Dullstroom for the weekend...

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A few snaps from a recent rip to Dullstroom, sans Farmboy (who is still away for work in Ethiopia!!). But I did go with my lovely mom and step dad. The weekend was to celebrate my Uncle Pete's Big 50, and was packed with family catch ups, beautiful scenery, and fires burning all day long to keep cosy...

I really liked the look of this log...

Me and my Grandpa!


Interesting fence...

Nothing like a little cheesy self portrait!

?! :)


Pinecone found on a walk through the forest

The Clock Shop!

Harry's Pancakes...yum yum yum!

Even though i felt that Dullstroom is tending towards to 'dull' side (with most shops selling cheap Chinese replica's ie. junk!) it was still a wonderful weekend. Dullsroom is still one of the most beautiful places to head to for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of Joburg (and of course is a fantastic place for trout fishing!).

#PhotoOfTheWeek...Bubbles

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Another week has come and gone, and with it another photochallenge! This past weeks theme was Bubbles. Every week, the team is given a theme (each team member is given a chance to choose the theme for the week) and then each person has 7 days to take the perfect picture. It can be as edited or as natural as you like, the only rule is it has to be submitted to me by Sunday evening (South African time) so that I can get the post up asap on Sunday night/early Monday morning! If you'd like to join in, just drop me a line at citygirlsearching@gmail.com and I will send you that week's theme and you can get started right away!

Here are this week's submissions for the theme Bubbles:

Taken by: Rob


Taken by: Meg

Taken by: Roxy


Taken by: Lisa
Taken by: Vicky
Taken by :Sue

{Blogging For Beginners} a *Pugly Pixel* Post

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One of my all time favourite bloggers, Katrina from PuglyPixel, recently wrote a post on blogging for beginners. As I have also been asked this question numerous times before, I thought I'd send you over to her site where she has some great pointers, as well as loads and loads of freebies to make your blog look lovely! Most of what I have learnt in photoshop I've learnt from her super tutorials (which are all free, how nice!). For a very small price ($5) you can register for a month long membership on her site and you have access to everything! How great is that?!

Thank you for all your hard work Katrina, your blog is always such a delight to look through :)


Bourjois *Foundation* {Review}

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I am really loving my new Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation (which came in last week after I placed an order with my Dad who was on a trip to the UK.) It's much cheaper over there than here, R110 there vs R185 here. It glides on effortlessly, stays put the whole day, and doesn't leave my skin looking shiny. The bottle says that it leaves a "smooth, beatified complexion" and I have to say I am definitely agreeing with that statement. It leaves a slight matte finish, which is great if your skin tends towards the oilier side, and smells fantastic (it's horrible putting something on your face that makes you want to gag!). It even comes with a cute little makeup sponge applicator which fits nearly onto the lid, making things very easy. I still spwear by my Mac #187 Stippling Brush  which gives me perfect coverage every time, without leaving me with a streaky effect my fingers and sponges usually leave me with. 

If you do have very sensitive or dry skin, I would probably be careful with this foundation as it does have a matte effect (which could possibly leave dry skin types looking a bit on the cakey side). Also, with regards to the lovely flower scent, this is from added fragrances which could irritate very sensitive skin. 


I give this foundation a 4/5, the only reason for not giving it full marks is the price of it here in South Africa. Bourjois is still relatively new to South Africa, and R185 for a foundation most people have never heard of is a bit steep. I think consumers would rather pay a bit extra for the likes of MAC. 
You can find Bourjois at most Edgars stores, nationwide.

TipTip *Crushed Grapes*

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Loving the new addition to my ever growing collection of TipTop Nail polishes. They always paint beautifullym dry quickly and last for ages. Plus, they are Formaldehyde, Dibutylphthalate, Camphor and Toluene free meaning they are better for your nails than most brands, ultimately resulting in healthier nails! 

This is 918, Crushed Grapes.
Dark colours can be tricky on long nails, which mine were until i broke one on my car door (*ouch!!*). What better way to disguise short nails that with a gorgeous shade, perfect for the cold winter ahead. 




You can get your hands on TipTop at most Clicks stores nationwide for R39.99. 


TipTop are always running awesome giveaways and competitions on Facebook, be sure to check out their page to join in on the fun!

{Macaroons} What not to do...

