Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2019 från Ideas

When last did you get carried away by the soundtrack of your life in such a way that you ended up crying your eyes out? Not so much because it brought up sad memories, but simply because it’s like travelling in a time machine through the phases of your life. And because music just has a way of stirring up our emotions. That was the feeling I had when I started to listen to my collection of music so I could send Hannes a list of my five favourite songs. And it wasn’t in the evening either, when the moon plays around with one’s emotions a little bit anyway. No, it was bright and early on a Friday morning when I immersed myself in music that I hadn’t heard in…

VEGETABLES Asparagus, baby marrows, brinjals, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, garlic, globe artichokes, green beans, leeks, lettuce, mealies, mushrooms, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, squash, spinach, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes. FRUIT Apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, figs, guavas, lemons, litchis, mango, melons, nectarines, papaya, peaches, pineapples, plums, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelons. HERBS Basil, bay leaves, chives, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, origanum, rosemary, sage, thyme. FLOWERS Achillea, agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, amaranthus, anthuriums, Asiatic lilies, cala lilies, carnations, celosia, chincherinchees, chrysanthemums, daisies, delphiniums, everlastings, gerbera, gladiolus, godetia, heliconia, lavender, lisianthus, orange balls, penny stems, roses, sandersonia, sea holly, somer asters, statice, sunflowers, trachelium, veronica, and some proteas and fynbos.…

VINEYARD DINING If you’re travelling along the N2 or staying in the Western Cape or Overberg region this holiday season, it would be worth your while to spend a few hours enjoying a memorable meal at Gabriëlskloof Restaurant near Bot River. Set on a beautifully tranquil wine farm, this country-style restaurant is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a special menu filled with scrumptious dishes to enjoy for breakfast or lunch. The food and hospitality are honest, comforting and generous. Visit the Favourite Things Market from 14 to 16 December to stock up on festive gifts. To reserve a table at the restaurant, call 028 284 9865 or visit gabrielskloof.co.za for more information. SAFETY NET FOR YOUR SKIN Breakthrough research, driven by their Active HydraMesh Technology, is used for Dermalogica’s new…

Makes: about 24 Preparation time: 1 hour, plus chilling time Baking time: 12-15 minutes Oven temperature: 180℃ YOU WILL NEED: ♥ 180g (330ml) cake flour ♥ 2ml sweet paprika ♥ 5ml dried mixed herbs ♥ 1ml cayenne pepper ♥ 180g (390ml) mature Cheddar, finely grated ♥ 45g (100ml) Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated ♥ 125g (135ml) soft butter ♥ fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley or thyme) Put the flour, paprika, dried herbs, cayenne pepper and 3ml salt into a food processor. Blend together for a minute. Add the cheese and butter and pulse until a firm dough forms. Remove from the processor and roll into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. (Allow the dough to soften for 30 minutes outside the fridge if…

Makes: 4 Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus chilling time Baking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 190℃ YOU WILL NEED: ♥ olive oil ♥ 2 red peppers, seeded and quartered ♥ 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme ♥ 4 cloves garlic, chopped ♥ 50ml toasted almonds, roughly chopped ♥ 125ml grated Parmesan ♥ 2 sheets (400g) ready-made puff pastry, thawed Drizzle the pepper pieces with a little olive oil. Place them onto a baking tray and add the thyme sprigs. Roast in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tender and the skins start to char. Remove from the oven and place the pepper pieces into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs and put them into a…

SET THE SCENE We painted our wall with Plascon in Rain Puddle G4-D2-1 and played with shades of green and white to colour in the picture a bit more. Mix modern elements with retro décor items for a fresh, festive look. Frame the quote on the page overleaf as a finishing touch for the wall. ROSEMARY CHEESEBOARD Place sprigs of rosemary in the shape of a wreath on a round wooden board. Arrange cheese, savoury biscuits, olives, shards of dark chocolate, and raspberries for colour, onto the board and finish off with a matching ribbon. Serve the cheeseboard with ice-cold wine–the perfect starter for your Christmas menu. LINEN WRAPPING Wrap your gifts in gorgeous white embroidered cloths. Add a ribbon and a sprig of rosemary. ROSEMARY STAR Decorate your tree…

