How to have a garden Christmas

Celebrate Christmas in your garden, enjoying all the joy a South African summer has to offer.

Choose a spot in your garden where you can either comfortably place an umbrella or ideally where a tree has enough of its branches overlapping your table.  The tree or the umbrella needs to provide shade from the midday sun and a place to hang your lanterns and decorations for the evening.

Chamdor Faktry sales have an amazing assortment of ribbons and trained staff to help you find exactly what you are looking for.  We chose ribbons that stuck to the colour scheme of our Christmas lunch table, which were silver, white, green and earth.  We also used hemp from their collection for the tablecloth.  I loved the natural colour and texture of the fabric and it can be bought and used for just about anything, (wedding dresses included).  Chamdor Faktry Sales sell the hemp for around R129.95 p/m.  Please consult our directory pages for your closest shop.

Cut and tie your different coloured ribbons to your lanterns and chosen Christmas decorations and then hang at varying heights from the branches or umbrella.  We used apples as decorations for each plate and cored the centre.  Put a little lemon juice on the apple to stop them going brown and place a tea light candle in the centre.  The Garden Shop in Broadacres has beautiful flowers still in their trays and all we did was wrap a ribbon around the tray and use some of the other ribbons to scatter over the live flowers.  They have since been planted and I am sure that they will bring us great joy in memory of lunch for many years to come. 

For the centrepiece, we used a glass bowl that we already had, used pine cones from the garden, Christmas baubles, tinsel and apples.  Use a little oil to shine your apples for the best impact.  Hydrangeas from the garden were added for the final touches.  Silver goblets that have been around for decades were used for the table but wine glasses would work just as well.

ALWAYS try and compliment your surroundings with colours that appear naturally around your table.

Our ladies were lucky enough to receive gift bags with goodies in them from all of our Eco Christmas shopping suppliers.  We had a fantastic time and the ladies were introduced to what it means to live Eco, what with all the amazing products and services available to us, its never been easier.  Then it came time to go for Sangria at the Throbbing Strawberry in Douglasdale, Johannesburg.  The Throbbing Strawberry is a fabulous outdoor venue with great food and an awesome vibe, with yummy sangria and mojitos.  Fabulous fun was had by all.

Thank you so much to all of the GREEN COMPANIES that supplied products for the day.

1.                  Tierhoek Organics             www.tierhoekorganics.co.za

2.                  Pure Beginnings                www.purebeginnings.co.za

3.                  Recharge your feet             www.rechargeyourlife.co.za

4.                  African Organics               www.africanorganics.co.za

5.                  Meadowsweet                    www.meadowsweet.co.za

6.                  Grow a Tree                      www.growatree.co.za

7.                  I’m Green                         www.intelligentmarketing.co.za

8.                  Chamdor Faktry Sales       www.chamdor.co.za

9.                  The Garden Shop              www.thegardenshop.co.za

10.             Live out Loud

11.             Green Spa Guide               www.organicspa.co.za

12.             Inthusiasm make up          www.inthusiasm.co.za

13.             Organic Aqua                   www.organicaqua.co.za

14.             Ladybird Red                   www.laibach.co.za

15.             Ecoco                              www.ecoco.co.za

16.             Macaroon                        www.macaroon.co.za

17.             Crystal Print                    www.crystalprint.co.za

18.             Bloublommetjieskloof        www.bloublommetjieskloof.co.za

19.             Earthnlove                      www.earthnlove.co.za

20.             The Victorian Garden       www.thevictoriangarden.co.za

21.             Good for the Ground         www.goodfortheground.co.za

22.             Soy Lites                          www.soylites.co.za

23.             Bio Oil                            www.biooil.co.za

I hope that you have an INCREDIBLE Christmas and New Year and that for those who do not live in South Africa and have never experienced a South African Christmas, you will visit our glorious shores soon.

All my love,

Faye

Eco-Bride by Dimity

The Eco-Bride by Dimity

We are all aware of the vast negative affects the global textile industry has on the environment. Our wedding day is one day in which all our dreams become a reality – including the 10 plus metres of polyester, nylon, and unethical silks. With the current trend for hosting “eco-weddings”, it is interesting to note the lack of concern when it comes to the wedding gown – mostly as a result of a lack of options and availability of alternate products for South African brides.

Designer and lecturer of Fashion Design at the Durban University of Technology, Wendy Schultz, is currently building her prototype Eco-Bride range and hopes it will be the first truly environmentally friendly range produced in South Africa.

