Constant clouds

Rainy woolen-hat weather, misting windows and studio warehouses, quaint pubs and barren trees, chimney shoots and council housing, sidewalk street art and cyclists, the first few days in London have been an obvious change from South Africa. It's an adjustment to say the least, but each tube-catching exploration holds something to see. Perfect for me to say the least.

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.

My thought for the day as my man and I brave the change and head to London today. Wish us luck!

Hello Madison

My beautiful friend has a new beautiful blossom to kiss. With little toes, blue eyes and smiling dreams, say hello to Madison.

Some ceramics

Been tinkering with a new medium recently, handpainted and sandblasted ceramics. The latter my man helped me with. You can see my parents' grandchildren were the main inspiration.

An eco-art playshop

I recently had the privilege to run an art worshop for 22 children of Future Families, an organisation that helps families affected by HIV. New and exciting, "love nature" was the theme. I decorated the trees in the garden with animal cutouts, used old donated acrylic paints and leftover paper from a wedding stationary design job I did a while back, encouraged the kids to use leaves and flowers in their greeting cards. Finger painting, cutouts, smiles and a conservation message slowly sinking in. Really, it feels so good to share.

Gazing maven ponders...

A taste for the beautiful is most cultivated out of doors

Thunderstorm smells and heavy clouds, environmental consciousness on the rise, busy dung beetles, swinging horses from old tyres (at Irene Market), desolate dirt roads, Savannah bottle-turned-glasses, veld hikes up copper cliffs, colourful houses, farm fresh produce, peach trees and outdoor pizza ovens (at Peach cafe). So many roots in this African soil. So much to cherish.

How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.

A new, wonderful year. New paths, gold streamers, distant sunsets, open doors, hidden flowers, simple living, a colour to wake up to, a reminder to dream. Perfect for my brightened heart. Scatter some sunshine and forget the shadows. Here's to 2012!

Sneaky sketches

Sneakily drawing people while travelling is always fun. Here's a few faces that I saw on the sly in coffee shops, airports and on the street in India.