Mes amis, do you remember last year I wrote a post asking for childrens clothes on behalf of  House of Orange, the agency that represents my styling portfolio here in Holland? The request for clothes was for their charity organisation – Orange Babies – which works tirelessly to help HIV infected women and their children in Africa. To jog your memory, click here to read my original post about it, and also the post with the postcard  photographs (pictured below) we made displaying some of the clothes sent in, featuring some seriously sweet local amsterdam kids…

I’m pleased to let you know that the clothes made it to the children in Namibia and House of Orange wrote all about it on their blog last month. They wrote a post about each of the 6 days they spent there, including the day they held a little fashion show for the kids. There are heaps of photos, and the posts are inspiring and very moving. Click here to read them all, and be sure to scroll down to the end of the page to start with so you can read the days events chronologically.

It’s wonderful to see and read the results of this special project  – to know that the clothes that were sent in have made it to their destination. 3 cheers for House of Orange and Orange Babies, and thank you again to all who sent in clothes.

xx

Some of you may already know that as a stylist, I am represented by an agency. What does this mean exactly? well, it means that my agency holds my styling portfolio and if you want to book me for an upcoming project, you can contact them and they will organise everything.

Anyway, not only does my agency – which is called House of Orange – represent me, they represent hair and makeup artists, fashion stylists, models and photographers. They also have their own charity which is called Orange Babies and throughout the year they hold different fashion events here in Holland to raise money to help HIV infected women and their babies in Africa.

I will be helping out with one of the upcoming events next month and as part of the project we would like to send clothes to the children in Africa. We need HEAPS of children’s clothes and I was hoping some of you might have some to offer? We need clothes for children between 0-12 years, and we need them by the first of July which is only 1 week away! So, if you live in Europe and have some clothes you can offer, please send them to House of Orange at this address…

I hope to show + tell you more about the project once we get started on it next month, it is going to be alot of fun! For now, we need childrens clothes so please, send send send!

If you don’t have children’s clothes you can also send a donation or offer to be a sponsor for the event – for more information, please contact joanne.

xx

You are all probably well aware now that I am a nature girl. I am drawn to all things natural, and I gain all my styling inspiration from nature. And so while I am on my Sunday sloth fest, instead of getting out there amongst nature, I am going to bring the nature to us today. And all in the name of fabulous design. Let’s start with these beauties…

Hans Silvester is the photographer of this incredible book called Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa. My fabo friend Beve from the wonderful blog Afropolitans sent me this link knowing full well that it would make me jump up and down with girlish excitement. She also sent me the link to this great article about the book which is described as a tribal fashion show inspired by the wild trees, exotic flowers and lush vegetation of the area bordering Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan… “these tribal people have created looks that put the most outlandish creations of Western catwalk couturiers to shame.” I have already ordered my copy from Amazon, as even though this article is so full of awesome images from the book, I cannot get enough of them. I need this book. now. Plus, who doesn’t love having their face-painted? Oh I am sooooooo inspired…

Next up on our nature walk through the blogosphere, I am taking you all with me here:

I found this treasure on what I believe to be my personal secret source of life’s most interesting and incredible things, a blog authored by a mysterious and extraordinarily talented chick. So who and what am I raving about? Cherry Coloured. And the author I must reveal, is more than just a pretty blogger, she answers by the name of Nyla, and she made this documentary about Jeff Buckley, which I only just realised (GASP!!!); she takes these beautiful photographs; and she finds and shares these treasures with us. Nyla’s blog is a must on your daily blogroll, that’s if you want to find such a place as this:

Yep, we are talking the ULTIMATE in fine nature backyards here. I am completely enraptured – a totally sustainable rainforest community nestled into the tree tops of a 6,000 foot rainforest mountain on the South Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. The residence is called Finca Bellavista, and they even have high-speed Internet and WIFI. That means we could all live there and STILL blog away. Can’t you imagine us coo-ing each other from across the tree tops? You would all be invited to dinner on my treehouse terrace, where we can have a bloggers meeting right here…

So who is coming with me?

Oh I almost can’t keep up with this post, my imagination is running wild now. I am thinking of how we could dress our treehouses, with all the incredible finds we have been sharing on our blogs, including these French creations which I want vite…

These are called Living Stones, floor cushions in the shape of oversized pebbles that are made from 100% wool and are environmentally friendly with no use of chemical dyes. They also have an outdoor range:

Don’t the French just know what we want? But so do Kim and Jo, because they started me on the wander that lead me to these delightful pieces. As it goes, I was perusing their WINK post as I always do on my free weekends and as you know they introduce new bloggers, and this one called Shift caught my eye. So over I went and that is where I found the rocks for my new treehouse accomodation. This new blog has loads more inspiration, so go check it out. While you do that, I am just going to stick a flower in my hair, leaf through the pages of my new book, and sit on my treetop terrace on my new furniture. Hope to see you there…

Are you prepared to be dazzled, frazzled and knocked right off your office chair? And are you prepared to have an unyielding urge to purchase a one-way ticket to Africa pronto? You think I kid and exaggerate BUT I MOCK YOU NOT! We are about to hit interior inspiration overload mes cher amis, and here is a little peak…

There are two words that I like to use when describing my chosen style and decor: raw + sophisticated. And rarely do I get to use these two words together. But this is one of those rare occasions. So pack your suitcases, slap on some sunscreen and come with me while I take you on an epic visual journey through this African retreat. This is one place you will never forget…

(Click here to read more…)

Before I get on my self-indulgent week of celebrations, I implore you to ALL to head over to Beverly’s Afropolitan blog. This morning she has posted about a guy who has just filled my heart with hope, it is overflowing actually, and all because he created a windmill from backyard scraps! THIS is what I call handmade, what a champion – this guy is our future!! And he has not even half of the wealth of one of us. I am jumping out of my skin with excitement and inspiration and I just had to share it with you. Go and take a look at the video, post a comment, and while you are there, read the article called “Africans to Bono: ‘For God’s sake please stop!'” from The American. BRILLIANT article. IMISO!

image courtesy of Bob Sherman.