all about my mother

it was my mum's birthday last saturday - her 60th! - and i wish i could be with her.  she has the sunniest demeanour about her. a real inspiration, and a total looker at 60.  i love my mum!

champagne dahling!

I caught snippets of High Society on TCM on Friday as I came home from work, and it struck me again how sensational - indeed - Grace Kelly is in it (and a most entertaining performance by her and Ol' Blue Eyes when they are slightly inebriated!).

engagement shoot with wesley vorster

a while back (my first post!), i mentioned that my one of my dear friends, a classmate of mine from pretoria technikon's photo school (now tshwane university of technology), wesley vorster, photographed my fiancé riaan and i in august for our engagement.  here's a couple of my absolute faves (there are way too many to show all of 'em).  the one that i like most?  the one where riaan and i are holding LP covers of paul simon and barbra streisand in front of our faces!  it reflects our geekiness / sense of amusement and it brings a huge smile to my face!

all images copyright of wesley vorster.

Looky!

Even though today feels a bit like a blue Monday (I'm sick in bed, urgh!), I feel blessed and excited (and also eager to get better quick):  My mum visited me last week, as she will be making my wedding dress that my cousin, a fashion designer, is designing especially for me!  The three of us hopped around town to different fabric stores to buy material.  We bought 50 metres of organza (!) last Thursday, and had a relaxing lunch complete with kir royales to celebrate our victorious power-shopping spree!  I can't wait to share the design of my beautiful dress, and will attempt a sneek-peak once my cousin has brought me the sketches.


In the meantime, look at these gorgeous labels that I've discovered via In Good Company's freebie DIY section...!

I adore them, and am seriously considering using these for name cards (pinned to the chair covers,  rather than placed on the tables).  This discovery has made my day!

weekend-fun

Image via Friends of Type

I'm finally relaxing after a long day at work to some Parisian beats (that I discovered on my office iMac) and am looking forward to a fun weekend - Riaan and I are nipping off to Dullstroom for what I surmise to be an indulgent 2 days of lazing about.  Can't wait!

a little inspiration...

how is it that we (burgeoning adults) end up becoming so serious and down-to-business-like?  every now and again it's interesting to reflect on how you thought you would turn out.  i think, at the heart of me, i'm still a bit of a clumsy teen who loves daydreaming, pretending to be grown up...and the cherry blossom girl reminded me what girls, regardless of age, like most:  hanging out with your girl-friends (on a school night! because you can!), dressing up, taking pictures, listening to music, and having fun. i think i should do that every once in a while...

nouveau blonde

For the Spring 2011 NY Fashion Week, blondes are, according to Vogue Daily, all the rage!  Sarah Brown of Vogue reports:  These aren't your average bottle-blondes, and it's definitely not sun-kissed highlights - there's an expensive warmth and richness to the new shade, which looks just right with the louche seventies vibe felt at so many of the best collections...

 

everybody loves my baby

I am so proud of my gorgeous fiancé Riaan today!  He was commended by people at his work because he helped out with a big project over the weekend at short notice.  They were so impressed with his dedication, expertise and willingness to go the extra mile, that they have decided, as a token of their appreciation, that "he can take his fiancé out to dinner at any restaurant of her choice",  sponsored by his company!  Wowy!  

Image from our e-shoot with Wesley Vorster, more to follow soon!

The Bride Wore Christian Lacroix

'You must visit Christian in Paris, he's wonderful...' Aunt Victoire to Marie-Antoinette (from Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette).

I might not be able to visit nor afford a Christian Lacroix, but here's hoping that I will be wearing Christian Louboutin's...!

happy weekend!

a few weeks ago, riaan and i were location scouting sites for our e-shoot with wesley. we decided on this lovely restaurant called il giardino degli ulivi ('the garden of olives') at 44 stanley ave...it has a spacious annex (called "the room") next to an olive tree lined courtyard that we thought would make a great backdrop. soft light, rustic furniture, plus: cooled champagne and delicious pizza!

lumineux ♡'s...

...girly heart-shaped stuff!  Especially combined with wedding ideas!  All images below discovered via the lovely Once Wed.  Lurve the Vivienne Westwood acid pink-purply plastic pumps...!

lucky (and) in love

my fiancé and i will be engaged for 3 months now on 31 august. i really feel like the luckiest girl and i'm getting all the more excited as our wedding plans are starting to come together. i have the best creative team behind me: my cousin, a fashion designer, freelance stylist and published trend analyst, is designing my dress. my colleague, francois jonker (who is the subject head of communication design at Open Window), has kindly offered to design the stationery (of which below his design of our 'save-the-dates' are featured), and my college pal, the wonderful cape town-based wedding photographer, wesley vorster, did our engagement shoot. i feel blessed!