Joining in: {Wine Circle}

Farmboy and I have been staying on the farm to enjoy family time with his family before heading to Joburg to see mine. On Thursday we leave South Africa, so we are lapping up as much farm/family/sun/food/wine as we can. Here are a few snaps from wine circle, which happens once a month or so with a lovely group of local Creighton ladies and gents. Im so mad at myself that the last group photo came out blurred...I am blaming all the wine (thats my excuse and I am sticking with it!) In between lots of laughter and good conversation, we got to sip a load few different wines and enjoy a wonderful evening with a lot of fun locals.  Thanks for having us Creighton!

{Candice & Clyde} engagement shoot revisited!

Farmboy and I will be heading up to Zimbabwe early January, to see my very special friend Candice say I do to a wonderful man. Here are some of their photo's from their engagement shoot earlier this year. What a fun couple to work with!
Candy & Clyde, I cant wait to be there on your special day!
xxx

Camping in the Bush

This past weekend, Farmboy and our friends Cayleigh and Byron headed off to Bonamanzi Game Reserve {a two hour drive from Ballito} for some camping, birding, and general relaxing. This was of course after watching the preview of Twilight at Gateway {the best of the series!!}.

I spent most of the time reading, while the rest of the gang spotted and identified a multitude of majestic winged creatures. Me and Mr Stephen King had some catching up to do :)

My School for the next 7 weeks...

I am currently doing my Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) through the University of Kwazulu Natal here in Pietermaritzburg. It's only a year course, and along with lectures every day, we have to complete over 11 weeks of practical training in schools. I did my first 5 week practical at a very good ex-model C (thats the new flashy name for Government School) in April, and am currently doing my final 7 week practical at a school in town. It's been a completely different experience for me, one that I have been very excited to sink my teeth into. 

It has been eye opening to say the least (not to mention a little scary at times, especially being greeted by 'No Gun' signs every morning as I walk through the school gates, but I have to and say I am loving it so far!

Here are a few snaps of my class for next few weeks...

Spruce Salon in Morningside, Durban {Review}

On friday afternoon, I had the pleasure of meeting Katy, therapist & owner of Spruce 

{a delightful Salon} which she recently opened in Morningside Durban. 

Ladies, if you need a break from reality and love the thought of being pampered, surrounded by orchids while sipping on an apple & mint cordial, then why not book yourself in for a {treat}ment at Spruce.

First, a few questions to get to know the lady behind the brand...

Q: Where is your favourite place to spend a saturday afternoon?

Wherever family and friends are.

Q: If you could go back in time and tell your 5 year old self anything, what would it be?

Listen to your gut!

And now for a little more about Spruce...

Q: Have you always been interested in beauty? Has owning your own salon always been a dream of yours?  

Absolutely! I remember doing D.IY facials at home on whoever would let me, with all sorts of interesting concoctions from the fridge and pantry – those poor skins! Ive always been fascinated by hand-healing therapies, the power of good products and self-improvement in general, so becoming a beauty therapist was a bit of a no-brainer, and of course owning my own salon was always the ultimate goal.

Q:Tell us the story behind the name, Spruce.

It just came to mind when I Was brainstorming for names. I wanted something short, sweet and catchy that embodied what I do how I want my clients to feel when they’ve walked out my doors – spruced-up!

Q: What is your most popular treatment with your clients?

Both the ESSE and Dr. Babor facials and extremely popular – its a total head-to-toe pamper. And I cant keep up with the Shellac nails – its a life-changing product!

Q: Do you offer any signature treatments?

My facials are definitely unique in that I combine a whole array of techniques to create a very relaxing and beneficial treatment. I also offer a hot lava-shell massage which is similar to the traditional hot stone massage but so much more indulgent!

 Q: What skincare brands do you stock?

I use and sell ESSE (100% organic) which is an incredibly nourishing and healing product that anyone can use and it is extremely powerful in treating all of the common skin conditions such as acne, eczema, dryness etc. Im totally hooked! And then for anyone wanting to turn back the clock and totally transform dull, tired and aging skin Dr Babor is magic-wand of beauty products that guarantees instant results – you literally watch the lines disappear in minutes – its your botox and fillers without the needles!

I had the most wonderful Esse facial when I was there, a full head to toe treatment. All i can say is that Katy, in the few weeks before my wedding, I hope your schedule is free so I can see you for lots and lots of pre-wedding 'sprucing' up! 

A weekend in the bush {Lindani Game Reserve, Waterberg}

This past weekend was spent in Lindani Game Reserve in an 11 sleeper lodge, with fire roasted marshmallows, and steaming cups of coffee in the early hours of the morning, while watching the sun come up. A short 3 hours from Joburg, it was the perfect family getaway. A few photo's...

Late afternoon stroll with my brother David (dressed in blue), his lovely girlfriend Sam, and Farmboy

Dullstroom for the weekend...

A few snaps from a recent rip to Dullstroom, sans Farmboy (who is still away for work in Ethiopia!!). But I did go with my lovely mom and step dad. The weekend was to celebrate my Uncle Pete's Big 50, and was packed with family catch ups, beautiful scenery, and fires burning all day long to keep cosy...