Previously, Wendy has run her bridal and celebration wear label Dimity creating custom gowns (fit for the couture ramp) for clients, but since having started her Master’s Degree in Fashion & Textiles, intends to convert all gowns produced into hand-made environmentally-friendly pieces.

Fabrics are sourced as locally as possible. Vintage fabrics and laces are sourced at local antique shops, but new organic fabrics such as hemp and peace silk are only available overseas. South African farms are not yet producing enough organic fibres to supply the local textile industry, so while our factories are certified and environmentally-compliant, the raw materials spun into yarns are not organic. Carbon neutralising activities are implemented by Dimity to reduce the negative affects importing has on the environment.

The Dimity brand also includes re-worked gowns, so for the sentimental brides whose mom’s kept their gowns – a service is offered whereby a new gown is created out of the old. Your trousseau collection of lace and textiles can also be incorporated into a new style.

Wendy’s design ethos is to follow emotionally durable design styles and a conservative use of raw materials. All off-cut fabric is kept for use in hairpieces, small purses and bunting for the wedding day! Wendy uses old architect’s plans as pattern paper, and all other paper and plastic waste is recycled. Arrangements are also underway to utilise the skills of local beaders to do all finishing and embellishments on gowns.

Wendy’s M-Tech specific Eco-Bride range is due for launch at the end of 2010; however, all brides are welcome to get in contact with Wendy in the mean time to commission their earth-friendly dream gown. Visit www.dimity.co.za  to view previous ranges and products, or contact Wendy at wendy@dimity.co.za or +27 83 334 0250 for further details.

I am thrilled to say that I have found a wedding dress designer who is passionate about her work and the environment.  In the use of vintage fabrics she is in the process of creating works of bridal art.  

Thanks for stopping by,

Faye

Karin Hagg and Marlon Dale: Thula Thula Wildlife Preserve

Karin Hagg and Marlon Dale: Thula Thula Wildlife Preserve

Photographer:

Larissa Cleveland 

Phone: 408.306.2080 

Website: http://www.larissacleveland.com 

Email: info@larissacleveland.com

Basic Wedding Info:

Couples' Names: Karin Haag & Marlon Dale 

Hometown: New York, NY Wedding 

Date: October 25, 2008 Wedding 

Location: Thula Thula Private Game Reserve, Zululand, South Africa

Wedding Theme and Colors: Theme was elegant spring safari. Colors where white and grass green

Eco-Elements of the wedding:

The couple gave fever-tree seedlings for guest favors. Marlon's sister Simone works for Indigenous Trees for Life, a charity group that helps local children grow and sell trees. This not only helps the environment, but also the local community. More info about the organization below...

Indigenous Trees For Life

Indigenous Trees For Life is a livelihoods programme that helps poor and vulnerable members of our township and rural communities to grow a future for themselves. Wildlands Conservation Trust facilitators teach individuals in these communities how to grow indigenous trees from seed and care for the plants until they reach a certain height. These individuals are referred to as ‘tree-preneurs’. The trees are then traded back to Wildlands for food, clothes, bicycles, agricultural goods and tools, school and university fees. The trees are then either planted back into the communities or planted out in Wildlands’ forest restoration projects. The programme was started in 2004 in KwaJobe in northern Zululand with just 300 tree-preneurs. There are currently over 2 500 tree-preneurs, spread across 20 communities in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, who grow around 300 000 indigenous trees per annum.
More information: http://www.wildlands.co.za/Programmes_TreesForLife_Map.aspx#overview
Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb2c82gx_WY&feature=player_embedded

Planning Details:

Bride's Attire (designer/label): Monique Lhuillier 

Groom's Attire (designer/label): Armani suit, Vilebrequin linen shirt 

Flowers: Althea Higham & Jane Whitby of Dream Themes 

Entertainment: Richard Anderson 

Photographer: Larissa Cleveland 

Invitations: Lisa Frey, Bella Carta Studio 

Honeymoon Plans: Nicci Young-Wiese, Young Safaris

Wedding Details:

How did you choose your wedding location?

Although we live in the US, Marlon is South African. We met when I was on safari 5 years earlier. He was one of the game rangers. The bush is where we met and fell in love, so it seemed the perfect setting for our wedding. We wanted a venue that had a real "bushveld" feel, was malaria free for guests with young children, and had amazing food. Thula Thula fit the bill perfectly!

How many attendees did you have? 40 

Best idea you had in planning your destination wedding?

The best idea in terms of logistics was the game drive after the ceremony. I wanted to attend the cocktail hour, but was not sure how to occupy the guests while we took photos after the ceremony. Marlon suggested sending them on a game drive. It was perfect! We even sent them out with individual bottles of champagne!

