calligraphy

Islamic Calligraphy has arguably become the most reverenced form of Islamic art. It provides a link between the languages of the Muslims with the religion of Islam. The Muslim calligraphists have great contributions in taking this Islamic art to this zenith. The holy book of Islam, Al-Qur an, has played an important role in the development and evolution of the Arabic language, and by extension, calligraphy in the Arabic alphabet. The famous Islamic artists have created Arabic calligraphy of supreme quality. Till today, The chief sources for Islamic calligraphy are the proverbs and complete passages from the Holy Qur'an. In modern times, the supply of Islamic calligraphy has also become a flourishing Islamic art business.

Islamic calligraphy is a visible expression of the highest art of all for the muslim. It is the art of the spiritual world. Calligraphy literally means writing beautifully and ornamentally. Islamic calligraphy is the art of writing, and by extension, of bookmaking. This art has most often employed the Arabic script, throughout many languages. Since Arabic calligraphy was the primary means for the preservation of the Qur'an, Calligraphy is especially revered among Islamic arts. The work of the famous muslim calligraphers were collected and greatly appreciated throughout Islamic history. Consideration of figurative art as idolatrous led to calligraphy and abstract figures becoming the main methods of artistic expression in Islamic cultures. Contemporary muslim calligraphers are also producing the Islamic calligraphy of high artistic quality.

Calligraphic scripts

The Kufic script is the first of those calligraphic scripts to gain popularit. It was angular, made of square and short horizontal strokes, long verticals, and bold, compact circles. For three centuries, this script had been mainly used to copy the Qur'an. The cursive Naskh script was more often used for casual writing. This script had rounder letters and thin lines. It would come to be preferred to Kufic for copying the Qur'an as techniques for writing in this style were refined. Almost all printed material in Arabic is in Naskh. The Thuluth would take on the ornamental role formerly associated with the Kufic script in the 13th century. Thuluth is usually written in ample curves as it has a strong cursive aspect. The Persians took to using Arabic script for their own language, Persian after their conversion to Islam. The Ta'liq and Nasta'liq styles were contributed to Arabic calligraphy by the Persians. Nasta'liq style is extremely cursive, with exaggeratedly long horizontal strokes. The Diwani script is a cursive style of Arabic calligraphy. It was developed during the reign of the early Ottoman Turks (16th and early 17th centuries). This outstanding Diwani script was both decorative and communicative. Finally, Riq'a is the most commonly used script for everyday use. It is simple and easy to write. Its movements are small. In China, a calligraphic form called Sini has been developed. This form has evident influences from Chinese calligraphy. Hajji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang is a famous modern calligrapher in this tradition.

Calligrams

The most Islamic of arts in the Muslim world, has also its figurative sides. The muslim calligraphers have produced wonderful anthropomorphic figures by interweaving written words, made from an "Allah", a "Muhammad", a "Bismillah", etc., or using micrography. These include , ('Ali, the Ideal Human of mystics, a praying man, a face), (Duldul, horse of 'Ali, horse ('Ali's Duldul), fish, stork or other bird (the qur'anic Hudhud) and unanimated representations (a sword (Dhu al-Fiqar) and a mosque. Calligrams are related to Muslim mysticism and popular with many leading calligraphers in Turkey, Persia and India from the 17th century onward.

Pakistani Islamic Calligraphy

Pakistan has produced Islamic calligraphist of international recognition. Sadeqain is on of these international fame Islamic calligraphist. He was an untraditional and self-made, self-taught painter and calligrapher. He did a lot of work on Quranic calligraphy. Many other contemporary Pakistani calligraphists like Gul Gee have created great contemporary Islamic calligraphy. These days, Islamic calligraphies of Tufail and Uzma Tufail are getting very much popular both in Pakistan and all over the world.

