Been listening to Jessie Ware and ummm....I love her music!! So refreshing:
Ooh and Delilah; again, refreshing music:
Monday, October 15, 2012
October musings
Just a few snippets of October thus far! It's been quite eventful so far; went for the Swahili Fashion Week Nairobi Showcase which was a good evening - some great creativity. That said Patricia Mbela took the show - definitely set the standard for the rest of the designers! Great cut, fit, creativity and true elegance - I loved the way she highlighted the structural beauty of the shoulder blades:
As we're talking fashion, thought I'd share a few "new" pieces that I'm absolutely loving
This week was quite excting....I got to travel to Rwanda!! Kigali, to be specific. Was so excited for this trip...apart from the work to be done, I really wanted to get a feel of life in a fellow East African nation. Here are a few snippets of le pays des milles collines :)
Ooh and I noted that nothing was packed in plastic bags in Nakumatt...
and Mr. Price...!
On my last day there I got to visit the Rwanda Genocide Memorial, which was quite educational; I decided to get a book to learn a bit more about its history:
To top off the week, I attended a gala for one of the projects I've been working on. They went all out to say the least! Funtimes all round :)
That's all for now - have a lovely week :)
As we're talking fashion, thought I'd share a few "new" pieces that I'm absolutely loving
This week was quite excting....I got to travel to Rwanda!! Kigali, to be specific. Was so excited for this trip...apart from the work to be done, I really wanted to get a feel of life in a fellow East African nation. Here are a few snippets of le pays des milles collines :)
and Mr. Price...!
On my last day there I got to visit the Rwanda Genocide Memorial, which was quite educational; I decided to get a book to learn a bit more about its history:
To top off the week, I attended a gala for one of the projects I've been working on. They went all out to say the least! Funtimes all round :)
That's all for now - have a lovely week :)
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Africa Massive
A Big Tchuune!! *Hehe I actually hate it when Dj's interrupt a great song like that. BUT this is a BIG TUNE...do enjoy!..
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Healthy Woman Magazine
Got a random opportunity to do a cover photo shoot for a new magazine in the Kenyan market, called Healthy Woman. The magazine, I must say, is pretty good; I'm pretty impressed with its content and delivery - I think they've bagged a reader in me
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Good Music :-)
A couple great tracks by some talented women
Enjoy...
Fenamenal Woman - Fena
Heart and Soul - Diana Nduba
Enjoy...
Fenamenal Woman - Fena
Heart and Soul - Diana Nduba
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Fish Leather?
Came across the article below in the Business Daily and thought it quite interesting!
Joseph Kimatu arranges products made from fish skin at KIRDI headquarters in Nairobi. The items, which include shoes, handbags and belts, are mainly for export. Photo/Tom Otieno
By FRANKLINE SUNDAY
Posted Monday, June 4 2012 at 18:44
Posted Monday, June 4 2012 at 18:44
In a modest studio in Kisumu, 26-year-old Everline Odera is busy putting the final touches on a unique leather handbags she has been sewing for the last two days.
The pouch is not only unique in design but also in the material used to make it. For the last few months, Ms Odera has been training on how to turn fish leather into clothes and gifts items.
She is a member of Afrika Pamoja, a project by a community-based organisation called the Teenage Mothers and Girls Association of Kenya, (Temak).
“I have been trained as a seamstress and was used to working with fabric but when I heard of the training opportunity at Temak I decided to take it up,” she says.
The use of fish leather is becoming popular especially in the lakeside city of Kisumu where various government agencies and CBOs are working together to create value out of the resource until recently considered as waste.
“In the past, fish skin used to be thrown away and tonnes of it could be found discarded outside fish markets or as factory waste from fillet processing plants,” said Philomena Mashaka, the director of Africa Pamoja.
Most of the people living on the shores of the lake were unaware of the potential that lay rotting in the discarded heaps of fish skin close by.
This was until the Kenya Research Development Institute, KIRDI, came into the picture. KIRDI has for the last three years been running tests with help from the Danish International Development Authority (Danida) to examine the commercial viability of fish leather in the country.
