Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i Pick Me Up! Special

Picture this – it’s a Friday evening and you’re watching the sunset with a delicious glass of wine. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? We think so too, and with summer just around the corner, June holds all the prospects of these glorious evenings. So, to get you in the mood, we’ve enlisted the help of wine connoisseur, Emma Rice (pg12). As well as sublime wine advice, we have plenty of remarkable real-life stories. This month, we speak to three mums and entrepreneurs juggling life to raise businesses and babies (pg42). Between naps and feeding times, these mumpreneurs launched their businesses during lockdown last year and are proving anything is possible if you just believe! And they’re not the only inspiring mums. After a traumatic birth, Chloe was diagnosed with PTSD (pg31).…

Are you envious that HM the Queen gets to celebrate her birthday twice? Don’t worry, we are, too! In Her Majesty the Queen’s 95th birthday, cleaning and laundry experts, Dr. Beckmann have commissioned a new portrait of the monarch and her beloved corgis to mark the milestone. He used the stain remover to paint Although her official birthday was on 21 April, her celebration this year will be on 12 June. Acclaimed Welsh artist, Nathan Wyburn, created the incredibly detailed portrait in carpet, using Dr. Beckmann’s hugely popular Pet Stain & Odour Remover, with the help of mud and other outdoor stains. He used the specialist stain remover as a paintbrush to create the piece of ‘carpet art.’ Nathan, who rose to fame following his appearance on Britain's Got Talent…

‘Most importantly with wine tasting is to find out if you like the wine, regardless of the opinions of others. Ignore what you’re told you should like and concentrate on what you actually want to drink. There is no right or wrong answer and don’t allow anyone to intimidate you or to tell you otherwise,’ Emma states. ‘First off, have a look at the wine – what is the colour like? Deep and opaque or light and transparent? This can give you an idea of how full-bodied the wine might be. When looking at white wineslook at how pale it is. The paler the wine is, the lighter it often is,’ Emma explains. ‘Another important thing when wine tasting is making sure you use the right kind of glass. You…

Special moments I keep all my postcards, theatre tickets and other things I've gathered on holidays or days out in a folder so I can look back through them on a rainy day. Steph, Nuneaton Microwave goodbye to stains Put lemon, vinegar, and water in a bowl together and blast on full heat in the microwave for a few minutes to make it easy to clean. Tara, Brunton Feeling hot, hot, hot! Always keep lids on steaming pots. It prevents moisture in your home which can cause mould problems. Amy, Nailsea Ice queen If you have wrinkled clothes and no time to iron, just add a couple of ice cubes to your dryer with your clothes for 15 minutes. The ice lets off steam which effectively de-wrinkles! Jessica, Frome Steamy!…

Dr Michaelides, Chief Psychology Officer at Noom, shares tips on how to train your brain for a healthier, more fulfilling life – rather than buying into the unhealthy postlockdown dieting. 1 Boundaries Distinguish work from free time by introducing a new routine which ensures this. Try doing something as you close your laptop like a shower! 2 Get moving Cardio has been proven to buffer emotional ups and downs, stabilize emotional reaction, and release hormones that relieve stress. 3 Focus on self-care Taking care of our own needs is extremely important. Try taking up a new hobby, meditating or having a bubble bath. 4 Eat right It’s normal for our eating habits to be impacted by stress. Food logging can help recognise any unhealthy eating habits…

Waiting at the bar to order a drink, I spotted a hunk sat near me on one of the tables. I was on a girls’ night out with my friends, and feeling daring, I went and plonked myself straight on his lap. ‘I bet I can put a smile on that face of yours,’ I grinned, cheekily. Before I knew it, he had introduced himself as Kris, and bought me a G&T. We chatted all night long, then left without exchanging numbers. I wondered if I’d ever see him again. Ant and Dec helped me propose! Then two weeks later, I was having a drink after work, when I caught a glimpse of a man that looked just like him. Squinting, I clocked – Oh my God, it’s Kris! We…

When my best friend Kate, now 40, was pregnant with her first child, she had the most terrible morning sickness. ‘I want something natural to help combat the nausea,' she told me. As a certified tea expert, I began to research and make tea blends to help ease her sickness. Using fresh ginger root, lemon grass and lemon balm, the teas worked perfectly. Feeling inspired, we decided to put our heads together and sell the teas to help other mums combat the same issue. Believe in your success In 2017 we launched our business HotTea Mama. Using whole leaves and natural ingredients from all over the world, we produced the highest quality and tastiest tea possible for mums, those that menstruate and those that are pre and perimenopausal. Our calming…

