A Beautiful Life

Hello Friends!

I found this awesome blog challenge on a few of the blogs that I follow and decided to participate and tag three people of my own!
Firstly, I tag the following lovely ladies:

1. Timor Broide

2. Ruby Hugo

3. Courtney Semanek 

Ready? Set? Go!

1. Who/What inspires you?
This is easy! The person who truly inspires me is Lee. It's funny how Lee doesn't really do artsy, creative stuff as his interests are different to mine, yet he is my biggest source of inspiration and the most supportive sounding board for any and all of my crazy ideas. What Inspires me...photography. I love seeing an image that makes the gears of my mind go into spin cycle! 

2. What is something you can't live without?
Oh boy!
Cheese Curls!

3. What is something you have to do every day that you wish you didn't?
Housework! I don't mind washing and ironing, but dishes are my WORST!

4. Best piece of advice you ever received?
"It doesn't matter what people think."
It just really doesn't! Close to the beginning of Lee and my relationship, I went through a stage of being affected by what people think. No more! Today you're headline news, but within hours someone else will be!

5. Best piece of advice you've ever given?
To a despondent past music student of mine - "Anything worth having is worth working for."

6. What is your most prized possession?
My letters and cards from Lee - he ALWAYS puts so much thought and preparation into them!

7. What are you most pleased about in your life right now?
My Nikon! Shallow I know!

8. Best book you've ever read?
Always, always it will be...
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

9. What colour is your personality based on this free test?
I remember attending a seminar for the colour code test! I was and still am a yellow through and through! Yellow and secondary Red. I love people...they're my passion! And I'm a very strong personality ..a leader not a follower and also sometimes VERY hot headed!

10. What is one thing you love about yourself?
Although this question may seem a little vain, I think self love is the key to love others too! So...I love the fact that I can see the finer details in situations. I have learnt through trial and error and general dealings with people how to discern their true intentions and things that they do not necessarily share with me. I'm not the mentalist, but I love the fact that I car enough about people in general that I take the time to look for tendencies, preferences or any small thing about any individual I meet.

11. What age/year would you like to relive?
2012!
Although last year was FULL of some of the hardest times I've faced yet, I shared SUCH special moments with Lee that I would relive in an instant because they have altered me, my views and my entire life so much! 2012!!!

That's it! Can't wait to read the answers from the ladies I tagged!

wx

Hello Friends!

Today, I just wanted to share a little bit on my photography endevours and all the amazing doors that are opening for me...

About three years ago, I started taking photos with a digital SLR camera. I fell in love with photographing anything from the flowers in the garden to things that were happening in my life in fine detail.Everything had to be recorded photographically.

Right around this time I went through a variety of life-changing events and photography took the back burner because I simply didn't feel the need to record such a dismal time in my life. Since then, I've done a lot of growing up and finding myself and I'm so excited to be at a place in my life where I am so ready to photograph everything around me and remember it for always.

That said, my approach is also less jovial and laid-back - I've dived right into developing myself professionally. I have been playing around with my camera, taking a million shots of the same thing until I get it just right! I'm sure any photographer reading this will identify with this learning phase (although learning never stops).

I think Lee's sisters are so tired of me photographing them and I'm sure Lee is really tired of me editing photos - by the tons, but that said I feel a fire has been lit in me that may never die!

Unfortunately for artists - musicians, painters, photographers, dancers, etc...one can't always only engage in one's passions...there WILL be paperwork, logistics and general organisational matters that need to be tended to. That said, I have been working hard at developing an image and style for myself and also a presence. Of all the tasks towards making my professional photography dreams come true, getting the blog running is the one I'm most proud of. Please feel free to go take a look at it here as the URL is a bit of a mouthful...
I am proud of the content on there and the simple, yet unique design. Phew! Blog Design is not for sissies! ;)

Furthermore, I would like to publicly thank the various people who have inspired, motivated and supported me in this venture, but most especially - Lee. He has been dragged along to camera suppliers, shown every blog and site that inspires and has been the ROCK in my life - anchoring me so so much! I love you my Man! Thanks for your love and tolerance AND support! 

That said, here are some of my recent images...thank you for the time taken to read this! 

wx

Hello Friends!

You have a very ecstatic Wendy writing here today! I told you about my little aspiring adventure in my previous post and one of the two things have finally realized (they had no stock at first!). I have in my possession a beautiful Nikon 5100D. What an amazing camera!

I went out with our friend Timor yesterday and we had an absolute blast photographing some Kosmos in a dodgy field in Boksburg. I got to play with some Macro photography as well as some beautiful landscapes and of course supreme natural light. 

