isy 4rs46 by loopedsaxe3

k o o b s Thi s to belong

March/April

MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL

on the cover 31 Knit our toy rabbit and her clothes 34 Crochet a colourful sweater 38, 88, 98

PROJEC TS FOR YOU TO DO

Find ﬂoral inspiration for your clothes and your home

41 Sew a comfy dress-top 56 Decorate a beehive cake 88 Moody makes from cement and plaster 96 Make botanical lollies for the kids 104 Glam up some eggs 112 Meditate while walking

Craft & décor 18 28 31 34 38 41 50 72 78 82 88 98

Décor: Colour and creativity best describe this home Paint and sew a quirky rabbit cushion Knit a cuddly bunny and clothes to dress her in Crochet a colourful boho-style sweater Appliqué a jacket with motifs drawn from nature Sew a loose, versatile dress Mix beads and embroidery for a fun brooch The eco-friendly kitchen for health-aware cooks Knot a macramé shopping bag DIY: Make an easy multipurpose shelf unit Craft Easter decorations with plaster or cement Fade to ﬂoral: Let your holiday celebrations and décor be inspired by nostalgia and nature

How to 47 56 92 94 96

Make a beehive inspiration board Decorate a cake with a honeycomb collar Craft ﬂoral eggs with plaster of Paris Mould decorative plates for your Easter table Sweet and pretty: Botanical lollies step by step

On the cover STYLING HANNES KOEGELENBERG PHOTO ED O'RILEY

Food & entertaining 60 74

Take a trip down memory lane with fairy-tale food Eco-aware: Home-made granola and preserved lemons

Your life 07, 17, 45, 49, 87 Words to live by

52 Beauty and the bees, making us healthier and prettier 108 Maker of the month: We meet a creative maker turning pressed ﬂowers into beautiful memories

110 Rainbow palette: Bring colour into your home 112 Discovering the calming power of walking meditation 117 Creative forest retreat: The importance of being lost 122 Treat yourself or a friend to an emergency self-care kit 134 Your letters

Regulars 06 From the editor 10 What s new around town and in the shops 126 Things to do and read this month 133 Instagram inspiration 136 Subscribe and save

PAINT AND SEW A RABBIT CUSHION

Creative

MAKE A HONEYCOMB

KNIT A BUNNY AND HER CLOTHES

CAKE COLLAR

makes

47 94

CREATE A BEEHIVE INSPIRATION BOARD

MOULD ORNAMENTAL PLATES

105 51 61 DECORATE GORGEOUS EASTER EGGS

MAKE AN EASY DIY SHELF UNIT

Stay in touch facebook.com/ideasmag

CRAFT A BEADWORK BROOCH

INDULGE IN A BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE

from the

editor T

he biggest advantage of my home in Cape Town is, without doubt, how close it is to the Sea Point promenade. It s ideal for getting my body moving and clearing

my head before my work day starts. This early-morning ritual became a habit after I healthy. And then a while later I also read Vitamin Sea , about how beneficial it is for us to be near water. According to the article in The Guardian, a blue space, which includes the ocean and coastline, rivers, canals and even fountains, is associated with positive physical and spiritual well-being, from higher levels of vitamin D to better social relationships. Besides all these unexpected benefits that it brings to me, it s also lovely to be able every morning to count how many ships are waiting to enter the harbour, to see if the preacher is standing on the outcrop at Rocklands again, sharing his message with the sea and the gulls, and whether the friendly young man with his white minstrel hat will cross my path. Every day something new, every day something familiar. In this issue we have two articles about the wonders of spending time in nature. Psychologist Stefan Blom writes about the advantages of getting lost during his creative retreat in Finland (page 117), while Johan van Zyl undertook a two-week walking meditation on the Portuguese Camino route (page 112). Still in nature, a long discussion about the disappearance of bees from our gardens led to us compiling our section exploring these important pollinators of our environment, from Hannes s cork boards (page 47) and Dala s bee brooch (page 50) to Tani s honeycomb cake (page 56) and Elsa s article about what these insects mean for our beauty and health (page 52). In Somerset West, Pam Stallebrass was inspired by the proteas in the surrounding area to get a head-start on decorating her winter coat (page 38) and in the Eastern Free State, Wendy Erasmus-Koutlis photographed her crochet work against that region s spectacular scenery (page 34). And not to mention how creatively we have invited nature indoors for the Easter holidays (pages 88 and 98). Just like that, unplanned, Mother Nature came to us and said, Don t forget about me. And in our own creative way we show that we haven t. Please let us know where you find your inspiration. Enjoy your making!

Contact me at • terena@ideasfactory.co.za • instagram.com/terenaleroux

STYLING: HANNES KOEGELENBERG • PHOTO: ED O RILEY • BEES: ISTOCK BY GETTY IMAGES

watched a programme on TV about how important walking is for keeping your brain

The busy bee has no time for sorrow.

â&#x20AC;&#x2019; William Blake

EDITOR Email STUDIO AND STITCHCRAFT MARKETING AND FINANCES INQUIRIES COPY EDITING

Terena le Roux terena@ideasfactory.co.za Dala Watts Marweya Smal info@ideasfactory.co.za Diana Procter and Marié Smidt

STYLING

Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts, Carin Smith

PHOTOS

Ed O Riley,

CONTRIBUTORS FOOD CRAFT & DIY

BEAUTY STITCHCRAFT

Creative Calendar

Carin Smith, Dala Watts, Hannes Koegelenberg and John Letherbarrow Elsa Krüger Elizabeth Fester, Marica Perreira, Wendy Erasmus-Koutlis, Tamzin Bosch and Pam Stellabrass Lara Foreman

Retouching

Willie Koen

SOCIAL MEDIA

Carien Eloﬀ

PUBLISHER & SALES

The essence of being human is being creative

Louisa Holst and Tani Kirsten

Terena le Roux

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher. The editorial staﬀ do not necessarily subscribe to the opinions given in articles and advertisements. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given to readers, the editor and publisher cannot accept responsiblity for any damages or inconvenience that may arise therefrom. The editorial staﬀ have the right to make alterations to any material submitted and cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage to any material submitted for publication. All prices quoted were correct at the time of going to press and may vary from shop to shop.

www.dala.co.za Available in craft stores countrywide

Simply Bee products are completely natural and consist of beeswax, propolis, West Coast fynbos honey and essential oils. All our products are made with love from renewable, sustainable resources found in nature. They are safe, environmentally friendly and contain no chemicals, synthetic fragrances or petrochemical compounds.

Shop and observation centre: 31A Church Street, HopeďŹ eld 7355 Tel: 022 723 0569 Email: info@simplybee.co.za www.simplybee.co.za

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

Mesotherapy in a jar Many of us prick up our ears when we hear that a product is specifically aimed at women older than 50. Filorga recently launched their first products for treating aged and ageing skin. The new Global Repair range is formulated to tackle all the problems associated with ageing: dehydration, wrinkles, loss of firmness, loss of volume, dark marks and loss of radiance. The range currently consists of a serum and a cream. These can be used both morning and evening. The formula includes 50 factors that are used in mesotherapy (vitamins, antioxideants, coenzymes), super nutrients (omega acids, ceramide) and cellular boosters (hyaluronic acid, collagen, niacinamide) for multi-intensive anti-ageing. The serum, GlobalRepair Intensive (R1 395), and cream, GlobalRepair Cream (R1 395), can both also be used as overnight masks.

Bubbly on the go Chateau Del Rei is a new sparkling wine in a can ‒ ideal for taking along to relaxed picnics, outdoor movie nights and open-air concerts. It s perfect whenever you are in the mood for just a glass or two ‒ you ll never have opened bottles losing their ﬁzz in the fridge. Lower in alcohol than most other sparkling wines, this convenient bubbly in a can lets you party all summer long. Choose from sparkling dry, semisweet rosé and sweet variants. Available at liquor outlets nationwide for around R75 for a six-pack.

Eyewear trends Revamp your style with a pair of fresh new frames. Glasses are the perfect fashion accessory, not just to match your outﬁt, but also your mood. You can t go wrong with a pair of colourless transparent frames in a classic style, or if you feel adventurous, opt for shades of soft pink, brown or muted neutral tones. The vintage cat-eye frame has been given a modern slant that is ﬂattering for most face shapes. To make choosing a bit easier, you can now try on Execuspecs frames in the comfort of your own home with their Home Try On kit. Simply select four styles from the website www.execuspecs.co.za and have them delivered to your door. You can also book your eye test online.

10 IDEAS March/April 2020

3 NEW SHOPS, DÉCOR AND CRAFT dala@ideasfactory.co.za 3 FOOD AND RESTAURANTS ideasmagazinefood@gmail.com

Karoo creativity Willem du Plessis and Dirkje Daling recently opened a studio and showroom, called Karoo Collective, in Graaff-Reinet. Here you will find artwork by Dirkje and bespoke furniture handcrafted by Willem in a combination of wood and steel. Visit them at 108 Caledon Street or phone them on 082 614 5833. You can also follow them on Instagram @Karoocollective or go to www.kcollectv.wixsite.com/karoocollective.

Artisanal cheese If you enjoy a special cheese, try the new Tomme de Waterkloof, handmade at Healey s Cheesery & Deli at the biodynamic Waterkloof wine estate near Somerset West. It s a semihard, French-inspired cheese with a creamy texture and gentle, sweeter flavour, which give it a broad appeal. Healey s Cheesery is well known as a craft producer of superior, slow-matured Cheddar. All of their cheeses are free from preservatives, artificial colourants, flavour enhancers and mould inhibitors. The cheeses are also vegetarian-friendly and are certified Halaal. They are available from the Cheese Gourmet in Linden, Johannesburg or Healey s Cheesery & Deli in the Western Cape.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 11

what’s new

Bespoke paper products As a passionately local brand, all of Liberty Bespoke’s paper products are sourced and printed in South Africa and hand-assembled in their creative studio. The paper is selected from the finest, environmentally responsible paper to bring the customer an exclusive collection of stationery items. The new range, called Mo Exotic, will transport you to the tropics. It includes cards and tags with envelopes in different colours. Visit them at www.libertybespoke.co.za.

Get your gratitude journal A gratitude journal will take you on a year-long journey of self-discovery to elevate your levels of happiness and positivity. This special workbook, created by intuitive coach Evelyn Alessandri, can be used daily or when you have the time. It includes mood mandalas and fun trackers to help you enjoy the time you spend with your book. Some journal highlights include daily aﬃrmations, reasons to be grateful, losing negativity, facing your fears and how to create a vision board. The journal is not dated, so can be used from any month of any year. It is A5, hardcover, wire bound and sells for R395. Order at www.evelynalessandri.com.

Food for plants Pokon has released eight new specialist granular fertilisers in 1kg boxes. Each recipe has been scientiﬁcally formulated to ensure that your plants get all the nutrients they need, in the quantities they need. They are safe for humans and pets, and are made with a slow release formula so you only have to feed your plants every four months. To see the new range, and for loads of tips and information, visit www.hadeco.co.za.

12 IDEAS March/April 2020

Enjoy a glass of perlé The latest vintage of Perlé de Jean Pinot Grigio Rosé from Van Loveren winery in Robertson is a delicious, lightly sparkling and refreshing choice for Easter holiday entertaining. It s a perfect partner to seafood, especially grilled prawns, but is also a great match when served with chicken, summer salads, cold cuts and vegetarian dishes. Available at supermarkets and liquor outlets nationwide for around R69 per bottle.

Farmhouse bathroom Opt for comfort to achieve a welcoming, homely feel for your farmhousestyle bathroom. Add contrast and balance with salvaged materials or industrial elements such as light ﬁxtures and mirror frames, and stainless steel bathroom accessories by Bathroom Butler. Their Bette steel bathtubs add the ultimate luxury bathing experience. This farmhouse style is relaxed and warm, and is all about neutral hues, wood accents and clean design lines. Visit www.bathroombutler.com for more information.

Soothe your sensitive skin

Increasing numbers of people are realising that their skin is becoming unusually sensitive. This is largely because of the impact of environmental factors on the skin barrier. The result is a dry, sensitive, burning, itchy skin or redness. The new Epimax Oatmeal Lotion (200 g, R105) contains colloidal oats, oat oil and shea butter, which forms a protective combination to soothe and calm irritated skin. It is suitable for the whole family.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 13

what’s new

Protect your skin and marine life

The dilemma is increasing: Are you protecting your skin against the sun, but damaging the sea and marine life? With Avène’s new Eau Thermale sun products you don’t have to choose. The range is biodegradable, in contrast with many others on the market, and offers optimal protection with minimal damage to the ecosystem. In numerous places, like Miami and the Palau island group in the Pacific Ocean, sunscreens with certain chemical ingredients are no longer allowed because they kill the coral reefs. Over the holiday period (to the end of December) Avène donated R10 from every sun product sold to conservation projects on the South African coast.

Gluten-free cuisine Bio XXI is an organic, gluten-free range of quinoa-based food products, now available in South Africa. It includes various pasta noodles as well as glutenfree premixes for bread, pizza dough, muﬃns and pancakes. There are also cereals and snacks. Quinoa is an ancient grain and is considered a superfood. It is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids and is rich in many vitamins and minerals. Look for the products in health-food stores nationwide. For more information, visit www.bioxxi.co.za.

14 IDEAS March/April 2020

Eat yourself younger and prettier

How does an invitation to eat yourself younger and prettier sound? Irresistible? The new Clenergy Eatery in Greenside, Johannesburg, has a hit here. All their chef-prepared meals are free from sugar and gluten, and any ingredient under the sun that you may have an intolerance towards. It s a gathering place for banters and people who do intermittent fasting with various low-carb, high-fat options. The youthfulness advantage? Beauty starts on the inside. If you avoid sugar, it makes a diﬀerence to your skin. The menu also oﬀers dishes full of superfoods rich in antioxidants and proteins that stimulate collagen production.

Train your skin for retinol

Country kitchen Enjoy a contemporary, country-style meal at Groot Phesantekraal in the Durbanville wine valley. This is one of the oldest farms in the area and the restaurant is housed

Retinol in your skincare routine is the basis for cell renewal. However, there is an art to using it correctly and ﬁnding the correct concentration for your skin. Optiphi Delta Rt+1 Retinol Serum 1 and 2 each contain three diﬀerent types of retinol that optimise skin penetration without irritation. The intervals that the active ingredients are delivered to the dermis are time-controlled over eight hours. Use Rt+1 (R850) if your skin isn t used to retinol, and Rt+2 (R850) if you ve already been using retinol for a while and your skin is used to it.

in a converted stable built in 1767. The whitewashed plastered walls, original stone ﬂoors, open-beam thatched roof and original feeding troughs blend seamlessly with the modern touches. The menu changes regularly according to seasonal availability as much of the produce used is sourced on the farm. Open from Tuesdays to Saturdays for breakfast and lunch. On Saturdays you can relax outside on the lawns and enjoy pizzas or cheese and meat platters while sipping on with the farm s wines. For more information, go to www.grootphesantekraal.co.za.

Recycled jewellery Nicole Sauer started her brand Her-Lief (Afrikaans for re-love ) two years ago, using recycled and reclaimed materials. Sterling silver is set with an array of found objects from plastic pieces to lids and straws, crafted by hand to ensure that each item is unique. The range is bold and fun, but it is also about considerate design and its eﬀect on our surroundings and environment. The jewellery is not just about recycling; the idea is to encourage people to think about their surroundings, rethink their trash and what they do about it, and what they purchase in the ﬁrst place. Go to www.herlief.co.za to see more of her work and to place your order.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 15

PROPS FROM MR COLLECTABLE, 9 BARRON STREET, WOODSTOCK, CAPE TOWN

décor

Creative canvas Colour and creativity are the ﬁrst words that come to mind when trying to describe the charming home of Martijn and Marije Zijderlaan. COCOFEATURES.COM copy GERALDINE NESBIT T st yling and photos LUC Y BECK

Kitchen The extension was built shortly after Martijn moved in. But the kitchen as it is now dates back to 2012. Some of the cabinet doors are originals and others were custom-made to match. The door handles are authentic 1920s; Marije did an extensive search of online market places until she found precisely what she was looking for. The ceramic lampshades are also from an online store. The terrazzo ﬂoor replicates the original; it was chosen not only because it looks like a 1920s ﬂoor, but also because it is so hardwearing. The kitchen counter is terrazzo as well. The white tiles are replicas of Old Dutch white tiles. 18 IDEAS March/April 2020

Living room Marije first saw this couch online about five years ago, and finally bought it two years ago. The cushions add a touch of contrasting colour. Garden centres and budget stores are good places to find smaller items of furniture, like the coffee tables. The leather armchair is not very comfortable, but it looks great.

décor

Kiddies' corner The kiddies corner is a simple desk made by Martijn with fold-up crates where they can put their toys. The little chair is from the school Marije attended as a child. The table lamp is a genuine antique. Marije had this in her previous house, the only item remaining from that time.

Dining room The wooden ﬂoors throughout the house are lime treated. The large dining table seats eight ‒ great for when Gran and Granddad come to visit. The Scandinavian ceiling lamps were bought online from interior design and décor store Madam Stoltz. The 1960s sideboard is also from an online marketplace. (Above, left) Marije has a passion for old embroidery. She repurposes the pieces and transforms them into modern interior design items.

artijn was just 25 when he bought this 1920s house in Stolwijk in the Netherlands, just up the road from the home he grew up in. When he saw that the house was for sale, he wrote to the real estate agent (who lives next door), explaining how enthusiastic he

was about the house and asking whether it would be possible for him to buy it. Turns out it was! You ll be hard-pressed to ﬁnd anything that is more picturesque, says Marije. I was already in love with Martijn, but the ﬁrst time he brought me here, this sealed the

deal for me. When Marije moved in 12 years ago, and the couple were ready to settle down and have a family, they began planning some serious alterations. Several minor renovations had been carried out by the previous owners, and when Martijn bought

March/April 2020 IDEAS 21

décor

Rear entrance The mud room is at the back of the house oﬀ the kitchen. To the right of the coat rack is the door to the kitchen. The antique yellow bench is Eastern European. They found it online. Marije s father made the coat rack, again to replicate the 1920s style. Martijn made the wainscoting, which dates back to 1999 when he moved in.

