nawal's LIFE IN A SUITCASE

Saigon Shopping Haul : Day 1 & Day 2

2012-01-15T05:33:00.002Z

1. New Vietnamese Stamps 2. Printed Hijab 3. Pop up cards 4. Postcards 5. Silk bookmarks
6. Handmade wallet 7. Cute felt products by Amore Mio 8. Vintage rubber stamps
9. Scrapbook embellishments 10. DIY Blackboard cloud sign

Shopping in Vietnam has been a crafty one! More shopping ahead! :P

FM Attack! : Saigon Flea Market

2012-01-15T04:37:00.001Z

Xin Chao! or Hello in plain English :) As you know I'm currently enjoying myself in VIETNAM! woohoo!! It has been 4 days and a very artsy-fartsy experience so far. I'm loving every moment and always look forward for the next big thing Vietnam has to offer! :)

Ok..hang on now. Let's focus on this post! Before I drag and bla bla bla, I would like to introduce a new blog feature called FM ATTACK!

FM literally stands for Flea Market and here I am, writing about various Flea markets around Malaysia and the world, highlighting interesting finds! Thursday was a lucky day as I've stumbled into an advertisement while enjoying my Red Velvet cupcake at L'usine Cafe.

Saigon Flea market was held at International School Saigon Pearl and lasted for 7 hours from 2pm till 9pm. The atmosphere was bursting with enthusiastic crafters, sellers and visitors alike. I had my share of BUYING :P but it was all worth it! Supporting handmade and local crafts I am! So many good things to talk about but I've narrowed down to top 3 favorite FM finds.

Amore <3 Mio is a felt-based crafts brand. Owned by the ever-so-nice Henna, she makes all these beautiful products herself. Henna produces cute, funky and usable crafts such as coin purses, Rubic cube bag, albums and so much more. Do check her out at Facebook or drop her an email to say hi!

Imagine that you can create your own mini-me version! It'll be so cool! Now you can even make one!

At nhain, you can create various of personalized products from stickers, pendants, posters, business cards to 3D version of YOURSELF! Whether it's clay or paper, they can do it. I fell in love with the figurines. A great gift especially for newlyweds :)

I met Baat while on my way out. I was attracted by the vintage cameras he had. In the world of fast pace where DSLR is dominant, there are still people who prefers the old fashion way of capturing precious moments. Baat is not an exception. He shared his joy of using analogue camera and I found it enlightening. For those who are collecting analogue cameras and vintage seekers, these lovely cameras are worth considering. The cameras below are up for sale in Vietnamese Dong. (1USD = 21,030VND) Contact Baat if any of you are interested ya!

It was fun to be in a different country and highlighting interesting finds. Going to flea markets especially like this one not only opens up my mind but also it was a great avenue to make new friends. I've enjoyed it tremendously!

**If you know any flea markets nearby, pls drop me an email! I just LOVE FM!!

Till the next FM ATTACK! See ya!

40 great-awesome things to do in 2012!

2012-01-07T00:08:00.001Z

First and foremost, IIEKKKKK!! Assalamualaikum! Alhamdulillah it's the new year and 2012 will be gorgeous and fabulous with my newly created to do list! It is NEVER too late to start one. So many great-awesome things to complete! Having a set of goals / to do list makes me look forward for the future and that feels GREAT! I've divided my list into segments which is close to my heart. Segments which I feel need some fine tuning if you know what I mean :) Segments that are important. Segments that define my life. So guys, here goes!!!!!

It's all about my spiritual needs and getting closer to my Creator

Goal 333 : Study the benefits of Solat

Goal 349 : Go for Janazah workshop

Goal 404 : Memorize the Yaasin

Goal 581: Know everything and in depth about Islam

Goal 585 : Memorize the important D'uas (prayers)

Goal 879 : Study about Fiqh

Building and maintaining long lasting relationships to make life more meaningful

350 : Go for Pre-marriage course

451 : Get married! woohoo!

You gotta look and be smart!

227 : Learn Tagalog

328 : Study the Malaysian history

329 : Study the geography of Malaysia

385 : Read about the U.S - Vietnam War

474 : Learn Video editing

917 : Learn Adobe Photoshop

923 : Study Fashion Design

Being healthy is not an option

248 : Learn Muay Thai

382 : Detoxify my body for a year

My passion

212 : Sew my own Baju Kurung design

305 : Learn Embroidery

330 : Study the Malay's arts and crafts

458 : Start my 365 days drawing challenge

459 : Learn Calligraphy

538 : Learn drawing and sketching

616 : Learn to make button badges

625 : Know in depth about arts and crafts

689 : Learn cursive writing

766 : Learn Pattern making

901 : Study the anatomy of a sewing machine

Things that I do that put foods on the table and money in the bank

20 : Have my very own business card

515 : Read about advertising

571 : Learn about fabrics

752 : Know about internet business

950 : Have my own online shop :)

Managing money and things that I own more responsibly

128 : Create my dream room

417 : Start a saving plan!

