Now to Love

Her frocks usually send the fashion set into raptures of delight but Cate Blanchett was squarely on the worst-dressed list last night after donning a dress described by critics as an “unflattering lopsided spider web”. Cate, 44, was in Paris to attend the premiere of her new film Blue Jasmine when she made the rare […]

Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are taking time out from their marriage, a representative for the couple confirms. “Catherine and Michael are taking some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage,” the rep said. It’s been nearly five months since the two have been spotted together. They’ve since been seen taking separate […]

Canadian crooner Michael Buble has become a father for the first time.

Beyonce reportedly found herself in the middle of an altercation at the Video Music Awards after-party when rappers Diddy and J. Cole got into an argument. According to the New York Post, the disagreement began when J. Cole allegedly “said inappropriate things” to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ girlfriend. “Sean immediately pounced. Some pushing and shoving happened. […]

Prince William has already farewelled the “beautiful” Isle of Anglesey he and the Duchess of Cambridge have called home since their 2011 wedding at what was to be his final royal appearance on the island before leaving for London, but now he is planning one last goodbye. William will fire the starting gun for the […]

Take a look inside the world of truffle hunting with Mike Dolan.

Fred Stobagh considers himself tone-deaf, but a beautiful and heartbreaking love song he penned for his wife has turned him into an international recording sensation. The 96-year-old US man met the love of his life, Lorraine, in 1938. He describes her as “the most gorgeous girl I ever saw”. They would rarely leave each other’s […]

Yet another beauty product that claims to delay the ageing process using antioxidants is hitting the shelves but this one has one key difference – you drink it instead of applying it. Proponents of Fountain The Beauty Molecule claim it can for the first time be ingested in a concentrated form and this is the […]

A happy, fresh-faced and carefree Katie Holmes emerged on The Hampton scene last weekend, surprising a room full of celebrities with her non-stop dancing and overall party prowess. The Mania Days star joined a host of A-listers for the Apollo In The Hamptons: A Night of Legends party at Apollo Theatre board member Ron Perelman’s […]

Supermodel Megan Gale joined almost 200 Australian Women’s Weekly readers in kicking off the magazine’s 80th birthday celebrations and raising money for ovarian cancer research in the first event of The Weekly’s high tea tour. Readers travelled from across the country on Tuesday to enjoy a classic high tea with sandwiches, pastries and cakes from […]

With the release of the Diana movie imminent, tempers are flaring and nerves are fraying as the late Princess Diana’s ex-lover slams the movie and lead actress Naomi Watts awaits the royal family’s verdict. In an interview with the Sunday Times, the 44-year-old actress revealed she almost didn’t accept the role. “I turned it down […]

As an openly gay man, Ricky Martin has been on the receiving end of homophobic slurs so it might surprise you to hear that he was once the one making them.

In a surprise move, an always-poised and private Nicole Kidman has opened up about her “fantasy life” with Tom Cruise, labelling it unbalanced and unhealthy. And Cher may have called him one of her “greatest” lovers, but Nicole Kidman’s life with her ex-husband was anything but enjoyable. The 46-year-old Aussie siren was recently promoting her […]

Katie Holmes is back in a white dress and veil, but only to shoot scenes from her new movie. The 34-year old was sporting bridal getup on the set of Miss Meadows this weekend, in her native Cleveland, Ohio. The unusual black Mary Jane heels and ankle socks the actress was wearing were a dead […]

Spring is on its way and that means it’s time to break out the florals and slip on some sandals. But you don’t have to spend a fortune creating your signature look for the season. We’ve put together a collection of the best pieces of the season, at the best prices!

Most young couples shudder at the very thought sharing a roof with their parents but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are so keen to keep her parents close they’ve built them a room in their new Kensington Palace apartment. William and Kate moved into the Middleton’s Berkshire home a couple of days after the […]

The Duke of Cambridge is playing the world’s most accommodating son-in-law by making sure the Middletons have a grand suite at Kensington Palace – and says he’s “pleased” with the idea! Carole Middleton hasn’t been far from her daughter’s side since the birth of her grandson Prince George. Kate’s parents were the first people to […]

Another royal wedding could be just around the corner with reports that Prince Harry is preparing to pop the question. The 28-year-old prince’s relationship with dancer Cressida Bonas has been getting serious and friends of the couple say he has been hinting at a proposal ‘any day now’. “The way it’s looking now people close […]

Love is in the airwaves for Cat Vas and Barry Southgate… X Factor heart-throb Barry Southgate is the coolest of cool cats. But one woman brings a broad grin to his usually poker face – fellow contestant Cat Vas. The pair, who knew each other before the show, have been spotted getting cosy offstage, so […]

