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NOV EMBER 2016 • No. 437 • RSA R42,90 ( VAT i ncluded) Foreig n cou nt r ies R45,40 Na m ibia N$45,40

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

NOVEMBER 2016

Gift guide

26 T asty treats: easy, medium and more difficult recipes for fruit bakes, biscuits, preserves and sweets 50 Sew a set of slipcovers – it’s the easiest way to update old chairs 54 Make indulgent bath and body products: three projects 58 Spoil yourself or the special women in your life with the gift of luxurious, premium skincare 62 Clutch bags three ways: choose from cute, vintage or with 66 70 74 80 83 86 89 92

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ON THE COVER: SWANS: ZELDA HAMILTON • STYLING: CARIN SMITH • PHOTO: ED O'RILEY

GIFT GUIDE 64 PAGES

On the cover

26 S pecially for you: our gift guide 35 presents for you to make – get started today!

28, 32, 36

Step by step – fruitcake, jam and dainty biscuits 50, 62, 72

Sew handbags, a swan and chair covers 54, 74, 78

Make bath products, journals and children’s gifts 83, 86, 89, 92

Wrap gorgeous parcels with what you have at home

How to 28 32 36 40 48 78

SAVE!

Bake a fruitcake with fondant decorations Bake tuile forest biscuits Cook nectarine and ginger jam Make nutty nougat Bake and decorate ice-cream biscuits Craft animal bookends for a child

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and be inspired every month

a crochet motif Sew or crochet whimsical dreamcatchers Two needlework kits to make and a swan pincushion to sew Make and personalise journals – we show you three options Follow the cactus plant trend with a few playful gifts Turn white paper packets into pretty gift packaging Fun ways to dress up jars as containers for gifts Quick and easy ideas for making boxes and tins beautiful Turn plain brown paper into gorgeous giftwrap

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Your life 16 94 96 98

Reader’s house: from tea room to tranquil beach retreat Let’s talk business: plan ahead for the busy holiday season We answer your questions Readers of the month: this creative couple share a love of vintage finds and pretty things 102 Your letters

Regulars

4 From the editor 5 Quote of the month 6 Things to do this month 10 Things to read this month 12 What’s new around town and in the shops 104 Subscribe and save 105 Buy our specially designed paper printables 107 In your next Ideas

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Stay in touch

BAKE FRUIT RUSKS

To make this month

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SEW CHAIR COVERS

MAKE A CUTE CLUTCH BAG

UPCYCLE AN EGG BOX

PAINT STONE CACTUSES

MIX UP A BATCH OF BATH BOMBS

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4 IDEAS November 2016

PHOTO OF TERENA: JOHAN WILKE • HAIR AND MAKE-UP: MELISSA FROM SUPERNOVA

compiled by L ARA FOREMAN

5 November: Franschhoek Craft Festival at Môreson.

Taking place from 10am on the last Saturday of every month at Constitution Hill in Braamfontein, there’s fashion, food, wine tasting, music and more, all with a focus on contemporary African style and culture. Entrance is free. For details, go to constitutionhill.org.za.

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31 October 2016 to 29 April 2017 The Galileo Open Air Theatre takes place at the Hillcrest Quarry, Kirstenbosch, the V&A Waterfront and various other venues in the Western Cape. For details, go to thegalileo.co.za.

2-6 November This year’s Festive Ideas Market at Simondium’s Country Lodge between Paarl and Franschhoek features more than 100 exhibitors selling designer clothing, fashion accessories, handmade jewellery, décor items and deli goodies. When your shopping is done, sip a glass of wine in the gardens.

The market is open from 9am to 5pm from Wednesday to Saturday, but closes at 3pm on Sunday. Entrance is R30 per adult. For details, call 021 874 1046, follow @vintagewilna on Instagram or search for Festive Ideas on Facebook.

5 November The Franschhoek Craft Festival takes place at Môreson between 11am and 5pm. You’ll find a selection of food and drink, specialised and limitededition pieces, including art, jewellery and luxury leather goods. Tickets, which include wine tastings, cost R180 and can be booked via webtickets.co.za.

1-4 November Get your Christmas shopping done early then relax in the tea garden at the Delmas Christmas Market, which takes place at the Hervormde Church Hall, Sarel Cilliers Street. Entry is free. For more information, search for Delmas Kersmark on Facebook.

Located in Johannesburg’s old mining district of Ferreirasdorp, this market offers street food, local crafts and clothing, plus live music and lots of space for kids to run around.

Entrance is free. Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, go to 1fox.co.za.

22-26 November The Kuier-Kuier Christmas Market takes place in Bridge Street, Monument Heights, Kimberley. For details, email kuierkuierkersmark@gmail.com or go to facebook.com/KuierKuierKersmark.

6 IDEAS November 2016

22 November – 3 December The Corpus Christi Christmas Market takes place at AGS Aerorand, Middelburg from 9am to 8pm. The market is a fundraiser for youths with learning disabilities. For more info, go to corpuschristi.co.za or search for Corpus Christi Kersmark on Facebook.

2-6 November Shop for home and garden décor items, fashion, deli goodies and food gifts at the Constantia Gift Fair. This takes place at the South African Riding for Disabled Association (SARDA) in Brommersvlei Road. There will also be food, beer and wine on sale, a play area and live music. Entrance costs R30, but there is no charge for under 18s. For more information, email info@thegiftfair.co.za or go to thegiftfair.co.za.

5 November The annual Elim Wine Festival at the Black Oystercatcher Wine Farm celebrates cool-climate wine, craft beer and local produce.

28-29 October Shop at the Tikva Shabby Sjiek Market at Rhino’s Rest Guest Go to elimwines.co.za.

House outside Welkom. Entry costs R5. For more information, call 083 748 5540 or search for Tikva Shabby Sjiek Market on Facebook.

5-6 November Ceramics, jewellery, 17-19 November The Ficksburg Cherry Festival features a large assortment of clothing, art, books and food will be different activities for the whole family. Go to cherryfestival.co.za for details. on sale at the Leisure Isle Festival at 29 November – 3 December The Kroonheuwel Krismismark at Kroonheuwel Kingsway Park in Knysna. For details, Primary School, Kroonstad features handmade goods from food to needlework, go to leisureislefestival.co.za. wooden items and clothes. Search for Kroonheuwel Krismismark on Facebook.

12-13 November Stellenberg Estate in Kenilworth opens its gardens to the public as a fundraiser for St Joseph’s 2-3 November The Fair with Flair is hosted Home for Chronically Ill Children.

by The Christmas Fair Fund at Collisheen Estate, Ballito between 9am and 5pm.

Entry for adults costs R50. For more Tickets cost R50 from Quicket or R65 at the gate. For more information, go to info, go to stjosephshome.org.za. christmasfairfund.wordpress.com or email michelle@thechristmasfairfund.co.za.

16-26 November The Melkbosstrand 5 November At ‘Innistraat’, the Winterton Street Festival, enjoy food and craft Feesmark takes place at the NG Kerk, stalls, cultural activities, vintage cars and more. Call 084 567 8802 or 082 548 9910. corner of Otto du Plessis Drive and 19-20 November The Festive Gift Fair takes place at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

11th Avenue. Call 021 553 2753.

Shop for gifts, crafts, clothing, artisan products and jewellery. Entrance for adults 22 November – 4 December Shop for is R30. For details, search for The Festive Gift Fair Durban 2016 on Facebook. gifts at the Cape Gift Market in the Sea Point Civic Centre between 9am and 7pm. Email geskenkemark@gmail. com or call 082 411 3981 for more info.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

SUNDAY

9-11 November The Whisky Live Festival takes place at the Sandton Convention Centre. Enjoy the lifestyle stalls, deli area and tasting stands. Go to whiskylivefestival.co.za for details.

25-27 November Do your gift shopping at the Parkview Charity Christmas Market in George Hay Park.

Search for Parkview Charity Christmas Market on Facebook.

25 November – 4 December The Transoranje Christmas Market takes place at Transoranje School in Pretoria from 9am to 7pm. For more information, call 012 386 6072 or go to transoranje.webs.com.

29 November – 3 December You’ll find original, quality items for every budget at the Crafters Fair at Northfield Church in Northmead, Benoni. Go to craftersfair.co.za.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1-6 November Kamers/Makers, Anura Vineyards, Western Cape For details, go to kamersvol.com.

21 December IDEAS on sale

28 November – 4 December Kamers/Makers in Irene, Pretoria.

For details, go to kamersvol.com.

November 2016 IDEAS 7

atermelons. VEGETABL ies, w ES: a r r e spa wb a r t rag s , k us, e p ba s n by pa s m s, ar m ro lu

b s, w ers, globe artich oke cucumb s , wer, l e eks liflo ,p cau

anthuriums, Asiatic lilies, asters, calla lilies, carnations, celosia, chincherinchees, chrysanthemums, delphiniums, everlastings, gerbera, gladiolus, godetia, heliconia, lavender, lisianthus, orange balls, roses, sandersonia, sea holly, some proteas and fynbos, statice, sunflowers, trachelium, veronicas.

8 IDEAS November 2016

STYLING: DALA WATTS • PHOTO: ED O’RILEY

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HERBS: basil, bay leaves, dill, fennel, mint, sage, thyme, marjoram, origanum, rosemary.

FLOWERS AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER: achillea, agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, amaranthus,

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, guavas, melons, p apay herries c , s a, p do a c eac vo a he , s t s, p ir co ine p a ap : T pl I U es R ,p F

Choose fresh produce in season to ensure the best in nutrition and flavour, as well as the best price, and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

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November 2016 IDEAS 9

Dia na.P roc ter@ med ia24 .com

compiled by DIANA PROC TER

FICTION AND BIOGRAPHY

STITCHCRAFT Kaffe Fassett’s Bold Blooms (Abrams, R404)

Renowned quilt and fabric designer Kaffe Fassett explores flowers as a source of inspiration for patchwork and needlepoint in this new pattern collection. He shares a behind-the-scenes look at his design process from mood boards and colour swatches to planning and sewing the quilts. While the focus is on patchwork and needle­point, the ideas translate to many disciplines and materials, including crafts, fibre arts and décor.

Stitches From The Garden

by Kathy Schmitz (That Patchwork Place, R349)

Inspired by nature’s rich colour palette and textures, artist and fabric designer Kathy Schmitz creates patterns that use simple embroidery stitches to 10 IDEAS November 2016

make beautiful, thoughtful keepsakes that echo with the gentle romance of days gone by. The cushion on the cover with a bird and her nest of eggs sets the mood for the projects in the book. Select from a range that includes a journal cover, pincushion, tea towels set, wall decoration and tote bag – most have a vintage feel to them.

FOOD The Great South African Cook Book (Quivertree, R450)

Sixty-seven of South Africa’s finest chefs, gardeners, bakers, farmers, foragers and local food heroes let us into their homes – and their hearts – as they share the recipes they make for the people they love. From tried and true classics to contemporary fare, the book showcases the diversity and creativity of our vibrant food

culture. The Nelson Mandela Foundation will receive all royalties from sales of the book to develop and support community food and agricultural projects.

One Pot-pan-tray by Mari-Louis Guy, Callie Maritz (H&R, R280)

This is the perfect book for busy people. Give yourself a break and make simple, wholesome meals in one dish and celebrate the joy of spending time around the table with the people you love. Callie and Mari-Louis make cooking simpler with this book about making a whole meal in one pot, frying or roasting pan – saving on electricity, labour and washing up. It includes fuss-free recipes for meat, chicken and seafood, and meat-free dishes, with a starch and vegetables. It’s the perfect book to make your life easier.

Set near Hermanus in the fictitious town of Grootbaai, shark-cage-diving capital of the world, oddball detective Storm van der Merwe keeps out of trouble by working on cold cases. But corpses and other evidence keep appearing on the beach. When the body of an investigative journalist washes up minus an arm, Storm realises the situation is even more dangerous than she suspected.

Emily Hobhouse Beloved Traitor by Elsabé Brits (Tafelberg, R320)

This is a fresh, nuanced look at an extraordinary woman and her lifelong fight for justice. Defying the constraints of gender and class, Hobhouse travelled across continents and spoke out against oppression.

A passionate pacifist and a feminist, she opposed both the 1899-1902 AngloBoer War and WWI, leading to accusations of treason.

Elsabé Brits brings to life a colourful story of war, heroism and passion, spanning three continents.

ALL BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AT EXCLUSIVE BOOKS, TAKEALOT.COM OR LOOT.CO.ZA • PHOTOS: ED O’RILEY OR SUPPLIED

Dead In The Water by Irna van Zyl (Penguin, R220)

vermilionroots.com

themodernproper.com

eye-swoon.com

Christine Leong’s cooking style is informed by her Oriental-Malaysian background and having a chef dad who ran a Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. She now lives in San Francisco. She loves to explore the cuisine of different cultures, but finds herself drawn to foods from the region she grew up in. Many of her recipes are Asian, made simple for everyone to recreate easily. She likes to shop at her local farmers’ market and focuses on seasonal plant-based recipes.

