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food gifts 3 décor inspiration 3 festive plans with your leftover yarn 3 edible wreaths 3 new approach to sleep and rest 3

9 771819 264006

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40 tags for you to cut out and use



This book belongs to


Nov /Dec MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

35

on the cover 22, 45, 50 32 58 64 77 114

Food gifts Festive plans with your leftover yarn Edible wreaths Forty tags for you to cut out and use New approach to sleep and rest

Craft & décor 22 45 50 72 77

PROJEC TS FOR YOU TO DO

Décor inspiration

Fynbos festivities: Let nature's gifts inspire your Christmas décor Outside the box: Be creative with cardboard

Food & entertaining 64

for your festive celebration

Bright & beautiful: Crochet and craft a magical table Update an artificial Christmas tree: Three projects It's a wrap: Make your gifts special with these simple and affordable wrapping ideas and gift cards

88 Crochet a colourful beach bag 92 Crochet pretty and practical covers for your hangers 94 Print and sew fabric ornaments for the tree 98 DIY: A wooden Christmas tree, to suit any setting 109 Mould and embroider boho-style jewellery

How to 32 Make and package coconut snowballs 34 Bake and package mini fruit cakes 36 Make and package choc-nut meringues 38 Bake and package cinnamon-nut pastries 40 Bake reindeer antler biscuits 42 Bake, ice and package marbled biscuits 60 Tie decorative pom-poms www.PrintablePaper.net 106 Adorn a mirror with craft-metal flowers 112 Weave pendants

On he coer

CONCEPT AND ILLUSTRATION HANNES KOEGELENBERG

Create fabulous, delicious food wreaths

Your life 102 Let's paint!: Creating the feel of a sunny, summer fest 104 Let's party!: Pack up Santa's suitcase for the holidays 114 Beauty sleep is vital not only for your skin but also for 118 120 128

your health and well-being

Research shows good rest is crucial for productivity Makers of the month: We meet two readers applying their passion and creativity to their businesses Your letters

Regulars 06 From the editor 09 Quote 10 Things to do, remember and read this month 15 Instagram inspiration 16 What s new around town and in the shops 129 Subscribe and save

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37

COOK CHOC-NUT MERINGUES

Creatie makes

41 46

BAKE REINDEER BISCUITS

71

58 59 109

TIE POM-POMS AND CROCHET BAUBLES

73

TRANSFORM YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

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facebook.com/ideasmag

CREATE WITH CARDBOARD

MAKE A FUN ADVENT CALENDAR

BAKE A CREAM-PUFF WREATH

CRAFT QUICK-AND-EASY JEWELLERY

88

CROCHET A BEACH BAG

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From he editor

H

ere we are again! At the tail end of another year and busy counting the weeks until our well-deserved break. It is admittedly a bit shorter for people

with children at school, which makes me wonder if someone at the education department had the same information in front of them as I did, about how long and how often we ought to rest (page 118). Take a look; it ll also help you to have absolutely no guilt over completely forgetting all thoughts of work and having a good, long sleep. But first there s the annual planning for Christmas. I m writing this letter at

Contact me at

• terena@ideasfactory.co.za • instagram.com/terenaleroux

the end of September, but already in the gym this morning I was listening to the middle-aged man on the treadmill next to me telling his instructor about the drama over where his family was spending Christmas this year. It was just so much easier when we all could go and eat my mother s food, he lamented. I was very keen to tell him he should buy this issue of Ideas, turn to page 64 for our fabulous food wreaths and use them to entice the family to his house. That ought to put a stop to the arguing. There is at least one of them in my future! My neighbour s complaints didn t end with the food though. And then there are the never-ending gifts! he called out breathlessly while the young trainer rolled his eyes behind his back. If I was a gym conversationalist, I would have agreed with him. I have been pleading with my friends and family for years now to stop this tradition, especially for the adults. But when I open the door, in they come weighed down with packages. My problem with this is that I fight a constant battle against clutter in my house. I deliver boxes of things to organisations, recyclers and the rubbish dump. And then more arrives! It doesn t matter whether I like it or not ‒ we need to unlearn the habit of acquiring stuff that serves no purpose. My solution for this ‒ let s give gifts that we can eat, drink, plant or use up within a reasonable time. Or something small that you can make and wrap with love, without it taking up too much space. Like the food team s edible gifts on page 32, for example. Not one of them will make it through to January. And with our wrapping ideas, your gifts are sure to make it onto Instagram before they are consumed. However, we all still have plenty to do before we can sit down around our festive tables. Hopefully this issue will help to make your planning a little easier. Enjoy the festive season and travel safely!



EDITOR Terena le Roux Email terena@ideasfactory.co.za STUDIO AND STITCHCRAFT Dala Watts MARKETING AND FINANCES Marweya Smal INQUIRIES info@ideasfactory.co.za COPY EDITING Diana Procter and Marié Smidt STYLING Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts and Carin Smith PHOTOS Ed O Riley CONTRIBUTORS FOOD Louisa Holst and Tani Kirsten CRAFT & DIY Carin Smith, Dala Watts, Germarie Bruwer, John Letherbarrow, Hannes Koegelenberg BEAUTY Elsa Krüger STITCHCRAFT Karen Adendorff, Kevin Swarts, Elizabeth Fester, Brenda Grobler Creative Calendar Lara Foreman Retouching Willie Koen SOCIAL MEDIA Carien Eloff PUBLISHER & SALES Terena le Roux

ideEsfabriek All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher. The editorial staff do not necessarily subscribe to the opinions given in articles and advertisements. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given to readers, the editor and publisher cannot accept responsiblity for any damages or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. The editorial staff have the right to make alterations to any material submitted and cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage to any material submitted for publication. All prices quoted were correct at the time of going to press and may vary from shop to shop.


Bring your own sunshine


creative calendar

MARKETS for November/December 26 OCTOBER ‒ 3 NOVEMBER Eunice High School in Bloemfontein

1 DECEMBER Enjoy local art and design at Market @ the Sheds in

is holding its annual Christmas Market: eunice.co.za.

the Pretoria CBD: marketatthesheds.co.za.

30 OCTOBER ‒ 2 NOVEMBER Shop at the Delmas Christmas

1, 8, 15, 16, 17, 22, 29 DECEMBER The Shongweni Christmas

Market at the Hervormde Church Hall in Sarel Cillier Street: Search for Delmas Kersmark on Facebook.

Extravaganza Market is on in Hillcrest: shongwenimarket.co.za.

31 OCTOBER ‒ 1 NOVEMBER The Christmas Country Fair takes

local design, craft, fashion and food: iheartmarket.com.

place in Collisheen Estate in Ballito: thechristmasfairfund.co.za. 31 OCTOBER ‒ 10 NOVEMBER Shop for gifts at the Crafter s Fair Christmas Market in Moreleta Park, Pretoria: craftersfair.co.za.

1, 8, 15, 22 DECEMBER Shop at the I Heart Market in Durban for 2 & 7 DECEMBER The Bluebird Garage Christmas Markets take place in Albertyn Road, Muizenberg: bluebirdgarage.co.za. 3‒22 DECEMBER Find handcrafted products at the Simply South

EVERY SATURDAY IN NOVEMBER & DECEMBER The Irene

Market at the NG Kerk Constantia in Bergvliet: simplysouth.co.za.

Village Christmas Market takes place at The Big Red Barn in Olifantsfontein: irenemarket.co.za.

3‒22 DECEMBER Pinelands High School hosts the Pinelands Craft

7‒11 NOVEMBER The Constantia Gift Fair is on at the SA Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia: thegiftfair.co.za. 10, 24, 25 NOVEMBER & 1 DECEMBER The Little Field Mouse Market is on in Randridge Mall, Randburg: randridgemall.co.za. 20 NOVEMBER ‒ 18 DECEMBER The Bryanston Organic Christmas Moonlight Market is open every Tuesday from 5pm to 9pm: bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za. 21 NOVEMBER ‒ 1 DECEMBER Suider Strand NG Church in Strand hosts a market: 072 278 3366 or santasfairkersmark@gmail.com. 24 NOVEMBER The Bokkie Park Christmas Market takes place in Boksburg: craftsinthepark.co.za. 24 NOVEMBER ‒ 9 DECEMBER The Nickel Xmas Market in Zwavelpoort, Pretoria is on daily from 9am to 6pm: nickelmarket.co.za. 25 NOVEMBER The Rooy Food Market takes place at Van Rooyen Hall in Potchefstroom: Rooy Food Market on Facebook. 27 NOVEMBER ‒ 1 DECEMBER The Kuier-Kuier Christmas Market takes place in Bridge Street in Kimberley: kimberley.co.za. 29 NOVEMBER ‒ 2 DECEMBER Walmer Park Shopping Centre hosts a gift market: Christmas in the Home on Facebook. 30 NOVEMBER ‒ 2 DECEMBER Shop for your gifts at the Lourensford Christmas Market in Somerset West: lfhm.co.za. 30 NOVEMBER ‒ 2 DECEMBER All the proceeds of the Parkview Charity Christmas Market in George Hay Park go towards Nicarela Charity: nicarela.org. 30 NOVEMBER ‒ 16 DECEMBER Find handcrafted gifts galore at the Made in the Cape Festive Fair at Cavendish Square in Claremont: Made in the Cape artisan market on Facebook.

& Gift Fair: Search for Pinelands Craft & Gift Fair on Facebook. 4‒8 DECEMBER The Kroonheuwel Christmas Market takes place in Verwoerd Street: Kroonheuwel Kersmark Kroonstad on Facebook. 5‒28 DECEMBER Lourensriver NG Church in Strand hosts Santa s Fair Christmas Market: Santa s Fair Kersmark on Facebook. 7‒22 DECEMBER The venue for the Edgemead Christmas Market is the community hall in Edgemead Drive: edgemeadmarket.com. 9 & 30 DECEMBER The Wonder Market is on in Chris Saunders Park in Umhlanga: Search for Wonder Market on Facebook. 12‒22 DECEMBER Shop for gifts at the Ekliefkrismis Christmas Market at Eden Place in George: ekliefkrismis.co.za. 13‒26 DECEMBER You ll find the Boer-e-Goete Christmas Market at the Victoria Hall in Graaff-Reinet: plattelandevents.co.za. 14‒17 DECEMBER The Fab Ideas Christmas Gift Fair is hosted by Kommetjie Primary School: Search for Fab Ideas on Facebook. 14‒23 DECEMBER Visit the Parys Christmas Market at 18 Schillbach Street in Parys: 082 958 6312. 14‒24 DECEMBER The Gift Market takes place at 1 Curro Road, Sandbaai, Hermanus: Search for The Gift Market on Facebook. 15‒22 DECEMBER Shop for gifts at The Festive Market in Hillcrest, Durban: Search for The Festive Market on Facebook. 15‒24 & 26‒29 DECEMBER The Disakloof Gift Market is on at the Youth Campsite in Betty s Bay: Email info@bettysbaymarkets.co.za. 16‒22 DECEMBER Boerevintage is the largest gift market on the Garden Route with 150 exhibitors ‒ it s a must for everyone holidaying in the area: @boerevintagegiftmarket on Facebook. 17‒22 DECEMBER Blaauwklippen Family Market in Stellenbosch is open from 4pm to 9pm: blaauwklippenfamilymarket.co.za.

30 NOVEMBER ‒ 13 JANUARY 2019 Top Markets Summer Market takes place at Douglas Mitchell sports ground in Uvongo: Search for Top Markets Natal on Facebook.

21 DECEMBER Market @ the Barn takes place in Klipheuwel Road, Durbanville: Market at the Barn ‒ Durbanville on Facebook.

1 DECEMBER The Linden Market Christmas Edition takes place in the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens: thelindenmarket.com.

21 DECEMBER Visit the Msunduzi Artisan Food & Craft Market in Pietermaritzburg: @artisanmarketpmb on Facebook.

10 IDEAS November/December 2018


Things to do compiled by L ARA FOREMAN

creativecalendarideas@gmail.com

Noember WESTERN CAPE

27-28 October, 3-4 November View 15 spectacular gardens and buy plants at Elgin Open Gardens: elginopengardens.co.za.

30 October - 4 November Kamers/Makers ‒ a feast of local design and craft ‒ takes place in Stellenbosch at Blaauwklippen Vineyards: kamersvol.com.

3 November The Colour Splash Festival takes place in Rawsonville, between Paarl and Worcester. Tickets: quicket.co.za.

3 November Dress in pink and enjoy bubbly and food at the Paul René Party at Wonderfontein Wine Estate in Robertson. Tickets: webtickets.co.za.

3-4 November The Leisure Isle Festival takes place in Knysna to raise money for charity: leisureislefestival.co.za.

16-18 November The Greyton Artwalk takes place at various venues in the town: email greytonartwalk@gmail.com or call 082 495 4019.

18 November The Cape Town Toy Run motorbike ride takes place in aid of charity: toyrun.co.za.

23-25 November Workshops and classes, ideas and recipes await at The Dessert Expo at the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point: dessertexpo.co.za.

EASTERN CAPE 26-28 October The Art Meander in Port Elizabeth includes art, pottery, sculpture and photography studios: email cindy@capecomposite.co.za.

FREE STATE 15-17 November It s Cherry Festival time again in Ficksburg: cherryfesival.co.za.

KWAZULU-NATAL 3 November The Street Festival takes place in Springfield Street in Winterton: 084 567 8802 or 082 548 9910.

December WESTERN CAPE 1-2 December Franschhoek s cap classique festival, The Magic of Bubbles, takes place at the Huguenot Monument: franschhoekmcc.co.za.

5 December - end January Solo exhibition The Most Beautiful Girl in the World opens at the Alex Hamilton Gallery in Woodstock: zelda.hamilton@gmail.com.

16 December The Stanford Street Festival is a carnival-style market with gifts, food trucks and live music: Stanford Street Festival on Facebook.

EASTERN CAPE 31 December The Festival of Lights takes place at the Bethesda Arts Centre in Nieu Bethesda: nieubethesda.org.

GAUTENG Until 14 December View a century of South African art from the Sanlam collection from 1918 ‒ 2018 at the Sanlam Art Lounge in Sandton: 021 947 3359.

4-9 December More than 170 crafters will be taking part in Kamers/Makers at Cornwall Hill College in Irene, Pretoria: kamersvol.com.

14-16 December Enjoy the Makhelwane Festival in Orlando West where homes become eateries, galleries and boutiques. Tickets: webtickets.co.za.

KWAZULU-NATAL 7-9 December Don t miss this year s Christmas in the Berg with the Drakensberg Boys Choir. Tickets: webtickets.co.za.

12 16 17 17 24 25 26 31

December December December December December December December December

Schools close Day of Reconciliation Public holiday January/February Ideas on sale Christmas Eve Christmas Day Day of Goodwill New Year s Eve

November/December 2018 IDEAS 11


IN SEASON IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER Vegetables

Asparagus, baby marrows, beans, brinjals, carrots, cauliflower, courgettes, cucumbers, garlic, globe artichokes, green beans, leeks, lettuce, mealies, mushrooms, onion, parsley, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, squash, spinach, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes.

Fruit

Apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, figs, guavas, lemons, litchis, mango, melons, nectarines, papaya, peaches, pineapples, plums, rhubarb, spanspek, strawberries, watermelons.

12 IDEAS November/December 2018

Herbs

Basil, bay leaves, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme.

Flowers Achillea, agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria,

amaranthus, anthuriums, Asiatic lilies, cala lilies, carnations, celosia, chincherinchees, chrysanthemums, daisies, delphiniums, everlastings, gerbera, gladiolus, godetia, heliconia, lavender, lisianthus, mount breezia, orange balls, penny stems, roses, sandersonia, sea holly, somer asters, statice, sunflowers, trachelium, veronica, and some proteas and fynbos.


Books

to read in November/December compiled by DIANA PROC TER

ALL BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT EXCLUSIVE BOOKS, TAKEALOT.COM OR LOOT.CO.ZA • ILLUSTRATION: GALLO IMAGES/GETTYIMAGES.COM

Fiction

Transcription by Kate Atkinson (Random House UK, R290)

In 1940, 18-year-old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring British Fascist sympathisers, she finds the work to be by turns both tedious and terrifying. But after the war ends, she presumes it have been confined to history. Ten years later, now a producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realise that there is no action without consequence. Transcription is a bravura modern novel of power, wit and empathy.

diana@ideasfac tor y.co. za

Non-fiction

The House Across the Street by Lesley Pearse (Penguin UK, R290)

Twenty-three-year-old Katy Speed is fascinated by the house across the street. The woman who lives there, Gloria, is the most glamorous neighbour on the avenue, owning a fashionable dress shop in Bexhill-on-Sea. But who is the woman who arrives in the black car most Saturdays while Gloria is at work? Sometimes she brings women to the house, occasionally with children. Hilda, Katy s mother, disapproves of Gloria and the mysterious visitors. Then one night, the house burns down. In the wreckage, the bodies of Gloria and her daughter are found. Katy is sure the unexplained visitors must be responsible ‒ until her father is arrested and charged with murder.

Practical Meditation

Wabi Sabi by Beth Kempton

by Giovanni Dienstmann (DK, R260)

(Little, Brown, R240)

Whether you are new to meditation, or looking to grow your knowledge, this guide on how to meditate provides everything you need to start (or continue) your meditative journey. Want to improve your memory and concentration, and reduce stress? Meditation is scientifically proven to do both. With myth-busting facts and easy-to-follow advice, Practical Meditation guides you through your first taste of meditation to how to master the key techniques and deepen your practice. Explore over 30 step-by-step meditations and discover the benefits for your mind and body. Build meditation into your daily life, and find peace and stillness anytime, anywhere ‒ at home, on the beach, or on a business trip.

