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Home-Dzine IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME
May 2012
DIY HOME
DESIGN DECORATING DIY
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a word or two
THE ART OF ACCESSORIZING
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PICTURE PERFECT
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... This month has been one filled with holidays and I’m sure that many are going to battle to get back into the swing of things. What was nice on our side was the silent phone, which meant that we could do so much more! Not that we don’t like hearing from our readers, but when you are up to your eyeballs in paint or sawdust, it’s not always easy to get to the phone in time!
DIY DISPLAY TABLE
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SWEET DREAMS
QUICK & EASY DECOR
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Don’t forget to drop us a line at any time (home-dzine@iburst.co.za) if there is a particular project you would like to tackle.
AFFORDABLE TREASURES
Enjoy!
Janice Home-Dzine Online is written and compiled by Janice Anderssen. All projects in this issue, or any other issue, remain the property of Home-Dzine and Janice Anderssen, or the respective copyright holders, and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.
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LIVING OUTDOORS
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STAND A CHANCE TO WIN BOSCH, DREMEL & SKIL TOOLS HAMPERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
DIY HOME
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SEND ‘BEFORE’ & ‘AFTER’ PICS OF YOUR HOME IMPROVEMENT OR DIY PROJECT TO ENTER.
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CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
REUSE - RECYCLE - REPURPOSE
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ADD A TABLE LAMP
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SIMPLE SOLUTIONS
FOOD FUN
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RAINWATER HARVESTING
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BRANCH OUT
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Whether you’re starting from scratch with a new-build, renovating a property or extending your current home, the Grand Build section is packed to the brim with amazing products to help your project run without a hitch with the biggest selection of self-build supplier’s all under one roof. You’ll find the latest developments in sustainability and eco-technology as well as some great ideas to maximise the space you have to make the most of light, storage and design. Grand Build will explore everything you need in order to make your Grand Design Dream a reality. Targeted towards the self-builder, DIY enthusiasts or anyone interested in adding green technology to an existing property.
The Builders DIY Theatre The Builders DIY Theatre will be showcasing their very own experts, giving visitors the most up to date ideas when it comes to renovating and decorating their gardens and homes.
e c i n a J
Fri (11-12) - Sat (12-1) - Sun (1-2) Make simple and decorative picture frames Sat (3-4) - Sun (3-4) Painting and Distressing furniture
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Tanya
Aidan
text: decorating den
decor and design
Art
The of Accessorising
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than anything else in your home, accessories add a little bit of M ore your personality to each and every room. Not only will they help your rooms come alive with pop and pizzazz… accessories also do a great job of reflecting your tastes and those of your family.
Here are a few tips you can use to create your very own accessory plan. They are guaranteed to help you display your treasures beautifully and decoratively!
designer: beckwith interiors
Most people truly enjoy shopping for accessories. Perhaps you’re an avid collector of travel mementos – or antique books. Maybe artwork is your passion – or Tiffany lamps.
A home without accessories is like food without seasoning! 6
designer: unknown
1. Always try to arrange small groups of objects in odd numbers. Rather than displaying 2 pieces – a decorative lamp and a crystal vase – you need to add one more piece – perhaps a small tray or decorative plate to complete the vignette. Accessory displays done with odd numbered pieces are much more pleasing to the eye. Be sure to count every piece in your vignette to accomplish this goal! 2. Try to vary the heights of your accessory displays. Old books are a great way to help you achieve varying degrees of height in your overall plan. This option is particularly helpful when arranging table top displays. Again, our eyes crave visual movement – so creating a ‘peak and valley’ type of accessory plan does the trick – beautifully!
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4. Add a touch of Mother Nature – where appropriate! Don’t go overboard with live plants or silks. Just a touch of green usually does the trick to fill in a bare spot in your accessory plan.
designer: vittadini
3. Mix and match your accessories for more visual interest. For instance, a display of family photos would be much more interestingly displayed if all the frames were of different metals or materials, and differing heights and sizes.