When you watch your favourite show, keep in mind that its big stars earn your yearly salary … in mere minutes! Ed O’Neill Playing Modern Family’s grumpy patriarch has made Ed the show’s highest-earning cast member. Now commanding $222,000 an episode, plus a share of profits, the former Married… With Children star is worth $44m. […]

It was a cynical crowd but the grand illusionist had us spellbound… When Australia’s most famous magician, Cosentino, strode into our offices, he was faced with more than just a cramped performance space – he had to turn a sceptical audience into believers. But we were hypnotised as we tried to follow his every flourish, […]

She may be known for her figure but model Robyn Lawley doesn’t want to be a “figurehead” for plus-size women, and says promoting ‘curves’ is just as bad as making women feel pressured to be thin. The Australian model made her statements in an interview with The Guardian saying promoting a curvy figure as an […]

Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew have reportedly rekindled their romance 17 years after their divorce. Friends say the Duke and Duchess of York, both 53, have quietly got back together and are even considering getting remarried, the UK’s Telegraph newspaper reports. “Mark my words, they will remarry,” one insider told the publication. “It is only […]

It appears the last of the Prince of Wales bachelors has been snapped up, with Kensington Palace expecting Prince Harry to announce his engagement to Cressida Bonas by the end of this year. Prince Harry, 28, has been dating the 24-year-old blonde society girl and dance student for 15 months after they were introduced by […]

Princess Diana’s former boyfriend Hasnat Khan has slammed the upcoming movie that portrays the couple’s relationship saying it is “complete wrong” and he will never watch it. The heart surgeon from Pakistan who was romantically involved with the Princess in her final years criticised the film in a rare interview with the Mail on Sunday […]

Michael Douglas is reportedly preparing to announce he has ended his 13-year marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles are arguably the most loved-up couple in Hollywood! Although the pair are super private when it comes to their personal life, it’s easy to see that these two were made for each other. “I would not be the woman I am if I did not go home to that man,” Beyonce […]

The Duchess of Cambridge is just three weeks away from her first red carpet appearance since the birth of her baby and the world is already talking about what the new mum will wear. Fortunately for Kate, her favourite designer Jenny Packham helpfully released her new collection in New York yesterday. Kate has worn Jenny’s […]

Ben Affleck has been unmasked as the new Batman, preparing to suit up for the upcoming Man of Steel sequel.

Make-up free and a picture of summer, Gwyneth Paltrow has attracted attention with her bold fashion choices yet again, posing in a jumping shot in a one shoulder bikini.

Victoria Beckham is known as one of the most beautiful celebrities on the planet but not for her smile. Now the famous fashionista has revealed why she refuses to turn her frown upside down.

In the age of the perky, perfect Victoria’s Secret model, women who look like Michelle Calderon and Casey Legler are virtually invisible in the fashion world. But not anymore — denim brand Diesel has eschewed typical models in favour of Michelle, Casey and 18 other people of different shapes and sizes for its latest ad […]

While dieters grumble about being constantly hungry, new research has shown that being in a state of hunger can actually make you happy. Grehlin is a hormone that our bodies produce when we are in need of more calories and creates that feeling of hunger we all know too well. Yet a study published in […]

Trying to avoid unwanted male attention in the office? Imagining your grandmother is in the room during interaction with colleagues of the opposite sex is one way. Not wearing anything revealing and learning to accept compliments “gracefully” are also said to work a charm. Although sounding like this advice comes from some 1950’s etiquette manual, […]

Prince William has revealed that he’s going to give his son’s nursery an adventurous theme inspired by African wildlife. In the one-hour special, Prince William’s Passion: New Father, New Hope, scheduled to air in September, the new dad tells CNN of his exotic vision. “I’ll have toy elephants and rhinos around the room,” Wills says. […]

Just when you thought Hugh Jackman couldn't get any more perfect, the muscle-bound hunk has donated $10,000 to help sick kids.

It’s no secret that Princess Beatrice likes to party, but it appears she quit her job in finance to spend more time having fun. Though friends insist the 25-year-old royal is “already looking for another job” since recently leaving the firm she joined mid-2012, she has spent most of the summer holidaying by the beach […]

Avoid squabbles in the bathroom by giving each child a matching coloured facewasher and toothbrush. That colour then becomes the child’s own and she won’t use anyone else’s.

Write each of your children’s names on a brown paper bag and put into it any of their photos that don’t make the family album. In years to come, you’ll have a treasured selection of pictures to give to each child on a special occasion, such as a 21st birthday.

