Now that the votes are counted, you deserve a break! We are currently living in a lala-land of electricity supply. Whether Eskom is finally getting their act together, or it’s simply that enough homes and businesses have gone the solar route to lighten the load and reduce the shedding, we have had uninterrupted loadshedding for the longest stretch of time since the pandemic! While this may sound like an improvement, there is also the risk that this is all due to the national elections on the 29th of May, and we’ll be woken up on the 30th by the notifications pinging through that dark days ar ..read more

What is that thingamabob called? By now most of us know that the plasticky bit at the end of your shoelace is an Aglet and the pointy thing next to your vegetable peeler blade is used to scoop out blemishes on your fruits and veggies, but what else is there to know? We love learning new things. There is a wealth of click-bait out there, promising “50 things to do with your dishwasher” or “101 ways to use a wooden spoon”…but let’s be honest – Most of it is rubbish not really revolutionary, or helpful. Kitchen common sense Storytime: I live with the worlds biggest geek. A single-minded scienti ..read more

Making the most of the public holiday It’s your duty to vote The most important thing you have to do on 29 May 2024 is to make your mark. To go out into the streets, celebrate our robust democracy and the fact that we have had 30 years of democracy (warts and all) and feel a bit of Mzanzi Magic. The second most important thing you should do is to treat yourself and your loved ones. Let’s call it a reward for braving the voting lines and winter chills. What better way to do this than by cooking up a showstopper winter dessert that’s is bound to get everyone’s vote, no matter the colour of you ..read more

We spoke to the friendly plant himself, Craig De Necker. Craig is a true nature lover. “Since I can remember, I have enjoyed spending time out in nature. I find that when I get away from the city, the pace of life slows down,” he says. Stepping into nature allows him to step out of the rush of every day. The plan… He studied B.com with the intention of starting a business, however he had no idea which type of business at that time. “I just had a fascination with the process of running a business” After finishing his degree in the early 90’s he started working in the green industry. Initially ..read more

It might be winter here, but the rest of the world is in bloom!   We love a good aspirational garden tour. Whether its browsing through your local nursery, exploring Pinterest or sitting down with a cup of tea and your favourite Garden Glossy, nothing is more fun than seeing the fruits of some other gardener’s labour. South Africa has some amazing home gardens, as well as botanical gardens and designated flower and fynbos viewing spots…but during the winter, there is magic outside our borders as well Take a feather out of the swallow’s wing and head north for garden glory this winter. O ..read more

Welcome to your secret garden. Come inside, my secret garden, where no one is broken hearted. The sound of trickling water springs will soothe your heart until it sings. What is a Secret Garden? Imagine a space that soothes and delights, a place hidden from the crazy world outside. Here are no emails, no alarms and no traffic jams. This can be our secret – well, YOUR secret. The name “Secret Garden” is a misnomer – very few of us have gardens big enough to isolate a whole area, hide it behind a wall, or a large hedge, and then keep it secret from our everyday garden visitors…If that is you h ..read more

Local is lekker, and nothing is lekkkerder than a Tjhoko Paint project.   I’m more aspirational than inspired. Storytime: I have a love/hate relationship with DIY home improvement projects. When I was younger, and had basically no funds, no access to YouTube tutorials and very little know-how, I messed up a lot. I refinished furniture just to have paint stain my floor and clothing, but not stick to the bedside table I’m trying to redo. I have installed open kitchen shelves just to have them come crashing down, smashing my Pinterest inspired jars of brown rice and lentils. I have tried m ..read more

Upcycle fabric, one brush stroke and a time.   Still traumatized by the fabric painting craze of the early 2000’s? Remember about 20 years ago when every single housewife and mom seemed to be into fabric painting? Fabric paint parties were the new Tupperware-parties and we had homes full of stiff, plasticky cushion covers and tablecloths, all stamped with potato stencils, and usually with one or more sunflower in the design. We are here to tell you that things have changed, for the better. Maybe it’s because of changing tastes, a more natural approach to life or simply better paint-comp ..read more

The Whimsical Duchess doesn’t do boring!   We sat down with the Whimsical Duchess herself, and spoke about all things beautiful, elegant, and yes, Whimsical. If you visited us at the Homemakers Fair earlier this year, you would have seen her beautiful designs for yourself, but if you missed out on first hand whimsicality, we are bringing you her energetic design magic, straight to your inbox. First up, Who is The Whimsical Duchess? Alet Kotze is the creative force behind The Whimsical Duchess. She is an accomplished fine art photographer with a passion for capturing the elegance of real ..read more

Franco Buys tells us more about his food journey.   Meet Chef Franco Buys, an award-winning local chef with a passion for good food. If you joined us at the Homemakers Fair earlier this year, you would have seen him in action in our Air Fryer theatre, and you’ll know just how great he is. We sat down with him and got into the details of what inspires him, what he loves eating, and what his views are on Marmite (it’s a nope!). When asked about the journey that brought him into the Kitchen and cemented his place in the South African Culinary landscape, he credits his childhood and spendin ..read more