10 THINGS WITH INDIEBERRIES

I am so happy to be able to introduce you folk to this wonderful, crazy (sometimes border line insane) young lady. Che, author of the most sensational cartoonstrip on the planet blog IndieBerries is a hysterical blonde living in Korea collecting rad stationery teaching our fab language to the peeps over there. While she is not busy spreading the word, she is filling the world with big fat belly laughs with the adventures of her pink and blonde blog self. Next time you find yourself at your desk on Monday, hit up her blog for an instant pick me up. 

1. describe yourself in 10 words

Designer, daydreamer, can't cook, eats cereal, funny on odd occasions. 

 

2. What was your first ever cartoon about?

My first ever cartoon was ages ago and the style of my drawing and cartoons has really changed a lot. The cartoon was all about waiting for the bus that NEVER came when I had a about ten thousand errands to do and things to try and get done. haha.

3. Does your illustrated self wear the same thing everyday? Does she have a closet like on
Dexters lab filled with rows and rows of perfect little pink dresses?

Yes. exactly. 

4. Besides pink dresses, what are your top 5 can't live without items.

My style is very eclectic and some kind of eighties boho chic :) My top five favourites are leg warmers, ALL my bling,  classic black heels, scarves and nice underwear. :)

5. Which is your favorite blog post to date?

Mmm... tough one, but I think my favourite is the one where I was learning to ski. It was an all-round fail. haha. You'll have to check it out to see the full story. (Side note: I have NOT skied again since then. keke) Other posts which readers have really enjoyed include the Date Drive of Death series - which I did for the VW Date Drive Campaign. Heinous ways to kill your ex-boyfriend was also a very popular post. Turns out people are really into killing their exes.

 

6. You know how us caucasions are constantly tattooing 'deep' asian bits and bobs all over our bodies even though we don't know how to read the language, any radical mis-communications in your english class?

Once I saw a Korean girl who had tattooed onto her wrist "Save mind, use the small words for sound argument". Irk. Everyday life situations are frequently lost in translation and class time is often just a whole new world of hilarious. haha

7. Care to share your favorite strawberry related recipe (Daquiri's don't count:)? 

Simple: Strawberries. Melted chocolate. You can't go wrong. :) Also... strawberries with black-pepper crusted cheese. Delicious!

8. Besides getting awarded your whole pile of South African Blogger awards silverware, what is the coolest most bodacious thing that has happened to you as a result of your blog?

Honestly, the greatest most bodacious thing that I get out of my blog is the awesome comments, emails and feedback that I receive from readers about my cartoons. It's a huge motivating factor to know that people really get a kick out of my drawings and humour - which is why I love people's comments so much and it keeps me doing what I do!  

 

9. finish the sentence

Maybe I should... kill the internet, turn my computer off and get into bed. (said at 3:30am)

I love...beautiful stationery, red wine, cereal, the internet, my friends and family.

I don't understand... banking, taxes, finance or anything really to do with money. I just spend it really well. (Note to self: must marry accountant)

When I wake up in the morning...it's about 7 snoozes past my alarm time and I'm already plotting what I'm going to eat for breakfast.

I lost...my credit card once. For almost three weeks. I didn't really know what to do. (see above). I found it in the end.

Life is full of...sneaky little twists.

I wish...for my own huge design studio- Very organised and airy and stocked to the max with beautiful stationery, papers and craft supplies. sigh.




Dogs...bark a lot.

Cats... are smaller than dogs, but they do not bark.

Tomorrow...I'm going to collect three photography films that I handed in to be developed. YAY! I have low tolerance...for rude, impolite, bad-mannered people. It's obnoxious.

If I had a million dollars... I'd take a super long backpack trip around South America and maybe around Africa too. Then I'd get some stationery importing up and running pronto and supply to awesome stores in South Africa. Next I'd buy a wonderful house with aforementioned design studio attached and spend my non-traveling days doing design work and making crafty things that everyone wants to buy. Would a million dollars go that far? (not good with money. ha)



I'm totally terrified...that i'm not going to get around to achieving all the things that I want to in my lifetime. Also, I'm terrified of frogs. I hate those little suckers. 

