Frisky Friday kittens.

I’m shooting with Sports Illustrated today – and I’m going to be arriving at the shoot in red socks.

Why red socks? Not because they go with everything… because they don’t….

but they do represent a number of things – red socks fridays is “a movement dedicated to making a difference, being passionate, inspiring others and being inspired, staying positive, remembering friends and expressing yourself!”

You can follow the red socks movement on twitter here or facebook here.

Red Socks Fridays was started by John McInroy

John likes his speedo. We forgive him because he looks delicious in it.

He is also (more importantly) a part of the Unogwaja Challenge:

Amazing right!?!?! Follow the challenge on twitter here: *click*

Facbook here: *click*

Twitter here: *click*

Or on their official page here: *click* where you can find all of the details

I’ll tell you more about them later – but in the mean time if you cycle – keep the Thursday the 24th May open – and ride the first 10km with the team I’ll be there. I hope to see you there… and if you can’t be there donate some of your money to these fabulous charities.

In the mean time have a frisky friday and hold thumbs for me for Sports Illustrated.

Thank you again to everyone who has supported me and got me into the finals in the first place.

All photographs by Robert Miller - who is a superstar photographer, master of light and in this case also space and time.

If you’re superstitious, you probably think Friday the 13th is a pretty unlucky day.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called Friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom “Friday” is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen)

The fear of zombies is called Kinemortophobia. (The fear of the undead.) or Necrophobia (the  Fear of death or dead things) or even Ambulothananatophobia (The irrational fear of the walking dead)

The fear of a beautiful woman is called: Venustraphobia

You don’t see the connection?

Watch this:

and then vote for me here: -> *click*

If you want to get brainy about the zombie metaphors saturating our screens at the moment read this article by Slavoj Zizek.

The backing track for the Zombie prowl/plants vs zombies frenzy is a remix of this song by EMP. Jo chopped and changed it for our purposes – she is beyond amazing – follow her on twitter here:  @editmonsta

A special thank you to Joanna Morton, Caryn Rippe, Darryn Ten, Ernst Heusser, Cara Morris, Kyle Giliam and Johan from Scar. Without you this video would have never been possible.

How to make Mojito Truffles.

You will need:

110g Chocolate – spend money here – the better the chocolate the better the truffles will be. Read the ingredients at the back and look for a slab with a high percentage of cocoa solids rather than a chemical blend of sugar and vegetable oil.

5Tablespoons of butter

170g icing sugar (sift it before you set it aside)

100ml ground almonds

2 egg yolks – the lethicin found in egg yolk is a binding agent that holds the truffle together.

25ml Bacardi Rum - (you can substitute for 25ml of another liquid if you avoid alchohol)

a drop or two of peppermint essence (again you could substitute)

a pinch of vanilla seeds

candied lime peel (zest the green part of the lime, roll in egg white then castor sugar then bake with a fan/oven door open on the low heat until the lime is candied.)

Things to dust your truffles in - such as grated chocolate, cocoa powder and ground almonds. Candied flowers make for pretty decoration.

Method:

1) In a double boiler/glass bowl placed over steaming pot melt the chocolate and butter together.

2) Remove from heat and add all other ingredients. Stir until combined.

3) Spread accross a plate to maximise cold air exposure and place in the fridge for about 2 hours (minimun 30minutes.)

4) Roll the truffles into balls, coat the outside with cocoa or mint leaves or whatever inspires you.

5) Share.

Easy huh?

So easy we took the opportunity to make this video to show you how:

Director/Camera/Editor: Joanna Morton @editmonsta www.joannamorton.tv

Domestic Goddess/Hair & Makeup/Wardrobe: Samantha Laura Kaye – @slkaye

PA/Script/Art Director/Food Stylist: Caryn Rippe aka Betty Sue
Thanks to Matt for keeping quiet during filming (most of the time) and Jodi for being super hot

I believe this makes me an excellent candidate for the new Sports Illustrated Swimwear Model.

The Marie Claire Naked issue is on the shelves. Its Sunday. Its early. There’s a picture of me inside it without any clothes on.

I look around, unable to escape the feeling that I am doing something naughty, and then proceed to the nearest cashier.

I can’t bring myself to open it in the store. The average age of the sunday afternoon CV shopper seems unlikely to appreciate the inevitable flash of skin as I page through the 31 naked South Africans.

It takes me 8minutes (guesstimate) to find my car in the parking lot (40% full.)

Instead of looking for a silver GTI I was thinking – ****OH MY GOD I’M NAKED IN A NATIONAL MAGAZINE – why did I do that? – why just after I’d finished starring in my first short film in London, when I’d just moved back to Cape Town and overindulged in chocolate and champagne whilst I holidayed from my exercise routine over a wedding and the festive season did I think it was a good idea to do my first ever NUDE SHOOT? … its probably not so bad… its probably the size of a postage stamp – we’re more “weblebrities” than “celebreties… people won’t really be able to see my breasts – it’s Marie Claire… they’ll hide them somehow – god I hope my posture is ok.. I wonder where they cropped the image..Where’s my car? and why are there so many car guards following me? ****

I find my car. I rip it open. Locnville are up first, I turn the page, WHAM.

