Around my Valley

All things wonderful is happening in and around us in July 2012.

The National Arts Festival will be in Grahamstown from the 28th of June to the 8th of July 2012.

The Wonder Market will be in Umhlanga on the 1st of July 2012.

The Vodacom Durban July will be held on July 8 at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban. 

The Oyster Festival will be hostel in Knysna from the 6th to the 15th of July 2012.

From the 10th to the 14th of July there will be a Clarens Quilt Retreat in the Eastern Free State. There will be quilting, crocheting and knitting classes on offer. For more info e-mail Alae Grabe.

From the 14th to the 15th of July 2012 the Franschhoek Wine Valleys annual Bastille Festival will be held. Tickets/coupons can be got via webtickets.

From the 26th to the 29th of July Port Elizabeth will be hosting a Homemakers Expo at the Moffet on Main Lifestyle Centre.

From the 27th to 29th of July 2012 the George Cheese Festival will be hosted. 

The Queensburgh Orchid Club is holding its annual show at Kloof Town Hall in Kloof in KwaZulu Natal.

Delheim Wine Estate is heating up weekends with their Jazz and Cheese Fondue every Sunday until August 5 2012. Bookings are essential Call 0218884607.

Something else I picked up in my wondering : in July you can enter for the Kludi Design Awards for 2012. You can show off your flair for kitchen and bathroom design and win a trip to Austria to meet with the Kludi Design and Development teams. Entry forms can be gotten here.

 Some planning to do for July 2012. So enjoy. Will keep it updated as we go along.

Swellendam

On one of our little excursions we went to Swellendam, it is such a beautiful rural town in the Overberg. We just loved this small little town and I just have to share the beauty with you. We went via the Tredoux Pass from Robertson and it is one of the most beautiful passes I've driven. Me and the girls went, by girls, I mean my bestest friend, we're like friends for more than 23 years already and we left the hubbies at home with the boys. It was such a great roadtrip with just us girls. Even when we had the you know are we there yet moments, when we stopped and did our little side ventures the girls just loved it.

In Swellendam itself they have the Sulina Fairy Sanctuary. The kids loved this part as they could go and explore and find all the different fairies. For us grown-ups it was taking a walk back in time and just to sit and take a moment to breathe. One of those moments you'll always remember.

The houses itself reflects both the old and new, the quirky and the not so quirky.

We loved exploring all the Art and creative spots, some even have interesting names - like kunsmis. Now we don't want to do a direct translation from Afrikaans to English. If you really want to know, google is a nice place to start. 

I found this little promo from Swellendam, and it just basically says it all and shows you a bit of the Valley, it is definitely one of those places worth a visit. I have to just mention this on our way home we stopped at Wildebraam Berry Estate and bought jam to die for, and I mean I felt like Winny the Pooh who fell into the honey pot, it's that good. I don't walk into a shop and my eyes wonder if I can't find the jams. This was just such a nice little get away, I would recommend going away for a few days, just for a refresher this just help with all those creative juices and ideas.

St Georges Cathedral

Thought I'll share a little bit of Cape Town with you today. Me and my bestest friend went for an excursion round Cape Town and we've never really been to St Georges Cathedral before. I have to say, can't believe that I actually lived in Cape Town for more years than I can count and never have been. It's an amazing Church and reminds me of the Notre Dame in Paris. My blackberry surprised me, all the photographs are taken with my the little ole BB. The quality might not be 100%, but it doesn't take away the beauty of the Cathedral.

 
On another note I have been so hectic-ly busy these last couple of days. Had to prepare for an audit. Extreme fun. In between got all my invitations ready for my Creative Evening, got the date all booked, so it's just getting all the ideas together and just to do it. I'm going to get the ladies to make some stamps. It's quick, easy and major fun. I made these on lino blocks.

 

In between I finished a painting and worked on another painting. I actually did the painting with Cretacolour studio line aquarells. To my other surprise this didn't come out to badly either.This got my mind off the audit and all the other buzzezz usually floating in and around the ol head space.