And above all, let your imagination soar as you enjoy arranging your prized possessions. By adding some ‘spice’ to your design plan, you’ll be sure to add the decorative finishing touches each room craves.
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Light up art to create a focal point Ideally you should light a picture and the frame, but not much of the wall, this should create an eclipse of light around the picture, creating a strong point of interest within the room. Generally two types of light are used to illuminate artwork: a) Mains voltage Halogen, Candle bulbs, and strip lights b) Low voltage Halogen bulbs Positioning your lights is extremely important, but a point to remember, is that pictures reflect light, and light bounces off a picture at the same angle as it strikes it. So the degree of the beam, as well as the angle of the light must be taken into consideration when planning your lighting. Generally a 24º beam is best for highlighting a piece of artwork - you will probably have to ask specifically for this lamp since most lighting shops stock the more common 38º beam lamp. The size of a picture also determines the placement of fittings. A larger picture requires the light source to be further away, or that the degree of the beam is wider and lights the entire artwork. If you place the light too far away, it will light the surrounding wall, and you lose the impact. Additionally, there is a difference in the intensity of the beam at the light source, compared to when it hits the picture. A larger picture requires a greater intensity of light and you will either need to use a bigger globe, or ideally use two fittings so that the picture can be lit from both sides to achieve maximum effect.
Incandescent lighting tends to make black look grey and white look off-white, so the overall effect is a grey, dull picture. 9
image: http://www.thelennoxx.com
PICTURE
PERFECT
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Now that we’ve discussed accessories in more detail, let’s take a look at a vignette.
stylist: mariakillam.com
Watch an interior design shown on TV and you will see how they arrange accessories to be picture perfect. A vignette is an collection of items that are placed to be ‘picture perfect’. A vignette can be set up on a coffee table, a shelf, a server or console, in a bathroom, or next to a bed. In fact, vignettes are great for adding personal touches to any room in a home. If you have never created a vignette before, to start you off we have designed a small side table that would be perfect for a lounge, bathroom or bedroom. Once you have made our table, start adding accessories to create your own vignette. You probably won’t get it right in one go, but the joy of creating a vignette is to add and remove and move items around until you have that ‘perfect picture’. Take your cues from the image on the previous page. This vignette has all the essential elements: A pair of matching table lamps at the side of the framed artwork to set up an A-frame layout that is offset slightly by potted orchids.
You will need: 1 of 400 x 500mm 16mm SupaWood - top 2 of 50 x 500mm 16mm SupaWood - long apron 2 of 50 x 368mm 16mm SupaWood - short apron 4 of 450mm turned legs* 3.5 x 30 and 40mm cut screws 1 of polystyrene moulding Drill/Driver and assorted bits Modo low sheen PVA - blizzard Foam roller and thin paintbrush No More Nails adhesive 240-grit sandpaper Wood filler
Contact me at home-dzine@iburst.co.za if you would like to order turned pine legs. 11
There’s nothing difficult about making this decorative side table. Once you have constructed the frame, it’s simply a matter of adding the legs, gluing on the polystyrene trim and painting.
Construct a frame by joining the long and short aprons to the top of the table. Drill pilot holes through the top and countersink all holes.
I presented this side table as part of our Career Workshop to show how easy it can be to make your own furniture. The project took about 30 minutes for the entire assembly and cost around R150. 1. Construct the frame as shown above. It’s also a good idea to use wood glue when joining the aprons to the top - for added security and plus it also fills in any gaps. 2. The legs are fitted snugly into each corner, a pilot hole drilled and countersunk and then attached with 3.5 x 40mm cut screws. Attach on two sides and drill the holes at differing heights. 3. Use wood filler to fill in screw holes and any gaps. The trick is to apply a thin layer, let this dry and then apply more as required until filled. 4. I used my Dremel Trio to cut an angle around the top edge of the table. 5. Let the wood filler dry completely and then sand smooth with 240-grit sandpaper, paying particular attention to cut edges of the SupaWood, so that paint is not quickly absorbed and the finish will be nice and smooth.
