From Babies With Love: The Baby Clothes Company Which Gives Its Profits To Charity

Posted on June 24, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

At Frost we love ethical companies and great products. Combine the two and we are in heaven. One of life’s great joys is buying clothes for babies, so when I came across From Babies With Love I was intrigued. From Babies With Love lets you buy gorgeous organic baby clothes while supporting orphaned and abandoned children around the world. They are an amazing company who deserve as much support as possible as they donate 100% of their profits to helping children.

Here is their story in their words:

“We support orphaned and abandoned babies to live in SOS Children’s Villages.

The children have lost their parents through war, famine, disease or poverty.

SOS Children creates communities for children who have nobody to turn to. The children are cared for by their SOS Mother; they live in family homes in the village with their SOS brothers and sisters. SOS Mothers care for the whole family, comforting, celebrating; doing all the things that parents do.

This enables children who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves, on the streets or in slums, to have a second chance in life.

The children’s circumstances are not their fault, and by being loved, cared for and educated, they go on to lead independent lives, breaking the cycle of poverty.

As SOS Children’s Zambia Director, Florence Phiri explains, for an orphaned or abandoned child, the difference a children’s village makes is huge: “when they come to the village they are given a family – brothers, sisters and a mother to look after them. They have a home and can begin a new life.”

To find out more about SOS Children visit their website www.soschildren.org

Whether you’re buying baby clothes for newborns, first birthdays, baby showers, maternity leave or a special treat just because, every purchase enables these children to grow up in loving family homes.

A heartfelt thank you.

From Babies with Love x”

https://www.frombabieswithlove.org

Follow @frombabies on twitter

Elisabeth Banks Was “Too Old” To Play Tobey Maguire’s Girlfriend In Spider-Man At 28

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

In an interview with the ever-amazing Glamour Magazine, Elizabeth Banks has revealed that she was deemed “too old” too play Toby Maguire’s Girlfriend in Spider Man, despite being close in age.

Now 42, Banks had a screen test with Tobey Maguire for the film that was released in 2002. She was rejected for the role because of her age, even though she is just 16 months older than Maguire.

“I screen-tested for the role of Mary-Jane Watson in the first Spider-Man movie, opposite Tobey Maguire,” she told Glamour magazine. “Tobey and I are basically the same age and I was told I was too old to play her. I’m like, ‘Oh, okay, that’s what I’ve signed up for’.”

Kirsten Dunst, who is six years younger than Maguire -34 to his 40- ended up playing the part. Banks played a minor role in the movie. As the Daily Bugle secretary Betty Brant.

The actress, director and producer recently directed Pitch Perfect 2, which grossed $285 million worldwide. She won’t be directing the sequel as she wants to spend more time with her family. “The new schedule butts up against my parental responsibilities in a way I’m not really comfortable with,” she said.

If you are an actor then check out How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

Patricia Clarkson Says ‘A white male actor should never complain’

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Patricia Clarkson has hit out at people who complain about female-led movie. The 56-year-old actress has had an illustrious career spanning decades, but she has faced pay inequality and notes that there is still a backlash. She used the new Ghostbusters film as an example, which stars an all-female lead cast which includes Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy.

“There are still so many movies made starring 50 men and one woman! A white male actor should never be allowed to complain about anything. Shut up and sit in the corner. I mean, seriously!” She told The Guardian

“The odds of us having films made which star women… Everyone still references one movie: Bridesmaids! Ghostbusters is a great thing and I love these actresses. I can’t wait to see it.”I think everyone has a right to a good moan, but her point about the Ghostbusters film is a good one.

She also said that female characters are usually “softened” or “some ridiculous caricature like a dominatrix or a one-dimensional boss with no life and bad hair.”

She went on: “When I was younger, of course I had people act inappropriately to me. I’ve had certain directors yell at me. But I didn’t stand for it and I didn’t let it go far enough for it to be in any way abusive to me. People didn’t speak up as much as they do now. Women have risen. But we’re still underpaid and we’re still a vast minority in this business.”

