Lifestyle Guide with Zina

• 1 espresso shot

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract

• 250 ml almond milk

• 20 g melted chocolate

• 1 single shot of Stillhouse coffee liqueur

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 dried orange slice

• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

• Orange zest

• Whipped cream

1. Heat the almond milk until it is almost boiling.

2. Next, melt the chocolate in the microwave for 20 seconds.

3. Mix the melted chocolate in a pretty mug with the espresso shot, cinnamon extract, maple syrup and coffee liqueur.

4. Pour over the hot almond milk and stir well.

5. Add as much whipped cream to the top as you like and sprinkle over some orange zest.

6. Decorate with a dried orange slice and cinnamon stick.

7. Merry Christmas!

My name is Martina Margarethe, but you can call me Tina. I’m originally from the Cape countryside in South Africa and currently reside in Windhoek, Namibia. Here I do life as a wife, a full-time mom and part-time illustrator. I enjoy a good cup of coffee, flowers make me happy, running gets my heart rate going, and I absolutely love quality time with my family.

I started art classes at the age of seven and still remember well how I always hung out in the paper and pen aisle (I had a whole collection of milky pens, and it was never enough). I often doodled in my free time and in retrospect it became a prominent thread throughout my creative life.

From doing textile design at school, to studying fashion design, to running an ice cream business and finally realising what I truly want to pursue, I took the leap and started MM Illustrations in 2017.

As an illustrator I am in a constant process of development and exploring different ideas, techniques and mediums. I started out with my ‘natural habitat’ which was hand-drawn fine line artworks in black and white, but a while ago I successfully added colour and gouache paint to my repertoire. I now enjoy working with colour and feel I have a good grasp of what works and what doesn’t. My inspiration comes from my faith, seasons of life I go through, sentiment and nostalgia, all things pleasant, botanicals and the rhythm of patterns and lines.

I have a few favourite pieces, but I’ll single out two from my latest work. Firstly, Where the Mountains Flourish for its sheer abundance and sense of joy. Also, because of the honour of it being chosen to feature in a locally designed South African planner. Secondly, Swakop se Klippies as it evokes nostalgic memories of collecting beach pebbles, and because of its abstract feel and the beautiful matte finish of the paint.