{Inspiration} Dusk til Dawn

Inspiration comes from many places - many, many places. One thing that inspires me is nature. Yes, that sounds cheezy, but when I look at all the colours that the earth has to offer, I can't help but feel moved. I have always been inspired by the colours found in a sunrise, specifically this photo of a typical South African sunrise...

I love the blend of colours from rich orange to champagne to shades of blue, especially the deep, rich blue at the top of the spectrum. That was the inspiration for this board. It's one of my favourites, if I do say so myself.

Alice in Kempton Park

This is just a short one today - something I've been meaning to share with you for the last few weeks! A bit of a photo entry, shall we say? As you may know (or not...have I even mentioned it?), we're busy working on the Matric Farewell Ball for Shangri-La Academy in Kempton Park, and a few weeks ago we had our decor mock-up! I'm quite excited about this event! Not only was I at school with a few of the teachers, but I was also taught by a number of them in primary school, so this event is close to my heart. I can't explain how excited I was when we got the job!

Their chosen theme is Alice in Wonderland - could a girl ask for any more creative freedom!?! I've had so much fun brainstorming ideas. Below is the inspiration board I came up with to set us on our path.

{DIY} Custom Cloth Napkins

It's been a good long while since I shared some DIY inspiration with you! Too long, in fact! I really love the idea of adding that personal touch to an event, and I find that often the best ideas are the simplest ones! That's why I can believe I'd never though of this before!

I'd always thought of napkins as more functional that decorative - just a bit of cloth to protect one's clothing from the perils of stray food. But with a little paint, and a bit of creativity, they can become much more than that! I'm definitely going to be trying this, even if just for the rare dinner party I host!

Here's what you do!

1. Start off with a simple store-bought cloth napkin - or if you're feeling energetic you can make up a few with some cloth of your choice, all you need is a sewing machine and a little know-how!

2. Store-bought stencils are great, but I prefer to make my own - it gives me freedom to choose my wording and font. To make your own stencil, simply print to your desired size on plain printer paper and cut out the wording with an art knife.

{Inspiration} Autumn Romance

I love the combination of warm reds and orange with neutral greens to create a sensual autumn palette. Turn the light down low and use lots of candlelight to capture the depth of burgundy and burnt umber. Pair with warm bronzes and old gold in underplates or candelabras for a touch of elegance! Tealights in small frosted-orange votive holders shimmer like liquid amber and add touches of fiery warmth to table settings. Light a low fire in the hearth and banish cooling temperatures with glasses of glühwein. Perfect to welcome the cold season!

Reflections {30 Day Challenge}

{A photograph of yourself today and three good things that have happened in the last thirty days}

{Yes yes, I know I'm late, but I had a funeral to attend and so was away from my home (and therefore internet) for a couple days... All I had about my person was my phone, and while the thing is magical, I had not the inclination to type a whole post on it.}

So when a girl discovers how to use her webcam, and is trying to take a pic for her final blog posting in her 30 day challenge, this is what her husband does! I'm not so good at the self-portrait thing, so I resorted to technology to make my life easier. I use "easier" in the very loose sense of the word - it took me about 40 minutes and a million help centres and forums to figure out just how to open my webcam! Judging by the number of forums out there dealing with this exact problem of "lost webcam on-button and stuffs", one can assume that this is a common problem with HP... I've pinned the sucker to my taskbar now, so no more hiding!

Fun Favours For Any Occasion!

Don't ask me how I came across Punkapicky Creations because, for the life of me, I don't remember! Someone posted something on Facebook that was shared by someone (or something along those lines) and it ended up in my news feed (somehow)... What I do remember is clicking on their website link and being blown away by their range and prices! As I browsed I wished I had come across them earlier - perhaps when I'd been planning my own big day. I especially love the sweet jars and personalised wine bottle labels - that's my kind of style! 

A Camel Named Camille {30 Day Challenge}

{Something you could never get tired of doing}

This is not me, this is a picture I found on Google. That's one happy camel! :)

Life is made up of many strange encounters - with people, with objects, with places - and my sole encounter with a camel at Gold Reef City was a match made in heaven. I was at the theme park with a few varsity friends, and we came across a guy offering free camel rides. I'd always been curious about riding a camel, so leaped at the opportunity! I climbed on, and they walked us around the beer garden area, trotting at times (do camels "trot"?), and by the time the ride was over I was hooked! 

The One Ring, The Only Trilogy {30 Day Challenge}

{Your favourite movie}

No matter what anyone may say, no matter what evidence may be launched in my direction, there is none better than The Lord of the Rings! No argument thank you! Since the first moment I turned on Fellowship at the end of my Matric year, I've been hooked. In the three month break between school and varsity I watched it every time it was aired on DSTV, even if that involved waking up at 3am! And when Towers came out that December, I went twice. I couldn't get enough!

