sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 10 May - August 2015
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Inside: Playing with cardboard Make a leather bag DIY cushions & decorating Handmade honey soap Crochet bunting & flowers Delicious sweet treats www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Issue 10
May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving Issue 10
May - August 2015
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sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 10
May - August 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
From the editor We’re heading into winter right now, which means out with the swim suits and shorts and in with the woollies and longs. And the bright colours. At least, I like to surround myself with bright colours over winter to brighten the dull days, both in clothes and flowers. In particular, I love pansies. These cool-weather blooms provide a vibrant bouquet of flowers all through winter, both in the garden and indoors in a vase. Pansies are so easy to grow, and you can use them to decorate cakes and scones and all things delicious. You can also crystallise them as you do violets with egg white and sugar. Be inspired by the many ways you can use pansies on page 6. Then be inspired by our Sweet Treats (starting on page 9), our projects for the Handmade Home (learn how to make a gorgeous shirred, heart-shaped cushion and how to make a plane from a cardboard box!) and the beautiful gifts in our Handmade Gifts section. In the latter section you can make beautiful-smelling soaps, clay flowers, a gorgeous crocheted fuchsia bookmark and a leather bag. I’ve made a couple of leather bags with this method in bright colours – a hot pink and a shade of turquoise. No dull days for me! Colour your winter with sweet treats, crafts and DIYs, and turn the winter blues into lift-me-up, jewel-toned winter hues.
Jane www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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contents 6
4 ways with... pansies
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Sweet treats
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Grow pansies and use them for floral displays – and for eating! Recipes for cakes, tarts, cookies, cinnabons and more.
Handmade home Quick decorating techniques and chic recycled décor for the modern home.
Handmade gifts
Stuck for gift ideas? Be inspired by these beautiful handmade creations for friends and family.
Backyard sustainability
Grow your own fresh produce. Growing tips, plus seasonal recipes.
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Contacts www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Editor: Jane Wrigglesworth Designer: Geoff Fitzpatrick, grafix@fitzi.co.nz Editorial enquiries: jane@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Advertising enquiries: admin@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Readers’ tips: tips@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Join us on Facebook
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4 ways with‌ Grow your own pansies and use them for floral displays – and for eating!
Pansies are easy to grow, even for the novice gardener. They grow well in the cooler months of the year, providing vibrant colour in the garden in autumn, winter and spring. Although they have short stems, they make beautiful posies for gifts or for the smaller vase indoors. Plant your pansies in moist, fertile soil in full sun or partial shade. They love compost and blood and bone, so dig this into your soil before planting. Remove the dead flower heads regularly to keep your plants in constant bloom.
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Eating your pansies Pansies have a very mild minty flavour, so they work well with savoury or sweet dishes. Place them on top of crackers smeared with cream cheese, use them in green salads, or decorate cakes with them. Johnny-jump-up, or heartsease (Viola tricolor), which look very similar to pansies, are edible too. They have a slightly sweeter taste. • Pick flowers in the cool of the day, after the dew has evaporated. Place in a small vase or jar with water and keep in a cool environment. Use flowers within a few hours. • Choose flowers that are newly opened. Flowers that are past their prime will have diminished flavour and fragrance. • Just before using, wash flowers gently in cold water and pat dry on absorbent paper.
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sweetliving Issue 10
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Sweet treats
Love entertaining? Choose one of our sweet treats to impress your guests.
A floral tribute
Beautify your cupcakes with an exquisite sugar paste rose. It’s not as hard as it looks, but do set aside some time to practise. Watch this video tutorial to find out how to do it. For an even quicker method, click here to watch this video.
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Plum and custard tart The custard and plum combo in this recipe is divine. Use fresh or tinned plums for an all-year-round treat. Recipe on page 18.
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Sweet treats
Upside-down apple cake We love upside-down cakes, and this one is easy to make and super delish! It’s a great way to use up your homegrown apples. Recipe on page 18.
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Apple rose pastries A quick and easy – and beautiful – treat for guests. Serve at dinner parties, or even kids’ parties. Recipe on page 18.
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Sweet treats
Chocolate pear tarts These decadent chocolate tarts are enhanced with lemon and cinnamon soaked pears. Perfect for special occasions. Recipe on page 18.
