HARD!

If you ever want to sew cross-stitch I'd definitely not recommend this count. 

Start with 6 count,

Image result for aida cloth 

........... or if you feel it's too easy... 10 count.

I can't find a picture of that. Just ask in your local craft/sewing store.

What cutting scissors do I use?

Well, buy a big one, but be sure never to use it for paper/cardboard. Abi and me used it to cut cardboard and paper, and now the blade it dull. The problem is I have no idea how to sharpen it...

And now I'm feeling so sleepy. I think I'll have a Tic-tac, be right back!!

And the mention of Tic tacs brought me to what I wanted to tell you - I am going to be making a tic-tac-toe game - entirely with felt/cloth... and probably rice. Expired rice, I guess. And maybe on the other side a game of... checkers? I wonder if I do have enough expired rice for that, not sure if I have any expired rice at all! Well, I am going to draw out my plan and see if I have a good lot of fabric for that. If I don't, I'll try to use my old, torn up clothes, I think I have about two or three LOL!!

I'll also tell you how to make it and what you need. Not sure I have what I need! If I don't, I'll alter my own instructions, inshaa Allaah.


Deadline...? February the...  1st, as I would have almost a week to finish it. Inshaa Allaah I think you can expect it soon!
Edit: deadline edited for Feb 1st.

I will also try to do a Sewing Guide, based on my experience and projects (acts like I have tons of experience) actually it's just tips and trickzzz.

Well, I had a good half-hour typing this, about five minutes gone thinking of a title. 

Inshaa Allaah see you next week!!

Maimoonah 

P.S: I know, I said about months ago I would try and post book reviews every two weeks or every month! Sorry for the delay, it might come up this week or the next. Not sure of my schedule...

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Help This Book - out NOW!!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم


And we are coming back - Help This Book is officially out for free download!
Wait, wait. For all of you who are about to click the link to download - you probably want to know what it's about.
It's in the genre 'self help book', but not actually quite. You can colour in the name... tag?, draw according to the prompts, and many blank pages for you to get creative!
Here's the back cover and front cover:























And you don't want to use watercolors on the pages. It kind of wets the next page.  

The link to download the Help this Book


I hope you check it out inshaa Allaah!


Maimoonah

Tuesday, January 08, 2019

Freebies

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم
 
 
So the whole day I've been searching for free things, etc, free video editing, free logo maker. Well......
 
....................
 
......................
 
...I got nothing, period.
 
So I do know a lot of free sites, but Abi says 'Don't trust these free sites too much,' so, yes. Be very careful about handing out personal info to strangers!
  So (so, so, just so) I know a good logo maker which does have a kind of a plan. It's this.
And, you don't HAVE to sign up, nor do you have to pay for download. That - is my favourite out of the whole list of free logo making sites. And credit to Zainab E. who showed me the site : )
 
And there's Wix.com, I suppose most of you know it. It has a plan but, you know, I think you can live with the limitations, it's not as if you have to pay. It's my favourite website-making site.

And Weebly. I remember doing it as an 8 year old, yet there's another problem. Paying plans, yessss. But you need to verify it with a phone number, and I know most of you who are homeschooled don't have phones. You could use your parent's phone, but you must ask them before borrowing!

Have you heard of Internet Archive? Well, it's a place where you can read free books - unlimited! It's a non profit organization. They ask for loans every year, and this year's goal was 3 million USD I think. It's my favourite out of the lot. It works just like a real library, and it has a better place, same people, same books, same everything - The Open Library! Be sure to check it out, and avoid unislaamic content in both.
 
Project Gutenberg WAS, and WAS, my all-time favourite when I was smaller. I still love the books, but I find them sometimes too childish, except for the Bobbsey Twins - I shall never grow out of them inshaa Allaah! 

And Goanwap - there's only one problem. It doesn't work in the U.K. It does work in the Middle East, and probably in the U.S. I don't know about the world, but U.K certainly doesn't work - many people said that. If you don't know, there are only a few series - Almost all of Enid Blyton, and all of Nancy Drew - I only like the originals, Sherlock Holmes - OOOOH I LOVE THOSE SERIES, Hardy Boys - beware of nonislaamic content in all these series - and my favourite - The Three Investigators. I suggest you check these out - tell me what you think! 

Well, that's all I can think of - those are quite reliable, here's the number of years I've been using these for -

LogoMakr - 4 yrs 0 months
Wix - 3 yrs 7 months
Weebly - 1 yr 2 months
Internet Archive - 1 yr 6 months
Project Gutenberg - 4 yrs 5 months
Goanwap - 2 yrs - 6 months
 
Those are the sites that are tried and tested - do you know anymore? Comment below - remember free stuff! If you do know any free BOOK sites, I WILL BE SURE TO CHECK IT OUT - ALERT!

See you later Inshaa Allaah -

Maimoonah

Tuesday, January 01, 2019

Alhamdulillaah a new year - 2019

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
السلام عليكم

Subhanallaah, it's already 2019, and I haven't quite got used to saying '2018', haha.
In 2019 quite a lot of things will happen inshaa Allaah. Do you know what THIS is?


It's the Doha Metro, which I captured on my camera! It's almost done. I think it will be released in the late 2019. But I think they said 2020. Obviously it needs to be checked by... um, 'important' people, then it will be quite safe to ride on.  

I caught the testing in Wakra which is near Thumama in Qatar, actually could you look at the map, I'm not great at geography.
Image result for qatar map 

So this is a short post but I just wanted to write something today....

Sorry for the delay, I wrote half this post on the first of 2019.

Maimoonah
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