Table of contents for Nov/Dec 2017 in Ideas

Vegetables Asparagus, baby marrows, brinjals, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, garlic, globe artichokes, green beans, leeks, lettuce, mealies, mushrooms, onion, peas, potato, pumpkin, radishes, squash, spinach, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes. Fruit Apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, figs, guavas, lemons, litchis, mango, melons, nectarines, papaya, peaches, pineapples, plums, rhubarb, spanspek, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons. Herbs Basil, bay leaves, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme. Flowers Achillea, agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, amaranthus, anthuriums, Asiatic lilies, asters, calla lilies, carnations, celosia, chrysanthemums, daisies, delphiniums, everlastings, gerbera, gladiolus, godetia, heliconia, lavender, lisianthus, montbretia, orange balls, roses, Sandersonia (Christmas bells), sea holly, statice, sunflowers, Trachelium (blue lace flower), veronica.…

ORANGE BLOSSOM ANGEL FOOD CAKE Makes: 1 x 25cm cake Preparation time: 40 minutes Baking time: 30-40 minutes Oven temperature: 190°C ♥ 12 large egg whites, at room temperature ♥ 5ml cream of tartar ♥ 270g (310ml) castor sugar ♥ 15ml orange blossom water ♥ 135g (250ml) cake flour ♥ 130g (250ml) icing sugar, sifted ♥ about 30ml freshly squeezed orange juice ♥ about 20 small white meringues, to decorate ♥ Christmas scene cake topper, to decorate 1 Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until soft peaks form. Measure a quarter of the castor sugar and set this aside. Add the remaining castor sugar, one spoonful at a time, to the egg-white mixture. Beat well after each addition. Once it has all been added, continue to beat…

Patrys is a collector. This is obvious from all the enamelware, the beautiful white soup tureens, the dolls, the Christmas decorations, the miniature statues, the soap dishes. Even she laughs at this weakness and says she started collecting when she was at school. ‘The annual bazaar was my favourite place. The old ladies all knew to put aside their prettiest purses and little handbags for me,’ she says. ‘You get people who like things and then you get the minimalists. I could never survive in a minimalistic house. My mother’s house always looked the same, stiff and formal. It was my father who took me to look at show houses, especially during holidays at Great Brak. He made lovely furniture and wooden panels and organised his own TV room. Of…

DOILY SOAP Looking after a guest is an act of giving and a privilege. Giving is an international language. It carries a message between hearts and is a gesture of love, friendship and acknowledgement. When you give your guest personal attention or gifts, you connect with those powerful, often forgotten, senses of joy. There are as many variations of soap as there are colours in the rainbow. YOU WILL NEED ♥ moulds (we used a muffin pan) ♥ non-stick cooking spray ♥ glycerin tube ♥ microwaveable measuring jug ♥ small paper doilies ♥ cotton buds ♥ sharp knife ♥ cutting board ♥ palette knife ♥ cotton-wool rounds ♥ surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol) 1 Spray the muffin pan with the nonstick spray then set it aside. 2 Cut the glycerin tube…

COCKTAIL TIME Give a gin aficionado a DIY kit for creating their own personal craft beverage. Remember to print out the recipe (on the page alongside) and add it to the decorated wooden box along with two upcycled gin bottles – well rinsed and the screw caps replaced by cork stoppers – a small sieve, metal funnel, lemon and a glass. Wrap a bottle of tonic in matching botanical paper. Add the gin-infusion ingredients: Place the juniper berries and citrus peel in glass jars (this is best done on the day the gift will be given). Combine the seeds and spices in a test tube. CITRUS-INFUSED GIN RECIPE The idea is to take a fairly neutral spirit and turn it into a delicious gin-like drink. ♥ 750ml vodka (preferably 50%…

COLOURFUL BISCUIT WREATH MakeS : 1 wreath PreParaTion TiMe: about 2-3 hours, plus drying time YOU WILL NEED ♥ icing sugar, for dusting ♥ 250g white ready-to-roll fondant icing ♥ 250g red ready-to-roll fondant icing ♥ 250g pink ready-to-roll fondant icing ♥ 2 x 200g packets Marie biscuits ♥ 2 x 276g boxes of chocolate sandwich biscuits ♥ 1 x 200g packet ginger biscuits ♥ 6 x 30g packets mini iced biscuits (available at Woolworths), or use small ready-made meringues ♥ 1 large sheet of very thick cardboard or triplex ROYAL ICINg ♥ 2 large egg whites ♥ 5ml lemon juice ♥ 450g (865ml) icing sugar 1 Cut a piece of string and tie it around a pen. Tape the other end of the string to the middle of the…

