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We had a wonderful response at Design Indaba! People loved our new hero bags and it was wonderful to meet Mielie fans, young and old.I was also delighted to find out that Mielie is part of the high school Design curriculum!

Perhaps the best part was the camaraderie between all the designers who exhibited. It was brilliant to share ideas, see what's new and give kudos where kudos are due.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100224-202828

Ladieeeees and gentlemen, here they are! Presenting the first three samples of our new Hero bag collection: Charly's, Stox and Rose, all inspired by special places in Cape Town.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100223-181134

Two more days till Design Indaba, and things have been pretty crazy around here. We are launching an awesome new range of bags at DI - and also our own range of fabrics. The last week was spent getting brochures and labels ready for print and also doing the final quality check on our new bags as well as planning a beautiful stand on a zero budget - you know, the usual.

If you're in Cape Town this weekend, please come and say hi.

Finally, I'd like to wish the people of Finland HAPPY BUN DAY! (what a wonderful country that has a national bun day...)]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100213-073901


We've had loads of fun (and a couple of flops!) with the Nguni design, inspired by the splatter hide of the African Nguni cow. We first weave the white and then pop in a black mielie pip here and there. The big surprise was that the back makes a completely different, utterly beautiful pattern. Problem is, no one is ever going to see it, since it will get hidden by the lining. I think I might make a bag with this design on the outside! ]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100213-072447

Yesterday was the second week running that all the veggies Richard had on sale at the Friday organic market were from the Mielie food garden. Congratulations, Richard - you're doing a sterling job! Even Buhle is pretty impressed.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100210-224324
If you happen to be in Frankfurt this weekend, pop in at Ambiente and see what's new from planet Mielie on the Kapworks stand. Anke and Marcus, our distributors there, are in the Loft Halle 11.0, Stand A16.

Good luck guys!]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100210-205644

My little veggie patch has been giving us on average half a kilo of tomatoes and a delicious cucumber a day. Can there be anything nicer in the world than a sun-ripened tomato that was still growing an hour ago? My basil is a cacophony of green and tomorrow we will eat the one artichoke that survived. The veggie patch looks a little worse for wear with tomato vines lying flat on the ground under the weight of their fruits.

I've learned the following lessons:

- when you make trench beds the soil will sink in over time. Either fill the beds to over-flowing or wait a week or three before you plant. It's almost impossible to fill them in once you've planted.

- plant lots of salad greens and spinach in winter if you live in an area with winter rain. Coming to think of it, they probably won't like frost either.

- stake your weight-bearing veggies like tomatoes well. They will need a lot of support.

- don't plant your seedlings too close together.

- aphids are a complete pain and I still don't really know how to control them.

Moving forward, I think I'm going to let everything go to seed - and harvest the seeds. Then I'll fill my trenches with some compost that I've been making and start all over again!

If you're tempted to start a veggie patch, I only have two words for you: DO IT!

Now, does anyone know where I can find a mozzarella tree?

Remember to visit Richard at the Mielie Food Garden's organic market at Montebello on Friday. We've moved his stall to the shady tent at Kwalapa organic restaurant, to ensure that you don't get any wilted veggies.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100209-121412

I've been bursting to tell you this bit of news for 8 months now: just unpacked in Marimekko shops around the world are two Mielie cushion designs that form part of their Domino spring collection. This design also spans a range of clothing and bags. We are delighted to have been part of the process, which started with Zanele and I visiting their head office in Helsinki in may last year. Special thanks to Outi of Mum's our awesome Scandinavian distributor who made it happen.

Unfortunately I can't post you any photo's of the cushions here - you'll just have to pop into your nearest Marimekko outlet.

Check the collection out here and view our cushions here - top row, left and right.

Oh, and if you live in Africa and have never heard of Marimekko, fear not: you will probably recognise this classic Marimekko design, called Unikko.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100205-193350

The reason for my blog silence is that I've been working day and night on a completely new, completely different range of bags, due to be launched at Design Indaba at the end of the month. Here is a little blurry glimpse.

It's been an exhilarating, gut wrenching process in which we learnt new fibre and leather crafting techniques and took the plunge and had our own fabric commercially printed. All the elements are now ready, and all that remains is to put all pieces together - can't wait!]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100129-170827

For the second year running we celebrated our annual staff party at Muizenberg beach with fish & chips. It was a blast - literally and figuratively - the wind pumped, but this didn't seem to dampen any spirits!]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100121-173140

People of Sweden, visit our fantastic Mielie distributor, Outi Puro of Mum's, at the Formex show. She will show you Mielie's delectable range of products.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100120-192900

Things have been so hectic of late - I am doing a bit of freelance and we're also dreaming up a brand new bag to be launched at Design Indaba. Hence the silence on the blog front.

Unfortunately I can't really show you any images so I thought I'd write an update on my veggie garden, which has been christened Happy Chaos II, my house being Happy Chaos I. After a gruelling war against the aphids, my artichokes are finally starting bear fruit - or flowers? And oh my, are we going to get creative with tomato recipes around here. Any ideas, anyone?

I also harvested a little potato puppy!]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100112-160420 ]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100112-083632 ]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry100106-001824
I have GREAT news - see this pic of Zanele standing on sandy plot of land?



Soon she's going to be standing in her house!



That's right, Zanele and several other Mielie weavers have each been allocated a plot, water connection and toilet. They will soon receive building supplies and will then need to find a contractor to build their houses. We are all so excited!

I will post pics of the house building in progress.]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry091218-141207 ]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry091217-150214

I spent yesterday's public holiday screenprinting t-shirts. They came out beautifully! The one with signage from little shops in Woodstock and Salt River is my favourite.



Ntsaphokazi took delivery of her special order today - two AJ bags that she wove herself for her mum and aunt as gifts. If you know her mum or aunt, don't tell, ok?]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry091215-134710

If you've visited our Mielie shop before, you probably would have had the good fortune to meet the ever-gracious, ever-elegant, ever friendly Nolundi, our store manager. Here she is sporting a new look - love the do, girl!

And if you haven't been to visit us in person, here are a couple of last-minute christmas gift reasons:

- our hand-made christmas decorations make an awesome little stocking filler.
They also look great on a beautifully wrapped present

- Speaking of stockings, we have a couple of mielie cuff stockings left

- spell a little boy or girl's name in button-together bunting
(Now also in the webshop)

- african wax print sarong & strappy top with lace trim make a perfect beach holiday gift
(I know, the idea of a beach christmas is a very strange concept to you people of the north)

- we've stocked up with loads of ceeeuuuut coin purses sporting stawberries, cherries
and all things bright and beautiful.
]]> http://fa.mielie.com/index.php?entry=entry091211-121913

We received the first samples of the new Cobble design today. I love the colour combination.]]>