Islamic Calligrahpy as an Islamic Gift

The Muslims love to adore their homes, offices and places of their work with the Islamic calligraphy. The Islamic calligraphies especially the verses from the Holy Quran and the verses from the sayings of the Holy Prophet are considered to be very sacred to muslims. Islamic calligraphy indeed make the perfect gift for a muslim for any special occasion. A muslim can send an Islamic gift of Islamic calligraphy to congratulate his relative or friend on his new home or new office or on his birthday or wedding ceremony or on Eid Festival.

Chinese calligraphy is an ancient art form stemming back to almost 3000 years ago. This style of writing is said to be abstract art. Many masters throughout Chinese history have left behind their own unique interpretation of the Chinese characters. It was Tu Mang, however, who correlated it all together with form identification and style. He established names for the techniques used to describe the words. For instance, a "carefree" style has an unfixed or unknown direction. On the opposite end, a "carefully executed" form insists on careful execution and thought behind the work. "Mysterious" is to use your imagination. There are 120 existing expressions used for Chinese calligraphy, many born by great masters.

Chinese characters have been defined as complicated yet beautiful in their meaning. They are complex in relation to other writing languages. Romanization is used in terms of relation or simple visual information, however the meaning of the character remains mysterious as the art styles behind it. Some Chinese characters mimic similar tones of other characters, yet have different meanings. Some characters written with just an added dot or stroke, turn into something totally different.

What kind of brush strokes would best represent the meaning of the words I had chose? I could go with a more classic, traditional style used in ancient times or even something called the "grass" style, looking more whimsical to me. I had not realized the depth of expression involved not only in searching a tattoo, but the actual essence, personality, and layers upon layers of meaning associated with this beautiful art.

As you learn Chinese calligraphy, you will notice that traditionally certain materials are used in a particular way to produce the eloquent results. The Chinese use special brushes made of rabbit hair or sheep. One brush is for sharpness in line drawing, and the other for rhythm and depth all equaling to the subject's inner self. Also used in Chinese calligraphy, is a thick ground ink combined with water and applied to Chinese paper (also called rice paper) or silk. This form shows depth, contrast, density and texture and creates a rhythmic balance. When the Chinese apply color to this art form, it is to show the subject's characteristics or moods.

The more I searched on Chinese calligraphy, the more infatuated I became of the work, yet I was not getting closer to choosing a tattoo because, quite honestly, each word or quotation inspired a feeling in me. There were simply too many I identified with on a deeper, more spiritual level.

After skipping across the top of the Chinese calligraphy history and art information, you can decide to take the process further by actively seeking out places or internet sites offering a more thorough course in the art of Chinese calligraphy. Many instructions remain basic in it's course, while others incorporate reading or speaking Chinese as well.

If your focus is art, then by all means, stick with the art only instructions, as there is so much to master within that form anyways. You will learn the different tools, mediums, and colors used for expressing your personality in depth on a simple surface. There are many diverse varieties of applications in Chinese calligraphy only to express one word. The results will refer to as a living moment, or living thought. And it is the results that loved and appreciated.

Chinese calligraphy is a worthy and nice experience to launch into. Expect Countless hours of enjoyable practice into an ancient, respected, old world art. If you wish to learn Chinese calligraphy, then by all meanscontinue on.

What You Should Know.

Before you purchase your wedding invitations or correspondence stationery, you need to become familiar with paper quality. The quality of paper you select is very important. Not only because premium paper makes for a more lovely presentation for your recipient, but excellent quality paper is critical if you are using professional, handwritten calligraphy for your envelopes.

The Heirloom.

Your wedding invitation is your heirloom keepsake. Choose stationery that won t fall apart over time. For example, 100 percent cotton or linen is best. If you are hiring a professional calligrapher to address your wedding envelopes, then avoid the following: thin papers like those of inexpensive greeting card quality, papers made with wood pulp, and handmade or recycled papers. Calligraphy ink may bleed on handmade and recycled stocks.

What to Avoid.

