The Beginners’ Guide To Supporting England

footballIt seems like just yesterday when ASBOs were being handed out left, right and centre for over-enthusiastic Vuvuzela players, but the FIFA World Cup has come round once again. Even if you’re not that big a fan of football, you simply can’t avoid the hype when it comes to the World Cup, from tacky flag plastered windows to beers and barbecues. It only happens once every four years, so why not drop the cynicism and get involved with these fun ways to enjoy the beautiful game.

Take your bets

There’s nothing like a little competition when it comes to the World Cup, so get your friends involved in a sweepstake and make sure you bag England for the winner. Consider taking bets for the score of each of England’s games – supporting your country could just earn you a few extra pounds. Alternatively, if you want to be a little more clued up about the whole event, download a betting app to keep you in tune with England’s chances.

Think outside the box

Any Tom, Dick or Harry can follow England in the World Cup and keep score of their goals scored – but why not look at the other achievements made by our best men? Who will score a hat trick, which player will score the most goals overall, and can a winger win the golden boot? This is a great way for you to get to know the game a little better – for example, you could brush up on your knowledge of player positions. While a striker should take the golden boot, with comparatively fewer games than national tournaments, it could be down to anybody, so thinking outside the box will definitely make supporting England during the World Cup more exciting.

Get your mates involved

Rather than sitting back and rolling your eyes every time your housemate turns the football on, consider having friends over to support your country and make a game of the event. Get the barbecue going, crack open the beers and turn your eyes to the television – if your mates are more clued up on the beautiful game than you, you could learn a thing or two about the England team. If it’s the blind leading the blind, you could all benefit from getting together in one setting and teaching yourselves some of the golden rules – including the elusive offside rule.

 

 

The Essential Guide To Keeping Chickens | Easter Ideas

keepingchickensI have always harboured the dream of keeping chickens. One that I doubt will ever be realised as I live in the concrete jungle of London. But I can dream, and watch DVDs like The Essential Guide To Keeping Chickens about how I will look after the chickens that I will (hopefully) have one day.

A lot of great stuff is covered and the DVD is pretty thorough. It covers everything and if you are thinking of keeping chickens this will definitely help you decide. If you already have some, this will cover all of the gaps in your knowledge.

The presenters Jules Hudson and Suzie Baldwin are both brilliant and I really enjoyed this DVD. I learned a lot and the advice is down-to-earth and easy to follow. I don’t think I could clip a chicken’s wing with scissors. This was an entertaining and informative lesson in keeping chickens. An essential for keeping chickens. Good stuff.

Covered in the DVD:

Why keep chickens?
Choosing your chickens
Hen houses and food
Handling chickens
The chicken medicine chest
Mating and murder most fowl!

This DVD from Stitchcombe Productions is perfect for Easter. If you would like a few extra eggs this Easter and can spare a corner of your garden, then why not buy the NEW DVD Keeping Chickens? The DVD is part of The Ideal Life Collection and it tells you everything you need to know – from a list of essential kit to expert tips to ensure that your hens are healthy and happy! Keeping chickens is easier than you think and also extremely rewarding. You could soon enjoy warm, freshly laid eggs every day and, next year, your very own Easter chicks.

Keeping Chickens – Suzie Baldwin has been keeping chickens ever since she was a child and has a real knack of demonstrating exactly how to handle and care for her ‘girls’. Prompted by questions from TV presenter, Jules Hudson, Suzie shows us how rewarding it is to find a clutch of freshly-laid eggs every day.

Whether you already have hens but could do with some extra tips or you’re a total novice, Keeping Chickens will prove invaluable. From practical ‘chicken check lists’ to a demonstration of how to clip a chicken’s wings with a pair of scissors in seconds.

Suzie Baldwin supplies eggs to rock stars and royalty and sells a wide variety of different breeds, hen houses and accessories from an idyllic farm in Hampshire.

Jules Hudson (Escape to the Country) has just started keeping chickens and has a genuine passion and enthusiasm to learn more all about his feathered friends.

