Spring Inspired Home Decor by Lubna Ali Khan
1. Flowers
Adding flowers in your home during spring time is a great way of bringing the outdoors in. Flowers can make your home smell amazing and lift up your mood. A great way to incorporate flowers in your home is to get a bunch of glass milk bottles and decorate them. You can use a black twine if you want to add a rustic look to it. You can also use ribbons and bows if you want a pastel theme. Just wrap them around the bottle anyway you fancy. Lastly fill them up with water and your favorite flowers. If you have trouble taking care of flowers then you can put some fake.. Read more here>

DIY Room Decor Ideas by Lubna Ali Khan
DIY Photo Collage
This photo collage is perfect for your room if you have a basic plain wall and you've been wanting to do something with it. This collage is really easy to make.
You'll need:
- Photos
- Masking tape
- Double sided tape... Read more here>

Pickled Fish Tacos
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 4 small tortillas
- 500 g pickled fish
- guacamole
- red chilli, finely chopped
- coriander leaves... Read more here>

Pineapple Pork Chops
Serves 4
Serving size: 1 pork chop + 1 pineapple slice
Nutritional information per serving: Carbs 24g | Fat 3g | Protein 28g
INGREDIENTS
Pork Chops:
- 4 pork chops
- 4 slices fresh pineapple, cut 2cm thick... Read more here>

Chalkboard Serving Tray
What to do:
Step 1: Sand the pine with 240-grit sandpaper until nice and smooth. Wipe away all traces of dust.
Step 2: Apply wide masking tape around the edge of the board. The wide tape protects the edge of the board from overspray.
Step 3: Spray on 3 to 4 coats of chalkboard spray, applying light coats and working from side to side. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat... Read more here>

Recycled Plastic Bottle Light Shades
What to do:
Step 1: Use a sharp craft knife to cut off the bottom section of the plastic bottle.
Note: You can only use CFL light globes in the fitting, as anything else heats up and will melt the plastic shade.
Step 2: Screw the top half of the bottle to the light fitting
Step 3: Optional - you may spray paint the outside of the plastic in any colour of your choice... Read more here>

Pebble Mat
What to do:
Step 1: Recycle and old doormat, or cut a sheet of rubber to size (Many larger fabric stores offer various rubber products for various upholstery projects).
Step 2: Before sticking down the pebbles, arrange them on the rubber mat until all the pebbles fit nicely.
Step 3: Use Pattex Universal Silicone to attach the individual pebbles to the rubber mat. Apply a thick bead of silicone to the back of each press and press firmly onto the mat... Read more here>

2. Measure out the size of each individual pocket and mark them with pins. The easiest way to do this is to lay out all the things that you know you always bring with you and measure the pockets accordingly... Read more here>

Turkey Meat Pie
Makes 2 pies - 10 servings each
Nutritional information based on 20 servings: Carbs 27.3g | Fat 7.9g | Protein 20.4g INGREDIENTS
CRUST
- 1½ cup spelt flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour ... Read more here>

Grilled Mielie Salad
Serves 4
Nutritional information per serving: Carbs 66.5g | Fat 15.4g | Protein 16.8g
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ears of fresh mielie, silk removed
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 2 cups haricots verts, ends removed and cut into 1" pieces ... Read more here>

DIY- How to make your own antler display. Step by step instructions below.
1. To make the floral antler decoration first paint your antler white.
2. Once the white paint is dry, dip the tips of the antler into bright gold paint.
3. When the gold paint is dry, take small vases and attach it to the antler using your pink cotton or string as shown in the image below..... Read more here>

DIY- How to make craft holders. Step by step instructions below.
1. Cut off the top part of the bottle.
2. Cut a length of your colourful printed fabric to fit around the bottle.
3. Use fabric glue to glue the fabric onto the bottle. Make sure to smooth out all air bubbles.
4. Once the bottle is covered trim the top to about 1/4 inch, turn in the fabric and glue.... Read more here>

DIY- How to make your own ottoman. Step by step instructions below.
1. Take off the bucket handle and measure the top of the bucket (38") — the bucket tapers at the bottom, so you need to measure the top and bottom — measure the bottom (33") and measure the height (17 1/2").You can also wrap the foam around the bucket and cut accordingly
2. Mark out the foam with your ruler. Draw out 38", mark the middle of it and split from the center 33". Measure 17 1/2" for the vertical foam with the height of the top layer of foam. Cut foam. Spray glue on the bucket and foam, and wait a few seconds for the glue to set.... Read more here>

Decor Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know - Article written by Chantel Harris
Not everyone can afford the services of an interior decorator, but that doesn’t mean your home can’t look like a million dollars. Professionals are happy to share their knowledge, meaning you can use their tips and tricks without feeling guilty about it. Here are the most important décor advice, as dispensed by those in the know.. Read more here>

Functional Rowhouse Kitchen
Suzanne Dimma reveals the newly renovated kitchen of H&H art director Mandy Milks. With the help of designer Mazen El-Abdallah, see how Mandy and her husband planned a new galley layout for their 11-foot-wide space. Learn tips for combining open and closed storage, adding extra counter depth without splurging on custom cabinets, and incorporating timeless materials for a polished look without a hefty price tag. Read more here>

How to decorate your outdoor table for a Summer lunch.
Table decor idea: A feast for all the senses.

