Hope

This is a crossroads for me. Like many other young people my age I'm faced with some seemingly life threatening decisions. Mostly career and love life related. I've just gotten to the point where I can no longer be led. There's only one way to do things now, my way. Problem is, I don't quite know what that is yet.


'Tends to feel like we're running out of time. Like we need to make that crazy money before 30 (I have no clue who set this stooopid deadline that everyone's now chasing - probably a rapper).

A friend of mine tweeted something that gave me a lifeline amidst my paper-chase panic. She wrote "I want a car", so a retweeted "Don't you mean NEED?" (Of course referring to my own feelings on the subject). Then she said (...and here's the gold) "I have everything I need, I would like a car." I paused as this sunk in and realised she's right. This was absolute madness. Most of us really do have what we need, we even have whom we need. We just let pop culture get to us. And frankly we're not being fair to ourselves. The people we're so busy trying to catch up with are constructed images (we all know this remember!!??)...it's honeslty not real. None of it, Hollywood, Santdon, Watch The Throne or what ever the source of your pressure. Relax, it's for TV.


I'm not saying success doesn't exist. I'm just saying maybe for now, it's enough to just work at it and hope for the best.

Hope, that's all.

I took this while I was in my home town a couple of months ago.

Talking Heads

These are just some illustrations I made of things I just wish that someone would have told me. :)

Love is in the hair

Our hair bothers us a lot. It's beyond something explicable in a single documentary, magazine article or even my measly little blog post. It's deep and even definitive. i.e: You have a long straight Brazilian weave? You're a gold digger. You wear yours in tight natural coils? You're one of them overly deep poetic types. We are judged by it, classed by it, bound by it to the identities people create for us when they look at it. 

I'm not in any way trying to stir up a revolution but I'm glad we're finally talking about it. Talking about the fact that we never feel like enough in our own. Talking about the fact that we have created a prison for ourselves in trying to keep up with Eurocentric notions of beauty. Talking about it. That's one way to start the change. And I cant help but feel that change is apon us. I truely hope this isn't just a trend. I hope that it's the start of a love. Love of self.

This is good. Talking means we're thinking. That's all.
 
 :)

Oh and...How awesome are these illustrations? Check out more HERE

Beauty

My reading hit list.

Lovette!

Block that colour :) And maybe steal some inspiration from my people :D

Beautiful Tanzanian Jewellery. Now..Lets just wait for some Europeans to come and pretend they designed it...

*Clears throat* About hair...

For more of this stunning inspiration theres http://fuckyeahfamousblackgirls.tumblr.com/ and http://lecoil.tumblr.com/

Thats all :)

Toni Morrison - A Mercy

-->

HelloFriends,

This book is pure beauty. It's taken me a while to read because it's such an involving book. When my friend @ASearll lent it to me she said it was sad. I had no idea!! I found myself often drenched in tears deeply empathising with the characters - she leaves you no choice. Toni Mirrison is honestly one of the best writters I have been blessed to read. Reading her books is like experiencing colour or sugar or music for the first time. It's a poetically written journey of love/hate/growth/slavery/freedom/blackness/whiteness/master &savant/inhale/exhale/humaneness/animalism and many more journeys all in equal regard. I'm at a loss for words, so don't exept this as a book review, I do the book no justice. It's just me sharing a gem with you.

Ta

Pretty Paris Pumps

HelloAgain:)

I was at a wonderful woman's conference this weekend! It completely refreshed my soul and enriched me in exactly the way I needed. The conference was great but these... Wow! My darling Zama donned these mean sued black with silk leopard print detail Betty pumps from Paris Hilton's range of shoezies at Stutterfords. Mmm I want!

The picks are from my bb and we know they don't take the best pics :/

Enjoy
#TTFN

Jill Scott - The Light Of The Sun

I would give a lot to be even half the woman that Jill Scott is.

I'm so proud to be a black woman when standing under her glory. She is strong, inteligent, resolute, artistic, beutiful and so many other things. This album is but another manifestation of her brilliance. Musical, melodic, soulful, real just what I needed...Once again. Favourite tracks: Until Then, Shame, Womanifesto, Making You Wait. #InNOParticularOrder

WOW

I cant explain my facination with our dear mother...

Caption

Shes but the ebodiment of the word fierce. Work!

Natural hair is calling me again. Me thinks me might ansa! It's Summer :)

My contribution to conversations about music

These are the two new albums on my table at the mo... Well there's Jill Scott too but she deserves her own post :). I love Watch The Throne, it's one of those ones you can listen to in the morning then walk around like you've got a million in your back pocket all day! POWER... Let me give Thursday a solid listen then I'll get back to you, but if House Of Balloons is any comparison then I'll probably be obsessed by next week *twitch*. J


Ok friends that's all for now (I'm so busy, I've been a baaaad baaaad blogger smh)

#TTFN

I wish these would be the norm and not a novelty.

Not as Skinny but yeah...We need for little girls to have realistic perceptions of beuaty

Wooden frames by Huf. Simple idea...Wonderful aethsetic

Kabomo - All things grey

I went to this album launch which also happened to be the artists birthday. Its was an amazing performance and I got a free copy of the album (so I'm pretty glad I braved the harsh Jo'burg winter and nyanduled aaaalllllllll the way to SELBY to see it all.) If you can get yourself a copy then do, it's pretty little bit of local romance. Plus he won me over by doing a tribute to my bra Hugh Masekela. :) Awesome album cover too. (I'm glad he didn't go and plaster a picture of himself with some kind of "In deep though"
facial expression in  shirt with huge collars and a pink cravat. #ThinkLocalgospelArtists - Sies)

Mad Men @Ogilvyjhb

I made an illustration for a quote by Maria De Vos.

My friend Justice Mukheli showed me this style of illustration on Friday. I wanted to try it out so I decided to illustrate something my girl Maria said on Saturday. It moved me :)

I took a picture of Tammy, I loved her look :)

This weekends shoot with Maria, Romy, Thabo, Ina, Amanda, Marcel,Tammy and myself. :)

Can't wait for the pics :)

We have lost a gem

Some people need no tribute. Legends lives speak for themselves.

Good men hats :)

These are awesome. I found them on http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/4787255647/1/tumblr_ljz1tjhdF21qixrpk. They just conjure up memories of the many good men who worked hard in a past life. :)

For Akona

It bothers me,

A lot. That brands try to put African 'spins' on Eurocentric campaigns. This breeds all these 'catch phrase advertising' that creates no value but only creates irritating fads. Aggrrr. Often we get work to 'localise' and that just means ad a 'heita' or a 'bafowethu' to their existing payoff lines. This is bull****. Let's have real authentic African work. Please #CloseVent

Anyhow here's my point, I drew this for Akona ( http://www.akmosaic.blogspot.com/ ) simply because she's a constant reminder of African authenticity. That's all.

Localise THIS!

:)

Mara Hruby

She is beautiful. Her music is a sensual, honest, reminiscent-of-the-old type of soul sound. My favourite on her  album 'From her eys' is Take of your cool. Then, Send it on and Character.

I listened and drifted out of my work populated world into a coffee pungent cafe in Brooklyn with well dresses young people and honest food. That's all I look for in music - an escape. In my opinion it's worth paying some proper money for.

Thanks Mpumi :)

TTFN

I think this will be my look this summer

Smashin Sisters

I love this look. It's all the things I love smashed (very gracefully) into one beautiful ensemble. Africa+Europe+En Vouge+Vintage+Old School+New School+Textured+Neutral+red lips = Wow. I might mix in some shorts in there too. Love it

Akara for Vlisco. Genius!