Catherine South

RAV VAST b celtic | Practice session 003 | Relax and watch me make music...

2019-02-05T16:06:00.000+02:00

This is my third practice session with my Rav Vast drum, tuned to b Celtic minor. I'm tickled that this drum was hand made in Russia and now it's being played on a Mediterranean island by a white African. (I'm from South Africa). I really enjoy playing this instrument because it helps me practice calmness. It feels like a form of meditation to play it, regardless of whether I am playing with my hands or with beaters.

I have other music-making videos on my Youtube channel, along with art-making videos. You can see this videos in my Youtube channel.

Home-made Organic Pest Control for Plants

2012-11-04T18:07:00.000+02:00

Last year I tried growing mint. I spent many hours picking caterpillars off the fragrant leaves and transferring them to other plants, but in the end I sacrificed the mint to the caterpillars and grew butterflies instead. This year I decided to try my hand at growing strawberries and I realized that I needed an effective way to get rid of pests like aphids and caterpillars if I wanted to eat any of my home grown berries.

Above: Aphid infestation on my strawberry plants. The aphids arrive overnight and cover the under sides of leaves within hours. The top photo isn't great quality, but it shows that aphids aren't particularly scary, just annoying.

I got my strawberry plants from a friend and unfortunately they each have some kind of problem so I'm probably going to have to toss the lot of them away at some stage. This turned out to be kind of a good thing

because it means I'm a little more willing to experiment on these plants. So, spray bottle in hand I set about making a home brew to get rid of the aphids. This is what I came up with:

I filled a spray bottle with water, put in a drop of liquid soap and added about 5 drops each of lavender and citronella oils. The liquid soap is an emulsifier, which basically means that it will cause the oils to mix with the water. I've since made this home made pest repellent with dish washing liquid with no problems. I'm pretty sure any liquid soap will work for this mixture, but listen to your instincts - glittery liquid bubble bath probably wouldn't be a grand idea.

If you don't have these two essential oils on hand, there are a few other aromatherapy oils that chase off bugs, such as peppermint oil, lemongrass, lemon, eucalyptus and tea tree. The soap in the mixture also helps the oils to adhere to the leaves of the plants, making the insect repellent even more effective.

Above: Liquid soap, water, lavender oil and citronella oil, all mixed in a handy spray bottle.

As far as I can tell this mix hasn't killed the aphids, simply chased them off. I'm okay with that. I have nothing against aphids in general, I just don't particularly want them to destroy my favorite plants. This home made insect repellent is proving to be quite effective not just against aphids, but against caterpillars and beetles too. I'm not sure how bees feel about it - I'll keep an eye out and post if I spot any sickly looking bee ladies around my strawberry plants.

I've also been spraying this mix on my ornamental plants and herbs as a precautionary measure against insect problems. I'm fairly sure that it will help to prevent fungus and rot diseases too. The most effective way to use this spray is to spray liberally to dry plants, coating both the top and under side of the leaves. The plant should be dripping with the bug spray. Allow to dry and avoid washing the solution off during watering - rather water the ground around the plants directly. Apply the mixture every day until the insect problem is solved, and after that, spray about once a week to dissuade the critters from coming back.

You can also use this home made spray to discourage mosquitos and other biting insects by spraying on bare skin. You can also spray around windows and doors as a way to prevent insects from entering the home, or if you have plants near your doors and windows, turn the plants into bug repellents by spraying with this solution.

Bean's Blanket

2012-01-19T10:37:00.000+02:00

My sister-in-law is pregnant with her first child, a boy (currently nicknamed "Bean"), so I decided to crochet a baby blanket for him. I chose a wide variety of bright colors, and though I used a rainbow sequence, you'll see that I didn't rigidly stick to a color pattern.
The crochet pattern is very easy, and works well for a baby blanket because it doesn't have lots of gaps for teeny weeny baby toes to get caught in.

Crochet Pattern for Bean's Baby Blanket:

Chain an uneven number
Row1: Work 1 SC (single chain) in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch to end. Ch1, turn.
Row 2: Working through the front loop only, work 1 SC in 1st and each ch to end. Ch1, turn.
Repeat row 2 for pattern.

I used a combination of synthetic yarns and crochet cotton. Because of the different thicknesses of the yarns, I had to be careful to use the thin cottons in a sequence (every 4th row), to avoid the finished product being unevenly weighted.

