2015 Round Up

I’m seeing a trend here. When new  year comes, I make a resolution to blog more regularly. Last year, it lasted until April before my blog took a back seat for the rest of the year. This year, hopefully I can stick to my resolution by putting it down in my journal. (that’s something I can blog about - my Bullet Journal discoveries)

OK, I’m going to do a quick round up for 2015.

January - A feature in February 2015 issue of Nur

March - Ticked this off my wishlist :)

March - The arrival of my niece, Nora Roselyn Rahman. Seen here in my knitted cocoon and beanie.

March - Another feature in March 2015 issue of Nur

April - A week’s workshop with the wonderful children of Learning Oasis

May - I was invited for a Technical Visit to Seoul by Perbadanan KotaBuku and had a day’s demonstration on Batu Seremban at Nami Island in conjunction with Nam Book Festival. I would say this is the highlight of my craft career for the year. 

May - My recording for Safiyya went on air a day after I got back from Seoul; Mother’s Day.

June - my 2nd ACG Annual Meeting. Alway a fun gathering

September - A quilted bag class with Tuji San from Brother Japan at Brother Malaysia Headquarters

September - A new craft; quilling with Namizam Muda of Miezcraft at Scrap n Crop 

October - my biggest  splurge investment to date. Brother V3 Embroidery machine

October - My first telekung class. 

October - The longest and most tiring bazaar to date; My handy creation bazaar organized by Brother Malaysia. I shared a booth with Mastura of WhimsicalnQuirky

October - Participated in a 4 day craft workshop for Festival Sastera Kanak-Kanak organized by Perbadanan KotaBuku together with WhimsicalnQuirky and SekociNorlie.

November - My column contribution for Anis; November 2015 Issue

November - Appeared in the craft segment for Assalamualaikum, morning talk show on TV Al-Hijrah. This is me with the program host.

December - A craft workshop with the children of PPZ’s staff.

Wow! What a year it has been. Many great moments. 

What’s in store for 2016? Many more great opportunities I hope and a new craft to learn? I have a leather craft class this weekend. I’ll blog about it after the class and tell you how it went; that is if anybody is interested.

As for now, two weeks into 2016, it’s still not too late to wish everybody a Happy New Year! May 2016 be a year of success and great achievements, إن شاء الله.

Magazine clips

I was going through my blog thinking of what to write in my next post and realised that I've not made any entry on works being published in the magazines. I did make a few (subjective really) shout outs of my magazine clips on my facebook wall and Made by Rozi Rahman fanpage. 

I'm honoured and grateful that my work has been chosen to grace the pages of 2 digital camera magazines and 1 women magazine. Hang on a minute! So, what has photography got to do with my needlework? Well, my needlework has led me to blogging and blogging has led me to wanting to take better pictures for my posts and that has led me to take up photography. Not so much of turning into a professional photographer (duh! it ain't easy you know!) but just being able to take nice pictures.

Anyway, back to the topic, my first appearance was the May 2012 issue of Digital Camera magazine. My hot air balloons trio came out in the HotSHOTS column, at #10. It was my maiden attempt to submit my photography work to a publication. The shot was taken in March during Putrajaya Hot Air Balloon festival. I first submitted it to pixoto.com and it got the #10 best of the day award (10 seems to be the lucky number here), top 10% of the week award and subsequently top 10% of the month award (for the month of March 2012). 

Oh! I recalled my entry about my excitement getting my first pixoto award here. 

May was the month that I received an email from Malaysian Women's Weekly magazine asking for HiRes picture of my chalk banner. I was in Hong Kong when I received the email. The deadline given was a day before I was due back to homeground. I thought I missed out on a good exposure stunt. I came back home and forgot about it only to get a reminder the following week repeating the request. Opportunities do knock twice! So, I jumped on it and the did a short write up on my blog and products in May 2012 issue. Thank you, thank you, thank you Malaysian Women's Weekly for singling me out of hundreds if not thousands of local craft blogs out there. 

I did my chicken dance, and felt on top of the world! My heart swelled with pride to see my name in bold prints along with the names of other websites that I used to browse in my early years of blogging. How cool is that? The feeling is just indescribable. 

My third magazine appearance was in August 2012 issue of Aperture; another digital camera magazine.  WooHoo!!!!! Another chicken dance moment. 

This shot was shared on my wall by a fellow picture taker in a photography group I belong to. I didn't realized about this until he mentioned it to me. Even then, I thought he was pulling my leg; hence, the need for proof. (Don't mind the picture quality)

The next day, I made a quick dash to my local bookshop after sending Arwen to her playgroup session and get me a copy of the magazine.

Typo on the shutter speed

The prize

This will mark the first time I've ever won anything from my photography hobby. While my sewing and crafting hobby is now a self financing and income generating hobby, (They even pay for my camera and lens and what have you) I still have a long way to go with photography. Yet, it's not really the monetary rewards that I'm after. Money, after all is not an end itself but serve as a means to an end. These recognitions serve as pleasant highlights in my journey in the world of sewing, crafting and photography. With that, I'm signing off and wishing you a great weekend ahead. 

I’m featured in NUR March 2011 issue!

Earlier this year I blogged about my interview and photoshoot session with a journalist and a photographer from NUR magazine here. I almost forgotten about it until I casually wonder into a news stand in Alamanda after dinner earlier tonight. They have already stacked up March issue for most of the magazines so it got me wondering whether they’ve NUR’s March 2011 issue too. I found it after a short search and flipped the pages; and lo and behold; I’m in the pages of the magazine!!!!! The feeling is indescribable!!!! It’s the first time for me to be featured in a printed media... it’s so surreal... Alhamdulillah for this rezeki. Do get a copy of NUR March 2011 issue from your local news agent :)

It’s been a special Friday for me. Penuh rezeki, Alhamdulillah. After posting my knitted stuff toys in DSLR Malaysia, I’ve got requests for quotation from two of it’s members. Such an impact a photo can make. And then, my first appearance in a magazine... I’ll be smiling in my sleep tonight :)