Innehållsförteckning för February 2024 från Chat Specials

Love is in the air this month – and it’s clear that a lot of us go above and beyond in the name of romance. However, it doesn’t always need to be lovey-dovey – as love can be given any day of the year. And that’s definitely something that Stephanie (pg26) knows all too well. Following in her grandma’s footsteps, the pair of them took to social media, showing the world how sassy fashion can really be. Even after a devastating diagnosis, Mariah never stopped moving her hips. Now, Stephanie is continuing her groovy grandma’s legacy, making everyone, everywhere, feel beautiful and loved. Which is why Folasayo (pg66) also took the lead and started her own business. After realising that her son wasn’t able to see himself represented in the…

Kelly Bossons, 30, from Mansfield Putting clean glasses away, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of lads enter the bar. ‘Oh my God, hi!’ my friend squealed excitedly. We were working the high season in Magaluf back in June 2016, and her brother and a group of mates had come for a holiday. Chatting to the group, we arranged to meet them later after our shift. They were a nice group of lads, and we all got on well. One of them, Jordan, was especially funny. I could tell he liked to make people laugh, and he seemed like a genuinely nice bloke. We saw a lot of them during their week-long holiday and after they left, we all added each other on Facebook. In…

Estee Williams, 25 At 8.30am, with the sunlight streaming through my curtains, it is time to start my day. Sitting at my desk, I apply my makeup. Powdering my skin, adding a rosy cheek and applying a natural lip, I’m ready. I brush out my curls and choose a pretty house dress. Pink with little strawberries – how perfect. I call it my uniform and it sets me up for the day. You see, I live in a traditional home – I’m a Tradwife and I think it’s important to look my best for my husband. This lifestyle means me and my husband Conner, 24, follow ultra-traditional values. Conner is the provider. Working as an electrician he goes out and earns the big bucks while I stay home and cook…

Glammed up to the nines in a satin black gown with long gloves to match, Adrienne McColl, then 21, wowed everyone in the room. Posing for pictures with her former classmates as they waved goodbye to their high school years, she was a natural in front of the camera. Only, Adrienne McColl hated her graduation dress and the way her blonde hair was styled, too. But no one would have ever known – apart from her best friend Shandi Bard. ‘Somebody referred to us as Timon and Pumbaa,’ Shandi joked, laughing. ‘She was a tall, slender, beautiful person, and I was a little, short, stocky thing.’ Adrienne and Shandi were inseparable, making plans for their futures after graduation – they had their whole lives ahead of them. Only, Adrienne’s future…

Nicola Vanlint is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and founder of the Wellness Rooms – a small group therapists and practitioners. To find out more about counselling visit bacp.co.uk or search Greenwich Wellness Rooms. Office odd bod Q My supervisor at work is really mean to me, but lovely to everyone else. I feel like I’m pushed aside but I’m too anxious to say anything. Do I carry on like nothing hashappened? Riley, Portsmouth A If you carry on like nothing has happened, you run the risk of increased stress and a sense of isolation. To build your confidence, start by creating a record of instances where you felt mistreated. Note how this has affected you emotionally. Feeling anxious can lead to forgetfulness,…

Lisa Crick, 54, from Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire Placing the new curtains on the pole, in front of the three bay windows, I stood back to admire the view. ‘Well, what you going to do with all this?’ my hubby Dave, 61, said, staring at the pile of old curtains draped on the floor in 2019. Turning my hand to anything when given the chance, I wasn’t afraid to give something a go. Plus, being quite an artsy person, the idea of getting crafty was the perfect excuse, too. And I had just the idea in mind. Recently coming back from holiday, Dave and I found ourselves standing at baggage claim, watching the conveyor belt as it churned out the same black holdalls and suitcases over and over again. ‘Well, I…

Love is the air – so why not use it as a theme in your wardrobe? From freshening up your undie drawer to adding hearts to your outerwear, have fun! HUGS AND KISSES Whether you’re more expressive in your affection or prefer subtle hints instead, Betty and Biddy have a perfect range of love-themed jewellery pieces. Wear your heart on your sleeve this season… • To shop please visit: bettyandbiddy.com…

