Blog
WREN’s ADOPTED TURTLE HATCHLING
Through a special door the staff of The Two Oceans Aquarium took Wendren and her two girls, Philippa and Caroline to the rooftop above the ocean tanks to where the turtle “hatchlings” are taken care of. It [...]
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100% Cotton Rope Straps
Launching 100% Cotton Straps to transform WREN sleeves into sling bags, crossbody bags and clutches!
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A conservation project to celebrate
I was 8 years old when I saw my first rhino. A gracious, magnificent, and giant creature.
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WREN’s ADOPTED TURTLE HATCHLING
Through a special door the staff of The Two Oceans Aquarium took Wendren and her two girls, Philippa and Caroline [...]
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A Crafters Dream Collection
An Accessory range for crafters. Organising all your bits and bobs with a project bag, needle pouch, project triangle and [...]
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WREN & ALL WOMEN RECYCLING Collab
An exciting sustainable fashion combination of plastic-bottle recycled fabric and recycled paper.
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WREN X UNI FORM VOICES
The Wren X UNI FORM collaboration focuses on the experimental use of paper as a vehicle to further the conversation [...]
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Our B Corp™ journey
As one of the first businesses in South Africa to be certified as a B-corp company we are very proud [...]
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Skinny laMinx & Wren Collaboration
A design range Inspired by a midcentury mosaic mural on the public bathrooms on Beach Road on the Sea Point [...]
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Our Origami Face Mask DIY Tutorial
One long day during lockdown level 5, trying to develop Wren mask patterns (read more about the journey here), a [...]
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Wren Paper + Cotton Face Masks
In response to the global call for people around the world to wear masks because of the COVID-19 pandemic we [...]
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#Wreninktober Campaign
WHAT IS INKTOBER? #Inktober is a international drawing challenge started by Jake Parker with the idea to create a drawing [...]
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Square Paper Billfold Wallet
Inspired by origami folding which looks at careful and clever construction, this billfold wallet is slim, has a billfold, a [...]
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Paper Tubs
Yet another why not?We made a cylinder with fused paper and fabric lining. Just for ourselves.It worked and we found the containers [...]
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Next 19 Catalog of Exhibitors
Featuring over 40 leading South African designer manufacturers of small furniture, lighting, home textiles, and fashion and home accessories.
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Evolution & Wren Collaboration
A collaboration of print and product by two South African design studio's.
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Time for some Silver!
When a giant roll of silver foiled paper was delivered we cringed. This was not what we had ordered but [...]
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Patent Pending
Patent filed with the the United States Patent and Trademark Office 3 August 2018.
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Cape Town Designer Warehouse Sale 1-2 Sept 2018
Always wanted a Wren sleeve or bag? Now is your time to get one at a RIDICULOUS price! Items marked [...]
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Off to New York!
12 – 15 August 2018 Find us for the very first time in the USA at The Javitz Center, Artisan [...]
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Add a strap
Its been coming for months. Sort of like the rain in Cape Town, our straps have been waited on and [...]
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Goodbye Etsy. Love from Wren
In March 2008 the concept of Wren was born and started with an Etsy shop. This was the only online selling [...]
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10 years of Wren : Finding happiness
10 years in business: Me, the company, the people that I work with, the people that work for the company…. [...]
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The Paper Story : PAMSA & PRASA
As part of Minister Alan Winde’s First Thursday’s open office and GreenCape, we participated in the recycling exhibition this month. [...]
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The Organiser Collection
The Organiser Range is a new direction of products for Wren. Not so much in practical application but in more [...]
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Limited Edition Slim Wallets
Made using the City Bikes Print - each one unique. Limited edition production!
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Memories Collection
Travelling is the ultimate adventure. You discover new places, meet new people and take in sights the extend your knowledge.
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Ambiente 2018 Report Back
Ambiente. 09-13 February 2018. Our last year of exhibiting on the CBI stand curatored and guided by Irene Vermeulen and [...]
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Ambiente 2018
Exhibiting for the third time at Ambiente 2018 in Frankfurt with lots of new products and collections!
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Wren & The Peter Creese Lighthouse Surf Ski Race
Together with Orka & Thule Fitment Center we made and gave limited edition Peter Creese Lighthouse Surf Ski Race Slim [...]