His tips for avoiding the tech trap include: • Go cold turkey every night, and let your phone sleep so you can sleep. Make your bedroom a no-phone zone. If your excuse is that your alarm is on your phone, get another alarm. • Simply switch your phone to airplane mode, or switch it off at a designated time after work. • Turn all notifications off and avoid the distraction trap. Stick to designated device-checking periods where you check the news, email, WhatsApp, and so on, and then switch it off. • Try the 5/2 detox diet–a ‘five days on, two days off’ diet. He admits this can be tricky when trying to meet friends, but suggests we remember how people used to do it: They’d agree where they were…

DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: 3-5 hours YOU WILL NEED: ♥ casting resin ♥ hardener (catalyst) ♥ plastic container ♥ measuring cup ♥ wooden spoon or tongue suppressor ♥ colour pigment (in the colour of your choice) ♥ silicone chocolate moulds MEASUREMENT TIP: The ratio range for catalyst to resin is 1-2% hardener to the total volume of resin to be used. For example, four drops of hardener will be 1% of 30ml of resin. Measure the amount of casting resin in a beaker and decant it into a plastic container. Add the correct amount of hardener to the casting resin. Stir until the colour of the resin changes. Add the same amount of pigment as hardener to your mixture and mix well. Decant the coloured mixture into the moulds and leave…

Felt gift tags The internet is your best friend here. Simply type in ‘Christmas animal templates’ and ‘bauble templates’ and you will find hundreds of patterns to choose from. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one day, depending on how many tags you make YOU WILL NEED Christmas animal templates (pages 108-109 or use designs of your choice) bauble templates for the shapes of the tags felt in the colours of your choice embroidery thread in the colours of your choice embroidery needle fabric glue sharp scissors TO MAKE 1 Print the animal and bauble templates of your choice in the desired size onto white paper and cut them out. NOTE: Don’t make the tags too big, or they will become limp. Our largest one is 11cm high. Ensure that the animals will…

DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: weekend project PATTERN SIZE One size only Width of half circle: 15.5cm Full length of bag: 18cm MATERIALS 2x balls Nurturing Fibres Eco-Fusion Aqua 3.50mm hook tapestry needle scissors 15.5cm half-moon purse clasp lining fabric (optional) 5mm ribbon, approximately 80cm in length ABBREVIATIONS (UK TERMINOLOGY) beg–begin ch–chain dc–double crochet prev–previous rep–repeat rnd(s)–round(s) sk–skip sl st–slip stitch sp–space st(s)–stitch(es) tr–treble WS–wrong side RS–right side PATTERN NOTES Work 3 ch at the beginning of tr rnds. This counts as a stitch. Work 1 ch at the beginning of dc rnds. This does not count as a stitch STITCH INSTRUCTIONS Beg popcorn stitch (used at the beginning of rows): Ch 3, work 3 tr at the base of the ch 3. Drop the loop from the hook, insert hook through…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 30 minutes YOU WILL NEED ♥ Gelli Arts gel plate ♥ thick acrylic paint in the colours of your choice ♥ hard rubber roller (brayer) ♥ glossy magazine pictures ♥ plain paper in the colours of your choice Remove the protective sleeves from both sides of the gel plate. Place the plate on a level surface. Add a little acrylic paint to the gel plate and spread it out with the roller to create a thin, even layer of paint on the plate. Work quickly. Experiment with the amount of paint that works for you. Place a magazine page onto the plate with the picture facing downwards. Smooth over the paper with your hand and the roller to get rid of any air bubbles. You are now…

