Steffany loves

top 20 reasons to be in South Africa- wallpaper* november 2011

2011-11-01T09:26:00.002+02:00

i made it into wallpaper magazine! a dream come true, cause i sure do like the magazine! but to have made it into their top 20 reasons to be in south africa and to be number 9! along with some of the best designers i know in the country! what an honour! thank you!!!

new stock for the new neighbourgoods market in jhb

2011-09-09T16:19:00.006+02:00

the new market is opening tomorrow! so if you are in jhb and want to have a squiz... its at 73 Juta street, Braamfontein!
i have a sneaking feeling is going to be really good!!!

p.s watch out for these pieces in the october/november issue of wallpaper* magazine! (above)

crystal bar and copper plated chain

antique brass and african silver beads

brass, copper, crystals and oxidised chains! inlove with these things!

ps...all new things available in cape town too!

blue sky

2011-07-10T19:25:00.001+02:00

went to the beach today. this is how blue the sky was!

hmmm i really do like warm sunny days. feel like it melted away the edges of me. nice

rose cut rose quarts rings

2011-07-10T19:19:00.002+02:00

for sale at the market, 1 left....
also have some lapis lazuli rings, star diopside, vintage japanese blue glass scarab ring... (only have one more glass stone left, so this one will be the 2nd to last one i make- but do have pink (rose quartsy) and green(blood stone immitation) vintage japanese glass scarabs....and am making the rings this week...will post soon...

i know i am not so good at posting regularly... but to be honest i find blogspot a little slow, and i am impatient i guess.....

anyway
today you guys are getting a multi post rush :) enjoy cause who knows when i'll post again ;)
//////

baked apple biscuits

2011-07-10T17:21:00.003+02:00

i think i made a lemon tart, it may have been another kind of tart, it was a while ago...and so the reason i am telling you this is that i had some left over dough in the freezer and some apples that were not crispy....so i added them together and made these...
was rather nice, took them to the studio for tea the next day.

ring ring for miss shirley

2011-07-10T16:42:00.006+02:00

Shirley Fintz has been my best customer ever! it helps that she is a serious collector of all things fantastic, her collecting verges on obsessive, which is actually pretty great for me, and really nice to see someone who really likes nice stuff! and makes really fantastic ceramic sculptures...

i would really like to take some pictures of all of the rings that i have made her, and how they look after being worn....
she must have between 20 and 30 rings that i have made.

these rings has been made from vintage brooches

(these are from this year alone... i have been making rings for her for 6 or 7 years.... will keep posting about them..there or 4 or more in the pipeline....)

new jewellery

2011-07-10T16:24:00.005+02:00

enamelled triangles.
shapes (geometric especially and patterns) are really appealing to me more and more. the more i use them the more i like them.

house and leisure blog post

2011-06-28T21:28:00.004+02:00

thanks house and leisure for the mention!
they like my coin embossed 'babushka' owls! hoot hot

food from the karoo

2011-05-16T16:50:00.004+02:00

so, i think that this is just fantastic! being able to order directly from the farmer/s with free delivery in cape town (and other area's too!) and all for really good prices.
and you know exactly where your meat comes from! being a recent (well 2 years and counting) convert to carivorous eating (after 15 years of vegetarianism, and 2 years of veganism) i get a little freaked out going to supermarkets to buy meat.... lurking in the back of my head are thoughts of giant abbitoirs and conveyor lines of meat production//// hormones/// antibiotics....eeek

but i really do like meat.

so i have just ordered 1kg of lamb mince.... i am envisioning lamb and tsatsiki burgers with all the toppings and fries.....
i didn't see lamb fillet on their list but there is an amazing recipe for lamb fillet with sumac, served with humus and pita breads and other really yummy middle eastern foods (my favourite!) i have also made a marinade with sumac, lemon rind, juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, smoked paprika and cayene pepper..... it is sooooooo good!

i am also really keen to try a recipe my sister sent that uses cardamom and coffee grinds...sounds strange, but she says its amazing---and we like very similar foods..... so next on my order list: lamb chops....

if i hadn't just eaten i think i would be drooling! but i am smacking my lips....mmm

new crystal rings

2011-05-16T15:28:00.003+02:00

2011-02-12T13:07:00.000+02:00

some of my favorite savory treats

2011-02-05T18:53:00.004+02:00

i really do enjoy cooking. one of my favorite things to do is to take the afternoon off, or spend a saturday shopping in the a.m and then cooking up a feast for friends.
here's one of my all time favorites. grilled Aubergine rolls....hmmmm mmm they are good!
this maybe one of the only recipes that i can claim as my own. when i was growing up my family used to make stuffed grilled peppers, where you burn off the peppers skin and then clean out the inside, and fill them with a mixture of feta, some crushed garlic, basil and olive oil, and serve with garlic pizza...ooo its so good.

we were making that one day and there was some of the feta mixture left...and we had grilled aubergine...and i thought--it would be a good combo too...but to make it different i added mint, walnuts and lemon juice, i now also add some smoked paprika.

i may have to have a lunch or dinner party again soon soon!

ring ring......

2011-02-04T21:05:00.003+02:00

Bronze and silver rings i have made

gold and rose cut diamond rings

2011-01-29T09:35:00.005+02:00

i have fallen in love with antique rose cut diamonds. they are fairly hard to get hold of. but are really beautiful.
most of the diamonds that i have bought have quite a few inclusions so they are unique and interesting to look at!

i am still lookinf for old gold to use, so if anyone has some old gold jewellery lying around, i'll buy it from you!

how sweet... yes please i'll have one of each!

