July/August 2023

Ideas

Packed with creative ideas and inspiration

Ideas2 min read
From The Editor
I will most likely remember 2023 as my personal 'year of the house'. Of fixing faults, of selling my home, packing up, buying a house, breaking down walls, painting, beautifying, moving again, unpacking, and more beautifying. Three houses in one year
Ideas1 min read
Ideas
EDITOR Terena le Roux EMAIL terena@ideasfactory.co.za STUDIO AND STITCHCRAFT Dala Watts MARKETING AND FINANCES Marweya Smal INQUIRIES marweya@ideasfactory.co.za COPY EDITING Diana Procter and Marie Smidt STYLING Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts, Carin
Ideas3 min readDiet & Nutrition
What's New
Mervyn Gers Ceramics now offers a bespoke design service to help you create your own signature set of dinnerware. The service includes a 90-minute consultation to discuss your requirements and offer creative advice. You can choose your favourite colo
Ideas4 min read
Textured Luxury
Asking Anett Jorméus to describe her style is like asking a painter why they paint. There is no straight answer. ‘My spaces are what they are because of what I need in order to live the way I like to live,’ she says. Of course, it’s not difficult to
Ideas3 min read
In Dreamland
Wallpaper makes such a big difference to any room and immediately becomes a strong décor element. Start with your curtain fabric as inspiration, take a photo of it and have your own wallpaper printed by a printer such as Smart Art. Hang the wallpaper
Ideas2 min read
Printed Artwork
Linocut printing is a relief print process that involves cutting into a sheet of linoleum. Make your own linocut artwork by layering a few of the same stamps in a variety of colours over each other. For our artwork we also made a smaller flower and t
Ideas1 min read
Style With Stamps
We used a mix of bright colours, textures and patterns to recreate our vibrant Frida Kahlo inspired bedroom. To keep it from looking cluttered, stick with one colour tone; we used bright colours. When introducing patterns, mix large ones with small o
Ideas2 min read
Block-printed Duvet
DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: one day ♥ white duvet cover ♥ design on page 38 (or use your own), printed in the desired size ♥ craft foam rubber ♥ carbon paper and ballpoint pen ♥ square of MDF (size depends on your design) ♥ acrylic paint in the col
Ideas1 min read
Jute-fibre Headboard
DIFFICULTY: easy to medium TIME: two hours It is really easy to make a headboard from a round jute mat. Use your dressed bed, with pillows and duvet, as a guide for how high you want to place your headboard. Use coloured chalk to outline the headboar
Ideas1 min read
Dress Your Bed
✱ 2 standard pillows, lying flat ✱ 2 standard pillows, standing up in front of the flat pillows ✱ 1 lumbar support pillow, for decoration ✱ 2 continental pillows, standing up ✱ 2 standard pillows, standing up ✱ 1 small decorative cushion in front Tip
Ideas6 min read
Woolly Warmth
Nothing beats wool and all its knitting and crochet mates for creating cosiness in a home. Keep snug and warm this winter by surrounding yourself with lots of woolly items. Light a fire and relax with your crochet or knitting. And when you are done,
Ideas2 min read
Your Scent
When embarking on making your own scents, like we did in this article, keep in mind that they are based on the use of pure essential oils. On the following pages are five scent families, as well as six recipes using combinations of various essential
Ideas4 min read
Knit A Swonocho
DIFFICULTY: experienced beginner SPECIAL SKILLS: knitting in the round, Fair Isle colourwork knitting, increasing and decreasing, pick up and knit stitches TIME: 2-3 weeks Small / Medium 20 st and 18 rows = 10cm × 10cm (blocked) ♥ AFRICAN EXPRESSIONS
Ideas18 min read
Snuggle Up
by ELSBETH EKSTEEN DIFFICULTY: medium to difficult TIME: a week 2m × 80cm NOTE: I'm sure all the makers out there have seen items made with roving yarn. It looks so breathtakingly beautiful, but we also know that any item made with roving cannot be t
Ideas7 min read
Sweet On Citrus
Try out this dish next time you feel like treating family or friends to something a little different. It’s slightly spicy with a wonderful fragrance and zesty flavours, and a rich and creamy sauce that everyone is sure to enjoy. Serves: 4-6 Preparati
Ideas2 min read
Carrot Comfort
Makes: 1 tart Preparation time: 40 minutes Baking time: 25-35 minutes Oven temperature: 200 °C ♥ 1 pack puff pastry, defrosted but keep it chilled ♥ 30ml each butter and olive oil ♥ about 15 baby carrots, peeled and halved lengthways ♥ 2 garlic clove
Ideas1 min read
Break Bread
Place a 500g block of salted butter into a butter dish. Cut three wicks according to the height of the block and simply press them into the butter. Light your candles and enjoy the melting butter on bread! DIFFICULTY: average TIME: half a day (refrig
Ideas1 min read
Candle With Smoked Paprika
DIFFICULTY: average TIME: half a day (refrigeration included) MAKES: 1 candle ♥ 200g salted butter at room temperature ♥ 15ml smoked paprika ♥ acetate ♥ masking tape ♥ craft knife and cutting mat ♥ ruler ♥ piping bag or sandwich bag ♥ food-safe wick
Ideas9 min read
The Bliss Of Soft Light
W hat distinguishes a candle from other lights is that it appeals to our soul, not our eyes, says the Turkish playwright Mehmet Murat Ildan. When I light a candle, or blow one out, it speaks to more than my soul. The smell of the wick igniting or bei
Ideas8 min read
Collect Memories
When I met Lizelle Tenten, a former colleague, for coffee, I had just sold my home. It was the house I had lived in for the longest time yet, and ahead of me lay 11 years' worth of things that needed to be packed up. A chat with her was exactly what
Ideas8 min read
The Wonders Of Water
My father was ahead of his time. We were almost certainly the first house in Potchefstroom that had a sauna, in the 1970s. (He also had the first Apple computer in town!) I can still see all the young Krügers sitting in a row on the pine benches in o
Ideas4 min read
Connection Is Key…
Connection is key in parenting and in raising healthy children. Kids who experience connection with the caring adults in their lives feel seen and heard, and have a greater sense of belonging. This creates an emotional security and confidence, which
Ideas5 min read
BOOKS TO READ in July/August
MONCHÉ MULLER (QUIVERTREE, R750) Monché Muller is executive chef for the International Oddo Vins et Domaines wine label, whose partners include winemakers and estates in France, Italy, Spain and the Cape. This is a journey through those winelands, to
Ideas2 min read
You Said It
WINNING LETTER I recently overheard a young couple chatting in a coffee shop. ‘I just want to grow old and retire, sit, and stare at the ocean.’ Did he perhaps feel a need to unleash his anger, just like the waves crashing onto the rocks? Judging by

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