Wowowowowow

aSalaam uAlaikum My Stylish Sisters!

Insh'Allah you are all in good health and high imaan.  I don't know about where you are, but here in Southern California it is still HOT!  So, no tea tonight.  Instead let me pour you some iced coffee.

I have recently become totally and helplessly addicted to iced coffee.  My morning routine every day is to wake up and make a huge pot of extra strong coffee.  I let it cool for an hour or so before mixing it with some cream, Splenda, and pouring it over ice and sipping it throughout the day.

By the way ladies, just a bit of advice: STAY AWAY FROM ULTA!  This store has a magical force that will suck you in by your feet, point out every single blemish, stray hair, or wrinkle, and make every dollar in your wallet disappear.

I swear that's what happens.  (Why are you looking at me like that???)

On Eid my dh gave me some money as my Eidiyah and he told me I better go spend it ALL on myself, instead of buying things for the princesses like I always do whenever I have money in my pocket.  So, I headed to the mall in search of something that would catch my eye.  While taking the girls to ride the choo choo I noticed that Ulta had finally opened up, so I decided to take a look.

Ladies, I should have turned around and gone home at that moment, but did I?

Noooooooo.

About 15 minutes later I walked out totally broke with a facial mask, blemish treatment, mascara, and concealor.

And as much as I'd like to complain about it, all I can think about is how badly I want to go back.

*sigh*

I'm hopeless.

Ma'Salaama and Caveat Emptor.

Fashionably Yours,
The (anyone want a refill?) Mujahada in Prada

 

~Ramadan is Here!~

aSalaam uAlaikum My Stylish Sisters!

Just wanted to wish you all a very happy, very beneficial, very blessed Ramadan!

Ma'Salaama and Happy Fasting!

Fashionably Yours,
The (so excited!) Mujahada in Prada

Cotton Candy, Lalaloopsy, and Plink Plank Plunk

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

It is so hard for me to wrap my head around, but my first born princess just turned four this past week! Subhan'Allah time flies so fast, it feels as though I just brought her home from the hospital!

This year I really wanted to do something over the top and special for her, as she has been super patient and wonderfully loving toward her little sister mash'Allah. Sooooo, I decided that I would throw her a carnival themed party!

Of course not just a carnival themed party (oh no, that would have been wayyyy to simple) but a Lalaloopsy Carnival-themed party.

What made it so complicated is that there are NOOOO Lalaloopsy birthday decorations! None....zip...nada...zilch. I searched EVERYWHERE, but no one has decided to make any decorations with these slightly creepy, but super cute, button-eyed dollies.

Soooo...I had to make them all. Alhamdulillah there is such thing as Etsy, because those stay at home small business-owning moms are GENIUSES! I was able to get the PDF files for a custom made Lalaloopsy birthday banner, as well as other decorations, and I took them to the local printer to have them printed out. I was also able to find an adorable Lalaloopsy shirt, a custom-made Lalaloopsy inspired top hat, and some super funky leggings and arm warmers for the princess to wear to her party.

All in all I think the party was a huge success. We had way more kids actually attend than I had planned on, but they were all mash'Allah super patient and cooperative. A family friend rented a cotton candy machine and snow cone machine, and my BFF brought a custom made Lalaloopsy pinata. I had made six games for the kids to play, complete with carnival tickets they turned in at the end of the party to get their goody bags (which were actually old fashioned popcorn bags tied with a ribbon). The best thing about a Lalaloopsy inspired birthday was that if nothing matched, it was OK because the dolls are a hodge podge of patterns and fabrics!

Here are a few pics from the event. Insh'Allah they give a bit of inspiration for any future carnival shindigs you may be throwing!

The Cotton Candy Machine

It took a couple of tries until you could make a decent-sized cotton candy stick without being burned by flying bits of melting sugar.  But it was yummy!

Home-made Photo Booth

We had clown noses, googly eyes, funny glasses, buck teeth, masks, and top hats available for the guests to use in their photos.  I made the phone booth out of a refrigerator box that I got from the local hardware store.

The Games! 

We had 'Lasso the Giraffe', 'Shoot 'Em Down', 'Krabby Patty Toss', 'Plink PlankPlunk', 'Guess How Many', and 'Ring Toss'.  Every single game was entirely made at home by my family and I.

Streamers Galore!

The decorations were nice and simple.  Colorful streamers, mis-matched balloons, and plenty of bunting set the carnival atmosphere.

Lots To Eat

We kept the food simple.  Mini cheeseburgers with tons of toppings, hot dogs, potato salad, macaroni salad and corn on the cob.  It was the perfect carnival food, and great for young picky eaters. 

Something Sweet

I ordered these adorable Lalaloopsy stickers off of eBay, and then attached them to a bunch of gourmet lollipops.  These cute waffle cone looking cups were from the 99cent store!

So Much Fun!

Full to the brim with cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn, and candy!  I'm sure the parents loved me by the time they all left! LOL

The Cake!

I just made a simple white cake with three layers.  I used fondant to make the diamonds, and candies for the dots.  The Lalaloopsy sugar paper melts I got from eBay.  They were so easy to use!  They just disappear right into the frosting so it looks like they are airbrushed on!  I also made the bunting topper out of scraps of the fabric I used for her big decorations.

 

The Cake (again)

The inside of the cake.  It was yummy!

Alhamdulillah everything turned out well for the party, although it was a lot of work, and NOT a lot of sleep, it was well worth it to hear all of the kids rave about how much fun they were having.  My husband swears, though, that he can't handle another party like this next year, and he's insisting we just go on a cruise as a family instead.  Hmmmmm...I'll have to think about that one.

And now....to get ready for Ramadan!

Ma'Salaama and Party On!!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Only Two More Days!) Mujahada in Prada

The Chip On My Shoulder...

aSalaam uAlaikum My Stylish Sisters...

Jummah Mubarak!  Insh'Allah you have a fun weekend planned ahead, full of laughter, fun, and fashion!

