Annabelle

Yesterday was a very sad day. Our family dog, Annabelle past away at age 15 after having a stroke. She was a [very] stubborn Airedale who entered my family as a puppy when I was 16: this means that I knew her for half of my life.

I have many stories about her, but my favorite memory also illustrates how smart she was: She could play hide and seek! The game went like this:

We'd be sitting in the TV room & she would playfully run up to us and give one bark and then run away. She'd repeat this a few times which meant she wanted to play.

We'd say to her "Ok Annie: Wait!" and she'd wait for someone to go and hide.

When the hiding person was well hidden, they'd have to give a little whistle and she'd start searching. She'd focus on all the main hiding places: my parents bathroom shower... behind bedroom doors... under beds.. and when she found us, she'd bark twice with excitement and go and wait in the TV room for us to hide again!
Cool hey?!

The following picture was taken of the two of us in 1993:


Other quirky things:

• Annie was a little obsessed with toilet paper, tissues and my dad's hankeys (she could remove these items from pockets with incredible ease)...
  
  
• She also loved stealing socks & other laundry basket items ~ even when she got old!
  
  
• One of her best treats was ice cream (my parents would take her out for her own R1 ice cream from McDonalds if she'd been left alone all day!). My dad also always saved restaurant mints for her as a treat for when they got home :)
  
  
• I'll add more as I think of them! :)
  

Underwater Fun!

I bought a cheapy disposable waterproof film camera for when Geoff and I went snorkeling in Gili Meno, but the photos just didn't come out as well as I had hoped. Firstly, we only had 24 exposures, and secondly, half of them simply didn't come out...and lastly: the ones that did come out ok needed some serious editing to make them look like something eg:

So, shortly after we got back, I invested in an underwater housing for my G10. It is almost full function (I can switch modes / zoom etc etc). This is what it looks like:

Because its been so chilly, I've not had a chance to test it out.....But we started swimming in our pool a couple of weeks ago, so we had some perfect opportunities to see what it can do in the pool! We took it underwater & these are some of the results:

Angela's Visit

I was treated to a wonderful visit from my ex-flatmate & really good friend Angela over the last couple of weeks... We had a really fun lat night out with Graeme at Cavendish: Dinner at Simply Asia [yum!] and the latest Harry Potter movie!

New Veggie Garden!

On Sunday morning I got myself ridiculously dressed for Aline's bachelorette 'Crime of Fashion' themed breakfast. Yes: themed breakfast. I wore one of my Gran's evening dresses from who knows when. Certainly the biggest crime of fashion I have in my possession:

Need I say more?!

Alice, who kindly hosted the spectacular breakfast, has one of the most awesome veggie gardens I've seen in a very long time. What I especially love is that she has poppies & cornflowers growing haphazardly between the veggie plants. It reminded me of my plan when choosing our rented house of moving the lavender bushes outside the kitchen window to the edges & making my veggie garden in the middle.

Well, it was just perfect timing! James {our gardener} arrived bright and early this morning & we put him to work on this project. Geoff and I went off to Harry Goeman's Nursery just up the road from us to buy soil, fertilizer & some basil, lettuce, peppers, gooseberries, tomatoes, rocket and some other goodies to get started with.

Now for watering & caring for our little plants so that they can produce some lovely salad additions for us! :)

Geoff's Birthday Celebration(s)

My Love turned 50 this month & so we had a number of celebrations...The first of which, was a family dinner (mine & Geoff's) on the night before his actual birthday day. I made a big pot of fresh pasta...2 huge salads & Geoff made his favorite bolognaise sauce (I made a veggie alternative) & we had a wonderful dinner around our party-size yellow wood kitchen table:

We were really spoiled with Robyn's chocolate birthday cake for dessert.

We have a bit of a tradition of birthday cake in bed with tea on the morning of our birthdays, so I made some fairy cupcakes from Tina Bester's book "Bake" which turned out DELICIOUSLY! (It is actually one of the easiest, most delicious recipes I've come across for cupcakes - even better than my "White Cupcakes" recipe which uses the creaming method) ... I made lemon and (fresh) vanilla flavored icing which I spaghetti'ed on top:

After a lazy morning, we headed out to town to the dangerous camera supplies shop, ORMS. We went out for lunch at Mugged on Roeland and had a pretty lovely day in general.

