Table of contents for April 2015 in Ideas

For as long as I can remember, I’ve liked gold. Whether it’s a gilded candlestick, piece of furniture or picture frame, I can always find a place for it in my life. Even the gold vintage dress that I brought home from Berlin two years ago hangs against my wall and not in my wardrobe. A bit of bling always works for me. Clearly I’m not alone in my preference - gold is everywhere these days. Perhaps it’s not as ornate or French inspired as in the past, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with the modern interpretation. These days gold is a favourite colour for motivational quotes, whether they’re on your T-shirt or your wall, and when it’s time to set a special table, all you need to do is…

LACE SKIRT (size medium, to fit 68cm waist, 93cm hip) You will need pattern on page 32 55cm lightweight stretch fabric (minimum 100% stretch) 26 x 94cm piece of net lace 60cm elastic (2cm wide) matching coloured thread To make NOTE All seam allowances are 5mm and sewn with an overlocker. 1 Use the pattern on page 32 to cut the front and back panels of the skirt. The lace flounce is a rectangular piece 26cm long and 94cm wide. It has only one seam that is placed at the centre back. 2 The skirt section is made with a double layer of fabric. Start by sewing the side seams of the inner and outer layers. 3 Sew the centre back seam of the flounce. Divide and mark the top…

You will need wooden hanger resin or other decorations with a flat back section glue gun with a narrow tip white spray paint or undercoat gold enamel paint paintbrush To make 1 Arrange your decorations on the hanger and then decide how else you would like to embellish it. We glued resin decorations onto the ends and centre of the hanger and then decorated the sections in between with patterns that we drew with the thin-tipped glue gun. Draw the patterns on the hanger first if you don’t want to do them freehand. TIP We found resin decorations in a scrapbooking shop. 2 When you have finished doing the decorations and the glue is dry, you can paint the hanger. Spray paint or paint it white first, as an undercoat…

GINGHAM Balance this form-fitting pencil skirt by teaming it with a loose denim shirt. Tie the shirt at the waist to keep with the silhouette and wear it with sandals, sneakers or a slight heel. MINT AND DENIM A pastel lightweight knit is the perfect item to combine with faded jeans for those cooler days as the seasons change. TIE-DYE The tie-dye effect on this dress gives this conservative style a more relaxed look. PRETTY DETAILS Keep an eye out for items with a print or pretty details to pair with plain denim jeans or white trousers for a relaxed yet dressed-up look.…

ROOM WITH A VIEW Enjoy a meal with a panoramic view over the city of Cape Town and Table Mountain at ON19 restaurant, on the 19th floor of the Westin Hotel. It’s been given a chic new look and menu with dishes that focus on simple, bold flavours and healthy lifestyle trends. There’s also a good selection of local wines to choose from and they can all be ordered by the glass. Egg-citing gadget Cook your eggs with ease using these Cuisipro egg poachers (set of two for R229). Available at www.livin.co.za. SPLENDID Sauvignon Blanc Spoil yourself with a bottle of Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc (R105) from Shannon Vineyards, located in the picturesque Elgin Valley. The cool climate provides the ideal growing conditions to produce elegant and refined wines. The…

Indian marinade Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes 30ml lime or lemon juice 2-5ml chilli powder 45ml malt vinegar 8 lamb chops 4 star anise 1 small papaya, peeled and seeded 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1-3 green chillies, seeded and chopped 5ml chopped fresh mint 5ml tamarind paste peanut or canola oil salad, to serve chilli sauce or chutney, to serve fresh mint, to garnish 1 Mix the lime juice chilli powder and vinegar and pour over the chops. Marinate for 30 minutes. 2 Toast the star anise in a dry frying pan for a few minutes- and then crush with a pestle and mortar. 3 Put the papaya, garlic, chillies, mint, tamarind and star anise into a blender and purée until smooth. 4 Pour over…

We called on our creative dog owners to show us their pet projects and they pulled out all the stops to ensure their dogs were treated to a Canine Cuisine life of luxury and style. WINNER LORENA RUFFINI WROTE: ‘The photo of my dog Tobi was the inspiration for this collage. As Ideas magazine has the most beautiful, colourful pages, most of the collage is made from photocopied pages from the magazine torn into strips and arranged on canvas. I couldn’t possibly bear to tear up the actual magazine!’ • She wins a year’s supply (12 x 7kg bags) of scientifically formulated Canine Cuisine dog food and our one-off designer dog bed for Tobi. FIRST RUNNER-UP JANELLE SNYMAN WROTE: ‘We found the adorable Isabelle a year ago as a street…