I really liked the look of this log...

Me and my Grandpa!

Interesting fence...

Nothing like a little cheesy self portrait!

?! :)

Pinecone found on a walk through the forest

The Clock Shop!

Harry's Pancakes...yum yum yum!

Even though i felt that Dullstroom is tending towards to 'dull' side (with most shops selling cheap Chinese replica's ie. junk!) it was still a wonderful weekend. Dullsroom is still one of the most beautiful places to head to for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of Joburg (and of course is a fantastic place for trout fishing!).

A student once more...The *University of Kwazulu Natal*

As of last week monday, I am now officially a student again! Yippee! This time at the University of Kwazulu Natal. After teaching in South Korea, I realised that that is where my heart lies and I need to be true to that. Thats why i have decided to do a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) this year, with my focus being in Foundation Phase Education (those are the cute little ones, from Grade R to Grade 3) basically the very start of 'big' school.

I've just finished my first week of practical work where I was placed in a wonderful private boys school here in Pietermaritzburg and loved every second of it. The rest of the year will be taken up with lectures, and 2 sets of intense 4 & 7 week teaching practical sessions at different schools. I am so excited :)

So when things seem a little slow on the blogging side, you now know why...

But along with that there are going to be a few other exciting projects happening here so 

*Watch This Space*

xxx

Corner Cafe, Durban

Looking for a place that offers good service, scrumptious food and a friendly local...then pop into Corner Cafe in Glenwood, Durban.  

After a hasty 'Help! Looking for fun places to visit in Durban' message on Twitter, the lovely Nadia from CupCakeCourture suggested I head to Corner Cafe for a fill up. She had also suggested Mooi & Wakaberry  which have since been plugged into 'Favourites' on my GPS! 

After a quick caffeine fix, I was bouncing off the walls while being given a delightful breakdown of other cool spots to check out in Durban by Corner Cafe's owner, Judd.  

Thanks for all the helpful info Judd, We will be back!

CornerCafe also boasts its own vintage store full to the brim with treasures that are "Resurrected and Recycled". 

Address

Corner of  Cromwell and Brand Roads

 Glenwood 

Durban

Phone 032 201 0219

Opening Hours

Monday - Saturday 07h00 - 17h00

Click here to visit Judd's blog, and click here for Corner Cafe's Facebook Group.

Nonna...Parkhurst

This lovely little gift and decor shop is situated in the very trendy area of Parkhurts, with coffee shops and antique stores on every corner. You'll find everything from jewellery to furniture, clothing to collectibles...I could have spent all afternoon browsing :) 

Click here to find out more of what's in store!

011 447 8297

Shop 9, The Cobble Centre

4th Avenue (Corner 12th Avenue)

Parkhurst

Johannesburg

Click here for their facebook page

Eyebrow **Threading**

According to the Brow Bar in Clear Water Mall (Joburg) threading is an "ideal brow shaping technique from Asia...no heat, no chemicals, no redness, no pain". I'm not sure about the 'no redness, no pain' part as I my eyebrows were pretty red straight after, and it was a little sore (this could have been due to the thick bush of eye brows I had hiding under my fringe). The 'procedure' was not unbearable though,  and I definitely think waxing hurts more. But the results really do speak for themselves. 

*now that I look at these pic's a bit closer, my brows don't seem to look so overgrown, but trust me when I say that it was nearly time to for some heavy duty hair removal*

For R70 a very friendly lady preens your brows to your face shape...giving a lovely even finish :) I was in and out of there in 7 minutes flat!

The Brow Bar is situated at Clear Water Mall, Entrance 3.

Canderal Cook Off fun!

Wednesday evening saw myself and 5 other super cool Joburg bloggers (Alida, Jess, Jeanette, Tanya & Angie) battling it out for the honour of top Salon de Culinaire Chef!

Ok I get a little carried away, we *were at Salon de Culinaire in Fourways, and we *were cooking, but there *was no competition..thank goodness...I had a hard enough time figuring out which knife to use to slice the plums.

 The lovely Natasha (as well as the rest of the super awesome LiveWired team) had organized a night of cooking, eating, drinking & being merry in honour of Canderal's launch of their Yellow range. We were put into teams in charge of making the starter (Angie & Jeanette), main (Alida & me) and dessert (Jess & Tanya). Thanks ladies, It was a lovely evening!