The last phase of Geoff's birthday was last weekend: we invited loads of people for music, pizza and drinks at Solole's BAROCCA LOUNGE.  Here are some scenes from Geoff's birthday day and of the party:

Excuse My French Turns One!

A few weeks back, Excuse My French (the French creperie on the Railway House premises) turned ONE! We had a Friday afternoon braai with delicious salads & snacks...

...and enough Champagne to make the whole experience extra entertaining.... !

Chapman's Peak Drive

Geoff and I need to go do some things in town the other day. Our final stop was in Hout Bay, so we decided to come back via Chapman's Peak. It was a very windy day... lots of amazing cloud & blue sky. The sea was ice blue and crystal clear when we got around the corner to Noordhoek.

Papercraft

Looking for inspiration for making some birthday cards, I visited Amy Butler's free paper projects page on her website. I gathered all my card making gear (thank heavens for double sided sticky tape! I don't know what I would do without it!) and came up with these:

Granny's House

About a month ago, Geoff and I spent a night at my Granny's house.. She lives in a beach house in Little Brak (between Mossel Bay and George). My late Grandpa had a very quirky sense of humor & named the house 'Little Dog Box' - as the town is called 'Kleinbrak' in Afrikaans and a 'brak' is a scruffy dog. (he also had a boat which he named 'Gaal Kat' - instead of 'kaalgat') :)

My Grandpa had a little Schnauzer dog called 'Towser'. He hated our dog, Stewie.
Because their surname is 'Purcocks', my grandparents ended up collecting a lot of chicken / cockerel related stuff: ornaments.. tea towels with cockerels on them.

Visiting my Gran's house always brings back loads of memories from when we were growing up & the house was kept as a beach house for holidays. It has many rooms, so everybody would pile in & the adults would consume unbelievable amounts of G&T's and red wine over cards & tile rummy...Pictionary and Monopoly and a number of other games. Our days were spent on the river: water skiing..tanning..swimming in waves off the Mosselbay point or Santos Beach. Evenings saw songs around the piano & my Gran's famous syncopation skills were much enjoyed! ...roasts & braais... games & stories.

There are signs of my whole life around this house. My gran still has the underwater tropical fish pastel artwork that I made for her one Christmas when I was about 12 years old. The reds have all faded, but the rest still looks ok.

The place I linger longest is the passage wall where my Gran has loads of photos up:

There are pictures of my Great Grandparents who I never met... pictures of the 6 cousins.. school year photos, Matric dance.. weddings & other occasions. All these memories make me very nostalgic!

There is a lovely little market that happens on the bank of the Great Brak river on the first Saturday of every month. There is always a lovely atmosphere...and one particular pancake stall which always has the most people queued outside it: and for good reason too: their pancakes are, quite honestly: the best! :)

Baking

Geoff and I decided to get creative in the kitchen & make something out of Tina Bester's book, "Bake". We made the Chocolate / Almond pastry rolls. It was a lot of fun...plus we got to eat a LOT of chocolate :)

Grace & Joshua

I am such a proud auntie!!
On Sunday I had the joy of holding & making my little niece, Grace, laugh...she's 5.5 months old & just so unbelievably adorable! I've been having some serious fantasies about making birthday cakes & decorating her party tables with T'Neal...(haven't told T'Neal yet!)

Stan sent me a picture of Joshua last week ...he's about 2.5 months old & really such a sweet sweet baby!

I had the absolute joy of having them both here last weekend for Geoff's birthday party for our families :)

Another Great Saturday!

On Saturday we got up really early to go to an auction...but after speaking with the auctioneer, Geoff decided that it wouldn't be worth driving all the way. So it was 7am and we were all dressed & nowhere to go!

We set off towards Milnerton market but only got as far as Wynberg because of the rain. We popped into the big fabric shop & found some wacky shirt fabric options... visited a couple of other shops in the area, and then went for breakfast scones at 'High Tea'.