Blogging partners Natalie Mortimer and Holly Erickson say their mission is to reinvent the lost art of hospitality for the modern homemaker. ‘We believe sharing food and your home leads to sharing life. Inviting others around your table is a beautiful way to strengthen friendships and build community. It’s time to change the way people think about hospitality, one delicious meal at a time . . . Join us in making the home just a little bit warmer and more inviting.’

Athena Calderone created EyeSwoon as a place to transform ordinary life into a feast for the eyes. In addition to sharing her own recipes and designs, she joins forces with chefs, bloggers, designers, editors, actors and models to provide a glimpse into their creative processes. This ‘lifts the curtain on inspiring food, design and décor’, showing that simple ideas and thoughtful execution are all it takes ‘to turn our surroundings into a place that makes the eye swoon’.

sarahhearts.com

ellaclaireinspired.com

diyshowoff.com

The daughter of a graphic designer, Sarah Khandjian started her blog with a line of handmade bags and screenprinted apparel, selling her products in the student union, online, and at craft fairs to help supplement her college income. When she married, it was ‘a simple, handmade wedding where I not only hand screen printed our stationery but also made all the decorations.’ She blogged about her wedding creations, which led to her sharing other projects. Her blog has grown into her full-time job.

Kristin Whitby is passionate about making her home a lovely place. She loves to build, bake, decorate and create, and is inspired by vintage charm. The building part involves getting her hands dirty and using power tools, which is balanced by ‘a mad love for peonies and chai tea’.

She writes about things like mixing vintage and new, she sheds and making jam. There’s lots of décor inspiration in her home tour category – beautifully photographed – and she features easy recipes too.

A limited budget challenges Roeshel Summerville to be creative. She enjoys DIY, being creative, repurposing things, designing and decorating. The blog has evolved from a journal of DIY before-and-after transformations into a full-time career. ‘Fortunately, we have an entire farmhouse full of projects that will take us a lifetime.’

She has an eclectic mix of styles and does what she loves to create a home that reflects their personalities, interests and lifestyle. She also writes about essential oils, her other passion.

SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH US!

Shops and craf t: Dala Wat ts at dwat ts@media24.com.

Food: Louisa Holst at ideasmagazinefood@gmail.com.

D écor and fashion: Carin Smith at carin. smith@media24.com.

Here is this month’s line-up of what’s new on the block and on the shelf.

Boschendal’s Chardonnay-Pinot Noir is a fabulous choice for summer entertaining.

This dry blush wine is sophisticated and delicate and can be paired beautifully with a variety of foods – especially sushi, salads, seafood and fresh and fruity desserts.

• Available nationwide for about R100 a bottle.

Sweeten up

A luxurious box of chocolates always makes a good gift and Lindt has plenty to choose from, including the Lindor Gold Cube for R64,95 and the Swiss Luxury Selection for R134,95. You could also give someone you love the gift of a chocolate-making class under the guidance of the Lindt Master Chocolatiers.

• Book now at chocolatestudio.co.za to secure your space for classes in Cape Town and Johannesburg from 3-29 December.

Sagaform’s kitchen products make beautiful gifts that will look good on any table. The Scandinavian design is elegant and classic with elements of handblown glass, oak and stainless steel. The range includes a stainless-steel cheese set with oak handles, glass carafes with oak stoppers and a salt and pepper set. The items sell for between R250 and R400.

• Find them at selected homeware stores or online at vendange.co.za.

Prickly affair

This cute hedgehog-shaped toothpick holder from MoMA is now available at Pylones for R999,95. It will definitely be a talking point at your next cocktail party! It hangs conveniently on the edge of a bowl or rests on the table – perfect for canapés. The MoMA range of innovative, fun and functional gifts is produced by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. For more information, go to pylones.co.za.

It’s picnic season

Love Milo stocks these gorgeous 100% cotton canvas picnic blankets.

They have a waterproof backing and a water-resistant coating, making them easy to clean. They’re also easy to pack up and carry thanks to their handy leather straps. They cost R900. • Go to lovemilo.com to order yours online.

Melissa has launched new shoes for the sunny days ahead, combining classic styles with modern ones. The closed-toe Aranha Quadrada (R916) comes in a versatile colour palette, including see-through and metallic options. The Melissa Honey is a chic thong sandal, perfect for those hot summer days. The style with the small bow on the upper costs R945.

• Go to melissaza.co.za or find MelissaSouthAfrica on Facebook.

SHINE ON

Stylish and long-lasting, the new gold knobs add additional shine to your Le Creuset cast-iron casseroles.

The knob is ergonomically designed for better gripping and easy lifting – even when you’re wearing bulky oven gloves. The 57mm size, which costs R280 each, fits the 24-34cm round casserole lids, 27-40cm oval casserole lids and 30-32cm buffet casserole lids.

Elastoplast has new additions to its range of plaster packs: Disney’s Frozen, and a Star Wars selection. Protect your child’s cuts and scrapes from infection while brightening up their day.

• Available

from retail outlets and pharmacies nationwide at R24,99 per pack of 16 strips.

With the festive season fast approaching, it would be very convenient to have ice on demand for all your summer cocktail parties and entertaining. The new Hisense Ice Maker fridge is just what you need.

The side-by-side unit has an integrated water and ice dispenser, and will provide you with cold water, ice cubes or crushed ice as needed.

It scores an A+ in energy efficiency and the nano-fresh technology It retails at approximately R14 999 at homeware stores nationwide.

Président is one of the world’s leading cheese brands, and now the French cheese makers are sharing their passion and know-how as they pair with a local brand also rich in heritage and tradition. Simonsberg is becoming Président.

Local cheese lovers can rest assured that this is merely a name change and that the award-winning range of cheeses will still be manufactured in the Cape, using the same quality ingredients and age-old cheese-making processes – it’s the same great taste, just with a new name.

Robert Thomson recently introduced a collection of stylish kids’ rugs to their product range. The Lorena Canals rugs are soft to the touch and have three-dimensional patterns.

They are 100% cotton and can be washed in a conventional washing machine.

• Go to robertthomson.com for details.

14 IDEAS November 2016

V for coffee

Carien Momsen is a young interior designer with a passion for creating beautiful things; she is also the designer behind this ‘V’ coffee table.

Two material options are available: a high-gloss finish at R3 500 and a rustic oak top with high-gloss sides at R4 000.

• Available from purelineinterior. com or email carien@ purelineinterior.com.

FESTIVE AND FRAGRANT

Add a fruity or spicy aroma and a warm glow to your holiday table with Yankee Candle’s Party Collection.

The scents include Festive Cocktail, a burst of berries and fruit infusions, and Star Anise and Orange, a combination of spice and citrus. • Priced from R335, they’re available from Garden Shop, Broadacres and FloraFarm, Menlo Park and Parktown North, or gardenshop.co.za.

We just love this retro tape-recorder tin filled with milk chocolatecoated toffees (R149,95) and the wooden puzzle man (R69,95) from Woolworths, available at stores nationwide.

EUROLUX is known for its chic lighting fixtures and their latest collection of vintage EGLO indoor pendants does not disappoint. The retro and urban designs have a nostalgic yet stylish flair. • For more information, go to eurolux.co.za.

by TERENA LE ROUX st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O’RILEY

16 IDEAS November 2016

WHEN THE RABES OF SIMONDIUM’S COUNTRY LODGE NEED TO REST AFTER A YEAR OF WEDDINGS, MARKETS AND FARMING, THEY PUT THEIR FEET UP IN THIS HOUSE IN HERMANUS.

n the passage there’s a painting of The Little Red Hen Tea Room, painted in 1962 – 16 years before Frikkie and Wilna Rabe bought the property in Voëlklip.

This heritage is the origin of the red elements throughout the house . . . well, that and Wilna’s love of red. There are the red-painted wooden rafters, a red surfboard that came with the house, a red telephone, and the sign in the lounge that reads: ‘LIFE SAVING APPARATUS AT THE RED HEN TEA ROOM/REDDINGS TOESTEL BY RED HEN TEEKAMER’. The sign was previously down near the beach, but after the restaurant closed and was sold, and the life-saving equipment had to be relocated, a neighbour picked up the sign and brought it to the new owners. And with her fondness for everything old and with a story, Wilna was the perfect person to preserve the history of the house. The sign was lovingly restored and re-stencilled before finding its new home on the wall.

‘Hermanus was full of English people, many of whom came here from Britain for up to three months for a holiday and to breathe in the oxygen-rich air. The air was so healthy in the “Riviera of the South” that for many years there was a sanatorium here,’ says Wilna, showing us her book of the same title. And the British love drinking tea, so the Red Hen was a popular place with the visitors.

The large veranda with its expansive view over the sea is the family’s favourite place to get together during the summer months.

18 IDEAS November 2016

‘Frikkie (her late husband) and I were at Newlands for the rugby when someone told us the place was on the market,’ she says. ‘But when we arrived here on the Sunday, the sign said “to let”. However, Frikkie wasn’t deterred. He immediately found the nearest phone and we bought the property that same Sunday. Lots of other people were interested, but the place was too ugly for them and they weren’t keen on doing the work it needed,’ she laughs.

Because the house had to be an oasis for the whole family, they decided to enlarge it. The regular ceilings were lifted and high windows were put in, and the outside room became part of the main house. This room, which opens onto the veranda, is now Wilna’s bedroom. Later they built on another outside bedroom with its own bathroom and kitchen and last year an extra bathroom was added in the house.

‘When you come from the farm and walk in here, you immediately feel you are at the sea,’ says Wilna. ‘The house has a nautical style and the stone is typical of Hermanus.’ A papiermâché seagull sits on the wall in the lounge, so realistic that There are touches of red throughout the house – in the stripes on the kitchen shelf, the cloth on the dining-room table, and the couch and rafters in the lounge.

A delicious pot of seafood soup from neighbour Wade Naude is the perfect way to get a feel for the bliss to be found in this holiday home.

when her neighbour once glanced over at their locked-up holiday home from his patio, he was worried about the bird that had somehow found its way in and would mess in the house. ‘It looks just like the seagulls that were always at the old Burgundy.’

Wilna’s passion for vintage is nowhere more apparent than in the bedrooms with their swing doors, which save space, the old wooden beds and the beautiful floral basin in her bedroom. And in her clever upcycling of an old rubbish bin that now does duty as a laundry basket.

She laughs when she talks about the stairs in the outside flatlet that are made from old scaffolding. A friend apparently wanted to know when the correct stairs would be installed, but everyone who knows Wilna knew – these are the correct stairs.

20 IDEAS November 2016

The love for vintage is apparent in the bedrooms where the wooden swing doors create atmosphere and save room.

From her bed with its beautiful French headboard, large glass doors onto the veranda allow Wilna to look out over the sea – scarcely 50 metres from the house. The main bedroom’s en suite bathroom clearly reflects Wilna’s taste for attractive vintage pieces.

Wilna repurposed a piece of old driftwood for the towel hooks in the new bathroom.

The old sign on the mantel was lovingly restored and re-stencilled before finding its new place in what used to be The Little Red Hen Tea Room.

22 IDEAS November 2016

The outside flatlet with its light wooden shutters and lovely old stairs leads off the courtyard where the family enjoys eating during their holidays.

If you’re in the Cape between Wednesday 2 November and Sunday 6 November, make sure you visit Wilna and her daughter Hanneke Klue’s Festive Ideas Christmas Market at Simondium’s Country Lodge on the R45 between Franschhoek and Paarl.

November 2016 IDEAS 25

Everyone loves a home-made gift from the kitchen. Choose from our selection of easy, medium and more difficult recipes.

by LOUISA HOLST st yling and packaging HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O’RILEY

♥ 250g butter ♥ 250g pitted dates, chopped ♥ 250g dried fruitcake mix ♥ 1 large egg ♥ 125ml sugar ♥ 1 packet Tennis biscuits, crushed ♥ desiccated coconut, for rolling 26 IDEAS November 2016

1 Melt the butter and pour it over the dates and fruit mix.

2 Beat the egg and sugar together and stir into the fruit mixture.

3 Add the crushed biscuits and mix well.

4 Roll the mixture into small balls. Roll each one in coconut. Place the balls into small paper cups. Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Pack the fruit and date balls in a round box. Decorate the lid with scrapbooking paper and tie a matching ribbon in a bow around the box.

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus drying out time Baking time: 1 hour Oven temperature: 180OC ♥ 1,5kg self-raising flour ♥ 10ml cream of tartar ♥ 15ml ground cinnamon ♥ 5ml ground cardamom ♥ 500g butter ♥ 350g sugar ♥ 500ml buttermilk ♥ 500g dried fruitcake mix 1 Sift the flour, 3ml salt, cream of tartar and the spices together and set aside.

2 Heat the butter and sugar in a saucepan until melted. Remove from the heat.

3 Add the butter mixture, buttermilk and fruit mix to the dry ingredients. Mix well.

4 Spoon into 2 greased and lined loaf tins.

Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5 Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

6 Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the loaves into thick slices. Cut each slice into three to form rusk shapes.

