dec, 5th - smocking....

day 642:

this is the smocking dress that we bought at Columbia Road Flower market on this day. 

i love it. and even better, it was a complete steal. 

love it.

love it.

oct, 9th - falling leaves....

day 239:

i grew up in a small town, north of Durban in South Africa. it's sugar-cane country, with rolling hills and dense bush along the coastline. the weather is hot, hot and steamy....so...when i moved to Cape Town during my university years, i was enthralled by the changing of the seasons. Autumn/Winter at home had been limited to putting on a cardigan over your summer clothes.

down in Cape Town, we had leaves turning, storms brewing, winds howling. i could wear scarves, gloves and hats....hooray! even though i'm not crazy about the short days.....i still love everything else about the colder months. it makes you appreciate the renewal in Spring that much more. [although....i haven't turned my back completely on the Tropics...forget a last meal....i would ask for a last late afternoon, warm, Tropical thunderstorm instead.]

i don't expect....that i'll ever stop wanting to do all the seasonal things that i never got to do when i was young: kick leaves wearing welling boots, wear mittens, lie in the snow and make snow angels....and now i get to do them all with Limi. and for her very first Autumn...our closest park is putting on a brilliant display.

who needs brightly coloured toys when you have brightly coloured leaves....

....................

while we're on things i love.....i love a bit of randomness....and this linen dress by birdiehandmade, spied on Etsy (day 121), is a perfect example of gorgeous randomness

all in the details.....

aug, 9th - for you madam, we give a good price....

"...you are bound to have a wonderful time shopping in Italy."

Fodor's Modern Guides. Italy 1957.

photo by Mauro Balletti


day 178:


A. had to go back to London today. so after dropping him off at the airport, my sister, limi and i headed up to Florence to the designer outlet stores for a bit a euro-spending.


in years past....it's been about shoes, shoes, shoes, the odd bit of clothing, shoes, shoes and more shoes.....
this year....it was all about limi, limi, limi and more limi.


we found the most gorgeous tops for her by italian designer's, I Pinco Pallino,

i'm a sucker for attention to detail....and the tulle ruffle necklines 

and distressed hemlines on these numbers are delicious (as was the 92% discount...seriously, are there people out there that pay the full whack when they only fit for 3 months)

i also picked up a creative cardigan, some gifts for friends who have just sprouted new babies and my sister bought limi the stripy red hat in the pic above. i think that it deserves its' own photoshoot!

i had never heard of I Pinco Pallino before this trip (probably because their non-sale prices are more in the i-own-a-yacht-and-sail-to-st-tropez-every-year price range) but with the theatrical inspiration and detailed finishes, i'll definitely be hunting out more of their sales.

p.s. we bought 7 tops and larger sizes for limi (12-18 months) to try and get the max wear out of them. they're more like dresses on her at the moment and can be layered over long sleeves for winter and then hopefully still work as tops next summer.....so expect to see a lot of them in pics.

jul, 19th - getting creative....

day 157:

i was feeling creative today. made a headband for Limi out of one of mine and a spare button that was hanging about in a drawer. i think that it makes her look a bit like a 17th century Dutch painting....or alternatively i'm misguided and she looks more like a washer woman.

--------------------------------------

love the prints by Heather Moore at Skinny laMinx...and her blog is also a must-read if you're into design, printmaking or creativity. she's based in Cape Town, South Africa, but sells her gorgeously-sludgy-coloured wares internationally, on Etsy. Take a look. I'm coveting this cushion with it's whimsical protea to remind me of home.

jun, 10th - Etsy UK....

day 121:

i have been hunting around for a UK version of Etsy. i think that it's such an amazing concept (can i say that A. and i discussed something similar 8 years ago...you know a 'wow, wouldn't it be cool if.....' chat over dinner.......but we never did a smidgen of a thing about it.....oh hum!!!) for anyone who hasn't discovered it yet, it's a popular website that allows individual (mainly US) craftsmen and women to create their own online, market-style stall through which to sell their wares. it is especially amazing for original, hand-crafted kids' stuff....the type of thing that people used to make when they had more time and less mass-produced options.

although there are UK based sellers on Etsy and some US 'stalls' will also post overseas, I was still keen to discover whether there was anything more local that offered a wide selection and quoted prices in pounds.

I did some google digging and found the following....rated in my order of preference:

1. DaWanda - www.dawanda.com

European flavour to the products - think offbeat colours and quirky combinations (seems to have loads of sellers from The Netherlands and Germany). A wide range of products and a category for children. Prices are quoted in Euros. Love this clock for the nursery that you could leave as a line drawing or colour in.

2. All Things Original - www.allthingsoriginal.com

Not a huge kids selection but the quality is fantastic. And there are gorgeous pieces in the Homeware category that could be used to decorate the nursery. Prices in pounds. Spied these gems: 'Crowning Glory' cushion by Karen Hilton Designs and a gorgeous Shima bug baby's blanket by Dearnley Designs.

3. Folksy - www.folksy.com

The closest thing to a UK Etsy. Loads of...in their words....'handmade cafty things'. Prices in pounds. Sweet ugly duckling dress by i wish i were a girl.

A couple of others that I found but didn't fancy:

4. Not Mass Produced

5. Coriandr

6. My E Hive

And finally, 4 old-time favourite sites that are not exactly online market-stall traders but still feature wonderful, homemade/reclaimed wares:

1. RE - www.re-foundobjects.com

Best for - decorative bits and future heirlooms.

2. Cox & Cox - www.coxandcox.co.uk

Best for - dress-up outfits and decorative bits.

3. not on the high street - www.notonthehighstreet.com

Best for - small collections that have been through a selection process

4.  Bailey's - www.baileyshomeandgarden.com

Best for - wooden toys and simple basics

jun, 9th - first frock....

day 120:

Limi in her very first Summer frock! A recycled no. from a friend.