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A PPC Bag Story
Over the years customers have graceously shared their stories of owning a PPC Cement Laptop Bag. The bag has been [...]
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Regional Business Women’s Emerging Entrepreneur Winner
An honour to win the Business Women's Regional Emerging Entrepreneur award.
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How we pack your online order.
Packaging is pivotal to Wren. Our product is made from it and we love wrapping, packing and posted a beautiful [...]
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Screen-printing our paper
Screenprinting is great fun and one of the reasons I became a textile designer - I love how in a [...]
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Wren stocked by Raw Materials in NL
We love the window display that Raw Materials has created featuring our products!
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Optical Africa Range
Frogs tare very tied to African tradition and ritual. Chameleons are deeply feared in African culture and are rare to [...]
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The background and process of developing Optical Africa
Getting the right balance of contemporary pattern, story and optical illusion that pleasantly captivates was a challenge...
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Natural Bag Range Extension
Our Natural Paper & Cotton Bags are vegan friendly, durable, water resistant, made in Africa, handmade ....
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Our stand at Ambiente 2017
Pictures of our stand from Ambiente in Frankfurt, Germany 2017.
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Paperworld 2017 Report Back
Paperworld was like going to disney land for a stationary lover!
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Exhibiting at Ambiente 2017 under the banner of Ethical Style
We are proud to announce that Wren is a certified Ethical Style exhibitor for Ambiente 2017 in Frankfurt, Germany!
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Looking back on the Wren Drink & Draw
To mark the launch of our beautiful new logo, we hosted our second Drink & Draw!
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Natural messenger and sling bags now online!
We're excited to be adding to the online collection with a selection of natural messenger and sling bags.
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Win tickets to the Wren Drink & Draw!
We have a new logo and to celebrate we’re hosting an evening of creative fun! You could win double tickets [...]
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The Story behind the Dots & Squares Design
Hand drawn and played.... how the design was created.
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The Collective at Sanlam Handmade Contemporary 2016
At the most beautiful fair in South Africa.
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Our Sarcda stand won Gold 2016
SARCDA, South Africa's premium trade show for design goods.
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Wren products featured on the fashion ramps
WREN joined Mille Colline's beautiful collection on the fashion ramps at The African Fashion International Show.
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Ambiente 2016 Report Back
Reflections on our first very successful international trade fair.
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Drink & Draw CT Photo’s and Designs
Over 20 friends with hands keen to doodle came and created some wonderful designs on our sleeves.
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Our first formal Drink & Draw event is happening!
Sponsors: Tribe Coffee, The Deckle Edge and Deckle Make.
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Things I have learnt about starting a business
I started my business over 5 years ago and I have learnt a lot. Here are some of the things [...]
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Visit us at The Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair
Open 9-11 October 2016. Visit us at stand #62.
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Our award winning stand at exhibition at Sarcda Christmas
Our Signatures exhibition won a silver award at the trade exhibition SARCDA. Meet all the design companies that made it [...]
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SARCDA 2015
We will be showcasing and launching a new design at the trade fair SARCDA in JHB as part of the [...]
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Drink and Draw
Sleeves from the "Drink and Draw" event at our studio hosted by Metaphoria.
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Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair
New WREN products at the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair.
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Cavendish Square Cares Pop-Up Store
Made By You & Cavendish Pop-Up Shop and Expresso Show feature.
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Spotting PPC in Southern Africa
Each little village passed in Botswana seemed to have a little kiosk painted with PPC's Botcem pattern.
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The Owl & The Pussy Cat Design drawing by drawing
The "how" story behind the Owl & The Pussy Cat design.
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At Design Indaba 2014
With indigo walls and copper tape our collaborative stand was a great success.
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Design Indaba 2014
______________________________________________ Links: Design Indaba | Beloved Beadwork | Simple Intrigue
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TGTW Exhibition at the V&A Waterfront
Visitors to the V&A Waterfront can catch the Too Good To Waste Exhibition at the Clock Tower Shopping Mall.
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CPUT Year End Exhibition 2013
Come and see the great work that CPUT design students have been up to this year.