Changes {30 Day Challenge}

{A photo of you last year and how you've changed since then}

This photo was taken at my bridal shower last year. I saw Jared Padalecki pull this move in the Supernatural season 3 blooper reel, and it tickled me, so I thought I'd recreate his genius in a thong. My in-laws tried desperately to embarrass me by making me parade around in this white blingy thong, but to their utter disappointment I just had fun. The organza bag it came in is on my head. Like I've said, I'm almost impossible to embarrass. Life is inherently funny, and  humans are among the most ridiculous of creatures to call this earth home - if we can't laugh at ourselves, what can we laugh at?

I haven't changed much since this photo was taken. Most changes are superficial. The obvious change is that I now wear an extra ring on the third finger of my left hand, and I no longer have to pull out grey hairs associated with planning my nuptials... I started this blog, I'm less trusting of people I trusted before and I've given up drinking. None of those are related though, to each other or to who I am at the core. They are simply small things that have changed in the last ten months. I still think that life is inherently funny, I still play Omega wolf when necessary, and I still work my butt off for what I want. I think that at my age I'm too set in my ways to indulge the whimsical flick-flacking teenage personalities that some conceal within them. I will always be me at the gooey centre of it. The shy, nerdy girl who enjoys a good laugh and a dirty joke. I am the sum of my parts, and we are what we eat.

Until tomorrow!
Peace and Love!

Mapungubwe {30 Day Challenge}

{A photo of somewhere you've been to}

To most this is just another featureless hill in a featureless landscape, but ladies and gents, this is Mapungubwe Hill. I won't write you an essay on the significance of Mapungubwe in Iron Age southern Africa - I already had to do that in third year! If you're interested you can check out the Wikipedia entry here. Suffice it to say, this simple stone koppie caused quite a stir among many a group of archaeologists! And rightly so.

An Arsenal of Plastic {30 Day Challenge}

{What's in your purse?}


{DISCLAIMER: I understand that there may be some confusion as to my definition of a “purse”, but let me clarify: I am South African, and here purse = a female’s wallet.}

When I was a child I remember seeing a woman at the store with a purse that was ridiculously jam-packed with cards, knickknacks and myriad paper slips that seemed to serve no purpose other than to occupy space. The image of her sifting through her cards to find the right one to pay for her purchase stayed with me for years – for reasons I know not. Perhaps that over-stuffed purse symbolised adulthood to me – the burden of financial responsibility. Perhaps I felt I’d glimpsed something very personal – I mean, who really looks inside another person’s purse? Whatever the reason, the tableaux she left burned into my memory has always intrigued me. But it never once occurred to me that I might turn into that woman at the store.  

A Little Bit of Pride {30 Day Challenge}

{A photo of something that means a lot to you}

{DISCLAIMER: I don't like to brag. If this sounds like bragging, I apologise. Please take it in the spirit in which it was intended - me sharing something personal with you.}

When I was at school, I was one of those academic freaks that never studied but always seemed to end up at the top of the grade. This trend continued into high school until eventually, in Standard 9, it slipped away. Now I wish I could take all of it on myself, but unfortunately I can't. See, while subjects like English, biology, geography, even Afrikaans, remained in the high eighties or nineties, math and science insisted on becoming a mystery to me. I'm not a fan of people putting their failures on teachers, but when one has a math teacher whose english (and handwriting) is indecipherable and a science teacher who is more intent on flirting with the boys in the class than teaching, I believe exceptions can be made. As a result I lost the basis for Matric math and science, and when I got my final report card, it was a study in contradictions. I was condoned a pass on higher grade for science, but math had to be dropped to standard grade for a pass! This blew my intentions of studying a BSc out if the water! So I enrolled in Wits Drama School.

If I had an entry on IMDB, the Trivia section would look like this {30 Day Challenge}

{15 facts about you}

I'm just under 5' 10"

My favourite colours are purple, black, grey and red.

I hate being lied to - I'd rather someone tell me the truth and hurt my feelings than lie to me and make me a fool.

My favourite fruits are grapefruit and oranges.

My biggest fear is failure.

When I have children I hope to have twins - a boy and a girl - but I'll be happy with healthy.

To Whom It May Concern {30 Day Challenge}

{A letter to someone who has hurt you recently}

To whom it may concern

This is a letter I could never send. This is a letter that will remain unaddressed. If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that to speak out, to defend, to stand up for oneself is to become a pariah. And so I write this letter knowing that you will never see it, never read it, never understand that it is meant for you.

Happiness Is... {30 Day Challenge}

{A photo of something that makes you happy}

When asked how they managed to stay together for 65 years, the woman replied, "We were born in a time where if something was broke, you fixed it... Not throw it away."

Photos like this make me feel warm inside...

Until tomorrow!
Peace and Love!

Why "Jade & Jasmine"? {30 Day Challenge}

{The meaning behind your blog name}

This blog, my baby, was named for my business - Jade & Jasmine Wedding Design. That was the easy part. When I decided I wanted to start blogging, I knew I wanted to focus on all things wedding. The other stuff is fun too, but weddings are my passion! So it seemed only fitting that I unite the two under one umbrella. Coming up with my business name was the hard part...

