freedom day

me + my brother, 27th April 1994

Happy Freedom Day! This was taken 18 years ago today on one of the most exciting days in South African history. I think my parents were going for a 'Liberty Bell' kinda feel, how appropriate ♡

HEY!

my paparazzi guy (thanks, man) spotted this gal-about-Upper-Campus wearing one of my fav-y dresses I've ever made.

and doesn't she look GREAT? 

adorable shoes and socks + a shaved head + baseball ♡ it's an age-old/tried and trusted combo, you go girl

makeover makeover…chachacha

 I got these mint-y coloured shorts a while back but sometimes short shorts are just too short, it's true. Luckily for me the seamstresses of Mr Price aren't too big on stitch quality and it was super easy to unpick the hem

then I added scraps of this just delightful floral material to the bottom + pocket

I left the edges raw and frayed 'cause it looks nice/GOD it is boring being neat

♡

so wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully wonderfully pretty

Rik Lee draws the prettiest ladies covered in beautiful tattoos

have a look while you listen to this cover

Lana Del Rey …we met with a goodbye kiss…so lovely…!

marry me + trophy wife + punch drunk

 honour over glory + night owl

love cats-themed sleeve + sailboat neck tattoo + doll face knuckles

D.I.Y. Sunday : be my baby

cat eyes + bee hives

♡

amy, amy, amy. I love your massive hair and exciting eyes

1. The Beehive

I've attempted the 'beehive' a few times, but with embarrassing results. Here to talk you through creating this 'do is the all-grown-up TAVI. It's not as huge and wild as Amy's but it only takes 2 minutes and no teasing/hair spray/stuffing required! AMAZING. Watch her how-to HERE

Tavi is great. Her only flaw is that when she speaks she sounds like the Marcel the Shell

2. The Cat-Eye

Cat-eye / winged eye make up compliments this hair style quite perfectly as you can see. I've found a very helpful video tutorial below

watch from 4:30 minutes in 'cause the first half is just recommending products to use. I like a good name label every now and then (freebies) but it doesn't necessarily mean it's THA BEST thing to use just 'cause it sounds fancy. Like my liquid liner I use at the moment is SO good but it comes off with just spit (a pro and a con) which probably doesn't indicate a good make, and I can't recommend it to you 'cause the label rubbed off. Anyways just wanted to let you guys know it's OK if you don't use YSL liquid liner. It's OK! COOL

3. The Headband

A good headband to finish off THE LOOK. I made 3 this afternoon. Cut yourself a 55cm/55cm square of whatever fabric ya like, hem the edges, roll it up and you got yourself a headscarf.

hello!

here we go

for the first time in nearly 6 months I can say that my room is CLEAN AND TIDY

 

I am so happy + am going to invite as many people 'round for tea as possible

yay!

sugar, sugar

necklace from topshop ♥

root canal, hey.


My only knowledge of this procedure came from an episode of Ripley's Believe It Or Not I'd watched as a child where a man had root canal without anaesthetic. I absorbed no information from the show other than ROOT CANAL = EXTREME PAIN


After examining my jaw muscles recently (as you do) I noticed my left side is pretty buff while my right side is slowly shrivelling up like a unused limb in a cast. I decided it was time I was able to chew on both sides again and booked an appointment with my dentist. And what a dentist I have! He has an orange chair! He used the words 'legend', 'legit' and 'act a fool' all in reference to my teeth!
He told me he needed to replace my filling then halfway through was like 'I'm actually just gonna quickly remove the nerve now', all casual, and I was like cool, whatevs I can't feel this anyways. Only near the end did it dawn on me: removing the nerve = ROOT CANAL…so sneaky!


So I had root canal and let me tell you this: don't panic, it ain't so bad. I'm not in any pain but haven't been able to close my teeth together yet (I believe it's called 'chewing').   But I guess it's always better to not have to need serious dental surgery and you should look after your pearly (off-)whites. So don't have stuff like chutney Paaper Bites + Coke for breakfast ever (based on a true story) 'cause it's probably bad for your teeth.

diana

porcelain-print corset / blue high-waist shorts / white trainers / fabric

How pretty is the Qing Hua Diana F+ ? Pretty enough to inspire a collage anyway :) South Africa's lomography stores have just got them back in stock and they look so nice and China/Ming-vase-y I might just buy one

watch this: Derek

What you should be watching 

by Andie 'Ronge' Reeves

The year was 2001. My friend returned from her annual trip to London with an exciting find; The Office. She'd watched the show on her holiday and loved it so much that she bought the scripts which we read back home together, crying with laughter. 11 years on and Ricky Gervais still gets the tears rolling down my cheeks. His latest show, 'Derek', is a comedy-drama starring Gervais as the 'funny little nerd' Derek and is both hilarious and touching.

