Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2016 i Home

Every year, our Fix it with Flair competition is a major e highlight on the calendar: readers are invited to submit their renovation projects and a panel of experts selects the best. This year was no exception with the closing date for the competition set for the end of June (details on page 64 – it’s your last chance to enter). Meanwhile, we’re feasting our eyes on the entries we’ve already received and we’re in the thick of planning the big gala event at which this year’s winners will be announced. But not everyone has the money to undertake a major renovation. Some people are still in the planning and dreaming stages; demolishing walls and laying new floors and tiles are simply not part of their budget. My own home…

Watch this space! BUSINESS Helen Dodge Designs WHO Helen Dodge WHERE Umtentweni, KZN HER WORK From her peaceful outdoor studio under a lush canopy of trees, Umtentweni-based artist Helen Dodge creates bold and beautiful paintings that also translate into striking textile designs. All her linen and soft furnishings are made of the highest quality materials, meticulously finished and fully washable. Helen’s product range includes original paintings, fine art prints, scatter cushions, bed linen (our favourite!), bespoke décor pieces, garden cushions and commissions as well as art classes. Go to helendodge.co.za. Local is lekker A variety of luxurious table linen from the Bayede! job creation programme endorsed by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini is now available from Linen Drawer’s online shop – be inspired by the colours and energy of our continent.…

“This place looks like a Spanish jail,” was the reaction from Bronwyn and Brian Magor’s sons – Fergus (20), now a student in Scotland, and Josh (25), a student in London – when their parents bought their home in 2011. But looking at the house now with its romantic façade of arched French doors against a backdrop of living walls, it’s hard to imagine it as the unwelcoming, dreary building it once was. “There were heavy burglar bars on all the windows and there was absolutely no garden – just ugly chipped stone and a ‘laager’ of cryptomeria,” Bronwyn recalls. The interior was equally sombre – it’s no wonder the house was still on the market a year after the couple first viewed it. “Nobody wanted it but I saw…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • Annie Sloan paint in the colours of your choice• Annie Sloan Clear Wax TOOLS • masking tape• soft brush• stencil brush• stencil of your choice QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 2 days (the first coat of paint on the fabric needs to dry overnight) Do it yourself for ± R565 (3 sample pots of paint R55, 1L paint R250, wax R150) Here’s how... Before painting, moisten the fabric by spraying it with a little water from a spray bottle (this helps the paint to soak in better). Then dilute the Annie Sloan paint with an equal amount of water and apply the first coat. Leave it to dry completely (preferably overnight) and then paint another one or two coats, as is necessary, to cover…

Because the room is quite small, we decided to the double bed for a single – it’s mostly our son Aldo’s friends who spend the night. – Deon You will need SHOPPING LIST • 16mm chipboard• 50mm-thick upholstery foam (it must be 20mm bigger than your headboard all round)• upholstery fabric (allow for a 100mm overlap on all four sides of the foam) TOOLS • staple gun• scissors QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 3/10 Skill level 4/10 Time needed about 1 hour Do it yourself for ± R250 (excluding fabric; Deon used leftovers from a previous project) Project note Upholstery fabric works best because you won’t have a problem with unwanted wrinkles or folds. Fold the fabric neatly at the corners before you staple, like you would wrap a gift. DIY Deon rescued a piece…

Tip If you’ve fallen in love with an expensive piece of fabric, use it for just one panel on a chair’s backrest or for a single scatter cushion and then use more affordable fabric for the rest of the furniture. STOCKISTS Biggie Best 021 534 8662, biggiebestwebshop.co.za Design Team 012 653 1973, 021 462 7707, designteamfabrics.co.za Hertex 0860 437 839, hertex.co.za Lula Fabrics 021 797 7472, lulafabrics.co.za Makietie 084 206 9898, makietie.com Mitat 021 858 1465, mitat.co.za Skinny laMinx 021 424 6290, shop.skinnylaminx.com Soya Dekor 082 855 8586, soyadekor.co.za…

