Table of contents for June 2016 in Ideas

Over the past few months we've more than once referred to the trend towards having fewer possessions and more experiences. And to how it is increasingly important that the few things we do have should have more meaning for us; how there's a story behind everything. I could never throw things out quite as quickly as Marie Kondo advises in her bestseller The Life-Uhanging Magic of Tidying Up. With me, it goes briskly the one day and at a snail's pace the next - usually because I come across something that I feel soppily sentimental about. When I tackled my wardrobe a while ago, I was so enthusiastic I'm still looking for some of the items that obviously also landed in the charity bundle. What eventually brought me to a…

Herbs: Bay leaves, fennel, garlic chives, lemon grass, parsley, marjoram, rocket, origanum, rosemary. Vegetables: Artichokes, asparagus, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, kale, leeks, marrows, mushrooms, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach. Fruit: Apples, avocados, gooseberries, grapefruit, guavas, lemons, limes, naartjies, oranges, papaya, pears. FLOWERS AVAILABLE IN JUNE Alstroemeria, arum lilies, Asiatic lilies, calendula, carnations, chinks, chrysanthemums, daffodils, delphiniums, gerbera daisy, golden rod, hypericum, iris, Irish bells, larkspur, St Joseph lily, orchids, snapdragons, statice, strelitzia, stocks, sweet williams, sweetpeas, tuberose, tulips, some proteas and fynbos including pincushions, heather and ericas.…

NEW-LOOK LIQUEURS Spoil Dad with a bottle of liqueur for Father’s Day. He’ll love the Four Cousins Marula Flavoured Cream Liqueur with its proudly South African taste that originates from the fruit of the indigenous marula tree. There is also a scrumptious Strawberry Flavoured Cream Liqueur. Both liqueurs have funky shwe-shwe design inspired packaging. • Available at liquor outlets for R90 a bottle. CREATIVE NEWCOMER ON BO-KAAP BLOCK The New Modernist, in the Urban Hub in the Bo-Kaap, is a blend of gallery and vintage store that focuses on lovingly restored, collectible pieces of Modernist furniture and Scandinavian retro. Emma De Crespigny, an expert on Modernist design, recreates the classics of yesteryear in contemporary upholstery fabrics and finishes. Customers who can’t visit the store will soon be able to shop…

CORK COAT RACK Use old corks to make hooks for a coat rack and decorate them with colourful buttons. Make a small indentation in the top of the cork for the back of the button to fit into. Mix some epoxy glue, apply it to the back of the button with a toothpick and stick the button onto the cork. Screw the decorated corks onto a plank to make a coat rack. Framed print from Recreate. Small corks from Merrypak. GOOD IDEA Here’s another use for old corks: choose buttons with a raised design and glue them onto the corks with epoxy glue. Use them as stamps to decorate labels made from air dry clay or to print your own wrapping paper. MAGNETIC BOARD Make your own noticeboard by turning…

CHILLI & LIME PORK FILLET WITH SALSA Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 25 minutes Oven temperature: 200o C • sunflower oil • 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice • 5ml grated lime zest • 5ml chipotle chilli paste (smoked jalapeño chilli paste) • 1 habanero chilli (very hot), seeded and chopped • 5ml ground cumin • pinch ground cinnamon • 5ml paprika • 5ml brown sugar • 800g pork fillet • lime wedges, to serve • flour tortillas, to serve • salsas, to serve (see recipes below) • guacamole, to serve 1 Mix 15ml oil, lime juice and zest, chilli paste, chilli, spices and sugar together. Pour over the pork fillet and set aside to marinate for 1 hour or longer. 2 Put a roasting…

Makes: 1 x 15cm cake (double the recipe for a 20cm cake) Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 30-35minutes Oven temperature: 170o C COCONUT CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE • 180g soft butter • 110g Huletts Castor Sugar • 5ml vanilla essence • 3 large eggs • 300g flour • 15ml baking powder • 75g fine desiccated coconut • 200ml coconut milk (make sure you shake the tin before opening) • fondant in the colour of your choice • Huletts Icing Sugar, to dust • sugar peony, to decorate (instructions on page 63) WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE • 450g white chocolate, chopped • 150ml fresh cream 1 Beat the butter and Huletts Castor Sugar together until light and creamy. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well…

