Jan/Feb
MAKE YOUR WORLD BEAUTIFUL
20 PROJEC TS FOR YOU TO DO
on the cover Play all day in 2022
34 52 64 92 101
Brighten up the house with these punk projects Make fresh summer food Bake a Parisian flan Crochet a top and hat for the beach Work inspiring words in cross-stitch
Craft & décor 18
Décor: This contemporary country home and food garden is a family dream come true
28
Create a garden oasis: Six beautiful spaces to inspire you
34
Add fun and colour to your home with punk upcycling projects
44 66 68 76 92 96 98 102
DIY: Make a fairy-light cactus Embroider a tablecloth perfect for a dinner party Decorate a blank wall with easy artistic doodles Three innovative ways to preserve old memories Crochet a summery bralette top Crochet an easy bucket hat Quilt a cross design for a cushion cover Cross-stitch inspirational words: Two patterns
How to 64 79 80
Bake a Parisian flan Kintsugi a heart-shaped pendant Upcycle an old drawer into a memory box
On the cover STYLING HANNES KOEGELENBERG PHOTO ED O'RILEY
Food & entertaining 52
Scrumptious recipes ideal for summer entertaining
Your life 07, 17, 51, 91 Words to live by
72 84
The stories that the fragments of old memories can tell
101 108 110 116
The simple joy of cross-stitching
122 134
Creative readers: We meet a mother-and-daughter team who love creating their own wonderland Find holiday moments in your everyday routine How our rituals ground us, calm us, recharge us Take care of your hands what problems to watch for and how to deal with them Creative ways of dealing with grief You said it: Our readers write to us
Regulars 06 From the editor 10 What's new around town and in the shops 130 Books to read now 133 Instagram inspiration 136 Subscribe and save
37 67
PUNK UP YOUR DÉCOR
Creative
MAKE A FRUITY ICE-CREAM CAKE
makes
EMBROIDER A TABLECLOTH
62 45 81 93
FRAME YOUR MEMORIES
DIY CACTUS LIGHT
CROCHET A TOP FOR THE BEACH
98 73
DISPLAY PRECIOUS HEIRLOOMS
QUILT A CROSS
Stay in touch facebook.com/IdeesSA
53
MAKE A SUMMERY COUSCOUS SALAD
Follow us on Instagram instagram.com/ideasmagazine
from the editor I’
m probably putting the cart before the horse, but I feel there s something I must say in this letter and not wait until the next
one. Next time I will say a great deal, but for now I just want to say: When I wrote our New Year letter to you five years ago, it was to say goodbye. Probably the worst letter I ve ever had to write, tears in my eyes and my fingers shaky on the keyboard. And now I m sitting here, five years of letters later, and I m still chatting to you, this time with a light heart and hand. Many thanks to all of you! Perhaps that s why this issue seems to me to be such a lovely mixture of creativity, positivity and mindfulness. Sometimes something happens between the planning and the end result that colours in the whole mood of the magazine. The magic of everyone s interpretation of the zeitgeist, and also what happens when people
contact me
• terena@ideasfactory.co.za • instagram.com/terenaleroux
work well and happily together. And this is a team that has enjoyed many glasses of bubbly together! So we re kicking off the new year with a combination of Hannes s crazy punk projects and Carin and Martie s nostalgic joint effort about how we can preserve stitchcrafters, there are fun summer crochet makes and Gail s pretty, mindful cross-stitch quotes. Louisa s colourful fresh food may one day be a part of her children s holiday rituals, just like the traditions that give meaning and structure to our lives that Marguerite writes about. And in Hermanus, readers Fébé and Mishka styled the loveliest set for us, while Bridget s article about how creativity helped her through a difficult time of mourning touched all of our hearts. Here colour, there light, here cheerful, there full of reflection ‒ just like life itself. Let us all ride the waves of this year together. To a successful 2022!
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STYLING: HANNES KOEGELENBERG • PHOTO: ED O RILEY • HAIR AND MAKE-UP: LISA SAVEN
the treasures of our past ‒ big and small. For the
But that was the funny thing about wishes. Sometimes all it took to make them come true was a first step.
‒ T.J Klune (The House in the Cerulean Sea)
EDITOR Email STUDIO AND STITCHCRAFT MARKETING AND FINANCES INQUIRIES COPY EDITING
Terena le Roux terena@ideasfactory.co.za Dala Watts Marweya Smal marweya@ideasfactory.co.za Diana Procter and Marié Smidt
STYLING
Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts and Carin Smith
PHOTOS
Ed O Riley
CONTRIBUTORS FOOD CRAFT & DIY
Features
Louisa Holst and Tani Kirsten Carin Smith, Hannes Koegelenberg and John Letherbarrow Elsa Krüger, Martie Swanepoel, Bridget McNulty, Marguerite van Wyk and Jani Augustyn-Goussard
STITCHCRAFT
Anelle Britz, Elsbeth Eksteen, Elizabeth Fester, Marinda de Wet, and Gail Bussi
Retouching
Willie Koen
SOCIAL MEDIA
Carien Eloff
PUBLISHER & SALES
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.
My resolutions for the year
what’s new Here is our line-up of what's new on the block and on the shelf.
Food trends for 2022 Vegetables and healthier choices remain huge trends for the new year. Eating food that is good for your and also more sustainable and better for the earth has also become a must. Plant-based dishes are here to stay with more people opting for vegetarian dishes or at least dishes where meat plays a secondary role. It s predicted that vegan, dairy-free milks will become more popular with more choices available. These will include oat milk, barley milk, buckwheat milk and nut milks. Oat milk is the most sustainable due to its lower emissions, water use and land use. Flavour trends include nostalgic tastes that remind us of our childhood and simpler times as well as some exotic hot and spicy flavours.
Need to stock up on summer essentials? Why not consider some green goodies? The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF South Africa) offers some must-have items that are local, sustainable, support conservation and encourage people to get out and experience the beauty of South Africa s natural environment. All the products available on the WWF SA online store are ethically or sustainably sourced and made from recycled or recyclable materials. They sell a range of stylish beach bags, recycled-plastic T-shirts, reusable silicone straws and colourful reusable water bottles. To view the products, visit https://shop.wwfsa.org.sa/
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Pamper your body French women are almost as concerned about skincare for their body as for their face. Nuxe Body Rêve de thé is a range that revitalises both body and soul. The Revitalising Granular Scrub (150 ml, R375) contains green-tea extract and bamboo granules that gently remove dead skin. It leaves the skin feeling soft and radiant, and smells refreshing. The Revitalising Shower Gel (R225) makes a fine foam that delicately cleanses the skin. Complete the ritual with the 24-hour Fresh-Feel Deodorant (R225) and Revitalising Moisturising Milk (R495).
FOOD TRENDS PHOTO: ISTOCK BY GETTY IMAGES
Connect with nature this summer
3 NEW SHOPS, DÉCOR AND CRAFT dala@ideasfactory.co.za 3 FOOD AND RESTAURANTS ideasmagazinefood@gmail.com
Time to shine Happinest started out as a small events hiring business and added neon sign manufacturing to their list of services in 2020. They design and manufacture the neon signs in-house at their workshop in Cape Town, ensuring a high standard of work from start to finish. As well as choosing from a collection of mini neon signs, customers have the option of bringing their ideas or logo to life in neon flex via Happinest s custom neon builder: Choose your font style, letter size and colour, and get an instant quote. Are you ready to get lit? Email info@happinest.co.za, find them on Instagram (@happinestneon) or visit happinestneon.com
Healthy refreshment Two In A Bush premium rooibos iced tea cordials are crafted from natural ingredients in the old-fashioned way with no added sugar, preservatives or artificial additives. Organic rooibos tea is brewed with mineral water and blended with botanicals, spices and fruit for a refreshing soft drink, or to use in a mocktail or cocktail. The cordials were developed during lockdown by two entrepreneurial friends and are now available in three flavours: Honeybush, Pure Tea and Raspberry. Visit twoinabush.co.za for more information or for online orders.
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What’s NEw
Just add flair Poppi has been around for 10 years but has found a new home in the old horse stables on a farm in Vierlanden, in the Durbanville area of Cape Town. This home décor business offers amazing French and shabby chic furniture pieces. The owner, Lize Marshall, helps people to beautify their homes at an affordable price by using the client s own furniture and décor pieces, but adding some of her flair. Poppi s services range from restoration of furniture and framing to style consultations in the comfort of your own home. Contact lize@poppished.co.za
Protect against pollution If you live in a city or large town, your skin is exposed to pollution, which plays a big role in premature ageing. Endocare Radiance C Ferulic Edafence Serum (R1 146) contains powerful antioxidants that protect your skin against pollution while also repairing existing damage. Sunlight, smoke and dirty air don t stand a chance against this formulation of vitamins C, E and B5, ferulic acid and hyaluronic acid. In addition, it contains growth factors that boost collagen and elastin production. The registered Edafence anti-pollution defence ingredient is derived from the hardy Antarctic hairgrass Deschampsia antarctica.
Wine for friends
Summer is the best time for outdoor entertaining and sharing good times with friends. Zandvliet Wine Estate has made it easy and convenient with the My Best Friend wine range, available in bottles and two-litre boxes. My Best Friend Cape White and Cape Red are the perfect bring-your-own-wine summer companions for a braai, sunset picnic, or leisurely get-together around the pool. The white wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. The red is a blend of Cabernet, Shiraz and Pinotage. Available from selected outlets nationwide for around R70 per bottle and R140 per box.
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Go with the fLow The River Café is a stylish pop-up restaurant located in an elegant glass marquee on the banks of the Lourens River at Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West. The menu is made up dishes that concentrate on maximum flavour and quality. Standouts include whole roasted trout, grilled rib-eye steak with chimichurri sauce and corn salsa, and delicious vegetarian dishes like gem squash ravioli with Parmesan cream, leeks and sage. The restaurant is offering lunches until the end of March 2022. Reservations are essential. Email info@vergelegen.co.za, phone 021 847 2111.
Fun and functional Kerry Toy is a ceramist who makes the most beautiful plates, tiles and other tableware items. She is based in Constantia in Cape Town and mostly sells from her studio and online, but you can also find her work at the twice-yearly Rondebosch Potters Market. For affordable, gorgeous ceramics, visit her website at kklay.co.za, Instagram @ kklaycapetown or email info@kklay.co.za
After-sun care Did you overdo the sunbathing during the holidays? Or are you experiencing the consequences of earlier sunburns in the form of sun damage (actinic keratosis) that requires medical treatment to remove the lesion? Remember, just one sun session that causes your skin to peel can lead to skin cancer. With Eucerin Actinic Control MD Fluid SPF 100 (R499) actinic keratosis and non-melanoma skin cancer can be prevented and it also helps with healing after treatment for actinic keratosis.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 13
What’s NEw Spice up your veg Experts agree that more leafy greens plus more red and orange vegetables is a powerful way to ensure you get your essential daily doses of nutrients, fibre and vitamins ‒ and Cape Herb & Spice Veggie Seasonings are here to make those veggie moments count. There are three ingredient and flavour fusions to choose from: Sprinkle, Steam and Roast. Use them to zing up salads, stir-fries or roasts, and add to oven bakes, frittatas, casseroles
Five-minute magic
and of course on your favourite steamed greens too. Suitable for vegans, and kosher
A five-minute mask is a miracle
and halaal. Available at supermarkets
when you are pressed for time.
nationwide for approximately R37.
The Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant (50 ml, R1 290) contains, among other ingredients, extracts
Rose bouquet for your skin
of bamboo to hydrate delicate thin skin, and snow mushroom (Tremella
fuciformis), which holds 450 times its
Double happiness with two new skincare ranges, Nivea Rose Care and Nivea Naturally Good. The Rose Care range consists of a Micellar Face Wash Gel (R85), a Hydrating Face Mist (R85) to refresh the skin at any time of the day, and a Moisturising Gel Cream (R120) that keeps the skin hydrated for up to 48 hours. The products are formulated with organic rosewater and are especially suited for the hot summer days because they intensively hydrate the skin. The Hydrating Sheet Mask (R50) is also saturated with antioxidants. And did we mention the lovely rose fragrance?
Keep it light Looking for a non-alcoholic wine for your summer sipping? Try Bonnievale s Neat Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (R65) and Shiraz 2020 (R75). These de-alcoholised wines contain less than 0.05% alcohol while still remaining true to their respective grape variety and vintage. The Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of passion fruit, guava and gooseberries with a refreshing, fruity palate. The Shiraz underwent a period of maturation to allow optimal flavour development. Available online from bonnievalewines.co.za
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weight in water for deeper hydration. After the mask, which also lightly exfoliates the skin and strengthens the moisture barrier, your skin will look smooth and luminous.
Take a swim A new concept in décor and design has been launched by ocean-loving artist Adéle Grosse through her Studio Sea Love products. They all have a QR code on the label that connects you to the video footage she filmed when freediving to take the underwater photos used on that item. Studio Sea Love offers a wide range of quality décor, design and fashion products to brighten up your home, your life and your world. All images are original photos taken by Adéle, mostly underwater, and are limited to 100 prints per product. She works with five themes: Ocean Floor, Sea Souls, Anemones, Beachcomber and Priscilla, Queen of the Ocean. Visit her website www.sealove.global for more information and to place your order for cushions, beach towels, beach bags and more.
Mould the moment Looking for a special gift or memory that you want to capture for ever? Then Kairos-Moulds is the answer. They make beautiful casts of baby hands, feet, couple s hands, family, mom and me and many more, using
NURTURING FIBRES The Art of well-dyed Yarns FRWWRQ _ EDPERR PHULQR ZRRO _ PRKDLU
top-quality material that will capture all the finer details. Order a kit to make your own mould, or if you live in Cape Town, commission them to come to your house and do it for you. For more information, visit them at kairos-moulds.co.za
Stockists and free patterns on ZZZ QXUWXULQJÀEUHV FRP
Down to earth The Gomes family s dream of living more in tune with the land and themselves has been fulfilled at Jardim, their food garden and contemporary country home in Noordhoek, Cape Town.
The view from the kitchen takes in the mountain, garden ‒ where so much of the action at Jardim happens ‒ and pool. Architect Alex Stewart intentionally created a space that had the garden visible from every angle. The vaulted ceiling is a nod to country barns without being too overtly rustic while the window above the sliding doors was placed to let the afternoon light stream into the living room and take in the view of the Noordhoek mountains.
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décor
décor MAIN PHOTO: Central to the cooking and dining space is an oversized kitchen island. I wanted the informal feel that you find in old-fashioned country kitchens while still keeping it modern and relevant, says Angela, who is a keen cook. I had a very dark blue in mind and finally we settled on this colour. It s called Sushi Wrap and I love it. Mismatched lighting fixtures (found at Morgan Lighting) mirror Angela s preference for items to dress a space in an interesting and eclectic way. Free-standing units were commissioned from local designers and manufacturers Hollywood Kitchens. They were amazing. I explained that I wanted it to look new but not too contemporary, and old but not clichéd, and they got the brief spot on.