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Raspberry cheesecake This cheesecake is super easy to make and can be made with fresh or frozen raspberries. Recipe on page 18.
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Sweet treats
Monte creams Traditional monte creams are filled with raspberry jam, but we’ve used fresh raspberries in our creamy filling instead. It has a delicious fresh flavour, which pairs well with the custard cookies. Recipe on page 18.
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Cinnabons
Yolanda Bonfrer’s recipe for these Dutch cinnamons are simply to die for. We can’t get enough of them, and we guarantee you won’t either. Recipe on page 18.
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Sweet treats
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Sweet treats recipes
Free
d nloa dow eats
et tr ALL swe s here recipe
Plum and custard tart
Ingredients • Walnut pastry (recipe below) • 800g (1 ¾ pound) tin plums, drained • 1 large egg • ½ cup granulated sugar • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ cup low-fat milk Pastry • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour • ¼ cup walnuts • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar • Pinch salt • 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced • 1 egg yolk • 2-3 tablespoons iced water 1. Make pastry. Place flour, walnuts, sugar and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Process until walnuts are finely chopped. Add diced butter and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and water and mix until a dough forms. 2. Remove dough from food processor, roll into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 190 deg C (375 deg F). Grease a 23cm (9 inch) tart pan and line with baking paper. 4. Cut drained plums into thick slices. Set aside to drain further. 5. Roll out pastry into a circle. Line the prepared pan with it, pressing the pastry onto the base and sides. Blind bake for 20 minutes. 6. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolk, sugar, flour and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. 7. After blind baking, pour the custard into the pastry base. Push the plum slices in a single layer into the custard. 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the custard is set. Serve at room temperature. Page 18
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Upside-down apple cake Topping • ¾ cup granulated sugar • ¼ cup water • 3 medium sized cooking apples, peeled and sliced Cake • 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder • ¼ teaspoon salt • 50g butter, softened • ⅔ cup granulated sugar • 2 large egg yolks • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ cup milk • 3 large egg whites 1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C (350 deg F). Grease a 17cm x 26cm oblong cake tin.
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2. Place sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over a medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until golden, about 5 or so minutes (do not stir). 3. Immediately pour into the prepared cake tin. Arrange apple slices on top. Set aside. 4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 5. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mix and milk alternately, stirring well after each addition. 6. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter. Spread batter over apples. 7. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Apple rose pastries Makes 8
• 2 sheets ready-rolled frozen puff pastry, defrosted
• Jam (flavour of your choice) • Ground cinnamon • 2-3 apples (start with 2) • Icing (confectioner’s) sugar 1. Preheat oven to 200 deg C (400 deg F). 2. Cut the pastry into strips about 6cm wide. Spread jam evenly over each pastry strip. Sprinkle cinnamon onto the jam-covered strips. 3. Cut your apples into quarters then slice thinly. The slices need to be very thin and flexible otherwise they will not roll up. Alternatively, you can place your apple slices in a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle with a little lemon juice and cook in microwave for 1 minute. Take out and test. If the slices are still hard, place them back in the microwave for another minute, and so on, until soft and flexible. 4. Place one apple slice at a time onto one of your pastry strips along the whole of the length, with the straight edge of the apple slice in the centre of the strip (the curved edge sits above the pastry; the bottom half of the pastry strip is apple-free) and with the ends of each apple slice overlapping.