Above: Every 4th row is cotton, to keep the weight as even as possible. Not all of the synthetic yarn is the same thickness, though. Note how thick the dirty pink is (left of the middle of the photo), compared to the orange next to it. Altogether, the texture is very interesting.

Above: By turning the blanket over after completing each row, there is no '"front" or "back" on the blanket.

To finish, I used the same stitch to make a border of 6 rows. I debated putting tassles onto the blanket but decided to leave these off, because I didn't want Bean's little nose to be tickled by them. I'm hoping that this will become a real drag-around kind of blanket.

Hope you enjoy your blankie, Bean!

How to Prepare Carrots for Sushi

2012-01-05T13:58:00.000+02:00

Small, sweet carrots work best for making sushi. Choose a variety that has a vivid orange color.

Above: Peel and cut the carrots into thin carrot sticks.

Above: To create carrot sticks of the same size, invest in a mandolin. This kitchen utensil really does speed up the preparation process.

Above: This is a close-up of the two mandolin blades used to create carrot sticks. The device can be set for different sized sticks.

Dissolve 200ml rice wine vinegar with 1 tablepoon of sugar and a large pinch of salt. Place your carrots sticks in an air-proof container, and cover with the vinegar solution. Keep the container in the fridge for several hours until the carrot sticks are "floppy". Rinse before use.

Succulent Bonsai Garden

2011-12-18T13:42:00.000+02:00

My boyfriend gave me a bonsai for Christmas a few years ago. It was a good choice for a beginner bonsai keeper like myself, because it's a tough succulent that has a tenacious grip on life. It's called Crassula Sarcocaulis, though it's commonly known as Bonsai Crassula. If you're considering starting bonsai keeping, I'd recommend starting with Crassula.

Above: Crassula Sarcocaulis. Like all succulents, Crassula grows from cuttings. Each of those little branches could potentially be a future bonsai.

I kept the succulent bonsai in its original dish for a year or so and then decided to give it a new home as part of a miniature garden. I began by taking the bonsai dish and placing it in a large planter dish (the bowl that catches the water below a pot plant). Then I filled the area around the bonsai pot with soil and added a few succulent cuttings. The result was a two-tiered garden, which you can see in the picture below. After about a year, I decided that I'd prefer the miniature garden to exist in only one dish, the larger planter dish.

Above: Equipment ready. Planter dish, plants, soil (under table), spray bottle and chopsticks (in my mouth. I'm still practicing the whole "being normal" malarky. Sometimes I forget...)

Above: Close-ups of some of the succulents and cactii for the miniature garden. I bought these from a couple at the Porter's Market in Tokai. They had a variety of interesting plants for sale at decent prices. Each plant has its own unique needs with regards to watering and fertilizing. Caring for a miniature garden is much the same as caring for a normal sized garden, except that everything is done on a much smaller scale.

I spent a while looking for inspiration online, but it seems that miniature gardens of this type are quite rare, so I fell back on the classic guideline of, "I'll put it where I want to."

I emptied out the planter dish and poured in a thin layer of fine gravel. I placed the uprooted bonsai into the dish and then filled the dish with potting soil, placing rocks around the base of the tree. I then tamped down the soil around the bonsai's roots pretty well. I didn't want any air channels to be caused by eroding soil, as the air would just dry out the roots.

After that, I started planting, using chopsticks to dig holes, place the cuttings into the holes and then cover the roots with soil. A lot of the cuttings were tiny, and the chopsticks gave me more control than fingers would. Eating utensils, gardening tools, same difference.

Above: The finished result. I placed rocks around the roots of the bonsai to support the soil and create a little "hill" for the tree to live in. I used moss to create a grass-like effect around the base of the bonsai.

Above: About a year after planting, needing another trim. I've added a few plants, removed others and moved one or two to better spots.

Above: I may have gone a bit OTT (Over The Top), my favorite method of doing anything. I love all the different colors in this one tiny pot. It really tickles my crazy bone.

Above: The miniature succulent bonsai garden looks spiffing on our porch table, and is a talking point for visitors.

Logically, moss and succulents shouldn't be able to thrive in the same container, because moss likes to be moist and cool, while succulents like to be dry and hot. But... life's too short for logic, so I did it anyway. I water mostly with a spray bottle, so I can control how much water each area gets. The different plants all thrive.
One of my favorite things about this bonsai tree is that it flowers almost all the way through summer with tiny, scented white blooms. The trunk is steadily becoming thicker, so over time it will eventually achieve a stumpy bonsai trunk.

