Nunabean at play with Blueblossom

And not forgetting Nunabean! Blueblossom's 100% linen range and Nunabean happily sat side by side at The Cavendish Made-In-The-Cape Xmas Market.

Nunabean slowly working it's way through the branding... shoes done, bags half way there and then branding of all the dream buttons, stickers next and the launch of the new website :) Slowly slowly we get there... and inbetween launching that exciting blueblossom project!

3 Table moves later and lugging and packing and unpacking on the first day, we finally were settled in a better location... for all those craftmakerters... sales is all about location, location, location!

Thanks Jen for all the friendship and fabulous hard work into the early hours of the morning and being able to dream a little dream! 

Just looking at what one CAN achieve in 2 weeks and if one puts ones mind to something, much can be achieved! Whoopdehoop :) Here's to "woven moonlight" and beyond!

"woven moonlight"

This weekend was a mini launch of our 100% pure linen range at Cavendish! 2 weeks solid prepping, everything lovingly made by hand from printing and ironing of the saltbags to the individuall sewinng on of care labels, all the way to the threading of the cords on the foodbags. Being an entrepreneur ain't no plain sailing and takes time and passion. Without the passion it just becomes another job.

Blueblossom is the story of 2 friends with lots of passion for life and enjoying the beauty that comes from within it. Both are mums with their own full lives, with a love and excitement for beautiful quality products. We decided to embark on this 2 week project... and may even write a book on "How to start a business and launch it in 2 weeks!"

Here some pics and the result of our 2 week project:
9x Salt Bags, 12x Food Bags, 100x Dish towels, 1x 6-8 seater Table Cloth, 3x Gift Wraps, 1 and a half Bean Bags! Not forgetting a full roll-out of a brand new Corporate Identity! Let the orders roll in :)

A customer at the market informed us of the History of Linen and how it linked to the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution... got home to do some more research on this little fact: that over 5000 years ago the Egyptians named it "woven moonlight"... see for yourself :)
More info about Linen to follow... an amazing natural, versatile and beautiful vegetable fibre!

Thank You to all our mates for visiting us at Cavendish and especially to our families who supported us into the early mornings with the moonlight!

Made In The Cape!

Been so busy prepping, market has come and gone, but here the e-poster! Gosh blogging takes much time and dedication! Will post photos and results of the market in next blog :)

Nunabean loves the Joinery

Nunabean loves the Joinery.... a sneak preview of some of their OR-ganic tees!
Go go go Joinery gals :)

nunabeans and blue blossoms :)

nunabean and blueblossom at play... watch this space for our 100% pure linen range...

nunabean labels

Thank You Florence and Judith for sewing on our labels... definitely need to sew them onto the pieces BEFORE the shoes are made up! We discovered coke-bottle lids work well as thimbles :)

nunabean soles

A full 2 days work: designing, laser cutting, gluing, sanding, moulding, playing... exciting prototyping and experimenting at the CCDI's Fab Lab!

Just the imagination and the world is one's oyster :)

Phoned our helpline (our famous and fabulous shoe designer)  for advice as to what direction we are going, and apparently our experimenting is how "they use to make soles in the old days"... this is what comes from "just playing" :)

Nunabean at Kamersvol Gekenke

Thank You to the CCDI (Cape Craft Design Institute) for including Nunabean in your HandMade Collective Shop At Kamersvol Geskenke in Lourensford. Thank you to the staff for all their hard work during the past week and especially Jeffrey for your big smile and Doreen for being so accommodating!

And to David from Product Support, an extra humungus THANK YOU for being so patient and helping me design and build that gorgeous display box and squeezing me in those 4 very focused hours.

It was an honour be to amongst such a collection of exceptional, hand-crafted products and part of the CCDI Collective Shop.

Here some pics... spot Tobe/Nunabean, one of 36 other CCDI crafters :)
And we just couldn't resist tasting the red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing ;p

Come find us at liebtragen

www.liebtragen.de

You can now find us in a little shop up north of Germany!

 "liebtragen" sells beautiful products of South African artist :)

A room full of gifts...Kamersvol Geskenke!

Nunabean will still be showing under the brand previously known as Tobe with the CCDI Collective Shop at the Kamersvol Geskenke Market at Lourensford Wine Estate, from 21-27 October.
We will thereafter be launching as Nunabean with some exciting new additions... watch this space :)

we are rebranding...

Going for Gold... Our ParaOlympians :)

Ain't no stopping us now!

Samkelo, Smith, Fourie and  Pistorius:)

Natalie du Toit claimed the 11th gold medal of her glittering Paralympic career when she won the 100m Butterfly

Our Celeb Chef Mummy-in-training

Siba's Baby Shower, Ballerinas & Babies and a Seven Ounce Fashion show on a red carpet... celebrity style :)

Will he be famous celebrity Chef with his own cooking show on Food Network like mum... or will he be a design activist like his dad...Watch this space!

A tribute to our Olympic Champions :)

Some dream badges we did up especially for our Olympians :)

Tobe is not to be...

All part of learning and growing. Tobe manifested from a little image in newsletter I received from an NGO working in Africa... the image was of a little orphan holding a handwritten sign saying "future doctor"... as children and parents, we often wonder what we or our loved one will grow up to be one day :) Tobe was a concept born from this image and my own hopes and dreams as a new parent.

It has been a year of slogging and getting going on this little love project. After a couple of months of research I have discovered the Tobe name has been trademarked and thus we have to change our name as we do not have R100 000.00 to buy it.

A little quote I remember from the book "A road less travelled"... life is difficult and once we accept that, it no longer becomes difficult.

Some dreams just take a little longer to achieve... watch this space :)

a happy gentleman popped by...

the tobe team meets Mr Ronald :)

 

red hair, stripey arms and leg, a big smile and not so small feet, but definitely big dreams :)

"Our little spot" at the SABS Education Baba Indaba

Late into the night prepping and an early start to a long day.

Our stand finally came together. 

Thank You Nabs for all your hard work you are the best! With a little support from a roaming lion-in-training :)

best of both... with and without trim :)

nuna's ribbons

With the announcement and birth of nuna, we were lavished with gifts parceled with pretty ribbons. I knew one day I would find use for them... Tobe giftcards with recycled ribbon :)

to trim or not to trim...

Detail to the last trim. Deciding on the tobe biscuits for the Baba Indaba... to add trim or to not add trim...?
.... amongst the zillion other things still to be done before opening tomorrow :)

entrepreneur-in-training

Thank You to the CCDI (Cape Craft and Design Institute) for the amazing business course. We practised "pricing my product" till 3am this morning... happy to say Tobe Dreams now has retail, corporate and wholesale prices available... worked out to the t and not thumb sucked :) the tobe entrepreneur-in-training has attempted accounting :)

Well done to Our Olympic Swimmer and Gold Medalist Chad Le Clos

Chad Le Clos "our beautiful boy", Tobe is so proud of you!
To other Olympic swimmers-in-training out there, here's to reaching for those hopes and dreams  :)

Tobe: buddha in training :)

Tobe at the Ixopo Buddhist Retreat in KwaZulu Natal...