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6. To add the decorative trim, I first cut one end at the correct 45-degree angle and then laid this down on the side to measure and mark where to cut the other end. Repeat this for all the sides. 7. Apply a liberal amount of No More Nails adhesive to the area where the moulding will be stuck. While the adhesive has a fair amount of tack, if you need to fasten the moulding down while the glue dries, wrap tightly with masking tape. 8. After leaving the glue to dry, preferably overnight, you can remove the tape and fill in any remaining gaps with No More Nails or wood filler. Once dry, sand smooth with 240-grit sandpaper. I also like to sand lightly over the polystyrene to prepare for painting. The paint adheres better to the finish after it has been sanded. 9. Before painting, do a final check to make sure that there are no gaps and that screw holes are filled and nicely smoothed. 10. I used Modo low sheen PVA to paint the entire table. It did require four coats of paint with a light sanding between the second and third coats. Once dry, the table was given a final sanding with 400-grit sandpaper, but this is optional and up to you. Finally, rubbed on Woodoc Antique Wax to protect the table.
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If you are expecting the stork to pay a visit to your family in the near future, chances are you are thinking of the perfect nursery for your new baby. Perhaps you are looking for something unique – something that isn’t found in every baby store. When you use your imagination, the creative possibilities are endless. From custom quilts to handpainted wall murals, you can dream up some fun and exciting possibilities for your little one’s room that can last well beyond infancy. You will be amazed at the designer fabrics available for customizing your baby’s room. If you don’t find what you are looking for at a fabric store, don’t forget to visit local fabric designers to see what’s on offer. Try Blacks Fabrics or Hertex for something out of the ordinary. 14
sweet
dreams If you are hoping to achieve unique walls, but don’t wish to contract an artist for a wall mural, it’s not that difficult to design and create your own unique wall art - even if you aren’t artistic. The easiest way is to borrow - or hire - a projector for the day and use this to transfer an image directly onto the wall for painting over. From hot air balloons to teddy bears, to cats and dogs, the options are endless. Wall stickers are great too. These wonderful pieces of children’s art stick to the wall without damaging paint surfaces and peel up neatly years later.
http://decoratingden.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/lullaby-land-nursery-decorating-ideas/
When selecting colours for the nursery, it’s so easy to be tempted by those dreamy, gentle pastels. Remember, however, that babies love black and white, as well as bright primary colours. Pop into your local Prominent Paints or Decorating Centre to select paint that is washable, as your baby will soon be toddling around. Of course, you will be spending many hours around the clock in that nursery, so be certain that you, as well as the baby, enjoy the outcome of the room No matter what themes or colours you choose in the nursery, you will spend some precious moments in there with your little one. These are memories that you’ll treasure for the rest of your life so, above all, put a lot of love into decorating it, and you will have created the perfect lullaby land for your baby. 15
Transform your windows in less than a minute with Decorland’s Curtain Track Clip-on Wood. Add a sense of luxury in one simple step - without even reaching for your tool kit or taking down your curtains. Decorland’s Curtain Track Clip-on Wood can be attached to existing Decorland curtain tracks, concealing them and enhancing your window dressing. Adaptors are available for other types of curtain tracks. Decorland’s Curtain Track Clip-on Wood is now available in a modern Cream Latte finish for a distinct look that will tastefully complement existing décor or help create a sophisticated nursery that will age well with your little one. The popular ‘Walnut-look’ and ‘Mahogany-look’ finishes are classic, rich and extremely versatile. With a wide range of matching finials and holdbacks to match each finish, you can give your room a sophisticated co-ordinated revamp. Decorland’s Curtain Track Clip-on Wood is made from solid wood with finger-joins to add strength and prevent bowing. A matching joiner is also available for wide doorways and windows, making this elegant and versatile feature a perfect fit for everyone’s home. Curtain Holdback tips: When fitting curtain holdbacks, start with the fitting height. A standard height is 100cm from the floor but this can be modified to fit the overall look. The holdback should be far enough from the window to hold the curtain off the window without showing too much wall. When choosing a holdback, consider the volume of curtain it needs to hold and make sure there is enough space within the holdback arm. Decorland’s extensive range is exclusive to Game Stores. For more information, call 0800 002 635 or visit www.decorland.co.za. 16
quick and easy
After sanding to remove existing paint or varnish, spray on light, even coats of Rust-Oleum 2X primer and 2X in your choice of colour. We used straw ower for this project. 17
AFFORDABLE
treasures More often than not, it’s the details that make the difference between a piece of furniture that is practical and one that is practical and exquisite - a piece to be treasured.
