sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 11 September - November 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Inside: Throw a kids’ tea party Last-minute costume ideas Free printable masks Make a tepee DIY chocolate soap Printable colouring pages Delicious sweet treats www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving Issue 11
September - November 2015
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sweetliving Crafts • DIYs • Food • Green Living • Backyard Sustainability Issue 11
September - November 2015
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
From the editor It’s spring - and, in our neck of the woods, school holidays. Which means at some stage you’ll probably have a bunch of excitable kids on your hands in need of some school holiday entertainment. We’ve got it covered. Party ideas, costume DIYs (‘cos you ALWAYS need a last-minute costume), kids’ baking ideas and printable colouring pages (these will keep your kids occupied for hours). We’ve also got some delicious sweet treats to feed you and said kids, and some fun DIYs for you to help make your kids’ holiday escapades the best ever. Take our tepee, for instance. What kid doesn’t like huts and hidey-holes for secret club meetings or dress-up tea parties? We have step-by-step instructions for making your own tepee for indoor or outdoor use. Plus, we have a nifty idea for recycling cardboard to make towering castles and fortresses - as well as some fun cardboard costumes. And when you’ve got your kids organised, sit down with a cup of coffee (see our special recipes on page 6) and relax with your latest copy of Sweet Living.
Jane www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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contents 6 9 27 53 59 64
4 ways with... coffee Delicious coffee recipes.
Sweet treats
Recipes for cakes, sweet breads, cookies, cheesecakes and more.
Party fun Cheap and cheerful ideas for kids’ parties.
Handmade home
Quick decorating techniques and chic recycled décor for the modern home.
Handmade gifts
15
Stuck for gift ideas? Be inspired by these beautiful handmade creations.
Backyard sustainability
Grow your own fresh produce and flowers, plus flower arranging tips.
50 Contacts www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Editor: Jane Wrigglesworth Designer: Geoff Fitzpatrick, grafix@fitzi.co.nz Editorial enquiries: jane@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Advertising enquiries: admin@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Readers’ tips: tips@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz Join us on Facebook
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4 ways with…
Caramel vanilla latte
Iced cinnamon honey coffee
• • • • • •
• • • • • •
Serves: 1
Serves: 6-8
¾ cup hot coffee ¼ cup hot milk 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 tablespoon caramel syrup + extra for topping 1 teaspoon brown sugar Whipped cream for serving
Combine all ingredients except whipped cream in large mug. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with extra caramel syrup.
6 cups hot coffee 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ⅔ cup honey Ice cubes Cream
Mix together the coffee, cinnamon, cardamom and honey. Stir until the honey dissolves. Cover and chill in refrigerator. To serve, fill tall glasses with ice cubes, fill glasses two-thirds full with coffee, then top with cream. Optional: top with whipped cream or ice cream.
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Liqueur coffee
Caffè mocha
• • • • • •
• • • • •
Serves: 1
28ml (1 oz) coffee liqueur 14ml (½ oz) brandy 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup Pinch ground cinnamon ¾ cup hot coffee Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Combine liqueur, brandy, chocolate syrup and cinnamon in a coffee cup or heat-proof glass. Fill with hot coffee. Top with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
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Serves: 6
• •
1 cup water 2 tablespoons instant coffee ¼ cup sugar Pinch salt Few squares dark chocolate (enough to satisfy your chocolate tooth) 3 cups full fat milk Whipped cream
Combine water, coffee, sugar, salt and chocolate in a medium saucepan and stir over a low heat until the chocolate has melted. Simmer for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, and stir until hot. Remove from the heat and whisk until frothy. Pour into cups and place a dollop of whipped cream on top with a square of chocolate to melt through.
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Stuffed cucumbers
Need a posh-looking salad that’s easy to make? Try these stuffed cucumbers for a swish, tasty treat. Make cucumber and yoghurt tzatziki; mix together ž cup Greek yoghurt, 1 cup grated cucumber (or use the scooped-out flesh of your halved cucumbers), 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped, and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or use mint or dill for a different flavour). Season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve and to allow the flavours to develop. Just before serving, mix the tzatziki with grated or julienned carrot and stuff your hollowed-out cucumbers. Page 8
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Sweet treats
Whip up some delectable sweet treats for you and the kids this holiday break.
Chocolate bread
Both kids and adults will love this delicious, pull-apart bread. Your kids will also love making it with you. See recipe and instructions on the next page.
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Pull-apart chocolate bread Wow your guests with this pretty, flowershaped bread. Your dough can be made in the bread-maker, or by hand.
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Sweet treats
Dough • • • • • • •
1 cup warm milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 100g (3 ½ oz) butter, softened 1 teaspoon salt 100g (3 ½ oz) caster sugar 4 cups plain flour 2 ½ teaspoons active dried yeast
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ip this rec e her
Remaining ingredients • • • •
100g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, cubed 100g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped Milk, for glazing Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for dusting
lace all dough ingredients in bread-maker. Follow your bread1 Pmaker instructions as to the order in which your ingredients should go. Choose the dough setting and turn on. If you do not have a bread-maker, make your dough by hand. the dough is almost ready, make the ganache 2 When filling. Combine butter and chocolate in a glass bowl, place over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Alternatively, melt in the microwave on medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds. Set aside.
5
oll the second dough half into a circle. Place on top of the R first dough circle. Use a glass to imprint a ring in the centre of the dough, then cut 18 wedges, as shown.
6
ick up one wedge and twist it twice. Lift the wedge to the P right of it and twist it in the other direction, twice. Pinch the ends of both wedges together to join and form a petal shape. Carry on until you have twisted all the wedges.
