Hello Pretty is Winding Down

After more than ten fulfilling, magical years beginning in the good old days of 2012, Hello Pretty is retiring and heading off to the beach with a drink with a tiny umbrella.

Read our goodbye letter

Blog

Win with Hello Pretty and Glove Jewellery!

Why wear your heart on your sleeve when you could have one of these amazing Glove Jewellery rings?

f Mzansi has a special place in your heart, then one of these beautiful Love Africa rings deserves a special place on your hand. Heritage Day is coming up next week, and you could win the ring of your choice - silver, brass, or copper:To Enter:

  1. Like Glove Jewellery on Facebook
  2. Leave a comment on this post telling us what you love about SA!
  3. Get extra votes by sharing this post and tagging us on Facebook and Twitter.

Glove Jewellery makes beautiful jewellery pieces with lots of gLovely local influences. She hearts everything about SA, and we heart her designs. Check out our interview with Janine here here.

Pretty Personal with Janine Esterhuizen

Like a hand to a perfectly made glove, so is the story of Janine and Glove Jewellery. Sometimes, when you find something that’s just right, you just know. Janine’s (g)love of SA combines with an eye for beautiful silverwork to create pieces you’ll want to wear forever.

  1. Hello Janine! So, what’s your deal?
    Hello Pretties!  I grew up in the beautiful Eastern Cape. I only moved to Cape Town in 2001, which I absolutely love!  This is home now.  I stay in a beautiful part of Cape Town not known to many called Mikpunt.  It’s a small holding area just outside Durbanville. Here I feel so closed to nature but still have the luxury of living close to town. 
     
    While I was in high school I always knew I wanted to do something creative.  But never ever knew what. Unfortunately we did not have art in school so I could not even explore the possibilities there.  Well, one afternoon 2 weeks before I write my last subject in Matric, my best friend and now bridesmaid asked me what I am going to do next year.  I had no idea…so, I asked her what she is going to do…her answer changed my life!  She continued by telling me she is going to study Jewellery Design and Manufacture at the college in our town.  I thought that was an amazing thing to go study and so the next day I drove to the same college and enrolled in the jewellery course.  So, I started studying jewellery design and manufacturing in 1999.  I finished the course there and decided it’s not enough.  I wanted to come to Cape Town and study further!  So, I carried on studying till 2005 and ended up with a degree in jewellery design and manufacturing.
     
  2. It must have been fate! And how did you go from there to Glove Jewellery?
    When I decided to do my degree I had to find a topic.  I always loved fashion and if I hadn’t gotten the idea to study jewellery I probably would’ve done fashion design.  Anyhow, I thought jewellery and apparel design should work together as a collective and compliment each other rather than try to outshine each another.  So I found a wonderful boutique that was situated in Kloof Street to do my study with.  Then, I had to find a name for my brand. After thinking long and hard I thought of Glove, an accessory to fashion - the perfect name for my brand! And so, Glove Jewellery was established in 2005.  

     

  3. That’s a really great back story. So, aside from fashion, what else do you “Glove”?
    SUMMER, SUMMER, SUMMER!  Is it here yet? (Ed. note: Sadly not. *goes to drown sorrows in a vat of hot chocolate.)
    I absolutely glove summer!  It makes me feel happy and inspired.  There’s so much more to do…like walk on the beach, or lie on it, and swim in the sea…well ok, I glove the sea too. 
     
    Personally I don’t think there is much that makes me feel as happy as doing what I love!  I love making new jewellery and hearing the response at my little market stall every weekend.  At the moment I eat, sleep and live gLove.  I have a great support system in my life (my fiancé), and don’t think I would be able to do it without him.

     

  4. Speaking of jewellery, tell us about the gLovely things you make?
    I lived in the UK for 2 years. I truly believe without that experience I would not be where I am to day.  Before I left I always made a range of wildflower pendants and earrings.  When I came back from the UK I realised how much I love living in South Africa, and wanted to show it in my work.  So, I started making the South African collection which has 5 wildflowers, 5 icons and 5 animals.  Out of that range also came the Africa ring.  So it’s evolved all on its own. 
     