For the sideboard shown here you can expect to pay in the region of R10,000 upwards, but it may surprise you to find out that you can make this piece for around R2000!
What makes this sideboard so unique is the detailing and added embellishments. Take a basic pine cabinet, cut decorative edges with a Dremel Trio or router, add built-up panel doors and finish off with faux leather trim, emblazoned with vintageeffect upholstery pins.
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Those who attended the DIY Divas workshops at the recent Homemakers Expo would have seen ďŹ rst hand how easy it is to build up panel doors - by constructing the basic door and then adding moulding and trim to achieve the style you want. Builders Warehouse stock a range of pine and meranti trim options and these are glued to the door panel. After a day of drying, you are ready to add detailing - it’s as easy as that!
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The Dremel Trio is the DIY Divas alternative to a router. It’s lightweight and easy to use and cuts decorative edges in a jiffy. With a new bit range due for launch this May, you will have even more edging options with a Dremel Trio.
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I the new Mr Price Home range
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Clever ways to create more space The recent school holidays were a good reminder of all those family get-togethers when we never seem to have enough space.
living outdoors
Not only are the kids home full-time, but so are the friends, pets, visiting relatives and out-of-towners just popping in to say hello. We’re not all blessed with an expandable mansion, so before the next holiday rolls around, here are some smart ways of creating more room to take the pressure off your living area (and you!).
• Wrap it up Verandas with open sides are perfect for roller shutters, especially if it’s a wrap-around one. Today’s aluminium shutters are light and easy to open, simple to work and roll up and down far more quietly than steel shutters. They can be automated so that you can operate them with a remote control from the comfort of your couch. 22
Close the ones on the bad weather side and you can all stay on the veranda instead of having to move inside. Close the whole lot up when the rains come in, and the crowds can spill over from the lounge with ease.
• Keep pests out Some parts of the country battle with pests like mosquitoes or monkeys that find their way inside and force us to close up the house to avoid them, limiting our entertainment space. Trellidor Clear Guard screens are the answer here. When closed, you can see right through them so your view isn’t spoiled. They allow in light but not glare, so you don’t swelter in the midday heat, allowing you to make more use of your favourite outdoor spot when the mob arrives.
Open up all the shutters when the weather is good and you have a natural indoor/outdoor flow. Trellidor Rollerstyle aluminium shutters are a good choice as they roll up into a compact box that can be recessed into the wall.
These screens may not look like it, but they are actually security barriers, robust enough to ward off an intruder attack. So they do double duty keeping conditions on your veranda or inside your living area pleasant enough for entertaining as well as keeping everyone safe. They can be made to match your folding or sliding patio doors and stack neatly to the side when you don’t need them. Spread outside with stackable doors A really simple solution to creating entertainment space is to fit retractable security gates to your veranda, living room 23
and dining room doors. You can open up as many as you need tospread out onto the garden, pool deck or patio, particularly if you choose Trellidor Retractable Security gates as they are designed to take up as little space as possible when stacked to the side.
Trellidor Clear Guard a0235: Slide open your Trellidor Clear Guard screens and let the crowds spill over onto the veranda.
When the multitudes leave and life returns to normal, you’re left with security gates that you can leave closed and locked while you get on with everyday life. The gates can function as both a security barrier and external door if they’re on your patio or other outdoor entertainment area. All these Trellidor products can be retrofitted, but a Trellidor technician will have to check if there is enough reveal space for the frames or tracks, and what type of substrate your home has for the units to be fitted to. 24
Stack your Trellidor Retractable Security gates neatly to the side and expand your entertainment area.