Try to stay away from dark papers or the use of liners in your envelopes. The most formal wedding invitations, at one time, were not accompanied by lined envelopes. Liners have become more popular recently, this is true. However, I often wonder if liners were introduced to create the illusion of substance to mask otherwise thin paper. If you choose heavy weight premium paper, then a liner is not necessary. If you are sold on liners, because you wish to incorporate your wedding color into your invitations, then consider instead: a silk ribbon tied around the invitation with a parchment overlay. Or print an envelope seal in your wedding color on the back flap of our outer envelope. Monograms make wonderful envelope seals. Lastly, because dark colors and liners make envelopes opaque and can also affect writing results, calligraphers may charge more to address these flavors of envelopes.

The Toughie.

How do you choose premium paper? Stationery is usually measured in bond weight. A good piece of paper is thirty-two or forty-pound bond. And hundred-pound offset is roughly equal to forty-pound bond. Heavy cards should be made of three-ply stock. Ask your vendor about their paper quality if you are unsure. Also, here are two great tests for paper quality for envelopes. Hold the envelope up to the light. Is the envelope feathery, very thin and extremely easy to see through? Can you write on it with a good fountain pen, or does the ink bleed? Professional calligraphers use fountain and dip inks. I always tell my clients, Exquisite calligraphy can only be achieved on the finest paper.

In Sum.

Choose a reputable wedding vendor for your wedding invitations and correspondence. And remember, if the quoted prices are too-good-to-be-true , then the paper and calligraphy most likely are not.

Before the beginning of the 20th Century little had been written about calligraphy except The Story of the Alphabet by Edward Clodd and Maude Thompson's fine work on Greek ana Latin Paleography together with his volume on English Illuminated Manuscripts, published in 1895 and out of print before 1906. But since the time that Edward Johnston published his book on Writing, Lettering and Illuminating a steady stream of works upon all aspects of the subject have been written; probably it was because of the interest aroused by the pioneers in the practical side of the craft that this flow of literature occurred, both here and in the United States.

The following are among the most important. The British Museum published a guide to the collection of manuscripts they had in 1906. About the same time John W. Bradley was publishing illustrated books on illuminating, its history and development. During 1907 the British Museum published Reproductions of Illuminated MSS., a series of fifty collotype plates. In 1920 W. A. Mason published in New York a work of considerable scholarship dealing with the subject of picture writing in the Americas together with the growth of letter-form in Egypt, Phoenicia, Babylon, Assyria, Crete, Greece and Rome, a book of great interest to all who wish to study the formation of alphabets.

With the development of photography and process reproduction the range of examples showing epigraphy and paleography has increased to a degree unthought of during the early days of the century. During 1932 B. L. Ullnan of the University of Chicago published Ancient Writing and Its Influence, which brings the history of the alphabet more up to date and includes some observations on the Sinai stones, which may eventually help to solve the riddle of the alphabet. Professor E. A. Lowe of Oxford wrote in The Legacy of the Middle Ages a chapter on "Handwriting" which deals with its growth before the time of Charlemagne. This is an excellent essay, which should be known by all serious students of calligraphy. James Wardrop of the Victoria and Albert Museum has also written on "Palatino and His Circle" in Signature, No. 14, 1952.

World origins and development of alphabets are also dealt with in great profusion by D. Diringer, a scholar in these matters. The French just before the war of 1939-1945 issued some newly discovered material in plates dealing with early specimens of the written small letter under the title of L' Eicriture Latine by J. Mallon, which takes history back earlier than Maude Thompson's great work.

Finally among the smaller and more recent publications comes the "King Penguin" on the subject of writing by Alfred Fairbank, which makes a rapid survey from the fourth to the twentieth centuries; and some beautiful photographic reproductions of the detailed work of twelfth-century artists taken from the Winchester Bible by Walter Oakshott.

From about the year 1930 writing and lettering had made such progress that it had become a subject in the training of Art Teachers and was taught by the immediate followers of the two who had given their lives to its cause. Lettering of Today, first volume, published in 1937, showed the work of some of these who had taken up the craft and were in their turn passing it on to the new generation.

As the art itself has progressed, so has the literature representing calligraphy. The aforementioned books are great historical references, but technical books that will walk you through the art of calligraphy are also available.

The calligraphy pen is a simple tool that takes considerable application to master. Some pens come with little added extras which may also take some time getting used to.