7 Place the rusks on a wire rack over a baking tray and leave to dry out overnight in a cool oven (50OC) or in the warming drawer. Once they are

properly dried out, cool completely.

Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Pack the rusks into a tin lined with wax paper. Decorate the inside of the lid with pretty paper and tie a matching ribbon in a bow around the tin.

November 2016 IDEAS 27

♥ 500g (650ml) dried fruitcake mix ♥ 215g (255ml) sugar ♥ 7,5ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 165g (180ml) butter ♥ 3 large eggs ♥ 385g (700ml) cake flour ♥ 7,5ml baking powder ♥ 10ml ground mixed spice ♥ 100g walnuts, roughly chopped ♥ 75ml brandy ♥ icing sugar, for dusting DECORATIONS ♥ 100g white fondant icing ♥ edible gold powder ♥ vodka or other spirit ♥ gold sugar-craft wire ♥ wide gold ribbon

1

Grease and line two 15cm cake tins. Put the fruitcake mix, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, butter and 250ml water into a large saucepan.

Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over a medium to low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

4

Roll out the fondant on a clean surface dusted with icing sugar.

Use cookie cutters in the shape of snowmen, stars and snowflakes to press out shapes.

28 IDEAS November 2016

2

Beat the eggs lightly and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and 2ml salt together. Stir the eggs, dry ingredients and nuts into the fruit mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins. Cover loosely with foil and bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5

Set the fondant shapes aside to dry for a while. Push a piece of craft wire into the base of each shape.

3

Remove the cakes from the oven and pour the brandy over the top.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

6

Mix a little edible gold powder with a drop of vodka and paint some of the shapes with it. Allow to dry completely. Dust the cake with icing sugar, stick the fondant shapes into the top and tie a ribbon around it.

Makes: 2 x 15cm cakes Preparation time: 1 hour 15 minutes Baking time: about 1 hour o Oven temperature: 160 C

FRUITCAKE WITH FONDANT DECORATIONS

November 2016 IDEAS 29

o

Makes: about 40 Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 12 minutes Oven temperature: 180 C

♥ 310g (565ml) cake flour ♥ 2ml bicarbonate of soda ♥ 50g (120ml) rolled oats ♥ 100ml Milo powder ♥ 250g (270ml) soft butter ♥ 160g (190ml) white sugar ♥ 165g (190ml) brown sugar ♥ 5ml vanilla extract ♥ 2 large eggs ♥ 200g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate 1 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and 5ml salt together. Mix in the oats and Milo and set aside.

2 Beat the butter and white and brown sugar together until light. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat well.

3 Add the flour mixture and chocolate and stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into small balls and place on greased and lined baking trays. Press each ball down to flatten slightly. Leave space between them for spreading.

4 Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden but still soft in the centre. Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

VARIATION To make choc-nut biscuits, leave out the Milo and add 100g chopped pecan nuts.

30 IDEAS November 2016

PACKAGE IT Copy the biscuit box template on page 42 in the desired size onto cardboard and cut it out. Decorate the front of the box with our ‘Home-made biscuits’ stamp on page 42, and cut or punch a circle just below the dotted line to make a window in the box. Fold the box into its shape and stick down the flap on the side with double-sided adhesive tape.

Pack the biscuits in a cellophane packet in the box. Punch a small hole through the top, thread a piece of string through it and tie it in a bow to close the box.

Makes: about 70 small rectangles Preparation time: 45 minutes Baking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 180oC BASE ♥ 250g (270ml) soft butter ♥ 200g (230ml) castor sugar ♥ 320g (590ml) cake flour ♥ 50g (85ml) cornflour FILLING ♥ 2 x 375g cans condensed milk ♥ 120g (130ml) butter ♥ 60ml golden syrup ♥ 400ml pretzels ♥ 250ml toasted salted peanuts

1 BASE Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Fold in the flour and cornflour. Press the mixture into the base of a greased and lined 28 x 40cm tin.

2 Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until light golden and cooked through.

3 TOPPING Combine the condensed milk, butter and syrup in a saucepan.

Stir over a medium heat until the mixture becomes a golden brown colour. Test to see if it is done by dropping a blob of the mixture into a small bowl of cold water. If the mixture forms a firm ball, it is done.

4 Remove from the heat and spread the toffee over the prepared base.

Sprinkle the pretzels and nuts over the toffee and press in gently. Set aside to cool completely. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut it into rectangles.

Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Place the peanut and pretzel bars into cellophane packets to package.

♥ templates on page 42 ♥ acetate, craft knife and cutting mat BISCUITS ♥ 4 large egg whites ♥ 220g (250ml) castor sugar ♥ 135g (250ml) cake flour ♥ 75ml melted butter, cooled ♥ 15ml cream ♥ 3ml vanilla extract

Makes: about 40 Preparation time: about 1½ hours Baking time: about 5 minutes per batch Oven temperature: 200oC

1

Use a craft knife and the templates on page 42 to cut leaf, flower and bird shapes from a piece of acetate.

2

Beat the egg whites and sugar together until frothy. Add the flour, butter, cream and vanilla and beat on low until just combined and smooth.

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Lift up the acetate sheet carefully.

Bake for 5 minutes or until just turning brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and work quickly. Use a palette knife to lift the biscuits off the tray and lay each one carefully over a rolling pin before they harden.

Press the flower shape into an egg cup to shape the flower.

Once they are hard, remove the biscuits from the rolling pin and egg cup and cool completely on a wire rack. Wash the acetate and repeat with another batch of biscuits. Repeat to use up the remaining batter. Store in an airtight container until ready to package. Serve the biscuits as a beautiful addition to a tea table or use them to decorate ice cream or a special dessert.

32 IDEAS November 2016

3

Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone sheet and place the acetate stencil on it. Spread a little of the batter over the cut-out shapes and smooth to form a thin, even layer.

6

PACKAGE IT Pack the biscuits into a decorated cigar box. Copy the illustration on page 45 in the desired size onto light-coloured cardboard. Cut out the illustration in the correct size and glue it to the inside of the cigar box lid with craft glue. Line the box with wax paper before packing the biscuits into it. Tie a ribbon around the box.

Makes: 4-6 small jars Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 3 minutes ♥ 120ml olive oil ♥ 120ml sherry vinegar ♥ 8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced ♥ 3-6 fresh jalapeño chillies, sliced in half lengthways ♥ 2-5ml dried crushed chillies ♥ 350g green olives in brine, drained ♥ 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 Heat the olive oil and vinegar together in a saucepan. Once the mixture is hot, remove it from the heat.

2 Add the garlic, jalapeño chillies and dried chillies to the mixture and set aside to cool slightly.

3 Put the olives and thyme sprigs into a bowl. Pour the oil mixture over them and stir to coat well. Cool completely then spoon into sterilised jars. Top up each one with a little water so the olives are covered. Seal the jars and refrigerate for at least a week before eating.

PACKAGE IT Copy the olive label on page 42 in the desired size onto light-coloured cardboard and cut it out. Punch a hole in the top of the label, thread a piece of string through it and tie it around the jar.

34 IDEAS November 2016

Makes: 2 medium to large jars Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes ♥ 3 pineapples ♥ 600ml white wine vinegar ♥ 400g sugar ♥ 10ml coriander seeds ♥ 6 star anise ♥ 10ml black peppercorns ♥ 10 cardamom pods ♥ 5cm fresh ginger, grated 1 Peel the pineapples and cut them into wedges lengthways. Set aside.

2 Heat the vinegar and sugar together.

Add 125ml water along with the spices and fresh ginger.

3 Stir until the sugar has dissolved then simmer for 5 minutes.

4 Add the pineapple pieces and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pineapple from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and reserve.

5 Continue to simmer the liquid in the saucepan, uncovered, for a further 5 minutes.

6 Pack the pineapple pieces into sterilised jars. Pour the hot liquid over them and seal closed. Store for at least a week before eating. Refrigerate once opened.

Enjoy with gammon or other smoked

pork or chicken dishes, or enjoy as an accompaniment with Indian curries.

PACKAGE IT Copy the pineapple labels on page 45 in the desired size onto cardboard and cut out. Punch a hole in the top of the label, thread string through it and tie it around the jar. Decorate the lid with a circle that you have punched or cut from matching paper. Place the circle on the lid and secure it in place with the lid ring.

November 2016 IDEAS 35

Makes: about 4 small jars Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: about 55 minutes ♥ 1,3kg fresh nectarines (slightly underripe) ♥ 375ml sugar ♥ 40g fresh ginger ♥ freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons

1

Cut a cross at the bottom of each nectarine. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for a minute or two until the skins begin to loosen at the cut. Drain well and cover with cold water. Peel off the skins.

4

Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached gelling point. To test, put a small plate into the freezer. Spoon some of the jam onto the cold plate.

Leave for a few minutes and then push it with your finger to see if it has formed a skin. Alternatively, use a sugar thermometer and once the jam reaches 220oC it should be ready.

36 IDEAS November 2016

2

Cut the flesh away from the pips then cut it into cubes. Place the cubes in a large saucepan. Add the sugar, ginger and lemon juice and bring to the boil.

5

Remove from the heat and spoon into sterilised jars. Close the jars loosely with the lids.

3

Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer steadily for about 45 minutes, stirring every now and again. Use a large flat spoon to remove any scum that floats to the surface.

6

Put the jars into a water bath or on a rack in a large saucepan. Pour water into the saucepan so the water is up the sides of the jars by 2,5cm. Cover and bring to the boil. Boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove the jars carefully and close the lids tightly. Set aside to cool completely. Store in a cool place and refrigerate once opened.

PACKAGE IT Copy the jam label on page 45 in the desired size onto light-coloured cardboard and cut it out. Place the label on the lid of the jar and secure it in place with the lid ring.

November 2016 IDEAS 37

Makes: 4 rectangular slabs Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus chilling time Cooking time: about 5 minutes

♥ 3 x 80g slabs milk or white chocolate, broken into pieces ♥ 1/2 x 385g can of condensed milk ♥ 15ml butter ♥ 50g (95ml) icing sugar, sifted ♥ topping of your choice (puffed rice, chopped nuts, malted-milk balls, chopped cream caramel toffees, and so on) 1 Combine the chocolate pieces and condensed milk in a glass bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of very gently simmering water.

2 Once the chocolate begins to melt, stir until smooth. Stir in the butter.

3 Remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar. Pour the fudge mixture into a greased and lined square 20cm baking tin and spread it out.

4 Sprinkle with the toppings of your choice.

Set aside to cool then refrigerate until firm.

5 Use a ruler and sharp knife to cut the fudge into rectangles. Put the fudge pieces into cellophane packets and store them in a cool place until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Copy the rose envelope template on page 42 in the desired size onto pastel paper.

Use your craft knife, cutting mat and metal ruler to cut out the envelope. Also carefully cut out the window on the front of the envelope. Use double-sided adhesive tape to stick a piece of acetate onto the inside of the window opening. Fold the envelope neatly. Wrap the chocolate fudge in cellophane, place it in the envelope and glue the envelope closed.

38 IDEAS November 2016

Makes: about 30 Preparation time: 45 minutes Baking time: 15-20 minutes Oven temperature: 160oC ♥ 3 large egg whites ♥ 300g (960ml) desiccated coconut ♥ 385g can condensed milk ♥ 5ml vanilla extract ♥ 2 x 80g slabs of white chocolate, broken into pieces ♥ 25ml glacé cherries, chopped ♥ pink powered food colouring 1 Beat the egg whites until stiff. Mix the coconut, condensed milk and vanilla extract together. Fold the mixture into the egg whites.

2 Mix gently until well combined. Roll the mixture into small balls and place them onto greased and lined baking trays.

3 Press each ball down lightly. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until light golden.

4 Remove from the oven. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pans and leave to cool completely on wire racks.

5 Put the chocolate into a glass bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Once the chocolate has started to melt, stir until smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped cherries and food colouring.

6 Spread a little of the chocolate

mixture over the bottom of a coconut round. Sandwich it together with another coconut round. Place on the wire rack to set. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container until ready to package.

PACKAGE IT Buy a flat cardboard box with a fold-open lid to pack the coconut-ice sandwiches into. Decorate the box by copying the lid template on page 45 in the desired size onto light-coloured paper. Cut it out in the correct size and use spray glue to glue it onto the inside of the lid. Line the inside of the box with wax paper and add the sweets. Tie a ribbon around the gift.

Makes: about 40 pieces Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 8 minutes ♥ 4 sheets of rice paper (available at baking shops) ♥ 550g (650ml) sugar ♥ 350g liquid glucose ♥ 110g honey ♥ 2 large egg whites ♥ 400g nuts of your choice or use half nuts and half dried cranberries ♥ 5ml grated lemon zest ♥ 5ml vanilla extract

1

Line the base of a 30 x 22cm tin with rice paper. Set it aside.

NOTE This nougat is best eaten 2-3 weeks after making.