Beautiful Antique Japanese Door

2011-12-16T13:21:00.000+02:00

After seeing this door, I decided to share some pictures of it. The history of the door has been lost, sadly. All I know is that it is probably more than a century old, from Japan, and it was carved and painted by hand.

Above: The double doors include barred windows, that allow light and air to circulate. The height of the doors contribute to the effect of grand elegance that the doors possess.

Above: The gold paint creates an interesting, attractive contrast to the brown paint used as a base coat on the door. This photo illustrates the aged look that is caused by the flaking paint.

Above: The hand carving is exquisite, with each part of the design perfect. A lot of care and concentration went into the crafting of this door.

Above: Bird and flower designs create organic curves that seem animated against the stiff, geometric shapes of the door.

This antique Japanese door has a lot of character, and draws a lot of attention. So it should, because the craftsmanship is exceptional, worthy of being admired on a daily basis. This is a beautiful example of art serving a functional purpose.

How To Grow Tillandsia Air Plants

2011-12-15T13:08:00.000+02:00

Air plants are also called Epiphytes. These are plants that don't grow in soil, but grow hanging from trees or tucked into the nooks and crannies of rocks. There's one type of air plant that is very popular here in Cape Town. It's called Tillandsia. It's not an indigenous plant (it's originally from North and South America) but it does do well in our climate.

Above: Most Capetonians are familiar with the sight of Tillandsia air plants. These are usually grown suspended from tree branches, fences or trellises.

It's a fairly common belief that air plants draw nutrients from the air and therefore don't need water or fertilizer. This isn't true. Air plants draw nutrients from organic matter (leaves, flowers, insects etc) that get trapped between their leaves. Although they are fairly drought-hardy, air plants do need water, especially in South Africa's dry seasons.

I water mine twice a week in summer and once every two weeks in winter, spritzing the plants with a spray bottle until the water drips off. Once a month in summer I'll put some fertilizer in water and soak the plants with this mix.

My plants hang from a home-made bamboo frame on my porch, and don't receive rain water or direct sunlight. They seem happy enough in solid shade, though the leaves do seem to grow a bit longer in the shade than they did in a sunnier spot. Once a month or so, I'll take the frame off the wall and prop it up on the porch railing for a bit of late afternoon sunlight. (When we move, I'll find a permanent spot for my Tillandsia that is a little warmer and receives more sunlight.)

The best place for these plants is in full shade, under the protective branches of a tree or the overhang of a roof with strong reflected light. They need regular water, but don't respond well to being constantly wet (ie, they won't survive on the soggy ground next to a pond) Although they can withstand wind, Tillandsia is happier in a sheltered area.

Above: Tillandsia air plant on my home-made bamboo frame.

I made my frame from "bamboo" (it's not really bamboo, but a local reed that has a similar structure). I cut the bamboo to size, sanded and cleaned it, and then tied it together with yarn. I varnished it to bring out the rich colors of the reed. Because the frame is protected from the elements, I didn't seal the cut ends with anything more permanent than a layer of varnish.
The clump of Tillandsia on my frame (see above picture) is actually made up of several small plants. These were given to me by a friend after a storm shredded her large Tillandsia. I connected the air plants to the frame with hooks twisted out of wire. It's a reliable method, but the plant does need to be checked every few years to ensure that the wire isn't choking the plant or disintegrating.

Above: The length and color of Tillandsia's leaves depends largely on how much light they receive. My plants are grown in solid shade, and therefore the leaves are longer and greener than those of plants grown in a sunnier area.

Tillandsia can also be grown in wire hanging baskets, or simply suspended from a beam. Don't plant tillandsia in soil, as this will lead to the plants rotting slowly and dying. They grow well in humid areas, such as bathrooms or above a water feature, just be sure not to over water air plants in humid areas.
One of the clumps flowered shortly after I received it. I haven't seen any flowers since then, but I'm hoping to see them again. They're beautiful, and well worth the wait. (If you have some tips for getting Tillandsia to flower, please comment below.)

DIY Bamboo Climber Trellis

2011-11-30T13:13:00.000+02:00

I have a romantic relationship with climbing vines. They bring me flowers and I flatter them with shrieks of delight and hand-clapping while bouncing around on the spot (For a visual reference, see Oprah). My favorite climbers are jasmine, not just for the sweet-scented flowers, but for their color-changing leaves and hardy natures.
About two years ago, I crafted a large bamboo trellis for two jasmine vines that I had growing in pots. I was very pleased with it at first, that is, until I realized how shockingly awful it looked. (I've, erm, "lost" the photographs of this first trellis). Essentially, there was far too much trellis showing - it made the young vines seem woefully inept.