On the way back home, we meandered past the flower sellers...

...and bought this really unbelievably pretty bunch of flowers from them:

We did some grocery shopping....came home &  lazed by the pool for a while before having Pete & Elaine come for supper in the evening.

What a wonderful day!

Noordhoek Beach

Geoff and I chose our view so well! When we wake up in the morning, we look over the vlei towards Noordhoek beach. We don't go there as often as we'd like to though... Whenever we do, the scenery is so dramatic...I took this picture with my cell phone:

The vlei view itself is such a treat... on Tuesday last week, I looked up from my computer screen & saw a flock of flamingos flying past. How divine is that?! ...now I know why they call it 'Imhoff's Gift'.

Almost Done!!

I started crochet-ing a blanket in February of this year...FINALLY, almost a year later, I am almost done! Its been months and months of work, but I'm so pleased I've stuck by it because its really coming together nicely! :

The Christmas Gift Fair

T'Neal and I went to The Christmas Gift Fair on Thursday morning of this past week. It was the last day that it was on & we didn't want to miss it.. We had such a lovely time...! Grace was as good as gold (as usual) & at one point, she had everybody within earshot smiling as she was laughing and making the cutest sounds.

The Christmas Gift Fair was quite different this year - no cheesy Christmas music on repeat... a more spacious layout & some really high class exhibitors. Tina Bester was there with her book, BAKE, which I absolutely love...I love it even more that she had a few of her bakes on sale! This year, there was a sit-down-and-drink-coffee (-and-eat-Tina-Bester's-cake) which we enjoyed making use of!

So Funny

Yesterday, on our way to Constantia, along Spaanschemat River Road (T'Neal was driving)...and the next thing, mid-conversation, we saw a CRAB about 10cm wide, crossing over the road, just at the moment before it disappeared from view under the car [how it got near the middle line without getting squished, I have no idea!]

It all happened in a second: T'Neal sighed with relief & said "Sjoe! I didn't get it....oh! the car behind me did".

Seriously: a crab. In the middle of the road.

In short, the second thing I am going to share is this:

Third Anniversery

Geoff woke me up around 5.45am this morning...he bought a phone fax machine on auction on monday so that was our present to ourselves. We had fun leaving a message...then we went to Muizenberg for a lovely surf...followed by breakfast at Chartfield :)

Joshua

My little nephew, Joshua is about 5 weeks old and already he is dressed like a grown up little person! He looks so much like my lovely brother :)

Summer Almost Here!

We are down at Muizenberg & I have had my first surf since getting back from our trip to the East. It is such a gorgeous day...I think everybody is so ready for it to be full summer. How I love Spring! :)

I'll Just Keep Dreaming...

I got up at 4am this morning to bid on this GORGEOUS vintage enamel pitcher & mugs on EBay. Unfortunately, in the last 10 seconds of the auction, the price DOUBLED (yes - doubled) in price then went up a few more times. It was very disappointing but I just wasn't willing to go up to $128.50 + $16.50 for shipping (to my friend in the USA that kindly said I could ship to her as the auction dude wouldn't ship out of the USA)!! :(

If anybody can find these for me for less, I'll be very happy!!

Vintage Arabia FINEL Enamel Pitcher and 3 Mugs Kaj Franck

Up for auction is a wonderful vintage Mid Century Modern Arabia FINEL white pitcher and 3 mug set, with the red hearts, designed by Kaj Franck of Finland. This hard-to-find set still has the silver label on all the pieces with FINEL, Wartsila, Finland. The pitcher measures 7 ½” x 4 ½” and the mugs each measure 3” x 3”. This vintage set is in excellent like-new condition. It looks like it has never been used! The only flaw is a scratch/chip on the side of the handle on the pitcher, and an imperfection in the bottom of a red heart on one of the mugs, both shown in pictures. There is no shelf wear or scratches on the bottom of any of the pieces. This set is a real find!!!

