Proudly South African Archives | Inspired Living SA

Design & Decor, Lifestyle, Living Green, Proudly South African

Made by You & Cavendish Recycle Pop-Up Store

Oct 14, 2014

Made by You & Cavendish

Last week I attended the launch of the Made by You & Cavendish Recycle Pop-Up Store in Cavendish square, in Claremont.

To give you a bit of background on this project – over the past three month Cavendish have been running a #cavendishcares project which focused on the WDC2014 theme “TODAY FOR TOMORROW – sustainable solutions for people and planet”. They tasked local green designers including Pitchulik, WREN & Give It Bag to create sustainable products utilizing the waste produced at Cavendish Square.

The challenge was to turn the waste into beautifully designed, functional and desirable recycled products, to in turn amplify the visibility of the Centre’s sustainable outlook. Through this initiative, titled ‘Made By You & Cavendish Square’ (MBY&C), the Centre’s shopping community, have in fact contributed to the creation of these products!

I thought I would share a few photo’s I took at the event, showcasing a few of the amazing products on offer. Remember Christmas is not far off, so this is the perfect opportunity to get your shopping started 😉

I would just like to mention that all the proceeds from sales from MBY&C go directly to the creators of the products and not to Cavendish Square, which I think is awesome!

At the launch we also got a how-to demonstration from Tsidi Ramofolo, from NEWCO designs, on DIY coaster making.

A project which really stood out for me, at the launch, is the Street Sleeper! The Street Sleeper Billboard to Bag concept, up-cycles disused PVC billboard from landfill, to create a survival sleeping bag. This project not only creates local employment but it provides people in need, with shelter from the elements. To find out more about this project or to gift a bag please visit the Street Sleeper Website.

The pop–up store will be operational for the month of October and is located in Col’Cacchio court on the Lower Ground Floor in Cavendish Square, operating from 10am – 5pm daily.

Image Source: Street Sleeper ~ Upcycle That, Top Image ~ Cavendish Square

Gift Ideas, Lifestyle, Proudly South African

Melrose & Co

Aug 22, 2013

I can spend hours buying gifts for friends and loved ones but I do believe, that you need to spend time on the packaging, as well as the gift selection! I probably spend as much time buying gift bags, wrapping and cards, as I spend on the actual gift buying.

I was delighted when Wilna, from Melrose & Co contacted me and asked whether she could send me a few of her gorgeous cards and gift tags!

Wilna’s creativity and love of pretty paper is very evident in her gorgeous creations. She started out making cards for friends and family, who eventually encouraged her to sell her cards. She uses plain and patterned paper to create her cards and may even up-cycle, bits of magazine pages, for a vintage feel.

There is something for everyone in the Melrose & Co. card selection and Wilna has also created a very cute, Safari and Farm range, of children’s cards and gift tags.

If you would like to look at more cards in the range you can visit the Melrose & Co website by clicking here or alternatively you can visit these stores:

Fab Things ~ Newlands, Cape Town
Ancient Routes ~ Pinelands, Cape Town
Present Time ~ Constantia Village, Cape Town
22 On Oxford ~ Durbanville, Cape Town
Willowbrook ~ Bryanston, Johannesburg
House and Homeware, Fourways, Johannesburg

Or visit their store on the Hello Pretty website.

Disclaimer: The cards were sent to me free of charge for review purposes to read my PR & Disclosure Policy, in more detail, please click here.

Gift Guide, Gift Stores, Proudly South African

Re-fined

May 24, 2013

As you know I am a bit of a shopaholic and was particularly fascinated when I heard about Re-fined.com! Re-fined is a new-comer to the on-line shopping scene and the brain child of Georgina O’Connell.

Re-fined has just recently launched to the public and offers shoppers a unique, on-line, shopping experience. It is a place where enjoying and acquiring beautiful things is effortless and pleasurable. You will find items for him, her, for little people and your garden and home, giving you far more variety to make your shopping experience that much easier! Re-fined stocks one of my favourite local jewellery brands, Silver Fig, which you may remember me blogging about – I absolutely love their designs!

“We understand that people have limited time and don’t always have access to the physical shops but still want to acquire desirable product and design to express their sense of style, hence the creation of a cyber mall with one check out point” ~ Georgie.

With a background in design, a love of beautiful things and an appreciation of talent, Georgie became acutely aware of the magnificent products and design items, that come out of South Africa. She also saw the need to make these Proudly South African products, more easily accessible to the world. The main purpose of Re-fined is to showcase South African products and designs, both locally and internationally.