So, I tore down the large bamboo trellis and cut it into smaller pieces. In this instance the design advice "less is more" certainly applied. The smaller the bamboo trellis, the more easily the vine can overwhelm it, leaving only tantalizing glimpses of bamboo between the leaves.
I recycled as much of the trellis as I could, sanding and varnishing several pieces for future use. Here are some pictures of the process:

Above: The sanded trellis pieces, ready for varnishing. The weather during spring is unpredictable, so I worked under cover on the porch. Note the tea - no craft project is complete without being liberally lubricated with tea.

Above: A comparison of two trellis pieces, one unvarnished (top) and the other with a single coat of varnish (bottom).

Above: Even though I tied the bamboo poles together with wool, it has held up well to the elements. Small flakes of old varnish can still be seen to either side of the yarn.

Above: I used wood filler putty to seal the reed ends. I'm sure there are better ways to do this, but as far as an on-the-spot thumb-sucking solution goes, wood filler has worked out okay so far. The picture on the left is of the seal without varnish and the picture on the right is after varnishing.

Above: The finished result. For now, I've just leaned the trellis against the wall, pending a move in a few months. I've planted Salvia in the front of the pot. The flowering season of jasmine is fairly short, but Salvia flowers near continuously when mature, giving the pot interest for many months of the year.

Above: The red leaves of spring create a stunning contrast to the yellow of the bamboo reed and the bright green of the young leaves.

These little reed trellises fit in well with my EurAfriAsian-styled balcony. (My lover tells me it's eclectic. I call it indecisive.) The trellises offer a geometric contrast to the organic curves created by the plants and flowers.

As a DIY project, this is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed, and I looked forward to the jasmine flowers wooing me this summer with their sweet scents.

Peruvian Alpaca Clothing

2011-10-07T15:33:00.036+02:00

I love coming across hand made products from other countries. These belong to some friends of mine, who recently visited Peru. The fiber hasn't been dyed, so the colors are the natural colors of the animal fiber. These beanies and gloves have been hand-knitted on cactus needles.

Above: Skilled crafters have created textures and interest by adding "popcorn" to the knit pattern.

Above: The fun alpaca designs that have been worked into these gloves will appeal to children and adults alike. There are hundreds of natural shades of alpaca fiber, and when used together, as above, these natural tones are vibrant and appealing.

Above: Alpaca fiber is warmer than sheep's wool, and depending on the quality, can be softer than any other natural fiber.

I've been planning for years to take up knitting, so I don't know too much about the craft, however, I think the "popcorn" effect may have been created with a crochet hook, after the completion of the knitted item.

South African Summer Flowers

2011-10-06T13:08:00.000+02:00

I love the local flora of South Africa. We have diverse and attractive flowers that are hardy and grow in a variety of environments. Every now and then, when I am overwhelmed by a frenzied urge for Pointlessism, I'll take the camera out into the garden, snapping pictures of flowers. These are some of my favorite indigenous South African plants.

Above: Yellow daisies. These grow wild in the farmlands around Cape Town, and flower from early spring through to the first truly hot day of summer.

Above: South Africa is home to hundreds of varieties of daisy flowers, that appear in a wide variety of colors. This purple daisy is a popular addition to Cape Town gardens.

Above: The flowers on the left are not from an aloe, but share many similarities to the 'red hot poker' aloe flower.

Above: One of our most famous South African plants, the Strelitzia. These shoot out a handful of seeds as they open, and are reminiscent of birds with their yellow 'plumage' and red 'beaks'.

Redwing Starlings Nesting

2011-10-05T13:50:00.002+02:00

These two Redwing Starlings are obviously nesting somewhere in the neighborhood. Every morning, they swoop in and land on a hanging basket on our porch, where they proceed to swipe the coconut coir that the basket is crafted from.

Above: I don't know much about these birds, but it seems that both the male and female build the nest together. You can see in this picture how both starlings have coconut coir in their beaks.

Above: Seeing these starlings pulling out pieces of coconut "hair" solves the mystery of the last year's disintegrating hanging basket. I suppose it built a whole village of birds' nests, so it went to a good cause.