MITTENS These easy mittens will keep your arms and hands warm. YOU WILL NEED • 1 x 100g ball of variegated chunky yarn • 8mm hook NOTE • The yarn used for these projects is Noro Obi, a Japanese dyed wool yarn that is a chunky weight. There are several variegated chunky yarns on the market such as Funky Stripes. However, if you are unable to find a variegated chunky yarn, you could use up all your oddments of chunky yarn and work two or three rounds in a different colour. • Try to use yarns that will wash and wear in the same way. • All the accessories except the hat have been designed in a much larger hook than normally recommended; this creates the puffs and ridges in…

TO GET STARTED WITH YOUR INSPIRATION JOURNAL YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING: Use your favourite quotes and pretty paper to create your own inspirational quote book, with loads of place for jotting down your thoughts and dreams. WE DESIGNED OUR JOURNAL SO THAT IT FITS INTO THE SLEEVES OF A SCRAPBOOKING FILE OF 31 X 31CM. YOU CAN ALSO USE A NOTEBOOK, OR GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES TO MAKE YOUR OWN DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK, IF YOU PREFER: designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/ GettingStarted.pdf. smilebox.com/digital-scrapbooking.html Choose a design you love and personalise it to your heart’s delight. mixbook.com/online-scrapbooking Create online scrapbooks in seconds, as well as bookstore quality photo books. mymemories.com Make digital scrapbooking fun and easy with MyMemories software and kits; download freebies or shop for beautiful scrapbook kits. YOU WILL ALSO NEED: •…

MARK YOUR KEYS Q I would like to mark my keys to identify them but in a way that also looks pretty. What do you suggest? A Here are a few creative ideas: 1 Mark the keys with embroidery thread in different colours. YOU WILL NEED • embroidery thread remnants • glue • scissors TO MAKE Spread a thin layer of glue over the ‘neck’ of the key. Cut a piece of thread of about 20cm, place the middle point of the thread on the key and wind the two lengths around in opposite directions. Glue down the ends. 2 Make key holders from plastic animals. YOU WILL NEED • plastic animals • spray paint • screw-in hooks • key rings TO MAKE Spray paint the animals in the colour…

Creative potential unlocked Up until a few years ago I’d boxed myself in as not being creative outside of my area of study, which is words. I’ve always been drawn to pretty things but accepted that I wasn’t able to create them myself. Then I started reading Ideas, and alsoFlow(which you introduced me to with the free copy you gave away - thank you!). I also started exploring Pinterest and Houzz. It has been a lovely experience discovering my creativity, and learning that I don’t have to do things ‘perfectly’. Looking at your images of the sort of shabby chic style you favour has been wonderful. I no longer want my interiors and creations to look like those in a classic glossy magazine - I want them to show my…

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It feels as if Elsbeth Eksteen has been a lifelong friend. We know her from hellohart.com, the crochet blog that she runs in conjunction with Cornel Strydom and Anisa du Plessis. We know her as @elsiedear on Instagram where she shows her knitted dolls. And we know her as Elsbeth art on Facebook. In fact, we know her just about everywhere except in real life! For our first face-to-face meeting, we’ve arranged to go to her ‘multipurpose home’ as she likes to call it. ‘This is where I work, where I relax and where I recharge my batteries,’ she says. ‘It’s my “nest”. I’ve always made the things in my home myself. If I want to spend money I prefer to buy fabric or things I can sell. It never…

SET THE SCENE Enjoy a fun Father’s Day meal with treats that you have made yourself. Use simple crockery and cutlery and set the table informally. Place a handmade card and bow-tie gift bag at Dad’s place setting. Decorate the dining area with all sorts of sentimental detail like a banner and beer with a personalised label to make the day special. CHICKEN DELUXE BURGER WITH CRISPY ONION RINGS Serves: 4 Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus standing time Cooking time: 30 minutes • 2 large chicken breast fillets • 150ml cake flour • 5ml each ground coriander, cumin and paprika • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 200ml dried breadcrumbs • sunflower oil for deep-frying • 100ml mayonnaise • 15ml sweet chilli sauce (or 5ml hot chilli sauce) • 4…

We remember so much more about eating than simply the meals we’re served. We remember our surroundings, the ambience, who we were with, even how they made us feel. International trend forecaster Li Edelkoort says eating is once more becoming a ritual. The traditional family meal, or something like a weekend brunch, has become synonymous with spending quality time with people who matter to us. ‘There is a greater feeling of togetherness and the tendency to share food.’ Our tables have become either smaller or longer to accommodate this communal eating experience. The kitchen as theatre ‘People are tired of restaurants,’ says Edelkoort. ‘The music is too loud, you eat your fill of bread before you’ve even gotten to your meal, and then there are those ridiculously long menus. .…