Rachel Denny

I was looking for a pattern to crochet a bumble bee & stumbled on Rachel Denny's website. How unbelievably cool is this?! :

She has also made the most beautiful knitted bunnies (see her website's recent work) & other animals. I just love the trophees though -

"Denny is best known for her “Domestic Trophies” work—deer heads covered in cozy cashmere cable knit woolens and the like."

I'll take the pink one, please!

Light & Landscape

I just love overcast and rainy days when the light comes through the clouds without the sun breaking through, giving an infinite play of muted colours to the day :)

I popped in at Karen (my porcelain teacher) yesterday to fetch my latest creation..

I borrowed Jocelyn's teardrop shaped mini cookie cutter which I used to cut 'droplets' out of the form that I made out of porcelain.

Karen then showed me the technique of painting porcelain slip onto tissue paper & sticking it to the inside of the holes - this made a clay paper thin layer & has given  this beautiful light effect after the glaze firing.

The teardrop shape inspired me to create this piece - to paint rain clouds & landscape onto my form with almost see-through raindrops.

My (Old) New Baby

A beautiful vintage Singer sewing machine came into Geoff's shop on Wednesday & he decided to gift me with it!! I actually can't believe it's mine! :)

I've done a bit of research & found this site which, according to its serial number, falls here: EG-312.861 to EG-999.999 and places my machine in 1951 - May of that year to be exact and one of the 128K series & there were 3000 made in this series.

It is beautifully painted! It took me a little while, but I managed to find a free manual to download to see how to thread it correctly...

After looking up and fiddling a bit with the bullet-shaped shuttle for the bottom thread, I managed to sew a bit...and it works so beautifully!

Tara Duff

I got my daily knitting / crochet / craft magazine email newsletter today as usual & this little gem was found! Tara Duff, crochets bearded beanies. How very awesome! :)
Her Etsy shop is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/taraduff

Camera Case

A friend mailed me yesterday to ask if I knew of a free pattern for a handbag and a camera case. I have been looking for a suitable camera bag for my G10 as the one that I have is WAY too big and bulky for travel....and making one is the perfect solution! 

I found a great tutorial with step by step instructions...hauled my sewing machine and some fabric (I actually found some batting too!) and sewed up a test sample. 

I always think of things when I'm finished creating something which is why I did the test. I did a second test one with a pocket in front to keep my spare memory card... The tutorial was for a camera to slip in vertically, but I want to keep the camera strap around my neck as the strap & I just need something to protect my camera when it is in another bag...so this is the result:

I am going to make my final one out of some of my Amy Butler fabric....and try and put something together for my Canon Selphy printer too! :)

Hot Water Bottle Cover

I finally have a picture of the hot water bottle cover that I made for Robyn for her birthday. The pattern I used is the African Flower pattern:

The Pretty Blog

I discovered the most beautiful wedding blog a few weeks back & have kept the page open in my browser window since so that I can keep checking on the updates. It is simply called "the pretty blog"

I love the ideas, the styling, the photo shoots....... Take a look for yourself!

Impaired Concentration

Our trip is around the corner (less than 3 weeks) and my head is FULL of airplanes. I am so distracted thinking about our trip that I could not concentrate any longer & decided to do some felting today. This is partly to keep me occupied & partly in preparation for our Artist's Book Club exhibition which will be held in November.

These are the items I made today:

I just love my little red one I made on my felting course,
so I made a grey, cream & black Felted Bowl

I have been very busy in pottery with the creation of flower design brooches
which are intended to close these 'fitted' scarves.
This one is felted out of Merino fibers with dyed Merino & tapestry wool felted into it.

This one is felted out of Merino fiber with Karakul & silk as well as light grey fiber felted into it. I will still sew into this design to accentuate the grey areas.

This is the original 'fitted' scarf that I created which gave me the idea to do more.
It is felted out of different colour dyed Merino wool fiber.