Organizing myself in the WorldWideWeb

920 : Learn web design

Constantly exploring to eliminate ignorance, enhance imagination and meet all sorts
of beautiful people

23 : Write a travel documentary script

597 : Be a couch surfer

598 : Divulge myself in Japanese Culture

Things that I just have to do to for personal satisfaction

773 : Organize myself from top to toe

40 things for the new year and I LOVE THIS LIST! I'm all set, all geared up and ready to make mistakes! yeap! Mistakes defines a person and the more you make them the smarter and much wiser you'll become. But one thing for sure, you got to learn from them and not just making them :P

What's your 'things to do' this year? Anything similar? Let's share! Who knows we might reap greater benefits :)

HAPPY HAPPY 2012 beautiful people!

HAPPY MIRACULOUS-SUPERFANTABULOUS-AMAZILOUS 2012!

2012-01-01T05:00:00.002Z

Goodbye 2011 and HELLOOOOO 2012!!! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Allah the Almighty for giving me the strength and power to live. Without Him I'm nothing. Therefore this 2012, I'm going to improve myself to be a better daughter, granddaughter, friend, colleague, acquaintance and most importantly the best of Muslims.

2011 proved to be rewarding where major decisions took place. Resigned from my job. Met the hottest guy in the world :P. Decided to be a full time blogger and new business ventures among other things. 2011 also witnessed a great loss where my grandma -- > Nenek Nipah passed away late December. I wasn't there to be with her and prepare her funeral. This has made me realize that FAMILY is the utmost important thing and DON'T EVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

In 2012, it's all about building relationships. Catching up with long lost families and friends beside setting up a new one. :) On top of that, there would be a major shift in my career where I would take blogging and arts and crafts to a greater height. So many things to share but I guess let's just take it one at a time :)

I'm going to France for the NEW YEAR! yeay!

My families and friends.. you guys are truly the gems of my heart. I won't be here today without all of your input, support and tolerance. I LOVE YOU!! To everyone who's reading my blog and also The Jumping Travellers (TJT), you guys RAWK!!! 2012 will be great for nawal's Life in a Suitcase and TJT's blog so stay tuned and be part of this magical journey!
Lots of love and a HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The December Goals!

2011-12-01T04:04:00.003Z

Assalamualaikum and A Happy December peeps! It's that last month of the year and time to gear up all the goals and do the best that I can! I realize there are too many things going on and it's also the final month of me working as a governess :( Having said that, I'm gonna put my studies on hold till next month and try to complete as many goals as I can. However, 6 final things I need to do this month.

Two planners for 2012. I've completed planner no 1 and now it's time to focus on planner no 2. Oh yeah check out my tutorials on my handbag planner :) Hope that'll jump start the new year :)

This is the most exciting part every year! Coming up with new things has always been fun. I may haven't achieved all the goals set for this year, but the sight of new goals makes me motivated every single time :) I don't really know how my list is going to look like for next year but I can assure you it is certainly weighty in the arts and crafts department :)

Few checklists that I'm working on mainly for the 11 sections of my life. Will post it up late this month ya!

Can't wait to share my regime that actually worked this time around. Yeah..I sounded like a guinea pig. I am actually one :P. You see, you gotta try as many things as you can in order to discover what works for you.

I was inspired by 365 Scrapbook Challenge on the internet. You can basically create your own 365 days of something something. In my case, next year that is, I'm gonna start on my drawing challenge where I'll draw one thing a day for 1 whole year!! I guess I have to do this as I really want to improve on my drawing skills which is badly rusty! For this month, I'll be preparing sketchbooks and 12 themes to work on for this challenge. You can join in the fun too! Just wait for it :)

As for finalizing everything, December is the month where I tie all loose ends, closing all chapters and prepare a new book to jot down amazing experiences :) Therefore, here's what I'll do :
+ Enjoy my final month working full time + Finish off my detox plan + Organize my work files and accounts for future governess + Create farewell cards + Edit all pending videos + EAT A LOT!!! yeah!

Can't believe that this year is ending. So many great things has happened. C'mon December! One final go!

Wordless Wednesday #2

2011-11-30T12:54:00.001Z

My walls are blank. Craving to be filled with pictures. Portraits. Paintings. Sigh. Should I just leave it bare? That's a negative.

The 2012 planner series : Handbag Planner

2011-11-24T15:29:00.009Z

As you know, 2012 is just around the corner and learning from last year's mistake, I'm planning to create and design my 2012 planners earlier than scheduled! Every year, I create planner/journal to document my daily routines, jot down memories -the good, the bad, doodles and the list is endless. This year, my planner wasn't completed before the new year and I guess the momentum of ushering NEW YEAR wasn't that UMMphh if you get what I mean. That's all behind me now and I'm all geared up for 2012 with brand new planners!! WOHOO!!

A handbag planner is very convenient for me as I still don't trust modern technologies to schedule my daily routines and appointments. What if so called 'technology' crashed? What if everything is deleted accidentally? Before that happens, I'd rather stick to the old fashion way which is...JOT ALL OF THEM DOWN! LITERALLY!

So here's a tutorial of my handbag planner that has been given a new life :) Enjoy!

That's it folks! My very own version of a handbag planner. I've enjoyed making this and I hope you do too! This is just the beginning. I still have my ultimate 2012 planner project in the pipeline. That one is really heavy duty!! IIEEKK!! SO EXCITED!! Till the next post :) Assalamualaikum.

