What Recession Mum? (Homes and Interiors)

Despite the recession, there are many simple, cheap and easy ways to spruce up your son’s or daughters bedrooms without feeling the pinch.
Being creative and wise with storage space and cheap accessories can improve a room instantly without breaking a sweat – or the bank.

If you shop around, many high street department stores also have regular sales and discounted bits and pieces that may be useful.
And then theres stores that focus on selling affordable products for the home, such as Dunelm, BHS and of course, IKEA.

This week we’re focusing on a bedroom makeover for a teenage girl, suitable between the ages of 12-20.
And here’s the challenge – the budget is £40.
However low or high the budget of revamping a bedroom, there’s a few top tips to remember.

For a vintage feel within a bedroom, mix and match fabrics, colours and ornaments. Chandeliers also complement a vintage inspired bedroom, and can be picked up cheaply from a range of interior stores.
However, this style of bedroom is not always suitable for teenagers as it can become cluttered.

A fresh, modern feel for a young person’s bedroom is a suitable alternative, with plenty of storage space, and a clean ambience (even if their room isn’t always spotless!). A crisp feel to a bedroom also creates peace and tranquility; perfect for clearing their mind for a good nights sleep or letting them focus on schoolwork.

White is a great colour a bedroom to make it feel more spacious, clean and modern. A 2.5l tin of Dulux pure brilliant white paint can be bought from Homebase for around £10.

IKEA is a great place for buying décor and fittings for a room, and suitable for anyone with a low budget.
Blue is a tranquil colour that complements bright white walls, so a blue striped quilt cover and pillowcase set from IKEA would be ideal for the bedroom, and at £12.99 is an absolute bargain.

To create the illusion of space and light in a room, mirrors are a superb alternative to windows if a bedroom is dimly lit – and what teenager can live without a mirror?
IKEA’s wiggly mirrors are long, and stylish and at just £6.99 each, the bedroom would have a much lighter feel.
Similarly, adding a bedside lamp to a bedroom gives a calming atmosphere and adds light when it’s needed, whether it’s for bedtime reading or just for comfort. A small, cream table lamp would fit well in any bedroom regardless of colour, for the tiny price of £2.59.

Seeing as clearing out pockets is the cleanest teen’s go, the perfect solution for instant storage space is IKEA’s blue clothes tidy, therefore providing more space in a wardrobe for other possessions. The tidy is just £2.49 and hangs elegantly from the ceiling storing folded clothes, shoes and more.

Finally, if you want to give your daughters room a final touch, IKEA’s blue striped rug is the perfect finish and at £4.99, you can’t go wrong with it.

Teenagers have their own ideas about what they want, so if this isn’t up to ‘their’ standard, then maybe take them along to the Ideal Home exhibition, which is on every year around the country. There’s plenty of inspiring and exciting accessories and decor to see, which would fill you both with ideas for a theme.
Encouraging teens to mastermind their own bedroom make over is smart, and allows them to add their own creative flair to your home.

The Frock Swap (Press Release)

With the credit crunch ever present, what better way to get a whole new wardrobe without spending a penny?
Fashionista, Katie Taylor, is pairing up with the Orange Rooms bar and club in Southampton to hold a fashion party with a twist in December, otherwise known as the ‘Frock Swap’ or ‘Swishing Party’.

Fashion-conscious women are welcomed to a new world of shopping, without having to spend anything!

All you have to do is bring an item of unwanted clothing, jewellery or a pair of shoes along to the event to begin shopping. Once set up on clothes rails, women can browse through the selection of second-hand, chic, hand-me-downs, and choose anything they like to take away!
It’s a great way to meet other fashion-savvy women, crack open a few bottles of wine, snack on nibbles, and have a giggle with other garment-givers. There are also free desserts and 2-4-1 cocktails available courtesy of the Orange Rooms.

There may be squabbles, but there should be plenty of quality garments to satisfy any shopping indulger, and a definite presence of Southampton style. Any unwanted garments will be given to charity.

The event has a great similarity to fashion icon, Twiggy’s Frock Exchange, featured on BBC2.
The programme is presented by Twiggy, who is also assisted by Lauren Laverne, Paula Reed and the Designer Paula Kirkwood. There are also tips on how to alter and update clothing and accessories by customisation, which is a massive hit in fashion for the past few seasons; with television programmes such as Channel 4’s Frock Me hi-lighting the benefits of customising clothes, giving you an individual, quirky look.
‘’Each guest brings at least one item of clothing, pair of shoes or accessory to swap. The clothes are displayed for everyone to choose from and try on. You and your friends go home with a great new look. It’s that easy.’’