You know, I am always surprised at just how many people still give me rude looks, or make evil comments to me because of my hijab.  I mean, I live in the second largest metropolitan area in the United States, and there are people here of every nationality, ethnicity, and religion!  I don't know if it's because they don't understand me (I am super pale, with green eyes...yet wear hijab, which tends to confuse a lot of people) or if it's because they are so brainwashed by the media they can't think for themselves.

Lately, though, I've started wondering if my own attitude has something to do with it.

You see, when I first started wearing hijab I would hear comments like "You're glowing!" or "You look beautiful in that scarf!" whereas now it's more like, "Aren't you hot?"  and "Don't you get tired of putting that on every morning?"  I didn't really realize that this chip on my shoulder might have something to do with the shift in people's attitudes around me.

The other day I took my youngest princess to the doctor's office.  The waiting room was PACKED, I was worried about her, my day had been hectic already, and in short, I had attitude oozing out of my ears.  BUT, immediately a woman sitting next to me told me that she loved my scarf, loved my religion, and had been thinking about converting.  She went on to tell me that she loved Islam the most because of the way the men cater to the women and hold them with such high esteem.  (*gasp...normally I hear the exact opposite from people!)  I was so shocked, I didn't really have time to react more than saying "Well thank you, I hope you find the truth and do what feels right for you."  (duuuuuhhhhhhhhhh) 

A second later, another woman who was with her teenage daughter confessed to me that she previously wore a scarf, but felt too scared and discriminated against, and she and her daughter both chose to stop wearing hijab.  I was so overcome with sadness for her, because you could see in her eyes it was a difficult decision she had made.  I told her that insh'Allah she would put it back on again soon, because Allah swt will not give us more than we can handle, and HE will reward her for doing the right thing. 

By the time the nurse called us in, I had given my business card to the first woman and encouraged her to call me if she need someone to talk to about Islam, and the second woman confided to me that I had inspired her to start wearing hijab again and she would give it serious thought. (Alhamdulillah!)

My mood lifted, the clouds disappeared, the chip on my shoulder was gone.  And for days following that incident I was walking as I did when I first put the hijab on...with my head up, a smile on my face, and nice words on the tip of my tongue.

In short, I'm not downplaying the ignorance that American hijabis often face (and I'm sure hijabis face in other non-Muslim countries).  I KNOW that hate exists.  But, I've learned that by staying positive, and expecting the best out of a stranger, instead of fearing the worst, often the situation turns out better than expected.  By finding that glow on my face again, I've lost the chip on my shoulder.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Hijabi-ing!!

Fashionably Yours,
The (*glow*) Mujahada in Prada

~And Now I Am A Nine....~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...

I know it's been a loooong time since we last saw eachother, and I'm so sorry!  It's crazy to me sometimes how quickly time passes subhan'Allah.  It seems like only yesterday I was sitting down at my laptop, determined to start a blog where I could express myself and my views on topics important to me, and now we've had over two years together!  When I sat down this evening to check in with my favorite fashionista muslimahs, and noticed it's been almost two months since we last visited, I was shocked and ashamed at how negligent I had been! 

Well, anyways, I'm glad to be back, and I hope insh'Allah that you ladies are glad too.

I guess the biggest news to share with you is that I've lost some weight! Yay Me!  I was so fed up with not feeling comfortable in my own skin, that I made a conscious decision to make some changes in the way I was living my life, and alhamdulillah it has definitely paid off!

The first step to my transformation was a Detox Diet that I did for one whole week.  I didn't eat any dairy, meat, white flour, sugar or caffeine for seven days.  It was hard to stick with (it doesn't sound too hard, but once you start thinking of all of the things you normally eat, you'll realize they probably have one or more of what I just named) but alhamdulillah I was able to finish the week, only cheating once because I ate two Ritz crackers.  Since I finished the diet, my cravings for chips and sweets have pretty much disappeared, and I get full much faster than I did before.  Two months ago I was a size 14....and now I am a nine!!  Insh'Allah I can keep it up and get close to my pre-baby weight so I can feel comfortable with myself once more.

One of the best things about losing weight is that all of your clothes stop fitting anymore which means YOU HAVE TO BUY NEW ONES!!!  My mom and I planned a Girl's Day together, and this past week that "Girl's Day" turned into three "Girl's Day"s in a row!  It was a great Mother's Day present to eachother to spend the day chatting, lending support, enjoying eachother's company, and of course encouraging eachother to spend way too much money LOL.  I can't wait until my own girls are old enough that they enjoy these girl's days with me, the way I've always loved them with my mom.

Because work has been picking up alhamdulillah, and there is a possibility that my position within the company might change sometime in the next few months, I decided that I should invest in a few classy business pieces.  I had never shopped much at Express in the past, but I decided to check out what they had, and ladies....I think I may have found my new favorite store.  They had beautiful suit jackets of varying lengths, colors, and fabrics...the most adorable collared short-sleeve shirts in tons of colors to wear under them, and some of the nicest quality jeans I've seen since Seven Jeans went downhill.  I decided to wait on the jeans until I got down to my ultimate weight goal (they were pretty pricey for jeans I will insh'Allah only be wearing for a month or so until I lose more weight), but I got a suit jacket and this adorable shirt to wear under my work blazers in a few different colors. 

Okay, so it's hard to picture how well it can hijabified just by looking at this picture, but I wear these tops with a tank underneath (just in case my scarf rides up) with a longer blazer (like the one below by Ann Taylor) and loose fitting trousers or a skirt and (of course) a pinstriped, or color-block scarf.  All in all, these are basically a professional-looking pop of color to go with your business suit.

Ladies, if you live here in the United States, and live anywhere that the seasons actually change and tank tops and short skirts are the only thing available in the summer, then you KNOW how impossible it is to find nice, modest, cotton clothing that will be cool, yet still modest enough for the summer months.  That's one reason I loved Express so much, the store had plenty of long skirts, long sleeve cotton shirts, and tunic length tops to be just the right amount of "fashionable", while still maintaining the vital "modest" factor!  I have definitely found my new favorite store!

Well my Amazing Muslimahs, I would love to sit and chat all night, but unfortunately my java is wearing off, and my eyes are slowly drooping.  I must be off to get my beauty sleep (I need as much as I can get LOL), and to dream about the chocolate cakes and potato chips I can longer eat.  It was lovely to see you ladies again, and insh'Allah I will be back sooner than later.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Healthy Eating!