A whole new way of looking at the world ‒ and your life ‒ inspired by centuries-old Japanese wisdom. Wabi sabi helps us to see beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity and accept the transient nature of all things. With roots in Zen and the way of tea, the timeless wisdom is more relevant than ever for modern life, as we search for new ways to approach life s challenges and seek meaning beyond materialism. It is an antidote to our fast-paced world and will encourage you to slow down, reconnect with nature and be gentler on yourself. From honouring the rhythm of the seasons to creating a welcoming home, from reframing failure to ageing with grace, it will teach you to find more joy and inspiration throughout your perfectly imperfect life.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 13


your life

Craft

Sereknity by Nikki van der Car (Running Press, R266)

We re all looking for a calm escape from today s fastpaced life. This collection of knitting and crochet projects has one allencompassing theme: finding peace. The projects here are not complicated, but rather are joyful, meditative patterns that encourage crafters to detach from the stress of daily life. Focused around three key themes ‒ colour, texture and structure ‒ this book encourages knitters to be fully present in the moment. Fibre artist Nikki guides readers to look inwards as they think about the texture of the yarn and the way one colour flows into the next, releasing their anxiety as they create something beautiful. This is mindful creativity of the best kind.

Food

By Hand by Nicole Miyuki Santo (Running Press, R341)

In a world of social media, people are searching for ways to reconnect to the handmade and authentic ‒ to add a personal spark and a beautiful look to everyday objects and occasions. The art of modern lettering is a point of connection, a way of crafting letters and words into something that delights the eyes and feeds the soul. By Hand provides an inspirational jumpingoff point for readers who want to add lettering into a slower, more intentional lifestyle. It brings the beauty of lettering in through 30 projects, from watercolour placecards to cosy pillows. Lessons, which introduce readers to the essentials of lettering, including tools and developing a personal style, also add a touch of mindfulness to the craft.

Editor’s choice

Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi (Random House UK, R455)

Yotam Ottolenghi s awardwinning recipes are always a celebration: an unforgettable combination of abundance, taste and surprise. Simple is no different, with 130 new dishes that contain all the inventive elements and flavour combinations that Ottolenghi is loved for, but with minimal hassle for maximum joy. The streamlined recipes, packed with his signature Middle Eastern-inspired flavours, are all simple in at least (and often more than) one way: they are made in 30 minutes or less, with 10 or fewer ingredients, in a single pot, using pantry staples, or prepared ahead of time for brilliantly, deliciously simple meals that can be served when you are ready.

Baking Secrets by Martjie Malan (Quivertree, R450)

Bake to remember, bake to forgive, bake to cherish and bake to love. Whether it is an occasion to celebrate or one to say goodbye, baking has a nurturing and comforting effect. Bake for every occasion, but bake especially because you enjoy it. Martjie shares her passion for precision, and makes it doable with easyto-follow steps, grounded on basic techniques and guidelines, sharing secrets few other baking books offer. She guides you from basic recipes, gradually giving you the confidence and experience to master the more difficult, technical ones. A joy to read, and a feast for the eyes, it showcases an essential selection of quality recipes, helping you create a menu for every occasion.

Circus by Irma Venter (Human & Rousseau, R320)

It s the eighties in Johannesburg and Adriana van der Hoon is 18 years old. Her father, an anti-apartheid activist and Dutch citizen, smuggles money for the ANC using a non-profit trust as a front. But then things change … and South Africa s notorious security police blackmail Adriana into following the money trail from Berlin to Johannesburg. As political change sweeps across Europe and South Africa, Adriana acquires a new skill set, a lover and an enemy. More than 25 years later, she is safe and sound, back in Johannesburg. Together with her friend Zenani she runs a restaurant called Crow s Feet. But the past is finally catching up with her, and this time round there is no place to hide.

14 IDEAS November/December 2018


Gorgeous

compiled by HANNES KOEGELENBERG (@HANNESKOEGELENBERG)

on instagram

@ingthings Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ingrid van Willenswaard is a lover of crochet, knitting and colouring. On her Instagram feed, she shares her creative world in cheerful pastel colours.

@thekatetin Cape Town, South Africa

Get a glimpse of Katelyn Allegra s passion for decadent bakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate and desserts on her Instagram page. Her mouthwatering photos will tempt the sweet toothed.

@marenthe Den Haag, Netherlands

Marenthe Otten combines her love for colourful characters with playful elements in her illustrations. Her Instagram is pure inspiration, picture by picture.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 15


what’s new Here is our line-up of what’s new on the block and on the shelf. For young fashionistas An infectious rhyming tale about courage, compassion and a stylish little mouse, from international fashion illustrator Megan Hess. Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris (R297, Hardie Grant Egmont) follows an adorable mouse who dreams of moving to Paris to follow her fashion dreams. One day, she bravely takes the leap ‒ only to find a mean little girl with a horrible-looking cat standing in the way of her perfect Parisian apartment! Can Claris use all her wit, warmth and ‒ of course ‒ style to make her dreams come true? It s destined to delight fashion-obsessed readers of all ages!

eco-friendly

Colour in

An eye-shadow palette is handy ‒ it s compact and gives you a choice of colour combinations. Except when you can use only three colours in a palette of six or eight ‒ then it s impractical and a waste of money. The new Essential Eye Palette (R795) from RVB Lab The Makeup is one of the most versatile and usable palettes we ve come across recently. Create a subtle day look or a dramatic evening one. It contains both matt and soft shimmery shades among the eight colours. They are all flattering ‒ there are no screaming rainbow or disco shades here. If you want a more intense colour, dampen it before application. The best is that the eye shadows are enriched with vitamin E and olive oil sterols so they are not streaky and stay in place all day.

16 IDEAS November/December 2018

PAINT & DÉCOR s eco-friendly, hypoallergenic paint is now available in reusable containers that you can upcycle creatively afterwards. The new design was launched with their new wall paints, which are mixed in 124 of their clients favourite colours. The paint has no negative effects on your health or the environment. The black-and-white nature images on the containers are hand-drawn by Jani Augustyn-Goussard, the daughter of the family who started Paint & Décor in 1999. Details such as the paint name and colour are written on stickers. When the paint is finished, you simply wash off the stickers and rinse out the container so you can use it as pretty storage in your house. Under the stickers there s a blank space for you to write what is in Pain rushes the container. Order the paint from their website, paintdecordiy.com.


3 NEW SHOPS, DÉCOR AND CRAFT dala@ideasfactory.co.za 3 FOOD AND RESTAURANTS ideasmagazinefood@gmail.com

On trend

Plant-based food is the hottest culinary trend of 2018, according to global food-industry experts. With the rise in conscious eating, awareness surrounding sustainability and health trends, veganism is on the up around the world. Balducci at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town recently launched a vegan menu with over 60 creative options. Favourites include Berry Frenzy Power Bowl, Red Thai Curry, Guacamole Rice Paper Wrap, Smokey Black Bean Burger, Cashew Nut Cream Pasta, Cheesecake with a Berry Marble Swirl and Frozen Berries served with Coconut Vegan Yoghurt. Wherever possible, the ingredients are organic, low-GI, chemical and preservative-free, non-GMO, raw and loaded with vitamins and minerals. For more information, go to www.balduccis.co.za.

Model-style hair If you long for hair that looks as lovely as a magazine model’s locks, you’ll be thrilled with the results you get from the new INOAR Efeito Photoshop hair products. They contain coconut oil and a vegetable-based keratin that makes hair shine; they’re pH balanced and seal the hair cuticles to retain moisture. It’s a vegan-friendly range. Hendrien Kruger, who imports the products from Brazil, says they are particularly suited to South African hair because they’re formulated and manufactured in and for the southern hemisphere. There is a shampoo and conditioner (R500 for a set) and mask (R450), suitable for all hair types. Available from hair salons and online at inoar.co.za.

Looking for good yarn? We love exceptional quality yarns, needles and hooks, and if you do too, be sure to visit Brenda Grobler’s new online shop at www.jaarn.co.za. At Jaarn they strive to bring you the latest and best yarn the local and international community has to offer. You will also find a ‘designer kit’ section on the website: Pick your project and they will send you the kit. And if you’re looking for something specific, this is the place to ask.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 17


what’s new

Get the most from your roast Take your festive roast to the next level with a delicious bouquet garni jus. The secret ingredient is Laborie s Pineau de Laborie, a fortified wine made from Pinotage grapes. The wine displays fresh mulberries, quince and cherry with subtle spice. Heat 200ml Pineau de Laborie with about 750ml of strained pan juices from your roast (or stock) in a saucepan. Add a bouquet garni (a small bunch of herbs that includes rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaves and oregano). Simmer until reduced to 200ml. Add 200g fresh cherries and warm through. Ideal with a pork or duck roast. Pineau de Laborie is available at selected outlets and at the KWV Emporium for around R98.

Cute gift idea

dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƐƵĐŚ Ă ŶŝĐĞ ŝĚĞĂ ĨŽƌ Ă ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ͘ dŚĞ ^ŚĞůĮĞ is a small Cape Town-based design and décor company, and they love plants! You can buy one of these ‘grow it yourself’ ŬŝƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ZϭϱϬ ƚŽ ZϮϱϬ͕ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ŐŝŌ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ ǁŚŽ ůŽǀĞƐ Ă ǁĞĞŬĞŶĚ /z ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ͘ dŚĞLJ ĂůƐŽ ŚĂǀĞ ƐƚŽĐŬŝŶŐ ĮůůĞƌƐ like Cheeky Plant notepads, R115 for the set. Go to www. ƚŚĞƐŚĞůĮĞ͘ĐŽ͘njĂ Žƌ ĞŵĂŝů ƚŚĞŵ Ăƚ ƚŚĞƐŚĞůĮĞƐƚŽƌĞΛŐŵĂŝů͘ĐŽŵ͘

Sunny days

The Bello sun lounger is a stunning statement piece, crafted from powdercoated aluminium. The sling material has integrated quick foam, which means it is very comfortable and you can use it straight from the pool. Available at R16 999 from Mobelli Furniture + Living (www.mobelli.co.za).

18 IDEAS November/December 2018


)ŸG \RXU VNLQ DQG ORRN IODZOHVV New from the prestigious French skincare house Filorga is its first make-up range. Filorga specialises in anti-ageing products and has drawn on this knowledge for its active makeup. The products not only improve your appearance immediately, they also contain a heap of active anti-ageing ingredients that will improve the condition of the skin over time. Flash-Nude Pro-Perfection Tinted Fluid SPF30 (R520) delivers a flawless nude-skin appearance and lets the skin look radiant while it helps to rectify skin problems ‒ it contains 50 active ingredients to feed the skin and stimulate cell growth. It has a light liquid texture and you decide yourself how much you want to use to achieve the cover you desire. It instantly covers dark marks and redness while pigmentation can be reduced by up to 60% after eight weeks of daily use. Flash-Nude Pro-Perfection Translucent Powder (R520) provides a blur effect for the skin and a matt appearance, and it s rich in hyaluronic acid that prevents the skin from feeling dry and looking mask-like, which can often happen with powder. It also provides a protective film that prevents pollution particles sticking to the skin. It s transparent and suitable for any skin colour.

Lift your glass to he ‘Madonna’

Belgian breweries have a rich history of producing beer glasses unique to their particular brews, and the Duvel glass is one of the most famous. Crafted in the shape of a tulip, when released in the 1960s it was the first beer glass capable of holding an entire 330ml bottle of beer. That wasn t for quenching a thirst, but rather a means to enhance the flavour and aromatics of the beer. Now an age-old craft meets world-class art as the Belgian Beer Company celebrates the Art of Glass ; its first collaboration with an African artist, as a striking work by Lizette Chirrime finds new life on this tulip-shaped glass. Dubbed Madonna , the artwork illustrates the multiple facets and layered complexity of the female form. Born in Maputo, Chirrime creates large-scale textile-driven works on canvas, using abstract forms to weave a narrative inspired by her own life experiences. The new Madonna glass will be available at an exclusive selection of bars and restaurants in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with a limited quantity available for the beer-loving public to purchase at R80 each. For more information, visit www.belgianbeercompany.co.za.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 19


what’s new

Personalied gifting

Woven Bark Studios has offered a personalised gifting service since 2005. They source products from Proudly SA artisans ‒ brands you love and brands you ve never heard of ‒ making it possible for you to send hand-picked, thoughtful gifts, every time. They work closely with designers and packaging manufacturers to customise packaging, for gifting and branding solutions, and will offer you the best experience, from handwriting your note to doing a personal delivery. Contact them at www.wovenbarkstudios. co.za or michelle@wovenbarkstudios.co.za.

On display

Show off your favourite recipe book, decorative bowl, special plate or art piece by displaying it in your home on the Tri-Stand. This neat wooden easel is designed to easily adjust to hold objects of many different shapes and sizes. It sells for R120 (excluding postage) and is a great gift idea for the festive season. Send your order to Inge at instanttags@mweb.co.za.

Nature-inspired ZDŹSDSHU

You can now buy wallpaper at the nature-inspired homeware store, Love Milo. The Magnolia Spring ĞƐŝŐŶ ŝƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŝŶ ĮǀĞ ƉĂƩĞƌŶƐ ;ĚƌĂŐŽŶŇLJ͕ triangle, branch, stripe and magnolia) each with three ĐŽůŽƵƌǁĂLJ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ͘ dŚĞ ŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĂůůƉĂƉĞƌƐ are PVC free, 100% recyclable and printed with nontoxic latex inks. Available at R650 per square metre. Order yours from www.lovemilo.com.

20 IDEAS November/December 2018


Colourful fun For a bit of colourful fun, there is the new Sisley Phyto-Lip Delight (R690), a balm that transforms into an oil to give the lips colour at the same time as it feeds them with ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil, plum oil and vitamin E. There are three delicate shades of colour: a naked beige, baby-doll pink and coral. Perfect for your holiday bag.

Fresh new look In keeping with current wine trends and following feedback from their consumers, Backsberg Estate Cellars has recently undergone a brand refresh. The elegant new look is brighter and lighter. Keep your eyes peeled for your favourites with a new look, in stores soon, and be sure to purchase a few bottles for the upcoming festive season. The Backsberg Premium Pinotage 2017 is the ideal wine to serve with your Christmas meal. Available in major retail outlets, via the Backsberg online store or directly from the Backsberg tasting room for approximately R79 per bottle. Backsberg is situated just outside Paarl, in the heart of the Cape Winelands. There s a restaurant, famous for its Sunday lamb on the spit, a tasting room and several function venue options. For more information, visit www.backsberg.co.za or call 021 875 5141.

NURTURING FIBRES The Art of well-dyed Yarns cotton | bamboo merino wool | mohair

Stockists and free patterns on ZZZ QXUWXULQJĂ€EUHV FRP


décor

Fynbos

festivities

Let nature s gifts inspire your Christmas décor, introduce a pastel palette and set the scene for cosy gatherings. tex t MANDY ALLEN st yling SHELLEY STREE T photos WARREN HEATH all from BUREAUX ( W W W.BUREAUX.CO. ZA)

22 IDEAS November/December 2018


This tranquil setting is perfect for a dreamy indoor Christmas made modern through a muted palette and homeware and artworks displayed on oating shelves. A handmade wreath, spray painted white, as well as gorgeous bouquets made from cuttings of fragrant fynbos, evergreens and heath, add organic charm. Accent furniture brings the look together.


décor

C

hristmas remains a time-honoured celebration of family and friends, hearth and home. This year, put your personal stamp on your decorations by foraging for flora and fynbos to turn into fragrant wreaths, pretty posies and conversation-starting artworks. Add dustings of metallic sparkle rather than fullthrottle shine, and focus your styling efforts on creating a sanctuary for the senses with soft throws, scented candles and organic textures ‒ all connected by a pale palette that is as inviting as it is serene.

LIGHT FANTASTIC 3 Craft a wreath from flexible vines

or cuttings of willow or silver birch. Use secateurs to cut lengths, scissors for trimming and twine for binding into shape. Once you have your garland, spray paint it white and allow it to dry. Weave through jewellery wire (optional) for a hint of shine and add a string of fairy lights. Decorate with greenery before hanging in place. 3 Tie bouquets of plant cuttings together with string or twine and hang them upside down on walls, or from the mantelpiece or balustrade. 3 Arrange additional fynbos, heath and evergreens in a mix-and-match assortment of vases and containers, and even baskets, or secured to tables with washi tape.

3 A little bit of sparkle is good for

the soul. Think beyond the tinsel and spray paint blue gum seeds, acorns and other interesting tree pods in gold. 3 Sprinkle white ceramics and fynbos cuttings with a light dusting of metallic paint powder. 3 A clear glass vase makes a handy container for a delicate string of fairy lights ‒ obligatory at Christmas time. 3 Wrap the presents in handmade paper studded with flowers as well as metallic Kraft paper. Add raffia, butcher s twine, ribbons, gold dots, star stickers, old-school office tags and sprigs of wild flowers and fragrant, woody herbs to put your personal stamp on each one.

