Saffa joke

South Africa :)

In the beginning God created day and night. He created day for rugby matches, going to the beach and braais. He created night for going jolling, sleeping and braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Second Day.

On the Second Day God created water - for surfing, fishing, swimming and braais on the beach. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Third Day.

On the Third Day God created the Earth to bring forth plants - to provide food, malt and yeast for beer and wood for braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Fourth Day.

On the Fourth Day God created animals and crustaceans for chops,
boerewors, steak and prawns for braais. God saw that it was good.
Evening came and morning came and it was the Fifth Day.

On the Fifth day God created an oke - to go to the rugby, enjoy the beach, drink the beer and eat the meat and prawns at braais. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Sixth Day.

On the Sixth Day God saw that this oke was lonely and needed someone to go to the rugby, surf, drink beer, eat and stand around the braai with. So God created buddies, and God saw that they were good okes. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Seventh Day.

On the Seventh Day God saw that the okes were tired and needed a rest. So God created Chicks - to clean the house, bear children, wash, cook and clean the braai. Evening came and it was the end of the Seventh day. God sighed, looked around at the twinkling braais, heard the hiss of opening beer cans and the raucous laughter of all the okes and chicks, smelled the aroma of grilled chops and sizzling prawns, and God saw that it was not just good, it was very good, He created a great place and HE called it SOUTH AFRICA.

Amen Brother!

(anon)

2 prayers I love

Surrender
Lord, we do not know what this life has in store for us,
but be it good or bad, we are willing to be used by You.
Use us until that moment comes,
when we go from service good to service best -
when You begin to use us in glory!
~ Corrie ten boom

~ ~ ~

In His image
Guide us, teach us and strengthen us,
Oh Lord, we beseech thee,
until we become such as Thou wouldst have us to be:
pure, gentle, truthful, courteous, generous,
dutiful, useful, and above all, valiant in all our doings;
for Thy honour and glory.
Amen
~ Charles Kingsley

The unveiling of Philippi!

Basilica B, 540 AD

To think this all used to be swamp-land! The ruins of Philippi lie near the deserted hamlet of Filibedjik, fifteen kilometres from Kavala.

My Philippi Travel Page

We arrived on a VERY hot day - 38 degrees C *phew*... even for us South Africans, that was HOT! lol Thankfully we had pale clothing on, plus sunscreen, caps, hats, sun glasses and plenty of water. The site is large, so one does a bit of walking. It is so fascinating! From Roman scripts, to seeing the ORIGINAL floor mosaics, to seeing where Paul and Silas were held captive. This was a definate holiday highlight for us.

99% of the city of Phillipi was under a swamp until it was drained. The only protruding parts of the ruins were the highest points of the Basilica. When the swamp was drained the city below was revealed...

Turbulant history in Philippi!

Philip of Macedonia took possession of this village and gave it his name, Philippi in the plural.

In 168 B. C. the Romans captured it. In the autumn of 42 B. C. the celebrated battle between Brutus and Cassius was fought on the neighbouring marshy plain. In the first conflict Brutus triumphed over Octavius, whilst Antony repulsed Cassius, who committed suicide. Unable to maintain discipline in his army, and defeated twenty days later, Brutus also took his life. A Roman colony was established here. The Archdiocese of Kavala was reunited to the metropolis in December, 1616.

This amphitheatre was built during Philip ll's life.

Remnants of a time long gone...

What an awesome discovery this is! They have started restoration, and it’s coming along well, but most of it is still in ruin. We wanted to spend much longer there and take in everything, but had to stay with the *time keeping* tour group. We would love to go back some day!

Madame Tussaud's ~ tourist trap, but hey!

The Beatles

We love you yeah yeah yeah!!!!!

This was a really funky and fun arrangement...

Sherlock Holmes

My handsome hubby and that infamous detecive... Dr Sherlock Holmes!!!



2 good people... they have been crucial and fundamental in the change that has been seen in South Africa since 1994.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi!!!! Go girl! We go way back!

Sean Connery ~ 007

Well, he usually likes his drinks 'shaken not stirred'... but I decided to do some stirring... hehe

George Clooney

A marriage proposal from George Clooney himself! Woohoo... but so so sorry, I am taken ;)

Albery Eienstein

Who's the brains here? ;)

Hulk

Watch out Laaaaaaaaance!!!!!!!!!!

F.W deKlerk & Nelson Mandela

A passion for paper!

I used to make handmade paper as a hobby, then started making paper products, which resulted in me moving from Johannesurg and starting my own Handmade Paper & Product Design business in Cape Town, which I had for 5 years. I loved it. I employed ladies from informal settlements close by, taught them the necessary skills required in paper, cracker and card making and this humanitarian part of my business was a huge boon for me. In employing 15 people, one supports about 100 mouths! I felt very privileged to be able to be in the position to help others.

We recycled waste paper to make handmade paper in various colours and sizes and used recycled supplies to make our handmade products. I have a screenprinted range of designs, mostly of animal designs in an ethnic styalised flavour, plus have a natural range of cards, which makes use of natural elements only - wheat, lavender, shells, grasses, seeds, tea bags, feathers etc.