With summer firmly on it's way, it's time to think about our skin. We've enlisted the help of Dr Adam Friedmann, consultant dermatologist at Stratum Dermatology Clinics, to answer some of your burning questions when it comes to summer skin safety... I'm worried about a mole. How can I check it at home? You should check your moles once a month. It is a good idea to use both a full length and a handheld mirror, so you are able to check your body all over. Stand in a well-lit room and ask a family member or your partner to help you check the hard to reach areas. Don't forget to check less obvious places such as your scalp, the soles of your feet and in between your fingers and…

COUNTDOWN CALENDAR Feel Good Contacts and Asda Money have prepared a countdown checklist for a stress-free start to your staycation. FOUR DAYS BEFORE - Car check Always take the time to check oil and water levels as well as the dashboard for any warning lights. Also, make sure your tyres are inflated to where they should be. THREE DAYS BEFORE – First aid kit Check your first aid kit which you're bringing with you. Make sure it is all in date and that you have got everything you need in there. TWO DAYS BEFORE - Plan your route Have a plan B route, in case the road happens to be closed on the day of travel. Also, mark out the pit stops you'll be refreshing at. THE DAY BEFORE –…

The idyllic detached house belonging to Crystal and Gio Gambino was sheltered under trees in the rural North Carolina neighbourhood in which they called home. When Crystal walked through the front door one afternoon, she could hear voices coming from the bedroom that she shared with her husband. The singer walked in to find Gio having sex with another couple in their bed. Her reaction to the threesome was extreme. Only one person would walk out of the house alive that day. Crystal, 43, and Giovanni ‘Gio’ Gambino were married with a nine-year-old daughter. They lived together in the small town of Alexis just outside of Charlotte North Carolina. Gio was a hard-worker, always looking for new business opportunities to take on. Crystal was a singer who performed with a…

Comparing my pregnant bump with my sister’s bump, I felt so excited. ‘I wonder who will have the first grandchild?’ I smiled at her. It was spring 2018, and Louise, 27, was due in November – two months before me. ‘Let’s try this out!’ Louise said, rubbing a doppler ultrasound across her belly. When it was my turn to test it out, I listened carefully for a heartbeat. As I pressed the doppler, I gasped. ‘There’s two!’ I said, turning to Louise in shock. The first twins in the family. ‘You’re expecting twins,’ the sonographer confirmed, two weeks later. My partner, Wesley, 40, couldn’t believe it. We returned to the hospital weekly and watched our identical twin boys grow. I knew there was a high-risk nature of multiple pregnancies, but…

Smoothing the hair on my furbaby, Skyler, I was glad that she was recovering well from her op. I've always loved pussycats. So, six years ago, when my friend offered me Skyler, a gorgeous Russian Blue, I just couldn't resist. She immediately became part of our family and was loved by my son, Jaiden, nine, and little Cockapoo, Tahlula. Being a pedigree cat, I knew that I was going to breed her. When the time was right, we did exactly that and a couple of months later out popped Tinkerbell, her daughter. Eventually, I bred Tinkerbell too. Her daughter is called Thumper. Three generations of well-behaved angels. So I thought. Both granny, Skyler, and her girl, Tinkerbell, snuck out one day and met some local alley cats. Sure enough, a…

'Many wines can be drunk by themselves, but nearly all styles can be enhanced by pairing with the right food. Italian wines are a perfect example of this. For example, one of the most memorable tasting experiences I had was trying a Barolo from northern Italy. It is a wine, from the Nebbiolo grape variety. When tried by itself it can be very tannic and quite austere. However, paired with some shavings of parmesan the effect is revelatory. The proteins in the cheese transform the wine and softens it allowing the full flavours to shine through,' Emma expalins. 'Another classic combination is a Galician Albariño – a light white wine. Accompanied by fish, which dominates the cuisine in northern Spain, the wine is perfectly in balance,' Emma says.…

YOU WILL NEED: Glass jars Flower press PVA glue Small paintbrush TO MAKE: 1. Find some flowers! Flat-headed ones work best. 2. Press the flowers for around five weeks. If you don’t have a flower press just stack some books on top of some sandwiched flowers between blotting paper. 3. Dot some PVA glue onto your jars where you’d like to stick the flowers. You can either create a pattern or make it look random – both ways look great. 4. Carefully place the flowers on the glue. Then, lightly clover each flower with PCA to secure them and make them water-resistant. • For more crafts visit hobbycraft.com Remember these are YOUR tips - we haven't tried them ourselves.…

