origami heart bookmark

Something to put a smile on your face when reading.

Use pretty paper, and make sure the paper you use doesn't split when folded (you often get that with scrap booking paper that is double sided. And make a test run on a piece of scrap paper before you start folding your pretty paper :-)

What you need:
A piece of paper 20cm x 10cm

To start off you must first fold a few guide lines

The first one fold the the paper in half, lengthwise, then open.

Then fold each half, in half lengthwise and open.

Last guideline, fold the top right corner in to the first line, and open.

No the folding starts...

Fold the top strip back on the line where the corner guideline ends.

Then fold the corners in, with the mid lines touch each other on the mid-line.

Fold the top corner backwards.

Now open the bottom square on the mid-line and fold the outside 1/4 in to the middle and flatten, repeat on the other side.

Fold the top four corners in.

Turn around and you have your origami heart bookmark!

:-) Enjoy reading!

pretty tile fridge magnets

You can use family photo's, or a theme that goes with your kitchen decor. It's also a cute gift :-)

Seen that it's the month of love,  I've chosen hearts.

What you need:
pictures you want to use for the magnets
glass mosaic tiles
small magnets (one for each tile)
polymer coating
superglue
modge podge
paint brush
cutting knife
ice-cream sticks

To start off you need to cut a square out of the piece of off-cut cardboard the same size as the tile. 

You are then going to use this window that you have cut, to see what part of the picture you want on your tile. Using the pencil mark the picture and cut it out.

Paint the picture with modge podge on both sides to seal the picture.  Then paint the tile with the modge podge, and put the picture on the tile and paint over the picture. Allow to dry and paint another layer of modge podge.  Repeat this with all the pictures.

Prepare the coating (reading the instruction of the manufacturer), I used Pratliglo by Pratley. 

Mix enough to cover all the tiles that you have made.  Using a ice-cream stick, drip a bit of the coating on the tile.  Be careful of putting to much on the tile, as it has to spread to the edges without pouring over.  

Put the stick slowly to the corners, so that the whole tile is covered with coating.  Put aside, and allow to dry completely.  When dry, turn around and stick a magnet to the back of the tile, and allow to dry.

caramel ice-cream cake

This recipe is for the friends in the Southern hemisphere.  I live in Cape Town, South-Africa and we have had the most beautiful weather here the last few weeks... and ice-cream has been one of the things that I have been eating a lot of! :-)

What you need:
3 liters vanilla ice-cream
400g fudge broken into chunks
1 tin caramel treat


Using a mixing bowl big enough for the 2 liters of ice-cream to fit into (a metal one works well if you have one).  Line the bowl with clingwrap (don't worry if it creases).

Stir the caramel treat with a fork until smooth. Place half of the ice-cream in a mixing bowl and  stir until soft but not melted, then add the caramel treat to the ice-cream and mix well.  Place 2/3 of the ice-cream into the lined bowl , leaving a hollow in the middle. Put the bowl in the freezer.

Stir the other liter of ice cream until soft and add the pieces of fudge and mix, then spoon into the hollow of the caramel ice-cream, and cover with the rest of the caramel ice-cream.  Cove the bowl with clingwrap and place in freezer.

The longer it stays in the freezer, the harder it will become.

To serve, remove the clingwrap on top and turn the bowl upside down onto your serving platter.  Rub with a warm cloth and remove the bowl.

Serve with chocolate balls or chunky pieces of fudge :-)

flowers in a frame

This is a very nice idea for a bathroom or a entrance hall where you don't have space to put a vase with flowers, and a perfect way to use your old frame that has been lying around your house!

What you need:
old frame
chicken wire (cut to fit the size of your frame)
10 small nails
a hammer

4 test tubes (your local florist should stock them) or small vases with a lip - make sure the test tubes has a lip as you get some that is straight at the top and will slip through.
4 x 30cm ribbon

You start by attaching the chicken wire to the frame, with the nails and the hammer.

Measure the first few spots and put the nails in half way so that it's easy to hook the wire over it - it needs to be pulled tight. Once you have it in position hit the nails in all the way and add the rest.

Now the hard work is done!

Next, thread the ribbon through the wire where you want to attach the test tubes, and tie a bow, or just a knot around the tube.

Fill the test tubes with water, add the flowers and hang on your wall.

If you want to add a note use a mini peg and stick it to the wire.

voila...