Some calligraphy pens come with a detachable reservoir and some are permanently fixed. A calligraphy pen reservoir is a little piece of metal fitted to the calligraphy pen nib that increases the amount of ink it holds. You’ll find that it will give you a more even flow of ink. It will also reduce the frequency with which you will have to recharge your pen while working.

The calligraphy pen reservoir might be a detachable piece that can be removed for refilling or cleaning while other pens come with the reservoir permanently attached. Both have their pluses and minuses, but using them is just a matter of trial and error and becoming accustomed to the new tool.

Although a detachable reservoir gives you an easier pen to clean, you also have the responsibility of reassembling the pen carefully. Allowing the reservoir to protrude from the nib will reduce the quality of the ink flow and your work will suffer.

A top-mounted reservoir can prove to be a distraction for some people because it can obscure the vision to the writing edge. There are options available to over come this, such as the Mitchell Roundhand Series pens which have the reservoir permanently mounted to the holder sitting underneath the nib.

Care must also be taken when recharging the reservoir that is permanently attached to the pen. Turn your pen upside down and, either with a paintbrush that has been dipped in ink or with an eyedropper , add the ink to the widest part of the nib. This will allow the ink to fill the space between the nib and the reservoir. Make sure the upper side of the pen nib is ink-free.
Careful application of ink to the nib and reservoir will ensure you maintain a smooth, even flow when lettering and you reduce the risk of leaving large ink blots around your work surface – your lines will be consistently wide.

To clean the reservoir, slide it off and simply rinse it under running water. Soak the nib in a special solvent (such as Higgins Pen Cleaner) overnight and then take an old toothbrush to it to get it clean. Take the soaking nib the next morning and rinse it in cold running water before drying it thoroughly with a towel.

When buying a calligraphy pen with an attached reservoir make sure that you have a close look at the nib and reservoir settings to ensure that the tip of the reservoir hasn’t been bent away from the nib. The flange of the reservoir should sit lightly on top of the pen with little excess air space visible.

As with all important tools, the more care you take with maintenance of your pen, the longer it will remain in good working order.

There are some really incredible antique Chinese snuff bottles, mostly made of glass, that have been painted, but on the inside of the bottle! When one looks at the size of the hole it does seem to be a very difficult achievement, yet they have succeeded in painting attractive scenes, often including calligraphy, such as a poem, or a few lines, apart from the artists signature.



There are many poor modern inside painted bottles available, but there are some modern ones that can be very attractive to collect too.

Some antique snuff bottles that are highly valued are painted with a portrait on one side and calligraphy on the other. When one considers, that they have had to paint the eye brows and eye lashes before the remaining essentials to create these portraits, that are so good and detailed that they almost look like miniature photographic prints, it is easy to understand why they are so highly prized!

But what I feel are also remarkable are the inside painted snuff bottles that were not originally made to be painted by these artists. I know of a bottle where the painter has taken a very poorly hollowed rock crystal snuff bottle and painted the inside with a wonderfully detailed scene of colourful fish that extend all round the internal surfaces, it also includes his signature. In this instance the two internal opposite surfaces of the bottle are only about 3millimeters apart (about the same size as the hole) so how one side could be painted without spoiling the other is really hard to believe.

Chinese symbols are one of the most popular tattoo designs. You should consider consulting a Chinese linguist or a Chinese artist before deciding on a particular Chinese symbol tattoo, though.

Why You Want One

Before asking an expert about a particular symbol, ask yourself why you want it first. Of course, they obviously look cool but you need to be certain that it is what you want. You need to have the right reasons to be able to appreciate your tattoo.

- In most cases, a person with Chinese heritage may want a Chinese symbol tattoo because it links them to that part of them that is Chinese. A Chinese inspired tattoo is a way of connecting to your roots.

- The masterful calligraphy of a real Chinese characters is also another reason why people want to have such designs. Tattoos of Chinese characters actually look elegant, exotic, artistic and clean.

