Crafty creature

Hi All. I have just got a new computer and had to get acquainted! Exciting and a challenge for me! So I have taken a day or so to get myself sorted. So happy to be online again and finding exciting and beautiful things to share with you. Whilst getting lost all over the blogosphere I have found a few nifty ideas that you might find useful. Or maybe they will trigger another bright idea that is just the thing for your special project.

This one had me in fits of giggles.... Well I never!!! Never will I look at the humble grater with quite the same eyes. All adorned in jewels. I would of course tie a bow on the handle and paint it cream. You could probably also stack two on top of each other and add some glitter maybe. Shabby chic chick!




Granny's old suitcases and an old mirror transformed into a side table for the bedroom with some storage as a bonus. How about storing away your winter woollies in summer so your closet has more space. You wouldn't want to store anything that you use all the time but I am sure you would find the extra space handy. We girls always have space issues....


This is just so nifty and a great use of space. The space under a staircase is often, completely waisted and just look at how organized this is.


Ceiling medallions have been used to great effect on this wall to give some texture and interest.


A floor made of your small change!! This could take some serious planning and a few friends to help. You might even find that elusive valuable coin dating back to the year dot and then you will have some serious small change to play with! Good luck on both counts!!!



This one is for me... I have a board that needs covering and this is a great idea! Complete with stylish doorknob.



Twine dispensers...



Photo frames mounted as book shelves...interesting and so shabby chic.


A magazine holder becomes a corner shelf.




A dowel and a basket and voila! Never again stuck and have to holler for help...


Your  wine corks becomes a festive wreath....



Door knobs for all your necklaces. You get some very pretty doorknobs these days and some even has bling! You could also do this on the inside of your cupboard door.




An ever changing photo frame from that odd frame laying about.




Well I hope that some of these ideas got you thinking about all the stuff hidden in the back of your cupboards. That forgotten old photo frame or old basket might just find a new lease on life and give you renewed pleasure.

Happy hunting for that special piece of useful junk. It could be classy junk before long.

If you have any great ideas please let us know and share them.

Happy Living

V


All images are from pinterest

The Good Food & Wine Show

Yesterday I took myself of to  The Good Food & Wine Show! And what a feast it was! Colourful, vibrant and brimming with good taste and not to mention celebrity chefs. It is on at The Cape Town Convention Centre until the 29 th May.  Besides James Martin, Heston Blumenthal and our local leading chefs like Craig Cormack, Bertus Basson and Jenny Morris (just to mention a few) there was a Wellbeing Theatre, Wine Theatre and a Slow Food Market. All absolutely delectable and kept my taste buds dancing in delight.

The Le Creuset stand was, as always, a colour feast and people couldn't stop touching and gasping.  I adore the burnt red colour and of course it fits my kitchen perfectly, BUT, the Cassis is just a mouth-watering, and I want one!!!!!

The photos just doesn't do the jewel colour justice at all....think the purple passion of the Aubergine...hmmmm.. gorgeous!

These bottles of grappa from Bottega are so beautiful and I would buy the range and light them up as an accessory in our Pub... I just love the colours. Will have to buy a second set to drink....

I wanted to recline here with this book....

The best colour in the world, is the one, that looks good on you! Coco Chanel. (the pink looks great on the cake ...)

Table settings...

Billowy meringues....

Lots of Ooohh la la...

Panforte

How do you choose?

Too cute on the back of a mini truck...

Have a look at the cute cake stand and the stunning packaging of the tea!!!

Gorgeous table decor

Of course, I love the colour of these moulds and could easily hang them on my kitchen wall. They have inspired me to bake more, for sure. The sunflower is so gorgeous...

The softest toffee in the world!

Rudi's  Sausage Deli and sausage of every description...

And if the lampshade fits....

Imagine, you could have a new lamp just by changing the outfit!!

So, this is just a taste of what is on offer...

There is much more to see, taste and explore...so if you are in Cape Town , pop  in to The Good Food and Wine Show for a feast to tantalise those taste buds...

Happy Weekend...

This gent had clearly had enough and was just soaking up the sun next to the canal...

...along with some Mother City Magic...

Bon Appétit

Tastebud

Chorizo Dinner Dish

This is one of those dishes I can always rely on to get me out of a pickle within 15 minutes, when confronted at 6 pm with a “What’s for dinner?” enquiry, and well, I have not even mildly developed an inclination in that direction! What enables me to do this is that I am a natural hoarder. So my larder always has a few back ups for just such a perplexing question! Tins of lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, butter beans, tin tomatoes etc. Add an onion, a potato and a sausage and dinner is done.  Now the worst part of this for me is to open the tins. If I were shipwrecked, with the entire supply of tinned food, in the world as well as a ton of tin openers…. I will starve!!!!! Guaranteed!!!  Rather give me a bow and arrow and I will survive. I have the ability to annihilate any tin in an attempt to get to its contents, injure myself and any unsuspecting bystanders and still come up short with a tin that looks like it has been used for target practice. So its 15 minutes provided someone is handy to open the tins.

