Meet the Muslim Dolls! ...Handmade by Hijab Sparkle.

Please note:  This article is a slightly older blog post, therefore some of the information and prices of the items featured here may have changed since I wrote it.  For more updated information about the Muslim dolls, please refer to the Muslim Doll page. Thank you.

Salam everyone!  I'm excited to introduce a brand new surprise on Hijab Sparkle...the Muslim Dolls!  These are completely hand made and designed in New Zealand, by me, alhamdulilah.

When my daughter was very little I wanted to make her a Muslim doll, complete with hijab, which didn't have too much detail on its face or body.  My daughter and her little brother love to play together and make converstations between the characters in their toy box, and I wanted them to have some Muslim characters to play with. My children are all homeschooled, and all still very young (6, 4 and 1) and therefore they spend a lot of time at home playing, which is an important part of their development.   I consulted Islamic scholars about how the character should be portrayed, and they told me it would be fine as long as I didn't make it too detailed and try to re-create Allah's (SWT) creation.

So I got out my pencil and sketchbook, and began to draw a very simple version of a Muslim doll.  First I made the two Muslim girls, and then my son wanted one too, so I made the Muslim boy version.  As you can see, the face is very simple, with eyes only.  I think this also helps to develop the child's imagination, as they can decide which mood their doll is in when they play.  The dolls are all fully clothed, complete with long dresses, long pants, and a scarf for the girls, and a long shirt and long pants for the boys.  The boys also have a muslim cap.    The dolls are made mostly of cotton (calico/cotton, and polycotton), and then filled with polyester filling.  The shoes and some other small details are made with polyester felt. Some of the clothes are also made from recycled vintage fabrics, which I have collected over the years.  I have tried to vary the skin colours, too, to reflect the wonderful multicultural nature of our Ummah, masha Allah. They are 43cm long from the top of the head to the tips of the shoes.

It would be easy to mass produce these dolls, but as I make each one completely by hand, I found the fun in making them was that each one was differerent.  I enjoy thinking about the colour of the clothes, the details on the shoes and hijab, etc. I also thought of taking orders if people want them, but I thought it would be much more of a surprise to post them to my blog as each one was made, and customers can purchase exactly what they see.

Someone suggested that I give each one a different name, but then I would like to give that task to their new owners, insha Allah.

The Muslim Dolls, all packaged and ready to be sold to their new owners.

I really can't count how many hours have gone into making these dolls, from the design to completion.  I just make them one at a time and try to enjoy the process of making them as much as I can, and hope that the new owners will enjoy playing with them as much as I have enjoyed making them.

They are $35 each, which is very inexpensive considering the price of a mass produced doll in the shop, of this size.  I didn't want to make them too expensive, as I know it is hard to find Muslim dolls, especially in New Zealand, and I want as many Muslim kids (and adults!) as possible to enjoy them. If you need info on shipping cost to your particular location, just drop me an email.

The boy doll is not for sale, sorry!  I promised my 4 year old son that if I didn't sell the doll at the Masjid Open Day, that he could have it (he looked at me with those eyes...you know how it is lol).  However, I will be making more soon, insha Allah.  Join the facebook page or subscribe to this blog if you don't want to miss out.  There are two different Muslim girl dolls l for sale, however, as you see in the photos..

Safety note:  The eyes on each doll are made of small buttons, which have been securely sewn on with much care.  However, to be on the safe side, you might want to save the doll for children 4 years or older if you think this might pose a choking risk to your child.  The outer fabric of the dolls is made mostly of cotton, but the inside is polyester stuffing, therefore please keep away from the heater or naked flame.

If you have any questions, or would like to purchase one of the Muslim girl dolls, please feel free to ask in the comment section below, or contact me via email or the Hijab Sparkle Facebook page.

Have a great day, insha Allah!

Salam,

The Hijab Sparkle Stall at Wellington Masjid Open Day.

The Hijab Sparkle Stall.

Salam everyone!  A few weeks ago I set up all the goodies from the Hijab Sparkle blog on a stall, at the Wellington Masjid Open Day.  The Open Day was being held as a part of New Zealand Islamic Awareness Week.  Alhamdulilah it was a great day, and it was so nice to see all my friends, as well as meet some new ones. This is the Masjid where I converted to Islam, and it holds some lovely memories for me...but I haven't been there for a while as we have moved a little further away, and I am homeschooling my three small children, so it's a bit hard to find the time to get there as regularly as I used to.

 There were many non-Muslims there, learning about Islam and meeting the Muslims from their community.  For those of you who haven't been to the Wellington Masjid in Kilbirnie, it is a large building, Masha Allah, with two levels.  The upstairs level is the main prayer area, as well as some large rooms.  In the large rooms there were many beautifully set up information displays and activities relating to Islam, for the public to view.  There were many people involved in setting up these displays, and they stayed there until very late the night before to help.  May Allah SWT reward them all for their hard work.

On the downstairs level (known as 'the basement' to most people!) there were Muslims selling all types of amazing food, as well as others selling their own hand made goods and other items from around the world.  Again, this was set up and organised by a truly dedicated group of people, may Allah reward them.  Masha Allah I am always so impressed by the amount of skill people in our community have of producing such wonderful goods...whether it be food, crafts, soap, etc.  I am sure that if all the Muslims lived in a little village, we would just about have everything we need!

