Friday, May 29, 2009

Coffee & koeksisters


A photo from SA Magazine "Rooi Rose"

Yummy! Not the healthiest of breakfasts but definitely the yummiest! Not sure if there is a English name for a "koeksister". You would pronounce "koek" the same as the word "look" just replace the "l" with "k" & then add "sister" to the end! Got this definition from Wikipedia, there is a recipe too!

A koeksister or koesister comes from the Dutch word koekje, the diminutive of
koek meaning "cake". It is a South African syrup-coated doughnut in a twisted or braided shape (like a plait). It is prepared by deep-frying dough in oil, then dipping the fried dough into cold sugar syrup. Best eaten cold, koeksisters are very sticky and sweet and taste like honey.

There is a little shop down the road called "Aitsa" (a Afrikaans word that does not really mean anything in itself its more a word of exclamation of surpise & praise put together) which sells the most yummiest cakes, gifts, handmade goodies etc. & "little" packets of yummy koeksisters!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

French pink

It's cold & raining here! Real winters day! These pics from a Rooi Rose , South African Afrikaans magazine, remind me of spring & shades of pink, blue, lavender, french interior, soft cotton, yummy cakes, I can almost feel & touch it! Winter has only started & although I love the rain, well more the fact that our dams are getting filled with water, I function better in spring!

The weather man says the rain is here until Sunday! Oh boy that does not go down well with "Bugaloo" (my beautiful baby girl who is nearly 5 as she puts it) who absolutely loves being outside & for me who could spend the weekend on the couch watching movies, reading & having a snooze in between!
Whats your plans for the weekend?

Inspiration ...

Came across this photo in the Visi magazine & my reaction was "oh wow" how crazy is this! I did 2 paintings a while back with my favourite arum lily & thought I would paint them with a thorn bush/branch! Something new & different for me as I have only, well 90% of the time, just painted the lilies. I titled the paintings "Thornbirds". The arrangement of the close-up of the rose, thorn branch & reversing the same image is not a bad idea!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

VEO Gallery Exhibition

Ram "RAM"

My darling friend & fellow artist Sol Smook has done this beautiful painting (& more) for the ANI-MAL exhibition opening Tuesday 2 June in Cape Town & I can't wait to go! Thought I would give you all a little taste! Have pics of the other paintings but will show after the opening!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Something Beautiful

I started a folder in my documents titled "Blog stuff " and every time i see something i love, enjoy, that's beautiful, i put it into the "Blog stuff" folder with all intentions of blogging about it! Whats happening is my "Blog stuff" folder is getting bigger & bigger but the posting to my blog scarce! I sit down with all the enthusiasm of posting but then the connection is way too slow or i loose the post etc and end up switching off the computer with the thought of trying in the morning! Absolutely terrible! So here are a few goodies from the "Blog stuff" folder! This is what I wrote last night & yet again couldn't get the photos to download from the "Blog stuff" folder. So I will try again! Here goes!

Would love this open lounge space from Weylandts to watch the sunrise below!

Already have this beautiful sunrise from my balcony!

If only to have this beautiful open space & bed from Weylandts to watch the sunset!

This sunset was taken from my bedroom window! So now all i dream of is the bed & open space as above to go with the sunset & sunrise!

Used the zoom to take this photo from my balcony! Dont you think it looks like a painting? Stunning!

Girl Lost

New York, this is my heaven I want this one! After spending 3 days in New York last year September, I can relate!

Bad Bunny At first glance this is so fun & colourful but after close inspection and reading the title "Bad Bunny" I had a good giggle!

Relax I'm here This one titled "Relax I'm here" I am so here! Just absolutely love these new paintings by Victoria Verbaan which are from her latest exhibition title "Girl Lost".

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Roxanne Pandora Warder

Women with the purple rose
Time for a little change I love these paintings! The artist is Roxanne Pandora Warder . I came across her via MadeByGirl blogspot which you absolutely have to visit! Thanks Jennifer.

Friday, May 15, 2009

ANI-MAL

VEO gallery invites you to participate in their first group exhibition, titled ANI-MAL, of 2009. A percentage from the exhibition & charity art auction will be donated to P.E.T.S.

A jpeg image of each work in an email of no more than 1mb must be e-mailed to thalea@veo.co.za with the subject marked as "ani-mal" to reach us by no later than the 25th of may 2009. VEO will be the sole and final judge of all artworks submitted, and may accept or reject such artwork in it's sole discretion successful participants will be contacted via e-mail by the 27th of may 2009. For further information click on the ANI-MAL poster shown on the right of this blog.

My friend and fellow artist Sol Smook donated this painting to the VEO Gallery for the charity auction. And for those of you who watched Pasella on Tuesday 13 May would have got to see more of his fabulous art works & our lovely village. My opinion is that for South Africans Pasella is a great show & website to visit but unfortunately both are in Afrikaans & I couldn't find a translation button for international visitors to the site! Which is a pity as they would only be targeting the local people & those South Africans who live abroad that can speak Afrikaans! I make this comment under correction!

Nguni

You will have to visit VEO Gallery opening exhibition to see the other paintings that Sol has done! They are absolutely amazing!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Art SOLD!

Yippee!!! Finally NO MORE SAND! & I do apologize to you all for taking forever to blog!!! So whats new? Any interesting art things on the go? I am so chuffed I got to sell 3 paintings the weekend of the Olive Festival! This one I could have sold 4 times! I don't do copies!

The one & only

These 2 small ones titled "Thornbirds" was sold to the same couple that bought the one above.

The only sad thing for me is that I never get to see my paintings new home!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Enough

This was the title that my beautiful & only "baby" boy (that's what I call him & of course I always get a "Aah Ma"!!!) titled his vows that he wrote to his beautiful bride & wife to be. Once he is back from honeymoon I will get a copy of what he wrote to show you all. What I can remember is he used to word as follows "I Love you. enough to want to spend the rest of my life with you! etc and it took me up to the moment that he read his vows to be convinced that at the age of 22 it was OK to be getting married & of course he is absolutely, totally & utterly in LOVE! The minute he saw her he got tearful and looked at me & mouthed "isn't she beautiful". The tears didn't stop and my camera didn't leave the bag once! I have not a single photo! Will have to wait for copies from the photographer.

Bloggers Block

... and ... no idea ... where to start ... OK so I have been a "bad" blogger!!! Haven't been here for what seems an eternity! After my sister-in-law's wedding I spent 90% of my "spare" time preparing for the 9th Annual Riebeek Valley Olive Festival! It was the first weekend of May. The 1st was a public holiday & my 5th wedding anniversary. Had sups at Bar Bar Blacksheep. The Festival was fabulous! SOLD 3 of my paintings, which, if you ever get to attend an Riebeek Valley Olive Festival, is an absolute bonus.