2014 Onyx Fine Arts Fine Arts Exhibit Artwork Submisssion

I recently applied two pieces of artwork towards to the 10th Annual Onyx Fine Arts Collective Art Exhibition, which will showcase a juried selection of original visual artworks, produced by artists of African descent living in the Pacific Northwest.

The two pieces I submitted were Camel Crossing and Border Camel.  Please send good thoughts their way as they make it through the jury process.

Camel Crossing

Border Camel

Play Hide and Go Seek #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

It was yet another beautuifl day in Seattle. We are so blessed to have had such a lovely summer so far. We headed back to our favorite park today and played a fun game of hide and go seek. If children in Gaza had a park, we are sure they could be playing a game of hide and seek too.

Play Hide and Go Seek #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

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Going Down a Slide #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

We headed to a park today to have some fun. We spent time on the play equipment, including the slide.

If children in Gaza had a park, we are sure they could be going the slide too.

Going Down a Slide #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Ayyam Wa Layalli (Days and Nights) Arab Summer Festival

I'm excited about the Ayyam Wa Layalli (Days and Nights) Arab Summer Festival and Outdoor Cinema at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA that will be happening on August 15th, 2014.

The organizers are planning a small family fun festival before the movie (an Egyptian black&white musical with a live sing along!).  Unfortunately I am already committed to an earlier event, so I was not able to apply for a booth. I was excited to hear who else will be there, not just product booths, but Arabic food booths too. 

Undaunted, the organizers asked me to provide them with a few products to sell until I could get there later in the evening to enjoy the movie. I've been trying to decide what to give them, since I really wanted to play off the theme of the event.

While at the best kept secret in Redmond on Wednesday with my daughters, I came across a box of vintage cards.  I knew right away that the cards would be perfect to sell at the movie.  I went home, torn them apart then reconfigured them to face the Arabic direction when they opened. Now they look like this


From a vintage boring card to a colored and bright Arabic Shukran Card.

You'll have to come to the movie to see what the rest of the box looks like! Click here to order your tickets.

Here is a preview of one of the songs:

Tobah - توبة

توبة توبة توبة إن كنت أحبك تاني توبة (1

To-bah x2 to-bann kun-ta a-Hib-bak ta-ni, to-ba

Never again, will I love you, never again

بس قابلني مرة وتبقى دي آخر نوبة

Buss ah-bill-nee mar-ra w’ tib-a d’ ah-kher nu-ba

Just meet me one more time, it'll be the last time

 وبعدها توبة توبة

Wa’ ba3-da-ha to-ba to-ba 

And after that never again

(Repeat 2x)

 توبة إن كنت أخاصمك وأرجع أصالحك تاني (2

To-ban kun-ti ah-khas-mak werr-g3a sal-Hak ta-ni

Never again will I stop talking to you

only to make upagain

ياما البعد سقاني وياما القرب ضناني

Ya-mal ba3-di sa-3a-ni, w’ya-mal kur-bi da-na-nee

Distance has always been good for me,

while being with you tires me out

(Repeat 5 times)

وإن فات طيفك يوم في منامي وجه صحاني (3

Win fat ti-fak yoom fi ma-na-mi wa-gah sa-Ha-ni

If your image appeared to me in my sleep

and woke me up

برضه أصالحك بس أهي نوبة وبعدها توبة

Bar-do a-sal-Hak bas a-hi nu-bah wa b3a-da-ha to-bah, to-bah

I'd make good with you again but after that never again

(Go to first verse x 2)

توبة إن كنت حصدق تاني كلامك (4

To-ban kun-ti Ha-sud-da’ ta-ni ka-la-mak

Never again will I believe anything you say

مهما حتسأل مش راح أصدق حتى سلامك

Mah-ma Ha-ti-sal mush ra-Ha sud-da’ Hat-ta sa-lam-ak

No matter what you ask I will not even believe your greetings

(Repeat 3x)

بس أوعدني أوعى تبكي وأنا قدامك (5

Buss ew 3-id-ni ew 3a tib-ki wa-na oo-dam-ak

Just promise me you will never cry in front of me

أحسن أكذب روحي وأقول أهي نوبة وبعدها توبة

AH-san a-ked-dib roo-Hee wa-ool a-hi no-bah

It's best that I lie to my soul and say just this once

wa ba-3a-da-ha to-bah

and then never again

(Repeat (1) x 3) then (4) x 3) then (5) x1 then (1) x 3)

آه من حيرة قلبي وآه من دمعة عيني (6

Ah min Hee-reet al-b’–oo , w’ah min dam-3et 3a-ni

Oh, my heart is so confused! Oh, how I've cried!

