I'm back!

Hey guys!
Wow! It's been such a long time I can barely believe it!
So as some of you have figured out by now I'm in the gorgeous state of Maryland/DC doing everything I can to help President Barack Obama.

In a freakish state of events I somehow ended up rooming with a twitter celebrity (unplanned of course!). If possible she's crazier than me, and hilarious to follow (so please do that!)
In an attempt to have me turn to the dark side, she's had me get back on twitter, so now you can hear my rants all day long! Please follow me @LylasLife I would love it!

I'll definitely try to upload a couple of videos over the next few days to let you all know how I'm doing!
Love,
Lyla.

Oh and I just realized that one of my video's was set to private (no wonder no one was watching it!), so here it is! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Tahrir and a Free Egypt

Walking into Tahrir square I could not help but feel tense. So much had taken place since I had last strolled down those very streets to class. A revolution had happened. Not just one that had removed its dictator, but one that had changed the entire face of the Egyptian population.

Walking through the square I could not help but be surprised by the sights I saw.

1.  People (predominantly educated youth) had all bought brooms and were cleaning up the streets as the city moved by. It’s not seen as a chore, rather an honor to contribute part of themselves to the country. What was most astounding, what took me completely by surprise is that it has somehow become a social gathering; for people to meet up in their neighborhoods- talk about the latest political gossip and sweep.  
2. Companies were capitalizing on this wave on national pride.  I saw jotun (the paint company) supplying paint to volunteers and staff to rebeautify Cairo.  Most strikingly, was the newly painted triumphant gold representing victory that now covered the old grime covered green of the past regime.
3. The Egypt was now the latest free country. And there’s nothing that everyone was most proud of…. They did it peacefully.  They regained their dignity without violence. And even when things were at their worst (when Mubarak didn’t step down during his speech) the demonstrators were able to keep control, and show why masr um al donya. I’m proud to be Egyptian. I’m proud of my countrymen. We are now an example for the rest of the world to follow.

We’re back.

Maryland

I’m sitting here, and the weirdest song comes over the speakers…. New York, New York

Nothing can be as powerful as fate.

The circumstances under which I found myself going to Maryland and the time frame (only a few hours to pack!) would be unbelievable had I not been there and experienced it firsthand.

It’s true that nothing is as powerful as fate.

If you’re meant to be somewhere, one way or another you’re going to end up there. With my health issues, financial concerns, and over-protective parents, I could have never imagined working out in this way, and being pushed into the direction I’m now in. I would have NEVER imagined this could happen this way, let alone in under 2 days.

I have yet to find out about my environment, my work, or my (hopefully!) future friends, but something tells me that it’ll work out.

It’s already been decided.

I just want you all to know how much I miss you, and how grateful l am to have you in my life.

See you on the other side!

Lyla. 

UPDATE: Egyptian Protests- Sunday

I woke up this morning to the most astounding news.
Friends and family in Cairo have told me that the looting that has been taking place have not been prisoners, but by the police.

The police seemed to have disappeared from the streets yesterday, with the protestors worrying what they were up to next. No one could have imagined the new low that the regime would take by encouraging the police to loot homes across the country.

There have been many cases of neighborhood watches that have caught police redhanded stealing from homes.

I guess if they can't rule people with terror, they've decided to take everyone down with them.
Disgusting.

Not only have the police been attacking people in they're homes, they've taken it upon themselves to release thousands of prisoners from prisons near Cairo.

I worry that since many people are afraid of their houses being looted they won't show up today for protests. I hope that's not the case.
We'll see what happens.

Lyla.

Update: Egyptian Protests

The situation seems to begetting worse and worse...

So far curfew has been imposed, and the military has been taking control.

The protestors however have not left, and seem to be getting more violent.  The ruling party's (NDP) headquarters downtown has been set on fire. 

President Hosni Mubarak is scheduled to speak soon.

Will let you know how it goes. 

Wish them luck,

Lyla. 

News on Egypt

It's been difficult for those on the outside to get much information in the West.
So far the best places have been Al Jazeera, BBC Arabic, AL Arabiyah, and France 24.
Some links just to fill you in..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12303564
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/01/201112810059478272.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE70O18Y20110125

An article on the lack of media:
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/egyptian-tv-channels-ignore-day-anger-protests

Historic Protests in Egypt

If someone had told me 2 weeks ago that something like this was going to happen I would have never believed it.