Today the economic experiment by KIRDI shows that lakeside communities that suffer a high unemployment and poverty rates have been sitting on a goldmine and Philomena Mashaka is planning to reverse this trend and rouse her community into action.
“Fish leather has a lot of potential for income and there is something for everyone along the value chain,” she says.
“Communities that live next to the factories are contracted to collect the fish skin and sell it to the KIRDI headquarters in Kisumu for about five shilling per piece”, says Ms Mashaka.“Fish processing factories that produce fillet for export normally discard the skin, bones and entrails.”
“This is a new income stream for the communities who had until now only been depending on fish sales to make money.”
Once at KIRDI’s headquarters in Kisumu, the fish skin is taken through the first stage of processing to remove the flesh and excess oils before being soaked in a concentrated saline solution.
It is then shipped to Nairobi for finer processing and application of dyes to improve its aesthetic properties.
The skins are shipped back to Kisumu where organisations like TEMAK buy them from the KIRDI headquarters at Sh250 per piece.
The leather products made by Ms Odera and her colleagues are sold to local retail outlets and also exported to the international market.“Each piece can make a leather pouch and an average -sized male wallet but it also depends on how much leather is used,” says Ms Odera.
From handbags to wallets to document cases the multi-coloured leather products sport unique fish-scale patterns while maintaining the soft texture of leather.
One leather wallet goes for about Sh500 in the local market or about $12 when exported and the profit margin for the craftsmen and women per piece is about 30 per cent after all the expenses have been paid.
A shoe is a bit on the higher side and goes for Sh6,000. These are made on order. Pouches and wallets go for between Sh600 and 1,500 depending on the size.
Data from the Kenya Leather Development Council indicates that the tonnage of semi-processed hides and skins exports increased by a record 600 per cent to hit 2,250 tonnes last year up from 322 tonnes the previous year.
At the same time, the price of a tonne of leather is said to have increased from Sh35,000 to Sh47,000.
Resource injection
This has spurred the government to inject more resources into the leather industry with a promise of six new tanneries in the country over the next few years.
The 2012 Economic Survey indicates that the quantity of fish landed in the last year increased by 5.9 per cent to stand at 149.0 thousand tonnes. Most of the by-products of this catch is usually discarded.But the commercial potential of fish leather has yet to be fully exploited despite its inherent ability to create industries and employment opportunities.
Ms Mashaka and her colleagues at TEMAK hope to use the success of their current programme as a case study and scale up production to create more job opportunities in the region.
Source: Business Daily
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance - Coco Chanel
I bought a pair of trousers yday which I loved for the horse-riding pants panelling and navy colour. Only thing is the buttons... :-/ Too tacky for my liking but I figured yh let me just buy the pants - I need some new ones any way.
I had a dress up session yday and realised the buttons were just not working - too much for me (pictures to follow in next post). I need to find a suitable way of getting rid of the buttons all together and navy-ing out the "loud" metal detailing, just so the pants can look decent enough to be worn with anything.
Then today I reviewed Barbious Fashion Blog and it just confirmed my thoughts - simplicity is key:
See how chic and elegant the whole look is? I need more block plain pieces - I'll have the final say in whatever detailing I'll add.
xx
I had a dress up session yday and realised the buttons were just not working - too much for me (pictures to follow in next post). I need to find a suitable way of getting rid of the buttons all together and navy-ing out the "loud" metal detailing, just so the pants can look decent enough to be worn with anything.
Then today I reviewed Barbious Fashion Blog and it just confirmed my thoughts - simplicity is key:
xx
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Accessories
Just a snippet of accessories worn today...
Shirt - Gikomba Kshs 20
Beads - Maasai market Kshs 800
Earrings - Gifted (but I've seen a few girlies wearing them around town)
xx
Shirt - Gikomba Kshs 20
Beads - Maasai market Kshs 800
Earrings - Gifted (but I've seen a few girlies wearing them around town)
xx
Friday, May 4, 2012
Humour + Advertising
"I've always believed you have to give something back to people if you want them to listen to your brand message. Humor is the same thing. You actually like a brand, not Facebook like, but really like, a brand when they make you laugh. So the next time Kayak has something they want to talk to you about, you'll stop and listen because you like them." - Gerry Graf, AdAge Agency News
Content is King!