Bathroom The bathroom in its current form was completed about a year ago. It is at the back of the house, off the mud room. Marije wanted an English atmosphere, reminiscent of the house where she was an au pair. They painted the retro 1950s tub with special enamel paint and had the legs painted professionally, for the perfect finish. It was completed with vintage taps and shower head. The vanity was made to measure and the floor is the same as in the kitchen.

the property in 1999 he had an extension built onto the back of the house to accommodate a new, good-sized bathroom. The house was then given a thorough makeover in 2012, after their second child Mees was born. They worked with an architect, and the rebuild was completed within

22 IDEAS March/April 2020

four months, but a further three months of meticulous planning had been invested prior to that. After all, what they wanted was a considerable transformation. This included literally raising the roof, to create an entire extra storey. They lifted the roof, built the new storey, then put the roof

back on. The house went from a single storey, labourer s cottage with loft-in peaked roof, to a twostorey family home with a mansard roof, and from two small bedrooms to four large bedrooms. The loft is a storage and play area for Medden (10), Mees (7) and Minte (5). The current kitchen was also ﬁtted

Master bedroom The green bench at the foot of the bed is a very special item. On a trip with their camper through Scandinavia, they came across a quirky shop that sells vintage pieces from Eastern Europe. They couldn t resist, and fortunately there was room in the camper. The Oilily bedding was bought online and the wood panelling was in the original house.

dĂŠcor Minte s bedroom Minte s room is in subdued colours. The vintage wardrobe was originally bought for Medden s nursery and has been repurposed for Minte. The bed has been sprayed mint green. The desk and chairs are vintage and the bed linen is from a local department store. The wallpaper is from Pip Studio, which oďŹ&#x20AC;ers a worldwide online service (www.pipstudio.com).

during the renovations. We had one very important precondition for the renovations: The characteristic plasterwork and the front facade of the house had to be preserved, says Marije. The couple went to great lengths to ďŹ nd bricks that were as close a

24 IDEAS March/April 2020

match to the original as possible. They replaced the dividing doors between the living room and kitchen and the panelled doors but were careful to replicate the original features. They also built a large barn, which Marije uses for her creative workshops. Many of

the features that were taken out of the house during the renovations, such as the panelled doors, were repurposed as shelving in the barn. Martijn and I love looking at houses. Wherever we are [on our holidays], we take lots of photos of unusual facades, beautiful doors,

Patio The double doors lead from the barn onto the rear end of the patio. The wood burner is a family heirloom but is fully operational. Martijn made two wooden hobby horses for the girls. The trolley is Eastern European and was bought on their Scandinavian trip.

colours and small details. They have found a great deal of inspiration that way. When it came to the interior decorating aspect, they kept the basis as unobtrusive as possible, opting for neutral paint colours like light blues and whites.

Marije has also used replicas of the Old Dutch-style white tiles both in the kitchen and the bathroom. Bakelite ďŹ xtures, panelled doors in the original style and beamed ceilings are important for that 1920s ambience. I love colourful accessories and

like to display my collection of porcelain and embroidery work, so choosing a subtle palette for immovables, like dressers, the sofa and the kitchen units, has allowed me to do that and still maintain a calm, well-coordinated overall feel, says Marije.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 25

décor

Workshop area Marije has an enormous collection of handicraft items that she uses for her workshops, which she gives in the barn. The space has been decorated using all the bits and pieces left over after the major renovations in the house. The barn has underﬂoor heating and a poured cement ﬂoor. The chairs come from the old kitchen.

26 IDEAS March/April 2020

stitchcraft

Cute and cuddly A delightfully quirky and easy project. With her itsy-bitsy shoes and sassy oversized bow, this little bunny will delight both young and old. projec t by TAMZIN BOSCH st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY This is a great introductory toy-making project as there are no fiddly seams and joining of various limbs. The finished cushion measures approximately 23cm from tip to base, although you can also print the pattern larger or smaller, if you prefer. Our size is perfect for little people to clutch onto, but as a trendy adult décor item the cushion is a cute talking point on a shelf or sofa, or peeking out from behind a pot plant. YOU WILL NEED ♥ plain white fabric, preferably 100% cotton (the fabric paint will adhere better, but a cotton mix is also fine) ♥ small pompom for the tail ♥ rounded paintbrush with small pointed tip (we used Dala Gold no.1) ♥ small flat-ended paintbrush (we used Dala Gold no.6) ♥ mop paintbrush (or use the no.6 again) ♥ polyester stuffing ♥ fabric paints in the colours of your choice (we used Dala, see 'Tips and Ideas' overleaf for our colours) ♥ 15cm satin ribbon, 45mm wide or use 35mm or 25mm width ♥ 5cm of 10mm grosgrain/satin ribbon for the tag (optional) ♥ 2 x 2cm square of felt or cotton ♥ pencil or tailor s pen

28 IDEAS March/April 2020

♥ sewing machine, needle and thread, pins and sharp scissors ♥ pattern on the page overleaf (printed to original size, not fit to page) NOTE Prewash the cotton fabric, in case it shrinks. TO MAKE 1 Place the printed bunny pattern on a flat surface with the fabric on top and lightly trace the details using the pencil or tailor s pen. If you struggle to see the design, tape the pattern and fabric to a window so the light shows through, or use a light box. 2 Experiment with the paint and paintbrushes on a fabric remnant ‒ fabric paint can be quite a tricky medium. Don t water the paint down as the colour will then bleed out of the painted areas. Dip your paintbrush into some water, shake off any excess and then paint. Re-dip in the water as needed, but try not to dilute the paint too much. Paint over the same line a couple of times to make it dark enough, especially when using the pointed paintbrush. Use a thin line for the outline and details, the flat brush for filling in the more solid areas, and the mop brush for the stippling of the cheeks. To do this, dab most of the paint off on a fabric scrap so there is as little paint

left on the brush as possible. Using little repetitive dabbing motions to build up the colour to the preferred shade. 3 Work from the head downwards and begin by outlining the face. Do a double line for the glasses to add depth, or leave off the glasses, if you prefer. Let the outline dry a little before adding in the spots and heart on the jersey area. Other suggestions are little triangles, more hearts or tiny dots. Outline the spots with the thin paintbrush and then fill in with the flat paintbrush. Also stipple the cheeks so they are as rosy as you choose. If you are confident, you can add in some gentle grey shading in certain areas as we have done with our bunny. 4 When the fabric paint is completely dry, follow the manufacturer s instructions to set it. It usually requires about 30 seconds of ironing on the wrong side of the fabric. 5 Next, cut out the back and front of the bunny shape. A seam allowance of 1cm is included. Fold the fabric double with the full bunny design on top and cut through both thicknesses; the front and back of this toy are the same shape. 6 Before sewing up, add embellishments such as the hair bow and pompom tail. (Leave off the pompom if the bunny is going to a small child, for safety.) Bring the ends of the ribbon together in the

stitchcraft middle, overlapping by about 1cm. Pinch

3 layers and then machine sew through

them down and together, and with your threaded needle stitch through the

all the layers, through the middle of the bow. Sew at least twice through this

ribbon to keep the bow shape. Then pin the bow in place on the bunny. Place

stack. Attach the pompom in the same manner, but hand sew it in place (it will

two layers of fabric with all edges lined up and the ribbon facing inwards, and secure

the small square of felt directly under the bow, on the underside of the bunny

be too thick for machine sewing).

with a pin. Using a smallish straight stitch, length 2.5, start at the designated starting

fabric, for reinforcement. Pin through the

right sides together and pin. You can now

7 Match the bunny back and front with

also add in the little side tag, or leave it oﬀ if you prefer. To add it, fold the ribbon or grosgrain in half, sandwich between the

point and sew around the whole outline with a 7.5 to 1cm seam. Leave the marked section open. Trim the seam all the way around and clip into the curves with your scissors, to give a better overall shape. Stuff the bunny bit by bit, starting with the ears. It should be soft enough to be able to squeeze a little, but not so stuffed that it is hard. Hand stitch the opening closed with a blind stitch (there are lots of great video tutorials on this, also known as an invisible stitch). 8 Your bunny is now complete. Remove any blue marker with a damp cloth if necessary and enjoy finding a special place or person to home her. Remember that as it s a hand-painted cushion, it doesn t need to look perfect. There are likely to be areas where lines are thicker or the paint smudges a little, but this all adds to the overall quirkiness and appeal. TIPS AND IDEAS

3 You can choose to back the bunny pillow with a contrasting colour to give added interest.

3 You could add in other 3D details like a little ruﬄe of tulle for the skirt, or a heart button in place of the painted heart. For a boy bunny, replace the bow with a bowtie along the collar.

3 We combined turquoise, teal and white for the blue dots; fuchsia, cerise and white for the pink spots, adding in more white for the cheek colouring (and inner ears if you wish); lemon yellow and a drop of fuchsia for the golden yellow dots; cerise, fuchsia and white for the cheeks; red for the heart ﬁlling; and for the shading a drop of black mixed into white to give a light grey.

3 Quilting shops sell smallish pieces of high-quality cotton fabrics if you don t have any remnants on hand. Other material shops usually start cutting from half a metre upwards, which can be pricey.

30 IDEAS March/April 2020

honey bunny Knit this bunny and dress her up in some beautiful clothes and shoes, ready for town! by MARICA PERREIRA st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY

stitchcraft DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: about 10 hours

HEAD

EARS

With Anvil, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 11 sts and p 1 row

With Anvil, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 13 sts and k 19 rows.

BUNNY

Row 2 (RS): k2, (m1, k1) x 8, k1 (19 sts).

Row 20: k5, sl1, k2tog, psso, k5 (11sts).

Finished size approx 30cm

Rows 3 and 5: P to end. Row 4: k2, (m1, k2) x 8, k1 (27 sts).

Rows 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29: K to end. Row 22: k4, sl1, k2tog, psso, k4 (9 sts).

YOU WILL NEED ♥ 1 x 50g Nurturing Fibres Eco-Cotton

Row 6: k2, (m1, k3) x 8, k1 (35 sts). Row 7: p15, k1 (this is the marker st for

Row 24: k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, k3 (7 sts). Row 26: k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2 (5 sts).

colour Anvil ♥ 1 x 50g Nurturing Fibres Eco-Fusion

the ear placement), p3, k1 (marker for 2nd ear) p15.

Row 28: k1, sl1, k2tog, psso, k1 (3 sts). Cut yarn leaving a 20cm tail and thread

Rows 8 ‒ 25: Work in stocking stitch, starting with a k row.

this through the remaining 3 sts, pull tight, over-sew and weave in the end.

Row 26: k1, (k2tog) x 7, k5, (k2tog) x 7, k1

Fold the ear in half and join the cast-on

♥ polyester stuﬃng (we used Ball Fibre) ♥ 1 small button (lime) for the dress

(21 sts). Rows 27, 29 and 31: P to end.

edge. Attach the ear to the head, using the marked sts of row 7 in the head and

♥ 2 tiny buttons (ruby pink) for the shoes

Row 28: k2, k2tog, k13, k2tog, k2 (19sts).

stay in the same channel between the

♥ small amount of black embroidery

Row 30: k1, (k2tog) x 4, k1, (k2tog) x 4, k1 (11 sts).

stitches. Use the black embroidery cotton to

After row 31, cut yarn leaving a tail of

embroider the eyes, nose and mouth.

ABBREVIATIONS

20cm and use a tapestry needle to thread the tail through the remaining 11 sts and

BODY

k ‒ knit k2tog ‒ knit 2 together

pull tight. Over-sew to prevent the nose from loosening up again. Close

With Anvil, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 16 sts and p 1 row.

each colours Ruby Pink, Sweet Pea and Lime ♥ pair of 3mm knitting needles

cotton ♥ tapestry needle

m1 ‒ make 1 extra stitch by picking up the loop between the 2 sts with the left needle and knit through the back loop. p ‒ purl psso ‒ pass slip stitch over RS ‒ right side sl1 ‒ slip 1 st knit wise st(s) ‒ stitch(es) yo ‒ yarn over needle

32 IDEAS March/April 2020

about 3cm of the front head seam, using the same thread. Use the cast-on tail to thread through the p sts of row 1, pull tight and over-sew. Close about 2cm from the back of the head, leaving an opening to stuﬀ the head tightly. Leave the seam open after stuﬃng for now.

Row 2 (RS): k2, (m1, k2) x 7 (23 sts). Rows 3 and 5: P to end. Row 4: k4, (m1, k3) x 6, k1 (29 sts). Row 6: k5, (m1, k4) x 6 (35 sts). Rows 7 ‒ 13: Work in stocking stitch, starting with a p row. Row 14: k5, (m1, k6) x 5 (40 sts). Rows 15, 16 and 17: Change to Ruby Pink and p every row. Row 18: Change to Sweet Pea and k. Row 19: P to end. Row 20: Change to Ruby Pink and k. Row 21: P to end. Rows 22 ‒ 33: Repeat rows 18 ‒ 21 three times. FIRST LEG We are now going to work on the ﬁrst 20 sts only for the ﬁrst leg. Change to Sweet Pea and keep changing the colour after every 2 rows. Row 34: k2tog, k 16, k2tog, (18 sts), turn. Rows 35 ‒ 53: Work in stocking stitch, starting with a p row and changing colour after every 2 rows. RIGHT HEEL in Sweet Pea: k8 and turn, p7 and turn, k6 and turn, p5 and turn, k4 and turn, p3 and turn, k4 and turn, p5 and turn, k6 and turn, p7 and turn, k to end. Work 13 rows in stocking stitch, changing colour after every 2 rows to keep stripe pattern correct over the top of the foot.

[Decrease row 1: (k2tog, k1) x 6 (12 sts). P 1 row. Decrease row 2: (k2tog) x 6 (6 sts). Cut the yarn leaving a tail of 20cm and

PATTERN ROWS

Rejoin the yarn to the second set of

Row 1: k2, (k2tog) x 3, [(yo, k1) x 6, (k2tog) x 6] x 3, (yo, k1) x 6, (k2tog) x 3, k2.

7 sts and cast on 10 sts for the strap of the shoe.

Rows 2 and 4: P to end.

K 2 rows across all sts, cast oﬀ all 17 sts and close the seam on the shoe.

use a tapestry needle to thread the tail through the remaining 6 sts. Pull tight

Row 3: K to end. Repeat pattern rows 1 ‒ 4 four times (total

and over-sew. Close the seam on the leg

of 19 rows from cast on). Row 20: (k5, k2tog) x 10, k6 (66 sts).

2ND SHOE Repeat rows 1 ‒ 14 of the 1st shoe and

Rows 21 ‒ 25: Work in stocking stitch, starting with a p row.

then continue as follows: On the 1st set of 7 sts, cast on 10 sts for

Row 26: (k5, k2tog) x 9, k3 (57 sts). Rows 27, 28 and 29: Work in stocking

the strap of the shoe. K 2 rows across all sts and cast oﬀ all

stitch, starting with a p row.

17 sts. Rejoin the yarn to the second set of 7 sts,

using the same thread.] SECOND LEG Join the yarn (Sweet Pea) to the remaining 20 sts and repeat rows 34 ‒ 53. LEFT HEEL in Sweet Pea: k18 and turn, p7 and turn, k6 and turn, p5 and turn, k4 and turn, p3 and turn, k4 and turn, p5 and turn, k6 and turn, p7 and turn, k to end

Row 30: (k4, k2tog) x 9, k3 (48 sts). ARMHOLES We will now split the stitches

of row.

for the armholes.

Work 13 rows in stocking stitch, changing colour after every 2 rows to keep the

On the ﬁrst 12 sts (right back), work k1, p1 rib for 9 rows and cast oﬀ.

stripe pattern correct over the top of the foot.

On the next 24 sts (front), work k1, p1 rib

Repeat the decrease section between [ ]. Use the cast-on tail to close the seam at the centre back of the body. Stuff the body tightly. Attach the head to the body by sewing the opening in the head to the cast-on sts of the body. If needed, add more stuffing before the gap is completely closed. ARMS (MAKE 2) With Anvil, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 10 sts and p 1 row. Row 2(RS): k2, (m1, k2) x 4 (14 sts). Rows 3 ‒ 19: Work in stocking stitch, starting with a p row. Row 20: k4, m1, k6, m1, k4 (16 sts). Rows 21 ‒ 23: Continue in stocking stitch, starting with a p row. Row 24: k1, (k2tog) x 6, k1 (8 sts). Row 25: P to end. After row 25, cut yarn leaving a tail of 20cm. Use a tapestry needle, thread the tail through the remaining 8 sts, pull tight and over-sew. Close the seam, using the same thread. Stuff the arm lightly, hold it flat and close the top. Count 4 rows down from the neck and attach the arms to the sides of the body on the next row. DRESS With Lime, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 76 sts and k 3 rows.

for 9 rows and cast off. On the last 12 sts (left back), work k1, p1 rib for 6 rows. Row 7: Rib 9 sts, yo, k2tog, k1. Work k1, p1 rib for 2 rows and cast off. Use the cast-on tail to seam the first 20 rows on the back of the dress. Sew a button to the right back in line with the buttonhole. The shoulder seam is sewn over the first 3 sts from the shoulder. SHOES 1ST SHOE With Lime, leave a tail of 20cm and cast on 19 sts. Rows 1, 3, 5 and 7: K to end. Row 2: k1, m1, k8, m1, k1, m1, k8, m1, k1 (23 sts). Row 4: k2, m1, k8, m1, k3, m1, k8, m1, k2 (27 sts). Row 6: k3, m1, k8, m1, k5, m1, k8, m1, k3 (31 sts). Row 8: k4, m1, k8, m1, k7, m1, k8, m1, k4 (35 sts). Rows 9, 10 and 11: K to end. Row 12: k11, (k2tog) x 3, k1, (k2tog) x 3, k11 (29 sts). Row 13: K to end. Row 14: k7, cast off 15 sts, knit across remaining sts (you should have 2 sets of 7 sts left). Knit 2 rows on the first set of 7 sts, and cast off.

k 2 rows and cast off. Close the seam on the shoe. Sew 2 small buttons through the strap and the shoe to hold the strap in place. JACKET With Lime, cast on 72 sts and p 1 row. Row 2: K. Rows 3 and 4: K with Sweet Pea. Rows 5 and 6: K with Lime. Rows 7 ‒ 10: Repeat rows 3 ‒ 6 once. Continue in Lime. Row 11: K. Rows 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20: k4, p to last 4 sts, k4. Row 13: k5, (sl1, k1, psso, k10) x 3, (k2tog, k10) x 2, k2tog, k5 (66 sts). Row 15: k5, (sl1, k1, psso, k9) x 2, sl1, k1, psso, k8, (k2tog, k9) x 2, k2tog, k5 (60 sts). Row 17: k5, (sl1, k1, psso, k8) x 2, sl1, k1, psso, k6, (k2tog, k8) x 2, k2tog, k5 (54 sts). Row 19: k5, (sl1, k1, psso, k7) x 2, sl1, k1, psso, k4, (k2tog, k7) x 2, k2tog, k5 (48 sts). Row 21: k12, turn and cast on 8 sts (20 sts) This is the right front. Work 10 rows stocking stitch, starting with a p row and cast off in p. Join the yarn to the remaining sts and cast on 8 sts. Turn. K32 sts, turn and cast on 8 sts (40 sts). (12 sts will remain on the left-hand needle.) Work 10 rows stocking stitch, starting with a p row. Cast off in p. Join the yarn to the last 12 sts, cast on 8 sts (20 sts). Work 11 rows stocking stitch, starting with a k row. Cast off in p. Close the underarm and shoulder seams and weave in the ends.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 33

stitchcraft

A bit of bohemia Bring colour and happiness into your world this autumn by crocheting this beautiful sweater.