DIFFICULTY: medium to difficult TIME: 5–6 days YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS ♥ technical drawings –exploded view and wiring diagram alongside –for all the other technical drawings, email us on info@ideasfactory.co.za ♥ wood (in this case SA pine) –400mm x 115mm x 12mm (parts 1 and 4) –400mm x 95mm x 12mm (parts 2 and 3) –300mm x 95mm x 12mm (parts 5 and 6) –1 200mm x 70mm x 12mm (parts 7 and 8) –1 200mm x 22mm x 12mm (parts 9 and 10) –3 000mm x 45mm x 45mm (part 18 x 4) ♥ laminated pine –1 000mm x 330mm x 22mm (parts 11 and 12) –700mm x 311mm x 22mm (parts 13 and 14) –370mm x 310mm x 22mm (part 15) –371mm x 311mm x 22mm (part 16)…

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29 OCTOBER–1 NOVEMBER Delmas Christmas Market is on at the church hall in Sarel Cillier Street: ‘Delmas Kersmark’ on Facebook. 29 OCTOBER–2 NOVEMBER Marktfees takes place at The Tramways Building in Port Elizabeth: ‘Marktfees’ on Facebook. 29 OCTOBER–10 NOVEMBER The Cape Gift Market takes place at the Sea Point Civic Centre: capegiftmarket.com. 30 OCTOBER–9 NOVEMBER Shop for gifts at the Crafter’s Fair Christmas Market in Moreleta Park, Pretoria: craftersfair.co.za. 31 OCTOBER–3 NOVEMBER The Glenshiel Christmas Fair takes place in Westcliff, Jo’burg: ‘Glenshiel Christmas Fair’ on Facebook. 6–10 NOVEMBER The Constantia Gift Fair is on at the SA Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) in Constantia: thegiftfair.co.za. 20 NOVEMBER–1 December The Nickel Xmas Market in Zwavelpoort, Pretoria is open daily: nickelmarket.co.za. 20–30 NOVEMBER The Stellenbosch Christmas Market takes place in Martinson…

Makes: 6 small bottles Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: about 40 minutes YOU WILL NEED: ♥ 3-4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples ♥ 500ml frozen cranberries ♥ 635g (750ml) sugar ♥ 15ml cider vinegar ♥ zest and juice of 1 large lemon ♥ 5ml grated fresh ginger ♥ 2-3 jalapeño chillies, seeded and chopped Peel and core the apples. Cut the flesh into small, even-sized cubes. You will need 675ml of chopped apple. Put the apple, cranberries, sugar, vinegar and 125ml water into a large saucepan. Cook over a high heat until it starts to boil. Use a slotted spoon to remove any foam that comes to the surface. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the cranberries begin to pop. Reduce the heat to medium and add the lemon zest and…

Makes: 3 infusion sachets and 1 bottle Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus infusion time Cooking time: 1 hour Oven temperature: 80℃ AROMATIC CITRUS INFUSION SACHETS ♥ 1 each orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit, washed ♥ 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme ♥ 2 cinnamon quills or 15ml cinnamon stick pieces ♥ 5ml fennel seeds ♥ 10 cardamom pods ♥ 5 star anise ROSE AND LIME FLAVOURED GIN ♥ handful of dried rosebuds ♥ handful of fresh raspberries (optional) ♥ 1 lime, washed and thinly sliced ♥ 5ml pink peppercorns, bruised ♥ 1 bottle gin CITRUS INFUSION SACHETS Cut all the citrus fruit into thin slices with a serrated knife. TIP To use the sachets, follow the process in step 6 to infuse the dried ingredients into the gin for…

Long ago, in the 1980s, there were mixtapes. This was also the time of footless tights and leg warmers, discotheques, Jane Fonda’s exercise videos, which made the phrase ‘feel the burn’ popular, shoulder pads and American soapies like Dallas and Dynasty. It was the time of my youth too. Today the music that we danced to at house parties and listened to on road trips still plays in my head. Sometimes the music tapes were ‘love letters in sound’ that romantic boyfriends made for girls (or the other way around). Mixtapes–the playlists on music cassettes–are with us again. In the hit TV series The Handmaid’s Tale, which is based on Canadian Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name, a box of them appears in the cellar, with nostalgic memories of…