*blush* I slam the magazine shut and look around to check nobody’s looking (rational brain shut down around 10 minutes ago) – I peel back the pages to reveal a full A4 page of a very naked Sean, Sam and Dylan.

Shoh! I’m very naked. I’m very curvy. I page through to look at the other photographs.

Nobody else seems to look quite so naked. I flip back. I’m still there. It’s an A4. I try to breathe slowly.

I tell myself; ”There’s nothing to be done but to hold your head high at this point,” I think to myself: “People may judge you, people may make fun of you – but the only person who it is really important to NOT let down is yourself – and worrying about the December ‘muffin’ you cultivated (and lost again by February) when this entire campaign is about people who are permanently scarred and judged on their imperfections daily is quite frankly disappointing Samantha”

I stop. I blush. I am no longer ashamed of my physical imperfections, but rather of my mental ones. How could I be so caught up in worrying about a bump or a curve when there are people with serious scarring all over their bodies? I decide to try to care less about superficial judgements and instead focus on what I have to be grateful for. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for the sex appeal I posses despite my “flaws” but above all I am grateful for this amazing opportunity – and huge honor – and most importantly  - valuable lesson.

Marie Claire’s 2012 Naked issue is in aid of the Southern African Burn Foundation.

You can find out more and make a donation to the foundation here: *click*

Every little bit helps.

Photographer: Richard Keppel-Smith

Left to right: Sean of MyCityByNight, Sam of SamanthaLauraKaye.com and Dylan of Life is Savage.

Alterations done with an iPad, ribbon and Instagram.

As many of you know I was fortunate enough to work with Rick Nunn for a couple of days in 2011. After shooting “White in the Woods” we got onto something creative and attempted “Little Red.” Rick burgled his parent’s house for the basket, rented the cape from a local fancy dress shop, and I put together the rest with a little help from my theatrical wardrobe.

Rick shot the first three digitally – and the rest on expired film which is what caused the unusual colour tones and grain on the later images.

The first image above is my favorite – which is yours?

So those were the digital… but Rick also shot this on FILM with his Canon 1V-hs with the Canon EF 135mm F/2.0 L on expired Fuji X-tra ISO400 (which is where these amazing tones come from).

Photographer: Rick Nunn

Model: Samantha Laura Kaye

Hair and Makeup: Samantha Laura Kaye

Shot on location in the Lincoln Woods in 2011

Putting on false eyelashes in the woods - as you do.

Rick Nunn (of the internet) shot these photos for me in Lincoln Forest. I got bitten a countless number of times by midges or mozzies or whatever lives out there, but the images were worth it.

My favorite from the shoot, my agency have used this image in my modeling portfolio. Love the mood. Good work Rick.

My Agency also really like this headshot Rick took of me. Its a strange angle, but its nice and fresh.

• You can see this photo (and some of the others) much much bigger on Rick’s Flickr.
• You can also check out Rick’s website here and you can like his facebook page here.
• I have a facebook page too… these images were up there months ago. Like it here.

Photographer: Rick Nunn

Model, hair, makeup and wardrobe: Samantha Laura Kaye

Dress by Bershka.

Shot on location in the Lincoln Woods in 2011.

Beautiful as underwater and artistically driven images are, and as much as lingerie shows off the female form, my agency felt clients would feel more comfortable with the sexy and creative being diluted a little with some “digestible” and “normal” lifestyle images.

“Girl in jeans in street, girl hailing cab, lady being domestic with cookies or something” were the words my booker left me with to guide the direction of the test shoots I was likely to encounter whilst abroad.

These shots Rick took of me in the street, with unbrushed hair, minimal makeup and the very simple wardrobe of jeans and a vest turned out exceptionally well and my agency love them. *insert happy face*

Delicious coffee featured above is from Coffee Aroma.

Rad huh?

If you’re still hungry for more images you should go take a look at Rick’s Flickr. otherwise stop in here again over the next few days as I post the rest of the images that we shot together.

Photographer: Rick Nunn

Model, Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe: Samantha Laura Kaye

I feel like I inhaled November, like it played a trick on me, tapping me on the shoulder only to run away when I turned around.

November took me from England to Cape Town, reunited me with old friends, showed me a taller version of my baby sister, marked the date two of my favourite people got married and challenged me in a myriad of ways – showing me vulnerabilities I had almost convinced myself I no longer posessed.

I meant to blog… I had so much to say… but when one is still in the midst of unpacking, living out of bags and wandering from open window to open window a la stray cat it can be difficult to find the time to venture out in search of the internet.

You heard me correctly. Aside from the 3G on my now lost iPhone4S I have been living mostly without wifi for the last month. This has definitely aged me in stress and provoked comfort eating.

Soon I shall re-unite with the land of wifi at home. I have pictures and stories. I’ll bring you up to date before we head into the throws of New Year and I disappear somewhere into the mountains or forests of unblogability to welcome the new year.

November sunset - taken with an iPhone4S

Until then… go be nice to someone. It’s easy to drag people down, but the world would all be an easier place if we went out of our way to be the sunshine in someone else’s day. Corny… but surely you have no right to be angry with the world unless you are the change you want to see, the person you want to meet.

Yours in hopeful optimism. Sleepy Cat.