What more could you ask for beautiful stylish products all available from one on-line destination and all this at the click of a button!

Please pop over to the Re-fined website and browse their growing, range of gorgeous goodies!

Cape Town Lifestyle, Events, Lifestyle, Out & About, Proudly South African, Wine Farms

Groot Constantia New Wine Label

Apr 26, 2013

Last week I attended an event at Groot Constantia Wine Farm. You may recall posts I have written about Groot Constantia in the past. The stunning vineyards, amazing wine and historical buildings are what the farm is renowned for. [Read more…]

Africa, Cape Town, Cape Town Lifestyle, Exploring the Cape, FAR Photography, Lifestyle, Out & About, Proudly South African, Travel

Spectacular Cape Town

Mar 4, 2013

Cape Town is without a doubt one of the most exciting cities to visit in South Africa. Its excellent geographic location makes it a truly spectacular city, with scenic mountains, beautiful beaches and many natural wonders. Together with its excellent nightlife and top quality hospitality industry, it means that there is always something to do, for tourists visiting Cape Town.

Things to do in Cape Town

It is probably this joie de vivre that attracts people of all ages to the “Mother City”. By day the outdoors and beaches beckon, it is a great idea to go surfing or just spend a few relaxing hours on one of Cape Town’s many spectacular beaches. Some of the beaches, like Clifton Beach for example, is rated among the best city-beaches in the world. While many tourists may rate Cape Town foremost for its beaches, the city has a lot more to offer.

Of course there is the world famous “Table Mountain” which offers a breathtaking view of the whole city and the surrounding Cape Area. If one prefers to go shopping, the idyllic V&A “Waterfront” shopping mall is a good option. For hikers the Lion’s Head mountain certainly offers a good challenge and if one is into diving, there are plenty of exciting snorkeling and diving spots around the cape.

After experiencing all these adventures by day, one can relax and get to meet the local South Africans at night at one of Cape Town’s many stylish bars and clubs. This means that every visit to Cape Town is filled with exciting moments. By day and by night there are more than enough ways in which to make the most out of every hour spent in this truly world-class city.

Anyone spending time in Cape Town, or South Africa in general, should not forget to check out the many exciting leisure offers. These allow for a good time while not straining one’s budget too much. South Africa is an excellent destination for the adventure-seeking, action-oriented tourist with numerous thrilling things to do. This is why finding offers for leisure activities, can be essential for anyone planning to make the most of their time in South Africa.

If you are planning a trip you can also check out my Top 4 Things To Do in Cape Town.

Be Inspired, Design & Decor, Lifestyle, Product Reviews, Proudly South African, Reviews and Features

With Love Products

Feb 13, 2013

I love the amazing local products that I am encountering across this beautiful land of ours! A very recent find were these beautiful candles by “With Love Products”

With Love Products are hand crafted with organic and natural materials carefully chosen to uplift and enhance your environment. As you can see in the photo’s I took, the packaging is gorgeous, capturing the essence of LOVE!

Products are shipped locally and internationally and they offer a secure online ordering system, but the best part is that a portion of each product sold goes to assist a child in need. So you can shop with joy knowing that your purchase improves the lives of many special children.

With Love Candles are made with raw Beeswax, which is sourced direct from Beekeepers. The Beeswax is heated to filter out natural organic material like vegetation etc. but it is not bleached or diluted with normal wax. Beeswax releases natural Negative Ions into the air, which remove unnatural chemicals and harmful elements. Beeswax has a rich fragrance and the Essential Oils are used subtly enhance this fragrance. One of the main features, is that our Beeswax Candles burn for much longer than normal Candles.

With Love Products have very kindly offered all Super Mom readers 10% off their first purchase in February 2013. All you need to do is add the Voucher “With Love 10” on checkout, when you make a purchase. If you would like to view their whole range of products and place an order pop over to their website here.

Cape Town Lifestyle, Design & Decor, Gift Ideas, Gift Stores, Lifestyle, Proudly South African

Skinny laMinx by Heather Moore

Nov 20, 2012

I am always inspired by the creativity that surrounds us in South Africa, amazing local design talent that is right here on our doorstep! One such very talented lady is Heather Moore. Heather is a self-taught illustrator and designer from Cape Town, with a design label called Skinny laMinx.