Serves: 4 people Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes ♥ 1 pork fillet, cut into medallions♥ 50ml olive oil, for frying SALAD DRESSING ♥ ¼ cup lime juice♥ 1 tsp Dijon mustard♥ 2 tbsp honey♥ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper♥ ½ tsp freshly ground pink salt♥ ¼ cup canola oil♥ ¼ cup olive oil♥ ½ tsp garlic powder SALAD ♥ pack mixed salad leaves♥ 4 apricots, stoned and quartered♥ 2 peaches, stoned and quartered♥ 2 plums, stoned and quartered♥ 20 cherries, halved♥ 1 avocado, sliced♥ 6-8 Thai lime leaves (available from green grocers), cut into thin strips 1 Season the pork medallions to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sear them in olive oil until just cooked and brown all over. 2 SALAD DRESSING…

Cleanser, exfoliater, scrub, toner, serum, oil, moisturiser, sunscreen and regular masks… Are you committed to this skincare routine for your face, most of them twice a day? But your hands are an afterthought? Think about it: Your face and hands are the most exposed to the elements, every day, every season. And your hands, alongside your neck, are the first to give away your age. Not just that–your nails are often the first to show signs of illness or a nutritional deficiency. Your hands are also the first thing that people notice about you, after your face, and inform their impression of how well groomed you are. And your hands work: They hold and give, scrub and scrape, make and steer things in the right direction. If you are creative…

The gift of giving. There is no time of year associated more with this sentiment than December. Christmas is flaunted in every shop we pass and tick lists are being made for the celebration of this time for giving. Giving. It is strange how one word can both excite and trouble us, how the word ‘gift’ can be a verb as well as a noun all at once. I love this time of year, not only for the festive atmosphere but also because of giving–and receiving–gifts. There is so much wonder in these concepts and the journey into both completely captivates me. I know many of us find it daunting to try to make a gift for someone. It is almost as if we have banished this idea to the…

DIFFICULTY: easy (although your hands will get sticky!) TIME: weekend, drying time included YOU WILL NEED ♥ corrugated cardboard ♥ newspaper ♥ cold glue ♥ faces of your choice (look on the internet) ♥ patterned paper for the clothes ♥ paint for the bodies and other detail ♥ brushes ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ sharp scissors Draw a basic doll shape on the corrugated cardboard. Work on a cutting mat and cut out the shape with your craft knife. Once you have cut out the first doll, you can use it as a template to cut out all your other dolls. Tear the newspaper into strips approximately 1cm wide, but also tear some smaller pieces for the more intricate sections. Don’t cut the paper with scissors; the ‘soft’…

Knitted baubles These pretty tree decorations are knitted flat and then sewn up around a polystyrene ball. DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: 1.5 to 2 hours SKILLS Increase, decrease, Fair Isle knitting SIZE To fit 60mm polystyrene ball Gauge: 15 st and 18 rows = 5cm x 5cm (this is important) YOU WILL NEED 1 pack of 6 x 10g Nurturing Fibres Eco-Bamboo Bonbons 1 x 50g Nurturing Fibres Eco-Bamboo Vanilla (10g needed per bauble) 2.5mm knitting needles 2 stitch markers scissors darning needle for seaming 60mm polystyrene ball ABBREVIATIONS C2: Colour 2 (Paris) C3: Colour 3 (Sun Glow) C4: Colour 4 (Lime) C5: Colour 5 (Ocean) k–knit kfb–knit into front of next stitch, then into back of same stitch before moving on to next stitch k2tog–knit 2 stitches together knitwise MC–main…