A DIY HOME Taking it one project at a time, graphic designer Jenna Sue transforms a modest property into a dream home.
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The entrance to a home says a lot about the homeowners 26
TIP
PG Bison SupaWood boards and battens can be cut to size for wall panelling. Use a product such as No More Nails adhesive to attach the boards and battens to walls. Taking time to ensure that the boards and battens were straight and wood filler applied to fill any gaps, the final result was definitely worth the extra effort.
Matching the new panelling to the existing skirtings took some sculpting skills, but I think I remedied the situation pretty well (for an amateur).
Find a selection of skirtings at your local Builders Warehouse and attach to walls with No More Nails.
The prints are Jenna Sue’s own designs that can be customized and ordered in any size, which are mounted in basic frames painted to match.
Jenna Sue and hubby spent a couple of weekends transforming a dated hall into an elegant entrance for their new home. Wall panels, skirtings, paint and a few personal touches make all the difference. 27
You don’t need a large budget to makeover your kitchen - A few pots of paint and new handles make all the difference! 28
Here in South Africa, access to the Internet has opened our eyes to the endless opportunities that DIY affords the average homeowner.
The original cabinets feature exposed hinges and dated brass handles. These were replaced with concealed hinges and modern brushed nickel handles.
With an original kitchen consisting of pink walls, beige formica countertops and 90s cabinets, Jenna Sue and hubby decided to tackle the kitchen makeover as a DIY project over a week. First, the doors were removed and all the holes were patched with wood filler and then sanded (using 60 grit first, then 240 to smooth). On day two the wooden doors were given a coat of wood primer. One thin coat of primer on every surface did the trick. Day three was spent applying the first coat of paint. They used a high quality 5cm angled brush and foam roller to apply. A water-based enamel is a practical choice on wood cabinets and doors, although Rust-Oleum High Gloss Protective Enamel offers a streak-free finish if you prefer to spray paint.
New kitchen countertops and grey subway tiles installed by Hubby to save a few hundred bucks. Adding new countertops can make a dramatic improvement to any kitchen. 29
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Where a kitchen lacks storage, think about adding shelves to walls. Stores such as my personal favourite - Builders Warehouse - have an endless range of products that make DIY easier and more affordable for everyone.
A few pieces of par pine and laminated pine shelving and you can easily knock up some shelves in a jiffy. Due to time restraints, Jenna Sue asked a local handyman to build the simple box style shelves and corbels (brackets), and hubby Brad mounted onto the wall.
TIP
For a professional ďŹ nish, use a mitre box or mitre saw to cut bevelled corners.
A word of caution: Use a glass or tile bit to drill holes in glass tiles, and be careful not to over tighten screws, as this may crack the tiles. Sand the shelves smooth and then prime and paint exactly as you would for the cabinets and doors.
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The original bathroom was a real piece of work, It’s split into two small rooms: the shower/toilet area, and the vanity area. It had the same white washed oak cabinets and beige formica countertops as the kitchen with fitted carpet in the vanity/sink room. Back in November we decided to get this project started, and I put together a mood board (are they still calling it that?
A dreary master bathroom gets a new look with ready-made cabinets, new tiles, fittings and lighting, and DIY mirror frames and artwork.
The look I was going for was coastalmodern-rustic-spa. Once that was settled, we began ripping it out and putting it back together the right way. I slipped a couple flat seagrass baskets underneath the floating vanity, and Brad installed LED lighting underneath. I built this textured wood piece from timber scraps. It’s stained to match the mirror frames and recessed box shelf. 33
The walls were painted before installing the new vanity unit and top-mounted hand basins (his and hers), with undercounter LED strip lighting ďŹ tted to the base of the vanity. See LED Lumo for more information on strip lighting. New oor tiles and skirtings were installed in the shower and vanity areas, as well as crown moulding around the ceiling. Brad even installed downlights and speakers.