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: can be done over a weekend SIZE Fits medium to large. If you would like a bigger sweater, just add more rounds. YOU WILL NEED NOTE This sweater was made with scraps of yarn ‒ you can use any DK yarn you like and any colours you fancy. ♥ DK cotton, bamboo, wool and acrylic mixes ♥ 4mm crochet hook ♥ tapestry needle ABBREVIATIONS (US terminology) beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain stitch dc ‒ double crochet kn ‒ knot

34 IDEAS March/April 2020

prev ‒ previous rep ‒ repeat rnd(s) ‒ round(s) sc ‒ single crochet sl ‒ slip sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space yo ‒ yarn over STITCHES USED double crochet single crochet chain stitch block stitch NOTE Leave the last round of the back panel for later to join as you go. TRADITIONAL GRANNY SQUARE (Make 2 large granny squares for front and back) Rnd 1: Make a sl kn, ch3 (= 1dc), 2dc into

first ch-sp, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, sl st into 1st ch at beg of rnd, fasten off [12 dc]. Rnd 2: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp from prev rnd, 2dc, ch2, 3dc into same sp, *ch1, 3dc, ch2, 3dc into next ch-sp; rep from * to end of rnd, sl st into 1st dc at beg of rnd, fasten off [24 dc]. Rnd 3: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, *ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) for corner, ch1, 3dc*; rep from * to * 3 times, ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) for corner, ch1, sl st into 1st dc at beg of rnd, fasten off [36 dc]. Rnd 4: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp after corner from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, ch1, 3dc, *ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc*; rep from * to * twice, ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, sl st into first dc, fasten off [48 dc]. Rnd 5: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp after corner, 2dc into same sp, ch1, 3dc,

MODEL: WILNA KOK

by WENDY ERASMUS-KOUTLIS (from her book CROCHE T CRAZY GIRL)

stitchcraft

ch1, 3dc, ch1, *(3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 3 sps; rep from * 3 times, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, sl st into first dc, fasten off [60 dc]. Rnd 6: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 3 sps, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, *ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 4 sps, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner; rep from* twice, ch1, sl st into top of 1st dc, fasten off [72 dc]. Rnds 7-16: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 17: Block stitch ‒ make a standing sc into any corner of prev rnd, ch3, sc into same sp, ch3, sc into next sp; rep to end of rnd, sl st into 1st sc at beg of rnd. Rnds 18‒19: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 20: Rep rnd 17. Rnds 21‒26: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 27: Rep rnd 17. Rnds 28‒30: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 31: Rep rnd 17. Rnd 32: Rep rnd 6. SLEEVES (Make 2 sleeves) Rnd 1: Make a sl kn, ch3 (= 1dc), 2dc into first ch-sp, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, sl st into 1st ch at beg of rnd, fasten off [12 dc]. Rnd 2: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp from prev rnd, 2dc, ch2, 3dc into same sp, *ch1, 3dc, ch2, 3dc into next ch-sp, rep from * to end of rnd, sl st into 1st dc at beg of rnd, fasten off [24 dc]. Rnd 3: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp

36 IDEAS March/April 2020

from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, *ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) for corner, ch1, 3dc*; rep from * to * 3 times, ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) for corner, ch1, sl st into 1st dc at beg of rnd, fasten off [36 dc]. Rnd 4: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp after corner from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, ch1, 3dc, *ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc*; rep from * to * twice, ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, sl st into first dc, fasten off [48 dc]. Rnd 5: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp

after corner, 2dc into same sp, ch1, 3dc, ch1, 3dc, ch1, *(3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 3 sps; rep from * 3 times, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, ch1, sl st into first dc, fasten off [60 dc]. Rnd 6: Make a standing dc into any ch1-sp from prev rnd, 2dc into same sp, ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 3 sps, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner, *ch1, (3dc, ch1) into next 4 sps, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into corner; rep from * twice, ch1, sl st into top of 1st dc, fasten off [72 dc].

Rnds 7‒9: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 10: Block stitch ‒ make a standing sc into any corner of prev rnd, ch3, sc into same sp, ch3, sc into next sp; rep to end of rnd, sl st into 1st sc at beg of rnd. Rnds 11‒15: Rep rnd 6. Rnd 16: Rep rnd 10. Rnds 17‒19: Rep rnd 6. ASSEMBLING THE SWEATER JOINING METHOD Join the shoulder seams as you go on the last rnd of the back panel ‒ on the top edge of your sweater join 9 x 3dc-clusters on the left and 9 x 3dc-clusters on the right, leaving 14 x 3dc-clusters open for the neck. Do the same for the armhole opening ‒ from the top leave open 10 x 3dc-clusters and join the side seams of the front and back panels as you go to the bottom edge. Do the same on the other side. Fold the sleeves in half and sl st the sleeve seam from top to bottom. Rep for the other sleeve. Sl st the sleeves into the armholes. Crochet 3 rnds of sc around each sleeve edge into the top stitches to finish it off. Crochet a long enough chain to thread through the neck opening. Make 4 flowers and sew them back to back onto the chain. Using the tapestry needle, weave in all loose yarn ends. FLOWER Rnd 1: Make a sl kn, into 2nd ch from hook yo, ch2 (count as 1hdc), 9hdc into same ch-sp, sl st into 1st hdc at beg of rnd, fasten off [10 hdc]. Rnd 2: Make a sl st into any hdc from prev rnd, ch3, 3dc, ch3 into same sp, rep 4 times into every 2nd hdc to end of rnd, sl st into 1st petal, fasten off [5 petals].

Sustainable

JŷƊŷŃƏ

www.africanexpressions.co.za

inspired by nature The inspiration for this jacket came from the sugarbushes (Protea repens) that grow in the Helderberg Nature Reserve. With this project you will do stencilling, painting and appliqué, plus some freehand and machine embroidery. design and projec t PAM STALLEBRASS (pamstallebrass.wordpress.com) st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O'RILEY

PROTEA JACKET

YOU WILL NEED ♥ scraps of fabric for the appliqué, some

Pam writes: Most days I walk in the Helderberg Nature Reserve and I enjoy the changing seasons and flowers. The proteas were so magnificent in August 2019 that I was inspired to plant some seeds, and I was really surprised when they germinated. To celebrate I decided to make a protea jacket. The species I chose is the Protea repens or sugarbush. I like the idea of the old farmers using the nectar to sweeten their coffee. I had been dyeing stretch velvet for T-shirts and I kept a piece of wonderful lime-green for a jacket, which I made from a Vogue pattern (number 7215), but you could also easily add the appliqué pieces to any bought jacket.

colours and some white ♥ fabric paint in a variety of colours including red, yellow, green and blue ♥ clear base for lightening the fabric paint colours ♥ paintbrushes with ﬁrm bristles ♥ thick plastic or acetate for the protea and large leaf stencils ♥ craft knife and cutting mat

Painting the appliqué Because the jacket is a stretch fabric, we used single jersey for the appliqué pieces. If your jacket is a woven fabric you can use a woven fabric for the appliqué.

38 IDEAS March/April 2020

TO MAKE 1 Copy the protea and leaf stencil designs on these pages in the desired size then cut them from thickish plastic or acetate using a craft knife and cutting mat. Stencil designs 2 For the protea, use the stencil and fabric paint to ﬁll in each diamond with dark to light pink. NOTE When you buy fabric paint, make sure that you also buy clear base to lighten your colours ‒ if you add water only, the paint bleeds under the stencil.

3 Bleach some of the proteas using the same stencil on a piece of coloured fabric. Roll thick bleach through the stencil with a small foam roller, and wash it out as soon as it is pale enough. Pour a little vinegar into the rinse water to neutralise the bleach. Test the fabric as some dyes don t bleach. 4 For the large leaves, different autumn colours were painted into the different sections of the leaf stencil onto white fabric. If the white is too bright, paint over it with a very dilute beige. 5 For the thin leaves, flowers and birds, we used some coloured fabric remnants and some white fabric that we painted (see overleaf for preparing the appliqué). Paint the leaves in a mixture of different greens. Some of the flowers are cut from a dark blue fabric while others were painted with pale blue on white fabric. Draw the shape of the bird on to white fabric and have fun painting designs in different colours. Detail will be added later with machine and hand embroidery.

stitchcraft

FUSION MODEL MANAGE MEN T MODEL: OLGA TOROVY K FROM 3465) 413 MAK E-UP: DON NA HAY (082

stitchcraft

PREPARING THE APPLIQUÉ PIECES YOU WILL NEED ♥ fusible adhesive, which is a thin web of adhesive on a paper backing (Bondaweb) ♥ iron ♥ pencil ♥ scissors PROTEAS AND BIG LEAVES Iron fusible adhesive on to the back, leaving the paper on. Cut around the shapes leaving a border of 3 to 8mm around each one. THIN LEAVES AND FLOWERS Iron fusible adhesive on to the back of an assortment of green and blue fabrics. On the paper backing draw the thin leaves and ﬂowers, then cut them out. Cut an orange circle for the centre of each ﬂower. BIRDS Iron fusible adhesive on to the back. Cut out the painted bird shapes.

SEWING THE APPLIQUES WITH FREE MACHINE EMBROIDERY You could sew the appliqué on by hand, but free machine embroidery is a wonderfully creative way to do it. You dictate the stitch length: The faster you move the fabric, the longer the stitch. It s possible to move the fabric forwards, sideways and backwards so the black thread is almost like a line drawing.

ARRANGING THE APPLIQUÉ PIECES Spread out the jacket so the back is flat and try different arrangements of the flowers, leaves and birds. When it looks right pin them on and try the jacket on. When you are satisfied with the layout

YOU WILL NEED ♥ sewing machine (it doesn t have to be fancy, we used a 30-year-old machine) ♥ embroidery foot ♥ black thread

carefully peel the backing paper oﬀ each applique piece and iron it on with a hot iron, pressing down ﬁrmly. This will hold them very securely in place before you sew them on.

TO MAKE 1 Fit the embroidery foot to your machine. Set the stitch length to 0, or lower the feeddogs. Place your work under the foot in an embroidery hoop.

40 IDEAS March/April 2020

2 Lower the needle through the fabric, pull the bobbin thread to the top of the fabric and hold both threads down with your ﬁnger. Start sewing! It s like moving a piece of paper under a stationary pencil. Keep the machine going at an even, medium speed and enjoy the freedom. TIP If you google free machine embroidery on YouTube you will ﬁnd a good video by Deborah Wirsu. HAND EMBROIDERY We used double knitting cotton yarn for the embroidery because thinner thread just disappeared into the velvet pile. The embroidery links the separate appliqué pieces. Simple stitches like running stitch, back stitch and chain stitch were used.

This dress is ideal for summer. Play around with a T-shirt or pants underneath for an Eastern feel or as an option for the cooler months ahead.

Loose and lovely March/April 2020 IDEAS 41

1 block = 1 x 1cm

FRONT AND BACK OF STRIP AT BOTTOM OF DRESS CUT X 2

BACK

BOTTOM

TOP

(PINK LINES) CUT 1 ON FOLD

FOLD OVER

POCKETS CUT 2

POCKET POSITION

PLACE ON FOLD

FRONT

PLACE ON FOLD

(GREEN LINES) CUT 1 ON FOLD

stitchcraft

projec t ELIZABE TH FESTER st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: weekend SIZE: medium YOU WILL NEED ♥ pattern on these pages ♥ fabric in two colours of your choice (or one colour only, if you prefer) ♥ matching machine thread ♥ 24cm elastic (5-6mm wide) ♥ dressmaker's graph paper TO MAKE 1 Use our pattern and draw it in actual size onto dressmaker s graph paper. 2 Cut out your pattern, remembering to add 1,5cm seam allowances before cutting it out from the fabric. TIP: If you are afraid you will forget to add seam allowances when cutting out, draw them onto the graph paper patterns before cutting out the paper patterns and laying

them out onto your fabric. 3 Cut the pattern pieces from the fabric. Also cut two narrow strips of fabric of about 3 x 45cm to make strings for your pockets. Fold the strips in half so that the long sides are together and press along the fold. Open the strip and fold the long sides over to the wrong side so the two sides meet along the fold. Fold double and topstitch along the length through all the layers. 4 Fold over the lower and side edges of your pockets and press in the hems. Pin the ends of each string underneath the folded seam allowance at each side. Fold the top edge of the pockets over the strings to the wrong side and topstitch down. Cut a small slit into the front of the pocket hem where your string will be pulled through to the right side. Pull the string through the slit and tie as in the photo. Stitch the lower and side edges of the pockets onto the front of the dress.

5 Stitch the bottom panels to the lower edges of the front and back pieces. Stitch the side and shoulder seams. 6 Overlock all the seams, as well as the armhole openings. Clip in the seam allowances around the front and back neck opening, overlock and fold over. Stitch down the hem. 7 Cut 2 x 12cm lengths of elastic for under the arms. Find the middle of the length of elastic and pin to the wrong side at the side seam onto the seam allowance below the armhole opening. Mark 12cm from the middle of the elastic to both sides, pin the ends of the elastic onto the markings and stitch the length of elastic on top. Fold over the hem along the armhole opening and stitch down (the elastic is inside the hem). 8 Overlock the lower edge of the dress or stitch in a narrow hem, if you prefer. MODEL: OLGA TOROVYK OF FUSION MODEL MANAGEMENT * MAKE-UP AND HAIR: DONNA HAY

To order dressmaker's graph paper, email to Marweya Smal at marweya@ideasfactory.co.za. The price is R40 for three sheets.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 43

how to

Hive life This honeycomb inspiration board has place for all your notes and favourite images, and will brighten up a dull wall. by HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

March/April 2020 IDEAS 47

how to

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: about an hour, depending on how many hexagons you cut YOU WILL NEED ♥ hexagon-shaped template ♥ cork tiles ♥ photos and art prints ♥ gold leaf (optional) ♥ bulldog clips or pegs ♥ strong double-sided adhesive tape ♥ craft glue ♥ masking tape ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ metal ruler

Find a hexagon shape on the internet and print it out in the desired size. Stick the template onto a cork tile with masking tape.

Working on your cutting mat, use the craft knife and metal ruler to cut out the hexagons from the cork. Continue cutting hexagons from the cork until you have enough for your wall.

Decorate the hexagons with photos and prints as well as gold leaf, if you prefer. Stick the decorated hexagons onto the wall with strong double-sided adhesive tape in the composition of your choice. Glue on bulldog clips or pegs here and there, for your notes, quotes and to-do lists.

48 IDEAS March/April 2020

craft

thread, with the ends knotted. Press the needle through to the top of the work from the back, and place three black beads on the needle. Pull the thread taut, press the beads into place and take the needle to the back of the work just after the third bead. Now work backwards by inserting the needle through each bead again and tying the thread oﬀ at the back. Your ﬁrst row is complete (see DIFFICULTY: average TIME: weekend

photo). Repeat the process with the next three beads and continue in this way until the black stripe is done. Work

YOU WILL NEED

alternating yellow and black stripes in this way, until the body is complete. For

♥ bee template (above) ♥ pieces of felt and synthetic leather for the backing

interest, work a few rows between the black and yellow stripes with some of the larger yellow beads.

♥ a variety of beads ‒ small black and yellow beads for the body ‒ larger yellow beads for variation on the body ‒ light yellow tube beads for the head ‒ golden beads for the feelers ♥ golden sequins for the wings ♥ yellow synthetic gemstones for the detail on the head ♥ light yellow, sunshine yellow and black embroidery thread

3 Work away the threads ﬁrmly on the back of the felt.

♥ light yellow machine thread ♥ a selection of needles (one very thin) ♥ embroidery hoop

knotted, and insert the needle from the back of the work through the hole in the sequin upwards, take the needle back

♥ brooch pin or safety pin ♥ copper wire ♥ jeweller s pliers ♥ glue gun ♥ sturdy cardboard

down again at the side of the sequin, then up through the hole again and down on the other side to attach the sequin on both sides. Repeat the process with the next sequin and continue in this way until the row is complete. Work another few rows of sequins, overlapping them slightly, until the wings are nice and full. 3 Work away the threads ﬁrmly on the back of the felt.

TO MAKE BODY 1 Trace the bee template on this page in the desired size onto a piece of felt. Insert the felt into the embroidery hoop, making sure it is pulled taut. 2 First work the black and yellow stripes on the bee s body from the bottom to the top with beads. Use a thin needle and two strands of black embroidery

50 IDEAS March/April 2020

WINGS 1 Use light yellow embroidery thread and cover the inside sections of the wings with rows of straight stitches. They don t have to be neat, the rougher stitches create the eﬀect of movement. 2 Cover the outside sections of the wings with rows of golden sequins. Use light yellow machine thread with the ends

TOP PART OF THE BODY 1 Cover this section of the bee simply with straight stitches, using sunshine yellow embroidery thread.

HEAD 1 Decorate the middle part of the head with yellow gemstones ‒ we used a paste flower that we broke in half ‒ and glue them in place with your glue gun. 2 Cover the rest of the head with tube beads. The easiest way is to outline the head first and then fill in the inside section. Use the thinnest needle that you have and light yellow machine thread with the ends knotted, insert the needle from the back of the work upwards and thread three beads on the needle. Pull the thread tight, press the beads in place and take the needle to the back of the work again just after the third bead. Bring the needle upwards again and take it to the back between the first two beads and then again between the second and third beads, to secure them one by one. Repeat the process with the next three beads and continue in this way until the head is complete. 3 Work away the threads firmly on the back of the felt, take your work out of the embroidery hoop and cut out the bee carefully using sharp scissors. FEELERS 1 Cut a piece of copper wire and bend it in a U shape to form two feelers. 2 Glue the feelers in position on the back of the bee s head and thread gold beads onto them. 3 Bend the tips of the wire into a loop to hold the beads in place. FINISHING 1 Trace the bee template onto sturdy cardboard and cut it out. Fit it to the back of the bee to ensure that it is not visible from the front. Glue it with your glue gun onto the felt at the back of your brooch. 2 Cut out the same bee template as for the cardboard backing from synthetic leather, insert a safety pin through the leather then glue the leather onto the cardboard to complete your brooch.