PICTURE PERFECT 3

Framed pictures, vases and other accessories are a great way to personalise a space. While a mostly white palette can feel austere, it can be softened by adding organic shapes, wooden frames and a mix of ceramics and glass in earthy green tones. 3 The Victorian craze for flower pressing gets a modern update with this simple DIY idea. Collect an assortment of leaves, fronds and flowers. Spray paint them all white, allow to dry, then tape onto artist s quality paper and display in simple, contemporary frames (either under glass or with the glass removed).

24 IDEAS November/December 2018

POCKET FULL OF POSIES 3

This loosely structured fynbos posy will appeal to all the senses with its earthy fragrance, scrubby sprigs

and layers of greens. Suspending it upside down from a picture nail lends a rustic touch to the space. 3 As well as using fynbos and other evergreens in your DIY bouquet, weave in woody herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme for their textures and aromas. And if they re in flower, they ll add a pretty splash of blue and violet too.

SIMPLE GIFTS 3

To continue with this muted theme, brightly coloured traditional Christmas stockings have been replaced by large, neutral linen ones, ready for the sweets, trinkets and seasonal treats. On the mantelpiece, the standard formal arrangement of flowers in a vase and other decorative pieces has been replaced by a posy of fynbos, placed off-centre as an eyecatching accent. 3 Only basic sewing skills will be required to make your own linen Christmas stockings, either by hand or machine. 3 Depending on how many stockings are needed, vary the colours by a shade or two ‒ from white to cream to dove grey. 3 Instead of decorating them with embroidery or beadwork, pin sprigs of flora onto each stocking. 3 Introduce a little shine with gold Christmas baubles. It is the season, after all. 3 Vanilla-scented pillar candles in a variety of sizes are always a good idea to heighten the cosy atmosphere.



Create a sense of drama and occasion with a centrepiece that conjures up romantic notions of lush gardens and trees dusted in snow.

26 IDEAS November/December 2018


dĂŠcor

Spruce up the concept of the Christmas tree by keeping it natural, eco-friendly and handmade.


décor

BRANCH OUT 3 Collect some branches of varying

lengths from short to long, but keep them as much the same thickness as possible. Lay them out on the floor in a Christmas tree shape and carefully join them together using thin wire (florist s or jeweller s wire is ideal). 3 Once you are happy with the Christmas tree shape, decorate it with traditional baubles and small posies of wild flowers and fragrant woody herbs such as sprigs of rosemary and thyme, tied together with raffia and string. 3 To create a little added interest, very lightly spray some of the posies with white and gold paint. 3 Additional treasures such as shells, seed pods (left as is or spray painted) and other natural decorations can also be strung up on your tree. 3 As a final flourish, wind thin strings of battery-operated fairy lights around the branches. 3 Hang on a wall, indoors or out, and place a paper pom-pom or other ornament on top as your tree topper.

NATURE STUDY 3

Start with a soft washed-linen tablecloth or length of linen-like fabric, the edges left unstitched for a rustic look, as the base for your table setting. 3 Place some newspaper down the centre of the table. Arrange fynbos, scrubby evergreens and fragrant, woody herbs on the newspaper, and loosely tie them up with raffia and/or jewellery wire to keep the arrangement together but still with an unstructured feel. Lightly spray the greenery with white spray paint. Dust with a little gold powder paint. Remove the newspaper when the paint is dry to the touch. 3 Place metallic and pearlescent Christmas baubles and gold-painted seed pods among the leaves and twigs. Fairy lights can also be woven into the centrepiece. 3 A beautiful set of crockery is a key ingredient for a fabulous festive meal. Our imperfectly perfect set of handmade tableware and mugs has an irresistible tactility and wonky charm.

Paired with vintage silver cutlery, it s a table setting made in style heaven. 3 If the design of your chairs allows it, tie individual posies to their backs as take-home gifts for guests.

SWEET ON YOU 3

Bake or buy shortbread biscuits and decorate them with a simple icing glaze, and decorate with edible glitter and gold stars.

LET IT SNOW If you live in a balmy climate but have dreams of a white Christmas, try this easy craft that suggests frosty, snowclad windows and icy flurries: 3 Wet a pickling jar and roll it in a tray of white sugar. Allow it to dry, carefully tie raffia around the top and add a cutting of greenery. 3 Place gold tea light candles inside the jars and arrange them down the length of the table or anywhere in the home that needs a little frosty Christmas whimsy.

Shopping guide: • Crockery, cups and assortment of white ceramics by Mervyn Gers Ceramics (mervyngers.com) • Tall cylindrical white vase, round metal vase and small green votive candle holders from LIM (lim.co.za) • Selection of clear glass votive candle holders, clear glass vase and selection of bed linen from Woolworths (woolworths.co.za) • Framed pressed flower artworks and green vase from Okasie (okasie.co.za) • Linen from The Fabric House (thefabrichousect. com) • Woven baskets from Esque (esque.co.za); Ashanti Design (ashantidesign.com); and Simply Home (simplyhome.co.za).

28 IDEAS November/December 2018



dĂŠcor

BEHIND THE SCENES

3 Tie bunches of fynbos as well as wreaths to the backs of your dining-room chairs and give them to guests as take-home gifts. 3 Place presents, wrapped in paper that matches your dĂŠcor, on the table.

30 IDEAS November/December 2018


SILENT NIGHTS

3 Even the most simple bedroom setting becomes something extraordinary with attention to detail that will make your

overnight guests feel truly welcome: Work with inviting textures, a colour palette that is both engaging and calming, and something to suggest a connection with nature. 3 Craft a wreath from exible vines or cuttings such as willow or silver birch using secateurs to cut lengths, scissors for trimming and natural twine for binding into shape. Once you have your garland, spray paint it white and allow to dry. Weave through jewellery wire (optional) for a hint of shine and add a string of battery-operated fairy lights. Then arrange cuttings of fynbos before hanging in place with thick ribbons or roughly cut lengths of linen.


how to

COCONUT SNOWBALLS Makes: about 50 Preparation time: 1 hour, plus setting time ♥ 230g (440ml) icing sugar, sifted ♥ 1ml cream of tartar ♥ 397g can condensed milk ♥ 270g (865ml) fine desiccated coconut ♥ 200g white chocolate, chopped ♥ 80g (250ml) medium or coarse desiccated coconut, to decorate

1

2

3

Sift the icing sugar and cream of tartar

Add the condensed milk and stir until

Add the other half of the fine coconut

together.

smooth. Add half the fine coconut and mix well.

and stir well until the mixture sticks together. Set aside for 30 minutes.

4

Roll into small balls and place the balls onto a greased and lined baking tray.

PACKAGE IT

5

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Dip each coconut ball into the melted chocolate so that half of the ball is covered.

66

Allow the excess chocolate to run off and then dip into the coarse coconut. Place the balls on the lined baking tray and leave until the chocolate has hardened. Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

Pack the snowballs in an attractive glass jar and secure the lid with washi tape. Decorate the jar by tying a cardboard star around the neck with coloured string.

32 IDEAS November/December 2018


recipes and food produc tion LOUISA HOLST st yling and packaging HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

Sweet steps Gifts are always sweeter when they are home-made. Follow our easy step-by-step instructions and spoil your loved ones.



how to

MINI FRUIT CAKES Makes: 10 Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes Baking time: 50 minutes Oven temperature: 140oC ♥ 600g dried fruitcake mix ♥ 250g pitted dates, chopped ♥ 10ml grated orange rind ♥ 200g (235ml) sugar ♥ 130g (140ml) butter ♥ 5ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 240g (440ml) cake flour ♥ 3ml baking powder ♥ 5ml dried mixed spice ♥ 3ml ground cardamom ♥ 5ml ground cinnamon ♥ 2ml salt ♥ 2 large eggs ♥ 50ml brandy (optional) ♥ icing sugar, for dusting DECORATION ♥ 500g marzipan or marzipan substitute ♥ 100ml melted apricot jam ♥ 500g white fondant icing ♥ silver balls, to decorate

1

2

Combine the fruit, orange rind, sugar,

Sift the dry ingredients together and

butter and 250ml water in a saucepan.

add alternately with the eggs to the

Bring to the boil and simmer for 5

fruit mixture.

minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the

Cover loosely with tin foil and bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out for a few minutes, then remove from the

mixture, stir well and leave to cool.

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the tops off each cake so they are flat. Drizzle with a little brandy, if using. Dust a clean surface with icing sugar. Roll out the marzipan and cut circles to fit the cakes. Brush with melted jam and then stick the marzipan on top.

Spoon into large greased muffin tins.

clean. Remove from the oven and cool

bicarbonate of soda to the hot fruit

4

3

tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

5

6

Roll out the fondant icing and cut the

Brush the marzipan with jam and

same size circles to fit on top of the

then stick the fondant circles onto the

marzipan. Use a cookie cutter of your

marzipan layer. Fill the cut-out shape

choice (star, tree, angel) and cut a

with small silver balls. Store the cakes

small shape from the middle of each

in an airtight container until you are

circle of fondant.

ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Buy a cardboard box with a fold-open lid and decorate the inside of the lid with pretty gift paper or an illustration. Line the box with baking paper and place the fruit cakes in the box.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 35


how to

CHOC-NUT MERINGUES Makes: about 60 Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus drying and setting time Baking time: 1 hour Oven temperature: 110oC ♥ 4 large egg whites ♥ 2ml cream of tartar ♥ 200g (230ml) castor sugar ♥ 200g dark chocolate, chopped ♥ 100g pistachios, shelled and chopped (or use other nuts of your choice) ♥ cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

1

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. Beat until stiff.

4

Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until firm, but not browned. Switch the oven off and leave the meringues to cool in the oven for 2 hours. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

2

Add the sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until the mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

5

To decorate the meringues, dip the bottom of each one into the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to run off.

3

Line two baking trays with baking paper. Hold the piping tip about 1.5cm directly over the baking tray, gently squeeze the bag to form a 3cm base then pull up to form a peak. Repeat with the remaining mixture, leaving some space between the meringues.

6

Dip into the chopped nuts. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave until the chocolate hardens. Dust with cocoa powder, if you prefer. Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Buy a tin for packaging the meringues. Decorate the inside of the lid as follows: Copy our picture on page 44 in the desired size onto white paper (or use pretty gift wrap), cut it out and glue it in place with spray glue. Line the tin with wax paper and place the meringues in the tin.

36 IDEAS November/December 2018




how to

CINNAMON-NUT PASTRIES o

Makes: 12 Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus chilling time Baking time: 15-20 minutes Oven temperature: 170 C PASTRY ♥ 140g (260ml) cake flour ♥ 25g (60ml) ground almonds ♥ 100g (110ml) cold butter ♥ 30ml icing sugar ♥ 25ml cornflour ♥ 2ml vanilla extract ♥ 100g cream cheese ♥ 1 large egg yolk FILLING ♥ 50g (60ml) sugar ♥ 25g (60ml) ground almonds ♥ 5ml ground cinnamon ♥ 50g (55ml) butter, melted ♥ 80ml honey, heated ♥ 30ml cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

1

PASTRY Place the flour, almonds, butter, icing sugar, cornflour, a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract into a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

4

Place a round dinner plate over the dough to use as a template to cut away the rough edges of the dough and make a neat circle.

2

Add the cream cheese and egg yolk and process until the mixture begins

3

Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a circle.

to stick together. Remove from the processor and roll into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5

Use a ruler and sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 even-sized wedges (or 24 for bite-sized pastries). Mix the sugar, nuts and cinnamon together. Brush the surface of the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top.

6

Roll up each wedge, starting from the larger side. Place them onto lined baking trays. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Brush with melted honey and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

PACKAGE ITThese pastries can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. To package, buy a white takeaway box and pack the pastries into it. Complete the gift by wrapping a black ribbon around the box a few times.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 39


how to

REINDEER ANTLERS FOR ICE-CREAM CONES Makes: about 50 Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 4 minutes, per batch Oven temperature: 180oC ♥ template ♥ acetate, craft knife and cutting mat BISCUITS ♥ 4 large egg whites ♥ 220g (250ml) castor sugar ♥ 135g (250ml) cake flour ♥ 75g melted butter, cooled ♥ 15ml cream ♥ 1ml vanilla extract

1

2

3

Draw an antler design on white paper,

Beat the egg whites and sugar

Add the flour, butter, cream and

or find one on the internet to copy. Use a craft knife and the template to cut out reindeer antler shapes from a piece of acetate.

together until frothy.

vanilla and heat on low until just combined and smooth.

4

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone sheet and place the acetate on it. Spread a little of the batter over the cut-out section and smooth to form a thin, even layer.

5

Lift up the acetate sheet carefully. Repeat with the remaining batter (work in small batches). Bake for 4 minutes or until just turning brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and leave to harden for a few minutes.

6

Once they have hardened, lift carefully and set aside to cool completely on a wire rack. To make curved antlers, place a small rolling pin under the warm biscuits as soon as they come out of the oven and leave to harden.

SERVING IDEA: Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Place one or two scoops of ice cream into a cone and use a pink or red round sweet as a nose and then place two biscuits antlers on top to make a reindeer ice-cream cone.

40 IDEAS November/December 2018



how to

MARVELLOUS MARBLING Makes: 30-40 Preparation time: 75 minutes, plus chilling time Baking time: 8-10 minutes Oven temperature: 170oC BISCUIT DOUGH Beat 200g soft butter and 200g white sugar together. Add 15ml vanilla essence and a large egg, beating well to combine. Mix 420g flour and 5ml baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add it to the butter mixture and work it gently to form a firm dough. Roll batches out between two pieces of plastic wrap, about 5mm thick, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. You can re-roll the offcuts once to cut more cookies. ROYAL ICING Lightly beat 2 large egg whites with 1ml cream of tartar. Add 600g of sifted icing sugar and beat until just incorporated and the icing is stiff and white. Thin the icing with a few drops of water at a time. The icing should settle only in about 10 seconds if you lift the spoon out of the mixture. You will have more than enough icing, but it s better than having too little to work with.

1

Cut circles of about 7cm out of the rolled dough and bake on lined baking trays 8‒10 minutes or until the edges just start to turn a golden colour. Leave the biscuits to cool on the tray.

4

42 IDEAS November/December 2018

2

Colour about 100ml of the icing black with gel food colouring. Use a little of the black icing to colour about 150ml of the icing grey. Spoon some grey icing into a bowl with some white icing in it. Drizzle a little black icing on top of the grey. Play around with different ratios to create diffent effects.

Mix edible gold paint with a little clear alcohol and use a fine paintbrush to paint a thin line across the icing along a marble line. Leave to dry for a few minutes. Store the biscuits in an airtight container until ready to package.

3

Hold a biscuit upside down and carefully press it into the icing, make sure the entire surface of the biscuit is in the icing. Lift it out and allow some of the excess icing to drip off. The icing should be thick enough to flatten out but not run off and over the edges of the biscuit. Add more grey and black as necessary. Leave to dry overnight.

PACKAGE IT Buy a cylindrical tin or cardboard box to pack the marbled biscuits in. Design a gift label on your computer and print it out on paper. Cut out the label and tie it around the tin or box with coloured twine. Pack the biscuits into the decorated container with baking paper squares between them.


by TANI KIRSTEN



craft

Outside the box Be creative with cardboard boxes and use this everyday item to create pretty festive dĂŠcor. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY

November/December 2018 IDEAS 45


46 IDEAS November/December 2018


craft

0

Gift wrapping DIFFICULTY: easy

TIME: a few hours

Instead of wrapping gift boxes in paper, decorate them with paint, markers, stencils and found objects. Here are a few ideas to get you started. CUT THE LID OF THE BOX so it forms a frame. Copy a picture of your choice onto cardboard, cut it to fit inside the frame and glue it in place inside the lid. PAINT THE TOP OF THE BOX ‒ either totally cover it or leave a border ‒ and once it is dry, tie a wide ribbon in an oversized bow around it. DRAW A WREATH and fill in the centre by painting it, to use as a gift tag. USE A WHITE MARKER to decorate the top of a black box with little stars. Add a decorative ribbon. PAINT THE LID OF THE BOX with PVA paint. Leave it to dry then glue one or two found items onto the lid. COPY A PICTURE of your choice onto cardboard and cut it either to the exact size of the box lid or so that it is slightly narrower at the sides. Glue it onto the lid. CREATE A PATTERN ON THE BOX by dry brushing paint over a stencil (we used a paper doily for our design).

0

&KULVWPDV WUŸ DIFFICULTY: fairly challenging TIME: half a day Draw one half of a Christmas tree shape onto a sheet of paper (or find a template on the internet and print it out). Enlarge the design to the size of your choice. Trace it onto thick sheets of corrugated board and cut six panels. Measure and mark four evenly spaced positions on the long straight side of each panel for the discs that hold the sides together and then cut slots at the marks. Cut out four discs from the leftover cardboard and insert them into the slots to put your tree together. Use a glue gun to glue the discs securely in place. Create a tree topper star from more of the leftover pieces of cardboard. TIP The thicker the cardboard you use, the sturdier the tree will be.


0

House lights DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: two hours Use the template on page 91 to cut a small cardboard box into the pieces you ll need to make your small fairy-light houses. Assemble and secure with a glue gun. Remember to cut small slots in the roof sheet to insert the fairy lights. Use a white chalk pen to decorate the little houses to look like Swiss-inspired chalets or gingerbread houses and cut out the doors and windows so that the fairy lights can shine through.