Wordless Wednesday #1

2011-11-23T07:37:00.000Z

Inspired by Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley in France , the Royal Holloway University's main building in Egham has never ceased to amaze passers-by. Just a glimpse of this grand architecture really made my day let alone standing in front of it.

I TOT I TAW A PUDDY TAT??

2011-11-17T11:55:00.000Z

With my Nenek Nipah

Embarrassing moment alert!! That was me and my granny. This would probably be the only time y'all would see me naked so ENJOY!

Vito called me BRAIN. AJ thought I looked like Tweety bird. yeah yeah.. I get the point. Baby pictures are always funny and mine...hilarious!

I got these pictures from Unty An (my dad's sister) via Facebook. I never thought that I would see all these at all. It surely brings back lots of memories. Thank you Unty!

The November Goals

2011-11-01T12:06:00.001Z

....and it's November! Assalamualaikum and howdy peeps! Time to rev up the year with the remaining 2 months goals before I embark on the new 40 things to do in 2012 list. Not so fast..not so fast..I know my hands are itching to choose the next 40 but hang on.. I'm not done with 2011's list yet. Jeez!

No joke. Although November rhymes with October.. It will be nothing like the latter (not-so-productive). November is a serious month. Got to be focus. Got to be precise. Got to get down..down..down..down..down. Ok enuff. Here goes!

Serves me right for not doing this diligently. Now, I've to complete everything in a month. There are 15 modules altogether. I really do hope to complete them all and get a cert in December. Home study courses demand high discipline and me.. I must admit, I'm barely there..yet. C'mon Nawal! You can do it!

Another home study course that I've enrolled in. There are 30 modules altogether and I've completed 2. Completing all in a month would be too unrealistic therefore just stick to 15 and the rest in December. Oh ya! If any of y'all interested in taking up home study Creative writing course, do check out The Writer's Bureau for more info :)

Wooohooo! I can't wait for the new year to come! So many good stuff will take place next year and I'm friggin' excited! This time, I won't make the same mistake by not preparing my 2011 on time. Therefore, I'm planning to create next year's planner earlier than expected. I've bought these planners and they're craving for a makeover! Here's a sneak peek :

December will be my last month working in the UK. Will be based in Malaysia for good..well for now :) So many junks need to bring back home. Shipping will take around 6-7 weeks. That is why, the sooner I ship all these stuff, the better!

Replacing the 6 days I missed on last Ramadhan and also Nazar fasting. Besides that, I'll be on a detox program. So yummy fat food..you going down!

As part of my fitness regime, I'm gonna start with the thing I love doing which I wouldn't complain much. That is... dancing! Zumba promotes Latin dancing with a twist. You'll actually enjoy exercising which is fundamentally important if you wanna stick to your regime. So far I love this! Gonna do this for the whole month. Pssstt... I weight 70kg now and that is 15kg overweight! :P NO JOKE!

From Monday to Sunday there'll always be some beauty to-do. Homemade facial, Jamu intake and super detox program are among the things I'll be focusing on in maintaining healthy and youthful self :) I'm 28 and if I don't take care of these things who will?

Phewh.. that's all for the month peeps. I'm all set! November..please be kind to me :)

I'm coming home!

2011-10-20T05:54:00.001+01:00

Assalamualaikum buddies! just few more hours and I'll be flying off to the best country in the world... MALAYSIA! woohoo!!! can't wait to see my family, friends, my room and of course savoring the delicious Malaysian FOOD! --- Weight gainers watch out!

Due to unforeseen technicalities, I won't be going to China as planned. Yeap..it's a shame.. :( but but but....

I'll be going to Singapore instead!

Primary aim - UNIVERSAL STUDIOS! I've never been to the Universal Studios there. How's it like? similar to LA's? Well I guess one way to find out!

Will update this trip at Jumpster's blog. Do check it out ya and in the meantime, stay Funky! Gosh! can't wait to be back! Please Allah, grant us a safe journey home :)

Nyan Cat Inspired Storage Box

2011-10-18T22:28:00.001+01:00

It would probably be the most annoying cat in the world. I had no idea what was NYAN CAT, its purpose of existence, what does it do and all these questions kept on clouding my dumbfounded brain. How did this infamous cat becomes ever so popular? (40 million hit on YouTube!) It just sing NYAN NYAN NYAN NYAN..exude rainbow fumes and look yummy (POP TART!) SOOOO ANNOYING yet you are SOOO ADORABLE and you just inspired me to revamp this old box I have at home :) Well Done NYAN CAT! Keep on ruling the cyberspace!

So that's it peeps! Make your own version of Nyan Cat merchandise. I'm dead sure it'll be awesome!
Do link back if you do make one ya! I wanna see them!

Quick DIY : from Tin to TING!

2011-10-09T01:23:00.002+01:00

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Do you have loads of tin canisters and desperate to throw them away??? Why don't you give it a new life making them look good for your room/house decor. Or better still....give them to me ;)

I found this tin canister in a recycling bin and thought that it can be useful. I need to store some of my knick knacks and this tin would be the perfect place to house them :) Project Tin-Tong..here we go!