"It is clear that, when it comes to achieving high levels of “virality”, content is king. When, as is the case for most advertisers, the subject matter is less intrinsically engaging, creativity must make up the shortfall." - The Value of Biometrics, Ipsos ASI
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
On the Healthy Skin Track
I'm officially an Oriflame consultant! I signed up last Wednesday - actually rushed in to their store / office minutes before they closed. Anywho I signed up and was told about a skin test that costs KES 250; unfortunately I was too late to get the test done then.
Fast forward 5 days later and I was determined to go back to get that skin test and buy a book for the 'A Sword and a Whetstone' office book club we just kicked off at work :-D (see widget at bottom of the page).
Ha! So you know how I said I had combination skin in this post? Well my skin is dry....and not just dry but dry dry dry! Sahara dry :-O! Over the weekend - my word - my skin just...lotion was not doing it! Unfortunately I had just given up on all skin products in the market - i.e. supermarket; and just resorted to what ever soaps (yes soaps - over-drying stearic acid compounds and such!) I had at home because I believed that although they were soaps, they were - creamy hand soaps and shower gels with natural exfoliants hence not damaging - oh dear the dillusion. Yes this is why the lotions probably stopped being as effective as they should be. I resorted to petroleum jelly. It kinda worked but did not last long at all. At my skin test consultation I told the lady doing the test that I had resorted to vaseline and she told me that vaseline just acts as a film and does not get absorbed in to the skin's cells - so you're really not adding moisture to your skin.
About the skin test, it basically required you to clean your face and let it be for about 10 minutes. After that they asked a few questions and let their machine do the rest - it was at this point that they discovered that my skin had zero oiliness and 10/99 moisture. They diagnosed my skin as "Low" on moisture and "Over dry" on oiliness - see below!
The clever thing is that after the test the computer takes all the data is has collected and generates a report with all the products that would work for you. Here are mine:
Since the list of products is a bit long, I asked the skin consultant to let me know which products are most crucial for now and I can get the rest later, over time. Here is what I got:
I used all three products this morning for the first time and felt the effects instantly :-D. Looking forward to the progress in a month's time. I will try to take periodic photos and journal this! :)
x
Fast forward 5 days later and I was determined to go back to get that skin test and buy a book for the 'A Sword and a Whetstone' office book club we just kicked off at work :-D (see widget at bottom of the page).
Ha! So you know how I said I had combination skin in this post? Well my skin is dry....and not just dry but dry dry dry! Sahara dry :-O! Over the weekend - my word - my skin just...lotion was not doing it! Unfortunately I had just given up on all skin products in the market - i.e. supermarket; and just resorted to what ever soaps (yes soaps - over-drying stearic acid compounds and such!) I had at home because I believed that although they were soaps, they were - creamy hand soaps and shower gels with natural exfoliants hence not damaging - oh dear the dillusion. Yes this is why the lotions probably stopped being as effective as they should be. I resorted to petroleum jelly. It kinda worked but did not last long at all. At my skin test consultation I told the lady doing the test that I had resorted to vaseline and she told me that vaseline just acts as a film and does not get absorbed in to the skin's cells - so you're really not adding moisture to your skin.
About the skin test, it basically required you to clean your face and let it be for about 10 minutes. After that they asked a few questions and let their machine do the rest - it was at this point that they discovered that my skin had zero oiliness and 10/99 moisture. They diagnosed my skin as "Low" on moisture and "Over dry" on oiliness - see below!
The clever thing is that after the test the computer takes all the data is has collected and generates a report with all the products that would work for you. Here are mine:
Since the list of products is a bit long, I asked the skin consultant to let me know which products are most crucial for now and I can get the rest later, over time. Here is what I got:
I used all three products this morning for the first time and felt the effects instantly :-D. Looking forward to the progress in a month's time. I will try to take periodic photos and journal this! :)
x
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Wambui Mukenyi
Wambui Mukenyi, a local Kenya designer, seems to really be taking her line to the next level. Having had a peek of some of her collections, through the online fashion blogs; I have narrowed down 3 pieces to add to my wish list:
Click here for more of Wambui Mukenyi
xx
Commonality
Have a listen:
Consequence - Disperse
J. Cole - Sideline Story
Little Brother - Watch Me
What do they all have in common?