ABOVE, LEFT: The couple s dream of an established garden bursting with flowering and edible plants was brought to fruition with the help of Noordhoek local and garden designer Tone Alexander. The idea is that the layers that develop over time will get more interesting and visually appealing. RIGHT A passage leads from the entrance hall to bedrooms for the children Olivia, Sam and Amber, a central work and homework station, and Angela and Justin s plant-filled bedroom
tex t VICKI SLEE T produc tion SVEN ALBERDING photos WARREN HEATH/BUREAUX
bout six years ago, we went to a childhood friend s farm for Sunday lunch. It was late in the afternoon, we were sitting at a table under the trees, our host had just brought a pitcher of lemonade for us to drink and the kids were riding horses as the sun was setting. It couldn t have been more picture perfect and I leaned over to my wife Angela and said, This is what life is about , says Justin Gomes. Justin, an owner of a successful advertising agency, thinks in visual narratives. From that moment of pastoral bliss, he and Angela began developing their vision for being semi-self-sufficient on a beautiful piece of land that offered them an opportunity to lean into the life they wanted while still being close enough
‘A
to schools for their three children. Their Noordhoek property Jardim consists of a sprawling food garden, horse paddocks and stables, and a yoga studio built using doors and windows reclaimed from their home renovation. Originally the property consisted mainly of horse paddocks. It felt hemmed in by trees but removing some of them to reveal the mountain view is one of the first things we did and it was a revelation, says Justin. The wood from the felled trees was set aside for later use. The original house was a typical eighties facebrick family home but it was perfectly liveable, which meant the couple could first tackle their priority project: the
January/February 2022 IDEAS 21
décor
Angela has an innate talent for display and a passion for plants ‒ her green fingers are on show on this custom-built unit (below, right) in the couple s bedroom. The vintage typewriter was a sentimental wedding anniversary gift from Justin to Angela. The piece of paper in the typewriter has the words to the couple s wedding song, At your most beautiful by REM, typed out on it. The palette in the couple s bedroom is minimalist with plants providing pops of colour. While the main living areas of the house do have a few plants, the couple s bedroom is filled with them. Angela is a self-confessed plant lady : I love nurturing them and seeing them grow.
garden. We had no idea how much land we would need to create the food garden we had in mind but we had very clear ideas as to why we wanted the garden, so we just cordoned off an area and hoped it would be big enough, laughs Angela, who in just five years ‒ with her team of talented gardeners ‒ has built the garden into an impressive organic community enterprise. Local restaurants buy the produce to cook, nearby soup kitchens are given vegetables for their feeding schemes and visitors can pick their own vegetables to buy and take home ‒ it is a true circular economy that feeds the family on many levels. Wedding feasts have been celebrated at the central harvest table (made from the wood of the property s
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felled trees) and of course weekend lunches with family and friends are a regular occurrence here too. When it came time to plan their house renovation, which kicked off three years ago, the couple sat down with architect Alex Stewart. We loved that he really wanted to know how we wanted to live and what our goals were as a family and for the property as a whole, and from there he developed a house from which you can always see and feel connected to the garden. He just got us so perfectly, says Justin. We love our home, but the garden is the thing we re ultimately most proud of ‒ especially because it s at the centre of the process and was the trigger for so much of what was to come, says Angela.
décor
The couple s bathroom is a clean-lined minimalist space and of course has a window letting in the light and views of the garden.
We wanted a rustic feel with an easy indooroutdoor flow but we didn t want to fake the country aspect, so the living room extension is a nod to a barn structure. It also takes into account that a view of the mountain was a must-have. With all that in mind, the design resulted in the interior being gutted and rebuilt from the oak floors up. The kitchen and living room, predictably, are the heart of everything for this busy family of five. We made sure to split the kitchen in half so the prep and reality of life can be hidden when we entertain, laughs Angela. Custom-designed freestanding kitchen units echo the modern farmhouse feel as does the deep charcoal colour Angela chose for them. The house is both comfortable and effortlessly elegant with myriad sentimental references to the
family s journey thus far. The entrance hall features a beautiful vintage pressed-metal ceiling (a nod to Angela s childhood home on the East Rand in Gauteng) while a huge poster of The Great Wave by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, bought for Justin in New York, sits comfortably next to a Cape table by local designer Gregor Jenkin. As unpretentious as the Gomes family themselves, their home is designed for kids and dogs and all-day traffic ‒ and always with an underlying commitment to living life as mindfully as possible. It s a work that changes with the seasons. Says Angela: We are conceptualising a space where people can come for group breakaways, be it for business or leisure, and experience the joy of picking and cooking the food we grow. It s how we want to live, making progress in our lives but still feeling connected to the garden that started it all.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 25
décor MAIN PHOTO: The garden studio was built using windows, doors and beams retrieved from the original house during the massive renovation. Here Angela tends her orchid collection and indoor plants, Justin wrote a children s book there, and outside practitioners have used it for yoga workshops and self-development courses. This space is everything Zoom is not ‒ a place to really connect and feed what makes you and your friends tick. It has given us so much, says Angela. I love pottering here, meditating or doing yoga.'
The family s property is aptly named Jardim ‒ garden in Portuguese. Originally we wanted to call it Jardin, which is the French word for garden, because we d lived in Paris, but then we remembered the Portuguese spelling (our family is originally from Madeira) ‒ and Jardim is actually my father s second name, says Justin. The garden is cultivated using organic principles and companion planting. The result is an abundance of year-round seasonal vegetables that feed the community and the family. Central to the garden is a harvest table and weekend lunches with family and friends are a regular occurrence here. 26 IDEAS January/February 2022
décor
Create a garden oasis There is nothing as uplifting as sitting in your garden or on your veranda and enjoying the summer. Here are a few ideas for making these spaces beautiful. by DAL A WAT TS photos ISTOCK /GE T T Y IMAGES and BUREAUX.CO. ZA
MODERN FRENCH
This mixture of two décor styles works wonderfully: The wall and shutters in front of the window take you to the French countryside, but instead of the café-style metal table and chairs that you might expect, there are two modern, round chairs that invite you to curl up in them. The chairs are durable polythene and polypropylene and won t weather outdoors. A deck of light wood is the ideal base for a scene that you can colour in to your heart s content ‒ here done with simple yellow and green cushions and potplants in containers with interesting shapes. The little trees have been cut into perfect pompoms to echo the chairs. 28 IDEAS January/February 2022
MEDITERRANEAN MARVEL
We never get tired of this look, and if you already have the stone walls and floor, there s nothing standing in your way. Finish off the windows and doors with white-painted plasterwork as a contrast for the stone. For the canopy you can use reeds and, with a bit of time and patience, a grapevine will provide shade. The built-in benches with a smooth finish are ideal for this relaxed, inviting corner, with the dove-grey seats and white-and-blue cushions a perfect complement for the Mediterranean style. A raw wooden table and chair complete the picture. January/February 2022 IDEAS 29
décor
INSIDE OUT
RIGHT: If an outdoor lounge like this appeals to you ‒ usually the inside lounge that is extended out onto an undercover patio ‒ first make sure the space is suitable. With a palette of black, white and light wood, like here, you can t go wrong, it s always a classic. The black sofa with the white binding is the focal point and the chairs and cushions in a combination of black and white are in perfect balance. Remember to use a fabric that is suitable for outdoors ‒ fortunately these days there are lots to choose from. The black metal shelving and light provide a modern element, while the cane baskets and touches of wood, in the coffee table and chair frames, add a lovely warmth and cosiness.
BOHO IS BEST
Who wouldn t want to sink into a macramé chair like this one and read a book? If you know the basic knots, you can make your own! Just ensure that the framework for hanging it up is strong and safe. With the grey, black and cream colour scheme, interesting patterns and cane elements, this patio has a lovely bohemian feel. Comfortable chairs, baskets with blankets and glass jars with candles add to the relaxed atmosphere. The mandala-style mat brings it all together.
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décor
AL FRESCO DINING
LEFT: South Africans love being outside in good weather, so why not set up an outdoor space as an extra dining room? This one has a simple glass roof for protection, and even has a mini-kitchen. The thick creepers and other plants keep everything cool. The large, heavy wooden table stands on a floor of grey-and-white Moroccan tiles which, together with the black-and-white chairs, is a lovely contrast to the light wood.
ZEN CORNER
Create a special corner in your garden where you can be quiet, meditate or read. A walkway leads through the garden to a wooden deck and tranquil nook. A koi pond, lush plants, fragrant flowers and smooth stones all contribute to a rich sensory experience. The simple black furniture strengthens the Zen feeling. The ideal is for this oasis to be in the furthest corner of your garden, as you don t want to be disturbed here.
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craft
FUN WITH PUNK
With a can of spray paint, quirky paper designs and a dash of humour you can turn any ordinary décor or furniture piece into a work of art. The 1970s punks were our colour inspiration.
by HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY
34 IDEAS January/February 2022
TV BAR Why not convert an old television set into a cute minibar? Open it up and remove the innards so that just the frame remains. Spray paint the frame in the colour of your choice and leave to dry properly before you fill it with your drinks. NOTE: Finish off your bar by fitting it with a coloured LED light on the inside. Everyone will notice the bar!
craft
BEDSIDE CABINET DIFFICULTY: reasonably easy TIME: half a day YOU WILL NEED: ♥ wooden bedside cabinet (or other furniture piece you wish to decorate) ♥ paper design ♥ A1 sheets white paper ♥ modge podge ♥ sandpaper (optional) ♥ craft brush ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ metal ruler ♥ matching wide ribbon ♥ drawing pins TO MAKE 1 Prepare the cabinet before you start spraying and glueing: Remove any drawers and unscrew the drawer and/or door handles. Lightly sand the cabinet if necessary (this is so that the paper adheres better) and wipe it clean with a damp cloth. 2 Work on a drip mat and spray paint the cabinet s legs in the colours of your choice. Leave to dry completely. 3 Copy one of the paper designs on these pages onto A1-sized sheets of white paper ‒ we used two sheets to decorate our whole cabinet. Measure all the parts of the cabinet that you want to decorate and cut out the pieces from the paper according to these measurements. 4 Start with the first section and apply a layer of modge podge
to the surface. Apply modge podge to the back of the matching paper piece and stick the paper in its place on the cabinet. Carefully rub out any air bubbles or creases with your fingertips. Repeat the process with the other sections and then seal the decoupage thoroughly with a few more layers of modge podge. 5 When you have finished sealing the cabinet and it has dried, you can use a bit of spray paint here and there in the colours of your choice to add to the punk look. 6 Finish the cabinet off with new drawer and/or door handles: Cut pieces of ribbon, fold in a loop and attach the ribbon to the cabinet with a drawing pin on the inside. NOTE: We also decoupaged an old skateboard with one of our paper designs ‒ the possibilities are endless.
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craft
GRAFFITI FIGURINES We came across this idea by @figures.for.modern.times on Instagram and then 'punked up' our own little figurines. Give plain porcelain statuettes a fun graffiti effect. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth and first apply a coat of white spray paint. Now add a bit of spray paint here and there in the colours of your choice so it looks like graffiti on a wall.
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40 IDEAS January/February 2022
craft
FRAMED ART Copy the art prints with quotes on them (on the pages overleaf) in the desired size and frame them beautifully for a touch of colour on a plain wall.
Ceramic figurines from Granny s Attic (083 259 5231). Balloon-dog neon light from Happinest Neon (021 001 3085). Frames and bedside cabinet from Plan B Vintage (082 491 3677).
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craft
FAIRY LIGHT CACTUS This year you don t have to pack away your fairy lights with the rest of your Christmas decorations. Make this quirky cactus light and put them to good use. by JOHN LE THERBARROW st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photo ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 2-3 days YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS ♥ diagrams on page overleaf ♥ plywood (we used birch plywood) ‒ 500mm x 330mm x 3.5mm thick (parts 1 & 3) ♥ jelutong (or any other light wood) ‒ 250mm x 330mm x 40mm thick ♥ countersunk brass wood screws, 3mm x 12mm ♥ wood glue (Ultra) ♥ warm white LED fairy lights (part 4) TOOLS ♥ drill press or hand drill ♥ 6,5mm and 2mm drill bits ♥ countersink bit ♥ portable jig saw, band saw or coping saw ♥ sandpaper 80, 150 & 220 grit ♥ slotted screwdriver (small)
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MAKING THE CACTUS COMPONENTS 1 Refer to the parts diagram on the page overleaf for the dimensions. Alternatively, scan the diagram and print it out to 200% scale. 2 Paste parts diagrams 1 and 3 onto the birch plywood; paste part 2 onto the 40mm jelutong. 3 Cut the parts using a portable jig saw, band saw or coping saw. (We used a band saw, then a scroll saw for the finer details). 4 Drill the 6,5mm holes in part 1. There will be 90 holes in total. 5 Drill and cut a slot at the base of part 3, then drill and countersink 2mm screw holes (indicated in green). ASSEMBLY AND FINISHING TOUCHES 6 Glue and clamp parts 1 and 2 together. Sandpaper the parts until you are satisfied with the finish. 7 Then begin inserting the fairy lights (part 4) from the back of part 1 as
indicated. Begin from the top left arm of the cactus and work your way across. With 90 holes there will be 10 extra lights to arrange around the base of the cactus. The slot at the base allows the cord to pass through. 8 Finally, attach the backing board (part 3) using the brass wood screws. Your fairy light cactus is now ready to illuminate your room.
*String of 100 Design House fairy lights available from builders.co.za
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46 IDEAS January/February 2022
food & entertaining
Taste summer!
These scrumptious summer recipes are ideal to prepare when guests drop by for a meal. recipes and food produc tion LOUISA HOLST st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY
SUMMER COUSCOUS SALAD Couscous is quick to prepare and you can change up the flavours according to what ingredients you have in your fridge. We ve used snow peas and strawberries, but you could use cubed cucumber, garden peas, sweet peppers, baby corn or cherry tomatoes and any type of berries, or sliced peaches or nectarines. The lemony dressing adds a fresh tang. Use ordinary couscous or look for the larger variety called pearl couscous or Israeli couscous in the health section of your supermarket.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time Cooking time: 10 minutes ♥ 30ml olive oil ♥ 1 clove garlic, crushed ♥ half an onion, finely chopped ♥ 250g pearl couscous ♥ 375ml prepared chicken or vegetable stock SALAD ♥ 30g fresh watercress or rocket ♥ 250g strawberries, hulled and sliced ♥ 100g feta cheese, crumbled
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♥ 50ml chopped fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley ♥ 50ml chopped fresh dill ♥ punnet snow peas, blanched ♥ 50g pomegranate rubies DRESSING ♥ 10ml grated lemon zest ♥ 30ml lemon juice ♥ 80ml extra virgin oil ♥ 5ml Dijon mustard ♥ 15ml pomegranate syrup (or use 5ml honey) 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until
soft and lightly browned. Add the couscous and stir for one minute. 2 Add 250ml water and the stock and cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes over a low heat. Once the liquid is absorbed, use a fork to separate the couscous then transfer it to a large bowl to cool. 3 DRESSING Put the ingredients in a jar, close and shake well. 4 Once the couscous is cold, add the salad ingredients and the dressing and toss well to combine. Serve as an accompaniment at a braai or with roast chicken or fish.
food & entertaining
ALL-PURPOSE MARINADE FOR STEAK Home-made marinades are so much tastier and healthier than shop-bought varieties. You can prepare this recipe in advance and keep it on hand to use when you want to braai or entertain guests. It helps tenderise and add extra flavour to any red meat, ostrich, game meat and chicken. Makes: enough to marinate 1kg of meat or chicken Preparation time: 15 minutes ♥ 60ml olive oil ♥ 2 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 30ml Worcestershire sauce ♥ 45ml soy sauce ♥ 20ml balsamic vinegar ♥ 20ml lemon juice ♥ 15ml Dijon mustard ♥ freshly ground black pepper ♥ 1ml dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh thyme ♥ 3ml paprika ♥ 5ml honey 1 Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a sterilised bottle and refrigerate until needed. It will keep for two weeks. 2 When ready to use, pour the marinade over steak or other meat or chicken. Put into a sealable bag and refrigerate for 1-4 hours or overnight. Allow the meat to reach room temperature again before cooking. 3 Cook the meat over the coals, roast or cook on a griddle pan until done. Baste with leftover marinade during the cooking time.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 55
food & entertaining
CHERRY TOMATO AND OLIVE SAUCE WITH PASTA This flavoursome tomato sauce is a great stand-by for entertaining because you can serve it in so many ways. Keep it simple and serve with pasta, or spoon over grilled fish or chicken. It s also fantastic with pork or lamb chops or spooned over grilled brinjal slices, whole brown mushrooms or other roasted vegetables to serve as a vegetarian option. The sauce can be made, sealed in sterilised jars and kept in your store cupboard for up to 3 months to be used whenever needed.
