Augmented Reality

This was a flyer used at our Design Indaba Expo 2013 stand, but why waste it on a one-time event when it's so cool. We can't deprive you of this pleasure. Go ahead, download the app. Follow the instructions at the bottom of the flyer back.(You need 2 devices for this. If you were there, it would have been 1 flyer and 1 device.)

Inspiration behind the Aluta Ring

“A luta continua” means “The struggle continues”. My reason for using these words is because we all have struggles, from acceptance to survival to self-love to the struggle against homophobia, xenophobia, classism or racism. By emblazoning these words on precious metal across your fingers, it serves as a solid reminder to never give up, to approach your every day’s struggles with zeal and a spirit of impending victory. 

It is also a reminder of others’ struggles, and our own awareness hereof increases within us an empathy, understanding and tolerance.

These words were the rallying cry of the FRELIMO movement during Mozambique’s war for independence, and has since been used in our own country’s history but also elsewhere. The slogan was printed on T-shirts worn by LGBT rights activists at the funeral of David Kato Kisule, a Ugandan teacher and LGBT rights activist, considered a father of Uganda's gay rights movement in Uganda in 2011. All this shows the power and far-reaching meaning of “A luta continua”.

2013 starts with a BANG

Hello hello hello.... and welcome to another year in Paradise....

The long and short of it, ladies and gentlemen, is that I am one of Design Indaba 2013's Emerging Creatives, and so will be exhibiting my wares this year. Just writing that sentence made my heart beat increase in tempo. Design Freakin' Indaba. One of my top events to attend every year, the one that is guaranteed to inspire me and assure me that I am indeed a creative. This is new ground. This is big. This is daunting. This is doable. This is mess-upable. This however should not be scary. This is 4 days. This is 5000 people. This is an opportunity I am grateful for and one I once thought was only a fantasy. This abso-fucking-lutely amazing. Well, I'm past the stressing and have long since put my big girl panties on and gotten into some project management and production.

Im not going to post any of my pieces in this post. For the debut, you will have to attend the Indaba. For those unfortunates who are unablle to, I will post some after the event is over, in March.....

Who knows what will come of this opportunity... Im most excited to see whether people will like our new range......

Until we meet again, lovelies... xxxx

Model/Designer/Client/CameraWoman

I just had to share this beautiful picture taken by my talented friend, Sara Chitambo. This woman is dangerous behind the camera. She commissioned this ring with me a few months ago.

Genuine Turquoise and Silver Ring by Jinn

Sara, rocking this Silver Necklace and Ring by Jinn 

...and that jumpsuit! I just loved the fabric's colour and print, and the tailoring was impeccable. Her design ,btw.

How Many Things Can You Change In 3 Months?

August – I started an inspiring, thought-provoking course at UCT GSB. Monday evenings are now the highlight of my week and I cannot begin to describe the growth path from then till now. I wont say much more on it but I will say this… One day, don’t believe anyone that says Jinn happened suddenly and its success is inexplicable. Paradigm shifts are happening, every Monday, from 6 to 9 and in my mind for the 6 evenings that follow.

Also changed my hairstyle. Total 180.

September – I moved into my first house! Two bedrooms, with a harbor view, wooden floors and high ceilings. I only just realized how much my spirit was stifled in my previous living box once I was out of it. I have set up my jewellery studio in one of the rooms. A home filled with beauty and inspiration is an absolute necessity. How did I ever live without?

October – I left the twenties! I'm officially 30 and threw a bangin’ houseparty.  The pics tell the thousand word story of the oodles of fun that was had that night. I am so blessed to be walking through my life with all these great people. Such powerful spirits!

Getting down

Vogue

I even got on the decks at one point and laid those ‘90s jams on thick like my dad’s sandwiches. A major highlight of the evening was when my dear friend, Nkoto, stood up and sang for me, impromptu, just after the toast. This woman brings fire.

Tears!

Here are the lyrics to the song she sang, from The Wiz, an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz:

Dorothy
If you believe
Within your heart
You'll know that no one can change
The path that you must go
Believe what you feel
And know you're right because
The time will come around
When you'll say it's yours

Believe there's a reason to be
Believe you can make time stand still
And know from the moment you try
If you believe
I know you will
Believe in yourself right from the start
You'll have brains
You'll have a heart
You'll have courage
To last your whole life through
If you believe in yourself
If you believe in yourself
If you believe in yourself
As I believe in you

If you believe
Within your heart
You'll know that no one can change
The path that you must go
Believe what you feel
And know you're right because
The time will come around
When you'll say it's yours

Believe that you can go home
Believe you can float on air
Then click your heels three times
If you believe 
Then you'll be there
That's why I want you to
Believe in yourself
Right from the start
Believe in the magic
Right there in your heart
Go ahead believe all these things
Not because I told you to
But believe in yourself
If you believe in yourself
Just believe in yourself
As I believe in you

Now those are words we should all live by.

My age, my stage, my location, my capabilities, Jinn's future, my hairstyle, my repertoire,  my level of daily contentment. 3 months. I am rollicking with excitement at the thought of what the next year holds.

