Ideas

Ideas is the ultimate guide to fresh, modern living for women with creative flair and a passion for life. These women care for their families and the people around them and cherish them by expressing their own individuality in everything they do. They love to entertain and decorate their home with their unique style. The magazine provides an outlet for creativity and offers readers practical, creative content that transforms the mundane into the extraordinary. It’s a source of inspiration for craft, decor, entertainment and food. Ideas readers are stylish, sophisticated, modern, educated, balanced, creative, warm, caring and passionate.

FROM THE EDITOR

Ideas

WHAT’S NEW • HERE IS OUR LINE-UP OF WHAT’S NEW ON THE BLOCK AND ON THE SHELF.

SUSTAINABLY RESTORED • Every time stylist Annette van Dijk-Middelkoop drove past the dilapidated house with the green-blue door, she knew she wanted to live there. It was quite a challenge to buy the 1829 ruin, but once it was theirs, they wasted no time restoring it.

SIT IN STYLE

PAINT WITH FLAIR • With Tjhoko chalk paint you can even give old upholstery and curtains a fresh new French look.

WALLS WITH WOW • IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT WALLS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF ANY HOME, SO WHY NOT HAVE A BIT OF FUN WITH THEM? HERE ARE THREE EASY WAYS TO ADD CHARACTER TO YOURS.

CREATIVE HIDEAWAY • Every creative person dreams of having a little studio to craft in to their heart’s content. If you have the space, a hideaway like this is the answer.

'KNITTED' CONTAINER

IT’S SOUP SEASON • NOTHING SAYS COMFORT BETTER THAN A STEAMING OF BOWL OF THICK, HEARTY SOUP.

VEGETABLE storage tips

DELICIOUS CITRUS • Celebrate citrus fruits with these baked winter puddings. They add a zesty twist of flavour to old classics and new favourites.

CHILD’S PLAY • A few wooden crates, forgotten things from the garage and a little imagination is all you need to make these cute toys.

AWAKEN YOUR INNER CHILD • ICED BISCUITS DIPPED IN SWEET TEA, YOUR MOTHER’S PERFUME, MEALIE MEAL, BILTONG, THE PLOP OF RAINDROPS ON HYDRANGEAS, TRAINS THAT GO CLICKETY-CLACK… THE SMELLS, SOUNDS AND TEXTURES OF OUR CHILDHOOD LINGER IN OUR MINDS AND ADD COLOUR TO OUR LIVES.

LIGHT IT UP • Browse around flea markets for lovely old trays, plates, wine glasses and glass bowls that you can use to add light to your house. Here are a few projects.

SOFT SEATING • Bring a warmer feeling into your home with a velvet ottoman. This is how to make your own.

DRESS UP YOUR CHAIR • Turn your chair into a talking point with a designer cover (and socks!).

SO PRRRRRRETTY • Treat your cat like the royalty it is… Make a cat nest for the king or queen in your life, best for snuggles and purring by the fireside.

BUNNY HUGS • Make the sweetest cuddly friend for your little one.

GREEN AS GRASS • This playful, whimsical and colourful geometric poncho is fun to make – just perfect to brighten a winter’s day.

GIVE IT WINGS! • Embroider this cute beetle brooch and give your bag or coat a new lease of life.

STITCHES TO TRY • Here are some basic stitches to get your embroidery dreams going (and this brooch done):

MAGIC MESSAGES • Use cookie cutters, stencils, metal stamps and even wire to stamp out ‘secret’ wishes and affirmations for yourself and your loved ones.

LUXURIOUS BROWN • Wrapped in a rich palette of earth, dust and clay, brown in all its glory, winter is the season for resting and breathing before starting again.

JUST BREATHE • HOW MANY TIMES DO WE SEE THE WORDS ‘JUST BREATHE’ THESE DAYS? And don’t we do it anyway? The big question is whether we are doing it correctly, because it can be very beneficial.

MAKE IT A PART OF YOUR LIFE...