5. Fold over the bottom half of the pastry strip onto the base of the apple slices. Press down lightly.
6. Then from one end, roll up the pastry strip to form a ‘flower’. Place onto a baking tray, and make up your remaining flowers. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Chocolate pear tarts Pastry • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour • ¼ cup walnuts • 1 tablespoons granulated sugar • 2 tablespoons cocoa • Pinch salt • 90g unsalted butter, chilled and diced • 1 large egg yolk • 2-3 tablespoons iced water Filling • 1 pear, sliced vertically • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon • ¾ cup cream • 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped • Pine nuts for serving • Sliced almonds for serving 1. Make pastry. Place flour, walnuts, sugar, cocoa and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Process until walnuts are finely chopped. Add butter and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and water and mix until a
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dough forms. 2. Remove dough from processor, roll into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 3. Toss the pear slices in a bowl with the lemon juice and cinnamon. Set aside. 4. Roll pastry out to a thickness of 3mm (1/8 inch). Cut into circles and line greased tartlet tins. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 190 deg C (375 deg F). 5. Using baking paper and baking beans, blind bake pastry for 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans and bake another 15 minutes, until golden. At the same time as baking the pastry, place pear slices in a single layer in the oven and bake until golden. Remove pastry and cool on wire racks. 6. To make the filling, heat cream to just below boiling. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces. Leave to stand for 2 minutes then stir until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into pastry cups. Place a pear slice onto each tart, sprinkle with pine nuts and sliced almonds, and place in fridge to set.
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Handmade home Huggable cushions
The easiest way to lift a child’s room is to accessorise with fun, huggable cushions. Use bright fabrics with quirky motifs or tactility.
Cuddly cushions This huggable cushion is made from a silky satin. Update old cushions or pillows by making a simple cushion cover. Buy a fabric with motifs, or use a cheaper fabric and add your own motifs using a stamp or stencil and fabric paint.
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Handmade home
Sugar and spice At some stage of their lives, little girls love pink, though any soft, pastel colour is usually a hit. But to glam up a room, it’s all about the details. Use tactile materials, like the chiffon ribbon rose fabric used for the cushion. This fabric is freely available from fabric stores, or find it online on sites like Etsy or Ebay. Buy the fabric and make your own cushions for a cheap and cheerful way to brighten up a room. Buy other tactile fabric to make a soft throw for the bed too. You can purchase soft-to-the touch wool fabric for less than half the price of a store-bought woollen throw. It’s just a matter of hemming the edges, and you’re done.
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On the spot Add a spot of colour to the bedroom with dotty pillowcases or cushions. A spotted floor cushion would also add a bright and functional element to the room.
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Handmade home Reach for the stars Stars and spots on a neutral background are always a great combo in our books.
Cool metallics Add bling – in golds and silvers – to the mix. An easy way to do this is to switch out a plain lamp base for a metallic one. But other accessories, like photo frames, vases and storage boxes in gold or silver are easy to add in too. Or paint a chest of drawers with a metallic paint for extra bling.
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t
p r o je
c
Make a simple cat
r u o h 1
Got an hour to spare? This fun soft toy couldn’t be easier to make. Materials Fabric in two colours | Matching thread | Stuffing | Sewing machine | Permanent fabric marker | Felt piece for nose | Stiffened yarn or string | Glue
1 2 3
Download your free template (below) and either draw it freehand onto a larger piece of paper, or use a photocopier to enlarge it by 300%. Cut out the pattern pieces, then cut 2 pieces for the head and 2 pieces for the body from your chosen fabric. Make up the body. Place the right sides of your fabric together and sew a hem all around, leaving a small opening on one side of the body big enough for stuffing. Turn fabric right side out, stuff, then handstitch the opening closed. Make the head in the same way. When finished, draw eyes and a mouth onto the head with the permanent marker.
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Hand-stitch the head to the body at the point where the nose will go. Cut whiskers from the stiffened string and handstitch the middle of the whiskers to the head. Stitch or glue a nose made from felt on top.
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Handmade home
Build a tepee
Install a tepee in your child’s room to serve as a quiet corner or hidey-hole.
Kids love to hide in huts and towers. Build a simple tepee out of lengths of dowelling or old broom handles and wrap canvas or a queen size sheet around it. Glue or stitch Velcro onto the sheet so it can be closed to adults. Tie the poles together at the top with rope to hold them in place. Small fabric slots or Velcro pieces can be sewn onto the sheets on the inside into which the poles can be inserted to prevent them from sliding. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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Shirred cushion
Try your hand at traditional shirring to create this lovely heart-shaped cushion.
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Handmade home Waffle or cross shirring creates a chequerboard pattern. Because the fabric ‘shrinks’ quite a lot after sewing on the elastic thread, you need almost twice as much fabric as the finished size of your cushion.