Flowers:

My bouquet was white flowers (roses, lilies & lisianthus) along with a sprinkling of green herbs (rosemary and dill)- a tribute to my love of gardening and cooking.

Ceremony Site:

We chose to have the ceremony on the edge of the bush at the game reserve. The setting was so stunning that I could not imagine trying to compete with the natural beauty with arranged flowers. We lined the aisle with a deep pile of white rose petals. After the ceremony the spectacular

florists and staff from Thula Thula picked up all the petals and scattered them between the lumieria to ring the reception site.

Reception Site:

We had one long dinner table under a group of trees. The table was set with white phalaenopsis orchids in clear glass pots, grasses, balls of pale green flowers and individual pale green orchids on the menus at each place setting. We also had enormous white pearlized helium filled balloons floating over the table and in the swimming pool. On the cocktail tables the florists made stunning garlands of white flowers that matched my bouquet. The flowers were amazing. They were everything I dreamed of and the florists had to drive over 6 miles of very bumpy unpaved roads with a car full of glass hurricanes and assorted vases to get to the game reserve.

Food:

Thula Thula is run by a South African man and his French wife. She oversees the kitchen staff and they are known for their wonderful food. We wanted an elegant meal with a South African flair. We served a five course dinner that lasted for hours! In the South African tradition, speeches were give between the courses by the father of the groom, sister of the bride (Standing in for the father of the bride), best man and groom. The master of ceremonies also read out emails from overseas guests who were not able to attend.

Menu: Chilled Fresh Tomato and Basil Soup with Avocado Sorbet Ratatouille and Polenta Crumble Seafood Creole Vol au Vent

Rare Venison Medallions on Sweet Potato Cake, Served with Red Wine and Bacon Reduction

or Three Cheese and Pesto Feuillete Mini Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache Filling and Fudge Icing

Favors:

As favors we gave out local fever trees. They were small seedlings that we bought from Wildlands Conservation Trust, a local charity that Simone, the grooms sister, works for. A description of the program is below. The trees were in small terra cotta pots stamped with the same "KM" monogram we used on our wedding invitations. The pots were commissioned through a local potter.

Indigenous Trees For Life

The objective of Indigenous Trees for Life is to establish a sustainable livelihoods programme that significantly contributes to the restoration of the regions forest eco-systems and the sequestration of CO2. Indigenous Trees for Life is centred around a network of ‘tree-preneurs’, usually orphaned and vulnerable children, who grow indigenous trees to support their livelihoods. The children then barter the trees for food, clothes, bicycles and other necessities the Trust secures through corporate donations. The trees are then planted out in urban greening projects or forest restoration carbon sinks.

The initiation of these pilot carbon sink initiatives heralds a new era for the programme as these carbon sinks may not only provide for the long term sustainability of the programme, but also underwrite the programmes contribution to biodiversity conservation and the mitigation of climate change.

There are currently around 1400 tree-preneurs in 18 communities around the KwaZulu-Natal who will grow more than 200 000 trees in the next season.

The Unique Bride

On Thursday I had the privilege of being on 702 and Cape Talk for Redi Direko’s show.  She does a green tip every Thursday and I was lucky enough to be featured.  I will download the podcast, so that you can all access it.  www.702.co.za/podcast/podcasts.asp 

Image from green wedding shoes courtesy of Rebekah Westover

Eco Friendly shoes from Mohop, not available in South Africa.....yet! however you can purchase them online. All you do is replace the ribbon and wrap it any way you like. I love these.

I have to share my love of the “individual” especially in a bride.  We are all different and as we choose to share our wedding day with people who love us and know us best, we should always add things that define who we are.  There is nothing wrong with embracing tradition and as you know I am a sucker for beautiful weddings, which include big white dresses and aesthetically pleasing décor.  Always try, however to add little touches of you and your groom.  I found images of brides on the internet who chose to do this and for obvious reasons these weddings really stand out.

Here are some ideas:

1. Shoes:  Wear gorgeous boots if you are having a winter rustic wedding and coloured shoes if you are having a summer wedding.
2. If you are generally a casual couple and so are your friends, get your groom to wear jeans and a smart shirt with a jacket and wear a shorter wedding dress with a bit of colour on it.
3. Never be contrived and submit to something that you don’t want and isn’t you.  A wedding is a celebration of your unique love and though the traditions are important, keep it real.
4. Reuse, reduce and recycle. Bring this into your décor and your bridal attire.
5. Use a colour and pattern, like polka dots and gingham.
6. Use a type of flower as a theme.

