Tabla de contenidos para April 2016 en Ideas

I’m embarrassed to have to admit that I’ve always been one of those people who try to do everything at once. I regularly read the many emails in my inbox as fast as possible and answer them just as briskly - only to realise, after I’ve pressed the ‘send’ button, that in my haste I’ve misunderstood something. Then comes the sorry, sorry, sorry, I’ve only just seen... which of course takes up even more time. It also means that I often eat lunch quickly at my desk while I’m reading through articles. And so when I started noticing and reading more and more about mindfulness and its advantages for focus, concentration and a calmer outlook on life, I decided that taking such a course would be ideal for me. If,…

POPULAR MARKETS • Westdene Park Market Visit the market in Brill Street, Westdene in Bloemfontein for tasty food, good music, ‘gently used finds’, quality food, stylish clothing, unique décor and gifts, and vintage fashions and collectables every first Saturday of the month from 9am until 1pm. It’s perfect entertainment for the whole family. • Entrance is free. For more information, go to westdeneparkmarket.co.za. •The Good Company Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 9am to 3pm in the Company’s Garden Paddocks area next to the National Gallery in Cape Town. There’s live music, craft beer, bubbly and wine, food stalls and food trucks, and crafts for sale. There is plenty of shady seating and lots of room for children and dogs to run around. Shop for coffee, fresh juices, pancakes,…

bohemecircus.blogspot.com Bohème Circus is a blog devoted to paper and Céline’s paper creations, journals and envelopes. She says paper inspires her: ‘I love to create collages, origami, sketchbooks, mini books. . . I love to photograph the details of the paper and I like to share paper treasures in my snail mails. Bohème Circus explores the creative mind and the beauty within all pictures, patterns, drawing lines, calligraphy - because I like that the images interact together to tell a story.’ sewinglondon.co.uk The Little Tailoress is a UK-based sewing and style blog filled with sewing projects, style ideas and vintage inspiration. Ami Lowden, a freelance pattern-cutter and designer, loves to create pieces using traditional tailoring techniques that are of a quality she could never find in the shops. ‘I dream…

BUNNY EAR NAPKIN RINGS DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: two hours YOU WILL NEED (for four napkin rings): template (below) white linen fabric printed fabric fusible interfacing cardboard rings (3cm long and 4,5cm diameter) clear adhesive NOTE Ask your local fabric store for a length of the cardboard tubing that fabric is rolled on. Measure and then cut the napkin rings from the cardboard tubes with a hacksaw. TO MAKE 1 Iron interfacing to the back of an 18 x 28cm piece of white fabric. Use the template to cut eight ear pieces from the white fabric and four inner ear pieces from the printed fabric. Also cut four 16 x 8cm strips of white fabric. 2 Pin two white ear pieces wrong sides together. Set the sewing machine to a 1mm…

• Cake by Heidi Ahrens from Creative Kwizeen. • Flowers by Lanné Britz at Langkloof Roses. • French napkins (R150), plates (R200), green glasses (R95), white bowl (R150) and French tablecloth (R250) from Plan B Vintage. • China, cake stands, candle holders, silver glasses, silver serving platter and pewter serving platter hired from My Pretty Vintage. YOU WILL NEED pillar candles pictures of your choice A4 sheets medium-weight cardboard wax paper tissue paper bulldog clips adhesive tape 1 Cut a piece of tissue paper a little smaller than A4 size. Use adhesive tape at the top and bottom edges to stick the tissue paper onto a sheet of cardboard. This will help prevent the tissue paper creasing when it goes through the inkjet printer. 2 Print the pictures you have…

PEACH LOLLIES 5 Freshpak Rooibos Tea bags honey 250ml peach concentrate (find it in the juice aisles) fresh peaches, sliced, to serve 1 Steep the tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the bags and add honey to the tea. 2 Stir in the peach concentrate. Refrigerate until cool. 3 Pour into ice lolly trays and freeze overnight. To serve, place the lollies on a tray with some fresh peach slices. CLASSIC ICED TEA 5 Freshpak Rooibos Tea bags honey 1 lemon, sliced, to serve 1 Steep the tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add honey to the hot tea. Stir until dissolved. 2 Pour into a jug and stir in 1,5 litres ice-cold water. To serve, add lots…

