[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

‘A Year Of Mornings’ (I was meant to join this Flickr group as part of my 101 challenge, and have only just got round to it – I can’t say I’ll be very active with it or very successful, I only really wake up mentally towards mid day)

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

(Hunting for books wouldn’t be such a drab pass time if you knew were to start, a book shop would be a good first option, obviously – but then there’s the endless search for books you’d rather not ‘have’ to read. I have a problem with ‘having’ to read anything, which probably doesn’t help my situation. The time has come again where I’ll have to abandon everything momentarily and shuffle away to immerse myself in study and all the other necessities that might increase the current size of my brain…slightly)

At least the  reading list this time round has ignited some interest somewhere far in the back of my head – Actually nothing seems to be interesting me or getting me motivated lately (Least of all reading lists, I’m just trying to encourage words here) the past few weeks have not been amazing, I think I need new surroundings, it might prompt my brain to start churning ideas again, or maybe some oil in the engine, anything that might encourage life basically.

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

This Hood was initially meant to be for me (unfortunately, just like all the hats I make they always seem to turn out to small regardless of how many stitches I cast on) One half of me is disappointed and the other is thankful because the more logical thinking person in me is saying that I wouldn’t have looked anything less than ridiculous in a Pixie looking plum, coloured hood – I’m still undecided.

Its called ‘The golden compass hood’ Ring a bell? It didn’t with me, maybe next time I aught to be more cautious for fear of running into ‘Funny fan knitters’. I’m not bothered, just slightly worried because I might not be as in tune with my surroundings as I thought.

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

Remember Rouge. Well because I’m not having much success on the drawing front, and because the Art journal appears to have gone into hiding (Until I can stop venting my rage) I decided I’d have to put the Bird to some use until I can draw another one – Now at first I thought I wouldn’t be altogether safe handling a needle and thread, I’m hyperactive and anything in my possession no matter how harmless can become dangerous (If you can trip over your own feet on a regular basis, and cause sufficient damage to the end of your nose, lets face it, you have a problem). But aside from some bloody fingers, and a giant knot (Once the box of threads) it all went pretty smoothly – The back of it is a disaster and I could use the excess thread left on it to stuff the actually toy, but that Okay, no one needs to see the back/or inside…

]]> http://urbanrust.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/wading-my-way-through-a-mammoth-load-of-books/feed/ 1 Urban Books. Hood. Hood. Rouge. color Rouge. http://urbanrust.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/vintage/ http://urbanrust.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/vintage/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:08:08 +0000 urbanrust http://urbanrust.wordpress.com/?p=107 ]]>

[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]

I had intended to write a post on the event of me becoming one whole year older (Not that it has any significance you understand – although some say you should start the year as you intend to finish it, and I do have some vague plans in mind, there currently lingering at the back of my brain waiting for the right time to jump out and scare me senseless) Progress though isn’t always easy, we live in depressing times and even day to day activity induces a feeling of guilt. I’ve stumbled across some very interesting articles regarding Ghazza: Here and here. There defiantly worth a read.

[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]

I have to say I’m not altogether amazing at keeping this place up to date, I’m in the process of sorting my self out, hence the frequent lapses and tendency to forget. That’s what an Organic education can do to you, I’m studying one Minuit and the next I’m labouring over a Pixie hat that has a beginning (I would know I’ve started it Enough times already) and no apparent end, also – the possibility for me looking ridiculous in it in dangerously high, which is to be expected I suppose, you don’t wear a hat with a pointy top and two long pig tails and expect to be taken seriously (mind you I probably would in my current state of mind) I’ll amuse you with pictures of that tomorrow hopefully (if by then I can see a light at the end of the tunnel)

A new obsession with anything and everything mustard coloured has awakened in me, brought to life with a thrifted yoke top, vintage knitting needles, and a rather peculiar but altogether wonderful little box (Yes, I assure you, I am fine)  I will produce a longer post tomorrow,  when I will possibly have something to say, my sleep deprived brain however can’t seem to manage it today…

