Temporarily closed.

Obviously it's been a while since I've posted. I've even considered completely removing this blog. However, according to google stats quite a few people still stumble upon the content that's been posted here. So I'm leaving it up for now.

My only explanation is that at this present time 'life' demands more attention and headspace than online life.

Please forgive the lapse here.

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Things I like right now.

One of my favourite blogs, Miss Moss, shares 'things that are nice to look at'. I'm never disappointed by a visit to her blog - from her track compilations to street style. Today she has posted my 'things I like right now'. (Unsurprisingly my list is heavily influenced by our 2 months spent in Paris).

Thanks for featuring me Diana, I love this series!

Joie de vivre

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Joie de vivre can be expressed in English as an 'exultation of spirit which involves one's whole being'. This just about perfectly describes how I feel about our recent news.

We're off to Paris for a glorious two month sabbatical. Made possible by the the fact that DH has been granted an artists residency at the CIte des Arts. I am fortunate enough to be able to accompany him. We'll be staying in an apartment in the historic Marais area for the months of August and September, and will use each day to soak up all that the amazing city has to offer. We've only had a short visit to Paris in the past where we behaved as typical tourists - chalking up the quintessential visits to the Louve, Eiffel tower etc but this visit will be a chance to experience it all so differently.

We are so excited and grateful to be heading off to the most romantic city in the world for a sojourn that I'm sure will continue to inspire long after the trip is over.

All of this only slightly complicated by the paperwork (visa preparation) that has to be done before we go - and the fact that we can't communicate in French further than 'Salut' or 'Merci' ...

I've been scouring blog-land for suggestions on things not to miss in Paris, so please share if you have any recommendations.

10 days to go.

After all the hype and preparation we have just ten days to go until kick off! It's great to see the spirit of the general public grow and the excitement build up. We've got tickets to see Portugal vs Korea DPR at the shiny new Greenpoint stadium. How about you?

The pictured striped football by Paul Smith and patchwork football by Idea.

Spotted any other designer footballs?

Update.

Feeling overwhelmed! Advice? Perhaps try-not-to-do-it-all-have-it all-at-once?

Apologies.

If I have any readers left, apologies. Sincerely. I miss you, blog-land.

Outdoor movies.

Tonight we are going to see Le Grande Bleu at the 'Pink Flamingo'. This outdoor bio-scope is at the Grand Daddy Hotel's Airstream Penthouse trailer park. DH and I stayed in one of the trailers last year. I'm sure that the cinema experience won't disappoint - especially as this time the venue has been booked out for just our office and friends. Nice.

Le Grand Blue - that's starring 'Jac Mayol' for those of you who remember the 1988 film.

First day.

Image - Johnny Yanok.

HELLO... my name is Katherine.

It's not that great being 'the new girl' but I'm sure that tomorrow will be better.

Snapshots.

Still on holiday. It's lovely. 

A new decade.

Image: fffound.

It's hard to know where to start. It has been a while since I put anything of real 'substance' on this blog. And by substance I mean a post with more than ten words to it.

I've been kinda preoccupied - hence the sporadic, sparse posting. The last few months have been busy, busy, busy. I've mainly been busy making changes. After almost 5 years I've resigned from my job. (Five years is an absolute age in advertising years - creatives seem to hop, skip and jump agencies with knicker changing frequency in this industry.)

I've decided it's time for something new.

The new year - and new decade - will bring a fresh start for me. I'll still be doing advertising and design, but in vastly different environment. The new year will also bring fresh challenges in other avenues and exciting things to share as time progresses. That's the plan, anyway. 

What ever the next 365 holds for you, I hope it's great.

I want for nothing.