2010-12-16T11:14:00.004+02:00

if there is anyone out there wondering what to possibly get me for christmas..... or just cause you love me and don;t really need a reason to buy me things.... i like these a lot!

sale! sale! sale!

2010-12-15T14:32:00.002+02:00

hi all.
i mark down my prices 1 x per year....and the time has come for that special day. so let your friends know or just bring them with! (unless its them you're buying the gifts for ) and join me, jess, keith and emile from feiyue shoes for a drink and some shopping fun!

christmas night markt

2010-12-14T16:11:00.002+02:00

its that time of the year again for the christmas night market at the biscuit mill.
come join us for a glass of wine, maybe something to eat...and of course the best christmas presents around!

jhb food/wine & design fair

2010-12-09T14:28:00.008+02:00

2 weeks ago i took part in the jhb food/wine & design fair. I shared a stand with some friends of mine, who also happen to make really great things!
i am really happy with the way our stand looked (actually i thought it looked fantastic! ) and that everything really complimented each other! and that it wasn't too clustered- it was just we we needed and wanted!

Our stand

crystal clusters! yes please!!!!

jewellery poster

rings, rings, rings

marc and lyall's halo lamp, which i think i would like to purchase once i have started re-arranging the house---(ooh i shall be living on my own soon)

beautifully turned trestle's

frauke's free handouts and fantastic t-shirts

hooray i have a website!

2010-11-19T08:08:00.003+02:00

i'm am so excited, it feels like i have taken another step up.... (into the professional realm-i think?) but its also awesome to be able to tell people that they can see what i do any time any where!
i have to say the HUGEST thanks to greg lomas from greenteabag.
i tried to figure out how to use withtank, so i could make my own site, but i think i am somewhat retarded when it comes to understanding how to do it. i sat for hours and did not get it! and so i asked greg if he would show me the ropes....but we ran out of time and so he just did it for me! THANK YOU!!!!!!

i have also been working really hard to get things ready for the jhb food/wine/design fair, which is happening next week!
i am sharing a stand with marc and lyall and frauke. think its going to work out rather nicely!

i will post pictures soon!

inspiration

2010-10-05T14:53:00.006+02:00

my friend Kurt and his housemate have inspiration walls in their house (think theirs is mainly for stuff they want and like)
and i really like them, so i made one at my studio, here are some pics.

i also went to the scratch patch in simons town yesterday for crystals- sheweee i sure do like 'em!

its a curious thing how times change and what you like does as well. 2 years ago if you'd asked me would i be making jewellery with crystals i would have said oh NO. but here i am, and i can't get enough of them! they're just beautiful! and amazing, that our earth makes them just so!

yes please!

this picture is so fantastic! i don't know how to describe how it makes me feel.
i used it for inspiration for design indaba too- but i realise that its hard to make jewellery that evokes feelings- i wanted my jewellery to make people feel this way. maybe this new range will?

old gold

2010-10-04T19:51:00.002+02:00

friends, do you have any unwanted/broken gold jewellery, that you just don't know what to do with? i have the answer: sell it to me, so i can make it into something new and beautiful, i will pay what the gold price is, i would like 18ct, but beggars can't be choosey yo.

so the reason i am asking for your gold is so that i don't have to get new gold- there is so much gold around, i'd rather recycle.

i know the way to find the answers

2010-10-04T19:36:00.004+02:00

there are so many options, its almost like a maze-like you're looking for a way to something, and then there's the answer.
i found it on mint design blog, they have some nice topics like howdy do it, where they speak to different designer/artists on how they do things, i.e planning, staying organised, account software, etc... all really interesting topics.

am i going to jump in the deep end? i can swim-so i think i shall!

2010-09-30T12:23:00.002+02:00

whoa, this is so exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time.
and its top secret for now!

some days are just sad

2010-09-18T19:12:00.003+02:00

my heart is aching for julia and her family, michael, julia's brother died after a motorbike accident.
i can't even comprehend the sadness they feel. and i send them all my love.
my heart also goes out to inge who recently lost her dad.

with all of this happening around me, its really made me want to let my friends and family know how much i love and appreciate them.

from Kahlil Gibran on Friendship

Your friend is one who answers to your needs:
the field you sow with love, and reap with thanks;
you seek him for your peace, to hear his heart;
and when he's silent - still his heart you hear:

because, with words or not, you share his joy;
in presence or in absence he is there;
and stronger love may in his absence show:
the beauty of a love that asks for naught.

So tell your friend of all that ebbs and flows,
your best and worst of what fate deals to you:
no thought too great nor light for open minds
who share their pleasures, and their laughter too.

For in the dew of sweet and passing thoughts
each morning's fresh, for close and constant hearts.

i am so grateful to my friends. i love you guys!

you & me & everyone we know market

2010-09-09T21:02:00.002+02:00

i will be taking part in the you & me & everyone we know market this saturday from 10-4pm

danna and i will be selling (on sale----wooo hoooo) sweet rocket jewellery- we wanna get rid of the sample range, so things will be at great prices and many of them will be one off pieces! come check it out!

danna will also be selling some of her jewellery and i will have some things on sale tooo.....

