Watercolour Blue Agapantha

My gran bought me a watercolour paint palette when I was little.It was probably the first paint I could open up and use without adult supervision, layering everything in newspaper and wearing one of my mother's old shirts to protect my clothes (I was a very messy little artist). I loved it.

Many years and tubes of acrylic paints later, I had almost forgotten my first painting love - watercolour paints. But the a few weeks I got a little bee-in-my-bonnet to find watercolours. I couldn't find a palette so I settle for tubes and tried painting flowers. And no, I didn't fall right back into that easy feeling I had as a child. I struggled. I persevered. This is the second flower I painted...

I'm going to need a lot more practice. I gained new respect for watercolour artists - they paint with patience - something I could work on.  

An Introvert's Birthday

I took the day off work yesterday, stayed offline, went for a facial (gift from my Mr) and spent the rest of the day painting while listening to music and singing. My Mr took me out for supper, just the two of us, and we talked about our dreams. It was a pretty perfect birthday. Oh, and there was cake :)  This is the only picture I took... 

I took it with my phone (I still think that sounds nuts) and tried to improve the image with picmonkey. Okay, I'm trying to distract you from the fact that my painting is crap. My Mr likes it and says I'm too critical. I know I can do better but I'm over the moon about filling an canvas. Blank canvases are daunting.

And just a side note on introversion: There's a negative perception about introversion, thanks to the team-centric culture we live in. Yes, people need people but as an introverted-extrovert, who swings to both sides of the social scale, I find creative solitude is highly underrated. Some things are best done alone. Try it. Take a day off and hang out with yourself. Do something you love or something you've been wanting to do but never seem to have the time. Who knows, you may just discover that time alone is the best present you can give yourself. 

God's First Temples

There's a sort of reverence about these old oaks at Vergelegen Estate. They've seen a good hundred years or so. Looking up at their branches, which seem to be trying to reach into heaven, felt like religious experience so the quote seemed fitting.

Anyway I put the image above together because it's World Environment Day. I'm hoping that someone out there will decide to live a greener life today, even if they only make one green change. Going green is not as hard as some make it out to be, if you remember to simply...

REDUCE waste, REUSE what you can, RECYCLE what you don't need...oh, and plant trees : )

Inside Intaka Island

Here in Cape Town we've been blessed with two sunny weekends in a row... in winter! Now that's worth celebrating. So last weekend the Mr and visited Intaka Island, a conservation in the heart of Century City.

I believe it IS the heart of Century City but few know this, judging by the number of people we saw in the Intaka Island in comparison to the number of cars lined up along the bridge into Canal Walk mall's parking lot. Given the choice between the two, I choose all this...

Giddyup {Cowboy Party}

Yesterday I played photographer while my nephew and his little friends, powered by sugar, ran riot. Three-year-old birthday parties are fun but hard to photograph. But in the name of capturing the moments, I climbed up the juggle gym, jumped off the juggle gym and generally ran after them with a camera. Best excuse to act like a kid ever! My Mr. also ran about - chasing children, being chased, soccer three-year-old style and hoop throwing.We were the big kids at the party.