Bzzzbrooch Make this cute little bee that you can wear as a brooch. The project is a fun mixture of beadwork and embroidery. projec t DAL A WAT TS st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photo ED O RILEY

The beauty of bees /LIH LQ D EÅ¸KLYH KDV DOZD\V EÅ¸Q IDVFLQDWLQJ DQG HYHQ PRUH VR QRZ WKDW WKHVH KDUGZRUNLQJ FUHDWXUHV DUH XQGHU WKUHDW 1RW RQO\ GR WKH\ VXSSRUW WKH IRRG FKDLQ WKH\ DOVR KHOS WR PDNH XV KHDOWKLHU DQG SUHWWLHU by ELSA KRÃ&#x153;GER styling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

beauty

magine: A multitude of workers that bring you food day and night, soldiers

of plants. Honey is secondary though. The primary reason for farming with

In addition, bees help us to stay youthful, healthy and beautiful, he says.

to protect your stronghold, midwives to raise the children and feed them, and

bees is to pollinate crops ‒ among others the grains, vegetables and fruits

We too often take for granted the food on our table and the beauty of nature

no-one ever goes on strike or asks for an

that we eat. To do this, they need a

around us. But for millions of years bees

increase. All you have to do is to lay 2 000 eggs every day for two to ﬁve years, after

diverse diet: ﬂowers to provide nectar for carbohydrates, and pollen to satisfy

have been busy playing their part in the sustainability of the Earth s resources

mating only once in your life. This is the life of a queen bee. And if

their protein needs. Therefore, diversity in farming is especially necessary to

and the plants that give us pleasure and feed us. They are, so to say, the sentinels

she and her fellow queens don t survive and the bee colonies die out, a food crisis

provide bees with the nutrition they need to pollinate the plants that we eat.

of health and nature. Art and literature show that even

stares humanity in the face. People don t always realise how dependent we are on the contribution

One of the most serious agricultural threats to the survival of bees is monoculture, such as farmlands producing

in antiquity people understood the value of the industrious bee. As far as is known, there was an apiary in Greece as

that bees make to our biodiversity, says Sharon Lage of MacBee Honey in

only mealies, or wheat, or sunﬂowers, or soya. Even more dangerous are certain

long ago as 5000 BC. Scientiﬁc evidence exists of hives that are more than 4 000

Gauteng. She is a commercial bee farmer and has about 500 hives all around the

powerful chemical weedkillers that are used on a large scale. Over time they

years old. Symbols of bees in art, jewellery and household items show that the

Highveld. Bees are her passion ‒ she can

soak into the ground and for decades

ancient Greeks believed that Arista, son

talk about them for hours. In a beehive each bee has his or her

will poison anything that grows there ‒ including what we eventually eat. And

of the god Apollo and the female hunter Sirene, was the ﬁrst to farm with bees,

allotted task, she says. They work for the survival and safety of the colony. Female workers bring food to the nest, where they are awaited by the group that make beeswax, build the honeycomb, convert nectar into honey and create sources of life for the colony. The lesson from bees is that every single individual works tirelessly for the well-being of the greater community. Over and above the making of honey, the nectar of the gods, bees play a vitally important role as the pollinators

they kill bees. The expansion of urban areas limits places for hives, but fortunately bees are very resourceful. They will go into any hole or groove in a tree to make a nest for their queen. Because of their role in the food chain, bees are crucial for the survival of humanity, says Anagnosti Choukalas from the Greek beauty house Apivita, which was launched recently in South Africa. He is the company s international brand ambassador.

says Anagnosti. Not only is honey delicious and healthy, it also provides us with substances that offer beauty benefits. That is why Apivita, which contains propolis (bee resin), honey, royal jelly and essential oils, is the number one skincare range sold in Greek pharmacies, says Anagnosti. (Api means bee and vita life .) Apivita was formulated in 1979 by two pharmacists from Athens to offer natural skin, body and hair care. There is even a sunscreen range and one for children. It

CANDLE AND SOAPS FROM SIMPLY BEE (022 723 0569, INFO@SIMPLYBEE.CO.ZA)

March/April 2020 IDEAS 53

beauty

contains super-powerful bee products and Greek ﬂoral extracts. It represents

of bee products is to combine nature and science in synergy, says Anagnosti.

green cosmetology in a world that is increasingly looking for ways to restore

Just natural is not enough. It must be combined with science. There is increas-

balance to our damaged eco-system. The range is aﬀordably priced and available

ing pressure from users for transparency and sustainability, to know what is in

at selected Edgars branches.

a product, and the assurance that it is

Similarly, the American range Burt s Bees (also recently launched in South

natural and eﬀective. Ingredients from the hive are becom-

Africa) has had a cult-style following worldwide for 30 years. This collection

ing ever more desirable in skincare. Propolis, bee venom, royal jelly and

oﬀers eco-friendly, natural health and beauty products that had their origin in

manuka honey have proven powerful beneﬁts for the skin, especially for anti-

the backyard of a bee farmer in Maine. In South Africa we also have a bee

ageing. They also combat inﬂammation, calm irritation, stimulate collagen, heal

story that revolves around a family

wounds, combat damage from free radicals and elevate hydration levels.

business. Simply Bee was started by Derick and Marie Hugo in 1994 at Hopeﬁeld on the West Coast, and in 2008 their daughter Helena and her husband Pierre van der Westhuizen continued with the family enterprise. Helena has a sensitive skin and started to develop completely natural beeswax products. There are now 150 products in the range, which includes skincare and body products as well as products for babies and men. There are also ointments, balms, candles and soaps. The secret to harnessing the beneﬁts

Propolis – protective black gold This is a resin or glue that bees collect from trees to seal the hive, sterilise and protect. For health purposes, it offers antiviral, antifungal, antibiotic and antiinflammatory properties. For skincare, it balances the skin s natural microbiome and well-being. It is also an effective antioxidant shield, which means the skin is protected and stays younger for longer.

Royal jelly – elixir for longevity Royal jelly is a milky secretion from honey bees that feeds the queen and gives strength. It contains amino acids, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, minerals like silicon and vitamins (B1, B2, B5 and B6). Possible health beneﬁts from this epigenetic superfood are that it helps with recovery from DNA damage

54 IDEAS March/April 2020

and wound healing. Beauty beneﬁts are

the formation of collagen and elastin,

Sources:

the stimulation of tissue growth and the renewal of the skin to combat wrinkles,

stimulate the production of cortisol (a steroid hormone that stimulates the

facebook.com/ApivitaZA mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-

as well as renewed ﬁrmness because it improves the skin s thickness and ﬁrms

metabolism) and treats wounds. It also contains hyaluronidase, which activates

medicine/herbs/royal-jelly truthinaging.com/review/beauty-

contours. NOTE: Royal jelly is rich in oestrogen

hyaluronic acid in the tissues. Bee venom hydrates, feeds and soothes the skin and

and-the-bees-bee-ingredients-inbeauty-products

and shouldn t be used by women at risk

helps especially for ﬁne lines and crepey

burtsbees.com/skin-care

for oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

skin texture. NOTE: People who are allergic to bee stings should rather avoid bee venom.

Honey – nourishing and healing

Manuka honey

Honey is a source of nutrition for the

This honey is made by bees in New Zealand that feed on the manuka plant,

whole bee colony. In terms of health, it is nourishing, healing, antibacterial and

family of the tea tree. It s antibacterial, anti-inﬂammatory and is an antioxidant,

soothing. In hospitals it is increasingly being used for natural wound healing.

and is highly sought-after because of its nutritional and healing characteristics.

With regards to beauty, it feeds the skin and is an emollient, and retains moisture in the dermis. It also restores the skin s barrier function while the antibacterial properties renew the tissue. The taste and smell of the honey both

Manuka honey helps with acne, burn wounds, cuts and hypersensitive skin. The antibacterial property is thanks to a natural hydrogen peroxide in the honey, which is called the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF).

depend on the nectar and pollen that the bees eat. Make sure that you buy 100% raw honey ‒ heated commercial honey loses its antibacterial advantages.

The honey is a natural moisturiser that draws moisture from the air, which helps for improved hydration, elasticity and fewer wrinkles.

Bee venom – recovered youth

Did you know? 3 Beehives maintain a constant temp-

The scientiﬁc name for bee venom is apitoxin. Bees defend themselves with their venom, but there is now a growing market for it for human usage, including in arthritis treatment. It works as a powerful anti-inﬂammatory and antiseptic ingredient. For beauty care, it is full of antioxidants, peptides and about 18 active ingredients that encourage

erature of 36 C. Bees know exactly how to regulate the temperature in the hive: If it s cold, they bunch together and vibrate their wings to generate heat. If it s too hot, they bring water to the hive to cool it down. 3 There are just as many hairs on a honey bee as on a squirrel. 3 Every single teaspoon of honey is the product of the life s work of 12 bees.

3 For more beauty advice from Elsa Krüger, visit her website, mooipraatjies.com.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 55

how to

Bee inspired Make a honeycomb collar to round oﬀ your next celebration cake. by TANI KIRSTEN st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY YOU WILL NEED ♥ 15cm cake covered with butter icing ♥ 250g white baking chocolate ♥ egg-yellow powder food colouring ♥ bubble wrap ♥ ruler ♥ scissors ♥ wax or baking paper ♥ oﬀ-set spatula or plastic card (like a bank card)

Cut the bubble wrap according to the size of the cake. Gently wrap it around the cake to measure the circumference and give it 2cm to spare. Measure the height of the cake and cut the bubble wrap so that it has about 3cm extra on the height.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt them in the microwave for 10-second intervals until smooth. Colour the melted chocolate light yellow with the food colouring. Place the bubble wrap, with bubbles facing upwards, on a large piece of wax paper or baking paper. Pour the chocolate over the bubble wrap and use a spatula or card to spread it out quickly. Leave until it just starts to set.

Cut one edge straight along the bubble wrap. Lift the bubble wrap oﬀ the paper and place the straight edge along the bottom of the cake with the chocolate against the cake. Wrap the bubble wrap all the way around the cake. Carefully pull the bubble wrap away from the chocolate, leaving behind the honeycomb collar. Break little pieces oﬀ the top to create a jagged edge, if you prefer.

56 IDEAS March/April 2020

promotion

Givethemwings! st yling NADINE VOSLOO photos HANNERI DE WE T paint TJHOKOPAINT.CO. ZA

Paint them happy ll colours touch us in diﬀerent ways. This bright yellow paint is not called John s Joy for nothing. For children, and their parents, it is a happy, fun sunshine colour that hugs you in the same way that cheerful, vibrant voices embrace the soul. Just a touch of this colour can ﬁll a dull room with energy. The décor possibilities are endless. Imagine how eye-catching a vivid yellow chest of drawers would look in front of a midnight-blue wall (like Dani s Dare from the Tjhoko range), or combine it with black, as in our picture.

3The children s shirts are stencilled with playful motifs from the new Tjhoko stencil collection, in the colours Matt Black and John s Joy. Use a stencil brush to do the stencil work. The less paint there is on the brush, the smaller the chance that the paint will seep under the stencil and the more successful you will be. 3The sides of the wood stumps are painted in John s Joy with Matt Black on the top, which makes them perfect to use in the garden as seating or to play board games or noughts and crosses on, like here. The children can simply paint their own stones for this game, because Tjhoko is child-friendly after all! 3The wooden bench was thoroughly cleaned with thinners and then painted in John s Joy. After four hours drying time it was ﬁnished oﬀ with three coats of Tjhoko s Clear Glaze, to make it water- and UV-resistant. 3Metal buckets, a clever place to store art equipment imaginatively and within the reach of our young artists, were also painted with Tjhoko. Because it is also a chalkboard paint, no-one s creativity needs to be reined in this autumn. It s a new season with new scents, colours and unlimited possibilities. Enjoy it!

Visit tjhokopaint.co.za for more information about stockists and the full Tjhoko range.

58 IDEAS March/April 2020

SHOT ON LOCATION AT GARDEN WORLD, MULDERSDRIFT (GARDENWORLD.CO.ZA).

Entice the little ones outside with a play area designed to give their creativity wings.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 59

Little Red Riding Hood BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE Like the bad wolf hiding in the woods, you ll discover dark cherries hidden inside this creamy cheesecake ‒ help yourself to a slice before it all gets

1 Mix the crushed biscuits, 15ml castor sugar and the melted butter together.

4 Beat the cream cheese, remaining castor sugar and lemon juice together

Line the bottom of a 22cm springform baking tin with baking paper. Grease

until smooth. Stir a little of this mixture into the melted gelatine. Add to the

with cooking spray. Press the crumb

cream cheese mixture and beat well. 5 Beat the cream in a separate bowl

mixture over the base and up the insides of the tin. Refrigerate.

until stiﬀ. Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture.

eaten up!

2 FILLING Drain the cherries and reserve the juice. Put the juice and 30ml castor

Makes: 1 x 22cm cake

sugar into a saucepan. Mix the cornﬂour and Kirsch together, then stir into the

mixture into the prepared crust. Top with the cherries and a third of the

cherry juice mixture. Cook, stirring, over a medium heat until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and

prepared cherry sauce. Cover with the remaining cream cheese mixture.

Preparation time: 1 hour, plus chilling time ♥ 300g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed ♥ 200g (230ml) castor sugar ♥ 100g (110ml) melted butter, hot FILLING ♥ 425g can pitted black cherries

set aside to cool completely. 3 Put the gelatine in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Set aside to cool.

6 Spoon half of the cream cheese

Top with the remaining cherry sauce. Refrigerate for a few hours or preferably overnight until properly set. Remove from the tin and serve topped with fresh cherries.

♥ 15ml cornﬂour ♥ 30ml Kirsch (or use brandy) ♥ 15ml gelatine ♥ 60ml boiling water ♥ 2 x 230g cream cheese, at room temperature ♥ 250ml cream ♥ 45ml lemon juice ♥ fresh cherries, to decorate

recipes and food preparation LOUISA HOLST st yling and illustrations HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY

Once upon a TIME Take a trip down memory lane with delicious food inspired by everybody s favourite fairy tales.

food & entertaining

March/April 2020 IDEAS 61

Hansel and Gretel CHICKEN BONBONS

1 Put the chicken, stock, soy sauce,

Follow the trail of breadcrumbs to ﬁnd

star anise into a saucepan. Add a little more water if needed so that the chicken

this tempting snack or starter. Serves: 6-8 as a starter or as snacks Preparation time: 1 hour, plus refrigeration time Cooking time: 1½ hours

sugar, ginger, garlic, orange peel and

pieces are just covered. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over a low heat for 1 hour or until the meat is very tender. 2 Remove the chicken from the stock and set aside to cool. Strain the stock. Return

♥ 1 chicken, cut up into portions

the stock to a saucepan and bring to the

♥ 1 chicken stock cube, dissolved in 600ml boiling water

boil. Boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until it has reduced to 250ml.

♥ 50ml soy sauce ♥ 45g (50ml) brown sugar

3 Once the chicken has cooled, remove all the skin and bones and discard. Shred

♥ 5cm piece of ginger

the meat into smaller pieces and put it into a bowl.

♥ 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced ♥ 1 strip of orange peel ♥ 6 star anise ♥ 4 spring onions, finely sliced ♥ 50ml chopped coriander ♥ 2 large eggs, lightly whisked ♥ 15ml milk ♥ 70g (125ml) cake flour ♥ 100g (220ml) panko breadcrumbs (or use ordinary dried breadcrumbs) ♥ sunflower oil for deep-frying ♥ sweet chilli or sweet and sour sauce, for dipping ♥ sliced spring onions and chillies, to garnish

62 IDEAS March/April 2020

4 Add the spring onions, coriander and 125ml of the reduced stock to the chicken. Mix well and add a little more of the stock if the mixture seems too dry. It needs to be moist enough to stick together. (Use the leftover stock mixture in a soup or as stock in another recipe.) Roll the chicken mixture into bite-sized balls. Place onto a tray and refrigerate for an hour or until ready to cook. 5 Mix the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Place the ﬂour in a diﬀerent bowl and the breadcrumbs in another bowl. 6 Coat each of the chicken bonbons

with the ﬂour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. Set aside until you have coated them all and are ready to cook. 7 Heat the oil to 170oC or until a small cube of bread turns golden within 30 seconds once dropped into the oil. Fry the bonbons in batches for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve warm or at room temperature with dipping sauce. Garnish the dipping sauce with sliced spring onions and chillies.

food & entertaining

March/April 2020 IDEAS 63

Beauty and the Beast

ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH HONEY AND ROSE DRESSING This jewel-coloured salad with a delicate rose-scented dressing is a beautiful accompaniment to any meal. Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Oven temperature: 200oC ♥ 2-3 medium-sized brinjals ♥ 2 red peppers ♥ 4 ripe tomatoes, skins and seeds removed ♥ 90ml olive oil ♥ 1 medium red onion, ﬁnely sliced ♥ 1 clove garlic, crushed ♥ pinch of ground cinnamon ♥ pinch of ground turmeric ♥ 1ml ground cumin ♥ 1ml crushed dried chillies (optional) ♥ 30ml rose water ♥ 30ml honey ♥ 15ml lime or lemon juice ♥ 30g ﬂat leaf parsley, chopped ♥ 100g pomegranate seeds, to garnish ♥ dried rose buds or rose petals, to decorate

1 Leave the brinjals whole and prick each one a few times with a fork. Place into a roasting tin. Add the peppers and drizzle each vegetable with a little olive oil. Roast in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until tender. Remove the tray from the oven halfway through the cooking time and turn each of the vegetables over. 2 Remove from the oven when cooked and set the brinjals aside to cool. Put the peppers into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to cool. 3 Uncover the peppers and remove the skins and seeds. Cut the flesh into strips and place them into a bowl. Slice the tomatoes into strips and mix them in with the peppers. 4 Cut the brinjals in half and scoop out the flesh. Place it into a separate bowl. 5 Heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion over a low heat until soft, for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and spices. Cook for two minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rose water, honey, lime or lemon juice and parsley. 6 Spoon the brinjal onto a serving platter. Add the peppers and sliced tomatoes. Spoon the dressing over the ingredients and set aside. Allow to stand for at least an hour so that the flavours can develop. Just before serving, garnish with pomegranate seeds and rose buds or petals. Delicious served with roasted lamb, chicken or grilled fish. Or serve as a vegetarian option with flatbread, hummus and feta cheese.

food & entertaining

March/April 2020 IDEAS 65

The Princess and the Pea LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH PASTA AND PEAS Tender lamb cutlets with sweet, minty peas make a meal ﬁt for a princess. Serves: 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes ♥ 8 lamb cutlets ♥ 2 cloves crushed garlic ♥ 30ml olive oil, plus extra for frying PASTA ♥ 1 onion, ﬁnely chopped ♥ 4 rashers bacon, chopped ♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 500ml prepared chicken stock ♥ 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped ♥ 300g frozen peas ♥ 500g risoni pasta (pasta rice), cooked and drained ♥ handful fresh mint, chopped ♥ grated Parmesan, to serve ♥ pea shoots, to garnish (optional)

66 IDEAS March/April 2020

1 CUTLETS Use a sharp knife and cut away the fat and sinew from around the top end of the bone of each lamb cutlet. 2 Mix the garlic and olive oil together. Spread over the meat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to marinate for an hour. 3 PASTA Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until tender. Add the bacon pieces and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and a minute later add the stock and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, then add the peas. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked and drained pasta. 4 Heat a heavy-based pan over a high heat. Add a little oil and cook the lamb until browned on both sides (3-5 minutes on each side, depending on how you like your lamb cooked). Once the cutlets are cooked to your liking, remove them from the heat. Set aside to rest for two minutes then serve on a bed of pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and add pea shoots if using. Serve immediately.

food & entertaining

March/April 2020 IDEAS 67

food & entertaining

Cinderella PUMPKIN CHOCCHIP CAKE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING It doesn t matter if you re Cinderella or the ugly sister, you re sure to enjoy this pumpkin cake with its moreish sweet, spicy and chocolatey flavours. Makes: about 24 squares Preparation time: 30 minutes Oven temperature: 180oC Baking time: 40 minutes ♥ 175g (325ml) cake flour ♥ 100g (240m) rolled oats ♥ 325g (375ml) brown sugar ♥ 10ml baking powder ♥ 10ml ground cinnamon ♥ 5ml ground mixed spice ♥ 4 large eggs ♥ 250ml sunflower oil ♥ 550g cooked pumpkin, well drained and mashed ♥ 10ml vanilla essence ♥ 150g slab of chocolate with hazelnuts, chopped STREUSEL TOPPING ♥ 135g (250ml) cake flour ♥ 25g (60ml) rolled oats ♥ 5ml ground cinnamon ♥ 80g (90ml) brown sugar ♥ 100g (110ml) cold butter, cut into small cubes ♥ 60ml pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped

68 IDEAS March/April 2020

1 Grease and line a 22 x 33cm baking tin. Mix the ﬂour, oats, sugar, baking powder, spices and 2ml salt together in a large bowl. 2 Beat the eggs, oil, pumpkin and vanilla essence together until well blended. 3 Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Spoon into the prepared tin. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate. 4 STREUSEL TOPPING Place all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your ﬁngertips until the mixture is crumbly. Spoon onto the top of the pumpkin batter. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover the cake lightly with a piece of aluminium foil near the end of the cooking time if the topping is browning too quickly. Remove from the oven when cooked and allow to cool in the tin. Cut into squares and keep in an airtight container in a cool place until ready to eat.

