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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Holy Month of Ramadhan

Hey Bloggers and Crafting Family! I just wanted to drop a quick post to let you all know that Wednesday the 11th or Thursday the 12th...(depending on the sighting of the Crecent of the Moon...which marks the changing of a new month) Marks the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadhan and our month of Fasting. The easiest way to explain Ramadhan is a definition so I found a nice and simple one from www.about.com for you all.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast.
 
During the blessed month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world abstain from food, drink, and other physical needs during the daylight hours. As a time to purify the soul, refocus attention on God, and practice self-sacrifice, Ramadan is much more than just not eating and drinking. Muslims are called upon to use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits -- essentially to clean up our lives, our thoughts, and our feelings. The Arabic word for "fasting" (sawm) literally means "to refrain" - and it means not only refraining from food and drink, but from evil actions, thoughts, and words.

During Ramadan, every part of the body must be restrained. The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossip. The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at unlawful things. The hand must not touch or take anything that does not belong to it. The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words. The feet must refrain from going to sinful places. In such a way, every part of the body observes the fast.
Therefore, fasting is not merely physical, but is rather the total commitment of the person's body and soul to the spirit of the fast. Ramadan is a time to practice self-restraint; a time to cleanse the body and soul from impurities and re-focus one's self on the worship of God.

This month will be more challenging than most for me because the days are longer and we are in the heat of summer. So I will be fasting approximately 16 hour days...for 30 days...that is no eating or drinking (no not even water) from Dawn to Sunset.

To all my Muslims brothers and Sisters out there in the world. Ramadhan Mubarrak!! May all your deeds and efforts be blessed 100 times over!

-V

Another ATC Swap...of the Skulls and Flowers Variety!

Evening Bloggers! I know it has been a while since my last post and I PROMISE an updated pic of my Jumbo EZer ribbon purse will be the next post up...but I FINALLY got my crafting mojo back AND have received my replacement Cricut...so I am back in business! I wanted share my latest ATC creation I made for an ATC Swap that I am a part of over at the Scrap Shack. As part of the swap each month we each take a turn picking a theme...for July, Scrap Shack Design Team Member Lyn chose the theme Skulls and Flowers. I must admit that at first I was intimidated with the theme...I was like uhhhh  hmmm...but as I started thinking on it, an idea formed and here is the fruits of my labor! I am so happy with how my ATCs came out! I did a number of techniques on these...first I cut the base skull/tombstone out of acetate and inked them using alcohol inks...MY FIRST TIME using acetate and alcohol inks and I LOVE it!!  Anywho...my idea was to make my ATCs to look like a tombstone with a skull on top and have a girl kneeling at the base of it putting flowers down... I used a number of Cricut carts for this, I used "A Childs Year" for the kneeling girl (she actually had a basket in her hand...but I cut it off). Storybook for the "RIP" words which you can't see from the pic because of the girls head, I used George and Basic Shapes for the tombstone. I am not sure where I cut the skulls and the grass and flowers from...I think the grass and flowers were from Plaintain School book.

ANYWAY...my ATC is titled...Remembrance...ENJOY!!

 For the Month of August the ATC swap theme is "The Pride" where we have to create an ATC depicting a typical African "pride" scene. SO...I am off to dream...QUICKLY cause the deadline is approaching on what I will do for that!

Until next time! Have a great night and happy crafting!

-V