- Another reason is also the influence of the culture. Some people also want to have Chinese symbol tattoos simply because of the link of Chinese symbols to mythology, mystery and even martial arts pop culture. In a deeper level, Chinese characters have also been associated with ancient wisdom and values.

Why You Need an Expert

It is usually a good idea to get paid expert service to come up with a customized Chinese symbol tattoo that is just for you. Here are some valid reasons why you need an expert:

- The system of writing is complicated and usually very intricate. Although Chinese people usually need to master only about 3,000-5,000 characters, there are more than 70,000-80,000 Chinese characters in existence. There is a therefore a high chance that you could get the wrong symbol on your skin. Furthermore, the English language has a lot of words that are the same but may have different meanings and connotations. Translating multiple meaning words in Chinese could get tricky because there are many possible characters that could have different definitions for a single English word.

- Chinese calligraphy comes in many styles. You can choose a Chinese symbol tattoo in cursive, classic, old style and many more. This does not mean though that a tattoo artist is free to put his own flair on a Chinese symbol tattoo. Chinese calligraphy may have many styles but it is an exact art. Putting artistic flair could ruin a Chinese symbol tattoo or its meaning could change.

- It's easy for you to apply a symbol incorrectly if you don't know much about the symbol that's why an expert is important. Because you and your tattoo artist are not familiar with Chinese, you could unintentionally put a symbol backward or upside down. You might also miss some strokes. This could change the meaning of your symbol or make it completely meaningless.

- You could ask friends, artists and online dictionaries to translate for you. Sometimes though, translations could be wrong. This is especially true if you have a friend who is not so well versed in the nuances of either the English or Chinese languages. An expert would be careful of double meanings.

In recent years Chinese tattoos have become extremely popular. The authentic characters are fully of history and mystery, especially if you come from a non-Chinese culture. And it's easy to appreciate the beauty and artistry of Chinese calligraphy whether or not you understand the subtle meanings that it conveys.

But it's so easy to let all that excitement blind you to the dangers of getting an impulsive Chinese tattoo, as these two stories illustrate;

Chinese Tattoo Mistake 1

In 2002 a newspaper reported that 18 year old hairdresser Lee Becks paid £90 to get a Chinese characters tattooed onto his upper arm. He was really pleased with his new tattoo and thought that the mandarin letters meant "Love, honour and obey".

But when he visited his local Chinese take-away a young Chinese woman reluctantly told him that his new design really meant "At the end of day, this is an ugly boy".

So the next day he went back to the tattoo studio, only to discover that the artist had shut up shop and was nowhere to be found. To make matters worse, when he uncovered the design at a nightclub, it attracted a group of Chinese girls who thought it was a great joke. After that, he made sure that his new Chinese tattoo was kept covered until he could afford the £600 for laser removal treatment.

Chinese Tattoo Mistake 2

In 2004, Joanne Raine, a 19 year old from Darlington spent £80 getting her boyfriend's nickname "Roo" tattooed on her stomach. She was delighted with the design, which was a symbol of her commitment and undying love.

Then her problems began with a visit to her local Chinese take-away. When she revealed her new tattoo, an embarrassed member of staff told her that the design meant "Supermarket". She subsequently split up with her boyfriend and can't afford to have the design removed.

So to make sure that you avoid a real horror show under your skin, take great care when planning your new Chinese tattoo.

The most important thing is to consult a native speaker. Make sure that they actually grew up in the country and are fluent in the language. Third or fourth generation Chinese Americans or Chinese Europeans won't have such a thorough understanding of the language. And just to make sure, get a second and third opinion if possible. Somebody else may be able to suggest a better option.

Once you find someone you trust, avoid the temptation to show them a design that you like and ask them what it means. They may agree with you just to make things easy, when it would be better to use different characters.

Make sure that you explain to them the underlying meaning or message that you want the design to convey. Someone who understands the language may be able to suggest another design that is more appropriate. In many cases there may be an idiom which is more suitable than a direct translation.