7
rush a little milk onto the surface of the dough, then B place it in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.
the dough is ready, remove from bread-maker. 3 When Preheat oven to 180deg C (350deg F).
4
ivide the dough in half. Place one half onto a floured, D silicone mat and roll into a circle. Spread with the chocolate ganache.
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Chocolate palmiers These sweets are quick to make and delicious to boot. Keep pastry in the freezer to have on hand for when unexpected guests arrive.
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Sweet treats Ingredients • • • •
Free
100g dark chocolate melts 1 large or 2 small (24cm x 24cm/ 9 ½ x 9 ½ inch) pre-rolled puff pastry sheets Milk, for glazing Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for dusting
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oven to 220deg C (420deg F). Grease a baking tray 1 Pandreheat line with baking paper.
chocolate according to packet instructions, then 2 Melt brush onto each pastry sheet.
one side of each pastry sheet to the middle. Roll the 3 Roll other side to the middle, so that you have two tight rolls that meet in the middle. Place rolls in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes to firm up and making it easier to cut.
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4
rush the top of each roll B with milk, sprinkle with icing sugar, then cut each roll into slices.
5
lace the slices cut side down P on your baking tray and brush the tops with more milk. Sprinkle more sugar on top, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.
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Chocolate marble cake A childhood favourite and a teatime treat, this delicious cake is perfect for all occasions. Recipes on page 24.
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September - November 2015
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Sweet treats
Mini cheesecakes Your friends will be blown away by these beautiful, miniature cheesecakes. And they’re easier to make than they look. Recipes on page 24.
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“A twist on the traditional shortbread cookies.”
Strawberry cookies These shortbread cookies are to-die-for. Use strawberry purée or strawberry jam for the filling. Recipes on page 24.
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Sweet treats
Wholegrain waffles Serve these scrumptious waffles for breakfast or dessert, or whip some up for an after-school snack. Recipes on page 24.
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Oat pancakes These pancakes are delicious, healthy and easy to make. Serve them for breakfast or dessert. Recipes on page 24.
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September - November 2015
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Sweet treats
Chocolate chip & cherry muffins We’ve used sour cherries in this recipe, but you could use seasonal or frozen berries too. Recipe on page 24. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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Blackberry crumble slice Love fruit crumble? You’ll love this buttery crumble slice. You can make it with fresh or frozen blackberries. Recipes on page 24.
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September - November 2015
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Sweet treats Boysenberry & white chocolate domes The combination of boysenberries and white chocolate is to-die-for in these exquisite French-style sweets. Recipes on page 24.
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Blueberry, yoghurt & white chocolate popsicles These homemade popsicles are a much healthier version than the chocolate popsicles on the market. And they’re delicious! Recipes on page 24.
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Sweet treats
Peanut butter & roasted peanut ice cream Yum! What can we say? If you love peanut butter, you will love this simple recipe. We guarantee it. Recipes on page 24.
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Sweet treats recipes
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Chocolate marble cake
Ingredients • 185g butter • 1 ¼ cups caster sugar • 3 eggs • 1 ½ cups plain flour • ½ cup self-raising flour • 2 tablespoons milk • 2 tablespoons cocoa • 30g dark chocolate melts • ¼ cup milk, extra • Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, to dust 1. Preheat oven to 180deg C (350deg F). Grease a 20cm (8 inch) bundt pan. 2. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. 3. Mix in half the sifted flours and half the milk, then add remaining flour and milk. Divide mixture into two bowls. 4. Mix cocoa with a little extra milk and stir until smooth. Melt chocolate melts according to packet instructions and blend into one half of the cake batter. Add the cocoa mixture to the same batter and stir. 5. Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate batter into the pan, leaving gaps between spoonfuls. Spoon the plain batter into the spaces. Use a knife and lightly swirl the batters together to form a marble effect. 6. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Cheesecakes For this recipe you need 12 x 10cm springform tins and 12 x rose-shaped silicone cupcake moulds. Base • 2 cups biscuit crumbs (plain, malt or digestive biscuits) • ½ cup butter, melted Filling • 250g (9 oz) cream cheese • ¾ cup sugar • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice Page 24
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• ⅔ cup milk • 2 ½ cups cream • 2 tablespoons gelatine • ⅓ cup hot water • 1 cup puréed raspberries (can use fresh or frozen)
• Red food colouring • Raspberry jam 1. Make the base. Mix together the biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Tip into greased mini (10cm/4 inch) springform tins and press down firmly into the base. Chill in fridge. 2. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and milk together to form a cream-like consistency. Set aside. 3. Whip the cream until it reaches a consistency that’s neither too thick nor too thin, but somewhere in between. Set aside.
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4. Mix the gelatine and hot water together to a smooth consistency. Fold into the cream mixture (not the cream cheese mixture). Then add the cream cheese mixture. Add the puréed raspberries and a couple of drops of red food colouring. 5. Pour filling into rose-shaped silicone cupcake moulds. Place moulds in freezer for a few hours or overnight. When frozen, the filling can be removed from the moulds much more cleanly. If simply refrigerated, the filling will stick to the sides and the rose shape will be destroyed. 6. An hour or so before serving, spread raspberry jam onto crumb bases. Remove from springform tins and place each on a serving dish. Carefully remove the cheesecake filling from the their moulds and place onto each base. Allow to thaw before serving. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Strawberry cookies
Makes 15 • 225g (8 oz) butter, room temperature • 150g (5 oz) icing (confectioner’s) sugar • 250g (9 oz) flour, sifted • 150g (5 oz) cornflour (cornstarch), sifted • Strawberry jam • Pink food colouring 1. Cream butter and icing sugar with electric beater until creamy, then add flour, cornflour and 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam. Mix well. If dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Add a few drops of food colouring. Knead dough until colouring is mixed through evenly. 2. Divide dough into two portions. Dust workbench with icing sugar and roll one portion out to about 1cm (3/8 inch) thick. Spread with strawberry jam. 3. Roll out the other portion of dough 1cm (3/8 inch) thick. Place on top of the first dough portion and press down or use rolling pin to join. Cut out circles with a 7cm (2.5 inch) cookie cutter and place on baking tray. 4. Bake for 30 minutes.