All little girls love playing dress-up, a fact nobody knows more about than Jo-Ann Griessel, fashion designer, mother of three and proprietor of Durban-based Pink Marley. Jo-Ann, who studied fashion design at Linea Academy in Durban, drew on her wealth of experience in the clothing industry when she decided to launch her own line early last year. ‘I’d worked in the clothing industry for many years and I always wanted my own label,’ she says. ‘When my sons Bailey and Kelly (now 12 and 10 respectively) were tiny I imagined doing a boyswear range but nothing came of it. Then when my daughter Lily (4) was born a few years later I began toying with the idea again and after an inspiring conversation with a well-known fashion designer I took…

The ratio of fresh cream to dark chocolate changes depending on how you are using the ganache. For pouring: 1 part cream to 1,5 parts chocolate. For whipping or spreading: 1 part cream to 2 parts chocolate. For truffles: 1 part cream to 3 parts chocolate. Variations: If you would prefer to use milk chocolate rather than dark chocolate, increase the amount of chocolate by half to one part. If you want to use white chocolate, even more chocolate is needed to set the ganache. Add another 1,5 parts chocolate to the ratios above. BASIC METHOD FOR MAKING GANACHE Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large bowl. The smaller the pieces, the quicker the chocolate will melt. Heat the cream until it just starts to simmer.…

@home 0860 576 576 Abode 072 261 3540 Accessorize 021 447 7718 Anna Scott 021 674 6091 Arthur Bales 011 888 2401 Boardmans 0860 692 274, 011 622 2640, 021 425 7745 Cape Arts and Crafts 021 551 0991 Ceramic Factory 011 057 4314, 021 839 2103 Chair Crazy 011 791 6512, 021 465 9991 Elsje Burger 083 442 1751 Elsje Designs 021 882 8010 Exclusive Books 011 798 0000 Fabricate hello@fabricatecapetown.co.za Flowerheart 021 976 6910 Game 011 427 3000, 021 555 7500 Hoi P’loy 021 447 1433 Imagenius 021 423 7870 Kaika Jewellery kaikajewellery.com Klomp Ceramics info@klompceramics.com. Lulu Belle 012 346 6424, 021 671 5728 Menagérie 021 446 0685 Mia Melange 076 122 2267 Mono Online Shop 083 717 2907, monoshop.co.za Mr & Mrs 021 424 4387 Mr Price…

MAKE A SHELF Make your own hanging shelf instead of buying one. Have a piece of wood cut to size, sand it lightly and then paint it in the colour of your choice. Insert hooks in the wall, drill holes through the shelf and hang the shelf up with sturdy cord. TIP Paint the shelf the same colour as your wall for a ‘barely there’ look. PLAY WITH PAINT (right) Instead of changing your décor completely, try playing around with interesting paint patterns on your wall. It’s quick, cost-effective and easy to change with the seasons and your mood. Choose a neutral colour that will easily fit into your existing colour scheme. PRINT WITH GOLD - LEAF DETAIL Transform an art print into your own masterpiece by adding gold detail…

Articles made from fabric are everywhere. All manner of items from the most basic clothing to luxurious household décor such as soft furnishings and bed linens, which are often very expensive despite being made using the most basic sewing techniques, are home staples. And yet, by investing in a combination of a reliable sewing machine and overlocker, you will be able to create all the basics – not to mention the luxuries – your heart desires at a fraction of the cost, while also putting your own personal stamp on your masterpieces. A robust, top-quality sewing machine such as the Bernina 380 will last a lifetime and will ensure nothing stands between you and your creativity. Direct-selection buttons allow quick and easy operation and the slide speed control, needle threader,…

GILDED WALL Decorate a section of a wall with a pattern in gold dust. Use the template on page 43 or your own design and cut a stencil from an A3 sheet of acetate. Paint stencil glue over the back of the stencil and stick it in position against the wall. Use a sponge brush to sponge size (gold-leaf glue) onto the wall in the open sections of the stencil. You can also use spray glue, but you will need to cover the wall around the stencil with newspaper so you don’t spray it accidentally. Move the stencil as you progress and mark the corners to make it easier to position. When the glue is tacky (about 20 minutes for size and five minutes for spray glue), you can apply…

ADD SOME VINTAGE Love is in the air and we are planning weddings. This year our CAPE TOWN workshop on 25 April will have a distinctly vintage flavour. We have combined our workshop with the annual Vintage Ideas market at Simondium’s Country Lodge. Our marquees will be pitched in the lodge’s beautiful garden: have a light breakfast, learn two new skills, and receive a goody bag to take home with you - and have free entry to the rest of the market. Already one of the highlights on the Western Cape vintage calendar, the market this year includes a wedding section that will introduce brides and grooms-to-be to suppliers, caterers and props companies in the area. Use the notebook in your goody bag well and your search for that perfect…