I've been watching the Arabic news all day, and some of the images coming out of Cairo have been shocking.

The commentary has varied... some skeptical of true change believing that the regime is too strong to fall, while others seeing the strength of the protesters believe that true change can happen.

From all reports it seems that over 10 thousand protesters throughout Egypt have taken to the streets, with those in Alexandria and Suez being the most successful.
According to one of the commentators on Al Jazeera, "The barrier of fear is definitively broken."
Earlier to day I would have disagreed with this comment, but after watching the people take to the street in this manner, and how bravely they're standing up to the riot police and secret forces, no phrase uttered thus far has been so powerful.
*
Watching the news last night, I didn't think much would come of today.  No popular uprising could take place without all segments of society... women children, the middle class etc.  And watching all the news coverage today I was surprised by the number of women, children and people from all walks of life.
Truly amazing.

Sri Lanka

Hi guys!

Since my last post I've gone on a little adventure!
Being expats abroad, every vacation I can remember has been used up going to Cairo. While my friends have travelled all over the place (since Bahrain really is in the center of everything), I was stuck by what I thought was an ordinary beach.

So, I've been hearing about this place for years, and I finally persuaded my parents to go, try something new, and expand our horizons. So off to Sri Lanka we went!
Though the weather was uncharacteristically cold, we had an amazing time, and definitely saw things we'd never seen before!

I don't want to bore you with all the details of my little adventure, but in the next few posts just some observations on Sri Lanka and how different it is from my life in Bahrain.

Lyla.

Shopping & Death in 2011

Hi Guys!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I can't believe it's been so long!
I promise I'll try harder to blog, but somehow everything in the news these days is so trivial!

The past few months for me have been pretty rough. Health issues have in some way left me apathetic, and sort of dissociative from my life.
But hopefully with the new year it's all about to change!

I'm still surprised by the amount of people that somehow come across this blog. It's crazy, that someone out there is still listening to my crazy rants half way across the world.

So here we go...

As you all probably know by now there's very little to do in the Gulf besides eat, shop and go to the movies.
I was having this conversation with a friend of mine when I realized that's mostly what society (almost everywhere) has been reduced to these days.
Buying stuff.
After a year of non-conventional work, and seeing the other side of things, I've become very tired of buying things (anything really...). It's become quite exhausting.
So with that in mind, I cringed this morning after reading the following headline in Bahrain's own Gulf Daily News;
Dubia Festival on Way

What festival you may ask?
Something cultural?
Some fun and games for the little ones?
A state of the art technological exhibition?
Something useful?

No, no, no, and you'd be dreaming.
Instead it's the one and only Dubai Shopping Festival!!!
Woohooo!!
Now before everyone gets on my case I have to admit that many many years ago (really... many) when I was a young girl I went to that same festival when it first started.

All I can say about  it is that many a dubai rant has originated with that experience.

The fact that shopping has somehow become an event that people flock to from all over the region is ridiculous.
It would be different if it was something unique and authentic.  Instead it's come down to the Marks & Spencer, Claire's and H&M's of the worlds slashing prices to attract tourists.
That's it.
That's what the world has come to.

But what's even more shocking is that this sort of news is somehow more important than let's say the murder of Punjabi governor over his anti-blasphemy law stance.
Having a difference of opinion, and using death and fear to get your way has somehow become acceptable these days.
I remember when these tactics were mostly used in places without a firm governing structure, but now it seems like it's the norm everywhere.
Let's kill anyone who doesn't agree with us!!
How has it become so normal that we've stopped noticing?
How is it that we've just switched off our mind and blanked out to the reality of the world around us?

I have to admit that I'm there.
But hopefully with the new year things will change.
Hopefully.

And there we go, a positive note for 2011!
 :P

Lyla.

Muslim Bashing Mania

Hi guys!

I've been vlogging quite a bit the past few days, but it seems like there are a few technical problems which I hope to resolve soon!

In other news, there's been a lot going on in the world of Muslim bashing. Brian Kilmeade, a Fox news host claimed on Monday that, "All terrorists are Muslim".
I love how it's become completely acceptable to spew garbage that attacks a minority and encourages others to be hateful.
The whole thing just continues to astound me.

The Tides Foundation has finally decided to take action again Glen Beck and Fox news by sending out an open letter to his sponsors pointing out him hateful violent speech, and that it was his words that encouraged an assassin to go after the Tides Foundation.
I'm glad they're doing something about it, though I doubt the advertisers will drop their support.
After all Glen Beck has his cult following.