Spanish Chorizo Dinner Dish

Chorizo Sausage is spicy and has enough fat content so you hardly need any other oil. The packaging describes it as follows “Whole dry cured pork sausage with a coarse texture, a smoky flavour and a distinctly spicy bite” Well, you see why I am in love…

Chorizo Sausage sliced

Large Onion sliced

Red Pepper (note these can also be bought in jars already preserved)

Baby Potatoes quartered (depending on their size about two per person)

Tin Tomatoes

Tin Chickpeas

Fresh Coriander

Boil the baby potatoes in some salted water while you get on with the rest. Slice them in halve to speed up the process.

Cut the sausage into discs and place in a heated pan and fry until crispy but not dry for a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Slice your onions into rounds and fry in the oil from the sausage. If you really need to, add a little more olive oil. Sprinkle with some sugar. Sauté until smoky.

Toss in the red peppers which you have deseeded and cut into slivers.

When the  potatoes are soft, toss them in for a bit of a sauté as well.

Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, some tomato paste if you feel the need as well as a tin of drained chick peas and your sausage.

At this point I yank open the spice rack and find the turmeric as an afterthought. Sprinkle in some and taste.

The sausage is spicy so test before you add salt and pepper or sweeten it with a bit of brown sugar if that is your preference.

Occasionally if it’s cold, I also add some extra paprika to supplement the paprika already in the sausage. It only needs a few minutes to bubble on the stove to heat it through.

Chop some fresh coriander and sprinkle over to serve.

I also like to serve it with sliced avocado as I did here in stead of coriander.

I manage to feed four people with this by adding some chunky bread for mopping up operations.

Now, you could probably use any spicy sausage you wish.

Food for thought on Chorizo: This signature cured sausage is made throughout Spain in a multitude of regional traditions and nuances. The meat is coarsely chopped and seasoned with spices ranging from garlic to chilli to paprika (pimento). The sausages are then cured, smoked and dried. The flavours range from fiery hot to almost sweet, but the texture is almost always chunky and meaty. This chorizo has a spicy bite and smoky flavour and aroma. This all according to the label on the back of Woolies imported chorizo and I couldn’t put it better myself except to say try it!!!! I implore you.

PS: If your Woolworths does not stock it. Let me know and I will see if I can help you get it in your corner of the country! Obviously a good deli will also stock it. But my personal preference is the one from Woollies.

Bon Appétit

Tastebud

Some French Fancy.....

One of my passions includes all things French! Sigh.... Long before I got to visit Paris, I was in love....Totally and utterly...The buildings, the people, the food, the markets, the art, the museums...you get the picture....Don't get me wrong, I am a truly South African lass with as much passion for the bush, but I think I have enough capacity for both....um with a good dose of passion in the direction of Italy as well...(but we leave that for another time...)

Now, you want to pack your bags and leave...aawh, but I understand..

But before you go, I just want to tell you that before I got to Paris to sit in a French café, I found a book in a market that started the love affair off called "Provence Style of Living" by Jerome Coignard.

I never tire of this book. The colours, the textures, the fabric, tiles and furniture is just enchanting to me. To add to the love affair I read "A year in Provence " By Peter Mayle and that was it!!! I had to go see for myself...

Where else would you find a baguette truck and look so chic at a café?

This wall paper can definitely make it to my wish list!

..and a daybed for  a stylishly lay about afternoon with a glass of bubbly and a book...(cheaper than the flight and with a dash of imagination....who knows what can happen?) you might smell the lavender fields...
So put your daybed in a spot in the garden where you can plant a few lavender bushes to complete the picture.





Total dream delight... I am not able to decide which items I like more....its just all gorgeous...


Chandelier of perfection....


The colours above are just perfect!

.
So elegant


Wow for the chopping block....don't think I will get done chopping my veg there... I would rather stand back and admire it!

My Armoire with the ultimate accessory..... Smirnoff, The Labrador, a movable accessory, at that! A friend, from book club suggested that the Labrador was bought to compliment the decor.....

My lounge with, what I call my French Cafe Cushions....

Beautiful and oh so comfy!!!

So there, just a taste of my love affair with all things French. I hope you found something you fancy....

I want to stay here...but will I get any sleep with a view like that?

And Finally....

Would you swim for this chandelier?

Splash splash.....am kicking like crazy..... how will we get it back???

Happy daydream believing.....

Apart from my home pics all others are from Pinterest.