YAY for sales

there will also be awesome vintage dresses and clothes (i am hoping they are awesome and in my new size!)

and a cocktail bar...hmmmm mmmmm
and lots of other stalls selling food and stuff
come hang out with us it will be fun!
x\\\\\

awesome give away: beatnik bazaar spring-competition

2010-08-27T09:28:00.003+02:00

my friend thaya has this awesome give away on her blog, beatnik bazaar. loads of really really kiff stuff, like a dress from my housemate jessica harwood/ take care, and across stitch hoop from the amazingly multi-talented lauren fowler, ooohhhh and mac make up (my favourite stuff to wear-when i do wear make-up, its mac!) and chocolates from the best chocolate makers in town: honest chocolates yummmmy! and like loads of other stuff like books and bags and cakes. check it out!

bwah ha ha ha haha!!!!!

2010-08-24T21:18:00.003+02:00

a friend showed me this site: awkward family photo's and it has had me in stitches! shit some of them are funny!

how's the girl behind the door?

and grandma doesn't crack the nod for the cross leg pose?
we'll just leave her over there

?? what

cosmopolitan , september 2010

2010-08-24T09:47:00.004+02:00

my geometric enamel necklace made it into cosmo! pg 123

running shoes

2010-08-22T19:58:00.002+02:00

i finally found a pair of the addidas kanadia trail running shoe's in my size. now the weather must co-operate so i can head to the mountain and run. i tried them out at gym- they're really light and comfy!

burr & muir

2010-08-21T09:39:00.004+02:00

i was wandering around town a week or so ago waiting to have coffee with a friend at birds cafe, i have always peered through the window of burr & muir and thought they have nice things-and on this day i decided to go in. they're on corner of church and loop street. and oh my do they have some beautiful things in there!

i love this vase with the little fat birds sitting on the branches!

real lalique glassware, and beautiful vases and little ceramic sculptures. all beautiful. it is really worth going in to have a look. i got the feeling that the only time i would actually get to see some of these objects were if i were in an oversea's museum, or some really really wealthy person house, and i don't know to many of those. or in a book- which is just not the same!

its really amazing to think that these things are made by someone! they're perfect and the design is amazing. the craftmanship.

this vase is acid etched. amazing!

birthday

2010-08-21T09:25:00.004+02:00

it was my birthday last weekend, and we went to beluga's for half price sushi and cocktails (all day on sunday!)

the sushi was a little slow to come out, understandable seeing as the whole place was full of people wanting half price sushi and cocktails!
the restaurant found out it was my birthday, and they brought me a free dessert, a shot of jaggermeister, a shot of some apple something, a shot of some other something and a milky something daquiri cocktail!!! i am happy to say i didn't drink it all ( i think it would have made me involuntarily loose my sushi!) but felt super spoilt.

also a BIG thank you to all my friends who came for all my really rad gifts! x x x x love you
i only have a few photo's- i was otherwise occupied.

life is happening all around

2010-08-11T10:22:00.004+02:00

it seem like it is quite an intense phase at the moment. it always seems to happen in waves. and makes me wonder if there's an external force at work/influence, like the gravitational pull of the moon, or cosmic events that we can't see---that send out electromagnetic waves or some sort of waves that affect us-somehow. or maybe its just life and life happens?

like last week, my car door decided to not work, then my car decided to start but not go anywhere, i was at gym and then had to run/walk home in the howling wind and slightly spitting rain. the microwave is also on the fritz-its temperamental and will work when it wants to. anyway these are little things.

a friends father has died from cancer, and it has made me think of my moms death, and how different it was, very unexpected and we hadn't spoken in a few years-i had always thought we would, but i guess neither of us knew how to. and i don't think she was expecting to pop her clogs quite so soon (she was 53)-i know i wasn't expecting her to! i have made peace with it, it was the best thing for her.

my brother in-laws father has also been diagnosed with terminal cancer, even though he is sick he is living it up doing what he enjoys most-drinking and smoking and braaing and hanging out.

my father is getting a divorce, after 6 years of marriage (not so long, but the longest he's ever been married!)
its changing the family dinamic yet again. for years i felt like i was living in a soap opera, (no really, probably more of a late night show than the day time soaps, because of my dad and his actions)
i was feeling like things were settling and that my dad had his life (with his 27 year old wife-they met when she was 19 and me 24) and i accepted it because they were 'happy'.
and i could keep my distance, not too distant as i have a younger sister (who is awesome, and from an ex girlfriend of my dads) she's 11. but if it wasn't for her i think i would have had a lot more distance.

and so now it feels like space is opening up. i know my dad says that space is opening up for him to spend more time with me and my siblings. i guess for me its deciding if i want to be in that space. and negotiating for myself a new relationship with him, as our dinamic in the past was really not a healthy one. and i know i won't go back to it. but how do you change old patterns and ways of reacting- i know over the time that has passed we have both changed and grown.

its crazy, it feels like i have known him my whole life- but don't actually know him. and i really didn't know my mom- i knew her better after her death than i did in life.

and more and more of my friends are having babies--babies babies babies. i can count 5 that were born in the last year and more on the way...
and the cycle begins again. life, marriage or not, kids, death.............
and all of this for what? expanding conciousness and experience? for sprititual awareness? to be able to reach a state of stillness and awareness in the chaos? for joy?

i don't want to sound negative ( and i am not feeling negative) i just have questions i guess.

