What I am wearing today

I love putting together an outfit, yes I love clothes and fashion but the truth is I often have no idea what's in fashion and I don't care much about lables or fancy clothes what makes me happy is putting together colours and shapes in a way that I find visually pleasing. But it seems like such a shame when you put together a (in my mind at least) great outfit, wear it to work and go home and that's that. So I decided to start illustrating them. That way at least I have a record of the outfits I liked. Here is todays one.

Throw a drink in someone's face.

I've always wanted to throw a drink in someone's face, the problem is that I'd have to be pretty pissed off with someone to do that and I don't get that angry very easily. I also don't particularly like getting angry so maybe some kind person can volunteer to be on the wrong end of my drink. Anyone?

Tiffany's

I'm not really the kind of girl who gets all excited about jewelery and diamonds, I'd rather go on a overseas trip than get an expensive diamond ring (future husbands take note) but there is something about Tiffany's... It could be that shade of blue or that Audrey Hepburn was in Breakfast at Tiffany's or their beautiful print ads or the pretty jewelery or possible all off those things rolled into one, but I want to get some pretty piece of jewelery in a blue Tiffany box, pretty please. I don't even want diamonds or gold, not a big fan, just some pretty silver thingy a necklace or a bracelet. (again future husbands take note) It would be great to get it as a romantic gift, but if I must I will buy it for myself and act all surprised when I open that little box. At least that way I'll get exactly what I want.

Little ginger monkeys

Number 8 on my bucket list is to see orangutans. I love them, they are such cute little ginger things. It astounds me that anyone would want to hurt them, but they are endangered because they are being killed and their habitats destroyed by palm oil farmers in Indonesia. I've booked a ticket to Indo this past week, so hopefully I will get to see them soon and hopefully these little monkeys stand a chance of surviving, it will be a sad, sad day when they are no more.

My bucket list, a tick and a red dress

So I'm back to illustrating my bucket list AND ticking things off it! I was meant to tick my "run 21km" box a few weeks ago when I went all the way to Knysna to run the Knysna half, sadly the whole thing got cancelled due to bad weather. So I was very happy to find another 21km to run on the 4th of August, but then after getting through practically the whole winter cold free I got a sore throat last Monday, I was so bummed, I just really wanted to tick that box. But by yesterday I was feeling ok and I thought I'd give the 21 a try and it turned out to be a really good race, I did it in 2 hours,luckily it was an easy route, still I'm pretty chuffed with myself and so happy to tick off that box. If you look closely at the group shot of my bucket list illustrations you will see a ticked box, the first! My new entry on the list is to own a red dress, (I don't own one and I think I should) pretty achievable, but I reckon I can throw a few easy ones in there. So if you're in Cape Town and you spot any cute red dresses let me know. As you can tell from the illy I love a dress with pockets.

Chicas locas

More little pictures, one of a fierce dancer and her cat. This one might be slightly autobiographical, except I don't have a cat, but I am a fan of dancing like a ridiculous person, it's hard not to laugh when you're dancing around your flat like a lunatic, it's also amused my family, in fact I did a ridiculous little dance for my dad as part of his father's day gift. He loved it. The other one is actually probably also a little autobiographical as I do like an adventure, I just don't have a dog, or straight hair...

Joan and Jasper

This is Joan and her cat Jasper with matching wintry outfits, because it's been freezing in Cape Town. So much so that I've melted the sole of one of my Ugg boots, because I was snuggling too close to my gas heater. Cold winters are dangerous.

Go skiing

Number 6 on my illustrated bucket list. Skiing is exactly the sort of thing I'd be really bad at, but I'd love to go. Mostly to sit in the chalet on top of the snowy mountain drinking red wine in front of the fire...

Own a pet

I love animals, I love cats. Sadly I live in an apartment and I'm allergic to cats. Someone really needs to find a cure for allergies. So this is a tricky one, it will probably have to wait for one day when I own a house (also on the list)

Hablo Español

Another one to tick off. Two years ago I went to South-America and fell in love with the place. Since then I've been trying to learn to speak Spanish. To be honest though while I was in South-America I was a little too pre-occupied with drinking beer and the hot latino's to really focus on learning a language so true to my hap hazard nature I only really started learning Spanish once I was back in South-Africa. And it's not easy, but I love it. How do you know if you're fluent? well I remember when I lived in Holland waking up one morning and realising that I'd just dreamt in Dutch and that I was thinking in Dutch. I'm Afrikaans so it was relatively easy to get to that point. But that must count as fluent. I don't know if I'll ever get there with Spanish, perhaps if move to a Spanish speaking country? Maybe I should put that on my bucket list as well. Live in Spanish speaking country. I think it's going on.

Number 2 and 3 on my list.

