emerald summer

I was thinking...can you wear beautiful emerald green in summer? 

Waiting for autumn to wear it in wool scarves and belted coats seems a shame. I'm going to wear this silk dress bought in the States a few years ago. I hardly ever wear it; being one of those dresses just too short for work and way too smart for the beach. Instead of wearing it with dark stockings and boots, perhaps flat black sandals like these?

this made me laugh

For days....

Best. Tumblr. Ever.

PS if my Howie were to be publically shamed:

I am a sock thief. I steal my Mom's socks just to carry
them around and cover them in Spaniel gob.

etsy picks ~ february

I first mentioned etsy way back in 2011 and since then I have become an even bigger fan. No matter what stage of life you are in: dating, engaged, married, babies, home, work...there is something for everyone. And I love that they support small businesses. Down with the big scary corporate.

Here are my picks for this month (I promise only one Valentine-esque, we are all sick to the teeth of it by now):

{Suit Up cufflinks $25 - an excellent present for a man who is an HIMYM fan}

{Print of a vintage mint camera $40 - not the camera itself}

{West Coast succulent print cushion $40.50 - made in SA and oh so pretty}

{Owl baby mobile $75 - just because there is baby fever all around me this month}

And lastly, only because it's funny, a recycled paper Valentines card:

{Valentines card $4.75 - see it's funny hey?!}

bucket list item #33

....tick

We saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers live at Soccer City last weekend. It was a dream come true for me, they are one of my all time favourite bands. And they did not disappoint. Considering Flea and Anthony Kiedis are 50 plus (that's 8 years younger than my DAD!), they jump around with the energy of 20 year olds. Moshing and doing hand stands on stage, playing their guitars upside down. What a show.

Here is them in 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013:

A.K. has an autobiography called Scar Tissue, apparently really good if a bit harrowing in parts due to his habitual drug use and overall rocker lifestyle. You can buy it here or here. Oh and you must watch their most epic music video of all time here.

...and seeing as Flea encouraged us to watch live local music: favourite amazing South African acts Goldfish, 340ml, Prime Circle, Jesse Clegg (NOT Die Antwoord they are weird and scary)

new idea for bridesmaid dresses

The ladies (men?) who blog for Green Wedding Shoes have great taste, GWS was one of my go to blogs when planning our wedding last year. They recently showcased a company in the US that hires out bridesmaids dresses called Little Borrowed Dress. It seems so easy: you choose the dress you like and the colour from online swatches and LBD send the dresses to you in the post. It seems they are similar to infinity wrap dresses, where one dress can fit many shapes and sizes of pretty bridesmaid. 

After the wedding, you simply send the dress back in a prepaid envelope, they clean it and everything. Et voila! 

Here are my favourites. The navy colour is stunning, and the off the shoulder dress would be flattering on anyone! I love the idea of an ombre effect, like the green dresses below or maybe one  soft colour in different styles (which is what I had for my bridesmaids). Sometimes I wish I could get married all over again :)

best countries to be born in 2013

OK fellow South Africans, apparently our country is not that bad. The Economist says 53 out of 80, and they've left out some pearlers like Zimbabwe and the DRC. So can we say we are half way there?

My only qualm with this study is they have not considered The Boredom Factor. You won't find me Packing for Perth*, simply because it would drive me nuts to be told what to do all the time. Don't park here, don't sit there, no dogs allowed ANYWHERE. Do not keep me from my Spaniels people. Here are the very interesting results:

* for international readers, this is a term used by South Africans for those who emigrate to Australia because they can't take the crime/corruption/curry/Rand Dollar exchange rate/electric fences/overall scariness of South Africa. We make fun of them because we know our country is nowhere near as bad and dangerous as everyone makes out. We have Cape Town. You can keep Sydney (which by the way has the 2nd highest cost of living in the world according to another study by the Economist). Just saying.

a cat called Duncan

How funny is this cat? And he's called Duncan. A good strong Scottish name for a Scottish fold. Bearing in mind I have a cat called Panda, who is also wide eyed, I would seriously consider naming my next cat Duncan. I showed my work ladies this and stories were told of cats called Jenny (male) and William (female). Cats are decidedly weird. You can buy these images from Kip Holm.

This is my Panda cat on a very bad hair day.

a floating house

I just had to post this. Not just a floating house, but an aesthetically pleasing floating house! Such a beautiful blue sky in the background as well.  Images of the floating house by Florian Holzherr, a suitably eccentric looking architectural photographer from Munich - who knew such a profession existed?

Imagine waking up to this unobstructed view of the river. How peaceful, although I'm not sure about the wood framed windows, I would have gone with white.

The house is built on Lake Huron, which is on the border of Michigan, US and Ontario, Canada in the area called the Great Lakes. The lake has 30,000 islands and the water is so clear you can see shipwrecks from the surface. Wow! A suitably beautiful place for this awesome house.

Image from Most Beautiful Pages

hope for the caffeine challenged

I am one of the spectacularly unlucky few who cannot tolerate caffeine, coffee gives me the shakes and don't even mention espresso...sends my heart rate into orbit.

Thank goodness Woolies Cafe's have the most amazing red cappucinos for us caffeine challenged...

Life changing.