0

craft

Decorations DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour Recycle bits of discarded cardboard to make these decorations. You can copy our designs or have fun making your own ‒ and get the kids involved as well. To make the decorations, either copy an attractive design onto cardboard in black and white and cut it out in the shape of a Christmas bauble, or cut bauble shapes out of plain cardboard and use white paint, a chalk pen and black art liner to decorate them. Corrugated cardboard sheets are available from most craft stores as well as from packaging suppliers. Some will even sell you loose pieces of cardboard.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 49


Bright & beautiful by HANNES KOEGELENBERG assistant SAMANTHA RALL photos ED O RILEY

50 IDEAS November/December 2018


stitchcraft

Take out your crochet hook and yarn and create a magical table with handcrafted decorations.


TABLE DECORATIONS Cover your table with graph paper that has been enlarged and printed out on A1 sheets of white paper. Buy unfolded Christmas crackers and trace the outlines onto our creative paper on page 44. Use the napkin-ring template on the page 62 and cut one for each guest from black cardboard. Fold the strip around the napkin and slide the two halves of the tree into each other to form a Christmas-tree napkin ring.

52 IDEAS November/December 2018


stitchcraft

Set the scene We chose the cool white of snow for our background and coloured it in with touches of pretty pink, green and blue. Here and there black adds deďŹ nition. We suspended a dowel stick from the ceiling above the table and hung a mixture of paper stars and crocheted baubles from it. The stools were made over with granny-square covers and every candle in the house was lit to create a festive feeling.

MODERN CHRISTMAS TREE Buy a wire tree, or have one similar to ours made. If you don t know anyone who can weld, you also make an outline tree by bending a length of wire into shape. Decorate it with more paper stars and crochet baubles.

PAPER CUT-OUT LAMP This playful standing lamp will provide the perfect lighting and atmosphere for your entrance hall or dining room. Find a picture or photo of a standing lamp on the internet. Copy the picture in the desired size and cut it out. Use spray glue to glue the picture onto a large sheet of foamboard. Cut out the lamp with your craft knife and glue a fringe onto the bottom edge of the lampshade to decorate it. To complete the project, attach a string of fairy lights to the back of the lampshade.


stitchcraft

Crochet stool cover DIFFICULTY: fairly easy TIME: two days YOU WILL NEED (per stool cover) ♥ Nurturing Fibres Eco-Cotton 100% cotton DK (50g balls): 3 balls in Vanilla and 1 ball each in Saffron, Lime, Aqua, Sweet Pea, Aventurine and Charcoal ♥ 3mm crochet hook ♥ tapestry needle ♥ 4 markers or contrasting pieces of yarn SIZE 40cm x 40cm ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain cl ‒ cluster c/off ‒ cast off dc ‒ double crochet rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble STITCH EXPLANATION CLUSTER 1 Yarn over hook and insert hook into next space and pull a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops. Do not complete stitch, so you have two loops on the hook. 2 Work next stitch the same. 3 Yarn over hook and pull through all three loops on hook. TO CROCHET SURFACE PIECE Squares (make 16) Using Vanilla and 3mm crochet hook, work 4 ch, sl st into 1st ch to form a ring. Rnd 1: 6 ch (= 1 tr + 3 ch), (1 tr, 3 ch) 7 times into ring, sl st into 3rd of beg-6 ch. C/off.

Rnd 2: Join colour 2 into 3 ch-sp, 3 ch

3 tr, 2 tr into next 3 ch-sp, [2 tr into next 3

(= 1 tr), (1 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr-cl, 2 ch) into same sp, (2 tr-cl, 2 ch, 2 tr-cl, 2 ch) into each 3

ch-sp of next square, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2

ch-sp to end, sl st into top of beg-3 ch. C/off.

twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next

Rnd 3: Join colour 3 into any 2 ch-sp, 3 ch (= 1 tr), (1 tr, 2 ch, 2 tr-cl) into same sp, (2

next 3 ch-sp of next square, 1 tr into next

tr-cl, 2 ch, 2 tr-cl) into each 2 ch-sp to end, sl st into top of beg-3 ch. C/off.

3 ch-sp) twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr

Rnd 4 (for 1st square only): Join Vanilla into any 2 ch-sp, 3 ch (= 1 tr), (2 tr, 3 ch, 3

top of beg-3 ch.

tr) into same sp, 2 ch, 1 dc into next 2 chsp, (3 ch, 1 dc into next 2 ch-sp) twice, 2

(= 1 tr), (1 tr, 3 ch, 2 tr) into same sp, 1 tr

ch, *(3 tr, 3 ch, 3 tr) into next 2 ch-sp, 2 ch,

2 tr) into each 3 ch-corner sp to end, sl st

1 dc into next 2 ch-sp, (3 ch, 1 dc into next 2 ch-sp) twice, 2 ch; rep from * to end, sl st into top of beg-3 ch. C/off.

into top of beg-3 ch. C/off.

Rnd 4 (for 2nd and following squares):

BORDER The border is a crochet strip that is joined

Join Vanilla into any 2 ch-sp, 3 ch (= 1 tr), (2 tr, 1 ch, 1 ch through the 3 ch-sp of adjacent square, 1 ch, 3 tr) into same sp, 2 ch, 1 dc into next 2 ch-sp, (1 ch, 1 ch through the 3 ch-sp of adjacent square, 1 ch, 1 dc into next 2 ch-sp) twice, 2 ch, (3 tr, 1 ch, 1 ch through the 3 ch-sp of adjacent square, 1 ch, 3 tr) into next 2 ch-sp, complete the remainder of the square as for first square. In following rnds the squares are joined in the same way to more sides. Darn in all loose yarn ends. STRIP AROUND SQUARES Rnd 1: Join Vanilla into 3 ch-sp of top right-hand square, 3 ch (= 1 tr), (1 tr, 3 ch, 2 tr) into same sp, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next 3 ch-sp) twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 3 ch-sp, [2 tr into next 3 ch-sp of next square, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next 3

tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next 3 ch-sp) 3 tr, 2 tr into next 3 ch-sp] twice, 2 tr into 3 tr, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next into next 3 tr; rep from * to end, sl st into Rnd 2: Sl st up to and into 3 ch-sp, 3 ch into each tr along each side and (2 tr, 3 ch,

Darn in all loose yarn ends.

afterwards to the surface piece. Using Vanilla, work 290 ch. Row 1: 1 tr into 4th ch from hook and into each ch to end, turn [= 288 tr]. Row 2: 3 ch (= 1 tr), 1 tr into each tr to end, turn. Row 3: 4 ch (= 1 tr + 1 ch), skip 1 tr, *1 tr into next 2 tr, 1 ch, skip 1 tr; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into last tr, turn. Row 4: 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, 3 ch, *1 dc into next 2 tr, 3 ch; rep from * to end, ending with 1 dc into last tr, turn. Row 5: 4 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch-sp, 1 ch, *[(1 tr, 1 ch) 4 times] into next 3 ch-sp, 1 dc into next 3 ch-sp, 1 ch; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into last dc, turn. Row 6: 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, 2 ch, (1 dc into next 1 ch-sp, 3 ch) twice, 1 dc into next 1 ch-sp, 2 ch, *1 dc into next dc, 2 ch, (1 dc into next 1 ch-sp, 3 ch) twice, 1 dc into next 1 ch-sp, 2 ch; rep from * to end, ending with 1 dc into last 4 ch-loop. C/off.

ch-sp) twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 3 ch-sp] twice, 2 tr into next 3 ch-sp of next square, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next 3 ch-sp) twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next 3 tr, *(2 tr, 3 ch, 2 tr) into next 3 ch-sp, 1 tr into next 3 tr, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, (3 tr into next 3 ch-sp) twice, 2 tr into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next

FINISHING Sew the two ends of the strip together, divide the strip into four even pieces and add place markers or contrasting pieces of yarn. Pin down the strip so that the four markers correspond with the four corners of the stool square. Crochet the strip with sl st to the square. C/off.

Christmas stocking and stool covers K AREN ADENDORFF

54 IDEAS November/December 2018


For any queries about the stool cover or stocking patterns, contact Karen Adendor at acaden@mweb.co.za.


stitchcraft

Christmas stocking DIFFICULTY: fairly easy TIME: two days ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain c/off ‒ cast off dc ‒ double crochet htr ‒ half treble rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble YOU WILL NEED ♥ Vinnis Colours Nikkim 100% cotton DK (50g balls): 1 ball each in Natural, Blue Canard, Mint, Peach, Raspberry and Purple Pink ♥ 3mm crochet hook ♥ tapestry needle ♥ diagram on page 62

TO CROCHET

dc, *1 dc into next 6 dc, (1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc)

HEXAGONS (make 17)

into next dc; rep from * to end, sl st into beg-dc. C/off.

Using 3mm hook and Natural, work 4 ch, sl st into 1st ch to form a ring.

Rnd 6: Join Raspberry into 2 ch-sp, 5 ch (= 1 tr + 2 ch), 1 tr into same sp, 1 tr into next

Rnd 1: 5 ch (= 1 htr + 3 ch), (1 htr, 3 ch) 5 times into ring, sl st into 2nd of beg-5 ch.

8 dc, *(1 tr, 2 ch, 1 tr) into next 2 ch-sp, 1 tr into next 8 dc; rep from * to end, sl st into

C/off. Rnd 2: Join Blue Canard into 3 ch-sp, 1

3rd of beg-5 ch. C/off. Rnd 7: Join Purple Pink into 2 ch-sp, 1 ch,

ch, (1 dc, 1 htr, 1 tr, 1 htr, 1 dc) into same sp and into each 3 ch-sp to end, sl st into

(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into same sp, 1 dc into next 10 tr, *(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into next 2

beg-dc. C/off. Rnd 3: Join Mint into sp in-between 2 dc,

ch-sp, 1 dc into next 10 tr; rep from * to end, sl st into beg-dc. C/off.

3 ch (= 1 tr), 4 tr into same sp, (5 tr into next sp in-between 2 dc) 5 times, sl st into top of beg-3 ch. C/off. NOTE: The rnd pulls in somewhat, but is back to normal in the next rnd. Rnd 4: Join Peach into 1st tr, 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, 1 dc into next tr, 2 dc into next tr, 1 dc into next 2 tr, 1 dc into next sp before next tr, *1 dc into next 2 tr, 2 dc into next tr, 1 dc into next 2 tr, 1 dc into next sp before next tr; rep from * to end, sl st into beg-dc. C/off. Rnd 5: Join Natural into 1st dc after 2 dc-corner, 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, 1 dc into next 5 dc, (1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into next

FINISHING Sew the hexagons together following the diagram. Leave the hexagon for the instep until last. NOTE: The form of the hexagon for the instep does not correspond with the space into which it must be inserted. Pin the hexagon all around into the space and oversew. LOOP Join Raspberry to the top edge of the stocking with a dc and work 20 ch, dc into same st. C/off and darn in loose yarn ends.



(2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through, yarn over, pull yarn through 2 loops on hook (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through all 3 loops, 1 ch. Puff stitch Yarn over hook, pull yarn through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook (2 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook (4 loops on hook), yarn over, pull yarn through all 4 loops, 1 ch.

Crochet baubles DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour per bauble YOU WILL NEED ♥ crochet cotton in colours of your choice (we used 5 colours of Vinnis Nikkim for each bauble) ♥ crochet hook (according to size on crochet cotton label) ♥ tapestry needle ♥ polystyrene balls (7cm diameter) ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain cl ‒ cluster c/off ‒ cast off dc ‒ double treble htr ‒ half treble sl st ‒ slip stitch st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble

crochet baubles and house bunting ELIZABE TH FESTER

58 IDEAS November/December 2018

STITCH EXPLANATION Beginning puff stitch 3 ch (count as 1 st), yarn over hook, pull through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops

TO CROCHET Make 2 halves, join together afterwards. Using colour 1, work 4 ch, sl st into first ch to form a ring. Rnd 1: 3 ch (count as 1 tr), 14 tr into ring, sl st into beg-3 ch, c/off [= 15 sts]. Rnd 2: Using colour 2, work into any tr 1 beg-puff st, then 1 puff st into each tr all around, sl st into first 3 ch, c/off [= 15 puff sts]. Rnd 3: Join colour 3 into any 1 ch-sp, (2 ch, 1 htr into same sp), 2 htr into each 1 ch-sp all around, sl st into first 2 ch, c/off [= 30 sts]. Rnd 4: Join colour 4 between any 2 htr, (3 ch, 1 tr into same sp), 2 tr into each htr all around, sl st into first 3 ch, c/off [= 30 sts]. Rnd 5: Join colour 5 into any tr, (1 ch ‒ do not count as a st, 1 dc into same st), 1 dc into each tr all around, sl st into first ch, c/off [= 30 sts]. Work another half as above. Darn in all loose yarn ends. FINISHING Pull the two halves over the polystyrene ball and crochet together all around using sl st. You can also sew it together by hand if it is difficult for you to crochet around the ball. Leave a long enough yarn end to make a loop for hanging the ball.


stitchcraft ADVENT CALENDAR Use a cupcake pan to make a playful Advent calendar. Fill the hollows in the pan with sweets and other small surprises and cover them with cardboard circles printed with the numbers 1‒25.


how to

Pom poms DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 30 minutes YOU WILL NEED ♥ Elle Family Knit Classic Chunky in white and two contrasting colours ♥ tapestry needle ♥ cardboard

1

Cut two circles, 7cm in diameter, from cardboard. Cut each circle into a ring form by cutting out a hole, 3 cm in

2

Place the two cardboard rings together and start wrapping white wool in even layers around the outer edge.

3

Continue wrapping the two cardboard rings, until half of the centre hole has been filled with wool.

diameter, in the centre.

4

Next, wrap one of the contrasting yarns 15 times around the ring to form a band approximately 2cm wide.

60 IDEAS November/December 2018

5

Wrap around another five bands of coloured yarn, in the same manner as the first, for a total of six bands.

6

Wrap white yarn six times around the ring between all the bands of coloured yarn.


Crackers from Merrypak (merrypak.co.za). * Order graph paper from Marweya Smal at marweya@ideasfactory.co.za. It costs R40 for three sheets, postage included.

7

8

9

Using the same colour yarn as the

Finally, wrap a contrasting coloured

Cut through all the layers of yarn along

bands, wrap around a layer to cover the white parts between the bands. At

yarn around, spacing each wrapping a

the edge of the ring, slipping the points of the scissors between the two

this stage the tapestry needle will be needed to pull the yarn through the hole in the middle.

10

Slip a 60cm length of white yarn, folded in half, between the two cardboard rings and tie it ďŹ rmly around the centre of the pom-pom.

few millimetres apart at the outer edge of the ring.

11

Cut through the cardboard rings and remove the pieces.

layers of cardboard.

12

Finally, trim the pom-pom into a neat ball shape.

pom-poms KEVIN SWARTS


how to

TEMPLATE FOR NAPKIN RING

STOCKING DIAGRAM WRONG SIDE FACING FOLD ON THE DOTTED LINES

Leave seam open

INSTEP HEXAGON

62 IDEAS November/December 2018


Houses DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one day to make a string of houses YOU WILL NEED ♥ crochet cotton (we used Vinnis Nikkim) ♥ crochet hook (we used 1 one size smaller than given on the crochet cotton label) ♥ tapestry needle ABBREVIATIONS ch ‒ chain sl st ‒ slip stitch st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble

TO CROCHET

Row 7: 3 ch, 1 tr into next 2 sts, 3 ch, skip

The house is worked from the rooftop

3 sts, 1 tr into next tr, 3 ch, skip 3 sts, 1 tr into next st, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 7 tr].

down to the bottom. Leave a long enough piece of crochet cotton at the beg so that you can sew your houses to your string afterwards. The 3 ch at the beg count as a st. Row 1: 4 ch, 2 tr into 4th ch from hook, turn [= 3 sts]. Row 2: 3 ch (count as 1st tr in all the rows), 1 tr into same st, 1 tr into next st, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 5 tr]. Row 3: 3 ch, 1 tr into same st, 1 tr into next 3 sts, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 7 tr]. Row 4: 3 ch, 1 tr into same st, 1 tr into next 5 sts, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 9 tr]. Row 5: 3 ch, 1 tr into same st, 1 tr into next 7 sts, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 11 tr]. Row 6: 3 ch, 1 tr into same st, 1 tr into next 9 sts, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 13 tr].

Row 8: 3 ch, 1 tr into next 2 sts, 3 ch, skip 3 ch, 1 tr into next tr, 3 ch, skip 3 ch, 1 tr into next st, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 7 tr]. Row 9: 3 ch, 1 tr into next 2 sts, 3 tr into 3 ch-sp, 1 tr into next tr, 3 tr into next 3 ch-sp, 1 tr into next st, 2 tr into last st, turn [= 13 tr]. Sl st into each st to end, cast off. Darn in all loose yarn ends, except the one at the beg of each house. Crochet a long string of chain stitches and sew your houses to the string using the long loose yarn end (alternate the colours of your houses).

November/December 2018 IDEAS 63


food & entertaining

wreaths Create a fabulous and delicious showstopper for your Christmas table.

recipes and food produc tion LOUISA HOLST st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

SEAFOOD WREATH Prepare this recipe a day ahead and serve it as an impressive starter to your festive meal.

