hooked on washi

I've long been wary of washi tape. I just knew once I broke that seal and bought my first roll I'd be ... stuck.

Then my Mum told me one day she'd met a 'lovely lady' in the post office queue, 'She sells some kind of decorative tape online? The biggest SA supplier? She lives just down the road from you!'
Uh oh.

I drooled all over her website. But still I resisted. I vowed I wouldn't buy a single inch until I had a specific project in mind.
So when, on the weekend while painting our hallway, Husband handed me the ancient grotty light switch back plate (you know the one which obviously isn't a std size so not easily replaceable) and said, 'Here, don't you have a nice decal or something for that?', my heart started beating a little faster ...

A couple of rolls of tape (plus a couple more because, you know, I was ordering anyway right?), a tutorial found through Pinterest (of course) and 5 minutes on a rainy afternoon and ....

I'm on a roll ... 

Washi tape, I love you like I always knew I would. Oh crap.

planet kids, muizenberg

I'm not a fan of indoor play places (sometimes I think I'm such a parenting grinch), but Planet Kids in Muizenberg is truly an exception.

A beautiful building, huge room, high ceilings, wooden floors and lots and lots of creative, original and stimulating play to be had.

Exciting sit-on slide, takes kids up to 35kg.

All manner of ride-on's. These padded platforms with wheels and some gorgeous little wooden cars too.

Lovely wooden puzzles and a couple of fooz-ball tables for some calmer fun.

Great imaginative 'ball wall' - with lots of different sized balls and holes to lob them through.

Plus, two indoor jumping castles - one is a UFO with aliens inside! A corner for smaller kiddies, comfy seating for the grown-ups, coffee, an outside jungle gym etc for sunny days, a fun collection of party stuff for sale and a dedicated room for birthday parties.
What's not to love?

one city block: muizenberg

During December the girls and I watched this amazing piece going up. A couple of times we stopped to watch the artists at work and it's still a regular request.
Friday: 'Mum, can we stop to look at the octopus?'
Followed always by Sunday: 'And the 'normous toes?'

On the side of Stoked Backpackers, piece by Mak1one and The One Love Studio. More pics of it here.

We stopped again last week and I quickly snapped another few pics, each one of something lovely.

Across the road, this beautiful Grande Dame.

At our backs, the Muizenberg Station building, with wooden clock tower.

Or amusing.

Sign in the parking lot. 

Around the corner.

And across the street.

Just one small block of beautiful Muizenberg, just up the drag from our new home, just another small snippet of the beauty of Cape Town.

AND, if you'd like to see more of this part of the world, visit my friend Wendy at Make.Believe. She just spent a morning in Kalk Bay and took some magnificent photos!

Happy Book Giving Day!

I know, I know, this is not what 14 February is most well known for but ... I'm afraid I'm a bit of a Valentine's Grinch, and this ... (from International Book Giving Day's website):

International Book Giving Day is a day dedicated to getting new, used and borrowed books in the hands of as many children as possible.

... appeals to my heart far, far more.

As does this. A sign outside a house in Muizenberg, and a low wall which regularly gets filled with books, books free to any interested reader.
It's always a mixed bag there (as you can see) but the point is not to get precious about this, the point is to get reading.

People from around the world really get into the spirit of things on Book Giving Day, initiating all kinds of campaigns around getting children to read. There are many ways of getting involved, not least of all this fantastic plan hatched down here in the South by se7en.
The goal is to build, book by book, a library for a small community in Stanford, outside of Hermanus.

New books, old books, big books, small books ... read more here and get involved, I promise you it'll warm the cockles of your heart!

muizenbosch: outdoor films in muizenberg

There's so much still to discover about our new 'hood - places to see, food to eat, friends to make and not least of all: events to attend!
The first Muizenbosch outdoor film screening happened while we were all in fug from the 'flu but this time ... this time I wanna be there!

Taking place on Saturday 1 December on the Muizenberg Public Pool field next to the Putt-Putt course from  7-9 pm the venue promises to be wind-protected and safe with loads of easy, free parking, hot dog vendors on hand and even a playground next door for kiddies with ants in their pants.

And what's screening? Well that remains to be seen ... local film company Substance Films is curating this one and they've put out a call for filmmakers to submit their work for consideration. Doccies, dramas, shorts, animation, music videos, the theme is 'In Love with Local' so if it's Cape Town and it's good: send it in!

Here's the promo, you got the info, bring your R30 per adult (under 13 free) and come watch a fliek under the stars on the lawn next to the beach ... in my new 'hood.

we P'd on the beach

This year was the first time I got Friday involved in a Madiba Day activity.

We chatted about Nelson Mandela and why people were 'giving back' etc. I keep this kind of thing light with her, she has a particularly sensitive radar to 'Mum's trying to teach me something' and starts tuning out if she thinks I'm being too instructive.
Her ears totally perked up when I explained that we'd be spending our 67 minutes on the beach however, especially as 18 July was a rare and magnificent warm winter's day.

I'd picked up on the event via a friend on Twitter, and it sounded like a great way to do good - the goal was to win the R10 000 prize posted by a local radio station to invest in a shelter for previously trafficked women and children - get involved in our future community, the project and the shelter are based in Muizenberg, near our new home - possibly meet some potential friends from that community and, ahem, did I mention hang out on the beach?
Yes please.

So off we went, and spent a fun hour or so standing around on the Muizenberg dunes spelling out 'We (heart) Goodhope FM' in silhouette with our bodies. Friday and I were the 'P', me holding her with her legs wrapped around my waist and her back arched out - what's not to love about a dedicated chunk of time cuddling with my big girl?

Photo by Craig Wilson, www.surfers-corner.co.za

And we won! How satisfying.

I could P myself with delight!