Now to Love

Jackie French’s Natural Solutions from The Australian Women’s Weekly Home Library (p.9) Refresh and relax after a long hot day at work, or in drying air-conditioning. Chill the ingredients in the fridge before using. 1 Lebanese cucumber 1 cup natural yogurt Blend or process ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Apply while still cool, leave […]

So you’ve been celebrating and now you feel … well, awful, in fact. When you drink alcohol to excess, your body is unable to break it down fast enough, so it accumulates in a harmful byproduct called acetaldehyde. The liver – which has the job of detoxifying your body – is overwhelmed by dealing with […]

Nominees’ List Kerry Armstrong, actor. Cate Blanchett, actor. Jennifer Byrne, journalist and TV presenter Betty Churcher, former Director of the National Gallery of Australia Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton, author. Ruth Cracknell, actor/author. Judy Davis, actor/director. Collette Dinnigan, fashion designer. Portia de Rossi, actor. Helen Dalley, television reporter. Dawn Fraser, Olympic Gold Medallist swimmer. Kate Fischer, actor, television […]

Add a touch of elegance to hats, scarves and haircombs with gorgeous roses. You will need: wire-edged ribbon (1m of pink for rose, 50cm of green for petals) wire pliers invisible thread 10cm x 20cm of canvas haircomb or brooch back Decide which edge of ribbon is to be the “outer” edge of the flower […]

We all know the best way to stay well and get all the nutrients we need is to eat a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Problem is – we just don’t do it! Nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables are all free from colours, preservatives and emulsifiers. It makes sense that if we […]

Apples and apple juice have a low glycaemic index (GI) which means they keep you feeling full for longer. To make the most of your apple juice, stir the extracted fruit fibre back into the juice. A 200g apple has 4g dietary fibre, as much as three slices of mixed grain bread. To make a […]

Bananas are a nutritionally complex and unique fruit, possibly because they don’t come from a tree at all, but a giant fruiting herb, the world’s largest. Bananas are the only fruit to contain all the major vitamins. They’re high in dietary fibre, potassium and magnesium, and have two to three times more carbohydrate than other […]

This simple yoga exercise really brushes away the cobwebs and sends a burst of energy right through your body. Try it today! 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees relaxed, feet facing forwards, and eyes open so you can keep your balance. 2.Clasp your hands behind your back with your palms facing the floor. […]

I have started an exercise program (finally!) and I am keen to know if there's anything I can take to give me an extra energy boost. K.Z., via email

It is hard to find people who have not encountered Harry Potter, the loveable bespectacled boy wizard who has wild, unruly black hair and a trademark lightning scar down his forehead – a legacy of his run-in as a baby with the evil, dark, lord, Voldemart. If you are one of those people who have […]

Author of the month whose book, The Future Homemakers of America, is featured in The Australian Women’s Weekly, November issue. Here, the acclaimed English writer talks about writing, her book and her extraordinary life-style and a love affair that began with a lonely hearts ad. Q You live in Venice, of all places? A Yes, […]

Looking for Andrew McCarthy by Jenny Coglan, HarperCollins, $26.95 That big 3-0 birthday looms large for Ellie as she realises that life isn’t all it was cracked up to be when she was a starry-eyed 20. She and a gang of old friends decide to hunt down Andrew, apparently the only one of their crowd […]

From Best Sellers for Fairs & Fetes Measurements Finished bags measure approximately 17cm x 25cm but measurements can be adapted to make smaller or larger bags. Materials 38cm x 19cm satin, brocade, silk dupion, or other evening fabric 66cm x 19cm contrast fabric for lining and border 0.6cm twisted satin cord or braid scraps of […]

Can the foods you eat shift your mood as well as stop you feeling hungry? The latest research reveals you can do anything from overcome depression to improve your memory – simply by choosing the right food. To boost energy levels, choose: Protein-rich foods: seafood (prawns, fish, scallops, mussels); turkey; low-fat milk or yoghurt. Foods […]

Try to make time for five minutes of quiet meditation and reflection every day. It stills the mind, combats stress, and mentally prepares you for what you have to do next. Meditation exercise Sit in any position that feels comfortable and close your eyes. Keep your head upright, shoulders relaxed. Start to breathe steadily and […]

You will need: White duvet cover White pillowcase Sheet of cardboard for stencils Carbon paper (if not photocopying) Scalpel or Stanley knife Waterproof spray paint Fabric paints in light and dark green, light and dark blue, yellow and orange and pink and red Paintbrush Sheet of cardboard, for separating covers Note: You can use bought […]

Design your own variety of stunning candles from one simple base. Tips and terms: *Always wear protective clothing (gloves and an apron) when making candles. *Never leave wax unattended over heat -at temperatures of more than 100°C, it is likely to catch fire *Work on a protected surface as you are likely to spill drops […]

Teddy bear candles Make cute teddy bear candles in a food mould, following our instructions for making Moulded candles. When the wax has hardened, remove the candle from the mould. Carefully push a warmed metal skewer through the top of the bear into the body and insert a length of wick into this hole. Melt […]

Floating candles Use food moulds to create these beautiful, floral floating candles. To make them, first follow our step-by-step guide to Moulded Candles, then use a skewer to make holes for wicks when wax has almost set.