Screenprinted elephant ~ Jenniflower

We supplied curio shops, corporate events, galleries, a national retail chain etc. with greeting cards - ranging from wildlife, to wire, to natural -, plus designed wedding stationery, made wine bags and boxes, ethnic Christmas crackers for safari lodges and hotels and of course, handmade paper.... lots and lots of it!!! Using onion skins, natural dyes, husks of mealies etc. one can create the most incredible papers. We made different weights and sizes, all with a deckle-edge.

Wire pram greeting card ~ Jenniflower

Leaf card ~ Jenniflower

I make all kinds of designs in wire... from dolphins to elephants to prams to ships. It's a versatile and tactile medium. I love making them.. albeit the hand cramp I get after the 1000th one or so ;)

Greeting card ~ Jenniflower

This invitation was our own. It is essentially a three-fold handmade paper (with wheat as texture) invite, with the text printed straight onto it, tied with some raffia, a stem of wheat popped on for effect, and sealed with a wax paw :)

Making wedding stationery is very personal, and I am unlike wedding shops that just churn them out. I take an avid interest in the bride and groom (especially the bride), and make invites that mirror their personalities and theme of their big day. The invite sets the tone for the upcoming wedding.

Our own wedding invite ~ Jenniflower

Wedding invite for friends, Valerie and Moise ~ Jenniflower

This photo shows the type of bead earrings I make ~ I really enjoy making jewellery, generally ethnic in style, using wooden and metal beads.

Bead earrings ~ Jenniflower

Remember, EVERYTHING starts with a dream, an idea... so never underestimate your capabilities. You CAN touch your dream, and make it a reality :)

Art in my life

Wire flower ~ Jenniflower

Ever since I was a bolshy little tomboy of a girl, I have wanted to paint. Create with my hands from my heart. I always said that when I grew up I wanted to be an art teacher or a full-time artist. I have fulfilled both those dreams, and am still dreaming...

I don't believe we are given our specific talents and desires (whether it's artistic, musical, mathematical, being a farmer or an astronaut!) for no reason. We are meant to use them productively, and if we can use them to benefit others in some way, all the better! :) I have always loved to express myself through my art and I hope to continue to do so the rest of my life.

The African Boy ~ Jenniflower

Background...

Born and bred in sunny and turbulent South Africa, I have a deep love and respect for her diverse cultures and fascinating heritage. She is a fundamental part of my life, and I try to encounter her in all her beauty, tragedy, glory and stark reality in my work, whether with a paintbrush, pliers or my bare hands.

The African Boy is an all-time favourite painting. I was a young sprite when I did it. I photographed a young boy at my mum's nursery school, and added in the sugarcane and the styalised birds etc. He speaks of pain and uncertainty, and is questioning what's going on around him. This is symbolic of what was going on in South Africa at the time (early 1990's) ~ young kids couldnt understand what was essentially an unanswerable question.

I qualified as a Graphic Designer at Wits Technikon, Johannesburg (now called the University of Johannesburg), in 1995. I studied Art History, Marketing, Illustration, Drawing, Black & White Photography, Advertising, Conceptual Studies, Technical Drawing and Printing. My art and designs are of varying styles, themes and genre.

The Roman Man ~ Jenniflower

I thoroughly enjoy painting and drawing... most often starting off with an inspiration and not being too sure of what the finished product will look like! I like to get my hands messy and get 100% involved. ie: The phone's taken off the hook / turned OFF! lol I think all artists do! :) I have a drawing of the head of this leopard too.

The leopard ~ Jenniflower

I enjoy painting layer over thick layer of oil paint, combined with found objects. One painting I did in 1997 took ONE whole year to dry... I had literally used the tube of paint as the paintbrush, and used alot of 'found' objects, things that people throw away... It was brilliant. I loved the whole process.

Living in my favourite city ~ London

We arrived in the 'Ole Smoke' on an autumny September morning in 2002, queueing in that not-so-lovely, long, South African passport queue, found our weary way to the underground and on to the place where we could rest our heads. This was my first time in London, and my first time abroad! A far cry from the little postcards I received when young, of red buses and black taxis.. this was reality! Hands on stuff. I was filled with a curious mix of trepidation, excitement, nervousness and elation! London did not disappoint.

What to see pray tell?

The Theatre
Museums and Galleries
The Parks
The Streets
The Architecture
The River
The melting pot of People

Then of course there is the typical city scenarios of traffic congestion, pollution and irritable commuters... but let's not go there ;)

Londoners have always been keen on going out to the theatre or concert hall: maybe it's something to do with the weather!? ;) Anyway, they pride themselves on the fact that they opened up proper theater to the masses in the 1700s.

I was interested to note that Kat (keida84 on VT), stated that London's Phantom of the Opera is better overall than Broadway's... For her (she is a lady who knows what she's talking about, having been in this production herself!) to say that, was quite something. I have seen that production 3 times alone... yeah... the theatre is very good here :)

Need I say more? Go by foot, boat, bus, tube or train (car not recommended in Central London), but go. I live and work in this city and, although it is tiring and sometimes I get so frustrated with living in a city, I am, as yet, not tired of it, as it is an incredible city.

A couple of sites that are very handy when visiting London:

Days Out Guide ~ they offer 2for1 specials on many London landmarks, tours and concerts (BIG money saver!)
Transport for London ~ important to check in case they have any transport problems, plus great for routing your route!
Gumtree ~ for all kinds of things... from short term accommodation to buying a second-hand bicycle :)
BBC ~ local and international news/weather etc.

St James Market, a Sir Christopher Wren church!