Older toddlers enjoy simple, homemade jigsaw puzzles. Paste a magazine picture onto cardboard and cut it into pieces the child will be able to assemble. Use more complicated shapes for older children.

As a cheaper alternative to helium balloons for children’s party decorations, blow up ordinary balloons and stick them to walls and ceilings with double-sided sticky tape.

A game of Snakes and Ladders played with young children can be a long drawn-out affair, as anyone who has played with them will testify. Use two dice – it moves the game along more quickly and teaches them about adding up.

Some of the Barbie dolls’ clothes are very tight-fitting and difficult for little children to get on and off. Sprinkle the doll with talcum powder and the clothes will slip on easily.

Overalls that have become too short for your child can be lengthened with knitted cuffs in one plain, one purl rib sewn to the bottom of the legs. They look cute and also give extra warmth.

Store wooden jigsaw puzzles in the cut-off legs of laddered pantyhose. The stocking holds the puzzle pieces in place and you can easily see which puzzle is which.

Scratch the name or initials of your child on passionfruit when they are green on the vine – a nail will do the trick. When the fruit turns purple, the name stands out and the kids have fun finding “their” fruit.

Try a chocolate-hazelnut spread for fairy bread instead of butter or margarine. The hundreds and thousands stick better and children love it.

Old soft toys can be given a new lease of life by turning them into bookends for children’s rooms. Open a seam, fill with pebbles or sand to add the weight, then re-stitch.

When toilet training a little boy, float a ping-pong ball with a bullseye painted on it in the bowl to help him aim straight! The ball won’t flush away and he’ll get used to aiming for the target.

To remove chewing gum from clothing, pick off as much as possible, smother gum with olive or canola oil and rub briskly with fingers. Spray with pre-wash stain remover and wash in the usual way.

Save some toys that your child hasn’t played with for a while, add whatever toys are passed down from cousins and so on, and bring them out when your child is sick in bed. It’s surprising how interesting they can become.

Some large stores sell children’s gift-wrapping papers with pictures on them, and the sheets have never been folded or creased. Framed, they make lovely pictures for a child’s room at a fraction of the cost of wall posters.

Getting a toddler to eat meals can be tricky, so next time yours refuses to eat, put a glove puppet on your hand and let the puppet feed the child.

Remove glue from school clothes by soaking garments overnight in brown vinegar. Follow with a light scrub, then machine-wash as usual.

To help young children recognise their schoolbags in a group, put a photograph of them inside of the clear plastic label.

Plastic trellis makes an effective cover for a sandpit. It discourages cats and other inquisitive animals, yet is light enough for children to remove by themselves.

Have the “birthday child” do colourful paintings on some small brown paper bags and use them as lolly bags at the child’s party. Fold the bags over at the top and stick down with bright stickers or stars.

Use a large bulldog clip to hold your child’s school paintings together and hang them behind the bedroom door. Put new paintings on top and, when the wad gets too thick, remove some of the paintings from the back.

Mulberry stains on children’s clothes or skin can be removed by rubbing the stained areas with unripe mulberries. This must be done before stained clothing is washed.

Personalise hand-me-down clothes by adding new buttons or appliques to the garment. It’s even better if children select their own new trimmings.

Young children can learn to knit more easily if you teach them using two crochet hooks instead of knitting needles. Use the hook end as the point and they won’t lose the stitches, or their patience, so often.

Try using jelly instead of fruit juice when making iceblocks at home. Make up a packet of jelly crystals as directed, pour into iceblock moulds and freeze. They’re delicious and not as “drippy” as regular ice blocks.

To avoid iron-on and sew-on labels coming off children’s clothing, buy some fabric paint and use it to write their names on everything instead. The paint is permanent after drying for 24 hours and doesn’t fade.

Faded felt pens can be rejuvenated by removing the ends and pouring a few drops of water into their stems. Replace the ends, stand them upside down for a short time, and you’ll double their life.

Make a photograph album especially for the children. Fill it with duplicates of your favourite shots of family, pets, outings and so on, and they’ll get hours of fun from it.

Quickly cool a bowl of soup for a toddler by breaking a slice of frozen bread into it. As the bread defrosts, it cools the soup and adds bulk to the meal.

A plastic bucket is an excellent way to carry around baby and toddler toys when out visiting, or just for moving them to a new play area around the house. It’s the right size, easy to carry and costs only a few dollars.

For children going on school camps or holidays, pack full sets of clothing in separate plastic shopping bags marked with the days of the week. This keeps clean clothes separated from dirty ones and gives them something to bring the dirty washing home in.

Use marshmallows as candle holders on birthday cakes – they prevent wax running onto the cake.

Don’t throw away leftover soft drinks that have gone flat – they make great ice blocks.