Journalist Siobhan Courtney also attended a swishing party, and overhears, ‘’Everyone’s swapping now, darling – it’s so fashionable’’.
There is also a great ethical advantage to these ‘swishing parties’, as it’s a perfect way of recycling.

A textile recycling charity known as Traid, says 900,000 tonnes of shoes and clothing is thrown out every year in the UK alone. That’s 7.5 billion items of clothing! With swishing parties and frock-swaps on the rise, this number could soon be reduced, and help to keep the planet green.
So wise up ladies, and become involved in the new fashion rage of clothes mixing and matching, swishing and frock-swapping! The pocket friendly way of achieving that new wardrobe look and feel, for literally nothing!

For advice and help on hosting your own Swishing party, visit www.bbc.co.uk, and start informing your favourite fashionable friends to attend, especially if they are owners of a few designer pieces!

The event in Southampton is scheduled to be in December, from 10am-4pm in the Orange Rooms, Vernon Walk. A date is yet to be confirmed.

(Sources BBC News, Quest twenty eight)

Easter Feast (Food Writing)

The time of fluffy bunnies and chocolate eggs is approaching and the thought of preparing a delicious Easter meal is daunting. What is Easter all about in the world of food? And what would be the perfect way of complementing all of the wonderful seasonal, spring produce?

A traditional Easter feast is typically Greek, using ingredients such as cheeses, salted pork, lamb sweetmeats and sweetbreads, vegetables and salads, cookies, cakes, wine and Easter bread, with a main of meat (lamb or goat) roasted over a charcoal fire.
There would also be eggs dyed red to represent the blood of Christ and new life.

Obviously times have changed, and not all these ingredients or meals appeal to everybody. But if you want to incorporate some of the traditional Greek Easter into your cooking to really treat your guests with a delicious meal, there’s an easy way to accomplish it.

For an Easter meal for 10 guests (including 4 children), all you are looking to spend is around £50 (about £5 a head).

The seasonal produce of this time of year is a lot of green vegetables (broccoli, green beans, sprouts, runner beans, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower) and root vegetables. Fruits include, strawberries, kiwis, raspberries, blueberries, apples, plums, nectarines and rhubarb.
Typical ‘spring’ meats are lamb, pork, turkey and chicken.
All of this wonderful produce can be found at it’s best in Waitrose.
Alternatively, fresh fruits and vegetables can be bought in season from any local farm shop, and are usually naturally larger in size, organic and better value for money.

To start the meal with a modern take on the traditional theme, Red Pesto and Tomato tarts topped with Goats cheese is a brilliant way of infusing the salad and cheese aspects of the traditional Greek starter. This red starter also symbolises the blood of Christ in a much easier and more appetising way.
And for children, a starter of Poached egg with grated Cheddar cheese is another way of including the Greek tradition in your starter.

With the traditional Greek Easter main being the biggest spectacle, there’s no scrimping on the twenty-first century lunch.
A way of incorporating the traditional meat of lamb or goat is to cook two Legs of Rosemary infused Lamb, with Sweet potato mash, Seasonal vegetables and a Redcurrant jus. This would be a main course to really ‘wow’ your guests, and is an absolutely delicious, classic, hearty, meal most adults and children can enjoy together.

The Greeks weren’t one for puddings, but a modern day English, Easter meal wouldn’t be the same without one.
A mouth-watering way to use seasonal fruits would be to make a Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie. A simple, sweet recipe then topped with single cream, would refresh and enlighten taste buds, completing a truly festive Easter banquet.

To compliment all the beautiful cooking, your feast would be nothing without a pretty, decorated table.
A way to incorporate traditional British Easter into your decoration would be to visit your local craft shop and pick up lots of dyed, colourful feathers, glue, pens and sequins. This is also a great way of getting children involved in the meaning of Easter and the celebrations.
Hard boil some eggs, and leave them to cool for a couple of hours. Once cooled they can be decorated using the feathers, pens and sequins, adding your own touch to the decoration. They could also be decorated with your guest’s names written upon them, turning them into a place card-esque decoration.
Scattering the loose feathers around the table would also add a creative effect to your table.

Powermat Review - in the style of GQ

Powermat
The 'attractive' looking charger

Fed up of over-plugged and obstructive power sockets? The creators of Powermat were too, and took the best action possible by creating what could only be described as a stylish electronics charger.

From your blackberry, to your iPod and even your satellite navigation system, the Powermat can efficiently charge almost any type of electrical gadget through magnetic alignment, providing completely wireless charging. This then gives you more desk space and just a hassle free way of powering your products without tangled wires and bulky plugs.

