Jessyz's shared items in Google Reader

Fasten Seat Belts to the World

swissmiss — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:14:01 PDT

Fasten Seat Belts to the World tries to help travellers break cultural and linguistic barriers. It points out dos and dont’s in Europe and how to avoid misunderstandings on your travels. Made me look!

Chocolate Mousse in Four Minutes

Becky Stern — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:00:19 PDT

Sarah James at Instructables shows us this deadly weapon: four-minute chocolate mousse. I don't know whether to thank her or to curse her, it looks so delicious!

[Read this article] [Comment on this article]

Yay Download!

a print a day — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:31:14 PDT

I haven't had a stationery download in a while. It's a simple, colorful floral graphic with a tea stain and slight distress.

You can download it here.

Oh, and if you haven't read my Twitter update, I MIGHT skip August's Parasol Magazine because I will be *extremely* occupied this month. The other 4 issues are always available to read though! And make sure to support the artists, creative folks and advertisers! I am sure they will appreciate it.

I'll have time for this blog of course.

By the way, feel free to add me on Twitter for downloads, announcements and random updates like mistakenly using my glass of soy milk as a cell phone holder and other such things.

xoxo
Yasmine

p.s.
Oh and thanks Stina for sharing your project!

Super cute! She ironed on the terrarium from the Tiniest Garden kit.

P.P.S.
Link is fixed!

I have developed an application that can harden software and soften hardware. It’s very useful actually...

Vimrod1 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:53:04 PDT

Vimrod1 posted a photo:

Subscribe to the free Vimrod daily cartoon at www.vimrod.com

Turn Bananas into a Frozen Summer Treat [Summer]

Jason Fitzpatrick — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:00:00 PDT

Sure you could set up for summer grabbing popsicles from the freezer aisle, but you'd be missing out on the deliciousness of frozen bananas and chocolate.

All you need are bananas, chocolate, popsicle sticks, and some basic tools from your kitchen, and you're in business. Making chocolate-covered bananas is only marginally more complicated than melting the chocolate, coating the bananas, and leaving them to set in your freezer. If you're going to undertake the project, we'd suggest buying some strawberries at the same time, as using the leftover melted chocolate for a batch of chocolate-covered strawberries is an excellent way to squeeze a little extra gourmet magic out. For more details and tips on making your treats turn out just right, check out the tutorial at the link below.

Chocolate Banana Pops [Craftzine]

Printable bookplates

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:08:00 PDT

Helen Dardick, illustrator extraordinaire, is offering three different printable bookplates, free. Thanks, Helen!

Recycled magazine baskets

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:47:00 PDT

Some buddies came over last night and we made magazine baskets. My paper weaving phase is getting out of control. In the spirit of spontaneous DIY experimentation, we decided to create a new drink, whereupon we mixed peach vodka, raspberry lemonade, and Venetian Carnival Pinot Grigio (purchased for its exciting label). Not good; don't do it. Since we didn't drink much of the stuff, our baskets turned out pretty well.

To make these, cut about 10 magazine pages into 2.5" strips vertically. Fold each strip in half lengthwise, then into thirds with the cut edges to the inside. (See folding pictures here, but don't do step D.) Then follow the guidelines here. Staples are too big to secure your strips in strategic places, so I used Zots glue dots. You could also use tiny pieces of double stick tape. I glued the strip around the rim with craft glue. These little baskets are about 4.5" square.

Emoticon Shower Curtain: Love It or Leave It?

geeksugar — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:33:34 PDT

Had I found this a week ago, this Text Talk Shower Curtain so would have been leading the geeky bathroom guide.

$15 from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, the shower curtain's little faces express happiness, distress, silliness . . .the same way you do over text and IM. My feelings about the curtain skew toward how I feel about emoticons in general: avoid unless necessary.

However, this could be the perfect bath time accessory for the texting addict. What do you think?

Emoticon Shower Curtain: Love It or Leave It?

Love it

Leave it

The changing face of every day design

swissmiss — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:45:14 PDT

The Guardian created this at-a-glance grid to show the design evolution of everyday items. From air steward uniforms to Corn Flakes cereal boxes…how has everyday design evolved over the last half-century?

(via designTicTacs)

Al Khan 19 June 2009

T. Shahin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:28:28 PDT

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=22484

That Train!