Just a few reasons to watch Derek:

〮Ricky Gervais

This show is Ricky at his best. He's sometimes criticised for playing characters that are too similar to each other but, aside from a few very Brent-esque glances at the camera, Derek is unique. If you've watched his stand-up you'll recognise the Derek look of hunched-up shoulders and the jutting jaw 

 "And yes, my jaw aches and I get a stiff neck from being hunched up all the time when I'm playing Derek. I suffer for my art, and now I want you to suffer for it too"

〮Controversy

Even before the show had aired people were up in arms at the idea of Ricky Gervais playing a mentally handicapped person. Here's what he had to say about him:

"Derek is a fictional character and is defined by his creator. Me. If I say I don't mean him to be disabled then that’s it. A fictional doctor can't come along and prove me wrong. 

He's different. But then so are a lot of people. He's not the smartest tool in the box but he's cleverer than Father Dougal, and not as different as Mr. Bean. He's based on those people you meet who are on the margins of society. Nerds, loners, under achievers" 

I think it's been really well done. Derek is not the butt of the jokes because of his handicap  and he is not being poked fun at. He is so sweet, endearing and believable and if you're not a crying mess by the end of the pilot I worry for your lack of soul.

〮Music

The Office had that lovely song Handbags and Gladrags, and who could forget the haunting tune of 'When The Whistle Blows' from Extras? 'Derek' is full of Satie and ends of with this beauty of a piece. It also features the Youtube clip Hamster on a Piano which I guarantee will be stuck in your head forevermore. You're welcome!

〮Karl Pilkington

Karl makes his acting debut as Derek's best friend Dougie, the caretaker of the old-age home. He is basically playing himself so if you're a fan of him from The Ricky Gervais Show or An Idiot Abroad you'll love him in this.

I don't know when the next episode will be airing but in the meantime get your hands on the pilot if you're in the mood for a good laugh/a little cry/watching a hamster on a piano, eating popcorn on a piano!

D.I.Y. Sunday ♡

Three D.I.Y. projects I'd really like to attempt this week, join me why don't you

1. Kitty Loafers

easy how-to-make-your-own-adorable-kitty-cat-shoes. I'm sure I saw some shoes like this in Mr Price recently for cheap. Also feel free to be artistic and make the cat's face less terrifying and more cute than this girl has.

 via P.S. I Made This (an excellent source for DIY things)

2. Skull Shirt

I love the forgiving nature and versatility of t-shirt fabric, don't you? T-Shirting (NOTE: probably not the proper name?) doesn't fray so you can cut out things like, I dunno, a SKULL into a t-shirt and it won't unravel, neat-o!

  I found this vague diagram through Pinterest (original source unknown, of course). Make a stencil with some paper, trace it onto your shirt with chalk and cut it out!

spooky/sexy, always a killer combo

3. Floral Sunglasses

what delightful sunglasses, Dolce & Gabbana! I was just thinking that I'd quite like some for myself and then NYLON put together a how-to here. You'll need some pretty flowers from a bead shop + some glue + a plain pair of sunnies.

♡

new book!

a belated birthday gift from my brother: SEW! by Cath Kidston

Cath Kidston is my favourite of things! Their fabric is so beautiful

ooh!

this book is full of sewing projects (patterns included!) which I am ever so excited to get stuck into and it comes with this cute needle-book

I have had my eye on this waterproof leopard-print fabric for a while and now know what I must make from it; a bath hat!

p.s. if you were admiring the background fabric it's this dress which I OWN because I am a lucky girl ♡

you are feeling sleepy

just been choosing the softest, cuddly-est, sleepy-est fabric around town for more pyjama onesies

♡

dusty pink

more sheer blouses 〮other colours coming soon

♡

♡