Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2019 i Ideas

When I look around me, I realise we could hardly have chosen a better year to plan a strategy of having happiness run, like a golden thread, through all of our issues. In the midst of the rollercoaster ride that we’re all experiencing, I am still benefiting from my happiness tick list for the year, systematically decluttering my house and sticking to my resolution to spend more time in nature and with friends and family – these cost nothing and keep us too busy to fret about things. Yet it feels to me as if, at this stage in 2019, we all need a good hug. And a bit of nurturing and patience every now and then when we long nostalgically for a time when things felt simpler. What better…

IN A BOOK Use an old hardcover book as a personalised photo album. You can find these at second-hand stores and flea markets. Cut a rectangle out of the book cover and place a photo on the inside of the recess. Use photo corners to secure your photos inside the book. TIP Find a story that best suits the person whose photo album it will be. Frame it ON THE WALL Hang a large selection of ornate frames in different sizes on your lounge wall to create a focal point. Leave some empty, fill some with photos and use others as a pinboard. Paint one or two of the frames white for a modern variation, if you prefer. TIP: If you don’t have enough frames, print a selection in the…

PUMPKIN PANCAKES We’ve combined two winning bazaar recipes (pancakes with cinnamon sugar and pumpkin fritters) to make this fantastic treat. It’s sure to become a new favourite! Makes: 20 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: approximately 45 minutes ♥ 250ml cooked and puréed pumpkin♥ 165g (350ml) cake flour♥ 1ml baking powder♥ 1ml salt♥ 3 large eggs, beaten♥ 250ml full cream milk♥ 125ml water♥ 60ml melted butter, cooled♥ sunflower oil, for frying♥ cinnamon sugar, to serve♥ lemon or lime wedges, to serve 1 Beat all the pancake ingredients together until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes or longer. 2 Heat a medium-sized non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add a little oil. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan and pour the excess out…

I still have to decide on the place (perhaps simply at home), but here is what I would like to have for my guests: a lovely mixture of roses, preferably garden roses and in lilac (the Madiba rose is gorgeous), maybe with a red one here and there (the Ingrid Bergman in my garden smells amazing). If they’re in season, definitely a few peonies too. And then platters of delicious food that everyone can socialise around… figs, cheese, something pretty, something healthy, something decadent – the number is on my phone. For background music, big-band jazz, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and without question Cesária Évora and Van Morrison. A little Edith Piaf and Pink Martini. And talking about pink – pretty pink gin and pink champagne. Everyone must have a…

It’s spring, and the air smells different. Whether you live in a city or a small country town, the plants don’t discriminate. Spring blushes pink in abundant blossoms around us. Trees extend lean winter limbs up to the blue skies where flowers crown their lush green arms in celebration of this season - everything is so colourful and festive! The world looks beautiful and healthy… but I find myself blinking unwillingly against the sharpness of the spring sun that makes my winter skin appear so pale. My body, rich in evidence of the winter-warming hot chocolate and stews that make the cold bearable, feels like hiding from the exposure of spring and its floaty sundresses. I wonder if I am the only one who measures myself against these pretty blooms…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 3-4 days SIZE Top fits size ‘large’ but can be adjusted by adding another crochet row all round (bigger) or using a smaller hook if you want a smaller block for your top. Finished width 51 cm. YOU WILL NEED ♥ 3 balls Nurturing Fibres Eco cotton in Vanilla ♥ 4.5 mm crochet hook ♥ darning needle ♥ fabric for lower part of top ♥ matching thread ABBREVIATIONS ch – chain dc – double crochet dtr – double treble htr – half treble rnd – round sl st – slip stich tr – treble crochet STITCH INSTRUCTIONS Double treble (tr) cluster: Yarn over twice, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over again and pull through…

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: weekend (includes drying time) YOU WILL NEED ♥ tray ♥ porcelain plates ♥ tile cutter ♥ tile glue ♥ grout ♥ sponge To make 1 Choose plates that are all more or less the same thickness, otherwise the finished surface will be uneven. Break the plates carefully, keeping the pretty middle sections whole so that you can use them as the centre points of your mosaic, which you are going to do in circles. Use Give an old tray a lovely vintage look with mosaic tiles made from patterned porcelain plates. a tile cutter to cut the broken pieces into smaller blocks. 2 Arrange the centre sections on the tray – we used three – and start placing the blocks in circles around them. Alternate the colours…