#1 Let there be light You will need SHOPPING LIST • lampshade• gold leaf• gilding size (adhesive) TOOLS • brush to apply adhesive• soft bristle brush Get started ... Use to a show lampshade off the gold with a leaf transparent to best effect design . 1 Apply the gilding size to the inside of the lampshade with a brush. Let it get tacky for a few minutes. 2 Gently place the gold leaf sheets on the tacky adhesive and brush with the soft bristle brush to make sure it adheres everywhere. 3 Use the brush to wipe away any excess gold leaf. #2 A blank canvas You will need SHOPPING LIST • canvas• gold leaf• gilding size (adhesive) TOOLS • artist’s brush (to apply adhesive)• soft bristle brush• ruler• pencil 1 Measure and lightly draw a grid on your canvas with…

Hang your cabinet with wall anchors or attach four legs (or wooden blocks) to the bottom to ensure that it’s sturdy and secure. Shopping list • two lengths of 18mm Shutterply, cut to: two 1 580 x 250mm (sides) one 1 564 x 664mm (rear) one 700 x 250mm (top) one 664 x 250mm (base) two 1 600 x 100mm (front panels) one 1 564 x 50mm (strut for front panel) three 664 x 100mm (shelf and struts) one 1 590 x 495mm (door) two 495 x 100mm (door struts) one 740 x 290mm (roof) • wood glue• 120-grit sandpaper• one packet 8mm x 30mm chipboard screws• one packet 6mm x 40mm chipboard screws• two T-hinges• one hasp and staple latch• screw-in hooks• paint or varnish• wood filler Tools • jigsaw• cordless driver and 3mm drill bit• tape measure• pencil• brush• multi-square QUICK PROJECT GUIDE…

Q: Where did Oostewald Bekker get the big pavers used at his front door on page 48 of your April 2016 issue? – Adrienne Coetzee, Cape Town A: Oostewald says they’re old pavers they simply cut in half to create something a bit different. Q: Where can I buy Moroccan tiles like the ones on page 11 of your April 2016 issue? – Britt Kuhn, Port Shepstone A: They’re available from Moroccan Warehouse (021 461 8318) in Cape Town; these days, most large retailers have a variety of Moroccan-look tiles in stock. Q: Where can I get the transparent cutlery featured on page 14 of your May 2016 issue? – Alma Darlington, Pretoria A: This acrylic cutlery is available from the larger branches of @home (0860 576 576, home.co.za).…

For gossiping or praying? Wendy Wyman of KZN writes I bought this chair at a garage sale and I believe it’s called a gossip chair. How old is it, how much is it worth and how can I repair or clean the fabric? Jo-Marie Rabe of Piér Rabe Antiques replies This interesting piece of furniture is called a prie dieu which, literally translated, means “pray (to) God” and this is a clue to its function. It is a prayer stool used for centuries by devout Catholics who would kneel on it while praying (In Afrikaans it’s called a knielbankie.) The chair was indeed used for communication – but gossiping? No. It dates from the forties and the embroidered cushion is original. It would certainly be worth trying to clean, rather…

Snowflakes are sometimes confused with snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) which are common in the northern very hemisphere. Snowflakes, however, grow somewhat taller than snowdrops. Just as it starts to feel like winter will never end, the dainty white flowers of snowflakes make their welcome appearance. The beautiful bell-shaped blooms of this bulb, with their attractive green spots on the ends of the petals, are at their best in late winter. Three to four flowers are borne atop each thin green stalk above dark green, strap-like leaves. Snowflakes make a wonderful display planted in large groups under trees where they will thrive in the dappled shade. They like moist soil and will grow well beside a stream or pond. Plant the bulbs in autumn in compost-rich soil. Leave them in the soil…

Tasks for July By Kay Montgomery The sense of being the custodian of a small patch of earth offered a taste of freedom. – Nelson Mandela, who found that gardening had a healing effect and helped restore hope on Robben Island. 1 Winter colour On July 18 the world celebrates Nelson Mandela International Day. Why not consider planting up an area in your garden with aloes, one of Madiba’s favourite plants? Winter-flowering aloes such as ‘Cocktail’, ‘Neon Red’, ‘Crimson Cloud’ and ‘Sensation’ are suitable for small rockeries and sunny slopes, or you might prefer the larger yellow/gold aloes ‘Bafana’ and ‘Egoli’. There are also aloe hybrids that have an extended colour range and flowering time. Other indigenous winter-flowering plants that will provide a welcome splash of colour in your garden…