Serves: 10-12 Preparation time: 1 hour, plus overnight chilling time ♥ 500g thin slices of smoked salmon or salmon trout ♥ 400g smoked peppered mackerel fillets ♥ 212g can salmon, drained ♥ 250g cream cheese ♥ 2 spring onions, chopped ♥ grated zest of 1 lemon ♥ 30ml chopped dill, plus extra sprigs for garnishing ♥ 250ml sour cream ♥ 1 cucumber ♥ 2 celery sticks ♥ 8 radishes, thinly sliced ♥ micro herbs, to garnish ♥ 2 lemons, cut into wedges ♥ melba toast, for serving

64 IDEAS November/December 2018

1 Spray a 22cm tube tin with non-

4 Spoon the mixture carefully into the

stick cooking spray. Line the inside of the mould with the slices of salmon. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. 2 FILLING Remove the skin and any bones from the mackerel. Put the mackerel into a food processor and process until it is chopped, but still has a rough texture. Remove from the processor and put into a bowl. 3 Add the canned salmon, cream cheese, spring onions, lemon zest, dill and sour cream to the food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the mackerel and mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

salmon-lined tin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 5 Use a mandolin to cut the cucumber into thin strips, lengthways. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the celery sticks into strips. Put the celery strips into a bowl of water with ice cubes and set aside until they curl. 6 TO SERVE Loosen the salmon mould by running a blunt knife around the edges of the tin. Invert onto a large round plate. Garnish with the strips of cucumber, radish slices, celery, sprigs of dill and micro herbs. Add a few lemon wedges. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Serve with melba toast.



food & entertaining

Chee and herb bread wreah


CHEESE AND HERB BREAD WREATH This home-baked bread wreath is wonderful served with a soup starter or as part of a cold meat and salad buffet

Serves: 8-10 Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus rising time Baking time: 25 minutes o Oven temperature: 200 C ♥ 500g (920ml) white bread flour ♥ 10ml salt ♥ 7g instant dried yeast ♥ 80ml olive oil (plus extra for drizzling) ♥ 30ml butter ♥ 1 onion finely chopped ♥ 6 cloves garlic peeled and chopped ♥ 200ml grated mature Cheddar ♥ 5m finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus a few extra sprigs ♥ 10ml dried oregano ♥ flaked salt, for sprinkling 1 Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. Add the yeast. Add 280ml warm water and 50ml of the olive oil and stir to make a soft dough. 2 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor with a dough hook to do the kneading.) 3 Drizzle a little of the remaining olive oil into a large bowl and then place the dough into the bowl and turn it over to coat it with the oil. Cover with a damp tea towel and then set aside to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hours). 4 Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onion over a low heat for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and cool. Mix the cheese, chopped rosemary and dried oregano in with the onion mixture. 5 Roll the dough into even-sized balls about golf-ball size. Flatten slightly and put a teaspoonful of the cheese filling into the middle of each one. Fold over and press the dough closed. Roll into a ball again.

6 Arrange the balls inside a greased 30cm round tin, leaving a little space between each one for rising. Place a 1012cm metal ring in the centre of the tin to keep the dough in a ring shape. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and scatter with a few sprigs of rosemary. Set aside to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. 7 Open the preheated oven and spray some water into it to create steam. Bake the bread in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. 8 Remove the bread from the tin and cool on a wire rack. Serve decorated with fresh sprigs of rosemary.

HAM AND FRUIT WREATH Instead of a hot roast, why not serve a cold meat selection as a delicious festive meal? You can cook your own ham or gammon and slice it up or, to make it a fuss-free meal, buy a selection of different kinds of hams from your local deli or good supermarket. Serve with salads and bread.

Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Oven temperature: grill ♥ about 600g thinly sliced ham (choose a few different types of ham and gammon) ♥ 200g pancetta (or streaky bacon) ♥ 6 firm but ripe nectarines ♥ 200g fresh asparagus, blanched and drained

♥ 4-6 ripe figs ♥ 2 pomegranates, broken open ♥ 250g red seedless grapes ♥ 12 pickled baby gherkins ♥ baby salad leaves, to garnish DRESSING ♥ 100ml sunflower oil ♥ 30ml white wine vinegar ♥ 15ml wholegrain mustard ♥ 30ml honey ♥ Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional) 1 Put all the dressing ingredients together in a small jar and shake until well combined. Set aside. 2 Cut the nectarines into wedges. Wrap a piece of pancetta around each one. Place them onto a greased baking tray. Cook under the grill until the pancetta is crisp. Turn over to cook both sides. Brush each one with the honey mustard dressing as soon as they come out of the oven. 3 TO SERVE Roll or fold each piece of ham. Arrange the pieces on a large wooden board in a wreath shape. Add the asparagus, fruit and gherkins in between the pieces of ham. Drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with baby salad leaves and scatter a few seeds from the pomegranate around the platter. Serve immediately accompanied by sliced crusty bread.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 67


food & entertaining

Ham and fruit wreah (Recipe on page 67.)

68 IDEAS November/December 2018


Chocolate spice cake and bery wreah (Recipe on page 70.)

November/December 2018 IDEAS 69


FILLING AND DECORATION ♥ 200g white chocolate, chopped ♥ 250g fresh cherries ♥ 250ml cream, whipped ♥ 30ml Kirsch or brandy ♥ edible gold dust (optional) ♥ 4-6 granadillas, cut in half

CHOCOLATE SPICE CAKE AND BERRY WREATH You ll know it s Christmas time when you bake these delicious cakes and smell the festive spices. A wonderfully decadent

4 Beat the butter, sugar and egg together in a separate bowl until light. Add the liquid and dry ingredients alternately. Fold together. 5 Fold in 50g of the chopped chocolate and spoon into the prepared tins. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or

treat for all to enjoy.

until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the

Serves: 10-12 Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 180oC

tins for 10 minutes, then remove from the tins and invert onto a cooling rack.

♥ 315g (575ml) cake flour, plus extra for dusting the pan ♥ 50ml cocoa powder ♥ 7,5ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 7,5ml ground cinnamon ♥ 7,5ml ground ginger ♥ 2ml ground cloves ♥ 1ml salt ♥ 250ml beer ♥ 125ml molasses ♥ 125ml golden syrup ♥ 115g (125ml) soft butter ♥ 105g (125ml) sugar ♥ 1 large egg ♥ 150g dark chocolate, chopped ♥ 50ml cream ♥ 500g mixed berries ♥ chocolate malt balls or chocolatecoated nuts, to serve (optional) ♥ cocoa powder, for dusting

Cool completely. Trim the bottom off each cake so that they are flat. 6 Heat the remaining chocolate and cream together in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool. 7 TO SERVE Spoon a little of the chocolate sauce over each cake. Arrange the cakes on a round plate so that they form a wreath. Arrange the fresh berries on top of and in between the cakes. Add a few chocolate malt balls or chocolate coated nuts, if you prefer. Dust with a little sifted cocoa powder.

CREAM PUFF AND PASSIONFRUIT WREATH This beautiful dessert wreath is the perfect way to end off a festive meal.

1 Grease baby Bundt cake tins with butter. Dust with flour and then shake

Serves: 8-10 Preparation time: 1 hour Baking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 200oC

out the excess. 2 Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt together into a large bowl. 3 Whisk the beer, molasses and syrup together in a jug.

♥ 250ml boiling water ♥ 115g (125ml) butter ♥ 120g (220ml) cake flour ♥ 1ml salt ♥ 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

70 IDEAS November/December 2018

♥ edible flowers, to decorate 1 Pour the boiling water into a saucepan, add the butter and heat until the butter has melted. 2 Add the flour all at once. Add the salt and stir well until the mixture comes together and no longer sticks to the bottom and sides of the saucepan. 3 Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Set the mixture aside to cool. 4 Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a large round nozzle. Pipe small rounds into a greased baking tray, leaving space between each one. 5 Bake in a preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180oC and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven. Cut a small slice across the centre of each one to open. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 6 Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until smooth. Dip the cherries into the chocolate. Place onto a wire rack and set aside until the chocolate hardens. 7 TO SERVE Fill the pastries just before serving. Whip the cream until stiff. Fold in the Kirsch or brandy. Spoon into a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe the cream into each pastry to fill. 8 Spoon melted chocolate over each one. As soon is the chocolate has set, brush with a little gold dust, if you prefer. 9 Arrange the pastries on a large round plate in the shape of a wreath. Place the cherries and granadillas in between. Decorate with edible flowers. (Do not leave to stand for too long after filling as the pastries will go soft.)


food & entertaining

Cream puff and passionfruit wreah


0

tĞ ŐĂǀĞ ĞĂĐŚ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ƉůĂƐƟĐ ƚƌĞĞƐ Ă ŶĞǁ ĐŽůŽƵƌ ďLJ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƉĂŝŶƟŶŐ ŝƚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƉĂŝŶƚ ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂůůLJ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƉůĂƐƟĐ͘ tĞ ƵƐĞĚ ZƵƐƚͲKůĞƵŵ ďƵƚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ǀĂƌŝŽƵƐ ďƌĂŶĚƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ͘ ĞĨŽƌĞ LJŽƵ ĂƉƉůLJ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůŽƵƌ͕ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĞĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚǁŽ ĐŽĂƚƐ ŽĨ ůŝŐŚƚͲ ŐƌĞLJ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƉĂŝŶƚ͘ dŚŝƐ ĂĐƚƐ ĂƐ Ă ďĂƐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŶĞǁ ĐŽůŽƵƌ ĂŶĚ ŚĂůǀĞƐ ƚŚĞ ĂŵŽƵŶƚ ŽĨ ĐŽůŽƵƌĞĚ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƉĂŝŶƚ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ŶĞĞĚ͘ ZĞŵĞŵďĞƌ ƚŽ ǁĞĂƌ Ă ŵĂƐŬ ĂŶĚ ŐůŽǀĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ǁŽƌŬ ŝŶ Ă ǁĞůůͲ ǀĞŶƟůĂƚĞĚ ĂƌĞĂ͘

Floral fantasy

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: two hours

TREE

tĞ ǁĞƌĞ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĞĚ ďLJ ĚĞĞƉͲĐŽůŽƵƌĞĚ ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƚƌĞĞ͘ tĞ ƉĂŝŶƚĞĚ ŽƵƌ ƚƌĞĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŵĂƩ ďůĂĐŬ ƐƉƌĂLJ ƉĂŝŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƵƐĞĚ ĂƌƟĮĐŝĂů ĂŶĚ ƉĂƉĞƌ ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ƚŽ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƚĞ ŝƚ͘ hƐĞ ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ ůŽŶŐ ƐƚĞŵƐ ƚŚĂƚ LJŽƵ ƐŝŵƉůLJ ŝŶƐĞƌƚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĞĞ ŝŶ Ă ƌĂŶĚŽŵ ǁĂLJ͕ ůĞĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ƐŚĂƉĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďƌĂŶĐŚĞƐ͘

DECORATIONS

DĂŬĞ Ă ĨĞǁ ŵĞĚŝƵŵͲƐŝnjĞĚ ƉĂƉĞƌ ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ƵƐŝŶŐ ĐƌĞƉĞ ƉĂƉĞƌ ƚŽ ĂĚĚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂƌƟĮĐŝĂů ŇŽǁĞƌƐ͘ zŽƵ ĐĂŶ ĂůƐŽ ƵƐĞ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƉĞƌ ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ĂƐ ŐŝŌ ƚŽƉƉĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĚĞĐŽƌĂƟŽŶƐ ŽŶ LJŽƵƌ ĨĞƐƟǀĞ ƚĂďůĞ͘


Fake

craft

& fab Give your artiďŹ cial Christmas tree an updated look with one of these three easy ideas. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY

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0 Ombre

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour

TREE To create this fun ombre tree we used three diīerent shades of ƉinŬ͘ ^tart with the darŬ ƉinŬ sƉraLJ Ɖaint Įrst and coǀer the enƟre tree͘ ůůow it to drLJ ƉroƉerůLJ then aƉƉůLJ the nedžt͕ ůiŐhter shade of sƉraLJ Ɖaint to the toƉ threeͲƋuarters of the tree͕ ůeaǀinŐ the boƩom Ɖart darŬ ƉinŬ͘ >eaǀe to drLJ͘ >astůLJ aƉƉůLJ the ůiŐhtest ƉinŬ to the toƉ oneͲthird of the tree͘ To create eǀen shadinŐ͕ oǀerůaƉ the diīerent shades of ƉinŬ at the areas where theLJ ũoin͘

DECORATIONS Decorate the tree with uƉcLJcůed baubůes arranŐed from smaůů to ůarŐe͘ To Őiǀe LJour oůd baubůes new ůife͕ sƉraLJ Ɖaint them in LJour Ɖreferred coůour͕ aůso usinŐ sƉraLJ Ɖaint sƉeciaůůLJ formuůated for ƉůasƟc͘ ůůow them to drLJ ƉroƉerůLJ then aƉƉůLJ a coat of maƩ white to duůů the coůour sůiŐhtůLJ͘

November/December 2018 IDEAS 75


craft

0 Delft

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: a few hours

TREE

sintaŐe DeůŌ ceramics were the insƉiraƟon for this tree͘ te made oǀer our tree with a white maƩ sƉraLJ Ɖaint formuůated for ƉůasƟc͕ which serǀed weůů as a bůanŬ canǀas for the bůueͲandͲwhite ॒ceramic fraŐments॓͘

DECORATIONS s ƉoƩerLJ fraŐments wouůd haǀe been too heaǀLJ to hanŐ from the tree͛s branches͕ we searched for imaŐes on the internet to use as a subsƟtute͘ te Ɖrinted them out onto ϯϬϬŐsm cardboard͕ cut them out and aƩached strinŐ ůooƉs to the bacŬ for hanŐinŐ͘

Chair from Chair Crazy. ƌƟĮĐŝĂů ŇŽǁĞƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ <ĞŶůLJ &ůŽǁĞƌƐ͘ &ƌĂŵĞĚ ƉƌŝŶƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ďŽĚĞ͘ ĞůŌ ƉůĂƚĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ŚĂŶĚůĞƌ ,ŽƵƐĞ͘


it’s a

wrap Make your presents special with these simple and affordable wrapping ideas and gift cards. by HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

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Nostalgic traƉ LJour ŐiŌs in oůd booŬ ƉaŐes or fabric remnants and Ɵe a Ɖiece of rouŐh twine around the Ɖresent͘ &or the ŐiŌ cards͕ LJou can simƉůLJ coƉLJ our desiŐns on the facinŐ ƉaŐe onto white cardboard and cut them out͘

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craft

Typographic traƉ LJour ŐiŌs in ordinarLJ brown ƉaƉer and Ɵe a Ɖiece of Ŭitchen strinŐ around the Ɖresent͘ &or the ŐiŌ cards͕ LJou can coƉLJ our desiŐns on the facinŐ ƉaŐe onto white cardboard and cut them out͘ dd a touch of coůour to the ŐiŌ with washi taƉe͘

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craft

Retro inspiration traƉ LJour ŐiŌs in dressmaŬer͛s ŐraƉh ƉaƉer and Ɵe a ůenŐth of baŬer͛s twine around the Ɖresent͘ &or the ŐiŌ cards͕ LJou can coƉLJ our desiŐns on the facinŐ ƉaŐe onto white cardboard and cut them out͘ Order dressmaker’s graph paper from Marweya Smal at marweya@ideasfactory.co.za. It costs R40 for three sheets, postage included.

