Everlastings

I saw this idea somewhere and for the life of me I can't remember where - Pinterest/blog/magazine? But it stuck and I had just the thing for it. The pot is someone else's left behind and on it's own I just couldn't take to it. But add some beautiful succulents and I'm in lurve. It's the perfect compliment to my sun bleached, weather worn Cape Town deck. So whoever you are - thank you!

Happy holidays everyone 

may the sun follow you 

and the south easter be at your back 

x

Stand Please

Step 2: The right way up looking a bit wobbly but maintaining...

Is It a ...?

You might well ask



... as it happens it is a plate, bowl, cupcake holders & saucer
and one day when I turn it the right way round
it will be a cake stand - voilà

White On Red

Two small red clay bowls dipped in white glaze - not as white as I would like though, but I do like the detail coming through.

Out Of Print

I have always loved print, and when I laid eyes on this little edition I could not walk away.

They just don't make them like this any more.

 Thank God for libraries!

Random Radish...

I'm a vegetarian (duh!)

No, I've never been in love

Yes, I do blush (in many colours)

Cover-up; the weathered look is really unattractive

Real women have hair

Above ground is positive?

You've gotta have greens - so just get over it.

You're weird - I like that

(next seasons colour chart)

Shine Your Little Light

Teaching a creative subject doesn't always mean you get time to do your own creative stuff and so in my case it's taken me since April to finish this little project. I was inspired by the cheerfully cheap tin versions you find locally and off course my trusted book on fynbos - I have to say I'm very happy with my clay version thank you. Now Eskom do your damnest...I'm ready!

The Devil Really Is In The Detail

I came but I did not conquer!

My first attempt is lacking in wildness. I was trying to show the flowers with detail as opposed to the feel. There are many ways to make your water colour mark. It just so happens that I love the medium most when it's used loosely and in lovely built up layers - and here-in lies my problem.
Our wild flowers, especially the fynbos, has much amazing detail - it's extraordinary and easy to get sucked into. (but that's for another project me thinks)

I would like to be able to 'sketch' in water colour.

probably the best bits if I look closely

Lesson to self - don't be so anal, it's better not perfect...
be patient - you do need to let the paint dry if you don't want mud
and practice hopefully does make perfect (lots of it)

It clearly is not just a case of adding water.

Drawing Is Therapy

West Coast Black Mussel: Soft Pastel on A2

I didn't get to the water colours but I did get my fingers deliciously smudgy dirty with the chalk pastels. These shells are some of my favourite finds. They bend, peel and bleach beautifully to reveal that dusky blueish purple underneath. I haven't worked in pastel for years and I forgot how just much I love the medium.

It is like being a kid again :)

Just Add Water

by Tanja Wilmot

Anyone recognise the landscape? Yes, it's the Karoo :) See more here

I came across Tanja's blog quite by chance and just fell in love with her water colours. I've always wanted to do water colour well, but it's much harder than it looks - so these are my inspiration.

Wild flowers by Tanja Wilmot

Now I have to go find something to draw/paint & enjoy the weekend.

What Can I Say...

A deep chocolate cupcake topped with an Oreo & butter-icing from Lady Cupcake

I joined my students for a drawing class yesterday, armed with a spectacular cupcake - specially chosen for it's lovely contrasting colours of deep dark chocolate and rich soft velvety, creamy, buttery icing - topped with a equally dark but richly detailed Oreo and of course the generally plump dimensions of the whole soft, moist, crumbly, smooth, crunchy, did I say deep chocolaty? creation which makes it ideal for drawing with colour pencil.

The cupcake was better than it had any right to be

Hoot If You Like Twitter

 

I'm lucky enough to live right opposite the Rietvlei wetlands area that teems with bird life.  Generally the wetlands flood after a good wet winter, which means the birds are much closer to the edge and so easier to see and photograph. Now, I am no twitcher; but I do like to watch birds (as you might've noticed) and so I went to spy on the noisy social life of our feathered friends - I'm glad to report a great time was had by all!

Stop While You Can!

We spent our long weekend on the West Coast. Going up, there were beautiful patches of the famous flowers - but we wanted to get there - so no stopping for photo moments, and of course coming back after the stormy weather - no such luck. When will I learn just to stop, and enjoy the moment!?

At least the flamingo's didn't seem to mind the lack of sunshine as much as the flowers and they're pretty too :)

Die Antwoord!

Baby's on fire!

 A sure cure for cabin fever brown is taking yourself outside... 

and a good dose of seasonal orange, hot, hot, hot orange.

Even the bees were gorging themselves.

I Feel Brown...

...coffee/latte/chocolate/brick/rust/leather/dull/dust/terracotta/mud/70's/mocca/milo/paint/cardboard/teak/tent/stew/compost/carpet/warm/treacle/dry/clipboard/desert/deep/dark, brown...
oh, and a bit blue

Cape Of Opposites

Yesterday & Today

Sunshine & Rain

Winter & Winter

Outside & Inside

What to see & What to do...

My garden comes alive when the sun comes out with this ground cover I stuck in everywhere I found an annoying sandy bald patch and now it's taking over and I love it, it's so happy. The beautiful ball of hand spun wool is also mine - found on a recent trip along the garden route at "Old Nick". A highly recommended stop en-route! (Marti even gave me an impromptu knitting lesson - now if only I can remember...)

Shame On Us

Blouberg Beach Cleanup on facebook

This photo was taken yesterday...15 July...it needs to be cleaned up...Please hit share here so people can see what is landing up on our beaches and join a cleanup somewhere
Mandela Day cleanup 18 July - Wednesday - 09:30 at lagoon beach

A lovely Place...

Go and feast your eyes and be inspired at Sania Pell at home

Twiggy Really Is a Coat Hanger

I do like this. Makes something both beautiful and useful out of left overs (so to speak). I found this at The Urban farm and Garden on facebook with lots of other great ideas.

Weekend Getaway

Via Tumblr

To think I've always dreamed of my own garden shed (a place for spades and pots and other what-nots). This just changes everything.

But I Live Like This...

I count myself lucky and blessed.

I Could Live Like This...

From Old Chum on fffound

Blogging, Birthdays, Buddies en Dorings

I am now the proud owner of one of the sweetest tin mugs ever to grace this earth - see more of her fab designs here.

Sometimes you need a special kind of friend to remind you what you've started, what you've achieved and what you've left by the way side. Henriette from tjou-tjou is such a friend. It's been six months since I've visited my own blog and I've missed this space. So, Henriette thank you my friend for my very special pressie and for sitting on my case (ever so nicely). Jy's my favourite "doring in die vlees".

Lucky Packet Relish

Ala hubby: Finely chop spring onions/chives, chillies, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic and olives and throw together with heaps of yummy olive oil. Season and drizzel over the closest thing on hand. YUM.

Start With What You've Got

It's a new year and it holds the promise of many new things. Not least in that it's not last year. So for me it's onwards and upwards and my garden (much to my surprise and delight) is full of lovely surprises.

The seeds we eventually got around to planting in a rather higeldy pigeldy fashion are coming up in a delicious  lucky packet kind of a way. One lovely sunshiny tomatoe hidden amonst other still unidentified veggie growth, spring onions or are they chives, carrots, chillies, onions!, spinach, rocket, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers - who knew! It's messy I'll give you, but marvelous.