Table of contents for Christmas 2025 in Ideas

CONTACT ME terena@ideasfactory.co.za ❁ instagram.com/terenaleroux We’re sitting at the ‘bar’ down on the main street, which just happens to be the only street running through the charming old Italian village. To clarify – the bar doubles up as a coffee shop where everyone gathers in the morning for breakfast, from noon for an aperitif, and in the evenings, it becomes more like a real pub, as we know it. Here, your drink doesn’t arrive without something to eat on the side, and it’s a far cry from a bowl of sad olives. This morning’s gathering was for breakfast, but we started too late and lingered too long. When the church bell chimed at noon – the proverbial plane had flown over somewhere – we immediately ordered prosecco which, of course,…

ORIGINAL ADVENT CHRISTMAS CLOCHE Arrange a collection of spray-painted leaves, seed pods and baubles to create an engaging ‘still life’ when placed under the dome of a glass cloche. ❁ You can source cloches in various sizes at floral supply shops or vintage stores. ❁ Combine a variety of elements in different sizes and shapes – all in white, of course – for the most visually attractive display. Cardboard stars, trees and snowflakes work well as part of these arrangements too. ❁ You can change up your cloche displays as frequently as you like, or add extra elements such as a coil of battery-operated Christmas lights for extra visual appeal. ORIGINAL ADVENT Count down the days to Christmas with a handmade all-white advent calendar. ❁ To create the pieces for…

PESTO PASTRY STAR Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes Oven temperature: 180°C ♥ 1 package ready-to-roll puff pastry, defrosted ♥ About 40ml basil pesto ♥5ml finely grated Parmesan cheese ♥ 1 egg ♥ 30ml milk…

EMBRIODERED GIFT TAGS NOTE: We used a linen blend for this project as working with linen when embroidering can be difficult, especially on the smaller makes. DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 1-1½ hours per tag (depending on embroidery complexity) YOU WILL NEED ♥ linen blend or cotton fabric ♥ fusible interfacing ♥ embroidery thread and needle ♥ embroidery design ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ tracing method of choice (we used a heat erasable pen and lightbox) ♥ matching sewing thread ♥ twine or ribbon ♥ 5mm eyelets and eyelet tool ♥ sharp scissors HOW TO 1 Prepare and trace embroidery design Before cutting the fabric, trace your design onto a larger piece. This ensures your embroidery fits nicely into the hoop and prevents the fabric from being too small, depending on your hoop…

FELT DECORATIONS DIFFICULTY: easy TIME: 1 to 2 days for all YOU WILL NEED ♥ templates on page 118 ♥ felt in various colours ♥ matching embroidery thread ♥ embroidery needle ♥ stuffing ♥ pipe cleaner ♥ wooden bead for doll ♥ cold glue TO MAKE FOR THE CHRISTMAS BAUBLES 1 Using the template on page 118 trace the main part of each bauble onto the felt (2 per bauble) and cut out. 2 Also cut out the different pattern pieces to attach to your bauble (1 of each) and glue or attach them to the front of the bauble. 3 Decorate with embroidery stitches. 4 Place the front and back parts of each bauble together (right sides facing out) and stitch all around, leaving an opening for the stuffing.…

SIMPLE SOPHISTICATION (PREVIOUS PAGE) Light, bright and just waiting to be filled with celebratory toasts and plenty of laughter, this simple Christmas scheme includes vintage furnishings in an eclectic mix of styles, a seductively simple table setting – and lots and lots of fine-leaved greenery. The crisp whites add a note of purity and peace, the furniture is all about warmth and nostalgia, and the plethora of greens provide a feeling of harmony, freshness and growth. The key to making this pared-back scheme feel festive and abundant is to add greenery absolutely everywhere. Hang wreaths from the chairs and walls; twine branches on the tabletop as décor. More is more! Dressing the table with casual, chunky wine glasses and simple white crockery makes for an easy-going, laidback feel at the…

DIP-DYED PAPER TABLECLOTH We gave our paper tablecloth a dip-dyed look by spraying a diluted solution of blue ink and water onto unprinted newspaper. Hang the wet paper over a clothesline to dry, making sure the sheets do not touch, or they will stick together. Once completely dry use your sewing machine to sew gathering stitches onto the edges of each sheet to create a ruffled ‘skirt’ on each sheet of paper. Join the pieces together and stick to a round table using double-sided tape. TIP: the paper will be very delicate so make sure your sewing machine is on a slow setting. LIGHT: Upcycle a vintage chandelier with candles, delicate flowers, Christmas décor and ribbons. SET THE SCENE Create this fanciful Christmas theme by combining romantic blue and white…

SOFT CARAMELS Makes: about 50 Preparation time: about 30 minutes ♥ 200g white sugar ♥ 80g liquid glucose (available at baking shops) ♥ 110g butter ♥ 125ml fresh cream FLAVOUR VARIATIONS: ♥ 5ml salt flakes ♥ 60ml finely chopped roasted and salted almonds ♥ 10ml finely chopped candied ginger Get everything ready before you start. Measure out all the ingredients. Line a 20cm-square tin with baking paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Prepare a little bowl with ice water to test your mixture.…

