Spotlight Magazine for Mansfield South, September 2015

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Mansfield South

ISSUE 68 Sept 2015

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th in Delivered to 18,000 Homes and Businesses each mon ford Bridg West & Mansfield South, Mansfield North Inside this issue: • Fashion Trends • Prepare To Sell Your Home • Bugs and Beasties • Harvest Time • Business Focus • Puzzles • Recipe • Garden View

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Spotlight Magazine

Contents

Happy September everyone!

Prepare To Sell Your Home 6 Fashion Trends 8 A Good Read 10 Hopi Ear Candles 12 Bugs and Beasties 14 Recipe 16 Harvest Time 18 Clean and Green 20 Roald Dahl Day 22 Will Specs Suit Me 24 Puzzle Pages 26 Potty Training 28 Index 30 Published by Spotlight Local Media Ltd Company No. 6841257 Tel: 01623 706570 Suite 104, 1 Hanley Street Nottingham NG1 5BL Graphic Design and Layout: Spotlight Local Media Distributed by Best Distributions Trusted Delivery Partner of the Spotlight Magazine

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Do I hear a big sigh of relief? The kids are back at school and everything is back to normal, including the rush hour traffic.

We usually get some good weather in September, so be sure to make the most of that, and call our advertisers to get all your litte jobs finished before winter sets in.

Please eck out our website regularly, where we blog most days covering local interest stories.

Spotlight magazine is delivered to 6,000 homes and businesses in the Mansfield South area each month, with similar magazines going to Mansfield North and West Bridgford.

To Advertise or contribute: T: 0115 822 4995 E: info@spotlightlocal.co.uk Web: www.spotlightlocal.co.uk

To advertise or contribute call •07595 510190 www.spotlightlocal.co.uk • 01623 706570 info@spotlightlocal.co.uk

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Spotlight Magazine

Prepare Your Home For Sale

When there is a good choice of homes for sale, would be homebuyers can afford to be choosy.

Buyers are looking for the best, so a home for sale can easily slip through the cracks if it’s not in pristine condition.

Use these 10 tips to whip your home into shape and wow potential buyers.

Improve your landscaping.

Curb appeal is crucial to a good first impression, so make sure your home’s lawn is immaculate. Mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and plant flowers.

Clean the outside.

A sloppy exterior will make buyers think you’ve slacked off on interior maintenance as well. Be sure to clean the gutters and pressure wash your drive.

Make repairs.

In a buyer’s market, you want your home to be in the best condition possible. Take care of major defects like broken windows or a leaky roof that could discourage buyers.

Make the front door inviting.

A fresh coat of paint, especially in a color that contrasts with the home, will make the front door stand out. Replace faded house numbers so buyers can see them from the curb.

Organize closets and drawers.

Messy closets give the appearance that your home doesn’t have enough storage space.

Make every surface shine.

From ceiling fans to floors and everything in between, clean your home until it sparkles.

Take colour down a notch.

You might like your lime-green bedroom, but it may sour buyers. Paint your walls a neutral color that will appeal to a wide range of buyers.

Eliminate bad odours.

Hide the litter box and spray air neutraliser throughout your home. When showing the home, fill it with inviting smells by putting out fresh flowers and baking something yummy in the oven.

With just a little thought and effort you can increase the chances of selling your house quickly, and for a better price.

If you are on the fence and thinking about listing your house for sale, now is the time to get moving, because your potential buyer will be looking to move in before the Christmas holidays, and they are approaching fast!

Buy a new welcome mat.

Let buyers know they’re invited into your home.

Remove clutter and depersonalise.

Buyers want to envision their belongings in your home. Clean up by renting a storage unit for knickknacks, photos, extra furniture and other personal items.

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Spotlight Magazine

Fashion Trends For Autumn

Way back in March the world’s fashion gurus got together and presented their ideas for this autumn’s fashion trends.

There seems to be something for everyone, so read on to decide who you plan on being this fall!