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Food, Wine & Design and Radio702
Listen to our interview with Jenny Crwys-Williams from Radio702 recorded at the Food, Wine & Design Fair in JHB.
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We are going to be at Food, Wine & Design
Exhibiting with Keri Muller of Simple Intrigue at the Food, Wine & Design Fair in Jhb.
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Designer Range of Sleeves
Bicycles, Flying Foxes & Man In the Moon Sleeve Story: 3 designs by 3 amazing South African graphic artists.
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The Fringe Arts shop window on Kloof St
Styled by Aaron Kearning, Chantal from the Fringe Arts and the WREN design.
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Too Good To Waste
A co-operative of artists and crafters using items salvaged from the rubbish pile to create unique products and art pieces.
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King’s Rice Bag (inspired by the African Peace Bag)
The history of the Liberian Peace Bag and the inspiration for our newest product: The Kings Rice Bag.
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CCDI Handmade Collection 2013
Our "Kings Rice Bag" selected to be part of the Cape Craft & Design Institute Handmade Collection for 2013
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Antique Linen YOGA bag
Introducing the Antique Linen YOGA Bag. And the name pretty much gives away its ultimate use.
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L’Artigiano in Fiera, Milan
7 halls crammed of people for 10 long days – L’Artigiano in Fiera is definitely a show I will not [...]
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Introducing the Paper Tote Range
Upcycled paper packaging of corn starch, flour and desiccated coconut made into tote bags.
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It’s in the bag – a video all about us
Ever wondered how 'the WREN design' started? And why? Ever wondered who makes the bags? ...
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On the Expresso Show
Last week Friday Expresso phoned me up to let me know I had been nominated by the public as a [...]
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New PPC cement laptop bag designs
In South Africa we are used to seeing Pretoria Portland Cement bags piled high on the back of trucks, lyeing [...]
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BUILD IT Cement Laptop Bags
We made laptop bags for BUILD IT Cement using their very red and very rad packaging.
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Antique Linen Zipper Pouches
The antique linen grain sack fabric is so beautiful that I never throw a piece away - no matter how [...]
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Envelopes made out of maps
Pampiri Indaba make the Map Gift Bags for ‘the WREN design’ and as a gift to say thank you for [...]
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SA Fashion Week
I bet you are wondering how fashion and cement mix. Although excited, I am not 100% sure how… but after [...]
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Design Indaba 2012
Do you see the new paper tote bags? From left to right: the Amaryl Tote, The Bowman Tote and the [...]
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Highlights in Munich
I learnt a great deal in Munich about business and design. There was a lot of confusion in the beginning [...]
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South African Upcycling Designers
Meet the fabulous team of South African Designers that showed at Munich Creative Business Week. ..you’ve met me – Wendren, [...]
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Pics from the ‘Too Good To Waste’ Exhibition
For those of you who cannot be here in Munich at the not-yet-open Egyptian Museum, here is what our South [...]
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Too Good To Waste Design Exhbition in Munich, Germany
I am so excited to be participating in the Too Good to Waste Up-cycling Design Exhibition being held during Munich [...]
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Antique Linen Duffel Bag
Just over a year ago I wrote about a new antique linen grain sacks that I got [see post]. 14 [...]
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Classic Antique Linen Bag
It is about time I reintroduced the Classic Antique Linen Bag to the Wren range. Since the photoshoot I have [...]
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TOTAL’s Fresh Air Campaign
Last week TOTAL’s Evolution ECO Challenge Team joined me for a day to find out a bit more about ‘the [...]
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Amazing Coffee Sack Prints
Cape Town’s coffee roasters get their coffee beans from a selection of coffee plantations. Every now and then you discover [...]
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Introducing the 13″ and 17″ Cement Laptop Bag
Since introducing the laptop bag I have discovered that a lot of people have 17″ laptops (and not all of [...]
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the Linen Patch in Horizon’s magazine
Horizon’s magazine. Sept 2011. Stylist – Tracy Lynch and Photographer – Justin Patrick.
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WREN supports Cape Town for the World Design Capital 2014
Last week Monday Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille and Mayor, Patricia de Lille were presented with Wren PPC Cement Laptop [...]
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Photographs
The church is called St. Anthony in the Valley (Stellenbosch). I found it via a blog post and then Jeremy [...]