Istanbul, where I left my heart

I haven’t written in forever, and now I have so much to say. Quality over quantity. One of life’s biggest lessons and one that eludes most. So, I recently went away on holiday. It was for a mere 2.5 weeks, but felt like a year. Maybe because I spent what I may have spent in a year were I to have remained in Cape Town. Maybe because I discovered, learnt and had the amount of revelations I would have had in a year were I to have remained at home. Maybe because for 2.5 weeks solid, I felt alive and hopeful, anticipating of tomorrow and thankful for the day. This is  how one should live! Should being the operative word. Most of our realities are not this way and we don’t take life seriously enough to accept nothing less. We should.

I spent 5 days in Istanbul. I travelled there alone. My best friend met me at the hotel and off we went for a 5 day shopping, discovering and learning experience...

Top 5 tips for travelers to Istanbul

-          Don’t eat at restaurants. They are unnecessarily overpriced. Go to the foodhall type spots. They have various hot meals and you can get a good balanced plate of local cuisine and a drink for under 10 lira (approx R46 at the current exchange rate). The food quality and taste is exactly the same as the restaurants, except these spots don’t serve wine This same plate, plus 2 glasses of wine will set you back 50 lira. Yes.

-          Buy a 10 trip travel pass. It will cover subway, ground rail and trams.

-          Don’t expect the taxi drivers to know street names. They will not and your charge will increase proportionally with his annoyance at not finding your destination. Go figure.


-          Do a cruise on the Bosphorus, but don’t opt for the sunset cruise. What they don’t tell you is that the boat stops at a random port for 2 hours. With nothing except a strip of restaurants to extort your cash, you will have to drop serious money on a mediocre meal and sour grape juice masquerading as wine, and come off feeling hard done by and stupid.


-          Don’t venture into a leather store at the Grand Bazaar until you have done some practice rounds of your bartering skills on smaller, much cheaper items. This way you will understand how they work. Generally you can get away with offering 60% of their initial asking price as your initial offer, then up it to 70-75% if he entertains that.

Istanbul had the prettiest handpainted ceramics, beautiful jewellery and stylish leather jackets. I had planned to buy 1 but walked out with two. See what happens when you are not a confidently seasoned barterer? Although Bestie assured me that our deal was good, my bargain-hunting spirit is still of the belief that we could have paid at least 20% less.

Precious and semi-precious stones go for a song, so dont be fooled by a price justification based on the stone featured in a piece. Ask about the metal used so that you don’t pay a price fitting of a sterling silver piece for some substandard metal.

Here are some photos of my Turkish treasures:

Coasters

Ruby bracelet with cubic zirconias and marquise cut ruby in sterling silver centre.

Rose gold plated sterling silver Hand of Fatima necklace

The Hand of Fatima (Fatima being the daughter of Mohamed) is believed to bring goodness, abundance, fertility, luck and good health and protect the wearer from evil forces.

Green and black onyx earrings

Pretty Precious Stones

I bought these stones on my last day there. Two labradorites, 2 green onyxes and a sapphire and ruby. Keep an eye out for their final resting places; one of a kind rings by Jinn at www.jinntrend.com.

What has been occurring...

So.... many...things...to...talk...about. First off, we had our first Pop Up at YMEWK market - This is the night market at the Labia on Orange. Admittedly I planned for it to be market research/exposure focussed, but it ended up being a really lucrative night! Also, Jinn got pulled into a shoot for the next day, and I almost could not believe it. The directive for the shoot was "Futuristic", which was right up our alley! All our simple, geometric designs were pulled in and from the sneekpeak I got, the geometric studs were mighty popular.

Here's to hoping it makes its way into a fab magazine (final destination is still under wraps but I will be sure to let yall know).

Then there was the Design Indaba. My soul always comes alive when I walk into the CTICC for this event every year. I love cruising the Emerging Creatives aisle especially. You will find some amazing work and even more amazing stories there. The best by far was definitely that of Songezo Baleni. This young man uses the grass weaving craft learnt as a child weaving baskets and applies it to his jewellery design skills acquired whilst studying at a Durban Tech to design and create absolutely magnificent pieces of fine jewellery. He uses very limited resources at home and gets quite creative in the method of processing the silver into wire for his weaving.Speaking with him was truly touching because although he was well aware and confident of his talent and future in jewellery design, he was also humble and sincere. I look forward to seeing this guy rise all the way to the top.

Whilst chatting away at the Design Indaba, I also managed to find studio space. Double freakn yay and a twirl from me! This has been quite a task. Having this new studio means that Jinn will be able to up production substantially and thus you, beautiful people, can look forward to easier access, not having to wait for markets or trips to Mememe Jhb.

And last but not least... We got our first fashion blog mention on Monday from Pessimiss. Check out how pretty our geometric studs look on this lady:-)

Ciao Ciao! Ps, if you have nothing to do and are in Jhb with money to spend, visit the Mememe page on Facebook to see our stock that arrived there last week.