Muizenberg

James and his flatmates came down to Muizenberg yesterday for their first South African surf experience... I was already surfed out so I didn't join them in the fun...I'd had a lot of my own fun already with over an hour's surf & loads of 'lekker' waves! :)

Saturday + James

Yesterday I went through to Newlands to visit some family friends & get some tips on China from them.. I headed to The Biscuit Mill market to meet up with my friend James from Canada who is in Cape Town on an internship for 5 months... We also popped into the BeadBoys shop which is always such a great experience: I just LOVE how the shop is colour coded :)

James and I went to What if the World gallery on Albert street (I've always wondered how to find it but have never been able to!) and had a look at their exhibition, Double Entry by Dan Halter:

I particularly liked a video installation based on the old 'Space Invaders' game, where a number of people are shown walking back and forth across the bridge between South Africa & Zimbabwe. Every now and then, piteeeuw-piteeuw and somebody gets 'shot' and climbs over the back of wall & the remaining people keep moving back and forth...

 

More about the exhibition as per the gallery writeup:

DOUBLE ENTRY is Dan Halter’s second solo show in South Africa after his 2006 exhibition entitled Take me to your leader at João Ferreira Gallery.

As a relatively fortunate Zimbabwean living in South Africa, Halter investigates and draws attention to the plight of less fortunate fellow Zimbabweans now displaced in South Africa. Dubbed the pejorative ʻkwerekwereʼ these foreigners are often confronted with xenophobic violence by their South African counterparts. Halter is also concerned with the relations between the two neighbouring countries. He seeks to interrogate empty promises made by governments on both sides.

Informed by two field trips to the Beitbridge border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, this new body of work looks at the notorious barrier and the passage Zimbabwean immigrants face in order to get into South Africa. With a touch of Halter’s own dark humour, this exhibition of video, print and installation relates to these ongoing issues.

Halter has taken part in numerous group exhibitions including Dak’Art 2010 (9th Biennial of Contemporary African Art), the 11th Harare International Festival of Art (HIFA 2010), the 10th Havana Biennial in 2009, the 3rd Guangzhou Triennial in 2008 and the 16th VideoBrasil in 2007.

In 2008 Halter also exhibited in Milan with a solo show titled never say never at the Derbylius Gallery. That same year he was nominated as one of the MTN New Contemporaries and he took part in two residencies, one in Zürich and one in Rio de Janeiro.

Halter has recently been selected to take part in the Glenfiddich Artist in Residence program in Scotland in July 2010.

Crochet Purse

Inspired by the African Flower crochet pattern group on Flickr, I have made a gift purse for Katherine for her birthday today :)

(She's saving up to buy some gorgeous shoes she's seen and has requested some funds to help her afford them - what better way to "present" money than in a purse!)

Travel Plans...

One of my most favorite things in the whole world is...the whole world!

I am so excited: Geoff and I have booked our flights for our trip in August/September!

Pouring over the atlas...a most fantastic book that Robyn gave to us as a wedding gift: "MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME ON EARTH" > worth a look inside! ...Guide books "Southeast Asia on a Shoestring" by Lonely Planet..."Rough Guide to Hong Kong & Macau" and the Rough Guides and Lonely Planet guide for China.

We have spent a few hours with both the China guides & its not easy to decide which to buy - The Lonely Planet (LP) one has all the Chinese characters next to the English names of things....but the Rough Guides (RG) seems to have much more amazing info than LP.  Plus, one of the reviews I read said that once people start going to all the places in LP, they end up becoming really touristy & that RG has more 'off the beaten track' info.

Oh what to do... at least we've got until we leave to return the one that we decide not to keep. They're so heavy and (not to mention expensive)...or I'd say lets keep both! :)

(If anybody knows anything about these books & which one is best, please comment & let me know!!)

Our route looks as though its going to be:

• 
  
  SINGAPORE:
  Cape Town to Singapore
  2 night in Singapore

• 
  
  INDONESIA:
  Singapore to Bali
  From Bali we will make our way over 3 weeks to Jakarta
  
  Jakarta to Hong Kong
  2 nights in Hong Kong
  
• 
  
  CHINA:
  Hong Kong to Donggong
  Donggong to Guangzhou
  Guangzhou to Shanghai
  Shanghai to Shijiazhuang
  Shijiazhuang to Beijing
  
• 
  
  Beijing back to Cape Town.