Wholegrain waffles Makes 10-12
• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • ⅛ teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs • 1 ¾ cups milk • ¼ cup canola oil • ¼ teaspoon baking soda • 1 tablespoon honey • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. Preheat your waffle iron. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, baking soda, honey and cinnamon. Stir egg mixture into flour and combine until smooth. 4. W hen the waffle iron is ready, lightly brush each plate with oil, then pour 2 rounded tablespoons of batter onto each cooking plate. Smooth out with the back of your spoon to ensure the batter fully covers each mould. 5. Cook according to your waffle maker instructions (3-4 minutes), remove and keep warm while you finishing cooking the remaining waffles.
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Oat pancakes
• ¼ cup flour • 1 cup quick-cooking oats • 1 tablespoon brown sugar • ½ teaspoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon • Pinch salt • 300ml milk • 1 large egg, lightly beaten • Oil for cooking 1. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in bowl and stir to combine. 2. Add milk and egg and mix in. 3. Add oil to frying pan and heat over medium heat. Pour pancake mixture into frying pan, making one large or 2-3 small pancakes at a time.
Chocolate chip & cherry muffins Makes 12
• 1 ¼ cups self-raising flour • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • ¼ cup caster sugar • ½ cup roughly chopped dark chocolate (or ½ cup dark chocolate melts)
• ½ cup roughly chopped white
chocolate (or ½ cup white chocolate melts) • 2 eggs, beaten • 150ml unsweetened natural yoghurt • 100g butter, melted • ⅔ cup stoneless morello (sour) cherries (from can), drained • Icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for sprinkling on top
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1. Preheat oven to 200deg C (400deg F). Grease a 12-hole muffin pan. 2. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl, add caster sugar and chocolate and mix well. 3. Add eggs, yoghurt, butter and cherries and stir gently to combine. Do not overmix or your muffins will be tough. 4. Pour into muffin pan and bake for 1820 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar.
Blackberry crumble slice • 2 cups plain flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • Pinch ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ cup caster sugar • Pinch salt • 175g unsalted chilled butter, cubed • 1 egg • Zest of 1 lemon • 4 teaspoons cornflour • ⅓ cup caster sugar, extra • 400g blackberries (fresh or frozen) • Juice of 1 lemon • 1 cup desiccated coconut • Icing (confectioner’s) sugar for dusting 1. Preheat oven to 180deg C (350deg F). Grease a 27.5cm (11 inch) x 18cm (7 inch) slice tin and line the bottom with baking paper. 2. Place flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, caster sugar and salt in food processor and process for just a few seconds (enough to combine).
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sweetliving 3. Add butter, egg, and lemon zest, and process for 20 seconds. The mixture should resemble breadcrumbs. 4. Divide the mixture in half and press one half into the base of the slice tin using your fingers. 5. Mix together cornflour and extra caster sugar, then add the blackberries and lemon juice and gently combine. Spread the berry mixture over the base. 6. Mix the coconut into the remaining dough mix, then sprinkle on top of the berries. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden. When cold, dust with icing sugar.
Boysenberry & white chocolate domes These sweets are very decadent and should be started the day before you need them. For the dome shapes, use 2 x halfsphere silicone mould pans (12 spheres). You also need 6 ready-made macarons. Boysenberry coulis • 150g boysenberries, puréed • ⅛ cup sugar • 2 teaspoons cornflour Place puréed boysenberries in saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, add sugar and cornflour and whisk until combined. Return to the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. White chocolate filling • 4 egg yolks (from medium eggs) • 1 tablespoon sugar • ½ cup (125ml) full-fat milk • 1 tablespoon sugar, extra • 500ml cream • 3 teaspoons gelatin • ⅓ cup hot water • 180g (6 oz) white chocolate melts 1. W hisk egg yolks with 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside. 2. Add milk and extra 1 tablespoon sugar to saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. 3. Add a little hot milk to the egg yolks to temper them, then add to the saucepan. Cook until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. 4. Heat ½ cup (125ml) cream until just shy of a simmer. Mix the gelatine and hot water together to a smooth consistency. Add cream and gelatine
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mixture to the custard and mix well. 5. Melt chocolate according to package instructions, then mix into custard. 6. W hip remaining cream and fold into custard. Pour custard into dome spheres until one-third full. Top with a dollop of boysenberry coulis, then fill with remaining custard. Halve the macarons and place one half on top of each sphere. Place moulds on tray and put tray in freezer for a few hours or overnight to set.
1. Place blueberries in blender and process until smooth. 2. Pour into mixing bowl and mix in yoghurt, cream, honey and vanilla extract. 3. Melt chocolate according to packet instructions and stir into other ingredients. 4. Pour mixture into moulds. If your moulds do not have lids, cover the top with foil, cut a small slit in the middle and insert a popsicle stick. 5. Place in freezer for 4 hours, or until frozen.