opaque green glass heaven

2010-08-11T09:51:00.006+02:00

i am a huge and i mean huge fan of opaque green glassware.
when i saw this picture i nearly died, and if i had died- i would have gone to a very little opaque green glassware hell! as in my possession at this time i only have 2 pieces: a rather lovelly mixing jug and a small serving plate. alas i used to have a beautiful jar, (like the one's on the top left shelf) that i used to keep coffee in.

but one gloomy morning i went to make coffee, saw that i needed to put more coffee into my jar, then filled it up and as i was empty the 500g sachet of coffee into the jar....something horrendous happened, i knocked the jar off the counter!!! and it shattered! and so to make it even worse i couldn't even have coffee, as all the coffee grinds were infused with green glass splinters and shards. it was a gloomy day.

morning coffee has just never been the same.

so if you ever come across some opaque green glassware especially jars, and don't want it for your self. please let me know. i would be very eternally grateful!

words and tattoo's

2010-07-31T18:26:00.002+02:00

i am not sure how i feel about the tattoo's but i like what they say.
i found the images here, tattoologist a nice blog on tattoos.

yoh. check how cool i was!

2010-07-30T10:05:00.005+02:00

bwah ha ha ha ha!!!!
p.s this was taken at blouberg beach, and not sure who the transvaal ford belongs to or the beer cans!

antonia

2010-07-27T12:40:00.003+02:00

here are some picture of my mother, when she was young. if only i had inherited her long thin legs!
i think in the top picture, she was modelling for a calendar? i maybe wrong. otherwise i am not sure what the outfit is about.
she grew up in a fishing village in portugal.

yum! ice cream

2010-07-25T15:51:00.006+02:00

i remember as a kid, ice cream was one of my favorite things in the whole wide world! it appears i had no shame in picking up my sisters ice cream from the floor and proceeding to engorge myself with it!

reets. you look so sad! if only i had looked beyond the ice cream i think i would have felt very bad!

wellington and darling

2010-07-25T10:35:00.008+02:00

on thursday after another failed attempt to buy a car (this time from some muslim guys in kenilworth- who buy cars on auction and re sell, as a sideline to their main business of selling cigarettes and airtime in bulk. so needless to say the car wasn't what i wanted-but can only tell once you've gone to see it!) but YAY i found one this weekend, i get it on monday! hoorah!
so anyway i called up dannali to see if she wanted to go for coffee, but simon and her were going to go to wellington and darling, so i decided to join them.

Darling Museum

i love old slips and nighties. i sometimes think that if i lived way back when i would have enjoyed making lace and making really sweet nighties and slips and bloomers....

who knew camel made things other than cigarettes!

i like the way the tools are laid out!

inspiration

2010-07-17T15:29:00.007+02:00

when i was designing my range for design indaba i wanted my jewellery to make me (and others) feel like this. exciting and free. and be the colors of the sea...blues, brown (sea weed and rocks) and white (sand).
i wanted to evoke a feeling. summer time, with time on your side, freedom, excitement, inspired.
and a connection to nature with the sea and the crystals.
which i guess is hard, everyone has different feeling about things.

i had the tops of crystal matrix's cut off and i set them in the rings, which i first carved from wax and then cast in silver or bronze. the bronze ring worked beautifully with the amethyst crystal. i was surprised at just how beautifully, at first i wasn't sure how they would work together. but the reds in the broze some how complimented the amythyst.

i organised my workspace

2010-07-13T15:11:00.003+02:00

enamels

fabric and books and bits and bobs

my desk. its probably about as neat as it will ever be! if not a whole lot messier. how does everyone else keep things organised and neat?

cups and stuff

our fantastic view!

I am probably one of the messiest workers i know (except in the kitchen)! i tend to leave stacks of things and stuff on every surface i have available to me. and little bowls of things that i may one day use. and random pieces of paper and scarves and more stuff.

oh! i think i am in love!

2010-07-08T11:31:00.007+02:00

i found this site Doll, the art and craft of mimi kirchner

swoon.....they look so nicely made! i really really like seeing things that are nicely made!

this one (with the antique button belt) is my favourite. oo la laa!

i like the way she uses the fabric for details, that she uses antique buttons as a belt, the contrast of super masculine men with feminine details. i think it is so sexy. now just to find a real man like this!

i love that she organises her threads by colour in seperate containers (oh to be so organised!)
that her desk is cluttered but still has a place for everthing.

sophie bazin

2010-06-21T19:22:00.002+02:00

i was looking at blogs today and came across sophie bazin's blog on freckle farm

i really like the colours, texture and simplicity of them! high five!

sculpture's on the promenade

2010-06-13T11:40:00.004+02:00

yesterday on the way to a friends house for supper a saw these sculptures on the promenade, and this morning i took a walk down to have a closer look.

Photo's of my jewellery

2010-06-08T17:50:00.005+02:00

I asked 2 of my talented photograher friends Inge Prins and Julia Merrett, to take some photo's of my jewellery, for reference and because Andrea Nagel a reporter for the time's in jhb want to do a feature on me! (how exciting!)