Amigurumi reindeer Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed, yarn toys, most often cute dolls or creatures. DIFFICULTY: beginner to intermediate TIME: one day MATERIALS ♥ 2.25mm crochet hook♥ 1 skein Nurturing Fibres EcoCotton in Fawn♥ 1 skein Nurturing Fibres EcoCotton in Vanilla♥ ½ skein Nurturing Fibres EcoCotton in Mint♥ ½ skein Nurturing Fibres EcoCotton in Karoolands♥ less than ½ skein Nurturing Fibres EcoCotton in Blush♥ black embroidery cotton♥ polyester toy stuffing♥ scissors♥ pins♥ stitch marker♥ yarn needle MEASUREMENTS Finished height: 16cm ABBREVIATIONS (US TERMS) ch–chain dc–double crochet hdc–half double crochet mr–magic ring Rnd–round(s) R–round / row sc–single crochet sc2tog–sc two together (decrease) sk–skip sl st–slip stitch st(s)–stitch(es) NOTES This pattern is worked mostly in continuous rounds. Do not sl st to join the round unless…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour YOU WILL NEED ♥ linoleum sheet ♥ linocutting tools ♥ graphic floral image of your choice (keep it simple if you are a linocut beginner) ♥ carbon paper ♥ ballpoint pen ♥ scissors ♥ block of wood ♥ glue gun ♥ ink and ink pad ♥ paper (70-80gsm) Transfer your graphic image onto the linoleum sheet with the carbon paper and a ballpoint pen. Place the carbon paper, carbon side down, onto the lino. Place the image on top facing upwards. Use the ballpoint pen to trace the image onto the lino. Use the linocutting tools to carve the design on the lino sheet. Remember to carve away from yourself, for safety, and work on a non-slip surface. The parts that you cut away are…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 3–5 days YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS ♥ technical drawings on page overleaf♥ 400mm x 300mm super wood (16mm thick)♥ 1m x 16mm dowel♥ undercoat or sanding sealer♥ 1 can of spray paint (we used Sunshine Yellow)♥ wood glue (ultra)♥ wood filler TOOLS ♥ drill press or hand drill♥ 8mm, 10mm and 16mm spade bit♥ portable jigsaw with fine-tooth blade♥ backsaw or handsaw♥ 200mm half round and round file♥ sandpaper: 100, 150 and 220 grit♥ clamps CONSTRUCTION OF THE CROCODILE LAPTOP STAND 1 Create parts 1 to 5, referring to the technical drawings on the following page for the exact specifications. 2 Drill the 16mm dowel holes to a depth of 12mm. 3 Drill every corner radius using the 8mm spade bit, then cut the crocodile shape with…

creativecalendarideas@gmail.com November WESTERN CAPE 29 October - 3 November Kamers/Makers takes place at Blaauwklippen Vineyards in Stellenbosch. For more information, go to kamersvol.com 9-10 November The Leisure Isle Festival takes place in Knysna to raise money for charity. For more information, go to leisureislefestival.co.za. 15-17 November The Greyton Artwalk takes place at various venues in Greyton. For more info, email greytonartwalk@gmail.com or call 082 4954019. 16 November The Spot Ceramics Market takes place at Rust-En-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville. Go to rust-en-vrede.com for more information. 24 November The Cape Town Toy Run motorbike ride takes place in aid of charity. For more information, go to toyrun.co.za. EASTERN CAPE 25-27 October The Art Meander takes place in Port Elizabeth. Enjoy art, pottery, sculpture and photography. Email cindy@capecomposite.co.za. FREE STATE 21-23 November The…

@RAWRUSTIC Doha, Qatar As a strategist and researcher, Magda de Langa sees every corner of the world and captures the colours of the various landscapes in her crochet, which is her passion. Visit her Instagram to see how she transforms her experiences into art. @FLOWERINTERPRETATIONS London, UK Floral artist and stylist Harriet Parry creates the loveliest flower arrangements inspired by well-known artworks, fashion photos and movies. With every interpretation she conjures up, she demonstrates her creative soul and fine eye for detail. @XENIA_VENTER Paarl, South Africa Local artist Xenia Venter expresses her love for nature through her charcoal drawings. But that’s not the end of her talents: As @Kweekstudio she also does gorgeous flowers and décor for weddings and other occasions.…

Makes: 20 biscuits Preparation time: 1½ hours, plus chilling time Baking time: 8-12 minutes Oven temperature: 180℃ YOU WILL NEED: ♥ 115g (125ml) soft butter ♥ 165g (190ml) castor sugar ♥ 1 large egg, lightly beaten ♥ 5ml vanilla extract ♥ 200g (375ml) cake flour ♥ 5ml baking powder ♥ 60g dark chocolate, melted and cooled ♥ 30ml cocoa powder BISCUIT DOUGH: Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and 1ml salt slowly until the mixture forms a dough. Divide in half and set one half aside. Stir the melted chocolate into the cocoa powder. Add the chocolate mixture to one half of the dough and beat for a few seconds until well combined. Cover the dough and…