I like to cut designs from paper & produce screen-printed textiles, and really, I just like to make things. I have a lovely husband, two angelic kitties & quite a few bicycles. ~ Heather Moore

Skinny laMinx products are fun and quirky with a definite South African flavour. Skinny laMinx products are 100% South African, with design inspiration lifted from nature and everyday objects. You will find gorgeous Wild Flowers, Pincushions, Duikers and Flower Feilds in shades of Framboos, Blueberry, Cocoa to name but a few. Truly unique and exceptional designs at very affordable prices.

I thought I would share a few of Heather’s inspired designs with you, especially seen as Christmas is just around the corner and you may be needing some gift inspiration!

Scatter Cushions R260

Aprons from R245-R365

Tea Towels R115

Table Runners R275

Bags R325

There are also super cute products available in the Mini laMinx range perfect for the little-ones in your life!

Mini Chef Aprons R195

Wipe-clean Placemats R80

Smock Dresses R195

The one item that really caught my eye are these clever Ovenfire Transfers, shown below. If you are feeling crafty or looking for something for the older kids to do during the holidays, they are perfect! You will get an A5 sheet screen printed with a two-colour selection of ceramic transfers that can be applied to any glazed, commercially bought ceramic item, and then fired in a home oven for 20 minutes.

Skinny laMinx Ovenfire Transfers R60

You can visit the Skinny laMinx store & studio in central Cape Town, at 201 Bree Street. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am – 5pm & Saturday 9am – 1pm or have a look at the on-line store on the website by clicking here.

Cape Town Lifestyle, Events, Lifestyle, Out & About, Proudly South African

The KLINK Awards

Nov 5, 2012

Last week I attended the KLINK Awards, which was held at the offices of DHK Architects, in Cape Town. What a truly amazing setting to celebrate some of the top achievers in the wine tourism industry. To get the evening started we were greeted with a glass of bubbles, nothing better on a balmy Cape Town evening! The waite-staff were top-notch, they kept the canapés flowing all evening! The food was certainly plentiful and rather scrumptious and the wine delicious!

On the stunning roof top terrace setting, overlooking the Mother City, Monica Alias from Wine Tourism SA, with the help of Mike Ratcliffe handed out the awards for the various category winners. As voted for by you the consumer.

The winners were as follows:

Beyond Expectations “Award for Great Food & Excellent Value” – Haute Cabriéré
Comfort Zone “Award for the Best Bistro or Cafe on a Wine Farm” – Harvest at Laborie
Connoisseur “Award the Best Cellar Tasting Experience” – Fairview Master Tasting
Country Comfort “Award for Boutique Accommodation on a Wine Farm” – Doolhof Grand Dédale
Crowd Pleaser “Award for the Best Wine Route Event” – Durbanville Wine Valley Season of Sauvignon
Delicious Deli “Award for Best Deli on a Wine Farm” – Fairview Deli
Family Day Out “Award for Best Child-friendly Venue on a Wine Farm – Blaauwklippen
Gourmet ” Award for Best Gourmet Restaurant at the Cellar Door” – Pierneef á La Motte
Happy Times “Award for Most Memorable Wine Route” – Franschhoek Wine Valley
Percale “Award for Best Accommodation on a Wine Route” – Majeka House
Tread Gently “Award for Most Green Wine Farm” – Villiera
Warm Family Welcome “Award for Best Cellar Door Experience” – Delheim
Wild Card “Award for Most Unusual Attraction on a Wine Route” – Cape Heritage Museum at Solms-Delta
Yin and Yang “Award for Best Food and Wine Pairing on a Wine Farm” – Creation Canapé Platter Pairing

Inspired by the marketing and consumer engagement efforts of the nominees, an additional award was specifically created for the #KLINK nominee with the most votes overall. The Supernova Award was presented to Blaauwklippen.

“Thank you to the thousands of domestic and international wine tourists who visited, voted for and provided feedback on their favourite nominees. The inaugural #KLINK Awards achieved our aims of using social media as a core marketing driver and important means of building relationships and engaging with potential and existing clients. Through the viral nature of these platforms, we have been able to reach a broad base of consumers. Congratulations to the winners. We hope that this encourages even more people to visit our winelands and give feedback on their experiences.” ~ Monika Elias, Wine Tourism South Africa and #KLINK Awards Founder
Thank you to Wine Tourism South Africa for a wonderful evening and congratulations to all the KLINK Award winners! Hope to see you all next year! To find out more about the winners pop over to the Wine Tourism website here.