Velvet versus satin. That’s how you should be thinking of the new make-up ranges. Where the summer months were dominated by shimmering satin gloss, winter demands an altogether softer, warmer, more glowing look. Think dewy soft, matt lips like the petals of a red rose. Visualise a velvety smooth complexion without a single pore or shiny nose in sight. TEXTURE (matt, velvety finish = trend) A matt wave is sweeping through the make-up industry. It all starts with your skin that must be matt but still vibrant and radiant. The secret lies in good preparation – doesn’t it always! Apply a primer to keep oily skin under control and prepare the surface by smoothing it out and filling in any enlarged pores, making them virtually invisible. This is followed by…

FLOWER DOODLE LIGHTS Decorate Chinese lanterns with black and white flowers for a graphic effect. YOU WILL NEED • paper lanterns, large and medium • flower and leaf drawings (use ours on page 86 as an example) • thin black cardboard • white paper • black raffia • white pencil • clear glue • scissors • paper punch • tapestry needle TO MAKE Large lampshade 1 Copy your flower and leaf drawings in the desired size (our big flowers are about 11cm across) onto white paper and cut them out with scissors. Cut just outside the black outlines. Organise the pieces of paper into two piles, one for the big flowers and the other for all the leaves and smaller flowers. You need eight large flowers. 2 Cut about 100…

'The idea is that phones , like jackets , are checked in at the door and packed away as a gesture that the guests are happy to be there and intend staying a while.' When I recently decided to change my balcony from a lookout point for the dogs into an intimate leisure area for the humans in the house, I also laid down a rule or two for this space. The most important one is that no cellphones are allowed there. Even before we had new veranda curtains and chair covers, my son Anton and I liked to sit there and watch the sunset. And when he occasionally, out of the blue, said, ‘Let’s get a glass of wine and go and chat on your balcony,’ I always knew…

This is how Tanya introduced herself and her house to us, and on our next trip to the north of the country we decided to visit her. And she wasn’t joking – Ideas really is to be seen everywhere. Hannes’s sketches are on display in small silver frames in her entrance hall, next to her sweet jar is one of our stamps in a gilded baroque frame, and a previous year’s gift tag hangs from the jar’s glass lid. And Dala could hardly contain her pleasure when she came across a quote for which she did the design. It’s always wonderful to see how our pages live on after they’ve left our hands. ‘All my prizes at school were for neatness and handwriting,’ says Tanya. ‘And I’m still the same…

1-5 June Kamers, which showcases handcrafted products, is on at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town. For details, go to kamersvol.com or to facebook.com/kamersvol. MARKETS • Walkerville Farmer’s Market Shop for fresh produce every Saturday from 9am to 3pm at 112 Main Road, Walkerville (between Southgate and Vereeniging). Find eggs, honey, biltong, cheese and craft beer, as well as jewellery, art, crafts, books, plants, pet accessories and more. Child and dog friendly. For details, search for Walkerville Farmers Market on Facebook. • Harties Market This charming, rustic market at the foot of the Magalies Mountain in Hartbeespoort takes place every Saturday between 9am and 3pm. Enjoy foods like smoked pork belly, Moroccan cuisine, vetkoek and calamari, and shop for creative arts and crafts. It’s a lovely spot to relax…

melkkos-merlot.co.za Capetonian Lizet Hartley is ‘obsessed with food and wine’. Merlot is her cat. Lizet started her food journey totally clueless and learned through cooking, tasting, classes and reading. ‘I cook soul food, comfort food and . . . cheap food.’ You’ll find her gran’s chicken pie and souskluitjies and her old-fashioned ice cream made with Ideal milk, but also French-inspired recipes and dishes that suggest many hours of slaving, while in reality she ‘chucked a few things in a pot and put my feet up’. sewcountrychick.com Justine Abbitt believes that anyone can sew. ‘It’s just a learned skill . . . but it does take dedication.’ Most days you will find her working on some type of sewing project in the dining room of her old farmhouse. This blog…

Macramé backrest Replace the old broken back of a chair by using a macramé technique. Follow our easy steps on page 30 to do the macramé. Second life DIFFICULTY: moderate TIME: eight hours YOU WILL NEED • 6mm cotton cord (see instructions to calculate the lengths of the cords) • 2 clamps • staple gun and staples What can you do with an old chair’s broken wicker backrest, a silk nightie from Italy that’s seen better days and a skirt that’s made from lovely fabric but isn’t particularly flattering? The pretty motif on the skirt found its place on the cushion and the frill from the nightie forms the cushion border. The rotten wicker of the backrest was replaced with macramé knots, which are on trend at the moment. TO…