Above: It's not an exciting video. In fact, for many people it will be 20 seconds of boring, but if you're interested, you can hear the call of the Redwing Starling. My film skills are such that I turned the camera off just as the birds flew away, the moment in which I might have caught a glimpse of the red color under the starling's wings that gives them their name.

Work in Progress: Raad Baby Blanket

2011-10-04T13:16:00.000+02:00

Reading copious amounts of Terry Pratchett has given me a soft spot for puns. This particular pun is a play on my friend's surname, Raad, and the slang term, "rad". She's pregnant, and the crochet blanket will be a gift to her child, becoming a Raad blanket. Get it? Get it? Oh, man, I crack myself up.

Above: The Raad blanket uses the classic granny square crochet design.

Above: Each square has a silver border, so that I can hide the join easily by using silver crochet yarn when attaching them.

Above: I chose to use opposite arrangements of light and dark colors. This creates both balance and interest in the design.

Above: The crochet baby blanket is crafted using bamboo yarn (yup, you guessed it, from my favorite yarn maker - Vinni's). The bamboo crochet yarn is incredibly soft, has a nice weight and a lovely sheen. A color that would have been grey in any other yarn, becomes silver, because of the sheen of the bamboo yarn. I think it's going to turn out beautifully.

I'm using a no.4 crochet hook, with a double stitch. For each row, I turn the piece over, so that there is no "front" and "back" to the square. On the third, fourth and fifth rows (counted from the center), I crochet into the top of the stich, instead of the big gap between the stiches. This gives the blanket even more fluidity of movement.

A word of advice for crocheting with bamboo yarn; take it slow and hide your cut ends. Mistakes wrought in this yarn are highly visible and it can be frustrating to go over each square looking for shaggy ends and missed threads.

Matilda's First Scotty Cut

2011-10-03T13:32:00.001+02:00

Up until recently, our scottish terrier pup, Matilda, was a scruffly little thing. She'd had several health issues as a puppy, and because we'd adopted her in autumn, we decided to keep her hair long during the cold winter months. Now that the weather is a bit warmer, we sent her for her first haircut.

Above: One or two stray hairs (right ear) that were easy enough to clean up with a pair of sharp scissors. We can finally see her eyes!

Above: Well pleased with herself, Matilda poses, showing off her haircut. In this shot, the motley patch of hair on her tail is just visible. I love this angle for photographing her. I makes her look like a cartoon character.

Gluten-Free Cooking: Sushi Salad

2011-10-02T13:51:00.000+02:00

As part of my gluten-free diet, I've been exploring a wider variety of food options. A few years back I worked on a series of sushi articles for a local magazine, in which I learned to make sushi. Sushi ingredients are easy to digest, which is fantastic for people like me who have digestive issues.
I decided to dust off the old sushi-making skills and set to making something fun and different for myself to eat, hence the creation of... Sushi Salad!

Above: Sushi Salad. I'm sure it's been done before, but I'm chuffed with myself for coming up with the idea on my own.

How to Make Sushi Salad:

1.Prepare carrots, mushrooms and cucumber as if for making sushi.

2.Scatter the cucumber ribbons on the plate, being careful to twist them. The twists best show off the attractive skin of the cucumber.

3. Scatter carrots sticks in the center of the plate, allowing the cucumber to show through at the edges.

4. Top with cubes of avocado, followed by cream cheese.

5. Add pan-fried mushrooms and serve.

For more body, add smoked salmon or smoked chicken, watery wasabi (as a dressing), pickled ginger and rice makizushi (sushi rolls) or rice noodles.

Labels to check for gluten: Soy sauce, cream cheese, rice noodles, wasabi.

How to Prepare Mushrooms for Sushi

2011-10-01T13:09:00.010+02:00

Shiitake mushrooms are commonly used in sushi dishes. I find them to be both expensive and overwhelmingly flavorful. For these reasons, I like to use two or three shiitake mushrooms with a punnet of button mushrooms.

Above: This picture compares button mushrooms (white) with shiitake mushrooms (brown). Shiitake is often sold dried, and will need to soak in warm water for several hours before use. (preferably overnight). Wipe the button mushrooms with a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess soil. Do not wash the button mushrooms. They are like little mushroom-shaped sponges and will soak up water, making the cooking process long and tedious.

Above: Slice the mushrooms into easy-to-eat slices or chunks (personal preference applies). Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms until they start to dry. Add a dash of soy sauce and fry until the mushrooms are almost dry. Allow to cool before use.