Materials 110m x 112cm lightweight woven fabric | 60cm x 60cm fabric, for back of cushion | Shirring elastic (elastic thread) | Thread to match fabric | Tailor’s chalk | Air erasable pen | Sewing machine | Cardboard for template | Stuffing
1. Wind the shirring thread around your bobbin by hand. Do not pull the thread when winding it on. Insert the bobbin in your machine and, if necessary, adjust the tension – not all machines need it (refer to your sewing machine’s manual to see if it is necessary or not). Thread the top with regular sewing thread. Increase the stitch so it’s slightly longer than usual.
4. Cut out a heart shape from a piece of cardboard to use as a template. Lay the template on your shirred fabric and draw around it with an air erasable pen. Remove the template. Replace the shirring elastic with ordinary thread. Stitch around the marked heart on the shirred fabric with a short stitch length.
2. Prepare your fabric for shirring by marking parallel rows, 10cm apart, on the right side of your fabric, using tailor’s chalk. Sew your fabric, along your marked lines.
5. Cut the fabric to the heart shape, cutting outside of the stitched line. Don’t cut inside the stitched line or the shirring may unravel. If it’s hard to see the stitched line, replace the template back on top of your fabric and cut around that.
3. When all rows are complete, turn the fabric 90 degrees, then stitch additional rows at equal distance (10cm) apart. The end result is a waffle, or chequerboard, effect.
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6. Cut out another heart shape from another piece of fabric to use as the cushion back. 7. With right sides together, sew the two heart shapes together, leaving a small opening for stuffing. Turn the cushion right side out, stuff, then hand-stitch the opening closed.
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Playing with cardboard Toys and bedroom accessories don’t have to be expensive. Make your own with cardboard.
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Handmade home
Cardboard collection You can use cardboard to make all manner of play objects: a simple guitar for kids to strum, a more intricate biplane, or an elephant or woolly mammoth. Cut two sides for the elephant, plus a top ‘gusset’ to join the sides together. Then decorate with corrugated cardboard – tusks, toe nails, eyes, etc – and paper fringes for the ‘wool’ if making a woolly mammoth.
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Cardboard plane
Use sturdy cardboard boxes to make this plane. If the wings, etc, are made from flimsy corrugated cardboard, they may not hold up as well.
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ut off the two side flaps from your box (leave the end C flaps) and cut an indent (slight curve) on the two sides of the box. Cut the two remaining flaps, as shown. ut out wings, propeller, etc, as shown. You need 4 C wings, 1 rudder, 1 tail wing, 1 propeller, 1 ‘nose’ for propeller (round piece), 4 support pieces for between wings, 1 support for propeller. S tart constructing your plane. Cut slots into the sides of the box to insert the wings and supports. Insert into box, folding the the cardboard over on the inside and taping down with wide sticky tape. ontinue piecing the plane together, inserting cardboard C into slots and taping down with sticky tape. T here should be no protruding pieces of cardboard inside the box. If necessary, cut out and add extra supports to hold up wings.
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Handmade home
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Fly to the moon How many kids announce at some stage in their lives that they want to become astronauts when they grow up? Indulge their dreams by making a fun cardboard rocket and space helmet. Draw stars, the sun, the moon and planets onto a blackboard or wipeable wall.
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Handmade home
Nifty knights A soldier, a hero, a knight in shining armour – let your kids dress up in a knight’s armour for an action-packed afternoon. Create replica plate armour, a helmet and a shield out of strong cardboard.
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Storage ideas Small rooms can present storage issues. Take advantage of handmade containers or clever storage solutions to minimise clutter.
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Lace baskets Store your lightweight articles in beautiful lace baskets. You can stiffen net or lace curtaining, or handmade crochet, using strong glue and water. To make a basket like this, cut a piece of curtaining to the desired length. Mix equal parts STRONG glue (strong PVA glue is ideal – not craft glue) and water then dip your curtaining in it until fully soaked. Squeeze out excess liquid, but don’t squeeze excessively or you may get wrinkles. Wrap the curtaining around a plastic container the same size as you want your own container to be. Peg it to the container to keep it in place. Make sure there are no wrinkles in the curtaining or they will dry like this. Cut a round piece from extra curtaining for a bottom and dip that in the glue mixture too. Lay that flat to dry. Leave both pieces to dry completely. Check when dry that your curtaining is stiff. If it’s not stiff enough, dip it in a glue/water mix again. You may need a stronger glue if not stiff enough. When ready, stitch the bottom piece to the side piece. Then stitch on a pair of handles. You can use handles from an old bag found at a thrift store.
