What's looming ahead..

The other day I was watching a program on TV, and the lady was showing how to knit with a loom, and they spoke about all things loom-y.. Now, I can knit, but it takes so much time to get something done! (Maybe it's just me!?) They showed how you can make blankets, scarves, beanies, sweaters - the lot! And there are several different stitches too.. The more I watched, the more I realised this is something I want to try myself.  

I was lucky enough to find a loom (they are available at all shops that stock Elle Wool, such as Bernina - as well as Cape Arts & Crafts in Canal Walk) and decided to try it out over a weekend.  :)

The pictures above show what the loom looks like, what the 'plain' stitch looks like and what the wool looks like when wound around the loom pegs. 

Seeing I had some leftover bits of wool, I decided on different panels, all different colours, which would then be joined together at the end. Above you can see the different panels I made. Below are some closer-up photos of the finished product and where / how I put the panels together. (The red wool.)

And this is the final product! :) I was so happy with myself after putting it all together. And I made this all in just a weekend! When I realised how quick the loom knitting goes, my mind ran away with ideas and endless possibilities! I just want to make blankets, scarves, beanies and sweaters now!  So stay tuned.. I will be knitting more things soon. Now to decide what wool to get.. mmmmm....

For more information about looming, you can go look at The Home Channel and Elle Yarns.

Bread and butter

Today I am introducing you to one of my favourite new places to go for tea, breakfast, lunch - in fact, I feel like going there now! :) It is called Bread and Butter, and you can find them on Sandown road in Sunningdale, Cape Town. (Just look for the new Checkers Hyper shopping center - you really can't miss it..!) 

They have this 'feast' table that is absolutely packed with food! My mouth watered as I walked in, and it was quite difficult to decide what to eat. Everything looked so yummy, and the smell of more fresh baking in the kitchen....mmmm... Yumm!

I am so going back for the Oreo Cupcakes (!!!) and that chocolate cake. 

I was told by my sisters-in-law to try the banana bread. Ok fine, I thought. Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed! They toast the banana bread, and serve it with mascarpone cheese and honey. How divine! Just looking at these pictures makes me hungry now.. Best banana bread I have ever had!!!

Not only do they serve some yummy treats and drinks, they also have so many pretty things on display all over the shop. There are SO many things I want for myself!! :) But I know where to go to get fab pressies now. Yay. And some beautiful ribbons - can never have enough ribbons.

The decor is also so simple, unique and elegant! The inside of the shop is more 'sophisticated', with vintage chairs and couch and simplistic lines (talking about the tables here). Outside they have a couple more funky and fun chairs and pillows. Don't you just love the pillows made from the hessian bags!?

They also have these awesome vintage toys - I want them all! And moms - don't worry, there is a play area for the little ones. So they can go crazy while you enjoy your tea and toasted banana bread! :)

[ I know the website is not up and running yet - so here are there details:

Tel: 021 554 5817

Email: info@breadandbutterco.co.za ]

Now, go have some tea and cake! :)

Simply Delicious giveaway

One of my favourite foodie blogs is Simply Delicious. She has so many great ideas, recipes and of course, giveaways! Seeing the Olympics start on Friday, Simply Delicious has teamed up with Woolworths to bring you (us) a FAB giveaway!! :) Who doesn't need some munchies for the opening ceremony on Friday!? I know I do!! So head on over to the giveaway on Simply Delicious's site and go enter. Go do it NOW.. You don't want to miss out on this..

Photo from the Simply Delicious website.

Nautical themed baby boy pressie

A while ago another friend of mine had a little boy. He is just adorable! So for this occasion I decided to make the little pillows again. Seeing they are pretty useful when feeding the baby, and they also look so cute in the crib. Seeing the room had been done in a nautical theme, I settled on little boats and ahoy. 

