Celebrate the chef in you this MAY (2011)



Basic 4 compartment shape



This month we celebrate the chef in you !!  Spoil yourself or the ones you love with a wonderful custom designed spicebasket for the table - made to your colour specifications and support a great local craft initiative to boot !! :)

First step is to choose between the basic 4 or 6 compartment basket.  important -  trace the bottom of the bottles you want to put on the table on a piece of paper before popping in to place your order (don't worry if you forget - we have a range of basic spice / sauce bottles at the studio for you to look at) - we want you to be 100 % happy with your basket !

 Next step is to choose the colours you want from the wide range we have in the studio.  We will bead the basket corners and the handle in matching or contrasting colours. Fun design elements like a spiral or heart could also be added. And there you have it - a wonderful spice basket for your table !!!  All this for only R95-00 each OR order two and pay only R75-00 each

With all the yummy olives from the region and at our farmers markets we thought to add the olive spoon to this months special.

This wonderful design allows for the fluid to drain and can scoop up as many as three olives at a time.  For this month only we will add fun beaded detail to the handle in the colours of your choice at no extra charge.

Olive spoons are only R20-00 each

Deli's and retailers - please ask about our packaging options !!!

 Last and by no means least are the wonderful Madiba Aprons.

Connie has designed and created them in a wide range of colours.  Strong, comfortable and easy to wash - they are the perfect chef's accessory.

For May these limited edition Madiba Fabric Apron's are only R95-00 each

For more information or to order please visit our studio at

Mimosa House, 10 Mimosa Street, Old Hermanus Industrial Area or call 073-231-7445

Directions to the studio:  Turn at the Caltex Garage on Main Rd down into the industrial area.  Pass SupaQuick on your right.  At Davidsons Boards on your left the road makes a curve to the right.  Pass Snuffels on your left (you are now on Mimosa Street) and staying on the same road (Minosa Street) look for the double story grey building on the left side of the road (opposite Alex Upholstery) with the large South African Flag waving hallo on the roof   This is Mimosa House - we are in the left corner studio.  Parking in front of the studio.

Drive safe - see you soon !!

Ghetto Wire @ the little shoppe

Buying a wire and bead flower or keyring at the robot has long been part of the commutor experience in South Africa.  In the last 10 years wire and bead creations have become part of our everyday. 

However in the last 5 years this art form has taken the world by storm.  Exported to the corners of the world, from London to Moscow, wire is making itself know as an art form that is here to stay. 

Meet our local lads - Farayi Mukonde and Bongani Chenera.  Partners in the Ghetto Wire studio of THE LITTLE SHOPPE AND STUDIO they have shaped and plastered just about anything you can imagine out of galvanised wire.  From key rings to a 2m giraffe, life size warthog and 2m x 2m wall map for the Cape Whale Coast DMO stall - they do it all !! 

Their studio is open from Monday to Friday 9 - 5 and Sat 10 - 1.  If you have an idea, pop in for a cup of coffee or tea and a creative brainstorming session. And if you should ask them if it's possible, you'd probably hear something along these lines:  "of course, anything is possible.... somethings just take a little longer.  Sit down, let's hear what you're thinking..."

White Plastic.... lights from milkbottles

One of the great fun things we do it to design and produce product from discarded items.

Milkbottles are the current materials we are working with and we LOVE the effect.

The bottles are collected and cleaned, cut into pieces and sprayed with a soft lavender water.

They are then hand cut into flowers of all sizes.  This is what makes each one SO unique, no two will ever be exactly the same :)

Lampshades are either recycled, hand shaped / welded to fit your specifications, old base.

The lining is knitted with a soft wire, and beads added to the wire gives the light

a shine on the inside as the beads sparkle.

Each flower is attached with a bead and piece of wire to the lining and VOILA... the most delightful effect where the flowers overlap and create textured shadows.

To order yours or to attend a creativity workshop to learn how to make your own - drop us a line or pop in at the studio for a brainstorm / creativity planning session

Love and Light xx

time to introduce ourselves

Welcome to our blog !!  Here we hope to share with you the magic of what happens in our studio.  We are a vibrantly creative craft initiative based in the industrial area of the beautiful town Hermanus.  We are inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us, the incredible creatures where share this place with and all the wonderful people who are all part of this village (visitors and residents alike)

Our goals and focus are all based on creating sustainable income for all involved in our project, through creative design in wire, fabric, mixed media and recycled materials.

We share what we learn and do in creativity workshops for all ages and are activily involved in developing product and skills for those without the means to do so!

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments, ideas and inspirations, to spending time with you in the creative zone

Love and light to us all

Excitement as our stock leaves for Vienna

There was great excitement in the studio as the stock for Vienna left today. This is the second international show that we are part of and we are thrilled. Our stock is part of a group of artists and crafters whose work showcases the beauty of South Africa as a travel destination. Makhaya is an organisation who has successfully hosted the Africa Village in countries such as Serbia and Austria with the goal of promoting South Africa and the product of local crafters.

It was a tight deadline and the crew pulled out all the stops!! There really is no limit to what they are able to do with wire.... like Bongani says "Nothing is impossible, some things just take longer"

Visit our Facebook page: Little Shoppe for more pictures.