First off, if you went 70s last season, there’s no need to ditch the clothes currently lining your closet! Seventies is still very much in, so hang on to your flares and your ankle flashing trousers and for a truly up to date look thrown in a folksy printed floral dress, fringed waistcoat, corduroy dungarees and a peasant blouse.

Suede and patchwork knits are the fabrics to go for, and the poncho is back as the season’s key piece!

You can also expect to see more retro with an 80s revival. Look out for power shoulders, ruffles, giant cuffs and big retro belts. Colour block knits and rainbow colour combos along with vivid, graphic patterns in bold colours are on their way, whilst jewel-toned Lurex is the party fabric of the season.

Expect lots of glitter and sequins too on your special nights out!

red hot in a luxurious quilted jacket or an overcoat trimmed with top stitching and big buttons. Both are in vogue this season.

High necks are back! Call them what you will – polo necks, turtle necks or roll necks – the higher the neckline, the better! Pair them up with anything from dungarees to a glitzy mini dress or mannish tailored suit and you’re sure to be up there as one of the season’s trend setters.

Think outside the box, and conjure up new ways to layer what’s already in your wardrobe for an up to the minute look.

Polos are ideal for this. Think polo, plus shirt, plus coat and you’re on your way to creating one of the new looks for autumn!

Finally, how does a bit of gothic romance grab you? Moody lace, high ruffle necklines, frills and luxurious embellishments teamed up with floorskimming lengths of sheer fabric will certainly give you that ‘lady is a vamp’ look.

Add deep, berry coloured lips and piled up hair and there’ll be no resisting your dark glam appeal!

Have fun as you dress up this autumn!

It looks like the experts are expecting a cold end to the year, with warm, fuzzy coats being the order of the day. From curly sheep gilets to sumptuous shearling overcoats, the faux fur fluff factor is offering lots of tactile fun this autumn and winter.

Add a giant scarf to complete the look and you’re sure to keep warm as well as stylish.

If fur isn’t your thing, you can still look and feel

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Spotlight Magazine

BACK TO BRANDS!

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Spotlight Magazine

A Good Read Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

A Good Read

Of course this month children all over the country said goodbye to the long summer holiday and trudged (many of them reluctantly) back to the classroom. So this month we have a ‘back to school’ theme with the first book in the smash hit US book series.

Greg Heffley is finding his way through the minefield that is middle school. As he points out at the start of the book this isn’t really a diary. In his own words there is none of this ‘dear diary’ rubbish and he won’t be discussing his ‘feelings’.

It’s a journal, and as a journal it takes us through the school year from the allimportant decision of where to sit on the first day of class, to the embarrassment of playing a tree in the school production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (and not even being able to throw apples at annoying Patty who is playing Dorothy!).

Along with his best friend, Rowley, he plans a Hallowe’en haunted house to raise some money but unfortunately they only manage one terrified guest before Rowley’s dad brings it to an end. But as we find out, that was not quite the end of the matter and it takes a full school year before the consequences of Hallowe’en night are fully realised.

Described as ‘a novel in cartons’ this is a perfect book for both those who love reading and those who are ‘reluctant readers’. Yes, it’s an American book, but there are no issues with readers relating to the culture: school is school, wherever you are in the world!

Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon This engrossing novel is the first in the ‘Outlander’ series and introduces the reader to Claire Randall. It is 1945 and

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Claire is on a second honeymoon with her husband after being reunited with him following the end of the war. The Scottish Highlands seems idyllic although she accepts that the real reason for the destination is for her husband, Frank to research his family history.

Claire visits a stone circle at Craigh na Dun and faints after hearing a strange buzzing noise. When she comes round she finds herself transported back in time to the 18th Century.

Not knowing when or if she will ever return to 1945, Claire sets about surviving in an alien culture. She falls for Jamie Fraser, a young Scottish warrior, who is about as different from Frank as you can possibly imagine.

She learns of his life and how it crossed paths with Captain Randall: the ancestor that her husband is researching back in 1945. Her heart and passions are divided between Frank in 1945 and the Scotsman she is forced to marry to save her life.

