6th Me-O Annual Wonder Cat Show Presented by Qureshi Enterprises

6th Me-O Annual Wonder Cat show was held at Maritime Museum, Karachi on
10th December 2017. Qureshi Enterprises initiated this Cat show 6 years back,
now become a household name amongst the Cat Lovers. More than 50 Cat
Lovers participated in this grand event with their pedigreed and household cats.
All the Cats were dressed and groomed in a beautiful manner. In the lovely
cloudy weather, huge number of crowd gathered to enjoy this one of its kind
event.

Apart from the Cat Walk, keeping in view the interest of audience
entertainment and enjoyment, different kind of activities was also arranged like
Magic Show, Fire Dance, Hip Hop Dances, Comedy Sessions and other fun
filled activities.
Attractive prizes were given to audience through grand Lucky Draw during the
whole event. Shields and gift hampers were presented to Cat Lovers in different
categories. In the end, it was an event which will remember in the memories of
Karachities for longer period.

Foodie Diary: Chocolate-Coconut Balls

Sorry for no blog posts for quite some months. The job, and R. A. Creationz  keeps me so busy that blogging has taken a backseat. Apologies :(
Now that I am back I will try to blog more regularly InShaALLAH.
To celebrate my return, here is a recipe for you all, this is my own recipe and wins me accolades every time I prepare it (P.S. Its super easy and super fast as well if you leave the chilling time ;)). This leaves no reason to not try it. If you have the ingredients on hand (and I am sure you must) try it as soon as you finish reading this. :D
So here goes...
Wait...Pictures first to make you drool :p

Chocolate-Coconut Balls

Chocolate-Coconut Balls

Chocolate-Coconut Balls

Chocolate-Coconut Balls:

(Makes a dozen medium sized balls)

Time:
Cooking: 10 minutes
Preparation: 15 minutes
Chilling: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:
100 gms Dessicated Coconut
1 Tbsp Pure Coconut Oil
6 Small Marshmallows (Bite-Sized)
15gms Milk Chocolate (any good brand)
3 Tsp Cocoa Powder (good quality)
(The quantity may be increased according to how chocolaty you want the balls to be)
Condensed Milk as required (This is for binding and sweetness)

Garnish (Optional):
Dessicated Coconut as required
Cocoa Powder as required
Condensed Milk as required
Rainbow Sprinkles as required

Method:
Put a heat-proof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, make sure the water does not touch the bowl or spills into the bowl.
Cut the bite-sized marshmallows into even smaller pieces and add them to the bowl along with the milk chocolate and approximately 4 tbsp of condensed milk. Let the chocolate and marshmallow melt into this concoction. When the chocolate has melted completely, remove the bowl from heat and mix with a spoon (note: the marshmallow does not leave its shape when heated but when you mix it with a spoon it will form a stringy mix with the chocolate and condensed milk).
Working quickly add the cocoa powder, dessicated coconut and coconut oil, and mix well with a spoon.
Once the mixture looks cooled enough to handle, mix with your hands to properly bind everything together, adding more condensed milk if necessary. The final mix should be a very sticky ball which can not be formed into small balls at that moment.
Put this mixture into the fridge to harden a bit for around a half hour.
Remove the mixture from the fridge, take a spoonful of mixture at a time and form into balls. Lay cling film/foil over a plate and keep the balls on it separated from each other.
You can serve the balls at this stage after chilling them for around an hour in the fridge or if you are pressed for time, 10 minutes in the freezer should do it.

If you want to garnish them:
Mix together some dessicated coconut and cocoa powder in a deep plate or bowl until the coconut takes on the colour of the cocoa powder. Add the recently formed unchilled balls and roll them around in this mixture of dessicated coconut and cocoa powder until well coated. Put them on the foil again.
Now take each ball and make an indent with your thumb in the middle (thumb impression) and lay each ball on the plate. Once all the balls have an indent start filling each indentation with a little bit of condensed milk and fill the indent with rainbow sprinkles. The condensed milk makes the rainbow sprinkles stick to the balls.
Once all the balls are garnished put them in the fridge for around an hour to chill and harden, or 10 minutes in the freezer if you are pressed for time.
After an hour in the fridge/10 minutes in the freezer serve them and they will be gone in no time :D
Perfect for an after dinner snack or with coffee or like in my home for munching anytime one opens the fridge :p

(Note: These keep well in the fridge for upto a week or longer if kept in an airtight box.)

Enjoy,
Love,
R.A.

Sneak Peak of what to expect on the Blog ;)

I used to be very picky about make-up, the faintest of make-up would suffice for me, needless to say I did not own a good foundation and my collection of any other thing make-up related was nil to say the least, except for the lip glosses (they were another matter altogether ;)).

My first real make-up mini haul was when I got a whole bunch of MUA products and since then I have been hooked! Going so far as to repurchase some of the stuff and include more in my collection.

