What would you like to learn? Take a Creative Class with Hijab Sparkle!

Salam all!

I am now available to teach whatever creative projects you are interested in.  Check out my new 'classes' page to see some examples of what I do.

Regards,

Attend the Ladies' Night and Win Free Prizes!

Please note:  The date of this event is on Sunday the 22nd of September (not the 15th as originally written) sorry there was a bit of a mix up of communications :-/  Hope to see you all on the 22nd insha Allah :)

The Marrakech Cafe in Wellington, NZ,  have been holding a regular 'Ladies' Night' , about once a month for quite a few months now.  Sr Zahra, who is the wife of the Moroccan head chef, brother Abdulghani, organises the event and sends the word around to let us know when the next night will be.  I have wanted to go for quite some time and haven't had the chance, but this week I have booked myself a seat...this Sunday, insha Allah!

I'm so excited, as a halal meal at the Marrakech Cafe is a really special treat.  To celebrate, I am going to take along over $150 worth of  Hijab Sparkle goodies, to give away as prizes for those who attend.  There will be lots of jewellery, gift vouchers, and other surprises.  I'm feeling generous, so there will be plenty of chances to win.

Everyone who attends will be given tickets at the door which have a number on each one.  Throughout the evening, many names will be drawn, and those people will win the prizes.  People who sign up for my newsletter will get extra tickets, and will also go in the running to win a handmade Muslim doll.

Ways to get more prize tickets (and have more of a chance of winning)
*  Say 'Hijab Sparkle sent me' when you email sister Zahra (contact details below)
*  Share the link to this post on your Facebook page (then let me know that you have shared it)
*  Sign up for the Hijab Sparkle Newsletter on the night
*  Just turn up! You will get a ticket as you walk in.

So apart from amazing Moroccan cuisine, a chance to see old friends and make new ones, and having a lovely time relaxing on a Sunday night, you can win prizes as well! Sounds like a pretty good deal to me :)

Here are all the details:
Please let Sister Zahra know you would like to come in advance if possible.  You can contact her through the website here. Just make sure you mention that it is for the 'Ladies Night' this Sunday.  
Don't forget, if you say 'Hijab Sparkle sent me' in the email, I will give you an extra prize ticket on the night!

Where:  The Marrakech Cafe, 305 Evans Bay Pde, Hataitai, Wellington New Zealand, 6021.

When: Sunday night, 22nd of September, 2013

Time: 6pm

Cost:  $30 each for ladies, older children are welcome.  Cost for older children is $15 each.

Please pay in advance to book your seat/s.  For more details about how to purchase seat tickets, please contact sister Zahra.

Hope to see you there! By the way, it isn't only for Muslim ladies, so please bring your non-Muslim friends as well :)

Regards,

A Special Gift For a Special Person.

Choose to send my email or regular mail.  Easy and convenient!

I am excited to announce the new 'HIJAB SPARKLE GIFT VOUCHER'.  Support a handmade, homemade Muslim business by giving one of these to someone special.

Gift vouchers are great if you need a gift quickly (it can be sent by email within 24 hours), or can't think what to get for someone.  The recipient can choose whatever they like from the  many items available in the Hijab Sparkle online shop!  All they need to do is tell me their name, and the voucher number.


To purchase a gift voucher, contact me and let me know the 4 details below. After you have made your purchase, I will send the voucher to the recipient of your choice:

Let me know the following:
1.  Who you want to send it to (first and last name)
2.  How many New Zealand dollars you want the voucher to be worth (any amount, it's up to you!)
3.  The person the gift voucher is from (you can write a name, or 'a friend' if you wish)
4.  Whether you want me to send the voucher digitally (by email within 24 hours - shipping is free of course!) or by regular post.  If I send it by regular post, the voucher will be printed on quality card and placed in a nice envelope. Please make sure you tell me the person's correct address, and leave plenty of time for the voucher to get to the recipient on time.*

*Regular post in New Zealand will cost 70cents (NZD) or if you would like to send by economy international post,  it will cost $2.50 NZD.  If you would like it sent by registered or any other types of post, just let me know and I will tell you the current shipping prices.  The shipping prices I have stated may change depending on the postage prices here in New Zealand, but this is gives you a general idea.

Are You a Newsletter Subscriber Yet?

Hijab Sparkle Newsletter subscribers receive exclusive offers (such as the one above) and all the latest updates about new products right in their inbox!  If you would like to become a subscriber, follow this link and fill in the form.  Your email address will only be used for the purpose of sending you the newsletter.

Regards,

Host Your Own Hijab Sparkle Party!

