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‘The paintings come alive': Co Down artist's unconventional painting method is mesmerising TikTok

‘The paintings come alive': Co Down artist's unconventional painting method is mesmerising TikTok

Belfast Telegraph15 hours ago
Kathryn Callaghan, who creates portraits using gravity and ink, has become a TikTok sensation with her unconventional pouring technique that transforms canvas into captivating works
A Co Down artist has become a hit on social media with her unique painting technique that she used to create a portrait of Rory McIlroy.
Kathryn Callaghan created a portrait in honour of the Holywood star completing golf's grand slam earlier this year with victory at the Masters — and her unique technique is earning her thousands of views on TikTok.
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Is ‘princess treatment' a harmless trend – or yet more fuel for misogyny?
Is ‘princess treatment' a harmless trend – or yet more fuel for misogyny?

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Is ‘princess treatment' a harmless trend – or yet more fuel for misogyny?

Do you wish you were a princess? Do you crave being cosseted and showered with gifts, having every door opened and every chair pulled out? Perhaps you'd rather not pay for your clothes; maybe you're sick of deciding what to eat and where. Courtney Palmer can help. The self-proclaimed housewife princess has a series of TikTok videos on 'princess treatment' and how to get it. It's a matter of accepting compliments graciously, dressing the part, being unapologetically good to yourself (disappointingly, this seems to mean exercising and drinking water) but mostly ministering to your partner, who is treated as a weirdly needy and highly suggestible man-baby. Would-be princesses should create a calm, frictionless domestic paradise for their provider prince, 'speaking in a feminine way – we're not screaming, yelling; we're not cursing', thanking him for picking up his dirty underwear. Princess treatment is the reward and it comes in the form of diamond earrings, Chanel flats, flowers and old-school chivalry. It's emetic and, in a recent TikTok that catapulted Palmer into a more critical spotlight, disturbing. Explaining what princess treatment looks like at a restaurant, Palmer said: 'I do not interact with the waitress; I do not open any doors and I do not order my own food … You do not need to talk unless you are spoken to … You're not going to be laughing loudly, speaking loudly, demanding the attention of the restaurant.' Yikes. Palmer called it 'letting your husband lead and be masculine' and 'a fun princess treatment thing'. Commenters found it cult-like, concerning and bizarre. 'As a former waitress, I would have slipped you a note and asked if you're OK or if I should call the police,' one said. I do wonder how real any of this is. Does 'princess treatment' exist beyond its social-media shop window? Tradwives aren't tradwives, after all – they are content creators, and winding people up with jaw-droppingly regressive gender messaging generates revenue: outrage drives eyeballs and eyeballs mean dollars. Nara Smith, famed for wearing OTT dresses while making her own bubblegum and breakfast cereal, was recently reported by Cosmopolitan to be earning an estimated $200,000 a month on TikTok. Most relationships are nothing like what Palmer presents, or like other pearly-toothed, wholesome TikTok couples who jokily quiz each other on what constitutes princess treatment or a relationship 'bare minimum'. My own husband occasionally gives me 'goose treatment' – a careful wide berth – but our marriage is not a transactional game. Couples of all varieties mostly muddle through, trying to be decent to each other. But Palmer et al are servicing a real aspiration, or at least a relatable fantasy. I get it, kind of – it would be nice if every day were like my birthday (but not nice enough to spend my life cooking and cleaning while wearing broderie anglaise to achieve it). And I suppose that in a time of global turmoil, having a 'provider' can feel like security. But it's the opposite: relinquishing autonomy – bodily, financial, intellectual – leaves women dangerously vulnerable. And this stuff isn't anodyne: it confirms the manosphere's misogynistic assumptions about 'alphas' and 'high-value females', and empowers rollers-back of reproductive rights, reinforcing the idea that it's OK to take decisions on women's behalf (they don't even want to order a side of fries for themselves!). The 'princess' label is pretty accurate. Historically, princesses provided beauty and babies, and were largely powerless; royal marriages were transactional arrangements. And as Hilary Mantel was unfairly criticised for writing about the then-Duchess of Cambridge, princess life is still stultifying, mostly about projecting irreproachable, mute perfection. There's definitely no 'cursing'. Maybe some women enjoy imagining a life of calm, cared-for passivity – but could content at least get more creative? How about 'goddess treatment': demand offerings and sacrifices, keep people on their toes with the prospect of being turned into something nasty? If that's not passive enough, how about 'pet treatment'? Imagine being treated like a house cat: loved unconditionally and lavished with gifts for nothing more than napping, shedding hair, eating, demanding strokes and occasionally lashing out for no reason. If a TikToker could tell me how to get 'cat treatment', I'd definitely like and follow. Emma Beddington is a Guardian columnist Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

We quit our NHS nursing jobs to turn rundown caravans into glam holiday rentals – with zero DIY experience
We quit our NHS nursing jobs to turn rundown caravans into glam holiday rentals – with zero DIY experience

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

We quit our NHS nursing jobs to turn rundown caravans into glam holiday rentals – with zero DIY experience