Currently I own the following stuff in the MUA range:
MUA Professional Matte Foundation

MUA Pressed Powder

MUA Blush

MUA Mosaic Blusher

MUA Pro Shimmer Kiss Blusher

MUA Professional BB Cream Foundation

MUA Professional Extreme Curl Mascara

MUA Professional Extreme Volume Mascara

MUA 12 Shade Eye Shadow Palette

MUA Lip Liner

MUA Lipsticks

MUA Pro Intense Kisses Lip Gloss

MUA Sheer Lip glosses

A lot??? Well I love it!

Why??? Because of the price and the good quantity I get in that price, and for a student existing on a pocket money budget it was the best option to say the least.

Stay Tuned for the plethora of reviews coming your way (long overdue I must say).

Independence is a luxury we own...celebrate it every day of every year!

Happy Independence Day

The day finally dawns when a nation awakes from its deep slumber to celebrate their independence for a single day. Flags are seen on every street, on every house, on most cars and worn proudly as a tiny badge for a single day. The air is replete with the sound of aerial gunshots, crackers and what not. Amidst it all is the burst of 'patriotism' for a single day.
I do not condemn celebrating our day of Independence, I proudly celebrate it too, but in a way that does little harm to others. I believe in celebrating the flag, the crescent, the star, the freedom, the green, the white, the diversity, the Islam, the ideology of a Muslim state, the independence, the name, the pride and most of all the homeland, but not one day a year but every day of every year.
The flag makes me teary eyed, the anthem gives me goosebumps, because it represents a lot more than a single day a year. It represents sacrifice, it represents bloodshed, it represents a place to call home. No matter where I go, where I live, this is the place I call home, a place no one can oust me out of. That is what independence means, the freedom to live, the identity, the place where no one can question your right to live or dream.
Independence is a luxury for many, but for us it is a luxury provided by our forefathers, a luxury we own. Use it well. Appreciate it. Realise it's importance. Most of all celebrate it, not one day a year, but every day of every year by being proud of being a Pakistani.

-A Proud Pakistani

Labello by Nivea (Review and Swatches)

I have been using the fruity shine labello for a year and its my absolutely favourite product. I use this the year round and more so in winters. I have been using labello's for 14 years now and have never had the need to turn to any other lib balm. It has always been a favourite. And with this range of fruity shines Nivea has made them my everyday staple be it just as a balm for day wear or as a base for my lipsticks and gloss for a party or as a gloss over my lipstick when I am out with friends. I never leave home without one of these in my bag!

Today I am reviewing two of my favourite labello's from the fruity shine range. 

Labello in Fruity Shine Pomegranate

I got this last year and has been my favourite product ever since.

What I love about it

It is the most pigmented and gives a crimson tinge to the lips and the shimmer particles look beautiful in the sun or lights. Also as it is a lip balm the glossiness of the balm is perfect for chapped lips in winters. It has all the qualities of a great lip balm. The smell is reminiscent of the body shop pomegranate range which I can not help but love.

How I use it

I apply it just as it is when I go out during the day. It gives a crimson tinge, glossiness and shimmer. Perfect! Although to achieve this I have to apply two coats or more!

For an outing or lunch out I apply my sheer pink lipstick and a coat or two of this. Colour Check, Shimmer Check, Hint of Shine Check! No need to carry a lip gloss! Keep Reapplying as needed!

For a formal dinner or a wedding I use this as a base to keep my lips hydrated then apply a lipstick of choice (red mostly ;)) and top it with a clear gloss and I am all set! I keep this in my tiny clutch to keep reapplying through out the night!

Labello in Fruity Shine Strawberry

I got this recently and have yet to try it for night wear or an outing but I have been using this as day wear and I love this too.

What I love about it

It is less pigmented than the pomegranate and gives a coral tinge to the lips and the shimmer particles look equally beautiful in the sun. Also as it is a lip balm the glossiness of the balm is perfect for chapped lips in winters. It has all the qualities of a great lip balm. The smell reminds me of fresh strawberries which is wonderful.

How I use it

Due to the less pigmentation it is sheerer than the pomegranate so I guess I will be using this for the day mostly. Just slap on as many coats as you want to get your desired colour and you are all set to go out!

I got the pomegranate from Chase last year but unfortunately I wasnt able to stock up on it this year as Chase did not have it any more. The strawberry I got from Naheed's but they too did not carry the pomegranate.

Priced at PKR 200 it is a great bargain as you get colour, shimmer, and gloss in a single product.

This is for you if

You want a good quality lip balm

You prefer your lip balm to have colour

You welcome the hints of shimmer

You love fruity and berrylicious smells

You want a reasonably priced product of good quality

This may not be for you if

You prefer your lip balm to be void of colour

You do not like shimmery particles in your lip balm

Note: This is not a sponsored post, I have bought the product with my own money. The reviews are purely mine, based on experience.