That's it for now.
Hopefully I'll be able to get a few vlogs up soon!
Lots of love,
Lyla.

I love Pepper.

Good morning!

Missed you guys a boatload over the past few days.

So since I last blogged, I've come to terms with Pepper's (that's right, we finally found a name!) blindness.
Now that we've figured out how to keep him active (he loves playing with tin foil... runs around like a mad man after it), we're now able to see him for what he really is- the cuddliest kitten ever.... rather than some poor blind cat.

I never thought I'd be ok with it on a deep level (now I'm being honest here), but the past few days have really made me see past that.
He's adorable, and can follows my voice with gusto, hopping around everywhere.
It's been so amazing having him in the house.

Our other two cats Soda and Baby are having a really hard time coming to terms with it... they keep hissing at us, but I guess it's to be expected.
Pepper is pretty little at the moment, but for some reason all the pictures I've been taking makes him seem like a monster, but hopefully this picture will show you how tiny he really is!

Anyway, I should run, but would love to hear from you guys if you're still following!
Lots of love,
Lyla.

Loving an Imperfect Kitten

Hi Guys!

So today I'd really like to ask for your help.

My dad brought in the cutest little kitten yesterday, and we've only just found out he's blind.
The doctor's have recommended putting him to sleep, as he won't be able to survive outdoors, or live a 'normal' life.
Finding out the news was much more difficult than i'd anticipated.
It's definitely hit me hard, and made me realize how often we think of ourselves instead of the animals we're trying to help.
Being heartbroken over this kitten's situation may seen silly to some, but it's made me aware how much we value sight in this society. Not having this sense seems to be enough to make  the decision to kill a defenseless creature.
I don't know.
Just food for thought.
Other than that he's super frisky and playful, and absolutely loves hugs and kisses.
If anyone out there knows of a family (in Bahrain!) who can care for such an adorable guy (he's amazing) please please please let me know!

Anyway, thanks for listening (it helps!),
Lyla

Wow.
I can't believe it's been so long.

I have to admit the past 6 months have been pretty rough, and I've sort of shut down on the whole YouTube/blogging thing. I promise I'll get back into the full swing of things, and let you know how I've been doing!

So I was asked recently why I vlog about the US news, and US issues instead of things closer to 'home'.
I think in a world like today, especially in the Gulf, almost everything that happens in the US is a really big deal here. So yeah. Why not hit two birds with one stone, AND v/blog about something I love.

*
It's pretty rough getting back into this after such a long time!
Let's see....in the past six months I've:

From Top: Aquamarine, Ruby, Red Jade

1. Almost been deported (nothing too serious, don't worry!)
2. Been baking up a storm.
3. Seen the-new-(and-not-improved) Dubai.
4. Had surgery.
5. Started up a jewelry line.

6. Been to Cairo and the North Coast.
7. Started taking Brazilian JiuJitsu classes.

That's it for right now!
Can't wait to hear from you soon,
Lyla.

Let's Kill 'Em!!!

Hi guys,
So sorry for not putting something up in  a while.
The internet here has been down for the past few days, coupled with YouTube having some technical issues= no vlogs (or blogging) for a while.

Over the past few days quite a few remarkable things have happened.
The US barely passed the new (and historic) health care bill.
The real story though, was how the Republicans, some of their supporters and some individuals from the Tea Party Movement took it upon themselves to endorse and support acts of hatred, intimidation, vandalism and violence towards those they disagree with. 

Over the past few years, we've seen many issues on which the country was completely divided. The Iraq War, how to save the US economy, and sending aid abroad, (to name a few) but I genuinely never thought that we'd collectively get to a place where directing homophobic chants at senators whose policies we disagreed with was encouraged, or where violent acts and cases of vandalism were somehow acceptable because of differing political views.

When did all this become ok?

I understand that there will always be those that are more extreme in their views than others.
And that there will always be one or two who will act out violently.
But seems like a sizeable portion of the population is headed in that direction, and what's even more dangerous than that, is that they think violent action is an acceptable response to an outcome they don't like.