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Handmade home
Crate storage Turn an old crate into a storage box that doubles as a seat. Materials Wooden crate | Heavyweight fabric 5cm (2 inch) thick foam | Plywood for seat Glue | Staple gun | Castors (optional)
1. Measure the length and width of your crate and cut plywood and foam to the same size.
Crochet bunting
2. Cut fabric about 12cm (4 ½ inches) bigger than crate top measurements. 3. Glue the foam to the plywood. 4. Lay the fabric on a flat surface, wrong side facing. Place the foam and plywood piece on top, with the foam against the fabric. Fold over the edges of the fabric and, using a staple gun, staple the fabric to the plywood. Start first by inserting one staple in the middle of each side. Then continue stapling the rest of the fabric, keeping it taut so there are no wrinkles. When working on the corners, cut off excess fabric to eliminate bulk. If you wish, you can cover the staples and raw edges with a wide fabric tape, available from craft stores.
Crochet some cute bunting to decorate rooms or storage boxes. Head to the Sweet Living website to get your FREE pattern. Click here.
5. Attach castors to the base of the crate.
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Getting crafty Use an old kitchen hutch or armoire for storing your craft materials. Remove the glass from the cabinet doors to allow you to easily insert or remove balls of wool or fabric.
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Handmade home
Make a simple holder for string, ribbons and beads. Cut two wooden support strips and screw to the wall. Screw hooks to each support strip. Cut dowelling to required length, then simply thread your ribbons, etc onto them.
Peg it down Use a simple pegboard to store cotton reels, embroidery threads and jewellery. Use the traditional pegboard hooks, or try fancy cupboard knobs to add glamour.
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Freshen up your next paint job with Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free, which combines the popular low sheen of Resene Zylone Sheen without the unwanted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for better indoor air quality. Improved air quality can help prevent headaches, asthma, nausea, respiratory complaints and allergic reactions. And to suit all tastes, Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free is available in a wide range of popular Resene colours using Resene non VOC tinters. Now that’s fresh thinking. Available exclusively from Resene.
0800 RESENE (737 363) www.resene.co.nz
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Handmade gifts Stuck for gift ideas? Be inspired by these beautiful handmade creations for friends and family.
Hand on heart Need a simple, homespun gift in a hurry? Make a scented heart from felt. Cut two heart shapes the same size (seen here in yellow), one slightly smaller heart shape (orange) and another heart shape smaller again (red). Hand-stitch the red heart onto the orange heart in the centre using a simple whip stitch. Then hand-stitch the orange heart onto one of the yellow hearts. Place the three stitched hearts on top of the remaining yellow heart and stitch the yellow hearts together, leaving a small opening. Stuff with dried lavender flowers (or other scented herb) then stitch the opening closed.
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Floral soap balls
Donna Lee from Cottage Hill Herbs makes deliciously scented soap balls for gifts.
Makes 15 golf ball-size soaps. • 280g grated soap • 20ml cold pressed oil (calendula or avocado) • 3ml pure essential oil (strong fragrance) • 1 cup of dried material (eg lavender, oatmeal, lemon verbena, mint etc) • 1 cup boiled/distilled water (very hot) • 3 drops of benzoin tincture *All ingredients are available in Donna’s store and online to purchase. Click here.
