{noella designs} klayya bakery

A little more than a year ago, I had freelanced to work on a menu design for a fresh and new Emirati bakery in Dubai, Klayya bakery. The first thing that intrigued me was the name, the story of it goes back to the owner's grandmother who used to travel across the creek on the Abra from Bur Dubai to Deira, with an Anna in her hand (25 Fils) to simply get to the specially bakery who made these sweet and light biscuit treats known as Klayya. And that's how Klayya bakery was born. Funny enough, here in Dubai there hardly are any local traditional cafes or restaurants that serve Emirati food, so once I knew about it I immediately took it on.

What's on the menu; a handful of balaleet, a springle of nakhai with a cup of lgaimat dumplings to sweeten things up

The whole design of the place was modern mixed with a bit of traditional, lots of bright colours fused with traditional wooden tables, and metal! Served in steel palette looking pans, the presentation of the food was just delicious! The menu was simple, mainly breads and breakfast meals, and then a selection of hot and cold drinks. Continuing this industrial metal theme with little pops of color, I designed the table menu to be just that; simple and informative to people who wouldn't know what traditional Emirati cuisines were.

one karak klayya please

 

With breakfast dishes such as 'Ryoog Yerana' and 'Ryoog Bur Dubai', my love for breakfast went to a whole new level. Add in the vimto drinks and the haleeb kastar, and it took me nearly everything to stop me from ordering a whole breakfast buffet.

the biscuits that started it all.. with a side of dates omelette

For the wall menu I wanted to add a bit of fun to it. This included the list of drinks and fresh daily breads that was served in Klayya. The board was the same industrial metal material as the table menu diecut in the same pattern, with each drink illustrated based on its ingredients, and designed to be cut of acrylic and placed on this metallic sheet. I haven't gotten round to taking photo's of the actual wall menu (I have been meaning to do that soon), but here's a snapshot of part of the design

a part of the wall menu design

So if you haven't checked out Klayya bakery yet, what are you waiting for! PS order the Ryoog Yerana (dates omelette) you won't regret it.


Images via: Klayya Bakery, lethblog, almzn

{LigLig}

When it comes to design, my sister and I are on totally different pages. For one thing, she loves to play around with colours (something I'm still working around). And then there's her approach to fashion, which sparked her collection of clutches and laptop "LIGLIG"; a design she had started off as a university project and just continued growing. So without further adue (adew?), here's LigLig in all its bright and shiny colours

a world of buttons, sparkles and then some colors

 {blue tribute}

 {tribal velvet} & the cutest detail - the liglig logo at the back

{liglig} and all that gold

check out the collection at www.urbansouq.com

For more information, Follow @LigLigdesigns, Like LigLig and check out www.ligligdesigns.blogspot.com

{2013}

What! Are we just 2 days away from 2013?! Yes I decided to just pop in ever so nonchalantly (my new word this year) after months of hibernating. It's been a crazy year, this 2012. So what better way to start the new year with some fun and party straws! Oh typography, you never fail to make me happy

image: Typography Served

Kashida

When it comes to Arabic type, very few designers can master it. Now arabic type fused with furniture and that is one gold mine of an idea. Kashida has effortlessly designed a product and furniture line inspired entirely by Arabic letterforms. Embracing the various calligraphic and typographic styles of Arabic, these products are definitely making their way onto my summer wishlist.

pop coloured coasters making up the 29 letters of the Arabic alphabet. One 'noon' please

 'Helem' bookcase, spelling out the Arabic word for dream

lounge chairs in the form of the Arabic letters M and Ta

fancy tissue boxes with Arabic lettered covers

A to the R to the T

It's March Art Madness in Dubai right now, everything art and design has been crammed in these two weeks; panel talks, exhibitions, workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, pop-up stores it's all here. Today, I've been drooling over this pop-up shop in Beirut, by arabic kitsch Lebanese designer Rana Salam.

the pink wall pattern, the Pepsi Cola stools, the blue 'Share' 49' pillow.. I want it all!

a little bit of retro cushioned posters won't hurt my studio

a mixmatch of  Umm Kalthoum, Chiclets brooches & iphone covers

the pop-up shop at the Beirut Souks, Lebanon

A dose of colour

An explosion of colour is exactly what I need to wake me up today, add that with folded paper and that's my cup of tea well served.

T; a simple package that opens up with an explosion of colour where each little tea bag is a delicate
piece of folded paper art

love this geometric composition paper art

colorful paper fans, who needs flowers anymore?