4

While you are beating the mixture, warm the nuts in the microwave so they are hot. Stir them into the nougat mixture along with the zest and vanilla and stir. Work quickly as the mixture will set fast.

40 IDEAS November 2016

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Heat the sugar, glucose and honey in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then stop stirring and leave to simmer for about 7 minutes or until the temperature reaches 130oC on a sugar thermometer. Alternatively, you can drop a little of the mixture into a bowl of cold water. It should form a hard ball.

When the syrup is almost ready, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Remove the syrup from the heat and add it to the egg whites in a thin, steady stream while beating. Once all the syrup has been added, beat the mixture for a further 2-3 minutes until thick.

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Spoon the nougat mixture into the prepared and lined tin. Spread it out evenly. Cover it with rice paper then cover the rice paper with something flat like a chopping board.

Place a book or tin on top to press the nougat down. Leave overnight. Use a ruler and sharp serrated knife to cut it into squares or rectangles. Store in an airtight container until ready to package. Pack in cellophane packets.

November 2016 IDEAS 41

Copy the templates on this page and on page 45 in the desired size. Our templates are also available to order as part of our monthly printable paper parcels.

Turn to page 105 for the details.

42 IDEAS November 2016

Credit: Getty Images

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November 2016 IDEAS 45

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH HULETTS

by TANI KIRSTEN photos ED O’RILEY

November 2016 IDEAS 47

YOU WILL NEED ♥ biscuit and royal icing recipes on facing page ♥ ice-cream cookie cutter ♥ sharp knife ♥ gel food colouring (we used brown and pink) ♥ piping bags ♥ nr 1 icing nozzles ♥ couplers (optional) ♥ rainbow sprinkles ♥ wire cooling racks ♥ ramekins

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Follow the recipe on the facing page to make the biscuit dough.

Roll it out to a thickness of 3mm and use the ice-cream cookie cutter to cut ice-cream shapes. Use a knife to cut out the ‘puddles’.

Cut off the tops of the ice creams.

Cut some straight and others at an angle. Follow the recipes on the facing page to bake the biscuits and to make the royal icing.

Keep aside a little white icing. Divide the remainder in three and colour as you prefer. Thin the coloured icing with a little water so it floods easily.

Spoon the brown icing into a piping bag and pipe a border on the cone section. Fill inside the border and allow the icing to flood the biscuit.

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Spoon the pink icing into a piping bag and pipe a border for the icecream section on half the biscuits.

Fill every other centre section and add some sprinkles. Leave to dry for 20 minutes. Repeat with white icing on the remaining biscuits.

Fill in the remaining ice-cream sections and add sprinkles. Mix some of the reserved thick white icing with brown icing to make a slightly lighter, thicker brown icing. Use this icing to pipe a criss-cross pattern on the cones. Leave the biscuits to dry for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Pipe a border around the edges of the puddle biscuits, flood inside the border and add a few sprinkles.

Stick an ice-cream biscuit into the wet icing. Use wire cooling racks on ramekins to support the biscuits.

Leave to dry overnight.

48 IDEAS November 2016

Bake and decorate these ‘melting cones’ with Huletts sugars.

ICED COCONUT BISCUITS Makes: 15-20 Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 10-12 minutes Oven temperature: 170oC ♥ 250g butter, at room temperature ♥ 250ml Huletts Castor Sugar ♥ 1 large egg ♥ 5ml vanilla essence ♥ 5ml coconut essence ♥ 10ml cornflour ♥ 750ml cake flour ROYAL ICING ♥ 1 large egg white ♥ 500ml Huletts Icing Sugar, sifted ♥ 3ml lemon juice

1 Beat the butter and castor sugar together until creamy. Add the egg, vanilla essence and coconut essence and beat until just combined.

2 Mix the flour and cornflour together and add to the creamed mixture. Mix the ingredients together until a soft dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3 Place the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or baking paper and roll out to a thickness of 3mm. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap or baking paper and cut the dough into shapes. Place the biscuits on

a lightly greased baking tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until just starting to brown around the edges.

Leave to cool on the baking tray. Follow the instructions on page alongside to decorate the biscuits.

ROYAL ICING Lightly whisk the egg white until foamy. Add about half the icing sugar and the lemon juice and beat well.

Add just enough of the remaining icing sugar to form a thick, white icing. The icing must not run. If you drag a knife through the centre of the bowl, the icing should settle back after 10 seconds.

November 2016 IDEAS 49

by KEVIN SWARTS st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

side and press the side seams. Hem the lower section of both side seams of the back of the slipcover.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ white fabric ♥ embroidered traycloths ♥ matching sewing thread TO MAKE NOTE All seam and hem allowances are 1,5cm.

1 Measure the chair from the seat over the top of the backrest and down to the desired length of the slipcover. Add 3cm to this measurement for hem allowances.

Measure around the backrest and divide this measurement by two to calculate the width of the slipcover. Add 4cm to this measurement for 1cm ease and seam allowances. Use these measurements to cut a one-piece panel for each slipcover.

2 Overlock the top and bottom hems and sew a 1,5cm-wide hem at each end.

Measure the height at the front of the backrest, plus half the depth at the top edge. Fold one end of the slipcover panel over to the length measured, wrong sides together, and iron a crease to mark the position. Place a traycloth in the centre of the longer section and pin in position. Set the sewing machine to a 3mm wide x 2mm long zigzag stitch and sew around the edges of the traycloth.

3 Fold the front section of the slipcover onto the back section along the crease mark, right sides together, and sew the side seams. Overlock the seam allowances all the way down to the hem, without trimming off any of the width.

Turn the slipcover through to the right

50 IDEAS November 2016

YOU WILL NEED ♥ white fabric ♥ matching sewing thread ♥ paper and pencil ♥ sewing machine ruffler attachment TO MAKE NOTE All seam allowances are 1,5cm except where specified.

1 To cut the short front panel, measure the width between the posts of the backrest and add 4cm for side hem allowances. Measure the length from the top edge of the backrest to just above the seat. Add to this the depth measurement of the top edge of the backrest, and an additional 3cm for the bottom hem and top seam allowance.

The back panel is cut the same width as the front. The length is measured from the top edge of the backrest to the floor, minus 17cm. Cut two strips for the frills, one 15cm deep and the second 23cm deep. Both are cut one-and-a-half times the width of the back panel. Finally, cut eight 40 x 3cm strips for the ties.

2 Place the chair flat and trace the curved top edge of the backrest onto a sheet of paper. Add a 1,5cm seam allowance and cut out the paper template. Use the template to cut the top edges of the front and back panels into the curved

shape. Pin and sew the top edge of the two panels, right sides together. At inward angled corners, make a cut into the seam allowance up to 2mm from the seam line. Overlock the seam allowances to a width of 8mm, opening up the cuts made at the inward corners. Press the seam allowance towards the front panel.

3 Overlock and hem the bottom edges of the two frill strips and the front panel with a 1,5cm wide hem. Place the narrower frill strip on top of the wider strip and tack the top edges together.

Place the ruffler attachment on the sewing machine and set it to sew 8mm deep pleats every six stitches. Set the machine stitch length to 4mm. Starting 4cm in from the left edge, sew the pleats along the seam line of the top edge of the two layers. Pin the pleated frill to the bottom edge of the back panel. Release the pleats from the frill in the last 4cm on the right-hand edge of the back panel.

Sew the frill in position. Overlock the seam allowance and press towards the back panel. Sew the seam allowance in position with top stitching.

4 Overlock the side hems, including the frill. Press and sew a 2cm wide hem on both sides. To sew the ties, press the long edges of each strip to meet in the centre. Fold each strip over a second time to cover the raw edges and sew top stitching 2mm in from the open edge.

5 Place the slipcover over the backrest, positioning the shaped seam along the rear of the top edge. Mark the positions of the ties with pins and sew these onto the wrong side of each panel.

SIMPLE SLIPCOVER

November 2016 IDEAS 51

SLIPCOVER WITH SHAPED TOP EDGE

YOU WILL NEED ♥ paper ♥ ruler, square, pencil and scissors ♥ white fabric ♥ natural linen ♥ matching sewing thread NOTE All seam and hem allowances are 1,5cm.

TO MAKE 1 The slipcover consists of six panels: a back panel, seat panel, front backrest panel and three skirt panels.

Measure your chair and draft a paper pattern for each of these panels, keeping the following in mind: when drafting the seat pattern, it might be necessary to add darts or gathers at the front corners to shape the panel to fit over the roundness of a highly padded seat.

2 For the front backrest pattern, measure the front area of the backrest and draft the shape on paper. Next, measure the depth of the backrest and draft these sections along the side and top edges of the front backrest pattern. This will give you boxed corners at the top of the backrest.

3 The skirt is drafted in three separate sections: one front and two side panels. For the pleats at the front corners of the skirt, add 8cm to the width of the two side skirt panels and 16cm to the width of the front skirt panel for the 4cm deep pleats.

4 For the panels of contrasting fabric along the bottom edge of the slipcover, remove 15cm from the length of the lower edges of the patterns for the back and three skirt panels. Draft separate patterns for the contrasting panels. These should be the same width as the panel to which it will be joined, and 15cm long.

5 Finally, add seam and hem allowances to all your paper patterns. It is also a good idea to first test the pattern with inexpensive fabric to check the fit and make any necessary adjustments.

6 Start by sewing the contrasting strip panels to the lower edges of the skirt and back panels. Join the three skirt panels and tack the 4cm-deep pleats in position. Sew the darts or gathers at the front corners of the seat panel, as well as the boxed corners at the top edge of the front backrest panel.

Now sew the bottom edge of the backrest panel to the seat panel. Sew the skirt to the side and front edges of the seat panel and complete the slipcover by sewing the back panel to the side skirt and backrest panels.

Overlock and hem the bottom edge.

7 Finally, press the pleats at the corners.

SLIPCOVER WITH PANELS

November 2016 IDEAS 53

Spritz this natural spray anywhere that needs a bit of freshening – bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, wardrobes . . .

(Instructions on page 56.)

TIP Shake the bottle well before using the room spray, as the oil separates from the water.

54 IDEAS November 2016

by CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

TIP Store your oil in a dark bottle in a cool dark place as sunlight can break down the oils over time.

Add one or more fragrances to a nourishing oil to make a luxurious treat. (Instructions on page 56.)

November 2016 IDEAS 55

TO MAKE

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YOU WILL NEED

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56 IDEAS November 2016

Make your own aromatic bath bombs and wrap them to look like a box of Turkish delight.

by ELSA KRÜGER st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

Spoil yourself or a woman dear to you – your sister, mother, daughter or best friend – with a luxurious skincare gift.

he beauty of very special skincare products is that they’re luxuries you wouldn’t necessarily buy yourself. And the most wonderful thing about giving the gift of premium skincare is that the pleasure – and the visible effects – often last long after the gift has been given and received.

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La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Lotion (R3 340) This new moisturiser uses micro technology to transform and heal the skin. It contains microcapsules that drive La Mer’s famous Miracle Broth concentrate deep into the skin to address dryness and rejuvenate the natural energy reserves.

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Optiphi Rejuvenating Revitalizer (R1 740) This forms the backbone of the Optiphi range and contains a potent concentration of active ingredients

that include retinol, coenzyme Q10 and ceramide to reverse the effects of ageing and contain the impact of environmental factors on the skin.

It slows cellular ageing and restores youthfulness while also addressing the main effects of ageing.

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Dr. Hauschka Regenerating Skin Care Kit (R692) The simple way to decide how best to care for mature skin. These practical trial sizes are also ideal for travel and give you a chance to sample the entire Regenerating range.

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Chanel Hydra Beauty Lotion Very Moist (R855) A new type of toner aimed at intense moisturisation to reinforce

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58 IDEAS November 2016

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the skin’s barrier function. It contains a magnetic water complex and ginger extract to penetrate the epidermis and release the active ingredients. It ensures that the skin feels hydrated and protected, and leaves it looking radiant.

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Filorga Skin-Absolute Ultimate Anti-Ageing Night Cream (R1 970) This powerful night cream uses nothing less than meteor extract to detox and repair the skin while you sleep. It activates the genetic ‘internal clock’, which becomes sluggish over time, losing its ability to distinguish between day and night.

It stimulates the nocturnal repair and anti-ageing functions of the skin.

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Theravine UltraVine Advance ROS Night Cream (R664) This is a futuristic formulation with sophisticated ingredients. It treats the causes and reverses the signs of ageing. It controls biochemical triggers that cause the skin to age, lightens fine lines and wrinkles, and improves skin tone while also moisturising and nourishing.

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Nuxe Nuxuriance Ultra Replenishing Night Cream Global Anti-Aging (R595) This rich cream contains extracts of saffron, prickly pear and bougainvillea that renew and plump up the skin. Most importantly, however, it reshapes the face – restoring its oval shape by reconstituting its youthful contours. The face looks younger, skin volume is improved and features appear refreshed and relaxed.

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BioNike Defence Elixage Satin R3 Regenerating Cream (R645) The new Elixage range is based on three Rs: repair, redensify and renew.