I don’t remember feeling the need to suggest a solution to the problem, obviously I trusted to much in my fellow Muslim people (and clear headed people in general) as to assume that they would already know what the correct action to take would be. I don’t deny that Rallies and marches help us to raise our voices and be heard-My main issue with the whole scene is that although we might be raising our voices today, where were we yesterday?.
I think everyone knows only too well that this could have been prevented or at the very least it could have been lessened. There was a space of time in which we could have acted as we do now and could have rallied as we do now-but we didn’t, and that depresses me, because it alerts me to the fact that we are not as determined as we should be to save our people.
Imagine if you can what our predecessors in Islam would say if they could see the state of our Ummah today, the very same Ummah that they died and sacrificed their lives for, for its better and so we could uphold what we know to be true. I imagine they would not so much be horrified as angered that we stand by and only voice ourselves while our Brothers and Sisters in Ghazza are being massacred-they would not wait for a convenient time, nor place, they wouldn’t sign partitions or rally the streets…they would go in there thousands with nothing but the knowledge that Allah surely helps those who seek to better the state of their Ummah, and they would fight to regain back the land stolen from them by people best described as inhuman and completely devoid of all feeling.
And so you see that the sollution to the problem is not as we might think to merely voice our opinions and hope that those in higher position i.e world leaders, will make a change and better the situation. Its to take action ourselves. And make a difference OURSELVES!
Not with our hearts just, or with our tongues just, but with our hands and with the firm belief that we will succeed.

Someone pointed out to me that, as we watched the footage of rallies and speeches on television-that the same thing happened in South Africa, when the Aryan supremacy’s were committing genocide and killing thousands, yet the Africans won and were once again in charge of their own affairs, aided by the global support they received.
The difference though between them and Palestine, is that in order for our Government, and likewise the governments of many other countries (Including the USA) to stop the carnage, and to expose the Israeli’s for what they are,
they would have to admit to their own mistake in putting the Israelis there in the first place, and that as we know is one thing no politician would be willing to do-admit to there own wrong doings.
And so talk remains just that, talk, and we can’t expect anything more to come out of it, if we did that we are indeed very naive to the blatant lies being fed to us by our Government and other sources.

In regards to comments made about Hamas and any other supposed ‘terrorist organisations’. Again I pose the same question as before-if it were your people, then surely would you not make the same advances as Hamas? You can’t expect for a country to be unlawfully and illegally taken from its people, and then for them to submit to this rule willingly, the fact is that it is an illegal occupation, as everyone knows it, and anyone who Denys it is fool or a deluded creep in fact.
Hamas are only fighting for what in lawfully theirs-and as the rightfully elected Government by their people, the duty is also upon them to fulfill the right of protecting the Palestinian civilians under their care.

And EVEN, if your opinion is that Hamas are partly to blame in what we have seen in the past few days, then you might at least admit that what they have received in return is completely disproportionate.
Four Israeli civilians and one Israeli Soldier (better described as ibn sharmoota) in comparison to nearly 600 Palestinians, 20% of whom are children the youngest of them barely days old.
This is nothing less than a genocide, although it is something greater that tears at the heart and causes inner grief and remorse.

Maybe opinions would change if it were you or me that faced the prospect of having our entire lives and the lives of those around us, obliterated, in a matter of minuets, even seconds. If you were the young child with limbs decapitated, the misfortune of having fallen victim to a bomb that we are told was not meant to harm innocent civilians, yet targeted at a school or mosque.
Or maybe if you were the mother who had lost all five of your daughters in one moment, all the joys of life left in the void that is now Palestine gone.
Or if you were the family who after days of indescribable fear had fallen victim to a house raid, the result of which was death at every turn.

Life is cheap. Especially to those who value the blood of one whose ethnicity does not match there’s and below them. We see the effects of the Holocaust and the Nazi’s reincarnated in the Jews of today, and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, in such similarity to that of the cleansing of the Jews before that you wonder how they (The Zions and anyone who supports, because anyone who agrees on any grounds with there motives is indeed a Jew/a Zion and no better than them) could disgrace the memories of their people by committing the same atrocities to another, how ironic and how sad.