The Chinese language is packed full of great sounding four character idioms which can't be directly translated into English but are able to convey almost any concept or idea. However, if you go for this option, it's even more impressive if you can learn the translation, transliteration and pronunciation in Chinese. After all, nearly every non-Chinese person that you meet will ask what it means.

If you want to have your name translated into a Chinese tattoo, please be aware that different speakers may provide different translations depending upon their local dialect.

Certain western names can't be directly translated into Chinese. So consider adopting a real Chinese name just as many Chinese people adopt Westernized names. Get a Chinese person that you know to suggest a few names and choose the one that you like best. Just make sure that you cross check what it means with other Chinese speakers.

Once you've decided upon the characters that you want, get a native speaker who is good at calligraphy to write out your design. Get them to make a few sketches of the design which you can take to your tattoo artist.

Make sure that your artist understands the Chinese language and has experience of turning Chinese calligraphy into tattoos. Finally, discuss the type of font that you want your artist to use. As with all languages some fonts are better than others. Do you want modern handwriting or the elegance of classic Chinese calligraphy brush strokes?

Take your time, find the right design, get the right people to help and your Chinese tattoo will be a source of pride for the rest of your life.

How to bring Oriental accents into your home to create a Japanese or Chinese look. Use of small items can create a big look.

If you have been searching for a style design for your home that shows style and class, you should consider Asian design. There are so many different ways to incorporate this style, but so many people don't know how to begin to introduce this classic style. Here are some tips that will help.

The Japanese style is very popular and easy to imitate. You can create this style by just using a few simple touches in your home. Putting in a Shoji screen will automatically transform your room because it is such a unique style. These screens are simple frames made of wood with rice paper, sometimes with designs upon it, as a filler. The design may be simple or complex, depending on your taste. Use them as room dividers as the Japanese do, or merely as accent pieces. A Kotatsu table is also a lovely, unique Japanese item that will bring this theme to a room immediately. A low dark wood table in a rectangle shape, sometimes with a heater in the middle, it is the center of Japanese home life.

The next easy way to add a Japanese motif is straw mats that are known as Goza mats. Some have woven borders with a design. They are used for a variety of functions in Japan, such as sleeping, sitting or as pathways in the home, but you can use them as accents only if you like, for instance as a bench cover or a substitute for an area rug.

An easy piece to add is a gong. Very symbolic of the Japanese style, you can choose one in any number of sizes, depending upon the size of your room. There are very large gongs, but you have to have a lot of space for them. A gong that hangs, and is only about a foot or so in diameter is more practical. They come with lovely scroll designs, and you can use the mallet to ring it, or you can just hang it on the wall as a work of art.

Calligraphy in Japanese or Chinese characters will make the room look Asian in an instant. This is a really simple way to bring this style into your house, since you can get pre-framed works with calligraphy writing and lovely pictures on them. They are usually in simple, dramatic black wood frames, which reflect the dramatic lines of this style.

Now that you have some ideas about how to bring the Asian decorating style into your home, you can start shopping on the net for companies that have this kind of decorating items. This will make your transformation into Asian style even easier.

Manama is the capital of the island of Bahrain situated in the Persian Gulf. It has a population of about 150 000.

The international airport on the island of Al Muharraq, which can be reached by a causeway. The University of Bahrain is located in Manama, it was founded on 1986.Manama is an Arab city with a rather westernized and modern.

Manama is a very important centre for the economy thanks to the petroleum, oil, fishing and pearl diving. The strong economy of the capital made it possible to increase the countries major hotels, pubs, nightlife, beautiful shopping and most important tourist attractions. It is also very popular for its different markets where people sell their goods.

For a small country, there is a surprising abundance of clubs and pubs many within walking distance of each other and they deliver everything you could possibly want, from top DJs and live music to karaoke and pub quizzes.

Accommodation depends on the location, if you choose to live near city centre like Manama, business district or specific residential areas, expect that it is more expensive than those in countryside.

There are different modes of transportation available in Manama taxis, rent a car and some companies have shuttle service that would pick up and drop off from and to your accommodation.

