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 […]

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 […]