Snow White GIN AND APPLE SNOW This refreshing apple granita is spiked with a little alcoholic poison ‒ perfect to serve as a cocktail to get the party started or as a cooling summer dessert. Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 1 hour, plus freezing time Cooking time: 25 minutes ♥ 350ml tonic water ♥ 100g (120ml) sugar ♥ 4 apples, peeled, cored and cubed (about 500ml) ♥ 1 lemon ♥ 60ml gin ♥ 250g fresh raspberries, to serve APPLES IN SPICED SYRUP ♥ 2 Pink Lady apples ♥ 100g (120ml) sugar ♥ 15ml lemon juice ♥ 4 cardamom pods or 1 cinnamon stick 1 Put the tonic water, sugar and 400ml water into a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the apple cubes. Use a sharp knife to cut slices from the rind of the lemon and add them to the saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the apple cubes are tender. 2 Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely. Remove the lemon peel and add the juice from the lemon and the gin. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Freeze for 2-3 hours until it begins to set. Remove from the freezer and break up the ice crystals with a fork. Return the mixture to the freezer. Repeat the process again to break up the crystals. Freeze until needed.

70 IDEAS March/April 2020

3 APPLES IN SYRUP Use a mandolin or

5 TO SERVE Remove the granita from

sharp knife to cut the apples into thin slices. Remove the pips and discard. 4 Heat the sugar, lemon juice, 150ml

the freezer 5 minutes before ready to serve. Break the crystals up again with

water and the cardamom or cinnamon in a saucepan. Once the sugar is dissolved,

a fork. Spoon the granita into glasses or glass serving bowls. Spoon the apples on top. Add a few raspberries. Serve

add the apple slices. Cover with a piece of baking paper so the apple slices stay

immediately. TIP You can serve small bottles of extra

submerged. Simmer until just tender, then remove from the heat and set

gin along with the dessert so that guests can add extra magic potion to their

aside to cool completely. Discard the spices.

dessert if they would like to.

food & entertaining

dĂŠcor

Ecokitchen In a world where we are trying to avoid unnecessary packaging and reďŹ ned and processed foods, the new kitchen for health-aware cooks looks a lot like Granny s. by TERENA LE ROUX st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O'RILEY

Prettily displayed Save money, unnecessary packaging, having food that expires and needing to scratch in the pantry cupboard by keeping as much as possible in sight in glass bottles and jars. The same applies to your vegetables and fruit, most of which don t need to go in the fridge. In this way you can see instantly what you have available and what you should use while it is still fresh. Remember to store potatoes in a dark place.

72 IDEAS March/April 2020

décor Home-made breakfast cereal Get into make it yourself mode and mix up a delicious, healthy muesli or granola for the family.

Now let me see… Copy and cut out our labels on these pages and ensure that the whole family knows exactly what is in each jar.

FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA Makes: about 1kg Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 180oC ♥ 80ml olive or sunﬂower oil ♥ 125ml honey ♥ 315g (750ml) rolled oats ♥ 10ml ground cinnamon

74 IDEAS March/April 2020

♥ 65g (200ml) coarse desiccated coconut ♥ 100g (250ml) almonds, roughly chopped ♥ 95g (125ml) raisins, cranberries or sultanas or use a mixture ♥ 30g (60ml) mixed seeds (eg sunﬂower, pumpkin seeds, linseeds)

1 Mix the oil and honey together. 2 Mix the oats, cinnamon and 1ml salt together in a large bowl. Pour the honey mixture over and stir to coat the

ingredients well. 3 Spread out evenly onto a large baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir, then return to the oven for 5 minutes. 4 Remove from the oven and stir in the coconut and nuts. Bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. 5 Add the dried fruit and seeds to the cooled granola. Stir well. Store in an airtight container until ready to eat.

décor

Save your fruit Here it is all about making hay while the sun shines . Ensure that you do as much as possible with the season s bounty from your garden harvest or market and pickle or preserve the produce for the rest of the year.

Preserved lemons This is a very popular ingredient in Mediterranean pantries.

Cut about half of your excess lemons into quarters, but don t cut them all the way through ‒ the four pieces must still be joined together at the bottom. Pack the lemons into sterilised jars as tightly as you can until the jars are full to the top, with plenty of good-quality, coarse salt between the layers. Fill the jars with the juice of some of the remaining lemons. Use a wooden spoon or other blunt object to press down the cut lemons so you press the juice out of them too.

76 IDEAS March/April 2020

Pour a layer of olive oil over the top before sealing the jars. Leave for a few days outside the fridge and then ﬂavour the lemons further with chillies, rosemary or other herbs of your choice, if you prefer. Now store them in the fridge ‒ they will keep for up to six months. The end product is a delicious combination of salty, bitter and citrus ﬂavours that you can add to any recipes from chicken dishes to lamb stews, pastas, salsas and dipping sauces.

stitchcraft

projec t CHARLOT TE SMIT st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY 3 Row 2 front: Leave strings 1-2 and 23-24 open and make a DSK with strings 3-6,

2 Trim surplus strings above and below the BK.

7-10, 11-14, 15-18, 19-22.

3 Using strings 1-6, knot a 3-string braid

TIME: weekend

4 To keep the spacing between the knots the same, make a SSK and put the place

with strings 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, beginning directly below the BK.

YOU WILL NEED

card above the legs of the knot. Now complete the DSK.

4 Braid the required length OR until about 5cm of the string remains at the end of

5 Row 2 back: Turn the dowel around and again leave open strings 1-2 and 23-24.

the braid. Bind the knot oﬀ with 1mm cord or adhesive tape.

Knot DSK with strings 3-6, 7-10, 11-14, 15-18, 19-22.

5 Shoulder band R: Using extra 15cm of the 4mm cord, knot a BK around strings

6 Use a place card to keep the spacing the

19-24.

same. 7 Row 2 L and R: Left and right on the

6 Trim surplus strings above and below the BK.

dowel are 2 strings in front and 2 strings at the back without knots. Knot a DSK

7 Using strings 19-24, knot a 3-string braid with strings 19-20, 21-22, 23-24,

with strings 1-4 L and 21-24 R. 8 Row 3 front: Knot a DSK with strings 1-4,

beginning directly below the BK. 8 Braid the required length OR until about

♥ safety pin

5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-24. 9 Row 3 back: Turn the dowel around,

5cm of the string remains at the end of the braid. Bind the knot oﬀ with 1mm

ABBREVIATIONS BK ‒ binding knot DSK ‒ double square knot L ‒ left R ‒ right SSK ‒ single square knot

leave strings 1-2 and 23-24 open and knot DSK with strings 3-6, 7-10, 11-14, 15-18, 19-22. 10 Row 3 L and R: Left and right on the dowel are 2 strings in front and 2 strings at the back without knots. Knot a DSK with strings 1-4 L and 21-24 R. 11 Repeat steps (front, back, left and right) for 7-8 rows with DSK and pull out the dowel when the bag section is completed.

cord or adhesive tape.

MACRAMÉ BAG DIFFICULTY: easy to moderate

FOR THE MACRAMÉ: ♥ 4m cotton cord of 4mm ♥ 5m cotton cord of 1mm ♥ 30cm dowel ♥ place card ♥ adhesive tape ♥ clear nail varnish FOR THE DRAWSTRING BAG: ♥ 1m cotton or linen fabric ♥ measuring tape or ruler ♥ matching machine thread ♥ 90cm cotton cord, twine or ribbon

NOTES (See following pages for knot diagrams.) 1 Attach the dowel to a sturdy surface (such as a washing line or drying rack). 2 Cut the 4mm cord into the following lengths: 8 x 200cm and 12 x 160cm. 3 Fold the lengths of strings to ﬁnd the middle of each. 4 Hang the strings from the middle fold over the dowel as follows: 4 x 200cm L, 4 x 200cm R and 12 x 160cm in the middle (strings must be the same length on both sides of the dowel). 5 Using adhesive tape, stick the strings to the top of the dowel to prevent them from sliding. 6 Number the strings from 1-24, L to R. TO KNOT THE MACRAMÉ BAG 1 Front: Divide the cord into groups of 4 strings each (you will have 5 groups). 2 Row 1 front: Make DSK with strings 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-24.

78 IDEAS March/April 2020

TO KNOT THE HANDLES 1 First handle: Leave strings 1-6 and 1924 open and knot a DSK with strings 7-12 and 13-18. 2 Group strings 7-18 together and tie with 1mm cord or adhesive tape ‒ leave for later. 3 Second handle: Turn the dowel around, leave strings 1-6 and 19-24 open and knot a DSK with strings 7-12 and 13-18. 4 Group strings 7-18 together and tie with 1mm cord or adhesive tape ‒ leave for later. TO KNOT THE SHOULDER BANDS 1 Shoulder band L: Using the extra 15cm of the 4mm cord, knot a BK around strings 1-6.

TO BRING THE SHOULDER BANDS TOGETHER 1 Bring the two lower ends with the extra 5cm of the shoulder bands together by placing the left-side strings on top of the right-side strings. 2 Tie together with 1mm cord or stick down with adhesive tape. 3 Using extra 50cm of the 4mm cord, knot a BK around left and right shoulder bands to join it together. Trim surplus strings above and below the BK. TO MAKE KNOTS OVER THE HANDLES 1 First handle: Using extra 1m of the 4mm cord, knot a DSK over the handle from L to R, beginning with strings 7-12 and ending with strings 13-18. 2 Thread the ends of the extra 1m of the 4mm cord through underneath one of the knots and trim close to the handle. 3 Paint the ends with clear nail varnish to prevent them fraying. 4 Second handle: Turn the bag around, and using extra 1m of the 4mm cord, knot a DSK over the handle from L to R, beginning with strings 7-12 and ending with strings 13-18.

Knot this pretty shopping bag and help the environment.

knot &

shop

5 Thread the ends of the extra 1m of the

SINGLE SQUARE KNOT

DOUBLE SQUARE KNOT

4mm cord through underneath one of the knots and trim close to the handle.

Number your strings 1-4, left to right.

Make a single square knot.

6 Paint the ends with clear nail varnish to prevent them fraying. TO MAKE THE DRAWSTRING BAG 1 Measure out two pieces of 50cm x 50cm each on the fabric and cut out. Mark the pieces A and B. 2 A and B: Place the fabric with the right sides facing downwards. If your fabric has a motif on it, make sure the motif is not upside down. 3 A and B: Iron a 1cm hem along the top edge of the fabric. 4 Place piece A down with the right side facing you and the hem at the top. Place

Bring string 4 over strings 2 and 3 and through underneath string 1.

Bring string 4 through underneath string 1, behind strings 2 and 3 and through the loop of string 1 to the front.

B on top of A with the right side facing downwards and the hem at the top so that the two pieces ﬁt together exactly. 5 Measure 4cm from the top edge and draw a straight line with a pencil from L to R. 6 Place the two pieces together with right sides facing and both hems at the top. 7 Allowing a seam of about 2cm, stitch together along 3 sides of the bag, but stop at the 4cm pencil line. 8 Press both side seams open by hand and fold in the raw edges of the openings in the side seams to neaten. Iron ﬂat. 9 Stitch down the hems all around the openings of the side seams. 10 Fold the fabric along the top edge over to the wrong side so that the top edge meets the 4cm line and a casing is formed. Stitch the lower edge of the casing down through all the layers, leaving the sides of the casing open. 11 Handles: Cut two pieces of soft twine, cord or ribbon, each 45cm long. 12 Using the safety pin, insert one 45cm cord into and through the casing, right through the opening, through the next section of the casing, right through to the original opening, and tie the ends together. 13 Repeat with the second cord, but start at the opposite opening in the casing. 14 Tie the ends together when the cord is threaded right through and comes out at the opening again. 15 The bag can be closed by pulling the two cords in opposite directions.

80 IDEAS March/April 2020

Bring string 1 through underneath string 4, over strings 2 and 3 and through the loop of string 4 to the back.

Hold strings 2 and 3 ﬁrmly and pull strings 1 and 4 to tighten the knot.

KEY TO KNOTS Single square knot

Double square knot

stitchcraft BINDING KNOT Cut an extra string of about 20cm. Measure 5cm of the string and place it

FROM FRONT, RIGHT WAY UP

straight over the work.

Make a loop with the string downwards and bring the remaining string upwards.

Hold the loop ďŹ rmly together with the rest of the work and start winding the

UPSIDE DOWN WHILE MAKING THE KNOTS

string around.

End oďŹ&#x20AC; the string through the loop from top to bottom, pull up the top part of the string that protrudes and trim the surplus strings.

Binding knot

Three-string braid

Go to www.meisiekind.co.za or email Charlotte at hello@meisiekind.co.za to see more of her work.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 81

DIY

Lean on me Make this easy leaning shelf which can do duty in the kitchen, bathroom or craft room. by JOHN LE THERBARROW st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 2-3 days YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS ♥ technical drawing on page overleaf ♥ laminated pine shelving board ‒ 2 400mm x 606mm (parts 1 to 4) ♥ dowels ‒ 2 000mm x 12mm diameter (part 5) ‒ 1 000mm x 12mm diameter (parts 6) ‒ 1 000mm x 19mm diameter (parts 6) ‒ 1 000mm x 25mm diameter (parts 6) ♥ enamel or spray paint (we used primary yellow) ♥ undercoat (some paints don t require it) ♥ blackboard paint ♥ pine wood ﬁller ♥ wood glue ♥ 25 x 5mm x 60mm wood screws

82 IDEAS March/April 2020

TOOLS ♥ hand drill ♥ 4mm drill bit ♥ spade bits ‒ 12mm, 19mm and 25mm ♥ mitre cutting saw ♥ Phillips screwdriver ♥ sandpaper: 100, 150 and 220 grit ♥ clamps ♥ paintbrushes and rollers TO MAKE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BACKING BOARD AND SHELVES 1 Create parts 1, 2, 3 and 4, referring to the technical drawing for exact speciﬁcations. (You will be able to cut these parts from the sheet of laminated shelving board.) Alternatively, ask your wood supplier to cut them for you. 2 Measure and drill the holes for the

wooden pegs and cut the dowels into 98mm lengths (parts 6). 3 Glue and assemble parts 2, 3, 4 and 5. Insert the wooden pegs into the holes in the backing board and fix them with wood glue. FINISHING TOUCHES AND ASSEMBLY 4 Fill any imperfections using wood filler, then smooth with sandpaper until you are happy with the finish. Apply a few coats of paint to the shelves. When dry, attach the shelves to the backing board using the 60mm wood screws. 5 Your shelf unit is now complete. It can be used as a free-standing board. Alternatively, attach it to a wall with screws and wall plugs. Yellow eco bags from Elmien Skellern (@elleskellern on Instagram)

March/April 2020 IDEAS 83

DIY

84 IDEAS March/April 2020

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in stone This year we are simplifying our Easter decorations and giving them a whimsical twist with a few ﬂowers and lots of bunnies. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY

BUNNY EARS

Make ﬂowery ears and turn polystyrene eggs into cute bunnies. DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 24 hours Dip polestyrene eggs, which you can buy at most craft stores, into a mixture of 2 parts plaster of Paris to 1 part water and put them aside to dry. TIP: The easiest way to do this is to press a thin wire through each polystyrene egg before dipping it in the plaster. Hang the eggs from wire handles over a plastic bucket until they are dry. For the ears, place dried ﬂowers between two sheets of wax paper, waxy sides together, and iron them so the wax melts and they fuse to each other. Wait until the paper is cool and the wax has set before cutting the paper into ear shapes. Attach the ears to the eggs with hot glue.

craft

WREATH

Make a pretty Easter wreath to place on your table as part of your decorations. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: two hours Decorate a round wire frame with paper butterflies, plaster of Paris flowers, cement bunnies and real flowers. Mix 2 parts plaster of Paris or cement with 1 part water (the ratio is the same for both mediums), dip the silk flowers in the mixture, open up the petals and put the flower aside to dry.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 89

BUNNY VASES

Turn store-bought ceramic bunnies into quirky vases. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: one hour Use a thin ceramic drill bit to carefully drill holes in various places in the bunnies. Once the holes are drilled, insert individual dried flower stems of various lengths into them ‒ try to match the drill bit to the size of the flower stems so the flowers fit snuggly.

90 IDEAS March/April 2020

craft

CANDLE HOLDER

Upcycle an egg box into a candle holder using some plaster of Paris.

DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: a few hours, plus drying time Don t throw your egg boxes away. Instead turn one upside down and upcycle it into a candle holder for your Easter table. Use a paintbrush to apply a few coats of thinned down plaster of Paris mixture (use a solution of 1 part water to 1 part plaster of Paris). Leave to dry before applying a second coat of the plaster mixture. Wait 24 hours before inserting your candles.

how to

FLORAL EGGS

Use eggshells to mould the prettiest ﬂoral egg-shaped decorations. DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: three hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ plaster of Paris ♥ bowl ♥ measuring jug ♥ small ﬂowers ♥ eggshells (make a hole at one end of the shell, remove the egg and rinse with warm water)

Start by mixing 3 parts plaster of Paris to 1 part water. First pour the water into the bowl, then sprinkle the plaster of Paris over the surface and wait 1 minute before stirring them together with a spoon to form a paste.

Place small flowers inside the cleaned eggshells and spoon the plaster of Paris mixture into the shells until filled. Leave to dry for a few hours before cracking or cutting open the shell to reveal the floral egg.

92 IDEES Maart/April 2020

MOULDED PLATE

We show you how to make a quick mould of your favourite plate so you can make a plaster replica that you can use as a coaster, side plate or charger plate.

how to

DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: three hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ potter s clay ♥ plaster of Paris ♥ decorative plate ♥ rolling pin ♥ bowl ♥ measuring jug ♥ spoon

Roll out the potter s clay to about

Carefully press the plate into the clay,

Cut a slice of clay from the slab and

1.5cm thick.

making sure to transfer the pattern.

roll it into a few coils.

