Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i Better Homes and Gardens Australia

TRUSTED BRANDS | INNOVATION | CARE | CAPACITY HN.COM.AU/LAUNDRY online | mobile | in store BEST IN CLASS ENERGY EFFICIENCY MIELE 8KG HEAT PUMP DRYER $2,499 (TWF720) A 10 star energy rating makes this one of the best-in-class heat pump dryers on the market. 12 drying programs including bed linen and add-to-load feature. MIELE 9KG WASHER $2,299 (WWG360) 4.5 star energy and water rating and a choice of 17 wash cycles including a SteamCare option for removal of bacteria and allergens. Also features Extra-quiet and PowerWash options. WiFi connected so you can choose your cycle or monitor the time left to run. WELS 4.5 stars, 76L/wash on Cottons 40C programme. WOOLMARK CERTIFIED WOOLLEN CARE AEG 10KG WASHER $2,499 (LF8C1612A) 10kg capacity washer features OKOMix technology, which premixes detergents and softeners…

SPRIGS OF BLOSSOMS The bark of the silver birch makes it a standout, but so do the leaves and spring catkins. HAVE A SPLURGE WITH SPURGE Lovely clusters of tiny yellow-green flowers pop out of the top of the stalks of Euphorbia wulfenii. GREY-GREEN WILL ALWAYS BE SEEN The natural mounded shape of the licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) is enhanced by its soft, felted foliage. MAKE WAVES WITH TOPIARY The small, glossy, undulating leaves of oleaster (Elaeagnus pungens) are ideal for cloud pruning. SET YOUR SUMMER ABLAZE NZ flax (Phormium tenax) is a striking architectural plant, and its flowers are stunning. NATURALLY WILD, EASY TO TAME For toughness and prettiness combined, you can’t go past the native coastal rosemary (Westringia fruticosa).…

Your heart will miss a beat, then go all aflutter when you take in their intoxicating scent. Next, your heart is sure to break when the small shrubs curl up and die, leaving a hole in your garden and a searing ache in your memory for that sweet, citrusy, spicy aroma. Springtime is when the little brown boronia (Boronia megastigma) shrub is smothered with tiny cup-shaped, yellow and brown flowers, putting out the sweetest of all smells in the season. Or there is the native rose (B. serrulata) or red boronia (B. heterophylla) that produce crowds of pretty pink, red or white cups with a milder but still profound perfume. But, like anything that has such exquisite properties, it doesn’t come easy. Despite your e  orts they can die within…

You’ve set up a little vegie plot – a raised bed in the garden or containers on the balcony – chosen your plants and are looking forward to a summer crop of tasty produce. Now you have to schedule in planting, feeding, weeding, watering, and pest and disease control, which are crucial to a successful harvest. Problem is, in warmer weather you want to be out doing other things, so here’s how to make these tasks quick and easy. GROW YOUR OWN CARE TIPS AND TRICKS FOR YOUR PLOT • Good-quality garden soil or potting mix should provide you with enough nutrients to see you through the season. • Organic mulch covering the soil helps to suppress weeds and prevent water evaporation. Use a straw mulch from legumes, such as…

Camilla Franks is a household name thanks to her signature kaftans, which are like beautiful works of art, but did you know she has amazing homewares, too? Here, you can get a glimpse into her home, where her passion for vibrant colour and eclectic style is obvious. But, you don’t have to be a famous fashion designer to create glorious interior spaces. It’s all about decorating with things you love and that make you feel good. Use wallpaper, cushions and art to create a tactile and captivating visual feast – a place full of beauty and things to look at and touch. Get ready for design inspiration. DITCH THE DESIGN RULES STYLE YOUR SPACES WITH WHAT YOU LOVE…

MAKE IT WORK Stretch cabinets to the ceiling to max your storage. Trim the top with architectural cornice. Line the splashback with subtle marble herringbone mosaics or any of their ceramic look-alikes. If you wish, conceal modern appliances, such as the fridge, behind large cabinet doors. Have your plumber install a provincial-style mixer tap. ESSENTIAL STYLE FOR SHOPPING DETAILS, SEE OUR STOCKISTS PAGE…