Makes: 1 x 900 g bread INGREDIENTS: 80 ml lukewarm water (1/3 cup) 80 ml lukewarm milk (1/3 cup) 2 large eggs, beaten 5 ml salt (1 tsp) 60 ml sugar (4 tbsp) 60 g margarine, cut into pieces 60 ml almonds (4 tbsp), chopped 420 g cake flour (3 x 250 ml + 41bsp) (3 1/2 cups) 7 g Anchor Instant Yeast (1 stick pack) 125 g baking / cooking chocolate, melted beaten egg to brush icing sugar to sprinkle GLAZE: Mix 100g (250m1) (1 cup) of sugar and 125ml (1/2 cup) water together in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Cool and store in the fridge. Use when required. METHOD: 1. Remove the pan from the bread machine. 2. Make…

Coffee beans are indigenous to Africa, but here at the tip of the continent, 99% of the time our first encounter with them is in the form of weak instant coffee, served by our mothers, with a few bucketloads of sugar. We’re taught that this chicory concoction is ‘coffee’, even though it’s light years removed from the real McCoy. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have been introduced to ‘moerkoffie’ (literally translated as ‘mother coffee’) by a grandmother or aunt: the dark home brew of real coffee prepared using a fabric bag and an enamel or aluminium kettle on a coal stove, left on the heat until late afternoon by which time it’s pitch black, thick and bitter. And if your gran was the enterprising type, she probably bought green coffee…

In a parable from Zen Buddhism, a professor goes on a long solitary journey to visit a Zen master. He climbs mountains and finally reaches the home of the master, exhausted but full of questions. As soon as he sits down, he starts talking. He talks about his journey, his knowledge of the Zen, and his own life. Then he bombards the Zen master with questions. He wants to know everything about Eastern philosophy, meditation and religion. The master listens silently and says, ‘You look tired and you’ve come a long way to find me. Let me first make you a cup of tea.’ While the professor waits, he thinks of many more questions. As soon as the master returns with the tea, he starts talking again. Meanwhile the master…

Share your creativity There are few things in life that lift the spirit as much as seeing the beauty of creation. Being creative or having a hobby can have such a positive effect on someone’s daily life: it is known to bring a sense of satisfaction and contentment. It is such a pity that many children no longer have subjects like needlework, woodwork and art at primary school. If you know how to crochet or embroider, or know how to make a dovetail or butt joint, consider yourself lucky. Then make an effort to teach your children or grandchildren, or even someone else, whatever you can. Spend some time passing on your creative knowledge. Maybe some children will even transform their hobby into a profession one day. Time spent being…

You will need • white double-knit yarn • cardboard • tapestry needle • hot glue and glue gun • grey and pink felt • 2 small black beads Cut two cardboard discs each for the head and the body pompoms. The discs for the head are 36mm in diameter with a centre hole of 16mm. The discs for the body are 46mm in diameter and the centre hole is 20mm. To make the body pompom, place the two 46mm cardboard discs on top of each other. Thread a tapestry needle with a length of knitting yarn and start wrapping the two discs with the yarn. Once the yarn is used up, start a new length, placing the ends in line with the outer edge of the discs. Continue wrapping the…

Starched wall panels 1 You will need a bucket of water, starch, a sponge roller and the fabric. Start by cutting your fabric into the shape of your choice. 2 Dilute the starch with water in a bucket according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Soak each fabric panel separately in the starch solution until it is completely drenched. 3 Wring the excess liquid from your fabric panel. 4 Smooth the panel onto the wall with your hands then secure the corners with panel pins to keep it in place. 5 Use the foam roller to smooth the panel onto the wall properly and to remove creases and excess liquid. Once the fabric is dry, remove the panel pins. Finish off by painting a thin border around the panel.…

DO YOU KNOW OF A LOVELY NEW SHOP OR BEAUTIFUL DÉCOR OR CRAFT RANGE THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? IF SO, EMAIL US AND WE WILL CONSIDER FEATURING IT ON THIS PAGE. CHIC AND ANTIQUE Baobab Antiquity Trading in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, imports furniture from France, Belgium and England. They have lovely pieces and they also restore and paint furniture, so it’s well worth popping in at the shop in The Quarry Centre. Look for Baobab on Facebook, or call them on 033 343 2260. Danish delights Lucky Boy Sunday is a range of knitted cushions and toys made by Camilla Koerschen and Camilla Ebdrup from Copenhagen, Denmark. Luckily South Africans can buy these and lots more equally appealing items from collerette.co.za. The prices range between R820 and R1 420. WALLPAPER…