Two more bucket list lilies, I want to have really long hair and I want to run 21km. Both of these are within my reach. If you told me a year ago that I'd be running almost every day and looking forward to running my first half marathon I'd have sincerely questioned your sanity. For me running was something you did when someone or something was chasing you and your life was in danger,but since last year November I've become somewhat addicted to running. Who would've thought. I love it. Running downhill makes me feel like a kid and I can indulge my sugar habit virtually guilt free, because I can just run it off again. Good things. So I'm running my first 21km in July. The Knysna half, hope it goes well, if it does I might have to make a new entry on the list, run a marathon, but one thing at a time. As for the hair, I've always wanted long hair, since I was a kid and my mom insisted on giving me a pudding bowl hair cut whilst I envied my friends pretty long hair. Well my mother isn't in charge of my hair anymore, thank goodness. But I still have never really had very long hair. My hair is fine and damages easily, so to get it long without looking like a witch caught in a storm is somewhat of a challenge, but with the help of some expensive products, I'm getting there, slowly but surely...

My bucket list

Or as I prefer to think of it my To Do list for life. I've had this idea for a while now that I want to illustrate my bucket list. And put it up where I can see it everyday. We don't often think about all the big or not so big things we want to do. it's easy to get caught up in day to day life. But a friend of mine recently passed away and it made me realise again that life is short and fragile and that we shouldn't put off the things we want to do. Not that I will be skinny dipping anytime soon as right now it's winter in Cape Town and outside it is pouring with rain and I'm wearing a fleece (don't worry I won't wear it out into the world) and I have the heater on. So these aren't being illustrated in any order of importance rather what I feel like illustrating at the time. But more to follow soon, it's a long list.

Winter is here

As always Easter in Cape town marks the start of winter, rainy days and cold weather. I'm not complaining I love winter. Especially as it means I can wear my new long socks! Here's a quick self portrait of me in my new socks holding a cup of tea. Of course the thing with winter in CT is that it never stays very cold for very long, in fact right now looking out the window it's cleared up and apart from a few stray puffball clouds there is table mountain back again, against a bright blue sky.

Pretty tattooed lady

It's my friend Lorraine's birthday celebration this weekend, and as part of her birthday gift I did this little portrait of her featuring my faveroute tattoo of hers. She's got a few, because she's hardcore like that...

Happy birthday Lola, hope this one is bevange ;)

Newspaper and a coffee

These illies were going to be for a promotion, buy the newspaper and get a free coffee, but they never made it out in the world. Still it was a fun little job to illustrate the love affair between a newspaper and coffee, the two do go together. I never really read the paper anymore, it's mostly sad news and it's amazing how the important stuff filters through, you end up knowing whats going on in the world without making any effort. Still it's kind of embarrassing that I get my knowledge of the world from friends, facebook and those damn headline streetpole posters...Maybe I should start reading the papers again.

Hen party fun

Here's the save the date and invite I designed for my friend's Hen's. It was last weekend and I must say it was the funnest night out I had in a long time. The theme was Paris and there was some pole dancing, tequila and a whole lot of dancing, till 4 the next morning! And we rounded the evening off with garage pies on the way home, haven't done that in years! If the Hen's was anything to go by the wedding is going to be a blast!

Profile pic

Here's my new profile pic. I had to supply one for a new illustration agency I'm joining called Zulu's can draw. (No I'm not Zulu I know and they know.)

Sadly on Saturday when I did this profile pic I had big hair. So the hair had to go in the picture, it's only fair. This sometimes happen, you see I have curly hair, mostly it knows its place and let gravity do its thing, but every now and then it goes all country and western on me just to prove a point.

I also had to provide two truths and a lie about myself to go into my profile. Mine were
1. I once slid down a volcano on my bum
2. I'm a really good singer.
3. I've had a kitten stuck in my hair.

Can you guess which is the lie?

El Alquimista

The Booklounge in Roeland is hosting a silent art auction for Picador, and the proceeds are going to a lucky school to help stock their library. The illustration had to be in black and white and the theme is the art of the book. So I drew Santiago the little shepherd from one of my favourite books, The Alchemist. I recently finished reading it again, but this time in Spanish. Before you are overly impressed let me add that it took me about 5 months! But I did enjoy reading it in Spanish, and it seems appropriate seeing as the shepherd in the story is from Andalucia, Spain. If you haven't read it yet, do. It's all about listening to your heart.

Numerology

So my New Years resolution of being a more regular blogger hasn't been going so well. Apologies. It's been a busy year so far and it's not going to get any better any time soon. But here are some illies I did in December for a book on numerology. And I'll make a slightly used, not quite New Years resolution to try and prioritise nice illustration work and find time for it in amongst the busyness.

Happy 2012!

Hope everyone is sticking to their New Years Resolutions, it's always nice if they last at least the first, week of the new year... Clearly one of mine is to be a more regular blogger, so far so good. Last year was pretty pathetic, blogging wise. So here's to more doodling and productiveness in 2012. Happy New Year everyone, hope it's a goody.