EMBROIDERED DOLLS Difficulty: fairly easy Time: one day You Will need ♥ doll templates and embroidery patterns (see below) ♥ cotton fabric ♥ felt fabric ♥ iron-on interfacing (Vilene) ♥ polyester toy stuffing ♥ DMC embroidery thread in lime (472), maroon (902), peach (224), salmon (760), light grey (415), green (470) and black (310) ♥ embroidery needle ♥ marker that disappears afterwards ♥ general sewing equipment To make 1 Use the templates below to cut the dolls from the cotton fabric. Remember to add a 1cm seam allowance all around the outline. 2 Cut the front panels from the iron-on interfacing and iron to the wrong side of the front panels. 3 Trace the embroidery patterns with the marker onto the front of the dolls. 4 Embroider the dolls with…

THESE GRANNY-SQUARE FINGERLESS MITTENS MAKE A QUIRKY GIFT FOR AN ADULT OR A CHILD, OR CROCHET THEM FOR YOURSELF! DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one day Size: The pattern can be customised for any size. You Will need ♥ 1 x ball Nurturing Fibres 125m/50g Eco-Cotton ♥ 4.00mm hook ♥ tapestry needle ♥ scissors AbbreviATionS beg – begin/ing ch – chain htr – half treble slst – slip stitch st-sp(s) – stitch space(s) tr – treble iMPorTAnT noTeS • Pattern is written in UK terminology. • Work ch 3 at the beginning of tr rounds. This counts as a stitch. • For a neater start to each round, replace the ch 3 of each round with a standing treble. Tutorials are available on YouTube. • The post of the stitch, refer to…

RECTANGULAR SHAPE YOu Will NEEd ♥ gift wrap of your choice ♥ double-sided adhesive tape ♥ adhesive tape ♥ scissors 1 Cut out the gift wrap according to the size of the box, place the paper with the unprinted side upwards and place the box in the middle of the paper. TIP: The paper at the top and bottom must just meet in the middle. 2 Fold one side of the paper over the box and stick it in place with adhesive tape. 3 Wrap the other side of the paper tightly around the box and stick it in place with double-sided tape. 4 Now cover the base of the box. Fold the top flap down towards the middle and then the bottom flap upwards. 5 Fold the right- and…

Karlien sits on the rug in her living room, next to an old white rocking chair, and sews a patchwork blanket, stitch by stitch, careful, precise. The window is open and the breeze coming in with the sunshine is cool. A typical KwaZulu-Natal winter’s day. Her sister-in-law announced about a month ago that she is pregnant. After weighing the pros and cons, Karlien has decided to send a handmade, reversible baby blanket for the stork party. It will consist of hundreds of hexagonal pieces, in four colours in different shades, all arranged in a neat pattern, stitched together by her own two hands. The stork party is taking place in the Free State, where her family live. Much too far to travel for just one day, so she is planning…

Order your calendar with its wire hanger online from www.fearikadesign.co.za for R220 (postage excluded). Postage up to and including five parcels is the same. ALSO AVAILABLE AT: Eunice Christmas Market, Bloemfontein: 27 October - 4 November Stellenbosch Christmas Market: 22 November - 2 December Pathways Christmas Market, Pretoria: 25 November - 3 December…

Craft Get Crochet Savvy by Beatrix Snyman (Lapa, R250) Crochet has become the number-one craft hobby for both young and old. But what to do when you don’t even know how to hold a crochet hook? This book is the perfect introduction to the art of crochet. Learn everything you need to know, from hook sizes, yarn weights and stitch markers to how to grip the crochet hook and yarn (and what to do if you are a lefty), how to combine colours, and how to read patterns and diagrams. There’s also a complete list of US, UK and Afrikaans terminology and abbreviations. How To Make Resin Jewellery by Sara Naumann (Metz Press, R195) Resin jewellery is very easy to make and the technique is incredibly versatile. Make beautiful pieces…