Winner of the Romance Writers of America’s award of ‘Best Romance’ when it was first published, the story has recently been adapted for American television and is shown here on Amazon Prime.

Gabaldon has created a rich world for her characters set against the romantic Scottish Highlands. The central characters of Claire and Jamie are complex and they carry the reader through the story.

Even the many smaller characters have a voice of their own: from Dougal MacKenzie who leads Jamie’s clan to Geillis Duncan, an unexpected ally for Claire.

At 880 pages this may seem like a daunting read, but before you know it, the pages have sped by.

By Willow Coby

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Spotlight Magazine

Facial Massage

Flaunting a clear, smooth and glowing skin seems to be an elusive aim for many of us.

While wrinkles and fine lines are common signs of ageing, there are certain things that you can do to reduce unwanted lines and overcome pale skin.

There is no point in applying chemical loaded products, which cause more harm to the skin, rather than correcting problems.

One way of restoring natural skin glow is facial massage therapy.

Facial massage is usually done with creams and soothing massage oils.

Besides the regular skin cleansing, toning and exfoliating steps, techniques of facial massage should be performed as a part of the beauty regimen. Massage has numerous benefits…….

When we sleep, the circulatory system slows down and the cells do not receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Massage is excellent at stimulating blood circulation to the face.

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Massage also helps rid the skin of toxins, therefore leaving the skin fresh and rejuvenated.

Massaging the face is a good way of removing dead skin cells, which otherwise get deposited in the pores and give a pale skin tone.

Light hand movement techniques adopted in facial massage are effectual to firm the facial muscles. They help in tightening loose tissues and help to keep frown lines at bay.

Massaging the face also gives relief from stress, sinus and congestion, sinus headache and migraine headache.

The soothing effect is brought about by improving blood circulation in the massages areas and relieving muscle tension.

If you have never experienced a facial treatment with massage before, now is the time to start seeing the benefits! Enjoy!

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Spotlight Magazine

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Spotlight Magazine

Stuffed Baked Peppers

Perfect September Food Serves 6 Prep time 30 minutes Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for oiling the pan 1 small red onion, finely chopped 8oz / 225g mushrooms, finely diced 1 large carrot, finely diced or grated 7 peppers, any colour or mixed colours 1 cored, seeded and chopped finely; 6 cored and seeded with the tops removed and reserved Large handful or flat-leaved parsley, chopped Large handful baby spinach 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 3/4 tsp ground cumin 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 cup roasted cashews Method Preheat the oven to 170C / Gas Mark 6.

Lightly oil a 9x13 inch / 23 x33 cm baking tray; set aside.

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Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until transparent, 8 to 10 minutes approx.

Add mushrooms and cook until softened.

Add carrots and chopped peppers, fry until just softened, then add parsley and spinach. Let spinach wilt then stir in cinnamon, cumin and cooked quinoa and toss gently to combine.

Add cashews and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 2 minutes more.

Set aside to let filling cool until just warm.

Divide quinoa mixture evenly among remaining 6 peppers, gently packing it down and making sure to fully fill each pepper.

Top each pepper with its reserved top then arrange them upright in prepared pan.

Cover snugly with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour, checking halfway through, until peppers are tender and juicy and filling is hot throughout.

Transfer to plates and serve.

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Spotlight Magazine

The Importance of Bread

Harvest Time

We have celebrated a successful harvest since pagan times in Britain. Today events are commonly held in September or October on the Sunday when there is a full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox (September 23rd).

Prior to King Henry VIII’s break away from the Catholic Church however, celebrations took place on August 1st at the start of the Harvest season. The day was known as Lammas or ‘loaf mass’, and marked the wheat harvest specifically with celebrations on later days to honour fruit crops. On Lammas it was customary for farmers to make a loaf from the new crop and take it to church.

Frequently celebrations in schools and churches include hymns such as We Plough the Fields And Scatter, and All Things Bright and Beautiful. Decorations such as corn dollies and the display of home grown produce are set out.