Use no more than a few tablespoons of soy sauce or the mushrooms will become too salty.

How to Prepare Cucumber for Sushi

2011-09-29T13:41:00.004+02:00

Large cucumbers that have fewer seeds are easier to work with. The vegetable must be fresh, with a firm skin and crunchy texture.

Above: Cut the cucumber in half, lengthways. Use a spoon to remove the seeds by scraping down the middle. The cucumber now resembles a canoe.

Above: This is a mandolin, a Japanese vegetable slicer. You can cut the cucumber with a knife, but this handy contraption makes the process quick and easy.

Above: Slice the cucumber into long ribbons. The thinner the ribbon, the more flexible and translucent it will be. I like mine to be the thickness pictured above, for more crunch.

Above: Arrange the cucumber strips on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Place the cucumber in the fridge for a few hours. Rinse before use.

Work in Progress: Car Seat Quilt

2011-09-28T13:05:00.010+02:00

I've been rattling forth with My Very Own Bernina Sewing Machine. So far I've completed one beginner sewing project, Matilda's Curious Quilt. I was surprised at how quickly I completed the little blankie, because I've become accustomed to the months of work that crochet blankets need. I decided to tackle a slightly larger, and more complex craft project; a quilt to cover the back seat of the car.

Above: Cut and ready to sew. I chose the cheapest material available at the fabric shop. This way, if I make a major boo-boo, it won't break the bank. The cloth seems to be a hybrid of synthetic and extra-terrestrial threads, prone to suddenly floating away on an invisible cloud of static, before trying to suffocate the iron by melting itself to the iron's surface.

Sewing has, so far, not been an easy sport for me.

Above: Planning is not a strength of mine. This is what my attempt at being organized looks like (Note at the bottom left; the detailed plans for the border). Of course, as with all of my craft projects, the design has changed along the way and looks nothing like the plan.

Above: I decided to open up the seams and iron them flat, to prevent unsightly folds along the seams. It's time-consuming, but the finished result is nice.

Above: As a beginner quilter, I'm not quite at the stage of lining up the print with the seam. I don't think Matilda will mind. :)

Above: I decided to separate the squares of color with navy blue (not in the original plan. Note the rolling of eyes). I muddled up my measurements a little. The large, single fabric squares are slightly smaller than the joined fabric squares. I'd joined all of the pieces before it dawned on me that something was awry. I took the live-and-learn approach and figured out a way to continue.

Above: The center piece of the quilt, complete. This was as far as I was going to take the quilt in the original design, but I've decided to add a few borders of randomly-placed scraps of cloth. I'm hoping to soften the uniformity of the quilt's center with the uneven borders.

As far as hobbies go, I think quilting is way up there for me, although that may just be beginner's enthusiasm. The craft poses lots of little challenges and there is constantly room to improve. I'm looking forward to gathering up scraps of cloth to stitch into odd-ball quilts.

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Future Skill: Fiber Carding

2011-09-28T13:03:00.000+02:00

Some of my favorite people breed Alpacas, a smaller cousin of the better-known camelid; the Llama. They are about to start shearing the animals, and I'm planning to spend a week or two with them, cleaning, sorting and processing the fiber. It's an opportunity to learn some new skills, and I'm hoping to take up some parts of the process, such as carding and spinning, as a hobby. The first part of the process that I'm interested in is carding.

Above: This is a mechanical carding machine, known as a drum carder. It can be used to process hair, wool, or vegetable fibers such as cotton.

The drum carder straightens the fibers and aligns them so that the fiber can be spun more easily. During the carding process, different colors of hair, wool or cotton can be combined to created a variegated color scheme. Once spun, the multi-colored yarn can be knitted, crocheted or woven to create a marbled effect.

Above: On the left of the picture you can see the hand-crank mechanism of the drum carder. In the background is carded fiber, ready for spinning.

Above: It seems that although there are a number of tools that can be used with a carder, this paddle brush is the most useful, and can either be used to encourage the fiber to lie straight, or to remove leftover fiber from the drum.

Above: Hand-powered machines fascinate me. My generation is accustomed to plugging everything in, which has made us complacent. We aren't aware of how much energy we would use to complete even simple tasks. It's refreshing, and reassuring, to know that man-powered mechanisms are still being produced and used.