Fashionably Yours,
The (Size Nine...yay!) Mujahada in Prada

~Blah-dity Blah Blah~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Sweet Sisters!

Insh'Allah all of you are doing well, enjoying watching the weather slowly turn from winter into spring.  Here in Southern Cali the weather has been as unpredictable as the traffic is.  One day it's 65 degrees and sunny, and the next it's hailing.

Have you ladies ever gone through a time of feeling like you're just hanging on by a thread?  Like there isn't really anything specific bothering you, but you feel just a tad slower on the uptake than usual?  Recently between work, the girls, planning birthday parties, keeping the house presentable, and trying to spend a few minutes with my husband every day I am totally drained.  I look forward alllll day long to those few minutes in the evening when I can sip my tea and think my own thoughts in silence....but by the time those minutes come I'm too exhausted to think at all.

I know I haven't blogged about fashion in a long time, and for that I truly apologize.  But with so many horrible things going on around the world, sometimes I feel a bit superficial talking about which style jeans I like now, or how who should wear what.

I do have to share one absolutely adorable discovery I made recently though....baby sized ballet shoes:
The Cutest Ballet Shoes Ever

Aren't they just the sweetest things?  I've been shopping a lot on Etsy lately.  I searched high and low for a party dress that I wanted for my youngest princess to turn one year old in (can you believe it already???) and couldn't find ANYTHING....until I looked on Etsy.  Within five minutes of logging on I'd found this adorable little dress for the baby, along with the second amazingly cute outfit for her big sister:

Birthday Girl:

Big Sista:

We're doing a ladybug theme, and I am all geared up to make a giant ladybug cake and 24 polka-dotted cake pops! Yay!  I couldn't find red, black, and white outfits anywhere for the girls because those colors are usually seen around Christmas time, so I was soooo excited to find them on Etsy!

My husband can't stand the month or so before the kids' birthday parties because that is ALL I talk about.  Teehee....I'm not sure who likes the parties the most:  the birthday girl or me!  I will insh'Allah share lots of pictures of the cake and cakepops with you ladies to get your opinion on my workmanship.  (It's my first time doing cake pops, so please be kind!)

Well, either way, I just wanted to stop by and send my salaams and let you amazing Muslimahs know I hadn't forgotten about you.  Things have been truly mind-blowingly hectic, and like I said....I'm barely hanging on by a thread.  Alhamdulillah for everything though, I wouldn't have it any other way :)

Ma'Salaama and Happy Etsy Shopping!

Fashionably Yours,

The (Anyone have an extra life vest?) Mujahada in Prada

~Shoes...Stress....and Renewed Opportunities~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!!!

It's late here...after one in the morning, and as I sit here enjoying the peace and quiet that finally fills my busy home after another long day...I decided it was about time for me to catch up with all you ladies and find out what's been going on in YOUR busy lives...

Alhamdulillah everything has been going a bit better here.  I have found different ways to try to ease my anxiety a bit.  I've made attempts to come to grips with the fact that with a preschooler and toddler in the home chances are that at least 50% of the common areas in my home will be covered with toys laying about....no matter HOW many times I try to pick up during the day.  I've also realized that if I am constantly worried about where I'm going next and what I need to get done next...that I can't really enjoy what's going on NOW. 

I need to bake more.  (Random....I know)

Anyways....I've gotten totally addicted to this website called www.shoedazzle.com.  In case any of you amazing Muslimahs are new to my blog....I am completely, totally and helplessly addicted to shoes.  Stilettos, Wedges, Sandals, Peep Toes, Pumps, Platforms, Ballet Flats, Espadrilles....you name it.  Shoedazzle is this website where you go fill out a short profile about yourself, and name some of your preferences in shoes and they will specifically select a small selection of shoes for you each day.

I haven't placed an order...yet.  I've been trying to restrain myself until dh gets his tax returns.  But, I'm not sure how much longer I can wait. 

Alhamdulillah we had an amazing time with dh's cousin while she was here.  She has young children, one around my daughter's age, and they had a blast with eachother for the week they were here.  Seeing my princess having so much fun with someone her age, (then feeling guilty she didn't know any kids her own age) I decided to enroll her in some classes to keep the two of us busy and spending time together.  She started her classes this past week and alhamdulillah LOVED them.

While dh's cousin was here we started to discuss business ideas.  As you ladies know I am already somewhat of an entrepreneur, having started my jewelry line Love Nyla a couple of years ago, but I have about a million and one other ideas for business....we've just been waiting until we could save up the capital to start one of them.  She, on the other hand, has the capital and no ideas!  We sat and chatted about different ideas I have and decided to focus on one in particular....so I'm starting to draw up a business plan now.

I mean, how exciting is THAT?  As soon as I decide to stop sitting around the house complaining about not feeling well, and actually get busy doing things...an opportunity fell into my lap!  When Allah swt closes the door...He opens a window. 

Anywho, I've noticed more and more through close observation of friends and family members that women tend to overlook themselves way too much.  I mean, not to sound like some bra-burning feminist or anything, but we truly ARE the backbone of every single successful family unit.  It is the woman who is there for her children, her husband, her parents, and her in-laws through thick and thin, yet we practically never take the time to spoil ourselves!

That's why recently I've tried my best to make myself a priority at least one day a week (okay it's turned into more like one day a month....but whatever).  Although I feel a bit guilty spending the money, it really does help the stress levels to go once in a while and get that mani/pedi, or new hairdo (yes- even hijabis should have their hair styled once in a while!) or just a day to grab lunch and a movie with some sisters.  Alhamdulillah I have a hubby who completely agrees, and even encourages me (probably because he enjoys my less frequent nervous breakdowns LOL).  My sensational sisters, please do take a bit of time to yourselves to do those things you used to enjoy doing pre-baby/marriage/career days!  You deserve it!