Serves: 6-8 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes ♥ 100ml olive oil ♥ 1 red onion, sliced ♥ 2 sticks celery, sliced
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1 Heat 85ml of the oil in a medium saucepan. Sauté the onion, celery and fennel (if using) until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. 2 Add the wine and increase the temperature. Cook for 3-5 minutes until most of the liquid
♥ 1 medium-sized fennel bulb,
has evaporated. 3 Add the stock and three-quarters of the
sliced (optional) ♥ 4 cloves garlic, crushed
tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer gently
♥ 250ml dry white wine ♥ 500ml prepared vegetable stock
for 30-40 minutes until liquid has reduced and ingredients are soft. Season with salt, freshly
♥ 500g red cherry tomatoes, halved ♥ 500g mixed exotic baby tomatoes, halved ♥ 100g olives, pitted and halved ♥ 50ml fresh torn basil leaves or a sprig of rosemary ♥ cooked pasta, fish, chicken, meat or vegetable of your choice ♥ 120ml grated Parmesan, to serve
ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Transfer to a liquidiser and blend until smooth. (If you are making the sauce ahead of time, it can be bottled or cooled and frozen at this stage.) 4 Just before serving, heat the remaining 15ml of olive oil in a non-stick pan over a high heat. Add the remaining tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and just cooked. Reheat the blended sauce and add the olives and herbs. Served spooned over the pasta or other ingredients. Top with the fried tomatoes and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 57
food & entertaining
VERSATILE GRILLED FISH If you need a tasty meal in a hurry because unexpected guests have arrived, a fish dish is a good option. Frozen fish fillets defrost rapidly and are quick and easy to cook. Whip up a lemon basting sauce and serve the fish with rice or chips and salad or on a wrap with salad and a yoghurt sauce. Wraps are always a good option for emergencies because they can be kept on hand in the freezer. You can use mini-wraps to make a quick starter or snack.
Serves: 4-6
1 Mix the basting sauce ingredients together.
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus marinating time
Pour half of the mixture over the fish and allow
Cooking time: 5-10 minutes ♥ 1kg fish of your choice (use a firmer fish if you want to cook it on the braai) BASTING SAUCE ♥ 90ml olive oil ♥ 4 cloves garlic, crushed ♥ 30ml lemon juice ♥ 10ml dried oregano ♥ 2ml each cumin, sugar, ground pepper and sweet paprika MINI FISH WRAPS ♥ 20 mini tortilla wraps ♥ 200ml Greek-style full cream yoghurt ♥ 50ml good-quality mayonnaise ♥ 1 clove garlic, crushed ♥ 5ml grated lemon zest ♥ 15ml chopped dill ♥ 1 punnet green asparagus, blanched and sliced ♥ ½ cucumber, cut into small cubes ♥ 4 radishes, thinly sliced ♥ fresh dill or oregano, to serve ♥ roasted vine cherry tomatoes, to serve
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to marinate for 30-60 minutes, but not longer. 2 Grill the fish over hot coals or shallow fry in a hot, non-stick pan, or use a griddle pan. Baste with the remaining sauce during the cooking time. Cook for 2-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Set aside. 3 FISH WRAPS Mix the yoghurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest and dill together. 4 Warm the wraps up in a hot pan for a minute on each side. 5 Top each wrap with a spoonful of the yoghurt sauce. Add a few strips of asparagus, cucumber and radish. Top with pieces of the cooked fish. Drizzle with more yoghurt sauce and garnish with fresh herbs and roasted vine tomatoes. Serve immediately. (To eat, fold the wrap over to enclose the filling.)
food & entertaining
PASSION FRUIT AND LEMON CORDIAL WITH GINGER AND MINT A fresh fruit cordial is so refreshing and easy to make. Keep a bottle stored in your fridge to serve to your guests at your next braai or dinner party. Add ice, fruit and soda water or sparkling wine to make a punch or use as an ingredient to create amazing cocktails.
Makes: 1 litre Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes ♥ 250ml passion fruit pulp (with seeds) ♥ 500ml sugar ♥ 250ml fresh lemon juice ♥ 10cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced ♥ 5cm piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced (or use a pinch of ground turmeric) ♥ 2 sprig of lemon thyme (optional) ♥ handful of fresh mint sprigs ♥ ice, extra passion fruit, lemon slices and soda water, to serve 1 Put the passion fruit pulp, sugar, lemon juice, ginger, turmeric and herbs into a saucepan. Add 500ml water and bring to the boil. 2 Stir until the sugar has dissolved and allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Once the mixture is cool use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the herbs and the ginger and turmeric slices. 3 Use a funnel and pour the cordial into sterilised, sealable bottles. Refrigerate until ready to use. 4 TO SERVE Dilute the cordial: Use one part cordial to four parts soda water, or use a mixture of dry sparkling wine and soda water. Add ice, fruit slices and sprigs of herbs to garnish. You can use the cordial to create delicious cocktails by adding vodka or gin. The cordial will keep well in the fridge until needed. It also makes a great hostess gift to take along to friends or family.
WATERMELON CAKE Use three different sizes of food rings or round cookie cutters to cut rounds from thick slices of watermelon. Stack the rounds on top of each other. Use a wooden kebab stick to secure them together. Decorate with fresh berries and edible flowers. It makes a fun and edible decoration for a summer entertainment table or to serve as a dessert.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 61
food & entertaining
RASPBERRY AND NECTARINE ICE-CREAM CAKE Wow your guests with this show-stopper ice-cream cake. It is made using shop-bought vanilla ice cream, but you give it your own twist by adding fresh summer fruit and berries. It can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer, ready to impress at your next dinner party.
Serves: 12-14 Preparation time: 1 hour, plus freezing
30 minutes or until the ice cream is just
time
soft enough to stir. 5 Stir the prepared raspberry mixture
♥ 350g (500ml) cubed nectarines
into one of the tubs of ice cream. Add spoonfuls of the nectarine mixture to the
biscuits, crushed ♥ fresh mixed berries and nectarine slices, to garnish
other tub of ice cream and sprinkle with half of the chopped praline. Use a blunt knife to run the mixture through the ice cream and create a rippled effect. 6 Return both tubs of ice cream to the freezer and freeze until firm. 7 BASE Spray a 22cm loose-bottomed tin well with cooking spray. Melt the butter in a saucepan and then pour over the crushed biscuits. Mix well. Press the mixture into the prepared tin. 8 Remove both tubs of ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften for
1 Put the nectarine or peach cubes into a bowl and add the sugar. Set aside for an hour. 2 Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the fruit is soft and jammy. Remove from the heat. Sir in the liqueur or brandy. Set aside to cool completely. 3 Blend the raspberries and honey together with a stick blender or liquidiser. Pass through a sieve to remove the seeds. 4 Remove the tubs of ice cream from the freezer and set aside to soften for
15 minutes. Use an ice-cream scoop to make neat balls of ice cream from both tubs and place them into the tin. Alternate the two different flavours. Press down gently to fill the gaps. 9 Freeze until completely firm, preferably overnight. 10 TO SERVE Remove from the freezer and hold a warm, damp tea towel around the sides of the tin for a few minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving platter. Top with fresh berries, slices of nectarine and the remaining crushed praline. 11 Cut into slices with a sharp, warm knife. Serve immediately.
(or peaches) ♥ 80ml sugar ♥ 30ml Amaretto liqueur or brandy ♥ 350g (500ml) fresh raspberries ♥ 40ml honey ♥ 2 x 2-litre tubs of vanilla ice cream ♥ 2 x 40g bars of almond praline, chopped ♥ 80g butter ♥ 200g caramel chocolate digestive
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Makes: 1 x 23cm flan Serves: 12 Preparation time: 1 hour plus cooling time (make it the day before you need it) Oven temperature: 180oC YOU WILL NEED CUSTARD: ♥ 750ml full cream milk ♥ 1 vanilla pod (or use 5ml vanilla extract; see step 3) ♥ 5 large egg yolks plus 1 whole large egg ♥ 250g castor sugar ♥ 125ml cream (or use milk if preferred) ♥ 60g cornflour PASTRY: (Instead of making your own pastry, you can use 2 rolls of store-bought shortcrust pastry) ♥ 250g cake flour ♥ 20ml castor sugar ♥ 125g butter ♥ 50ml ice cold water ♥ 1 large egg yolk
1
2
3
First prepare the custard filling. Cut
Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
Pour the hot custard into a large, flat
the vanilla pod in half (if using), scrape the seeds out and add seeds
Pour about ½ cup of hot milk into the egg and cornflour mixture and stir
dish (and stir in the vanilla extract now if you are using it), spread the
and the pod to the milk in a medium saucepan. Beat the yolks, whole egg
quickly. Pour this mixture back into the milk and stir constantly over low
custard out and place plastic wrap directly onto the custard s surface
and sugar together until light in colour. Mix the cream and cornflour together. Stir the cornflour mixture into the egg mixture. Heat the milk until it starts to steam and just bubble around the sides of the saucepan.
to medium heat until thickened. It will thicken quickly so don t stop stirring. Use a wire whisk to break up lumps if they form. Allow it to bubble slowly for 2 minutes, and keep stirring.
to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside for a few hours to cool to room temperature. Spreading it out in a flat dish will help it to cool quicker. You can also stir it every 20 minutes or so to help it cool quicker.
4
Prepare the pastry by blending the flour, castor sugar and butter in a food processor until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Mix the ice cold water and egg yolk together and add two-thirds to the flour mixture. Pulse until it starts to come together. Add more liquid, but you might not need to add it all. Once the mixture can be pushed together, shape the pastry into a ball by pressing it together.
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5
Roll the pastry out to a 35cm circle on a surface lightly dusted with flour, or on a piece of plastic wrap; this will make it easier to lift up. Keep it as round as possible. Grease and flour a 23cm round springform tin. Line the tin with the pastry. Press the pastry up against the sides of the tin, as evenly as possible. Place the tin in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the custard is room temperature.
6
Pour the custard into the pastrylined tin and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Use a sharp knife to trim the pastry to 1,5cm above the custard. Place on a preheated baking sheet in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the top is dark. The custard will still be very wobbly. Leave to cool then refrigerate overnight. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
how to by TANI KIRSTEN photos ED O RILEY
Flan fair The Parisian flan, or flan pâtissier , is a classic custard tart found in many French pâtisseries and boulangeries (pastry shops and bakeries). Although a little time-consuming, making one will be worth every minute ‒ we ve added some cheat s tips to make it easier.
stitchcraft
Ready, set, eat Embroider this lovely tablecloth, perfect for a dinner party it s easy and is sure to get your guests talking. by ANELLE BRITZ st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 22 hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ 2,2m x 2,2m fabric ♥ embroidery design ♥ tracing method of choice ♥ Coton Perle (we used the colour 094) or embroidery thread ♥ sewing thread (optional) ♥ embroidery needle ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ sharp scissors
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TO MAKE 1 Fold your fabric into a square so you can determine the centre to place your design. We traced our design onto the fabric using a light box, but you can use any method of your choice. Other alternatives are using a water-soluble transfer pen or carbon paper and a pen or pencil ‒ you can remove visible drawing lines that your embroidery did not cover with spirits. 2 This is a straightforward project where we just followed the traced design using backstitch throughout. Stretch your fabric in an embroidery hoop for the areas you are embroidering. 3 When your embroidery is done, you can
sew the hem with the same colour thread as the embroidery to tie everything together. We sewed our hem by hand using the Coton Perle to add a decorative element. If you do this by machine, you will cut down on your total time for the project. 4 Our design is based on a square table which is approximately 90cm in size. The design covers 79cm x 65cm, leaving some unworked space on the sides. When scaling the design for printing purposes, make sure the charger plate is 31cm in size and the cutlery 23cm. That will leave an overhang of more or less 60cm, including a hem of 4cm.
craft
Do some doodling It s time to channel your inner creative child and express yourself on the blank pages of your home walls. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY
WHY DOODLE? Doodling can help you focus, especially during long business or office meetings. As you create the repetitive marks, your brain slows down, and you stimulate your self-control mechanism which in turn helps you to pay better attention ‒ which then helps you to retain the information you re hearing. It s also a great way of calming your mind and alleviating anxiety. And which of us doesn't enjoy simply letting loose with pen on paper without the stress of having an end goal?
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Draw an indoor garden filled with vases and pots of flowers and hanging plants that won t need any care and attention. All you need is a black marker and a design to copy. Or you can copy and cut out our illustrations on the pages overleaf and paste them with decoupage modge podge onto your wall, if you prefer. TIP: When doodling on your wall, draw the image in brightly coloured chalk first before making it permanent with a black marker. The chalk can be easily wiped off afterwards. You can also use the chalk to colour your images, as if your wall is an oversized colouring-in page.
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your life
Splinters of the past How did it happen that a green milkglass sugar bowl became an angel-wing pendant? Martie Swanepoel writes about the stories that the fragments of old memories can tell. projec ts and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O'RILEY
I
came across some words by George Bernard Shaw that
Mother , and one of doves in olive wood that a friend brought
justify my over-the-top chandelier. If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you might as well let it dance. An
her from Israel. Along with the brooches, my inheritance was strings of necklaces set with glittering stones, from the days
exuberant chandelier with blue, red and green pieces of glass, brimming with old brooches and necklaces. It shines in magical prisms when the morning sun catches it and it brings me neverending pleasure. For others, old costume jewellery; for me, a sparkling reminder of an exceptional woman s life. It helps to fill the emptiness left by the daily phone call to my mother that I can no longer make. My mother had 50 brooches! Multicoloured bright stones and pretty marcasite. They had graced the lapels of her wool, cashmere and camel-hair jackets and coats since the 1940s. Brooches in the shape of floral arrangements, orchids, birds, swans, cats and dogs. Some with her initial, L. There is one that says,
when my mother regularly went to shows at the State Theatre and the opera. After her death, I gave each granddaughter and daughter-inlaw a small memory tin containing a pendant, earrings, a lapel pin and a string of beads that they could put away somewhere in a safe place, to take out when they miss Ouma. But for the brooches, I had other plans. I didn t want simply to store my mom s precious collection somewhere in drawer. I wanted to make her heritage a part of my everyday life. On the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya, of all places, my travelling companion Albe Sauer gave me an idea. She had had two beautiful chandeliers made from her mother s costume
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PAPER PLATES For instructions see page 79.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 73
jewellery. (My mom actually had a chandelier in her lounge that was not to the taste of any of her other heirs.) After a few hours of, even if I say so myself, shining work, the chandelier is now as elegant and stylish as my mother was. The necklaces worked especially well. Nothing about my chandelier is symmetrical. Each corner provides a new surprise. (To make a similar one, you need a bit of crafting skill. I used jeweller s wire to attach some of the brooches to the chandelier. You need to work neatly and hide away the joins in the wire. You must take into account that it s going to be a focal point with its own spotlight and it must be a display piece that can become a family
Our memories are the glue that binds our life together. Everything that you are is thanks to your memories.