Fiber processing puts me in mind of a time when women used to sit together doing women's work. It was laborious, time-consuming work, but I believe the result was very satisfying for these women. It was a time in which the product of their labor was visual proof of human effort; the difference between each woman's workmanship a signature, that mom, or aunty or grandma (or all of them) had crafted that item, just for you, from scratch.

I'm really looking forward to learning this, and other, fiber processing skills.

A Non-Local Indigenous Plant?

2011-09-26T13:25:00.036+02:00

When drought hit last summer, I rescued/liberated/swiped a few cuttings from some thirsty succulent plants that were growing near a driveway in the wine lands outside Cape Town. I popped the cuttings in a pot with some soil, watered them and did what most succulent growers do at this point - I let them be.

A few months on, the cuttings are thriving, especially the one pictured below. I've identified it as Aeonium Arboreum, and there appears to be some dispute as to this plant's origins.

Above: Aeonium Arboreum. The cutting has trebled in size in six months. It's not as tough as the majority of our drought- and sun-loving local succulents, which makes me suspect that it is indeed an exotic succulent.

Above: A close-up of Aeonium Arboreum. Each cluster of leaves is arranged in such a way that from a distance they can be mistaken for flowers. The bristles on the edges of the leaves are not prickly, but are slightly coarse. The red-brown leaf tips contribute to the visual profile of the succulent by "outlining" the leaf edges.

The few information sources I've found online seem uncertain about the origins of this succulent. Some say that it originates from the Canary Islands, others say they are native to East Africa. Wherever they may have evolved, these plants have taken root here in South Africa, and as long as they are grown in a sheltered, partially-shaded area of the garden, they behave much like our local succulent varieties and thrive.

Hand Painted Ceramic Ashtray

2011-09-25T13:08:00.001+02:00

A few years ago I worked for a ceramic arts shop. While learning the different painting techniques, I painted a ceramic ashtray for my sister, using a simple method that I thought I'd share.

Above: The design on the inside of the ashtray.

I chose to use three colors of paint; royal blue for the inside of the ashtray, lavender for the outside and turquoise for the rim. I applied three layers of paint, and allowed the painted ashtray to rest until almost dry.

Above: A close-up image of the design at the center of the ashtray.

Once the paint was dry to the touch, I took a sharp tool and began to score a pattern into the paint. The bisque became slightly soft from the moisture of the paint, and in places I was able "carve" a shallow pattern in to the bisque too.

Above: This photo shows the repetitive pattern scratched into the inside rim. The finished result has an ornate, lacy effect.

Above: The design on the outer face of the ashtray. The ceramic bisque had softened during the painting process, and so in places I was able to score the design into the ceramic itself.

It became more and more tricky to score the paint as it dried. I misted the ashtray with a spray bottle every so often to keep the paint supple. In some areas, you can see where the paint was dry and flaked away as I worked.

Above: The contrast between the dark blue and the white is what gives this ashtray its appeal.

*Tips*

This method takes a little bit of practice to get right, but luckily, if you don't like the result that you're getting, you can start over. Just dip the bisque in warm water and wipe gently with a cloth to clean the paint off. If you think you might need to use this method to start again, try to avoid scoring the bisque itself.
Use dark colors for a more vivid contrast
Keep your work area clean and free from dust. The damp paint is a magnet for floating debris.

Gluten-Free Cooking: Rice Crumbed Tonkatsu Chicken

2011-09-24T13:27:00.154+02:00

Above: My not-so-artistic plating of Rice Crumbed Tonkatsu Chicken

You will need:

+/- 800g skinless, boneless chicken breasts

300g rice crumbs

6 large eggs

Sushi rice

Tonkatsu sauce

Vegetables of your choosing

I have a very handy rice cooker that comes equipped with a steaming basket, so I steam my carrots and gemsquash while cooking the rice. This way, my rice and veg are kept warm in the cooker while I finish off the crumbed chicken pieces.

This amount of chicken can make 4-6 medium portions or 6-8 small portions

How to make Home-made Rice Crumbed Chicken:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces. These should be about the size of two dainty mouthfuls.

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl, and pour some rice crumbs into another bowl.

3. Heat a pot of oil to a medium heat (The oil should be 'moving' in the pot, but not smoking)

4. One piece at a time, coat the chicken in egg and flour, twice (Egg, flour, egg, flour).

5. Cook the chicken in the oil until a light golden brown.

6. Serve hot, with Tonkatsu sauce.

Above: Tonkatsu sauce is very flavorful. A little goes a long way.