    The wire heart rings I make also led to many more pieces.  The heart wire ring came from the idea of creating a South African Claddagh ring.  I just loved the idea of wearing a ring that means something.  And so came all the other little wire rings and shapes I started to make. At the moment I am obsessed with gifts brides can give their wedding party and family. So I have made new little pendants with special messages stamped on them, and then of course the little knot ring.  Such a sweet gift with a little note that says thanks for helping me tie the knot.

     

  5. Ah, what a great idea. By the way, ever since I started planning this interview, I’ve been singing along to songs by replacing the word “love” with “glove”. Do you ever do that?

    Bahahaha!  Not yet…but I think that is a great idea!  I do change the work love to glove a lot when I write and when I speak.  Here are some funny examples:

    • Spread the Glove
    • No, Glove No Love
    • Lots of Glove

    I love the wordplay. It’s also sweet to hear other variations. A lot of people call it G Heart and always ask what the G stands for. I glove creatives :)

 
And so do we! You can get all gLoved up with items from their Hello Pretty store, or stay in touch on Facebook and Twitter. And if you’re up bright and early on Monday, we might just have a gLovely little something to give away…

Hello Pretty Goes On Safari!

Pretties, we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to share the truly amazing trip I took up Sani Pass a few weeks ago with 1st Zulu Safaris.

I was packing up at the office late one afternoon when the marvelous Malvalite Lauren Wallet called. Any phone call from her usually ends in adventure, and this was no different! I was issued an invitation for a trip up Sani Pass with her and three other lovely ladies - Nicole Ashe, Nadia van der Mescht, and Pippa Rowney. The only conditions? A valid passport and something in leopard print, to go with the theme: “Girls on Safari.”

With nothing leopard in my closet and only half an hour before the shops closed, I went on the speediest buying trip ever, eventually settling on a gorgeous leopard print scarf. I didn’t know it yet, but that scarf and I would become very close the next day!  (Note: It gets cold up there. So so cold. Be prepared!)

I arrived at uShaka bright and early the next morning, and was greeted by a sunrise the way only Durban can do them. We met our tour guide for the day, Sortiris - what a honey! He could probably have taken us to the nearest Wimpy and we would have felt lucky to be there.

We made a quick pitstop for cappuccinos, and once the caffeine kicked in there was no stopping us - poor Sortiris handled the outpouring of skinner remarkably well! We made a several Instagram stops, including a small store that sold the most amazing Basotho blankets, that were so warm and soft that you just want to dive face first into them. It’s no surprise that Thabo Makhetha, one of our super talented sellers, uses these beautiful textiles to create amazing structured coats.

 

A brief PSA about the SA/Lesotho border crossing - there’s a bathroom there. Use it. Even if you don’t think you need to. The bumpy ride you have ahead of you will shake loose liquids you didn’t know you had. (Also, ladies, I’d recommend a sports bra. Seriously.)

We passed our time in“no-mans-land” between the South African border and the Lesotho border by plotting all sorts of elaborate crimes free from legal repercussion (nothing serious, promise). We also came across a frozen waterfall, which of course had to be photographed immediately!

After going through the ropes at the border post we entered Lesotho to be greeted by welcoming locals spilling from their huts. They all seemed to know Sortiris and were excited to see him. We were given slices of warm, fresh bread the size of our faces (mmm, delicious carbs) and greeted with singing, while tiny children wrapped in their basotho blankets danced around us. (Should you ever have old clothes or extra dry food stuffs, Sortiris is the person to give them to - he takes them all to the village on his trips up the pass).

We reached The Highest Pub In The World in high spirits, and immediately ordered wine to celebrate our girly day out (and in the attempt to try warm ourselves up from the inside). Many of the people at the bar couldn’t help but remark that there must be a worldwide shortage of leopard print fabric, since we were wearing all of it!  Over a delicious lunch with the most incredible views, Sortiris regaled us with tales of the road. Wherever we went, people seemed to know and love him, and his general knowledge is amazing.

Thoroughly spent after an amazing day, we took off into the sunset back towards Durban, cocooned in Sortiris’ personal stash of Basotho blankets. I’m going to admit that I may have had a bit of a nap, thanks to my full stomach and the rhythm of Sortiris’ expert handling of the 4X4 as we made our way down the pass.