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Today I am very proud of myself, I unhooked, carried, loaded, refilled, carried, reloaded and re-hooked my first ever gas cylinder! What a day, and boy are those cylinders heavy, wowee! And to celebrate having a fresh tank of gas, Candice and I decided to try out what looked like a very easy Macaroon recipe in the latest edition of Ideas.

And while they didn't quite come out liked i had hoped (I didn't even get to a point where I needed to make the delicious creamy white chocolate centre!), I still had fun. And i now have squishy balls of sugary mess to munch on in the cold winter nights while Farmboy is away in Ethiopia.

I thought  maroons were as easy as:









This is what was supposed to happen when the above steps were followed:

{source}
Instead, this is what I am left with...


But they (or it) is still very yummy! Not sure where exactly I went wrong...not using greaseproof paper was a big mistake, as well as having my oven a little too hot. 

 I will just have to give them another go i think???

A Farmboy in North Africa

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My dear fiance has been working as an environmental consultant for a company here in KZN for the last few months, and recently got back from a trip to Senegal, Sierra Leone and Gambia. At this moment he is in Ethiopia doing research for another project there. Here are a few of his photographs from his trip. I'm really missing him, and am desperate to go on adventures with him to these incredible places!

 Enjoy :)













Farmboy, I miss you xxx

My new *CAMERA*

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I am so excited to introduce to you my very own, shiny black, taker of pretty still life pictures, Canon 60D! I am so very excited with my piece of photographic magic, that I couldn't resist a few shots. I spent many an hour online finding the perfect camera, and the age old Nikon/Canon debate held me back a few times. Farmboy swears by Nikon, but I have been using a Canon for the past 6 months, and it's the only camera that now truly feels at home in my hands. If you're in the market for a new slr, check out Ken Rockwell's site, full to the brim with useful tips and reviews on just about every camera out there!

This is the first SLR camera that actually 100% belongs to me, and I'm thrilled to bits! I can't wait to post lots of photo prettyness!






#PhotoOfTheWeek..Stripes

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And we are back on track for our weekly photo challenge! The past week's theme was Stripes, and here are the submissions! Thank you to everyone who sent through a photograph, it's so wonderful to see how much you have each improved, and just how creative you are all getting :) Well done!

Taken by: Rob
Taken by: Meg

Taken by: Sue

Taken by: Roxy
And we have a new member to add to our growing team! Welcome Lisa! And what a super picture to start off this weekly challenge, well done! Looking forward to seeing you photo's Lisa :)

Taken by: Lisa

Natur Vital *Rose Water Toner*

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Scouting around Dischem in search of skin care products is never an easy task. I get distracted by all the packaging, the promises of "clearer looking skin in just 10 days" etc etc etc. Farmboy calls Dischem the 'trap door of all trap doors" which lures unsuspecting girl friends, fiance's and wives, only to spit them out hours later, penny less, but armed with every kind of eyeliner, lipgloss and conditioner under the sun. Sounds like my kinda place :)

Well, it was on one of those missions, to find the perfect toner, that my eyes happened to look upon the 'no name brand' aisles when I spotted this Rose Water Toner. For only R20 I thought I couldn't really go wrong, and, well I sure didn't. 


NaturVital is a range of "products that provide natural solutions to all your beauty, hygiene and personal care needs. We have a very clear work ethic and the products we prepare for you are always of the highest quality, made using natural extracts, oils and plant essences, in exactly the right balance and proportions to provide the maximum effect in a natural, non-aggressive way"...sounds a little airy fairy to me. But I did need a new toner while I wait for my cleanser and day cream to finish, and for R20 you can't really go wrong. I would liken this toner to Vichy's Thermale 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution (click here) but without the R198 price tag.

To be honest, I think I can officially say this has got to be one of the gentlest, effective cleansers I have ever used. It's kind to my skin, whilst still removing all traces of makeup and dirt, leaving my skin feeling soft and clean. It's all use before bed, with a dab of night cream. It has a rather pleasant smell and of course, I just love the colour :). There are lots of known benefits to using rose water (click here) and up until now I didn't really see what all the fuss is about But after using this toner for a little over a month I can really see a difference in my skin's moisture levels (it's no longer dry in patches) and it feels soft as a baby's bum. I can't say for sure whether it's helped my recent outbreak of dreaded pimples, as I am on a course of Antibiotics which has worked wonders, but never the less I love this product!

If your looking for something that's easy on your pocket, looks very pretty and works pretty darn well as a cleanser, toner and make up remover, head on over to Dischem pronto!