Makes: about 25 pieces Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: about 30 minutes YOU WILL NEED: ♥ 100g (250ml) mixed salted nuts, roughly chopped ♥ 200g (235ml) sugar ♥ 60ml golden syrup ♥ 10ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 200g dark or milk chocolate, broken into pieces Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle the nuts over the paper. Heat the sugar, syrup and 30ml water together in a saucepan over a low heat. Don’t stir. You can brush down the sides of the saucepan with a damp pastry brush to remove any sugar granules. Once the mixture has melted, increase the heat to medium. Simmer gently until the toffee is golden in colour and reaches 150℃ or 300℉ on a candy thermometer. If you don’t…

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 3 tiers of cake or dummy cakes (ours were 20cm, 15cm and 10cm)♥ biscuit dough♥ ruler and sharp knife♥ cookie cutters (star, scalloped circles for wreaths, trees, small squares and rectangles)♥ royal icing♥ gel food colouring♥ piping bags♥ nr 1 round nozzles (optional)♥ cake boards♥ dowels if using real cakes♥ butter icing♥ fondant to cover the cakes♥ smoothers NOTE If your castle will be standing for a while, consider using dummy cakes made from polystyrene, or bake fruit cakes that will keep for some time. CALCULATE THE SIZES OF THE BISCUITS Calculate the circumference of each tier (ours were 20cm, 15cm and 10cm) with the following formula: diameter x π (pi). Divide the circumference by the number of biscuits you want around the cake. Example: 20cm…

SWAY–Dean Martin I GOT YOU (I FEEL GOOD) –James Brown L-O-V-E–Nat King Cole VALERIE–Amy Winehouse EASY LIVING–Andrea Motis and Joan Chamorro SYMPATHIQUE–Pink Martini FLY ME TO THE MOON–Frank Sinatra and Count Basie IT’S NOT UNUSUAL–Tom Jones SHE–Charles Aznavour SODADE–Cesária Évora AMADO MIO–Pink Martini MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME–Nina Simone AMOR DE LOCA JUVENTUD–Buena Vista Social Club SUMMER WINE–Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood PETIT PAYS–Cesária Évora COLD LITTLE HEART (RADIO EDIT)–Michael Kiwanuka BEYOND THE SEA–Robbie Williams JUST IN TIME–Tony Bennett MACK THE KNIFE–Louis Armstrong ALL OF ME–Billie Holiday I LOVE PARIS–Kay Starr MOONDANCE–Van Morrison STAND BY ME–Ben E. King DADDY COOL–Boney M COME FLY WITH ME–Michael Bublé QUANDO QUANDO QUANDO–Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado TO DOWNLOAD THIS PLAYLIST: Paying iTunes and Spotify members can access the list on Hannes Koegelenberg’s iTunes…

The Christmas holidays are a time of excitement, homesickness and colour. It’s an emotion-filled period when people like to recall old memories and create new ones. Special moments with loved ones are celebrated, and with a new year just around the corner, our wishes are for a bright, colourful future. CHRISTMAS TREE Our ‘Christmas tree’ is a vertical arrangement full of nostalgia and colour. Moments of laughter and tears–everything that makes life ‘life’. We painted the lids of some old Tjhoko paint pots, threaded a matching ribbon through a hole in each lid and glued a photo in the round section to hang on our ‘tree’–turning memories into decorations. Precious minutes with loved ones, friends and family–everyone on one wall that is embellished further with greenery and fairy lights. WRAPPING…

Nineteen hours 47 minutes. I was stunned. No, I wasn’t on a flight to Hong Kong or counting the hours while waiting for my internet service provider to return my call. According to my iPhone screen report, that was the amount of time I had spent on my phone over the past seven days. Ironically I thought I was doing much better at staying offline after reading trend forecaster James Wallman’s Time and How To Spend It. To be fair to myself, at least two of my screen-time hours don’t count because they were consumed by navigation apps while I was driving. However, the reality is that I spent a whopping four hours on WhatsApp and received an average of 46 phone notifications per day. Wallman might as well have…

