Art & Soul Creative Retreat 17th - 18th November 2018 in Creighton, KZN

Hosting retreats has been something on my heart for years and years, and when Farmboy and I got married here on the farm all those years ago, I just knew that the farm would make the perfect place. After all the renovations we just completed at Bedford (click here to see our beautiful self catering guesthouse), it has become the perfect setting to finally make my dreams of hosting retreats come true.

Here are some photos of Bedford…

And now onto the exciting news! I’m hosting my first every retreats with Durban based artist Terry Angelos, whom I met last year while attending one her art therapy workshops. I then bumped into her at our local Creighton Aloe Festival and I mentioned that we had just completed renovations at Bedford and then the topic of hosting a retreat came up.

The rest as they say, is history!

The 2Day1Night retreat is happening from Saturday 17th November to Sunday 18th November and will be here on Bedford Farm in Creighton. We still have a couple of spaces open if you’d like to book your spot!

Here’s a little more of what’s on offer during the 2 day 1 night stay:

Saturday
Arrive anytime during the morning from 9am
🌿11am - art session / introduction and techniques for relaxing through art & art journaling
🌿1pm - lunch & free time
🌿3pm - art session - aloes and country botanicals
🌿5.60/6pm gin sundowners (I’ll be serving my famous Lavender & Grapefruit Gin Cocktail!)
🌿7.30/8pm - Dinner

Sunday
🌿9am - 10am picnic brunch
🌿10am - 12pm “Pleinair” painting - country landscapes
🌿12pm - free time. You are welcome to explore the area, find a lovely lunch spot on your way home or chill at the farmhouse till you are ready to leave.
Depart farmhouse by 3pm.

If you’re looking for a break away from reality and the opportunity to be creative in a beautiful countryside setting, this retreat is just for you.

Cost: R1850pp including all meals, accommodation and art supplies.

Rooms are sharing (private rooms are available at R200 extra) and there is also the option of spending the Friday night here (an extra R350pp) if you’d like to extend your stay.

Message or comment below with your email address or email terry directly to book your spot today: terryangelosart@gmail.com

Terry and I are so excited to host this retreat, and I’m sure it will be the first of many to come!

Watercolour Heart - Fine Art, Illustration & Design {A creative Business Feature}

Although I have yet to meet Jess in real life, I feel like we are old friends. This is one of my absolute favourite things about blogging & social media, and although it may seem strange to older members of my family, I think it's just wonderful.  

Jess, pictured above looking so lovely in her recently updated studio space, is the beauty and brains (as well as the illustrator & designer) behind Watercolour Heart. Jess specialises in wedding stationery design, custom illustration & design projects, small business branding & personalised gifting. The latter of these is really showcased with the images I'm sharing with you today.

To celebrate the launch of her own, newly updated branding, Jess sent out beautiful packages to business owners who have inspired her in her own business journey. What a wonderful surprise to be a recipient of a beautifully put together collection of stationery goodies.

If my package is anything to go by, I can only imagine that the personalised gifting service Jess offers will wow and delight each and every person lucky enough to receive a gift put together by Watercolour Heart.

Thank you Jess for the incredibly thoughtful note that accompanied my package, your words meant more to me than I can say.

You can find Watercolour Heart in the following places

• Website: wwww.watercolourheart.com
• Facebook: @watercolourheart
• Instagram: @watercolour_heart_illustration

Skin Creamery - Everyday Cream & Oil Milk Cleanser {Review}

Ever since I stumbled across Skin Creamery on Instagram (I think I found them via my friend Keri Bainborough) I have lusted after their products...probably mostly due to their gorgeous Instagram feed (have a look for yourself).

I love their minimalist approach to their branding, their beautifully packaged products, and the fact that their products are made from only the finest of natural ingredients. 

"The Skin Creamery vision is a hope; a hope to instill a daily ritual of simple self-care, which translates into a loving appreciation for who you are, just as you are."

How lovely is that?!

In the run up to Christmas last year, I hinted at a few ideas to Farmboy of things that were on my wishlist. I had just seen that SkinCreamery were having a special offer on their shipping costs, and so the hints became less hint like and more direct. Anyway, after a little while I forgot all about the products, and come Christmas I was delighted to find a very pretty package of SkinCreamery goodies waiting for me under the tree.

Everyday Cream for Face & Body R350 200ml

I have very sensitive skin, and often have eczema flare ups on my hands and wrists (you can read all about my skin care routine during my pregnancy, which was when eczema really flared up, by clicking here).

Anyway, I am always really nervous about trying out body creams (and face creams because by default the cream always ends up on hands and causes a reaction) but I have been pleasantly surprised by Skin Creamery's The EveryDay Cream for Face & Body. 

• Suitable for all skin types

• Honours the skin’s natural balance

• Easily absorbed

• Certified organic ingredients

• Hypoallergenic

• 100% natural fragrance

I have had little to no reaction to the ingredients (yay!) and love the soft and gentle fragrance of the Jojoba oil. The cream also contains Coconut & Baobab Oil:

Coconut oil is praised for its anti-aging properties. It deeply regenerates and rejuvenates the skin thanks to its high protein content. Baobab oil is an excellent moisturiser and works to improve skin elasticity – naturally. Rich with vitamins A, D, E and F, it helps restore the skin’s natural glow. Jojoba oil contains naturally occurring iodine and is packed with anti-microbial properties. This helps inhibit harmful bacteria that cause pimples, blackheads and acne breakouts. SkinCreamery

For those of you who like to know exactly what's inside your products, here is a full list of ingredient listing:

Water (Aqua), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Oil*, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Glycerin*, Glyceryl Strearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Fruit Oil*, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Oil*, Isoamyl Laurate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum,Dehydroacetic acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Mentha Spicata (Spearmint) Leaf Oil*, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil*, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Vanilla Planifolia Extract*, Citric Acid, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil*, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Linalool**, Limonene**, Geranoil

***certified organic ingredients

**component of natural essential oils

I also love how it leaves my skin feeling soft and supple, but doesn't leave my face looking greasy. It's the perfect day cream! 