ER: Wedding Edition {30 Day Challenge}

{Another picture of yourself}

This is not a flattering photo. But I believe that if I'm forced to bombard you with photos of myself, I have to at least make it interesting - give you a story. And does this photo have a story. Not one that will propel you towards your writing desk, but one that makes you appreciate the normal and predictable nature of life. Or maybe I tend toward histrionics. We'll find out soon enough, I guess.

{Conversations With a Pro} JB Photography

In the year 2000 I met Jay Braack in science class at high school. We became good friends and over the years we've stayed in touch. So imagine my astonishment when I recently discovered, via the magic of Facebook, that he had chosen to pursue a career in photography! This man kept his passion quiet from many but, when I saw his work, I knew I had to share it with the world! It is my absolute pleasure to introduce to you, JB Photography.

Cravings? What Cravings? {30 Day Challenge}

{Something you crave a lot}

I had to think long and hard about this... And I've come to the conclusion that, if I'm honest with myself, I don't crave things. Undoubtedly there are things without which I simply cannot live, but I don't think about them every second of every day and NEED them RIGHT NOW! Some I even forget about for a while... So in the spirit of full disclosure I'll share that list of things I cannot live without. This is a bit like going through someone's trash - the noble science of garbology. One can tell a lot about a person by simply looking. So look and enjoy my vulnerability!

To My Most Valued Readers

{Inspiration} Vintage Teal

Inspired by Kes!

Family Ties {30 Day Challenge}

{DISCLAIMER: I put so much energy and nervous tension into yesterday's post, that I'm feeling stretched thin! So forgive me if this post doesn't have the same vim and vigour! ;)}

{A photo of you and your family}

I am a child of the new generation. Resultantly, I have a number of families, so bear with me!

My Blood Family

From left: Catherine (my step mom), Blaine, my mother, Me, Deeanna, Rod, Donovan, my father (2011)

This is the obvious photo - my blood family - all parents and siblings in one photo. This has never before happened, nor do I foresee it happening again in the future. I guess you could say this is a collector's item!

Five For Free {30 Day Challenge}

{Your celebrity crush}

I'm not the type of person to have a celebrity crush, per se, but Rod and I joke about our "five for free" - a list of celebs that we get a free pass with. It's all in good fun, the chance of ever meeting any of them, let alone requiring a free pass, is laughable! But it's fun to speculate! So I thought instead of writing an essay about some or other sculpted male specimen I'd share my list! Ladies, this is for you! Enjoy!

Name: Chris Hemsworth
Birthday: 11 August 1983 (28 years old) - Leo
Height: 6 '3"
Born: Melbourne, Australia
Loved him in: Thor, The Avengers, Star Trek
Why we love him: Are you blind??? He's the gorgeous, blue-eyed boy who made us love Australia again! And he has a smile that could melt ice! Who didn't love him as Thor, and who didn't shed an involuntary tear when his character died in Star Trek?
God bless his: Eyes, smile, hands and hair!

Don't Leave Home Without It {30 Day Challenge}

{Something you don't leave home without}

While I am by no means what modern society may refer to as a "girly girl", I have noted that there may be many practical reasons for having certain items close at hand or about one's person when one is away from one's home.

TV Addict {30 Day Challenge}

{A TV show you're currently addicted to}

I'm not a person who watches a lot of TV - I don't even have satellite! - but there are a few shows that I simply cannot live without! I am one of the biggest fans of Supernatural, but as far as I'm concerned the show ended at the end of season five when the original writers called it quits and Sam took a swan-dive into the Big Black Hole. True Blood is phenomenal, but it's still a few weeks to go until the next season is unleashed upon the world. And it is sacrilege to watch Game of Thrones a week at a time - I'm holding out until *an unnamed person* has finished downloading it, then it's marathon time! Oh Jon Snow!

Music of the Gods {30 Day Challenge}

{Your favourite musician and why}

Maynard James Keenan

I'll be honest, this is a post I've been dreading! While I am a person who LOVES my music, there are few people I know who share my taste. So this post is especially difficult to write...

Without a doubt, my favourite musician is Maynard James Keenan of Tool. WHO!? Sigh... This is my dilemma. Maynard has perhaps the best voice in metal at the moment. His voice could melt steel! But as far as the mainstream world is concerned, he doesn't exist.

City of Gold {30 Day Challenge}

{A photo of the town you live in}

{Sourced from photoclub.co.za}

When people think of Johannesburg, they think smog, traffic and crime. But as someone who has lived most of her life in Joburg, I can honestly say I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! As Rod is so fond of saying, Joburg is like heroin - you know it's bad for you, but once you've had it you can't live without it. Never a truer word was spoken!

Too Much of Girliness! {30 Day Challenge}

{What's in your make-up bag?}

Those who know me, know that while I like to look after myself, I'm not what one would call a girly girl. So this is perhaps the girliest you'll ever see me! Brace yourselves, it could get ugly!

What's in my make-up bag? Not that much, actually. I'm not a huge fan of foundation, I only ever wear it on special occasions or if I feel like getting dolled up, so don't be surprised at the lack thereof.

I'm one for detail, so let me break it down for you.