I guess when history looks back at this time, the warning flag would have come in the form of the man who flew his plane into the IRS building.
While it appears that he had long standing issues with the agency, and certain political views, what is most disturbing is that very few people condemned his actions, and some even appeared to understand his motivations.
It is the beginning of a very slippery slope.
And though I acknowledge that I am a pessimist at heart, it seems as though the US is headed in a very dangerous direction.
*
In an effort to rein in on the madness going on in Washington, and the apparent encouragement by some Republican members of some of their supporters' more radical actions, the DNC has asked the RNC to join them in signing a 'civility' statement calling on "all Americans to respect differences of opinion, to refrain from inappropriate forms of intimidation, to reject violence and vandalism, and to scale back rhetoric that might reasonably be misinterpreted by those prone to such behavior.” 
This statement comes at the end of a week which saw acts of vandalism and threats of violence directed at members of Congress from both parties, but mostly aimed at Democrats who voted “yes” on the health care bill. [POLITICO]
Now guess what the RNC response was? 
Hell no.
I guess one can't expect too much from a party that thinks its acceptable to depict Nancy Pelosi surrounded by flames or who distributed racial songs aimed at the President.


To be honest with you guys, the whole thing makes me sick.
What's worse though, is that the RNC isn't even willing to make the symbolic gesture of condemning attacks against those you disagree with.
The GOP has truly gotten out of control.


Just some of my thoughts.
I should have a few vlogs up soon!
Hope you're having a great weekend.
Lyla

Perching Cookies, Little Pies & Flowery Kittens!

Hey Guys,

So this morning I got the urge for some more pastry baking.
I find myself drawn to more to conceptual desserts, than based off of how it's going to taste.
The more unusual (or miniature) the dessert gets, the more I'm interested!

It all started a few moths ago when I spotted this adorable little gingerbread house perched on a side of a mug at not martha.

It is so unbelievably cute, and simply irresistible.
The only problem is I lack the patience and the ability to make sure each one fits absolutely perfectly.
So yeah.
A few weeks later I saw this over at Reader's Digest.

It's official.
Having things perched on the side of (or floating in) your drinks is the cute culinary thing of the moment.
So this morning I decided to finally get around to making my own (way way way simpler) version of this trend.
Basic sugar cookies with your tea.

As usual, by the time I went to get my camera (and to leave them to cool off for a minute or two), all the best ones for perching had mysteriously disappeared.

I ended up making some bird cookies (which I thought would look the best), some angel ones, and a few hearts. I then just cut a slit in the cutout!
Easiest thing ever! (and I can guarantee your visitors will love them!)

After completing these cute cookies, I decided to tackle another backing prject on my to-do list.
Little 'Pielets'.
You know little pies..

These cute little pies were very easy to put together if you have everything prepped from before.

Earlier in the day I had already made the crust [scroll to bottom] and left it to chill in the fridge, and I also had quickly whipped up some crumble topping by mixing some flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon.
For the filling, I rummaged through the fridge and happened to stumble across some pear and lemon jam I had made two weeks earlier after my mum had come home with an insane amount of pears.
That's what I happened to have in the fridge, but I'm pretty sure almost any fruit or jam with the crumble on top will work.

To start things off I just rolled out the pastry, and cut out circles using the top of a mug.

Fitted them in a cupcake tin, and started filling them up with jam!

To test the best combination for future pielets, I decided to make 3 with crust tops, 3 with crumble and crust stars, and the remaining 3 just with crumble topping.

In the oven for 15 minutes, and you have the cutest little dessert!

As these were in the oven, my Mum was doing some gardening outside, and called me over to see the antics that Baby was up to!

Can you spot him?

Playing with leaves...

...and basking in the sun!

Just as this picture was taken, my Mum had moved to the other end of the garden and started raking some fallen flowers, and he was right behind her!

I happened to take this short clip before the sprinklers came on!

Oh and I've been trying to upload the latest vlog for the past two days... this 11 sec clip took 50 minutes... so yeah. Hopefully the internet will pick up tomorrow!

Anyway, sorry for such a long post....

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Lyla.

I Am A US Bashing Lib (Apparently)

Putting oneself out there is a very difficult things to do.
And from the general response and messages I've received from my latest vlog, I've definitely hit a nerve.

It constantly astounds me that the comments of a stranger can hurt so much.
Can keep me up at night, or make me doubt myself.