With its intricate technology, the Powermat can calculate which electrical good needs charging, and then switches off to save energy once all your electronics are charged.
It also includes a USB port for legacy devices, providing another source of power rather than going through difficulty of you trying to find an additional power outlet.

The design of the mat is sleek and extremely portable. The home Powermat is slim and about 30cm long and fits perfectly on a desk or sideboard. It could be described as the same shape as a surf board, smooth and sleek. It’s simple and comes in dark colours such as black and grey to ensure it blends in suitably within your home without looking like a mess of wires or an ugly electronic device. There is also a more portable Powermat that folds up into a case small enough to fit into hand luggage and is easy for compact stowage for travelling.

With gadgets getting smaller and smaller, the Powermat could possibly, in future, fit even more gadgets on at once to charge.

Powermat has had countless reviews and all so far seem to be of praise.

Gear Diary – “Huge ‘WOW factor’ actually works, blows minds regularly, truly allows you to cut the various jumble of cords, VERY well designed and built.”

Engadget – “Well, it turns out these bad boys are now available. It’s refreshing!”

Associated Press – “More important to me than the process was the speed, and Powermat charged my gadgets pretty quickly. The iPod Nano needed even more time in a wall outlet, at a little more than two hours.”

The Powermat has already sold 750,000 units worldwide in just four months. It was designed by 25-year-old, Rob Cameron - an industrial designer from Michigan, and is set to be the future of charging in homes and offices around the world.


The future of this ultimate gadget is unknown, but it could go to new heights in the gadget world. Maybe with the possibility of charging larger appliances such as laptops, furthermore enhancing the simplicity of the businessman’s life. Wireless is set to be big with all the latest electronics, and Powermat has taken the first step after broadband to practical wireless usage.


It is currently retailing at £69.95 for the home Powermat and £79.95 for the portable Powermat in John Lewis, excluding the receivers and docks which retail from around £29-39 depending on your electrical appliance.

Noel Gallagher Review - The Teenage Cancer Trust

(image by Kartogram)

With a crowd of around 5,200 music lovers, a trendy 42-year-old Noel strode on to the stage wearing just a modest shirt and jeans, clutching a guitar and quickly thanked fans for their support. He placed himself comfortably on a stool, quite unbewildered of the huge number of happy faces staring at him.
Opening with the very fitting Oasis song – '(it’s good) to be free', he instantly engaged the crowd in singing along together, arms cuddled round each other, swaying to the music, much like old friends.

Backed up with a choir of 50 people, guitarist - Gem Archer - formally of Oasis, percussion by Terry Kirkbridge and an orchestra with a soft symphony of violins and cello, the acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall couldn’t have complemented his efforts any better.

This performance seemed different to any other done by the older, more mature Gallagher brother before. It was tainted with emotion as he sung ‘Fade away’ and ‘Wonderwall’ to an audience of adoring men and women. “It’s not rock and roll” he says and smiles to the crowd.
It seemed far more of a ‘grown up’ gig, than those previously performed alongside brother Liam.
However, keeping in touch with his original, humorous self, Noel bantered with his audience, (especially the Northerners among them) in his usual cheeky manner.

The orchestra echoed through the hall alongside his strong recognizable voice, and made a perfect addition to his last song of the night, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’.

Looking around the Albert Hall was something else. The beauty of the building was bought alive with subtle lighting.
Thousands of faces and bodies swaying gently, smiles and sometimes tears at the real emotion portrayed through the songs. And possibly the realization that such a great band had come to an end.
Noel had also learned a few days back that he is going to be a Father for the third time, keeping emotion levels high and keeping him on his best behavior.

No new material was played, and the set was focused heavily on B-sides, with Noel joking “ No, were not playing any new songs. As brilliant as they are, now’s not the time or the place”, to which most fans agreed and cheered. Most of the fans appreciated songs from early on in the Oasis career, such as the brilliant ‘Slide Away’, and so had no complaints. Besides, isn’t that what makes a real Oasis fan?

Noel Gallagher had performed a similar solo set in 2007 for charity in the Royal Albert Hall, but attention was focused on the appearance without his brother, as Oasis was still alive and well.
But a change of events saw the crowd unfazed and chanting only his name.
Towards the end of the final song, he puts down his guitar and strolls off the stage, saying humbly “It’s been an absolute pleasure to play for you tonight”, as the orchestra and choir continue to sing and play to the end of the song.
A wave of applause thunders through the venue as people stand to cheer and celebrate the night together, possibly hoping for more signs of a solo career from Noel, to continue their passion of his music they have had within them for so many years.