In the wild My hubby Alan is a nightmare to bring out in public sometimes. He here is in IKEA, thinking he’s the King of the Jungle. Julie, Walthamstow Natural beauty Me and my partner on a hike around Durdle Door. It was so amazing seeing it in real life for the first time. We’ve always wanted to go and see it together. Katie, Yeovil Date night Having cocktails with my hubby. Do you like piña coladas? I’m not so sure about getting caught in the rain… Jenny, Manchester Feast for the eyes Me and my girls went for a catch up over afternoon tea. I was so impressed by the rose cupcakes. Daisy, Maidenhead Bear hugs Here’s my mum choosing the perfect Build-A-Bear for my dad. I used to…

With basics, accessories and stylish items that will see you through all seasons, for £30 and under, look no further than Bonmarché. There’s something for everyone… • All items are available to shop in store and online now via: bonmarche.co.uk Ditsy prints are trending. Make them the main focus of your outfit by pairing with neutral colours! LORRAINE LOVES Get your very own celeb styled looks for less with these items that Lorraine Kelly adores……

Best brew The easiest way to make cold brew coffee is to do so in a gravy jug. After brewing, leave in the fridge to chill. In a few hours, you’ll be able to sip your fresh cold brew or even make an espresso martini. It can keep for days! Julie, Bridgend Down the drain Unblocking sink drains can be such a pain. Instead, just pour hot water over a dishwasher tablet – they easily unclog the drain and it works every time. Lizzie, Tunbridge Wells Savvy shopping Make sure you pick up a free magazine while doing your weekly shop. Most supermarkets have their own mags which include special discounts and coupons. How handy! Leanne, St Austell Fresh for less Instead of splashing out on fabric sprays from the…

Once Upon A Leap Year – Anna Bell OUT 1 FEBRUARY, £8.99, WATERSTONES Get the Valentine’s Day feels with this cosy new romcom read by Anna Bell. Being born on 29 February, Lucy has never met another person born on a leap year. At least until Noah. Noah spends his once-in-four-years’ birthday on a disappointing trip to Calais in the year 2000, where he meets Lucy. Their spark is undeniable, but finding themselves already in relationships, they settle for being friends. Throughout their friendship, they stay by each other’s sides – from weddings to babies, new jobs and family illnesses, too. But Lucy can’t help but think that they were meant to meet for a bigger reason… The Queen of Poisons – Robert Thorogood WATERSTONES, £14.99 Romance reads not your…

Pick up a sweet treat or two – why not?…

Shirley Flynn, 41, from the West Midlands Checking my appearance in the mirror, I twisted the bottom of my red lippy and touched up my lipstick. ‘Mwah!’ I said as I puckered my lips. Smiling at my reflection, I felt confident and ready for a night out with my friends. Since turning 40 I’d felt sexier than ever – and when I went out, I was never short of male attention. When I was younger, I went for older men – but since getting older myself, I’d found myself attracting toy boys. My curvy figure and huge 38J boobs captivated blokes – whether it was social media messages, muscly hunks working out in the gym or wolf whistling in the streets, they were drawn to me like magnets. It was…

Shafia Bashir, 37, from Bolton Carrying my daughter into the house, my stomach rumbled. On 12 May 2023, we’d been out for a lovely walk but I was glad to be back. You see, I was impatient for one thing – my lunch. Settling Inaya, two, in the living room, I fed her before making my way to the kitchen. Right, let’s make me some poached eggs, I thought. An easy lunch, I’d been making poached eggs like this for the past three years. Feeling my mobile buzz, my friend Manesh was calling. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked me. ‘Making some eggs,’ I replied, putting my bread in the toaster and boiling water in the kettle. Chatting away as I buttered toast, the pop of the kettle revealed it…

FILM AND TV 1 What is the name of Ron Weasley’s rat in the Harry Potter franchise? a Scabiesb Scabbersc Eczema 2 In 13 Going On 30, which magazine does Jenna go on to work for? a Sparkleb Glamourc Poise 3 How did Laura Beale die in EastEnders? a She tripped over a shoe and fell down the stairsb Bludgeoned by Bobby Bealec Run over by Janine Butcher 4 Finish Bianca’s quote in 10 Things I Hate About You: ‘There’s a difference between like and love. Because…’ a ‘I like my Sketchers, but I love my Prada backpack.’b ‘I like my Adidas Superstars, but I love my Versace jeans.’c ‘I like my New Balance, but I love my Chanel sunglasses.’ 5 What is the biggest jackpot ever won on Tipping Point? a…

