Sublime Sunset

One of the best things about living in Hout Bay is the sublime sunsets we get on most evenings.

Tonight's sunset looked as though it was a photograph of purplish pink cotton balls falling through the air, with a faded blue/light yellow swathe below them. Electric pink ripped through the hazy blue and yellow. Whenever I see a beautiful sunset, I try to memorise it, but the picture fades very soon. While looking at this sunset, I realised that this picture would soon be lost too.

An amphibian visitor

A few weeks ago, there was an endangered Leopard Toad outside the back door at home. My mother provided a welcome distraction from studying (it was after eight o'clock) when she called me to come and see our little green visitor.

More information on Leopard Toads here: www.leopardtoad.co.za/

Leatherphilia

Leather is one of my favourite materials - its feel and scent is very distinctive. I like how it's durable, and the way it ages. I was captivated the first time I saw an item by South African leather brand Missibaba. Since 2006, Chloe Townsend and her talented team of craftswomen have given South Africa beautiful leather accessories.

What makes seeing a Missibaba design so captivating is the exciting way leather is used. The colours, patterns and stitching make me feel very happy - intricate, handcrafted details are a big design favourite of mine. Beauty combines seamlessly with practicality; the bags and wallets in the range are all good sizes.

The Missibaba range also includes jewellery. A team is based at the Ikhaya Trust Centre, Kayamandi township (close to Stellenbosch). This team's catalyst was a job creation and skills development project. The women use the off-cuts from the Missibaba workshop to make the 'sweetie' and 'caterpillar' necklaces. The women also embroider custom-made Missibaba items.

Sweetie necklace

Caterpillar necklace

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