The Ideal Life Collection DVDs RRP £14.99

 

 

The Financial Times Guide to Management Book Review

For those in business, or hoping to be, management is very important. Or to be more precise, being good at management and doing it properly is important. This guide to management comes from The Financial Times and is written by Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute. So far so impressive.

Ann Franckle book The Financial Times Guide to Management

Also impressive is that it has an entire chapter on managing yourself. I think this is a genius idea that not many books would think of. Getting yourself sorted out first obviously makes perfect sense: lead by example. Each chapter starts with what you will learn in that chapter and then ends with top tips, pitfalls and takeaways.

For all of the wealth of information in this book it is surprisingly easy to read. Add in the graphs, anecdotes and exercises then you have one hell of a book on management. Part 7 even has view from the front line: top tips, pitfalls and takeaways from top managers, along with views from the FT’s Finest.

FT Guide to Management: How to be a Manager Who Makes a Difference and Gets Results is an essential business book for managers. Don’t be without it.

What they say:

“Ann Francke, CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, writes a much needed straight talking guide to management.


According to a 2012 survey by CMI and Penna*, 43% of individuals rated their managers as ineffective or highly ineffective. This statistic will be no surprise to most – many surveys and research papers have revealed similarly gloomy results in recent years.

 

So why do we struggle to ‘get management right’? Probably because so many people have become ‘accidental managers’; they have been promoted into management positions due to specialist skills. Many are given little or no training when they are promoted and are left to work it out for themselves.  The mind boggling array of management books on the market does little to simplify the ‘management message’ as approaches are many and varied.

 

In response, Ann Francke, CEO of the CMI, has written The Financial Times Guide to Management. Backed by the wealth of CMI research, her extensive global management experience, and advice from over 40 frontline managers, Ann has created a straight talking and balanced guide to management.

 

It covers the full spectrum of management skills, including managing others, managing change, managing stakeholders, managing budgets and resources, creating business strategy and executing plans.  A chapter offering Views from the Front Line, grounds the book in practical advice, with over 40 senior executives sharing their top tips, pitfalls and takeaways. Contributors include Paul Polman (CEO, Unilever), Steve Marshall (Chairman, Balfour Beatty) and Cilla Snowball (Chairman and CEO, AMV BBDO).  In a similarly neat framework, a 20 page Guide to the Gurus takes readers through a pithy summary of the bestselling and most admired management gurus.

 

From motivating a team and developing star talent to controlling budgets and fostering innovation, The Financial Times Guide to Management is the authoritative guide to becoming an effective manager.”

 

The Financial Times Guide to Management, is published by Pearson.

 

 

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Don’t know what to buy for Valentine’s Day? Here is our handy guide.

igiveyouwood

Timbergram, the original wooden postcard company, are offering a whopping 25% off orders through their website in the lead up to Valentines Day and beyond through their ‘I GIVE YOU WOOD’ campaign. Discerning lovers out there can also now upload any image to be printed onto the front of the woodend cards, as well as having a personalised message etched onto the back.

What’s more, Timbergrams supports the charity TreeAid who plant trees throughout Africa’s drylands to help communities escape poverty. In 2013 Timbergram alone helped TreeAid to plant over 1000 trees, making these little products one of the most eco-considerate ways to tell someone you love them.

As well as being able to upload any of your own images onto the front of your card, you can choose from a huge range of Timbergram’s own designs. Timbergram promotes and collaborates with a wide range of UK-based artists and illustrators, so you’re bound to find something different that your partner will adore. If you can’t find a design that catches your fancy, we can etch your own message on the front – just like the old days when you engraved your initials in tree bark.

Spread the love this Valentines Day… give someone wood with the original and best wooden postcards from Timbergram.

Simply use the code: “GIVEWOOD” at the checkout for your 25% discount.

 

austenland
Austenland is a great film. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.

I love you to the moon and back coaster.