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Behind the scenes
On Friday Ricardo Van Lingen – photographer (standing on the ladder above), Rodrigue Porquet (shading under the embrela below) – [...]
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Artisan Market
The last market of the year and it promises to be lovely. There are so many wonderful designers; Helon Melon, [...]
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A Christmas Pop Up Shop
Wren’s new Moleskine Journals, Coffee Clutch Sets and Bird Purses will be for sale at …
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Unintitled 2
The PPC Cement Bag’s beginning was similar to this. The design was more a result of playing with materials [...]
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Darling Toile du Jouy
This year marks the 250th birthday of Toile du Jouy. Its origins can be traced to Jouy-en-Josas, France, where the [...]
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It’s the Seaweed Lamp
I am busy changing my ‘Lovely South Africa’ toile into a downloadable wallpaper for VISI (yes, you have read correctly; [...]
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Landscape Map Art
Searching through my stack of maps for a tiny town called Nieu-Bethesda I was inspired to do something creative. My [...]
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Goals Achieved
Every year I am left shocked when I find my goal sheet from the previous year. Last year I got [...]
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Dragon’s Blood Tree
Whilst traipsing through the back streets of Kalk Bay taking photographs of the Coffee Travel Bags Jeremy noticed this peculiar [...]
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Map Archives
One of my favourite things about my ‘job’ (in inverted commas becuase Wren isn’t really a job), is finding new [...]
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Wouldn’t it be wonderful …
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to take a year’s break? Or even just two months a year where you devote everyday [...]
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Carol Mills Fabrics
Quite some time ago I designed two fabric ranges for ‘Carol Mills Fabrics’. The first book consists of five and [...]
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Girls at the CY Market
Today I had a girls day with my granny and mom. We went to the CY market and browsed through [...]
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Bicycle Cycle
The Smiths Stop Me If You Think Is it just me or are bicycles becoming the new must-have accessory? All [...]
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FUN jackets are BACK!
I know I am not really in a position to tell you how SUPER AWESOME these kiddies jackets are because [...]
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Moving …on
This weekend I moved. From Fish Hoek to Lakeside. There are many good things about this move but clearing a [...]
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5 years ago…
The merry-go-round topic for this month is a question: Did you think you’d be doing what you re doing now [...]
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Quality vs. Quantity
Ceramic Rainbow Cups by Clementina van der Walt “The ceramics teacher announced on opening day that he was dividing the [...]
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My South African Toile
I adore Toile‘s. They are so intricate and beautiful. I have done a range of South African inspired Toile’s for [...]
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Simply Doodling
One of my ‘hopes’ for the holiday was that I would do some designing. Once I had made the time [...]
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The BEST make of NEW Sewing Machines is ….
For those of you who have not followed my post on my sewing machine experience(s) I decided to ask etsy [...]
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What sewing machine do you use?
As many of you know, I sadly said goodbye to my mom’s 20 year old Elna sewing machine about a [...]
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Kamersvol Geskenke
I visited the Kamersvol Geskenke market this morning with my mom. We wondered around oohing and aahing at beautiful things, [...]
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Sheepskin Slippers
I adore my sheepskin slippers made by my boyfriend Jeremy and his mom Frith. Jeremy cuts and punches the slippers [...]
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The Design Process
It is almost impossible to not realise that the method and process of designing has grown in importance over the [...]
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I live at my work
I thought it might be nice to share my little 2×2 work space with you. The picture below is me [...]
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bbellamy & bbellamy
Many Cape Townians know about David Bellamy either becuase of his Art Hotel in Reibeek Kasteel or his amazing collection [...]
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My Natural Dye Collection
I have a very soft spot for colour. In fact, it is probably the most important part of any design [...]
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Sway and their Muizenberg Mini-market
Sway is one of my favourite South African design brands. They design and produce simple garments in textiles that are [...]
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South African Etsy Sellers
There are quite a few South African’s on etsy and I think this is TERRIFIC! Here are the few that [...]
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I believe in…
I decided to write down all the things that make me smile in the day and things I believe in. [...]
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What inspires me?
Inspiration is what keeps me in-love with life. My primary inspiration is nature. The interplay of shape, colour and texture [...]
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