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Add 1ml essential oil, 3 drops tincture of benzoin to 1 cup of boiled water, then mix while very hot to grated soap. Mix thoroughly than add 20ml cold pressed oil and mix again, ensuring the grated soap is blended well. Rest the mixture for 10-15 minutes and then add a further 1ml of essential oil. Knead the mixture and then roll into balls of approximately golf ball size. Lay onto grease-proof paper and dry in a warm place for 24-36 hours. Take remaining 1ml of essential oil, place on a saucer, dip your finger into it and rub each soap ball until smooth. Dry for a further couple of weeks. Visit Donna’s website at Cottage Hill Herbs: www.cottagehillherbs.co.nz
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Handmade gifts
Makes 3-4, depending on the size of your moulds.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons water • 2 tablespoons milk powder • 4 tablespoons runny honey • 250g clear organic melt and
pour soap base Your favourite fragrance or • essential oil (optional) • Soap moulds (or use silicone cupcake moulds)
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Honey soap These quick and easy soaps make beautiful gifts for family and friends. Combine olive oil, water, milk powder and honey and stir well. Melt your soap base according to the package instructions and mix into the honey-milk mixture. Add several drops of your favourite essential oil if desired, then pour into your soap moulds and allow to dry, about 2 hours. When dry, cover soaps in plastic wrap.
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Clay flowers Cold porcelain clay flowers are easy to make. Even the kids can do it. This is a fun project the whole family can get involved with. Use store-bought air-drying clay, or make your own as a cheaper alternative.
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Handmade gifts Making the clay
1
We find it easier to make this in the microwave. We used an 1100W microwave. Materials • 1 cup cornflour (corn starch) • 1 cup PVA craft glue • 2 tablespoons of vinegar • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 2 3 4
Make the flowers’ pistils. Dab a bit of yellow (and white – optional) onto a piece of clay.
In a large microwave bowl, add cornflour, glue, vinegar and vegetable oil and mix well.
2
Place in the microwave for 15 seconds. Mix, then repeat twice more. The clay will start to get harder. Knead until the clay cools and forms a dough-like consistency. If it’s too sticky, add a little more cornflour. It’s better to undercook than overcook. Overcooking makes it brittle.
Knead the clay with your fingers until the colour is mixed in. Use more colour if necessary.
Wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight.
3
Making clay flowers Keep the clay wrapped when working with it so that it doesn’t dry out.
Wrap a small piece of clay around the tip of some florist’s wire, as shown.
Materials
• Clay • Colouring (either food
colouring or acrylic paint) in yellow, pink and green • Small sharp scissors • Rolling pin • Craft knife • Toothpick • Stiff florist’s wire for stems • Green florist’s tape • Glue
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4
For the flowers, colour another piece of clay pink, then roll small pieces into cone shapes.
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5
Using scissors, snip the top of the flowers, as shown, to make petals. Cut those two petals in half, so you end up with 4 petals.
8
As per the flowers, snip the top, then cut those two petals in half, so you end up with 4 petals.
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6
Use the end of a marker pen to flatten the petals against your finger.
9
Push the petals together so they form a bud.
7
For the flower buds, colour another piece of clay green. Roll into cone shapes, as you did for the flowers.
10
Colour another piece of clay darker green. Roll out flat and cut out a leaf shape.
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Handmade gifts
11
Use a toothpick to mark veins onto the leaf. Make more leaves.
14
Use florist’s tape to wrap buds together, as shown.
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Cut a length of florist’s wire, dip it in glue and place it in the centre of your leaf.
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Wrap the bottom edge of the leaf around the wire to secure it. Place it in a sponge with others.
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Add flowers to the buds.
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Continue adding flowers until you have enough. Finish off by adding the leaves.
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May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Crochet a bookmark These crocheted fuchsias can be used as a bookmark or fashioned into a necklace.
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sweetliving Issue 10
May - August 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Handmade gifts Materials Patons Regal 4-ply cotton in hot pink (for petals and strands) Patons Regal 4-ply cotton in carmine (for cup) Patons Regal 4-play cotton in green 3mm crochet hook
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Abbreviations ch= chain dc = double crochet trc – treble crochet sl st = slip stich
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To make the strands: Wind the pink cotton around a piece of cardboard about 6cm (2½ inches) wide 8 times. Slip it off and tie about 6mm (¼ inch) from one end. Tie again about 1cm (3/8 inch) from the first tie. Cut through the loops at the other end and trim off the edges.