SET THE SCENE For our vibrant festive colour scheme, we used bright yellow and soft pink and contrasted them with black. Add old photos, vintage roses and playful swan images with brightly coloured ribbon to complete this updated vintage look. CHRISTMAS TREE Upcycle last year’s Christmas tree by spray painting it yellow. We used Rust-Oleum 2X Ultra Cover in Sun Yellow with the addition of some Spraymate Fluorescent Lunar Yellow for an extra-bright kick. PAPER FLOWER WREATH Make your own paper flower wreath with paper flowers glued to an embroidery hoop with a hot glue gun. Find vintage-style pictures of flowers on the internet, print them in colour and cut them out. Spray paint a second, larger embroidery hoop with Spraymate Fluorescent Lunar Yellow and hang it up with the…

Gift box DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: weekend YOU WILL NEED small wooden box Rust-Oleum spray paint in Satin White white fabric pattern (on page 108, or use your own) carbon paper embroidery thread in your colour scheme embroidery needle small scissors fabric glue spray glue staple gun white bias binding TO MAKE 1 Remove the hinges of the wooden box and only screw them back on after covering the box. Spray the box with Satin White from Rust-Oleum–with this paint you do not need a base coat. Apply enough coats of paint to cover the wood completely. Leave to dry completely. 2 Now measure your fabric according to the top of the box and add on enough extra all around to allow for folding over the fabric that covers the edge…

GEL-PRINTING ON CERAMICS Follow the ingredients list and instructions for the printed paper project on the page overleaf, but print on a ceramic mug instead of paper, and use ceramic paint mixed with acrylic extender instead of the acrylic paint. Once the image is on the gel plate, remove the magazine page and carefully roll the mug over the plate to transfer the image. Work slowly and take care not to smudge the image. Heat set the paint on your mug in the oven for 35 minutes at 170℃. MONOPRINTING WITH A GEL PLATE Most of the gel printing plates that you can buy have a flexible and mouldable surface that you can spread paint onto, add textures to and make many prints with. We used Gelli Arts gel printing…

DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 30 minutes plus a day to dry YOU WILL NEED ♥ scrap paper ♥ scissors ♥ blender ♥ paper-making frame ♥ fynbos or dried flowers ♥ piece of linen Start by cutting the scrap paper into small pieces. Create a pulp by blending the paper with a bit of water. You will need about 125ml water for 250ml paper. Add about 125ml of shredded fynbos or dried flowers to the pulp mixture. Add the pulp and fynbos mixture to a bath of water large enough for the paper-making frame. You will need about 500ml of water for 250ml pulp. Dip the paper-making frame into the paper pulp bath, submerge it completely and slowly lift it out of the bath. Rest the frame on the edges of the…

My daughter constantly nags me to dye my hair a more ‘interesting’ colour. She thinks that I would look pretty with light blue or turquoise hair. I think the grey that is starting to appear here and there will have to take over completely, until my hair is white, and then I might colour it. This makes me think about when I turned 10. My parents gave me a tapestry cloth as a birthday present. The painted face of a young girl with bright red hair, pink lips and a vibrant green blouse was measured out over the fabric, block–gap, block–gap. I had to thread pieces of wool through the holes with a blunt embroidery needle, knot them at the back, thread them through again and finally cut them off…

WINNING LETTER NEW YEAR, NEW CRAFT TO LEARN I try to learn a new craft every year and Ideas magazine always has amazing, out-of-the-box projects that I can apply to try my newfound ability in constructive, fun and also decorative ways. I have a well-equipped craft cabin (no bells or whistles, but everything I need is at hand in labelled drawers and cupboards). Pride of place at the end of my three-metre-long fitted desk is my neatly filed collection of Ideas magazines. The photo alongside is of a fun craft project that I did to celebrate my new skill of knitting. I got the idea from the cover of your June 2018 edition. Each new hobby has me starry eyed, but knitting really blows my hair back. And my crazy…