The National Museum in Manama provides a glimpse of the history of Bahrain from Stone Age to present times.

The Al Faith Mosque is the largest building in the country. Non Muslims can visit. Bait Al our is a combined mosque, library, museum of Islamic calligraphy and a study centre.
Bait Al Quran has among its exhibits Koranic verses amazingly written on a grain of rice and you can see the calligraphy with a magnifying glass. Another mosque worth visiting is the Friday Mosque, which has beautiful mosaic minarets.

The Heritage Centre will give you an idea of Bahraini culture through various objects, such as traditional costumes and photographs.

The Oil Museum has exhibits of old photographs and drilling equipment.

Defy Delhi belly, Freetown filaria, Cotswold cold and Manila malaria can affect you be health wise and travel right. Take preventive pills, keep at bay potential ills and cut out on medical bills. Avoid direct exposure to the sun as far as possible and keep yourself well hydrated to prevent sunstroke. Recognise the symptoms fatigue, dizziness, high fever and severe headache and treat immediately.

Overseas Pakistanis love to send gifts in Pakistan to their parents, loved ones, relatives and friends on all special occasions. Sending gifts indeed makes the occasion special. A gift can make your presence felt even though you are not physically there.The people of Pakistan send gifts to their loved ones on the occasion of birthday party, wedding ceremony, new home congratulations gift and also the gifts on anniversaries. Most of the gifts are sent on the special occasion of Eid Festivals and on the wedding ceremonies.The Pakistani gift companies are very much busy during the special occasion of Eid Festivals and the wedding season.

Sending Gifts have been greatly appreciated in Islam. According to the sayings of the Holy Prophet, Mohammad (PBUH), Keep exchanging the gifts, It will enhance loving relationship. With a population of 98% Muslims, Pakistan has a tradition of giving and receiving. Both native Pakistanis and overseas Pakistan send gifts to their loved ones. Islamic Paintings of Khana Kaaba and Masjid e Nabvi and the Islamic Calligraphy make the perfect gift for the Pakistanis. PaintingsGifts4u is doing the best of service in supplying the high quality Islamic gift. The Pakistanis love to adore their homes and offices with these sacred Islamic painting. Our Islamic Oil paintings and Islamic calligraphy gifts make the original Pakistani Gift.

Gifts in Pakistan are given on special occasions. These include the personal ceremonies to the religious festivals. Regarding giving gifts, a great enthusiasm is seen amongst the Pakistanis of all ages during the Eid ul Fitr Festival. The Pakistanis living within Pakistan send the gifts to their relatives, friends and loved ones living within the same city and even outside city. For instance, A person living in Lahore sends the gift to his relative or friend either living in Lahore or in other city like Islamabad, Karachi or Peshawar. The native Pakistanis love to send gifts to their overseas Pakistani brothers,sisters and friends. Giving and receiving a Gift is a lovely heart winning experience.

There are millions of Pakistanis living all over the world. Most of the overseas Pakistanis are living permanently in USA, Canada, UK and many other European countries. There are also great number of Pakistanis living and working in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabai, UAE , Kuwait, Qatar, Amman, Indonesia and Malaysia. Sometimes, these overseas Pakistanis face problems in visiting their loving homeland on the special occasions due to some compulsions. However, In this fastest age of communication, they keep regular contact through telephones, emails and text messages of mobiles. They also want to be the part of these ceremonies. By sending gifts to Pakistan,they are successful in making their presence felt and also winning the hearts of their loved ones.

The Gift companies in Pakistan are doing good service in this respect. They are supplying Pakistani gifts items. It is indeed a wonderful experience if a Pakistani living in UK or USA or UAE can celebrate the birthday party of his son or daughter by sending birthday cake and some other Pakistan made gift item. The Pakistani gift companies offer both the imported gift items and the Pakistani made gift item. There are wide range of popular Pakistani gift item. These include Pakistan speciality sweets like Nirala sweets, Gourmet Cake, Pakistani fruits. Other non eatable items include traditional Pakistani Shalwar Qameez, wedding dresses, sports goods.