Boysenberry glaze • 225g white fondant • 3 tablespoons light glucose (corn syrup) • 150g boysenberries, puréed • 3 teaspoons gelatine • ¼ cup water
Mixed berry, yoghurt & white chocolate popsicles
1. Place fondant and glucose in a saucepan and heat slowly until the fondant melts, stirring constantly. 2. Remove from heat and add puréed boysenberries. Mix well. 3. Mix the gelatine and hot water together to a smooth consistency. Add to fondant and mix well. Set aside to cool and firm slightly. When firmed, remove domes from freezer and gently remove from moulds. Holding the dome by the biscuit, dip the cream dome into the glaze. Alternatively, you can place the domes on a wire rack and pour the glaze on top (use half the glaze), letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set slightly, then pour the remaining glaze on top. Place in fridge to set.
Blueberry, yoghurt & white chocolate popsicles • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen • 1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt • ½ cup cream • 3 tablespoons honey • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • ½ cup white chocolate melts
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• 1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt • ½ cup cream • 3 tablespoons honey • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen • ½ cup white chocolate melts 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine yoghurt, cream, honey, vanilla extract and mixed berries. 2. Melt chocolate according to packet instructions and stir into other ingredients. 3. Pour mixture into moulds. If your moulds do not have lids, cover the top with foil, cut a small slit in the middle and insert a popsicle stick. 4. Place in freezer for 4 hours, or until frozen.
Peanut butter & roasted peanut ice cream • 1 tub French vanilla ice cream • Peanut butter • Honey-roasted peanuts
This ice cream is super easy to make. Partially melt the ice cream, then mix in swirls of peanut butter and honey-roasted peanuts. Freeze. That’s it! So simple but delicious!
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Party fun Throwing a kids’ party or holding a get-together? Try our cheap and cheerful ideas. Balloon maze Set up an obstacle course in your backyard with various objects to climb over or crawl around, and a balloon maze to run through. You can buy or hire helium balloons from party suppliers, or buy a helium balloon kit to blow up your own balloons. Anchor the balloon ties with tent pegs.
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Party fun
Make a tepee
Loved by all boys and girls, a tepee is the perfect play hut or hidey-hole for party fun.
t you can simply use e strips attached to it, bu Our elegant tepee has lac tains, to make yours. , or even old sheets or cur plain or patterned calico a great option. be patterned sheets would A patchwork of different
Materials: x 35 inch) wide calico • 7.4m x 90cm (8 yards h at least a 90cm drop • 7m lace curtaining wit curtains from thrift stores) (you can pick up cheap net • Matching thread x 1 inch) dowels • 5 x 1.8m x 2.5cm (71 inch) cotton tape • 60cm x 2cm (24 x ¾
) at the base, 140cm measuring 90cm (35 inches ut 5 triangles from calico 1. C It’s easiest to make a 8cm (3 inches) at the top. (55 inches) at the sides and ing out. ce this on your fabric for cutt paper template first and pla fold, so your wise and iron. Cut along the gth len f hal in e ngl tria 1 old 2. F triangle is now 2 pieces. wing for a sew all triangles together, allo nt, fro the at ces pie r alle sm should be on ith the 2 3. W t edges of the smaller pieces igh stra e Th m. sea h) inc 1 ½ cm (⅝ with zigzag. Press flat. the ends. Reinforce seams front openings of the tepee. s along the top, bottom and hem h) inc (¾ 2cm ake M 4. n a gathering m (6-8 inch) wide strips. Ru 20c 15o int ing tain cur e space the lace 5. Cut lac to form slight ruffles. Evenly ip str h eac of top the oss stitch acr Sew along the ico tepee and pin in place. cal r you of e sid ht rig the strips on ed stitch is). top stitch (where the gather Fold each length in half x 14cm (5 ½ inch) lengths. 6. Cut cotton tape into 15 your tepee. Sew in h side seam on the inside of and space 3 evenly along eac ce. will hold the dowels in pla place on seams. These loops a piece of lace strip at the top of the tepee. Tie ps loo h oug thr ls we do d rea 7. Th re securely in place. of the tepee to hold them mo top the at ls we do the d un aro
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Throw a tea party Kids love to don elegant clothes just as much as adults do. Hold a posh tea party and invite the neighbourhood kids.
h Watc do it we how
Rose swirl cake
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A tea party wouldn’t be the same without a fancy cake. Bake a cake and pipe buttercream ‘roses’ onto it using a Wilton 1M tip. It’s easy. Start in the middle and swirl the nozzle outwards in a circle to form a rose. Click on the button above for a demonstration.
Edible teacups Perfect for tea parties, these crunchy ‘tea cups’ can be filled with just about anything.
Place a row of vanilla cookies on a flat surface. Melt some caramel choc bits and put a dollop on the base of each cookie. Place a flat-bottomed ice cream cone on top. For shorter teacups, break off the top part of the cone. Place another dollop of caramel on the side of each cup. Push a cut pretzel into the caramel. Allow caramel to set. Before serving, fill cups with ice cream, mousse or jelly and top with caramel sauce and candy sprinkles.
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Party fun
Elegant embellishments Bring out the fancy linen, add a vase or two of flowers, and fill cake stands with mini cakes, sandwiches and cookies. Let your young guests sip herbal tea or water from fancy teacups. Pick up a selection of pretty teacups from thrift stores; that way it won’t matter if they get accidentally broken. Before the tea party begins, get all the young ladies to make themselves a floral crown from freshly cut flowers. Simply tie flower stems onto wire that has been bent into a circle.
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Mix and match Provide a selection of colourful food to delight young minds. This can be as simple as different coloured meringues. Or offer them as take-home party treats and let the kids pick their favourite colours.
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Party fun
Cookies on sticks Cookies are all the more enticing to youngsters when presented on sticks. Bake your cookies as normal, then insert a stick at the bottom of the cookie straight after removing from the oven when the cookie is still soft. Leave to cool, then ice. These cookies are decorated with the brush embroidery technique. See instructions on page 35.