As the doorbell rang, I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement. It was October 2020, and I was finally getting to meet the Golden Retriever who was potentially going to become my guide dog. ‘Freya, they’re here,’ my mum Alison, 52, shouted up the stairs. And as I raced down to meet them, I was greeted by a giant Golden Retriever. ‘This is Lennon,’ the trainer said, introducing me to a new four-legged friend. ‘Hello,’ I said nervously, giving him lots of fuss. And as Lennon nestled into me, I couldn’t get over how big he was. He was far from the puppy I’d been imagining in my head, but I was just so grateful that he was finally here. Just two years ago, I’d lost my vision completely.…

Lounging in loungewear or lazing in joggers - we've all struggled to get ourselves motivated to get dressed over the past year. Fast forward to summer 2021, we're going to be out and about socialising. But what does this mean for your wardrobe? Award-winning stylist Susie Hasler, who runs www.styledbysusie.co.uk, helps you get dressed post-pandemic. To book an online style session with Susie, go to www.styledbysusie.co.uk The eyes have it We don't yet know whether face masks will be phased out, but I can see many of us opting to wear them for a while longer yet. Many of my clients have spoken about how they have now perfected their eye makeup skills during the past year, watching YouTube tutorials and opting for brighter, bolder eyes. And they've stepped away…

Meet three cool, female entrepreneurs that launched their small businesses during the pandemic last year. All were able to kickstart and grow with the support of the Amazon Small Business Accelerator – in partnership with Enterprise Nation – which helps start-ups navigate the impact of the pandemic and selling online. • Feeling inspired? You can join the programme at www.enterprisenation. com/accelerator…

Food has always been a huge part of my lifestyle and home cooking is so integral to my family. I am notorious for bringing a bottle of my own sauce to restaurants as flavour is so important to me. A little before my 40th birthday, I decided that I wanted to bring that to the masses! So I launched my own food business, The Woolf's Kitchen, in June 2020 at home, with three kids under the age of five, and no childcare. The kids came with me on deliveries and even to meetings! Together, we developed a unique, delicious and vegan-friendly sauce range, inspired by my travelling experiences and my Thai heritage. ‘How delicious are these?' I said to the kids, letting them taste test my favourite Smoky Beast nuts.…

Growing up, I was always into war poetry. With my dad in the military, I just gravitated towards it. It fuelled my love for writing, and so it’s no surprise that over the years, I began to put pen to paper. From poetry, lyrics and even script writing, I gave it a go. Reading and writing has always been my escape, but 10 years ago, I realised just how much. For the first time in my life, I began suffering with severe anxiety. But as always, writing was my greatest companion. I began journaling to stop thoughts building up in my head. It helped massively and whenever I was feeling overwhelmed, I scribbled away. And that’s when I came across mental health poetry. It was never an area I’d particularly…

Staring out the window of my empty flat, I had no idea what to do during lockdown. I had planned to travel the world and finish writing my book. Left with no plans and most of my flat cleared out to go travelling, I was eager when my mate reached out to me with an idea. ‘I've got a friend with an Airbnb in the Inner Hebrides,' she said. I immediately booked it for six months, packed and left. It was the perfect place for writing and exploring. ‘There's a lovely island opposite, it's a nice easy walk,' the landlady told me in August, after I'd been staying there a while. Heading to the boat, I was ready for the 10 minute ride across to the island of Shuna at…

‘The best way to practice all the stages of wine tasting is in the bath. Take a glass in with you and practice the swirling, gargling and spitting with water until you can safely do all three without splashing, choking or dribbling!’ Emma says.…

A cold, light, refreshing pasta salad is the ideal healthy lunchtime meal. Barilla, the family pasta company since 1877, share how to make the perfect penne pasta salad with feta, olives, tomatoes and avocado. YOU WILL NEED: 1 box Barilla Mezze Penne 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 small red onion, cut into thin strips 1 large cucumber, diced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup green olives, sliced in rounds 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 avocado, diced Pinch of salt and pepper ½ cup Feta cheese, diced 1 tbsp parsley, chopped TO MAKE: 1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta one minute less than the package directions. 2. Drain and toss with 1tbsp olive oil and place on a sheet tray…

If Jarod couldn’t have her, then he made sure no one could Smoke filled the sky in the well-kept suburb of Renton, Washington. It rose from the two-storey home of the Scholl family and neighbours quickly gathered outside as fire engines arrived. Doug and Stephanie Scholl raced to the scene. They stopped outside of the house where they’d raised their only child, Jessica, 17. Her body was lying on the front lawn It was a home packed with loving memories of Jessica’s achievements and hopes for the future she had planned. A wardrobe full of teenage fashion, a desk scattered with up-to-date homework. At first, the Scholl’s were sure the only casualty would be their family dog, Ming. Then they saw a body on the front garden covered with a…