Please go and look at www.greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com, it is a fabulous blog and celebrates everything thats unique about a bride.  It is also a visual inspiration and I loved visiting.  Credit to Micah  Bowerbank for her black and white photograph of bride on haystack. Hope you are inspired to be true to yourself on your special day.


Thanks for stopping by.

Faye

Wedding Favors

Earth n Love sent me the cutest sample bottles of their citrus body wash and cape chamomile body lotion as an idea for wedding favors.  I love the idea and the cute little bottles.  Thanks Earth n Love.

Some other eco friendly wedding favors that I just adore at the moment are the bird seed hearts or any shape you wish to make.


They are so easy to make and look gorgeous hanging from some dried branches in a vase on a table.  

To make these favors you will need
1. Heart cookie cutter
2. Wax Paper
3. Peanut Butter
4. Bird Seed
5. Refrigerator space
6. String
7. Recycled printed thank you card, printed both sides. (names on one side and thank you for sharing our special day, on the other side)
8. Ribbon
9. Frame for table
10. Card to fit frame with "Take one of these home for the birds to enjoy.  Thanks for coming.  Your Names"


Tear out a large sheet of wax paper and place it on a flat tray.  Put the cookie cutter onto the wax paper and fill halfway with bird seed.  Put a teaspoonful of peanut butter on top of the bird seed and press flat as far as possible.  Thread the card onto a piece of string and place both ends of the string into the peanut butter.  Fill the rest of the cookie cutter with bird seed and press flat.  Use a section of ribbon and tie at the base of the string where it meets the bird seed.  Remove the cookie cutter from the contents and start again.  Its that easy.  

Some other ideas are to give herbs or plants in a gorgeous silver bucket.  This is a gift that will last forever and provide some great herbs for your guests dinners.

 

Or you could have some mini topiaries like these.

I also found this on www.marthastewart.com and think that they are fabulous.  Just to let you know that you can get bio degradeable compostable film packaging from Good for the Ground. Visit www.goodfortheground.com. I have tried it out and they look fabulous and are ridiculously easy to make.

You can also hand make soap and use the bars as favors with your own labels.

Remember that all the suppliers that I recommend are going to great efforts to look after our environment. Hope you enjoyed these ideas and thanks for stopping by.  

Faye

Trends and variations in eco friendly weddings in africa

             Vintage Wedding Themes

Yesterday, I discussed the colours that would be associated with the various wedding trends for 2010.  Today I will illustrate some of the accessories.  If you have decided to go for vintage, incorporate birdcage veils, antique jewellry, mismatched dresses with a flapper theme, or 20's look and lastly add gloves.  Here are some inspiration images.

Some other wonderful vintage ideas, is trawling vintage stores to find vintage fabric for linen napkins.  Linen napkins are something that you can keep for years and they would also make beautiful Christmas and Birthday gifts, later on.

Eco Friendly Wedding Themes

Oooh I actually get excited to write about this, and find myself having to hold back.  Today, I am discussing accessories to the themes that are hot for 2010, so that is all I am allowing myself to discuss.  Eco friendly trends include plantable seed favors, bird seed favors, recycled favors, recycled stationary, e-invites and albums, beautiful beach and garden settings, in forests or on farms. Lanterns, seasonal flowers, rental companies and led lighting.  Once again, I have had to restrain myself, because I could truly go on and on.  The joy of planning and wanting an eco friendly wedding theme, is that you can be as creative as you want to be, showcasing your crafty talents.  Here are some inspirational ideas.

Rustic Wedding Themes


Rustic Wedding Themes

This is a fun theme and can be held anywhere from a barn, to a bush getaway or safari or tent.  The colors here are sunshine yellow, rust, cinammon and emerald green.  Unfurnished wood, chic boots, lanterns and mason jars, herbs, borrowed, mismatched vases, long barn like tables and cupcakes.  Food should be simple and tasty.

Here are some great inspirational images that I really enjoyed.  Please be aware that these images do not belong to me and are only for the purpose of my blog.  You can find them elsewhere on the internet on wedding blogs and sites.  I only use them to inspire my own creations.

Remember there are some fantastic outdoor venues and places in South Africa and you would literally be walking outside of your front door.  Sure if you live in Johannesburg, you might have to travel a couple of km's, but you are sure to find some very beautiful places.  South Africa also has some really on the ball rental companies, who will set up any kind of tent, put out the chairs for the ceremony, supply tables and decor items to fit your theme.  All you need is the caterer and the florist and you are already on your way to the wedding of your dreams.  These people are here to make your day easier and to create a comfortable and easy wedding.

Be the change you want to see in others.

Faye