Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2023 från Ideas

Phew! What a year we've all had! At the moment I'm feeling like those athletes who have just finished a marathon and are bent over to catch their breath, or are lying on their backs to rest their tired and cramping legs. And then, after a few minutes, they get up again with a broad smile. They've done it! And so have we! We've all encountered the pain and frustration, the test of our endurance and the welcome stretches of even road without severe uphiils or steep descents. Yet here we are, smiling, albeit with tired eyes. We are ready for the next challenge and of course, for the festive season – the season of joy and excitement, of recovery and calm, the season of creativity. I'm always astounded by…

YOU WILL NEED: ♥ wax paper ♥ flower petals ♥ iron (without water)…

NATURAL FIRE STARTERS This is a wonderfully fragrant and environmentally friendly way to light your braai fire. You can also use them indoors in an old-fashioned hearth, but not in a closed fireplace. YOU WILL NEED ♥ ordinary white candles ♥ wood shavings and sawdust ♥ small pine cones ♥ cinnamon stick ♥ whole star anise ♥ cupcake pans ♥ cupcake paper liners ♥ old metal pot TO MAKE 1 Ask around and find out if someone near you does woodwork, then ask them for some wood shavings and sawdust. We were lucky to get camphor shavings, which smell wonderful! 2 Line your cupcake pans with cupcake papers and arrange all your ingredient items alongside. Cut up the candles, but try to keep the wicks intact as you are going…

CARAMEL SWIRL ICE CREAM Makes: 1,6 litres ♥ 750ml cream ♥ 250ml milk ♥ 160g icing sugar, sifted ♥ 15ml vanilla extract ♥ 150g store-bought thick caramel ♥ 2 large sealable plastic bags ♥ 2-litre capacity cake tin ♥ salted toffee cones, to serve (see recipe alongside) 1 Whisk together the cream, milk, icing sugar and vanilla in a large jug until the sugar is dissolved. 2 Place the mixture in the sealable bags, making sure to press out as much air as possible. Seal the bags and place them flat on a baking tray. Place in the freezer until just frozen, about 2½ hours. 3 Remove the bags from the freezer. With your hands, gently bend the bags to break up the mixture into small pieces. 4 Place the…

GARDEN ROOM AND DINING TABLE The large Christmas tree, which is festooned with colourful, painted and vintage baubles and lights, stands between the living room and garden room, so it creates a festive Christmas feeling in both areas. ON THE TABLE The dining table is decorated with a colourful cloth and candles, light balls, stars, lanterns, mini trees and greenery. Terracotta, pink, green, gold: These accent colours are reflected in the crockery, glass and textiles. The cream-coloured tableware is from Ikea, the wall decoration from ixxi.com and the rest is thrift. The first thing Irene does on 6 December – the day after Sinterklaas, a traditional celebration in the Netherlands – is to put on Christmas carols and get the Christmas boxes down from the attic. ‘I think it's super…

SET THE SCENE Nostalgia is the main ingredient in the charm of this rustic farmhouse's perfectly imperfect festive attire. Vintage photos, cloths and handcrafts have found their way from the drawers to the table, beds and rest of the house. The softness of candlelight and a harvest from the garden were all the timeworn farmhouse still needed to radiate a calm, grounded atmosphere.…

If you are in the mood for Christmas decorating but are looking for something other than what's available everywhere, why not get your home ready for the festive season by stepping outside and doing some nature-focused projects this year? The next time you tidy up your garden or trim back trees or shrubs, view the supposed ‘junk’ with different eyes: Maybe there are things you can turn into Christmas decorations as glamorous as they are unique. Have a look at our ideas and let them inspire you do something similar. If you don't have your own garden, scattered leaves, stalks, seed pods, fallen branches and dropped tree bark from parks, forests and roadsides are ready and waiting to be transformed. These decorations are not only affordable and easy to make…

PAVLOVA WREATH Wow everyone with a real showstopper dessert this festive season. Follow our steps for the perfect pavlova. Serves: 10-12 Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus cooling time Oven temperature: 150 °C ♥ 8 large egg whites, at room temperature (make sure there is no yolk) ♥ 400g castor sugar ♥ 7,5ml white vinegar ♥ 30ml cornflour MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSES Serve your guests a hot drink with a fun surprise. These little mug-huggers are also lovely as gifts. Makes: 12 Preparation time: 2 hour 30 minutes Baking time: 8-10 minutes Oven temperature: 200 °C GINGERBREAD: Melt 120g butter or baking margarine, 100g sugar, 130g golden syrup and 10g molasses together in a saucepan. Remove from the heat. Sift 300g cake flour, 5ml bicarbonate of…

how to Decorate your gifts with a 3-D gold star. YOU WILL NEED ♥ gold cardboard ♥ star punch ♥ matching ribbon or cord Use your star punch to punch stars from gold cardboard. Fold the star in half from the top point to the bottom edge and fold open again. Repeat the process with the remaining points until the centre of the star is clearly visible. Press the long fold lines upwards and the shorter fold lines downwards all around the centre point. Tie the star to your gift with gold ribbon or cord. TIP: You can glue two stars together with your glue gun to make a star with an even greater 3-D effect.…

SET THE SCENE It's probably not the best style for a house full of excited children, but for those who like a calm and havenlike space over the festive season – the Danish concept of hygge – this natural look with linen decorations is ideal. Your sewing machine and a few branches from the garden are your most essential items. MINI CHRISTMAS TREES project DALA WATTS Use a round batten or a branch from your garden that is thick enough (about 5cm diameter) to make these cute little trees. Cut into rounds of about 3cm height and drill a hole in the middle, large enough to hold a small branch. Try to find pine or cypress branches and press them into the hole in the wooden disc. Use your trees…

ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS Hummus is very easy to make and is delicious as a sauce for roast lamb or pork, or serve it with breads as a starter or snack. The roasted peppers add a lovely colour and sweet smoky flavour. Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes ♥ 2 red peppers, halved and seeded ♥ 30ml olive oil ♥ 60ml tahini (sesame seed paste) ♥ 50ml lemon juice ♥ 1 small clove garlic, crushed ♥ 2ml ground cumin ♥ 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and 30ml liquid reserved ♥ 10ml toasted mixed seeds, to serve ♥ radishes, sliced, to serve ♥ handful pomegranate rubies, to serve ♥ edible flowers, to garnish ♥ micro herbs, to garnish 1 Brush the peppers with a bit of…

SET THE SCENE Keep things clean and uncomplicated with white as your base colour. The white tablecloth and modern black and white crockery, elegant glasses, black candles for atmosphere and black paper trees on the table are all strong graphic elements. The star on the wall, made from branches painted black, adds to the look. Use a white Christmas tree to set off your black-and-white decorations beautifully. Stack your gifts, also in black and white, near the tree to complete the picture. WOODEN STAR Look for dry branches that are more or less straight and cut six pieces all of the same length – you can decide how big you want your star to be. Arrange the branches in the shape of a star and tie the corners firmly together…