TWO friends have revealed they quit their NHS nursing jobs to turn dirty, rundown caravans into holiday rentals. The duo, who go by The Shoreline Sisters, let viewers on TikTok into their journey with a viral video. 3 3 3 In the clip, the pair got to work deep cleaning a rundown caravan, scrubbing, vacuuming, and dusting every nook and cranny. Despite the huge challenge, the pair admitted they actually don't have any experience, but wanted to give it a go anyway. "Decided to quit our nursing jobs and flip caravans instead. "No experience, just two girls with the mentality of 'no risk, no reward'," the text over the viral video said. The friends started their first mammoth cleaning task by cleaning the fabric of the built-in sofas. The grey upholstery was clearly dirty, but it wasn't until they emptied the cleaner it was clear just how gross the sofas really were. After washing away the dirty brown liquid, the next job was to clean the bathroom. Everything got a good scrub to get it up to scratch. Even the vents were removed and dusted to make sure everything was as clean as it could possibly be. "Day one complete," the pair said, as they ended the clip. I bought a dated caravan & turned it into my family's very own second home for £4.5k - now we holiday for just £10 a day Of course, the friends still have quite a way to go with their project, but after racking up a whopping 270k views on their first video many people chimed in to show their support. One said: "Quitting my nursing job and doing that would be amazing! No appreciating in the job anymore." "I don't blame you, I quit and worked the wards as a band three for three years. Nursing 19 years," a second chimed in. And a third said: "Wonderful inspiration!! So many in the NHS dream of this and you've only gone and done it! All the best ladies!" In the comments the pair also gave more of an insight into their plans going forward. "We are buying and renting but also offering a management service for people who don't live in the area and want someone local to manage their caravan for them," they said. Why caravan holidays are so underrated CARAVAN park holidays are a British staple. And with the cost of living crisis wreaking havoc on Britain's purses, more of us are turning to them for an affordable break. Josie O'Brien, Senior Digital Writer on Fabulous, weighs in on why she thinks caravan holidays are seriously underrated... WHEN I was a child, my mum used to collect the £9.50 holiday vouchers in The Sun. She'd use them to book a couple of nights away at a caravan park during the school holidays. As an adult, I fully appreciate the convenience of a humble caravan holiday. No faffing about with passports, no luggage limits and no bog-standard hotel breakfast of stale toast and grey eggs. I still love caravan holidays as an adult. In a world of doing everything for the 'gram, a caravan park brings you back to basics. There's no obligation to get dressed up, no stress to fit a million picturesque excursions in one week and I don't find myself flustered in tourist hot spots like abroad. I love going to coastal caravan parks and strolling along the beach parade. My highlight is always fresh mussels, ice-creams and classic pubs to grab an afternoon tipple in. And then, of course, there's the cost. Staying in a caravan is definitely way cheaper than my international trips. With no expensive hotel bills and the ability to cook my own meals, I'm spending hundreds less than I would abroad. I've had some of my best and most relaxing holidays in caravans. Maybe I'll buy my own one day.

Frankie Grande Has Released His Debut Album And Received Sage Advice From Sister Ariana
Frankie Grande Has Released His Debut Album And Received Sage Advice From Sister Ariana

Graziadaily

time3 hours ago

  • Graziadaily

Frankie Grande Has Released His Debut Album And Received Sage Advice From Sister Ariana

Frankie Grande, the elder brother of pop sensation and Oscar-nominee Ariana Grande, has released a debut album entitled 'Hotel Rock Bottom'. It is inspired by his sobriety journey and was released in tandem with Pride month. 'I'm eight years sober,' he told ITV News. 'Had I tried to release an album while I was drinking and using, I probably would have never released it, it probably would never have seen the light of day. If it did, god knows what it would have sounded like. I'm grateful that I took my time and waited until my instrument was clean and pure, and I could tell the stories that I wanted to tell.' Frankie, 42, is an American actor, singer, dancer, television host and producer who boasts 1 million Instagram followers and 1.5M TikTok followers. He performed on Broadway as Franz in the musical Rock of Ages (2014–2015) and in Mamma Mia! (2007–2010) and has also starred in regional theatre productions. In 2014, he was a contestant on series 16 of Big Brother , and in 2023, he was a contestant on Big Brother Reindeer Games . Frankie Grande and Ariana Grande at the Paris Olympics in 2024. (Photo: IMAGO) He recently celebrated the launch of his album at London Pride. 'It's a beautiful place with so many people of different backgrounds,' he told ITV News. 'The LGBTQ+ community has always been so accepted here, especially in music. I do think you have broken many queer artists here before the United States.' Frankie spoke openly about how supportive his family has been, both about his sexuality and his sobriety journey. 'I'm so blessed that I have such an amazingly accepting family who has allowed me to be my authentic self and supported me through some of the difficulties of being a public figure who is out, loud and proud!' 'As someone who has the privilege to be this gay publicly,' he continued, 'I'm really grateful to be handing the microphone, and I'm hoping to inspire younger people to feel empowered and to be themselves authentically.' Frankie says his younger sister Ariana, who is one of the leads in the mega-hit Wicked , has given him some sage advice about his music career. 'She's been unbelievable throughout this process. I think the thing she's learnt throughout her many years in the music industry is to trust her gut. For me, as a fledgling artist, I am scared to trust my gut; I will overthink things if I'm allowed to. I learnt from her to trust your gut, and it will lead you on the path that you are supposed to go down.' His new music, including singles like 'Boys' and 'Rhythm of Love' can be found on Spotify and other streaming platforms. Also supporting Frankie's music career all the way is his husband-of-three years Hale Leon. The pair was married by Frankie's mother, Joan Grande, at the Grande family home in Boca Raton, Florida, in a small, Star Wars -themed ceremony on 4 May 2022. Ariana once described them as 'two very incredible and cosmically destined souls'. Hale Leon, 33, is a model, actor and influencer. After their wedding, Frankie posted on Instagram to write: 'I can't wait to share all of these amazing stories, pics and videos with you all slowly as we get them, but for now, let me just say I am the happiest I've ever been. I'm married to the man of my dreams, our families have merged together so beautifully, and we are well on our way to happily ever after. I love you Hale Grande. I am so so honored to be your husband.' Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).

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