Making your own bathroom vanity unit is easy: PG Bison SupaWood assembled and sprayed with Rust-Oleum 2X espresso or kona brown and fitted with brushed nickel handles. 34
DECORATING, HOME IMPROVEMENT OR DIY PROJECT - WE WANT TO KNOW! IN FACT, WE WANT TO SHARE YOUR PROJECT AND ENTER YOU INTO THE QUARTERLY DRAW FOR BOSCH, SKILL AND DREMEL
IMAGE SOURCE: INMAGINE.COM
IF YOU ARE TACKLING ANY TYPE OF
TOOL HAMPERS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS USE YOUR BOSCH, SKIL OR DREMEL TOOLS TO MAKE, REPAIR OR INSTALL AND SEND US A FEW ‘BEFORE’ AND ‘AFTER’ PICS. THEN TELL US HOW YOU TACKLED THE PROJECT.
SEND IMAGES AND DETAILS TO: home-dzine@iburst.co.za
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http://fourcornersdesign.blogspot.com
For the project the base was spray painted with 2 to 3 light coats of Rust-Oleum 2X Kona Brown. Amy advises that it is much better to do several light coats rather than be in a hurry and get it all done with one coat - invariably, you will have drips and runs and afterward kick yourself for being impatient.
40 pieces of silverware were used for the shade, alternating between spoons, forks and knives. Some where hung high, some low - all depending upon ‘the fit’ of the pieces.
Reuse - Recycle - Repurpose
Amy of Four Corners Design uses assorted silverware to upcycle an old lamp into a wonderful vintage light.
Amy decided to wrap both the bottom and the top edges of the wire form with ribbon to give a finished look and also hide the wire wrapping on the top edge. She wrapped the bottom edge with dark brown silk bias before starting to hang the silverware. 37
The idea for this project involved having each piece of silverware hang from a length of wire... So, holes needed to be drilled in each piece. Purchasing a drill bit (HSS) specific for metal simplified the process; clamping each piece of silverware to a wooden board ensured accurate (and safe!) hole placement. Amy used a length of thin wire, threaded through the top hole of the silverware, folded the wire in half. and then twisted the wire to form a single strand, leaving approximately 5 centimetres at the top untwisted. The short length of untwisted wire was wrapped around the top rim of the shade and continued around the top rim, ensuring equal distance between each piece. With all silverware attached, ribbon was wrapped around the top rim, overlapping sufficiently to hide all of the wrapped wire. And Voila! The lamp was fitted with a warm-white energy-saver bulb to soften the light, which reflects the light beautifully.
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Perfect Balance Just as accessories are an essential part of a design plan, so is lighting. Table lamps not only provide lighting, the wide variety of modern styles can be used to add texture, colour and interest
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images via ruemag.com
Use table lamps in a bedroom for essential lighting and also to add balance to a bed. Or add table lamps to a dresser or console table to create an interesting vignette. When buying table lamps for your home consider where the lamp/s will be placed. A narrow table will need a slender lamp and shade, whereas a large, chunky dresser will accommodate a bulkier lamp and shade. Also take the height of furniture into account, as tall lamps look good on low tables and viceversa for high tables and short lamps. Today’s table lamps look good on accent and console tables, as bedside lamps, next to a sofa, or purely for decoration, but whatever lamp you choose, it should be based on your personal style and complement the decor of a room. 40
Keeping a selection of frozen vegetables on hand ensures that you always have the necessary ingredients to whip up any winter warming meal.
food fun
Winter is the time to indulge in favourite seasonal recipes that bring warmth and comfort such as delicious soups, hearty stews and nourishing bakes. These choices are often referred to as ‘comfort foods’ for their simplicity, heartiness and the sentimentality that they evoke.
McCain have included some appetisingly warming recipes to excite your taste buds while chasing away the chills this winter.
