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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]