6 Months before the Wedding {Part 2}

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A little while ago I wrote this post on what you should have done and organised 6 months before your big day. There was far too much to put in one post, so here is part 2. In terms of time frame, I have used 6 months as my starting point as that is how long I have had to get ready for my wedding. But of you have longer, then rather use these as a guideline, or rather, a check list. If you have less than 6b months to plan, then get your bum moving :) But not to worry, lots of my friends have planned weddings in 3 months and under. You just have to get your 'pinterest on' (if you have not heard of Pinterest before, do yourself a favour and click here, your life may be changed forever, not to mention your internet bill!).




This was the most exciting part of planning my wedding so far. In terms of imporatnce, this was one of the first things I decided on. As we are getting married on the farm, we were really excited to incorporate a little bit of farm into our wedding (and so wooden tables were decided upon in place of tresstle tables and overlays). We are having our tables very simple, with the wood being the main feature, with lace table runners down the centre bringing in a slight Vintage touch. This not only saves money on huge amounts of overlays and draping, but I think also adds something a bit special. Poor Farmboy and my soon to be Father-in-Law have had the job of making the tables (click here to see how they are getting along) as I was unable to find the right kind of tables...fussy much I hear you asking? :)
For idea's for your theme or colour scheme, look through sites like Pinterest, The Pretty Blog and 100LayerCake which provide lots and lots of free idea's.




Your decor will very much depend on your above theme and colour palette, so once you have decided what colours you are going with, it's time to find out who can get you exactly what you want to make your special day a reality. Farmboy and I are doing a lot of the decor ourselves, a lot of people think that by doing things yourself you save a fotune in hirig costs. This is not always the case, as sourcing materials can be expensive, not to mention very time consuming. Sometimes its best to leave it to the professionals who have the most experience in dealing with suppliers. But, if like us you want to add your own touch to your wedding then be prepared for lots of hours spent researching and requesting quotes.
If you go onto sites like The Pretty Blog, a lot of suppliers advertise their business on the side, so thats a great place to start looking. Then a good old google search will help you some more. Here are a few good sites with comprehensive lists of suppliers all over South Africa:



These day's fun and creative wedding invites and Save the Dates are all the rage, and this is one area you really can save yourself a lot of money by making your own. If you are the creative type and know your way around photoshop, then why not design them yourselves. If you are wanting to go green, here is a great site that is free and allows you to customize your own wedding stationey. Paperless Post then sends you your digital copy which gets sent to all your guests. It's  alovely way to make sure those oversea's guests get your invite without the extra worry about the postman not being very reliable.
But if your budget does extend, and you are looking for something unique and special, why not get someone else to do the hard work for you?! I know my way around PhotoShop, but i haven't a clue when it comes to illustrating, so we got the lovely girls over at Ruby and the Swallow to help us out with our wedding stationey. Kim and Filipa, the two braisn behind the design colective that is Ruby and the Swallow are such fun to work with, and i thought were so reasonable, I have enlisted their help in most of my wedding stationey. Just drop them a line here if you're looking for a lovely local team to do stationery for your function. Click here to see the Save the Dates they designed for our wedding, we just loved them!


Ranking very high on our list of proirities is our Photographer. After all the glitz and glam is over, your photographs are the only thing you have left to show for your big day (apart from of course a lifetime with the one you love!). I contacted about 10 different photographers for our big day, and after much deliberation, finally settled on Jacki Brunquel. Farmboy and I are very excited to work with her, and love her creative flair.

Before you even start looking, you need to decided what kind of photographer you want to cover your big day. Here are a list of wonderful photographers we looked at (all based in the Durban area) before finally deciding on Jacki Bruniquel. They were all so very helpful, and it was a very hard decision to make, but we are very excited to have Jacki and look forward to having her cover our special day!

So there you go, another list :) If you feel I have left anything out, please drop me a comment below, I love hearing from you!
xxx

Market Purchase *Pink Teapot*

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This weekend was the I Heart Market at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Buttercup Collectibles was there, with both Farmboy and myself manning the stall. Thanks to all of you that came on by to say hello and make a purchase. We are planning to be back next month, with lots more vintage collectibles in stock.

Here's a little something I just couldn't resist from Irene at the Lulu Shop. Isn't it just gorgeous?! I can't wait to have friends over for a little spot of tea!