Samyy Writes: R.A Creation'z - Blast of Creativity

Our First blog interview by Samrah Shaikh over at Samyy Writes! Honoured!
Samyy Writes: R.A Creation'z - Blast of Creativity: This week we are delighted to have Riffat Alam answering our questionnaire. This lady has taken the very zesty 'Truck Art' ...

Remembrance of the year Past...

Assalam Alaikum,

Finally a year. A year to the day R. A. Creationz launched the collection "From Chinchi with Love” We complete a successful year Alhamdulillah and so far this has been our most popular collection, MashaALLAH. This was what put R. A. Creationz out there, what got us recognized. For all those wondering about the WE/US I use in posts and statuses. The WE/US stands for me and R. A. Creationz, for me my work is my partner and it is more real to me than anything else.

So how did the year really go...I would be lying if I say it was a success story all through. Life unfortunately does not work that way and neither does success, it's a hard, bumpy road filled with potholes along the way. And yes it requires such a large amount of hard work that sometimes you literally break your back doing it. All through one thing can keep you going and that is a genuine love for what you do. NOTHING ELSE! I am serious. Only a deep rooted love of your work can keep you going through thick and thin. If you don't love your work you might as well give up at the start. My Love for chamak patti is what drives me literally, and that I say is what keeps me going! Of course with generous doses of Love, Support and Care from the Most Amazing Best Friends! And a firm belief in the Divine Plan! I am a firm believer in the Divine plan set by ALLAH Tala, I believe no one does anything and succeeds if it isn't predetermined by ALLAH Tala. I believe in the signs and leaving myself in HIS hands completely. Somewhere at the right moment ALLAH Tala does show the way or eases the difficulties. 

So back to the initial launch! 15th April 2012 (Can't forget this date). A month of creating, photographing, editing, and of course asking for help (My logo was thankfully made by my sister's friend Asym Ali in return for a box of chocolates :P Asym, Thank you so much). Plus getting my best friend to go on a tweeting frenzy to generate enough hypes for the launch (wouldn't have done it without you Anam and with your awesome pre-launch teasers to keep the hype up). I finally uploaded the pictures onto my facebook page. The event was marked by a facebook event so that people join in more. The teasers were repeatedly shared and all my other friend's put to work in tagging and sharing. Mariam, Jiya, Samra, Hiba, Maheen, Saira, Shahwar a big Thank you! I can not forget the guys here, they had to bear the brunt of being tagged in girls stuff but they bore it with grace. Thank you Ali, Waqas, Salman, Hunain, Zain, Habib and Junaid for bearing it!

After all this hype the initial response was amazing Alhamdulillah! People loved the colours, and the unique medium and orders started pouring in.

Then came rebuttal! A particular 'popular' page also creating truck art jewellery, or should I say the particular girl's best friends started bombarding my page with comments of my work being copied. I had to continuously report them for spam and ban them. I wasn't contacted directly because of reason's known only to the 'popular page's' owner. It was always through her best friends and that too with either comments on my work or on my sister's wall, never a message to me. I reported them and kept quiet because at that moment I was just starting out and knew no other way to answer them. A year later I think I need to tell her that had I copied then I would not have been blessed by ALLAH Tala in any way because HE hates cheaters. I chose to remain quiet then and let my work speak and ALHAMDULILLAH it has spoken. I chose to use a medium I had heard of, not seen in totality. I scoured the streets of Karachi for 5 hours with my dad, just trying to find chamak patti, I wasted loads of bangles because I did not know how to use chamak patti. Had I copied I would have known where to get the material and how to use it! And I say this without an iota of pride that I am a self taught artist. I got a medium, I experimented and learnt to use it myself. And ALLAH Tala has blessed me with that work being recognized. MashaALLAH!

After that it has been a story like many others. Sometimes I had orders that made me work into the wee hours of morning and sometimes I had no work to keep me occupied. All through there has never been a moment I doubted my decision to use this medium and work with it. I fell in love with my first roll of Chamak patti and that love affair has just intensified with the passage of a year.

Through it all I am most humbled by the love and appreciation shown by my customers and fans. Each person visiting the page and commenting even a wow on my work makes my day. Your comment is as important as the orders I receive because you take a second out to actually appreciate my work in any way possible. All the testimonials from my happy customers who brighten up receiving their burst of colour in the mail, it gives me strength to go on. *Literally have goosebumps writing this*

People ask me what now? Some want me to delve into truck art kurtas, others want folders, yet others want clutches and handbags and some suggest footwear. Only ALLAH Tala knows best and at the right time all these will be introduced at R. A. Creationz. For the time being A BIG THANK YOU to all of you for the most amazing one year filled with your love and awesome appreciation. And the one thing I hope I never fail to say is ALHAMDULILLAH!

Love,

Riffat Alam

P.S. If you are reading this then you really are one of our most amazing fans who took time to read the post through. Give us the code "15A13" at any order you place with us within this year and receive a 15% Discount!