• Home
  • Food & Drink
    • Wine News
  • Explore
  • Lifestyle
    • Roses For Thorns
  • Parenthood
    • What Rosie Says
  • Rosie Loves
  • About me
    • Work with me
    • Press/Features
    • Photography

Rose and Thorns

Explore

A snapshot of England

Photography

Flashes of Light Workshop 2019

Food & Drink

The Bosch Cooking Experience

Explore, Parenthood

What to pack when flying with a toddler &/or a baby

My girls Love..., Parenthood

Baby-led weaning made easy with Tommee Tippee

Explore

Wind down at Windfall Guest Cottages

  • Explore

    A snapshot of England

    If you’ve been following me on Instagram you’ll know that we spent June in my beautiful homeland and I…

    July 27, 2019
  • Photography

    Flashes of Light Workshop 2019

    I am still riding high on a serious case of workshop euphoria and I’m not sure when the buzz…

    May 28, 2019
  • Food & Drink

    The Bosch Cooking Experience

    Last weekend, I spent the afternoon with some amazing mommy bloggers to experience the cooking courses that the BSH…

    May 16, 2019
  • Explore, Parenthood

    What to pack when flying with a toddler &/or a baby

    Every year, we sell an organ (this year, it’s my left kidney) to afford the tickets to take us…

    May 14, 2019
  • My girls Love..., Parenthood

    Baby-led weaning made easy with Tommee Tippee

    Stop press! Our household has had a complete revelation and it comes in the form of an electrical appliance…

    March 14, 2019
  • Explore

    Wind down at Windfall Guest Cottages

    Planning a getaway with the family is usually pretty chaotic in terms of trying to find somewhere that’s the…

    March 4, 2019
  • My girls Love..., Parenthood

    Rhodes Squish – healthy food for busy little ones

    Rhodes Squish is not only one of the most popular children’s pureed food brands in South Africa, but it’s…

    February 25, 2019
  • Lifestyle

    Pulse Dermatology & Laser Review

    I got myself a gentle facial peel to uplift my mom face and I LOVED IT! Finally, Januworry is…

    February 19, 2019
  • My girls Love..., Parenthood

    Win with Pure Beginnings

    Do you know what you’re putting on your kid’s skin? Pure Beginnings does and they are celebrating over 10…

    February 18, 2019
  • Lifestyle

    Rose & Thorns is voted Photographic Blog of 2018!

      I’m incredibly thrilled, and grateful, that this lovely little blog of mine won in the category of Best…

    February 3, 2019
Older Posts

Hello!

Hello!

I'm Shante Hutton, mother to two wonderful girls, Rosie and Cece. Welcome to my lovely (and raw) world of parenting, food, wine, travel and British sarcasm.

See what you’ve missed

  • A snapshot of England
  • Flashes of Light Workshop 2019
  • The Bosch Cooking Experience
  • What to pack when flying with a toddler &/or a baby
  • Baby-led weaning made easy with Tommee Tippee

Let’s get social

Lovely Links

Recommended by CapeTownInsider

Find a post

Want to know more?