Assalamu Alaikum Sisters.
Do you live in Wellington?  Why not host a Hijab Sparkle Party at the venue of your choice, and  be rewarded for your efforts by getting loads of free Hijab Sparkle goodies!  Parties can be adapted to suit women, or children. You get rewards for hosting the party, and if the party is a success, you will get even more surprises. There will even be prizes and give-aways for the guests!

All you have to do is invite all your friends and provide the food that you want, or easier still, get your friends to bring a plate of food each.  Decorate your home for the occasion if you wish, especially if the party is for an Islamic celebration such as Eid.  Please note that I do not attend functions related to non-Muslim celebrations (eg: birthdays, christmas, halloween, easter, etc).
All I need is a table, and sometimes I may  need an electricity outlet for lighting the products.  I will set up everything else.  I will even provide you with invitations to give to your friends in person, or to send online.    Sound like fun? Contact me for more details.  

How to make your own necklace display for a Jewellery Party.

Salam all! More jewellery display ideas for the planned jewellery party, insha Allah...take a wooden 'nick nack' display (or collectable display) and make it into a necklace showcase!  I picked this little beauty up at a second hand shop (where else do you get all the cool stuff?!).  It is particularly nifty, as it is house shaped.  I used pieces of foam board (aka craft board) and cut it to size, with a little notch cut out at the top so I can get them out easily and change the necklaces around.  I covered them with scrapbooking paper, using two different designs just to make things interesting.  I then put a couple of V-shaped grooves at the top, in the places where the necklace chain hangs, to keep it in place.  Don't buy ANYTHING new...recycle, and make it yourself.  It is so much more fun!  Now...what should I do with that space in the roof section...any ideas?

Regards, 

Getting Ready for a Jewellery Party.

Salam! Last night I had some Malaysian sisters over for dinner, and after seeing all my handmade items, they have asked me to have a jewellery party at their house.  I'm so excited!  I felt my jewellery display is looking a little tired lately so I want to totally revamp it.  I also feel like making some new jewellery.  Today I began experimenting with different ways to display earrings.  These chandelier earrings are difficult to display and I wanted to show all their lovely details, so I made some special display tags which separate them nicely.  As you probably know, I work at home, hence the oven in the background...it is difficult to find a neutral background in our house!

Regards,

New Doll Stand...Yay!

I am always on the lookout for ways to display the things I make, since I sometimes have the chance to show my work at different events.  Recently my husband found this doll stand for me in a second hand shop and it's the perfect size for my dolls!  Now I just have to find some more.  You can see in the picture one of the dolls I recently finished on the new dolls stand.  This doll is similar to the niqab design you can see on the Muslim Doll Page.  This one has has no face covering, however she still has the same beautiful colours on her scarf and abaya.  The stand is good because it allows me to show how big the dolls are and all the little details, such as the ribbon ruffles, the cute little shoes, and the pants with matching trim.

Salam from

Win Your Very Own Hijab Sparkle Muslim Doll!

Salam everyone! I'm excited to announce a new competition.  This time all you need to do is:

1.  sign up for my newsletter, and you could win the doll pictured above!  It is, of course, handmade by Hijab Sparkle...and worth $45 NZD (about $35 USD).  Make sure you type your name properly when you subscribe, so I can find you on Facebook as well.  When my list of newsletter subscribers is large enough, I will pull a name out of a hat and draw the winning email address.  I will then contact the winner, and mention the them on Facebook, and in a blog post.  I can send the doll straight to the winner, or to another person as a gift from you.

2.  For an extra chance to win, share this post on your Facebook timeline and I will enter your name again. Let me know you have shared it by telling me on my timeline, just to be on the safe side (sometimes I don't see the shares)

 To sign up for the newsletter, click on this link.  

Oh, and by the way, if you have already signed up for my newsletter, you are automatically entered into the competition.

This competition is open to the world.  However, I cannot send to P.O boxes or rural addresses.

To see more Muslim Doll designs, click here.

Salam from

What Do You Think?

Salam all, I have had some requests to make dolls which show the diversity of the Muslim Ummah, therefore today I am working on some dolls with different skin tones. Here is an example I have made. Please let me know your comments and suggestions. So far I have made dolls with cream/white coloured skin, and this one with dark brown. Do you think I should include any other colours? Perhaps a light brown? Should I make some dolls that look Japanese, for example? Looking forward to hearing your opinions.  More dolls can be seen here.

Regards,
Hijab Sparkle.

20% off EVERYTHING! Ramadan Sale.