74 IDEAS January/February 2022
heirloom.) To create balance in the room, I framed one of my mother s embroidered cloths and pinned some of the brooches onto the embroidered flowers. It s pretty eye-catching. (I found the idea on Pinterest.) Then I saw on Instagram how people use old brooches to make heritage Christmas decorations. For me, a regular hat-wearer, it went without saying that some of my mom s brooches would be pinned onto my various hats and jackets. A few together, to make a proper statement. One Instagrammer took a black evening jacket and decorated one whole front panel with her vintage brooches. The secret is to go overboard again, to create a distinctive focal point. Some of the loveliest ideas that I saw on Instagram were fabulous bridal tiaras and bouquets made from family costume jewellery. Ideas stylist and maker Carin Smith told me the story of her gran s green milkglass sugar bowl that she broke. This heirloom piece was a family dispute in miniature, and then years later it shattered into pieces! One of the pieces had ripples on it and, to Carin, it looked like an angel wing. She had it set into a pendant for her mother (see page 78). And she plans to have a piece set for each family member who was fond of her gran. A collection of Carin s ideas lands in my inbox, and I immediately know that I have found a soul sister! She is a fan of kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing ceramics so that the seam is visible, and she had stacked a few repaired porcelain cups and saucers neatly on an old cake stand as a statement piece. She has all the elements of a possible love story displayed in a box against a wall (page 81): A faded photo of a loving couple, one of a pretty woman, one of a dress. But then there is also an old-fashioned egg beater, secateurs, red needlework scissors, a teapot, roll of string, pin box and measuring tape. You can just see the story playing out when you look at it. Using the kintsugi method, she made a necklace from antique blue porcelain fragments (page 78) and attached it, with other broken pieces, to an old photo frame. An embroidery hoop and pieces of porcelain have been used to frame a woman s face (page 77) and a collection of old plates have been grouped together as a display background for a old family photo (page 73).
your life
Louisa May Alcott, writer of the unforgettable Little Women, said you must preserve your memories, because if you forget them, you can never retell the old stories. Carin and her mother pick up shards of old glass, porcelain and ceramics wherever they go walking. There are lovely gardens in Bishopscourt, at a place where there used to be houses for poor families. If you look carefully, you can find pieces of china and glass where people once used to live. Fragments of their lives. For Carin, each piece has a story. She tries to imagine what life was like for the person who owned the original plate or cup. What did their house look like? Were they happy? Perhaps it s all that s left of a plate with a precious history. Inherited from a granny? Was the plate one of the family s loveliest possessions? I also have a collection of strange treasures that I have accumulated over the years. I try to pick up a stone or memento at each place I visit. This is more meaningful to me than a souvenir from a tourist shop. In my jewellery box I have a rusty screw that I found at the Victoria Falls bridge when I bungee jumped there. I picked up a piece of glass in Vladivostok in Russia that had been tumbled smooth by the Sea of Japan. A recent find at the ancient Kongo Mosque, built from coral at Diani, Kenya, was a tile fragment that will always remind me of the pristine white beach and the huge baobabs that surround the Arabic buildings from the 15th century. In Kenya I made friends with Albe, who picked up flamingo bones and feathers with me at Lake Nakuru. (Our other tour companions didn t understand But there is now a snow-white long flamingo thigh bone under a glass dome on my coffee table. Alongside it is a dome protecting the delicate nests of white eyes and flycatchers.) Ouma Desirée Joubert started collecting bits and pieces of antique porcelain as child, near the family holiday house at Munster in then-Natal. The fragments came from the São João, which was wrecked in 1552 near Port Edward, and we are still picking up pieces there during our beach holidays. Ouma, who also wrote a book about the town, Munster and its Pioneers, had a pendant made for each one of her granddaughters and daughters-in-law, from the fragments of 400-year-old Chinese porcelain. They are items of jewellery with a rich history and a healthy dose of sentiment. The American memory expert Kevin Horsley says our memories are the glue that binds our life together. Everything that you are is thanks to your memories. Your memory is like a databank. It s good for you to surround yourself with sentimental items that hold happy memories. This is where the red light will start flashing for minimalists, but the secret is to preserve memories selectively, say researchers from the University of Limerick in Ireland. My friend Willie Strauss gave me a good idea that fits with this concept. You don t need to keep every old cake tin that your mother collected in her lifetime, but you can take one pretty lid and convert it into a kitchen clock. One pretty plate can become a photo frame.
breathe new life into precious heirlooms. In fact, she has started
for his wedding using his late father s ties. A lovely way to have the father represented at the wedding.
an unusual business doing just that. She makes shoes and hand-
I visited the house of a young couple recently where heirlooms
bags from old tapestries, which are combined with leather.
live on in an unusual way. They have had Steampunk lamps made from a grandfather s collection of old cameras, projec-
A Facebook friend, Suzette Plekker, also knows how to
She uses the focal point of a tapestry to make the shoe panels. The shoes become a showpiece on your feet. And so you can ensure modern glory for your gran s petit point tapestry. Another friend, Freda Westerink, went to Italy to learn how to do breathtakingly beautiful traditional mosaics. She will decorate a time-worn dresser with your gran s and mom s old china.
tors, binoculars and watches. In the same way that everyone s taste differs, so the preservation of memories can be adapted. My chandelier and the Steampunk lamps are at opposite ends of the preference scale. The upcycling videos and ideas on Pinterest and Instagram
She skillfully cuts the ceramics and creates a modern, valuable display piece.
provide lots of inspiration for ways to give your mom s vintage clothes a new lease of life. Especially for people with a penchant
Former magazine editor Eldaleen Hugo s hobby is in the same category. She also makes over old furniture with modern flair.
for the bohemian. Ceramicist Gretchen Crotz and her designer sister Inge are keen followers of the upcycling trend. A former
She uses paint techniques that are in a class of their own, as well as unique, almost architectural designs and patterns and flamboyant colours. Your gran s wonky old cabinet becomes a thing
colleague of mine is regularly in the spotlight with outfits with an upcycled character. She s always first in line when people want to get rid of their mother's or gran s clothes.
of beauty. The necklaces that Freda de Lange makes from old silver will
I have often gone on about the lessons that I learnt when my friend Annie Lamprecht s house here on our farm burnt down.
be a talking point in any company. She doesn t believe in letting old cutlery lie forgotten in a drawer. Her necklaces are works of
For a long time, she didn t want to be reminded of the traumatic blaze, but when she was emotionally ready, her husband Erich
art that have been displayed in an art gallery. Tinkling memories that you can t wear if you re an introvert!
made a special artwork with items that had been salvaged from
They make me think about the silver spoon that Freda s son
the ruins. Her mother s old needlework scissors that look like a bird, some of Erich s army medals, an old spectacle frame, a door-
had made into a ring to his life partner, Simone. I was filled with envy for years until I came across a man at a market in Port Edward who made similar rings. He turned my old Apostle spoon into a ring for me. I recently saw how Willie folds old ties into roses and uses them to decorate gifts. A great way to preserve a memory of your dad! Lots of ties were made from silk and luxurious fabrics in the olden days. On Instagram I came across someone who made bowties for all the men in the family from a grandfather s ties. One family made bowties for their son and his groomsmen
knob, metal button, scorched coins and shattered ceramics. All the pieces bear the scars of the tragic fire, but they have been artistically transformed into an heirloom that reminds family and friends that you can rise from the ashes and start over again. An anonymous sage once said that if something or someone that you love becomes a memory, that memory will become a treasure. Scorched metal from Annie s house, a green glass shard from ouma s sugar bowl, my bright, shiny chandelier. They are all treasures that tell stories when you re feeling nostalgic.
PHOTO FRAMES RIGHT: Photocopy the family photo you want to frame in the desired size onto white cardboard. It s best to work on a copy of the original as you don't want to damage something irreplaceable. To make the frame, place an embroidery hoop over the copied photo and use it as your guide to arrange crockery pieces with a rounded edge into a ring, inside the hoop. Use superglue to stick the shards as well as the embroidery hoop onto the photo. Once the glue is dry, either cut around the outside of the hoop to create a round frame or stick it with adhesive tape onto a thin wooden board the same size as the picture. Your framed photo is ready to hang in your favourite space.
your life
January/February 2022 IDEAS 77
PIECES OF THE HEART Have you, like Carin, broken your granny's precious sugar bowl into too many pieces to glue together again? Rather than store them in a jar or hide them in a drawer, turn the broken bits of treasured china or glassware into jewellery. Most jewellers will happily turn a piece into a pendant by setting it in a casing, as Carin did with her green milkglass 'angel wing'. You can also use the kintsugi technique (see alongside) to join together small pieces in the shape of a heart. Carefully drill a small hole at the top of the heart with a diamond drill bit and hang on a chain. KINTSUGI or golden joinery is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending it with lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum dust.
78 IDEAS January/February 2022
KINTSUGI HEART SHAPE
1
2
Start by washing and drying the
Mix equal parts of your two-part epoxy adhesive together on the wooden work surface with the flat
DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 2 hours (until dry) YOU WILL NEED ♥ heart-shaped template of your choice ♥ ceramic pieces to fit inside template ♥ gold powder (available at most craft shops) ♥ two-part epoxy adhesive ♥ wooden plank to work on ♥ wooden stick (we used a small kebab skewer) TIP: When applying the gold epoxy mixture to the edge be quite generous
broken ceramic pieces. Use fine
as you want a visible 'gold' seam, so the
sandpaper to smooth any rough edges. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
gold should bulge out slightly but not so much that it drips.
TIP It's a good idea to plan your pendant at this stage by arranging
end of a kebab skewer. The adhesive dries quickly so only mix enough to glue together a few pieces at a time. Mix more as needed.
the ceramic pieces inside your heart template (see step 4).
PAPER PLATE COLLECTION
3
4
Once the epoxy is well mixed, add the gold powder little by little until you are happy with the intensity of the gold colour.
Start sticking the ceramic pieces together with the gold epoxy mixture. To do this, apply a bit of the epoxy to one side of a piece and then press it onto the edge of another piece. Hold in place until dry. It should dry quickly but keep in mind that this is a practice of patience and rushing the process will create a mess. Continue until your pendant is complete. Set it aside for a few hours so that it dries properly.
Start by photographing a variety of heirloom side and dinner plates. Choose different colours and sizes, and look for plates with interesting rims. The next step is to choose a favourite family photo and then to have all your photos printed onto white computer paper (80gsm). Ask the printer to enlarge the family photo to A3 size. Cut out the plate pictures and group them into a roughly rectangular shape on a flat surface. Apply spray glue to the back of the family photo and stick it over the collection of plate pictures. Cut out the plates again from the family photo. Arrange the plates into their rectangle again and use any adhesive of your choice to stick them onto the wall. This is a fun (and safe) way to put your heirlooms on display!
January/February 2022 IDEAS 79
craft
Making memories
Upcycle an old drawer and change it into a unique box frame to display family photos and heirloom trinkets. Think printer s tray meets photo frame. We fitted ours with a transparent door to make it easier to add or remove items. projec t and st yling CARIN SMITH photos ED O RILEY
80 IDEAS January/February 2022
how to
DOOR FOR BOX FRAME
1
2
Place your pre-cut half rounds in the shape of the drawer on a flat surface
Once you ve secured the ends, attach the hinges to the flat side of one of the longer sides of the frame. Measure equal distances from the edge and
DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: 2-3 hours YOU WILL NEED ♥ vintage drawer ♥ 2 x short half rounds with both ends cut at a 45-degree angle (length and width according to size of drawer) ♥ 2 x longer half rounds with the ends cut at a 45-degree angle (length and width according to size of drawer) ♥ 2 hinges ♥ 8 screws (slightly shorter than the width of your half round) ♥ screws to secure door to drawer ♥ acetate (clear plastic) same size as your drawer photo corners ♥ adhesive photo corners ♥ electric screwdriver or drill ♥ staple gun with staples
with the flat sides towards you. Joint the corners together with the staple gun. Use two or three staples in each corner to secure. Position the angled
between the hinges. Secure with the shorter screws (make sure the
ends as close as possible to each other to avoid the gaps being too big.
screws are a few mm shorter than the
3
4
Attach an adhesive photo corner to each of corners on the flat side of the half round frame and insert your acetate. (We used acetate rather than glass for the door as it s light and won t add extra weight which could
Now decorate the framed door. Turn the frame around so that the rounded side (the front) is facing towards you. Attach any decorations of your choice to the frame and then screw the hinges onto the drawer to attach
cause the door it to pull away from the hinges.)
the door.
thickness of the half rounds).
♥ decorations of your choice TIP If you don t have a way of accurately cutting the ends of the half rounds at 45 degrees, ask your local hardware store to help you. DID YOU KNOW? A half round is a narrow length of wood, semi-circular on one side and flat on the other side.
82 IDEAS January/February 2022
your life
Wonder world! It’s not every day that you come across a mother-and-daughter team who spend so much time and effort creating their own wonderland together. But that is precisely what Fébé and Mishka Marais do.
84 IDEAS January/February 2022
Seat, mat and cabinet from Chillie Pepper Kitsch & Vintage in Hermanus.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 85
your life MAIN PHOTO: The pretty crocheted cushion and blanket on the patio come from a charity shop, but Fébé made the pouffe herself, from fabric that also came from her favourite shop. BELOW, RIGHT: This kitchen sees a lot of baking. My mom Charon taught us to bake from young, to arrange flowers and create. And here I do the same with Mishka.
by TERENA LE ROUX photos ED O RILEY
W
e first discovered Fébé and Mishka on Instagram, where as @febe_and_mishka_in_wonderland they even put Alice to shame. Because in and around their house and garden in Onrus near Hermanus, they style their magical scenes, dress up for the occasion, and make, bake and mix together to create the loveliest things, which the man of the house, Ian, is only too happy to help capture. One look at their collection of photos and videos and you already know ‒ this is not your everyday family. My son immediately noticed the artistic tattoos on Fébé s manicured hands and decided he liked our readers. Our stylist Hannes s fine eye for detail admired the coordinated clothes and no-one could miss Fébé s amazing bob. And we have endless admiration for nine-year-old Mishka who
chooses creativity above her phone and social media. Here is an individualist! We are on a journey of discovery as mother and daughter finding the beauty in the world around us, says Fébé. We have lived in wonderful Hermanus for the past four years. We moved here from Pretoria. It was always my dream to one day raise my child in a place like this ... The city is just too busy for me, a country girl from the Eastern Free State. As a child, I came here on holiday with my parents for many years and I can remember how I made a note in my diary years ago that I wanted to live here one day . I drove my poor husband crazy and we decided to make the move before Mishka started big school Fortunately my dream has come true and we are so happy to now call Hermanus our home.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 87
your life
With their farm-style house and a backyard that gives them easy access to the Onrus River, they are indeed fortunate. Picnics next to the river are not unusual and Mishka has her own secret corner in the garden where she can run around and play in her shorts like a farm child. We have a passion for creating and living life to the fullest. We strive for slow living. The world around us is so frantic, we have to try to live more slowly to breathe deeply, catch hold of all the loveliness and live in the moment, says Fébé. We try to make a difference by inspiring others to be more creative, to recycle, reuse, make something new from something old, buy more second-hand things, cook,
do needlework, have picnics and enjoy and understand each other as a family. I was 40 when Mishka was born and I believe it was destiny that I would only become a mother later in life when I had much more patience and life experience. I am very involved with Mishka and believe that communication between parent and child is so important, the lines must always be open. Mishka is our only child and I enjoy life like a child with her; we enjoy the little things in life together. She will soon be turning 10 and I believe we are best friends forever. She still plays with her dolls and almost never asks to watch television. She also doesn t spend much time on her cellphone or tablet. She would rather play outside or make something with me. We like baking together, making flower crowns, natural body products, we do needlework, colour in and play with paper dolls, cut and paste and enjoy reading Enid Blyton stories or fairy tales. We also like supporting small local businesses and are always on the lookout for nice places in the area where we can go to eat, or picnic, or scratch around for treasures. We are both crazy about second-hand shops. I buy most of my clothes second-hand and, where possible, Mishka s as well, otherwise we upcycle her clothes that have become too small or have something made at one of the wonderful local businesses. We have fun documenting our special moments and we share them on social media to inspire others. Making beautiful memories, that s what we are doing. And Mishka? What would she like to do one day? At school, I love art. It s my favourite subject. But I want to become a pilot or a piano teacher , is her enthusiastic answer. She is already learning the piano, and the guitar and flute. Not to mention the wings that her childhood years are giving her.
ROSE GERANIUM FOOT SCRUB
Fébé and Mishka made their wonderful rose geranium foot scrub especially for our visit. It not only softens your skin, it is also calming, anti-bacterial and good for PMS. 1 Let the geranium leaves infuse in olive oil for a week, to allow the oil to absorb the fragrance properly. Also dry the flowers ahead of time. 2 Melt half a cup of coconut oil and add a cup of sugar. 3 Add 10 drops of the leaf oil. For colour and texture, finely crush the dried flowers and add them as well. 4 Mix everything together in a pretty jar. The scrub will keep for about two months and doesn t
need to be refrigerated. Make extra to give away as special gifts.
88 IDEAS January/February 2022
stitchcraft
Ready for summer A fun crocheted bralette that celebrates summer with you ‒ on the beach, in the garden or on a rooftop with a cocktail watching a sunset. Add some floral embroidery to bring out the boho love. This bralette can also be made into a bikini top. by ELSBE TH EK STEEN st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: one week SIZES Small (medium, large) YOU WILL NEED ♥ 3 balls (50g each) Kismet Raeesah 100% pure cotton in colour 58 (main colour) ♥ 1 ball (50g) Kismet Raeesah 100% pure cotton each in colours 33 and 66 ♥ 1 ball (50g) Elle Premier Cotton 4-ply in orange ♥ 2,25mm crochet hook or preferred size to get a very tight tension ♥ bra cup insert of your choice ♥ embroidery needle for yarn ♥ sewing thread in the same colour as the main colour of bralette if you want to sew the bra cup in
92 IDEAS January/February 2022
ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning) ch ‒ chain stitch cont ‒ continue dc ‒ double crochet htr ‒ half treble inc ‒ increase rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tog ‒ together tr ‒ treble NOTE: The cups of the bra can be made in small, medium or large, and you can decide to make this bralette into a bikini top by simply working fewer rows under the cups. Please keep in mind that cotton yarn stretches quite a bit after the first wear and wash.