Q: I have a lot of ‘Iceberg’ roses that have grown very big; how do I prune them? ‘Iceberg’ and similar roses (‘Clocolan’, ‘Duet’, ‘Gold Reef’, ‘Springs 75’, ‘Addo Heritage’) are capable of producing new stems from the old wood, so it’s not essential to cut out the thick older stems. Rather use your own judgment and reduce or remove criss-crossing stems to allow for good new growth at the required height. This means that, if cut back to 1m, a 2m-high rose will soon grow back to 2m. Q: How do I prune my standard roses? Standard roses are bush roses artificially raised in the air because the bud union is at the top of the long stem. Cut back all stems and branches to a maximum of about…

Chicken noodles Under R150 • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes • 600g chicken thigh fillets, cubed• 30ml oil• 2 chillies, chopped• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped• 60ml soy sauce• 30ml oyster sauce• 200g noodles, prepared according to packet instructions• 3 carrots, diced• 3 stalks celery, chopped• 2 large baby marrows, thinly sliced• 1 small cabbage, chopped• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped• 60ml chopped fresh coriander• 15ml sesame seeds 1 Brown the chicken in half the oil until golden. Add the chilli, garlic, soy sauce and oyster sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and stir-fry until fragrant and well combined. Add a little water if necessary. 2 In a separate pan, stir-fry the carrots, celery, baby marrows and cabbage in the remaining oil until glossy. Stir this into the noodles, sprinkle with the spring onions, coriander…

Best of the best The Sunday Times Food Weekly Cookbook 4 (R179.95 from Exclusive Books, Wordsworth and Bargain Books) by Hilary Biller features a compilation of their top recipes from the past year. These tasty favourites are easy, modern and oh so tempting! Our kind of cooking! Classic crockery Find Wonki Ware Brights mugs from R76, dinner plates from R150, side plates from R78 and bowls from R99 at Leon at CCXIX, 219 Albert Road, Woodstock. To see the entire range, check out leonat219.com. Pots ’n pans The new S&P George Calombaris range (from R599–R899) from @home will have you cooking like a pro in no time. The five-piece set of non-stick, multi-layered, aluminium-coated cookware is crafted for even heat distribution and product longevity. Go for gold Succulent ClemenGold easy…

WINNING LETTER Full of inspiration! Naoko Nitta of Johannesburg writes I was so inspired by the gold, rose-gold and copper shopping items featured on page 101 of Home Kitchen that I decided to make two coffee tables for my open-plan kitchen and living space. The 60 x 60cm marbles tiles I used for the top are from a wholesaler and the copper pipes are from Builders; one table cost me about R750. I used four Tee Equal 15mm parts and six Elbow 90 Degree 15mm parts for each table; the glue for copper pipes can be found in the plumbing section at Builders. Although I was advised to glue the tiles onto the marble frame, as drilling holes would cause the marble to crack, it didn’t work out and I…

Sweet dreams... We love this luxurious bed in Mill House cottage on the farm Beaumont in the Overberg. The homeowners have transformed an ordinary double bed into a dreamy four-poster with a mosquito net draped over a simple structure of bamboo poles suspended from the ceiling. Clever! My décor budget was tight so I had to work cleverly with colour and detail.– Claudia Gurwitz Rise to the occasion The décor in artist Claudia Gurwitz’s Riebeek-Kasteel home is predominantly white with splashes of bright colour here and there. The effect is striking without being overpowering and proves that less can be more – like the Moroccan tiles on the staircase. With only three tiles on every second riser, the design is shown off to great effect, like a well-framed artwork with…

“A factory or barn structure we could turn into a warm and sociable home.” This was the dream Natasha and Boeta Pretorius had for their future abode. After a lengthy search, they discovered the Mooivallei smallholdings in Potchefstroom, an area with a rural feel – it even has a walking trail to the Mooi River – but conveniently located near town where Natasha gives art classes at a local school and Boeta is the chief director of information technology at North-West University. They purchased a vacant plot but then faced an enormous challenge: they had to build from scratch and their new home still had to look like an old factory or barn. “We also had a very tight budget and it was imperative to stick to it!” says Natasha.…