The Palestinians are not living, its a limbo, of being here but waiting to die, because unless we act upon our words, they have no future, and there end is secure.
Sabr for them is the key-for indeed Allah is with those who are patient, and for us? let me say that if a child has the bravery to face a Machine gun in the face with nothing but a stone then we have (together) and collectively the strength and hopefully the bravery to face Israel with our hearts, our tongues and our hands. We are all Hamas: and as the mother I mentioned above said after loosing her children, if Hamas in its entire were to fall tomorrow then surely it would resurrect its self in the people remaining the next day. And THAT is true faith.
May Allah better there situation and give them better than what they have lost, and may they be reunited with their loved ones on Yawm Al-Qiyamah, to face their lord and give the Jews the judgment that has long awaited them, and that they deserve.  Ammeen.

[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]

[Originally uploaded by Urban.rust]

I haven’t had an amazing time on the sewing front lately, but considering I now have a draw filled with things I should really have made by now, I decided to bag all the material I could (literally). Its called a Hobo bag, but it was meant to be a satchel-But like all the best layed plans it went wrong and so it had to be altered some how.  And the best I could do was round the edges and add a front flap with buttons-and hey, it worked out Okay. I doubt you can see very well in the picture (picture taking isn’t my strong point at the moment) But the bag has two straps that tie at the top (A sort of unintentional Urban feature).

Originally uploaded by Urban.rust

(I’ve finally made some headway with those arm warmers, it only took me…lets say ten attempts before I finally managed to get past the fifth row without dropping stitches or pulling the entire thing apart) I then decided I’d take radical steps, go awol, and try something on the round-the result being a cowl. And hey, a cowl makes for a pretty good Eco warrior version of the cat in the hat.

Originally uploaded by Urban.rust

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

I’ve always been slow on the uptake-in other words by the time the penny drops every ones already moved and I’m left behind wandering around like a fool. I’m no great fan of conformity, but as far as I can tell-everyone appears to have a Tumblr, that is of course except me. So, curious as I am I decided to go ahead and make an account, and daft as I am I also decided that a plain Tumblr format wouldn’t do, and that I’d have to have something unique looking or ditch the whole idea altogether.

However for that ultimate unique look, you either have to be a computer nerd or know a computer nerd that can do all the ‘nerdy’ work for you, not being computer literate, and not knowing anyone with any in depth knowlege of that monster other wise known as HTML,

in comes Blogskins, it was my cheat way of getting a format without doing any of the hard work, and like all great plans, it appeared to work but really is a giant mess. So now basically I have a Tumblr, but my main page wont post anything-because that isn’t included in the HTML codes on blogskin formats.

So, Its basically like telling me “Sure, you can have the unique format-But you’ll never be able to work it!”

My sad excuse of a Tumblr.

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

I actually messed this picture up, I thought it was going fine until I realised I’d messed up the proportions and wouldn’t be able to finish it without messing up, or having to erase what I’d already drawn-which seemed a massive waste of time, so just left it unfinished. I was practising shading, something I always have problems with. Turned out Okay I suppose, If you kind of forget its only half sketched. That was meant to be my hand holding a clementine, I did try drawing it again and then painting it, but I couldn’t for the life of me make the clementine look round, so that’s the next thing that needs working on. Ugh-I hate clementines.

Its winter, arm warmers/fingerless gloves seemed the appropriate thing to start with (I’m a cop out-looked purposefully for something easy and quick). But hey, it worked and I’ve had a hard time trying to remove them from my hands since. I’ve also started another pair (the ones in grey) and hopefully I’ll stick the felt on it as “something”.

I’ll cross it of the list as soon as I’ve mastered how to get my rows neat, which could take a while…

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

[Originally uploaded By Urban.rust]

I happen to be a very great lover of lists, the sort that writes a list for the  sole purpose of making themselves feel accomplished, often enough you can find yourself writing lists of things already done, because its almost always guaranteed to boost a flagging ego, and also acts as an illusion to others-who will no doubt be lead to believe that you actually utilise your time doing useful things, and fill your days with good hearty activity.Fat chance.

Anyway, being this great lover of lists (and anything else that might by chance make me look productive) I had a moment of euphoria when I happened by chance to stumble across this site ‘Day Zero‘, and My God, it was a whole community of people with the same idea. Naturally I’m inclined to make a list, so immediately grab a pen and paper and start scribbling down activities and randomness that I want to achieve, you would have though that being this eager it would have been easy, unfortunately its taken me the best part of three weeks to work out what to put on it, and then finally I did what all great maniacs achieve and lost the list. Started again-this time more determine, due to frustration and anger, and managed to rewrite my list from memory (I know its a miracle.)