TABLE WITH TIN PATCHWORK DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: weekend This is a noisy, time-consuming project, but definitely worth the effort. YOU WILL NEED table with wooden top colourful tins tinsnips (sharp tin cutters) metal punch ballpeen hammer panel pins emery paper BEFORE YOU BEGIN First collect enough tins to cover your tabletop. We found a few lovely ones in a delicatessen and the rest are old cake tins from second-hand shops. You can use an existing table, but we made ours from an old pot-plant holder and a loose tabletop. We painted the pot-plant holder white with enamel paint and cut the wooden top to the correct size before we began nailing the bits of tin onto it. Try to work with the tabletop loose - it makes it much easier…

MACRAMÉ CURTAIN DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one day SIZE: This curtain is meant for a 1 x 1m window. Measure your window and calculate according to that how much T-shirt yarn you will need. YOU WILL NEED 3 large balls of T-shirt yarn wooden dowel or another curtain rod of your choice sharp scissors TO MAKE 1 Multiply the height of your window by 5 and cut 32 lengths of T-shirt yarn according to this measurement. 2 Let the dowel ends rest on two tables or chairs so you can work with ease with the cords hanging down. 3 Find the centre of each length of yarn and knot a lark’s head knot. 4 Row 1: Take the first four cords and make a square knot directly under the dowel. 5…

1 DKNY Be Desired EdP (R1 120 for 100ml) is the latest in the perpetually popular DKNY Be Delicious range. This floral fruity is unashamedly seductive with top notes that include orange, blackcurrant, violet and grapefruit; heart notes of acacia flower, cassis absolute, Asian jasmine and Turkish rose; and base notes of cedar, cashmere and amber wood. 2 Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom (R740 for 30ml) is a floral oriental that will connect with your inner Bohemian gypsy. It has top notes of cardamom; heart notes of mimosa; and base notes of tonka bean. 3 Essence Smile EdT (R99,95 for 30ml) is light, sunny and youthful. Top notes of passion fruit, pineapple, coconut and mandarin; heart notes include apple; and base notes of amber, vanilla and sandalwood. 4 Boucheron Quatre…

THIS DRYING RACK COULD ALSO BE USED AS A TRAY IN THE KITCHEN OR OUTDOORS. DIFFICULTY: average TIME: half a day YOU WILL NEED 3 wooden battens 4 planks (we used an old pallet) 30mm dowels chicken mesh backsaw jigsaw 3mm wood drill bit cordless drill wood screws wire cutter staple gun tape measure pencil wood glue screwdriver 1 Measure and mark 20cm lengths on the dowels - you will need four. 2 Cut the dowels into the 20cm lengths with a backsaw. 3 Measure and mark the halfway line, lengthways, on the planks. 4 Cut the planks in half with a jigsaw. 5 Measure a piece of chicken mesh 42 x 49cm. 6 Cut the mesh with a wire cutter. 7 Cut eight pieces of plank as follows: four…

Easter egg fun Q Do you have a quick way to decorate Easter eggs? A Creating a marbled effect on eggs for Easter is really easy with our method. YOU WILL NEED hard-boiled eggs shaving cream (not gel) food colouring kitchen paper shallow glass or ceramic bowl TO MAKE 1 Spray a layer of shaving cream into the bowl. Spread it out evenly with a spoon. 2 Sprinkle a few drops of food colouring over the shaving cream. 3 Draw a toothpick through the shaving cream to ‘marble’ the colouring. 4 Roll a hard-boiled egg backwards and forwards through the shaving cream until it is completely covered. 5 Place the shaving cream-covered egg on a piece of kitchen paper. Leave it to dry for about 10 to 15 minutes before…

ideased@media24.com SPREADING JOY NEAR AND FAR Excitement beyond words! I have just driven nearly an hour to our local supermarket in Underberg for the first time since leaving Cape Town to work in the Drakensberg, and what did I find? To my utter joy and jubilation . . . Ideas magazine! So I loaded up my groceries and my best magazine ever, and drove home with a huge smile on my face. I climbed into bed, lamp on, setting the scene for pure indulgence with my chai latte and my Ideas, all the while knowing that simply by touching the pages I am already creating or crafting something new. Marlaine Lawrence Ideas, ideas, ideas Every new issue of your magazine has ideas running races in my mind. Many times, friends…