PLEASE NOTE:  This sale offer is now finished.  Please join me on Facebook or subscribe to this blog to receive news of further discounts and offers.

Assalamu Alaikum!

Starting from today, I am taking 20 percent off the price of ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING in my online store.  This discount will last until a week after Eid day. Don't forget to order your handmade hijab pins from Hijab Sparkle, so that they arrive on time for you to wear or give to your friends and family as gifts.  I have so many to choose from, and if you don't see the colour you want, just let me know and I can always adapt a design for you.  My handmade Muslim Dolls also make the perfect Eid present for little ones.

Remember, all Hijab Sparkle items are handmade by me here in New Zealand (except for the plastic hair accessories), so each item is original.

If you are thinking of sending gifts overseas, make sure you leave plenty of time for shipping. Shipping in New Zealand is free if you order $50 or over worth of items (shipping offer excludes Muslim dolls)

PLEASE NOTE:  This offer does not apply to wholesale orders.  For wholesale orders, please contact me by email to negotiate a price.

Ramadan Mobarak!
From

Custom Made Original Jewellery - Matching Set.

A matching set of jewellery I just finished making for a customer.

A close-up of the bracelet I just finished making, featured in the matching set above.  A bracelet this similar to this would be around $20 to $25 depending on the design.

Salam All!

Did you know that here at Hijab Sparkle, I can custom make jewellery just for you?

The great thing about jewellery design is that you can make any piece of jewellery exactly how the customer wants it.  It can be made to match a particular outfit, it can be very elaborate, or simple and sweet.  Here is an example of a matching set I just finished making for a sister here in New Zealand. The sister chose the Indian style necklace I had already made as part of my collection, and wanted some jewellery to match, so I set to work and made a pair of earrings and a bracelet.  Alhamdulilah I think the bracelet turned out really lovely.  I have a big collection of mixed beads on my table that I am always trying to find uses for.  It has all sorts of treasures...frosted glass, crystal, gold and silver bali beads, natural gemstones, seed beads, wooden beads, etc.   I sorted through my collection and found anything along the lines of green, blue, or gold, so that the bracelet would match the beautiful emerald green of the necklace.  In the end the bracelet had four strands of beautiful colours, and a great variety of shapes and textures, all intertwined together.  It is finished off with a dangle featuring  a deep blue handmade lamp-work glass bead.  The bracelet should fit any wrist size, as it has a chain at the end, where you can fasten the parrot clasp anywhere you want.

If you are interested in having jewellery custom made for you, or as a present for a friend, feel free to contact me and let me know.You can also private message me on Facebook. You can also take advantage of the free shipping for jewellery orders over $50 in New Zealand.  Each piece is hand made, original, and therefore no two pieces will be exactly the same.

Have a great day, insha Allah!

salam from

New Muslim Doll Design.

I have just finished a new purple gingham Muslim doll, and she is looking ultra cute, especially with her matching purple shoes and oversized bow.  Like all the girl dolls she is all trimmed up with lots of lace.  I would like to make a few more of these in different colours.  I think a Muslim boy doll in matching gingham clothes would also be a good idea.  What do you think?  Any ideas? What colour would you like to see this doll wearing? I would love to read your comments under this post, or on facebook.

By the way she is available to purchase on the Muslim Dolls page.  I have one already made, which you can have if you get in quick, otherwise you can order one.  If you would like a different colour, just let me know.

Salam, from

Win Goodies...Too Easy!

There are two very easy competitions currently active on Hijab Sparkle...beautiful stick pins up for grabs, and all you have to do is (A) play 'Spot the Difference' , and (B) tell us your favourite Hijab Sparkle stick pin.  Why not enter both competitions?   Maybe you will win both!  All the details are below.  Both competitions are open to all Hijab Sparkle Facebook followers, no matter where you live.

Already entered? No problem...you can enter many times for both competitions!

Click on the images below for details of each competition. Don't forget to share with your friends!

What I've been Up To

A selection of some of the headbands I have been making.

Things may have been a bit quiet on the Hijab Sparkle blog lately, however that doesn't mean that I haven't been busy! I have been up to many different things, so I thought I would post a few pikkies and show you.  

My daughter has lots of curly hair that doesn't stay neat and tidy for more than 3 minutes.  I usually put it in a pony tail or a plait, but sometimes she wants to wear it down.  This can be a bit of a problem in Windy Wellington.  Headbands seem to control the situation, and I have seen so many cute ones in the shop.  But I like to try and make as many things as possible myself (and I have to justify the purchase of my sewing machine) so I have been experimenting at making headbands.  At first I began by wrapping ribbon around the headband and then adding embellishments.  These are sweet, but my daughter's hair needed a wider headband.  So I turned the thin headband blanks into wider ones.  Then I began looking for ways to use fabric to decorate them, and you can see some of the ideas I came up with below.  These can all be made in any colour, and can also be made as a thinner headband.  These will be available for purchase soon, I just haven't thought about the price yet, I have to sit down and think about the materials and how much time they took me to make.