It was a truly phenomenal outing, and I’m so grateful to Lauren and 1st Zulu Safaris for including me. I’m giving them two huge HP thumbs up (and not just because Sortiris bought me lunch!). 1st Zulu Safaris do city tours and traditional tours, which all sound absolutely amazing. There’s nothing like being a tourist in your own country, especially when your country looks like this.

 

 

 

Show 1st Zulu Safaris some love online, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram.
You can see all our pics from the trip here, and check out #safarigirls on Twitter and Instagram.

Win with Lovilee and Hello Pretty!

Pretties, I moustache you a very important question: How would you like to win a party pack for 10 people, plus a little extra surprise, from the lovely peeps at Lovilee?

Items by Lovilee & Match Set Love, styling by Yellow Papaya, photography by YSP. See the full shoot here!

We thought you would! They’re giving away either a Moustache Party Kit or a Ribbon Party Kit, each of which will show 10 people a good time. Plus, they’ll throw in a special little secret something as well, which will bring the prize total to R400.

To Enter:

  1. Like Lovilee on Facebook
  2. Leave a comment on this post telling us what you’d do with the prize if you won.
  3. Get an extra entry by sharing this post on Facebook - tag us and Lovilee!
  4. Get an extra entry by sharing this post on Twitter - tag @helloprettysa and @LovileeDsigns!
  5. Winner announced Friday 13th September

Lovilee makes wonderful and whimsical home, décor, and entertainment products. Check out our interview with her here.

Pretty Personal with Karen Kelly

Lovilee by name, Lovilee by nature. When a passion for entertaining combines with a love of pretty things, the result is Lovilee - a blog turned lifestyle and décor store stocked with all sorts of goodies that’ll make dinner parties delightful, weddings wonderful, and any party perfect.

  1. Hello Karen! So, tell us your “Lovilee” story?
    I’m a creative at heart who loves being surrounded by lovilee things. I’m a wife, a mom, and an online shopping addict that loves the colour purple. I believe that you should do what you love and love what you do! Pretty weddings and parties get my blood flowing, and lovilee décor and home accessories frequently wreck my budget.
     
  2. An online shopping addict? A woman after our own heart! So, how did Lovilee happen?
    Lovilee as a blog was born three years ago from a simple idea I had to share the projects I was doing in my new house at the time with friends. I became good friends with Melanie Wessels, who captured my wedding, and together we decided to formalise what I had into a wedding and home décor blog. My sister also came aboard and added a kids’ section, and so we became as we are today.

    Subesquently, they both pursued other ventures, making me the main Lovilee author. In June this year I also started Liefste in collaboration with Marinda May. Liefste is the Afrikaans version of Lovilee and aims to showcase proudly Afrikaans weddings, special occasions, shops, and businesses.

    The Lovilee online store started at the end of last year. After researching multiple options, I stumbled across Hello Pretty, applied to be a vendor, and here we are!
     

  3. And we’re really glad to have you! You’re clearly a very busy lady - where do you get inspiration for all of your projects?
    Hmmm, the two men in my life - my hubby and my little manny - keep me on my toes. I love them to bits.
    I love feeling appreciated, and knowing that I can touch others by bringing a little lovilee into their homes and hearts every day.
     
  4. Speaking of which, tell us a little more about the Lovilee things you make!
    The Lovilee store currently only stocks handmade or self-designed items. The products reflect little bits of me. I love creating little odds and ends that can make a room special or add a unique touch to an occasion.

    Also, in collaboration with Liezel from Match Set Love, I’ve designed some new party packs that are just FUN!
     

  5. We saw those! We’re going to rock those moustaches so hard. Bonus question: If you were a superhero, what would your power be?
    At the moment I’m going to have to go with the “Supergirl” cliché …Juggling marriage, raising manny, housework, Lovilee, and my other ventures is proving quite a task…But my woman superpowers keep me going. :)

Get your hands on some Lovilee items of your own from their Hello Pretty store; get your daily dose of eye candy on the blog; and stay in touch on Facebook and Twitter. Oh, and just between the two of us: If you check back here on Monday morning, we might just have a little something Lovilee to give away!

Pages

Subscribe to Blog