Julia also double's as a very beautiful model!

thanks both of you! it so amazing to have proper photo's of my work!

shoe give away

2010-05-12T14:28:00.003+02:00

i am clearing out my old stock! so there are some FREE sandals, to thoughs folks who say "yes please" first!
i have them in size 6, 7 and 8... sorry smaller footed folks...

mural at julia's house

2010-05-06T10:48:00.004+02:00

julia made this really sweet mural by her pool
for a while(maybe a good 8 years, maybe more maybe less) she had her house as plain as it could be, inside walls white with only a few of her very many things on display, and recently(3 years or so) she's been adding colour again, painting inside wall different colours, buying ceramic dogs, painting murals outside.
when i was growing up (my dad and her went out and lived together for 14 years) the house was really colourful and had lots of things everywhere. and then when she fell pregnant she changed everything to white! couches, walls, cushions, took down lots of the pictures, and its taken years to start the colouring process again-tristan just turned 18!

oh yes, the wall is also painted blue, she wanted to match it to the blue of the pool---think she did!

pencil drawings by julia randall

2010-05-05T21:13:00.003+02:00

i was surfing the ol interweb and came across a link to these pictures. this is my favourite one, you can see more here

i like it--she has a whole universe in her spit bubble!

amazing chinese singing lotus candles

2010-05-04T21:03:00.003+02:00

It was tristans 18th birthday in April, i made pizza and double chocolate brownies. but the high light was definitely the amazing singing lotus candles( ok so we had to cut the wires cause 3 going at once was a little bit much!)

YAY my watch arrived!

2010-04-16T12:33:00.002+02:00

its so exciting getting parcels in the post! even if you know what it is! yayeeee

books from kafda

2010-04-16T12:10:00.008+02:00

i really like going to Kafda on sea point main rd, i often find some interesting books. they also have a great selection of old books. i especially like the old canvas-y style covers with prints and embossing! here are some that i have bought.
also the old childrens books have amazing illustrations in!

and the "simple" illustration of this--a nice reminder what lines can do..... if put together right!
this is the 1st chapter from the book with the boat on the cover, it's called Jeb Ellis of Candlemas Bay by Ruth Moore

i like the prints on these!

and the water babies, is a strange story ---i have read it, but the older editions often have the most beautiful illustrations! i have another one that has different pictures! will post it at another time.

i like the cover of this one, and her outfit!

dinner for me

2010-04-13T20:57:00.003+02:00

i am trying to eat more healthily, and not getting take outs...
i have to say that cooking for just for me isn't the most fun...also i had to make this with what i had

so its a salad with rocket (my most favourite leaf!), green beens, baby squash, chick pea's, marinated artichokes, and some feta, and topped off with some red cabbage, cause it was looking awfully green and beige-y!

milnerton market and second hand finds

2010-04-13T20:28:00.009+02:00

i saw on my friend marietjie's blog that she posted all the treasure's she found at milnerton market this sunday.. i met her there, but was a little hung over and so didn't have the patience to go through all the stands very thoroughly, but i did manage to find some glasses and an enamel baking tray.

and this key!!! i love it! its from the 1800's-- i was imagining it opening an old wooden door in an over grown garden into a old house or big field...but alas and ( very supposedly ) its the key from an old podium that had a huge huge drawer....that needed a key the size of my hand to open it? hmphh i don't know if i believe it! oh i found this key 2 weeks ago--- he has more, but smaller ones and they are a bit more intricate

i quite like these- i am definitely starting to like more retro things--i think i maybe jess's influence.

i found these glasses at a second hand shop in sea point--i can just picture sipping pink g and t's out of them! ooh its a pity summer is pretty much overs!

i also managed to find the same japanese wooden dolls on a previous visit

and some serving plates, (i sure do like serving plates)

house painting

2010-04-13T20:11:00.005+02:00

i have been wanting to paint the house i stay in for ages (it belongs to a friend of my dads, and he lives in japan and said that i can stay in it while he's away, and so in turn i look after it and pay for things to get done to it and for general up keep)

painting it in very similar colours to what it is now--well was... here are some pictures of the after effects of the high pressure hose pipe that blasted the paint off!

i like how the house looks like it could be from some far off old colony (ta ha ha like south africa isn't that....) and the turquoise strips on the stairs....

ooh...

2010-04-07T14:20:00.002+02:00

i am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my beautiful watch...thinking of how nice it'll look on my wrist! all gold and letting me know the time, anytime i'd like....
must remember that it SA postal system, and it'll probably be 5 more days or so--considering the public holidays, and general slowness....
ooh but i can't wait for it to get here!

pictures of our end of summer sale and studio warming

2010-04-05T09:46:00.005+02:00

we were really happy with the amount of people who came through (thank you everyone that did!) it was awesome!
it was really busy, so i only managed to take some picture's after everyone had left!
if anyone wants to be added to our list for future sales and events please email/leave a comment with me your contact details and i'll add you!

i bought myself a watch!

2010-03-29T21:22:00.004+02:00

i bought this watch on ebay yesterday, can't wait for it to arrive!
it was a toss up between a vintage casio and a seiko kinetic. And yesterday i came across this one and it was a bargain! and i couldn't say no!

swimming in the sea

2010-03-26T17:46:00.005+02:00

yesterday i really wanted to swim in the sea, so i went to camps bay, there were beautiful clouds in the sky, and the beach was almost empty. it was perfect. here are some pictures

dreams

2010-03-26T17:17:00.003+02:00

i found this on my love for you is a stampede of horses, i like it. the only problem is figuring out what my dreams are, when i do manage to figure them out, they do seem to know where they're headed.
they also tend to change quite often.... but dreaming is fun so i don't mind tooooo much

oh my!