This Italian skincare range is aimed at women over the age of 40. It contains no preservatives, perfume, nickel or gluten and has extracts of algae from alpine snow that increase cell longevity.

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Jeunesse Luminesce Daily Moisturising Complex (R1 025,32) The Luminesce range is quietly working its way to becoming a giant success story. It is based on a patented formula that stimulates the skin to heal itself naturally and regenerate by producing more collagen and elastin.

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NeoStrata Intensive Eye Therapy (R1 007) This is an intensive moisturising and anti-ageing cream in the Skin Active range. It targets crow’s feet, puffiness and sun damage.

It contains apple stem cell extract to extend cellular lifespan.

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Label.m Diamond Dust Body Lotion (R295) Diamond and pearl dust mixed with champagne and rose oil – what better pampering could there possibly be for your body?

These are all ingredients contained in this luxurious body lotion that will leave your skin with the most wonderful, radiant shimmer.

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MD Lash Factor Eyelash Conditioner (R1 092) This is one of the best eyelash conditioners available in South Africa today. It really works and contains powerful peptides that stimulate growth.

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Gatineau Age Benefit Integral Regenerating Eye Cream (R1 195) This eye cream with caviar complex is rich in minerals, amino acids, vitamins and peptides that immediately leave the skin around the eye area feeling smoother and fresher, and looking younger. It reduces puffiness and dark rings, delivering a youthful glow. Cottonseed peptides and marine extracts work together to soften fine lines and plump up the skin, reducing inflammation and making it feel more comfortable.

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La-tweez Pro Illuminating Tweezers (R285) These handy tweezers have a bright little light that illuminates even the most stubborn hairs. It is especially helpful if your eyesight isn’t great!

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Placecol Illuminé Power Firm Serum (R580) This serum contains alpine rose extract and niacinamide (also known as nicotinamide, a water-soluble vitamin in the B group). It targets the characteristics of ageing skin, including structural loss and sagging.

It provides essential minerals to boost collagen production.

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Comfort Zone Sublime Skin Serum (R1 320) This cream serum contains micro- and macro-hyaluronic acids and peony and ribwort plantain. The exclusive ARCHI-LIFT technology acts on the architecture of the skin. The result is plumper skin that appears fresher, more compact and luminous – with more defined contours.

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Sisley Intensive Serum with Tropical Resins – Combination and Oily Skin (R1 910) This serum forms part of the new Sisley Tropical Resins range that has been specifically formulated to control unsightly oil and give the skin a chance to look flawless.

It rebalances it to regulate overproduction of sebum, clear clogged pores and soften and lighten imperfections. Its active ingredients include myrrh, bamboo powder, burdock and meadowsweet.

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Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 Supreme Youth Power Serum Accelerated Renewal (R560) This new version of LiftActiv Serum 10 contains rhamnose, a naturally occurring sugar that stimulates fibroblasts to produce more collagen and elastin. It also contains fragmented hyaluronic acid with molecules 16 times smaller that penetrate deep into the skin, plumping it up. Vichy mineral water, on which the range is based, contains 15 minerals that help protect the skin against environmental factors. It tackles 10 signs of chronological ageing and promises visible results within 10 days.

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Dr.Dermal MicroRetinol 5 Rich Repair (R895) Specially formulated slow-release retinol delivers the full benefit of this active ingredient’s anti-ageing properties – without the risk of irritating the skin. It refines, corrects and revitalises the skin. It also enhances elasticity through the use of advanced peptide technology.

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60 IDEAS November 2016

RVB Skin Lab Diego Dalla Palma Youth Venom Serum (R1 150) One of the most formidable types of venom in the world, µ-Conotoxin III, is produced by the Conus marine cone snail. When reproduced in a laboratory where its paralysing properties can be neutralised, it has shown an extraordinary ability to relax the skin, making it look instantly smoother thanks to its rapid absorption. This serum is a potent weapon against ageing because it minimises the appearance of deep wrinkles and fine lines. It combats the micro contractions of the skin that lead to the formation of expression lines, reducing the volume and severity of even the deepest wrinkles.

1

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Overnight Firming Mask (R685) Another overnight mask but this one not only nourishes and revitalises the skin, but also combats ageing and sagging.

The ceramide strengthens the skin barrier function and plumps up fine lines. It’s a real winner in our view.

2

Clarins Extra-Firming Mask (R750) This mask revives skin that feels (and looks) stressed. It smooths stress lines and wrinkles, firms and restores radiance for younger

looking skin in just 10 minutes.

Use the Clarins Pressure Point Application Method for best results.

3

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm (R795) Cleansing balm is another relatively new addition to the international beauty market. It cleanses the skin gently but thoroughly and leaves it feeling refreshed and pampered.

This balm removes every last microgram of make-up – it ‘melts’ into the skin and turns into an oil that becomes a milky emulsion when rinsed with water. Ideal for skin that tends to be dry.

4

L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Radiance Cream Mask (R249,95) Overnight masks that nourish, repair and illuminate the skin – so you wake up with a radiant, glowing complexion – are a major trend. This mask contains essential oils and royal jelly for velvety smooth skin.

5

SkinPhD PauseAge Perfecting Mask (R350) A stimulating mask that helps with moisturisation, anti-ageing, firming and tightening. It contains seaweed extract that performs the tightening function and also gives the skin a lift. Use twice a week and rinse after 20 minutes.

1

2 3

4 5

November 2016 IDEAS 61

’ YOU WILL NEED

ff

ffi TO MAKE 1 ff 2

3

4

’ 62 IDEAS November 2016

right side, iron and put aside for now.

5 Cut the snout piece from contrasting fabric as well as a 3cm-wide strip to fit around the outer edge of the snout, plus 1cm. Stitch the ends of the strip together and iron the seam flat. Pin the snout to the strip with the right sides facing and stitch all around.

Turn through to the right side. Using embroidery thread in a contrasting colour, sew two straight lines onto the snout to form the nostrils.

6 Fold the strip in half to the inside and pin to the body. Start sewing the snout down by hand, and when you have done about three-quarters of the seam, stuff the snout. Sew further, stuff again and repeat until the snout is sufficiently stuffed. Sew it down completely.

7 Fold the edges of the opening to the inside with a narrow seam allowance and pin down. With the wrong side of the lining still on the outside, fold over the edge to the outside with a narrow seam allowance. Place the lining into the body – the wrong sides will now be facing. Pin together the two pieces along the open edge and sew down by hand. Sew the clasp to the bag. Be patient, work carefully and make sure the clasp is straight.

8 Fold the open edge of the ears with a narrow seam allowance to the inside and form a pleat in the centre. Pin the ears to the bag and sew down. Sew on the eyes to complete the bag.

An old tapestry is just the thing for making a unique bag that will be the centre of attention.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ paper, pencil and ruler ♥ 25 x 32cm piece of tapestry ♥ 32cm lining fabric ♥ matching sewing thread ♥ clutch-bag clasp (about 12-15cm)

TO MAKE 1 Draft a pattern for the bag in the following way: trace the outer edge of the clasp onto a piece of paper and mark the hinge points with a short line drawn across the ends of the curved line. Measure 7cm down (or more for a deeper bag) from the two lower points of the curved line and draw a horizontal line. This line will be the lower edge of the bag. Extend the line by 1,5cm on both sides, and then join the end points with curved lines to the upper curve to complete the outline of the bag. Add a 1,5cm seam allowance to the curved outer seam, but not the lower line, as this is to be placed on a fold.

2 Use the paper pattern to cut the tapestry and the inner lining fabric. Fold each panel over, right sides together, and sew the side seams up to the hinge points marked on the pattern. At each

corner of the bag and lining, open up the seams and fold the fabric to position the seam line down the centre of the corner.

Sew across the corner, perpendicular to the side seam and 1,5cm in from the point, to form boxed corners. Trim away some of the excess seam allowance inside the boxed corners. Turn the bag through to the right side.

3 Fold the seam allowance along the opening of the bag and lining to the inside and tack in position. Place the lining inside the bag, wrong sides together, and tack the top edges of the opening together. Finally, sew the bag and lining to the clasp by hand with back stitch and a double length of thread in the needle. This is done by pushing the needle through the holes in the clasp at an angle, catching the top folds of the bag and lining and drawing the fabric into the groove of the clasp.

November 2016 IDEAS 63

TO CROCHET THE MOTIF Work 4 ch, sl st into 1st ch to form a ring.

1st rnd: 4 ch, (1 tr, 1 ch) 11 times into ring, sl st into 3rd of 4 ch at beg.

2nd rnd: 3 ch, 3 tr-popcorn st into same st, 3 ch, (4 tr-popcorn st into next tr, 3 ch) 11 times, ending with 1 ch, 1 htr into top of 3 ch at beg, in place of last 3 ch.

3rd rnd: 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, (5 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch-loop) 11 times, 2 ch, 1 tr into beg-dc.

4th rnd: 8 ch, (1 tr into next 5 ch-loop, 5 ch) 11 times, sl st into 3rd of 8 ch at beg.

5th rnd: 3 ch, 3 tr-popcorn st into same st, 3 ch, 1 dc into next 5 ch-loop (part of 8 ch-loop of 4th rnd), (3 ch, 4 tr-popcorn st into next tr, 3 ch, 1 dc into next 5 ch-loop) 11 times, 1 ch, 1 htr into top of 3 ch at beg.

6th rnd: 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, 5 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch-loop, (5 ch, 1 dc into next 3 ch-loop) 22 times, 2 ch, 1 tr into beg-dc.

7th rnd: 1 ch, 1 dc into same st, (5 ch, 1 dc into next 5 ch-loop) 24 times, sl st into beg-dc.

8th rnd: sl st up to and into 5 ch-loop, 1 ch, (1 dc, 1 picot) 4 times into same loop, 1 dc into next 5 ch-loop, 1 picot, *(1 dc, 1 picot) 4 times into next 5 ch-loop, 1 dc into next 5 ch-loop, repeat from * to end, sl st into beg-dc.

Fasten off.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 15cm clutch-bag clasp ♥ 25cm black linen ♥ 1 x 50g ball Elle Premier Natural Cotton DK in black ♥ 3mm crochet hook

STITCHES USED Popcorn stitch: Work number of tr in the relevant st, remove hook from st, insert hook from front to back through both loops of the 1st of 4 tr and pick up the st from which the hook was removed, pull the st through the loops and work 1 ch.

Picot: 3 ch, sl st into 1st ch.

64 IDEAS November 2016

ABBREVIATIONS

beg ch htr rnd sl st st(s) tr

begin(ning) chain stitch half treble round slip stitch stitch(es) treble

TO MAKE THE BAG 1 Darn in all loose yarn ends at back of crocheted motif.

2 Draft a pattern for the bag (see step 1 of the tapestry bag on page 63) and use the pattern to cut four pieces from the black linen.

3 Place two pieces together with right sides facing and stitch the top edge only (the section that is pushed into the metal clasp).

Do the same with the other two pieces. Turn through to the right side and press.

4 Place the two panels together and stitch the lower section from where the stitching of the top edge ended. Overlock the seam. Turn through to the right side and press.

5 Push the top edge of the bag into the grooves of the clasp and sew the bag to the clasp through the holes of the clasp.

6 Place the crocheted motif onto the bag and sew it down neatly by hand.

7 If your clasp has eyelets for a strap, you can crochet a strap as follows and sew it to the eyelets: work the number of ch for the length required, turn and work a sl st into each ch back to the end of the chain. Fasten off.

Piggie bag Cut 2 outer pieces Cut 2 lining pieces 1cm seam allowance included

Piggie ear Cut 4 1cm seam allowance included

Piggie snout Cut 1

November 2016 IDEAS 65

YOU WILL NEED

PATCHWORK DREAMCATCHER

DREAMCATCHER IN ONE FABRIC 1 fi 2

DREAMCATCHER IN ONE FABRIC

3

fi

ff

PATCHWORK DREAMCATCHER 1 fi ff

2

3

fi AGNIESZK A STRYCHARSK A

ff

fi

YOU WILL NEED ♥ embroidery hoops in the following diameters: 18cm for the small turquoise design, 24cm for the large coral design ♥ oddments of crochet cotton No. 5 in turquoise and coral ♥ 1,75mm crochet hook ♥ lengths of ribbon, lace, ricrac, fancy yarns and braids in a variety of colours for decoration ♥ feathers

ABREVIATIONS

beg ch dc foll(s) lp(s) tr rep rnd sl st sp(s) st(s) yo

begin(ning) chain double crochet follow(s)(ing) loop(s) treble repeat round slip stitch space(s) stitch(es) yarn over

TO MAKE

Using 1,75mm hook work 4 ch, join with a sl st into 1st ch made to make a ring.

This is the foundation rnd.

1st rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), * 2 ch, 1 tr; rep from * until 8 tr in total have been worked into ring, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch made at beg of rnd.