The comments of an anonymous individual who knows nothing about me except for the fact that I look young, naive, talk softly, and generally seem like I know nothing.
It would be easier to know nothing.
Because then I would think I knew 'the truth', and have the ignorance that comes with that.
Instead I know that I am in no way infallible.
And I try everyday to gather and learn as much information out there as possible.
Past that, there's really nothing I can do.

No one is completely right,
and neither is anyone completely wrong.
It seems like most people in the US political system have forgotten that.

-Lyla.

Dry Felting A Baby Seal

A very special someone, knowing my love for crafting and little animals gave my the cutest felting book ever. 

The only problem was that I live in the Middle East.

And at times, it's hard to translate 'carded unspun wool', or trying to explain what a felting needle was.

So I spent the last few months trying to unravel wool (in hopes of creating 'fluff') then using a normal needle.

Suffice to say it did not work. 

So when I got back home to find an unexpected package at my door, from this same person (after hearing all my whinging about it not working), full of everything I need to make my own little animal!

It was SO exciting. 

I flipped open the book today, looking for the easiest animal (I don't like failing at my first try!) and decided to go with the little seal.

Isn't he adorable?

I have to admit that it wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be (given that I'm terrible at sculpture work, and there wasn't really any instructions).

I also didn't realize it at the time (because I was so into it/super excited about the outcome) but it did take me longer than I thought.  About 2 hours or so.

I introduced him to Soda, and they seemed to hit it off!

Getting to know each other...

A bit closer now...

Best Friends.

Talk to you soon,

Lyla

Oh and if you're interested, a new vlog is up!

Bab Al Bahrain & Slimey Syrian Salesmen

Today's been one of those incredibly busy days.
I decided to trek out in the morning to see the new renovations on the center (or main souq) of old bahrain.  It's known as Bab Al Bahrain (the door of Bahrain), and back in the olden days boats would enter the city through that gate.
It's now quite far from any sort of water.
You know.
Modernization and whatnot.
But I digress.... so I decided to go check out the 'new' souq, and it's much better than I would have thought.

The walls seems plastered and are a gorgeous shade of white, mixed with a modern arabesque dark wood make the place seem incredibly serene.

Even though it was a hot day, the tented area, along with the architectural structure created this amazing breeze, which was perfect.

**
After a morning of browsing and people watching, we got home just in time to partake in one of Bahrain's latest fads... the home salemen (gosh... the proper word seems to have escaped my mind... you know the guys who come round to homes and sell -usually housewives- some amazing new product... a vacuum machine, a blender etc etc.)
Well this guy was trying to persuade us to buy a water filter.

Since Bahrain is a desert island, it's pretty hard getting fresh spring water for daily uses, so anything that comes out of the tap in pretty much undrinkable. So for a nifty solution, water companies have sold water coolers (with 'sweet' water as they like to call it) for drinking.

To explain the ridiculousness of the situation, here I am sitting with my mother, the main salesman, and a rookie that he's trying to teach the ropes. As it turns out he happens to be the manager of the company, so there was quite a lot riding on this sale.

He basically ends up using 10 minutes worth of talking material over a span on an hour and a half.
Neither my mum or I had any intention or desire to buy the device (which he knew walking in), but we were a receptive audience.
The conversation went as follows:

Syrian Salesman: This water purifier is the best thing since sliced bread. It's by far the most amazing thing for your families health and well being. 
Look it does this.... this..... this..... this.... AND this.
So what do you think? 
Do you want to buy it now? 
How about now?
It's only USD$3000!


Mum: (trying to find a way out)...well... even though I agree with everything you say... and it is an
amazing product, I can't buy something like this without consulting my husband first....


SS: Well...ok.  But let me ask you one question first... 
[me in my head: no.... don't do it... don't go there...]


SS: ....Do you care about the health of your family? 
Do you realize that everyday you go without this product you are slowly killing your children (he then points in my direction)... 
Wouldn't you want to sent your daughter to school (that's right... apparently i'm 16 again) with a cup of tea knowing that you're not killing her slowly?


Mum: Well... ummm... no... I guess not..


SS: Don't you care about them? DON'T YOU  LOVE THEM? Your daughter is convinced... (he then looks at me....) aren't you?

So by this point this theme of conversation has gone on for about 40 minutes, I'm behind on lunch making, my mum is trying to be polite and tell him gently that she can't buy anything without discussing the issue first.
Knowing how she is, she is incapable of being direct when it matters.