TURN SIMPLE RICE, VEGIES AND CHEESE INTO A SAVOURY CAKE WITH MIDDLE EASTERN FLAIR CARAMELISED CARROT FETA AND RICEPIE Preparation time 30 mins Cooking time 2 hours Serves 6-8 2kg carrots, peeled and chopped¼ cup extra virgin olive oil1 tsp fennel seeds, crackedSea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season¼ cup honey2 tsp red wine vinegar2 cups basmati rice1 Tbsp fine salt150g feta, crumbled1 bunch dill, chopped, plus extra, to serve2 Tbsp gheeYoghurt and salad leaves, to serve STEP 1 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Toss carrot in olive oil and fennel seeds and season generously. Arrange in a roasting pan and bake for 1 hour, until tender. Add honey and vinegar, mix well and bake for a further 20 minutes, until caramelised. Transfer to a large…

So many more people are working from home at the moment, but if you are struggling to find an office nook or spare space for a desk, this upcycle idea with a tallboy is exactly what you need. Simply transform an old chest of drawers into a work station with a pull-down desktop and give it a high-end look with faux bone-inlay stencilling. The result is a ‘new’ item of furniture that’s not only functional, but is also a very stylish piece of furniture when not in use. Gather your supplies • 21mm plywood • Stain blocker spray • Chalk paint in black and white • Stencil or plastic lace • Drawer handles • Piano hinge • Decorative chain supports with mounting plates • Magnetic door catch You’ll also need…

MAKE A LOOM Building your own loom is a lot easier than you think and is super budget-friendly, as you only need a length of pine, a few tools, screws and nails. Plus, you can easily adapt the instructions to make the kind you want, such as a standing loom with legs that kick out for stability. Customise it size-wise too, making a lap loom that is more portable or even a simple clipboard loom for smaller projects such as coasters. If you’d rather not DIY, you can buy looms online, starting at about $30. EASY STEPS TO YOUR WOVEN WALL HANGING If you are looking for a new craft to learn, let it be how to weave. It’s one of those centuries-old traditions that is both practical and beautiful,…

Yoga is very popular for good reason. It not only improves strength and flexibility, it also boosts your health and wellbeing. The classes can be as gentle or as challenging as you like (you’re always in charge) and, once you’re in the swing of it, chances are it will motivate you to eat healthier and encourage you to exercise more. So let’s get you started. YOGI SAYS FLEXIBILITY IS NOT REQUIRED. PRACTICING YOGA HELPS YOU BUILD IT HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLASS These are a few popular yoga styles. Keep in mind teachers have different approaches, so you might need to try a few to find a match. HATHA Teaches postures that you hold for several breaths, sometimes minutes. Great for: A first class. The postures are easily adapted…

Want soft, smooth skin in winter? Here’s how you can get it FRIEND OR FOE? Skin has a pH of about 5.5, whereas many soaps have a higher pH - that is, they’re more alkaline. Using alkaline products increases your skin’s pH and damages its protective barrier. Don’t know a product’s pH? Check your skin - if it feels dry, change products. CHECKLIST Beating dry skin is as much about what you don’t do to your skin as it is about what you do. GOOD TO KNOW Skin has a natural barrier, and it’s this outermost layer that prevents transepidermal water loss and stops potential irritants from getting in. Harsh soaps and detergents damage this barrier, and cause redness, sensitivity, inflammation and dehydration. The solution is to switch to a…

So while you're hunkering down, many of you still working from home, use the opportunity to tackle those pesky little jobs you never quite get around to doing. Or if you're really game, take your first tentative steps to redesigning your kitchen. Spoilt for choice when it comes to what's on offer — from styles and materials to big and small appliances — focus on what suits your space, your lifestyle and, above all, what makes you feel good. Should you consider trends? Well yes, but only if they speak to you. And as trends have a tendency to come and go, our kitchen feature (page 80) has loads of designs, tips and hints for the hub of your home that will stand the test of time. On that note,…

Call them what you like – horny goat weed, bishop’s hat or barrenwort – these little flowers are the prettiest and most delightful plants to get you ready to usher in spring. Popping up like dainty, miniature orchids on wire-like stems in early spring, epimediums defy the impression they are delicate and need gentle care. Instead, they’re as tough as any wild child, can tolerate conditions most plants can’t and will add life and colour to your garden’s difficult, shady spots. They come in magical white, pink, rose and purple, or yellow, orange and red. Perhaps you should call them fairy wings, because they’ll cast a spell in your garden. WHERE TO GROW Epimediums give your garden a spiritual, woodland effect, especially when planted under a tree, and will over…