MakeS: about 20 PreParaTion TiMe: 3 hours, plus chilling time Baking TiMe: 10-12 minutes per batch oven TeMPeraTure: 170°C YOU WILL NEED  ♥ 240g (260ml) butter ♥ 250g (290ml) castor sugar ♥ 2 large egg yolks ♥ 10ml finely grated orange zest ♥ 360g (660ml) cake flour ♥ 5ml ground cinnamon ♥ about 10ml orange juice ♥ 250g white ready-to-roll fondant icing ♥ icing sugar, for dusting ♥ stamp designs printed onto edible paper (see information alongside) ♥ CMC powder (Tylose), available at baking shops 1 Beat the butter and sugar together until light. Beat in the egg yolks and orange zest. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and orange juice. Form the mixture into two balls and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours until firm. 2 Roll out…

SET THE SCENE Combine a weathered wooden table, andmix-and-match chairs, benches, crockery and linen for a festive lunch with a French country feel. We used a colour palette of cream, weathered red and olive tones, and Provençal-style greenery of rosemary, lavender, olive branches and penny gum. Hang chandeliers and keep the bubbly on ice! CHRISTMAS TREE Use vintage and new lampshades stacked on top of one another, from large to small, over an old table leg to make an eclectic Christmas tree. Remove the fabric from the frames and tie them to each other with thin wire. Use vintage finds and greenery to decorate the tree. TIP Before buying the lampshades check that they have metal strips connecting the metal spheres. WREATHS Make a variety of wreaths by twisting herbs,…

DIFFICULTY: fairly easy TIME: half a day You Will need ♥ 1 x 50g ball MoYa 100% cotton DK in Silver ♥ 3mm crochet hook ♥ wooden wreath, 20cm diameter ♥ white craft paint ♥ paintbrush CroCheT abbreviaTionS and STiTCh explanaTionS beg - begin(ning) ch - chain c/off - cast off dc - double crochet dtr - double treble rep - repeat rnd - round slst - slip stitch sp - space st(s) - stitch(es) tr - treble WS - wrong side double Treble 1 Yarn over the hook twice. 2 Insert the hook into the next stitch. 3 Yarn over the hook and pull the hook through the first loop, so that there are four loops on the hook. 4 Yarn over the hook and pull through two loops.…

Almost all the perfumes for this season have the same theme: They celebrate the individuality, rebelliousness and untameable spirit of the passionate, strong woman, along with her irresistible femininity. White flowers such as peony, jasmine, lily and orange blossom carry the heart notes with packaging in white and gold being popular. CARTIER BAISER FOU EDP (50ml, R1 180). The sense impression that you should get when you smell it is that of a ‘crazy kiss’ – which is what the name means. It’s a single floral scent that reminds you of a luscious lipstick. The creator, Mathilde Laurent, describes it as a modern perfume with a wild, free heart. Top noTe: white chocolate. HearT: lily. BaSe: orchid. CHANEL GABRIELLE EDP (100ml, R2 465) took 15 years to create. Before she…

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 25 small cardboard boxes with fold-open lids ♥ baker’s twine or pretty cord ♥ glue gun ♥ glue stick ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ metal ruler 1 Fold each box into shape. 2 Choose an attractive typeface and design blocks with the numbers 1-25 in the desired size on your computer. Print them out and cut out each number with your craft knife and metal ruler. 3 Glue the numbers with your glue stick onto the lids of the boxes. 4 Use your glue gun to glue boxes 1-5 in a row onto each other. Repeat the process with boxes 6-10, then 11-15, 16-20 and finally 21-25 so that you have five rows of five boxes each. 5 Now glue the rows of boxes…

Difficulty: fairly easy Time: one day You Will need ♥ rabbit template on page alongside ♥ 25cm linen for the body ♥ 25cm pink linen for the dress ♥ 25cm floral cotton for the pants ♥ small piece of stretch fabric (such as T-shirt fabric) that does not fray ♥ small piece of contrasting linen for the inside of the ears ♥ polyester toy stuffing ♥ scraps of crochet yarn (DK) in pink, grey and cream ♥ 3mm and 4mm crochet hooks ♥ 2 pompoms ♥ 28cm narrow elastic ♥ 1 small button/press stud ♥ 1 small safety pin ♥ marker to draw facial details ♥ general sewing equipment To make  noTe: Add a 1cm seam allowance to all the pattern pieces. BodY 1 Use the rabbit template on the…