Make sure the feathered seedeaters don’t go hungry! Combine one-third lard with two-thirds birdseed. Melt the lard in a pan then add the seeds, stir to combine and spoon into vintage teacups. Leave to set then hang the cups with ribbon from branches in your garden. You can buy lard at selected supermarkets and butchers. We used two types of wood for our birdhouses – Oregon floor planks for the roof and one or both sides, and pallets for the rest. Play around; the charm of the houses lies in them not being perfect. If you prefer, you can first draw the shape of the house roughly on paper to give you an idea, more or less, of how to cut the wood. DIFFICULTY: average TIME: a weekend (make a…

I can still remember the day that I arrived in the Cape 23 years ago. Everything felt strange under my feet. I was wearing my own shoes but was suddenly uncomfortable in them. I didn’t know which way to walk to find a bread-and-milk shop… or a doctor, church or friend at whose kitchen table I could sit. The grass was dry and hard when, at that time of year, it should have been green and soft, and the garden soil was lifeless, white and hot instead of dark, fertile and wet from the rain. I was confused and unsure; walking barefoot brought me too close to the earth that was no longer mine. Until a new friend turned up at my front door with a Swiss roll and arms…

creativecalendarideas@gmail.com September 20 September School term ends 20 September Sunflower Day (sunflowerfund.org) 23 September Spring equinox 24 September Heritage Day WESTERN CAPE 31 August - 1 September The Chocolate Festival is on at The Woodmill in Stellenbosch from 10am to 4pm. Tickets from webtickets.co.za include a goodie bag. 4-8 September The Open Book Festival at various locations in Cape Town features local and international authors. Go to openbookfestival.co.za for details. 6-8 September The Voorkamerfest Performing Arts Festival takes place in Darling. Email tasha@thedarlingtrust.org or call 022 492 3384 for details. 7 September The Waterblommetjie Festival takes place at four wine estates in Paarl. For more info, go to www.waterblommetjiefees.com. 21-22 September At the Vetplantfees in Calitzdorp you can see and buy indigenous and rare succulents. Find more information at www.vetplant.co.za.…

(@hanneskoegelenberg) @OLGAPRINKU Yarm, North Yorkshire, England Designer Olga Prinku’s love for flowers and handcrafts finds expression in these embroidery hoops. She ‘embroiders’ with dried flowers on tulle and also creates monograms among her singular artworks. @ADELINAILLUSTRATION Stockholm, Sweden Illustrator Adelina Lirius enchants with her playful, detailed work. She captures people, animals and nature – anything that she comes across in her surroundings – and then changes them into imaginative works of art. @JANHARMSGAT_SE_AGTERPLAAS Cullinan, Gauteng JanHarm Vorster and Pieter Vosloo have a passion for everything nostalgic and antique. On their Instagram page, you can see how they create the loveliest spaces with everything from enamelware to fine porcelain and rustic wood.…

On your next visit to the Netherlands, you can stay in this house, with its three B&B guest bedrooms. The B&B, just a 15-minute bike ride from the North Sea, has a shared living room with a television and reading table. In the garden you’ll find this wonderful shared ‘garden room’ with outside kitchen (only to be used for simple meals). For further information and reservations: www.catherinahoeve.nl.…

BOX FOR SWEETS Copy the box template on page 57 in the desired size onto cardboard. Work on a cutting mat, use a craft knife and metal ruler and cut around the outlines of the copied template. Fold the box into its shape and stick down the sides. Pack fudge or other sweets in the box. LABEL FOR GINGER BEER Copy the label on page 57 in the desired size onto mediumweight cardboard and cut it out. Punch a hole at the top of the label and thread a pieces of string through it. Tie the label around the neck of the bottle. BAZAAR PUDDING Copy the label on page 57 in the desired size onto white paper and cut it out. Stick it onto the lid of the pudding…

The first memory blanket I saw was made from much-washed, soft old shirts. It was only in a photo, but I was sure it carried the scent of the sun and the man who had worn them. The maker called it a mourning blanket. Also in the photo was a cushion cover made from old ties – both ways to empty the wardrobe of a loved one but at the same time to keep something of theirs close to you. And to give the family a creative opportunity to work through their longing. Earlier this year the young New York designer Shaina Garfield talked at Design Indaba in Cape Town about the modern trend towards making funerals more personal and eco-friendly, by literally returning to a natural return to nature…