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craft

With flowers traƉ LJour ŐiŌs in an oůd ůand surǀeLJor͛s maƉ ;LJou can Įnd them on the internet or at some ǀintaŐe shoƉsͿ and Ɵe a Ɖiece of Ŭitchen strinŐ around the Ɖresent͘ &or the ŐiŌ cards͕ LJou can coƉLJ our desiŐns on the facinŐ ƉaŐe onto white ƉaƉer and cut them out͘

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craft

Eastern style traƉ LJour ŐiŌs in hinese or :aƉanese newsƉaƉer ;LJou can Įnd them on the internet or use our creaƟǀe ƉaƉer on ƉaŐe ϵϳͿ and Ɵe a ůenŐth of coůoured cord around the Ɖresent͘ &or the ŐiŌ cards͕ LJou can coƉLJ our desiŐns on the facinŐ ƉaŐe onto white ƉaƉer and cut them out͘

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stitchcraft

To the beach This colourful bag will look as much at home on the beach as in your craft room, filled with your favourite yarns. projec t K AREN ADENDORFF st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY

DIFFICULTY: fairly easy TIME: 2-3 days

SPECIAL STITCH INSTRUCTIONS FPTR: Wrap the yarn over hook, insert hook from right to left around the back of

YOU WILL NEED ♥ diagram on page overleaf ♥ Nurturing Fibres Eco-cotton DK (50g balls): 2 balls each Bessie, Willow, Ruby and 3 balls Aqua ♥ 3mm crochet hook ♥ 1m cotton fabric ♥ 2 x 45cm plastic 8mm tubes ♥ general sewing requirements SIZE Motif: 12cm x 12cm Bag: 46cm x 47cm ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin ch ‒ chain stitch c/off ‒ cast off dc ‒ double crochet fptr ‒ front post treble htr ‒ half treble lp ‒ loop rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round RS ‒ right side sp ‒ space ss ‒ slip stitch st ‒ stitch tog ‒ together tr ‒ treble stitch trtr ‒ triple treble WS ‒ wrong side

the stem of the next stitch and out at the front again. Complete the treble stitch. TRTR: Wrap the yarn three times over hook. Insert the hook into next stitch. Wrap the yarn again over hook and draw through the first loop leaving five loops on the hook. Wrap the yarn again over hook and draw through two loops. Wrap the yarn over hook and draw through next two loops on hook. Repeat this step. Wrap the yarn again over hook and draw through two last loops on hook. TO CROCHET MOTIF (make 8) With Bessie, crochet 8 ch, join into ring with ss in 1st ch. Rnd 1: 3 ch (= 1st tr), 15 tr in ring, ss into beg 3 ch. C/off. Rnd 2: With Ruby, 1 ch, 1 dc into the same st, 10 ch, ss into the same dc, *1 dc into next 2 tr, 10 ch, ss into the same dc; rep from * to end, ss into beg-dc (= 8 loops). Rnd 3: ss into 10 ch-lp, 1 ch, *(1 dc, 1 htr, 2 tr, 1 htr, 1 dc, 3 ch, 1 dc, 1 htr, 2 tr, 1 htr, 1 dc) into 10 ch-lp, 1 dc into next dc; rep from * to end, ending with ss into beg-dc. C/off. Rnd 4: With Aqua, join yarn into 3 ch-lp, *(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into 3 ch-lp, 1 dc into next 2 sts, 1 trtr into dc between petals in round 1, skip 4 sts, 1 dc into next 2 sts; rep

from * to end, ss into beg-dc. Rnd 5: ss into 2 ch-sp, 1 ch, *(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into 2 ch-lp, 1 dc into next 3 dc, 1 dc into trtr, 1 dc into next 3 dc; rep from * to end, ss into beg-dc. C/off. Rnd 6: With Willow, work into back loops of every dc, *(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into 2 ch corner-sp, skip 1 dc, 1 dc into each of next 7 dc, skip 1 dc; rep from * to end, ending with ss into beg-dc. C/off. Rnd 7: Complete this round for the 1st motif only. Crochet the 2nd and following motifs together in this round (see below). With Bessie, work into back loops of every dc, join into 2 ch-sp, 1 ch, *(1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc) into 2 ch corner-sp, 1 dc into each of next 9 dc; rep from * to end, ending with ss into beg-dc. C/off. TO CROCHET MOTIFS TOGETHER Rnd 7: With Bessie, work into back of loops of every dc; 1 dc into 2 ch corner-sp, 1 ch, 1 ch through the 2 ch corner-sp of previous motif, (back now to the motif that you are busy with), 1 ch, 1 dc into the same 2 ch corner-sp, 1 dc into next 9 dc, 1 dc into 2 ch corner-sp, 1 ch, 1 ch through 2 ch corner-sp of previous motif, (back now to motif that you are busy with), 1 ch, 1 dc into the same 2 ch cornersp, complete the round as described. Crochet together four motifs in a row and make two rows. The motifs of the second row will be connected at 4 corners in the same way as described above.

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FILL-IN MOTIFS Full motif (make 3) (between 2 rows)

Strips at top and bottom of bag strip Row 1 (RS): With Aqua, join into the

With Willow, crochet 5 ch, join into ring with ss in 1st ch.

corner-sp of the corner motif with 1 ch, 1 dc into the same st, and crochet 100 dc

Rnd 1: 1 ch, 8 dc in ring, ss into 1st dc. Rnd 2: 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into the same st,

across the side, turn. Row 2 (WS): 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into every

2 tr into every dc, ss into beg 3 ch = 16 tr. C/off.

dc to end, turn. Row 3 (RS): 1 ch, 1 dc into every tr to end,

Rnd 3: With Aqua, [4 ch, 1 ch through the 2 combined points of 2 star motifs,

c/off.

4 ch back again, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, ss into 3rd ch from hook, (3 ch, ss

into next 3 dc, *1 fptr into the next tr of row 2 (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 3 dc; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr

into previous ss) twice, (1 dc into next tr) twice] 4 times, ss into basis of beg-ch. C/off. Half motif (make 8) (top, bottom and

Row 4 (RS): With Bessie, 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr

into last 3 dc, turn. Row 5 (WS): 1 ch, 1 dc into every st to end, c/off. Row 6 (RS): With Willow, 3 ch (1st tr), 1 tr

sides of rows) With Willow, crochet 3 ch, join into ring with ss in 1st ch. Row 1: 1 ch, 5 dc in ring, turn. Row 2: 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into the same st,

into the next 5 dc, *1 fptr2tog over the

2 tr into every dc = 10 tr, turn. C/off. Row 3: With Aqua, join in the 1st 3 ch, 4 ch, 1 ch through the 2 ch corner-sp of motif, 4 ch back again, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, ss into 3rd ch from hook, (3 ch, ss in previous ss) twice, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, 1 ch through the combined point of the 2 star motifs, 4 ch back again, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, ss into 3rd ch from hook, (3 ch, ss into previous ss) twice, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, 1 ch through the 2 ch cornersp of motif, 4 ch back again, 1 dc into next tr. C/off.

Row 8 (RS): With Ruby, 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into the next 5 dc, *1 fptr into the next fptr2tog (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 7 dc; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into the last 5 dc, turn. Row 9 (WS): Rep row 5. Row 10 (RS): With Aqua, 3 ch (= 1 st tr), 1 tr into the next 5 dc, *1 fptr into the next fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 7 dc; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into the last 5 dc, turn. Row 11 (WS): Rep row 5.

Corner motif (make 4) With Willow, crochet 4 ch, 5 tr into 1st ch = 6 tr. C/off. Next row: With Aqua, join in the 1st 3 ch, 4 ch, 1 ch through the 2 ch corner-sp of motif, 4 ch back again, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, ss into 3rd ch from hook, (3 ch, ss into previous ss) twice, (1 dc into next tr) twice, 4 ch, 1 ch through the 2 ch corner-sp of motif, 4 ch back again, 1 dc into next tr. C/off.

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next 2 fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 7 dc; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into the last 6 dc, turn. Row 7 (WS): Rep row 5.

Row 12 (RS): With Ruby, rep row 10. Row 13 (WS): Rep row 5. Row 14 (RS): With Willow, 3 ch (=1 st tr), 1 tr into next 3 dc, *1 fptr into the next fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 3 dc, 1 fptr into the same fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 3 dc; rep from * to end, ending with 1 tr into last 3 dc, turn. Row 15 (WS): Rep row 5. Row 16 (RS): With Bessie, 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1tr into next 2 dc, *1 fptr into the next fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 3 dc, 1 fptr into the same fptr (skip dc behind), 1 tr into the next 3 dc; rep from * to end,

ending with 1 tr into last 4 dc, turn. Row 17 (WS): Rep row 5. Row 18 (RS): With Aqua, 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into every dc to end, turn. Row 19 (WS): Rep row 5. Repeat rows 1-19 for the bottom strip. BACK OF BAG With Aqua, crochet 101 ch, 1 dc into the 2nd ch from hook and into every ch to end = 100 sts, turn. Row 1: 3 ch (= 1st tr), 1 tr into every dc to end, turn. Row 2: 1 ch, 1 dc into every tr to end, turn. Rep row 1-2 eight times. Change to Willow and repeat pattern. The same with Ruby and Bessie. You have thus 4 colour strips with 18 rows each. C/off. HANDLES With Aqua, crochet 101 chs, 1 dc into the 2nd ch from hook and into every ch to end = 100 sts, turn. Continue the same pattern as back of bag until 6 rows are completed. C/off. Do the same with other handle. Sew the long seams together and pull over the tube. Repeat with other handle. COMPLETE THE BAG Place the front and back right sides together and stitch the sides and bottom together with whip stitch. Fold the fabric double. Cut 100cm x 52cm (thus 2 bags). Fold each bag in the length and stitch the side seams. Place the open sides (top of the bag) with right sides together and stitch, but leave a 7cm opening. Turn inside out and fold the one bag into the other bag. Stitch the opening. Stitch the handles 10cm from side seams. Stitch them to the side that will be the closest to the crochet. Insert the fabric bag into the crochet bag and pin the top of the bag. Stitch together by hand.


TEMPLATE FOR HOUSES ON PAGE 48

HANDBAG CROCHET DIAGRAM

For any queries about this pattern, contact Karen Adendorff at acaden@mweb.co.za

DIAGRAM SYMBOLS slip stitch chain stitch double crochet half treble crochet treble crochet triple treble crochet double crochet in back loop

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a H

If you would like to order a kit for this project, or would like more cover patterns, go to www.jaarn.co.za.

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stitchcraft

Tap into some nostalgia and at the same time, keep your dresses from slipping off the hanger with these crochet patterns. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 3-4 hours MEASUREMENTS To fit adult-size wooden hangers

2 rows below and pull up a loop, then insert hook into next st 3 rows below and pull up a loop, then insert hook into the stitch 2 stitches away and 1 row below and pull up a loop. Finally, yarn over and

Eco-Cotton in Seashell ♥ 1x ball 125m/50g Nurturing Fibres Eco-Bamboo in Fawn ♥ 3.50mm crochet hook ♥ tapestry needle and scissors ♥ wooden hangers. ABBREVIATIONS ch(s) ‒ chain(s) dc(s) ‒ double crochet(s) rep ‒ repeat slst ‒ slip stitch sk ‒ skip star spike ‒ see special stitch st(s) ‒ stitch(es) SPECIAL STITCH STAR SPIKE: The stitch is created by working in stitches from the previous row. Where the pattern refers to previous stitch , count back from the current stitch of the current row. Where the pattern refers to stitches away work forward (to the left) from the current stitch of the current row. NOTE: Do not pull the loops too tight. They need to be pulled up to the level of the crochet hook of the current row. Insert hook into the second previous stitch 1 row below and pull up a loop, then insert hook into the previous stitch

Row 1: Insert hook in the 2nd ch from the hook and work 1 dc, work 1 dc in each ch

pull through all five loops on hook.

across, turn. Row 2: Ch 1, work 1dc in the front loop

TO MAKE

only of each st across, turn. Row 3: Ch 1, 1 dc in each dc across, turn.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1x ball 125m/50g Nurturing Fibres

TEXTURED COVER With Eco-Cotton in Seashell, ch 73.

STAR COVER With Eco-Cotton in Seashell, ch 73. Row 1: Insert hook in the 2nd ch from the hook and work 1 dc in each ch across, turn. (72 sts) Row 2 ‒ 3: Ch 1, work 1 dc in each st across, turn. Fasten off. Row 4: With Eco-Bamboo in Fawn, join yarn to the first st, ch 1, 1 dc in the first 3 sts, *star spike over the next st, 1 dc in the next 7 sts (take care to sk the stitch behind the star spike before working the 7 dcs)*, rep from * to last 5 sts, 1 star spike over the next st, 1 dc in the last 4 sts, fasten off and turn. Row 5 ‒ 7: Change to Eco-Cotton and work 1 dc in each st across, fasten off. Row 8: With Eco-Bamboo in Fawn, join yarn to the first st, ch 1, 1 dc in the first 8 sts, *star spike over the next st, 1 dc in the next 7 sts (take care to sk the stitch behind the star spike before working the 7 dcs)*, rep from * to last 5 sts, 1 star spike over the next st, 1 dc in the last 4 sts, fasten off and turn. Row 9 ‒ 11: With Eco-Cotton, work 1 dc in each st across, turn, fasten off. Row 12: With Eco-Bamboo, rep row 4, turn and fasten off. Row 13 ‒ 14: With Eco-Cotton, work 1 dc in each st across, turn and fasten off.

Row 4 ‒ 19: Rep row 2 and 3. Row 20: Rep row 2. Fasten off. SURFACE ROWS Turn the piece around, so the first worked row is at the top and the unworked loops are facing forward. With Eco-Bamboo, insert hook in the first unworked loop on the right and slst loosely across all the loops. Fasten off and repeat on every row with unworked loops, working in the same direction every row. TO FINISH BOTH COVERS Weave in all loose ends. Sew the cover onto the hanger. Add a plastic sleeve to cover the hook and tie a ribbon in a bow around the hook, if you prefer. ABOUT THE YARNS Eco-Bamboo is a luxurious yarn that shimmers and has a wonderful drape. It has 125m to a ball, is 100% bamboo and is hand-dyed in South Africa. Eco-Fusion is a spun yarn with 125m to a ball. It is 50% bamboo and 50% cotton and hand-dyed in South Africa. Stockists are listed on the webpage www.nurturingfibres.com.

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shine on Transfer our photos onto fabric and make these decorative Christmas baubles with them. by ELIZABE TH FESTER and HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

YOU WILL NEED ♥ cotton fabric printed with baubles (see method alongside) ♥ extra cotton fabric for the back ♥ matching machine thread ♥ polyester toy stuffing ♥ twine ♥ sequins and shiny beads ♥ fabric pen TO MAKE 1 Place the printed fabric and unprinted fabric together with right sides facing and trace the outline of the bauble with your fabric pen. 2 Place a piece of twine at the top edge between the two layers of fabric, in line with the raw edges and with the

TO PRINT THE FABRIC Use an ink-jet printer to print out the baubles on these pages onto a sheet of iron-on transfer paper for light fabric. Cut them out neatly and iron them onto a piece of white cotton fabric according to the manufacturer s instructions.

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twine lying inside the bauble. 3 Sew the two pieces of fabric together as close as possible to the bauble outline, leaving an opening in the seam for turning through. 4 Cut out the bauble with a seam allowance of about 5mm and turn through to the right side. Sew a few sequins and shiny beads onto the bauble by hand to decorate the front a bit more. 5 Stuff firmly with polyester toy stuffing and sew up the opening by hand. Hang up the bauble from the twine.






craft

Twinkle twinkle Make this rustic wooden Christmas tree with its quirky sparkling copper pipe, to suit almost any setting. by JOHN LE THERBARROW st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY YOU WILL NEED

♥ slotted and Phillips screwdrivers

MATERIALS

♥ sandpaper: 100, 150 and 800 grit ♥ wood clamps

♥ technical drawings on the pages overleaf ♥ wood (in this case SA pine) ‒ 3 000mm x 93mm x 22mm (parts 1 to 8) ♥ plywood ‒ 150mm x 93mm x 4mm thick (part 10) ♥ copper plumbing pipe (part 9) ‒ 484mm x 28mm diameter ♥ wood screws (countersink) ‒ 30 x 4mm x 60mm ‒ 10 x 4mm x 40mm ♥ 2 x self-tapping screws 3.5 x 19mm ♥ LED strip light IP67 (1m); code: HV60WW3528-1M-WW; type: 3528 ♥ 2 x 15 amp strip connectors ♥ 1 x lamp cord with switch and 15 amp ♥ 3-prong plug ♥ wood glue (Ultra) ♥ water-based enamel paint (we used white) ♥ wood filler (white) ♥ anti-tarnish spray for copper (optional) ♥ contact adhesive TOOLS ♥ hand drill ♥ 1,5mm, 2,5mm, 3mm and 6mm drill bits ♥ 28mm spade bit ♥ mitre cutter and/or mitre trimmer ♥ hacksaw

♥ 30mm paintbrush ♥ centre punch ♥ small hammer CONSTRUCTION OF THE WOODEN TREE 1 Create parts 1 to 8, referring to technical drawings for exact specifications. 2 Measure centre points on parts 3, 4 and 5, then using the 28mm spade bit drill the holes to accommodate the copper pipe (part 9). 3 Begin assembly from the base upwards; glue and screw parts 6, 7 and 8. Remember to drill the 6mm hole in part 7 (this will accommodate the lamp cord). 4 Attach the base to the centre of part 5 as indicated in the exploded diagram. Then drill and attach part 2 as indicated. (Refer to the spec diagrams for positioning of screw holes.) 5 Attach the assembled section to part 4, insert the copper pipe to ensure that the layers of the tree are centred. Once the wooden tree is complete, apply a single coat of the white paint. Once the paint has dried, sandpaper it to reveal some of the wood grain.

to fit flush below part 1. Cut a 484mm x 89mm piece of paper and draw the grid for the holes as indicated. Wrap the paper around the copper pipe (the outer circumference is 89mm), then tape it in place. Using a centre punch and hammer, lightly tap the positions for the holes. Remove the paper and begin drilling the 1,5mm light-emitting holes. Using 800 grit sandpaper remove the burrs from the drill holes. 7 Polish the copper pipe and apply a coat of anti-tarnish spray (this step is optional as you may prefer a more natural look). Insert the pipe through the centre of the tree and fix in place with a small drop of contact adhesive. 8 Using side cutters, remove the twinprong plug from the LED light strip. Thread the lamp cord through the 6mm hole in part 7. Connect this to the LED cord using the 15 amp strip connecters. 9 Fold the 1m LED light strip in half (so that it shines both ways), then insert it into the copper pipe and push it up to the top. 10 Close the base off by attaching part 10 to the underside using the two selftapping screws. Your Christmas tree installation is now ready for use.

WIRING, LIGHTING AND ASSEMBLY 6 Cut the 28mm copper pipe to the size indicated; the angular tip will allow it

Lighting supplied by ACDC Dynamics.