It took me approximately 1 hour to complete this project. I'm happy with the outcome and the fact that I just saved a TIN's life :) Do have a go and just go wacky.

Hello Kitty Frenzy at Harrods

2011-10-05T12:42:00.015+01:00

London never fails to impress me. Vibrant environment. A fusion of old and modern landscape. Londoners going to and fro busy with daily rituals. London cabs. Double decker buses. Awesome museums and galleries, designer boutiques and not to forget..HARRODS!

A definitely must go place when you're in London. If you're a shopaholic then Harrods are no doubt one of the best place to shop but if you're like me -->DIY frugal person then do enjoy feasting on the lovely things here. Get ideas, be inspired and just enjoy the free perfume :P BUT BUT BUT I'm sure a small souvenir won't do any harm to your pocket will it?? you're in LONDON for god sake. Might as well get something. For Harrods famous souvenirs, stop by at the Harrods Arcade for insanely cute stuff. Harrods printing all over.

Aren't these souvenirs too cool for school? The Harrods brand are so well establish that souvenirs like these will still be valuable even for the next generation. As I was browsing through the arcade, skimming every souvenirs as possible, I stopped. My eyes were fixated on something. I shrieked! eeekkkkk!!!

oh!!! HELLO KITTY!!!! what were you doing over there at HARRODS??????? Don't u just love 'em?

I may not be the biggest Hello Kitty fans ever, but the sight of these put you in awe. Awwww. They were just adorable!

For me, one sure fire thing to do at Harrods is to visit their incredible food halls and get these...

A pack of 4 Lola's Red Velvet Cupcake would cost me 9.50pounds! Oh well, once in a while :P Indulging my guilty pleasures.

Old-Skool Fun Fair

2011-10-03T17:18:00.002+01:00

I went to a fun fair the other day and I was soooooooo excited to see so many colorful and funky old school stuff! The set up was mind stimulating and my brain were constantly churning new ideas for my upcoming projects. Being OUT of the house does broaden your perspective.

What are fun fairs without game booths?? I didn't play. I just love the colors. :P

The eclectic mix of colors are truly inspiring! This merry-go-round reminds me a lot about Marry Poppins and I'm already inspired to do a craft project based on that theme..but hang on there..hold on to your horses ya!

We stopped by to enjoy ourselves with local live shows! Although it was a small ensemble, it didn't fail to mesmerize me with crazy stunts. The Wall of Death and Voltini. Both were high risk stunts and that got me inspired too. What is 1 high risk thing I should do before I die!???

I had my fair share of fun. Sliding my way through 'Tower of Terror' got me 'high' and that was the best reason to reward myself with ICE CREAM! yummy!

** I love visiting places like these. Venturing out from your comfort zone to be inspired. I realize that I have to move to get the groove ya know what I'm saying?? Looking forward for the next outing :) I'm going ALL-OUT!

The October Goals

2011-10-01T02:47:00.003+01:00

October is already here. wow. Time flew really fast. I have 3 more months to complete all 40 things to do this year. I can stay positive and put super human effort but hey let's be realistic. There are 35 more goals to go and achieving all of them can be detrimental. Therefore I need to prioritize.

10modules to complete. 3 hours daily. I must complete this home study course by December. The course concentrates more on theory and developing fashion business. Really excited!

As for my creative writing course, I'm overwhelmed really. There are 30 modules altogether and I've completed only 2. I need to do 15 modules in order to complete the course by December. *sigh* I shouldn't have procrastinated! Oh well! I can do this!

This month I'm focusing on drawing the human figure. I find this task quite challenging and I love challenges! Spend 1 hour a day to draw and sharpen my skills.

I must say in this department, I'm not doing any better. I've gained 5kg after Ramadhan and that makes me feel unhealthy!! Not only that, I noticed that my posture is crippling and I had enough. This month, I'll be creating a fitness regime that excites me to exercise religiously. Focusing on the mid section area, Zumba and cycling.

Having a beauty regime is the epitome of being a true lady. It shows that you love yourself and have established a set of discipline in maintaining well being. The hardest bit would be sticking up to it! I'll be creating my beauty regime this month. Sneak peek : Jamu intake!

Best of all goals this month! I'll be going to CHINA peeps! Although it's a work trip, I'll take this opportunity to learn and immerse myself with the culture, people and get some DIY inspiration. I'm all excited as The Jumping Travellers will be recording episodes again! woohhhooo!

Apart from these goals, I'll be fasting to replace the ones I missed during Ramadhan and also to give my stomach a break. I've been eating junk! My eating habit is damaging me. tsk tsk. October is very exciting and I love this excitement!! it keeps me going :)

DIY : Corrubets! a.k.a Corrugated Alphabets

2011-09-29T09:03:00.003+01:00

I love making these cute alphabets! The self made Corrubets are ideal to punk up notice boards, gift decoration, and home decor among other things. I was inspired to create Corrubets as I have so many corrugated box lying around the house. I guess now those boxes is serving it's purpose :)

DIY : Paper hearts

2011-09-29T08:40:00.005+01:00

I'm always into the habit of recycling. People throw rubbish in the dustbin. I dig out treasures from the dustbin. I made these paper hearts from old magazines, letters, unwanted receipts and sweet wrappings. Instead of throwing these materials away, I quickly cut them into hearts and put it in a jar. It'll come in handy for your next art project :)

Announcement : nawal's goal-icious is coming to an end

2011-09-29T04:27:00.001+01:00

Blogging has always been a fun thing to do. No. I'm not deleting my blog. I'm upgrading it in fact. I realize that blogging is slowly transcending from leisure writing into a significant aspect in my life. I wanna do more about it. Expressing my life and things that i like to do.