2010-03-23T20:51:00.002+02:00

i just had a look at chloe's site: Missibaba, she makes the most beautiful bags!
i wish i didn't have to fix my car/buy another one, and could buy me one or 2 of these beauties! if you'd like to go to her website and you can even custom design your own bag!

isn't this beautiful?

2010-03-23T17:54:00.009+02:00

one day i would really really like to own one of these (even if i have to make one myself!), its 18 ct yellow gold, with a large (9ct) antique rose cut black diamond, (ok mine doesn't have be this big, i'll settle for a 2 or 3 ct one)--the reason these diamonds are so much cheaper than the perfectly flawless ones, is exactly that they aren't perfect! But i find them more beautiful, they're unique, and so much more interesting to look at!

Conroy + Wilcox 9.00ct Rose Cut Black Diamond Ring, 18K, you can find it here this site also has amazing antique jewellery...i like it alot!

End of Summer Sale

2010-03-19T16:03:00.003+02:00

Hi all
we are finally having our studio warming and combining it with a sale to welcome in autumn (my favourite season!)
please join us if you can and bring your friends to, even if to just see our beautiful studio space!

x

my jewellery at design indaba

2010-03-06T19:06:00.005+02:00

design indaba

2010-03-06T14:47:00.002+02:00

so design indaba is over and i have had a bit of a break, and i am finally back to my old self.
i have to admit that i have not worked as hard as did gettting ready for the indaba, in a really long time.
was good to remind myself that i can work hard! i also have to thank my sissie- rita for working with me on my stand-she definitely saved me a couple of times, when i was getting nervous about not selling enough, and also was great to spend 12 hours a day with her!
here are some photo's of my stand and jewellery

working toward design indaba

2010-02-09T23:09:00.002+02:00

i have been working alot lately, trying to get my idea's, and jewellery ready for design indaba, which is coming up awfully quicky!
i had some help-with figuring out my stand from keith henning, who is a real good idustrial designer...now its just to implement the idea's into something palpable (is that the right word?-hope so cause i like it) and i maybe a little too tired to mind too much if its not.

i have an idea or rather a feeling of what i would like my stand to be like at D.I.----- i'd like it to make me feel the way the sea does on a hot day, and the water is blue, green and clear, with soft waves and not too many people on the beach....
or like watching beautiful clouds float across the sky.....or the way a cluster of crystals amazes me...........
not sure i have enough time to get it quite like that, but thats what i'd like....

i have also been having a hard time deciding on whether to use meisie (the clothing label that marietjie and i started a couple-hmm more like 6 or 8 months ago) on the stand, as space is an issue. ALSO hanging on and touching almost every wooden surface and crossing my fingers, that i will have some shoes ready for this indaba--lord knows i have tried for the last 2 and it didn't happen---3RD time lucky!!!! whoo hooo---keeping it positve....pleases and big thanks and pleases......

x

Crystal Animals By Ooli Of INKINK

2010-01-12T23:02:00.014+02:00

Crystal Animals By Ooli Of INKINK

Posted using ShareThis

INKINK is a design collective from Eastern Europe, and one of its illustrators, Ooli, has created this series of illustrations depicting several Crystal Animals. While the Defintiive Touch staff loves the work done here, we can’t help but think back to all those old school arcade games like Battlezone, while the impassive, futuristic faces reminds us far more of Sinistar than they should.

I really like these

sale at melodie's house

2009-12-31T12:20:00.004+02:00

before christmas we organised a sale a melodie's house. debbie was selling clothes from the label "two", melodie and guillemette were selling their new range of handbags and clothing, melodie was also selling her mom and dads range of linen wear, nighties, gowns and lingerie bags etc, and i was selling my jewellery.
here are some pictures

necklace for brigitte

2009-12-31T12:12:00.003+02:00

Brigitte commissioned me to make a necklace for her with a pearl that her parents gave her.
i used some of my new cast range (the bird, ship and profile), the originals of them are from old coins that i cut up.
she liked the idea of hidden treasure's and pirates and so the coins worked well as initially you don't see that they are from coins.
the anchor is a piece that i have been making for a couple of years and worked perfectly with the rest.

making dinner for friends

2009-12-31T11:31:00.005+02:00

i had some friends round for supper the other night and i used 2 recipes from marie claire "flavours" i somewhat adjusted them and this is what i came up with:
on the menu: sweet potato rushdies, with seared peppered beef fillet, caprese salad, rocket and fennel salad with olives and goats cheese, and for dessert water melon and silver candy coated almonds.
the fillet was great!, but the rushdies were a little tough-the recipe said keep them warm in the oven, but i think it was keep them warm while coooking not leave them in till you're ready to eat 30 or 40 minutes later :P
The guest list: Marieks and Rory, Rayne, Keith and Mark- i didn't take photo's of them though

the Neighbourgoods market and my display

2009-12-14T08:49:00.003+02:00

the geometric necklace is something new i have been working on (started a long while ago-but shelved it to carry on making as much jewellery as i could) but now i decided to put it out there to see what the response is. I will probably be making more soon!

the photo's i took of my new display for the market weren't so rad, so there's a glipse of it, will take more and post!

x

sunshine

2009-11-28T16:56:00.004+02:00

i've been putting all my photo's onto my external hard drive and found this picture i took a long while ago.
its a collection of things that rita and i inheritted from our mother.
i love the way the afternoon sun is shinning on the sculptures and it seems like the light matches them- the black doll in the shadows with her eyes catching the light, the girl full on loving the light and the mans head turning not to get the light in his eyes/ \and the shadows from the king protea...
its all so beautiful!
click on the picture to see it full size. its worth it ( i think)

what do you think?