Anywho, I know this post was completely random...insh'Allah I will be back to my normally sheduled program soon and actually have some fashion posts for you.  In the meantime, go grab that Starbucks or Tim Hortons and read the newest People magazine while pampering your tootsies! (then enjoy the look on the manicurist's face when you say "No polish, please!" LOL)

Ma'Salaama and Merry Manicuring!

Fashionably Yours,
The (Totally Scatterbrained) Mujahada in Prada

~Forgiveness~

aSalaam uAlaikum My Stylish Sisters...
(and whoever else may be lurking about my blog)

Insh'Allah this finds all of you ladies in the highest imaan and good health.  Alhamdulillah everyone here is doing well.  Keeping busy, recovering from colds and all of those fun things that come around this time of year.  I've been seriously considering purchasing one of those French Press coffee pots, do any of you ladies have any experience with those?  I've heard the coffee tastes amazing, and they just look so fancy and elegant that I've always wanted one.

Anyways, I digress...this post is NOT just about coffee.  (I can hear the sighs of relief)

This post will be brief, to the point, just a quick reminder for all of my sisters (and lurkers) out there....and of course for myself.

I wanted to chat a bit about forgiveness. 

I can remember before converting to Islam, seeing people on the TV whose loved one had been badly hurt, or killed by someone speaking to the press about how through forgiveness they were able to move on with their life and I would think to myself  "They're CRAZY!"  First of all, how could you forgive someone for something like this, and second of all....how does forgiveness have ANYTHING to do with moving on in your life?

Well...I didn't have something quite THAT bad happen to me.  Alhamdulillah no one in my family was killed or anything by anyone else, but I personally was badly hurt by someone close to me a couple of years back.  And when I say hurt I mean kicked in the gut, doubled over on the ground, sobbing kind of hurt.  I mean the not wanting to get up in the morning, forgetting to brush your hair, not wanting to eat kind of hurt.  In short...I was a MESS.

In time, I was confronted with the choice of forgiving this person, or keeping my heart hard toward them and hating them forever.  I prayed A LOT.  I made TONS of du'a.  I fasted, I attended the masjid, I made dhikr....and I prayed some more. 

And eventually...I forgave them.  I don't think it was even a conscious decision I made.  I honestly think it was a change that Allah swt made in my heart for me.  He knew what was best for me (as He always does) and He emptied my heart of the rock that had formed there, and replaced it with forgiveness.

The funny thing is...sometimes it's the actual moving on part that is even harder than the forgiveness.  You see, if you turn to Allah swt HE will take care of the forgiveness...and of course He helps you with the moving on too....but that's something you have to keep trying at.  Every.  Single.  Day.

Alhamdulillah, it's taken time.  There have been ups and downs.  Lots of tears.  Sleepless nights.  And many days I asked myself if I made the right decision.  But that doubt in my decision only lasted until I realized that it wasn't a decision I had made, it was a path that Allah swt had chosen for me.

So you see ladies (and lurkers) forgiveness takes a long time.  A lot of patience, and tons of prayer.  But in the end....

Alhamdulillah it's worth it.

Ma'Salaama and Remember:
"Those who control their anger and are forgiving towards people; Allah loves the good." (Qur'an, 3: 134)

Forgivingly Yours,
The (Insh'Allah I too will be forgiven one day) Mujahada in Prada

~What to say....what to say....~

aSalaam uAlaikum waRamtuallahi waBarakatu!

Good evening my Stylish Sisters!  It is about midnight here in Southern California, and despite the fact that it is barely the 8th of January, it has been sunny and warm for the past few days.  Before I forget....

Alhamdulillah, so far this year has been good.  Unfortunately both of my princesses and I caught some kind of a virus while we were traveling over the Christmas holidays and it's clinging on to us for dear life.  It's been tough because my oldest daughter, who is three, has never ever ever ever ever been sick in her entire life, and my youngest (who is still a baby) now seems to be making up for all of those missed sicknesses for her older sister.  *sad face*  Ahhhhh well, that's the way it goes.  Alhamdulillah it's nothing worse.

Anywho, I struggled for a while to decide what I should chat about for my first 2012 blog post.  At first I was considering a post about New Years Resolutions (to be more patient with my daughters, and to get back down to the weight I was when I met the hubster), or the latest fashion trends (Owls- LOVE, Skinny Jeans- OVER THEM!), or my most recent home improvement projects (trying to make more room magically appear for all of my daughter's toys) but I've already talked about all of that, so instead I've decided to tell you about the super fun time I had last night baking with Princess Curly Q. 

As I've said before, Princess Curly Q is three years old, a lover of tutu's, a hater of jeans (they FRUSTRATE me, Mama!) and THE most creative little three year old genius I know.  (Yes, I have to say that....I'm her Mum)  Like me, she loves to cook, loves to clean, loves to bake, yet somehow manages to still maintain the most un-domesticated attitude.  Hehehe.  It's quite hilarious actually.

After being stuck in the apartment for a week with a raging fever, she decided yesterday (after her fever broke) that to finally bring in the New Year, we should bake cookies.  And, being the cookie lover that I am (there goes New Years Resolution #2) I of course agreed.  We pulled out an ancient recipe that was my grandmother's, for Peanut Blossoms, and got to work.

Peanut Blossoms are actually just little slightly Peanut Buttery tasting cookies that have a chocolate kiss in the middle.  In case you've never seen these culinary masterpieces, you can find a recipe HERE.

Well, we got through adding all of the ingredients without her insisting on changing the recipe (which happens a LOT when making anything with this girl)....until she decided the normal Peanut Blossom color was just too boring. 

So she decided on creating this lovely Teal Green color....

See how pretty that color looked all rolled up in the shimmering sugar coating??

We also decided to use dark chocolate kisses, instead of the normal milk chocolate, because I am a HUGE dark chocolate lover...and really, those little purple wrappers are just so much prettier than the regular old silver ones!

So...the first few out of the oven looked like this:

Other than the odd coloring, they look pretty normal.  Which was NOT satisfying for the Princess...who then decided that the kisses looked like beaks, and we should start making them look like birds.   And here are our final Peanut Blossom Kiwi Bird Cookies......

We had so much fun....she even cracked the eggs herself, and we haven't run across any eggshells in the cookies yet!  I swear this girl is a Mini Martha Stewart.  I can't think of any way I would have rather rung in the New Year (even if it WAS a week late).