Here’s a quick and easy birthday “cake” for a child who doesn’t like cake. Turn a small tub of vanilla ice-cream out onto a plate. On the top of the “cake”, outline in chocolate buttons or Smarties the age of the birthday child. Add a paper frill around the sides of the ice-cream and stick […]

Wear an oven mitt to stroke air out of adhesive paper when covering school books. It makes a tricky job much easier.

A backpack filled with toys, books and snacks and hung from the front seat of your car is a great way to entertain children on long journeys. It’s easily accessible and will keep them amused for ages.

Buy a wooden mug tree for the nursery – you can use it hang up all the hair bows and hats you seem to acquire for your baby, making them instantly accessible.

Make the littlies their own “grocery shop”. Trim to size the labels from smaller-size canned foods and glue them onto empty film containers, making miniatures of the products. Small cereal packets and juice boxes can be added to the mini-supermarket.

Renew the features on old, faded dolls’ faces by using a cream foundation and blending in blusher (works best on matt surfaces). Nail polish is excellent for lipstick, and waterproof mascara can be used for eyelashes.

Encourage kids to eat their lunch sandwiches by using a teddy bear or gingerbread man biscuit cutter to cut them into shapes. Add currants or sultanas for eyes.

Tracksuits that become too short in the arms and legs as children grow can be lengthened by inserting bands of contrasting fabrics.

Putting names on kids’ school pencils is quicker and easier if you shave off a strip of wood with a potato peeler instead of a knife.

Use a laundry marker to make a matching symbol or number on each pair of white socks in the wash so that they’re easy to match at putting away time.

Help your baby to sit by putting a blow-up swim ring around her waist instead of propping her up with pillows. It will save a lot of toppling over and bruising.

When children are inclined to compete over portions and are reluctant to share, allow one to cut the “share” and the other to choose.

Make a photo album with snaps of close family or friends who live interstate or overseas and give it to your children. This way, they’ll know them by sight and, when visits are made, less “warm-up’ time should be needed.

Here’s a tip for the new mum. When you are bathing your very young baby, wear a cotton glove on the hand you use to support your baby. This enables you to keep a firm hold on the slippery little body.

When you are working at night on your PC, task-based lighting is much easier on the eyes than having a light shining from above and onto your computer screen. Invest in an attractive desk lamp to...

Bookmark popular Internet sites while you are looking at them - this will make them easy to retrieve and visit at a later date. Using Microsoft Internet Explorer, choose Favorites, then Add to...

If your PC is positioned near a window and the light is interfering with your computer screen, either invest in an anti-glare cover for your screen or find something you can put over the window...

When you're finished on the Internet, make sure you disconnect properly to prevent being charged for time you weren't expecting. To be extra sure, always turn your modem off when it's not being...

If your mouse cursor starts jumping around the screen and not behaving properly, it probably needs a clean. Turn the mouse over and take off the small back cover (it probably twists off) to find a...

Can't remember whose turn it is to do the dishes or set the table? Create a roster on your computer and stick it on the...

If you have a scanner, keep an electronic photo library which can be sent to relatives who also have computers. Scan in photos and keep relevant groups together in their own...

Computer, printer, scanner, keyboard, mouse, modem, in-tray - running out of space on your desk? Think about buying a stand for your printer that elevates it and allows you to put things...

Toys with many small parts can be kept in transparent hosiery wash bags, which cost a few dollars in supermarkets. Children can see what’s inside without having to tip all the parts out onto the floor.

To disguise ballpoint pen scribbles on wallpaper, use correction fluid. Lightly tint it with a colour from a child’s paint set that matches the wallpaper, and the marks will be practically invisible.

To entertain children indoors, put a tennis ball inside an old stocking, hang it from a hook in the ceiling and give them room to hit the ball with tennis racquets. They’ll have fun for hours. And for a night-light that won’t keep your toddler awake, try using a 25-watt blue globe in the overhead […]

Stick a bunch of lollypops into an orange to make an attractive centrepiece for a birthday party table. Attach a balloon with the child’s name written on it to the back of each chair so they can find their places.

When kids are playing at the end of the day, set a timer bell to remind them that teatime or bedtime is near. When the bell rings, they know they have 10 minutes to finish their activity and pack up. A 15-minute buzzer may better suit older children.

Take the sting out of sandfly bites by rubbing them with Vegemite. The vitamin B content stops the itch, so the child is less likely to scratch and infect the bite. It’s especially good for small children.

Occupy children on a rainy day by having them cut out large coloured letters from headings in magazines. When new schoolbooks need covering, glue the letters onto plain covers to form their name, grade and subject in an individual and easily recognised way.