2nd rnd: work a sl st, 1 ch into 2 ch sp of

previous rnd, 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), * 3 ch, 1 tr into next 2 ch sp of previous rnd; rep from * to end (you will have 8 tr in total), work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

3rd rnd: into 1st 3 ch sp of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), make a bobble st as folls: * yo, insert hook into the same tr, yo, draw up lp, yo, draw November 2016 IDEAS 67

through first 2 lps on hook; rep from * once more, you will have 3 lps on hook, yo, draw through all 3 lps on hook (you have completed one bobble st), work 3 ch, in the same 3 ch sp of previous rnd, work bobble st, 5 ch, ** into next 3 ch sp of previous rnd, work bobble st, 3 ch, bobble st in same sp, 5 ch; rep from ** to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

4th rnd: in 1st 3 ch sp of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 1 ch, 1 tr in same sp, * 7 ch, in next 3 ch sp work 1 tr, 1 ch, 1 tr; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

5th rnd: in 1st 3 ch sp of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 1 tr, 3 ch, 2 tr, * 3 ch, dc on 4th ch of previous rnd, 3 ch, in next ch sp work 2 tr, 3 ch, 2 tr; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

6th rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 3 tr between 1st 2 tr sts of previous rnd, 2 ch, 1 tr on 2nd ch of previous rnd, 2 ch, in next sp between 2 tr of previous rnd work 4 tr, * 4 ch, in next sp between 2 tr of previous rnd work 4 tr, 2 ch, 1 tr on 2nd ch of previous rnd, 2 ch, in next sp between 2 tr of previous rnd, work 4 tr; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

7th rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 1 tr in same sp between 1st 2 tr sts of previous rnd, 1 tr between next st sp, 2 tr between next st sp of previous rnd, 2 ch, 1 tr on top of tr of previous rnd, 1 ch, 1 tr on same tr, 2 ch, * 2 tr in the same sp between 1st 2 tr sts of previous rnd, 1 tr between next st sp, 2 tr between next st sp of previous rnd, 5 ch, 2 tr in the same sp between 1st 2 tr sts of previous rnd, 1 tr between next st sp, 2 tr between next st sp of previous rnd, 2 ch, 1 tr on top of tr previous rnd, 1 ch, tr on top of tr of previous rnd, 2 ch; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

8th rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 3 tr between tr sts of previous rnd, * 3 ch, 2 tr in 1 ch sp, 1 ch, 2 tr in the same 1 ch sp, 3 ch, 4 tr between tr sts of previous rnd, 3 ch, 1 dc in 3rd ch of pervious rnd (this is the centre st of 5 ch in previous

68 IDEAS November 2016

rrd), 3 ch, work 4 tr between sts of 5 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

9th rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 2 tr between tr sts of previous rnd, * 3 ch, 3 tr in 1 ch sp, 1 ch, 3 tr in the same 1 ch sp, 3 ch, 3 tr between sts of 4 tr of previous rnd, 2 ch, 1 tr on 2nd ch of previous rnd (this is the centre st of 3 ch in previous rnd), 2 ch, 1 tr on 2nd ch of previous rnd (this is the centre st of 3 ch in previous rnd), 2 ch, 3 tr between 4 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end; work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

10th rnd: 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 1 tr between 3 tr sts of previous rnd, * 3 ch, 4 tr in 1 ch sp, 1 ch, 4 tr in the same 1 ch sp, 3 ch, 2 tr between 3 tr sts of previous rnd, 4 ch, tr on 2nd ch of previous rnd (this is the centre of 3 ch) 4 ch, 2 tr between 3 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

Fasten off yarn. Darn in any loose ends of yarn at back of work.

Using 1,75mm hook work 4 ch, join with a sl st into 1st ch made to make a ring.

This is the foundation rnd.

1st rnd: 1 ch, work 6 dc into the ring, sl sl into 1st ch made.

2nd rnd: into the 1st dc of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), make a bobble st as folls: * yo, insert hook into the same dc, yo, draw up lp, yo, draw through first 2 lps on hook; rep from * once more, you will have 3 lps on hook, yo, draw through all 3 lps on hook (you have completed one bobble st), ** work 3 ch, in next dc of previous rnd make next bobble st; rep from ** to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st bobble st made at beg of rnd.

3rd rnd: skip to the 1st 3 ch sp of previous rnd and work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), 3 tr into same sp, work 3 ch, * 4 tr in next 3 ch sp, 3 ch; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

4th rnd: on top of 1st 3 ch of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), work 1 tr on top of each of next tr sts of previous rnd (4 tr in total), * 2 ch, 1 tr on

2 ch of previous rnd, 2 ch, work 4 tr on top of 4 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

5th rnd: on top of 1st 3 ch of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), tr on top of next tr sts of previous rnd (4 tr in total), * 3 ch, work 4 tr on top of 4 tr of previous rnd, 3 ch, work 4 tr on top of 4 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

6th rnd: on top of 1st 3 ch of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr), make a cluster st as folls: * yo, insert hook into the next st, yo, draw up lp, yo, draw through first 2 lps on hook; rep from * twice more, you will have 4 lps on hook, yo, draw through all 4 lps on hook (you have completed one cluster st), ** work 5 ch, dc on tr of previous rnd, 5 ch, work a cluster on next 4 tr of previous rnd; rep from ** to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

7th rnd: sl st into 1st 3 ch of previous rnd, * 7 ch, dc into 3rd ch of previous rnd (this in the centre of 5 ch made in previous rnd), rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

8th rnd: into the 1st 7 ch sp of previous rnd, work 3 ch (this counts as 1 tr) 3 tr, 3 ch, 4 tr, * in the next 7 ch sp of previous rnd, work 4 tr, 3 ch, 4 tr; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

9th rnd: 1 ch (this counts as 1 dc), working between the 4 tr and the next 4 tr sp of previous rnd work as folls: * 3 ch, 4 tr in 3 ch sp of previous rnd, 3 ch, 4 tr into the same 3 ch sp, 3 ch, 1 dc into sp between 4 tr and 4 tr of previous rnd; rep from * to end, work a sl st into the top of 1st 3 ch at beg of rnd.

Fasten off yarn. Darn in any loose ends of yarn at back of work.

TO COMPLETE (BOTH DOILIES) Cut lengths of ribbon, lace, ricrac, fancy yarn or braid in various colours and insert them through the crochet spaces at the lower edge of the doily. Secure each ribbon and attach feathers at the ends at random lengths if desired.

EGG-BOX SET

projec ts K AREN ADENDORFF, ANNEKE DU TOIT and ZELDA HAMILTON st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

70 IDEAS November 2016

NEEDLEWORK SPECTACLE CASE

Decorate an egg box and pack all sorts of small needlework items into it.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ egg box ♥ white spray paint ♥ floral fabric ♥ fabric glue ♥ sewing items (such as old wooden cotton reels with ribbons or thread, balls of wool, pretty scissors, thimble, tape measure, buttons, pins, and so on) TO MAKE 1 Spray paint the whole egg box white – inside and out – and leave it to dry. 2 Measure the top and inside of the lid and cut pieces of floral fabric according to these measurements.

TIP We cut the piece for the top a bit larger so it extended over the side edges.

3 Glue the fabric pieces in place with fabric glue. 4 Pack the needlework items in the box and tie a ribbon in a bow around it, or do as we did and use a tape measure instead of ribbon.

This is the perfect way to keep a little sewing kit in your handbag.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ old plastic spectacle case ♥ white spray paint ♥ floral cotton fabric in three matching designs ♥ modge

podge and craft brush ♥ small amount of polyester stuffing for the pincushion ♥ button ♥ matching sewing thread TO MAKE 1 Spray paint the spectacle case white – inside and out – so the dark colour of the case doesn’t show through the fabric. Leave to dry completely.

2 Open the case and cut a piece of fabric the width and length of the whole outside of the case, with an extra allowance for the sides.

TIP Rather cut too much fabric than too little – you can always trim it away later.

3 Paint a layer of modge podge over the outside of the case and stick the fabric November 2016 IDEAS 71

in place. Rub it to smooth it over the curves, and leave the excess fabric as is for now.

4 Paint another two or three coats of modge podge over the outside of the case leaving each coat to dry properly.

Cut away the excess fabric.

5 Repeat the process with the second fabric to line the inside of the case.

Cut small notches at the curves so the fabric stretches more easily. Finish off with two to three coats of modge podge again and cut away the excess fabric once it is dry.

6 For the floral pincushion, cut a circle of about 10cm from the third fabric.

Tack around the edge of the circle, 5mm in from the edge, and gather it in a little. Fill it with polyester stuffing, pull in the gathers and sew it closed.

7 With matching thread, insert the needle from the centre of the base up through the pincushion, take the thread down over the edge and up from the base again. Pull it in slightly so it makes a groove. Continue in this way to form a flower. Tie off the thread. Work a button in the middle of the flower to complete the pincushion.

This elegant swan will take pride of place in any sewing room.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ templates below ♥ floral print fabric ♥ dressmaker’s carbon paper ♥ pencil ♥ thick cardboard ♥ iron-on interfacing ♥ matching coloured sewing thread ♥ polyester toy stuffing ♥ black beads for eyes TO CUT Enlarge the templates to the required size. Cut out the paper templates. Fold the floral fabric in half and cut out all the pieces. You will need two pieces of the swan’s body, four wings and one base. From the interfacing cut out two wing pieces. From the thick cardboard cut out one base using the sewing line on the template for the cutting line.

TO SEW 1 Using the dressmaker’s carbon paper, transfer the sewing lines given on the templates onto the wrong side of the fabric pieces; these will be used for the seam allowances. Sew all pieces with the right sides of the fabric facing.

2 Sew the main body pieces together,

leaving the lower edge open. Clip the seam frequently around the curved edges. Press the seam allowances along the lower edge in place, then turn the seam allowance over to the right side.

3 Turn the swan through to the right side. Stuff the swan firmly using the polyester toy stuffing, pushing the stuffing into the beak and neck areas with a knitting needle.

4 Work a row of gathering stitches along the seam allowance of the lower edge, working the stitching 5mm from the raw edge. Place the cardboard base into the lower edge and carefully pull in the gathering stitches.

5 Sew the fabric base into the opening at the lower edge, leaving a small opening in the seam. Insert more stuffing into the body. Close the opening.

6 Apply interfacing to the wrong side of two wing pieces. Sew the wings in pairs, leaving a 5cm opening in the seam along the bottom edge of the wing. Clip the seam frequently around the curve and turn through to right side. Close the opening. Work the inside of the wings onto the swan’s body.

7 To complete, attach a black bead on each side of the head for the eyes.

Sewing line Cutting line

Wing

Body

Base

72 IDEAS November 2016

November 2016 IDEAS 73

DOODLE DIARY

by CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

Handmade journals are perfect to give as gifts at any time of the year – personalise them to make them even more special.

PORTRAIT JOURNAL

Transform a plain notebook with a few doodles on the cover and colour some of them with markers.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ plain A5-size book (we bought ours at The Deckle Edge) ♥ black fine liner ♥ pencil ♥ coloured markers TO MAKE Draw the design of your choice on the cover of the book in pencil, then trace the pencil lines with the fine liner. Wait for the ink to dry then add colour to some parts of the drawing.

PACKAGE IT Wrap the decorated notebook along with another plain one and include a set of coloured pencils or markers with the gift so the recipient can embellish the plain journal too.

llustrate a hardcover diary with a sketch of the recipient and make a leather name label that doubles as a book mark.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ hardcover book ♥ photo of recipient ♥ light box ♥ white paper ♥ black marker ♥ gold permanent marker ♥ leather ♥ embossing letters ♥ hammer ♥ gold dust ♥ size (gold leaf glue) ♥ thin paintbrush ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ craft glue November 2016 IDEAS 75

TO MAKE 1 Place the photo of the recipient on the light box and cover it with a sheet of white paper. (You can make your own light box by putting a bright light under a glass table.) Make sure you can see the photo through the paper. Use the black marker to trace the face.

2 Draw a circle in the middle of the front cover of the book, large enough to frame your sketch. Cut out the circle with your craft knife and glue the picture

to the inside of the cover so it is visible through the circle.

3 Use the gold permanent marker to draw a frame around the circle and a banner outline above it, then write the person’s name inside the banner.

4 Cut out a strip from the leather. Use the embossing letters and hammer to emboss the name on the leather. Paint a thin line of size in the letters, wait until the glue is tacky then sprinkle a little gold dust over the letters.

PACKAGE IT Tie a matching ribbon around the book and slip a pencil under the ribbon. Tuck the leather label under the pencil.

TIP

There are a number of apps you can download that will help you transform photos into sketches, instead of using a light box. • Try Sketchguru or Sketchme.

A5 NOTEBOOK: THE DECKLE EDGE (DECKLEEDGE.CO.ZA)

RECYCLED NOTEBOOK

RECYCLED NOTEBOOK

Use cardboard, leftover paper, fabric remnants and old photos to make this journal.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ cardboard for the back and front covers of your book ♥ paper for the pages ♥ fabric remnants ♥ wood glue ♥ brush ♥ hole punch ♥ hammer ♥ pencil and ruler ♥ upholstery needle ♥ embroidery yarn

TO MAKE 1 Start by cutting the cardboard and paper to size – the front and back covers must be slightly bigger than the pages.