I Love You To The Moon & Back Wooden Coaster Super cute.

heart shaped baloons

Valentine’s Day Heart Shaped Balloons

Alessi Big Love Ice Cream Set, Blue  £29.95

Alessi Big Love Ice Cream Set from John Lewis

230453783

Name A Star Gift from John Lewis

230509133

Cowshed Knackered Cow candles from John Lewis

 

 

Different Styles Of Wedding Dresses

So you are trying to choose a wedding dress but there are so many styles to choose from, and so much jargon, I mean, what the hell is a trumpet? We decided to put together a visual reference guide to help you along the way. Let us know what your favourite is, we had so much fun writing this article and looking at endless pictures of wedding dresses. If you want help and advice planning your wedding then buy our editor, Catherine’s, wedding book, it is full of great advice and lots of tips.  If you are off wedding dress shopping soon then also check out our editors experience of buying her wedding dress. Happy shopping!

Strapless white-strapless-wedding-dresses Sweetheart Neckline Sweetheart neckline wedding dress Halterneck satin-sweetheart-neckline-halter-strap-trumpet-wedding-dress-with-lace-applique-accents  V-Neck

v-neck wedding dress.spring-2013-wedding-dress-monique-lhuillier-bridal-gown-simple-lace-V-Neck-Rustic-Wedding-Dress-Ideas

Plunge

lace-plunge-neckline-a-line-wedding-dress

One-Shoulder

one strap, one shoulder -wedding_dress

Mermaid tulle-lace-mermaid-bridal-gown-sweetheart-neckline A-Line or Princess

Beading A line Strapless Satin Ivory Haute Couture  Wedding Dress organza-sweetheart-neckline-a-line-wedding-dress

Empire

Empire wedding dress

Ballgown chic-organza-sweetheart-neckline-ball-gown-wedding-dress Trail / Train

lace-sweetheart-neckline-a-line-wedding-dress

Short

short wedding dress

Trumpet

trumpet-wedding-dress-with-lace-embellished

The trumpet silhouette is different to the mermaid as the skirt gradually flares about mid-thigh. It has a close-fitting bodice.

Backless backless wedding dress Lace Back

Lace-Back-Wedding-Dress-Style lace back wedding dress

Straps Taffeta-A-line-Corset-Back-Gentel-Sweetheart-Neckline-with-Straps-Pick-up-Skirt-with-Chapel-Train-White-Wedding-Dress-WM-0024 Sleeves

lace-v-neck-ball-gown-sheer-laced-sleeves-wedding-dress-with-chapel-train-ab8874

Cap Sleeves perfect-a-line-wedding-dress-with-lace-cap-sleeves-and-sweetheart-neckline

Off-The-Shoulder / Boat Neck

Off The Shoulder A Line Trumpt Train Lace Vintage Wedding Dress SaleWhat one will you choose? What is your favourite?

If you are planning your wedding then get your hands on The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on every aspect of wedding planning and lots of great advice on choosing the perfect wedding dress. 

 

 

A Man Is Not A Financial Plan – New Book Aims To Help Women Take Control

The Wealthy Woman: A Man is Not a Financial Plan: A Woman's Guide to Achieving Financial Security‘The Wealthy Woman – a man is not a financial plan’ is published January 2014.

 

Mary Waring has worked with 100s of women helping them take control of their finances.

 

Far too many women find ‘dealing with the money’ a daunting task and leave it in the hands of their partners. However, this can leave them with little control over their own financial lives and sadly, if they then get divorced or are widowed, they are left floundering with little understanding of how much money they have, or don’t have, and what this means to their lifestyle.

 

By understanding your finances and taking control you can make your money work for you. That’s the message in Mary Waring’s new book ‘The Wealthy Woman: A Man is Not a Financial Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Achieving Financial Security’ published January 2014.

 

“Many women tell me that they simply don’t do maths – and this mental block seems to be an epidemic among women everywhere. However, these are often admirable women with high-level jobs. My message is simple – you are more than able to handle all of your finances,” says Mary Waring.

 

So, do you want to be more confident about your finances?  Do you want to be a wealthy woman?