I wanna talk more about my spiritual journey of discovering my faith, Arts and crafts, DIY, 950 things to do before i die (which is my goal-icious), The Jumping Travellers, life organization, vintage fashion, How To's and TIPS, my fashion brand (nadewas) and coming soon....my online store -> The Nadewas Shop :)

It's all really pretty and exciting and I love this feeling!

Therefore, bit by bit you'll see a huge transformation. Yes. My blog is slowly turning into a Lifestyle Blog :) HUUURRRAAAyyyy!

The Story behind The Custom Domain : from gugu to GAGA!

2011-09-22T14:03:00.003+01:00

For an avid blogger, having a custom domain is a life long dream. A sense of an achievement. It is a point where you say "Look honey you're getting serious in this blog thingamabob. It's building up a business and basically branding yourself really. I love this process.

FYI, I'm on a major scale life renovation mode.

This year would be the last of me being a governess. My calling has come for me to pursue my dream. :)
Art, DIY, Traveling, Designing, Writing, Discovering Islam and making things :) I will able to focus full time on my blog, building my brand, travel high and lo (and be able to talk about it), rediscover my spiritual path to righteousness and create super cool things to share with the world.

Yes. Ladies and Gentleman. I'm on my path to be a Lifestyle Guru :)
(Lotsa tips and How-TOs)

Gosh! the sound of it gives me goosebumps!

I'm very very excited!

Anyway, back to the DOMAIN story, I wanted to get Nawalshahril.com but then again I thought..naahhh too long :P or perhaps nadewas.com ..hmmmmm (somehow it suits for something else! like probably for clothes or something) and so..I thought of keeping it simple yet full of life.

Hence the name .. nawal.my

Ok. So some dude have bought nawal.com and i thought in that case why don't I get nawal.com.my instead. Believing that the transition to a dot com domain will be easier. I did! I bought .com.my domain unfortunately such domain requires you to have a company registration number..of which I don't have (not yet ;) ) ---> thumbs up for the spirit! weeeeeeee

.. and so... i change it to nawal.my which I personally think it's cute and so MALAYSIAN LA!

Thanks to mum and dad for coming out with such an awesome name for me! Universal, international and Arabic. People might think I'm Nawal al Zoughbi :)

I've gone through series of nawal domain check and here's what I found :

1. nawal.com - An Arabic website, mainly videos : I think the owner love videos! I messaged this dude as I wanted to buy the domain from him/her. But no response! Mann! Just hope that this domain will go into auction soon! I'm still eyeing on this. :)
2. nawal.net - Ooops google couldn't find it
3. nawal.tv - Ooops google couldn't find it. but your best bet would be naval.tv which you won't find any hot babe like me :) awww
4. nawal.org - Owner is selling this domain. hurry!
5. nawal.info - Ooops google couldn't find it
6. nawal.co - I like this domain. It could lead to nawal.com if you're on Google Chrome but this link is more like a hub for music links. :)
7. nawal.mobi - Ooops google couldn't find it
8. nawal.cc - Ooops google couldn't find it
9. nawal.us - This link will redirect you to a coffee product
10. nawal.com.my - Ooops google couldn't find it
11. nawal.my - Hey ...that's ME!

Hehe!

Just so you know, I had a big help from my server. A Massive standing ovation! This company is totally awesome. Very helpful and really efficient. Your emails will be dealt almost immediately. If you're thinking of getting a domain name, check out www.zenpipe.com . A domain of .com costs RM40 per year and a .my would be RM50! and you need a DNS hosting which adds another RM20/ yearly.yeap! there's a SALE going on! So HuRRY! Get your own Domain NOW!

wow.. I sounded like a salesperson.

Mucho love,

EID MUBARAK! SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI from a Traveller

2011-08-30T13:22:00.001+01:00

Assalamualaikum readers and everyone who happens to drop by! Allow me to utilize this opportunity to wish all the Muslims around the world EIIIDDD MUBARAK! We've made it and this day is for us to celebrate! However, not everyone is fortunate. There are many still in the midst of hunger, war and depression. Let us stop for a while and make du'a to all our Muslim brothers and sisters who are less fortunate and may Allah protect us all!

Enjoy this video :)

Mucho love,

Things to do in August, the blessed month of Ramadhan :)

2011-08-02T09:38:00.002+01:00

Assalamualaikum and Ramadhan al Mubarak everyone!
I guess the earth was spinning faster this year as it's already AUGUST!!! my my my!

Short updates about July
- The JLPT wasn't so bad after all. I thought the listening section was easy peasy. yeap! ONLY listening section! Results gonna be in September! - we'll see how that one goes. I do hope I'll pass for this one at least!!
- The Jumping Travellers is going through a major renovation. Basically this involves re-branding. Do anticipate more good stuff from the jumpsters early next year :)
- No longer single :)..(waitta minute..say whaattttt????)