Winter calls for cosy get-togethers and a warm and inviting ambience. So, if your lounge is cold and dreary, use a little elbow grease and even less money to make the most of your space this season. Simply decide on your style, follow our guidelines and make an impression! It’s art! Wall art needn’t be expensive. We found an old book filled with gorgeous full-page colour prints of well-known artworks at a second-hand bookshop for just R90. We cut the images out and created a simple gallery by hanging them on the wall with inexpensive bulldog clips. A leg up Ball-and-claw furniture pieces are easy to come by and they’re also easy on your pocket – look online and scratch around in granny’s garage. We gave this table the royal…

Upcycling old furniture remains a popular trend – and it’s ecofriendly. You will need SHOPPING LIST • sugar soap (if necessary)• Annie Sloan paint• Annie Sloan Clear Wax• upholstery foam• suitable adhesive• batting• fabric of your choice TOOLS • brushes• 220-grit sandpaper• staple gun QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 3 hours (depending on how long it takes for the paint to dry) Do it yourself for ± R735 (paint R55, wax R150, upholstery foam R50, adhesive R90, batting R50, fabric R340) Here’s how... Before you start painting the table, clean it with sugar soap or simply wipe with a warm, damp cloth. Then apply two coats of Annie Sloan paint in the colour Original. Allow the paint to dry completely before applying the second coat. Sand the edges for a weathered look, then seal…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • Annie Sloan paint• Annie Sloan Clear Wax• foam (thin and thick, if the original foam is not re-usable)• upholstery fabric• two 300mm lengths of wood of 30 x 30mm (optional)• 4mm x 80mm screws TOOLS • brushes• scissors• staple gun• pliers and/or upholstery staple pliers• orbital or mouse sander• 220-grit sandpaper• cordless drill and screwdriver• jigsaw QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 8/10 Skill level 4/10 Time needed 4–5 days for 6 chairs Do it yourself for R450 per chair (paint R250, wax R150, foam R50); fabric excluded (Marlene used leftovers from a previous project) Project note Make sure the structure of the chair (seat and backrest) underneath the faux leather or vinyl is suitable for this makeover. Here’s how... 1 Remove all the staples (use a pair of pliers and/or upholstery staple pliers) then remove all the upholstery…

Our bathroom feels like an escape to a faraway place. – Carmel Ives Carmel and David Ives’ dream bathroom had long been envisioned as a calm and peaceful retreat. The couple love the Moroccan look, a theme repeated throughout their house, so when the time was ripe to give their en-suite bathroom a much-needed makeover, they once again took their cues from this alluring Arabic country. “We wanted something out of the ordinary,” says Carmel. “But the space was very small, with insufficient room for a bath and a shower.” So the Ives made a plan, in true hammam style: they created a combination shower and bath reminiscent of a spa where they can luxuriate in clouds of steam. They roped in the help of Sachar Pistorius of Urban Abbey…

Baking with gas Pat Catchpole of KZN writes My husband and I use alternative sources of energy, but I’m getting so despondent with my eye-level gas oven. Baking bread is a nightmare – the crust is pale and hard. When I lived abroad, I never had problems with baking in a gas oven. The stockist here in South Africa wasn’t able to help me and after checking the oven, declared that there’s nothing wrong with it – and even suggested I use the grill to brown the bread! The oven is imported from Italy but other local manufacturers have admitted that theirs would probably do the same. Why can’t I buy a good gas stove in South Africa? Any advice? Mari-Louis Guy, cake designer and co-author of several books on…

Q: I was paging through old editions of Home, looking for colour ideas, when I came across the blueish paint that was used on the walls of the house featured on pages 84 and 85 of your December 2013 issue. What’s it called? – Ramsey Maharaj A: We’ve chatted to the homeowner and he says the colour is Dulux Night Jewels 3. Q: We live in an old house and we’re renovating the bathroom. The floors and walls are covered in Novilon which is so difficult to remove. How can we dislodge it? – Annatjie Labuschagne, Naboomspruit A: According to our DIY guru, Deon de Goede, it’s quite labour intensive to remove Novilon from a floor. He usually uses a shovel or a scraper and then softens the residue and…

