January/February 2024

Ideas

Packed with creative ideas and inspiration

Ideas2 min read
From The Editor
Over the years I have learned that the best way to live is to live in the moment. Like a string of beads threaded together, it’s all the ‘now’ moments that in the end combine to form your life. Regret and guilt about the past and fear of the future a
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 Marié Smidt STYLING Hannes Koegelenberg, Dala Watts and Ca
Ideas3 min read
A Botanical Life
For as long as gardener and floral designer Dané Erwee can remember, his life has revolved around plants. In fact, his relationship with them predates his own memories: There’s a family story of Dané’s mother taking him out on the farm dam in a small
Ideas3 min read
What's New
Sometimes one’s skin can become irritated, just out of the blue. It gets red, hot, itchy and uncomfortably sensitive. According to Dermalogica, about 70% of people worldwide struggle with sensitive skin. It can be genetic, or because of lifestyle or
Ideas3 min read
Moody Blues
A perfect example of a kitchen that is compact but also practical. The light wood, black metal finishes and dark blue of the cabinetry work well together and lend an industrial feeling to the space. The dark granite countertop links to these colours,
Ideas1 min read
Tiles With Style
Give old tiles a new lease of life with the lovely tile pictures in our calendar. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: a few hours (depending on how many tiles you decorate) ♥ tiles of your choice ♥ tile pictures from our calendar pages (or pictures of your choice
Ideas1 min read
Check It
DIFFICULTY: challenging TIME: half a day ♥ paint in 3 shades of the colour of your choice (we used blue) ♥ coloured chalk ♥ spirit level (large) ♥ small foam roller and paint tray ♥ masking tape ♥ drop sheet
Ideas2 min read
Berry-licious
Serves: 8 Preparation time: 30 minutes Baking time: 1 hour, plus cooling time Oven temperature: 180 °C PASTRY ♥ 200g cake flour ♥ 30ml castor sugar ♥ 100g cold butter or baking margarine ♥ about 50ml ice-cold water FILLING ♥ 190ml fresh lemon juice ♥
Ideas9 min readDiet & Nutrition
Bubbles On The Menu
Entertaining over the holiday season is fun and this is a great sharing snack or starter to serve to the guests who pop around. If you’re short on time, you can also use ready-made store-bought bread dough, but make sure your pans are hot so the doug
Ideas1 min read
La Vie En Blue
We used an ice-dyeing technique to dye our napkins. You do this by placing ice on top of your napkin and then sprinkling fabric dye on the ice. Once the ice melts your fabric will look almost as if it’s been tie-dyed. Make sure your tablecloth stays
Ideas1 min read
Tablecloth
DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: two hours (leave extra time to dry) ♥ old white tablecloth ♥ spray bottle filled with water ♥ fabric paint in the colour of your choice (we used blue) ♥ paintbrush ♥ pencil and ruler ♥ drop sheet Measure and mark evenly-space
Ideas1 min read
Papier-mâché Bowl
DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: one hour (24 hours to dry) ♥ egg cartons ♥ large plastic container ♥ wallpaper adhesive ♥ wood glue ♥ electric hand mixer ♥ strainer ♥ bowl (to use as your mould) ♥ cling wrap ♥ blue and white paint, to decorate NOTE: There
Ideas4 min read
Cyanotype YOUR WORLD BLUE
♥ solar paper (available online from ji-co.co.za) ♥ backing plate and glass plate ♥ objects to expose, like leaves, flowers, twigs, feathers, silhouettes 1 Light-sensitive solar paper is available in different sizes. It is already pre-coated and deli
Ideas3 min read
Colour Fun!
Shibori is a Japanese dyeing technique that dates back to the eighth century. There are many different ways to block out the colour and achieve the patterns, for instance with wooden blocks, rope and elastic bands. Traditional shibori is done in indi
Ideas2 min read
Grab And Go!
DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: 10 minutes ♥ square piece of fabric (approx 50cm × 50cm) ♥ matching machine thread ♥ 2 bamboo handles (available from most fabric shops or haberdasheries) DIFFICULTY: medium TIME: half a day ♥ 50cm fabric for the bag ♥ matchi
Ideas1 min read
Flower Happiness
DIFFICULTY: easy EMBROIDERY TIME: eight hours ♥ denim fabric or old denims ♥ embroidery thread ♥ embroidery needle ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ sharp scissors 1 We randomly embroidered flowers onto the fabric with no set design. 2 The daisies were done using
Ideas3 min read
Granny Tile
DIFFICULTY: intermediate TIME: 30 to 40 minutes approximately 11 × 11cm (depending on personal tension) ♥ 20g Elle Cotton 4ply col 014 Natural ♥ 15g Elle Cotton 4ply col 078 Midnight ♥ 3,25mm crochet hook ♥ needle to weave in yarn ends (US terminol
Ideas3 min read
Carried Away
Drops Design WWW.GARNSTUDIO.COM NOTE: If you need any more help, visit Drops Design online at www.garnstudio.com, type in the pattern number Drops 177-1 and go to tips and help. The yarn used for the bag is Drops Safran, a 4ply yarn made from 100% co
Ideas4 min read
Summer Hat
Drops Design WWW.GARNSTUDIO.COM Note: If you need any more help, visit Drops Design online at www.garnstudio.com, type in the pattern number Drops 199-13 and go to tips and help. The yarn used for the hat is Drops Cotton Light, a DK yarn made from 50
Ideas7 min read
Enchant Me!
Maybe ‘the point’ isn’t to live more, in the literal sense of a longer or more productive life, but rather, to be more alive in any given moment. – Wunderman Thompson report It was quite a revelation and a mindshift. In the midst of loadshedding, rag
Ideas8 min read
BOOKS TO READ in January/February
TESSA KIROS (MURDOCH, R695) With characteristic generosity of spirit, popular food writer Tessa Kiros invites us into her kitchen to share what she’s cooking now: an exciting blend of new discoveries and enduring favourites that connect the threads o
Ideas2 min read
You Said It
The writer of this month’s winning letter will receive 12 bottles of Rhebokskloof Flatrock Sparkle NV to the value of R1 140. This delightful bubbly enchants with its aromatic bouquet, which reveals crisp green apple, pineapple, lemon pith and delica

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