Yeap that's about it. I told you it was a short update :p teehee

...and NOW it's AUGUST! GOSH!! and I'm still fat!
OK OK. Nuff complaining. Fat is a bad word and it can be offensive to some but let it fuel your motivation to lose and gain an ideal weight rather. I don't wanna be fat! it's really unhealthy, makes me slow, unproductive, stinks and deprive of motivation. Nothing good can come out of it. So this month, I'm gonna challenge myself to start training despite being in a fasting month. No excuse!

sounds like a boot camp to me!

Few goals that I wanna achieve in August

#1 : Complete 1 Module of Fashion Design course
Yeap! Done the studying bit and now moving on to the assignment which basically to construct an essay of 3 pages stating "Why do I want to be a Fashion Designer?" that kinda thing. Maann. This is deep.

#2 : Complete my creative writing assignments. (3 pieces of writings)
I've been procrastinating about this one. Insyaallah will complete all 3 writings by the end of this month :)

#3 : Create Marathon fitness regime
Yes! I'm running for a marathon and I need to plan out ways to nail this marathon gig. I don't wanna be all worn out and achieve nothing. Aim for the best and work towards it! I aim to complete a half-marathon sometime this year.:) GO NAWAL!

#4 : Create my own beauty regime that involves Jamu intake
I Loveeeee JAMU! If anyone of y'all been following me on Twitter, I did mention that I'm shifting towards traditional medicine. The world of alternative medicine is so compelling and mysterious, incorporating herbs that has been around for ages to your daily lives to maintain health and well being. Yes peeps! Beauty needs to come from inside out and a trip to a Jamu store at Kampung Baru the other day has changed my life. The image of Ibu Mooryati keeps haunting me, I wanna be healthy and montok montok just like her! Yes! I can do this! PERSISTENCY is the key!

#5 : Find out about DILF/DELF exams
To all perverts out there reading my blog.. just so you know, I'm NOT a pervert like you! DILF here is Diplome Initial de langue francais and DELF stands for Diplome d'etudes en langue francais. Yeah both sounds alien to our English tongue because it is ALIEN! It's the French version of proficiency tests and the main reason why I'm taking it is because I JUST LOVE LANGUAGES!!!!!! It'll be another cert for me! woohoo! Besides, I think French sounds really cool! Non? Comprenez?

#6 : Set my Ramadhan goals and make it a productive one!
The fasting month is back again and I'm all psyched! I came across this website called Productive Ramadhan and it's just super awesome! It has all the checklist, tips and things that you ought to do to improve and make this Ramadhan a productive one. As for me I LOVVVEEEEEE checklist and by looking at this, it makes me wanna tick and do all of them and before you know it, you have completed Ramadhan feeling all blessed and great! Don't let this Ramadhan be a sloppy one guys! Celebrate it with good deeds and Insyaallah, Allah will guide us all the way! Download the Ramadan Taskinator now to accomplish those Ramadan goals!!

#7 : Create 6 more organizing tips
As you know, one of my goals this year is to organize my life from tip to toe. It encompasses all aspects of my life. I am not productive when I don't plan and see where I'm heading to. I suck at most things until I actually sit down and organize everything. The difficult tasks seems less formidable to achieve and things become simple and easy. I've come up with 2 tips already and need 6 more till the month of August. Feels good just to think of it! ...wow...

August is such a great month. First, It's Ramadan and Syawal at the same time. (How cool is that?)..And It's also MERDEKA DAY!! yeap! Happy Independence Day MALAYSIA! you're 54! just like my mom! well, she's younger by a year tho :p

Sadly, I won't be able to celebrate Syawal with Families and friends back in Malaysia this year. :( no parades to see during Independence Day :( No ketupat, Rendang, satay, laksa Penang, laksa Johor, biskut raya, lontong,open house, duit raya, baju raya, ......bla...bla..blaaa :(

Don't worry! Next Raya I'll be in Malaysia! Right sweetheart?? (jengg jenggg jengg jennnggg)

Future Post : The Future Husband. Not so futuristic but fantastic! :)

Happy Ramadhan guys!

Mucho love,

June updates and The Hijab

2011-06-22T10:02:00.004+01:00

Do you often sometimes wish that you're an octopus?? Blessed with 8 tentacles and able to juggle so many things simultaneously?? I know I do! but not the tentacles tho. I wish I own the OCTOPUS'S nature!

Ok. hang on there. u are still at my blog and not Animal Planet's.

So many things have happened in the past months.Good things..not so good things..yeah..what a mixture. Here's a recap:

1. Had the best birthday party and reunion ever! Shame on you who didn't attend! :P

2. Heart broken ..yeah that happens. We moved on.

3. Hijrah..to a better me :)

Hijrah means migration. In my case, migrating to fulfil my deen. I've explored various part of my religion (which is Islam) and I fell in love with it over and over again. There were a lot of questions that was running thru my head and I've asked myself.."What have I done to please my creator?" The power of that question have prompted me to take the next step..which is to START things right.