So I took the opportunity and said:

Me: Well even though that display was pretty nifty (he tested the water with electrodes), it doesn't really indicate anything concrete from a scientific perspective, and while I'm sure your product is aweome, no one in this house buys anything instantly.  A lot of research goes into what we get, so if your prduct is as amazing as you say it is, you'll be getting a call form us in a day or two.

I swear to god, I've never seen anyone's face change so quickly.
I didn't think I'd said anything too out there (I mean if it was me, I'd want someone to tell me I was wasting my time, instead of yammering for an additional hour and not get anywhere!)
So here I was, the manager completely shocked, the rookie trying really hard not to start laughing at him, and my mum just shocked.
Just sitting there, too scared to look away.

So yeah.
That was my morning.

Oh and them I hit up the pool.
It's officially summer in Bahrain.
You heard it here first!
Lots of love,
Lyla

How to Make A 1940's Inspired Anthropologie Apron

So last night, after doing some tidying, I got it into my head to make an apron.
Why you ask?
Well... it's true.. .I am a very messy person, but that's not the real reason.
The real reason is that I had happened to spot THE cutest apron ever over at Anthropologie, and since then I haven't been able to get it out of my head.

It's very 1940's housewife look, but really liked the fact that it was somewhat elegant (as elegant at an apron can get I guess), and didn't have chickens or chili peppers anywhere near it! 

I especially loved the little ruffle at the bottom!

So I decided to look through my Mum's fabric box to find something similar, to make my own 'Lady's Apron'.
Here's how it turned out!

Note: the spoon is my sister's idea... 

....she thought it would add a more 'kitcheny' feeling. 

Why I listen I don't know.

So since I'm useless at sewing, I tried to make this whole process as simple as possible.

I hope this helps!

Things you'll need:

• an old apron
• material
• scissors
• chalk
• pins
• a sewing machine

1. Lay out the old apron that you'll be copying the general shape of, and iron it down the middle.

2. Fold your fabric in half, and trace around the apron, cutting a few cm's from the end (since we will later add the ruffle). Make sure that you add a good distance around the apron for the hem. This is also the time to alter the shape if you want.   Since there was very little material for me to work with, I made no alterations.

3. Pin down the hem of the body and sew.

4. Cut out a long (preferably double in length) and thick band that will become your bottom ruffle. 

5. Hem the edges with a sewing machine, and hand stick the top loosely.  Pull against the string forming the ruffles. Pin and sew the ruffle to the bottom of the apron making sure that the ruffles are distributed evenly.

6. Cut two more strips of fabric that will become the waist ties, fold them in half and iron them. Sew them, making sure to round the tips, leaving the other end open. Turn them inside out, and sew them to the rest of the apron. 

7.  Follow step 6 for the neck tie. I decided to make a non adjustable neck strap, so I just used one piece of fabric.

And there you have it, a 1940's ruffled apron!

spot the cat!

body shot

So yeah, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and if you have any questions let me know!

Lyla

'Phew...I'm glad this is over...'

A Hammock & a Bird

So the past few weeks here, the weather has been amazing... just perfect.. it's warm yet it's there's a cool breeze, just perfect for sitting in the garden.

Every year when this sort of weather rolls around, all of us start wishing for a hammock.... we've been wanting one for years, anything that's no exorbitantly expensive.

Although living in a place like Bahrain is awesome, the lack of manufacturing infrastructure means that almost everything is brought in from abroad... one of these items, is the ever-illusive hammock.

Given that hammocks here are ridiculously expensive, I finally realized that I could try to rig one up myself, and turned to Instructables in the hopes of finding something easy to do.
And wow... did I ever... I couldn't believe that one could construct a hammock without sewing anything together. All you basically need is some thick long material, and some long heavy rope. 2 minutes later, and presto....a hammock!
It's super easy, and I just watched it in video form here.

Now do  you guys remember the super cute little kitten that we rescued a while back?

Well he's now turned into a (not so) little monster, that I've dubbed him 'fatty'. 

He's grown so incredibly fast, and is so much bigger than any cat we've ever had (and he's still only 6 months old!)

Well right after I put together the hammock, he started going crazy and attacking it in anyway he could..

eyeing the strings

attacking the palm tree

I also ended up finding this cool woven bird tutorial on another site, and thought I'd try it out.

The author wears them as brooches, but I found it was a tad too big for me.... Planning on putting something together sometime soon that will really show off it's beauty!

Anyway, I should run...
Tc,
Lyla