The Crafty Crow is having a virtual world tour this month, you have to stop by and look at it!!! With a goal to writing a post on a local craft we went on a quest, photographing street art wherever we visited this past week. Now street art here is bright, colorful and mostly recycled. It is made from very easy to find materials, how often I have thought – I wish I had thought of that!!! So here you go a photographic tour of street crafts:
Our street art really goes beyond postcards and t-shirts!!!
There are vendors on almost every corner and this is where you learn the masterful art of bartering. Heckling to take their photographs and more important paying in cans of Coke (mid-summer currency) to take photographs of their merchandise. Mostly wire and beads. There is metal and creatures made out of soda cans, there is a reason for their currency!!!
And you have to love the beaded bowls:
We couldn’t find all the crafts we were looking for, they are seasonal and trendy, a craft you loved last week might well be so last week and so not on this weeks street corner. So we headed for a store that sells street crafts in Noordhoek Farm village… and has so much variety that you could probably spend a year there and still find new products to oooh and aaah over…
This man was fabulously friendly – offered the opportunity to photograph his products and entertained the kids while I photographed away. Not to mention letting eight kids loose with his merchandise and then being kind enough to let us test drive.
Instruments:
Beads:
Vehicles:
And more…
And this is what my kids loved on the day – pull the string and the arms and legs fly!!!
We had to take these two home with us:
That’s it… Hope you enjoyed our whirlwind tour!!!
Your post made me feel very ‘Proudly South-African!’
The African Experience shop is AWESOME! I bought 90% of our Xmas gifts for overseas family and friends in there, and every one was a huge hit!
Hay K, I have shopped there forever too!!! Buy always left the kids with the father person in the play park too terrified to let them venture into all those touchables… Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!!! The father person was at work and I had a task to perform!!! In we went… They had a total blast in such a friendly shop!!! Lovely!!! Hope you have a good week!!!
Se7en! Discovered a blog and just cannot remember if you have discovered and mentioned it yourself, but when I came across it I couldn’t help but think of you 😉
check it out: http://orgjunkie.com/
Hi Mliss, Just love the OrgJunkie!!! Have a great week!!!
I would go CRAZY with that much vibrant and gorgeous COLOR!
Thanks for showing us all the really neat stuff! I love looking at all the wonderful crafts!
Hi there KM, Glad you liked our bright and beautiful world!!! Loved your Jump/Joy we all need to be reminded that we have a champion!!! Hope you guys have a great week!!!
Hi B, Glad you liked the crafty goodies!!! Hope you have a fabulous week!!!
so beautiful! what a lovely adventure to have close to you (I would have to leave my wallet at home bc wow so many gorgeous textures and colors!)
Hi S, Learning to live with temptation on every corner, at every stop light!!! Have a great week!!!
We ARE blessed, aren’t we?
I bought loads of those sugar spoons with beaded handles as gifts for overseas visits – they are small, easy to transport and USEFUL. And our friends will think of us every time they have a cup of tea 🙂
Hi L, Our country sure has a lot of creative people!!! I also post spoons all over the show!!! Have a good day!!!
Thanks for great story and details of Tom and his shop! Funnily enough Tom is the March personality at Noordhoek Farm Village!!! Check out his story here.
http://noordhoekvillage.co.za/blogs/noordhoekevents/archive/2010/03/09/village-personality-for-the-month-of-march-tom-scholtz.aspx
Not sure if your readers know that every Saturday morning between 10.30am and 12.30pm there are free kids activities at the bandstand at Noordhoek Farm Village. There are various themes but all with an educational and environmental slant, getting the kids to interact and learn through creative play. And it really is FREE!
Thanks Sally for all the information!!! We have had such fun at Noordhoek farm village lately we blogged about breakfast there as well!!! So I hope you enjoy rave reviews!!!! Have a good day!!!
These images are truly inspiring. I’m always on the hunt for new art lessons and your photos are wonderful. Just love the puppets!
Thanks
Hi PP, I am so glad you enjoyed our street tour!!! Thanks so much for stopping by to comment!!! I love browsing through your art lessons, your students sure look like they have a lot of fun!!! Have a good week…
I was given your site as a suggestion for craft ideas for my family-based geography project called Travel on Tuesday. (we are “traveling” to South Africa this week) I love this post and will use your photos as inspiration! Thank you!
Hi Irene, Thanks so much for stopping by… Hope you have a wonderful “trip”!!!
Love the beaded animals, soda can animals and the beaded flowers!