2009-10-13T22:03:00.002+02:00

hi there dear readers (yes you-the 4 or so that read my blog) please tell me what you think of the new format... (i really would appreciate and value your opinion)
i am undecided as to which i prefer- the old one or the new one? so maybe i'lll let you decide!

yay.
x

sometimes

2009-10-11T16:02:00.004+02:00

image from le love image
i feel like this today about a certain someone

eating grapefruit sitting on my bed

2009-10-11T15:48:00.004+02:00

why are grapefruits called "grape" fruits? they are nothing like grapes!
:D my dress is the same colour as the grapefruits skin!

I'm sure i have work to do

2009-09-23T14:36:00.006+02:00

today i know i have work to do but i can't seem to think what it is.
maybe its also that i don't feel like doing it. (ah yes, thats it!)
Also know that from tomorrow till the 3rd october its going to be non stop cooking and boiling water, washing and cleaning and boiling more water, and drinking coffee and red wine and smoking cigarettes and then its matjies and one non stop party. and a puppet show
so maybe taking it easy today isn't so bad?

sorry to all the shops i supply-i know stock is running low-in october supply will resume and hopefully better than ever with my new employee!

And i will have new shoes by the end of October, 2 new styles, 3 old, some in new colours some with minor adjustments, some just the way they were cause they were rad and worked! all with new logo and comfy cushioning in the heel.
I am very excited about them and having 200 pairs! going to have an introductory sale at my new studio-jewellery and shoes!

so not that i am a regular poster of things on my blog, but i won't be posting till i get back.
maybe i wil be a more active poster on my return?

so much to do and i am going away

2009-09-21T14:57:00.003+02:00

Things are really starting to get busy! i have taken on new projects and still doing making jewellery.

This weekend i go off to a farm just outside Albertina, where i will be catering for a workshop Run by Al Kaplan and Sue Davidoff (its their farm) and with the help of their 2 sons Luke and Greg, we'll be catering for 23 or 24 people for 5 days.
the first time it was for 19 people but for 7 days, so i guess its kinda even and will be a similar experience.

the farm is pretty amazing, has a river, mountains, caves, walks, space... also they have used a type of eco architechture, where all the building are very organic in their shape and they all have a hexagonal sky-lite in the roof- really looking forward to being able to look at the stars and the night sky ever so slowly going by-it awsome and you're in the comfort of a down duvet. bliss after a long days work.

after that i am off to matjiesfontein! YAY
my contribution is a puppet show, with dannali, marietjie, rory and eve. we have alot to do in one more day...we almost have the set finished- and i have to alter the one and only marionnette in the show so he can move smoothly. and then learn how to use him smoothly, and then they have to figure out how to do the rest of the puppets.
you can find out more bout matjies here: matjiesshowntell.blogspot.com
its supposed to be fully booked this year! yay lots of friends and lots of contributions

other things i am busy with and things that are busy with me:
1) new range of shoes
2) book sculptures (waiting on final confirmation from the big cheeses before completion)
3) new jewellery label with Dannali Wilson
4) top secret project with Marietjie Beeslaar
5) moving into a awsomely rad new studio in the woodstock industrial centre (after i am back from Matjies)
6) new range of jewellery for the shops i supply
7) finding somebody to employ to make jewellery for me-let the one in the pipeline really be the one!
8) new housemate...and possibly 2

i will post pictures of new shoes, matijies, farm, etc when i am back home
x

book sculptures

2009-07-13T17:44:00.006+02:00

I have been asked to make some book sculptures for a new resort in Abu Dhabi. here is the first one that still needs to be finished. I used a scalple to cut out the patterns.

earrings

2009-07-06T22:34:00.003+02:00

Earrings

2009-07-06T22:15:00.003+02:00

I've been thinking about making new earrings. And this last week i have been asked to make some books (folding and cutting of old books into objects) for a project in Abu dhabi, and it made me think of the earrings i made about 3 years ago, maybe even 4. time goes by so fast!
these ones are sterling silver that are either plain or gold plated, and hand cut out.
even if time does go by so fast, atleast had time enough to hand cut out a whole bunch of these earrings!
they took awhile to sell though, think cause of the time it took-it made them expensive. ah time...

Ring ring

2009-07-06T13:11:00.003+02:00

here are some of the latest rings i have made for Shirley Fintz, a ceramic artist and collector of many wonderful things-including rings!

drawings

2009-03-31T22:02:00.002+02:00

Making coin embossed hearts

2009-03-20T23:15:00.007+02:00

this was me yesterday and today making lots of brass and silver hearts that are embossed with old coins, oxidised and sanded, to make the embossed image stand out more.
i use them for necklaces, bracelets and bangles- still need to take photo's of the finished product.
there are also photo's of my home studio
and a cut out heart, with beetles-i'm really liking them at the moment-the plat ones didn't work so well-thinking bout getting some cast (real dead one's) in brass...and then get a mold made so i don't have to keep using insects-maybe i'll carve one instead...... need to think more...