Clue: Listen to the bass lines..
They're variations of the same! :-p
xx
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Buni TV
Buni TV a mobile and web video platform officially launched in Nairobi on April 18th. Buni TV wants to become the premier destination for innovative, top-quality content made in or about Africa, be it films and short films, documentaries, television, animation or music videos. - African Digital Art
I love this initiative - we really need top-quality content to be promoted for Africa by Africa. Last week I had a taste of Africa Magic's new channel Africa Magic Entertainment which is a brilliant idea with great re-branding, the only thing that falls short is the quality of the content of some of the shows; and by this I mean the T.V. shows.
One show I have been watching is "Nonhle goes to Hollywood" - I like the concept and I can see a significant difference in the quality between episodes 2 and 3 for example - still room for improvement but great effort and A-plus for entrepreneurship, with Nonhle Thema as the Executive Producer and the show as a Nonhle Thema Production - well played!
As they say the future for Africa is content development - we have the tools, now let's work on the meat!
The following video (also on Buni TV) I have found to be pretty interesting - a documentary on the hip hop scene in Senegal.
Enjoy...
xx
I love this initiative - we really need top-quality content to be promoted for Africa by Africa. Last week I had a taste of Africa Magic's new channel Africa Magic Entertainment which is a brilliant idea with great re-branding, the only thing that falls short is the quality of the content of some of the shows; and by this I mean the T.V. shows.
One show I have been watching is "Nonhle goes to Hollywood" - I like the concept and I can see a significant difference in the quality between episodes 2 and 3 for example - still room for improvement but great effort and A-plus for entrepreneurship, with Nonhle Thema as the Executive Producer and the show as a Nonhle Thema Production - well played!
As they say the future for Africa is content development - we have the tools, now let's work on the meat!
The following video (also on Buni TV) I have found to be pretty interesting - a documentary on the hip hop scene in Senegal.
Enjoy...
xx
Oriflame
So my dad came home with some Oriflame catalogues the other day and suggested that we should sign up and buy products at a discounted rate; and try to sell as well.
At first I was like hmm...okay I need to get to know these products first...how well do they work on African skin? In the past I have heard some mixed reviews about the product but I think to truly form an opinion, I need to try out the products for myself.
So lately my skin has been a bit of a mess for my liking - dry and spotty (a true case of combination skin) - and unfortunately as a result of my trying to get rid of the spots, I have scars too. Anywho it's not too much of a train smash for me but if I can get my skin looking hydrated and "healthy," I would be quite happy to retire my foundation.
After browsing the Oriflame catalogue I have narrowed down my products of choice - The Acai and Pomegranate range from the Pure Nature Collection which according to the catalogue is for normal to combination skin:
Wish me luck!
xx
So lately my skin has been a bit of a mess for my liking - dry and spotty (a true case of combination skin) - and unfortunately as a result of my trying to get rid of the spots, I have scars too. Anywho it's not too much of a train smash for me but if I can get my skin looking hydrated and "healthy," I would be quite happy to retire my foundation.
After browsing the Oriflame catalogue I have narrowed down my products of choice - The Acai and Pomegranate range from the Pure Nature Collection which according to the catalogue is for normal to combination skin:
Wish me luck!
xx
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Foreign Exchange
I've been listening to The Foreign Exchange over the past 3 weeks since my birthday. The duo comprises two of my favourite artists 'Phonte' and 'Nicolay'. In uni I just loved Phonte and his music as part of Little Brother with Rapper Big Pooh. The alternative soulful hip hop just got me! :) Nicolay I got to know of when I first heard 'Tight Eyes', his song with Kay.
Enjoy...
xx
Enjoy...
xx
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Barbious Fashion Blog
'Barbious Fashion Blog' fell prey to my 'following' spree yesterday. Classic, elegant style to emulate for your day-to-day looks.
Slot in some african print accessory or ethnic jewellery to give it that afro-chic look....et voila
xx
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Something New
Via: Abeena-Afrique
I'm on the hunt for something new; something to excite me. I have wrung everything out of my core blogs so have been on a "follow" mission today in search of new inspiration.