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To make the cup: Using the carmine cotton 5 ch, join with a sl st to form a ring. Work 12 dc into the ring, 5 rows of dc, 1 in each stitch, and fasten off. Draw the pink strands through the hole in the cup, leaving the loose ends hanging below the cup. To make the petals: Wind the pink cotton 3 times around the end of a pencil, slip off. Draw a loop of cotton through the ring with the hook, and secure with 1 ch. *Make 9 ch, miss 1, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 1 trc in each of next 6 ch, catch down into ring with sl st. Repeat from * twice more. Slip the ring of petals over the pink strands to fit on top of cup. Secure it in place with a few stitches. To make the stems: Take 150cm (about 60 inches) of green cotton, double it, put the hook through the tied end of the pink strands, and pull the double end of green cotton through. Now work in chain stitch with the double thread for about 13cm (5 inches). Fasten off. Work a second flower and stem. To make the leaves: Join a green strand to one of the stems at about 4cm (1½ inches) above the flower and work leaf as follows: 9 ch, miss 1 ch, 1 dc in next ch, 1 trc in each of next 5 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch; catch down to the ch where the leaf started with a sl st. Attach the second flower and stem just above the leaf. Work another leaf onto the stem further up.
Issue 10
May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Embellish a clutch Turn a plain clutch bag into a beautiful piece or art with rosette fabric and pearls. Materials Plain clutch purse | Rosette fabric Pearl beads | Strong glue | Needle and thread
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Measure the sides of your clutch purse and cut two pieces of fabric 1.5cm (1/16 inch) larger. Fold the edges of the fabric under 1.5cm and stitch down. Hand-stitch pearls to the fabric, both in the centre of the rosettes and in between them. Glue the fabric to the sides of the purse.
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sweetliving Issue 10
May - August 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Handmade gifts
Make a leather clutch One design – many styles. Make a simple clutch for yourself or as a gift for a friend. It’s super easy.
Hand-stitch a vintage brooch or costume jewellery to the front of your bag for extra bling.
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Issue 10
May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Try experimenting with a curved top for added interest. You can easily add a side handle or leather pull to your zip too. To make a handle, cut a strip of leather to the desired length, twice the width you want it. Fold over the edges, lengthwise, so they meet at the middle. Use a strong glue to glue them together. Hold down with pegs and leave to dry. Use a long stitch and stitch around the edges of your strap to finish it off. Push the end through a large ring, overlap the ends and sew together. The ring can be attached to a small fabric tag sewn into the bag when you stitch it up. Use two different leathers to provide a contrast – one for the back and one for the front.
Instead of making a bag that folds over, make a shorter one and sew a leather motif to the front.
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Add a leather tassel pull to the zipper for easy handling. These are available, ready-made, from craft stores, or make your own by cutting strips of leather and inserting them into an end cap (also available from craft stores). www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Handmade gifts
DIY leather bag Materials 1m leather offcut (not heavy upholstery leather) | Matching machine thread 30cm zipper (or size to fit your bag) | Sewing machine | Needle for sewing leather | Zipper foot 1. Cut two rectangles from the leather. We cut two 45cm x 32cm (18 x 12.5 inch) pieces. If you want a smaller bag, cut them smaller.
Sewing leather Sewing a leather bag is easy, but there are a couple of points to be aware of. • Pins leave permanent holes in leather, so avoid using them, or use them within the seam allowance. Alternatively, use paperclips instead. • The raw edges of leather do not fray, so extra seam finishes are unnecessary. • Use a sewing needle that’s designated for sewing leather. The point on this particular needle is wedge shaped so that it penetrates leather easier. • Test your stitches on a scrap piece of leather before sewing your item. • Use a longer stitch length for a stronger seam.
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2. Fold over the top of one piece by 2cm (¾ inch). Place one side of the (open) zipper on top of the folded edge (on the underside) and, using a zipper foot, stitch in place. Use paper clips to keep the zipper in place if necessary.
3. Fold over the top of the other piece of leather by 2cm (¾ inch) and place the other side of the zipper on top. Start with the zipper open, sew down a little way, then close the zipper and finish sewing to the end. 4. Open the zipper. Place the 2 leather pieces with right sides together and sew a seam around the open edges, leaving the zipper end open (unsewn). 5. Turn the bag right side out.