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d nloa dow emplates
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Beautify your teabags Download our free floral tags, glue or staple two of them over the existing teabag tag, and voila! You have a very pretty teabag to serve at your tea party.
Cupcake wrappers Download our free teacup-shaped cupcake wrappers for the perfect tea party.
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Party fun
Brush embroidery Brush embroidery is an easy icing technique that provides an elegant finish to cakes and cookies. 1. Cover your cookie or cake with fondant icing. Spread jam onto the surface of the cookie first so that he fondant adheres to the cookie. You can also use royal icing.
2. Using a Wilton No.2 round icing nozzle, pipe royal icing onto the fondant in a floral pattern.
3. Use a slightly moist square-tipped paintbrush to brush the icing away from the outline creating an embroidered stitch effect. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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Kids’ baking Bake some simple cookies with your kids, then let them decorate them themselves with icing pens.
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September - November 2015
Gingerbread cookies • • • • • • • • •
125g (4 ½ oz) butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup golden syrup 3 cups flour ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 teaspoons baking soda 1 egg 1 teaspoons vanilla essence
1. Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in saucepan and heat gently until butter melts. Allow to cool, then add baking soda. 2. Add sifted flour and spices and mix well, then add egg and vanilla. Mix to form a soft dough. 3. Roll dough out thinly, cut into shapes then bake on a greased oven tray at 180dec C (350deg F) for 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack, then ice.
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Party fun
Cookie pops This is a fun project for you and the kids.
• • • • •
2-3 sheets pre-rolled sweet short pastry 100g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, cubed 100g (3 ½ oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten, for glazing Cookie sticks
1. Place pastry on floured workbench. Cut circles with cookie cutter. On half the circles, use a small star or heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out centres. 2. Combine butter and chocolate in a glass bowl, place over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Alternatively, melt in the microwave on medium heat, stirring every 30 seconds. 3. Place a spoonful of the chocolate mixture on half the cookies. Place a cookie stick on top, then place another pastry circle on top of that. Press the edges with a fork. Place a star or heart pastry cut-out on some of the cookies. Glaze with beaten egg, then bake in 210deg C (410deg F) oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Playing dress-ups
Dancing queen Most kids love to dress up. Provide them with easy costumes and props and they’ll have hours of fun. Tutus, tiaras and trinkets will make any little girl feel like a princess.
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Party fun
Feathered wings Make your own feathered wings with cardboard, feathers, paint and elastic. Cut a wing shape out of sturdy cardboard. Paint the front and back the same colour as the feathers you are using. Cut two elastic straps to fit around the shoulders of your child. Sew or staple each strap to the back of the wings at the top. Glue feathers onto the front.
Witch’s hat Make a witch’s hat for Halloween - or spooky parties. Embellish it with fur, flowers, buckles or plastic creepy crawlies. Click here to get step-by-step instructions.
Sparkling tutus Plain tutus are cheap to buy. Glue or paint on stars or beads to provide extra bling. www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Quick & easy costumes Need a last-minute costume? Print out our free animal masks and coordinate your clothes to match. Costume parties are fun, but you might not always have time to whip up an award-winning outfit. No problem. Just download our free animal masks, print them onto white card stock and cut them out. Make two small holes on either side of the head (near the ears) and thread elastic or ribbon through the holes and knot the ends. Then raid your cupboard for matching clothes. Easy.
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Party fun
Tiger
Dog
costume
costume
Giraffe
elephant
costume
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costume
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Cardboard props Cardboard accessories are a laugh a minute at parties. Cut out several shapes (top hat, moustache, glasses, etc) from black or coloured cardboard and attach a stick to the back with sticky tape, to provide plenty of giggles.
Roaring success This snuggly lion’s head is easy to make. Use fake fur fabric in two colours, and use the same pattern as for the animal hat on page 60. Instead of pointy ears, though, make them round. Then cut strips of furry fabric and sew them to the side and top of the head. Use Velcro at the base, beneath the chin, to pull the two sides together.
Use the pattern on page 60 to make this lion’s head.
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Party fun Young explorers You can find a good selection of dress-up hats at thrifty emporium stores. Add other accessories such as magnifying glasses and compasses and you have a young explorer in the making. Paint some rocks gold and you have instant ‘treasure’.
Ahoy sailor! Blue-striped shirts, sailors’ hats (available from emporium stores) and old maps complete the look for these sailors. Dig out binoculars and a magnifying glass for more nautical accessories.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Cast a spell You can’t go wrong with a witch’s hat for Halloween, or any costume party. Make your own, then make it pretty by gluing on fabric flowers. Click here to get step-by-step instructions.
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September - November 2015
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Old-time gangsters Pick up an old suit at a thrift store (in a child’s size if you can find it) and dress your boys as 1930s gangsters. Shorten the legs, sleeves and coat length, hemming them under, so that your gangster lad doesn’t trip over them.
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Issue 11
Party fun
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Cardboard cut-outs Use an overhead projector, or makeshift cardboard projector, to create giant-sized castle cut-outs.
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September - November 2015
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Party fun Your kids will have a blast playing dragons and knights amidst these towering castles. Download the three templates – a dragon and two towers – then print them onto white paper. Take a piece of transparency (one side of a clear plastic folder works well too), lay it over one of your templates and trace the outline with a black felt pen. Do the same with the other two templates.
Place your transparency on an overhead projector, stand a large piece of cardboard up against the wall and project the image onto the cardboard. Draw the image onto the cardboard and cut out.
