2008

2008 is still just a baby, but I hope it grows strong branches for all your dreams to bloom upon. Happy New Year!

This beautiful photo is from the flickr photostream of (ku)nihito (via 2or3 things).

SprayGlue guest blog

All this week, we're lucky enough to have Gary Payne of SprayGlue guest blogging for us, all the way from New York City.

Scroll down to see all the glorious things he's found there for us. I'm totally green with envy!

Update: Thanks so much, Gary! It was terrific having you guest blogging for us, providing inspiration from across the seas.

Kiosk - Soho

Kiosk is my new favourite shop in NY, besides KidRobot. It features different countries showcasing their products that most define their heritage. I could spend hours in there and the items are reasonably priced. Check out their website for all their previous items and their great gift sets. Thanks for letting me guest blog it has been loads of fun!

Spitfire Girl

I found Spitfire Girl while browsing this great bookstore in Brooklyn. I had to post about their eco-friendly wood postcards. Wood grain varies from card to card. Write with ease using a pen, pencil or marker. Measures 4" x 6". Designed by Los Angeles based artist Liz Young. Sold in packs of 8.

Scott Fellows - BassamFellows

BassamFellows based in New York, they design furniture, fashion and architecture. The furniture is produced from a variety of woods and is very clean and simplistic in terms of it's line and design. I really enjoyed the umbrella stand (2nd from the top of this post).

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to all! I hope your day was full of joy, peace and love. I went around Manhattan today looking at all the xmas decorations including the famous "Tree" at Rockefeller Centre, it was huge and beautiful but packed with tourists like me. See you tomorrow!

Anthropologie - NY

First and foremost, New York is amazing. I can't believe the variety that people have to choose from here! I had my bags go missing, so I had to hit Urban Outfitters straight away and get some clothes. Apparently the bags have been found and will be delivered to my door! Now, that is service! One of the stores with the most amazing windows was the Anthropologie store. The effort put into the decorations are incredible. I would have taken a shot for you but my camera is in my bags :( I walked in and to my pleasant surprise I saw stacks and stacks of books on South Africa! Included in these was Clinton Friedmans Subtraction featured below in another post. Here are some of the goodies from Anthropologie.

Branch picnic

I'm definitely getting that Summertime holiday mood. While browsing the shelves of online store Branch , I found myself planning very nice-looking picnic. Check it out:

I haven't quite thought of what food to take on this picnic yet, but whatever it is, I know I'd enjoy eating it off these 100% Biodegradable utensils, made from a byproduct of the sugar refining process.
Hmm. If I really owned the Tracks plaid blanket, I doubt I'd take it on a picnic, but seeing as this is all in my imagination, I'll pack it. I know it would look great against the soft green grass.

The food bit of this virtual picnic is still a mystery, but I think I'll steer clear of the beetroot - I don't want it staining my beautiful bamboo veneerware plates, do I.

And while bamboo is the new wonder material, cork’s still pretty amazing too, and I like these cork bowls from Portugal, great for strawberries, don't you think?

Post picnic, with tummies full of yummy food, it's time to recline in the shade on a beautiful hand-embroidered cushion, made in Romania.

And the more sporty-minded might prefer to toss around a couple of felted pebbles instead of a frisbee. (Ok, this is stretching my picnic vision just a bit, but I was awfully excited to find that these stylish pebbles are from a job creation project in Johannesburg).

Plan your own glam picnic, or just a life of sustainable style by taking a visit to Branch.

Spoon love

These beautiful spoons made of bone and wood are designed by textile designer, Kerstin Hecktermann, and carved by local craftspeople in Kenya.

Read more about the Kenyan spooncarving project here, and more about Kerstin’s other work here.

An online African Christmas

Hmm. Time for a challenge. South African stores are not terribly internet-savvy on the whole, but let's see what I can find online locally for a stylish African Christmas.

Babazeka
First stop, the Babazeka online store, where I found this Aloe bag (also available in brown) and Shweshwe bowl.


Also at Babazeka, I found the Lucky Star hand-embroidered cushion, and the Razor print cushion too.

Tintown

Of course, an African Christmas isn't complete without a lasercut tree, snowflake or wreath from Tintown.

Rebound Books

A master bookbinder at new Cape Town outfit Rebound Books is filling charming old hardbacks with brand new creamy pages, to be used as classy notebooks in 2008.

Visit Rebound Books to choose your favourite. I rather fancied the rather elegant Eternal Masquerade.
Clip Clop

The southern tides and moonphase calendars from Clip Clop have been gift staples for years, but now this outfit has brought out an adorable new calendar with illustrations of African animal families by Sheila Dorje. Contact Clip Clop to buy, or find them at your local bookstore.

Flowermill

Still in the stationery department, keep an eye out for the beautiful cards and giftwrap from new stationery outfit Flowermill. Their website's not quite up and running yet, but they're stocking Exclusive Books, Wordsworth, and loads of other stores.

I love cupcake

And for a present that certainly won't last for long, how about ordering a custom made cupcake (or twelve) from I Love Cupcake . You can order online, choosing from a bewildering range of styles and flavours, and then pick up from their stores in Blubird Shopping Centre off Athol Oaklands or in Centurion.

You have other suggestions for an online African Christmas? Let me know, quick!