Ma'Salaama and Happy New Year!!!!

Fashionably Yours,

The (okay, now I'm REALLY going to start my diet!) Mujahada in Prada

~Remember Her 70 Excuses~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...

This will be a quick, happy post to let everyone know (who may not know already) that Aisha Khan has been found.  She returned to her parent's house safe and sound this evening.

Although it is easy to get annoyed, or frustrated that after all of this effort and worry was for naught, we must ultimately be thankful that she returned home of her own free will, instead of the alternative.

We must also remember that we do not know the circumstances surrounding her choice to "get away" for a few days, there may be issues in her life that we are unfamiliar with. 

Most importantly we need to remember that she is our sister in Islam and deserves her 70 excuses.

Alhamdulillah she is back home, and insh'Allah whatever caused her to disappear can be resolved with the understanding and patience of her family and the mercy of Allah swt.

Ma'Salaama and Thanks to Everyone Who Helped.

Thankfully Yours,
The (relieved) Mujahada in Prada

~Find Aisha Khan~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...

Tonight I am writing you with fear and dread in my heart, begging you to assist in any way possible to help raise awareness for a situation of a missing young Muslim lady from Kansas.

In short, Aisha Khan...a 19 year old student at University of Kansas, who has been married only three short months, went missing this past Friday, December 16th.  (Read the whole story here) She was sitting at a picnic table on the campus of her school, studying for a final, when she called and left her sister a panic-stricken voice mail telling her that a man who she thought was drunk had started harassing her and tried to kiss her.  She said that she slapped him out of reflex but was extremely confused and terrified about the incident.

When her sister called her back she never answered.  And she has been missing ever since.

Sisters....this is our sister in Islam.  Other followers who may not be Muslim, this is our sister in humanity.  We would never want this type of situation to happen to ourselves or any one of our family members or friends.  We as women, as Muslimahs, as sisters in humanity need to join together to do everything in our power to help bring this young woman home to her family.

Please, keep her family in your du'a, your prayers, your thoughts.  Please make your FB profile picture her missing poster, "like" the FB page dedicated to finding her,  print the poster below out and hand them out, contact any relatives who may live in the University of Kansas area, and contact (816) 474-TIPS if you have any information.

Jazzak Allahu Khairun and Thank You.

Ma'Salaama and Help Find Aisha insh'Allah!

Apprehensively Yours,

The (scared beyond words) Mujahada in Prada

~An All American Boycott~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

Please forgive me for my lack of pleasantries and usual bantering on about tea, or coffee or such, but tonight I have something real, and discouraging, and downright depressing on my mind.

I'm talking about the withdrawel of Lowe's home improvement store's advertisements from the show 'All American Muslim'. Now, I KNOW some of you don't like the show, don't approve of the show, think it's disgusting, immoral, haraam, or whatever. I get it, and I will keep my own opinions to myself to prevent any fitna between myself and my sisters....BUT your opinions about the show are insignificant right now because we are facing only what can be called a media-enforced hate crime.

For those of you unfamiliar with what I am talking about, 'All American Muslim' is a show running here in the United States that follows five different Muslim families living in the Dearborn, Michigan area and shows their normal everyday lives. Lowe's used to be one of the major companies advertising during the time slot that 'All American Muslim' showed every Sunday, until recently a group of bigoted, right wing, hate mongers contacted Lowe's urging them to withdraw their advertisements.

And....surprise, surprise. They did withdraw their advertisements.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that the First Amendment was a freedom of religion, speech, and media. I understand that it is totally up to Lowe's to decide when and where they should advertise, but to me it is very depressing that they were bullied into making this decision based on the desires of what can only be described as a hate group.

To me, Lowe's can be described as nothing more than a spineless, cowardly company willing to contribute to the Islamophobia that is ailing my country and causing the slow erosion of our First Amendment rights.

I am asking you sisters to assist me in spreading the word about this prejudism and to blog about it, tweet about it, make your FB status about it, and to send an email if you choose. I've included a template (that was well written by a dear sister I will refer to as "S"),  for an email to send them below, feel free to use what you choose, and add what you think necessary. 

Jazzak Allahu Khairun my sisters in helping us fight this fight.

Ma'Salaama and Boycott Lowe's!

Fashionably Yours,
The (I've always liked Home Depot better anyways!) Mujahada in Prada
__________________________________________________________________________________
To: customercare@lowes.com
Sent: Tue, Dec 13, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Subject: Why I wont be shopping at Lowe's anymore
...
Dear Lowe's,

I was extremely disappointed to hear that you had pulled your advertisements from the TLC show "All American Muslim" because of pressure from a bigoted, right-wing "family" organization. This was a cowardly move to appease a small, but loud group of ignorant, prejudiced people who would rather that Muslims continue to be portrayed as subversive terrorists than be seen as the law-abiding, decent Americans that they are.

My family, friends and I will all be taking our business elsewhere until you reinstate your ads for this show and make an apology for succumbing to the pressure of hate groups.

Sincerely,

~The Prophet Liked Pumpkin~

Anas b. Malik reported: A tailor invited Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to a meal which he had prepared. Anas b. Malik said: I went along with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to that feast. He presented to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) barley bread and soup containing pumpkin, and sliced pieces of meat. Anas said: I saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked the pumpkin since that day.

Sahih Muslim ,Book 023, Number 5067

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

Ever since I was little, one of my favorite things about this time of year were all of the different flavors that no one seemed to cook any other time.  Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are used in abundance to make delicious cookies, pies, cakes and soups.  In fact, I believe I was munching away on a piece of pumpkin pie last time I posted on here.  :)

My most recent issue of 'Better Homes and Gardens' magazine (which I loooove) has a whole spread about the hottest holiday dessert this year: Trifles.  Yes, trifles!  Gone are the days that they are reserved for stuffy, royal luncheons and formal holiday dinners.  They are delicious, beautiful, and very easy to make; which definitely appeals to me.

