Introduction to Annie Sloan

My first intro to Annie Sloan Chalk paint was a few months ago when I was looking for tips on antiquing with wooden furniture. Whitewashing never went well for me, so I was concerned that it would be a similar experience, I was extremely surprised when I first used it to brighten up my garden decor. There was no prep involved, I only needed one coat, and it dried so quickly.

I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on a previously varnished shelf and on a veneered chair - the whole project was done in an hour. I experimented with scuffing to create the distressed look. I've pretty much been addicted to it since then!

Easy art idea for the less than talented

I love doing arty stuff but I have very little natural skill, so I surfed the net for an easy and effective idea for home made art.  I have a short attention span, so it had to be quick, and I have limited craft materials - so I needed it to be something that I could make with what I had.

I came across another blog with great ideas and I made these:

How I did it:

I used my existing acrylic paints, a household sponge and some print outs that I Googled.

1. Google birds on a wire, or tree in silhouette and print your favourite design.

2. Trace the design on some A3 paper (I had watercolour paper), I drew the design by sight because I chose a very simple design.

3. Use one dark colour and white to create several hues so that you can create your background like above.

4. Use the sponge to dab the colour from the middle of the page outward ensuring the colour gets darker toward the edges.

5. Using a fine brush, paint the silhouette in black.

Cross-stitch for your mobile phone cover

 I recently dabbled in some old school needlework when a friend gifted me a do-it-yourself cross stitch iPhone cover, and I absolutely loved it.  Typo, a trendy stationery store, are selling kits with a selection of cotton and cute patterns to get your creative juices flowing while you squint away at your phone case with needle in hand. I chose the owl design :)

The kit comes with the perforated silicon case, a needle, patterns, and all the thread you'll need.

The finished product is very cute but unfortunately the silicon case is quite floppy and the thread caused it to warp somewhat - so it doesn't actually stay on your phone. I suggest if you want more than just the experience of cross stitching you should try and find a harder plastic cover perforated in the same way. Definitely looking forward to some more projects with cross stitch!

Keep in shape, and have fun doing it

Keeping fit, and maintaining a healthy weight should not be a chore for you - if plodding along on a treadmill or doing boring solo workouts at the gym is not for you - then you should get yourself into a dance class. I've been dancing since I was 5 years old, first ballet and then modern dance, which leads me to how I keep fit and enjoy it too.

I take adult modern dance classes with the Erna Ackerman School of Dancing. We do 30mins of intense aerobic and strengthening exercises and then do a choreographed dance for last 15mins of the class.

Ladies come because they love to dance, or to lose some weight, or simply to maintain their fitness levels. I feel that dancing helps me offload some stress, build my appetite for dinner later, and tone my body. Feel free to contact me directly if you want to know more about dancing with Erna!

Enjoy yourself when you exercise, that way you keep your motivation!

What's in my appmosphere

I couldn't bee more excited about this app that I downloaded a few months ago - it was as if it was designed for car key losing, word-fumbling, somewhat distracted people out there just like me. Lumosity is probably not all that new to you either, their marketing strategy is quite aggressive but in no way annoying - their newsletter site genuinely interesting studies that have been carried out on countless individuals regarding insights into neuroscience and human behaviour (our memory patterns and thought patterns, etc). 

Let me try and sum it up for you; Lumosity is an app that has been carefully crafted to train your brain so that with daily practice you can recall faster, boost your memory, and have better reaction time. Every day the app suggests particular exercises of a couple of minutes each - it even allows you to set an alarm to do your daily exercises! The app saves your progress and provides you with a detailed breakdown of your BPI (Brain Performance Index) - as seen below left.

It's loads of fun and you will be amazed how with practise your ability to play for longer and earn more points increases - just like with most games, however this one has been designed to train and measure your cognitive performance. 

Anyway, it's time for my workout - so download this app to your iOS device and hop on the Brain Train!

I heart Vintage for this Summer's Style

When precisely did it become fashionable to wear old-fashioned clothing? And what classifies as old-fashioned, now that vintage has become the fashion? Hipsters flaunt their knack for old-school or retro outfits on the streets of Cape Town, their horn rims glinting in the sunlight as they stick their thumbs into the bands of their suspenders... That's not exactly MY style but don't get me wrong I have no problem with hipsters, they don't do any harm and they have an iconic obsession with what was cool thirty years ago... I love vintage glam, when woman were feminine and that didn't mean representing them as sex symbols - when woman were strong, curvy, and wore bold outfits.

This Summer I'm wearing an actual vintage red polka dot dress, a gift from a friend.

I will also be sporting this gorgeous high waisted 50's bikini poolside!

Let me know what your favourite style for this summer is in the comment section below.

My Cath Kidsten addiction

What started as a mild interest in a pretty wallet, grew into an intense addiction. I love the feminine florals on the pastel backgrounds and the practicality of the plasticized fabric of the bags and wallets, they're easy to clean and water resistant. Of course not all of my collection is Cath Kidsten Original, indeed if any, as there are similar brands such as Sugar Candy - which are just as adorable! 

Currently, I have a collection of 9 items... Soon to be 10 when my Cath Kidsten themed iPhone case arrives from China in the post ;) 

What Cath Kidsten bags (or other) do you have in your collection??

My addiction is so well known that whenever my friends travel abroad and come across a store with her products they stop and send me a photo.