Shimaa Gamal — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:53:43 PDT

A month ago I went to Assuit to attend my cousin’s wedding. Assuit is a beautiful city in Upper Egypt; it takes almost a 6 hours train trip to get there. The wedding was nice, I didn’t stay long enough to enjoy the city but what I have seen was enough to make me want to get back sometime.

And as all the good things in life, the nice trip to Assuit has to come to an end. When we arrived to the train station we found our train moving. It wasn’t supposed to depart until another 30 minutes, but people started saying that there was an unannounced change in the train schedule. And that was when my uncle, my dad and my brother started running to get aboard the moving train.

My brother jumped into the train, my uncle followed and my decision was “I am not going to jump in”. The train was accelerating; I didn’t find the circumstances suitable. But here came the father who started yelling at me to jump aboard. He actually kept running holding the train as if he would magically stop it while yelling at me to jump.
The image of my father ran over by the train was the only thing that made me take that step. He wasn’t going to jump in without me and he wanted to get into that train by any means. So, I jumped aboard an accelerating train. I took an unnecessary risk because my father wanted me to do.

I did the thing he believed is right, though I still believe that it is wrong. I did the thing he thought is for my benefit just because I was too scared he would kill himself trying to put me on that train.

Ironically after we jumped aboard the train stopped. It was a sort of silly joke.

But the point is my father didn’t want me to miss the train, as if that train is my only ride to paradise. In the time there was going to be no harm to leave me behind. I had enough money, I had my cell-phone and I wasn’t in a strange city. My aunt lives there, actually 15 minutes away from the station and another uncle was staying the night there and was heading back to Cairo next morning. There was no harm leaving me behind and the destination of that train wasn’t paradise.

Yet my dad, yelled at me to jump aboard an accelerating train. He made me take a risk that I wouldn’t take just because he believed my benefit is to be on that train.

I don’t know why this train incident would sum up how “parents” in this part of the world affect their children’s lives. That train represents the opportunity. My decision to pass and my dad’s decision to jump in represent the conflict of interest between the best our parents want for us and the best we believe in. I believe that missing that train would have been an exciting experience. I would have seen new things. I would have had a mini-adventure. The risk wasn’t high and I am not a school girl who won’t know how to get back home. Actually the risk of falling off the moving train was higher than the risks borne to staying the night in a strange city.

My point is, missing an opportunity might be an opportunity. It is not the end of the world. And no one should know what’s best for you but yourself. No one has the right to corner anyone into doing anything because they believe it is the right thing to be done. There is nothing “right” in this world. And if there is anything that has to be right, it will always be the things your parents taught you while not influenced by adrenaline!

Later, he admitted it was wrong to push me to jump aboard that train. It just seems that he was the one who couldn’t take the risk of leaving me behind. But this is the point. He spent all his life preparing me for the moment he will leave me behind. He spent all his life teaching me the risks of trying to catch a departing train. He was the one who taught me to see the opportunity in missing the train. He brought me up on appreciating what I have in hand. But in a glance, he lost faith in me.

A thing that makes me wonder if that faith was ever there. Or if love would make us unintentionally hurt our loved ones.

Or do we intentionally hurt them to push them to do what we believe is right?!

The Money In The Well Story

eshda3wa — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:52:07 PDT

This is my dads favourite life lesson story.

Setting : old Kuwait

There once was a boy from a rich Kuwaiti family. He was lazy and unproductive, Everyday he would take a rupee from his dad and go do something useless.

His dad had finally had enough of him and told him from now on you will go out everyday and earn a rupee. or else he wont let him sleep in the house

So the boy wandered off into the street thinking of how he would make his money. He went over to his grandmothers house and asked her for a rupee. She happily handed him one.

When the boy went back home that night he handed his father the rupee. The father took it from him and said good job then threw the money in the family well.

This happened over a few days. The boy would take money from the grandma, and the father would throw it in the well.

One day the boy went looking for his grandma but he couldn't find her. She was out visiting relatives in a different area and wouldn't be back in time.

So the boy frantically searched the streets for something he can do to earn money.
He found a group of men building a mud house. So he asked them if he could help in exchange for a rupee.

After a long tiring day in the sun, the boy headed back to his house and handed the father his rupee.

As usual the father lifter his hand to throw away the money but the boy caught his fathers hand screaming NO!

I worked really hard for this rupee do not throw it away!

need i explain the point to this story?