When making a dessert that I am presenting to someone else, or serving to a large group of people I feel that presentation MUST be taken into consideration when choosing a recipe.  That's why I thought I would share a recent recipe that I whipped up last time I was baking pies, because I'm pretty sure if you ladies are pumpkin lovers like I am, that you will find it just as drool worthy as I do.

I came upon this recipe totally by mistake.  As any baker knows, there tends to be a sizeable amount of the pumpkin filling left over after filling the pie crusts when using canned pumpkin paste ( I recommend Libby's).  So, this year, instead of pouring the leftovers down the drain, I poured them into a cupcake pan, sprinkled the tops with a bit of cinnamon sugar and nutmeg, and baked it right alongside the pans.  (be sure to use heavy duty cupcake liners, because the filling is quite runny before baking)

Here's how they looked once I pulled them out:

They look yummy, already, don't they?  The cinnamon sugar and nutmeg that I sprinkled on top made a nice little crispy crust.  Don't worry if your pumpkin cupcakes have a little hole in each one, that is caused by the excess moisture in the filling which is usually drawn into the crust when baking a pie.

Here's a closeup:

  Now, in a trifle there are at least three parts: A fruity part, A bread-y part, A creamy part.  So, at this point you need to decide for yourself what you would like to do for your bread-y part.  I would suggest either whipping up a bit of extra pie crust and baking it separately, or if you don't have time to bake your own pie crust you can just buy one extra pre-made pie crust.  Also, I would personally recommend making your own whipped cream, so that you can add a flavor to it like almond or vanilla, but there is no shame in buying Cool Whip or some other type of whipped cream instead.

Now that you have your three parts, you are ready to assemble.  Because we are using small pumpkin cupcakes, this trifle will look best if served in individual serving glasses.  You can use wine or champagne glasses for a more formal look, or if you are keeping it more casual, small glass bowls work well too.  Just make sure that whatever you use is see-through glass so that you can enjoy the beautiful aesthetics of your delicious trifle.

Start layering your three ingredients, starting with a small amount of crumbled crust on the bottom, followed by the pumpkin filling, then some whipped cream.  Continue layering until you've made as many layers as you want, making sure you finish with whipped cream on top.  Throw a small sprig of mint on top, or garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg and cinnamon and you're finished.  It looks beautiful, and people will think you spent hours on it (which always helps to gain points with the in-laws, your boss at work, or your hubby!)

I wish I could show you a finished picture of the trifles that I made, but unfortunately they were all eaten before I had a chance to take pictures.  So, here are a couple of pictures of other trifles so you can get an idea of the beauty that a good trifle holds:

So, there you have it, my amazing Muslimahs.  Although pumpkin pies, and fancy trifles are traditionally served at fancy holiday parties around this time of year, you don't HAVE to celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving to enjoy these decadent desserts. 

Even our Prophet saws liked pumpkin...and served in one of these desserts, I'm pretty sure you will too.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Baking!

Fashionably Yours,

The (you can call me Martha Stewart!) Mujahada in Prada

~Every Day is Thanksgiving~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Happy Thanksgiving My Stylish Sisters!

I know, I know I'm late.  I'm sorry.  Yesterday was a totally hectic, yet totally abnormal Thanksgiving.  As I sit here eating wayyyy too much leftover pumpkin pie with an enormous dollop of Cool Whip, it occurs to me that in reality, I am blessed enough to celebrate Thanksgiving almost every day with my husband and my wonderful in-laws.

Okay, so technically we are not celebrating the day of a peaceful feast occurring between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, but really....do we even know for sure if or when that day ever happened?  The pictures of 'The First Thanksgiving' that fill our textbooks as children, or hang on classroom walls in the fall seems so staged.  There is always one Native American greatfully accepting a plate of food from a Pilgrim woman, even though it was the Native Americans who knew how to grow the food needed to survive...NOT the other way around.  And the pilgrims are always sitting around, plumply satisfied with a huge feast of turkey, sweet potatoes and other veggies, even though I'm pretty sure they were close to starving and miserable in their new surroundings.  But...as usual, I digress.

Although we're not celebrating Thanksgiving....we ARE celebrating thanks giving.

You see, the average American loves this day because it's a day that families come from far and wide, to simply sit down and enjoy a meal.  To tell stories of the past, share memories, pay tribute to those no longer with us, and celebrate the accomplishments of those who are.  It's usually a day of laughter, love, and gratitude for all of the blessings bestowed on us.

Do you know what that sounds like to me?

It sounds like an average lunch at my mother in law's house. 

Alhamdulillah I married a man whose family feels it is so important to stay close to eachother, that up until a year ago we ALL lived in the same apartment complex!  We have an amazing grandma who loves nothing more than cooking a huge meal, and sitting with us and a cup of tea, sharing stories from times long gone.  My mother in law's door is always wide open for us to come in and eat, and her ear is always available to hear what is troubling us.  A small, weekday lunch at my mother in laws is usually between 15-20 people, and any special occasion that we can use as an excuse to have Mensaf, or Grape Leaves, or a Kharouf usually hosts upwards of 35!  We have days of laughter, love, and showing our gratitude at least three times a week alhamdulillah!

Thanksgiving does not need to consist of an oversized bird, with specified sides and pumpkin pie (although pumpkin pie is absolutely delicious!) all it needs to consist of is giving thanks.  And you can do that any day.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Thanks Giving

Thankfully Yours,
The (who wants another slice of pie?) Mujahada in Prada

P.S.  One thing I am deeply thankful for is all of my customers on my website http://www.lovenyla.com/.  To show my deep thanks, I am having a two day only sale! 25-26 of November.  Check it out, and use coupon code FREESHIP25 in order to get free shipping on top of the amazing discounts I'm already offering.

~Love Nyla's Blog is Up!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...

I just wanted to stop in quickly to let you know that I have (finally) launched my other blog for Love Nyla Designs (my handmade jewelry line).

It's been a long time coming, but I decided that it was necessary to have a nice place for customers, potential customers, and even critics to get together and address any questions, comments, or critiques they have for me or my merchandise.