10. Where can we find you online?

www.indieberries.blogspot.com
twitter handle: @CheKershaw
Photography Portfolio: http://cheberries.carbonmade.com/
Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/justche
Lomography Portfolio: http://www.lomography.com/homes/justche

10 THINGS WITH ELEPHANTSHOE PAPERIE

It is no secret, I have a total and utter obsession with stationery, in fact, when I met the Bird he told me that his mom owned a stationery and Scrapbooking shop, I'm not going to lie - that little nugget was pretty much what sealed the deal for me! Another thing I am a little obsessed with is wedding design, I spend a lot of company time stalking happy brides on every and any wedding site the web has to offer. My lovely friend Sam has kindly taken my two obsessions and married them, creating an utterly gorgeous bespoke wedding stationery design company that will make you want to renew your vows annually. Elephantshoe PAPERIE also offers a range of other wedding services from insane treat tables to styling the works. I hope you enjoy Sams little interview and enjoy her stunning piccies. Go and perve her website here.

1. Describe yourself in 10 words
Perfectionist with a sweet tooth and love for pretty things.

2. If you were an elephant, exactly what kind of shoe would you wear?
Oh gosh, I would definitely have a closet full of them but I guess as an elephant a pair of Country Road  thigh high boots would be my pick to cover up my wrinkly knees.

Take a look at this cute pic that Blackframe photography sent me of some Elephant fashion.

via Jodilee Sandler

3. What is your favorite project elephant shoe has been involved in so far?
To date, our project in collaboration with Blackframe photography titled, a Royal Affair has been my favorite. It involved the key aspects that I love, designing and styling and I really enjoyed working with the talented Andre and Maritsa. It all just came together plus it was featured on the pretty blog. We had so much feedback on our blogs and loads of people downloaded the free DIY stationery goodies to host their own tea parties to celebrate the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William.

4.  What are the current trends in the wedding stationery business?
The use of bold and alluring typography alongside playful and fun designs that reflect the story of the couple to be wed. There is also a shift towards anything that is vintage with a touch of country providing it is combined together to still feel modern and relevant.

5. When you were a kid, what did your dream wedding look like?
Strangely, I never really thought about my wedding as a child, I always dreamt about who the man would be that I would marry. My best friend Amy and I used to talk for hours about who our future husbands may be.

6. What are your top 5 places to visit when you need a good drenching of inspiration?
1.I love to look through old magazines, a splash of colour, a bold word or anything I find in there can give me inspiration.
2. The world of blogs.
3. Folders upon folders on my macbook where I have kept images I love over the years.
4. Bookshops, (that way I get to grab a café latte to aid in the inspiration process).
5. www.pinterest.com

7. Whats the mushiest thing you have ever done in the name of love.
Last year before James and I were married, I went on a ski trip to Austria for two weeks. I left James with 2 boxes of 14 envelopes, each containing a love note for every day that I was away. Some of the envelopes had little treats in them, like chocolate, sweeties and even some money for James to grab a coffee on a lonely day.

8. The top 5 items on my wish list are:
1. an old but working letterpress machine (they are few and far between & difficult to find in South Africa).
2. an antique, wooden map drawer to keep all of my paper safe and happy.
3. a grey coat from Trenery.
4. a set of Pantone mugs
5. a grey, long v-neck jersey from Country Road

9. 10 words of advice you can give to someone on their wedding day....
Kick off your shoes, celebrate with your husband and guests.

10. What is your current favorite colour combination
I am in love with grey, all shades of it - gunmetal & charcoal grey, dove grey, putty grey, slate grey. You name it, I like it. I find it is classy, understated and down to earth. I recently said to my husband that he is lucky I haven't painted him grey yet. Even my cats is grey, her name is Mushroom.

10 THINGS WITH THE YUPPIES IN YUPPIECHEF

When it comes to everything sassy and sexy in the kitchen, only one name comes to mind and that is Yuppiechef. Yuppiechef is South Africa's premiere online heaven Kitchen store that has really made the hugest effort to bring South African's the best possible tools so we can all get out Nigella's and/or Jamies on respectively.   

When I went to that fab Food Bloggers Conference, I was lucky enough to meet the entire Yuppiechef lunatics team and was immediately determined to become bff's with them. They are an awesome bunch of guys and girls who always seem to be having some kind of fun - something that DurbanCentral is very much down with - so, please let me introduce to you the two Yuppies in Yuppiechef Marina and Lisa. Read about them, learn about what makes them tick and then go over to the Yuppiechef blog and immerse yourself in the heaven that is Kitchen addiction.