Number 1 : Cover myself properly (Hijab)

Hijab is not just a scarf that covers your head..well if you take it as a noun, it can be but Hijab alone is not just a noun as it also represent a verb. The concept is more to that. When one adorn herself with Hijab, it means that she is covering herself properly, dismiss all the swear words, discard the unnecessary things and actions, seek knowledge to better herself as a Muslimah and such. Hijab also means protection. Thus protecting oneself from the wild eyes of non-mahram (Men that you can be married with)

It was May 11th 2011 that I've started to adorn myself with the Hijab and I've never looked back. Gave away my clothes which no longer appropriate to wear. Weeding out my non-hijab pictures from the net (A LOT OF THEM! - still in the process). Most importantly, I do things that matters to me more.

It is a change alright. A good change Insyaallah (God willing).

Ok Ok. enough for now. Just wanna write a short update. For the month of June, I'm just gonna stick to 1 goal and that is to STUDY for my JLPT! For those of you who don't know, JLPT is the abbreviation for Japanese Language Proficiency Test which consist of 5 levels from N5 right up to N1. This year, I'll be taking 2 exams - N4 and N3 and my aim is to complete these series of test next year! Insyaallah.

Gosh I felt that it has been AGES since the last time I posted a video on YouTube. Here's the latest video of nawal's goal-icious series.

Enjoy!

Mucho love,

March recap : Blessed month :)

2011-04-03T05:37:00.004+01:00

March ended with a big bang. Banging on my bizarre sleep pattern that is. Can't complain much as the month

was really filled with so so many things to do. Overwhelmed but entirely satisfying.

Here's a recap

1 : Finally completed Project Funky Planner!!

yippee yeayyy!!! After a long 2 months and a half.. I finally completed this project and 100% loved it! It was truly an effort being put into and I must say I was really happy with the outcome :)

2. Wrote an article for The Leader magazine

I've done writing a piece for this magazine. Watch out for June's Issue of The Leader. It'll be about my backpacking expedition to China with my fellow peers. Will post a link as soon as it comes out. In the meantime do check out March's Issue ya! Download them all!

3. Signed up for Level N4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test

After the completion of Level N5, I'm proceeding to the next step. I've signed up for the Japanese Test this year and it will be harder for sure. 300 Kanjis, more grammar and more vocabulary to learn! I'm doing this on my own. Self study and hopefully I can make it! The test will be on the 3rd of July at London. mannn! I need a study partner! Anyone????

4.Learn drawing

As you know, I'm taking up drawing this year just to brush up my rusty skills and in the process of producing my own portfolios for university admission. I've encountered Nelson Ferreira, Portuguese artist who is now based in London. He taught me painting and a bit of drawing. He's a great teacher and I've learned wonderful tips and tricks from him. I've completed my Angkor Wat Sunrise painting and now I'm working on my portrait. If y'all want to start drawing and don't know where to start, sign up for drawspace.com where you can learn how to draw and post your work for evaluation. It's a great website and don't forget to add me up! (nadewas)


Angkor Wat Sunrise (Acrylic on wood)


Self Portrait! still in the process :)

5. Produced 1 episode for The Jumping Travellers series

I've only managed to produce 1 episode rather than 3 episodes projected to complete this month. MY BAD! GUILTY! However, I'm planning to produce 3 more episodes in the month of May. So for those who anticipate new episodes from TJT series, watch out for May ya! There will be no updates in April. In the meantime, Enjoy episode 5 which was about our experience at the Nile River :)

6. Organize my life - TIPS No 1 : Create a priority chart

Yeap! that's my tip no 1 in order to get your life on track and lead a semi-insane life like mine :P I realized when I did this, more things have been achieved thus far and I liked it! Tasks seems manageable to conquer and you decide 1st on what matters and what NOT! Will elaborate more in the coming posts :)

7. My Fashion Design Course

Suppose to complete 1 module but only managed to do the outline!! *sigh* WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?????

8. TJT Blog - no updates so far.

Couldn't visit interesting places in Surrey and Berkshire last month. Oh well.. I guess I'm putting this on hold 1st until I'm back in the UK and that would be in May :P

9. Create my own beauty regime

Sadly, nothing has been done in this department! Oh well..there's always April :P (procrastination alert!)

10. Complete the dance choreograph for Starbux V clip

I've managed to come up with 30% of the choreography. Will ask Arja to help me out with this one too :)
Don't worry my fellow baristas! We will make this happen!

Last but not least....

11. Finalize my birthday party and reunion planning!

WOOHOOOO!!! the venue has been confirmed! I am sooo happy that my Arabian Night themed birthday party cum reunion is progressing smoothly. Only a week left! I'm damn excited! Although, the essence of the party have yet to be properly planned, but almost half is done and it's time to execute all planning! I AM NERVOUS!
and I hope this party will be a great success! Thank you to all sponsors! You guys are super duper awesome!

12. Signed up for creative writing course!
Signing up for Writer's Bureau was a big step for me. I love writing and I hope to contribute more and develop my writing skills at the same time. Never would I thought to be serious in this but I guess when u started to blog, it comes naturally. The Writer's Bureau course is basically a home study course and I have 30 modules to complete altogether. I'm all psyched! Wish me luck!