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If you do not have access to an overhead projector, you can make a makeshift projector with a large cardboard box. Close all sides of the box and tape shut to exclude light. At the front of the box, cut a hole in the centre about 25cm (10 inches) high x 20cm (8 inches) wide, or big enough to fit your transparency. Cut a hole on the bottom of the box about 10cm (4 inches) wide by 20cm (8 inches) long. It needs to be wide enough to fit a lamp base inside. Tape the template over the hole at the front of the box.
Lower the box over a lamp base (minus the shade) that has a clear light bulb attached. We just used a 40 watt bulb. Turn on the light and the image will project onto the wall.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Cardboard couture
Creative and Art & Design students at Strode College in the UK were given the task of recycling cardboard packaging into costumes. The students modelled their own creations, which included elaborate gowns, dragons and other creatures.
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September - November 2015
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Party fun
Airplane games Be creative and make your own planes, trains and automobiles out of recycled cardboard. Even aviator hats and glasses can be fashioned out of cardboard – simply mould the cardboard to your head to make a hat.
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Crazy colouring Looking for ways to keep your kids occupied? Our fun colouring-in pages will keep them busy for hours. Detailed colouring-in pages were all the trend several years ago. Now they’re making a comeback. Download our detailed colouring-in pages to keep your kids occupied.
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Party fun
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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Freshen up your next paint job with Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free, which combines the popular low sheen of Resene Zylone Sheen without the unwanted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for better indoor air quality. Improved air quality can help prevent headaches, asthma, nausea, respiratory complaints and allergic reactions. And to suit all tastes, Resene Zylone Sheen VOC Free is available in a wide range of popular Resene colours using Resene non VOC tinters. Now that’s fresh thinking. Available exclusively from Resene.
0800 RESENE (737 363) www.resene.co.nz
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sweetliving Issue 11
September - November 2015
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sweetliving
Handmade home
Quick decorating techniques and chic recycled dĂŠcor for the modern home.
No-sew blanket Make a quick and easy blanket from thick fleece. Choose an anti-pill type fleece that won’t ball up or pill after several washes. Cut fabric to size, then, using a hole punch, punch holes along the top edge, about 10cm (4 inches) in from the edge. Then use sharp scissors to cut a fringe up to the holes. As fleece does not fray, you do not need to hem the edges.
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Boxes & bunting Greens and blues are calming colours, ideal for bedroom walls. Add in some patterned storage boxes and simple bunting to inject a bit of fun. To make bunting, cut several triangles from felt or other non-fraying fabric. You could also use patterned paper, if you wish. Sew bias binding to the top of the triangles, leaving a gap between each triangle. Make sure you include an extra length of bias binding at each end for tying.
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Handmade home Spots & dots Neutral walls can be brightened with colourful accessories and decals. Add multi-coloured storage boxes, plant pots and a brightly coloured rug to tie it all in. You can make your own decals using Con-Tact paper. Simply cut out the shape you require and stick it to a clean, dry wall. Use a plastic card to smooth down the paper and get rid of any bubbles.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Most kids embrace colour, so make their rooms as playful as possible. Add in some quirky cushions and a comfy nook for relaxing in.
Colourful bedding, colourful cushions and a colourful lampshade provide loads of personality to this room.
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September - November 2015
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Handmade home
Moon & cloud cushions These cushions are simple to make. You can change their facial expressions simply by embroidering the mouths and eyebrows differently.
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Make a template from newspaper or brown paper for your moon and cloud. Draw around a large bowl for the moon (ours measured 36cm/14 inches in diameter), and draw your cloud free hand. The puffy edges of the cloud do not need to match on each side. Pin templates to fabric and cut out shapes – 2 pieces per cushion. Stitch the facial features (straight stitch) using black embroidery thread. We’ve kept it simple – a mouth for each cushion and eyebrows for the cloud. For the cheeks, make 2 crochet chains, each 70cm (27 ½ inches) long. Roll the chains into a coil and hand-stitch together. Stitch to your moon and cloud faces. Attach plastic eyes to cloud face. Cut felt in zigzag fashion to create eyelashes. Glue then stitch in place. When the faces are complete, for each cushion place the right sides together and sew around the edges, leaving a hole at the bottom for stuffing. Turn right side out, stuff, then hand-sew the opening closed.
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Materials • White fleece fabric • Grey fleece fabric • Newspaper (for template) • Pink and grey yarn (for cheeks) • 4.5mm (US 7/UK 7) crochet hook • Black embroidery thread and needle (for face details) • 2 x plastic eyes (for cloud) • Black felt (for eyelashes) • Craft glue • Cushion stuffing
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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Advertise in our Christmas Issue, Out December 2015. Be seen in our Christmas Gift Guide or School Holiday Activities Directory. We have various sizes available to suit your budget. Email us at admin@sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz for ad specifications and guidelines.
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sweetliving
Handmade gifts Stuck for gift ideas? Be inspired by our handmade goodies for family and friends.
Recycle old sweaters Use pillowcases and an old sweater to make this beautiful recycled bag. You need an adult’s size sweater and two matching pillowcases. The sweater needs to be at least the same width as your pillowcases. Cut the arms off each sweater and use the front and back for the body of your bag. Cut them into oblong shapes, the same width as your pillowcases but about 10cm shorter, lengthwise. Place right sides together and sew around the side and bottom edges, leaving the top open. Turn right side out. Turn one pillowcase inside out and put it inside the sweater. This will be your lining. Fold the top of the pillowcase over so it covers the top part of the sweater. Stitch down. Use the remaining pillowcase to make two handles, and stitch to your bag.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Animal hats Make these adorable hats to keep your youngsters warm on cold mornings.