New chapter Being a housewife for 10 years with three kids and a fussy husband was hard. I felt stifled, alone and tired of waking up to the exact same chores every day. For 2016 I craved a new scenario, a fresh start. I decided to enrol at a local culinary school, as being a chef is a passion I never pursued and the regrets were mounting. Now that the kids are at school I saw a window of opportunity open. My first day at campus was nothing short of incredible. I felt like a new person in a whole new world. The feeling of finally lifting off towards my dreams was surreal. I thought I couldn’t take that step out of my comfort zone. Somewhere inside I mustered up…

Accessorize 021 447 7718 Ackermans 0860 900 100 Arbor Designs 021 975 6811 CNA 011 495 6000 Cotton Candi 084 964 7821 Creative Kwizeen 083 459 5958 DIY Shop 021 511 1839 Exclusive Books 011 798 0000 Langkloof Roses 021 864 1014 Lulu Belle 012 346 6424, 021 671 5728 Mango 011 783 7907 MRP Home 0800 21 25 35 My Pretty Vintage 021 551 2242 Nerf-af 084 946 6326 Old Khaki 021 464 5893 Onsite Gallery 021 462 1357 Peter Osborn Furniture 021 461 0623 Pichulik 072 104 9544 Pick n Pay Clothing 0800 112 288 Plan B Vintage 082 491 3677 Southern Ropes 021 448 4978 Starke Ayres 021 448 4978 The Deckle Edge 021 180 4442 The Pause Room 021 461 6488 The Space 011 783 1935,…

IN SEASON IN APRIL Herbs: bay leaves, chives, marjoram, mint, origanum, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme. Vegetables: beetroot, brinjal, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, courgette, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, mealies, mushrooms, onion, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, spinach, squash, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips. Fruit: apples, avocados, bananas, gooseberries, grapes, lemons, pears, pineapples, pomegranates, winter melons. IN FLOWER IN Alstroemeria, anthiriums, Asiatic lilies, bells-of-Ireland, carnations, celosia, chinks, chrysanthemums, gerbera daisies, golden rod, gypsophila, heliconia, hypericum, kangaroo paw, lace flower, latefolia, liatris, lisianthus, nerine, red leucadendron, roses, sea holly, statice, St Joseph’s lily, strelitzia, sunflowers, tuberose, veronica.…

We know you love making your home beautiful. That’s why Bernina gives you all the tools and tips you need to transform your living space. Now you can take on any home décor project with confidence, thanks to the wide range of accessories and presser feet that are available to fit your Bernina sewing machine. The bathroom is one of the easiest, most fun rooms to which you can add creative flair with home-sewn articles. Create a nautical feel by finishing sewn items with heavy cord or rope. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to add these with the Bernina double cord presser foot (number 59C or 60C). For example, you can add heavy cord to a chunky bathroom mat. Remember to add a nonslip underlay. You can even…

COCONUT AND SESAME BATTERED FISH These deep-fried fish nuggets with their nutty flavour of sesame seeds and coconut are so delicious you won’t be able to stop eating them! Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: about 20 minutes 125g cake flour, plus extra for dusting 8ml baking powder 75g (240ml) desiccated coconut 30ml sesame seeds ice cold water 800g fish fillets or steaks (we used hake) 15ml soy sauce sunflower oil, for deep-frying 100ml spicy chutney 50ml mayonnaise lemon wedges, to serve  1 Mix the flour, baking powder, 50g coconut and 15ml sesame seeds together. Gradually add 175-200ml ice cold water. Whisk to make a smooth batter. Set aside for five minutes. 2 Toast the remaining coconut and sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden. Set aside.…

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour YOU WILL NEED chocolate biscuit recipe and icing recipe on facing page egg-shaped cookie cutter (or use a round cutter) smaller round cookie cutter piping bag fondant in different pastel colours cornflour small cutters and cake decorating tools to make patterns small sweets to fill 1 Follow the recipe on the facing page to make the biscuit dough. Roll it out between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap to about 4mm thick. 2 Use the egg-shaped cutter to cut four shapes for each filled biscuit. Place them on a lined baking tray and cut out a smaller circle in half of the biscuits. Bake and cool on the baking tray. 3 Make the icing on the facing page, spoon it into a piping…