Retro granny swing top A little bit of retro and a whole lot of cute, this top is the perfect addition to her outfit for a breezy spring day. Invest in some wonderful South African hand-dyed sock yarn to whip up this sweet crochet swing top. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: a day or two SIZE To fit a 12-24-month-old toddler YOU WILL NEED ♥ main colour: 100g Hedgehog Fibres Sock Yarn in Bee’s Knees (or shop for amazing hand-dyed yarns from our lovely South African dyers!) ♥ small amounts of: A: Karoo Moon - light pink sock yarn B: Miss La Motte - yellow sock yarn C: Quenti Alpaca - black DK D: Karoo Moon - mustard merino lace ♥ 3,5mm crochet hook ♥ tapestry needle ABBREVIATIONS beg - begin(ning) ch…

YOU WILL NEED ♥ tattoo design on page 130 (or your own design) ♥ tattoo paper and adhesive sheet* ♥ scissors ♥ damp cloth Use an inkjet printer (not a laser printer) to print the tattoo designs onto the glossy side of a sheet of tattoo paper. Stick the adhesive sheet to the top of the tattoo paper. Peel away the green backing and stick down the adhesive sheet, rubbing out any bubbles with your fingertips. Cut the designs out roughly, leaving a little bit of white around the design. Carefully pull away the plastic layer from the tattoo design. Stick the tattoo onto your body and hold a damp cloth against it for about 20 seconds. Pull off the paper on the back carefully. * The adhesive sheet is…

KEWPIE DOLL Who doesn’t remember this iconic doll? Make a mould from silicone, then create as many as you like from plaster and decorate each one with a modern twist. DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: weekend (drying time included) YOU WILL NEED ♥ kewpie doll, or other doll of your choice ♥ modelling clay ♥ silicone mixture (we used AMT Amsil Silicone 25 parts A and B*) ♥ release agent for the moulds (we used AMT Ease Release 25 SM470*) ♥ plaster powder ♥ plastic container just big enough for the doll (deep enough that her head doesn’t protrude above the edge when she lies in the bed of clay) ♥ ceramic or metal bowl to mix the silicone in ♥ measuring jug to mix the plaster in ♥ metal spoon ♥…

DIFFICULTY: average TIME: one weekend YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS ♥ technical drawings on the page overleaf ♥ wood (we used repurposed SA pine) – 1800mm x 75mm x 22mm thick ♥ 242mm x 6mm wooden dowel ♥ 2 x cup hooks (40mm, c-type) ♥ galvanised chain (we used 5mm x 21mm) ♥ 18 x fender washers (m5 x 25) ♥ self-tapping screws (10 x 13) ♥ wood glue (Ultra) ♥ matt white spray paint ♥ 6 x terracotta plant pots (70mm [h] x 80mm [top diameter] xsml) ♥ 6 x jar lids (125ml sheer 50mm [d]) TOOLS ♥ hand drill ♥ drill press (if available) ♥ 6mm and 2mm drill bits ♥ countersink bit ♥ handsaw ♥ mitre cutter (if available) ♥ coping saw ♥ hole cutters – 54mm (part…

WINNING LETTER FROM INSPIRATION TO REALITY In May 2016 an article was published in Ideas headed ‘From inspiration to action’. It went on to give the Oxford Dictionary definition of inspiration as being ‘the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative’. It asked us as readers: What inspires you? I kept this copy because it resonated with my desire and passion to do something new with my life. We had just moved home, from so-called safe community living, to more questionable farm living. I would not have chosen differently if I had been given the chance. The idea of giving my family an environment in which they could come home to open spaces, clean air, love and warmth was key. I’ve succeeded!…

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Vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, courgettes, cucumber, leeks, garlic, green beans, lettuce, mealies, mushrooms, onion, parsnip, peas, potato, pumpkin, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, Swiss chard, squash, spring onion, sweet potato, tomatoes, turnips, waterblommetjies. Fruit: avocados, apricots, bananas, Cape gooseberries, grapefruit, guava, kiwi, lemons, limes, mulberries, naartjies, oranges, pawpaw, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries. Herbs: basil, bay leaves, calendula, chives, dandelion, dill, fennel, garlic chives, lavender, lemon grass, marjoram, mint, nasturtiums, nettle, origanum, parsley, perennial basil, rocket, rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon, thyme. Flowers available: agapanthus, alstroemeria, anemone, anthuriums, Asiatic lilies, carnations, celosia, chincherinchees, cornflower, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, everlastings, freesias, gerbera, gladiolus, germini, golden rod, heliconia, hypericum, iris, kangaroo paw, konfetti, larkspur, lisianthus, orange balls, orchids, oriental lilies, roses, snapdragons, statice, stocks, tuberose, tulips, watsonias, and some proteas, pincushions, fynbos,…