This format is thought to emanate from when the Revered Robert Hawker invited parishioners to harvest celebrations in Morwenstow in Cornwall in 1843.

Whether you celebrate formally or not it’s a great time of year to enjoy the foods of the season, especially bread.

Stories of tradition then vary, with some sources saying the blessed loaf would be used for communion during a special mass thanking God for the harvest. Others say the loaf was split into four pieces and placed in the corners of the barn to protect the grain that had been gathered.

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Spotlight Magazine

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Spotlight Magazine

Clean And Green

When it comes to cleaning products, it’s tempting to reach for whatever is on special offer, but most of the big brands are pretty toxic affairs. They’re also usually tested on animals and wreak havoc on aquatic systems, not to mention our skin.

with, then purchase refills delivered in the post whenever you need them. But these aren’t your standard full-size refills, they’re super concentrated. You just pop a small sachet in the bottle, fill with water and shake.

Thankfully, eco-cleaning is on the rise, and you no longer have to choose between ethics and performance.

As well as cutting down on plastic, they reduce carbon emissions, as there’s no need to transport heavy bottles. They also save you money; Splosh’s almond cleaner, for example, works out at just £1.49 for 1000ml.

One of the best known eco-cleaning ranges is Ecover, which can be found in most major supermarkets and health food stores. I use the toilet cleaner, as it works (rather importantly), helps to remove limescale and has a pleasant pine smell.

While Method isn’t quite as natural as some other eco-brands, it’s another good choice if you want to be able to pick your cleaning products up with your weekly shop. I love the washing up liquid as it does the job, smells nice and doesn’t dry my skin. (The bottle also looks fab sat by the sink.)

If you like family-run businesses, you’ll want to check out Bio-D. They’re really passionate about what they do, and very strict about what they will and won’t use in their products. Their fabric conditioner is fragranced with essential oils rather than synthetic perfumes, so doesn’t irritate sensitive skin. It’s one of the few fabric conditioners I can use, as my daughter has eczema.

YOU also offer refills, and they’re available from Waitrose, so you don’t even need to wait for the post. YOU products are 100% plant-based and have been independently tested to ensure that they’re as effective as their chemical counterparts.

If you fancy trying the range, I’d recommend starting with the kitchen cleaner. It does a good job of cutting through grease, and it’s nice to know that it’s not leaving any traces of chemicals on your chopping board.

I won’t promise that any of the products above will make cleaning any less of a chore, but they will leave your conscience a bit lighter.

By Kate Duggan

Greenscents is another family business dedicated to ecocleaning. Again, products are scented with essential oils, and Greenscents mainly use organic ingredients, along with spring water from Exmoor. Their citrus polish is a great alternative to beeswax or aerosols.

Reusing always trumps recycling, so I love Splosh.

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Spotlight Magazine

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Spotlight Magazine

Roald Dahl Day

Roald Dahl Day is celebrated on September 13th to mark the birth of one of Britain’s most famous children’s writers.

Dahl was born in Llandaff near Cardiff in 1916. The son of Norwegian parents, he was named after Roald Amunsden, a polar explorer from Norway.

too, black humour and grotesque scenarios. In addition to his children’s books Dahl also wrote children’s poetry, and it is often forgotten that he wrote adult fiction too. Some of his short stories were the base for the popular television series Tales of the Unexpected.

It is humour and captivating characters that make Dahl one of the most popular British authors ever. Many of the characters and story lines in his books are based on his own life experiences. For example he was caned as a child for putting a mouse in a jar of gobstoppers in a sweet shop and later wrote Everlasting Gobstoppers.

It will always be his children’s books that he is most famous for.

Year after year children dress as his characters for world book day, and teachers plan lessons around his stories because of their popularity.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory his third book stems from his days at Repton School where the boys were often asked to test new chocolates from the Cadbury factory. It is said he dreamed of inventing a chocolate that would impress Mr Cadbury.