WOVEN PAPER SNOWFLAKE This is a great alternative to a simple bow, and can also be used as a festive tree decoration. DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour YOU WILL NEED ♥ 80gsm paper ♥ glue gun ♥ craft equipment (such as scissors, pencil and ruler ) 1 Measure the paper into strips of equal length and breadth (ours are 1cm wide and 18cm long). You will need six strips per snowflake; each topper consists of two snowflakes. 2 Cut out the strips. 3 Divide each strip in half lengthways and mark the midpoint with your pencil. 4 Make your first snowflake. Place a paper strip vertically on a flat surface, apply a drop of glue to the midpoint and then place a second strip across it horizontally. 5 Place two…

You Will need  ♥ large potato ♥ cookie cutters ♥ craft paint in the colour of your choice ♥ stamp sponge ♥ plain white or brown paper ♥ sharp paring knife 1 Cut off the top of the potato with the paring knife. 2 Choose a festive cookie cutter and press it halfway into the potato. 3 Use the paring knife again to carefully cut away a thin layer of potato from around the cookie cutter. Remove the cookie cutter. 4 Press your stamp sponge into a little craft paint and press the paint onto the raised section of the potato. 5 Press the design onto your paper. Apply more paint and repeat the process to cover the entire paper with the design. 6 Experiment with your potato stamp. With…

November FREE STATE 16-18 November The Cherry Festival takes place in Ficksburg. For more information, go to cherryfestival.co.za. KWAZULU-NATAL 4 November The Winterton Street Festival takes place in Springfield Street between 8am and 4pm. Call 082 548 9910 or 083 645 9941. EASTERN CAPE 27-29 October The Art Meander in Port Elizabeth includes art, pottery and photography studios. Email cindy@capecomposite.co.za. GAUTENG 25 November The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra end-of-year concert takes place in Bapedi Hall, Soweto. Go to orchestracompany.org.za. WESTERN CAPE 28-29 October and 4-5 November Attend the Elgin Open Gardens festival. For more information, go to elginopengardens.co.za. 30 October - 5 November Kamer/Makers takes place at Anura Vinyards. Enjoy local design and craft, art, music, food and wine. Go to kamersvol.com. 3-5 November The Endless Daze Music Festival takes place…

YOU WILL NEED ♥ angel-wing template ♥ craft scissors ♥ glue stick ♥ glasses (champagne flutes work the best) 1 Photocopy the template onto thin cardboard in the desired size. 2 With craft scissors, cut around the outline of the template. 3 Use a pair of small, sharp scissors to cut out the intricate feather tips. 4 Apply some glue to the middle part of the wings and glue them onto the champagne glasses.…

You Will need MatErIaLs ♥ wood (we used meranti) – 2 000mm x 160mm x 12mm (part 1) – 2 000mm x 90mm x 10mm (parts 2 and 3) – 100mm x 20mm x 20mm (part 7) ♥ plywood – 450mm x 450mm x 4mm thick (part 6) ♥ 25 x 50ml spirit bottles ♥ 10 x self-tapping screws 3mm x 13mm ♥ 2 x 3mm washers ♥ 1 x lamp cord with switch and 15 amp 3-prong plug ♥ LED conversion kit (also known as LED panel) code: ZCL079 (part 4) ♥ LED driver code: ZCL094 (part 5) ♥ 1 x EKL1 6-amp double strip connector (small) ♥ wood glue (Ultra) ♥ 1 x tube of clear contact adhesive ♥ 1 litre PVa paint (we used white) ♥ matt…

Seafood platter MARINATED MUSSELS Serves: 8 Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 1 minute ♥ 30ml finely chopped parsley ♥ 30ml finely chopped coriander ♥ ½ red onion, finely chopped red onion ♥ 4 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 60ml rice wine vinegar ♥ 30ml lemon juice ♥ 60ml olive oil ♥ 5ml grated lemon zest ♥ 5ml paprika ♥ 800g frozen half-shell mussels 1 Combine all the ingredients except the mussels together in a jug. Set aside. 2 Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the mussels and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and drain. Lay the mussels out in a flat dish. 3 Spoon the dressing over the mussels and leave them to marinate for an hour or until ready…