Since April is gonna be busy busy, I'm going to lessen my goals next month..lessen the "burden" that is :)

Overall, I'm happy with the month's achievements. I know I could have done better tho. Prove it in April!

Mucho love,

March : Tuning the pitchy patches of February

2011-03-04T17:16:00.002Z

Allow me some time to crack my knuckles as I'm writing this blog while editing Episode 5 of The Jumping Travellers series. Boy. Talking about multitasking!

Ok yeah so February wasn't exactly how I've planned it. Big deal. You just have to revisit some of the goals and try to find a simpler way to achieve them. I'm going to bring forward some of Feb's goals and tune it a bit to a much simpler tune ---> lessen it! yeap. instead of striving to achieve 2 things. I'm gonna achieve 1 instead. Get what I mean??

And so, here's March great goals to GO!

#1 : COMPLETE PROJECT FUNKY PLANNER

I've been putting off since January and I shouldn't prolong it any longer. It is now 40% done (planner and video simultaneously) I must now focus on the end result. It's all in your mind...in your mind. If I don't finish it by this month...I'm going to FAST for 2 weeks straight! No Starbucks No good food. Just water and milk and cold cereal. THAT'S IT!

#2 : GOAL 773 : ORGANIZE MY LIFE FROM TOP TO TOE

This goal will take approximately a year to complete. There are many areas in my life that I would like to re-organize..well come to think of it, 90% needs organization and the rest..just let loose! OK! so here how it is.. For this month I'm gonna work on my priority chart. My aim : To achieve 60% of all things listed in the chart. Will explain more of this in my other post :)

#3 : COMPLETE 1 MODULE OF MY FASHION DESIGN COURSE (INSTEAD OF 2 MODULES)
See..by doing 1 module instead, it seems more manageable now! YEAH! I can do this!

#4 : WRITE TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN SURREY AND BERKSHIRE

Initially, it was just Surrey. Then again I thought, Surrey and Berkshire just a footstep away from each other and if both places combine..I'll get more stuff to write and show u guys rite??

#5 : PRODUCE 3 MORE EPISODES FOR THE JUMPING TRAVELLERS SERIES :)

Anticipate Episode 5-7 this month mainly about the Nile River, the Citadel Fort and also Pharonic Village. All these was shot in Egypt and we're more than honored to share our experiences with all of you! :)SO SO EXCITEEEEDDDDD!!!!!!

#6 : Learn Drawing :)

Currently, I'm learning painting from Nelson :) Just started and I'm thoroughly enjoy Nelson's method of teaching. I just Love it! If any of y'all in London and would like to learn too..check out Nelson's website. He's an experienced Portuguese Visual Artist and he's coming to MALAYSIA!!!!! ( sorry Nelson.. I have a big mouth!) Besides learning how to paint, I'm teaching myself to draw too! Mainly, from books of course :)

#7 : FINALIZE GOAL 934 HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY AND GOAL 937 ORGANIZE A SUCCESSFUL REUNION
This is it. I'm all psyched! The location hasn't been finalized yet but the date would probably be on the 9th of April 2011. Oh gosh! So many things to prepare at a very short time! Being away from home makes it even more challenging. I just have to do it! Thanks to my birthday team at home! you guys just rawk!

#8 : GOAL 936 CREATE MY OWN BEAUTY REGIME AND STICK TO IT!

Everyone has the right to be beautiful! As for me, I wanna do it without burning so many holes in my pocket. Frugal ways to keep yourself looking youthful and beautiful without being a bloodyfool. I'll be trying out traditional methods and nature products to substitute my normal daily boring no-progress beauty routine.

#9 : WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR THE LEADER MAGAZINE

Late last month, Acan Orasa approached me the other day asking whether I would like to write an article for The Leader, my University Alumni Magazine. They wanted stories mainly about former student's experiences while studying in the institution. I said YES! and uh-oh...deadline = end of THIS month! I'll be writing about my backpacking expedition to China way back in 2004 with my fellow Unimates and staff. Watch out for June's Issue of The Leader :)

#10 : GOAL 638 TAKE UP ALL JLPT EXAM

Hurray! I passed the N5 exam and now advancing to N4. Errrrr.. For those who don't know, JLPT stands for Japanese Language Proficiency Test. There are 5 levels to this exam where N5 being the lowest and right up to the highest one which is N1. Since I've passed my N5, I'll be taking N4 and N3 this year! Why am I taking this again? Simple. It's because I've written in my GODDAMN goal-icious book that I'll take all JLPT level exam. So it is imperative for me to do this...NEXT..

yeah.. last but not least

#11 : COMPLETE THE DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY FOR STARBUCKS VIDEO

I've promised my buddies that we gonna do a music video..so this is it! As you know, I still am working in Starbucks. This video is mainly to portray the comraderie that exist among partners of Starbucks 3 2 Square, PJ Malaysia which mostly from the Section 14 outlet before. I would like to treasure our friendship by having a video so that in future when our children and grandchildren watch the video, they'd go "awwww look at how cool Granny Nawal was..or how crazy Granpa Billy before!" etc etc Let's make this work guys!

There you have it. March's list. My life is slowly in tune again. Really excited when things are super organised! you realize that you don't need more than 24 hours really...and thank god!

Mucho love,