Trends - The Suit

Power-dressing has once again returned, with women embracing masculinity in a feminine way, shunning every hierarchical expectation out there by experimenting with the eternal trend, the Suit.
Whether it be a smart Nicoll jacket and trouser, an all black vintage YSL, or a quirky, colourful, Wang skirt and blazer combination; the suit will continue to rein the fashion world with almighty strength.

New century suits start a whole new era to this vintage trend, from edgy rockabilly shapes, colour blocking, oversized ‘boyfriend’ jackets and high-waisted trouser and skirt suits. Not only in black, but in block reds, blues, violets, white and cream too, for a high impact, stand-out effect.
The less formal suit jacket, the Blazer also makes geek-chic schoolgirl look a comeback.

Compared to the original ‘polished look’ of suit wearing, Suit designers are opening their doors and minds to backseat smartness, allowing everyone to engage in a suit. Whether it is to an office meeting, evening dinner, or a mud-filled weekend at Glastonbury festival, it suits every occasion, no pun intended.
Vintage Mulgar, Chanel and YSL are increasingly popular among younger suit wearers, digging out pieces from parent’s wardrobes or searching the rails in Camden market and Portobello road for a treasure find.

Designer Ben Grimes-Viort created her first collection for Spring/Summer 2009, and knew straight away that a suit piece would definitely be involved in her designs.
“Suits aren’t stuffy anymore. Tailoring now needs a fierce cut and attitude”.
With suits becoming all the more edgy and relaxed, suit wearing could become an everyday wearable item, a casual ensemble, for work or play.
For a casual, young suit style, Stella McCartney’s boyfriend jacket looks perfect over tight, teddy-boy trousers. Team with a vintage scruffy band T-Shirt, Rayband Wayfairers and a pair of Converse, our generation can wear suiting day or night, for a look that’s indie-chick-chic.



The key to the new age of suit wearing is to ‘not look to retro or stiff’ according to suit-lover, Sima Bibi, 24, a press officer.
Oversized, loose jackets are perfect if worn with a feminine frilly blouse in a light shade.
Even Tuxedo jackets worn with jeans or leggings would give a classy but casual look, hitting fashion hard by forgetting stereotypical dress-codes for daywear and nightwear by combining the two.
Designers are trying their hardest to make suits history for just office and corporate wear, and are creating two-pieces that heat up and decorate dance floors in sexy, London clubs; with wearers dancing in creative designs with ease and style until 4am.


Some current designers grasping this idea and ranging the modern suit consist of Topshop Unique, Sinha-Stanic, Chloe, Luella, Givenchy and Richard Nicoll.

However suits are worn and designed, this generation will continue to embrace and adore this key trend, and it will certainly rein the fashion floors. The year 2010 is expected to be an epic year for the suit.
Whether the living mannequins are mature or young, expect to be eye-graced often with its power, class, style and uniqueness by strong wearers; simply timeless.

Gig Review - Jakwob

In the hustle and bustle of Southampton’s Vodka Revolution on a Monday night, students witness the sheer brilliance of dub-steps finest newcomer – James Jacob AKA Jakwob.
Hailing from the midlands and at just 20 years old, Jakwob wows the modest crowd with his own musical marvel and consistent, addictive ‘wobs’.

He has been thrust onto the scene, showcasing a few of his best remixes of Ellie Goulding's - 'Starry eyed', and 'Under the Sheets', which have been proven to be big hits already in the blogging and networking world - with over 400,000 views on youtube alone. His own myspace page allows you to listen to his own produced music and is also a big hit, gaining him a huge fanbase already.



As we sat in the corner of the room on comfy ambient-lit sofas, every pulsing wob thundered through our bodies and into our brains, promising a night any wonk or dub fan wants to experience.
From underground vinyl’s to the more popular Chase and Status tunes, Jakwob provided the best in dub-step, generating a great, rewarding reaction from the club-goers.

As well as being a musical genius, (being able to play multiple instruments since he was a child and quite clearly a dab hand at working the decks) Jakwob is also a down-to-earth guy. When I asked to take photos, he covered his face cheekily and exclaimed, “oh no! These are the first photos taken of me since I shaved my head – it looks terrible!” in which I replied, “don’t be silly, it looks good!” to which he sheepishly smiled, plonked his cap on his head and continued twisting and turning records in a professional manner, allowing me to snap away.



After a great night of friends, free vodka shots and body-shaking dub, we headed home, wobbing all the way.

Words and photographs by Sarah Emily Green