*Sage* Ballito {Café}

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I had a very quick visit to Ballito a few weekends ago, to a) fetch my lovely Save the Dates for our Wedding from the oh-so-talented ladies at Ruby and the Swallow, and b) to have a coffee and catch up with one of my oldest school friend, Sandra. She suggested we head to Sage, just on the outskirts of Ballito for some good food and a vibey atmosphere.  Here are just a few snaps of our time spent drinking cappuccino's, wandering around the lovely premises, and eating the odd slice of cake...












Sage is so much more than just a cafe, complete with garden and lifestyle decor, kiddies play area, boutique clothing store and salon, you could easily find yourself spending your whole day there. And with lots and lots of goodies to keep the kids busy, Mom can relax with a good cup of coffee and have her nails done, all without moving an inch :)













1 Old Fort Road, Fox Hill, Salt Rock
sagecafe@telkomsa.net
Tel: +27 (0)32 525 8059


**website coming soon at www.sagecafe.co.za**

#PhotoOfTheWeek...Peering

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With the long weekend here in South Africa I am only posting our photo for this week now. Last week's theme was "peering", I love the varied submissions! 

Taken by: Megan

"Peering out the bushes while on the hunt"
Taken by: Roxy

"Peering out from under the cover"
Taken by: Sue
"Peering at fragments of a long lost friend"
Taken by: Rob

Our Wedding Mood Board...

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I've found a lot of my inspiration from Pinterest (you can follow my boards here) and thought I'd pop a few of them together to give you a little idea. I think a lot of people are quoting Pinterest as the source of their images, which isn't actually correct (I read a rather interesting blog post a little while ago which stated that whatever content is uploaded onto Pinterest becomes the property of Pinterest itself...a little scary really! So if you are uploading images that you have taken yourself, try and put a watermark on your photo's and attach a link back to your site! And if you are using images from Pinterest on your blog/facebook/twitter account, try and link it back to the oringinal artist, it's the polite thing to do!).

Anyway, here is a little mood board filled with prettiness and inspiration.
Enjoy!

xxx


Sources: 

Our Engagement Photo-shoot

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A little while ago I posted a sneak peak of our Engagement Shoot by our special friends Sophie and her husband Cameron. I met Sophie through Dale, while studying at Rhodes University. Sophie and Cam both live in Cape Twon, and Sophie (who is a Photo Journalist by trade) shoots weddings, engagements and a host of other things too. Click here to check out her blog.

These are the photographs of our engagement shoot from May 2012. It feels like this was a lifetime ago, as since then we have moved across the globe (for the second time) and are well and settled into life in South Korea. 

You can see all of our wedding related blog posts by clicking here.

{Pietermaritzburg} 6 months on...

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I have posted these photo's below before, but I loved them so much I felt the need to post them again! And, they kinda fit in with the title of this post.



6 months ago today I moved to the sleepy town (or so I thought) of Pietermaritzburg. I was only supposed to be here for 2 months, I had a job lined up with an awesome PR company in Jo'burg, I was to be their newest Social Media Manager. Here's what changed and what I've got up to in the last few months:

1. I got engaged!! So exciting! You can follow me and all my wedding plans here.

2. I registered with the University of Kwazulu Natal to do my Postgrad Certificate in Education...loving every second of it!

3. Started Buttercup Collectibles, which has it's own little piece of the action at the I Heart Market in Durban.

4. Moved into my own little flat (pictures to come soon! )

5. Started instructing spinning class at the new Virgin Gym here at Cascades.

6. Am in the process of getting pretty serious with my camera after these pictures (here's to future photography venture's!)

7. Have made some of the most lovely and special friends (most of whom I have met through the local  NCF Church).

8. Started a weekly photo-challenge with just myself and Farmboy, and which has grown to over 15 members (if you would like to join our team, just drop me a line at citygirlsearching{at}gmail{dot}com)

8. I have nearly finished exploring every single second hand/thrift/charity/antique store in the vicinity!

So there you have it, 6 months and counting. It sounds exhausting when I look back on my short time so far here in the Capital of KZN...but I'm oh so excited for the next 6 to come!

xxx





Celebrating my Engagement with a *Spot of Tea*

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My lovely friends organised my a little {surprise} tea party to celebrate my recent engagement. I say {surprise} in brackets, because I had to go an ruin the surprise by trying to control everything, as per usual (*Farmboy, I promise to curb my insatiable need to be in control of everything all the time, before we are married!) Most of these shots were taken by my very special friend, and wonderful bridesmaid, Kayleigh...thank you to each and every one of you ladies, it was perfect!

xxx