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templates

November/December 2018 IDEAS 101


how to

Summer fest For this last paint makeover for the year, our paint expert has created a colourful wall to reflect a sunny South African festive season. by JANI AUGUST YN- GOUSSARD from PAINT & DÉCOR photos ED O RILEY

B

lue sky, yellow sun, the colours of flowers, fruit and water ‒ seawater, rivers, dam water . . . for me, all these things conjure up the feeling of the sunshine festival that November and December are for us in South Africa. Here at the southern tip of the untamed continent we have the privilege of being able to celebrate a summer Christmas and with it all the joy of good weather and open skies and space around us. So for this sixth paint makeover for our homes and décor we pay tribute to the new, sunny, festive season. This time I m working with the colours that remind me of Christmas in Africa: blue and yellow, with a touch of red and white. Our summer Christmas wall showcases many holiday DIY projects for which you can use paint to create a festive atmosphere in your house, quickly and affordably.

and decorate specially for the festive season. We didn t choose a too obviously Christmas theme for the stencils as we want to keep the wall this way for a while after the holidays. But it is so easy, quick and cheap that you can use Christmas stencils if you prefer. (Take a look at our website, paintdecordiy.com, or in our shops ‒ we have developed a new range of stencils specially for walls!) For our holiday wall we used cheerful colours that still feel calm and fresh. The blue is Blue Skies from our Nautical paint range and the stencilling is done in Autumn Glow ‒ a rich golden-green. You can use any colour combination that you prefer ‒ the pleasure in this is that it costs just a little time, a stencil and paint, and there you have it ‒ a new wall for Christmas!

1 STENCIL A WALL

These are ideal for storing gifts or sweets for the children or grandchildren, or simply as décor items.

Stencilling is a pretty, practical and affordable way to make over a wall

2 DECORATE OLD BOTTLES AND JARS

We painted our jars with natural, totally non-toxic Annie Sloan chalk paint in the colours Old White, Louis Blue, English Yellow, Greek Blue and Napoleonic Blue. You can use the painted jars just so, or add more colour and detail if you prefer. We used rub-on transfers on the jars to personalise them. Or paint a jar for each guest at the table and decoupage a photo of them and their name onto it. You can also paint wine bottles like this and use them as candle holders or vases.

3 USE OLD DRAWERS AS DISPLAY CASES We don t have money for new, fancy floating shelves for displaying our Christmas décor, but we do have an old drawer or two. Paint the drawer and hang it on your pretty wall. You can also glue giftwrap into the base to make it look even more festive. Wishing everyone a joyful holiday and festive season! Until next year. . . enjoy the blues and yellows of sunny summer Christmas!

* Remember, all six of our different themes and looks, starting from the January/February 2018 issue, are done with the same wall and items of furniture. Only a change of paint colour and a few wall decorations were added each time. Have a look at our Facebook page, facebook.com/ideasmag, to see how all six look together.

102 IDEAS November/December 2018



Santa’s suitcase If you’re going away from home for the holidays, pack up all your festive goodies and take them with you.

PRINTABLES BY AMANDA CRAMER OF SILVERGATE DESIGN

st yling and photography by JULIE GALL AGHER from IN GOOD COMPANY

BACKAGE CLAIM Even your suitcase will spread Christmas cheer when you stick on our printable stamps letting everyone know that this package is straight from the North Pole and has been Checked Twice by Santa himself. PRETTY PAPER Make your own crackers with our pretty patterned printable paper sheets: plaid, check, holly and candy cane stripes. These papers also are perfect for making paper chains, placemats and napkin rings and for wrapping small presents. 104 IDEAS November/December 2018


your life

SANTA S PLATE Setting up Santa s snacks on Christmas Eve need not be a challenge. Chocolate chip cookies, long-life milk and marzipan carrots can all be packed beforehand. Arrange the plate with our printable tags: Santa s Milk, Santa s Cookies and Carrots for Rudolph and Friends. STOCKING SURPRISE Instead of trying to hunt down real stockings, craft our printable ones and on the back you can write what the stocking entitles the recipient to ‒ our favourite idea is to stick on a gift voucher card. SANTA SIGNS Decorate your hotel room or holiday home doorstep with our printable directional arrow signs. Here s hoping Mrs Claus s Mineral Spa really does lead the way to a spa! CHRISTMAS CAUTION TAPE For the build-up to Christmas Day, cordon off an area with printable tape that lets the children know that mischievous elves Go to ingoodcompany.co.za/downloads/ to download the printable materials. have been out and about.

SANTA S FEET Come Christmas morning, cut out and place some of these footprints on the floor. The children will soon realise that they lead the way to Santa s gifts galore! HEAD ELF Craft cute badges for everyone. Simply print the name badges, cut them out and trim with ribbon scraps. Fasten a safety pin on the back and you are ready to name those who were naughty or nice! MAGIC ELF DOOR Create a bit of Christmas magic, and hopefully days of good behaviour, with our printable Magic Elf Door. Print and cut out the elf door, mat, tree, washing line and post box and stick them to the wall just above the skirting board. The instructions included explain how the door is magical and that every day a little elf will come out and watch your children s antics and each night return to Santa to fill in his Official Elf Reports. REINDEER RUNWAY For the night before Christmas, encourage your children to mark the way for Rudolph and his friends by sprinkling some magic reindeer food on the lawn. Mix edible glitter into some breakfast cereal and after you have sprinkled some of it outside, the kids get to enjoy the festive mix too. DEAR SANTA Let the little ones send Santa their wishes on our printable Letter to Santa: a cute sheet featuring the jolly man s long white beard.

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how to DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: five hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 roll craft metal ♥ spray adhesive ♥ flowers and leaves templates on page overleaf ♥ pen ♥ thread clippers ♥ round mirror with fixing bracket at the back (we got ours from MRP Home) ♥ cardboard circle, about 2cm smaller than the mirror ♥ Prestik ♥ spray paint (we used Krylon Color Master in Rose Gold) ♥ embossing tool ♥ wood glue

1

2

3

Make a double layer of craft metal by

Roughly cut the flowers and leaves

Cut out the traced shapes from the

fixing two layers together with spray

from the templates, leaving some

metal sheet using a pair of thread

adhesive. Allow to dry.

space around the shapes. Trace the

clippers. Take care not to cut yourself

shapes onto the craft metal with a pen. Use the same shapes several times ‒ we made about 20 flower shapes, seven branches and five leaves.

on the sharp edges!

4

5

6

Fix the cardboard to the centre of the mirror with some Prestik. Then place all the metal shapes and the mirror on a covered surface, and spray lightly with the spray paint. Allow to dry before finishing with a second coat.

When the flowers are dry, use the embossing tool to shape the petals gently. Play around with bending the petals up or down to find the flower look that you want.

Arrange all the flowers, branches and leaves around the edge of the mirror. Once you re happy with the arrangement glue everything onto the mirror with wood glue. Allow to dry overnight before hanging on the wall.

106 IDEAS November/December 2018


f f o l o g w n i e r R

s

rror makes a b i m e l eau litt dornment y t tifu for y t ta c e e r o f ur h l g p per s i om ift e h h T rt fo e th o

d, son. en sea fri ive r a fest is

by GERMARIE BRUWER styling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY


how to

108 IDEAS November/December 2018


Boho pendants With a bit of embroidery, clay and weaving you can make your own jewellery and spoil your special friend at the same time. projec ts and st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O RILEY


how to

You are working with various mediums, so choose a limited number of colours that go together. We made all our pendants with a palette of red, grey, black, cream and white. DIFFICULTY: all the projects are very easy TIME: one day to make several pieces

OVAL PENDANT Follow the same steps as for the cross pendant alongside, but cut the clay in an oval shape. Make eight holes around the edge of the bottom half of the clay oval, large enough for an embroidery needle to go through. Bake the clay as for the cross pendant, and leave to cool. Fold a leather cord in half, wrap it around the clay shape and sew it in place with blanket stitch.

110 IDEAS November/December 2018

CROSS PENDANT YOU WILL NEED ♥ polymer clay ♥ thin leather cord ♥ machine thread ♥ metal ring ♥ jeweller s pliers ♥ rolling pin ♥ sharp knife ♥ kebab skewer TO MAKE 1 Roll a piece of polymer clay out on

a smooth surface and use an inverted sherry glass to press out a neat circle. 2 Use the kebab skewer to make a small hole at the top of the clay circle. Use the same skewer to make holes in the shape of a cross inside the circle. The holes should be about 1,5mm‒2mm apart and big enough to thread a needle through. TIP: If you don t want to draw the design freehand, you can draw a cross on paper, cut it out and then make the holes around the outline. 3 If you are going to make more pendants, you can also cut them out now so you can bake them all together.


Place all the clay pieces on a baking tray and place it in an oven that has been preheat to 120ºC. Bake them for about 20 minutes. The clay will still feel soft when you take it out, but will harden as it cools. Polymer clay is waterproof, so it works well for jewellery. NOTE: Don t make the oven hotter than 120ºC, as it will darken the colour of the clay. 4 Take your needle and thread and embroider the cross hole by hole. Repeat with another round or two of thread, until it forms a good, solid colour. Tie the thread firmly at the back of the pendant when you are finished. We left loose threads at the bottom of our cross, for interest. 5 Open a metal ring, insert it through the top hole in the pendant and pinch it closed again. Thread the cord through the ring, tie the ends and your pendant is ready to wear. TIP: Polymer clay sometimes becomes very hard in the packet, so feel first that it is still soft before you buy it. If the clay is hard, place a hot-water bottle on top of the packet for about 20 minutes to soften it. Roll the clay out immediately.

FABRIC PENDANT YOU WILL NEED ♥ dark and light-coloured fabric remnants ♥ thin leather cord ♥ embroidery thread in the colours of your choice ♥ machine thread in the colour of your choice ♥ buttons TO MAKE 1 Cut a rectangle from the dark fabric and fray the edges slightly. (Linen works best for this.) Use light-coloured embroidery thread to work a row of straight stitches at the bottom of the fabric rectangle. They don t need to be perfect, as the idea

is for it to look handmade. Work another few rows of stitches above the first row. 2 Cut a small piece of lightcoloured fabric and work it with fine cross-stitches in a contrasting coloured embroidery thread above the rows of straight stitches. 3 Sew on your buttons where you think they look best. 4 Cut another small piece of dark fabric and fold it double to make a loop. Work it onto the large rectangle at the back, at the top edge of what will be your pendant. Thread the leather cord through the loop and tie the ends together.

HOOPS PENDANT Make this pendant from leftover clay. Roll out the pieces into strings using your hands, press them flat on a smooth surface and shaped them into hoops. Rub the joins smooth with your fingers. Make three hoops, but the second one must be made through the hole in the first hoop and the third through the second. Bake in the oven and thread the pendant onto a choker once the clay has cooled.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 111


how to

WOVEN PENDANTS YOU WILL NEED ♥ polymer clay (depending on which pendant you make) ♥ fabric remnant ♥ wax thread in three colours ♥ embroidery needle ♥ glue gun ♥ adhesive tape ♥ craft knife ♥ firm cardboard ♥ ruler and pencil

1

2

3

Cut a cardboard rectangle slightly

Turn the cardboard over and wrap the thread from end to end through the

Pull the needle through to make your

larger than the size you want your pendant to be. Use the ruler to draw matching light pencil lines on the short sides of the cardboard rectangle, about 2‒3mm apart. Cut a notch on each pencil line to a depth of 3mm in to the cardboard ‒ these are for the threads for your weaving. Take the wax thread in the first colour (black in our case) and stick the end to the back of the cardboard with adhesive tape.

notches from front to back around the cardboard rectangle. It doesn t need to be perfect, you will get your woven pattern regardless. Stick down the end of the thread on the back of the cardboard again and cut it off. Thread your embroidery needle with a piece of wax thread in the same colour and weave it through the threads on the cardboard: first over the top, then under, then over and so on.

4

Start with your next colour (red in our case), and weave another five rows. Leave ends of about 3cm again.

112 IDEAS November/December 2018

first woven thread, making sure you leave an end of about 3cm. Weave the needle back again in the same way and pull it through for the second woven thread. Push the second thread firmly up against the first one. Repeat for about eight rows. Cut off the thread but again leaving an end of about 3cm.

5

Repeat the process with your first colour and then the third colour (cream in our case).


6

8

When you are ďŹ nished with your weaving, you can cut through the threads on the back of the cardboard rectangle. You will now have lots of loose threads, but keep only the top and bottom ones that you will use later and cut the rest shorter. Glue them onto the back of the weaving with your glue gun. Also glue the ďŹ rst and last woven threads in place, or they will unravel.

7

To complete your pendant, make a polymer clay block about the same width with holes at the bottom that correspond with the top loose threads, as well as holes on the top edge for the metal rings for the leather cord. Insert the threads through the holes and knot them on the back. Insert the rings and thread the cord through. Or make a fabric loop in the same way as for the fabric pendant on previous pages, work it onto the woven block and thread the leather cord through it. Trim the thread ends neatly at the bottom.

Glue a piece of fabric onto the back of the weaving so that it looks neat and the glued pieces are covered. Polymer clay and wax thread from PNA. Metal rings, choker and leather cords are available at any bead store.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 113


beauty

by ELSA KRÜGER st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O RILEY

Beauty

sleep

If there is a magic fountain of eternal youth, then it is most likely D JRRG QLJKWŪV VOŸS


I

t s not for nothing that people talk

It s not necessary to clean yourself

to keep a cellphone right next to the bed.

about needing their beauty sleep. The night hours are when your body

energetically, to scrub and to shave. Simply relax in the bath and consider it a

The radiation is bad for your brain. If it has to be on charge, place it elsewhere,

eases off from the pace of a busy day and gets to work restoring the skin cells and

debriefing : a therapeutic session during which you think back on the day s hap-

but preferably off. The Wi-Fi in the house should also be off at night.

fighting the signs of ageing. But it s not only vitally important for

penings, what you did, what you didn t manage to do, what you need to do

SLEEP REGIME

your appearance ‒ your health, weight and emotions are also drastically affected

tomorrow. Your life, your partner, your children, work. Just for 30 minutes.

by too little or the wrong type of sleep.

If we don t do it, we think about all

Dr Burt Jooste from The Longevity

these things when we climb into bed or

Institute in Johannesburg says many studies show that insomnia is becoming

when we wake up in the middle of the night. And once the brain is on the go, it

an epidemic. There are various forms, but this epidemic revolves around over stimulation of the brain. Fact: Up to 70 million Americans have sleep problems! One theme runs like a golden thread through the studies, say the researchers: Our brain has unlearned how to differentiate between stimulation and activity versus rest and relaxation. It has to be retaught, to achieve a good night s rest.

doesn t stop ‒ your thoughts go around in circles and sleep evades you. When you re finished with your bath, spoil yourself with a proper skin- and body-care routine with products that not only feed and restore your skin but also provide a feeling of well-being. Slather your whole body in Optiphi Body Curve Body Foliant Double-Action Skin Revealing Overnight Body Peel (R782) which you shower off the next morning for the softest, freshest skin imaginable. Or rub yourself from top to toe with Cowshed Sleepy Cow Calming Body Butter (R499). Then climb into bed, switch on a soft bedside light and pick up a paperback ‒ read something that has nothing to do with your daily activities or work. When your eyes become heavy and tired, put it down, switch off the light and go to sleep. TRY THESE FOR BETTER SLEEP: Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Diffuser (R750); Cowshed Sleepy Cow Calming Pillow Mist (R343); or Soil Lavender Organic Essential Oils (R70). Ensure that your cellphone is switched off or in airplane mode. Silent is not enough. The signal that it receives can still influence your sleep, says Dr Jooste. The worst thing that a person can do is

Dr Jooste says two things are necessary for this process: lifestyle changes and a good sleep regime.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES Go to sleep before midnight. Avoid all technology for 60 minutes before you go to sleep: no television, computers or cellphones. It must be your me hour when you become calm and relaxed, and it must be a full hour, not a minute less. Take a warm bath for 30 minutes. (Not a shower: Water that splashes onto you stimulates you and wakes you up.) Bath with candles and aromatic and soothing products such as bath salts, bubbles or an oil like Dr. Hauschka Moor Lavender Calming Body Oil (R495) or Mineraline Genuine Dead Sea Bath Salts (1kg: R179).

Ensure that your room is dark. Melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep patterns, can t be secreted in the light ‒ it needs darkness or low light. Try to go to sleep at the same time every evening and wake up at the same time every morning. Sleep 7‒8 hours a night. Don t hit snooze on the alarm clock, it s very bad for your brain. When the alarm goes off, get up, immediately drink water and give yourself a chance to wake up properly and to get going. There is a biological or circadian clock built into the brain, says Dr Jooste. We still don t know exactly why, but it has a negative effect on your brain if you go to sleep after midnight. People who sleep from 11pm until 6am have a much better rest than those who sleep from 1am to 8am, even though both groups have slept the same number of hours. It has to do with the circadian rhythm which is disturbed if you go to bed after midnight. Don t underestimate the role that minerals can play in your sleep patterns. Magnesium, which most people lack, is your best friend for sleep. It controls more than 800 metabolic processes in the body, helps you relax, works against cortisol (the stress hormone), brings deeper sleep and relaxes the muscles. Good sources in food are green leafy vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Choose a good magnesium supplement, because not all products are equally well absorbed.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 115


beauty FINALLY: Avoid sleeping for more than 20

body s natural defence and recovery

called transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

minutes during the day, says Dr Jooste. Take a power nap . Longer than that will

mechanisms a chance to do their work.

TEWL is an indicator of your skin s epidermal protective function ‒ the less water that is lost through the skin, the

night swap, which is bad for the brain.

in the brain, but also in other parts of

your body: What happens at night?

the body. Besides the sleep cycle, it also influences the body s moisture balance, core temperature, oxygen uptake and ‒

American celebrity dermatologist Dr

very importantly ‒ appetite.

