We had a quieter day today. I woke to the rain on the window and it's been quite grey all day so it was the time to visit the museums and Galleries and organise our car.

I've taken very few photos today.

But tomorrow will be different because its a photography day.

I'm not even enthusiastic about getting out the sketch book….!!!

But this picture is finished.

And the image on the right is an audition for monkey tails.

They are illustrations for part of a story with Alice Isabella. I haven't shared the Alice Stories because they are ready to go into a book for the Grandies and I don't think it's right that you guys see it before they do…

But part of this interest in embroidery is because I want to put some illustrations as embroidery into the book.

Ultimately it's for the grandies as is the Alphabet book, BUT its meant to be shared.

By the way, I'm going to draw the embroidery….not do it.!!!!

I found these items in the museum today.

Eager to learn more about these embroideries I stumbled upon a website that explains that the women of Mogalakwena are telling their stories through their embroideries.

"The founder of Mogalakwena, Elbe Coetesee, is often called Masechaba, her African name, which means mother of the nation; the name fits both her essence and her role as a leader and founder of the Craft Village. She is convinced that “empowerment goes both ways and there is one sun for all, while we are travelers on this earth.”   The idea behind the craft village evolved from Elbe’s relationship with Pedi women who communicated with her visually using embroidery to narrate tales of their daily life, the food of the region, their healing practices, leisure and sport, dress and adornment, education and work. Their embroidered documents were eventually gathered into art books that are now part of collections around the world and valued for their beautiful style, their bold expressiveness and the tactile quality of the work.
This embroidery-based cultural documentation began at the right place and time.  Bapedi, Bahananwa,  Batlokwa and Babirwa  (Northern Sotho) cultures had begun to experience a transition toward urbanization with the introduction of electricity some time ago."

For more information go to their web site

I will try to find their shop here in Cape Town to look at the other things they create.

I will be filming tomorrow.

Looking for fabric.

Buying beads and handicraft.