  • About me
  • Photography
  • Press/Features
  • Work with me

Statistically Speaking

  • 19,911
  • 888,777
  • 181,086

FOLLOW ME @ INSTAGRAM

  • At the beginning of the week I shared that I was going through a small dip - when depression knows your postal code it can become easier to see when he starts circling the block, holding a casserole that you know tastes like regret and chopped liver; As soon as I feel his foot on the driveway I start running through everything that could be making me feel like a bag of turds. This time, it's the distance from my family and the knowledge that my Grandpa, the sweetest man, has been given days to live. The cancer isn’t retreating. And I'm not there. . I am not there. . Sure, he's 93. He's an actual legend - 90+ is an amazing age...but it doesn't feel enough. . . And it’s also the workload/family life balance. Impostor Syndrome. People stealing my sunshine and trying to sell me their clouds. Women belittling other women. Someone telling me that I'm a consumer sell-out. It all adds up to this muddy puddle of feeling like a failure...because in this world, what's worse than being seen to be defeated, to be seen as an emotional wreck? . . But this is not a post about my feelings. This is actually a post to say thank you to all of you who gave me so much love and support. Over 80% of you I have never seen face-to-face but you always show up when it matters the most and that is why folks can stick their "Instagram is all about sponsored posts" bull up their Grand Canyon. I don't have the space to name each person who made me tear up but I hope you know who you are, I hope you know that I see you and even If I'm crap at sharing my feelings and saying thank you most days, I appreciate your words and love. . . . . #raisingthefuture #documentyourdays #lovingtheordinarymoments #everythingtribe #photosinbetween #inspiremyinstagram #thatauthenticfeeling
  • I often get asked whether it’s difficult to photograph my kids together and I like to answer that with my own question “is it difficult to put tights on an octopus?” . . By photo 3 you can see that Cece was just not feeling the golden rays of joy but I still wanted to show you the realness of this shoot...and to show off that Rosie was a total star. She tried to kiss Cece till she stopped crying, which didn’t have quite the desired affect. But she danced around these fields like she was an actual piece of gold dust - what a privilege it is to watch her shine - check out my stories for more pics of her . . . . These dresses are the new Cece frill dress from @dandylionkids It hasn’t launched yet, when it does, you’re gonna wanna stop whatever you’re doing and order. On the loo? Penguin waddle to your PC or phone! Mid sex? Close those legs and open that wallet! 😌😆 . . . #motherhoodlens #littlefierceones #click_vision #makeportraits #canolafields #colorsplash #botanicaldreamers #clickinmoms #mygirls #motherofdaughters #toddlerfashionista
  • “Sorry I can’t come to the phone right now, I’m currently embracing my inner schmodel.” . . Okay, so we’ve all had days where we’ve thought we were the bee’s knees, but I don’t think I’ve ever looked this good. Over the weekend, before Cece got hit in the face with full-blown plague, I took the girls to the canola fields in Durbanville and snapped some pics. It was like capturing pure sunshine...helped in part by the most beautiful @dandylionkids dresses that were gifted to us. Prepare to see A LOT of yellow/mustard photos (#sorrynotsorry ) on my feed for the rest of the week - they are too special not to share . . . . . #prettylittlething #clickinmoms #motherhoodlens #featuremama #memoirsofmotherhood #momswithcameras #makeyousmile #spring #colorinspiration
  • Before Cece (or even Rosie) went to creche, I would look back over my day and wonder what the actual puck did I do? Where did the time do? Can I really whittle down my day into 3 categories: - Kid’s snack biatch, - Nappy changes - Nap time aid And now, even though they are both out of the house for a large portion of the day, I still feel like I'm not achieving enough. . Some evenings (most evenings) when I’ve put the girls to bed, I feel consumed with a deep loathing of how little I seem to be able to do in 24 hours. I have so much I want to get done, so many items left unchecked on my daily list. . . Re-doing the girl’s bedroom was one of them - Rosie got to choose this beautiful bedding from @linen_house (It’s fresh - girly but not twee - and reversible) and I had all these plans to redo their shared space - I wanted to hang more photos (except someone needs to help me buy the right frames this time😆), I was going to get Mr H to build a bookcase...I was going to....I was going...I was... . . Guess what, I’m nowhere close to finishing anything and it's all been put on hold since Rosie hardly sleeps in her room anyway. But, at least we have this beautiful bedding as a beacon of decor-hope - it has been vomited on, weed on (we still haven't mastered the late-night toilet run) and each time I put it on a high-heat wash it remains looking beautiful. They say that’s the mark of great bedding, right? Now if someone could give me 10 more hours so I could actually finish their bedroom in the day, that would be great🙆🏻‍♀️ . . . . . #tradeexchange #myunicornlife #lifecolorfully #familyprojects #dailyparenting #honestlyparents #parenthood_unveiled #parenthood_moments #ourcandidlife #parentinglife #parentinghumor #parentingblogger