MULTICOLOURED BLANKET DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one to two weeks SIZE: 130 x 170cm You can easily adjust the size by adding additional rows and stitches. Different stitches can also be incorporated, if you prefer. YOU WILL NEED 50g balls of African Expressions Freedom in the following colours: 4xcolour5088 3xcolour5132 3xcolour5109 3xcolour5053 3xcolour5128 3xcolour5276 3xcolour5057 3xcolour5072 3xcolour5024 3xcolour5285 3xcolour5209 3xcolour5131 3xcolour5122 3xcolour5129 5mm crochet hook 6mm crochet hook tapestry needle ABBREVIATIONS NOTE Start every row with the correct number of ch sts to form first st of row: 1ch = 1dc, 2ch = 1htr, 3ch = 1tr. Rows are worked from right to left thus always ending off at end of each row and having RS always facing. Remember to weave in loose ends as you go. Keep 2 balls colour…

IN KNOTS COMPLEMENT YOUR OUTFIT WITH KNOTTED ACCESSORIES AND SHOES WITH ROPE DETAIL. Dress (R1 299) from Trenery. Espadrilles (R950) from the Nolita Collection by Pichulik. Earrings (R229) from Accessorize. Necklace made by the Ideas team. TOUCH OF LACE THIS OFF-THE-SHOULDER TOP WITH LACE TRIM LOOKS ROMANTIC AND SOFTLY FEMININE. Top (R499) from Old Khaki. Earrings (R229) from Accessorize. ROPEWORK THE KNOTTED DESIGNS OF MACRAMÉ FIND A NEW INTERPRETATION IN A STATEMENT TOP. Top (R450) and earrings (R185) from Lulu Belle. Denim jeans (R799) from Mango. Ring (R249) from Accessorize. MIX AND MATCH COMBINE TEXTURE, LIKE THIS CROCHET TOP, WITH AN INTERESTING FABRIC PATTERN. Top (R179) from Pick n Pay Clothing. Skirt (R159,95) from Ackermans. Shoes (R495) from ALC at The Space. Necklace (from R790) from Pichulik. Bracelet (R299) from…

I’ll never forget my friend’s Wendy house. We could play happily in there for hours - lost in our own world. It was the perfect girly space where we could daydream, make pretty things or even mess around with mud pies. But then we grew up and the stresses and pressures of work and life consumed us. Me-time and flights of fancy had to make way for regular routine, to-do lists, timelines and deadlines. This is where the ‘she shed’ trend is coming to our rescue. This stylish, feminine interpretation of the ‘man cave’, as seen in all these examples on Pinterest, creates a personal space where you can catch your breath - which is important if you want to live a happier, more balanced life. She sheds are a…

I’m a latecomer to Instagram and can’t make up my mind whether it’s amazing or a bit silly. It’s certainly compulsive. What struck me after hours of scrolling through pictures of perfect gardens and Christmas feasts is how much everyone is selling something, even if it’s just themselves. Regardless of whether it is amazing or silly, Instagram is all about self-promotion and showcasing. It also provides a snapshot of the world at any one time and what is ‘trending’ and popular. As I said, it’s compulsive! I was transfixed by how many South Africans are so wholeheartedly signed up to the local artisan movement, which made me laugh a bit as I’d thought of myself as something of a pioneer writing about our Midlands artisan enterprises and food producers. The…

This popular market with its vintage collectables ranging from décor, jewellery, glassware, silver, fashion and accessories to kitchenalia, garden accessories, irresistible bric-a-brac and valuable antiques will be inspired by style icons such as Frida Khalo, Evita Perón and Audrey Hepburn for added old-worldly elegance. Make the most of your long weekend - the lush gardens with peacocks, fountains and background music are a haven in which to relax and enjoy a cup of tea, a glass of wine and tasty refreshments. Special entertainment for younger visitors will provided in the dedicated children’s area so parents can enjoy a leisurely stroll through the market. Come and find Ideas in the lovely corrugated iron Peacock Palace in the garden. Simondium's Country Lodge is located on the R45 between Faarl and Franschhoek. The…