• Choose a pot about 30cm in diameter to give the roots room to grow. • Pick a terracotta pot, as excess water seeps through the clay rather than lingering in the soil. • Don’t use a saucer, but put the pot on feet so any excess water drains away. • Use quality potting mix with a couple of handfuls of slow-release native plant food. • Place in a sheltered courtyard or balcony that gets a couple of hours of morning sun a day. • Water and feed as you would if the plant was in your garden.…

don’t think of your shed as just being full of bits and pieces that you might make use of one day. Look at it as a bunch of materials that can go together to make something amazing. A shed full of old timber offcuts, a couple of old doors plus some scrounged windows can be thrown together to make a shabby chic greenhouse you’ll love as much as your plants do. EASY STEPS TO BUILD YOUR GREENHOUSE Gather your supplies • Treated pine sleepers (optional) • Recycled timber of various sizes • Recycled windows and doors • Polycarbonate roof sheeting and ridge capping • Recycled shadecloth You’ll also need Post stirrups; drill; 10mm masonry bit; 10mm masonry anchors; spirit level; hex head bolts; clamp; 100mm batten screws; easy-fit hinges; circular…

SEPTEMBER 2020 Times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time, AEST. This applies to NSW, the ACT, Qld, Vic and Tas. For SA and NT, deduct half an hour. For WA, deduct two hours. During Daylight Saving Time, add 1 hour. How to use the calendar Best days Second-best days On these days, thin out seed boxes, sow all types of seeds and plant seedlings that produce their crop above the ground. These include all varieties of peas, beans, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprout, eggplant, lettuce, celery, silverbeet, spinach, endive, Chinese cabbage, tomato, cucumber, asparagus crowns, artichoke, marrow, pumpkin, capsicum, melon, zucchini, chicory, sprouts, rhubarb, all herbs (except garlic) and all agricultural crops, such as sunflower, grains, cereals, canola and cotton. During these days, you can also plant flowering shrubs,…

GET CRAFTY Edge a bought throw with plush poms, handmade with a pompom maker! AFTER A LONG COLD WINTER SPRING’S FRESH HUES WILL BE A WELCOME CHANGE PLANT LIFE INDOOR GARDEN Infuse your home with lush houseplants – it’s a quick way to bring a breath of fresh spring air inside. You’ll find larger plants look their best in woven baskets. As well, consider arranging mini specimens in clusters inside a glasshouse, with the taller plants at the rear. Socker greenhouse, $24.99, ikea.com.au.…

CURTAINS Measure from the floor to about 10-15cm above the window frame. To add visual height, fix the rod close to the ceiling. Unless you take the bespoke route, keep in mind store-bought curtain drops tend to come between 213cm and 270cm (always buy longer and adjust the rod position so the curtains hover just above, or slightly brush, the floor). The rod should be 20-30cm longer than the window width. For maximum fullness, the combined width of your curtain panels should be two to three times the width of the rod. BLINDS Decide whether you prefer to recess or face fix your blinds. Measure the width of the window, edge to edge, for a recess fix. For a face fix, add to window width an extra 5-10cm at each…

MAKE IT WORK Select a Shaker-style profile for your door and drawer fronts, especially if you plan on including glass cabinets in your cabinetry mix. Opt for a modern matt rather than a gloss painted finish. Indulge your maximalist side and include brass details - lighting, hinges and taps. ESSENTIAL STYLE FOR SHOPPING DETAILS, SEE OUR STOCKISTS PAGE…

MAKE IT WORK Great bones! Expose beams and roof boards to add warmth, character, natural rusticity — and welcome height — to a thoroughly modern kitchen. Use the same timber as that of the ceiling to trim your window. To tie a grey and white colour scheme together, choose a grey-veined marble-look benchtop such as Kaboodle’s Biancoccino. ESSENTIAL STYLE FOR KITCHEN DETAILS, VISIT KABOODLE.COM.AU.…

CRISPY EGGS WITH CHARRED CORN, ASIAN HERB SALAD AND STICKY DRESSING Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 10 mins Serves 4 2-3 fresh corn cobs, charred on the grill, kernels cut from the corn and kept warm6 free-range eggsVegetable oil, enough to fill7-8cm of wok3 spring onions, finely sliced1 kaffir lime leaf, chiffonade or finely sliced4 sprigs Thai basil, leaves picked4 sprigs coriander, leaves picked1 green chilli, sliced on the angle, seeds in Juice of 1 lime STICKY DRESSING 1 Tbsp fish sauce2 Tbsp oyster sauce Juice of 1 large lime2 tsp caster sugar2 pinches white pepper STEP 1 To make the sticky dressing, put all ingredients in a jug or bowl and mix to combine. Toss corn in a little dressing and set aside. Keep remaining dressing to serve.…