TIP To stop the plate sticking, sprinkle a bit of ﬂour onto the clay before you press the plate into it.

Use the coils to create a wall around the plate indent.

Mix 3 parts plaster of Paris to 1 part water. First pour the water into the bowl then sprinkle the plaster of Paris over the water and wait 1 minute before mixing them together with the spoon to form a paste. You will now need to work quickly as the plaster of Paris will soon start to set.

Pour the plaster mixture into the potter s clay mould and leave it for about 3 hours or until the plaster is completely dry. Unmould the plaster plate then carefully break away some of the surrounding plaster. Use your plate as a decorative element for your Easter setting.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 95

how to

These beautiful lollies are a lovely treat and easy to make ‒ simply follow our step-by-step guide. Isomalt is a type of sugar but it doesn t crystallise like normal sugar, making it perfect for sugar work. by TANI KIRSTEN st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY YOU WILL NEED ♥ edible ﬂowers, such as violas ♥ A4 paper ♥ paper towel ♥ 250g isomalt (available at baking shops) ♥ sugar thermometer (optional, but recommended) ♥ liquid ﬂavourant ♥ silicone lollipop mould (optional) ♥ 8 cake pop or long lollipop sticks ♥ blowtorch

To dry flowers quickly so they retain their colour, dry them in the microwave. Fold a piece of paper and a piece of paper towel in half. Carefully place the flowers face-down into the folded paper and put the paper into the paper towel. Place this on a plate and place another plate or two on top. Microwave for 1 minute, check the flowers, then microwave for 20-second intervals, checking each time, until the flowers are dry and feel almost crispy. Carefully remove them from the paper and set aside.

Pour the isomalt into a small saucepan and add just enough water to be able to form a smooth mixture. Warm over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the isomalt so the mixture becomes clear. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sugar thermometer reaches 160oC. If you don t have a thermometer, drop a little of the mixture into a bowl of cold water. It should form a hard string that breaks with a crack. Put the base of the saucepan into a basin of cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove from the water and add your ﬂavourant. Swirl the saucepan to mix ‒ do not stir. Leave to stand for a minute for the bubbles to subside. Be extremely careful as the mixture is very hot.

Pour a little syrup into a mould, place a pressed ﬂower, face down, onto the syrup and then pour more syrup over to form a disc. Push a stick into the slot, pressing it into the hot syrup. If you don t have a mould, simply use a baking sheet lined with baking paper and follow the same process. Your lollies will be a little more freeform but still just as lovely. Leave to set until cold before removing from the mould. If small bubbles have formed on the surface of the lollies, use a blowtorch to very slightly heat the surface. The tiny bubbles will melt away. Store in an airtight container or package in cellophane.

96 IDEAS March/April 2020

Sweetest sugar treats

décor STILL LIFE 3 Collections like this one give a home its heart, and reflect your personality and style. The elements are unified by a pastel palette, from the flowers to the vases and framed vintage prints. 3 A stack of books wrapped in white paper is a focal point. The top book has been wrapped in a photocopy of the floral fabric used on a nearby scatter cushion. 3 Eggs, so integral to the Easter celebration, have been displayed in a variety of creative ways: under glass cloches, in a sweet bowl, and in bird s nests ‒ natural and faux.

98 IDEAS March/April 2020

Fade to floral This Easter we re in the mood for something old, something new, something crafty, something we grew . . . Let your holiday celebrations be inspired by the natural bounty of the garden and the nostalgic return of ďŹ&#x201A;oral prints. by MANDY ALLEN st yling SHELLEY STREE T photos WARREN HEATH (all from W W W.BUREAUX.CO. ZA)

décor

Easter holds a different significance for each of us, but its themes of renewal, fertility, nature and the continuity of life remain a reason to celebrate. And then there s the chocolate! The holiday is also an excuse to unleash your creativity: Have a go at whimsical craft projects, setting a beautiful celebratory brunch table, or updating the look of your spaces to reflect the changing of the seasons.

CLASSIC VANILLA SPONGE This recipe makes one cake using a standard round springform tin (20 x 7cm). To recreate our cake, you will need three layers. If making multiple cakes for layering, do not double or triple up on ingredients but rather follow the method below and make one cake at a time. ♥ 125g butter, at room temperature ♥ ½ tsp vanilla extract or essence ♥ ½ cup castor sugar ♥ 2 eggs ♥ 1½ cups self-raising ﬂour, sifted ♥ cup of milk

HI, TEA! 3 What s lilac, layered and yummy all over? The perfect vanilla sponge cake smothered in pastel buttercream that stars as the centrepiece for an Easter high tea. 3 Be textile tactile and set your table with layers of colours, fabrics and prints. 3 Elevate the charm factor with an assortment of teacups and saucers, milk jugs, sugar bowls, cake plates and a vintage cake stand. 3 Pretty, cheerful flowers are non-negotiable. NOTES Dyed and decorated Easter eggs look compelling in faux bird nests made from natural straw. Display a nest ‒ filled with sweets ‒ as a cake topper set on top of a base of edible flowers. GREAT IDEA No time (or desire) to bake? Head to the bakery or supermarket for a simple iced cake and make it look homemade with edible flowers, candy eggs and chocolate shards.

100 IDEAS March/April 2020

1 Beat the butter with the vanilla until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the first egg and only add the next one when the first is fully combined. Add half the flour with half the milk and mix until well combined. Add the rest of the flour and milk and beat lightly. When the mixture is smooth, stop beating. 2 Spoon the batter into a round cake tin and bake. Bake at 180oC until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean ‒ probably about 20 minutes. (Oven heats vary, which will affect the time needed for baking.) FOR THE BUTTERCREAM Make a basic buttercream using 140g butter that is at room temperature (but not too soft or runny), 280g icing sugar and 1-2 tbsp milk. Beat the butter until soft, then add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and one tablespoon of the milk. Add more milk if the icing needs loosening. Add a drop of pastel-hued food colouring and mix until well combined. Double or triple the quantities depending on the number of cakes you re making. TIP Buttercream can be frozen for up to three months if you have an excess.

décor

Table

GLASS ACT

3 This sun-dappled table is an artful composition of real ﬂowers and those printed on fabric, handcrafts in the shape of decorated Easter eggs, homeware with a vintage vibe, and natural textures. GREAT IDEA As well as being perfect for containing decorated Easter eggs discovered on the obligatory hunt, a vintage basket makes a charming container for wild ﬂowers.

3 Repurpose an antique sugar bowl as a plant holder, in this case for a mini phalaenopsis orchid with its intricate root system on display. NOTES The arrangement becomes a visual treat when it is set on a vintage side plate and surrounded by decorated eggs. GREAT IDEA Get creative with some eggs. Submerge hardboiled eggs in diluted green dye and set them aside to dry. Make a sugar syrup, dip in the top half of the eggs, then roll them in jelly powder. The wet sugar syrup and dry powder will create a textured ﬁnish. Alternatively, neatly paint your eggs and decorate them with sparkly rhinestones.

102 IDEAS March/April 2020

Welcoming Party

TWEET DREAMS

3 Quirky Easter touches, one-of-a-kind vintage pieces and the prettiest palette ‒ this hallway table offers a delightful taste of things to come. NOTES Think pink! This colour is back on the interiors scene in a big way. From candy floss and raspberry sorbet to flamingo and dusky rose, you ll want to thread it through all of your spaces. GREAT IDEA You might not be able to eat it, but this hand-decorated Easter egg is a stunner. Paint a hardboiled or blown out egg in soothing watercolours to achieve a marbled effect and leave it to dry. Make a sugar syrup, dunk the top half of the egg in the solution and then dip it into a bowl filled with sprinkles.

3 Something handmade, by you of course, is always a delightful talking point for observant visitors. NOTES Make colour photocopies of your favourite antique-inspired ﬂoral fabrics, then use the paper to create silhouettes of chicks and other cute creatures, and display them as fanciful temporary decorations. GREAT IDEA The silhouettes can be placed inside a glass picture frame to overlap a larger image (in this case a vintage ﬂoral print) for a layered appearance. Or stick the photocopy onto construction board before cutting out the silhouettes and use doublesided adhesive tape or sticky putty to attach them to a wall, door or window.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 103

décor

A vintage ﬂoral theme requires old-fashioned country blooms such as sweet peas, delphiniums, stocks, lizianthus, fragrant roses, delphiniums, tulips and poppies.

HOW TO DYE EASTER EGGS: TIPS & TECHNIQUES 3 Hard-boil eggs before dyeing and decorating. Put aside any that have cracked. 3 To keep decorated eggs for years to come, follow the blowing out method. Make a hole at the top and at the bottom of an egg using a pin or paring knife ‒ make one hole larger than the other. Poke a straightened paper clip into the larger hole and jiggle it around inside the egg until the white and yolk are blended . Hold the egg over a bowl, with the larger hole facing downwards. Blow into the smaller hole until the egg is emptied. Rinse with soapy water and allow to dry completely before dyeing. 3 Mix about 10 to 20 drops of food colouring (depending on how intense you want your colours to be) with one cup of boiling water. To ensure the dye is colourfast, add two tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. 3Leave the eggs in the dye for ﬁve to 10 minutes 104 IDEAS March/April 2020

at a time, per colour. The longer you leave them, the deeper the colour. 3 Use egg cartons as drying racks. You may need to dab the bottom of the egg with paper towel to prevent the liquid from pooling. 3 Play around with marbling, two-tone effects, spattering with paint and creative decorating with beads, glitter, pompoms, dried flowers and other crafty accessories. 3 Have a few paintbrushes of varying thickness on hand, as well as sponge off-cuts, for the artwork.

SUGAR SYRUP Use sugar syrup to get sprinkles, jelly powder, coloured sugar crystals and other sweet treats to stick to your Easter eggs, for decoration. Mix two parts water to one part white granulated sugar and reduce over medium heat until just before boiling point. Add a little more sugar if the solution is too runny. It should resemble clear liquid glue.

décor

FRAMED FLORAL PRINTS, GREEN SUGAR BOWL (USED FOR ORCHID), TEACUPS AND SAUCERS, MILK JUG, VINTAGE BASKETS, BLUE FRENCH LINEN THROW (ON BED), EGG CUP AND VINTAGE FLORAL PLATES FROM WOODSTOCK VINTAGE (021 461-2712; FACEBOOK: WOODSTOCKVINTAGE). ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE STYLIST S OWN AND/OR HAVE BEEN USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE OWNERS ON LOCATION.

FLORAL FUSION

BED OF ROSES

3 Although conceived for an Easter gathering, this combination of mix-and-match floral fabrics, fresh flowers, framed flower-themed prints and decorative objects is a look suitable for any time of the year. Keep it going as your new autumn interior signature. 3 Treat a crisp white backdrop as your canvas and play with proportion, colour, form and pattern. And don t forget about texture: rough with smooth, glass with wood, handcrafted with machine forged, and foraged in nature with found at a flea market. GREAT IDEA Photocopy (in colour) floral fabric and use it for various craft projects: In the photo above, we ve added to the floral theme by covering a vintage book of poetry in flowery paper.

3 Treat the decoration of your bedroom ‒ including your bed ‒ as you would any other area of your home: with layers of colour, texture and print. 3 The day is sure to get off to a good start when you wake up surrounded by masses of flowers. NOTES With a good-quality but basic bedding set as your starting point, dress your bed drawing on the garden as inspiration. Here, several different but complementary floral prints appear on cushions as well as a throw. A beautiful blue French linen sheet and other cushions in solid colours prevent the pattern from overwhelming, the colour blocking giving it a contemporary and fresh appearance. GREAT IDEA Infuse a space with seasonal Easter cheer in the form of large egg-shaped cut-outs in pastel shades. Use craft board to make the shapes and attach silky ribbons in sorbet colours to hang them.

106 IDEAS March/April 2020

your life

Wall flowers With her business Skaam, Simoné Griessel from Cape Town has found a way to frame our special memories beautifully. by TERENA LE ROUX st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O RILEY

hen you suffer from burnout in your 20s, it s time to reassess your life and make some changes. And that is exactly what Simoné Griessel had to do after six years as a casting agent in the entertainment industry. They were years that I would never get back and I realised I had to get out, she says. Her friend, Marcel Hattingh, bought a Land Rover and they spent 70 days travelling through Africa to clear their heads and decide on the future. Up along the West Coast and the Skeleton Coast of Namibia to the Caprivi, through Botswana and Zimbabwe and then down the Mozambique coast to South Africa. Back on home soil in the middle of 2018, Simoné was so overwhelmed that initially she chose the easy option ‒ to return to her familiar old work, this time on a freelance basis. But by February last year, when the freelance hours started to dry up, she knew that it was now or never ‒ she had to do something else. She helped a friend with her wedding and realised that she really wanted to work with flowers. Marcel made a flower press for her and she

started looking around for ideas. And once she saw the potential for pressed flowers, it was full steam ahead with her new business, Skaam. But why call the business Shy ? Because it s on the inside of the flower that the loveliest petals are shyly hiding away, she explains. Before long she had found a supplier of white oak, blackwood, Cape teak (kiaat), basswood and pink beech and had asked a cabinetmaker in Cape Town to make her frames according to her specifications. I work only with the glass and once that is ready, I look at which frame fits best. Initially she experimented among her friends. She would take the bouquet from a wedding and then, for the couple s anniversary, she would surprise them with an artwork made from the pressed flowers. Everyone loved her work, because although brides sometimes dry their flowers, they often don t know what to do with them afterwards. Other clients include the owners of a guesthouse on the West Coast who wanted to show off the flora from their surroundings on the walls.

She launched her business on the internet on Spring Day and by Garden Day in October she had offered a workshop to teach others how to display their pressed flowers beautifully. This was the start of the workshops that she presents once a month for a maximum of 12 people at a time. It s important for me to work with nature. The more our cities become built up, the further away we move from what is important, she says. Every piece that I do is a reminder of what is really important. I try to move as far away as possible from my computer screen and get as close to nature as I can. I want to travel again, but this time I would like to bring back flowers from the different countries. It is however the digital environment that makes her life so much easier. While this is the basis of her marketing, her work is also in a select few shops in Cape Town, mainly for exposure, especially to the tourists. Her dream is ultimately to have a studio where she can work and run her workshops, and that can also be used by other artists.

3 Take a look at her work on Instagram (@skaam.co.za), Facebook (@skaamframes) or the internet at skaam.co.za. For more information, send her an email on hello@skaam.co.za.

108 IDEAS March/April 2020

During the day, the dining room table becomes SimonĂŠ s workspace until she can realise her dream of having her own studio. Her pressings feature ďŹ&#x201A;owers from the market, the park and even the pavement.

your life

rainbow palette Let Mother Nature show you how to bring colour into your home. by JANI AUGUST YN- GOUSSARD photos ED O RILEY

here is an untamed energy about the months that hang onto the seam of summer, months during which the heat is a bit less fierce and the days become quieter and you once again feel up to daytime outings. In the months of March and April the wanderlust flows strongly through my veins and I fill the weekends with long walks as far away as a day trip allows. It is during these joyful excursions in early autumn that I am surprised, again and again, by the amazing colours that Mother Nature presents to us. Colour is inextricably part of nature and a language that we all understand, consciously or otherwise. And in this palette lies a wonderful

110 IDEAS March/April 2020

opportunity to bring nature into your home in a new way, and to be a bit more daring with colour than you would perhaps normally be. I challenge you to go and study the simplest thing in nature ‒ whether it s a stone in your front garden or a leaf from a tree. There are so many more colours in the richness of natural objects than we would guess at ﬁrst glance ‒ and yet there isn t an imbalance of colours that scream at you, everything works in harmony. Acid yellow, light green and deep forest blue, for example, all occur on the leaf of a wild olive tree. Use Mother Nature as your décor muse and see what she can teach you. There are a few basic rules that you can equip yourself with, so you can play with a combination of natural shades and splashes of brighter colours at home, throughout your space. The easiest way to create harmony within a

broader colour palette is to apply the 60:30:10 rule. It s an old interior decorator s trick and easier than it sounds! You choose three colours, one of which is your main colour, the colour you will use the most, from your walls to the floor and furniture. For the second colour, you use half as much as you do of the first and the third is for accents here and there. This brings you more or less to the ratio 60:30:10. Therefore, 60% of the room is in the main colour, 30% in the second colour and 10% in the third. As a cheerleader for the use of colour, I believe you can apply the rule even more widely by also using different shades of your three colours. The 60:30:10 rule then applies to a family of colours: for example, 60% is shades of green, 30% pink and 10% yellow. Don t hesitate to make the wonder of colour a part of your life ‒ it s a tonic for any space and creative person.

The last 240km of the Portuguese Camino initially meant only one thing: 12 days without a computer, emails and never-ending to-do lists. But then Johan van Zyl discovered the calming power of meditation â&#x20AC;&#x2019; on foot.

Takeyourhead for a walk

photos PE TER VAN NOORD st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG

your life

deafening tempest has raged in my head since I first clambered onto the middle-class treadmill 25 years ago to officially start earning my own living. From that day on, all of yesterday s and tomorrow s questions, fears, joys, ideas, perceptions, memories, daydreams, to-do lists, emotions, opinions, challenges and stumbling blocks have flown up, screaming, to shatter themselves in my top storey. Over the years I have tried repeatedly to live in the moment and in the now , seeking to quieten the noisiness in a number of ways including two meditation courses, a meditation app, mountains of books and some herbal sedatives. But sitting, eyes closed and crosslegged, on a cushion in a silent room has simply never worked for me ‒ my thoughts are too busy, and there is always a phone ringing somewhere, a lorry delivering crates of cool drinks to the cafe over the road, my calves and ankles and lower back grumbling from the pain after just 10 minutes, or the smell of cooking fat from the

neighbour deep-frying vetkoek yet again. I am arguably the world s worst meditator, but I had made peace with this fact. And then in February last year I received an email from the transformation, labyrinth, meditation and yoga facilitator Terry De Vries, owner of Kamala Retreat House in Barrydale. She was planning to take 10 people in September 2019 on the last 240km of the Portuguese Camino ‒ from Porto on the coast of Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain ‒ and, bonus of bonuses, in the mornings all the walking would be in total silence. The deposit was paid immediately. Three weeks before we boarded the plane, Terry sent a photo of 20 overturned Tarot cards. The pilgrims had to choose a card according to the sequence in which we had booked. What a load of white-witch nonsense, I thought, but I did choke a little when Terry informed me that I had chosen the Death card. She comforted, via WhatsApp: Death doesn t mean the end, but a new beginning, a new lifestyle. It s

necessary for you to shed the past and old habits and ways of doing things, like a snake sheds its skin. Death also brings the sword of truth, which will cut through your own illusions and subconscious convictions. Just as well WhatsApp can t hear when a person swears out loud.

WHAT IS ‘WALKING MEDITATION’?

