Versatile Blogging

I was as pleased as punch to get a comment from Ansie the other day, letting me know she'd awarded me a Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you!

Part of being awarded is to share seven random things about yourself. I'm inspired by Ansie's list, so mine starts from her's:

Ansie's first thing was that she thinks in straight lines. Me too! She says she thinks that she's that way because of her architectural training. I've got no such training so I have no excuse. I just love straight lines, order and clarity. I do know that as a graphic designer being a perfectionist is just par for the course, so maybe that's where mine comes from.

Ansie said she only exercises with motivation, like her Namaqualand Walk. I would definitely be up for something like that! But the way to get me exercising is to put me in or on water, or to put a ball in front of me and a team around me. I'm there!

Ansie's favourite books are site-specific. Like The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (it is a uniquey Botswanan story). My favourite books are non-fiction, or historical fiction. Right now I'm reading The Science of Yoga. And for historical fiction, the first favourite that comes to mind is The Red Tent. I also absolutely love good children's books, like Roald Dahl's books. My favourite is an epic poem called The Voyage of the Arctic Tern.

Ansie says she could be a full-time traveller. That sounds wonderful! But I think I'd be more suited to restoring houses. I could absolutely do that full time.

I love this one: Ansie could write a book on aubergines. That would be fantastic! If I were to write a book, I think it would have to be about birds. I'd need to lots of research but I think I could easily spend many hours engrossed in thinking about birds.

Then, Ansie says she is grateful that she was not born into a first-language English speaking home. I think she's right! I wish I was bilingual, like she is.

Lastly Ansie says she can't sing. Me either! The only time I sing is to my dogs, and they don't seem to mind. Too much.

Ok! Those are my seven random facts. The rules say this:

1. Add the award to your blog
2. Thank the blogger who gave it to you.
3. Mention 7 random things about yourself.
4. List the rules.
5. Award to 15 bloggers.
6. Inform each of those 15 by leaving a comment on their blog

So, I don't think I have 15 bloggers to award it to. But here's who I will award it to:
1. Black Zebra
2. Lanalou Style
3. Miss Milli B

Happy Leap Year!

Well, isn't today a special day? I don't often get to blog on February 29! So here's a great Leap Year story for you.

I am very blessed to have a wonderful friend called Andrea. And for my birthday she gave me an awesome gift. She said that on a leap year you should challenge yourself to try something new, and so she did - and made my gift.

Andrea is a teacher of elementary/primary school age children. She was inspired some of their recent crafts with duct tape - and so she made me a fantastic ring with purple duct tape. That's right! In purple. Its phenomenal.



You can see it there, next to my new iPad! Another amazing birthday gift (from my hubby - we never trade big birthday gifts but I've been wanting one for years, so I suppose he decided to splash out). Together I look amazing while I scroll through my digital magazines, with my gorgeous ring on my finger.

And on the screen of my iPad is a spread from House & Leisure magazine - one of the major reasons I wanted an iPad. I hate sitting at my desk in our spare room and reading the latest on South African interiors. Now I can do it on the couch. Or in bed. Or in the bath. Well, maybe not the bath. I'd be afraid to drop the iPad!

It's fantastic. But now I don't need some of my House & Leisure magazines. I'll just have to get rid of them. Come back tomorrow, and you might get one...

66 Square Feet

Well done to Marie, over at 66 Square Feet! She writes a beautiful blog, and is featured this month in Martha Stewart's Living Magazine.



That's the March 2012 issue - get yours now!

Hellooow

And welcome to a new, fresh week :)

First of all, wasn't Cirque du Soleil phenomenal on the Oscars last night? Wow.

Then, these:











Aren't they amazing? They're the beautiful work of a special group of talented women in Durban, led by Merewyn De Heer. This group is called Hellooow Handmade. They make a bunch of other things too (jewelry, headboards, that kind of thing) but to me, these chandeliers are just bliss.

Beautiful Things

Here are just a few beautiful things I've seen on the web this week .... Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Xoxo

An amazing wedding - makes me want to throw another one (maybe for my tenth anniversary this year?)!



A gorgeous home



And here's some more Cape Town from an American perspective: from Court's blog, Breaking Down the Big Beige Box (here, here and here)

Cape Town Trip: Kirstenbosch

Ah, the most beautiful garden in Africa: Kirstenbosch. And one of my most favourite places on earth.

Today's my birthday! So in celebration I thought I'd share my photos from Kirstenbosch, because I share part of its name.

You start at the bottom of a hill, looking up...





There is art to enjoy (sorry, I didn't write down the artists' names and there is nothing online to tell me whose work this is! Help, anyone?)







You might see some guinea fowl and their chicks! Can you spot them?



And you can wander, through plantings, along pathways...





You can rest at Colonel Bird's Bath



and enjoy the cycad forest



but most of all, you are there for the trees and the plants.

















Back in Boston, I also write a little blog at my day job - its about parties. So, for my birthday this year I had a fun mardi gras party and wrote about it on that blog. It was a blast!

Cape Town Trip: Chapman's Peak Drive

Hello, friends! I know, its been a while... but things have been busy (as I'm sure it is for you too) and tonight is the first time I can sit down and continue my story of my fantastic trip to South Africa in December.

Right, so where were we? We had survived the flight, visited the Penguins at Boulders Beach, and gone into Cape Town proper.

To get to Cape Town we took the scenic route from Fish Hoek, which takes us along Chapman's Peak. This drive is magnificent so I cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone wanting to enjoy the Cape's beauty. You can read more about the info regarding the road here, but this post is for us to just enjoy the sweeping views.

As always, click on the image to see it bigger.

You start off from Noordhoek, where the road starts to climb up...





Ahead of you is a cliff face, and possibly falling rocks..! (ah, but there are nets to protect you).









You can stop along the way to drink it all in. Above you...



... and below you.



To your left, the road you drove in on...


In front of you, open ocean...



And to your right, Hout Bay, your destination.



Two things to be aware of as you drive: cyclists use Chapman's Peak, so share the road (in fact, cyclists are everywhere in this area - which makes driving quite difficult), and there is a toll of R42, so bring some cash with you.



And when you get to Hout Bay, you can look back at the road, carved into the mountainside.



And dip your toes while you get acquainted with the leopard statue, watching over the beach. You can read more about it here.



More stories to come! Have a great week!

Tree House

I was checking out Visi, and this image caught my eye.



I took a look through the pics from the article on this Johannesburg house, and found a few things that I liked besides the tree.

The lights in the bedroom.



That they have a Casamento couch!



This touching wall vignette of treasured things.

Inspiration for a Friday

Digging this optical illusion (via Black*Eiffel)



Loving this tattoo lady (from the wonderful G2 blog)




True.



I loved Vicki's bathroom, and now you can see her whole house. Gorgeous!




Have a wonderful weekend!