Images via: www.packaginguqam.com; Babble; Bekka Palmer

365 - BilArabi

I just came across this lovely set of calendars - it's very hard to find good arabic typography design, but I can definitely say this set of posters will keep me satisfied for about hmm 10 more months.
Representing the main character for each month in a contemporary arabic design, Mohamed Labib illustrated them with an added humour of original egyptian slang that reflects their monthly insights (excuse my literal egyptian arabic - english translation, it sounds a bit off).

                                             {2011} love the color combination at work here  |  {February} stay modest

{March} give your mother a call  |  {April} stop lying

{June} give yourself a break  |  {July} don't forget your swimming gear

{Augustl} seriously, same as every year?  |  {September} don't go over the bridge

 

Poster designs by: Mohamed Labib

Under the stars

Wait. Did I actually stop procrastinating and finally do something I've been planning and wishing and listing to do for like ever. Yay me! I'm definitely liking the new year me. On the 14th of January, outdoor movie night was officially scheduled in. And for once the weather tolerated with us, we had a cool 20°C weather and polka-dotted starry night. I can totally see this making its way into my calendar every other week. But the hardest part was choosing the movie, seriously, we even ended up watching something else other than our first choice (we were going for a french movie night but then turned into a romcom).

the set-up: I went for a cosy-buried-under-layers-of-cushions-and-blankets look... it was a bit of a challenge trying to squeeze all the mattresses and beanbags without tripping into the pool. And my baby brother warming up the beanbags

strawberry cheesecake cupcakes for desserts; personalized french themed coffee cups with hot chai karak (oh well at least the cups were still french); the movie projected on the wall

a little bit of candles and junk to set the mood

Once Upon A December

Can you believe we are already on the last days of December. This year certainly had its bittersweet moments, but December has proven to be the sweetest. There's something special with this month; the smell of barbeque in the air, spontaneous trips to the desert with family, outdoors gatherings, hot mugs of chai in the afternoon; it's definitely one of my favourite times of the year. My mind usually starts to wander and flutter as soon as the temperature drops below 30C, with plans of outdoor parties, afternoon teas and bike rides around the park. But then soon enough, we're aleady heading into June and barracading ourselves indoors away from the killer heat and humidity, and what is left of all my parties are just a figment of my imagination. So to add on to the list is this awesome outdoor movie night for a 13 year old birthday party, . I just love all the details and the colour scheme, and look it has a vintage vibe too (it's like it's calling me to do it). Let's hope this time around one of my December wishlists becomes a reality.

 Yes, that is a 13 layer chocolate pancake cake.. and doesn't those movie reels just go perfectly with the theme

I am in love with those huge balloons, can I have one please?

film reel inspired party invitation

Images via: www.hostessblog.com

Arabic Kitsch

There's a wall in my studio just begging for this artwork to hang in it's place. There's just something so fascinating with painted Arabic graphics, and certainly does bring back memories for 90's babies.

image via: www.sauceloves.com

{Little Peanut} baby shower

Back in June, my sister and I planned one of our closest friends a baby shower for her first baby. Her due date was smack in the middle of June, and well our summer plans meant we wouldn't be in the country when she delivers. So one thing lead to another and we decided to throw her a shower. Of course, she had to make it harder on us and keep the gender a secret (well we knew, but the rest of the party didnt' and she wanted to keep it that way). So no boy or girl, she called her baby 'Little Peanut'. And being designers, we ran with that as our inspiration for the baby shower theme.

pastel coloured baby shower invite

At the entry, we created a baby guest book table, that's my pretty vintage typewriter my sister got me from a Venice flea market, for people to write darling sweet letters to baby peanut.  That long essay of a letter tucked into the typewriter is my homeage to baby peanut. I do tend to get lost in words, but it's rather sweet I must say. 

 

Baby themed table; my cherished olivetti typewriter (need to get me some black ink asap), a baby guest book, mini cupcakes in a mini jell-bar (isn't it just adorable), a 'guess how many peanuts are in the bottle' game, snippets of baby pictures of the soon-to-be mom and dad, and strawberry, plain and chocolate milk in mini bottles

We found it really difficult to find a nice baby guest book. But in the end we decided to undertake a mini DIY project. We got a pretty photo album cover, after some cutting punching and threading, replaced the photo sheets with thick bristol paper, and tada one baby guest book done. Going with the peanuts theme, we filled a big drinking bottle with peanuts for the guests to guess the number of peanuts inside. Boy, people really underestimated how many peanuts could fit in this thing.

