It was -10 that evening but a warm +25 in our hearts as we celebrated the 'mZansi-Life' in Oslo last weekend. All South Africans know the mZansi-Life. It's the life that many here in Norway yearn for. The life of sunshine and colour. Orange and green instead of grey, black and white. Choice instead of chain stores. Sunshine instead of grey skies.

I left my good Art Director job in Durban and moved to Oslo 10 months ago. It was not the crime or general frustration most South Africans site for leaving. Rather it was love. I had fallen in love with a viking and now was to leave my life behind and move to the coveted Scandinavia. Taking on 'love immigrant' status was harder than I thought. I found myself bewildered at this new life. Everything I had come to know and love of South Africa was suddenly gone, the fashion, the colour, the options, the people! I was wishing for that life again, the mZansi-Life so much I began to blog about it.

Whilst browsing 75 (a South African photographic journal commuity site) I discovered George Mahashe, the South African photographer whose created these powerful images. They are raw, strong and unique. The styling is great and I would love to work with him one day. One day... His company, Visual Uprising, has an inspiring gallery to browse. It was difficult to find some info of George but Resolution Gallery had an bio on him, be inspired:

" George Mahashe was born in Ga-kgapane in limpopo in 1982 and started photography by being an assistant to the local roaming photographer, when I got to grade 8 I got a camera of my own and well the rest is history, my interest with the professional photography developed when I became addicted to a men’s magazine called direction (which then developed into FHM) and the love for exotic looking women. Today my photography is more concerned with society particularly in the cultural social war between western and African concerns. "

Conscious creativity. Artist Anthony Harmon's creates images of spirit and conciousness that inspires. Would make a great wall hanging.

link:

http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Consciousness-Series/91042

Hallo to you :)

Whether you just happened to find this entry or made a special trip, thank you for reading my blogs. I hope this blogging morphs into something even more inspiring next year and it still catches your attention.

This is the last blog entry of the year... well wishes to you and yours! We are off to drink copious amounts of 'Goats do Roam' red wine and loads of Norwegian potatoes and meat.

Oh! and of course learning to Ski.

See u fat and happy in the new year. :)

Mzansi.madame

You’ve been so busy holiday gift shopping and family planning that you’ve blown off your needs for weeks.

We hear a lot in magazines, on Oprah and from self-help books about rewarding ourselves. Every little goal we achieve is a step and one in the right direction thus worthy of a gift, especially for ourselves over this festive season.

The ‘big day’ is around the corner and as everyone will saying issuing well wishes, isn’t time you say ‘Merry Christmas to me!’. Mzansi madame has put together a collection of happy, summery gifts for you to reward yourself with, everything to spoil yourself from head to toe.
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1&2. Represent…

… good South African design and support the Beadworkz project in Kwazulu-Natal. They are strung with strong wool to prevent breakage and available in a rainbow of colours.

JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 15 — 24-year old Tatum Keshwar won the title of Miss South Africa 2008 during an event held in Johannesburg on December 15th.

Tatum, a professional model, was a contestant on the third season of the reality modeling competition Revlon Supermodel, which aired on SABC3 from November to December, 2007.

She stands 1.81 m tall and will represent South Africa at the Miss Universe 2009 and Miss World 2009 pageants.

Tatum has a Psychology Degree from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. She lives with her family in Durban and loves spending time in Florida Road, Morningside because there are so many great places to eat, catch up with friends and enjoy the sunshine.

written by Héctor Joaquín

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It was so good to discover a new face whilst browsing for 'stylish soul sisters'. The search lead me to Algebra Blesset's MySpace page. The page is home to the never heard of before Atlantan R&B solo artist and a good home it is. Algebra's page offers five soulful songs for you to croon to, just ignore the glaring neon pink background (cringe).
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Whilst enjoying her sound I browsed her pics folder and was inspired by her style. She goes from crazy butterfly Halloween diva costumes, to punk afrochic to 1950's glam easily. Her smile and demeanour reflect a genuine fun person, the sort of one you would love to get to know and have as a friend. All this topped with a great voice.

Their new ad-campaign gets a big thumbs up from Mzansi Madame because of the contemporary African feel and excellent photography and styling.

Vlisco is a producer of the fine West African fabrics that are becoming more and more popular with non-African designers. The company is situated in Netherlands of all places.

(Did you know this is where ShweShwe fabrics come from too? The Europeans made it, sold it to Africa then when it became the Shweshwe phenomenon it is today, the African designers sold it back to Europeans in the form of 'African fashion'.)

I don't know how to add links here yet, so you can find links on my blog page:
http://mzansi-madame.blogspot.com

It's been eight months since I left the sunny Durb's for snowy Oslo.

"Love can really do wonders" I think when slipping and sliding on icy Oslo streets. Sometimes I am ready to swap the Love Immigrant status for Lonely but lying on a beach and tan.
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"What am I doing here?" is also the question that crosses my mind with a guilty flash when winds of -7 try to freeze my nose off. Shockingly I find myself 'taking a walk' in this weather just to get outside flat. Cabin fever, big time. The sun rises at 10am, if you can call the grey gleam a sunrise, and sets at 3pm. By the time I get up to walk, the suns already set!

Well me and my frozen ND 10 toes keep thinking about the master plan and take heart. Mzansi Life, the Life of the South.
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The Best of South African Couture and Jewellery for Miss World 2008 Contestants
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Miss World 2008 is being held in South Africa this year. The event will take place on the 13th December 2008 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg................................................................................................

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The 1950´s, to my generation, exists merely for us to remember that someone famous came from there.

Movies, vintage posters and a great revival of the pin-up girl craze serve as plaques on which famous faces get to relive their lives in this age. Looking at these plaques closely though, I noticed a stamp in each corner... the American flag. I am not American, I want to know what was Africa doing at this time?

While Marilyn Monroe was scratching her Seven Year Itch, South Africa was experiencing apartheid, Africa was experiencing post-colonialism and generally had more important things to worry about. And worry is what people did. There was a chronic case of worrying. It was a plague that was spread by apartheid and oppression and of the many negatives symptoms that arose, one good thing did, Drum magazine.