I will also (and here comes the fun part) be giving you amazing Muslimahs some helpful hints about things like cleaning your sterling silver jewelry with normal, everyday household goods as well as fun ways to use my handmade hijab pins, interesting facts about the different materials that I use, and random jewelry related anecdotes.

I'm hoping insh'Allah that you ladies will join me on my other blog and help to support a fledgling, muslimah owned small business.  In return I will make sure that whenever I have coupon codes, special sales, or contests, YOU sisters will be the first to know!

Click Here To Check Out Love Nyla's Blog

Ma'Salaama and Happy Blogging!

Lovingly Yours,
The (thanks for the support!) Mujahada in Prada 

~It Came From My Imaan~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Night My Stylish Sisters...

The weirdest thing happened to me today.  As I mentioned previously, I have been struggling with some anxiety and stress lately, so my wonderful husband suggested I take the day to venture out on my own and spend some time relaxing for a change.  Of course this "day" turned into an afternoon and eventually dwindled down to a couple of hours, but nonetheless the thought was there on his part alhamdulillah, I just lacked the execution.

Well, I chose to spend my precious hours of peace and tranquility by going and getting a mani/pedi done at a new nail salon/spa that I saw a couple of weeks ago while running errands.  The ambiance is peaceful and elegant, the chairs are oversized with massage options, and the service is fantastic.  So, no problem there.  The problem lied with the woman who they sat me next to.

When I first walked into the spa I immediately recognized that this woman was of Middle Eastern descent, and so (incorrectly) sensing an ally I flashed her a genuine smile.  *crickets* I received a death glare in response. 

I shook it off as a mistake, or a mis-interpretation on my part and went about choosing the color of nail polish, selecting the newest magazines they had, and waiting my turn for a seat in those luxurious chairs.  Of course, as luck would have it, I was seated right next to Mrs. Mean Face.

Aformentioned glare out of my head, and with a strong determination to enjoy my time of silence and solitude I began leafing through the magazines I had selected, filling my brain with nonsense about Kim K's divorce, Jen's new romance, and who wore what where.  Then, Mrs. Mean Face's voice overtook my gossip filled conscience as I overheard her starting to bash Islam, her home country, and everything remotely related to either one to the lady who was doing her nails.

:O   *jaw drop*  AstaghferAllah I was seriously shocked.  I won't go into details about what she said, but it was definitely cringe-worthy and the poor lady who was working on my pedicure kept bonking me on the knee telling me to stop curling my toes.  I couldn't help it.  She was sitting here defacing my beautiful religion and the one True and Complete Book to some lady who didn't know any better, and probably believed everything she said.

I wanted to yell at her "I'm sorry if you've had such horrible experiences with people who claimed to be Muslim, but that was CULTURE....it was NOT true Islam, and it is wrong and inhumane and just plain haraam for you to be lying to this lady about our beautiful Islam and all of the Truth that it holds!"  I wanted to jump up and defend Our Prophet and offer to help her see the other side of Islam.  The side free from the influences of greedy men who use it in their own twisted ways to fill their social agendas.

But....of course....I didn't.  I chose to sit still, and keep quiet because I knew in my heart she was saying these things to get under my skin.  And I knew that the best way to prove that she was wrong, and to get under her skin in return was to simply be myself.  To be kind, and nice, and show her an example of how a true Muslimah acts.

In short...I forgave her.

There is a part of me who feels guilty that I didn't do more to stand up for Islam.  But in my heart I know I did the right thing, because only Allah swt will guide those who are meant to follow the straight path.  She was so determined to believe what she believed that no matter what I said she would have twisted it around and it would have just solidified what she already felt to be true.

So, instead, I caught her eye.  I gave a her a smile that came from deeper than my mouth, deeper still than my heart even.  It came from my imaan.

And you know what?  She smiled back.  As I turned to grab my things and come home to my beautiful daughters and my loving husband she even called goodbye out to me, and I could feel her watching me as I walked to my car.

And at that point, the only thing I felt was pity for her.  Pity that she had been through such horrible experiences, and pity that she had strayed so far from the Straight Path.  Instead of yelling at her for what she said, I will instead make du'a for her.

And insh'Allah you will all make du'a as well.

Ma'Salaama and Allah Ma'aku.

Fashionably Yours,
The (newly painted) Mujahada in Prada

~So Happy To See You Again!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

Let me pour you a cup of coffee and plump a pillow for you, it's been far too long since we've chatted and I've missed you terribly.  Insh'Allah everything has been more than wonderful for each and every one of you faithful followers and for your families as well.

As usual my life has been busy busy busy.  Alhamdulillah both of the girls are getting bigger by the day, I have been struggling to keep up with them and their hilarious tactics, and my husband has been struggling to keep up with all of us. 

I love this time of the year.  Even though we don't actually celebrate Christmas, here in the United States the time between Halloween and New Years is one that just has a certain electricity in the air.  The mall is bustling and full of wonderful smells and even more wonderful sales.  I love the Christmas lights that people hang around on trees and their houses, and I love how people (in general) seem to get just a bit kinder to eachother.

One of the reasons that I have been so busy lately is because alhamdulillah my business http://www.lovenyla.com/ has gotten super busy lately.  My husband is amazing at marketing my product, and always encouraging me when I'm starting to lose hope.  I have a brand new and soooo beautiful collection coming out that is much more in tune with my personality than the previous one was.  I will be starting another blog dedicated solely to my jewelry and my jewelry-making adventures, so insh'Allah once it is up and running I will invite all of you to follow me there as well.

I also do have to admit that recently I have been struggling a bit with some stress and anxiety issues.  I would never normally share something like that, and I only am sharing it with you with the plea that you will keep my in your du'a and prayers because THAT, my friends, is our most powerful weapon.  The power of positive thinking, fear of Allah swt, and collective prayer.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Anywho, enough of the blah blah blah.  Insh'Allah I will be back posting up a storm and blabbing your ears off with lots of irrelevant stories and irreverant advice.

Ma'Salaama and Happy to see you again!

Fashionably Yours,
The (timidly optimistic) Mujahada in Prada

~My Favorite Scarf of All~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters,

I wanted to let you all know I've added another beautiful scarf to the collection I'm selling on ebay....

and this on is my favorite one yet!