Everything is handmade, and hand embroidered. I will gladly make these for any occasion. They not only work well in cribs, they also look great on couches or beds. So they are great for baby showers, kitchen teas and birthdays. Personalized to your occasion and color(s) scheme / theme. 

Playing with brooches

I do actually like some aspects of winter - not the rain, or the cold. But then, without that, we would not get to wear comfy cozy jackets and scarves. Sometimes though it does get a bit dull and bland, thank goodness for accessories! :) So I have been playing around with materials and ribbons and made some brooches to liven up the dreariness of winter.. Here are some I have made already.

What do you guys think? 

These are just the start, there are many more ideas floating around my head. So stand by for more... :)

Yummy oats and honey take 3

I know, I know. This post is a bit late. But here is the third installment of the photo shoot I helped The Pretty Blog with. As you know, they did a photo shoot for Kellogg's Special K Oats and Honey. Go have a look at all the photos and winter inspiration here.

Photos from The Pretty Blog, taken by Yolande Marx. Thanks again for all the fun girls! I just love these photos!! :)

Not Another Fecking Market

For those of you that are loving vintage at the moment, like me.. Here is an event not to be missed! I have seen most of the products being sold, and they are awesome. And I am SO looking forward to going to see the others! Don't forget, there are yummy cakes and pancakes too!!

For this weekend's Not Another Fecking Market at Ragazzi Live Bar - Lemon Meringue Pie has organised a little giveaway.. So mosey on over to her Facebook page here for all the details. 

And you can go look at some of the Facebook pages mentioned on the poster:

Baa Baa Accessories

Vintage Lover

Pedro's Bitchin' Eyewear

I Heart Vintage

Vintage Junkies

Sammi Cakes

Baby shower pressie

This past weekend a friend of mine had a baby shower to attend, so she asked me to make a little something. Criteria: it is a little boy, the crib is cream with cream and brown checked cushioning. So keep it natural.. I ended up making a little pillow for the crib, as well as a 'spoeg-lappie' (an old fashioned cloth diaper mommies use to wipe off the drool..). 

A little zoomed in so you can see the green stitching. 

These little pillows measure 20cm by 40cm, and apparently work well when you are feeding the baby. And they look so cute in the cot! They are also quite portable as they are so small - so you can have baby comfortable where ever you go. Since babies can be messy, I made this pillow with an envelope back, so the cover can be taken off to be washed.

And for the 'spoeg-lappie' I found this adorable farm-y material. I just couldn't resist! One side is the material, and the other side is the towel-y side. 

Throw pillows

This year La Feta Vij turned 1 year old! And as a birthday pressie, I made some foodie pillows for Anneke (the owner). Here are a couple of zoomed in pictures. (Without the final stitching.)

And here is the finished product. 100% handmade and hand stitched. So each one is special in its own way!

Go have a look at the menu at La Feta Vij here. And remember, Anneke always has fresh yummy cakes and treats too! I am still craving after the red velvet she had last time!

Yummy oats and honey take 2

As some of you know, I was fortunate enough to help the folks over at The Pretty Blog with a photo shoot recently. Kellogg's Special K has a yummy new edition to their family - Oats and Honey. And The Pretty Blog did a great piece on a wedding breakfast, as opposed to a traditional wedding reception. Go have a look at the yummy post here, for some great inspiration for a winter wedding!



And over on Kellogg's Special K's Facebook page, you can go have a look at some scrumptious recipes and ideas for your Oats and Honey in the morning!

Photos from The Pretty Blog, taken by Yolande Marx. Thanks again for the fun girls - I absolutely love the photos!

Yay for bunting

So, for the bunting for La Feta Vij, I chose these colors. Here is a preview of what the bunting looked like before being assembled. 

And here is what it looks like after being put together. I just love the way bunting brightens up any occasion and room it is in! Even these little trees seemed happier with their decoration..

And some previous bunting I made. I do apologise for the bad quality photos...! Unfortunately my phone's quality is not so great! Meh.