Nicholas Perricone says that we all suffer from a lack of sleep. In his 2010 book

Forever Young he stresses that we need to follow a set 24-hour cycle to give the

Researchers at Northwest University in the US and Howard Hughes Medical Institute observed a wide spectrum of molecular and behavioural anomolies in mice with a defective circadium system. In humans, it s called metabolic syndrome.

function is, and that is thanks to more sebum. The oil seals in the moisture. The most sebum is secreted during the day, when TEWL is at its lowest. Other rhythms that fluctuate from day to night are the skin s temperature and pH level; the skin temperature is at its highest at night, when the pH is also at its highest. What does that mean? During the night, the skin secretes less oil, loses more moisture, and is warmer and more

Chronic long-term sleep deprivation can have a damaging effect on the body,

acidic than during the day.

of which weight gain is not the least. Even a few minutes more sleep can reduce

susceptible to irritation at night, exactly the time when it should restore itself and

cortisol, which plays a big role in ageing.

build new cells. That s why it is so critically important to help it with this process.

Your beauty sleep: What happens at night? The term beauty sleep applies now more than ever. That is when your skin recovers and renews and builds strength to cope with the next day s stress and pollution. Your skin needs the sleep hours to delay ageing and you need the right product ingredients to restore the skin s correct functioning and enable it to rejuvenate. Our skin is a dynamic organ that fluctuates biologically between day and night. Two of the most important of the circadian 24-hour rhythms of the skin are the secretion of sebum (the skin s oil) and what is

116 IDEAS November/December 2018

more effective the protective layer s

Your skin therefore is dryer and more

The help starts with enough and healthy sleep. Too little and ineffective sleep accelarates the ageing process and causes puffy eyes, bags and dark rings under the eyes, crow s feet, an uneven skin colour, loss of elasticity and a wornout, dull appearance. During the day stress and pollution destroy our skin and it is the skin s function to form a protective barrier. At night, the skin s work is to renew cells and undo the damage. Studies into the cell renewal process show that cell division accelarates at night, especially between midnight and 1am when the most intense renewal activity takes place.

SOURCES: DERMALOGICA, MINDWAFT.COM, WOMANDAILYTIPS.COM

disturb your night s sleep. If you re raring to go after dark, the rhythms of day and

If the cycle is disturbed, it can lead to a whole range of metabolic anomalies. The biological clock functions not only


That s why your skin is very receptive

TRY: Elizabeth

at night to active ingredients that can penetrate deeply.

Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules

the evening news

Line Erasing Night Serum (R565 for 30);

Because the skin is so much more active at night, this is the time to give it a bit of a boost. First ensure that it is squeaky clean so the product can be best absorbed. Night products tackle the symptoms of tiredness and stress and use the night cycle to renew the skin and give it new vitality. The tiredness lines are precisely those that are emphasised and worsened by a lack of sleep: around the eyes, frown lines, and the folds from the nose to the corners of the mouth. Night creams and serums are formulated to maximise cellular function. Like the rest of your body, the skin goes into a recovery phase at night. Night products contain stronger concentrations of active ingredients to assist the process. Night creams are also thicker and richer so the skin can be moisturised more deeply. Don t use a night product during the day. They are intended to detox, restore, renew and rejuvenate, while day creams are formulated to protect your skin. In particular, powerful anti-ageing products like retinol are intended for night usage because they can make the skin sunsensitive if they re used in daytime. WHEN SHOULD YOU START USING NIGHT CREAMS AND SERUMS? With today s stress, pollution and other environmental factors, doctors now recommend that you start with them in your early 30s, where previously it was around 40.

Gatineau Age Benefit Ultra-Regenerating Night Elixir (R1 195); Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum (R1 029); Sisley Botanical D-Toxifying Night Treatment (R2 985); BioNike Defence Elixage Nuit Intensive Night Treatment (R699); Sothys n02ctuelle Detox Resurfacing Overnight Cream (R1 045); Filorga Innovation Sleep & Lift Ultra-Lifting Night Cream (R1 110); Eau Thermale Avène Physiolift Night Smoothing Regenerating Balm (R459.95); Dermalogica Nightly Lip Treatment (R989); NUXE Nuxellence Detox Detoxifying and Youth Revealing Anti-Aging Care (R760); Dr. Hauschka Night Serum (R685); Dr. Dermal MicroRetinol 5 Rich Repair (R895); Theravine Ultravine Advance ROS Night Cream (R703); GOSH Overnight Primer Oil Essence (R224,35); SKNlogic Night With Apple Extract (R183); African Extracts Rooibos Firming Night Cream (R160.99); Dermaceutic Turn Over Stimulating Night Cream (R865); Pradiance Natural Organic Skincare Illuminating Night Serum (R520); Noreva Iklen+ Anti-Dark Spot Corrector Serum (R520); Beaucience Natural Night Nourishing Cream (R395); or MD Prescriptives Vitamin A Propionate (R750).

* For more beauty advice and tips

from Elsa Krüger, visit her blog, mooipraatjies.com.


Time to

rest

If you think you get more done by being first at work every day and last to leave, you re making a mistake. Increasingly research is showing how important rest is for productivity and creativity. by TERENA LE ROUX illustration ISTOCK BY GE T T Y IMAGES

M

y early years of using the parking garage allocated to the management team still make me laugh. The competition to park your car first and be the last one to drive out was unbelievable. As a mother who had to take my child to school in the morning and then help with homework later, I was never one of the front runners. Just the opposite. I did, however, take work home to do after my son had gone to sleep, but I was never a six-in-the-morning starter.

118 IDEAS November/December 2018

And by 2pm my body would be telling me it was time to take a break and see what was happening in the craft room or to go and chat in the studio for a while. Now that I work from home, I still sit in front of my computer the whole morning, but when I feel my concentration is flagging, I get up and arrange my cupboard or pop out to buy groceries. I still feel guilty if I just sit in the sun with a book or magazine. Old habits are hard to break. So when I happened to find a masterclass by Silicon Valley futurist and business consultant Dr Alex Pang on my Calm app, about

his book Rest*, I was fascinated. According to him, we achieve more if we do less. Deliberate rest not only promotes productivity and innovation, it also improves your quality of life. Your body and your brain benefit from rest. When you detach yourself from active work, your brain s default mode takes over to organise your thoughts and memories, to think about the future and to solve the problems that are currently demanding your attention. When you switch on again, it often happens that the answers to your questions are suddenly there. The way you relax, however, is crucial. As Dr Pang says, how


your life you spend your holiday is more important than how long you are on leave. It s all about how well you escape mentally and switch off from your work. It s a fact: A busy brain can t come up with the solutions that a more rested one is able to do. Be mindful about how you rest and change your focus during the day in order to practise deliberate resting, says Dr Pang. He and equally well-known sleep activist and business entrepreneur Arianna Huffington together listed the following 10 tips for resting: 1 Take rest seriously. It s not just something that you do when you have finished doing all the other things. Plan it. 2 Structure your day so that you have times of intense focus alternating with rest in between. You can, for example, choose to focus on compelling tasks in the morning, then to rest and afterwards shift your focus back to your work in the afternoon. 3 Plan your day in layers of rest and work. This gives your subconscious a chance to wrestle with the difficult questions. 4 Start early. Make it a habit to have an early-morning routine. It shapes your day and is important because your circadian rhythm (sleep-awake cycle) plays a role in your creative thinking.

5 Detach yourself completely from work when you are resting. How well you manage this will determine the quality of your rest. It doesn t help to go out for dinner with friends and spend the whole time checking your emails. Sitting in front of the TV with a glass of wine doesn t necessarily give your brain something else to think about either. To be able to achieve at work, it is important to give your brain a complete break by keeping it busy with something totally different. 6 Remove yourself from technology. It s not enough to just leave the office. You must also spend time away from your phone and computer. 7 Every six months take a week off. The ideal is every three months, but that s not always possible. By day eight of your holiday you will have reached your optimum level of restedness, after which it will plateau or drop off. The psychological lift that you get lasts for two months. A week every three months therefore will be much more beneficial than a month once a year. 8 Practise ‘deep play’. This is having hobbies or doing activities that offer the same psychological benefits and challenges

3 Read Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex SoojungKim Pang (2016, Basic Books).

as your work, but at another place and level and with less frustration. It s like mountain climbing for a scientist or painting for someone like Winston Churchill ‒ it gives you something uplifting to do as a compelling alternative to work. Rest is something that you practise actively. In the same way that exercise makes you more energetic, active rest delivers much more than passive rest. 9 Do enough, regular exercise. The more you move, the better your brain performs. Exercise also helps to alleviate stress. 10 Get enough sleep. Sleep is not lost time. Your brain is very active while you sleep and uses this time to clear out toxins that in later years are associated with dementia. And it consolidates your thoughts from the previous day.


If you have lots of lovely things to hire out and other people are looking for affordable lovely things, it’s a recipe that must work. And it has for Anelma le Roux of Baiegoeters in Wellington.

Friends Irusha Kröhn (left) and Anelma le Roux.

Gorgeous goodies by TERENA LE ROUX st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

120 IDEAS November/December 2018


your life

W

hen you look at pictures of fabulous parties and weddings on Instagram, there s a good chance that you ll see the name Baiegoeters among the hash tags. Because for the past six years, Anelma le Roux s business has been one of the most popular go-to places for Western Cape events ‒ especially if you would prefer to knock on only one door. I realised at the end of 2012 that there was a huge demand in the wedding and events world for

furniture, lights and so on, which could be hired at an affordable price, says Anelma. At that stage I was already working with weddings and I decided to use what little money I had saved to have a few pieces of furniture made. I started hiring out this furniture and everything in my house, and before I knew it I couldn t keep up. If the client asked for something that we didn t have, I had it made or tried to get my hands on it. From

the start there were almost no restrictions on what we could offer. I wanted to be the place where a bride or other client could find anything . . . that s where name Baiegoeters came from. We had lots of stuff and wanted even more to hire out. I spent every cent I earned on buying more items or having things made. Later, when Anelma was looking to bring a creative specialist into her business, she knew exactly who to ask: her long-time friend Irusha

November/December 2018 IDEAS 121


your life

Kröhn. Irusha can literally transform a stone and a leaf into something creative. She had the attributes that we needed to make us stronger and better and I m still grateful that she was willing to jump with bag and baggage into Baiegoeters. Both our lives at that stage were such that we could just focus 100% on expanding Baiegoeters. Irusha moved in with me and we worked together day and night. Irusha is the creative genius and I m the business brain. The symbiosis between us was very good and within two years Baiegoeters had grown from four people to a warehouse with almost 40 employees working for us. These days we do between 15 and 20 weddings and other events per week. We still focus every day on being the best and offering the most for our clients. We try to keep up with trends and every year we import supplies from China to acquire things that no-one else in South Africa has. Our mission remains to give our clients as much as possible for as little as possible and to be a one-stop shop, especially for brides. You must be able to find everything you need

122 IDEAS November/December 2018

for your décor with us ‒ from the cutlery on the table to the lights, tables, chairs, you name it. For Anelma, the business is the best decision she has ever made. To take the risk and move away from a fixed salary into the unknown and to throw everything you have into something and then wait and see what happens was a huge and scary decision, but I ve never looked back. Naturally there are those days when you become despondent or struggle, but if you just take a step back and see how your dream is becoming a reality, then you realise again that it was the right choice. And because we were in her coffee shop, Goeters Coffee, to photograph their Christmas ideas, we had to ask: Where does a coffee shop fit into their busy lives? I d always wanted to have a coffee shop, answers Anelma. And the entrepreneur in me chased me so much that I woke up one morning with the feeling that it was now or never. We also needed an extra office. I owned a student house opposite the campus and decided to convert it into one half office, other half

coffee shop. And because everyone works really hard, it s possible for me to explore new things while the business continues and expands. Lize Hughes manages the coffee shop as if it is her own. And marketing? How do they handle that? I believe that you re only as good as your last job. So our best marketing is word of mouth, by people who see what we do and offer at events that they attend. And naturally happy clients who tell other people about us. Social media is also a good marketing resource. And if you look back and weigh up the pros and cons? There are too many positives to list them all. But what does stand out is that it s an opportunity to chase your own dreams. Everything that you put in, you ll get out and you can decide how and in what direction you want to steer your business. A disadvantage is that from now on you will always be last in line. You will have to put 150% of your time and attention into your business to make it a success, and even then you run the risk that not everything will be moonshine and roses.


THEIR ADVICE FOR NEW BUSINESSES 3 Don t be too quick to think that you have made it . Don t 3 Keep your clients happy. 3 Choose your employees well simply relax and always watch your cash ow. It s easy to reach a place where you feel you can now take things a little easier and that is precisely when things start to go wrong.

baiegoeters.co.za

and then look after them. A good employee plays a gigantic role in the day-to-day running of your business. Try to shape them towards your company s needs and approach.

Find hem here

info@baiegoeters.co.za @baiegoeters facebook.com/BaieGoeters Coee shop: 22 Malherbe Street, Wellington

November/December 2018 IDEAS 123


your life

a touch of theatre In her Durbanville bistro, Chocolat, creates a little magic every day stream of fans - nostalgia, music, food and her unmistakable décor

Wilma Basson for her delicious style.

by TERENA LE ROUX st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

W

hat happens when a stylish woman from the fruit export industry goes for coffee? She buys the restaurant, obviously! Perhaps not everyone, but that s exactly what Wilma Basson did in 2005 when she bought her first restaurant. The process took a week, after which the barista taught her to make cappuccino on her first day; she had

124 IDEAS November/December 2018

no experience. But because she combines her belief that a person is never too old to learn with great passion, her Chocolat bistro has now been flourishing for 13 years. And that s why we wanted to hear why it s working for her when so many other people are struggling. I started Chocolat in 2005 in the heart of Durbanville. For the first 10

years we were in the same premises and only opened during the day. But thanks to ever-greater demand, we decided at the end of 2015 to open in the evenings as well. However, the premises wouldn t have been able to offer the experience that I had in mind so in October 2015 we moved to the new restaurant. What makes us different is the


November/December 2018 IDEAS 125


your life

total experience that we offer. We try to create a nostalgic, warm atmosphere where everyone feels at home and comfortable, while at the same time bringing in a little theatre by constantly trying new ideas with our décor, menu and music. Everyone in the team tries daily to give each client a unique experience. Good neighbours like Plan B Vintage also help! Every time I walk in through the front door, I feel at home, and after my first cappuccino my fingers start itching to tackle a project, even if it just tidying up a corner, changing a recipe, hanging something up or painting it. Definitely one of the best compliments that we get regularly is that Chocolat is the only one of its kind. As I said, all that we want is for a visit to Chocolat to be an enriching experience. The team not only serve three meals a day with cake and coffee in between ‒ many clients choose the pretty environment for their weddings, birthday parties, reunions, tea parties and when there is something to celebrate. How do they do it? The restaurant business is definitely not easy, but emotionally I get everything that I expected and more . . . you can t put a price on seeing the joy on happy people s faces. Financially we can t really complain, but our focus here is not on making money. Rather, it s on creating an unforgettable experience for our clients every day . . . if you get that right, the finances look after themselves! Although, like most business people these days, Wilma does use social media such as Facebook and Instagram for her marketing, it s not her strongest channel. I m old

school and believe that positive client experiences are the best form of marketing. Just around the corner from the restaurant is her lovely house where her husband, Martin Grobbelaar, and two sons, Alexander (9) and Ryan (6), can also share in her love for creating experiences. It s very comfortable for me, because my sons are both at school here in Durbanville. My family and my house are very important to me and the challenge naturally is always to find the right work-life balance. But I regularly have one or other project on the go at home. My husband doesn t even ask any more! Whether it s for the shop, like tablecloths, or for the house, I like staying busy. Her love for the rural French style is obvious in both her restaurant and house. I was crazy about antiques and the French style from a young age, but I think with time one s style changes and develops significantly. It becomes less forced and later becomes very natural. The most special corner in her house? That s a difficult one. Martin and I designed and planned the house ourselves, and I still love every nook and cranny. As soon as something starts to bother me, I immediately buy a tin of paint and a piece of fabric. My office is my favourite room, full of souvenirs, books and all kinds of interesting things. I do the décor for my house myself, it s my way of relaxing. My home is not just a house, but a haven for my family where we feel totally at home. I like lived-in houses full of character and life. Everything doesn t have to be perfect, but it must make sense and be neat. Everything has to have a definite place and purpose, a sort of organised chaos.

Find Chocolat here:

46 Oxford Street, Durbanville Tel: 021 975 2426 Email: info@chocolatbistro.co.za Website: chocolatbistro.co.za Instagram: chocolatbistro Facebook: facebook.com/ChocolatBistroCPT 126 IDEAS November/December 2018


WILMA’S ADVICE FOR OTHER BUSINESSES

3 Having your own business is liberating, but you work

much harder. The first two years are the most difficult, financially and physically. The biggest challenge every day is to make an instant decision and not fret over things. Learn from your mistakes and fix where you went wrong. 3 Read all paperwork thoroughly (not my strong point, but luckily

I have a clever husband), keep the bank manager happy, invite him for coffee and talk about your plans, ask for advice from those who know and listen to unsolicited advice with an open mind. 3 In my business everything is important, from the vases that need fresh flowers to Wi-Fi that needs speed. Nothing deserves less attention than anything else.

November/December 2018 IDEAS 127


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