Check it out insh'Allah.  I had to keep one for me because it's so nice.  I know it's going to go fast so I had to let you ladies know.

Gold Designer Look Scarf

Ma'Salaama and Happy Bidding!

Fashionably Yours,
The (Good Luck!)  Mujahada in Prada

~There is nothing better than beautiful jewelry....unless it's free beautiful jewelry!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters...


Insh'Allah I will continue telling you all about my latest home improvement projects and recent going-ons in my next post, but right now I have to share this amazing contest that Love Nyla is having. What is Love Nyla? Well it's a little company, Muslimah owned and operated, that sells handmade sterling silver and Swarovski crystal hijab pins, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and charms. They have some adorable things on their website, and in order for them to make room for the new stuff they're coming out with soon, they are having a contest.

The first prize winner will get a $75.00 coupon code, second prize is a $35.00 coupon code, and third prize is a $15.00 coupon code along with free shipping for life on anything on their website.

All you have to do is log into Facebook (I KNOW you have a FB account!), find Love Nyla (the business) and make a post on their wall letting them know you want to participate. They have the full instructions on their home page, but the gist of it is this:

                      After you let them know you want to participate in their contest, they will send you a code word. You contact all of your FB friends and let them know that you are taking part in a contest, and you have them "Like" Love Nyla's page and post a sentence that uses the code word you gave them.

I think whoever refers the most people to Love Nyla's page will also win a prize for the friends they referred, so it's worth their while to participate!

Anyways, just had to share the great news with you amazing Muslimah! Should be fun reading all those silly sentences people will come up with!


Ma'Salaama and Good Luck!

Fashionably Yours,
The (may the best sister win!) Mujahada in Prada

~A Planter Redefined!~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Evening My Stylish Sisters!

I am sitting here pigging out on some delicious Damla candies, just waiting for my teeth or tummy (or both) to let me know it's time to stop.  Alhamdulillah in the past three weeks thanks to eating well, exercising on my Wii, and lots and lots of stress, I have lost 8 pounds!  The only problem with it is whenever I try to resist something I shouldn't be eating I tell myself "You've done really well! You deserve a treat!"

Ha! If I keep this up, I will have gained back twice as much as I lost by next month.

Anywho....as promised, I wanted to share with you amazing muslimahs my most recent home improvement project.  Lately I have been totally head over heels in looooove with this website called Pinterest.  It's the coolest place where ladies (well, I've never noticed a man posting anything) can post pics of those little things that encourage "oooohs" and "ahhhhhs" and squeals of delight followed by "Oh My God that is SOOO cute!"

You don't believe me?  Check it out...I guarantee you'll be squealing like a schoolgirl again in no time.  :)

Sooooo...a while back I was drooling over a million adorable DIY ideas when I came across some planters that someone had used as containers in their children's room for toys, stuffed animals, and other miscellaneous items.  I thought it was the cutest idea EVAR, and decided to make a couple of them myself.....with a couple of personal touches.

Soooo....here is one that I made for a friend's daughter.  It's exactly like the ones I made for my kiddos, but a different color.  Here is the finished product:

Like it?  :)

Here is how you can make these adorable alternatives to the average toybox:

1) Go to your local home improvement or gardening store and find some wall planters that you like.  They don't have to be the exact color you want, just a decent design.  Decide what color you would like the planter (I made this one brown to match the child's furniture) and what color you would like the letters to be, and buy the appropriate spray paint.  Just make sure the paint you get for the planter is for metal, or it won't stick.

2) Either buy the letters you like for the child's name at the same home improvement store, or if those are too bulky (they are usually to be used on the outside of houses or mailboxes) then go to a local arts and crafts store.  Again....it doesn't matter if you don't like the color of the letters, you've got the spray paint!  Also, pick up some matching or coordinating ribbon from the craft store: preferably one that is wide and wired so you can make a nice bow and it will keep its shape, and one that is very narrow in the same color as your letters.  Also grab two or three mirror/picture hooks per basket and some glue anything, stick your feet to the ceiling glue.

3) After laying out plenty of newspaper, get to painting.  Spray paint usually will run down or drip, so it's best to set the planter and the letters at an angle so you are spraying with the can as close to straight up and down as possible.  After spraying something with spray paint, always point the can away from anything, turn it upside down and spray until nothing comes out but air.  This will prevent the nozzle from getting clogged.  Spray paint dries quickly, so work on the ribbon while the letters are drying.

4)  I made mine so the ribbon doesn't actually hold up the planter, but is just for aesthetics.  I did this because my daughter had the genius idea of hanging up the planter on hooks, instead of permanently, so I can take it down, let her load and unload her goodies, and I can hang it back up again.  Figure out how high you want the ribbon to stretch, how big you want your bow to be, etc and then pin the bow to the wall, with the bottom strips where you want the planter to hang.

5) If you want the planter-turned-toy basket to be removeable like I did mine, hang two or three picture hanging hooks that are meant to hold up to 30 pounds.  You can usually only find these hooks in silver or gold, so if the color bothers you (like it bothered me) you can spray paint them with the same spray paint you used for the planter.

6) After the planter and letters have dried, decide on the placement of the letters, and using the thin ribbon, tie them in place.  When I did this the first time 'round it was purely to hold them in place until the glue dried, but then I decided I liked the look of it and left them.  That is entirely up to you.  Once you've tied them where you want them, add a bit of glue each place the letters touch the planter.  Let the glue dry overnight.

7) Hang up your masterpiece!  Marvel at how adorable it looks, and how functional it is!  These are great for holding anything from stuffed animals, to small toys, or even extra blankets in a nursery!  If you have two kids sharing a room, make one for each kid.  If your child has a longer name, you can always use smaller letters, or buy the long rectangular planters instead of the small one like in the picture.  Anyway it goes, have fun!

So ladies, I will let you go so you can get started.  Insh'Allah I've explained my process well, and if not....then let me know!   I always love questions and comments, so I'm looking forward to hearing what you think.

Ma'Salaama and Happy Crafting!

Fashionably Yours,

The (don't sniff the spraypaint!!!) Mujahada in Prada