(We used an assortment of plain paper, watercolour paper, tracing paper and thin cardboard for our pages.)

2 Cover the front and back covers with fabric. Cut the fabric 1cm bigger than the covers. Apply a thin layer of glue to the back of the fabric and stick it in position over the cardboard, folding the 1cm allowances over the edges. Cut two pieces of stiff paper 5mm smaller than the covers and glue them inside the front and back covers to hide the fabric edges.

3 Measure the height of the cover and

divide it into evenly spaced sections for the binding holes (our cover is 21cm long; we punched seven holes at 3cm intervals). Mark the intervals with a pencil and use your punch and hammer to punch holes in the cover as well as in the paper for the inside of your book.

4 Add other items like photos and postcards as well as a fabric page to the book, if you prefer.

5 Use an upholstery needle and embroidery yarn to bind the book together using cross stitch.

PACKAGE IT Wrap the book in tissue paper, or in the same fabric as the cover.

November 2016 IDEAS 77

With more than 50 projects for gifts and loads of giftwrapping ideas, this book is the perfect guide to making things that people will love – whether it’s for a birthday, housewarming, anniversary or kitchen tea. Each project is clearly explained using simple step-by-step instructions and is accompanied by a photograph of the finished item.

1

2

This is the perfect present for any child who loves to read.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ plastic animal ♥ 2 heavy blocks of wood ♥ spray paint primer ♥ spray paint in bright colour ♥ strong adhesive ♥ crack filler (Polyfilla) ♥ fine sandpaper ♥ handsaw

BONUS IDEA: Use plastic animals to create unique stationery cups.

Choose the child’s favourite animal. Use a hot-glue gun to attach the animal to the cup, but make sure the tail of the animal rests on the surface you are working on. Coat the entire outside of the cup with spray paint. Leave to dry then fill the cup with colourful pens and pencils.

Sand the rough edges of the wooden blocks until smooth.

Cut the plastic animal in half using a handsaw, but work carefully so the plastic doesn’t split. Fill the cavity inside each half with crack filler. This will add extra weight to the bookends and ensure a nice smooth edge.

3

Glue one half of the animal to each wooden block with the sawn-off edge in line with the edge of the block.

Use a strong glue and allow adequate drying time.

78 IDEAS November 2016

Allow the filler to dry and then sand it smooth.

4

Coat the entire bookend with two coats of primer, followed by the coloured spray paint. Allow the paint to dry between coats.

Book title: GIVE (Met z Press) Author: CARL A VISSER Leisure Book s club price R205 Recommended retail price R245

November 2016 IDEAS 79

projec ts DAL A WAT TS and K AREN ADENDORFF st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

Stone cactuses

80 IDEAS November 2016

Find a few river stones and ordinary grey pebbles. Wash the stones, place them on newspaper and leave them to dry. Spray paint the stones green on one side – we used two different shades of green – and leave them to dry. Turn the stones over and repeat the process on the other side. When they’re dry, use a craft brush to paint lighter and darker green stripes on the stones. Paint the white spines – simply make dots, crosses or stripes. You can also paint a few of the smaller pebbles red or yellow to represent flowers. When everything is dry, glue the small stones onto the larger ones with a glue gun. ‘Plant’ the cactuses in attractive pots filled with sand – we used whitewashed terracotta pots.

Buy clay that can be baked in the oven, like the Cernit polymer clay that we used.

Cut a simple house shape out of paper.

We used a square for the floor and the sides and added triangles for the gables at the front and back of the house.

Roll out the clay on wax paper to about 0,5cm thick and cut out the pieces with your pattern. Place the clay pieces on a baking tray lined with wax paper. Build your house by pressing the pieces firmly together. Smooth the joins with an ice-cream stick. Bake the clay house for 30 minutes at 130oC. Remove it from the oven and put it aside to cool and become hard. Plant an attractively shaped small cactus inside the house.

Polymer clay from The Deckle Edge (deckleedge.co.za).

Templates for fabric cactuses (see page 82)

November 2016 IDEAS 81

These ornamental cactuses can also be used as pincushions.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ templates on page 81 ♥ 3 pots (tin or terracotta) ♥ felt remnants in light green, bright green, dark green, pink and grey ♥ embroidery and machine thread ♥ polyester stuffing ♥ polystyrene foam TO MAKE FOR THE ROUND, FLAT CACTUS: 1 Determine the diameter of the cactus according to the size of the pot and cut a light green felt circle twice the diameter.

2 Tack all around the edge of the circle (about 0,5cm from the edge) and pull in the thread a little. Fill the hollow that forms with polyester stuffing, pull the threads tight to form a pouf and work a few stitches to close the opening.

3 Using green embroidery yarn, insert the needle from the base of the pouf up through the centre and pull the thread down over the edge and up through the centre again. Pull the thread in slightly to form a groove. Make grooves all around the edge of the pouf. Work the thread end away to finish.

82 IDEAS November 2016

FOR THE LONG, UPRIGHT CACTUS: 1 Cut six of the pattern pieces on page 81 from bright green felt.

2 Place the pieces together in twos and zigzag around the edges with white machine thread, leaving the bottom edge open.

3 Place all three panels together and stitch across the centre, through all the layers. Stuff the six tubes that form with polyester stuffing. Use a kebab skewer or knitting needle to push the stuffing in through the open base.

4 Tie pieces of white thread here and there along the zigzag stitches to resemble cactus spines.

5 Cut two flowers from pink felt and pin them to the top of the cactus.

FOR THE PRICKLY PEAR WITH SIDE ARMS: 1 Cut two pattern pieces from dark green felt and stitch them together around the edges, leaving the bottom edge open.

2 Stuff the cactus with polyester stuffing.

3 Stitch across the bottoms of the arms.

4 Use green thread to form the eyes on the prickly pear: knot the end of the thread, pull it through from the back and pull it tight. Work from the front to the back on the same spot and pull the thread tight. Secure with a few more stitches then work away the thread end.

5 Tie pieces of white thread at random on the prickly pear to represent spines.

6 Cut three flower shapes from pink felt.

Shape them into a rosette and sew the flower onto one of the arms.

FOR ALL THE CACTUSES: 1 Cut a piece of polystyrene foam to fit snugly in each of the pots.

2 Cut three circles from grey felt the same size as the top edge of the pots.

Place a circle on the polystyrene and press the felt in around the edges.

3 ‘Plant’ the cactuses in the pots by anchoring them onto the polystyrene with toothpicks or kebab skewers.

Find a Charlie Chaplin silhouette on the internet, print it out and cut it out to use as a stencil. Spray glue on the back of the stencil and place it on your white gift bag. Use a sponge roller for the paint work. First pour a little black craft paint onto a sheet of paper and roll the roller through it a few times. Roll the roller roughly backwards and forwards over the stencil and the bag so the silhouette stands out clearly against the black background. Allow the paint to dry before removing the stencil.

We completed the design by adding a bow-tie button.

Cut a strip of lace just longer than the width of the paper bag. Fold over the top edge of the bag and mark where you want to sew on the lace strip. Fold open the bag and stitch the lace strip in place without sewing the bag closed. Place the gift in the bag and seal it with a strip of double-sided tape. Take a small bunch of flowers from your garden and wrap baker’s twine around the stems.

Tie the ends of the twine in a bow and attach the flowers and a gift tag to the paper bag with a peg.

projec ts DAL A WAT TS, ANNEKE DU TOIT, BIBE T TE PRINS, HANNES KOEGELENBERG, K AREN ADENDORFF, ZELDA and ALEX HAMILTON November 2016 IDEAS 83

YOU WILL NEED ♥ white paper bag ♥ paper marionette (look for one on the internet – there are lots) ♥ scrapbooking paper for the background ♥ white and matching plain-coloured cardboard ♥ matching pompom trim and ribbon ♥ matching sewing thread ♥ paper brads ♥ sponge double-sided adhesive tape ♥ craft glue ♥ punch TO MAKE 1 Cut the background paper in the correct size and glue it onto the front of the paper bag.

2 Print out the marionette on white cardboard. If you want to use more paper decorations, like our butterflies, print them out as well. Cut out everything neatly.

3 Work some of the detail on the marionette’s clothes with needle and thread – we sewed crosses on the corset section.

4 Attach the limbs to the body with brads.

5 Stick the marionette and other paper decorations onto the background paper with sponge double-sided tape.

6 Cut two curved strips from the matching plain-coloured cardboard. Glue the top and bottom strips onto the bag. Make sure the curved edge of the top strip still protrudes when you fold the bag closed.

7 Place the gift in the bag, fold over the top edge and glue the

84 IDEAS November 2016

Spray ‘graffiti’ in the colours of your choice on a white gift bag. To make the rosette, punch small holes around the bottom edge of a plastic bottle top, as close together as possible. Attach a cable tie through each hole so the ends stand up a little. Glue a matching fabric or plastic flower onto the bottle top. Glue the rosette in the middle of the packet.

pompom trim over the edge of the paper flap.

8 Punch two holes at the top of the folded bag and thread a piece of ribbon with your gift tag on it (you can use our tag above as a template) through the holes. Tie the ends of the ribbon in a bow to keep the bag closed.

The beautiful simplicity of a white paper packet is that it can be decorated with whatever you have in your craft room. The embellishments can even be part of the gift. Print, stamp or stencil a lovely picture on the front of the packet (first insert a piece of cardboard into the packet so the ink or paint doesn’t bleed through to the back) and leave it to dry. Fold the top of the packet over and add a matching sticker with the gift recipient’s name on it and tie a ribbon in a bow around the parcel.

Use our template on this page for a quick way to decorate a wine gift bag.

Copy the template in the desired size onto white paper, cut it out and glue it onto the front of a plain white wine bag.

Replace the handles with matching ribbons to complete the project.

November 2016 IDEAS 85

Spray paint a pickling jar and the lid white and leave them to dry. Spray on another two or three coats so the colour is solid. Type the recipient’s name on your computer in an attractive typeface – space the letters so they will fit around the jar – and print out the name on white paper. Cut the paper in a strip and glue it onto the jar. Finish off with a matching ribbon tied in a bow.

Use three colours of cardboard for this project. Cut a circle the size of the lid from the colour that you want to make your flower. Cut out six large petals and glue them just inside the edge of the circle allowing them to overlap each other slightly.

Cut the next six petals a bit smaller and glue them inside the first six. Continue in this way gluing ever smaller petals towards the middle of the circle. Finish with a small circle in the centre.

Glue the flower onto the lid. Use the template on page 88 to cut two twigs with leaves from coloured cardboard. Make a small hole at the end of each twig and thread them onto a piece of string. Tie the string around the jar and screw the lid closed.

by HANNES KOEGELENBERG, KAREN ADENDORF, DALA WATTS, ANNEKE DU TOIT and BIBETTE PRINS

86 IDEAS November 2016

LARGE PICKLING JAR: Spray paint the lid and ring black and leave them to dry. Use a glue gun to glue a small drawer knob onto the lid. Find Charlie Chaplin images on the internet and print one out on tracing paper. The tracing paper looks vintage and you can’t see the gift through it.

Cut it out in a strip and line the inside of the jar with it.

Print out a smaller picture on white cardboard and use it to make the gift tag. Tie the tag around the neck of the jar with black and white baker’s twine.

SMALLER JAR: Spray paint the whole jar and the lid black.

Print out Chaplin pictures in a row on brown cardboard, cut it out in a strip and glue the strip around the jar.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ pickling jar with lid and ring ♥ template on page 88 ♥ 2 cupcake wrappers with cut-out design ♥ white cardboard and paper ♥ scrapbooking paper ♥ matching ribbon and thread ♥ spray paint in the colour of your choice ♥ craft glue and adhesive tape ♥ thick, sharp needle

TO MAKE 1 Find the centre of the jar’s lid and make a hole for the ends of the ribbon – drill the hole or use a hammer and nail.

2 Spray paint the jar lid and ring in the colour of your choice and leave to dry. Apply two or three coats of the spray paint so the colour is solid.

3 Cut a white cardboard circle slightly smaller than the lid.

4 Use the template on page 88 to cut 12 large rose petals from white paper. Cut the slit as indicated. Cut out six smaller petals, also with a slit as marked.

5 Shape the petals by folding the two points on either side of the slit over each other and gluing them together. Curl the edges so a rose petal forms. Shape all the petals in this way.

6 Glue the six large rose petals in a ring around the cardboard circle. Glue the next six large petals inside the first ring, followed by the six small ones in the middle.

7 Use a thick, sharp needle to make a hole through the completed rose to match the hole in the lid.

8 Place the rose on the lid, make a loop with the ribbon and push the ends of the ribbon through the hole. Tie a knot under the lid.

9 Fit the cupcake papers around the jar, cut away any excess and stick them in place on the jar with adhesive tape.

10 Cut a gift tag from the scrapbooking paper and glue a piece of leftover cupcake paper onto it for decoration. Use matching thread to tie the card around the neck of the jar.