TO CROCHET (Make 2) With 2,25mm crochet hook and main colour yarn, ch 17(20, 23). Row 1 is worked on both sides of the starting ch: ch1, tr into all the ch sts except the last 2, 3tr into next ch, (2 tr, ch1, 2tr) into last ch, 3tr into next ch, tr in all the ch sts, turn. Row 2: ch1, tr into all the sts, (2tr, ch1, 2tr) into ch sp, tr into all the sts to the end. Row 3: rep row two 10(11,12) times, so that it covers your chosen bra insert. Fasten off. SET UP ROW FOR BAND Ch 11(15,19), insert yarn into outer corner of bra cup, work 2dc inside the length of each tr. When you reach the end of the cup, insert the hook into the inner corner of the other cup, sl st and cont with dc
stitchcraft
in all the sides of the tr sts, ch 11(15, 19), turn.
tr into tr, turn. Row 2: ch2, tr into all the sts (= 5 tr in
Row 1: ch1, tr into all the sts, turn. Inc one st at the beg and end by working 2 tr into one tr. Row 2: (ch1, 2tr into same st), tr into all the sts and inc into last st by working 2tr, turn. Rows 3-10: rep row two 8 more times (if you want to make it into a bikini top, work row 3 once and skip to row 11). Row 11: ch60, fasten off. Row 12: join yarn to the other side of the bralette, ch60, turn. Row 13: tr into 2nd ch from hook, tr to end, turn. Row 14 is worked all around the bralette: ch5, tr 3 times into side of the last tr, ch3, tr into all the sts. In corners where the cup and strap meet and 2 cups meet, work tr2tog, and at the top of cups you can work (tr, ch2, tr) into the ch sp. At the ends of the band work (3ch, 3tr into side of the last tr, ch3), fasten off after working all around.
total including the starting ch), turn. Rep row two 62 more times or as long as you would like the straps.
BRALETTE STRAPS Worked into the 5 sts (= tr, ch3, tr) of the cup. Row 1: Join yarn into tr next to the ch sp at the top of the cup, ch2, 3tr into 3ch,
94 IDEAS January/February 2022
CONTRASTING PICOT EDGING Join contrasting yarn into a corner of the bottom band, ch1, rep the following combination of crochet sts all around the edge: *6dc, ch3, sl st into first ch*, fasten off and work away all the yarn ends. FLORAL EMBROIDERY Thread embroidery needle with contrasting colour yarn for inside of flowers. Following the embroidery chart, work circles all over the cups of the bralette. You can use satin stitch. Thread needle with contrasting colour yarn for the flowers, and make 5 lazy daisy sts around the inner circles. Secure yarn after completing each flower. CROCHET FLOWERS FOR BAND FULL FLOWER With 2,25mm crochet hook and yarn for inner flower, make a magic circle. Rnd 1: ch2, 11tr into magic circle, sl st into 2nd ch, fasten off. Rnd 2: join yarn for the flower into any
st, *ch7, dc into 2nd ch from hook, make 2 htr into the next 2 ch, and 2 tr into the last 2 ch, skip a st, dc into next st,* rep from * to * 5 more times and fasten off, leaving a long tail of yarn that can be used to sew the flower into place. HALF FLOWER (make 2) With 2,25mm crochet hook and yarn for inner flower, make a magic circle. Rnd 1: ch2, work 7 tr into the magic circle, fasten off. Rnd 2: rep rnd 2 of the flower instructions 3 times. Fasten off, leaving a long tail of yarn to sew the flower into place. FINISHING Sew the flowers onto the band. The stems of the half flowers are worked with yarn threaded double. Thread embroidery needle with green yarn and secure with a knot at the ends. Insert needle from the back of the flower to the front. Make a couching st to the side of the next flower petal, form the leaves and finish off with the centre embroidery details. Work the details on the band as shown in the embroidery chart. After sewing away the yarn ends of the embroidery, you can sew in the bra cups if you want to.
template
January/February 2022 IDEAS 95
Hello sunshine! Crochet this easy bucket hat, ideal for the beach or the outdoors.
stitchcraft
by ELIZABE TH FESTER st yling DAL A WAT TS photo ED O RILEY DIFFICULTY: intermediate
pull up lp, yo, draw through 2 lps on
times [= 70 sts].
TIME: 3‒4 days
hook) 2 more times [= 4 lps on hook], yo and draw through all 4 lps (= 1st bobble),
Rnd 7: ch 2, (1 htr into next 6 sts, 2 htr into seventh st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep
SIZE
ch 2, (3-bob into next htr, ch 2) around, join with sl st into 3rd of beg-3 ch, fasten
10 times [= 80 sts]. Rnd 8: ch 2, (1 htr into next 7 sts, 2 htr
off [= 8 bobbles and 8 ch 2-sps]. Rnd 3: Using Avocado, start in any ch
into eighth st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10 times [= 90 sts].
2-sp with ch 3, 2 tr into same sp, ch 1,
Rnd 9: 1 dc in back loop only all around
(3-bob, ch 3, 3-bob) into next ch 2-sp, ch 1, *3 tr into next ch 2-sp, ch 1, (3-bob, ch
[= 90 sts]. Sew your granny square band to the
3, 3-bob) into next ch 2-sp, ch 1; rep from * around, join with sl st into first tr, fasten
lower edge of the top of your hat. Work a row of dc along the bottom edge of the
off [= 8 bobbles, 4 ch 3-sps, 12 tr and 8 ch 1-sps].
squares all around, ensuring you end on the same number of sts from your last
Rnd 4: Using Natural, start in the ch 1-sp before the 3-bob-corner with ch 2, 1
crochet rnd [= 90 sts]; it works out to 13 sts per block, but do 1 less st in your
htr into same sp, (2 htr, ch 2, 2 htr) into
last square.
ch ‒ chain stitch dc ‒ double crochet
corner ch 3-sp, *2 htr into ch 1-sp, 1 htr into each tr from previous rnd, 2 htr into
BRIM
htr ‒ half treble lp ‒ loop ML ‒ magic loop rep ‒ repeat rnd ‒ round sl st ‒ slip stitch
ch 1-sp, (2 htr, ch 2, 2 htr) into corner ch 3-sp; rep from * around, join with sl st into beg-ch 2. Sew the blocks together to form a band. It should measure about 56cm around.
sp ‒ space st(s) ‒ stitch(es) tr ‒ treble yo ‒ yarn over
TOP OF HAT Starting from the top with Natural, make a ML and ch 2 (do not count as a st), 10 htr in ML, join with sl st into beg-ch 2
The ch 1 at beg of each rnd does not count as a st. Work rnd 10 in front loop only. Rnd 10: ch 1, (1 dc into next 8 sts, 2 dc into ninth st), sl st into beg-ch 1-sp; rep 10 times [= 100 sts]. Rnd 11: ch 1, 1 dc into each st all around, sl st into beg-ch 1-sp [= 100 sts]. Rnd 12: ch 1, (1 dc into next 9 sts, 2 dc into tenth st), sl st into beg-ch 1-sp; rep
[= 10 sts]. The ch 2 at beg of each rnd do not count as a st. Rnd 1: ch 2, 2 htr into each htr from previous rnd, join with sl st in beg-ch 2-sp [= 20 sts]. Rnd 2: ch 2, (1 htr into next st, 2 htr into second st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10 times [= 30 sts]. Rnd 3: ch 2, (1 htr into next 2 sts, 2 htr into third st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10 times [= 40 sts]. Rnd 4: ch 2, (1 htr into next 3 sts, 2 htr into fourth st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10 times [= 50 sts]. Rnd 5: ch 2, (1 htr into next 4 sts, 2 htr into fifth st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10 times [= 60 sts]. Rnd 6: ch 2, (1 htr into next 5 sts, 2 htr into sixth st), sl st into beg-ch 2-sp; rep 10
10 times [= 110 sts]. Rnd 13: ch 1, 1 dc into each st all around, sl st into beg-ch 1-sp [= 110 sts]. Rnd 14: ch1, (1 dc into next 10 sts, 2 dc into eleventh st), sl st into beg-ch 1-sp; rep 10 times [= 120 sts]. Rnds 15 and 16: ch 1, 1 dc into each st all around, sl st into beg-ch 1-sp [= 120 sts]. Rnd 17: ch 1, (1 dc into next 11 sts, 2 dc into twelfth st), sl st into beg-ch 1-sp; rep 10 times [= 130 sts]. Rnds 18 and 19: 1 dc into each st all around, sl st into beg-ch 1-sp [= 130 sts]. Rnd 20: ch 1, (1 dc into next 12 sts, 2 dc into thirteenth st), sl st into beg-ch 1-sp; rep 10 times [= 140 sts]. Rnds 21 and 22: ch 1, 1 dc into each st all around, sl st into beg-ch 1-sp [= 140 sts]. Fasten off and work away all loose yarn ends on wrong side of work.
Medium (more or less 56cm all round) YOU WILL NEED ♥ 2 balls (50g each) Vinnis Nikkim crochet cotton in Natural ♥ 1 ball (50g) Vinnis Nikkim crochet cotton each in Sunshine, Orange and Avocado ♥ 3,75mm crochet hook tapestry needle ABBREVIATIONS beg ‒ begin(ning)
NOTE: Crochet 7 granny square blocks, each measuring about 8cm x 8cm. Do not crochet too loosely. STITCHES USED 3-bobble stitch (3-bob): yo, insert hook into st, pull up lp, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook, (yo, insert hook into same st, pull up lp, yo, draw through 2 lps on hook), rep 2 more times [= 4 lps on hook], yo, draw through all 4 lps. TO CROCHET GRANNY SQUARE BLOCKS Rnd 1: Starting with Sunshine, make a ML and ch 2 (do not count as a st), 8 htr into the circle, sl st into beg-2 ch, fasten off. Rnd 2: With Orange, ch 3 (count as 1st tr), (yo, insert hook into same st as joining,
January/February 2022 IDEAS 97
Quilt a cross Traditionally quilting was done by hand. We follow the same method with this cross technique. Take your time and work in a relaxed mood, as it is good for your soul. by MARINDA DE WE T st yling DAL A WAT TS photos ED O RILEY
stitchcraft
DIFFICULTY: intermediate (and patience needed) TIME: for the cushion, about 4 days SIZE Finished project is approximately 45cm x 42cm. YOU WILL NEED ♥ quilting fabric in 5 different shades, or more if you prefer ♥ rotary cutter and rotary cutting mat ♥ Prym Fabric Glue Pen or any other fabric glue pen ♥ paper templates (see patterns on page overleaf; use 180g paper, which is thicker than normal computer paper) ♥ shades of Mettler thread for sewing crosses (Apliquick Invisible Thread can also be used) ♥ rickrack for final finishing (optional; can also use piping in shade of your choice) ♥ approximately 50cm matching fabric for back ♥ quilt ruler 12 inches x 6 inches for cutting of strips and square at end of project (Note: Quilting is traditionally worked in inches)
TO MAKE 1 Cut fabric with the rotary cutter in 2 inch strips ‒ 2 in each colour. If using more colours, only cut one of each colour. 2 Use pattern 1 on the page overleaf to cut the paper templates pictured above. Cut 4 templates to make each cross. Place the paper templates on the wrong side of the fabric and cut out, adding a small seam allowance all around. 3 Apply the glue pen lightly along the seam allowances of the fabric and fold
over the paper template ‒ see photo above. (The paper is removed afterwards before completing the cushion. Keep it in place until you have sewn the whole cushion front by hand.) 4 Sew the completed pieces together in fours on the wrong side using overhand stitches, to form the cross. 5 Arrange the crosses to your liking and start sewing them together to form a square, more or less, for the front panel of the cushion. To complete the square,
you will need to cut and sew more fabric pieces using patterns 2, 3 and 4 to fill in the open spaces. Iron the front panel flat before attaching the back piece. 6 Complete the cushion by attaching the back piece the way you prefer and sew on rickrack (or piping) by hand. Tip: You can simply continue making more crosses if you want a quilt for your bed. Just plan them according to the size of your bed.
The fabric can be ordered online from www.countryquilting.co.za. To order a template kit, call Marinda on +27 082 577 8792.
January/February 2022 IDEAS 99
template
PATTERN 2
PATTERN 3
PATTERN 1
PATTERN 4
1
C IN
H
1.5 INCHES 1.5 INCHES
100 IDEAS January/February 2022
The simple joy of stitching When Gail Bussi lovingly crafted her book, Inspired Cross-Stitch, it was about more than just embroidery. She has shared both her motivation and two of her projects with us.
S
titching has not always been an essential part of my life. Although my very talented mother taught
me to knit, crochet and embroider at a young age, to be honest I was far more interested in writing, making art and baking up a storm in the kitchen! It was only when I was living in London in the early 1990s that the sudden increase in the number of cross-stitch magazines and books caught my attention. And, in my typical fly by the seat of my pants style, I jumped right in and started designing pieces almost straight away. After returning to South Africa I went on designing for international magazines and publishers, and also had my own design company for a while. Then, a few years ago, I chose to step back and focus on other interests. I wrote and illustrated a cookbook, and also obtained qualifications in holistic herbalism and mindfulness teaching (something that certainly ties in well with the whole creative process). But life also threw a few curve balls my way, which took their toll on my soul and spirit. And then came the past two years, which have been pretty difficult to navigate on so many levels ‒ for all of us. Life as we know it has certainly changed, and we need a new, different and more gentle insight as we go forward. Why am I sharing this now? Because I honestly believe that creativity (whatever
form it takes for you) is a life-saver and can bring us back to ourselves in a supportive and positive way. For me, stitching is one of the most accessible and delightful ways of being creative; cross-stitch is so easy and portable, and anyone can learn to do it. (I ve taught a few friends who claimed they didn t have a creative bone in their body!) Being creative is an innate part of who we are, even if the rush and busyness of our lives sometimes make us forget this important truth. We need to make time to reconnect our hands and our heart, and I wrote this book as a way of inspiring us all to do just that. Just taking the time to sit down with a piece of stitching gets us into a slower and more peaceful mindset. I know that if I am having a bad or anxious day, I need to work on a stitched project for a while, and allow the rhythmic movement of needle and thread to bring me into a calmer space where I feel more able to cope with any issues that I might be experiencing. Although stitching doesn t necessarily take away our problems it is a healing and therapeutic outlet for us, especially as we navigate these often uncertain and difficult times. It s a proven scientific fact that any rhythmic and repetitive activity ‒ such as stitching, knitting or crochet ‒ slows down the heart rate and breathing,
and moves us into a more peaceful and mindful state of being. I chose the topics for the three sections of the book ‒ Inspire, Create and Connect ‒ because I felt they truly represented what is most important to us as human beings. A positive, grateful attitude, the gift of creativity and the way we relate to all those around us. I love words, too; in my artwork I often create small pictures based around quotes I love, and many of the designs in the book are based on these whimsical artworks. I have chosen to use positive, joyful and growth-oriented words and phrases that hopefully will come to life as we stitch them and truly absorb their message. Even the mistakes we make in our stitching ‒ and trust me, I have unpicked more stitches than I care to remember! ‒ can be a gentle reminder of our own humanness, and give us a moment to press pause and allow ourselves to breathe. At the end of the day it s all about celebrating our lives and ourselves, just as and where we are, and creating a little piece of beauty along the way. I hope these projects will inspire you to pick up needle, fabric and thread ‒ whether you are an experienced stitcher or completely new to the craft, may you find a sense of quiet joy, peace and wellbeing as you stitch, and let these simple moments relax and heal body and spirit.
3You can follow Gail on Instagram as @myenchantedcottage 3 rosebudlane@gmail.com Inspired Cross-Stitch: 30 Patterns plus Alphabets is published by Stackpole Books (Jonathan Ball, R505).