Basically, I’ve created myself a 101 in 1001, and because I’m a useless specimen that butchers everything she tries to explain, I’ll do another thing I’m good at, and cut and paste the introduction,

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Once you have created your site, you can add it to the master list here at Day Zero.

And now for my list, I lost count of how many attempts it took-and although I did spend quite a long time contemplating whether or not I should categorise all my tasks, but then decided that really I couldn’t be bothered to-and then decided I’d leave the categories for when I add it to a separate page, and then thought “May, you make things so damn complicated”…

1. Leave an anonymous letter or quote in a public space
2. Learn to swim
3. Go horse riding
4. Go ice skating
5. Join the group: illustration Friday
6. Send a secret to post secret
7. Adopt a sunnah weekly
8. Become an expat in Africa
9. Grow my on vegetables
10. Make organic creams and lip balms
11. Learn to speak French fluently
12. Complete my GCSE’s and A levels
13. Become a vegan for a month
14. Become a vegetarian for a month
15. Complete a WW2 ration experience
16. Go camping
17. Go for a walk on a beach
18. Build a sand castle
19. Learn to drive
20. Chalk messages on pavements
21. Learn one Surah per month
22. Complete the compact project, two month
23. Take the (26) photography challenge
24. Complete a year of mornings challenge
25. Learn the martial art Karate
26. Learn to play the duff
27. Buy a Nikon digital camera
28. Knit/crochet 101 eclectic hats
29. Make ten items of clothing from thrifted wear
30. Make five pieces of art work inspired by artists
31. Complete the sketch a day project
32. Make a doodle book
33. Learn to knit
34. Learn to say a phrase in 25 different languages
35. Make a short film
36. Write/illustrate a book and get it published
37. Write and perform a speech/talk to an audience
38. Overcome my phobias
39. Write a personal letter and open after 1001 days
40. Make a 101 journal/blog each task
41. Participate in NaBloPoMo
42. Dye my hair
43. Learn to cut and style hair
44. Send a care package to a cause [Cageprisoners]
45. Read the biography of Ibn Taymiyah
46. Random act of kindness 5/0
47. Open an on line store
48. Practice my henna skills and use
49. Fast Mondays and Thursdays
50. find my signature perfume
51. Make a sculpture
52. Manage a better sleep routine
53. Go for an entire day with no negative statements
54. Visit the London art galleries
55. Photograph a day in my life
56. Go for an entire week with no T.V
57. Play a game of conkers
58. Make wire wrap jewellery
59. Write a haiku poem
60. Post the contents of my bag on my blog
61. Make a blog post in post it notes
62. Learn to screen print
63. Meditate for half an hour every day
64. Make a meditation pillow
65. Make an amigurumi animal
66. Learn to appliqué
67. Make myself five skirts
68. Get ears pierced a second time
69. Paint a mural on my bedroom wall
70. Learn to play chess [again]
71. Buy myself a good radio
72. Go berry picking
73. Buy a bird and keep it alive for longer then the last five
74. Attend Tajweed classes
75. Tie dye clothes
76. Make organic soap and bath bombs
77. Eventually get round to buying a Polaroid camera
78. Learn how to write Arabic calligraphy
79. Keep up to date with pen palls and e pals
80. Learn glass painting
81. Create something ceramic or potter something
82. Make myself a dress
83. Take the handmade pledge
84. Join an on line art community [deviant art]
85. Join an on line knitting/crochet community [revelry]
86. Visit family before moving country
87. Speak only Arabic for an entire week
88. Interview someone interesting and eccentric
89. Knit a stripey ear flap hat on the round
90. Learn to say yes and no at appropriate times
91. Learn to juggle with three balls
92. Learn to perform Hijama
93. Learn how to perform Ruqiyyah
94. Do a circuit of the park on a skate board
95. Make organic deodorant
96. Learn to felt (water felt etc)
97. Learn graffiti art/with aerosol cans
98. Learn HTML and other appropriate geeky computer things
99. Learn to pick locks
100. Create a mole skin journal
101. Memorise 101 hadith (prophetic sayings)