1. Describe yourself in 10 words 

Lisa: English? South African? Searching for the best of both worlds.
Marina: My name is Marina and I like eating zoo biscuits.

2. 10 ingredients every person should have in their kitchen?

Lisa: Sundried tomatoes, mother-in-law’s salt (with paprika and other secret things), Klein River Gruyere, smoked mussels, avos, coconut milk, olive oil, marshmallow eggs, Wedgewood nougat,risotto rice.
Marina: Chilli, feta, mushrooms, cream, black pepper, olive oil, chickpeas, peppers, fresh ginger,
coriander

3. I read a Jamie Oliver inty and he was telling a store about once when he was cooking
dinner for his lady in the nik and he opened the oven and a whoosh of hot air blasted his
bits! Any cringe worthy kitchen moments you would like to share?

Lisa: I decided to make a 70s-inspired dish for my husband’s 30th – a rather hideous sounding orange pudding (orange juice, milk and gelatine…. doesn’t sound good does it?) but didn’t put in enough gelatine as when it came to turning it out of the mould a cascade of orangey-milk drowned both me and the kitchen. Not cringe-worthy but certainly the makings of a good party.
Marina: I once went on a blind date and my date disappeared during the meal and locked himself in his room. Turned out he had cooked with pinenuts, which he was allergic to, and got so swollen he didn’t want to be seen!

4. Wooden spoons are so last Tuesday, My mom must have broken masses on my ass as
a kid, but these days moms have so many more options (I personally am loving the Le
Creuset spatula range, nice wooden handle with a flexible silicone end) Which kitchen
utensil do you think doubles as the best whacker ?

Lisa: The Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin
Marina: A pizza paddle? Although this breaks the rule of thumb.

5. Being someone who likes to cook, a lot, means that I receive about 3 recipe books every
Christmas, and birthday. What are the top 3 budget friendly Yuppie Chef items (in the
non cookbook category) you would recommend to people looking to gift their foodie
friends.

 Lisa: Cuisipro heart shaped cookie cutters, Kitchen Craft toaster bag, A Grabbit or two

Marina: Poach pods, Magnetic measuring spoon, Victorinox Tomato Knife

6. What is the wierdest thing you ever ate and enjoyed?

Marina: Stingray.
Lisa: Heston Blumenthal’s mock turtle soup (OK not weird but magical)

7. When all the foodies aren't looking I like to indulge in a little . . . .

Marina: Steers
Lisa: Pork scratchings

8. Working for the 'ol yuppiechef people must make people assume that you chicks are pretty much Masterchefs, a) is this the truth? b) When you have me round for dinner next time Im in ct what will you be cooking for me?

Lisa: a) Nope. If I’m left to my own devices in the kitchen it’s chaos. b) Thai steak salad
Marina: A) Well the people in Masterchef are learning, right? b) Butternut and burnt sage butter risotto (if you feed me chocolate)

9. On the subject of your employer, how on earth do you receive your pay check at the end
of every month and not blow it immediately on a kitchen aid? You are surrounded by so
much cool stuff!

Lisa: Creating a ‘wish list’ helps!
Marina: We have nerves of steel.

10. What is the best perk about your job?

Lisa: Our social teas – last week we had marie biscuits with marshmallow easter eggs squished inside and then melted. Today we had scrumptious milk tart.
Marina: Working with incredible, quirky and inspiring people.

10 THINGS WITH KIM GRAY

Hello my lovelies, Happy St Paddies day to you all! I have been itching to publish this little beauty all week. Kim Gray is pretty much all the way the most lovely and most talented young woman/blogger/stylist/country road addict/DIY home decorator in the biz. It gives me great pleasure (puffing chest like a proud pigeon) to introduce you all the the extremely talented and always lovely Kim Gray.

1.Describe yourself in 10 words Homebody, nail polish lover, cheese cake eater, dreamer, bad speller

2. How did you actually become a stylist? Was it something you always wanted to do or did your passion evolve out of a previous job? I always knew I wanted to be involved in shoots. But I never knew in what role.  So I studied to be a make-up artist, but an internship at Marie Claire swayed my path and taught me everything I needed to know. So yes, my passion for styling was an evolving one. 