Absolutely Amazing Video Game Remake Wallpapers, Take Two [Friday Fun]

The How-To Geek — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Lifehacker reader Orioto stunned us a few months ago with his gorgeous paintings of classic video games for your desktop—and he's at it again with another must-see collection for your eye-candy needs.

His work is based on his idea of what high-definition versions of classic video games would look like if they could be rendered on modern gaming systems—and we can only hope a video game designer is paying attention. Click each image to download the full version, or hit the link at the bottom for the full gallery.

All of the images are freely downloadable with high-resolution versions from the DeviantArt gallery—including the last set of amazing wallpapers we featured a few months ago. For even more geeky fun, check out another killer retro wallpaper collection. Thanks, Orioto!

Orioto's Video Game Remake Gallery [DeviantArt]

Here's to the Future

Shimaa Gamal — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:41:05 PDT

We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it.

fact unchecked

swissmiss — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:44:40 PDT

My friend Justin Feinstein just started a cool new blog: Fact Unchecked.

(By the way, Justin is an amazing copywriter and up for hire right now! Hire him before someone else does!)

Should I forward that email?

Roba — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:50:37 PDT

Dedicated to all the people in the world who still send forwards in 2009. Dude, the forward trend went bye-bye around 10 years ago!

If you love sharing, I have a few solutions:

1. Start an account on Digg, Reddit, or any other sharing platform.
2. TinyURL your ass off with Twitter, Watwet, or any other sort of micro-blogging platform.
3. Share links via your social network account, for example, Facebook.
4. Download Firefox and get a social bookmarking extension like Delicious.
5. As a last resort, because I hate forward blogs, start a blog or somehing.

Thank you for not spamming my email.

Matryoshka (Nesting) Dolls: Embracing Modernity | WebUrbanist

(author unknown) — Wed, 20 May 2009 01:41:29 PDT

Shared by Jessyz
Matryoshkas!

Nesting dolls can be made decorated in any way the artist or designer chooses and kits are available to allow anyone to make custom Matryoshka dolls.

The following is simply a list of selected ayas in the Quraan

gjoez — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:55:21 PDT

The following is simply a list of selected ayas in the Quraan and my sentiments towards them. Naturally,there are many more that I wanted to share, and maybe I would some day.. but here are these for now:

An Ayah that makes life choices clear and making sense:
اما من خاف مقام ربه ونهى النفس عن الهوى فإن الجنة هي المؤوى

A close-to-my-heart ayah:
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ()فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

The most tear-provocative ayah:
وَآخَرُونَ اعْتَرَفُواْ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُواْ عَمَلاً صَالِحًا وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

The Ayah I want Non-muslims to know:
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ ()فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاء كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

The Ayah that I want Muslims to always remember:
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

The most frightful ayah
إن السمع و البصر و الفؤاد كل أولئك كان عنه مسؤولا
وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ
نَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ
وكل انسان الزمناه طائره في عنقه ونخرج له يوم القيامة كتابا يلقاه منشورا اقرأ كتابك كفى بنفسك اليوم عليك حسيبا

The ayah that makes me feel “moqassera”
و لقد يسرنا القران للذكر فهل من مدكر

An aya that make me think:

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لِّأُوْلِي الألْبَابِ

The ayah that makes me shiver:
وكلهم آتيه يوم القيامة فردا

An ayah that makes me motivated:
وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ
اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ
إِنَّا لا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلا

An ayah that makes me glad that there is a judgment day:
ولا تحسبن الله غافلا عما يعمل الظالمون إنما يؤخرهم ليوم تشخص فيه الأبصار

An ayaah that I always hear/read accidentally:
وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

An ayah that makes me smile:

وكان الإنسان أكثر شيئاً جدلا

An ayah that makes me thinks “Rabbena yostor”:
. قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالاً..الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

An ayah that makes me think “ouch”:
اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مَّعْرِضُونَ

An Ayah that makes inspires courage and faith

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىَ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلاَحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلاَّ بِاللّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

An ayah that makes me think “oh-uh”:

ا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ

100 Clever Ways to Change Your Habits and Improve Your Life | Masters of Healthcare

(author unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:06:26 PDT

Shared by Jessyz
Useful compilation

Color Me Katie: The Shadow Project

(author unknown) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:43:58 PDT

Shared by Jessyz
Beautiful