November 2016 IDEAS 87

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Find a photo of Charlie Chaplin on the internet and print it out in the desired size. Buy black and white striped scrapbooking paper or giftwrap, or design your own and print it out on white computer paper. Cover the lid of a white cardboard box with the striped paper. (It’s best to use spray glue for this.) Cut out your picture and glue it in the middle of the lid. Decorate the edges of the picture with matching ribbon or washi tape.

A tin is already an attractive packaging option as it is, but give it your creative stamp by playing around with pictures, photos and stickers. The tin can be used afterwards to store all sorts of small items. Look out for vintage tins at flea markets, even if they are rusted or dented. Line the inside with wax paper and tie a matching ribbon in a bow around the tin, if you prefer.

projec ts DAL A WAT TS, HANNES KOEGELENBERG, BIBE T TE PRINS and ANNEKE DU TOIT st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY November 2016 IDEAS 89

Buy square and round white cardboard boxes and decorate them like liquorice allsorts. Use pink, yellow, orange and black paper. Cut the paper into long, thin strips that will fit around the box and glue them in place so the boxes look like the sweets. We covered the round box completely with yellow paper and glued a black dot on the lid to make it look like the round allsorts sweet. Make a gift tag from a cardboard letter that is the recipient’s initial and attach it with baker’s twine.

90 IDEAS November 2016

Decorate a box with remnants of ribbon and pretty paper from your craft drawer. We covered this box with photocopied scrapbooking paper and neatened the untidy corners and edges with stickers. We added vintage pictures and postage stamps as well. Make a gift tag to match the box and secure it with a ribbon.

Buy packets of mini pompoms and decorate a plain white cardboard box with them – we used three different colours.

First tie a length of baker’s twine in a bow around the box then stick the pompoms all over the top and sides of the lid. Mix the colours at random, as you prefer.

November 2016 IDEAS 91

projec ts DAL A WAT TS, BIBE T TE PRINS, ZELDA and ALEX HAMILTON, and HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O’RILEY

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for our video on how to cut this lino stamp and print the paper.

YOU WILL NEED ♥ brown cardboard and/or brown paper ♥ Charlie Chaplin picture ♥ rubber linoleum ♥ linocut set ♥ carbon paper and ballpoint pen ♥ black craft paint and sponge roller ♥ craft knife and cutting mat TO MAKE 1 Trace the Charlie Chaplin picture onto a piece of linoleum with carbon paper and a ballpoint pen.

2 Use a sharp V-point tool to cut away around the outlines before you use the same tool to cut away the inside detail.

3 Cut away the background with a large half-round blade. Cut away everything that must not be part of the lino stamp.

4 Cut off the excess lino and you have your Charlie stamp.

5 Squeeze a little black craft paint onto a hard surface like a piece of glass, roll the sponge roller through the paint and then roll it over the lino stamp. Press the stamp onto the cardboard or paper.

Repeat the process until the paper is full of faces.

6 Use the printed paper to wrap your gift or to decorate it.

Decorate a plain brown cardboard box so prettily that the recipient of the gift will want to keep the packaging.

Choose embellishments that match the gift. We used vintage-style stickers, photos and postage stamps for our box. Tie a matching wide ribbon around the box in a big bow to finish it off.

Use a polka-dot stencil to spray paint dots in the colour of your choice on the lid of a plain brown box. Use a swan stencil to spray paint swans around the side of the box.

Simply wrap your gift in brown paper and stick small white dots all over the paper until you’re happy with the design. Tie a piece of narrow gold ribbon or cord around the parcel and complete it with a large, gold letter that is the recipient’s initial. We spray painted a wooden letter for our initial.

November 2016 IDEAS 93

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November 2016 IDEAS 95

From ideas for ‘secret Santa’ gifts to the best type of pencil crayons, we have the answers. compiled by GRE THA SWINNEN st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O’RILEY

GIFTS FOR THE TABLE

I’m inviting a few friends for a Christmas meal this year and want to suggest that we swap small gifts at the table.

How should we go about this?

HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS FOR EXCHANGING SECRET SANTA GIFTS:

1

CHOOSE NAMES The names are usually put into a hat beforehand and everyone has a chance to draw one. If this is not practical, you can do the draw on behalf of the guests and let them know by email who they must buy a gift for. Or use a website like drawnames.com, a virtual ‘hat’ that will send each guest a name by email.

TIP If the guests don’t know each other, you can add

a description to each name, such as ‘Anna, the crochet queen’ or ‘Lizel, the animal lover’.

2

PLAY ‘WHITE ELEPHANT’ With this party game each guest brings a small wrapped gift and places it on the table. The first person to have a turn chooses one and opens it. The second person can then either choose another gift or ‘claim’ the first one.

96 IDEAS November 2016

Each guest has a turn, until they all have a gift.

TIP Ask everyone to bring a specific type of gift, for example a bath product, to keep it fair.

3 4

SET A PRICE LIMIT FOR THE PRESENTS You can buy lovely gifts like good quality chocolates or luxury bath soaps for R50-R100.

DRAW UP A LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR GUESTS TO ANSWER BEFORE THE PARTY Keep it simple, with questions such as hobby/interests, favourite food or drink, or bath product preference.

‘READ’ YOUR GUESTS If you know one of your friends doesn’t drink alcohol, you can specify no wine gifts.

It’s also best to avoid joke or ‘naughty’ gifts, especially if the people don’t know each other well. If they’re a creative group, you can ask for handmade presents.

5

SOURCES: DESIGNMOM.COM, KNITTINGTIPSBYJUDY.COM, ELFSTER.COM

Gifts that are exchanged around the table can help to break the ice, especially if the guests don’t know each other well. The secret Santa tradition is that everyone in the group draws a name at random beforehand – this is the person for whom they must buy a gift. The gifts are then handed over anonymously.

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Pencil crayons can be used in a range of ways to achieve different effects. Use them sharper or blunter, for example, depending on the detail, or press lightly or harder for shading and shadows. Pencil crayons work on most types of paper and don’t make creases or bleed through like some other mediums.

Q A•

WINE IS USUALLY A WELCOME GIFT, BUT HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT ONE? WELLINGTON WINES HAS THIS ADVICE:

If you know the person well, you can ask her what her favourite style of wine is and if she has a preferred producer or cellar.

• Choose an award-winning wine. A Veritas or Michelangelo award is a good indication of the quality of the wine – and it’s not necessarily going to cost a fortune.

• Ask the wine merchant what the aging potential of the wine is. You can include this information in the gift card, along with tasting notes from the cellar – it’ll show that you’ve gone to some trouble.

• Pinotage is a good choice for a foreigner, as it’s a proudly South African grape variety.

TIP Pinotage is a good partner for dark chocolate and biltong, so you could consider including these with your gift.

• Chenin blanc is currently a popular choice. There are wooded and unwooded versions available.

• For the health conscious there are various wines with a lower alcohol content on the market.

• Buy two bottles rather than just one – one to give as a gift, and one to enjoy immediately! (wellingtonwines.com)

♥ Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer pencils use top quality pigments that provide good colour intensity. And they’re water soluble, which means you can also create watercolour effects with them. ♥ Derwent’s Coloursoft pencils work well for shading and for applying colours in layers. They cover the paper well without you having to press too hard and combine effectively with other mediums. Subdued and bright colour effects can be achieved. ♥ Colleen pencils are a much cheaper option. They come in a variety of colours (including neons) and are slightly waxy, which results in a smooth finish and bright colours.

op artist and curator Alex Hamilton and his wife Zelda have an art gallery in Woodstock, Cape Town. It’s a wonderfully inspiring and unpretentious place jam-packed with delightful surprises. On one side is the clean, white gallery space where artworks are exhibited. On the other is the studio where Alex works, as well as the ‘museum’ where – over many years – their books, ornaments and vintage collectables have found a home. On the wall, Alex’s assortment of vases is arranged according to colour and there’s a collection of porcelain and glassware – some of the other beautiful things that resonate with this self-acknowledged compulsive collector.

by GRE THA SWINNEN photos ED O’RILEY

98 IDEAS November 2016

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sticking out a metre on either side and a four-metre train. The swans represented her entourage. It took us months to collect the materials – everything from old handkerchiefs to tablecloths, curtains, napkins, doilies and throws. Each swan required a tremendous amount of stuffing and those long necks posed unique challenges as they remained stubbornly skew. I started calling it the “skew neck” period!’ But with plenty of patience she eventually succeeded in straightening out the problem. ‘There were days when our apartment was covered in fabric and thread – from the kitchen to the bedroom.’

They’ve continued collecting fabric and Zelda’s next project is handbags.

She collects vintage wooden handles for her bags, which she’ll be launching as ZEE Stitch early in the new year.

Alex is known for the accessibility of his artworks. ‘Art galleries can be intimidating and feel unfamiliar.

Large galleries often create the impression that art is not affordable.

People don’t always realise that they can get good art at good prices,’ he points out. Alex and Zelda are

keen art collectors and their Sea Point apartment is filled with originals.

His works have been exhibited from Piketberg to Pretoria and at various arts festivals. For Aardklop last year he created a project entitled Jou daaglikse dosis (Your daily dose). He was nominated for a Fiesta Prize for it, and also for his Opskiet by die Museum

(Pop-up at the museum) series of popular pop-up exhibitions and art tours at the US Woordfees (Stellenbosch University Festival of Words). He was appointed as coordinator of visual arts and acted as curator of the festival.

Zelda was also involved as the project manager.

Visit Alex Hamilton’s website at alexhamilton.co.za or find him on Facebook at Alex Hamilton or Alex Hamilton Art Studio.

November 2016 IDEAS 101

We love hearing from you.

Please send us your letters and emails. ideased@media24.com

LETTERS MUST BE ORIGINAL AND MUST NOT HAVE BEEN OFFERED FOR PUBLICATION ELSEWHERE. • WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, SHORTEN AND EDIT LETTERS. • WE WELCOME YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS AND WILL CONSIDER PUBLISHING THEM IF THEY ARE OF A SUITABLE QUALITY.

Petticoat problems

The writer of this month’s winning letter will receive a hamper from Symbols on Silk to the value of R1 500. The gorgeous Symbols on Silk necklaces and bracelets are the perfect gifts for all occasions. The extensive range comprises a variety of beautiful sterling silver charms strung on silk thread and packaged with an inspirational message.

Go to symbolsonsilk.co.za for more information.

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. NOTE If your letter contains questions, please provide your telephone number.

102 IDEAS November 2016

The recipe in the September 2016 issue for the sticky caramel and peppermint crisp pudding made with bread dough was great to try. I have been buying the bun version of this from Aragon Cake Supplies in a premix form for a year now and it’s awesome to try it with bread as well. Aragon has made my life so much easier and it would be good for other moms to know about them. I had an emergency recently and while I waited in the store, the owner made up a batch of caramel pecan butter crunch icing for me and gave me two containers – one for my cake and the other to eat with a spoon in the car going home. Eating the warm, smooth goodness was a massive stress reliever and by the time I got home, I was sick from the sugar but in a happy endorphin paradise. Their website is aragoncakesupplies.com or search for aragoncakesupplies on Facebook.

Joy Isabel

SURPRISE PACKAGE I recently bought an IDEAS magazine at my local bookshop and discovered that, from cover to cover, it is informative. It was wonderful to read about people creating their own businesses and realising I could make something practical and useful to sell or use at home. You really got my creative juices flowing.

Karin Botha

Spring rejuvenation There was the absolutely right blend of enriching content, eye-catching, vibrant visuals, inspiring things to make and do and a little something for rejuvenating my soul in the IDEAS August 2016 issue – there couldn’t have been a better way to start my spring! Thank you for always inspiring and encouraging us to ‘paint it new’ or to reuse in magnificent different ways and also to choose fresh produce in season to ensure the best in nutrition, flavour and price, and reduce our carbon footprint at the same time. Consumers need to understand that every single small effort does make a difference.

Jacoba du Plooy AUGUST 2016

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

We had a family gathering in Graaff Reinet in July for my motherand father-in-laws’ 70th birthdays. We stayed at Wheatlands Country House – a really amazing experience. Typical of winter in the Karoo, the days were warm enough to head out for bush braais, but at night the temperatures dropped drastically.

One night, the sprinkler was left on overnight and froze a 100-year-old rose bush, the grass and plants around it, as well as the fence and gate. I’m still a very novice photographer and this was an amazing opportunity to get outside and experiment.

Store it with charm –

paint, sew and style pretty solutions Everything you nEed to know about eggs plus 9 dElicious recipes

Learn to weave step by step Keep snug and warm –

crochet our gorgeous shawl or knit a poncho rEmember your spEcial day with a wedding journal

Tamsin Haley

AUGUST 2016 • No. 434 • RSA R42,90 (VAT included) Foreign countries R45,40 Namibia N$45,40

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November 2016 IDEAS 103

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104 IDEAS November 2016

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