3. How did you get to the point where people actually started paying you to put things together to look pretty? A lucky break I guess. I went to see a photographer, Malcome Dare, he's brilliant, to do a test shoot, (that's when you all work for free to get pics for your portfolio / play / experiment etc.. ) Anyway, one day he had a big job for some car brand where a stylist dropped them last minute. In a panic they called me last minute to help out and it was the most daunting thing ever, but an opportunity not to be missed. I used my contacts I made at Marie Claire and got sourcing. They called me back for more big jobs after that.. and so I built the confidence to start showing my portfolio around to other photographers and Ad Agencies.

3. 10 steps of a typical day in Kim grays shoes goes like this... 1.) wake up (not my Favorite part of the day, love to sleep)    2.) play with puppy    3.) make coffee    4.) check mails    5.) blog    6.) either meetings, sourcing or shooting    7.) EAT (good part of the day)    8.) Glass of wine (even better part of the day)    9.) check blog, e-mails, etc 10.) Relax 

4. I have noticed a habit you have of celebrating your birthday by rewarding everyone else! What I would like to know is what item is number one on your Birthday list this year? 

Oooh either a Flip Cam or a Canon G12

5. What are your top 10 basics for the upcoming season?

I don't know if these are necessarily what you should be wearing - investing in, but I sure want to! 

 

1. I already have a couple of her prints, But I'm after the Skinnylaminx Cloudbird cushion in chalk board and the mandarin colour next. 

2.QMS Sprots Active Tinted Moisturizer - Addicted! It gives skin a healthy glow and bit of colour for winter - it's light and sheer and leaves skin looking luminous. 

3.Clinique Chubby Stick - Absolutely loving these crayons for adults for lips and cheeks.
4.Hunter Boots - Oooh How do you choose a colour? 
5.Sunnies - I love the D&G Aviators from Sunglass Hut- they suit pretty much every occasion 

6. Converse DC Comics Converse - love this design. it's just fun! 

7. Essie Luxedo Nail Polish. Love this deep plum for winter. Remember to keep nails nice and short. 
8. Leather sling bag - love this one from Old Khaki 

9. Snood - A beautiful cream or grey cable knit snood to cosy up in this winter like this one from Country Road.

I pick these shoes up every time I walk past - Love them. 

6. if you had to only wear one colour of converse for the rest of your life (a horrible question I know ha ha) which one would you choose and why? Grey, it's my all time favourite colour. My grey high tops are a shoot staple. Love them! 

7. I often see your early morning tweets when you are off gallivanting with the shape girls on sunrise shoots, now for the serious question, what are your tricks to help tired eyes look more like shiny bright young things? 

YSL Touche Eclat most make-up artist swear by it. Beauty Flash Ball for eyes - I love beauty Flash Balm, it totally tightens and brightens skin. Some hot sunnies will do the trick too :)

Behind the scene's from the Shape February cover shoot.

8. Talking of beach shoots, you were recently seen looking completely fab in the MarieClaire Naked edition! What 10 things were going through your mind when you were standing starkers on the beach?

Where are the bubbles, what are my inlaws going to say, I'm not really that naked, It's fine, You'll be glad you did it, puppies, Ooh I'm going to be in the Marie Claire, I hope this campaign does well, I hope no one saw anything, Wish I had gone to the gym more 

9.  What did you wear to your Matric dance? What do you wish you had worn to your matric dance? I wore a fitted raw silk, deep royal blue boobtube dress to the floor that slightly flaired at the bottom. I wouldn't ware it now, but I don't regret wearing it. It was pretty cool, I think anyway :) 

10.Who would you like to see interviewed in the next 10 things: Vicki Sleet of I want That. Unless you've done her?

10 THINGS WITH CAPE TOWN GIRL

BLOG: www.capetowngirl.co.za  TWITTER: @capetown_girl

Being able to introduce CapeTownGirl to you guys is pretty much a big deal to me. It is also a little difficult as It would seem that I have her propped up on something resembling a bloggers pedastil and am now shrouded in a big cloud of nerves because I know she will be reading this and I want her intro to be really really rad. Her blog, CapeTownGirl- Tales of the pretty, is like a buffet of cool stuff all wizzing about in different directions. I often leave her page, feeling like I just climbed out of the grown up version of Mary Poppins handbag- the chick pretty much has it all covered from naked photo shoots on public beaches, to lunch dates with The Kardashians. She is pretty much living the life you are sitting at your desk dreaming about, but what is nice about this sassy lady is that she is willing to share it all with you, I hope you enjoy the read kids:)


1. Describe yourself in 10 words. . . I live under a rock. It is called Table Mountain.

2. What are the 10 essentials that every girl should have in her wardrobe? 10 items of clothing that suit your body and taste, and nobody else’s. I personally can’t have enough well-cut dresses – one-shoulder dresses (especially), maxi dresses, ¾ dresses  and short dresses. And then well-cut skinny jeans that have some kind of unique attention to detail are another staple.  Pepe Jeans keep me well stocked in both dresses and jeans!