January/February 2022 IDEAS 101
Go where your heart takes you This little heart-shaped piece (and wise owl!) reminds us that our heart always prompts us in the right direction if we just listen to it and take that first step. APPROXIMATE FINISHED SIZE 12,7cm × 13,3cm
the padded side of one of the boards and glue securely in place at the back. Stretch the stitched piece over the
YOU WILL NEED ♥ embroidery design on page 107 ♥ 25cm x 25cm 28-count antique white Jobelan by Wichelt (stitched over 2 threads) with stitch count 71 wide × 75 high ♥ 2 pieces of foam core board ♥ embroidery thread ♥ embroidery needle ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ cotton fibrefill, light batting or soft felt ♥ piece of patchwork or floral fabric measuring approximately 17,8cm x 17,8cm ♥ fabric glue ♥ satin ribbon, at least 0,8cm wide, in a colour of your choice ♥ hat pins or pins with beaded tops TO MAKE 1 Cut the fabric to measure at least 20,3cm x 20,3cm, fold in half and count out from the centre to start stitching at a convenient point, following the colour chart alongside and design on page 107. When the stitching is completed, wash and lightly iron the piece. 2 To make up this design as a freestanding piece (as shown), trim the stitched piece to within 3,8cm of the stitching all around. Cut two pieces of thin foam core board, each measuring approximately 15,2cm x 15,2cm. Cover one side of each piece of board with a thin layer of cotton fiberfill or batting, or, alternatively, use a piece of soft felt. 3 Cut a piece of floral or patchwork fabric, at least 3,8cm larger than the foam core board pieces. Stretch this piece over
102 IDEAS January/February 2022
other padded board and glue this in place at the back too.
for at least half an hour. 5 Cut a piece of satin ribbon and glue it all around the two joined pieces, starting
4 Spread a layer of glue over the
and ending at the bottom middle. Then cut another length and make a looped bow (see photo alongside as a guide),
backsides of both boards and press them together, fabric and stitched side
and glue it securely in the top middle of the piece. Press in several hat pins or pins
out. Gently press down with something
with beaded tops along the top of the
firm and fairly heavy, and leave to dry
finished piece.
FLOSS USED FOR FULL STITCHES Symbol n
O
C
Strands
Type
Number
Colour
2
DMC
223
Shell Pink-LT
2
DMC
224
Shell Pink-VY LT
2
DMC
368
Pistachio Green-LT
2
DMC
522
Fern Green
2
DMC
524
Fern Green-VY LT
2
DMC
640
Beige Gray-VY DK
2
DMC
778
Antique Mauve-VY LT
2
DMC
926
Gray Green -MD
2
DMC
927
Gray Green-LT
2
DMC
928
Gray Green-VY LT
2
DMC
3042
Antique Violet-LT
2
DMC
3364
Pine Green
2
DMC
3827
Golden Brown-Pale
2
DMC
3855
Autumn Gold-Pale
2
DMC
3863
Mocha Beige-MD
2
DMC
3864
Mocha Beige-LT
2
DMC
3865
Winter White
FLOSS USED FOR HALF STITCHES (DOORWAY AND WINDOW) Symbol O
Strands
Type
Number
Colour
2
DMC
640
Beige Gray-VK DK
FLOSS USED FOR BACK STITCHES Symbol
Strands
Type
Number
Colour
1
DMC
640
Beige Gray-VY DK
1
DMC
3865
Winter White
stitchcraft
stitchcraft
Do it with heart This keepsake pillow is stitched on a dark fabric with light threads onto a felt cushion, and has an antique, chalkboard look. FLOSS USED FOR FULL STITCHES Symbol
Strands
Type
Number
Colour
2
DMC
754
Peach-LT
2
DMC
948
Peach VY LT
2
DMC
3042
Antique-Violet-LT
2
DMC
3813
Blue Green-LT
2
DMC
3823
Yellow-UL Pale
2
DMC
3865
Winter White
FLOSS USED FOR BACK STITCHES: Symbol
Strands
Type
Number
Colour
1
DMC
3787
Brown Gray-DK
APPROXIMATE SIZE 11,4 x 11,4cm YOU WILL NEED ♥ embroidery design on page 106 ♥ 20cm x 20cm 32-count Cobblestone Belfast Linen by Zweigart (stitched over 2 threads) with stitch count 63 wide x 63 high ♥ 2 matching pieces of felt or wool fabric each measuring 14cm square ♥ embroidery thread ♥ embroidery needle ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ polyester fibrefill ♥ small silver charm (optional)
TO MAKE 1 Cut fabric to measure at least 16 x 16cm, fold in half and count out to start stitching at a suitable point, following the colour chart above and the diagram on page 106. When stitching is complete, wash and lightly iron the piece, and then carefully trim the fabric around the stitching, leaving a margin of approximately 1,25cm all round. 2 Make sure the two pieces of felt or wool fabric measure 14cm x 14cm; if not then cut it to size. Carefully centre and sew the embroidered piece onto one of the pieces of felt or wool fabric, using running stitch.
3 Using 2 threads of a softly coloured embroidery floss, sew the two pieces of felt or wool fabric together to form a cushion, using blanket stitch, and leaving a small opening along one side. Fill the pillow lightly with polyester fibrefill, and stitch the opening closed. Attach a small silver charm to the top corner of the pillow (optional).
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January/February 2022 IDEAS 107
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Holiday every day Why live just for the holidays when you can have a bit of a holiday every day, asks Jani Augustyn-Goussard. photo ED O RILEY
S
ummer lies deep and dense around our ankles, I can still smell sunscreen in the air and sweet watermelon but it s January, February is around the corner, the new year is here. Just as the early summer sun tears us from a blissful night s slumber into a sudden and sharp day, so the first calendar days of 2022 and all the usual metaphors call us to new beginnings. And I struggle, as I do every year, to get my head in the right place. I long so much for the holidays! The void that December leaves in us perhaps has something to do with how fast the month passes: One day we are still popping Champagne corks and swimming in the sea, and the next moment we are back at work, our clothes uncomfortable on our suntanned bodies. With legs that yearn for long walks and balmy afternoons next to blue water and lush greenery. The contrast between relaxing and enjoying life and the coldness of fluorescent lights at work and the daily grind is something that catches all of us. We are already looking foward to the next holiday! With a new calendar, without plans or pen marks, I eagerly count how many public holidays there are in 2022. And realise with a shock that if I don t find a new way of looking at the routine in my life, I am living for just a handful of days in the year! But what about all our wishes and dreams and passions and loves and likes? After
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all, we can t treat every day as if it is a holiday and enjoy life to the fullest. Or can we? Perhaps we need to look more deeply at what makes us feel so deflated at this time of the year obviously we have less time for hobbies and there are lists of tasks that need to be done. We must balance the books, pay the bills and keep a roof over our heads. Holidays are when we can be ourselves, take the time for those things that make us feel truly alive. We can be completely and utterly absorbed by the things that feed our soul. But why not give ourselves a joyful chance in our everyday lives to lose ourselves for a few minutes in something that makes us happy? What about having a holiday while we work? It can become a ritual of satisfaction, a pastime that nurtures our love for life every day. It s time to make your holiday self a part of each day. Give it some thought: What do you like doing most when you are on holiday? Do you sleep late? Walk along the beach? Enjoy a cup of tea at 11am each morning? Find a way to work these nuggets of pleasure into your daily routine ‒ it might be difficult initially to wake up at six instead of seven, but the sun is up long before you need to be at work and an hour s walk through the quiet streets or sitting with a book and a cup of coffee is a luxury that enriches your soul and creates holiday joy in every day. Is the sea your happy place? Load a
soundtrack of waves breaking on the beach and, later in the day when you feel overwhelmed and are drowning in work, pour a glass of ice-cold sparkling water, sit back and listen to the waves, feel the tingle of the bubbles on your tongue and lose yourself in the calmness that the sea brings. For five minutes, think about nothing other than the sea and the sun and the water The emails can wait, for five minutes you are on holiday. Instead of scrolling through your social media when you are standing in a queue, read a book on your phone, immerse yourself in the story. Is tea your calm enjoyment? Once each day make a ritual of it, go and buy yourself the loveliest cups and the best leaf tea and observe how the colours and aromas of the leaves slowly infuse in a glass teapot. Find ways to go on holiday for short interludes throughout your day and tackle your year this way. I invite you: Treat yourself to the happiness that comes from a day lived well and to the fullest. Fill the moments between your tasks with activities that remind you of who you truly are and what you love. From now on I am not losing a single day to wishing it was a holiday! Over the past two years we have all realised again how precious life is, how fleeting and how wonderful. Make every second count this year. Drench your days with things that bring you joy, and live the holiday every day.
Securein ourrituals
We all have childhood memories of the way our family did certain things: how we celebrated birthdays or Christmas, Saturday lunches ... and later we create our own rituals . For security, to ground us, to calm us and to recharge. To be able to create anew.
by MARGUERITE VAN W YK st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY
E
very Christmas Eve, for as long as Leonie Dyamond can remember, Santa rowed across the Sedgefield lagoon in a small boat to get to their beach house. To this day, it is one of her best memories. The old man with the black bag and red suit rowing over the water. And even though Leonie, my friend from our residence days at Stellenbosch University, and her brother and sister are now adults, she still carries this image from her childhood with her. Her children now remember it too. And one day their children will think of Christmas Eve in the same way... The way she tells it, I can see it in my mind s eye as if in a movie. And this is the miracle of the rituals that shape all the artworks in our head. They colour our thoughts forever. They make life gentler, prettier, they make us feel secure, they ground us. These images, more than anything, become a wonderfully rich
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heritage as we grow older. Some people are alarmed when they hear the word ritual . It sounds too much like a sacrificial offering, gruesome, blood on a stake. Or something that involves too large, too exuberant gatherings. But rituals are universal. Regardless of race, religion, gender or culture ‒ throughout the ages people have had a need for them because they motivate us and stir our hearts. They help to bind together families and communities, to mark important events, and they give us an opportunity to express our joy and sorrow. Perhaps one of the most important aspects is that they help us to create and sustain identity. ( Why Rituals Are Still Relevant ; sbs.com.au) In 2006, archaeologists discovered a rock carved in the shape of a snake s head, in a cave in the Tsodilo Hills in Botswana ‒ evidence of the oldest known ritual in the world; at 70 000 years
your life
old, more than 30 000 years older than anything in Europe. There were also stone spearheads, offerings to the python. According to the San people s creation myth, humankind is descended from the python. Rituals are as diverse as humanity itself and occur everywhere. Think about the Roman Catholic mass, shamanic rites, flamboyant Gay Pride parades ... they are part and parcel of our existence. I read about Swedish girls with flower wreaths on their heads dancing around a maypole at the height of the European summer. This happy Midsummer s Eve festival, traditionally a time for love, is celebrated in the countryside every year on the Friday between 19 and 25 June. It marks the start of the summer holidays and an exodus from the cities. Recipes like pickled herring, baby potatoes with sour cream, dill and chives, salmon or pork ribs and desserts of strawberries and cream are served, accompanied by cold beer or schnapps (sometimes spiced). In the old days there was dancing outdoors, often on a wooden dance floor next to a lake. It s a popular time for weddings and baptising babies, ancient heathen fertility rituals like sleeping with seven different flowers under your pillow (nine months later there is apparently a baby boom). One wonders what Swedes hundreds of years from now will think of this; will they still do it? Although Americans, says anthropologist Rebecca Lester ( The Importance of Ritual , psychologytoday.com), pride themselves on their first-world values and often associate rituals with exotic cultures like the island of Bali or the Huasa (the largest ethnic group in the sub-Saharan region), they are actually profoundly ritualistic. Incidentally, the term les rites de passage (rites of passage) was coined in 1909 by French ethnographer Arnold van Gennep to describe the movement of a person from one stage of life to the next: child to adult, student to graduate, an engaged couple who marry, and so on Rituals not only define time, or the beginning and end of a period, they also lend structure to time and place it in context. So we will say: At my matric farewell, graduation, wedding, child s baptism, wedding anniversary This provides a fixed frame of reference. As I will now try to explain. Because just as groups find their identity within rituals, there are important personal rituals in the lives of each one of us ‒ within our family, circle of friends or us on our own ‒ that ground us and make us feel safe.
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So, back to the traditions on my life journey that recall the past but are still relevant to me today. And these are not necessarily
decorated with the most delicate glass ornaments that my mom had collected around the world.
formal titles like marriage , graduation , hen s party or baby
How well I remember our picnics next to the road when we
shower . The informal rituals of my youth start with family birthdays.
were travelling. Boiled eggs, meatballs and cheese and tomato sandwiches (long before the days of 24-hour petrol stations) and
Joyful occasions. Early in the morning, the family would sing to wake up the birthday celebrant ( Happy birthday to you ) along
biscuits. And the Mom, are we there yet? refrain on the way to the Kruger Park, or Ramsgate, or Herolds Bay, with Jakkals en
with a tray of breakfast and a gift, and everyone then sat on the bed and chatted. To this day I still do something similar with my
Wolf cassettes and all sorts of children s songs that we joined in with gusto.
friends. Each one gets a voice message or an actual song Then there were the customs around food. Through the week,
Indeed, few things come close to family traditions, agrees Elize Parker, my neighbour and a writer with a love for animals. As a
homely meals. Anything from cottage pie and sausages, mashed
single mother, she taught her (now adult) daughters, Ruby and
potato and peas to chicken, rice, green beans and pumpkin, always with a salad. Sundays, leg of lamb, roast potatoes and vegetables. Or a braai. Nothing exotic . Bobotie, lasagne, fish and game pie were the most adventurous things on the menu. But Saturday afternoons it was deli food . Stinky cheeses. Runny cheeses. Round and triangular cheeses. Small cheeses. Gherkins, asparagus, olives. Foreign things. Cold meat. Rye bread, Portuguese rolls. German sausages and liver spread. Mustard. And I still like to spoil my guests in this way. Because it s easy. And it reminds me of wonderful Saturdays at home. Long, long ago. When our family ‒ mom, dad, brother and me ‒ sat watching Wimbledon tennis on television, Björn Borg and John McEnroe, or the Currie Cup final between Western Province and Northern Transvaal (and supporting the WP!). Sunday evenings were Snackwich time. With leftovers from lunch as the filling for the toasted sandwich.
Edyth, from young that a ritual is as far away (or close) as a long table in the sunny dining room of their then-home in the shadow of Tygerberg. There the three Parkers, in their pyjamas, would tuck into frying-pan toast with melted cheese and sometimes a banana added. The highlight was reading the Sunday newspapers together, exchanging thoughts and ideas about how they fitted in as a single-parent family and where they were headed, says Elize. The most fun: Ruby and me playing the 20-question Trivial Pursuit from the English newspaper and Edyth being both quizmaster and judge. She will never forget this ritual of mother-and-child togetherness, the fun days with cats and dogs at their feet, mugs of coffee growing cold while they sorted out life and learned from each other. Sometimes people who live alone have to work hard to provide their own anchors. A choir friend says that as a music student she often felt at odds with the world and was forced to create rituals to help her feel less frustrated. And so she started improvising on her keyboard in the evenings with sounds that weren t linked to rhythms or style. Free-flowing. She played with sound pictures. Similar to the music of contemporary Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. She also loves the ocean, sometimes walks along the beach. And after a session of surfing, my sea ritual , she is motivated to write poetry or draw. Dr Doyle Gentry, the late American psychologist and former editor of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, wrote that rituals contribute to happiness and the structure of each day: from brushing teeth and eating breakfast to a power nap and sex. They provide, he said, a comforting flow .
hen there was Christmas with my mother a serious observer of rituals. From the Christmas carols that were carefully selected, neatly organised, printed out for every family member so we could all sing along, with me often playing the flute. My father read a piece from the Bible and said a few words. Informal. My mom made sure we had the loveliest Nativity scene next to the Christmas tree. The straw in the stable was raffia; the animals wood or plastic, miniature wise men with golden cups; and baby Jesus with a pale pink face. We often had a real tree standing in a pot of soil with lots of pine cones around the base, but sometimes it was simply a green plastic store-bought one that came out of the cupboard. Later there was a wire tree. But always
T
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‘It’s an indulgence ritual. And it’s necessary, yes. It makes me feel good, grounds me. It softens my world and helps me feel secure.’