The set-up for the tables were basically divided into colors. Mini water bottles were wrapped with the invitation artwork and each table were decorated with a jar of more peanuts and a empty jar with 'Name the peanut' label to help with name suggestions for the parents. Don't you just love those purple and green striped cones, and look the tabs close as a heart shape. Wondering what's filled inside these cones, well could it get any 'nuttier' (quite lame I know, but it was begging me to, anyway it's stuffed with a mixed assortment of nuts if you were still wondering). We made personalised baby themed crosswords as a tension breaker at the start of the party when people are just arriving and get those awkward mini conversations. And it was the best idea ever! Everyone was so into their crossword with people actually finishing it all, mind you the clues were pretty hard.

personalised ABC cubes spelling Peanuts, while each table had a frame with a baby picture of the future mom or dad

mini baby themed decorated cupcakes; just look at those baby shoes and that adorable baby face. Some other peanut treats including peanut butter cookies and peanut butter and rise krispie crunchies, and did you notice some peanuts creeping here and there, They're everywhere I tell you.

We had maybe around 8 games planned, we started with Measuring Mummy. Each group had a piece of ribbon that they would cut to the length of mummy's tummy, a fun, quick and probably not the best way to start the day, especially with mommy already in stress about how fat she looks. We then had Baby Pictionary (drawing out baby words for the team to guess such as diaper, projectile vomiting <-- sister's idea), Baby Trivia that we projected onto the wall, followed with an extremely fun Guess the Baby Celebrity game where we projected pictures of celebrities when they were kids and then each team had to guess who that famous person was. I think everyone was dumbfounded when we put a photo of young Maryln Manson. Next was a game for all the artists there, to design a onesie for baby peanut.

I guess most of them caught the peanut fever, but aren't they so adorable, a lovely keepsake for sure!

Our last game was a challenge, the Ultimate Mommy Challenge obstacle race, one hell of an adrenaline-rush game. Contents: a baby, a bucket, a piece of rope, a diaper, a bottle and a onesie, and a paper tucked in the bottle containing a cherades clue to act out. Long story short, some of those girls have game, so competitive and they sure can run in heels!

 Baby Jeremy in the Ultimate Mommy Challenge

All in all, it was an amazing day with lots of laughter fun, games and peanuts! One table actually finished most of the peanuts in the jar from their table haha. But oh how my poor feet ached, one 90mins massage was certainly what my body was begging for.

pretty wrapped presents for the winners

 Cake pops for giveaways. Don't mind my scribbled writing, I had less than 1second to get this done before the guests arrived

Update: On June 18th, the most gorgeous baby girl was born. We had just travelled 2 days before so I had to wait a whole month before I saw this little princess.

UAE Chronicled; A street's Tale {St. 24}

One of the other projects that I was working on before the summer back in May, was a graphically designed set of notebooks aimed to revisualise the country's urban sprawls. That's right, going to back my design roots, I collaborated with my colleague Bushra on creating a collection of products under the series 'UAE Chronicled'.

As I designer, I found that urban spaces and their experiences are an interesting and yet practical subject matter to represent. The project's first phase is dedicated to documenting Al Satwa, Dubai. One of the bustling areas of Dubai, Al Satwa is a far cry from Dubai's glitzy lifestyle, a community comprising of high density retail outlets; of fabric stores, tailors, cafeteria's and furniture shops.

The process of it all, hours under the scorching sun taking snapshots of every single detail in and around Satwa.

Intricately designed doors in bursting colors around Satwa

Blaring neon signs from every shop and store

Rundown sofa's on the sidewalk of houses

created an icon to use as a pattern for 'Satwa'. Our inspiration; the doors

Satwa is a very convenient area in Dubai, it hosts a large array of products and services. There is actually very little that you wouldn't be able to find in Satwa, yet there are no directories or maps of the area. A Street's Tale; Street 24 is a range of notebook designs depicting a visual narrative of Al Satwa, and most importantly incorporates a colour coded directory of the retail spaces. Al Satwa is basically one long curved street (Street 24) with rows of narrow buildings on either side, small shops and stores tucked around every corner.

So anyone in Dubai looking for some polka dot fabrics or hidden gems, head on to The Ara Gallery, email or comment to purchase a notebook for yourself. Believe me, once your in Satwa, the chaotic of it all can really get to you (so will our Sun), so having a directory will do wonders in getting you around. Here's a few pictures from the launch and the notebooks at The Ara Gallery.

 

 

Check out our blog www.tumblr.com/uaechronicled and follow @UAEChronicled for updates on the project and upcoming products. Would love to hear your comments or any thoughts you have.

Have a great day, and Ramadan Kareem to all.