Older homes offer character in the form of charming architectural features, but can also suffer from awkward floor plans. You can transform an uninviting space using a rich colour palette and clever solutions to make the most of unused areas and boost storage. Take inspiration from this ‘cosy industrial’ makeover and give your place a style injection. A huge feature is the DIY daybed that makes the most of an often under-utilised space under the stairs. Genius idea or what? MAKE A SMALL SPACE FEEL BIGGER WITH A CLEVER USE OF COLOUR, CUSTOM-BUILT FURNITURE AND SAVVY STORAGE. YES! LIVING ROOM REVAMP To get your free project sheet with all of the step-by-step images and instructions for these painting and DIY projects for your living room revamp, just head to bhg.com.au/…

EASY STEPS TO YOUR KEY HOLDER Gather your supplies • 66 x 30 x 300mm pine • Clear stain or wax • Leather thonging • Wooden beads You’ll also need Painter’s tape; tape measure; pencil; mitre box and saw; screwdriver; sandpaper; offcut; paintbrush; lint-free cloth; scissors; picture hanging strips Here’s how STEP 1 So you only cut halfway through the timber, apply painter’s tape to both sides of your mitre box to act as a depth guide. STEP 2 Measure and mark double lines, 5mm apart, at 60mm intervals on pine length in pencil. STEP 3 Place timber in mitre box and saw on marked lines down to the painter’s tape. STEP 4 Remove waste from between cuts with a screwdriver. Check grooves are 5mm wide. Clear away any sawdust.…

1 STARLIT NIGHTS Are you after a traditional-look quilting pattern? This queen-sized bed creation has only nine large blocks to piece, so comes together incredibly quickly, leaving you lots of time to make more! All instructions on page 156 GOOD TO KNOW ALWAYS CUT FABRICS WITH A SHARP ROTARY CUTTER. IT WILL SAVE YOUR WRISTS! 2, 3 CROSS HATCHDREAMS Take delight in making this gorgeous scrappy patchwork quilt. Utilising straight machine stitching and a little foundation piecing, you will piece these simple blocks together in no time. Start sorting your scraps in preparation now! All instructions on page 156 4 LUCKY LOG CABINS Create this colourful scrappy quilt with all sorts of fabrics drawn from around your home. Each block is sewn in a log cabin formation, then trimmed to…

How you breathe helps you maintain strength and flexibility in a pose. ▪ DEVELOP AWARE NESS Sit and pay attention to your breath. Physically feel it without trying to change it. ▪ DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH This can cause you to lose focus. If your breath gets tight, your body may be telling you not to push the pose so hard. ▪ DIRECT YOUR BREATH Don’t force it. Inhales are opportunities to extend and stretch in a pose while exhales are chances to deepen and sink into the moment and pose. STRIKE A POSE Downward-Facing Dog Benefits include energising the body, calming the mind, stretching the shoulders, hamstrings, and calves, and strengthening the legs and arms. SAVASANA A RESTING POSE (ALSO CALLED, CORPSE) THAT OFTEN HAPPENS, DURING THE COOLDOWN. IT…

A SLIDING SCALE Reduce pocket money if chores are not completed or done properly. This teaches kids they only get paid when work is done to a certain standard. WHEN TO PAY Make pocket money payday the same day each week, fortnight or month so kids learn how to make their cash last and not to blow it straight away. DOWNLOAD AN APP Manage your kids’ pocket money with one-off payments or automatic transfers (stored in the Parent Wallet) via an app such as spriggy.com.au.…

NEW DESIGNS TO BUY AND ONE FOR THE ROAD KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON DOTTING… BUY KITS AT BHGSHOP.COM.AU Postage and handling additional. Delivery within Australia only. Offer available while stocks last.…

FAB KITS TO BUY TO BUY THESE CUTE CROSS-STITCH KITS, VISIT BHGSHOP.COM.AU Postage and handling additional. Delivery within Australia only. Offer available while stocks last.…

a rural idyll conjures up romantic thoughts of tranquillity, of closeness to nature and an escape from the hassles of urban life. This is true of the gardens at Ooralba Estate, snuggled under the escarpments of the Morton National Park and overlooking the beautiful Kangaroo Valley on the NSW south coast. But the estate is brimful of ideas to create your own idyll in your backyard. DESIGN INFLUENCES Being in the country, the Ooralba Estate gardens can adopt the Japanese design tradition of borrowing from the neighbouring landscape. It works in urban areas, too. Borrow a tree from next door or use a neighbour’s bare wall as a blank canvas for your garden display. COLOUR PALETTE The dominant tones of these gardens are grey-greens and silver, colours that are ideal…