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Oil-Milk Facial Cleanser R375 200ml

I hadn't expected to also recieve this lovely face cleanser, but my hubby really did spoil me.

While I also have to be very careful with face washes/scrubs/oils (again, do to my very sensitive hands) this cleaner has been a wonderful addition to my skincare routine, leaving me again, with little to no reaction when on my hands after use!

It's got the most invigorating and refreshing fragrance which is perfect for an early morning wake up. Once dispensed, the oil quickly creams up and becomes milky, making it a wonderful texture to wash your face with. it also doesn't leave any oily residue, and also doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped. 

Here is a little more info:

• Suitable for all skin types

• Effortlessly removes make-up

• Leaves skin feeling nourished

• Soap and alcohol free

• Made using certified organic oils

And for those wanting to see a full list of ingredients:

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Almond) Oil, Decyl Glucoside, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Glycerine*, Rhus Verniciflua (Berry) Peel Cera, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Fruit Oil*, Sodium Levulinate*, Sodium Anisate*, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Oil*, Sucrose Laurate, Citrullus Lanatus (Kalahari Melon) Seed Oil, Aqua (Water), Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) Oil*, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Linalool**, Limonene**, Geranoil**, Citronellol**, Citral**

* certified organic ingredients
** component of natural essential oils

The melon seed is what really gives this cleanser such a delightful fragrance. And the best part about it? It removes all traces of makeup, gently, so youre skin is left feeling zingy clean, but without any horrible tightness. Here's a little more info on one of the other main ingredients, Sesame Oil:

Sesame oil is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. It repairs damaged skin cells and deeply moisturises and strengthens tissues to improve the appearance of the skin. Sesame oil contains important fatty acids, linoleic acid and beneficial vitamins and minerals, and has the ability to penetrate deep into the skin to help reduce the appearance of scars, old or new, and regulate blood flow to the skin surface. SkinCreamery

Both products have become firm favourites in my beauty routine, and their beautiful glass packaging is the cherry on the cake for me, as they look so pretty on the shelf. And another bonus, you can purchase refill for both of these products! Yay for being environmentally friendly, and easier on the pocket when it comes time to stock up.

My only concern in having gone through a bottle of each and a refill of each product over the past 2 years is that the pumps don’t work so well when your product is nearly finished. This is a general problem I have found with pump dispensers. It’s a bit of a pain as it means you have to work really hard to get the last bits of product out (I take the pump off and then use the straw part to scrape the jar and then wipe it onto my hands…a bit of a mess bit it does get the job done). But seeing as that has been the only downside of the brand, I am VERY happy to keep recommending it to my followers.

Have you tried any of the Skin Creamery's products yet? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Sprout SA Kids Clothing - Brand & Product Photoshoot

A few weeks ago the lovely duo behind Sprout dropped by the farm for a morning of styled photographs for their kiddies fashion label. 

I had been in touch with Luke for the past week or so over Instagram, and we eventually found a date that suited us all to get together and start snapping and styling their gorgeous items. 

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A little more about the brand...

Proudly located in the heart of leafy Glenwood, Durban, Sprout is a kiddies fashion label offering an adorable, yet functional, range of kids apparel and sleepy sacks. Founded by Sarah Dalton in 2013,  the label exploded with the arrival of their little girl, Mae, in February 2016.

Sprout products are all made locally. The cotton fabrics, produced in local mills, use cotton grown from South African soil. Luke & Sarah believe in producing quality goods and spending hard earned cash locally to keep people in jobs, food on tables, and transforming harebrained dreams into realities.

They value originality. They don't do mass produced. All of their items are produced in small quantities to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of the brand.

Above all, Sprout is run by a pair of parents, who are doing our best to make a difference in their little girls’ life everyday.

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I first came across the Sprout brand over on Instagram, and it was their famous range of sleepy sacks which first caught my eye. From there I was introduced to their beautiful rompers, and their most recent additions...leggings and T-shirts.

Each item is carefully and thoughtfully created, and their fabric designs are just beautiful...see for yourself:

With my own little girl on the way, I was delighted to get really hands on the styling and photographing of each of their beautiful items. I had a wonderful time getting to know both Luke and Sarah and their sweet little Mae, who really had fun meeting all our our farm creatures.

To Luke and Sarah, you are both such kind and creative people, and I wish you nothing but the best for Sprout. I can't wait to see all that lies in store for your wonderful brand!

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If you are looking to update your brand photographs, then please get in touch! I've worked with product & service based brands to create an updated look and feel for their businesses using my camera, and I'd love to do the same for you!

Scroll through & click the posts below to see the brands and businesses I've worked with:

If you're still wondering what brand photography is and why you need it, here's a blog post that you might enjoy reading...What is Brand Photography and why you need it to grow your business.