For a monthly debit order of R39.73, you will receive your printed copy of Ideas monthly. USE ANY OF THESE METHODS TO SUBSCRIBE • Call 087 740 1027. (Lines open Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm.) For Idees call 087 740 1025. • Email your name and contact details to ideassubs@media24.com.* • SMS ‘Subscribe Ideas’ to 32361 (R1 per SMS).* Subscribe to the digital edition for only R32 per month. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE  1 Register an account at www.mysubs.co.za OR log in to your account. 2 Go to the page of the item you would like to purchase and select your subscription option. 3 Click on ‘add to cart’ and then ‘checkout’. 4 On the checkout page, follow the prompts to complete your address details then click on ‘pay now’.…

It’s a long drive up the dirt road before the dust cloud from Linza Louw’s car settles enough for us to see an impressive farmhouse with a row of charming dormer windows. What was the packing shed on Spekulasie between 1950 and 2000 has since then been converted, through Linza and Johan’s sweat and creativity, into a warm, welcoming residence. ‘Excuse the flies,’ are her first words, and with that she quickly shows us through the house then takes us out via the patio door to the back veranda where she has coffee and scones waiting for us inside a large mosquito net. With the flaps closed and a cool breeze blowing on us through the netting walls, she tells us how the garden was started with cuttings from her…

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: about 20 minutes 500g fish fillets (we used hake) 200ml cake flour 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 200ml panko crumbs or ordinary dried breadcrumbs sunflower oil, for frying chips, lemon wedges and mayonnaise or tartar sauce, to serve 1 Cut the fish fillets into evenly sized portions. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with a little salt and set aside for 15-20 minutes. 2 Wipe off the excess salt with paper towel. Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs each into a separate bowl. Dust each piece of fish with flour. 3 Dip the floured fish into the egg and allow the excess egg to run off. 4-5 Dip the fish into the crumbs and turn to coat well. Heat a thin layer…

CHOCOLATE BISCUITS Makes: 6-8 Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus refrigeration time Baking time: 10-12 minutes Oven temperature: 170o C YOU WILL NEED 120g cold butter, cut into small pieces 15ml canola oil 55g Huletts White Sugar 70g Huletts Treacle Sugar 1 large egg 160g cake flour 40g cornflour 60g cocoa powder, sifted 1 Use an electric hand beater to cream together the butter, oil, Huletts White Sugar and Huletts Treacle Sugar until light. Add the egg and beat until combined. 2 Mix the flour, cornflour and cocoa powder together. Using a large spoon, mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until combined. 3 Follow the directions on the facing page to make and decorate Easter egg biscuits with a sweet surprise inside. CHOCOLATE BUTTER ICING Mix 45g butter at…

TRELLIS WORK DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day Bring the outside indoors by attaching decorative plastic ‘broekie lace’ trims to the window frame. They’re available from hardware stores and garden shops. We used large corner sections and overlapped them for a lacier effect. For a temporary treatment, attach the trims to the frame with Prestik. For a more permanent result, nail them in place. Alternatively you can use ornate pot-plant hooks to decorate the corners of your window. COSY SHUTTERS DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour Create a cosy living space by placing vintage shutters in front of a large window. Your space will feel more intimate and the shutters will also give modern, wide windows a more vintage, narrow look. Arrange a few different sized shutters on either side of…

Here we are, already a quarter of the way through 2016. If it sometimes feels as if time is running away with us in this modern age, it helps to step back and gain some perspective by looking at the trends that are promising to improve our lives and make things easier. This was the focus of a recent talk by Ayesha Rajah, managing director of A&I Importers, which brings luxury beauty products such as Phytomer, Skin Doctors and Priori into the country. Ayesha is also the owner of Urban Bliss Wellness Spa in Emmarentia, Johannesburg. LIFE BALANCE We all want to live more meaningful lives and as a result there is a general shift under way from profit to purpose. We need money for our financial commitments and to…

There are so many digital ways of saving your holiday memories these days, like writing a blog or posting photographs in an album on Facebook, but there’s something special about keeping a travel journal the traditional way: by putting pen to paper. Here are a few suggestions for starting your own travel journal: Find the perfect book for you - it could be something you’ve made yourself or a store-bought one. 1. LEATHER BOUND This notebook (R214,95) from Woolworths is a classic travel diary that will become a keepsake. 2. PEN AND INK Choose a book with lined and blank pages, like this one (R89,90) by Hahnemühle from The Deckle Edge. This will give you the opportunity to both write and draw in your journal. 3. IN A BIND Look…