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Materials • 75cm length of wool felt or polar fleece (or other fabric that does not fray) • White wool sliver • Felting needle • Felting mat • Scissors • Sewing machine • Needle and white yarn
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Handmade gifts
Arm warmers These arm warmers are both functional and stylish – and they’re super easy to make. Size fits teen or adult. For a 2-5 year old, cast on 28 stitches, for a 6-10 year-old, cast on 33 stitches.
Materials 8-ply yarn (in colour of your choice) 4mm (UK 8) knitting needles Wool needle for sewing seams Cast on 43 stitches. Row 1: *K3, P2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, K3. Row 2: *P3, K2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, P3. Continue working these two rows until the arm warmer is at the length you desire. Cast off loosely. Make a second arm warmer. To Make Up: Fold in half lengthways. Using wool needle and matching yarn, join seam, leaving a 4-5cm opening (3cm for children) 4-5cm (3cm for children) from the cast-on edge for the thumb.
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Nourishing bath salts Very simple to create, these salts make delicious-smelling gifts. You can experiment with your own fragrance with various essential oils.
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Materials • 3 cups sea salt • ¼ cup baking soda • 3 tablespoons sweet almond oil • 2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil • 2 teaspoons avocado oil • 5 drops chamomile essential oil • 10 drops ylang ylang essential oil • 20 drops rose geranium essential oil • 20 drops sandalwood essential oil
September - November 2015
Add sea salt, baking soda and almond, apricot and avocado oils to mixing bowl. Stir well until combined. In a small bowl, mix together the essential oils. Add these to the bath salts and mix well. Pour the bath salts into airtight glass jars.
www.sweetlivingmagazine.co.nz
Handmade gifts
Chocolate soap If you love chocolate, you’ll love this divine-smelling soap. Add soap and water to saucepan, then place over medium heat. Stir until soap has melted. Remove from heat and mix in cocoa powder and chocolate fragrance oil. Stir well, then pack into soap moulds (silicone cupcake moulds work well too). Allow to set.
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Materials • 350g (12 oz) grated soap • 150ml (5 fl oz) water • ¼ cup cocoa powder • 3.75ml (⅛ oz/75 drops) chocolate fragrance oil
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September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Backyard sustainability
Grow your own fresh produce and flowers. Growing tips, plus seasonal recipes. Just like sweetcorn, peas are at their sweetest just after picking. Freshly harvested peas are delicious eaten straight from the pod (kids love them), or steam them for summer salads and meals. Select a sunny location in your garden with free-draining soil. Work compost into your soil prior to planting to prevent compaction, improve drainage and feed the soil, but don’t add nitrogen. Since peas pull nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots, they already have plenty. If you add nitrogen the plants will produce more leaves and fewer peas. The best planting conditions for peas are when soil temperatures remain above 7deg C (45deg F), although seeds will germinate in soil temperatures as low as 4deg C (39deg F). If need be, use a tunnel house or cloche to get your peas off to a good start. If the ground is constantly wet and cold, the peas will rot. Create rows 8cm (3 ¼ inches) deep and 60cm (24 inches) apart and sow seeds directly into the soil. Cover lightly and water in well. Then sow successively. Plant peas every three weeks up until mid-spring (if planted late winterearly spring) so you can have an extended harvest. Peas will stop producing when the weather starts to heat up in summer.
Growing peas Quick and easy to grow, peas are cool-season plants that grow best when started in spring or autumn. Plant now for a summer feast.
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Peas require little care. Water during times of drought and stake if necessary. Pick peas in the early morning as soon as the dew has dried; that’s the time when they are at their crispest. Pick pea pods daily to encourage more pea production.
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Backyard sustainability
Salmon & Pea Croquettes These easy-to-make croquettes are a great family friendly meal. Serve with salad or steamed vegetables – or crispy, ovenbaked chips.
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200g (7 oz) frozen peas ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter, softened 1 tablespoon milk 2 x 210g (7 oz) tins salmon (or use salmon fillets) 2 eggs, beaten Juice of half a small lemon 2 spring (green) onions, chopped Salt for seasoning ¾ cup panko ( Japanese breadcrumbs) Oil for frying
1. Cook peas until tender. Drain. Add peas, salt, butter and milk to food processor and process until smooth, or nearly smooth. Set aside. 2. Combine salmon, eggs, lemon juice, spring onions, salt and half the panko. 3. Take a spoonful of the salmon mixture and roll into a ball. Flatten. Repeat until the mixture is used up. 4. Place a dollop of the pea mixture in the centre of half the salmon patties, then place another salmon patty on top. 5. Dust the patties with the remaining panko, then fry until golden brown.
Barley Risotto with Peas The use of barley in this dish is a healthy twist to an old favourite. It’s also very filling. Serve it as a main meal for 2 or as a side dish for 4-5.
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3 cups vegetable or chicken stock 2 cups water 1 tablespoon butter 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped ¾ cup pearl barley 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves ¼ cup dry white wine 1 cup frozen peas 2 tablespoons butter ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1. Mix stock and water together and heat on the stove or in the microwave. Cover to keep warm and set aside. 2. Melt butter in large saucepan, add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 3. Add pearl barley and cook for 3 minutes, until lightly toasted. 4. Stir in rosemary, wine and 1 cup of stock mixture. Once the liquid has absorbed, continue to add 1 cup of stock to the saucepan at a time, allowing it to become absorbed before adding more. This should take 40-50 minutes. Stir occasionally. 5. Add peas near the end of cooking, giving them enough time to cook through. Stir in the butter and parmesan just before removing from the heat.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Homegrown flowers Picking for the vase? Follow our guide to get the longest vase life from your cut flowers. Roses
To get the longest display from cut roses, pick when the petals are just beginning to unfurl. Cutting them in the coolest part of the day also prolongs vase life. During summer, water plants just before picking to ensure stems are full of water. If one or two of your roses wilt prematurely, it may be that air is trapped in the stems, preventing the uptake of water (this also happens to hydrangeas). To prevent air bubbles forming, cut stems underwater. To revive wilting roses, recut the stem about 3cm (1 ¼ inches) from the bottom, and submerge the entire rose in a basin of warm water, ensuring the base of the stem stays underwater. Leave for an hour or so until revived.