Two of my favourites - a navy blue one-shoulder I wore to last year's The Vibe party
 and an orange print maxidress from Pepe Jeans which I wore to last year's SA Blog Awards.
And a pair of tie-dyed skinnies I wore all through summer, also Pepe.

3. Never in a million years did I think that ........ I’d pose naked in a mainstream woman’s magazine. Never! I am a huge animal lover though, so this was an ideal chance for me to get involved in helping a charity that I really care about, the NSPCA.

4. Which blog post are you most proud of?   Probably the Kate Middleton post. But I do have a soft spot for Tilikum the Whale and Panjo the Tiger. And I feel my open letter to those who use the 24-hour Engen in Gardens to be quite an important post, too. You’d understand if you lived here.

5.  Rumor has it you are an ex-Durbanite, care to elaborate?   It’s true, I grew up in Durbs, but moved to Cape Town to attend high school. I was a typical Durban kid, always outside, usually swimming. I still love Durban and I miss the thunder storms. The misty Natal midlands is a favourite holiday retreat destination. I’m definitely going to own a house there one day. With horses.

Pic: My brother and I in the pool as kids at our house in Natal.

 6. The bachelor you were seen canoodling with in the back of this months Marie Claire is coming for dinner, what are you cooking?   Hmm. That’s a tough one because he’s such a great cook, definitely better than me. I might attempt a meaty dish using NoMu’s one-for-all rub. It makes everything taste good!

7. What did you and Kim Gray chat about when you were standing next to each other in the nik?  About the novelty of being naked on a beach with strangers at 6am! We also spent a lot of time talking to the doggy as she just wanted to go to Mark (the photographer) the whole time.

8. What is the most surprising thing you keep in your handbag?  Hmm. Surprising? Let’s see… perfume, makeup, various Apple chargers, shades, macarons, moleskine, 8-hour cream, sunblock, tazer, … none of this is terribly surprising, is it? Although I get a surprise whenever I find a Vida Lindt chocolate in there. I’m always amazed I haven’t eaten it by now!

9. Every time I pop over to your fab blog, you are sporting a new pair of uber rad shades, how many pairs do you actually own?  Hmm. I haven’t counted them, but I do love them! I’ve always been a shades aficionado. To me, a look is incomplete unless you have the perfect pair of shades – it defines the style you’re going for. Sunglass Hut have incredible variety though. Just when I think I couldn’t possibly get a pair I didn’t already have, they get in a whole new range to covet and lust after.

1. These D&G Cat's Eyes are also favourites of mine  2. I'm loving these tortoiseshell Bulgari's at the moment  3. My batwing Wayfarers are a classic, I always have them in my bag  4. And these Tiffany shades are my winter favourites - they're very big and black and Audrey Hepburn

5. I adore these pearlescent blue Bulgari's I wore to the Queen's Plate, pictured here
with PopYaCollar's Sam Walker

(Do you see what I mean, this girl has like a bajillion pairs of shades!)

10. What is the coolest thing that has happened to you since starting CapeTownGirl?
Without doubt the best thing to come out of Cape Town Girl would be the amazing people I meet, some of them famous, some of them not. I’ve met people who have totally changed my life as a result of it, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

Highlights include meeting and chatting to Kim & Khloe Kardashian about blogging, has to be a highlight – it’s not every day you get to meet popculture entrepreneurs of that scale and chat to them about how they do what they do.
Experiences such as flying to the secret MTN iPhone 4 launch, and posing naked in Marie Claire to help the SPCA, have also been great things to be involved in. Being photographed by Andrew Brauteseth alongside Helen Zille for his Portrait of a Nation shoot was amazing.

I’ve also learnt to play the stock market with Global Trader - it's awesome to learn new skills. Let me stop – I could go on for days...