tattoo

2009-03-20T07:29:00.001+02:00

i have booked my appointment to get a tattoo (only april 7th-manuela is fully booked till then) and finally use the birthday voucher i got from sissie sam raffie and dans...way back in august 2007....
the image is of the roses in the coffee bowl-from previous post...

the perfect bowl of coffee at birds cafe

2009-03-04T15:29:00.003+02:00

emma, sissie and i went for a farewell breakfast at birds cafe this morning and emma bowl of coffee could possibly be the perfect design for a tatoo for me to finally use the birthday voucher

"Good Fortune"

2009-03-04T15:16:00.002+02:00

This is the pinata that my very talented sister made for Marietjie and Rosy Parker's wedding gift.
She spent many hours paper mache-ing, getting the perfect sweets and trinkets for inside, making a giant (3 balls of wool big) pom-pom tail,glueing ruffle's down, and even getting a stick to hit with- decorated with ribbons, a polka dotted blind fold..... its all sorted out and ready for a merry bashing, bringing good fortune to all...

new shoes

2009-02-13T10:09:00.004+02:00

These ar the new colours i have for the "Stefania" sandal
The leather is a burnishable one, so the shoes will gradually shine up with wear.

jewellery beauties

2009-02-09T17:13:00.007+02:00

Here's some photo's of the newer jewels that i am making, the skulls are inspired by the mexican day of the dead.... El Dia de los Muertos....Turkish dream cloud, cause i really wanna go to turkey one of these days...and some ever popular birds for fun, and hearts cause they sell and they are easy enough to make (and its always a surprise to me the way the coin imprints onto the silver...) I have some really old coins from Brasil that are really beautiful-waiting for the right heart to use them for...and a key oe 2 cause they remind me of old bulgy...

and the beautiful beaded necklaces that i am getting some ladies in kayelitsha to bead for me, using czech seed beads only available in durban, and now available in cape town in the form of these fantastic necklaces!

new shoes, monday blue shoes....

2008-10-27T14:07:00.001+02:00

i have started making the shoes again, but alas am experiencing, some teething problems that are starting to get me down....
but hope to start a shoe making course next week-so i'll know more about what i need to, the right leather to buy, patterning, shaping, and more......

i bought my self 'n maar kat and a rabbit

2008-10-27T09:44:00.000+02:00

I had a dismal day at the market, and so i bought myself some toys.
this hand made felt cat is by a girl who's name is also Stef, she sewed this one up herself, but she also has some women in the eastern cape making some for her.
and the other treasure is a wind up tin toy rabbit, to go with my frog and mouse.

gift sets: hand made ship pendant from brass soldered onto silver backing, and oxidsed, placed in a cut out cavity in an old story book

2008-10-26T09:50:00.001+02:00

i've been thinking of new things to make.
things that are also different to what other folks at the market are up to...
also since i seem to not be selling too much jewellery anymore.... gotta do sumin different?
so was thinking of making sets that are something like this....
maybe they will make good christmas gifts??

new displays for the neighbourgoods market

2008-10-26T09:41:00.000+02:00

these are my new displays that stuart helped me make-laser cutting is fantastic!
only problem is that i forgot about the summer south eater that blows through woodstock and the displays are not wind friendly....or rather the wind is not so friendly with my displays...

hey look a paw paw has its own star

2008-10-26T09:29:00.000+02:00

making a swan

2008-09-26T13:33:00.000+02:00

some more of my older work

2008-09-26T11:56:00.001+02:00

enamelled bambi ring, bokkie belt buckle, lovebird pendant,

some things i used to make

2008-09-26T11:38:00.000+02:00

I have found another shoe maker, with the help of Alexander Hojer, and he has definite potential-ordering 20 or so, in patent yellow leather, blue-green embossed leather and some black. All with leather soles! 1 step up from Angels....(who used to make for me)
and have also found someone who is in observatory who gives courses on hand making shoes--starting end October, so hopefully i will be able to make a pair of shoes my ownself real soon! maybe even some high heels......

funny jewelley things i been making

2008-09-26T11:27:00.000+02:00

i also took some pics of flowers while on the n7

2008-09-24T14:27:00.000+02:00

top of the world in Nieuwoudtville

2008-09-24T14:07:00.001+02:00

Back in Cape Town

2008-09-24T13:28:00.000+02:00

Being back in cape town is turning out to be harder than i thought, i am feeling a little lost.
I had thought that i would figure out where i was going and how i was going to get there, while i was away... i didn't.
it was fantastic to not think about it and it was good to step out of my life, and into helping someone else achieve a dream-that was actually pretty amazing!
i seem to not be able to focus myself to figure things out.
Making things for the market last week, i made things because i had to, and they felt like i had regressed design wise. and i felt that they weren't what i would normally make, and needless to say they didn't sell at all!
i seem to have hit a wall jewellery wise, and my old tricks in wall climbing aren't helping me over/under/around/through anymore.
Alex has given me the name of a shoe maker who is making up a sample for me, lets hope he can deliver and i can be in the shoe business again. ALex and i went together to the shoe maker and its pretty amazing to see the way she deals with people who will be working for her-saying that she expects nothing but the best, and promising that if its up to standard that they will be rewarded, which is the truth, I don't think i would have thought to say it though. She knows what she wants and is very busy making it happen! its great!

Ceramic things that i have made...

2008-09-24T13:24:00.001+02:00

Bitterfontien

2008-09-24T13:12:00.000+02:00