Sunflowers are best picked when the blooms are almost, but not fully, open. Sunflowers have a tendency to drop their petals shortly after harvest if the blooms are fully mature. Cut stems as long as possible, as studies have shown the longer the stem, the longer the vase life. In one overseas study, the stems of a particular variety of sunflower were cut to lengths of 50cm and 70cm. The sunflowers cut to 50cm lasted 5 days in the vase, the 70cm long stems lasted 9 days.
Daffodils, freesias & tulips
If you’re including daffs in a mixed bouquet, condition them first. Their sap is toxic to other flowers and will clog their stems and prevent them taking up water. Place cut daffodils in a vase with 3cm (1 ¼ inches) of cool water. Add a sprinkle of sugar or floral preservative. After a few hours the daffodils will have slurped up all the water. Rinse the vase and add fresh water. After 6-8 hours, you can place your daffodils in a vase with other flowers. Freesias are best picked when the first flower has just opened. Place in a cool room and they’ll last more than a week. Tulips often misbehave as cut flowers. They bend and contort as they continue to grow. To straighten them up, cut stems on an angle. Roll each flower tightly in newspaper, extending it above the blooms but leaving the lower third of the stems free. Stand in a vase of cool water in a cool spot for two to three hours. Unwrap to reveal upright tulips.
Dahlias
Pick blooms when they’re fully open but before the back petals start to fade. If you pick them regularly, you’ll get continuous blooms. When cutting your dahlias in the garden, cut the stems immediately after a pair of leaves, and new buds will form below this point. When brought indoors, cut the stems again underwater, then push a knitting needle up the stem (while still underwater) to release any air bubbles.
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Sunflowers
sweetliving Issue 11
September - November 2015
Anemones & ranunculus
Vase life for anemones is 5-7 days, depending on when they’re picked. In dark-centred forms, pollen deposits on the bract are an indication of age. Pick when the petals are just opening. Ranunculus last up to 14 days in a vase. The cooler and darker your room, the longer their vase life will be. Pick ranunculus when just beginning to unfurl from their tight buds. To ensure they remain upright once picked, insert florist’s wire up through their hollow stems until it just pierces the base of the flower. Ranunculus are sensitive to debris in the water. Change it at least every second day or add floral preservative to keep it clean. Keep the water topped up too – ranunculus are thirsty flowers.
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Backyard sustainability Zinnias
Zinnias last 5-7 days in the vase. Pick flowers when almost fully open. A warm, acidic solution will improve hydration, so add a floral preservative or make your own. To a vase of lukewarm water, add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon household bleach and 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice. Zinnas picked during summer have a longer vase life than those grown in autumn, but a floral preservative helps.
Hydrangeas
The later in the growing season they’re picked, the longer their vase life. The same goes for drying the heads. You’ll get better results at the end of the season. Pick them when they’ve already dried a little on the plant, in late summer or early autumn. Remove the leaves and place in a vase, with or without water, and leave to dry.
Oriental lilies
Oriental lilies are famous for their flamboyant flowers and heady scent. Harvest when the first bloom is just opening and they’ll last 5-14 days in a vase, depending on the cultivar.
Calla lilies
These are superb cut flowers, lasting about two weeks in the vase. Pick when the spathe is partially to fully open and before pollen is dispersed. If picked when still very tight they may not open at all.
Foxgloves/delphiniums
Pick foxgloves when 3-5 of the bottom flowers are open. Foxgloves last about a week in a vase. Strip the lower leaves and sear or dip the ends in boiling water for 20 seconds before arranging. Pick delphiniums when the bottom quarter of the flowers on the stem are open. They will last about a week in the vase. Keep them away from the fruit bowl though, as they are highly sensitive to ethylene.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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sweetliving
Hand-tied bouquet Save your pennies and create your own bouquets.
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sweetliving Issue 11
September - November 2015
There’s nothing more beautiful than a posy of flowers from your own backyard. Follow these pointers to create a hand-tied bouquet for special occasions.
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Backyard sustainability
1. Gather a collection of flowers and foliage with long stems. Remove all foliage from flower stems and, in the case of roses, thorns. The outer petals of roses should also be removed, as these are often imperfect.
2. Begin by grouping a few stems in your left hand (or other hand if you are left-handed), holding them with your thumb and forefinger. Start with three flowers of the same variety. Then add more stems (of different flowers), placing them at an angle so that the stems at the bottom of the bunch do not meet up – they splay out. This provides a domed effect to your bouquet. 3. Continue adding flowers and foliage, either to the outside of the bouquet, or within it to create a balanced effect. Place the stems on an angle, forming a kind of spiral. Continue adding stems until the bouquet is complete and looks balanced. 4. Once you’ve arrived at an even, all-round bunch, tie the stems together with string, then cut the stem ends to the same length. If made correctly, the bunch of flowers should stand up on its own accord, without falling over. Tie the stems with tape, then wrap with ribbon and pin the ribbon ends in place.
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Issue 11
September - November 2015 sweetliving
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next issue
sweetliving
out December 2015 Beautiful gifts for the whole family • DIY Christmas decorations • Free gift tags • Knitted toys • Delicious sweet treats • Cake decorating tips • Fun activities for school holidays • Printable games to download
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