“Wealthy” will mean different things to different women. It doesn’t necessarily mean “rolling in it” and having so much money that you’ll enter The Times ‘rich list’. It may simply mean you feel confident you will have enough money to do the things that you plan to do in the future, no matter how lavish or frugal a lifestyle you lead.

Mary’s book will guide you on your journey to become a wealthy woman by showing you how taking small steps on a regular basis can lead to a significant increase in your wealth.

If you currently have such a lack of control over your finances that you are too afraid to open your credit card statement at the end of the month, this book will show you how to take control.

 

“The Wealthy Woman” will encourage you to think about your attitude towards money and your relationship with it.

As Mary says; “It’s easy to be wealthy just as it’s easy to be poor. There’s very little difference in the way you can become either. You are in a position where you can improve your wealth. Whatever your dreams and aspirations around money there is nothing to stop you moving towards those dreams.”

 

Mary Waring is an independent financial adviser and the founder of Wealth For Women, specialising in financial advice to women going through divorce. She is both a Chartered Financial Planner and a Chartered Accountant, being one of only a handful of advisers in the whole of the UK with this high level of qualification.

 

Mary is passionate about changing the way women think about finance. Too many women stick their head in the sand and ignore it. Or…rely on a man to sort it for them.

 

‘The Wealthy Woman: A Man is Not a Financial Plan: A Woman’s Guide to Achieving Financial Security’ is published in January 2014 and is available from Amazon and all good bookstores.

How to Quit Sugar in 12 Steps

get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,Sugar makes our food tastier, gives us a quick boost of energy, and leaves us feeling great, at least temporarily. But it’s also a highly addictive substance and, when consumed frequently, can have negative effects on our health and well-being, with symptoms ranging from energy dips, a ‘sluggish’ feeling and poor skin, to more severe health problems including obesity, diabetes, premature aging, and many other chronic health conditions. Fat was traditionally blamed for many of these problems, but sugar is now shown to be far more harmful than fat! For this reason, and simply to feel or look healthier, many of us are taking the positive decision to cut out or drastically reduce the amount of sugar in our diets.

We enlist the help of Nutritional Therapist, Cassandra Barns, at nutricentre.com to give us The Ultimate 12 Step Sugar-Free programme.

Portion Control

Cassandra advises, ‘Aim for foods that have a low glycaemic load, as their impact on blood sugar level is minimal and you’ll be less likely to experience blood glucose highs and lows that will have you reaching for the cookie jar. Make sure each meal includes protein, non-starchy vegetables and unrefined carbohydrates. Limit sweet tasting veg (parsnips, potato and carrots) and opt for green veg like broccoli and spinach, ideally making up half your plate. Good protein (lean turkey, eggs, fish, beans) are digested slowly and make you feel fuller for longer, carbs should be wholegrain varieties for the same reason.’’

I must not skip breakfast

According to Cassandra, ‘’If we don’t have breakfast, often by 11 am or midday, we become hungry and crave sugar, as our blood sugar levels drop too low. Try two poached eggs on a slice of wholemeal bread with some rocket leaves or a pot of sugar-free yoghurt with nuts and berries.’’

Quit sugar, not snacks

‘’A healthy snack between meals can help while you’re giving up sugar, as it stops your sugar levels dropping too low, which can cause sweet cravings. Good examples include: two oatcakes topped with a tablespoon of humus or guacamole or cottage cheese and half an avocado. Avoid bananas and grapes and opt for berries as they are naturally low in sugar.’’ Cassandra warns.

Limit alcohol

‘’Alcohol raises blood sugar, but being a liquid, it is even more quickly absorbed into the bloodstream than sugar. Alcohol also contains more calories than sugar: 7 calories per gram versus 4 calories per gram! Alcohol binges are a classic way to set up a cycle of cravings for sugary, stodgy foods the day after. Stick to one small to medium glass of wine with a meal once or twice a week’’, advises Cassandra.