SLOW-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH SWEET POTATO MASH Serves: 6 Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 4 hours Oven temperature: 150o C • 1,5kg pork shoulder roast • 10ml coriander seeds • 5ml cumin seeds • 30ml sunflower oil • 2 onions, halved and sliced • 8 cloves garlic, sliced • 2 x 375ml bottles apple cider (or use apple juice instead) • 250ml prepared chicken stock • 2 sticks celery, sliced • 1 fennel bulb, sliced • cooked courgettes or green beans, to serve Sweet potato mash • 3 medium sized orange or white sweet potatoes • 2 potatoes • 30ml butter • 30-50ml cream or milk 1 Dry roast the seeds in a frying pan until golden. Remove and crush with a pestle and mortar. Set aside. 2 Remove…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH HULETTS DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: two hours + drying time YOU WILL NEED • polystyrene ball (ours was 60mm, but you can use a smaller ball for a smaller flower) • thick florist’s wire • florist’s tape • lighter • gum paste in the colour of your choice (available at baking shops or make your own) • rolling pin • four heart cookie cutters in different sizes (we used the middle four sizes of our set) • cutting mat (or use cornflour) • plastic sleeves • moist cloth • balling tool • foam mat • small paintbrush Bend the wire in half and form a hook at one end. Bend it in half again so that it loops under the hook with about a centimetre to spare. Wrap…

KNITTED LAYERS Layers are a great way to stay warm – but stick to thin knits to avoid looking like a snowman. WARM HAT Pull on a cosy cardigan, and complete your look and keep your head warm at the same time with a hat. PRETTY PATTERNS Invest in a chunky jersey with a cable design for an updated version of a classic Aran knit. NEW SILHOUETTES Look for knitwear with the latest silhouettes, like this bell-sleeved knitted top with a Coco Chanel twist.…

Children all need a magical space where they can play and fantasise. Now you can make their dreams come true with fun, colourful play items that you can create yourself. What child doesn’t love a tent? Make a colourful tent using three sturdy poles, a piece of fabric and your trusted Bernina. Bernina machines are versatile and equipped to handle different weights of fabric, from canvas for the tent to sheer fabrics for the curtaining. Thanks to a wide range of accessories and state-of-the-art technology, you will also be able to create beautiful, fun accessories to enhance your child’s space. Kids love board games. Why not make your own snakes and ladders? Simply use felt and a Bernina walking foot for a perfect result that will provide hours of fun.…

We are all competing for market share to sell our goods and make a profit (otherwise what is the point?). The traditional model for business used to be rows of shops competing on the ‘four P’s‘ (price, position, place and product). ‘Share’ and ‘reach’ were determined by a geographical sphere of influence measured in physical distance, and the competition was not to be trusted. This is all changing as services and products conflate, business is conducted online and market share can be grown through a global reach regardless of the size of the company. The ways we work are also changing as more businesses become digital and operate from decentralised and informal spaces and we look for new ways to market our products or services in a crowded, noisy world.…

DOILIES REPURPOSED For the past few months I have been making the most gorgeous goodies out of doilies. I have made bed covers, hangings and window décor from the doilies I discovered in second-hand shops, flea markets and at the bottom of my mother’s drawers. I do hope all the women who poured their love and skill into the doilies are smiling, knowing that they are bringing me tons of joy and pride to have been able to showcase their art for all to see and let a bit of them live on. Ingrid McDonnell Motivation and inspiration Thank you for a magazine that’s an excellent resource for those wanting to craft on any level. Your magazine has helped me with my depression and enabled me to embark on a…

We’re getting together in Edwardian style from Friday afternoon 10 June to Sunday afternoon 12 June, at Calderwood Hall near the town of Boston, surrounded by the gorgeous scenery of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. To be able to fully appreciate this fun weekend packed with crochet and creative inspiration, you must be able to do at least the basic crochet stitches, or come with someone who can help you learn as we go along. Your getaway, with accommodation, all meals and materials included (although you’re welcome to bring your own yarn too), will cost you R2 400 for a single room or R2 100 per person sharing. Invite your friend, sister or daughter to join you and book your place. We only have space for 30 people – make sure you’re…