Use flowers and leaves creatively to add the spontaneous spirit of an al fresco lunch. Don't reach automatically for a jug or vase - gather flower heads from the garden or from arrangements inside the house. When the flowers in a vase begin to fade, there are always a few blooms whose beauty remains intact. Pick off those flower heads that still have life in them and scatter them over a tablecloth or display singly in little glass vases where they can be admired at close quarters. This is a great way to make the most of your flowers, even if they only last like this for a short term. They can even be kept in the fridge for a few days beforehand, if required.

The heads of nerine lilies or single gladioli blooms, usually seen at the top of long stately stems and in the company of other flowers, are transformed when used in this simple, unassuming way. They add to that sense of 'contemplated haphazardness' which is so appealing but can be quite hard to achieve. Edible flowers such as nasturtiums, borage and pansies and freshly picked herbs such as chervil, coriander and basil can also be used to decorate and add taste to salads. And when serving cool drinks, such as fresh lemon presse, fill the glass with slices of lemon or lime and use sprigs of mint to flavour the water slightly and make it more refreshing.

Decor inspiration by Tricia Guild - Thinkcolour

Decorating for large open spaces.
Vital, uplifting colour againt a white backdrop
These are vital rather than vivid colour, with clarity and purity that instantly lifts the spirits. A deliberatly low-key backdrop of white whalls and polished resin floor lets the colours sing out in the open, uncluttered space, while other details such as cushions, lamps, tables and other furniture are also confined to white.

Traditional curtains can look out of place in the minimalist modern spaces, so here, banners of plain fabric have been suspended on metal rods to make simple blinds that can be opened or shut, depending on the quality of light and privacy required. They also take the colour in the room right up to the ceiling. The same window treatment has been used throughout the apartment, but in the lower room just one window panle is coloured; the rest remain pure white, which makes for a cooler feeling around the windows. White is also the predominent colour in the backdrop of walls and floor, with fresh linen cushions and a leather chair and stool. View decordirect.blogspot.com here>

Black and white pictures for your kitchen
You will need: image to copy, craft knife and ruler, cutting mat, clip picture frame.

Time needed: 10 minutes

Frame black and white images to bring simple style to your kitchen. Look for images of fruit or vegetables in cookery books that you could enlarge on a black and white photocopier, or you could even take a picture of yourself and use that. Simply crop to fit, frame and hang. Or, prop the frames up in a row along a shelf, as pictured here.

View decordirect.blogspot.com here>

Kitchen ideas: Shaker goes modern
Blend pared-down shaker style with modern assets. It's easy to update the shaker look because its simplicity makes it a natural partner for clean, modern lines. Despite being obviously modern in style, this room still owes its roots to the shaker tradition, with framed doors and wood worktops. The hi-tech stainless steel cooker and hood make a dramatic focal point and contemporary metal handles replace the traditional round wooden knobs. The white floor tiles make the room feel clean and bright, while laying them 'brick style', in staggered rows, gives a less formal effect.

If you have room, even a small island is an invaluable addition to the kitchen. make sure the worktop on it is a minimum of 15cm wider than the base unit and you can use it as a breakfast bar as well as a handy preparation surface. Cupboards underneath, extra big pots and the hanging rack above maximize storage - an important factor in Shaker homes. View decordirect.blogspot.com here>

Kitchen decor ideas: The natural touch
Mix cream with earthy greens, browns and yellows for a calm, relaxing kitchen.
Shaker kitchens work beautifully with natural colours: cream panelled units, wooden worktops and a terracotta floor. The walls, in shades of cream, increase the sense of space, and the tiled splashback brings in beautifully toning shades of moss, lichen, cream and butter. A central island houses a deep sink with a swan-knecked tap and plenty of worksurface. The worktop for the other half of the kitchen is granite-look laminate which provides an interesting contrast. A freestanding butcher's block against the far wall is wonderfully practical, with a hanging rail of utensils, a shelf for spices, rack for knives, plus preparation space, which you can wheel to where you want it. There has been no attempt to hide away the kitchen appliances - some white, some stainless steel - yet nothing looks out of place in this relaxed and welcoming kitchen.

View decordirect.blogspot.com here>