Stamped and embossed candles Old and new candles can be smartened up with a little simple craftwork. Stamp and emboss your candles using a rubber stamp, ink pad and any one of the many glittering embossing powders available from craft outlets. Heat the embossed design with an embossing gun to achieve the finished effect.

Painted container candle Give an old glass or metal container or a terracotta pot a birght new look with a little paint and lots of imagination. We painted a simple floral design around the outside of a glass container using acrylic paint. To make the candle, first follow our instructions for making moulded candles. If […]

Studded candles Transform plain candles by using thumbtacks to create your own interesting motifs and designs. Just push the tacks into the wax. Cluster the candles to create an impact.

Shell candles Fill shells with colourful wax and group them for a pretty lighting display. To make the shell candles, follow our instructions for making moulded candles and push metal skewer in to the wax once it hardens slightly to make a hole for the wick. Melt a little more wax and pour it around […]

Children will love these colourful, egg shaped candles and can help in making them, but never let young children melt or pour the liquid wax. Egg candles Materials: Eggs (the desired number) sharp knife small bowl stearin included or buy stearin and mix it with wax- 8 parts wax to 1 part stearin) wax dyes […]

These are great for kids as they’re simple to make and can be moulded in a range of shapes and sizes. Beeswax Candles Materials Sheets of beeswax (in desired colours) sharp knife wicking Working on a protected surface, cut the beeswax sheets into rectangular or tirangular shapes of the desired size. Cut a length of […]

Fibre is a vital part of the digestive process, but are you eating enough? Dietitian/nutritionist Vanessa Jones shows how, by making small changes in what you eat, you can easily go from a low-fibre diet to one that is high in fibre. Your mother describes it as ‘roughage’, the kids call it ‘those yucky grainy […]

Insoluble fibre This type of fibre tends to be better known as it is more visible and often adds texture to our food. Insoluble forms of fibre include cellulose (present in all edible food plants), hemicelluloses (found especially in cereal bran) and lignin (found mainly in cereals and woody vegetables). Best sources include cereal bran […]

White marquees stood amidst lush gardens, like giant meringues. People sat around a lake feeding the ducks and reading. There was a star line-up of authors, some swooping bats and lots of spicy gossip drifting through the sweet, tropical air at the fifth Byron Bay Writers Festival . For those who couldn’t attend, here are […]

If you’re ravenous, reduce the risk of making bad food choices by keeping healthy, tasty snacks on hand. Eating wholefoods little and often is the key to keeping energy levels up through the day. The alternative is the all-too-familiar boom-bust-boom effect of eating sugary, processed foods, and then having blood sugar levels slump shortly afterwards, […]

Could it be candida? Overgrowth of the fungus candida in the digestive system has been associated with a whole range of seemingly unrelated problems, including irritability, tiredness, mild depression, thrush (which affects 70 per cent of women at some time), food sensitivities, flatulence, and poor digestion. It often takes hold following a period of long-term […]

Materials (to make 5-6 bombs) 1 cup bicarbonate of soda 1/2 cup cornflour 1/4 cup citric acid (see note below) Essential oil of your choice Food colouring Soap moulds (from craft stores) Note Both citric acid and bicarbonate of soda are available from baking sections of supermarkets. Method 1 SIFTING Sift bicarbonate of soda, cornflour […]

Measurements: Approx width at bust/chest: 130cm. Approx length (not including waist band): 61.5cm. Approx sleeve length (not including wrist band): 42cm. This is a loose-fitting garment. Materials: 8-ply yarn (50g): Main Colour (MC): 8 balls (black); 1st Contrast (C1): 6 balls (blue); 2nd Contrast (C2): 5 balls (white); 3rd Contrast (C3): 2 balls (red). One […]

Why women get drunk faster than men According to a new study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, ADH, an enzyme that helps digest alcohol is less active in women, making them more prone to the effects of wine and spirits. But if you enjoy a beer, this is less of a problem, […]

According to scientists at the University of Sydney, wearing woollen sweaters may make you feel cosy, but, compared with cotton clothing, they may trap allergens and trigger allergy symptoms. In fact, you run the risk of exposing yourself to dust mites and cat allergens by at least 10 times! So, if you can’t shake a […]