Ready to rumble Maine Coon Murphy in his favourite bird-watching spot. – Bettina Rupp, Hout Bay Neighbourhood watch Thanks to Yorkie Giggs’s “visiting window”, his neighbours, Tag and Tissot, can still ‘pop in’ for a visit. – Carolin Whiting, Pinelands Couch potato Technically, Noël isn’t actually on the furniture! – Carline Bredenkamp, Pretoria Fur goodness’ sake! Levi knows how to keep cosy in his old age. – Michele Rehder, Boksburg Cuddle buddies Azzurro and Marcello stay close during the cold winter months. – Charles Grant, Linden Baby, it’s the guitar man Strat, named after the Fender Stratocaster because of his ginger coat, takes a nap in the guitar case. – Cathy Bronner, KZN Drink up We love the Drinkwell Original Fountain (R850; shingavet.co.za). It provides pets with 1.5L of fresh,…

A neglected area next to Hartmut and Melissa Dennewill’s home in Bellville, Cape Town was in dire need of a complete overhaul. Their brief to Petro Jacobs of Petro Landscaping in August 2015 was to create a French-inspired nook with a few elements of surprise. And that’s exactly what the couple now has: an inviting spot where they can enjoy their garden, a glass of sparkling wine in hand! We take a look at what Petro did... The problem This part of the garden had been sorely neglected and due to its triangular shape and a 1.5m-wide paved pathway, it looked even smaller than it was. Two big pots were also in the way. Tall trees tower over the area, casting quite a bit of shade, but it still gets…

How to grow Pennyroyal is upright-growing (12cm high and 17cm spread) with clusters of mauve flowers in spring. Plant it in full sun to partial shade and enrich the soil with plenty of compost for good drainage and nutrition. Feed in spring with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertiliser. Trim regularly to encourage mat-like growth and to control its spread. Tip of the month Don’t grow pennyroyal near parsley because they don’t thrive if planted together. Did you know? Pennyroyal is an effective ant and flea repellent. Uses It will attract beneficial insects such as hoverfly and wasps, making it a good companion plant for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, squash and tomatoes. You can also plant pennyroyal near roses (but not under as it is somewhat invasive) to keep aphids at…

Shallots are for babies; onions are for men ; garlic is for heroes. – Unknown Bacon relish Makes 1 large jar Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes • 500g thick, smoked bacon rashers, diced into 5mm pieces• 4 medium red onions (about 500g), thinly sliced• 1 white onion, thinly sliced• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped• 1 red chilli, chopped• 5ml yellow mustard seeds• 80ml sweet sherry (such as Old Brown)• 125ml apple cider vinegar• 125ml light brown sugar• 3 bay leaves• 3ml cayenne pepper 1 Fry the diced bacon over medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels and reserve the fat in the pan (you’ll only need about 45ml; you can discard the rest). 2 Fry the onions, garlic, chilli and mustard seeds together in the bacon fat for about 10 minutes. The onions should…

Sonja says... The trickiest part of the recipe is determining the correct baking time. The time given here is only an indication and will depend on the size of your ramekins: for an average-size ramekin of 180ml, 10 minutes is sufficient; 240ml ramekins will need to bake for about 12 minutes to achieve the best results. Chocolate fondant Makes 6 x 180ml ramekins • Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 10–12 minutes • Oven temperature: 180°C • 50g butter, melted• cocoa• 200g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces or coarsely chopped• 200g butter, cubed• 4 eggs• 4 egg yolks• 200g (240ml) castor sugar• 200g (360ml) cake flour• 50g white or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 Brush 6 ramekins with the melted butter and then dust with cocoa. Turn the ramekins upside down and tap out any excess cocoa. 2…

As a child, I was always in awe of my grandmother’s pantry. It was the most amazing room in her simple farmhouse. A magical space, dimly lit and full of secrets I could only dream about. It had open pantry shelves right up to the ceiling, packed with jars in glowing colours. Under the table was a tin bucket, always brimming with fruit: quinces or prickly pears or oranges with a sweet fragrance that permeated the kitchen. Granny Willemien’s pantry was her sanctuary, her holy grail, the source from which she cared for her family and farm folk. Of course, what contributed to the mystery of that pantry was that it was forbidden territory. If you were invited – always under the cloak of conspiracy – it was something special…

