A few things here and there

 

Chairman Mau – had me at “I made this work bench and set it up in the middle of my house so that you can have space to do your stuff”.

I have been spending time at my current favourite person’s place in the Drakensberg.  That’s him over there –>

<--This is the majestic Drakensberg.

Beside him being just the most awesomest, coolest, nicest, sweetest, adorable and best person to be around, and the fact that he introduces to all his other super duper cool artisan friends – (including a metal sculptor who plays a mean guitar and lives in what can only be described as the best real life Hobbit-come-Hogwarts house – another post on that later.) 

The Chairman himself is a rabid crafter – he makes super beautiful things with rocks, gems, crystals and wood. Like this rad piece around my neck that he gave me (how could anyone resist adoring someone who does something beautiful randomly because he can – and then gives it to you?), and also pretty much all the furniture you see there is handmade by the Chairman. 

BUT for me the bestest best part about the Chairman is that he totally gets my OCD (Obsessive Crafting Disorder).  So much so that he cleared out places at his place and set up work benches and shelf space so that I can have loads and loads of space to create and places to put all my stash when I’m there – how freaking awesome is that?

I mean check out above this cool craft-central station he got going for me - and then there was shelf space behind it for all my toys!!!!  Swoon swoon swoon goes me.

The other fabulous thing about knowing him is that he owns a store that showcases and sells handmade craft items with an African Theme. The store is called Living Art Gems – it is situated in a little centre called Thokozisa in Champagne Valley near Champagne Castle. Pop on over there if you’re in South Africa – the Berg is fabulous and this centre is too cute – but more interestingly – he has an incredible selection of rocks, semi-precious stones, crystals, fossils and turtle-poo from the dinosaur era – FOR FREAKING REAL.

 

Anyway, being the awesome guy that he is – he has taken a whack load of cards I made and put it in his shop.  But they weren’t entirely in keeping with the theme of the shop or the location.  So I decided to do a few more (since I had the whole craft station at my disposal and all) and these are the one’s that I came up with. 

It is a collection that is called Cathkin Peak, as the series has the peak in its background.  I was inspired by this jaw dropping view, that I painted, dyed, stamped, drew and distressed with distress ink, distress markers and distress paint (big kudos for Tim Holtz here – hope he finds this post some time cos I really-really got into the full scope of potential and variety of usage all these great mediums in this card series and I want him to know how freaking amazing I think these products are and to see how brilliantly they worked out for me.

I tried to choose elements for the embellishments that I noticed in and around the area to keep the integrity of the theme.  Here are my efforts – hope you like them, and if you do – and want them – you can get them at the Chairman’s shop.  (I’m still trying to convince him that he needs an online presence)

 

Last note – I know that I usually share my designs and instructions, however this time I feel that I cant tell you that you are free to copy as it is going in the Chairman’s shop and I have given him the exclusive right to sell the series – thus please dont copy.

Hamba Kahle our beloved Tata Madiba

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“The greatest glory in living, lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”