He also suggested a number of other customs or conventions
Every country has its wonderful customs
A few years ago
you can consider for a more meaningful life: a monthly massage,
a colleague told me how she celebrated the Advent with her
writing a long letter once a week to friends far away, spending quality time with your pet (a regular walk with your dog, or
young son every year. She learnt this ritual from her mother-inlaw, a German. The Advent period starts on the fourth Sunday
brushing your cat daily), meditation, a coffee date on weekends with a few friends, writing in your journal every evening before you go to bed. Rituals teach a person to look at life differently, and to appreciate it. When I make coffee or tea for myself, I make sure I drink it from my favourite cup and I always light a scented candle, as if I am my own guest. I never used do it, but as the years move on, I realise how good this makes me feel. It is as if I sit back just a little, take a step backwards, view the world calmly When I go shopping, my standard ritual is to finish off with a chai latte. Rich and creamy. Sometimes with a newspaper or magazine (on paper!). Every couple of months I go to a rose farm to buy rose oil, and when I m there I also buy a bunch of roses that I pick in the garden myself. It s such a pleasure; you get a bucket and secateurs. Sometimes I go with a friend, sometimes alone. Then I like to drink Earl Grey tea and eat a scone with jam and a dollop or two of cream. It s an indulgence ritual. And it s necessary, yes. It makes me feel good, grounds me. It softens my world and helps me feel secure. It makes me think back to some of my best childhood memories of visiting my grandmother and eating her cheese scones. Or hertzoggies. It reminds me of my mother who so enjoyed eating scones with jam and cream when we went out together. I regularly enjoy (three-monthly) Thai massages, where my body is pampered and kneaded by small, strong Thai women. They use Tiger Balm, in itself a treat ‒ the scent of exotic places. Afterwards I sweat out my cares and toxins in a sauna, pure eucalyptus aromas. Once the hard lockdown regulations were eased, it was part of my body and head therapy.
before Christmas and is a preparation for the celebration. She made a wreath with four candles. The traditional colour is blue, but you can decorate your wreath as you choose. Some people add red apples, or red candles. She knew this ritual made her child feel happy and secure. You light the first candle on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Then again the next Sunday along with the second candle, until all four candles are lit on the final Sunday. You light them again on 24 December, Christmas Eve. The candles are different lengths. It is primarily a Lutheran tradition, but when I worked as an au pair for a family in Kettwig in the German countryside near Düsseldorf in 1988, they also lit the candles. I remember the house was decorated with wooden Räuchermänner, incense smokers in the form of little folk-art men or women, there were ginger biscuits hanging from ribbons in the windows, glühwein and spice biscuits, Würstchen mit Brötchen und Senf (sausages with bread rolls and mustard) was served, there were pictureperfect Christmas markets all pure ritual. In one of my favourite books, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery writes: When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. Where is beauty to be found? In great things that, like everything else, are doomed to die, or in small things that aspire to nothing, yet know how to set a jewel of infinity in a single moment? On that note ‒ it is time for my scented candle. This time it smells of roses, not my usual vanilla. The vanilla tea awaits. Black. Lightly infused. In one of my granny s beautiful teacups decorated with pink flowers and a gold rim. A jewel of infinity in a single moment
114 IDEAS January/February 2022
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Helpis athand
Looking after your hands means more than just using a nice cream and sunscreen. With time problems can arise that we should watch for, and which we can and must deal with. by ELSA KRÜGER st yling HANNES KOEGELENBERG photos ED O RILEY
‘I
put my arms into my jersey and my mom s hands came out the sleeves, wrote the late Dr Cecile Cilliers in one of her columns. That image stayed with me for years. The skin on our hands gives away our age, even more than our face does. There are various cosmetic procedures that can be done by an aesthetic doctor or a specialist to make
116 IDEAS January/February 2022
your hands look younger, similar to the procedures that are used for facial rejuvenation. But what if your hands don t look old yet, but are starting to play oldpeople tricks? My moment of truth came when I realised I was making more typing errors, after more than five decades in front of a keyboard. I was also dropping things; the grip of my left hand in particular was not
what it should be. And as synchronicity would have it, I met Dr Pieter Jordaan when I went to say hello to Dr Chetan Patel at a restaurant in George. Dr Patel is a top plastic surgeon who practised in Johannesburg before he (also) pulled up his roots and semigrated to the Garden Route a couple of years ago. Dr Jordaan is an orthopaedic hand surgeon who in 2021 became
January/February 2022 IDEAS 117
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the first South African to pass the European Board of Hand Surgery s exam. He is now a fellow of the board. He and Dr Petrus Pelser, who also has an international qualification in hand surgery, run the Garden Route Hand Unit. It wasn t long before Dr Jordaan and Dr Patel realised that together they form an A-team when it comes to complicated hand surgery. Dr Patel has a specific interest in micro hand surgery, peripheral nerve surgery and the treatment of serious hand trauma. With their combined skills they can treat, very effectively, issues ranging from traumatic injuries such as a hand or fingers that have been cut off, to nail-bed damage, painful conditions like arthritis and a ganglion (a cyst that develops in the wrist), and tendon and nerve issues. Their focus stretches from the elbow, forearm and wrists to the hands. The two specialists were chatting over a cup of coffee about how few people know how much they can benefit from combined plastic or reconstructive and hand surgery, especially as they get older and their hands start to protest against a lifetime s misuse. Lots of people accept this as a given with the passing of the years, but for many painful symptoms there is plenty that can be done to ease the discomfort. It was a lightbulb moment for me and X-rays confirmed it: The knuckle of my ring finger had serious osteoarthritis and only a knuckle replacement would help. That is why I wasn t hitting the keyboard hard enough and because my hand couldn t close properly, my grip was weak. And so a finger operation was on my horizon.
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Our readers for the most part are people who create and work with their hands and I wanted to know from the doctors what they can do, medically and aesthetically, for hands with problems.
MEDICAL What are the typical hand problems?
According to Dr Jordaan, it depends on the patient s age. Children and younger people land up in theatre because of trauma caused by bicycle or motorcycle accidents, or injuries on the sports field or at work, as well as congenital abnormalities or deformities like fingers that are fused together (webbed), six fingers or a club hand. Many parents don t know that there is help for these conditions, he says. Hand problems can sometimes be an indication of other problems as well. They can also have a psychological effect on the child, who may be embarrassed because the hand doesn t look normal even though it functions perfectly well. A new baby often causes De Quervain s tenosynovitis, which is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. But different from the latter, where a nerve is pinched, the new mother s thumb tendons become inflamed because she suddenly starts picking up a baby all the time. This irritates or pinches the tendons at the base of the thumb, which swell and cause pain from the thumb to the wrist. A cortisone injection helps. It s painful,
but brings relief, sometimes permanent. The pain sometimes resolves by itself within six weeks to three months. This condition also occurs in people who over use their thumbs with hobbies such as gardening, regular use of a hammer, racquet sports (tennis, squash) and skiing. The doctors say they are increasingly seeing children, who have their thumbs almost permanently on electronic gadgets, developing the same problem as new mothers: pain at the base of the thumb. Children should play outside and hang from trees when they are little, says Dr Patel. Traumas where hand bones are broken, or tendons, veins and nerves are torn or severed, don t necessarily mean the loss of the use of the hand. A severed finger or hand can be reattached with micro surgery, which helps to keep the hand functioning and restores blood circulation. But with amputations it is vitally important to get the patient to the correct doctor as fast as possible. Every hour after the injury counts; place the hand in a sealable plastic bag, in ice water in a cooler box, and get to a surgeon as soon as possible. This is a typical case where an orthopaedic surgeon and a plastic surgeon would work together to save the hand. Stroke, cerebral palsy or a neck injury can all require hand reconstruction to make the hand functional again and to look normal cosmetically. There are surgical options to loosen a hand that has contracted inwards, so the palm can open again. You also don t have resign yourself to living with injured or compressed nerves. We can adapt a little to make
the hand work better. Small nerve branches can be transferred to drive a muscle so it functions better. The sooner you get help, the better, says Dr Jordaan. Don t wait too long ‒ the options become fewer with time.
AESTHETIC VS MEDICAL Many women, especially those who type a lot or create with their hands and have hobbies that require hand strength, become worried not only when their hands start to look different but also when they are painful. Two of the most common problems are the above-mentioned carpal tunnel syndrome, which is very sore and impairs movement, and what is known as trigger finger, a condition where a finger gets stuck in a bent position, throbs with pain and won t straighten. What causes it can t be said with certainty, but inflammation plays a big role.
A cortisone injection can help to relax the muscle that causes the finger to catch . With carpal tunnel syndrome, the symptoms include pins and needles in the fingers, and fingers that feel stiff and lame or dead in the mornings. According to Dr Patel, people are often reluctant to consider surgery as a solution for carpal tunnel syndrome and prefer temporary relief through repeated injections. But surgery is the best long-term solution. With a proper examination we can see how long the symptoms have been present. If untreated, the nerves can be irreparably damaged and may cause the muscles to collapse, especially on the side of the hand. With osteoarthritis, the options are cortisone injections or an operation. A surgeon uses X-rays for planning surgery rather than diagnosis. Many women come to us with a cosmetic problem caused by arthritis. Fingers that are very crooked can be straightened, but cosmetically there is little
we can do. It also makes the fingers stiff and unbending. Arthritis of the fingers is more common in women, says Dr Jordaan. They come to me and complain that their hands look bad, they look ugly. The knuckles and thumb change shape. Golfers also complain about pain at the base of the thumb. Not everyone has painful arthritis; for some people it is painless, inexplicably. Others push through and only approach us for help after 20 years. Osteoarthritis differs from rheumatoid arthritis: The former is a result of the body s wear and tear over the years while rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune condition in which the body attacks itself. Pain can be treated and movement retained if replacements are done. A ganglion (the so-called Bible bump on top of the hand) and cysts that affect nails can be removed surgically. But you need to realise: Your hands are not going to look the way they did in your twenties.
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It requires a delicate balance to make a hand, with its multitude of tendons, joints, muscles and nerves, look normal again. It s almost impossible without a precise combination of orthopaedic and plastic surgery, the doctors emphasise. After hand surgery, hand therapy is vitally important ‒ it can take a year or more of rehabilitation before your hand looks right and works properly again. It s easier to work with the hands of a sportsperson, for example, than someone like a pianist or violinist whose hands have to perform delicate movements. Cosmetically speaking, there are many women who find it difficult to live with hands that become bony and have blue veins on the back ‒ and not to mention age marks. There are a number of rejuvenation procedures for hands, including laser treatments that lighten sun, liver and age spots, intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, filler injections to restore volume, chemical peels and fat transplants. Dr Patel advises you first to visit your family doctor to make sure that you can have fillers. We must first ensure there are no nerve problems or injuries and functional issues.
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So: If my hands start to look like Madonna s, gnarled and veiny, who do I see first? First see the hand specialist and then, if there s no medical cause, go to see a cosmetic surgeon. Sometimes a problem looks the same but the cause is different. Only a hand surgeon can see the difference ‒ you may possibly only need the release of a nerve rather than a filler. Fat transplants are the filler procedure that he prefers and recommends, says Dr Patel. Although there are cosmetic hyaluronic fillers with different degrees of softness available, he prefers to do fillers with the patient s own fat. It is better to do a fat transplant in one procedure ‒ instead of fillers every four months. Your own fat is bio-identical. It lasts forever, you don t have to repeat the procedure. In my opinion, it s better value for money. Your expectations must realistic however, he warns. You shouldn t hope to have a youthful pair of hands at the age of 70. If you have a troublesome mark or knob on your hand that won t heal, don t delay in going to see a dermatologist or surgeon. Many women first turn to an aesthetic practitioner
to have the mark removed by laser. Rather have a biopsy done first. It s more important than treating the hand aesthetically. We often see that it is skin cancer or melanoma because of this sunny country in which we live. The hands are very vulnerable to exposure to the sun, for instance when you are driving your car. And what about nails? Can the blue light that is used for acrylic and gel nails cause skin cancer? Neither of the doctors is keen on false nails. Exposure to certain blue lights can indeed cause cancer, while acrylic nails can damage the nail bed. Gel nails thin and weaken the natural nails because the nail s top layer has to be filed away. Your nails are a very good indicator of general health, because they are where a doctor can see things such as a protein deficiency, cancer and other problems, says Dr Patel. People who develop a ganglion are often afraid that the swelling is cancerous, but it is actually a hernia on the wrist and can be removed through arthroscopic surgery. It s actually more cosmetic, but can be troublesome and cause an obstruction and nerve irritation, especially for extreme movements.
Can I keep my hands young for longer? What can you do to keep your hands supple, strong, youthful and healthy? Are there supplements or exercises for this? Dr Patel says he takes a holistic approach to this. Keep yourself busy. It works like your head ‒ how busy are you? If you keep yourself active and get some general exercise, it benefits the whole body, hand-brain coordination, left and right brain crossover. For something like tennis elbow, he says, the core of the body, the whole kinetic chain, must be treated. You must use your hands. Even with painful arthritis ‒ use your hands, don t let them rest. Also remember, poor circulation in the hands is often caused by smoking. He s sceptical about supplements. Eat well, maintain a healthy lifestyle. You must do something every day, don t be too careful because it is sore. Everything needs to keep working, you must walk, move every day. A final tip: Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 on the back of your hands daily.
3 For beauty advice from Elsa Krüger visit mooipraatjies.com
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Creative grief waysofdealingwith
How do you get through the dark days of grief?
For BRIDGET MCNULTY, author of The Grief Handbook:
A guide through the worst days of your life, creativity offered a path through the darkness. illustrations L AUREN FOWLER
‘G
o in the direction of relief has been a guideline for living I have always found enormously helpful. I m fairly sure, though not certain, that I can attribute it to Abraham Hicks, and a talk I listened to over a decade ago. I m entirely sure that it s often served me well. Not sure which of two decisions to make? Think about which one feels like more of a relief ‒ and go in that direction. This advice failed me, absolutely, when my mom died suddenly in 2019. In the 13 days between her diagnosis (four different kinds of cancer) and her death, I kept
122 IDEAS January/February 2022
grasping around for relief, but there was none to be found. And in the dark and seemingly endless days of grief that followed, I looked for relief the way you d look for a pinprick of light in a dark cave. In retrospect, it s not surprising that the only moments of relief I found were in moments of creativity. I ve always been naturally creative ‒ in my own way. I joke with my kids (in a joke that is entirely based on reality) that my drawing skills peaked at age eight: I am amazing at rainbows and butterflies, flowers and hearts. Anything more complicated than that, not so much. I am terrific at altering sec-
ond-hand dresses so they fit me (in sewing-cheat ways that made my seamstress mother grimace), but have no patience for patterns. I love baking and decorating cakes with lots of sprinkles, but have no time for complicated dinner recipes. I make origami pretty much every day, but only one pattern (cranes). I love to write. And so I wrote. I wrote in my journal about the depth and magnitude of my feelings, and how unfathomably difficult grief was. How unendingly hard. How visceral it felt, like I was being punched in the gut at random moments of the day and didn t have the energy to get
your life
out of bed (but had to: for kids, for work, for life). How desperately and achingly I
ouring: the satisfaction of choosing just the right colours and combining them in
ing a patchwork of plants that bring me a little moment of joy every time I look out
missed my mom, who had been my best friend and daily anchor.
a pleasing palette. The counterintuitive pleasure and playfulness of a lucky dip
the window. Gardening, to me, is the ultimate
I wrote on my blog ‒ a fairly secret part of the internet that I have always
colour, where I force myself to use whatever colour I fish out of my pencil case,
symbol of hope. You re investing a bit of your time and energy in the soil, in the
turned to when something is too sticky
even the neon pink next to sludge green.
hope and trust that you will be around
to unravel on my own and when I feel I need to spend some time untangling it
I love that colouring in is essentially a waste of time (I m never going to use
to see it come to fruition. When my mom died, a big part of my grief was this loss
in words. The blog posts are heartbreakingly sad, and raw, and I m still not sure
the coloured-in pages for anything) and yet I still have something to show for
of hope: If my mom could be perfectly healthy and dancing to The Cure live in
that anybody read them, but I needed to get the words out. It felt, in the worst
my time, some evidence that I was here, and I made something pretty: Look! And
March, in a morphine coma in June and dead on 1 July, what did hope look like?
days, as if there was just too much darkness and heartache inside of me, and I needed to dispel some of it in any way that I could. Some days I had the energy to fold some origami cranes, finding peace in the repetitive nature of the folds always leading to the same result. Some days it felt like I had to dance it out ‒ wildly, with earphones in and the door closed and nobody watching. But these were all coping forms of creativity. Just to get me through the day, just to make some space to breathe. The real change came when I picked up a pencil crayon and planted a succulent.