*Tips*

*Use chopsticks or tongs to coat the chicken with egg and rice crumbs. This avoids a lot of mess and will keep your fingers from building up a thick layer of sticky crumbs.

*Rice crumbs take a little longer to cook than bread crumbs. Cook with a lower heat than you would use for bread crumbs.

*To re-heat leftovers, place crumbed chicken on a baking tray and grill in the oven until crisp.

*If including carrots in the meal, cook them thoroughly. Most gluten-sensitive people will, like me, struggle to digest raw carrots. These soft, sweet, steamed carrots are a much better choice.

*Labels to check for gluten: Tonkatsu sauce, rice crumbs.

This is a favorite meal of mine, although I used to make it with tempura batter. The rice crumbs don't have the same light, crispy crunch that the tempura has, but I'll keep on with my quest to find the perfect gluten-free alternative to tempura. Next experiment; potato flour.

I hope this recipe is useful to other gluten-sensitive folks. Please feel free to pass this recipe on to others.

Buy the following ingredients online:

Tonkatsu sauce, gluten-free rice crumbs, stainless steel cooking chopsticks

Matilda's Picture Gallery

2011-09-23T13:09:00.002+02:00

Scottish Terriers are lovely little dogs, with big personalities and even bigger hearts. Here are some pictures of our scrappy little Matilda.

Above: Matilda's favorite place to sit in the car - across my shoulders.

Above: Photo bomb! (Note how peeved Princess the cat looks.)

Above: Yin and yang.

Above: Tilly the Scotty with her ostrich bone

Above: Mud dog!

Above: Matilda's Curious Quilt

These photos are all of Matilda without a Scottish Terrier hair cut. I think her scruffiness is very sweet, but I also can't wait to see her looking like a "real" scotty.

Work in Progress: Crochet Flower Skirt

2011-09-22T13:39:00.001+02:00

For years I have been crocheting with synthetic yarns. Whenever I walked into my local haberdashery, I wouldn't even look at the natural yarns section. My heart couldn't take it, knowing that all of those scrumdiddlyumptuous cotton, bamboo, alpaca and pure wool yarns were there, within my reach but outside of my price range.

Then one fateful day, not so long ago, something extraordinary happened. My boyfriend and I went to the habby shop, where we found ourselves standing next to a shelf of delicious-looking natural yarns. He reached out his hand, picked up a ball of Vinni's Cotton, gave it a squeeze and said, "This is nice. Would you like some?"

Well, I couldn't very well say no to such a sweet offer like that, so he bought me one ball of every color on the shelf. Hubby did good. :)

I love the Vinni's range. They cost pretty much the same per gram as synthetic yarns, but the quality of the natural yarns is exceptional. I'm busy with the Nikkim range, which is hand-dyed here in South Africa as part of a poverty relief program. Not only are these yarns a pleasure to work with, it's nice to know that buying these products helps others in need.

Above: Vinni's Nikkim range is hand-dyed with three similar colors. The resulting effect is lovely.

As you can probably tell from the pictures, the crochet skirt is designed to be worn over another skirt or a pair of little shorts. Now that I have a sewing machine, I might even make a slip to wear under it. With all these new ideas for improving the skirt, hopefully I'll finish it before summer arrives!

The Bookshelf Gets Painted

2011-09-21T13:46:00.001+02:00

Above: The temporary bookshelf. The crochet blanket thrown over the back of the couch is The Red Rambler - will post on it soon.)

Above: Undercoat. The shelf is being supported by chains attached to the rafters of the porch roof.

Above: The final coat, black.

Above: The cause for the promise, "Next time I'm getting quality wood."

Above: The painted bookshelf, complete with books. This is possibly the world's longest-lasting DIY project, as the shelf was built in 2009. :p

Above: Matilda stretches, exhausted after over-seeing the painting process.

Wake Up and Smell the Cocoa

2011-09-21T13:06:00.001+02:00

I love hot drinks, but many of my just-add-hot-water beverage mixes (including instant coffee) contain gluten. So, I've taken to drinking cocoa in the mornings, and it's probably a good thing too, because besides being gluten free, cocoa is pretty good for you.

Health Benefits of Unprocessed Cocoa

Cocoa contains the flavanol, epicatechin, which is believed to lower the risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.
Cocoa increases blood flow to the brain.
Cocoa decreases blood pressure and improves circulation.
Theobromine, found in cocoa, is a mood enhancer and stress reliever.

Above: Tigger likes cocoa too.