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May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Backyard sustainability
Grow your own fresh produce. Growing tips, plus seasonal recipes. Cabbages
A great winter staple, the humble cabbage may be green, red, smooth-leafed or crinkly. All cabbages like a rich soil with plenty of compost or aged manure dug in. They also like a firm soil, so after digging over your soil, firm it down with your hand or the back of a rake. Plant about 45cm apart to allow for growth and feed with a balanced fertiliser throughout the growing season. Plants should also be kept moist to ensure good size and taste. Lack of water, followed by a sudden influx, can cause heads to split.
Sauerkraut
Cabbages and kale These cool-season plants are ideal for autumn, winter and spring harvesting.
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Want to make your own sauerkraut? Check out Mad Millie’s brand new crock that makes it so easy. Handmade, ceramic and petite, it has traditional clay weights and a clever airlock design for zero oxidisation. Read more about it here.
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Backyard sustainability
Kale
Kale is a cool-season vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family. It has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable. It’s chock full of phytonutrients, including carotenoids, plus it’s rich in Vitamins A, C, K, B6, and calcium, www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
potassium, riboflavin, folate, iron and magnesium. Young kale leaves are perfect for salads and green smoothies, or cook kale as you would for cabbage. Kale likes an open, sunny site in fertile,
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well-drained but moisture-retentive soil. The more compost or aged manure you can incorporate into the soil, the better. Feed regularly with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertiliser.
May - August 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Kale bread This bread is delicious, with a slight cheesy flavour and a hint of spice. The recipe calls for a bread maker, though you could also make it by hand.
Ingredients: • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 onion, chopped ves, stalks • 125g (4 ½ oz) kale lea removed • Half cup water • 1 egg ite flour • 4 cups high grade wh 2 cups (or 2 cups white flour and wholemeal flour) ted nutmeg • ½ teaspoon freshly gra parmesan cheese • ⅔ cup freshly grated • 1 ½ teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon sugar yeast • 3 teaspoons Surebake mpkin seed for • Grated cheese and pu ) sprinkling on top (optional
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Backyard sustainability Method: 1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add chopped onion and sauté until a light golden colour. Add kale and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir again then leave, uncovered, to cool. 2. Tip the kale mixture into a bread machine pan (if you do not have a bread maker, put everything in a bowl and mix by hand). Add water and egg. 3. Add flour, then sprinkle over the grated nutmeg and parmesan cheese. 4. Add salt and sugar to opposite corners of the bread pan. Make a small indent in the centre of the flour and add the yeast. 5. Set the bread machine to a dough setting, then press start. 6. W hen the dough cycle has finished, remove the dough from the pan and place on a floured surface. Gently knock back the dough, then roll it out into a rectangle shape about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick. 7. Along one long side, roll the dough to form a thick baton shape. Place the baton on a lightly floured baking tray, seam side up and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Leave to rest for 15 minutes. 8. After 15 minutes, turn the bread over and tuck the ends and sides under to plump it up. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat over to 225degC (425degF). 9. Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the bread with diagonal cuts. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. If using cheese and pumpkin seeds, sprinkle onto the top of the bread 15-20 minutes before you’ve finished baking. Print recipe here
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Crunchy cabbage and peanut salad Michelle Tchea creates an all-star, easy-to-make salad that’s brimming with flavour. Serve as a side or main dish.
Ingredients: • 1 carrot, julienned • Handful of bean sprouts, tails removed • 2 handfuls shredded Chinese cabbage • Small handful coriander leaves, coarsely chopped • Lime slices for garnishing Dressing: • 1 tablespoon peanut sauce • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed + more for tossing • 3 cloves garlic, peeled • 2 bird’s eye chillies • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 teaspoon fish sauce • Juice from 2 limes + more if needed
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Serves 2–3 Method: 1. Mix carrot, bean sprouts and Chinese cabbage together. 2. For the dressing, pound all ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Mix well and drizzle over the vegetables. Add more lime juice if too dry, or a splash of hot water to loosen the salad. Toss with more roasted peanuts. 3. Garnish with coriander and lime slices. Serve. Print recipe here
May - August 2015 sweetliving
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next issue
sweetliving
out September 2015
The kids’ activities issue • Fun activities for school holidays • Easy baking for kids • Party food ideas • Free party pack printables • Games to download • Decorating kids’ rooms • Make a tepee
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sweetliving Issue 10
May - August 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz