I met an amazing new friend yesterday. Elizabeth contacted me last week about helping her with taking pictures of her products, which I was happy to do. She arrived at my door yesterday with the most beautiful bunch of red, pink and orange zinnias out of her garden!! So lovely. It’s seldom one sees zinnias in the shops nowadays. My Granny used to grow them so they evoked lovely memories for me!! Remember those days when pink and red or pink and orange were just “not done” – I love the combination!!

Elizabeth makes the most beautiful cards and artworks using tiny glass beads. I will share more images of her beautiful creations soon, but today am sharing a framed red heart. Her work is extremely detailed and neat, and nothing is random. Have a close look at the heart – and then think that she is an amputee, and does this without the hands and fingers that we take for granted everyday.

Elizabeth you inspire me and have made me look at the world and myself very differently since I met you yesterday!! And a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!!!

Well, as far as birthday weekends go it was a mixed bag. The party was lovely, and Greyton is very quaint – but I spent a large chunk of our time there in bed – wih the flu that my lovely hubby gave me!! Yesterday I just lay in bed and coughed and coughed. I am now officially TIRED of being sick, and am trying to get on with things as normal, but I can’t really fool myself – need to rest. Ughhhh…. So – not too many photos of Greyton I’m afraid. At least I have these lovelies from my Mom next to my bed…

Now for better news – drumroll – the winner is…….and thank you all for entering………Tania Roux!!!!! YAY!!! I’ll be contacting you to “give” you your prize!

Wishing you all a lovely week, and I hope to be back soon feeling like a normal person again.

So – this is my way of saying Happy Birthday Caroline!! She is the family artist, and I’ve chosen today to share some illustrations (not hers!!)  that inspire me and remind me that it is spring. Aren’t they all so beautiful?

Artists from top: louise cunningham ; susana del bana; brittany burton; jo klima; katrin coetzer

Caroline has done some lovely work for my new stationery collection and calendar for 2013 – can’t wait to show it to you in the next few months!!

Happy Wednesday!

I’ve put together some images that say “SPRING” to me (I’ve been “collecting” lately on pinterest). I love the colours, the blossoms, the ideas. Think entertaining outside in the sun, cool drinks and fresh flowers, springtime weddings, strawberries – and of course peonies (but only in October!!)

all images via pinterest S/U/N/S/H/I/N/E/heart

What epitomises spring for you??

Wishing you a lovely week!!

It’s been very “wintery” here – cold and rainy (as winter should be) and my office has been without flowers for a while. Luckily on Friday I had to pop into the florest to organise a little bouquet for our eldest’s Matric Dance (or prom…). I had already decided that I had earned a lovely bunch of flowers (as we have become full-time parents in the last week, with the kids moving in “permanently” until , most likey, the end of the year). Why is it that when you feel extravagant you end up going for the simple things?? I walked out of there with a lovely bunch of pink sweetpeas – so delicately scented, perfect to lift your soul. As I sit here typing I have 2 bunches of these in my office and it just feels better in here!!

As I do – I then had a little fun with the flowers and my camera to share with you!!

Wishing you all a wonderfully happy and inspired week!!

PS: We’re off to a Game Reserve on Wednesday for 5 days (I love it when my husband has a conference where families are invited too!!) so if anyone is needing any Twine or Washi Tape urgently, please contact me today!!

I got a bit of time this weekend to catch up on the latest issues of my favourite digital magazines (or e-zines…. not sure which name I prefer??). Anyway – Sweet Paul is ALWAYS stunning, and the Summer 2012 issue does not disappoint!! If you’re looking for some scrummy summer recipes or decor / accessory ideas then go take a look quickly!! It really is a fresh, bright and beachy issue. It’s always wierd being in the Southern Hemisphere – sitting here in my winter woollies reading about Summer. Maybe we’re lucky – we get to save up all these wonderful ideas for when the summer hits (and, lets face it, we have GOOD HOT summers!!).

I got really excited as I neared the end of the magazine to come across a really beautifully styled shoot of vintage haberdashery finds ( I probably got excited due to my ribbon and twine foraging last week!!), coupled with some gorgeous summer blooms. SO beautiful….

all images: dietlind wolf 

I have seen Dietlind’s work featured before by Holly Becker over at decor8, but never tire of scrolling through the images. She is a german stylist who is featured in many magazines, and always creates the most inspiring pictures. It’s well worth dropping in to her website (here) to admire her lovely work. I am inspired (where will I find the time this week….??!!) to play around with my camera and maybe style a few pics of my own!!

This morning I got an e-mail in my inbox announcing Ellinee Design House’s new look blog. Oh my!!! It is so beautiful (just the design and appearance of the site NEVER MIND the content!!). For a paper and stationery lover like me it got me all inspired and excited – so of course I must share! From lovely DIY ideas (with downloadables to print) for giftwrapping, stationery and……paper flowers (including a DIY PaperPeony which I just found so appropriate for me!).

Any peony is a beautiful peony!!

Imagine this hanging somewhere special!

Beautiful watercolour butterflies.

And yet another clever use of Bakers Twine!!!!

All images: ellinee 

Hurry on over to have a look and be inspired!!

Sometime I’m going to have to try making that Paper Peony – I don’t know if I have the patience……… hmmmm.

Enjoy the weekend!!

So it’s Monday and I’m back at work getting orders out and doing admin. Hmmmm – Mondays are not my favourite!! I just took a break to visit a few of my favourite blogs and loved what I found over at Sania Pell at Home!! She is such a talented person with the loveliest blog – I find her so inspirational. So of course I have to share!!!

Images: Sania Pell

Hellebores are such lovely delicate flowers – rare here in South Africa due to the heat. I tried to grow them once but they never survived. (My gardens always start out well, but never get enough attention and love. A weakness of mine.) Well, Sania has taken the most beautiful photos of these lovelies, and then gone further and painted them too…. I must learn to paint (another thing to add to my list!!)

Image: Sania Pell

Please pop on over (here and here) to see her full posts about the hellebores!! Thank you Sania for lifting my monday mood!!

Cath xx

Hurray!!!! The lovely Chi over at Carousel has awarded me a Liebster Blog Award!! Thank you Chi – I appreciate the recognition for my efforts. I have only been blogging since October 2011, and it has been an exciting learning curve, so all encouragement means a lot to me!!

So – what is the Liebster Award? Well, Liebster means favourite or beloved in german, and the purpose of the award is to appreciate and support smaller blogs. How it works is that I thank and give a shout-out to the blog who passed the award on to me, and then pass the award on to 5 more blogs, that I enjoy and support. I think it’s a great idea!!

So my five blogs that I have chosen to pass the award on to are:

1. sang the bird
2. farmhousehome
3. page thirteen
4. jarflydesigns
5. stillpluslife

Why don’t you pop on over and visit them – you may enjoy them!!

Cath xx

(I took the image above in Paris in 2009 while strolling with my good friend Anushka)

Hopefully I’ll be back tomorrow feeling better. Enjoy your Thursday!!

Cath xx