... and I've Added New Links

I just realized there are some websites I visit every day that I have not got in my blogroll. What a scandal. So I've updated them. Feel free to nosey around.



This image found via Miss Moss, who found it here.

Afrobot Returns!

As you well know, I am very fond of the quirky characters in Nicholas Hausers' Afrobot series of ceramics. So I was pleased as punch when he contacted me with pics from his 2010 set.















Here is a bit of what inspires Nick.

"I have always revered the great masks, totems and fetish sculptures of Africa. Their forms know no restrictions, nor limitations and they are innocent in the sense that they are made to actually do something for people. Art has lost that kind of innocence these days.

Whilst working in Uganda, I noticed that my fondness for old cartoon and tin robots from the 1950s and 1960s, connected to the genius of the anonymous sculptor / carvers of Central and East Africa. The designers of these mass-produced science fiction robots also went largely anonymous and uncredited.

I marvel that their products have gifted us with such integrity of form created for no tangible reward save perhaps the satisfaction of an image given life....

So as you read this, I hope that you'll all have a close look at some clay that is technically fairly naively handled, but with a lot of love and commitment to the pleasure, the adventure of playing and the mostly childlike results of a rusty imagination....

Weebale nyo.
(Thank you in Luganda)"

You can find his contact details on his website.
Oh, I hope I get one for Christmas!

Albertus is Back

A while back I blogged about Albertus Swanepoel for Gap. Now he's back. For the wonderful J.Crew. But again, his glorious hat is sold out!



And I just got the catalogue last week! Sorry, I'll be faster next time. Promise.

PS: I know its been a bit of a fashion week. More of other stuff next week. Another promise.

It's a Fashion Show-down!

Speaking of Cape Style Guide, I've recently fallen back in love with that blog. Robyn, who is our Cape Style Guider, has recently added some fun, kick-ass posts. Some are done by other fashionistas, but my favourite is her post on Fridays, in which she and Marco (of Man of the Cloth blogging fame) give their two-cents worth on a celeb's sartorial choices. I quite enjoy them. Here's my fave so far:



Reese Witherspoon
MARCO: My heart skips a beat when I see Reese Witherspoon. She's adorable and sexy and just the epitome of 'Southern Belle'. What's better is she can actually act which makes her that more of a commodity in this Hollywood salad of 'talent'. This green Shirt dress is so perfect for her colouring and the accessories make sense. Note to the Jersey Shore fans, this is what class looks like.
ROBYN: On the money. This dress is the definitive main course for a summer fashion lunch. The belt and gold gladiators, the perfect side dish and the straw trilby, a shortcut to a cool iced pudding. But mixed in with all this style-nailing is the fact that it is totally do-able by you. Or me. Or our girl friends. This is not some unattainable fashion mission. It is real. And maybe it loses some magic for me in this truth.

If you'd like to read what they said about Isaiah Mustafa (that's the new Old Spice man, man!), you'll have to take a gander over to Friday Fashion Face-Off.

Africa and EDUN

Recently EDUN, the environmentally-conscious clothing line designed Ali Hewson (dear Bono's wife), was bought by Louis Vuitton. Together, they collaborated on some beautiful travelling bags, and to promote it all, they decided to head to Africa to take a little photo. With Annie Leibovitz.



Here's a lovely little video about the whole affair, if you're interested (seems a lot for one pic, doesn't it?)



Anyhoo, I bring this up because it was shot in South Africa. Of course. It's only the most beautiful place in the whole world. And brings out the explorer in each of us (my explorer would like the bag, please!)

(As first seen on Cape Style Guide, where you can get more factual facts)

I'm Back!

Hello, my dears! It's been a while but now I'm back. It's been an eventful time while I've been away so we have a lot to catch up on. The most important thing is that Vuvuzela has been added to the Oxford dictionary. Why did they wait so long? There has been a lot happening in the southern African art/design/fashion/etc world, too, but I'll get started with those later this week. For now, I'll catch you up on my news. Not too much been going on between visiting family and work, except for:

visiting New York (in the rain). It was a blast! (Remember, if you click on the images, they get bigger)





Discovering the eden right near where I live, Walden Pond (why haven't I been there before?! Oh ja, no doggies allowed)



And I said goodbye to summer in the most delightful way at the sea...



I have to put this shot in there too. It perfectly captures that late, late summer feeling that's descending on Boston at the moment. Its that lovely moment between the awful heat and the delightful brisk autumn, where the days are warm or hot, and the nights are getting cooler, and the sky more blue.

woohoo!

oh, there is much excitement in my house today! Thank you for nominating me for an SA blog award... and if you see so fit, I would be delighted if you'd vote for me in the finals.



I have read (and love!) some of the other blogs and although I know I am definitely not in the same league as them, its an honour to be nominated alongside them.

All festivities aside, things have been busy over here... I'll back next week, hopefully with some pics and stories. I have two particularly lovely things to share, but I will just have to wait until I have plenty of time to write.

xoxo