Is it crazy to try and make it work? After 20 years of marriage, my husband said in an argument that he has never stopped loving his ex-wife. But he said he wants to make it work. I’m devastated. Should I try and make it work? Right now, I feel like our marriage was a lie. YES  Pick Me Up! reader Brenda, from Sunderland says: It’s possible that your husband has said this cruel thing out of anger during an argument. You’ve been together a long time and of course he loves you. I genuinely don’t believe someone would stay for that long if they didn’t. When a marriage is in trouble, we always wonder whether the grass might have been greener with someone else. But he’s with you and…

Calling all hostesses! Tablescaping is a trend that’s flying through Instagram and our imaginations right now – even if you’re not entirely sure what it means. In essence, tablescaping refers to the decoration of pretty tables that have been laid with exquisite detail. They look dreamy and leave us feeling inspired, eagerly planning our next party. The experts at Peyton & Tyler, a luxury homewares outlet, are sharing their invaluable insights and tips to help you become a tablescaping maestro... Choose your colours When decorating any table, it’s important to carefully consider your colour palette. We would recommend primarily focusing on two colours, using these as the foundation of your overall design. You can of course sprinkle other colours across the table, however with a clear, complimentary pairing of colours…

Lydia May, from Birmingham knew her son wasn't just a fussy eater... Staring at Joe, six, I had tears in my eyes as my concern grew about his eating habits. What have I done wrong? I thought to myself. When Joe was born his reflux was bad and he never latched onto breast feeding. I knew I had to take him to the paediatrician, who wrongly told me there wasn't a problem and to try reflux milk. Joe isn't curious about food like he is with everything else in his life. But, it's not just a lack of curiosity, he is terrified of new foods. Reaching for the strawberry rice cakes one day, my other son grabbed one and started munching. 'Where's Joe gone?' I asked him. Searching the house,…

The experts at Dulux show us the best way to avoid paint waste, how to clean up and the best way to store tools and leftoverpaint. 1. Reduce the paint you buy, to minimise waste. Duluxoffers a handy paint calculator to work this out for you. If you're in store, look at the back of the paint container to check the coverage per litre that the paint gives you. 2. As soon as you've finished painting, pour any unused paint from your tray back into the tin, providing it's not contaminated by pesky flies or dirt. Scrape the unused paint off rollers back into the tin with a putty knife and roll it on a rag to remove excess. 3. If you're not finished, reuse tools again the next day.…

I took a risk and it paid off! Sat at the dinner table, I encouraged my fussy eater toddler to dig in. ‘Yummy!’ I smiled, just before we faced another mealtime meltdown. Reaching out for his favourite toy train, I fashioned a makeshift track around his kids’ bowl, and in that moment, everything changed. Distracted by the track, he started to eat his food. That's the answer! I thought. Realising I had stumbled across something special, I set out to create the first kids’ plate with a built-in track. I took redundancy in my communications job, and ploughed every penny into launching my own independent business. There I was at 39 years old, at the peak of my career, trading it on the whim of an idea! It took three…

Sensitive stomach Q My stomach has always been very sensitive, but in the last few years, it’s got progressively worse. Could I have an allergy I don’t know about? Taylor, Darlington A Food intolerance is described as symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhoea, which come on within hours of eating a specific food. Many people believe they have a food intolerance, but there are no reliable diagnostic tests for food intolerance. The way to diagnose food intolerance is to keep a record of what you have eaten. When your symptoms start, you can then look back, and omit the likely culprit from your diet for next 2-6 weeks. The idea is to then reintroduce that particular food and see if it triggers the same symptoms. There could be…

Collapsing into bed after another long day teaching, I was wiped out. It was January 2019 and I was busy at my work placement for my university degree studying primary education. But I was exhausted. ‘Surely it can’t be normal to feel like this all of the time?’ I quizzed my doctor. Only they weren’t sure what was wrong with me. I was constantly knackered, with barely any energy at all and suffering from terrible pain that was all around my body. I was only young, so why did I always feel so exhausted? It didn’t seem to make any sense, and when a rash appeared on my body, doctors thought I could have scarlet fever. But as the months went on, and my symptoms never improved, it became clear…

Social distanced dating is back on! Naturally, most of us are going to be a bit nervous getting back out there. Award-winning designer Laurent Guinci, founder of LOLO CREATIVE, shares his top dating tips to help you enter the world of dates feeling confident and looking amazing. 1. Bring sexy back The opportunity to date again means it's time to bring sexy back with a vengeance! Get flirty. We need to feel sensual and human again - we owe it to ourselves! Wear something that makes you feel confident, such as a bright colour or a bold lipstick. 2. Fit is everything! We've been living in the comfort of oversized hoodies for too long. Opt for something more flattering to show off your best attributes. Don't go too tight -…