Enjoy Life, Sip By Sip. TEATIME, ANYTIME Create a hamper for a tea connoisseur, filled with everything necessary for the perfect tea experience. Ours contains a teapot with custom lettering, two cups and decorated saucers, a teaspoon, strainer, printed tea towel and printed drawstring bags filled with loose-leaf specialty teas. Place a few smaller boxes inside a larger wooden one and add printed paper or tissue paper to keep everything safe and secure, and pretty. DECORATED TEAPOT AND SAUCERS DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour Copy the word designs on this page and the page alongside (or use words of your choice) in the desired size onto white paper. Place a sheet of carbon paper, ink side down, onto the teapot or saucer and secure it with masking tape. Place the…

A fresh, clean fragrance for the woman who celebrates the uncomplicated pleasures in life - if that is what you’re looking for, Elizabeth Arden White Tea EdT (R595 for 50 ml) is ideal. It’s the perfect scent for the sizzling summer days. Two lucky readers will each win an Elizabeth Arden White Tea gift hamper valued at R1 870. To stand a chance of winning the hamper, containing one 30ml, one 50ml and one 100ml White Tea eau de toilette and a White Tea hand cream, send us an email to info@ideasfactory.co.za with ‘White Tea’ in the subject line, and tell us what gives you the greatest pleasure in life. Your email must reach us before 17 December 2017.…

GINGERBREAD HOUSE Make an adorable little house for the gingerbread-biscuit people. YOU WILL NEED ♥ house template on page overleaf ♥ white cardboard ♥ double-sided adhesive tape ♥ washi tape ♥ wooden craft peg ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ metal ruler MakeS: about 20 PreParaTion TiMe: 20 minutes Baking TiMe: 5-7 minutes per batch oven TeMPeraTure: 200°C YOU WILL NEED GINGERBREAD ♥ 125g (135ml) butter ♥ 100g (100ml) brown sugar ♥ 130g (95ml) golden syrup ♥ 10g (7ml) molasses ♥ 300g (570ml) flour ♥ 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 2,5ml cream of tartar ♥ 10ml ground ginger ♥ 2,5ml mixed spice ♥ silver dragees, to decorate ROYAL ICING ♥ 1 large egg white ♥ 1ml cream of tartar ♥ about 300g (570ml) icing sugar, sifted 1 Melt the…

DIFFICULTY: average Yarn The bodY ♥ 50g Quenti Alpaca DK Natural The ouTFiT ♥ 20g Vinnis Serina Old Gold ♥ assortment of leftover bamboo for embroidery detail ♥ Vinnis Nikkim Black for shoes and embroidery detail on face ♥ small amount Cowgirlblues Lace Weight Merino Forest Green ♥ small amount mohair, Light Green CroCheT hook ♥ 2,25mm for the body ♥ 3–4mm hook for dress, shoes and scarf GauGe Stitches must be worked tightly Finished size: 45cm tall noTionS ♥ stitch markers ♥ tapestry needle ♥ polyester filling or toy stuffing ♥ 30cm Colour Spun pink roving for the hair abbreviaTionS ch - chain dc - double crochet dtr - double treble rem - remaining rep - repeat rnd(s) - rounds sm - stitch marker sp(s) - space(s) ss -…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour YOU WILL NEED ♥ large white paper gift bag ♥ gold pleather (available at most fabric shops) ♥ matching coloured thread ♥ ink or watercolour paint in the colours of your choice ♥ paintbrush ♥ glue gun ♥ craft equipment (such as scissors, pencil and ruler) 1 Carefully remove the handles from the gift bag. 2 Decide how long you want the handles to be and measure the pleather accordingly. Cut the pleather into 2cm-wide strips. You will need two strips for each gift bag. 3 Turn the strip over so the back is facing you and measure and mark 4cm from each end. 4 Fold the strip in half lengthways, wrong sides together. Machine stitch along the edge of the strip, starting at one…

FABRIC AND STAMPS DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour YOU WILL NEED ♥ bauble ♥ muslin ♥ letter stamps ♥ ink ♥ pencil and ruler ♥ craft glue ♥ glue brush ♥ fabric scissors 1 Measure equal widths along the top edge of the muslin. Cut a short distance along the strips and then tear down the length to create strips that are frayed at the edges. 2 Remove the hanging-top part of the bauble. 3 Paint a stripe of glue around the ornament, starting and ending at the top. 4 Place a strip of fabric onto the glue and wrap it around the bauble. Continue gluing and wrapping until the strip is finished, overlapping the edges as you go. Apply a coat of glue over the fabric strip. 5 Continue…

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