The evening before we set out from Porto on foot, Terry held an induction ceremony. Most of the other people in the group were undertaking the pilgrimage to wrestle with serious issues: One woman s husband had died suddenly three months earlier; another was consumed by the fear that her breast cancer would return; three walkers lives or careers or marriages were headed down a dead-end street; another was being harassed by an ex-husband. . . I and my life partner said sheepishly: Oh, actually, we just don t want to see a

your life computer or an email for two weeks. And we love walking. The Camino is not just a nice stroll, laughed Terry, who already had several other Camino routes under her belt. But it doesn t really matter if you see this pilgrimage as a walking tour or a personal journey of discovery or walking meditation or mindful walking ‒ all forms of meditation are an internal process to tame your brain s meanderings and help you to live more consciously. And, interestingly enough, the more aware you are of what is really going on in your inner world, the more intensely aware you will become of what is happening around you. Seated meditation, which often is associated with the silent practice of following your breathing and emptying your thoughts, is a more familiar or traditional form of meditation where you turn inwards to the silence within you and move your attention away from what is going on around you, says Terry. Walking meditation, on the other hand, is a rather more mindful type of awareness, for which you use all your senses and the physical, mental and

emotional experience of walking to quieten your thoughts and to focus on the movement of your body as you walk, the feeling of the gravel or grass under your feet, the birds and animals along the way, the wind in your hair, the sun on your skin, the sweet scent of the rose garden that you have just passed. . . The most wonderful thing about walking meditation is that everyone can do it ‒ I am proof of this! ‒ even if you just walk from your car to the office or from your house to the corner cafe, and even if you live in a noisy city. For most people, it is considerably easier to be intensely aware of your body while you are moving than when you are sitting silently with crossed legs on the floor. In addition, says American clinical psychologist Steven Hickman on his blog Stuck in Meditation: An Online Home for the Skeptical Meditator, the world is going so crazy about meditation that for many beginners who start feeling restless after five minutes of sitting still, it feels like a hopeless task that is possible only for a select few. In reality, a walk with your head is much the same as walking around

the block every day with your dog. In the same way that you can t change your dog s nature, you can t do much about the fact that you are easily distracted. Just as a dog goes crazy when he sees a squirrel, your thoughts will wander oﬀ at the slightest hint or promise of an adventure of one sort or another. The secret is to gradually develop the neural equivalent of a retractable leash, precisely like the one that allows Buster to go on mini adventures investigating fascinating smells, scurrying creatures and the occasional cat and with which you can quickly bring him back to the path you are walking along. In short: During walking meditation, notice with tolerance and amusement how your brain takes a detour every so often, but then return to your focus.

WHY SHOULD YOU TRY IT?

Walking in the usual way is easy, accessible, safe and pleasant, and no-one argues about the health beneﬁts it oﬀers. Research shows that it can work wonders for, among other conditions, depression, heart

disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and digestion problems. In a nutshell: Walking makes us healthier, happier and smarter. Meditating with your feet offers even more benefits. By consciously thinking about every movement of your body, you connect your body and mind, but it also brings you closer to nature. It can help you to focus and concentrate better, break away from depressing or repetitive thoughts and keep you consciously present in the moment. And, writes Shane O Mara, a neuroscientist at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, in his new book In Praise of Walking: The new science of how we walk and why it s good for us, walking consciously, with our mind in motion , makes us more creative. Bipedalism ‒ walking upright on two feet ‒ is a skill that is unique to humans and defines our success as a species: Through a long process of evolution we learnt not only how to free up our hands completely (to be busy simultaneously with something else), but also our brains. Over the centuries, a multitude of creative thinkers have sung the praises of walking: philosophers Aristotle, Friedrich Nietzsche, Søren Kierkegaard and Immanuel Kant, composer Ludwig van Beethoven and writers William Wordsworth, Charles Dickens, Henry David Thoreau, Jack Kerouac and Bruce Chatwin are just some of the well-known people who have claimed that mindful walking boosted their creativity, productivity and problem-solving abilities and helped them to feel freer and less anxious. When you walk mindfully, often without even realising it you conduct a conversation with yourself in your head about how to approach a specific issue or tackle a problem, and before you can wipe your eyes, a solution appears.

BUT HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Walking meditation has no formal phases or rules and everyone does and experiences it diﬀerently, Terry stressed almost daily during the walk through Portugal and Spain. Pace is not important (even runners can meditate), but especially for beginners slower is better, to allow you to drink in every moment with all your senses. Don t try too hard, don t stress and don t become discouraged if and when you feel bored or irritated. A good way to start is usually to stand still somewhere in a quiet park or in nature, become aware of your breathing and feel how your weight moves through your feet and sinks away into the earth. Then start walking ‒ reasonably slowly up to normal speed, as if you are caressing the ground with each step ‒ and become aware of your body. Focus on your soles, how your heels make contact with the ground ﬁrst, your ankles, calves, knees, pelvis, hips, stomach, chest, shoulders, neck, head... Feel the clothes on your body. Experience how your rhythm, steps and breathing change as your body relaxes. Pay attention to the instinctive feelings that you experience ‒ they can change in the blink of an eye from happiness to irritation, curiosity to boredom or anxiety. Also be aware of your emotional state, but return constantly to your breathing and the moment. Handle the emotions that come up in much the same way as you would deal with the plants in your garden, deciding which ones need feeding and which are weeds you can get rid of. (But again: You simply take note of everything ‒ you re not going to start pulling out the weeds immediately!)

Absorb your surroundings: the plants, birds and other animals, the sounds, the scents. . . but remember to use your retractable leash whenever necessary. Another trick that is very helpful when you need to focus again after your mind has wandered is to choose a word before you start walking. Terry often asked us in the mornings to choose a word or phrase that we would repeat constantly in our heads to keep intrusive thoughts under control. Twice she also got us to walk around an invisible labyrinth, another suggestion that works well for beginners. Walking a labyrinth helps you to focus on your breathing and the rhythm of your footsteps, and it helps with the most important part of any form of meditation: to stay in the here and now ‒ in the moment. With a labyrinth walk something else also comes into play: Your left brain can relax, because you don t have to think about where to walk, and so your right brain awakens. A labyrinth walk therefore helps you to focus and concentrate better, it stimulates creativity, it helps with processing trauma and it can help you to ﬁnd inner peace.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 115

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It can also be compared to a pilgrimage ‒ one towards the heart, a journey inwards. The Camino helps you to stay in the moment because you never know what the day will bring. You could have muscle cramps or get blisters or feel dizzy. Or perhaps your muscles will be so sore that you have to rest for a day or take a taxi to the next town. Any walk that you do to learn more about yourself ‒ we re not talking about an everyday hike on the mountain ‒ helps you to stay in the here and now. My revelation came on the fourth

day, which the guidebook describes as one of the loveliest stages of the Camino. It was also my father s birthday. I walked the whole way from Quintiãs to Ponte de Lima completely alone. At one point I stopped to take out my water bottle and saw on my FitBit that I had done 21 594 steps. I realised I had not thought of a single thing for the past three hours. My head was completely empty and silent. No noisy questions, fears, memories, to-do lists, emotions, daydreams, opinions. . . How was it possible? Had I actually meditated ? When I looked up, I saw a statuette in a wall niche: a man with bags under his eyes who looked exactly like my father. I walked closer and saw that another pilgrim had left a white scallop shell, like the ones that mark

the route of the Camino (along with yellow arrows), in the niche. I picked it up, admired its perfection and, just before I put it in my shirt pocket, turned it over to see written in capital letters on the inside: BE KIND. Two weeks later we were back home. I switched on the computer. At the top of the long list of newsletters in the junk-mail folder was one with the subject line: Your journey today . I grimaced but opened it anyway. It was a quote from Paulo Coelho, who I, as an archetypal cynic, have wanted to slap on more than one occasion: Maybe the journey isn t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it s about un-becoming everything that isn t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the ﬁrst place.

3 Stuck in Meditation: An Online Home for the Skeptical Meditator (stuckinmeditation.com).

3 In Praise of Walking: The new science of how we walk and why it s good for us by Shane O Mara (The Bodley Head, 2019).

3 Kamala Retreat House (kamalaretreathouse.com, terrydevries22@gmail.com).

3 Wildmind Meditation (wildmind.org). The Buddhist Bodhipaksa shares tips and guided meditations.

116 IDEAS March/April 2020

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The importance of

being lost ar ticle, photos and illustrations by STEFAN BLOM

During a month-long creative retreat in Finland, psychologist Stefan Blom discovered the wonders of going oďŹ&#x20AC; the grid and having the freedom to simply be lost.

went to Finland to be creative and find myself. Instead, I got lost. Every day, as a therapist, I listen to stories about being lost. We are either lost or stuck in life, I hear, and although we spend significant parts of our lives being in this place of lostness, we forget why being there is so important. Problem is, we are mapped out in advance. Every inch of our lives is committed to our diaries, to our Google Calendars, or to any other number of workflow tools that feed our terminal addiction to taming time. Every day, we re stuck in the patterns of sameness. The great irony of putting in place all these safeguards to control life? We end up not knowing who we are, what s important to us and what we need. We are so lost in the busyness of things to do, places to go and people to see that we lose ourselves and each other along the way. In therapy, I m reminded daily that being lost is a gift because it teaches you what matters in life and shows you new paths. It often changes the course of who you are and how you prefer to live. In September 2018, I went on an adventure to find myself at a creative residency in Finland. I flew to the capital Helsinki, which lies on the country s southern coast, and from there travelled to Tampere, in a lake-rich area some 180 kilometres north of the capital. After a one-hour drive through the countryside, and a little detour for rations, we arrived at an old school building, the Arteles Creative Centre, to a party of warmhearted and welcoming people. This creative retreat invites writers, artists, producers, musicians, photographers

118 IDEAS March/April 2020

and other creatives to stay for one month to ﬁnd themselves . In other words, Arteles provides a safe space for you to do what you like. They provide a meditation room, photographic studio, shared studio space, rowing boat on the lake and woodshed and sauna in the forest. My bedroom was two metres from the forest edge. There s no programme, no methodology... only an invitation to be free and creative. On day two the kind folk at Arteles collect all cellphones and lock them away in a safe until the day before you leave. This is optional, but I agreed to what ultimately proved to be a true gift. For months I d prepared myself. I d been excited and fearful of the unknown. What a privilege to take a month of your life to primarily focus on yourself and your work. But what I learned quickly is that no amount of analysis of the unknown can fully prepare you until you jump in. I was reminded that the answers are in the doing and not in the thinking.

ADRIFT IN THE WOODS

Before we arrived at Arteles, our hosts took us to the biggest supermarket in the nearest town to watch us find our own way around the aisles. This was my first experience of feeling lost. At 48, I know what my body likes and where to go in my home neighbourhood and city to find it. That makes me feel safe. But being watched by a stranger in the local K-Market triggered the competitor in me. I was here to find myself, I thought, to get over the competition nonsense of ordinary life. But now I was in a reality-TV scenario trying to beat a clock for no reason, navigating

product labels I didn t understand. When will I outgrow this childish nonsense, I wondered. Naturally, I bought food I never ate; I still don t know what it was supposed to be. Lost in translation. As much as I would enjoy this sort of stuff on holiday, this was about food for the next week and about my survival. I was getting a clear message that it wasn t relaxing to feel lost. Don t we get anxious and depressed if our basic human needs are not being met? And what are our basic human needs again? Water, power and safety? Kindness? Choice? Voice ‒ our own; and that of our loved ones? Luckily by my third week I could find my way to town, and started to understand the K-Market and its products, as well as the everyday movements I had always taken for granted at home. Back to feeling lost... I could see many others were feeling the same way. From day one, our group of 12 scattered into the surrounding forests. Sure, having a lot of time and too many choices could be considered a definition of abundance. Yet abundance (like poverty) can be overwhelming and brings its own set of problems. Too much choice (like too little choice) can seriously mess with your mind. It can even remove your drive. I come from a place where as children we used what we had and where choices were created, not given. My brothers and I used our imaginations to create things out of nothing. This was a lesson that shaped us into people who appreciate what we have, celebrate it and say, Thank you . But making something out of

your life

nothing needs an imagination. The combination of active imagination and fear of scarcity builds strong motivations.

CATHEDRAL FOR THE LOST

Ready for action with my camera, I found myself standing still in the forest. When nature is beautiful, my problems feel small and it silences me. Not used to the silence and not knowing what to do with all this beauty, I took no photographs.

This was my third connection with that lost feeling. What do I do when I feel like this at home? I ďŹ ll a quiet space with something to do, and often it s about busying myself, like documenting things. A life of little projects that give me joy. So, I was surprised that now I didn t feel the need to document things. Could I take a photograph just for myself? It bothered me that I was thinking of collecting photographs for others, to be seen on social media. How did this thought sneak into my mindset?

And how long have I been lost in this awareness of others ? Standing there in the tech-quiet forest, thrumming with life, I wondered if this is what we ve become: obsessive sharers with no real purpose. What s social media doing to us? Filling a space?

A REFUGEE INTO SAFETY

How I fear getting lost in an unsafe place. DeďŹ ned back home by a South African mindset, I m always conscious of my safety on some level. But after

a few days of wandering further into the landscapes of wondering, I realised that this place was very safe. It is with good reason that Finland is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world. I asked the Fins what some of their fears are and the most popular answer is a version of this: A deer walking across the road at sunset and damaging my car. No wonder they like heavy metal. Here, I can get lost in the forest and I don t have to worry about my safety. I don t have to look over my shoulder. My mind ﬁnally sends the message: You have a licence to get lost. Now that s what I call a free fall into being. In South Africa, I walk ﬁve minutes to work every day. My morning ritual

120 IDEAS March/April 2020

is often about greeting the people I see along the way (mostly security guards outside the school around the corner) ‒ and looking over my shoulder to make sure nobody robs me. You can lose everything you think is important, anywhere, and at any time. It s a normal (often subconscious) mindset that admittedly protects me more than it robs me of my happiness. I m creative, but I m also a realist. It s logical to obsess about our safety. We live in a violent society where behind the beautiful pictures of South African landscapes 75% of the general population of adults has experienced a potentially traumatic event . This statistic, which tells a story in itself, appears in a 2017

article written by researchers Debra Kaminer and Gillian T Eagle, and published in the South African Journal of Psychology. I often hear, in therapy, how we negotiate, protect and bargain for our safety. Not only in our intimate relationships, but in almost every space we live in. How the consequences of politics can spoil a good experience, I think. How we need to absorb our tumultuous past to become present.

SILENCE AS A LANGUAGE

In the forests of Finland, I connected with the amount of energy I had spent every day to protect myself and domesticate my life in South

your life

Africa. What I didn t expect was the overwhelming sadness that would hit me when I realised I could let go of my need to protect or always be doing things. I was truly safe. I could do what I wanted. I felt undefined and unfamiliar. And I was not the only one. A producer from Singapore arrived a few days later. She entered the shared kitchen to make breakfast after her early-morning forest walk and I could see on her face the signs of being lost. June had been at Arteles for two days and she was feeling anxious. I said to her, June, I can see you re feeling lost . . . and she said, Stefan, I m feeling totally lost. I wrote a script for a short film and it s day two. What am I going to do for the next 28 days? So, we spoke about our lives. In Singapore and in Cape Town, we always know what we re doing the next day, week, or even month. We re constantly losing the space to stand back and reflect silently: picking up our phones and laptops when we don t know how to live; seeking connections that never quite satisfy. Our need to be mindless and not mindful is fuelled by what we do to ourselves and others: not treating each other with gentle understanding and kindness. Then, the magic turning point presented itself. I found myself beginning to appreciate this rare space called being lost. In our habitually structured lives, maybe being lost is a gift, I started to reason. In order to be present, we sometimes need to be on the outside of our daily patterns that we call comfort zones ‒ to realise how our comfort zones are

not comforting over time. In being lost, I became aware of what I took for granted. It created a longing for the people and the experiences that mattered most. What I longed for was what had the greatest meaning for me in my life, and it felt like a privilege to be reminded of what was and is important. Standing away from my life, I connected to the beings who are there for me, the companionship in which I feel safe and deeply loved, my people and my animals. It s a privilege to have something to love and long for. Simple lessons with powerful meanings. Do we only ﬁnd true gratitude when our lostness evokes what s important ‒ a sense of longing for what we don t have? Loss may be at the heart of true gratitude.

BEING PRESENT How grateful I felt for this moment of safety and beauty in my life ‒ suddenly looking forward to getting lost in the forests in order to ﬁnd my place. I couldn t wait for my forest walks. Here was the freedom to get lost and ﬁnd new exotic mushrooms every day; to stand still in amazement at their beauty; to practise simple listening and breathing; or to be silenced by the light coming through the trees. The freedom of not judging my vulnerabilities; of silencing the voices of others I cannot even name. Yes, embrace your madness Stefan, it s okay. Invite yourself to be gentler in your understandings. Life s tough enough. We don t need all of these judgments, do we?

Getting lost in the forest taught me many valuable lessons, like the realisation that I get my inspiration from interactions with humans and animals. Nature is the place I go to for recovering. Looking back into my real life, I felt an overwhelming and deep appreciation for what my work means to me. How much I appreciate the stories my clients bring to me every day and how, every day, they deeply inspire me. I found the courage to take myself on, as well as my relationships, with honesty; to search for meaning; and to learn from my losses. What beautiful things I see. Read more: www.blom.studio www.arteles.org

your life

Take care Treat yourself or a friend to an emergency self-care kit.

ost of us are crazy busy, have stressful jobs, or are too overwhelmed to make time for ourselves. Me-time is usually last on the agenda and practising self-care isn t always easy. Worse, we can sometimes feel guilty about setting aside the time required to take care of ourselves. A good way to make a start is by creating an emergency self-care kit ‒ that way when you do ﬁnd yourself with a few minutes spare you already have everything you need to take some time-out. Self-care has many dimensions to it and everyone s selfcare routine will look diﬀerent. When choosing items for your self-care kit, here are some questions to ask yourself: 3 What always makes me calm down and relax? 3 What exercises help me centre myself? 3 What kind of pampering leaves me feeling fresh?

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3 What items make me feel comforted? 3 What are some things that make me feel inspired? Think about doing something for each category: mind, body and soul. Whether you re looking for a quick pickme-up or you re trying to be intentional with the precious 20 minutes that you do have, the most important thing is to try to incorporate self-care into each and every day.

BODY: physical self-care 3 Drink some fresh lemon water. 3 Make a fresh cup of tea or coﬀee. 3 Take a 30-minute walk in nature. 3 Treat yourself to a manicure or pedicure. 3 Take a long, relaxing bubble bath. 3 Try relaxing yoga or an empowering workout.

GO TO INGOODCOMPANY.CO.ZA/DOWNLOADS/ TO DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE MATERIALS.

by JULIE GALL AGHER from IN GOOD COMPANY

3 Nourish your body with a healthy home-cooked meal or snack. 3 Invest in some comfortable pyjamas, and stay in them all day. 3 Have an afternoon power nap. 3 Celebrate something big or small with champagne.

MIND: emotional self-care 3 Write yourself a letter listing 10 things you love about yourself. 3 Buy yourself a bouquet of ﬂowers. 3 Reread your favourite book. 3 Create a vision board for your dreams. 3 Do something creative, like colouring in.