Pencil full of lead

I've got a sheet for my bed
And a pillow for my head
I've got a pencil full of lead
And some water for my throat
I've got buttons for my coat
And sails on my boat
So much more than I needed before
I got money in the meter
And a two bar heater
Oh now it's getting hotter
It's only getting sweeter
I've legs on my chair
and a head full of hair
Got in a band
And shoes on my feet
I've got a shelf full of books
And most of my teeth
Two pairs of socks
And a door with a lock
I've got food in my belly and a
License for my telly
And nothin's gonna bring me down
I've got a nice guitar and jazz in my car
I've got most of the means and scripts for the scenes
I'm out and about
So I'm in with a shout
Favorite chat but better than that
Food in my belly and a
License for my telly
And nothin's, nothin's gonna bring me down
And nothin's gonna bring me down
Best of all
I've got my baby (x 2)
She's mighty fine and she's all mine
And nothin's gonna bring me down

-Paulo Nutini

My favourite song of the moment. Listen to it here. 

Shopping detox.

Tomorrow is 'Buy Nothing' day. A day of protest against consumerism. Activities include the obvious commitment to a spend-free 24 hours as well as things like the public cutting up of credit cards and other creative and daring protests. More at adbusters. 

Not just a good statement for a day but a good reminder to keep the spending in check before this hedonistic Christmas time...

Happy, Happy.

Another 365 days have just flown past. Whew.

Image Fffound.

Update: This is really the way to look at birthdays.

In a nutshell.

Wise words spotted in the klein dorp of Montagu last weekend.

Roll Camera...

Toothpaste for dinner.

Off to shoot a television commercial shoot in Johannesburg. Away for the next week. Wish me luck... this one has only been in the pipe line for a year....

Weekend post-mortem.

Image from Delaire.

Lunch here.

Wined here.

Dined here.

Slept here.

Presently recovering!

Three, two, one...

Image ffffound.

Countdown to the weekend... Have a happy, happy time. 

And don't forget to enter the 'doodle' giveaway!

Lights, camera...

Jan Verboom, Photographer.

Guildford Grace, Stylist.

Sylvie Hurford, Hair and Make up artist.

I had a chance to work with a talented team of people last week. One of the cool things about working in this business is seeing an idea come to life. What was just a sketch last week was carefully transformed into reality. Every make up brush-stroke, set adjustment, lighting check, garment choice, model pose and final 'click' of the camera shutter contributing to the end result. 

I can't show you the finished product - but the above are some great images from the porfolios of the team I worked with.

In memoriam.

I was terribly saddened to hear the news that talented local photographer and all round interesting individual, Crispian Plunkett, had passed away over the weekend. I've worked with Crispian many times. I'll remember him for his attitude, his humour and the music he blasted on set. And of course the images he's captured. What a loss.  I wish strength to his family and friends. 

Save Our Seas - The ocean speaks out

A campaign I've been working on for a while launched yesterday. It's for Save Our Seas - a non profit organisation who work to preserve our marine creatures and their environment. 

To educate the public about the fast decline of oceanic life, we came up with the idea of giving the ocean and its inhabitants a voice.

If walking along Muizenberg beach in Cape Town yesterday you would have come across a sea shell that actually spoke. Fitted with a mini speaker device the shell holds a recording that speaks of the ocean's plight from the point of view of the sea.

Above two images: Lesley Rochat 

This morning, beach goers discovered messages in bottles that had appeared to have washed ashore. Inside the weathered bottles were handwritten letters - personal calls for help from different sea creatures like Shawn the Prawn or Greg the Great White Shark. 

In this way we communicate the threats that the ocean faces in a very personal tone of voice. It's a personal SOS from the sea.  

Bottles on the beach this morning before they were discovered.

I was fortunate to have involvement from some fantastic, internationally-renowned illustrators in crafting the letters for this campaign. With their skills they added life and personality to our messages, allowing them to take on the character of the various sea creatures who penned the letters.

Illustrator: Ray Frenden

Illustrator: Cristina Guitian

Illustrator: Linzie Hunter

llustrator: Alex Latimer

Illustrator: Toby Newsome

The final stage of this ambient campaign will play out tomorrow morning. I'll post a follow up about that. Also on Muizenberg beach this final statement is a sobering reminder that speaks to the fact that if we as humans don't drastically change our behaviour towards the ocean, there will simply be no life left in it. No more fish and chips. No more Nemo.