SLEEP SOFTLY If you like sleeping in luxury bed linen – and who doesn’t?! – Biggie Best should be your first stop. Their latest spring range is now available, in thread counts from 300 to 600 and in Egyptian cotton. We particularly like the Washed Cotton duvet sets, from R1 300 for double-bed size with two pillowslips. Call in at your nearest Biggie Best shop or go to biggiebest.co.za to order yours online. PLEASURE, MY PET It’s not only us who appreciate good design. Your kitty is sure to enjoy these scratch poles, made from solid oak and sisal rope. Local furniture manufacturer Birba designed them specially for cats, but lovely enough to be part of your décor. The Ruby Cat Scratcher costs R3 200 and the Franc Cat Scratcher…

With the arrival of the new season we wanted to use a little sentimental inspiration from the past to create a welcoming picnic space. Neutral shades of Tjhoko’s warm greys and white were perfect for our table. THIS IS HOW WE PUT TOGETHER THE LOOK: The pallets, which form the base of the table, are painted in Stéffan. The cushions are stencilled. The books are painted in Vinia Stone and then stencilled with Stencil of Paris. The decorated books can double up as pretty place markers with names written on them with chalk. Old metal ceiling boards, which are used as the table top, are painted in Don’s Wash and Antique Brown Glaze and then brushed with Cloud White. Glass jars are painted in Cloud White and then given a…

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. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Makes about 15-20 biscuits, depending on the size. You can reroll the offcuts once to cut more biscuits. ROYAL ICING Lightly beat 2 large egg whites with 1ml cream of tartar. Add 500-600g of sifted icing sugar and beat until just incorporated and the icing is stiff and white. The icing must be thick. Thin half of the royal icing with a few drops of water at a…

COMPOSITION Take a sheet of sketch paper and use a soft pencil to lightly sketch the outline of the object. Draw it roughly – don’t fill in too much detail, rather focus on the basic composition (structure or compilation) and the proportions (the relationship between the sections). LIGHT AND SHADOW Leave the places where the light falls and fill in just the shadows. It can help to partly close your eyes – the so-called ‘squint’ method. In this way detail is ‘cancelled’ and you see only the light and shade sections. Because light and shade change so quickly, this step is most important for capturing the time and atmosphere of the day. DETAIL Sometimes it’s not necessary to add more detail after step 2 and your sketch is complete. For…

DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: 8-10 hours SIZE OF THE BAG: 38 x 38cm YOU WILL NEED ♥ wooden handle (can be ordered from admin@inmyknapsak.co.za) ♥ Vinnis Nikkim in the following colours: 2 x Ruby Grapefruit (542); 2 x Bright Green (592); 1 x Purple Blue (588); 1 x Royal Blue (532); 1 x Sunshine (535) ♥ 4 mm crochet hook ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMINOLOGY) BLO – back loop only ch – chain stitch cl-st – cluster stitch dc – double crochet dtr – double treble (YO x 3) FL – front loop FLtr-dec – front loop treble decrease FLtr – front loop treble FPdc – front post double crochet FLtr2-tog – front loop treble 2 together hdc – half double crochet inc – increase rep – repeat rnd – round sc-inc –…

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 1 to 2 hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ postcards on pages overleaf ♥ iron-on transfer paper for light fabric (optional) ♥ piece of white cotton canvas ♥ lining fabric ♥ matching machine thread ♥ matching 20cm zip fastener ♥ embroidery thread in red, pink, yellow and gold ♥ embroidery needle TO MAKE 1 Print the postcard designs onto white cotton canvas and decorate them before you start making the pencil case. You can print the designs onto fabric using iron-on transfer paper for light fabric, or you can have it done professionally. To decorate the flower design, embroider small French knots with yellow and pink in the flower centre. For the hot-air balloon embroider the balloon cords with the gold-coloured thread and straight stitch and work the…