• When the flowers disappear, you are left with a fabulous display of foliage that can be mottled, freckled, speckled, splashed or delicately veined with a rich array of colours on a deep-green background. • With many epimediums, the emerging stems and leaves in spring can be a bold gold, red or burgundy, and some repeat this colouring in autumn. The greener leaves become thicker in summer, helping them tolerate tough conditions. • The compound leaves are usually heart-shaped, but can be round or arrow-shaped. There can be as few as three leaflet clusters or as many as 50. Some are as tiny as 15mm; others up to a whopping 15cm. • Encourage new, colourful growth and more prolific flowering by cutting off the old leaves before the flowers arrive in…

It takes a concrete jungle to remind us of the power of flowers, the freshness of foliage and how a cacophony of colour can be corralled to soften sharp edges and dilute the jarring sounds of busy city streets. The City of Sydney celebrates the coming of summer by enlivening grey and beige with vibrant primary colours. You, too, can put a box on the deck, hang a basket on the balcony, add a pretty twirl to your entrance or plonk a pyramid anywhere you like! CARE FOR ANNUALS Aspect Full sun. Soil Use quality potting mix in containers – sandy loam is best for garden beds. Mix in organic matter before planting to help with drainage and add nutrients. Feeding Apply liquid fertiliser and seaweed tonic every fortnight. Watering…

Garden Editor SEASON SPECIALS Lots of things are happening in our gardens now! DAINTY DELIGHTS Check out the clusters of tiny Viburnum blossoms smothering hedges. PURPLE PRAISE Winter heath (Erica carnea) is still ringing its bells, calling in spring. SPRING SLIDER Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) has white for winter, green for spring. PLANT NOW In each issue we give ideas, tips and planting advice for cooler, warmer, wetter and drier areas in each zone, so ask at your local nursery which zone best matches your conditions. FLOWERS ALL ZONES Ageratum, alyssum, bedding begonia, dahlia, marigold, nasturtium, portulaca (top left), torenia, verbena and zinnia. ZONES 1-3 Aster, Californian poppy, coleus and phlox. ZONES 4-6 Carnation, chrysanthemum, cleome (bottom left), cosmos, dianthus, lobelia, snapdragon and statice. VEGETABLES ALL ZONES Asparagus, beans, beetroot, cabbage,…

Fire signs Aries and Sagittarius are in harmony with all fruit. Leo is in harmony with nuts and all seed-producing crops. Earth signs Capricorn and Taurus are in harmony with all root vegetables that produce crops below the ground, including garlic. Virgo is in harmony with all herbs. Air signs Libra, Aquarius and Gemini are in harmony with plants that produce flowers and perfumes. Water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are in harmony with above-ground crops, including trees, shrubs, lawns, and leafy, juicy and fleshy vegetables.…

Editor Bold and unapologetic, the vitality of saturated yellows are easily incorporated into interiors. If you’re risk averse, abstract art, quilts, rugs and furniture are non-committal yet impactful way to weave it into interiors. LESSON NOTES Yellow calls for restraint to ensure its energy is electric, not overwhelming MAXIMALISTS REJOICE Paint one or two walls this sock-it-tome hue, team with lashings of white and black-brown accent pieces. The ‘risk’ will pay off. MAKE IT ELEGANT Even at its brightest, this yellow can take on an elegant hue when paired with taupes or greys. COUNTRY TWIST Rather than traditional blue, colour your walls with a mustard, then team it with a warm white for architectural trim or any beadboard. Updated country at its very best.…

Switch the orientation of your dining table so you can easily navigate between rooms renovating doesn’t always have to involve major building works. It can be as simple as settling on a colour scheme with a few inspired touches that elevate your home from everyday ho-hum to one with your unique brand of style. The fun begins when you realise you need not look past white as your base — it’s fresh and uplifting and, more importantly, you need never worry about whether you are getting it right! Teamed with pale or limewash-effect floorboards and black accents to ground the scheme, you are set to introduce layers of interest with built-ins, textiles, plants and statement art or your equivalent. With your new-found decorating confidence, introduce natural textures (think wicker, rattan…

