She had to design a lino print using some kitsch items! Fortunately we have some right here at home! A fake plastic flower in the middle, with swan scissors and the head from my sausage dog vase! So cool! I am a proud mom!
Freshly Found Online Boutique Launch! Friday was a very busy happy day! I had 3 launch sessions during the day, where we served food, showed the shop's products and I gave a speech! My husband linked his laptop up to the TV screen, so I could show everyone the website and the blog too!
Things are really buzzing here in preparation. I do hope that you will join me in celebrating the launch of Freshly Found Online Boutique tomorrow. The baking is just about finished. The Pardoemskoek squares are decorated:
We've been experimenting with some table layouts, and lots of my quirky vintage dishes have been scrubbed and cleaned - ready for use! 
Heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow, so here's I hoping we'll be able to take some good pictures!
So we've baked it and made the pastry for some biltong tarts and the crust for some Hertzog Koekies and bought some koeksusters and are ordering some veg Biryani. A friend is bringing Samp and Beans and we are hoping to make ginger beer today. [Friends and family - consider yourself invited. Contact me for details!]
These gorgeous animals live at Hartford House in the KZN Midlands.
Unfortunately I had one of the worst colds I have had in years, but managed to dose myself up to enjoy the lively gracious homestead-that-is-now-a-hotel and thoroughly enjoy the 5 course dinner on Saturday night. Every bit of food was a gastronomic work of art!
Staying at Hartford House is a real treat! I have never slept on a bed where I personally had 8 cushions and pillows to myself!
Yay! I have taken the greatest delight in attaching them to some of the products - In fact I got so carried away I started adding more than swing tags to the Collar Cushion Covers [made from vintage shirts]! 
I thought these crochet flowers added a festive touch of Spring, despite the fact that it is very dark, cold and rainy here today!
I don't relish the cooking, but I enjoy the decorating and the company!
The azaleas in our garden are magnificent here at the moment, so I enjoyed picking some fresh white ones.The lovely flowers on the sideboard are one of the new products which I will be stocking in my shop. 
I have not been a brilliant blogger or blog visitor lately as I have poured as much time as possible into my website. I have been on a steep learning curve! And I realise that there is a lot more to go. The plan is that it will go live late next week!
These packs are made from white grease proof paper and pictures from a vintage Picture Show Annual [For people who go to the Pictures!] I don't always find it easy to take these books apart - but this annual was already falling apart when I found it - which made it easier. I have had such pleasure working these gorgeous signed portraits! 
They are magnificent. They will be used to wrap the medium sized products in my shop at first. When they run out - I have some other pics lined up! I have some crocheted cords and also some lovely black video tape for tying the parcels up!
But since I have linked my blog posts to my personal Facebook, I have had a whole lot more of my friends participate! With the launch of the Freshly Found Website imminent, I have been working on a Freshly Found Facebook page. 
I have updated my photo albums and have enjoyed the trip down memory lane. What a privilege to have been able to capture the things I love to do!
Thanks to all the friends and supporters of Freshly Found - in real life, through blogger and Facebook. You are what makes it all worthwhile!
Mariette decorated the table so beautifully. Her home is very sleek, modern and minimalistic and I just loved her spunky veggie decor. My impromptu night time shots do absolutely no justice to how lovely the table looked. 
I have used veggies for decor before, but never thought of how gentle and round and lovely and green fresh brussel sprouts would look. The carrots with a neat green haircut looked lively too as well as the gorgeous dark baby aubergines.
The base of each is made from black cardboard and the lid is made from white cardboard, covered with some of the same sari fabric that the rope is made from!
[I wish I could sell all my sari ropes like that in my new shop - these were traveling to their destination in a suitcase! When it comes to posting them, it will be more cost effective to package them flat. ]
The instruction sheets are topped with some of the pattern tissue and then stitched together. I love the way the print of the underneath layer shows through! 
I am sure you recognise the flowers I was cutting out a few days ago! [some of the flowers are cut from the pattern envelope]
My Freshly Found stamp arrived early this week. I have had great fun stamping blank spaces with it!
Flowers are blooming even though the starkness of winter is still evident!
Wood rounds are piled up to make extra seating for our veranda table. 
Magnolia blooms breaking the Winter silence with loud claps of colour, before their leaves arrive! 
Signs of early Spring rain - yet to have an impact!
Happy Spring Day in the South! Warm Autumn thoughts to the North!