  • 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙 . . It’s been a weird few days. Though I’ve been busy with photoshoots and spending time with family that I love, I’ve felt strangely subdued. News from England has been bad and right now I’m battling against raging anger, denial and despondency and everything feels grey. To top it all, because you can never just have one emotional dip, Cece has a raging fever and is super low and Rosie is super clingy and with family staying on top of that, I have zero space which is actually giving me minor panic attacks. . . BUT, I’ve got this guy here who keeps me together - who looks at me like I’m still the best thing he’s ever seen, makes the greatest coffee every morning, and who pulls a ridiculously hilarious frog face whenever I need to crack a smile (I should secretly record it one day and share, it’s magical). So forgive me, this is not my usual onslaught of sarcasm, but regular broadcasting should return soon. . . That dress... @dandylionkids - obviously. . . . . #babygirl #enchantedchildhood #littlemomentsofhappiness #toddlerhood #lovelifeoutside #whatevertheweatherkids #worldoflittles #raisingthoserascals #livethelittlethings #RSlove #keepitwild #morningslikethese
  • Oh hey lovely local brands and businesses, we see you, doing your thing, pouring your heart into making awesome products. We love what you do and what you stand for and we’d really like to help you showcase your creations in the best way possible with a personally-styled product shoot. . . Myself and @tapestry_ct offer wonderful product photography and currently have 5 session spots available (at a discounted price) to assist you in telling the story and heart of your brand through imagery. . . Pop either of us a DM to find out more or check out our highlights reel. I believe this is ideal for businesses creating confectionary, baby clothing and accessories, jewelry, drinks, ceramics, skin care, beauty, toys...well, the list is endless . . . #entrepreneurmind #entrepreneurspirit #beyourownboss #boss #bossbabe #bosschic #branding #businessowner #creativentrepreneur #digitalmarketing #createyourlife #dreamjobmakers #smallbusinessowner #productphotography #localislekker
  • This is not the cutest outfit in the world...this is just a tribute. . . Pic 1: "Got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good soul in my feet...” might need to freestyle a few breakdancing moves here Pic 2: "Oooh damn this tune is the biz...the music got me like woooaaah" Pic 3: "Damn it, I've been caught on camera by that woman again" Pic 4: "Can't get no peace in this family, bloody peasants!" . . . . #thousandwords, #photographysouls, #pursuitofportraits, #makeportraits #momswithcameras, #nothingisordinary, #motherhoodrising
  • “Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak, you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind” . . Am I that extra that to celebrate extraordinary women of both past and present I would actually dress up like one of my heroes? Yes, yes I am. If you haven’t guessed by the face or the quote, I’m embodying Queen Elizabeth I. Why? Because she was so freakin badass - a pillar of power in a male-dominated world that demanded that even though she was Queen and sovereign, that she should throw that away to be married to someone who would reign over her. No thank you, Sir. She has long been a historical figure of interest and she brought peace and prosperity to the country...and such wit and sarcasm. . . Whilst I believe in celebrating the past, noting the incredible efforts and sacrifices of the generations before me, I don’t believe in hanging onto it as a measure of “look how far we’ve come” - when we do this, it gives way to the dangerous narrative of not seeing what still needs to be done. This past week has continued to show the uneven playing field of both sexes...but it also gives us the option to step up and defend, support and uphold our fellow women. I know so many of you, true Queens, who have been through so much and I want to thank you for being so open about your experiences. So, to celebrate this legend and you who share your heart on a daily basis, I'd love to know which women, historical and/or now, that you admire using the hashtag #longmayshereign . . I’m tagging 5 people (one of whom is going to hate this) because I feel like they might also be a bit extra and go ovaries-to-the-wall in sharing their hero...I hope so @caffeineandfairydust @choosearow @raising.k.squared @mindthecurvesza @her.scattered.petals . . Let's see them warrior women! . . . Ps: it’s amazing what you can do with a tablecloth and @skoon.skincare enzyme exfoliating face mask 😆 #womenwholead #womensmonth #portraits_ig #history
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Google Plus
Rose and Thorns

© 2018 Rose and Thorns. All Rights Reserved.

Back to top