Jemma Austin, 44, from Worcester Lying on the bed, I gasped in shock as I felt a blob of cold jelly on my tummy. ‘I’d forgotten what that feels like,’ I giggled. After finding out I was pregnant, my partner Paul, now 33, and I were at our seven-week scan, and I was so excited to see our little one on the screen back in February 2016. I had two older boys – Jae, then 13, and Kaeden, then six – and it had been a while since I’d done the baby stage. But I couldn’t wait to do it all again with Paul. We’d been together since 2012 after meeting in the gym and we always knew we wanted a child of our own. I’d been diagnosed with endometriosis…

Stephanie De Pena, 31 Laying a range of skimpy outfits on the bed, I had to make sure that there was a great selection. ‘You can pick an outfit and then we will film a video,’ I said to my grandma Mariah, then 85, as I got my camera ready. Coming out of the bedroom, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. ‘You look amazing!’ I gasped, watching as Grandma strutted her stuff in a bright orange bodycon number with the words ‘no f**k boys’ written on the front. And I knew that I wasn’t going to be the only one who thought so. Your grandma is our grandma now, the comments on our TikTok video read, as we posted yet another dance from our Pennsylvania home – showing off…

Katie Walton, 35, from Wakefield Pushing my pram around the farm, I was singing Old MacDonald to my boy. And on that farm he had some cows… ‘Cows!’ Joey replied excitedly – they were his favourite animal. ‘Cow’ was even the first word Joey would say when he woke up in the morning. Joey had been a chatterbox since he was born, always making some sort of noise. And only able to say a couple of words, he loved pointing out his favourite animals. At 11 months old, Joey had been developing well. Hauling himself up, Joey was standing, using his toy box for a little bit of support. ‘Well done!’ me and my sister Nicola, 37, cooed. ‘I think Joey might be the same as your Jack,’ I said.…

A study of 2,000 Brits by a company offering maths tuition has discovered that the arithmetic process we struggle with most is what? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will then spell out the two-word answer from top to bottom. 1 Sparkly gem (7) 2 Prime Minister’s road (7,6) 3 Red salad ingredient (6) 4 Slumber through the alarm (9) 5 Familiar name for table tennis (4,4) 6 Lawn plant (5) 7 Alpine country that includes Zurich (11) 8 Bed quilt (5) 9 Australian island state south of Victoria (8) 10 - - - of Canterbury, Church of England top job (10) 11 Root vegetable, often roasted (7) 12 Clinching evidence (5) 13 Hand part that might be filed…

LATHER UP WITH LOVE Fancy yourself a Valentine’s soak? Well, why not get pretty in pink with these best-selling shower and bath gels from Treaclemoon? With beautiful scents, whisk yourself off to a world of relaxation and melt away your troubles. Lather up and unwind – these gels will give you all the love you need and make the perfect shower or bath partners. With Frosted Candy Angel, Marshmallow Hearts and The Raspberry Kiss, envelope yourself in sweet scents that are sure to get your senses pulsing. Prices from £1.65, available from Boots, Tesco and treaclemoon.net HOT OFF THE PRESS Have you heard? Garnier have introduced two new cream cleansers to the market. Designed to target your specific skin concerns, the new launches make a great budget-friendly addition to your…

BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK… Looking for a fabulous page-turner to sink your teeth into? A little bit of escapism is something that we all need from time to time. With that in mind, Bookishly has something for you. All you need to do is choose the genre that you’re after and Bookishly will wrap up a surprise novel at random. So you have no idea what you’re in for – like a blind date. All the books are pre-loved and vintage, which adds to their charm. However, there is a Premium Edition available, if you want something new. It may be a book that you would have never thought about opening – but those can be the very best! • Bookishly Date with a Book, £6.95, see: bookishly.co.uk ONLINE…

Folasayo Williams, 35, from Kent Popping into The Entertainer, I was on the hunt for the perfect new toy. My son Sheni’s birthday was coming up in spring 2018 and I wanted to find him an unforgettable present – a new toy that he would adore but also that he could see himself in. Only, as I strolled through the aisles, I couldn’t spot a single toy that looked remotely like him, let alone represented our Nigerian heritage either. Is there seriously nothing? I thought, shocked. And it wasn’t the only time I’d been at a loss. Every time Christmas rolled around, I scoured the toy shops for the perfect gifts for Sheni and my younger son Teni. But finding nothing suitable in the Argos catalogue for them, I couldn’t…