I think this one might be my favourite.  It has a hand sewn Kanzashi flower on it,
and the material I used is so beautiful and silky with chinese patterns.

This headband is a bit different in that the fabric on the band is ruffled, which would make it  very
soft and comfortable to wear.

My daughter loved this one the best, because it has strawberries on it.
Her daddy is growing strawberries in our garden, so she has a bit of a soft spot for them.
Sometimes we get to eat them before the birds do!  The bow on this headband  is also hand made, and has a sort of puffy feel to it.  It is actually quite sturdy because of the way it has been constructed.

The Muslim Women's conference here in Wellington last month was something I was very keen to attend. I had the chance to go there for a few hours on the Saturday, where I gave a small talk with some other sisters about being 'Mumtrapaneurs' (Mums who make things themselves and have small home businesses). It was inspiring listening to the other speakers, and I hope my talk was inspiring too (I can't even remember what I said, I was a bit nervous!) After the talk, we had a lovely dinner and then everyone went downstairs to have a look at the stalls set up in the basement 'souq'.  I had a stall there too, and it was so nice to meet all the sisters from around New Zealand.  Some I already knew and it was nice to see them again, and I also had the chance to meet many new ladies.

A box of handmade Muslim dolls, all finished, packaged up and ready to  travel to the Muslim Women's conference in Wellington.

I made heaps of new Muslim dolls for the occasion, and was up until 3am the morning before making sure they were all finished.  I will photograph them all soon and post them individually.

What else?  Well I have been busy working on packaging for different items.  I made a little card to go with the dolls which has a bit of information about why I started making the dolls, how to use them, and how to take care of them. (see photo above).

Last but not least (and probably the thing which has been keeping me the busiest) is the big move from my 'crafty corner' (a couple of desks in the corner of the lounge room...in everyone's way and quite dangerous when you have three little kids, a sewing machine, pins, needles, hot glue gun, many electrical plugs etc) to a room which was previously the baby's room.  Now I have a bit more space to store all my bits and pieces, and it has been a lot of work, although also a lot of fun, to move everything in and organise it.  I will post some photos of my new space soon as well. I call it my 'nest', as it is quite cosy...mainly because I have too much stuff!!

This is my work space before  I moved into a  dedicated room.  It's not looking quite so neat and tidy at the moment, but I will post some photos of the new space when I have things a bit more sorted.

Well that's all for now, folks, the power in the whole house just turned off and on again for some strange reason...I think that's a hint that it's time to go to bed.  Night night!

Salam from

Positive Reward Stickers for Muslim Kids!

Now available from Hijab Sparkle...positive reward stickers specially made for Muslim kids! I designed these to use with my own children, in our own little homeschool, and thought others might enjoy using them too.  Great for school, homeschool, playgroups, kindergartens, parents, or as a fun gift for your friends. These are printed professionally on matt paper with beautiful colours.

There are four designs available.  Each packet contains 9 stickers of one design.  Each packet is only $1, so it will be easy to collect them all.

Choose from:
Design#1: Masha Allah Neat Work (big pencil)
Design#2: Masha Allah Beautiful Work (Happy sunflower)
Design#3: Masha Allah Beautiful Work (Pink Butterfly)
Design#4: I Love My Hijab

Please like and share with your friends :) Have a great day!
salam from

New Printable Muslim Doll Puppets For the Holidays!

My 4 year old son and 6 year old daughter are very keen on finger puppets at the moment.  I was watching them play with some the other day. They were chattering away, telling stories to each other, and really getting into character. I started thinking about how I could make my own version to encourage them to practice their Islamic manners and talk about Islamic concepts.  There is no point in trying to teach children of this age from a text book about Islam.  Teaching them through play is much more fun and effective.  I drew a cartoon version of the Handmade Muslim Dolls and set to work designing these printable paper puppets.  They are for education use only, not meant for any commercial use, please.  There is a girl and boy puppet, and the printable sheet also includes instructions and ideas.

Download the puppets HERE, on the new 'Free Stuff' page....enjoy!

If you like this post, why  not share with your friends? The more the merrier :)
Do you have any other ideas for printables? Let me know and I will see what I can do :)
salam
from