ON THE BOX Buy It, Fix It, Sell It (season 1 starts on 18 July on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv) reveals the exciting world of restorers and ‘repurposers’. In each episode we see three ‘fixers’ battle over items at auction then restore or repurpose them to see who will make the most profit when they try to sell their treasures. Check it out! Port Elizabeth Homemakers Expo 2016 28–31 July: The Boardwalk Exhibition Centre, Summerstrand Be inspired by all the latest trends on the home front, discover fresh ideas, get smart advice, compare products and meet suppliers face to face. Also make the most of the Barista Champs, Gourmet Market and On-The-Go Theatre. Tickets cost R40 for adults and R20 for pensioners (under -12s enter free); for details,…

Feeling cagey Nolden Brothers cage pendant R699, superbalist.com Lady in red Nicolas desk lamp R995, Coricraft For comfort’s sake Window check throw (150 x 200cm) R299, Woolworths Undercover Faux mohair throw (150x200cm) R599, @home Rest at ease Patchy retro tub chair R7 499, @homelivingspace Hot fabrics 1 Avery fabric R510/m, U&G Fabrics 2 Tangier Honeysuckle fabric R1 072/m, Hertex 3 Bobbejaanklou fabric R395/m, Soya Dekor 4 Pik Pik fabric R330/m, Makietie Linen 5 Thistle coral fabric R355/m, Biggie Best On the border Jute border scatter cushion R195, Coricraft On the boil Whistling kettle in the colour flame R1 600, Le Creuset Top brass Timber top pendant in antique brass R2 495, Weylandts Cool geometry Geometric scatter R195, Volpes Teatime! Teapot R464 and cookie jar R276, Urchin Art Light my fire…

When we announced the Win a Home competition in March this year, we expected a flood of SMS entries. But when we tallied them up on 13 May (the morning after the closing date), the total number received was far beyond our expectations: 107 352 SMSes – this excludes the 52 698 online entries on Home’s mobi site. It’s obvious that the pod home from Perfect-Places really captured the imagination of our readers... Under strict supervision, the winner’s name was drawn from all the entries: Tamzin Smith, a sales consultant from East London, came out tops. “I’ve never won anything,” exclaimed an overwhelmed Tamzin (28) when she received the good news. It took a while to sink in; at first, she seemed unsure about which competition she’d entered but when…

Rainbow nation Colourful braided stool (35cm) R1 029, Zara Home Hello stripes Colourful cotton rug (70 x 200cm) R429, Zara Home Recycle in style Recycled glass vessel (18.2cm) R120, Woolworths Pot luck Jonne terracotta mini vase in cyan (17cm) R125, Weylandts Draw the curtains Ladder stitch embroidered curtain with ties (140 x 270cm) R500 per drop, Biggie Best Pretty protea Sweet William My Favourite Protea A4 print (available in various sizes) R99, superbalist.com Hang them up 1 Pratella pendant (205mm) in ceramic grey R1 265 and 2 Pama Pendant R295, both Eurolux Sit back… London three-seater couch in slate R7 599, @homelivingspace STOCKISTS @home 0860 576 576, home.co.za Biggie Best 021 674 1590, biggiebestwebshop.co.za Eurolux 011 608 2970, 021 528 8400, eurolux.co.za Weylandts 0860 103 400, weylandts.co.za Woolworths 0860 022…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • lampshade (or re-use an old one; a white one will work best)• electrical cord and lamp socket TOOLS • permanent marker QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 3/10 Time needed 30 minutes Do it yourself for R20 Here’s how... Use the marker to draw a cartoon-style city skyline on the lampshade. We drew ours freehand for a more authentic look. If you don’t feel confident doing so, look for a sketch online, print it out then stick it onto the inside of the shade and simply trace it (switching the globe on will make this even easier).…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • light cotton fabric• 300dpi high-resolution image for printing TOOLS • sewing machine or needle and thread• scissors QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 • Skill level 5/10 Time needed 2 hours (depending on your sewing skills) once the fabric has been printed Do it yourself for ± R650 (printing and fabric from R290/m², lace ribbon R50) Project note The trick to fabric printing is choosing the right fabric and design, says Marlene Whyte of ArtLab. We decided on a light Indian cotton for a romantic look and photos of our finest teacups combined in a pattern. Here’s how... 1 Measure the window where the curtain will hang, work out the size of your fabric for the printing and get your design printed by a digital printing specialist. Meanwhile,…

