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Tuesday 27 August 2013

Beading dead-end

Some days just do not go according to plan! And some designs just do not work out at all!


What you see here is the accumulation of several attempts and at least 2 afternoons worth of work trying to make a beaded strap for a bracelet! But no matter what I try I cant get it right. So rather than pull my hair out I am going to set this aside until inspiration strikes (also I have more interesting projects I want to play around with).


This is what my kitchen looked like on sunday as I got started on my newest design a beaded bag!

Well keep well all

Love Jet

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Cape Town Weather

Hi Peeps

Yes I know its been awhile. Moving to a new city and getting settled in is so time consuming! But no matter things have been happening. Cape town is a city of many seasons. During the winter months (like now) cold fronts blow in from the South bring mist, rain and wind.

Mountain in the Mist

Dont believe the hype! This is what Cape Town really looks like

Walking in Newlands Forest gives some respite from the rain
The rain will generally then settle in and continue intermittently for several days. But be assured whenever you are about to go outside, no matter how long its been since the last cloud burst there will be another just then. It proves that somewhere up there is a spiteful little man known as Murphy!

The blowing wind also means that the only advantage an umbrella provides is to make you look like you are trying to audition for the part of Merry Poppins in a local play - cos it sure doesnt keep the rain out. Last week saw a particularly brutal front come through bringing torrential rain, seriously it was coming down like it was being poured out of a bucket - for hours! And the wind was so strong that it could blow the dog's largeish kennel (admittedly its made of plastic, but still) around the garden. I just hope he wasnt in it when it started moving.

These moments are then separated by dry not sunny just dry days.

However spring did decide to show herself over a recent long weekend, coinciding with Women's Day. Giving me some amazing views over Cape Town, the like of which I have not yet seen. So instead of cleaning the house and doing some beading I spend most of the weekend sitting outside in the garden soaking up the sun like a lizzard. Or going for long walks with Hero the pictures below were taken from Newlands forest.

Muizenberg beach with the Swartberg Mountains in the distance, note snow on the peaks

Cape Town southern suburbs, are visible

First time I could actually see False Bay from Newlands!

I am constantly on the lookout for new places to take Hero for walks both to provide him with some variety and to have something to do on the weekend (other than work or beading) that doesn't cost anything and gets me out of the house! On Sunday I chose a spot on the Mountain near Muizenberg (above Lakeside to be specific). I so wish I had taken my camera cos it was a gorgeous walk. What I didn't realise about this walk was that it consisted of a rocky, stepped path going basically straight-up a steep sided mountain. Worse was to come, as I'm panting and staggering up this walk I am passed by an older woman strolling up it casually at double my speed, followed shortly after by 2 gents running up the path. Well I might not be able to keep up with these people on speed, but I wasn't going to do less than them, now we had to get to the top! Hero was ready to turn back but I insisted and we did get to the top, which was lovely but now had to contend with another problem. I had only gone out at about 4.30 thinking we would just do an easy hours walk. So now I had to head back down the mountain on shaking knees, as it was getting dark!
Needless to say we made it down arriving at the bottom just before full dark and my legs still haven't forgiven me but it was well worth it. Next time camera!