I love the soothing, meditative quality of colouring, although in the dark days of grief I couldn t just colour. I had to colour and watch TV, or colour and listen to a podcast, or upbeat music. Stillness and silence feel dangerous, in deep grief. So I was journalling to create breathing space and colouring for some small sense of satisfaction. And then I added gardening and the spark of creativity was bright enough to lead me out of my dark cave. I have always loved gardening, but in a kind of distracted way. An Oh, this is such fun I should do it more! kind of way. After my mom died and I at last had the energy to pull myself towards the light, gardening became my saving grace. It started innocently enough with a stolen succulent. I was visiting a friend who had a plant pot overflowing with desert roses (my favourite succulents ‒ I have one tattooed behind my ear because it was the theme of our wedding). I asked if I could break one off to plant at home; she said yes. I took it home and hunted for the right spot, and then realised that the failed herb garden I see from the kitchen window could just as easily be a succulent garden. And from there I was off, carrying a bag with me wherever I went, expressly to ask for succulent cuttings, and creat-
And so my garden grew. Succulents, the easiest and most forgiving of all the plants, thrived. New babies sprouted where leaves broke off, glorious flowers emerged, a rainbow palette of succulents filled my formerly desolate patch of earth. I believe that these acts of creativity ‒ and any others that might call to you ‒ help us through the dark days precisely because of this loss of hope. When everything you thought was true and stable and solid has disintegrated around you, it is a beautiful thing to be able to make something with your hands. To look at an empty screen or a black-and-white page or a dry patch of earth and transform it into a description of how you feel or a colourful design or a little garden is nothing short of magical. And that is a rare and precious feeling during grief (and, I would argue, during life itself).
T
here is something so satisfying about a good pencil crayon collection, isn t there? I have mine in a quilted pencil case my mom made me . . . 150 colours, in creamy pencil that is a dream to colour with. I won the set at a Spiteful Santa years ago, along with a swear-word colouring book, and have cherished them since. Although I have no talent for drawing (see above, re: eight-year-old), I absolutely love colouring in. I am all in on the current adult colouring trend, and hope it continues for years. There are a few things I love about col-
124 IDEAS January/February 2022
T
he other pinprick of light during an otherwise desperate time was the idea of slices of joy. It s not my idea, of course, I stole it from Chade Meng-Tan, Google s former happiness guru . I ve adopted the concept into my life though, and it has proven so immediately helpful that I offer it to you here. Essentially, the idea is that instead of
your life
hunting for some future Big Happiness, where we feel all better (A holiday! A raise! A new relationship!), we focus on the tiny slices of joy peppered throughout each day and notice those. When you re in deep grief they don t feel so much like slices of joy, more like moments of feeling okay; but the concept holds true. For a few seconds, there s a flash of relief. Here are a few of mine you ll have your own to add to the list, I'm sure. 3 Baking ridiculous food. We made green banana muffins that my kids thought were hilarious. 3 A sip of ice-cold water when you re really thirsty. 3 Your first cup of tea or coffee in the morning. 3 Stepping back after planting a new succulent and surveying the spot. 3 The moment when every centimetre of a colouring page is filled with colour.
3 A hug from someone you love. 3 A great song playing on shuffle that takes you by surprise. 3 Eating something truly delicious. 3 Sinking back into your bed after a busy day.
G
rief is indescribably hard. That s one of the things that took me by surprise: How there weren t enough words to describe how awful I felt day to day.
thing else that makes you feel okay, for a few moments. Creativity is the gift we give to the world, they say. But for now, in these hard days, let it be the gift you give yourself. Follow your creativity in the direction of relief and I promise that one day, the glimmer of light in the dark cave will grow brighter and bigger. This too shall pass. One day at a time.
But amid the difficulty and heartache of the dark days (and there are many, I know), there will be something that offers a glimmer of hope, a spark of light, a moment of relief. For me it was creativity, and perhaps it might be for you too. It doesn't matter whether it s colouring or gardening, writing or baking, scrapbooking or drawing, painting or pottery, dancing or cooking, playing a musical instrument or some-
3 Bridget McNulty is a writer, content strategist and co-founder of Sweet Life, South Africa s largest online diabetes community. The Grief Handbook is available for R190 from bookstores nationwide, and Takealot. Find out more at griefhandbook.com
126 IDEAS January/February 2022
Books to read in January/February compiled by DIANA PROC TER diana@ideasfac tor y.co. za
FOOD FLAVORS OF THE SUN BY CHRISTINE SAHADI WHELAN (CHRONICLE, R610)
Sumac. Urfa pepper. Halvah. Pomegranate molasses. Preserved lemons. The seasonings, staples and spice blends used throughout the Middle East have endless potential to transform food ‒ once you know how to use them. In Flavors of the Sun, the people behind the iconic Brooklyn market Sahadi s showcase the versatility of these ingredients in over 120 simple dishes. Learn to cook confidently with everything from Aleppo pepper to za atar. Build up your flavour intuition so you can effortlessly use, and use up, any of the featured spices, condiments and preserves and breathe new life into your standard repertoire in the process.
A COOK’S BOOK
BY NIGEL SLATER (FOURTH ESTATE, R564)
From the first jam tart he made with his mom, standing on a chair trying to reach the Aga, through to what he is cooking now, this collection of over 200 recipes is the story of Nigel Slater s life in the kitchen. He writes about how his cooking has changed from discovering the best way to roast a chicken to the trick of making smoky, smooth aubergine mash. He gives the stories behind the recipes and recalls the first time he ate a baguette in Paris, his love of jewel-bright Japanese pickled radishes and his initial slice of buttercreamtopped chocolate cake. These are the favourite foods he cooks at home every day; the heart and soul of his cooking. Chapters include a slice of tart, a chicken in the pot, everyday greens, the solace of soup and the ritual of tea.
130 IDEAS January/February 2022
MICHAEL OLIVIER’S FRIENDS. FOOD. FLAVOUR. (PENGUIN, R400)
South African wine and food personality Michael Olivier says this book is the culmination of a long journey. He was invited by a wine estate in Western Australia some years ago to prepare a Cape buffet for the Margaret River Wine Festival. He and his wife Madeleine researched, deconstructed and rebuilt a collection of essentially Cape dishes. He has long wanted to publish these recipes and collaborated with illustrator Roelien Immelman to produce this book, which ‒ as reflected in the title ‒ includes the recipes of friends. The dishes are eclectic, and are beautifully illustrated and photographed.
FICTION CLOUD CUCKOO LAND BY ANTHONY DOERR (HARPER COLLINS, R380)
This is a story around a book, pure fiction but with an author who was a very real ancient Greek writer. The book tells the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so he can fly to paradise in the sky. And it is this ancient text that binds all of the characters in this book together. There is 13-year-old Anna, who lives in Constantinople in 1453, and Omeir, a village boy conscripted into the invading army outside the walls of the besieged city. There is teenage idealist and environmental activist Seymore, who lives 500 years later, and octogenarian Zeno, who rehearses five children in an adaption of Aethon s story in the library at the same time that troubled Seymore enters the building with a bomb. And there is Konstance, decades from now in a space ship on its way to populate a new planet, who turns to the old stories to guide her community in peril.
THE JOY AND LIGHT BUS COMPANY
THE PARTY CRASHER
BY JOHN LE CARRÉ (VIKING, R330)
BY ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH (LITTLE BROWN, R335)
The Talbots are having one last party at their family home. But Effie hasn t been invited she s still not over her parents splitting up a year ago. Her dad and his new girlfriend are selling the beloved family home and are holding a housecooling party. When Effie receives a last-minute anti-invitation , she decides to give it a miss. Until she remembers her precious Russian dolls, safely tucked away up a chimney. She ll have to go back for them ‒ but not as a guest. She ll just creep in, grab the dolls and make a swift exit. No one will know she was ever there. Of course, nothing goes to plan. With time (and hiding places) running out, Effie starts to wonder if she d be better off simply crashing the party. Perhaps that s the only way to find out what s really going on with her family
Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. A couple of months into his new career, Julian s evening is disrupted by a visitor. Edward, a Polish émigré living in Silverview, the big house on the edge of town, seems to know a lot about Julian s family and is rather too interested in the inner workings of his modest new enterprise. When a letter turns up at the door of a spy chief in London warning him of a dangerous leak, the investigations lead him to this quiet town by the sea Silverview is the intriguing story of an encounter between public duty and private morals: This last complete novel from the late John le Carré asks what you owe to your country when you no longer recognise it.
An old school friend approaches Mr J.L.B. Matekoni about a new business venture, but there is a financial risk involved ‒ which threatens his existing business, and that of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi find themselves in a tricky position when a wealthy new client asks them to investigate his father after discovering he has decided to leave the family farm to the nurse who is caring for him. And, in a further troubling sub-plot, what can be done about another wealthy family who are using vulnerable children as slave labour? Fortunately, in the end patience and common sense will win out, and all will be the better for it.
BY SOPHIE KINSELLA (BANTAM, R320)
SILVERVIEW
January/February 2022 IDEAS 131
NON-FICTION
CURATE: INSPIRATION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL HOME BY LYNDA GARDENER (MITCHELL BEAZLEY, R669)
Australian interior stylist Lynda Gardener and journalist Ali Heath reveal how to create a home that is truly individual. With their shared love of a monochrome aesthetic and natural imperfections, they explore the elements that bring a space to life: palette, nature, textiles, lighting, a combination of old and new, storage, collections and art. Ten homes show the style in practice, including a converted warehouse, small studio, historic cottage, country estate, new-build barn and rural retreat. Curate will encourage the reader to embrace their individual style, and to create a timeless interior of their own.
SEASONAL SLOW KNITTING BY HANNAH THIESEN (ABRAMS, R454) A guide to knitting, making and living a slow and thoughtful lifestyle all year, using five basic tenets: source carefully, make thoughtfully, think seasonally, experiment fearlessly and explore openly. The book encourages knitters to apply these concepts to their everyday making through a series of essays, projects and patterns that explore the life of a knitter throughout the year. Each chapter is designed to identify and encourage small ways in which knitters can make changes: organising your yarn stash, making time for knitting, and starting on that baby blanket timeously. The ideas add up to a fuller, more mindful year, all through the joyful experience that is knitting.
FITTER. CALMER. STRONGER. BY ELLIE GOULDING (ORION, R450)
Combining a mindful approach to exercise with delicious, nutritious recipes, this book will help you kick-start healthy habits, develop a positive mindset and establish clear and achievable goals. Going beyond diet and exercise, Ellie shares a holistic approach to feeling and being your best. From learning to listen to your body to establishing permanent rituals that work for you, it encompasses all that improves your relationship with your physical and mental health. Drawing on her own experiences, as well as the advice of friends and experts like Matt Roberts, Fearne Cotton and Katie Taylor, these are the tools and techniques you can implement every day to build a calmer, stronger you.
EDITOR’S CHOICE WHITE TRASH – MY YEAR AS A HIGH-CLASS CALL GIRL A MEMOIR BY TERRY ANGELOS (MELINDA FERGUSON BOOKS, NB PUBLISHING R270) Thirty-two years ago Terry Angelos, talented artist and familiar name to our readers, went to London to escape a failed relationship and a fine arts degree she longer wanted to pursue. Now having to take care of herself, she decides that being a hostess sounds easy enough and pays better than the other jobs on offer. But it wasn t long before drinking the Champagne bought by lonely clients moved beyond the four walls of her new workplace. She tells the story of becoming a high-class call girl in such a matter-of-fact way that one still finds the fearless, honest girl who grew up in Rhodesia somewhere in there. Without sharing every sordid detail of the job, she does share the dangers of the world she lived in and her desperation to escape it. And she did. This is a fascinating read starting with her touching recall of her childhood years in Rhodesia, leaving behind her beloved country to move to KwaZulu-Natal as a child, and eventually ending up in the underworld of London. Both team members who read it did so in one day ‒ it is a page turner from beginning to end.
132 IDEAS January/February 2022
Gorgeous
compiled by HANNES KOEGELENBERG (@hanneskoegelenberg)
on instagram @honeybeadesignhive
Toronto, Canada
Textile artist Rebecca Caulford is in a league of her own when it comes to recycling. She uses only vintage fabrics and remnants for her colourful outfits, which you can order on honeybea.ca. You will also find inspiration for the loveliest crochet projects on her Instagram.
@thewanderingjournal_
Philippines
A new year brings fresh eyes and a new way of looking at your world. What better than to bookmark and organise your thoughts than in a creative journal? Take at look at The Wandering Journal s Instagram for inspiration to start your own.
@koba_illustration Cape Town
The artist and animator Kobie Nieuwoudt inspires us with her designs and videos. Her illustrations with their distinctive tongue-in-cheek style are also printed on products such as T-shirts and coffee mugs, which you can buy online from kobanieuwoudt.co.za
January/February 2022 IDEAS 133
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BEAUTY, HOPE AND ENTHUSIASM My enthusiasm surges like a high tide every time I see a new Ideas magazine on the stand, only to be replaced by frustration at my own lack of craftiness/DIY expertise/ skill. But I still keep on buying your irresistible bucket-load of inspiration every time! There was a beautiful crocheted lacy scarf in the September/October 2020 issue. I have to switch off all media when I settle down to work on it in order to keep my brain clear for interpreting the data. This is not hard when we have regular power outages, but still, my scarf doesn t look nearly as good as the picture. Then there was a salsa recipe. I decided to make it for my son-in-law s birthday but it was a disaster because I don t like salsa so I didn t taste the mixture. He forgave me. I made biscuits which came out tiny and hard and no one would eat them,
even though I tried so hard. Maybe I shouldn t have shown them the pictures of what they should have looked like! I pour over the décor articles pondering which wall in my house I could paint vibrant orange and decorate with Frida Kahlo s iconic face. It so won t fit in with my pastel style, but I d love to try ‒ if I thought for one moment it would look as good as the photo. Don t think I m complaining! I m used to being fairly hopeless at crafty things but that doesn t stop me from devouring each issue with that same internal surge of enthusiasm and hope. Maybe that s what your magazine is all about ‒ you offer me beauty, hope, and a sense of relief that there are people in the world who are as wonderfully creative as your pages prove! So, bring it on, Ideas, bring it on! Janice Gardiner-Atkinson
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134 IDEAS January/February 2022
3CORRECTION: In our dress pattern on page 116 in the September/October 2021 issue, an error crept in with the shoulder seams. We will post the correct pattern on Facebook.
Gifted inspiration Last year during lockdown I was very inspired by one of your magazines which was given to me as a gift. Inside this magazine I found pictures of absolutely everything I love doing. There and then I decided to make a collage for my studio. I now plan to subscribe! Ronelle Moller
FLORAL CREATIVITY I thought I would share my latest project with you and the Ideas readers ‒ two aprons that I made. I embroidered a sweet-pea one for myself. I got the inspiration for it from a vintage plate that I bought at the Antique Fair in Cape Town. This rose one I embroidered for a friend of mine for her birthday. The idea came from a vintage postcard. I love Ideas magazine and can t wait to see the latest copy on the shelf at the shops. Miriam Agnew
IT S A KEEPER
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I ve been collecting Ideas over the past few years. Recently we sold our threebedroom home and moved into a twobedroom. I had to get rid of almost all of my home décor magazines due to space limitations. The one magazine I kept was yours. It s just too valuable to throw out. I managed to convince my husband that I can t get rid of my Ideas collection. And I recently added your November/December 2021 issue to my stash. I decided to make use of your beautiful décor ideas and also bake your Christmas cake delights. It s really such an inspiring edition. Keep up the
I pounced on the spring issue of Ideas magazine. I have a wooden Christmas tree that was waiting mournfully, dusty, for Christmas to come again. I dragged it joyfully from its corner, gave it a clean and decorated it with the flower pictures I found in Ideas.
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feed the birds I was inspired by the very cute little bird feeders DIY project featured in a recent copy of my favourite magazine, Ideas. I got carried away with this one and added tiny flowers, and little decks for the birds to sit on while they wait their turn for breakfast. I also waterproofed the bird feeders with varnish. Kim Coetzer
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