Oh...and I almost forgot...there was a free BOUNCY CASTLE!! And free candy floss, and free face painting!! For most of the kids I'm sure that would be the only things they would remember hehe.  For the ladies, there was free henna, which is always very popular.

Close up of the Hijab Sparkle table.  

Alhamdulilah it was a successful day for Hijab Sparkle.  I made a few new customers and gave my business card to as many people as I could.  One of the difficult things about selling online is that you have to let people know that you are out there.  As well as this, many people like to know who they are buying from, so it is a good idea to get out and show people the face behind the name!  

More goodies :)

One of the main bonuses of setting up a stall at the Open Day is that people have the opportunity to talk to you about Islam. I hope you enjoy looking at the photos I have posted of the Hijab Sparkle stall.  If you look carefully you may see some new products which I made especially for the day (I was up all night on my sewing machine to get them finished the night before!) I will be posting these on my website very soon, so stay tuned!

By the way, the best way to stay tuned to new goodies at Hijab Sparkle, as well as competitions and promotions, is to join the Hijab Sparkle Facebook page, and subscribe to this blog by hitting the 'JOIN THIS SITE' button on the left :)

Salam :)
from

Spot the Difference!

 

NOTE: Tell your friends to become a friend of Hijab Sparkle on facebook and ask them to make a comment in the 'SPOT THE DIFFERENCE' competition. If they mention in the comment that YOU sent them here, I will enter YOUR name FIVE more times in the competition. That's FIVE extra chances for YOU to win for each of your friends that enter! AWESOME!

New Stick Pin Collection: 'Fancy Dangles'.

I'm happy to introduce my new stick pin collection, 'Fancy Dangles'!  This represents many hours of designing, making, and photographing.  Alhamdulilah, I think these little beauties have turned out just right, I am really pleased with all of them.  This is just a taste, as there will be more to come when I have photographed them, but I couldn't wait to show you.  I am also working on some stick pins I am calling 'Simple Elegance' which are more simplified pins without the dangle, so subscribe, become a friend on facebook, and keep checking the website, as I will be adding more very soon.

Take a look at the new designs, and let me know what you think.  I always love to read your feedback, and I read every comment, I promise!  Get your orders in quick, too, because these are sure to fly out the door.  Have you got just the right pin to wear with your Eid outfit?  Or perhaps you like to give presents to your friends when you visit their house for an Iftar.  These are the perfect gift for someone special.  They can either be worn as hijab pins, or on the lapel of a jacket.

Have fun!
Wassalam

Vote on Facebook for your Favourite Filigree.

Choose a  number, and vote for your favourite filigree on facebook!

Salam everyone!  I thought it would be a good idea to add numbers to the filigree components (see photo above), so that if you are interested in any it will be easy for you to tell me which one/s you prefer.  If you head over to my Facebook page, you can even vote for your favourite!

Want to know what these fabulous filigree are for?  Read more about them here.

Fabulous Filigree!

Some of the filigree components which
will soon be made into gorgeous stick pins.
Click to see larger image.

 I promised I would show you some of the filigree components of the new stick pins I am designing in time for Eid.  These will be available very soon insha Allah.

Prices will range from $10 to $15, depending on how much work is in each one.  I will be adding many other beautiful dangles to these, including gold and silver hearts, stars, feathers, teardrops, and flowers.

If you like a particular design but would prefer it in a different colour, I may be able to fulfill your request in some cases, so just ask and I will see what I can do.

Click to see larger image.

An example of a stick pin.
Click to enlarge.

There are a limited number of these particular designs, so if you would like to order now you are more than welcome. These make great Eid presents, and they are very inexpensive to send to friends and family overseas, as they fit nicely inside an envelop and are very light.  Just send me an email or write a comment under this post if you have any questions. 

Wassalam

Where It All Happens!

I thought you might be interested to see the space where I make many of the items on Hijab Sparkle.  This is where I spend long nights, often until 2 or 3 in the morning, making handmade jewellery and hijab pins. 

I use hundreds of small jewellery components called 'findings' which I source from a variety of locations, and use them to create all sorts of designs.  People often ask where I get my beads and components from.  I order them from the internet from local and international websites, and the beads come from as far away as Asia, North America, and Africa.  You can see in these photos some of the tools that I use, in particular the long nosed pliers which are used to close the tiny 'jump rings' which connect the different components.

As you can see I am a bit of a hoarder, collecting anything I can find that I can use in jewellery making.  I have a bit of a thing for storage boxes and organisers, which I always keep a lookout for.  Everything fits nicely in the shelves like a big jigsaw puzzle.  Move one thing out of its place, and...well...let's just say it is not the best place to stand next to if there is an earthquake! hehe.

My 'studio' as I like to call it, is just a simple computer desk with a book case placed on top of  it.  Not very fancy, but it does the job!  Many of the storage boxes and containers you see I found in second hand shops around Wellington.  I also find the most beautiful vintage beads and findings which I incorporate into my designs from time to time.  I'm sure the second hand shop owners are curious about this strange Muslim lady who comes in once a week to gaze for hours at the jewellery diaplay, and leaves with bags of broken jewellery and armfuls of organiser boxes!!

If you look carefully you can see some really beautiful filigree 'drops' on the desk.  These are some new sitck pin designs I am working on in time for Ramadan, and I will show you a close up in the next post.  The finished designs will be posted very soon, so make sure you subscribe to my blog and facebook page so that you don't miss them.

Well that's all for now, I'm off to make some more sparklies!
Hope you are having a day full of sparkles :)
Wassalam