Migraines? Skip the sleep-in! If you are a migraine sufferer, sleeping late on weekend mornings might not be such a good idea. According to UK research, the sudden change in sleeping habits can cause a splitting migraine. And, if it also means you are late for your morning ‘fix’ of caffeine, or that you miss […]

Guilt is very common in women, and it’s really just a roundabout way of saying you don’t like yourself. When we feel guilty we feel inefficient, bad and wrong. We feel guilty for eating, for spending too much money (or not enough), for not giving enough time to our children (or for smothering them), for […]

How noisy is your office? Now there’s even more reason to dream about a corner office- provided it’s quiet, that is. A recent study from Cornell University shows that people who work in noisy, open-plan office environments had anything up to 90 per cent higher levels of stress hormone in their systems – and they […]

Whether it’s a rainy day, a pending party or you and your child are looking to use some creative expression, you can’t go past a dress up. This month we help you get a brilliant “troll look” from head to toe. BODY Trolls These spectacular little garbage bag trolls are from the minimum-effort-maximum-effect school of […]

If you’ve inherited a sweet tooth or a tendency to put on weight, you can beat your genes by changing your eating habits and lifestyle. By Helen Hawkes. Your mother was pear shaped and so are you. She loved fatty foods and sweets and hated exercise – and so do you. Not surprisingly, she was […]

There’s plenty of evidence to show our immune systems may be compromised by lack of nutrients and stress. However, the good news is that many tasty and inexpensive foods are highly protective. Add them to your diet today! Onions and garlic These help boost natural immunity and aid circulation. Red onions are a particularly good […]

A surprise finding from a recent English study is that drinking between one to six cups of black tea daily improves bone density. Although tea contains caffeine, thought to steal bone, it also has compounds that may mimic the bone-building effect of oestrogen in post-menopausal women.

There’s a well-known list of stressors, ranked in order of impact on your health and happiness, which includes illness, moving house, filling out tax forms, going through a divorce, and losing a loved one. Oddly, it doesn’t include driving which, I think, should be right up there with the super-stressors as an unpleasant and uncomfortable […]

In the first of our feature interviews, we profile The Australian Women’s Weekly author of the month, Lisa Michaels, about her book Grand Ambition (Hodder headline $34.95). Q. You are the mother of twin boys, how old are they and do twins run in the family? A. They are the result of fertility drugs and […]

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BONNET Using 3.25 needles, cast on 91 sts. Work 28 rows patt as for back of dress. Work 10 rows st-st. Shape Crown: 1st Row: K 1, * k 2 tog, k 8, rep from * to end. 2nd...

FRONT Work as for back to **. Dec at each end of next and alt rows until 54 (60, 66) sts rem. Work 13 (19, 19) rows. Shape Neck: 1st Row: K 21 (23, 26), turn. Cont on these 21 (23, 26) sts, dec at neck edge in alt rows until 15 (17, 19) sts […]

Materials: 20 Patons 3 ply Baby Wool 25g balls (quantity is approximate as it varies between knitters); 1 set 3.25 (No. 10) and 3.25 (No. 10) Milward circular needles (various lengths), or size needed to give correct tension; Milward knitters needle for finishing; 3.00 (No. 10-11) Milward crochet book. Measurement: (approx) 130cm in diameter. Tension: […]

Materials: 20 Patons 3 ply Baby Wool 25g balls (quantity is approximate as it varies between knitters); 1 set 3.25 (No. 10) and 3.25 (No. 10) Milward circular needles (various lengths), or size needed to give correct tension; Milward knitters needle for finishing; 3.00 (No. 10-11) Milward crochet book. Measurement: (approx) 130cm in diameter. Tension: […]

Decorate your home with these beautiful lavender and green hand-made crocheted bobble-style cushions. Finished size of cushions. Approximately 40cm x 34cm. Abbreviations. Cable: (this is worked over 6 stitches) miss the first 3 stitches, work in a ttr in each of the next 3tr, then work a ttr in each of the missed stitches, starting […]

Diagrams Back (Step 1) Front (Step 1) Sides (x 2) (Step 1) Wall joints – detail (Step 4) Floor plan (Step 5) Brick foundation layout (Step 6) Roof – front and back elevations (Step 9) Roof joints – side elevation detail (Step 9) Roof: side-view – elevation (Step 9) Roof plan (Step 10) Roof joints […]

For around $35 make this white magic crochet top. FRONT Work as for Back until there are 16 (17, 18, 19) rows less than Back, thus working last row on wrong side. Shape neck. Next row. Patt 44 (48, 53, 58), Dec A, turn. Cont in patt on these 45 (49, 64, 59) sts and […]