Look after your gut

Cassandra explains ‘’Overgrowth of unhelpful yeasts in the gut, such as candida, can contribute to, or exacerbate sugar cravings. Ironically, eating sugar and high-starch foods makes the candida overgrowth worse, so we become stuck in a catch-22 situation. To help solve this, try taking a high-strength, good quality probiotic supplement such as ProVen’s ‘Adult Probiotic 25 Billion’ £12.95 from www.provenprobiotics.co.uk , loaded with friendly bacteria.’’

Go easy on the tea and coffee

Caffeine is a stimulant that causes our body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to be released, which in turn cause a cycle of energy dips and peaks, and make you more likely to crave sugar later on. Decaffeinated coffee and tea contains other stimulants, so try better options such as naturally caffeine free rooibos tea or grain based coffee alternatives.

Consider natural sugar alternatives

Xylitol is a naturally sweet substance found in many plants. In commercial preparations, it is found in granules and looks and tastes like sugar, although slightly less sweet. Stevia is a substance extracted from the leaf of the stevia plant. It is an intensely sweet substance and very little is needed to give a sweet taste – it has very few calories and minimal impact on blood glucose.

Treat yourself

Three squares of good quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa): this amount will only contain a relatively small amount of sugar, and there is also evidence that dark chocolate has health benefits or try a small pot of sugar-free plain yoghurt, with a teaspoon of pure cocoa or raw cacao powder

Chromium to control cravings

‘Chromium, this trace mineral has a vital role in supporting normal blood glucose levels, and therefore helping to prevent the dips that cause us to crave sugary foods. Try Quest Vitamin’s ‘Chromium Picolinate’ £4.04 from www.questexcellence.com. Take one tablet a day, preferably with breakfast. This supplement also contains vitamin B3, which works closely together with chromium. Chromium can take a month or longer to have its full effect, so persevere or start taking chromium before attempting to give up sugar.’ Cassandra advises


Exercise!

Cassandra stresses ‘’Moderate exercise helps us to feel energised, less sluggish, and healthier. It can help to control stress levels and also support blood sugar control to avoid dips that will induce cravings.’’

Reduce your stress

‘Stress is one of the primary triggers for sugar cravings, as our body is being prepared for physical action (the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome). So try in any way you can to reduce stress, whether it is by delegating or reducing your workload, taking some gentle exercise, or practising yoga or meditation to help you relax. Reduced stress will often mean better sleep as well, which will mean better energy levels the next day.’ explains Cassandra.

Energising vitamins and minerals

According to Cassandra ‘Most of us can benefit from extra support, to prevent tiredness triggering those pesky sugar cravings. B vitamins, vitamin C and the mineral magnesium are particularly important nutrients that are needed to produce energy from the foods that we eat; and we can struggle to get enough of them, even in a healthy diet.’

All supplements mentioned can be found at nutricentre.com. Want to give up sugar for 2014? Got a question that isn’t covered here? NutriCentre offers a free Nutritional Advice helpline manned by a team of highly qualified nutritionists, like Cassandra, ready to answer any natural health questions you may have. Advice line: 0207 436 5122, open Mon-Sat

Simple Flower Arranging: Step-By-Step Designs & Techniques Book Review

Although this is in the wedding section the book works well for every day and every occasion. Simple Flower Arranging: Step-By-Step Designs & Techniques by Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks is a money-saving book, but also one with hours of funfor the creative and people who love flowers. Written by ex-Royal Ballet dancers and the owners of the award-winning destination floristSimple Flower Arranging- Step-By-Step Designs & Techniques by Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks Bloomsbury Flowers in Covent Garden, Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks have written a book to let blooming florists make amazing arrangements.

The book guides you through designs and techniques. There are over 60 different projects and the book teaches you to bring the professional touch to your arrangements. There are a lot of insider tips and it is very easy to read and understand.

The book also lets you take things around the home and use them to create great arrangements. The getting started section leaves you with a lot of knowledge; going through colour palette, vases, flower shapes, foliage and basic equipment. There is also chapters on maintence and tips.

The pictures and illustrations in the book are not only beautiful, but also make it easy to follow, along with the step-by-step guide. This is a very good book which allows you to make beautiful arrangements for every occasion.

Simple Flower Arranging is available here