McCain’s Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup Serves: 6 Ingredients 2 tsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp curry powder 500g McCain Sweet Potato 500g McCain Diced Carrots 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock Method 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onions until softened 2. Add the cumin and curry powder and stir for one minute 3. Add the McCain Sweet Potato, McCain Diced Carrots and stock 4. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked 5. Allow to cool slightly before blending 6. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley. 41
McCain’s Sweet Pepper, Pumpkin & Cashew Nut Chicken Casserole Serves: 6 Ingredients 1.2 kg chicken portions, fat and skin removed 400g leeks, thickly sliced 2 large red peppers, thickly sliced Chicken stock powder Generous pinch ground cloves 10ml ground cinnamon 125ml coarsely chopped parsley/coriander leaves
125ml brown sugar 5 – 10ml cayenne pepper 2 – 6 garlic cloves, thinly slivered 100g cashew nuts 1.2 litres prepared chicken stock 125ml corn flour 1kg McCain Pumpkin Chunks
Method 1. Place chicken in a large casserole dish and add leeks and peppers 2. Sprinkle generously with stock powder 3. Add ground cloves, cinnamon, sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic and nuts and pour in prepared stock 4. Cover and cook in oven at 200 °C for a hour or until chicken is tender 5. Mix corn flour with a little cold water and stir into casserole. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 6. Add McCain Pumpkin Chunks and return to oven. 7. Cook without cover until pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes 8. Sprinkle with herbs and enjoy with creamy polenta, couscous or nutty brown rice and your favourite McCain vegetables
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McCain’s Lamb Stew Serves: 6 Ingredients 45ml olive oil 1.6kg lean stewing beef 20ml grated, fresh ginger root 20ml mustard powder 30ml coriander seeds, toasted and crushed 3 cinnamon sticks, broken into smaller pieces 125ml chopped parsley or coriander leaves
65ml brown sugar 2 large onions, chopped 45ml soy sauce 45 – 60ml sweet Thai chilli sauce 900ml prepared beef stock 65ml honey 1kg McCain Butternut & Sweet Potato Corn flour, if necessary
Method 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add meat, ginger, mustard, coriander seeds, cinnamon and sugar. Brown lightly 2. Add onions and sauté until translucent 3. Add soy sauce, sweet Thai sauce, stock and honey and bring to the boil 4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until meat is tender, replenishing liquids from time to time if necessary 5. Add McCain Butternut and Sweet Potato mix and continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until tender. 6. Check and adjust seasoning. Thicken sauce, if necessary, by cooking rapidly until reduced or using a little corn flour paste. 7. Sprinkle with herbs and serve with couscous or brown rice and a selection of steamed McCain vegetables. 43
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gardening delights
It’s pretty easy to build your own rain barrels from plastic drums. All the other plumbing parts will add up to about R150.
Place the drum near a downspout, drill a hole in the side near the bottom and screw in a drain valve. That’s an OK installation if you plan to run a soaker hose to your garden. But if you want to use a spray nozzle, you’ll need to elevate the barrel on a stand for more water pressure. Water is heavy, so use 75 x 75mm treated pine for the legs and secure everything with lags - and be sure to place on a paved area or concrete slab. Cut holes in the bottoms of the barrels with a hole saw. Then screw in a male threaded adapter. Squeeze a thin bead of silicone caulk around the opening and screw on a threaded PVC coupler to cinch the barrel between the
two fittings. Next, glue together sections of PVC pipe, unions, reducers and valves. As long as you’re at it, install an overflow pipe so you can direct the excess where you want it. You’ll find all the parts you need for this project at your local Builders Warehouse. Finally, cut a hole in one of the covers and mount a screen to filter out leaves and debris. Then just wait for the next big rain. If you have large gardens and want to store more water, doublesize the stand and add a second barrel. 45
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http://love-aesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/09/diy-branche-clothing-rack.html
Winter is generally the time we start trimming and pruning around the garden and I stumbled across a unique way to use trimmed branches that not only works for your garden, it also fulďŹ ls a practical storage need in many homes. Of course, you need to have the right style of home to be able to do this! A large branch is painted in a matt white and suspended from the ceiling to provide useable hanging storage in place of built-in closets. There’s even a branch for hanging jewellery and accessories!