3 Call a friend. 3 Listen to music.

SOUL: spiritual self-care 3 Unplug from all technology for a whole day. 3 Recite some positive self-aﬃrmations. 3 Slow down, be present and mindful. 3 Keep a gratitude journal. 3 Have a good, long cry. 3 Meditate.

march WESTERN CAPE 26-28 February

6-15 March

At Design Indaba at the Artscape Theatre you can enjoy talks by design industry leaders (simulcast to Johannesburg, Durban and

The Toyota US Woordfees takes place in Stellenbosch. Enjoy ﬁlm, poetry, visual arts, music, a writer s festival and more. For more

Potchefstroom), music, theatre and more. For more information,

information, go to woordfees.co.za.

go to designindaba.com.

7 March 28 February - 1 March The Robertson Wine Valley Hands-On Harvest is the ideal

The Post Harvest Proe Party

opportunity to enjoy blending and tasting experiences, riverside lunches, vineyard picnics, and food and wine pairings. For more information, go to handsonharvest.com.

takes place at Genevieve MCC in Bot River

28 February - 1 March

from 12.30pm to 3pm. Tickets

Photo Fair Africa, an expo to educate and entertain everyone from beginner to pro photographers, takes place at Meerendal Estate in

cost R450 each. For more

Durbanville. For more information, go to photofairafrica.com.

information, email melissa@

29 February - 1 March

genevievemcc. co.za.

The Market at Lord s Wines in McGregor oﬀers art, local crafts, music, food stalls and wine. For more information, go to lordswinery.com.

1, 8 and 15 March Don t miss the picnic concert series taking place at Backsberg wine estate. Tickets are available from quicket.co.za.

5-8 March

13-15 March

SpiritFest, a festival of dance, yoga, meditation and community surrounded by mountains, rivers and trees, takes place in Swellendam. For more information, go to spiritfest.co.za.

Bazique takes place at the Elgin Grabouw Country Club. Enjoy live music, art exhibitions, ﬁre dancing, silent discos, a spa, food trucks and more. Go to bazique.co.za for more information.

6-8 March

24-29 March

The Knysna Literary Festival is a ﬁve-day experience that includes writing workshops. Donations are made to two Garden Route charities. For details, go to knysnaliteraryfestival.co.za.

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) takes place in Oudtshoorn. For more information, go to kknk.co.za.

27-28 March 6-8 March The Cape Getaway Show is a travel and lifestyle show held at Sandringham Estate. For more information, go to getaway.co.za.

The Giant Pumpkin Festival takes place in Heidelberg. Activities include a mountain bike race, golf, a fun run, live music and dancing. For more information, go to pumpkinfestival.co.za.

MPUMALANGA 20-22 March The Wakkerstroom Music Festival takes place in Wakkerstroom. Highlights range from jazz and piano concertos to harpsichord, cello and ﬂute performances. For more information, go to wmfestival.co.za.

Things to do compiled by L ARA FOREMAN 3 CREATIVECALENDARIDEAS@GMAIL.COM

GAUTENG

KWAZULU-NATAL 1 March

5-8 March The hobby and craft expo Hobby-X takes place at the Ticketpro

The Exclusive Boutique

dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. For more information, go to hobby-x.co.za.

Bridal Fair takes place at Makaranga Garden Lodge in Kloof, near Durban. For

Find loads of inspiration at the Wedding Expo Joburg North, taking

more information, go to sabridalfairs.co.za.

place at the Sandton Convention Centre. For more information, go to wedding-expo.co.za.

19-22 March

27-29 March

(Left) For the latest in dĂŠcor and design, don t miss

PHOTOS: GENEVIEVE MCC AND DECOREX DURBAN: SUPPLIED. BLOEM SHOW: BLOEMSKOU.CO.ZA. AUTUMN GARDEN SHOW: GARDENSHOW.CO.ZA.

14-15 March

The Night of a 1000 Drawings Festival of Art takes place at Victoria Yards, Lorentzville. Artworks will be on sale, plus there are creative

Decorex Durban taking place at the Durban Exhibition

workshops, curated art aisles, an art auction and a crafters market.

Centre. For more information,

For more information, go to johannesburg.1000drawings.org.

go to reedexpoafrica.co.za.

april WESTERN CAPE 4-5 April The Fab Bridal Expo takes place at Venue D Aria in Durbanville. For more information, go to donatoevents.co.za.

by local artists, the indigenous garden, cork oak forest, vegetable garden, wetlands and more. Entry for adults is R50 in aid of a local charity. For more information, go to tokara.com.

27 April - 3 May 11 April The Langebaan Easter Market takes place in the town hall from 10am to 3pm. For more information, search for Langebaan Market on Facebook.

The Suidoosterfees at Artscape is a vibrant feast of theatre and music. Tickets start at R120. For more information, search for Suidoosterfees on Facebook or go to suidoosterfees.co.za.

30 April - 3 May 18 April At Tokara s Open Garden day and rare plant sale, enjoy sculptures

The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival takes place in Knysna. For more information, go to pinkloerie.co.za.

FREE STATE 24 April - 2 May Don t miss the Bloem Show being held at the Bloemfontein Showgrounds. For more information, go to bloemskou.co.za.

EASTERN CAPE 15-21 April South Africa s National Science Festival takes place in Grahamstown. For more information go to scifest.org.za.

24-27 April The Karoo Food Festival takes place in Cradock. There will be a food market, traditional dishes, masterclasses, demonstrations and fun activities. For more information, search for Karoo Food Festival on Facebook.

NORTHERN CAPE 27 April - 3 May AfrikaBurn takes place in the Tankwa Karoo National Park. For more information, go to afrikaburn.com.

GAUTENG 3-5 April

8-13 April

The Autumn Garden Show takes place

The Rand Show is on at the Johanesburg Expo Centre. For more information, go to randshow.co.za.

at The Herb Farm in Midrand. Enjoy a

11 April

herb tour through the labyrinth garden, attend talks and

Join the Easter Egg Hunt at The Weekend Market in Johannesburg in Riﬂe Rand Road. For more information, search for Weekend Market JHB on Facebook.

demos, and shop for plants. For more

25-27 April

information, go to

The Protea Cullifest takes place at Zonderwaterweg, Cullinan, just

gardenshow.co.za

outside Pretoria. For more information, go to proteacullifest.co.za or facebook.com/proteacullifest.

4 April The Heidelberg Jazz Festival is being staged at the Shalimar

30 April - 5 May

Stadium Heidelberg. There will also be food stalls, fashion and art exhibitions. For more information, search for Heidelberg Jazz Festival on Facebook.

Shop for jewellery, clothing, gifts, toys, décor pieces and deli items at KIES Tierlantynkies Festive Design & Food Fair in Zwavelpoort in Pretoria East. For more information, go to tierlantynkies.co.za.

KWAZULU-NATAL 5 April

9-13 April

The Durban Annual Easter Promenade Parade and Bonnet Festival is fun for everyone. For more information, search for The Durban Annual Easter Promenade Parade 2020 on Facebook.

The Splashy Fen music festival takes place near Underberg in the Drakensberg. The Splashy craft market features over 30 craft stalls. For more information, go to splashyfen.co.za

MPUMALANGA

LIMPOPO

3-4 April

25-26 April

The venue for the Mpumalanga Wine Show is the Emnotweni Arena in Nelspruit. For more information, search for Mpumalanga

The Haenertsburg Food Wine and Beer Festival is a celebration of country living. For more information, search for the event by its full name on Facebook, or call 083 255 5816.

Wine Show on Facebook.

SHORT AND SWEET 21 MARCH Human Rights Day 3 20 MARCH End of ﬁrst school term 3 31 MARCH Start of second school term 3 10 APRIL Good Friday 3 12 APRIL Easter Sunday 3 13 APRIL Family Day 3 27 APRIL Freedom Day 3 20 APRIL Ideas on sale

Enter the Innibos National Premier Craft Awards Entries will be accepted for projects in grass weaving, ceramics, beadwork, wirework, wood, jewellery, paper, fabric painting and printing, quilting, leatherwork, pewter, glasswork, embroidery and mixed media. The top prize is R50 000, second prize R20 000 and third R15 000. Enter by 1 May (there is no entry fee). For more information, email artaid@lantic.net or go to innibos.co.za.

IMPORTANT TO

REMEMBER functions to attend

books to buy or borrow

shopping list for my projects

Books to read in March/April compiled by DIANA PROC TER diana@ideasfac tor y.co. za

RICK STEIN’S SECRET FRANCE

THE EAST AFRICAN COOKBOOK BY SHEREEN JOG (STRUIK LIFESTYLE, R260)

This book reflects a cuisine that is modern and yet rooted in the traditional methods and tastes of East Africa. Fifth-generation Tanzanian Shereen Jog shares her recipes for delicious soups, salads, main meals and desserts. Bursting with the flavours of East African and Indian spices, these recipes will inspire everyone to cook mouthwatering meals for their family and friends. Shereen is known for her creativity as she experiments and plays with flavours, using the abundance of fresh organic produce and the influences of a multicultural environment to prepare dishes that reflect the traditions of Arab, Swahili, Indian and colonial dishes. The recipe selection is as contemporary as it is traditional, and the dishes are as healthy as they are flavoursome.

130 IDEAS March/April 2020

BY RICK STEIN (BBC BOOKS, R349) Almost 20 years after French Odyssey, which sold 280 000 copies, Rick returns to his beloved France to discover real, simple French cooking, distilled into this collection of 120 new recipes. His meandering quest through the byways and back roads of rural France sees him pick up inspiration everywhere, from Normandy to Provence. With his characteristic passion and joie de vivre, he serves up incredible recipes: chicken stuffed with mushrooms and Comté, grilled bream with aioli from the Languedoc coast, a duck liver parfait bursting with flavour, and a recipe for the most perfect raspberry tart, plus much, much more. Simple fare, wonderful ingredients, all perfectly assembled; Rick finds the true essence of a food so universally loved, and far easier to recreate than you think.

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK BY GETTYIMAGES • ALL BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM TAKEALOT.COM OR LOOT.CO.ZA

FOOD

FICTION BRAISED PORK BY AN YU (PENGUIN UK, R290)

One morning in autumn, just after breakfast, Jia Jia ﬁnds her husband dead in the bathtub of their Beijing apartment. Next to him is a piece of folded paper, a sketch of a strange creature from his dream. He has left her no other sign. Young, alone, and with many unanswered questions, Jia Jia sets out to discover what this mysterious clue might mean. From the high-rises to the hidden bars of contemporary Beijing, she crosses paths with people who call the city home, including someone who may be able to oﬀer her the love she had long thought impossible. Cinematic, dreamlike and very beautiful, Braised Pork is an exploration of myth-making, loss, and a world beyond words, and of a young woman s search deep into her past in order to arrive at her future.

THE GIFTED SCHOOL

GROWN UPS

BY BRUCE HOLSINGER (JONATHAN BALL, R325)

BY MARIAN KEYES (MICHAEL JOSEPH, R290)

In the privileged community of Crystal, four close friends are raising their children. Despite varying levels of income, parental arrangements and career paths, they share everything during their weekly runs and monthly get-togethers. Then the news breaks of a new feeder school for gifted children opening in Crystal, with only limited space in this prestigious environment. The admissions process starts and everyone knows the competition will be ferocious. First the initial CogPro test and then presentations showcasing their special gifts... The book is a true page-turner, taking the reader on a journey that reminds us of the college admittance scandal in America and the lengths parents will go to, to give their kids the best education possible. They re a glamorous family, the Caseys. Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together ‒ birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they are a happy family. Johnny s wife Jessie ‒ who has the most money ‒ insists on it. Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, others like each other far too much. . . Everything stays under control until Ed s wife Cara gets concussion and can simply not keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny s birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling all their secrets. In the subsequent unravelling, all of the adults ﬁnd themselves wondering if it s time ‒ ﬁnally ‒ to grow up?

BLUE MOON BY LEE CHILD (BANTAM PRESS, R290)

In a nameless city, two ruthless rival criminal gangs, one Albanian, the other Ukrainian, are competing for control. But they hadn t counted on Jack Reacher arriving on their patch. Reacher is trained to notice things. He s on a Greyhound bus, watching an elderly man sleeping in his seat, with a fat envelope of cash hanging out of his pocket. Another passenger is watching too . . . As the mugger makes his move, Reacher steps in. The old man is grateful, yet he turns down Reacher s oﬀer to help him home. He s vulnerable, scared and clearly in trouble. What hold could the gangs possibly have on him? Can Reacher twist the situation to everyone s beneﬁt? This is a random universe, he says. Once in a blue moon things turn out just right. The odds are better with him involved. That s for sure.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 131

NON-FICTION YOU’RE NOT LISTENING BY KATE MURPHY (RANDOM HOUSE UK, R320) As a society, we ve forgotten how to listen. Modern life is noisy and frenetic, and technology provides constant distraction. So we tune things out or listen selectively ‒ even to those we love most. We ve become scared of other people s points of view, and of silence. Kate Murphy draws on conversations she has had with everyone from priests to CIA interrogators, bartenders, her great-great aunt and her friend s toddler, to show how only by listening well can we truly connect with others. Listening is about curiosity and patience, about asking the right questions in the right way. It can transform our lives, and increase our creativity and happiness. While it may take some eﬀort, it s a skill that can be learnt and perfected.

MODERN EMBROIDERY

BY LAURA STRUTT (CICO, R315)

There s something magical about embroidery ‒ some thread, some stitches, some time, and suddenly a plain piece of fabric is transformed into a picture, a pattern, or a work of geometric art. Embroidery today is moving away from the traditional to the modern, with motifs including everything from cacti to crystals, simple white stitching on coloured cloth, decorative stitches on denim, and mandala patterns as wall art. Laura Strutt has designed 35 modern makes taking you from the simplest of stitches to more sophisticated techniques. Each make has full step-by-step instructions, there are tips on everything from ﬁnishing pieces to colour theory, and a techniques section covering all the stitches you will need to know.

THE STORY OF GARDENING BY PENELOPE HOBHOUSE WITH AMBRA EDWARDS (JONATHAN BALL, R490)

Whether you are a gardener or simply a lover of beautiful gardens, this book with its many stories of gorgeous gardens throughout the world will keep you spellbound for many happy hours. From the spiritual gardens of Islam and Persia, to the advanced systems and practical advice from the Romans, the discovery and embracing of gorgeous gardens by the Americans and ﬁnally to modern trends in gardening, the book takes us on a journey through three millennia. It tells the story of how gardens evolved and how successive periods have inﬂuenced one another, and inspires gardeners to use echoes of previous styles and adapt them to their own needs. With its gorgeous photographs and illustrations of gardens from across the globe it is an inspiring and informative classic to be enjoyed again and again.

EDITOR’S CHOICE THE DUTCH HOUSE BY ANN PATCHETT (JONATHAN BALL, R290) Danny Conroy and his sister Maeve grew up in the Dutch House ‒ a lavish home with glass walls and intricate ceilings. Inside these glass walls the two children are raised by a distant father and the staﬀ after their mother leaves them without explanation. And then their father brings Andrea home. Andrea is besotted with the house and soon she and her two young daughters move in and Danny and Maeve are banished from the only home they know. As decades pass, the siblings keep returning, never entering, but not able to let go of the past. Behind the mystery of their own exile is the self-imposed exile of their mother. Their journey is beautifully captured in this story of love, family, sacriﬁce and the power of place.

132 IDEAS March/April 2020

Gorgeous

compiled by HANNES KOEGELENBERG (@hanneskoegelenberg)

on instagram @reneerossouwstudio Cape Town, South Africa

Architect and artist RenĂŠe Rossouw s Instagram page speaks volumes about her love of strong lines and colours. In her unmistakeable style she uses her designs on projects from cushions to wallpaper and furniture.

@1000wave Osaka, Japan

Chinami Mori is a Japanese fashion designer who specialises in the contemporary hand-weaving technique known as saori. Her super-cool 97-year-old grandmother Emiko features as her model for her playful, colourful creations.

@textileoftheday Stockholm, Sweden

We are always on the lookout for new ideas when it comes to stitchcraft. This Instagram page is full of inspiration and is a wonderful display window for the latest trends and the techniques being used by textile artists from around the world.

March/April 2020 IDEAS 133

you said it We love hearing from you. Please let us know what you re up to.

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WIN! BREATH OF FRESH AIR I first picked up Ideas one lazy holiday before I ventured into the busy years of high school. Since then, I ve accumulated stacks of magazines and still remember the pure delight of each new edition after a long month of eagerly awaiting the next dose of inspiration. After matriculating I headed off to university where I am currently studying physiotherapy. Sometimes I feel suffocated under the medical terminology, physiology, anatomy, treatments, assessments and workload. But then I pick up your magazine. It feels like taking

The writer of this month s winning letter will receive a Péng Lái fragrance and a bottle wrap from Berdoues Collection Grands Crus to the value of R1 845. This Grand Cru invites you to daydream and reveals one of China s most precious ﬂowers, the osmanthus. Discover a line of eau de parfum fragrances that combine freshness, elegance and reﬁnement, for men and women. Available exclusively at selected Foschini stores.

a huge breath of fresh, crisp air. The relief is so immense that it feels as though my brain breathes; it is soothed by the beauty and artistry on the pages. It is a creative outlet and challenge for me to ﬁnd ways to incorporate the charming projects and décor into my everyday space and life. I do this by taking elements of décor that I ve learnt from simply reading the magazine and applying them to the little granny cottage that I now call my home-away-from-home. Another practical way that I bring colour and organisation into my life is by taking the lovely calendars illustrated by Lische Cronje and making them my own. The pretty colours and illustrations make the crazy week ahead look less daunting. Thank you for helping me appreciate the beauty of details and life.

Kristen Marshall

Memories over the years I ve been browsing through my old copies of Woman s Value, Ideas magazines and your special edition magazines ‒ the memories are quite overpowering. Hidden in my stash is my 2004 Complete Home Makeover book. Every magazine and stand-alone book is ﬁlled with love. Thank you, to all of you.

Margaret Kennedy

*Send your letter by email to terena@ideasfactory.co.za with Ideas/You said it in the subject line. Remember to include your full name and address.

* If your letter contains questions, please provide your telephone number as well. 134 IDEAS March/April 2020

Holiday season table Ideas published the story of my Bohemian wedding with Mexican ﬂair in May/June 2018. I ve taken a chance and sent you some photos of my 2019 Christmas table. Everything I used came from my house so it literally didn t cost me a cent. The bird fabric was a gift from my aunt and the white lace runner came from my granny. I collect vintage cups, doorknobs and tiles. The ivoryhandled knives and silver forks are from my husband s granny. The crystal wine glasses from the Nataniël collection were a wedding gift. The blue plates were from our wedding, and the enamal ones are cheap ones that I liked. The white wooden angel is from the market at Inhambane, Mozambique ‒ last holiday s special ﬁnd.

Corietha Müller (née Steenkamp)

March/April 2020 IDEAS 135

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