PaintingsGifts4u has the honor of offering the unqiue Pakistani gift items. Our high quality and lovely looking Oil Paintings make the very special Pakistani gift item for every occasion. Our Lovely looking Floral Oil Paintings, landscape paintings, sceneries, Islamic paintings make the perfect birthday gift, wedding gift, anniversary gift, and the new home gift. There are also Eid Mubarak gift and X-mas gifts. You can even find the gifts for your children in the form of Children paintings. They will just love it.

PaintngsGifts4u is a premier Gift company in Pakistan. It has been supplying the lovely looking Oil Paintings Gifts for all occasions. Based in Lahore, This gift company has become very popular both among its the Pakistani and Overseas Pakistani Clients in providing the original Pakistani gifts of their desires. Pakistani Islamic Pantings and the very special Pakistani Islamic Calligraphy are amongst the hot selling items amongst the Pakistanis. Please contact us at info@paintingsgifts4u.com for your inquiry.

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Every household has its own traditions, of course, but in our house growing up we were allowed to go into our stockings before our parents got up. The idea behind this, I’m sure, was to allow mommy and daddy to sleep in past four a.m., which is of course when we would have woken them up if we’d had to wait until they were up to enjoy any Christmas! With this in mind, gifts in our stockings were intended to occupy us until everyone had slept in as long as they wished and we could get on with the business of presents. Here are some ideas for stuffing stockings for all you Santa’s helpers out there.

For Children:

Small puzzles, action figures, miniature cars, baseball cards, Legos, modeling clay, paper dolls, balsa wood airplane kits, coloring books, puzzle books, activity books, comic books, jewelry or beads and string to make their own necklace, bubble solution, doll clothes, educational cards, miniature dolls, small electronic games, Pez dispenser, travel sized games of chess or checkers, card games, stickers, temporary tatoos, toy animals, coins, jump rope.

For Adults:

Key chain, gloves, safety whistle, Christmas ornament, rubber stamp and pad, postage stamps, votive candles, lip balm, music cd, calendar, address book, magazine, crossword puzzle book, Sudoku, travel size toiletries, metalic markers or calligraphy pen, pocket sized books, flash drive, paperback novel, calculator, sticky notes, 100 calorie snack packages, pedometer, tire gauge, garlic press or kitchen gadget, film, batteries, tea packets or coffee sample, fancy hot chocolate packet, art supplies, utility knife, spa items, nail trimming set, small desk items, mini kits from Running Press, gourmet food items, road maps, phone card, dvd, mug or travel mug, watch or watchband, ipod case, pocket magnifier, book mark, sunglasses, screwdriver/rachet all in one tool, tickets, small flashlight, pocket knife, harmonica, cell phone accessories.

For All:

An orange or other fruit, dried fruit, nuts, jerky, candy, candy bars, candy canes, tall pretzels.

Complete Guide To The History Of Wedding Invitations
If you understand more about the history of wedding invitations it could help you in your decision-making and planning.

In the beginning..
Back in 1447, weddings in the UK were typically announced by means of a town-crier; a man who would walk round the streets announcing the news of the day to the people of the town. So anyone who heard the news would become part of the celebration.
The more noble people, who were more literate, begun the practice of written wedding invitations. They used monks who were skilled in the art of calligraphy to hand-craft their invitations. The invites often carried coat of arms, or personal crest, of the individual and were sometimes sealed with wax. Today, the use of a crest or seal is still a common choice in society for wedding invitations and a useful way of adding a touch of class.
Onwards..
As metal plate engraving became more common, the art of announcing weddings via newspapers grew in popularity.
The Present..
As technology has advanced so have wedding invitations. At first, invitations were still delivered by hand, due to the unreliable postal system. A ‘double envelope’ was sometimes used to protect the invitations from damage en route to its recipient. During the last century, the emergence of the graphic design trade and the arts has led to millions of designs of wedding invitations in all different forms and colours, becoming available to everyone at an affordable price.

Wedding Invitations
Click the link for more information and to view templates and designs for Wedding Invitations