كل ما أقول أنساك توحشهم نارك وتصحيني

Ku-li ma-ool an-sak to-Hash-ni nar-ak wa-tsaa-Hi-ni

Whenever I say I'll forget you, your fire makes me miss you

and wakes me up

(Repeat (6) x 3)

أجري وأسأل عنك قبل ما انت تجيني (7

Ag-ri wa ‘sal 3an-ak ab-li man-ta tig-nee

And then I run around asking about you

before you even come to me

أضحك نوبة وأبكي نوبة وبعدها توبة

Ad Hak no-ba wab-ki no-ba,  wa ba3-da-ha to-ba, to-ba

I'll laugh once, cry once and then never again

(Repeat (1) x 3)

Picking out a snack. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

We headed back to the library today to return what we took earlier this week and get more.

We stopped at the vending machines to pick out snacks.

Something that Gaza children could be doing.

Picking out a snack. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Celebrating National Cat Day #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

According to our wall calendar, today is National Cat Day.

Our house is ruled by a cat named Shems, which is Arabic for sunshine. She is a purebreed Siamese and you can see all the trouble she gets into on Instagram under the hashtag #ShemsTheSiamese.

We spent the day pampering her.

It was also something that Gaza children could be doing.

Celebrating National Cat Day #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Visiting their local library. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Today we went to our local library.

It's one of our favorite places in town. We visit about three or four times a week.

We go to rent books, movies, magazines, talk to a friendly librarian, play a game on a computer, print out free copies, say hello to a neighbor and listen to lectures.

Things that Gaza children could be doing.

Visiting their local library. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Eating Watermelon #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Today was a hot one.

We were fortunate to be able to go to our local supermarket and get some watermelon. We took it to a park and shared it with friends.

It was also something that Gaza children could be doing.

Setting up an imaginary world #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

My daughters spent the afternoon setting up an imaginary world with animals, stages, and dress up clothes.

It was magical.

It was also something that Gaza children could be doing.

Setting up an imaginary world #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Camping Weekend #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

My husband was having a stressful week at work, so he decided to take today off.  We spent the weekend camping on our property, smack dab between Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainer. 

The girls explored 3 miles of a tree burnt volcanic zone (where they spotted a tattletale sign of a bear), chased forest frogs, and went to the local dam to catch, and of course, release tadpoles. They even left the big clear bucket we brought along for the next set of kids.

We are very fortunate that my husband has a job, we bought property 10 years ago when it was dirt cheap, and of course that we have the ability to hike, interact with nature, and spend time with family.

At each magical experience, my daughters spent a little bit of time discussing how, if they had a choice, Gaza children could be doing similar things on their summer day.



Reading silly signs. #WhatGazaChildCouldBeDoing

Exploring a lake. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Catching frogs in the forest. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Catching tadpoles. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Releasing tadpoles. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Hanging out at a Park #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

We met some friends at the park today. 

We spent the afternoon zip lining, climbing sculptures, painting our toenails, and collecting rocks.  Things my children wished children in Gaza could be doing.

Zip lining at a park. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing



Climbing a ferocious lioness. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Painting toenails, and toes. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Digging for rock treasures. #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

Hanging at the pool #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing

We spent most of today hanging out at our local pool.  We meet some friends, cannonballed off the diving board, fought over goggles, grilled turkey hot dogs and everyone got sunburn.

A perfect summer day, full of sounds of playing children.

I'm sure if given the chance, playing in water is something that Gaza children could be doing also.  If only they weren't too scared of receiving the same fate as Zakaria Ahed Bakr, 10, Ahed Atef Bakr, 10, Mohammed Ramez Bakr, 11, and Ismail Mohammed Bakr, 9.


Hanging at the pool #WhatGazaChildrenCouldBeDoing