Graphic, decorative, sculptural and g colourful, indoor plants can instantly transform your living space into a green oasis. Decorating with greenery is also good for the soul – not only is nurturing one’s plants a rewarding exercise but indoor plants also create a healthy environment by improving air quality. Choose the right plants (see boxes) to suit your style and space, and these living décor accessories will give you a lifetime of pleasure. On show The number of plants you introduce into your space depends on you, but bear in mind that the larger the room, the more plants you’ll need to fill the area – and the bigger they’ll have to be. Plan your display carefully to get the best effect. Play around with plants and planters in different…

1 Clean the pot thoroughly, ensuring that it is free of dust and grime. 2 Mix bicarbonate of soda with water to form a thick paste and fill in the chip. 3 Add a drop of Alcolin Super Glue to the paste and allow it to soak in. 4 Wait until it has dried, sand to a smooth finish with 220-grit sandpaper and buff it lightly. Visit www.alcolin.com for product details or call the Sticky Questions Helpline toll-free on 0800 222 400 for expert advice.…

Shade solution Yolanda Uys of Hermanus writes On page 87 of your February 2016 issue, Tharina Greyling says she plants Midmar ryegrass under her trees – it grows well, looks more beautiful than usual shade grass and is also relished by livestock. Where can I get it, or is it only available to farmers? JJ replies Midmar ryegrass is a very old type of grass that is no longer readily available. Shade Over and Falcon are now the preferred varieties; they do very well in shady spots, even in those regions where it gets very cold. Cycad fungus Marina de Lange of Pretoria writes The new foliage on my Cycas thouarsii is curling and not opening properly; there are also mealy bugs on the new leaves. The plant is in…

In winter, we have an explosion of colour when the aloes in myriad shades of red, orange and yellow put on the most breathtaking display. – Jan Waterwise winners The garden contains approximately 60 different species of aloes, totalling about 1 000 plants, 2 000 succulents, and about 25 species of cycads from the Encephalartos genus totalling 120 plants. Other waterwise plants include common tree euphorbia, mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria), strelitzia and Pachypodium. Delicate flowering plants have no place here. Our garden is more than just waterwise. Certain sections are practically arid. – Jan Jan has labelled many of the plants and trees as botany and horticulture students regularly visit the garden. If gardening is your passion but rainfall in your area is scarce, take a leaf out of Jan and…

For feathered friends Provide a feast for small wild birds in urban areas with this pigeon- and monkey-proof bird feeder (from R200, smallbirdfeeder.com) made of strong galvanised wire (available with or without powder-coating). Keep bugs at bay Margaret Roberts Biological Caterpillar Insecticide (50g) R135, builders.co.za Light the way Ceramic lantern R225, woolworths.co.za Top tools Garden rake and fork R140 each, woolworths.co.za On the side Rattan stool or side table R1 195, trade-secret.co.za…

STUFFED LEG OF PORK ROAST Enough for 8 people (with leftovers) • 1 x 3kg leg of pork roast, deboned• 250ml ginger beer STUFFING • 4 dried pear halves, finely sliced• 1 large knob preserved ginger in syrup, chopped• 1 small red onion, finely chopped• 4 slices of ciabatta, toasted and chopped• 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped• olive oil GLAZE • 60ml preserved ginger in syrup• juice of 2 limes 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare the stuffing by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl and moistening this with olive oil; then season well with salt and pepper. 2 Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the meat in a single piece. Be careful not to remove the fat layer, but only the hard skin on top of it (see opposite for how to…

I began an unlikely conversation with an interesting young man at AfrikaBurn in the middle of the Tankwa Karoo, my body reverberating to industrial trance (not my favourite). The conversation was, I admit, hampered slightly by having to bark at one another over the noise or perhaps altered by the throbbing base, mesmerising lasers and the chill of the Karoo night – but it was a conversation nonetheless. The important thing was that we had the conversation. That we continue the conversation! I’ve been told that I’m a compulsive feeder. This is true. But I’m also a compulsive entertainer – and conversationalist. It is in my nature to use the food that I make to give pleasure and comfort, to arouse and inspire. Mostly, you see, sharing a meal around…