I'm also looking for something different...kinda feel like the african print / ankara novelty is wearing off for me. Don't get me wrong, I love african print / ankara and will definitely be getting more pieces but I now see such items as 'staples'.
I need something new to lust over..
xx
Friday, March 30, 2012
Africa_In_Your_Earbuds #5 - Just A Band
I'm on a mission to really explore and showcase this continent's talent...particularly when it comes to music.
I stumbled upon this earlier today but only got round to listening to it just now. As one listener put it: "JAB (Just A Band) makes music worth listening to." I truly concur.
Enjoy...
Track List:
1. Dela – “Ulivyo” (Kenya)
2. Vetkoek vs Mahoota – “Shukuma”
3. Psychedelic Nwomkro All-Stars (Kweku Ananse) – “Nwomkro Jam 2.0″
4. A Just A Band Mashup containing elements from of Little Dragon “Never Never (SBTRKT Remix)” and Yoko Kanno’s “Fantasie Sign” from the Cowboy Bebop OST.
5. DJ Cleo – “Katu Katu”
6. Just A Band – “Heat (Demo)”
7. Jali Bakary Konteh – “Combination (Hat and Hoodie Remix)”
8. Another Just A Band Mashup containing elements from Black Coffee + Hugh Masekela – “We Are One (Louie Vega Remix),” and a katitu song.
9. A snip-up of Hugh Masekela performing Fela Kuti’s “Lady”
10. Another snip-up of “Nanan” by Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal, Youssou N’Dour, Papa Wemba, Franco, Manu Dibango
11. A mild remix of Sam Fan Thomas’ “Neng Makassi”
12. A mashup of “Freedom Is Coming Tomorrow” from the Sarafina! film soundtrack and dialogue from Tolu Ogunmefun’s 7th episode of “Don’t Jealous Me” (“Pronounce My Name – Shett Men!”)
13. Sam Fan Thomas’ “Noa”
I stumbled upon this earlier today but only got round to listening to it just now. As one listener put it: "JAB (Just A Band) makes music worth listening to." I truly concur.
Enjoy...
Track List:
1. Dela – “Ulivyo” (Kenya)
2. Vetkoek vs Mahoota – “Shukuma”
3. Psychedelic Nwomkro All-Stars (Kweku Ananse) – “Nwomkro Jam 2.0″
4. A Just A Band Mashup containing elements from of Little Dragon “Never Never (SBTRKT Remix)” and Yoko Kanno’s “Fantasie Sign” from the Cowboy Bebop OST.
5. DJ Cleo – “Katu Katu”
6. Just A Band – “Heat (Demo)”
7. Jali Bakary Konteh – “Combination (Hat and Hoodie Remix)”
8. Another Just A Band Mashup containing elements from Black Coffee + Hugh Masekela – “We Are One (Louie Vega Remix),” and a katitu song.
9. A snip-up of Hugh Masekela performing Fela Kuti’s “Lady”
10. Another snip-up of “Nanan” by Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal, Youssou N’Dour, Papa Wemba, Franco, Manu Dibango
11. A mild remix of Sam Fan Thomas’ “Neng Makassi”
12. A mashup of “Freedom Is Coming Tomorrow” from the Sarafina! film soundtrack and dialogue from Tolu Ogunmefun’s 7th episode of “Don’t Jealous Me” (“Pronounce My Name – Shett Men!”)
13. Sam Fan Thomas’ “Noa”
Source: OkayAfrica
Thursday, March 29, 2012
XTATIC
Just found out about this Kenyan artist a couple of days ago; I like the old skool hip hop vibes :)
Enjoy..
xx
Enjoy..
xx
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
One Nigerian Boy + Kenyan Stylista = Bliss
These two guys; one Nigerian one Kenyan (no surprise there lol) have some pretty juicy blogs...really showing fashion flair off in a great way :)
Enjoy...
xx
FUnk-Berrys
These girls have truly inspirational style...mixing influences of their native Ghana, classic vintage pieces and current trends. When I first stumbled across this blog, I was in awe...and then some
Enjoy...
xx
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