Wall art

I have been researching wall art for our new offices, hoping to inject some life onto very large, very sparse walls. I was amazed to find that there are so many companies in South Africa that sell wall stickers, and good ones too!

Now these images are proof that wall stickers don't need to be kitch! I am dying to order one for my bedroom, will show you when it's up!

x a

All images via www.ginandchocolate.com

Happy Weekend

Just a pretty little picture to see you on your way. Have a lovely weekend everyone!

x a

Sleepy time

I seriously want to go and fall into this bed right now.

:) a

Vir my boetie en sy verloofde

The writing is on the wall (or on the sun lounger)

I have a strange obsession with words. More to the point, writing on walls. I think if I had free reign, I would cover my walls in poems, songs, thoughts, whatever I could.

But I do not have free reign (and let's be honest, I do get bored of having to look at the same thing everyday very quickly), so these canvasses provide me with the perfect solution!

How's this for a perfect lounger?

"I love you much most beautiful darling". Now who wouldn't want those words uttered to them?

x a

ps. I have an unmentionable amounts of images on my computer. Whenever I see something I like, I file it under my 'inspirasie' folder. So if anyone sees something that is theirs, and I have not linked back to you or mentioned you, it's really only because I suck at admin and referencing images. Mail me and I will add the link immediately! Promise.

A new Year, a new you?

It has been months since my last blog (tsk, tsk). The last bit of 2009 was a chaotic rush to the end, but now that we are in a new year, I am committed to taking things a little more... slowly....

I have realised how easily we rush past moments in our lives, and before we know it it's all gone.

So, here's to stopping to smell the roses in 2010! I have many wonderful, beautiful things to share with you this year!

x a

I Love...

I love... great big climbing plants with masses of bright pink flowers. Perect for Spring time.

x amanda

Good enough to eat

Tucked away in Stellenbosch is the utterly delightful 'Cupcake'.

Yip, they sell all sorts of beautiful (and delicious) cupcakes, but that's not the only thing. The meringues in different assortments (try strawberry, pistachio nuts, coffee or chocolate) are crispy on the outside, and wonderfully gooey on the inside.

I love the combination of all the pastel colours and retro furniture. And what's not to love about the trio of fridges?

x amanda

Going dotty

I am madly in love with this black and white re-do. Simply gorgeous!

x amanda

images via sprucehome

The prettiest thing I have seen in a long time...

This bookshelf by Studiobility is simply beautiful, isn't it?

Have a look at some more of their work at Studiobility

Especially at the Playground page!!

I am busy 'renovating' my apartment at the moment (I put 'renovating' in inverted commas, because there is only so much you can do when you are renting!) and I really would love love love this shelf in my entrance.

x amanda

I think blue is my favourite colour...

All these blue images (coupled with lots of white) are so peaceful. I'm on love with the freshness and clean feeling it all evokes. Maybe it's because we will be moving into Spring time soon, time for a fresh start!

x amanda

I ♥

I have always loved these chairs. The simple elegance of the cross back is just gorgeous. And the weathered timber makes it look so real.

One day, for my farmhouse kitchen...

x amanda

For my sunshine

What we are missing out on

I had my first (and only) Ikea experience in my 3rd year of studies. We partenered with 4 Swedish design students and worked on a low cost housing development just outside of Port Elizabeth. Because of the Swedish involvement (the Swedish goverment have partnered with the City of Port Elizabeth in some way...) Ikea had decided to sponsor the interior furnishings required for the new homes.

We were given a catalogue to choose which items we wanted, it was shipped to the Port Elizabeth harbour, and we had a ball of a time assembling everything, even the kitchens!

Now I read that the new catalogue is out. And I am bombarded with images of what is on the shelfs, and again I long for my very own Ikea store. It's not that their stuff is soooo wonderful, it's more a case of making good design affordable. When will they come to our shores? ;(

What to do with old books?

Build a counter!

I ♥

I am in love with these patchwork curtains. Looks like they have a story to tell...(or a couple).

Patchwork items can so easily look cheap, with little scraps sewn together. But these curtains look sophisticated, thanks to the solid deep purple section at the bottom of both to tie them together. Beautiful!

Image via www.absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com

Look what I bought...

On an incredible impulse, I bought myself a sewing machine. I was on Gumtree and stumbled across the ad for a sewing machine and thought "Hey, I could use a sewing machine". So there, 4 hours later, I was driving home with a sewing machine that I had no idea what I was going to do with!

But now I'm inspired to learn and make things. What things I don't know quite yet, but at least it's fun!

I'll be sure to show what I've made!

x amanda

An amazing find

I've stumbled accross Etsy.com. Now for most bloggers this is probably old news, but some things take me a little while... :) I kept on seeing 'found on etsy' and 'visit my etsy shop' on other blogs, and normally admired the photos of objects I saw, but never actualle logged on to etsy.com....until last week.

It's the kind of site I've been dreaming of! Go check it out www.etsy.com. Hopefully I will soon have my own shopfront!

x amanda

Gestop in tyd

Ek het so bietjie lanklaas 'n verskyning gemaak, dinge was maar dol. Ek sal opmaak vir my afwesigheid!

Ek was baie bevoorreg om Marieke Prinsloo te ontmoet. Sy is 'n pragtige mens, met 'n siel wat jou dadelik inneem en laat tuis voel. Sy is borrelend, vriendelik, en gretig om alles met jou te deel. Sy is ook, by the way, een van ons land se mees talentvolle kunstenaars.

Marieka is 'n beeldhouer, en haar werk is asemrowend. Haar beelde van vroue is so eg, so vol emosie, dit voel soos 'n egte persoon wat vasgevang is in daardie oomblik.

Hierdie foto's is van haar 'Prima Vera Dancing Girls', gebaseer op Bottichelli se 'Prima Vera'.
Kyk net die detail op die rok (die kant), die beweging in die rokke, die absolute emosie.

Ek beloof om nog van Marieke se fanstastiese werk in die toekoms te wys.

Kyk die detail op die linkerste rok, lyk kompleet soos 'n sagte kant rokkie

En ek is natuurlik mal oor haar studio muur, kyk net al die sement hartjies en figure. Pragtig.

Tot volgende keer,

x amanda

Today...

...want to get into my car and hit the road. Nowhere specific.

(I'm obviously just jealous of 2 great friends who are doing a road trip around Australia in a little van)

One day.