MAKE IT WORK With open shelving drawing attention, stick with flat-fronted and handleless cabinetry to prevent a cluttered feel. Consider an energy-efficient induction hob that also provides extra bench space when not in use. You’ll then need stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans. Like this blue? Give Dulux Night Life a whirl, but test a swatch first. ESSENTIAL STYLE FOR SHOPPING DETAILS, SEE OUR STOCKISTS PAGE…

GET MORE VEGIES INTO-YOUR LIFE WITH TASTY WAYS TO EAT THEM FOR BREKKIE! MUSHROOM STROGANOFF Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 25 mins Serves 4 1 cup basmati rice400ml water, plus 150ml boiling water15g dried porcini mushrooms1 Tbsp vegetable oil6 flat mushrooms, sliced1 onion, thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, crushed1 Tbsp sweet smoked paprika1 Tbsp tomato paste200ml light sour creamSea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to seasonChopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve STEP 1 Combine rice, water and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, on low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to steam for another 10 minutes, before fluffing up with a fork. STEP 2 Meanwhile, combine dried porcini mushrooms and boiling water in a small…

FOR SHOPPING DETAILS, SEE OUR STOCKISTS PAGE…

Gather your supplies • 19mm-dia. wood dowels • Pots with a lip and no drainage holes • Mitre saw or handsaw and mitre box • Wood glue • Drill • 40mm nails • Spirit level • 65mm screws • WallMate plasterboard anchors (optional) Here’s how STEP 1 a crooked dowel will throw off your project. To test, lay dowels on a flat surface and give them a nudge. Straight ones will roll, while crooked ones won’t. STEP 2 The inside width of each holder should match its pot diameter right below the lip. Play with length of holder pieces and sections attached to the wall. These rows are 965mm long. The one-pot rows have a 432mm section on each side. Two-pot rows have three 250mm sections. STEP 3 Mitre-cut dowels…

The Sandpit Nicholas Shakespeare, $32.99 When John Dyer returns to Oxford from Brazil with his young son, Leandro, he doesn’t expect to find them both in danger. Leandro’s schoolmates are the children of influential people. A conversation with an Iranian nuclear scientist, Rustum Marvar, father of a friend of Leandro, sets him onto a truly precarious path. When Marvar and his son disappear, given Dyer was the last person to see them, he is now in danger. “Brilliantly observed, grippingly narrated - a triumph”WILLIAM BOYD The Vanishing Half Brit Bennett, $32.99 The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. However, after growing up together in a small southern black community and running away at age 16, it’s not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults…

When it comes to moisturising, it turns out neck creams aren’t marketing hype. There are fewer sebaceous glands on the neck, therefore the skin tends to be drier, and your regular face cream may not be hydrating enough. It’s also more prone to redness and sensitivity. Another important factor is that because the dermis layer on the neck is thinner, there is less collagen to keep the skin supported and resistant to wrinkling. PROTECT Your neck is exposed to the same stressors (UV rays, pollution and gravity) as your face, therefore it needs the same level of care. So it makes good sense to protect your neck and chest as you do your face, yes? Sunscreen should be applied all the way down from your forehead to your bra line.…

REVIEW YOUR POLICY ANNUALLY Check your renewal policy. A large number of customers automatically renew their insurance without comparing it with last year’s premium or shopping around. By doing this, they unknowingly may end up with significant premium increases on renewal, especially if the original premium was heavily discounted. What does this mean? Your loyalty to one company may not be rewarded financially, but you will not know unless you compare and are prepared to switch if you can get a better deal elsewhere. LOOK FOR PRICE AND QUALITY The cheapest premium is not always the best. It is not unusual for cheaper and budget insurance brands’ policies to contain a number of exclusions for things covered by other insurers. So always check the exclusions and the excess, because you…

QUILTING BASICS Gather your supplies • Rotary cutter • Cutting mat • Square quilting ruler • Long quilting ruler • Matching sewing thread • Sewing needle • Thread • Scissors • Walking foot Abbreviations WS wrong sides together RS right sides together WOF width of fabric HST half-square triangles All measurements in inches Usual WOF for quilting is 40-42in or 101-106cm First things first • Before you begin, read all the instructions for your chosen quilt through to the end. This will ensure you understand the pattern and have everything on hand. • All fabric should be 100% cotton or linen, washed and ironed. You may want to colour-test coloured fabrics first to ensure they will not run. • These quilts have been designed using imperial measurements. To maintain accuracy,…