CUSHION COVER DIFFICULTY: average TIME: 3 days FINISHED SIZE To fit 45cm × 45cm cushion YOU WILL NEED ♥ template on page 119 ♥ 250g Kismet Premium Super Soft ♥ Melange Aran Col 305 (Duck egg) ♥ 100g Kismet Premium Super Soft ♥ Melange Aran Col 325 (Off-white) ♥ 100g red yarn for the pom-poms ♥ 4,5mm circular knitting needle ♥ stitch marker ♥ 45cm zip fastener, matching the main colour ♥ pom-pom maker or two 6cm × 6cm pieces of cardboard for pom-poms TENSION 18 sts × 23 rows = 10cm × 10cm The tension can be used to make the cover larger or smaller. The pattern is worked in multiples of 10 sts. ABBREVIATIONS CC – contrast colour k – knit MC – main colour PM – place…

EASY DOES IT Take your time and make the process of setting your festive table an event in itself, because decorating it is always a real labour of love. Set the stage for a memorable Christmas celebration with milky white crockery, the subtle gleam of vintage cutlery and – always – lots and lots of candles. ❁ A rustic choice is best for this look when it comes to choosing crockery: the ceramics seen here are all by Mervyn Gers (mervyngers.com). You’ll also find similar pieces from Wonki Ware (wonkiware.com), while Zara Home (zarahome.com) regularly carries similar ranges, too. ❁ This is the ideal moment to bring out the set of vintage silver cutlery you inherited from your granny, if you have one. (Alternatively, hunt down a mismatched ‘set’ in…

SMOKED-SALMON SALAD WREATH Arrange your salad ingredients in the shape of a festive wreath for an easy but impressive starter or salad platter to add to a cold buffet. Serves: 4-6 as a starter Preparation time: 30 minutes ♥ 1 English cucumber, washed ♥ 2 ripe avocados ♥ 10ml lemon juice ♥ 60g petit herb leaf salad ♥ 150g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced ♥ 200g smoked salmon or trout ribbons ♥ 1 lemon, sliced ♥ 160g raspberries ♥ 100g pomegranate rubies LEMON-DIJON DRESSING ♥ 15ml Dijon mustard ♥ 30ml lemon juice ♥ 5ml honey ♥ 5ml grated lemon zest ♥ 90ml canola oil ♥ Sliced crusty bread, to serve DRESSING: Whisk the mustard, lemon juice and honey together to form a smooth paste. Whisk in the oil gradually to…

BETHLEHEM STABLE Create this beautiful Christmas scene using a few tree branches and a little imagination. DIFFICULTY average TIME half a day YOU WILL NEED ♥ dry tree branches ♥ saw ♥ glue gun ♥ craft glue ♥ gold cord or matching baker’s twine ♥ wooden beads for the three wise men’s heads ♥ gold, silver and copper-coloured cardboard for the crowns and stars ♥ sharp scissors ♥ tea light candles CRYSTAL ORNAMENTS Decorate your Christmas tree with these beautiful baubles made from chandelier crystals. DIFFICULTY easy TIME about half a day for 12 decorations, including drying time YOU WILL NEED ♥ Christmas images on pages 92 and 93 ♥ chandelier crystal pendants (see tip below) ♥ Modge Podge ♥ craft sponge ♥ gold cord or matching baker’s twine ♥…

PINCUSHION HOUSE A happy little sewing sewing table definitely needs a happy little pincushion for your pins. Keep your favourite fabric offcuts as they are perfect for this project, which is the perfect gift for your sewing friends. DIFFICULTY: beginner with stitchcraft and embroidery experience TIME: 1 day YOU WILL NEED ♥ house template on page 119 ♥ small pieces of linen fabric for walls, door, windows and roof ♥ matching thread ♥ sharp embroidery needles ♥ water-erasable pen ♥ embroidery thread or lace weight yarn in various colours ♥ cute pom-pom ribbon for roof detail ♥ polyester toy stuffing ♥ small embroidery hoop ♥ dressmaker’s pins ♥ scissors ♥ small round jar to use for the inside of the pincushion TO MAKE 1 Use the water-erasable pen to draw…

WINNING LETTER FINDING MY REASON FOR BEING One of the things that excites me most is when my hubby suggests we go to our favourite nursery for lunch, which usually happens around the same time that the latest issue of Ideas lands on shelves! This time, horror of horrors, it was nowhere to be found! (And I had checked three times …) I turned to hubby with wide eyes and a quivering lip, and asked, ‘My love, can we go to the Woolies down the road to get it?’ He thought I was nuts, asking him to make a separate trip to go and get my absolute favouritist (grammar mistake intentional) magazine in the whole wide world. Luckily for me he acquiesced, and I now have in my possession the…