We trudged through long grass, spider webs, ants, bugs in general and all sorts of things to get to the really amazing photo opportunities. Timor is a load of fun and I think (if possible) we giggled more than we clicked! Which is seldom the case.

Below are a few of my favourite images from the day. I couldn't wait to get home and see them up on the monitor blown up. The detail and light play on the camera's behalf is just incredible! I was looking forward to having some high quality images to play with on Photoshop, but these hardly needed any editing. Yay!

Here they are. Please let me know what you think!

I often feel so overwhelmed by life and especially by social networking. I found this little quiet place which may seem irrelevant to you, but I feel that the countdown especially works to clear my mind in minutes. Try it!

wends x

I'd like to share two goals that we've decided on to fulfill right now.

Firstly, we have settled so well into our new apartment (5th month!), but we are not 100% happy as it is very noisy early in the morning and late at night. We anticipated some level of noise when staying within such close proximity to neighbors, but not THIS much! :(

So...Lee and I started talking and we decided that the best option for us would be to take a big step and move to a house in December when our lease expires. This may sound insignificant, but to us it means even more responsibility, a whole house to furnish and of course, our own privacy and space. I believe you have to dream big and make risks to move up in life sometimes...so this IS a big risk financially and in many other aspects, but it will be the very best option for us.

OBVIOUSLY...I have been indulging in whims of flawless interiors and furniture to match that.
So please let me share some inspirational images with you as part of the rpesentation of my dreams coming true ;)

Hello Again!

Hello Friends!

Here is the promised recipe for my amazing (if I may say so myself?!) sweet and sour sauce. This recipe is the culmination of the ingredients in it and a lot of frustration over not finding a decent bottled sweet 'n sour sauce variant. The recipe is my own and is open for your use. I think it's best served over chicken stir-fry, but also works with a beef or veg stir-fry. If you find any other great combinations, drop a comment! Also, it takes approximately 10 minutes to prepare which is a bonus when you don't have much time on your hands! x

Ingredients - [serves 4 comfortably]
6 Tablespoons of white vinegar
5 heaped teaspoons of sugar
A finger width slice of butter/margarine/marge spread
A grinding of black pepper
1 Egg

Method - 
1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the EGG in a small sauce pan and stir until the sugar and butter melt. 
2. Once melted and disolved, bring just about to the boil.
3. Get a french whisk ready in hand and Crack the egg into the cup, beating it with a fork until the yellow and yolk are completely mixed.
4. Add the egg mixture and mix with the whisk everything in the sauce pan.
The mixture will start to thicken immediately so take care to beat the egg well aforehand and work quickly once it is added.

This sauce can be made up to an hour ahead and left to stand and reheated slightly before serving it as a side or over your stir-fry. 

You will love it! Promise!

All the ingredients added together!

What your sauce should look like once complete.

How we enjoyed it over our beef stir fry last week! Yum! *Stomach growls!

Hello Again!

I'm catching up on long overdue posts as you can see!
Here are some of the things that happened in our lives this past week!

This week we celebrated the last of Pesach [Jewish Passover] and that entails not eating any grains. My body feels so much 'cleaner' because I used the opportunity as a detox. These are kneidlach which are a type of dumpling served in chicken soup.

Obviously I broke Pesach with pasta!

I got to spend some time at one of my most FAVE hangouts - Eat Your Heart Out in the maboneng precint in town. Stacey is a darling!

I pulled  out the winter nail colours and HAD to add a little shimmer!

Stacey treated me to her famous shakshouka which is a spicier version of mine.

And...today I got to spend some special time with my dear sister Dani! Isn't she gorge? x wends x

HI Friends!

So..I'm late on week 13 and will be on time with week 14. Here goes anyway...

Adi lost ANOTHER tooth which means she scored big with the tooth fairy! She's growing up SO fast!

I made my legendary stir fry with my own recipe for sweet and sour sauce. I will be posting the recipe here. It's a winner EVERY time!

Lee's parents moved into a beautiful new home this past weekend. We helped them and this was taking at the end of it all when a house started becoming a home. Family time is so important and amazing!

I found this little butterfly outside in the garden and had to chase it for a while before getting the shot! The last remnants of Summer as it's almost Winter here in South Africa!

We had our first Shabbat in the new house and I got to set the table. Of course there were flowers...

Our friend; Steven got this huge Sub Woofer in the boot of his car. My ears were blown away. Don't know how he does it!

Cocoa spent the weekend following me EVERYWHERE because he doesn't know the new house yet! He even slips in behind me when I go to the bathroom. What a sweet little thing! x wends x