simple
SOLUTIONS 47
New natural stone tile adhesive from TAL
TAL recently introduced TAL Stonefix, a new thick-bed natural stone tile adhesive. It is ideal for fixing dark-coloured natural stone tiles such as slate, sandstone, quartzite, marble and granite to walls and floors, and can also be used when laying ceramic, porcelain and quarry tiles. TAL Stonefix can be built up to a thickness of 12mm, and up to 20mm in isolated areas, facilitating the bedding in of heavy natural stone tiles. It is high-strength and quick-setting as it sets within 12 hours, depending on site and ambient conditions. Grouting can commence six to eight hours after installation. TAL Stonefix is available in a 20kg pack size. 48
Must-have emergency lighting It would seem as if the latest ‘must-have’ décor accessory for the winter months is not a chic lamp or stylishly crafted crystal chandelier, it is something far more mundane - an emergency light. What use to be relegated to the home of the über-prepared, has now become a functional ‘must have’ for most South Africans as the loss of electricity tightens its icy grip on the residential market. Eurolux suggests that home owners invest in one or more of the following lighting products to ensure their safety and comfort around the home, especially during winter.
Eurolux FS44/84 A portable emergency light featuring two fluorescent tubes with backup power supply that charges while plugged into the main power supply. Depending on which setting is selected, the lights can automatically switch on when the electricity supply fails, or it can be set to manual so that the user can switch the light on as needed. You can further select whether one fluorescent tube will provide you with sufficient light, or if you need two. By using only one tube you have eight hours of battery life, while using two tubes halves the battery life. The lights can be mounted on a wall or ceiling, or can be carried around like a torch. Apart from charging it through the mains power supply, the battery can also be charged by plugging it into a car’s cigarette lighter jack - should a prolonged outage occur.
Another light to consider is the Eurolux ‘Stick Up Bulb’ - an amazing wireless light bulb that installs anywhere, requires no wiring and provides lighting whenever needed. Just peel and stick the base where needed then slide the bulb in. It takes four AA batteries and features a standard 1 Watt/6 Volt bulb. It is ideal to light up your closets, stairwells, and anywhere that you need light. You can also use it outdoors in your shed or under your patio umbrella to provide light at night. During a power outage you can also unclip the lamp from the bracket and walk around with it to provide light.
So, for those wanting to be prepared, emergency lights certainly are the way to go. 49
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BRANCH OUT!
Print out this tree silhouette or a sheet of transparency and use a projector to reect onto a wall. Trace the design with white chalk and then paint inside with matt or low sheen PVA.
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image: inmagine.com
BE SPOILT FOR CHOICE! Your mom appreciated a small gift made with love and fumbled care by small hands. But you’re all grown up now - and mom would like a set of power tools for Mother’s Day!
PSR 18 LI-2 No memory effect, no self-discharge: always ready for use thanks to lithium-ion technology
DREMEL Multitool - with a range of attachments for any job KREG Jnr Pockethole Jig Creates almost invisible joints on a wide range of projects 52
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Be creative, use your imagination, have fun!
Here’s an easy card to make for just about any occasion. I’m planning on using it for Mother’s Day. On the back of the teabag you will write your message. You will need: White card Scissors or craft knife and cutting mat Liquid paper glue String Flavoured tea bag 54
Print out the design on card. You can also print out on paper and use Pritt to attach the design to a piece of card.
Cut out teacup and rectangle. Fold both in half so they line up as perfect as possible. Unfold.
Apply small dots of glue to teacup - around the edge of one side. Fold together and let the glue dry.
Cut a piece of paper the size of the tea bag. Tape the string to the paper. Tape the teabag to the paper and the tag and glue shut.
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Now you have a Mother’s Day card, complete with tea bag, to add to the breakfast tray!
PRINT OUT THIS MOTHER’S DAY CARD TEMPLATE ON A PC PRINTER
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TAKE A LOOK AT OUR SCHEDULE FOR 2012 More great projects for you to make and take home Beginners & Advanced Workshops Basic Electrical and Plumbing Workshops Soul Sisters for our Cape Town DIY Divas Basic Welding Career Workshops Every Saturday morning from 09:00 to 12:00 at a venue near you.
www.DIY-DIVAS.co.za 57