Exploring: 44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark *Part 1*

Here are a few pic's I took while wandering around this delightful little nook in MillPark. Click here for 44 Stanley's official website to stay up to date

Anatomy Design


"Anatomy Design is a unique shopping destination - with a focus on beautifully detailed contemporary furniture and homeware"

Verdange


"Vendange is a retail concept themed around food, wine and olive oil accessories. We also supply an extensive range or ceramics, glassware and some furniture"

Lucky Fish


"Lulu Baily is an artist who had a dream of owning a shop that would allow for a broader expression of creativity. Lucky Fish opened five years ago as a fusion of trading store and bazaar with classic luxurious comfort. The shop's antique cabinets and a shifting array of beautiful furniture house all sorts of interesting odds and ends. Lulu stocks a wide range gleaned from antique markets and high street shops in India. An eccentric mix of furniture, lamps, cushions, clothing, toys and china come from as far afield as Sri Lanka, Spain, France and Argentina"


**I have just received my badge for the South African Blog Awards! If you like my blog, and feel extra nice today, pretty please wont you click here and vote for me :) All you have to do is enter your email address and you will be sent a confirmation email, just click the link in that email and bombs away!**

*Movember* is nearly upon us

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

On Movember 1st, guys register at Movember.com with a clean-shaven face and then for the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. 

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember. 

Movember - a global movement

Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.1 million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate, with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic. In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause right across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.

No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, getting them to act on that knowledge thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment.

Click here to register your boyfriend/brother/friends cat and to find out more info about this worthy cause.

Here's Farmboy's entry picture from last year, it was part of the Lomography websites fundraising campagin, and was chosen to be sold in an auction to raise money for mens health...I took the pic while on holiday in Cambodia

If you would like to get involved, you can do so with (or without) donning some unruly facial hair. Just click here to vote/rate/donate/encourage Farmboy as he tackles the task of "letting it all grow out and be nasty"

*Kings* of *Leon*...Joburg

I could write a whole long boring post, or I could just leave you with these picture...think I'll do the latter...

Farmboy bought tickets for him & his sister for her 21st Birthday earlier this year, and I obviously had to tag along. After getting lost in Soweto central, a very kind police officer escorted us whitey's to the stadium:

@Home with an Espresso??

Found this at @Home yesterday, and even though I may need to have a home to furnish first, I couldn't resist. And for R39.99...who could?

Kings of Leon *Joburg* How to Get to the FNB Stadium

For all those KOL fans out there, thought the following info would be helpful :)

One way to get to the FNB stadium is by the Park & Ride buses. Book your tickets at Computicket (click here).

Buses leave from the following departure points: 

Coca-Cola Dome, Northgate

Wits University (West Campus)

Gold Reef City 

Constitution Hill

Tickets cost R90, and I would suggest booking before hand to make sure you've got a seat.

Alternatively, there is the Park & Rail.

The train runs directly from the East Rand, West Rand, Pretoria and Johannesburg to Nasrec Station.

Tickets cost R80 return. Click here for the train schedule

The line up for saturday:

17h00 Doors Open

18h30 – 19h00 The Black Hotels

19.15 – 19h45 Shadowclub

 20h00 – 20h30 Die Heuwels Fantasties

21.00 Kings of Leon

Click here for the BigConcerts Facebook page to stay up to date before the big day

Santa Shoe Box!

"Kidz2Kidz’s Santa Shoebox Project is an inspiring community initiative that co-ordinates the donation, collection and distribution of personalized gifts at Christmas time to underprivileged children; while at the same time helping parents teach their own children about the joys of giving."


All you have to do is register on the website, and you will go through a step by step guide as to the who/where/when details of your box. So far 64238 boxes have been pledged, but there are still 5481 kids without a prezzie. So give your old shoeboxes a new home this Christmas.

A little more Catrice

Infinite Matt Foundation

I have been most pleasantly surprised with this foundation (not to mention the entire range of Catrice products I have used so far!). This foundation, which is oil free, has long outlasted even my Clarins Everlasting Foundation (review to follow soon!). Whereas the Clarins left my skin looking shiny in only an hour, the Catrice really did keep my skin matt all day long. The bottle has the following to say:

"Oil-free make-up with long lasting matt-effect. Hydrating and with light reflecting pigments it creates an even, fresh complexion and leaves skin feeling soft."

I am super impressed with it, and give this a 5/5. 

The Infinite Matt Foundation comes in 6 shades, this one is #030 Apricot Beige (not the hugest range of shades). 

Find it at your nearest Dischem for R79.95

Absolute Eye Colour Quad #040 Never Let Me Go!

Having used a few of these eye shadows before I was very keen to add to my growing collection. And these little babies did not disappoint. The eye shadows are highly pigmented and long lasting. You do have to layer them quite a lot in order to build up colour, but I love the consistency of them, and how easy they are to blend. This quad makes a very nice smoky eye, while the top too colours are perfect for day wear.

Find it at your local dischem for R59.95

Kohl Kajal #100 Name it as you like! 

This is the second kohl eye liner that I have in the Catrice range, and probably one of my favourite brands for eye liner so far. Rimmel and Bourgois used to be at the top of my list, but I must say they are being quickly over taken :) This kohl liner is long lasting, and very easy to use. As with most kohl pencils, they are much easier to blend and are a lot more forgiving than other pencils. This colour is great for adding definition to a smoky eye, without being too overpowering as pure black can be sometimes. And for only R24.99, I think very soon I will have the entire collection!

Weekend in pictures...

Just a little glimpse ...