Just like an Easter egg made of the finest chocolate and wrapped in seductively shiny paper, a new or favourite fragrance brings you excitement and joy. This year alone, 1 000 perfumes will be launched worldwide. If you compare that with the 76 that were released in 1991, you’d be forgiven for thinking the entire world must be awash with exotic waves of fragrance. With such an enormous variety on offer, how do you select a perfume and what is the modern way of wearing it? LATEST TRENDS 1 IN: Authentic, exclusive, ‘handmade’ niche perfumes Similar to the food and fashion trends towards more authentic, artisanal products and traditional techniques, we now also have craft perfumes that are made with only a few ingredients, like the niche formulas of French…

BLOW OUT THE EGGS Rinse off the eggs or wipe them clean before you begin. Take a pin and gently press a small hole in the end of the egg that is slightly smaller and more pointed. Now prick the pin all around the hole to make it slightly larger – you are going to blow through this hole. Make a slightly bigger hole on the more rounded end of the egg so that the contents can run through it. Now prick the egg yolk with a toothpick – this makes it much easier to blow the egg out – and blow out the egg into a clean container. Use this method to blow out all the eggs that you want to use and then rinse out the eggshells. Hold…

SET THE SCENE Set the table informally with wood and porcelain, old silverware and crisp linen. We used a colour scheme of white and cream with touches of gold and black to create an earthy feel. Strengthen the Easter theme with elements like a rabbit-shaped wreath, bird’s nests in earthenware pots and a mixture of hen’s eggs, chocolate eggs and decorative eggs. PUMPKIN & FETA BREAD WITH AVOCADO AND POACHED EGG Serves: 6 Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Oven temperature: 180º C 300g (550ml) self-raising flour 2ml chilli powder 500g cooked, cubed pumpkin (cooled and drained) 80ml milk 60g (65ml) butter, melted 75g feta cheese, crumbled coarsely 2 large eggs, lightly whisked 30ml pumpkin seeds butter, for spreading ripe avocado rocket and…

CLEVER ARRANGEMENTS Q How can I make the most of my flowers? A There are lots of different ways, but we love these: Combine different flowers by playing with textures. Create balance and harmony by putting dense flowers like dahlias with airy plants like baby’s breath. And play with texture on your vases and other vessels, a thick ceramic bowl holding delicate lilies, for example. Don’t stick to one main arrangement. Make a large one and a few smaller ones, single blooms or a couple of stems, to place around it and give some balance. Or try a group of different shaped vases, each with one or just a few stems in it. DRY-CLEAN VS STEAM CLEAN Q: Dry-cleaning seems to damage my clothes and especially my coats. Can I…

SAY: ‘I DON'T KNOW’ How many times have you nodded your head knowingly when someone made a reference to something you actually didn’t know about at all? As adults, we put a lot of energy into appearing savvy and knowledgeable, but you’ll learn much more if you’re willing to say, ‘Oh, what’s that?’ DO JUST ONE THING AT A TIME Do you walk down the stairs while talking on your cellphone and pulling on your coat? It’s efficient, but it also means that you’re doing each of those activities mindlessly. Try to only walk down the stairs when you’re walking down the stairs. Take each step separately and focus your attention on each step. If you’re pulling on your coat, do it slowly, pulling one arm into each sleeve at…

Send your letter by email to ideased@media24.com with ‘Ideas/You said it’ in the subject line, or by fax to 021 408 3046. Remember to include your address and telephone number. The writer of this month’s winning letter will receive a hamper from Theuniskraal Wine Estate valued at R1 500. The hamper includes two mixed cases of a selection of Theuniskraal wines – Prestige, Muscato Róse and Bouquet Blanc – as well as a bag, throw, DVDs and chocolate. For more information on Theuniskraal, go to www.theuniskraal.co.za.…

Pattern roller Difficulty: average Time needed: half a day You will need • rolling pin • pattern of your choice • fabric or paper on which to print • water-based printer’s ink (we used Dala block printing ink from The Deckle Edge) • rubber ink roller (or use an ordinary sponge roller) • sponge paper • suitable glue (see step 5) • masking tape • craft knife and cutting mat • tape measure • nail polish remover and cotton wool Measure the circumference and width of your rolling pin and work out the size of your pattern accordingly. Make sure the pattern will repeat nicely when you roll the roller and also choose something that you can cut out without having lots of loose bits that you will need to…