When he left school Dahl worked for Shell until in 1939 he entered the RAF. He took part in several significant World War II air battles, and later worked for the British Embassy in Washington. Many of his stories have links to aviation. His first book The Gremlins which was published in 1942, is based on mischievous creatures who were part of RAF folklore. He left the service in 1946 having obtained the rank of Squadron Leader.

Reading remains so important for building children’s vocabulary, and for helping to stimulate their imagination and literacy skills. Dahl’s books are often the books adults recount as their favourites while growing-up, or the stories that really captivated them and got them into the reading habit.

A variety of awards and commemorations have been set up since Dahl’s death in 1990, and new readers continue to discover his books through new creations such as the Scratch ‘n’ Sniff version of The Twits which was released in June 2015.

By Susan Brookes-Morris

Dahl’s children’s books are told from the child’s point of view and usually include an adult villain who hates or mistreats children.

It is thought that this is a link back to his own unhappy days at boarding school.

Frequently his books feature ‘fat’ characters

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Spotlight Magazine

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Spotlight Magazine

Will Specs Suit Me?

Our faces, like our bodies, come in all shapes and sizes, so if you wear glasses it’s important to choose a pair that will establish a balanced look. The four most common face shapes are oval, round, square and oblong.

If you have an oval shaped face with a rounded chin and forehead, consider yourself lucky! You’ll look good in almost anything, but make sure you select a frame that is wide enough to maintain balance.

A rectangular face is longer with a square chin, deep forehead, high cheekbones and long nose. Large, wide, square frames with a strong top line help shorten the face, and a low bridge will shorten the nose.

In addition, ensure that the top edge of the frame is no higher than the eyebrows and that the lower edge does not sit on the cheekbones.

A round face needs to look narrower and longer, which can be achieved with soft but angular frames that are not too deep. Geometric shapes and ones with embellished arms also give the face more definition.

If your face is square with a broad forehead, wide jaw and square chin, soften the angles by wearing oval or round frames that are not too wide. These will soften the jaw and help emphasise the eyes.

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Spotlight Magazine

The Perils of Potty Training

“Mummy, I just pooed,” has got to be one of the worst things to hear while you’re sitting in a restaurant. Or driving down the motorway.

Or walking around the shops.

Unfortunately, I’ve heard it in all of these places, and more. My daughter was a dream to potty train. My son… not so much.

Let’s just say that I took to carrying spare clothes and baby wipes around with me.

We tried star charts, praise, ignoring accidents, and lengthy discussions, but what worked in the end was good ol’ bribery. Both him and his sister got a sweet if he used the potty or toilet. She quickly caught on and was practically dragging him to the loo every 10 minutes.

Admittedly, there were a fair few accidents and our house did not smell overly pleasant for a few days, particularly as we were also house-training our rescue dog at the same time (in for a penny and all that). However, he soon mastered ‘big boy stand-up wees’.

Wait until they’re ready. Ideally, they should start showing an interest in the toilet, telling you when their nappy is wet and recognising when they need to go. This can be anything from 18 months to over three years old.

But don’t wait too long. Left to his own devices, I think my son would still be in nappies. We waited until he was almost three and half. I actually think we should have started earlier.

Read children’s books about potty training with your child.

Offer them lots of praise for trying, even if they don’t manage to do anything.

And yes, a chocolate button as a reward can make all the difference.

By Kate Duggan

Pooing, on the other hand, took longer.

My partner and I couldn’t understand what the problem was and I’ll admit we were starting to get a bit frustrated. He eventually told us that he was scared.

Presumably he didn’t like the feeling of it, and he was worried he was going to fall down the loo as well. So we held his hands while he was on the toilet, sang silly songs, made him laugh and let him watch us on the loo.

We talked about his fears, read children’s books about potty training and let him have fun flushing the loo. And soon he wasn’t scared anymore. He hasn’t had any accidents for a few weeks now. I’m sure there will still be the occasional one, but hopefully we’ve cracked it.

So if you’re struggling with potty training, hang on in there. It may seem like a tortuous process, but you’ll get there in the end. In the meantime, here are a few pointers that helped us:

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