Little Lila Designs

The idea for Little Lila Designs was, of course, inspired by our very own little Lila! As well as the fact that I could never find any children’s clothes I really liked in stores (and, if I did, they were always ridiculously overpriced).

So, I simply decided to start painting t-shirts for her myself.

After I painted the first one, not only did Lila absolutely love it, but almost everyone who saw it seemed to want one too. And with that, the Little Lila brand was born. Each t-shirt is handpainted, completely unique – and perfect for girls and boys. Even more exciting is the range of designs, which seems to be growing every day as the orders keep streaming in!

But, even as this fledgling business starts taking off, there are some things that I feel quite strongly about when it comes to the Little Lila brand. Namely that the handmade quality is something that should never be compromised. And, above all, I’d like Little Lila to be an affordable label, one that everyone can enjoy.

Something else I’ve been considering is how I can use Little Lila to help others in less fortunate circumstances. It would have to start out small (at first), but my idea is to find a way to combine art, creativity and painting and to involve underprivileged children. Giving them the opportunity to be involved in something really creative, by using their own imaginations and talents. (But this idea is still under construction, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated as and when things start happening.)      

All in all it’s fair to say that I’m feeling super inspired – and for the first time I also feel that I can actually say that ‘the sky is the limit’! So make sure you check out – and please like! – the Little Lila Facebook page for more info and share it with your friends and family.

https://www.facebook.com/littleliladesigns

Another new hobby...

Painting tee's for the little ones :)

PARTY TIME

Our little girl’s first birthday…

This has been the topic of discussion between my husband and I for the past few weeks... 

“to party" or “not to party"... 

but of course, I want “to party"!

However, my husband feels that we shouldn’t make such a big fuss about the first birthday. So, we had to compromise – Cake & Tea at our house, with lots of balloons, party packs and LOTS of snacks!

I was super stoked about the "Cake & Tea" event, which turned into a mini party after all, and Lila had a ball of a time! She literally played non-stop for 7 hours! My husband kept reminding me that it wasn't my party, but I had to laugh at this, because who wouldn’t find blowing-up balloons one massive exciting event – not to mention getting all dressed up? 

We celebrated Lila’s 1^st birthday with flair and had an awesome time! 

I can’t wait for the next one!

My new hobby...

Nappy cakes for baby showers!!!

Mother's Day

Before I had the privilege of being a mother, I always wondered what my first Mother’s Day would be like.

Would I be spoilt with flowers, a card or a little gift? And, as I am writing about all these materialistic things, I feel a bit ashamed to think that it even crossed my mind... 

At the end of the day, the flowers will die, the card will be tossed in a drawer somewhere and forgotten. As for the gift… let’s face it, the gift will be something you do not really need or want and these materialistic gestures will soon be forgotten long after a day which was supposed to be an extremely special day. 

Thanks to a very special friend, we had the privilege of spending our Mother’s Day morning with lovely elderly women at a local old age home... We baked them cakes, made tea and just sat there, chatting to as many old people we possibly could. Although I found it extremely emotional, I have to admit that I haven't had such a satisfying day in years! Words cannot explain how grateful these lovely ladies were. To think, it might have been some of their last Mother’s Days that they could have spent with a loved one. All they wanted was a hug, and some conversation, even though it was from a complete stranger.

So thank you Lynn - you had this brilliant idea, and I am so grateful that you invited me! 

You gave me the most special first Mother’s Day gift ever. 

Absolutely priceless and unforgettable!

And now, I wonder how my last Mother’s Day would be. Will I be stuck in an old age home? 

Or, will my family make time for me and spoil me with love?

A 1000 memories...

Quite a few questions cross my mind these days... 

Will Lila have enough memories of me when she grows up?

Will she have enough memories of her childhood?

Will she be interested in knowing small little details one tend to easily forget?

These questions bug me as I constantly try to remember from when I was little. For instance... I want to know if Lila and I had the same mannerisms, or does she reflex more of her dad? And often Lila's grannies can't answer these questions... Well, I don't really blame them, it is 32 years ago! But small little things interest me, and I would have loved to know... 

So, to stop that from happening to Lila one day I have started a "Memory Box" for her. In this box I will keep things like her first pair of shoes, her favorite toy, her first lock of hair... When I take photo's of her, I focus on the detail... a close up of her little toes, a close up of her bright, blue eyes... 

I also started a little note book for her. I treat it like a diary, but that doesn't mean I write in it every day. But in this book I am honest. I write about how I feel at that specific moment. I write about her development. New things she does, like noticing her feet for the first time, or rolling over onto her stomach for the first time...

Then some days I wonder if she will be able to read my blog when she has her first baby. Will cyber space allow it to "hang out" for 30 years or longer? How does these things work? How will technology play a role in something like this? 

It's like they say...

Time will tell...

And hopefully I would have been successful with the capturing of a 1000 memories...

Girlfriend shoot…

Isabel came up with this wonderful idea… spending a day with girlfriends in Kalk Bay and having a photographer running after us taking amazing photographs!!! Isabel, you rock! Saturday was so much fun and every single moment was captured by a professional. One should definitely do this more often! 

PS. More photographs to follow soon ;)

Bucket-list-achievements...

I don't like jogging. Is “hate” a too strong word? Cross trainers and me were not made for each other. Spending time inside a gym really doesn’t sound like fun at all and I really don't fancy those outfits… way too tight… way too "wannabe” and way too expensive! O, and gym hygiene… just thinking about it makes me feel sick! 

Obviously, one can’t avoid exercising for too long (it’s not good for the butt). So, about two years ago, I started doing modern and hip-hop dancing. Never did I think that exercising could be so much fun! And the extra bonus… I met wonderful girls. It’s great spending time with them – my weekly tonic. 

A strange thing I noticed: When you’re at school, it’s easier to be good at something. I never ever had to worry about being good enough. Now that I’m older, I find this type of dancing a bit of a challenge! I was used to ballet… and the sad part… I never wanted to do ballet, I always wanted to be a modern dancer! So nothing came naturally when I first started. I felt spastic, silly and a bit irritated with myself for not finding the moves easy. All the dancing in my room (behind closed doors) as a school girl obviously didn't pay off. And all this time, I actually thought that I was pretty damn good!

Earlier this year, we started practicing for a concert and I decided to give it my all – make it one of my bucket-list-achievements. And yes, I do believe that bucket-list-achievements can be small too. To some of the girls it might have been nothing, but for me it was hectic! So, I didn't miss one practise, memorised the song, and my steps, basically, memorised everything about it. Today I feel proud to say that I’ve had the privilege to achieve my goal. It was hard work, not to mention a lot of stress! Fitting in something so important to me, between work and traffic (two of my "obstacles"). And stess like: Will I remember my steps? Am I good enough? Will I be able to do this? 

Now the big question… What should I do with my costume? Fancy dress anyone?