Actresses who have spoken out about inequality in the film industry have talked about a backlash, but the more strong people- both men and women- who fight for equality, the quicker we will get there.

What do you think?

If you are an actor then check out How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

Top 10 Unobtainable Dreams For Young People

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Millennial have it hard, that is common knowledge. Tuition fees are higher than ever, houses are too expensive, and, if you are lucky to go to university or buy a home, the debt will be huge. Sadly, it seems that three quarters of young Brits feel like they will never achieve their dreams. It is not true of course. Everyone can and Frost will be publishing lots of finance and work articles to help you achieve your dreams. We want to give people the power to take hold of their own lives. Contact us to let us know what you want us to cover, or how you feel about your life in general. Meanwhile, let us now if you agree with the latest stats below.

Having a successful career, going to university and owning a house are seen as ‘fantasies’ for millions of young people, according to new research.

Three quarters of Brits aged 16-25 are also unconvinced they’ll ever be able to land a job they love – something which was far more achievable for the previous generation.

Eight in 10 young people said they fear other people going for the same positions as them are stronger candidates with better CVs and better experience.

One in 10 don’t think they’ll be able to go to university, while owning a house is considered to be completely unobtainable by 40 per cent of respondents.

Living debt free, being able to cope without relying on parents for financial support, and earning more than the average British salary of £26,500 are also seen as unattainable.

While the study of 1,500 16 to 25 year-olds, conducted by vInspired to mark the end of Volunteers’ Week 2016, also found out 42 per cent consider travelling the world to be a pipedream.

Jessica Taplin, CEO of vInspired, the UK’s leading youth volunteering charity, said: “The results highlight the pressures young people face today.

“Access to the job market, uncertain financial futures and mental health issues are all problems we see young people come up against first-hand.

“However, we believe that there are other ways young people can gain valuable experience and make them more employable despite some challenging economic circumstances.”

Many young adults don’t think they’ll ever be able to move to a major city such as London or Manchester due to high living costs, competition for jobs and house prices.

A further 15 per cent say they have no hope of ever buying their own car, and 17 per cent say having a family seems unrealistic at the moment.

Going to University feels unachievable for 13 per cent of those aged 16 to 25, while 16 per cent don’t feel like anyone would ever want to take a chance of them.

When it comes to securing their ideal job, seven in 10 people polled said the competition nowadays is so intense they would need completely new qualifications in order to stand any chance at all of success.

Yet 87 per cent of respondents said the high cost of gaining an education is massively impacting their chances of getting the job they’ve always wanted.

But three quarters of people polled recognise that doing voluntary work would make them more employable.

Perhaps as a result, 77 per cent of respondents are currently volunteering or would consider doing so in the future.

Two thirds of Brits aged 16-25 said volunteering could inspire them to pursue a career they may not have otherwise considered.

And around 80 per cent of participants think volunteering can teach you things a degree or other postgraduate qualifications might not, thus making them more employable.

Two thirds of respondents said voluntary work meant they could “make a difference”, while over 56 per cent said it gives you motivation and half says it makes you more open-minded.

Jessica Taplin said: “We know that the skills young people gain when volunteering help increase wellbeing and lead to employability.

“So we’re delighted to see from this survey that so many young people really value their volunteering experience.

“vInspired is all about supporting young people into volunteering and enabling them to better harness the benefits of this.”

Nine in 10 respondents think it is harder now than ever before to standout from other job candidates.

TOP 10 UNOBTAINABLE DREAMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

1. Travelling the world

2. Owning a house/getting on the property ladder

3. Earning more than the average British salary (£26,500)

4. Being debt free

5. Reaching the top of your career ladder

6. Getting a job you love

7. Not having to borrow additional funds to get by

8. Not having to depend on other people such as parents for financial support

9. Having the opportunity to gain experience in pursuit of your dream job

10. Moving to a major city such as London or Manchester

Wraps Wearable Wristband Headphones Review

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

I am forever looking for my headphones. They are usually lost in the chaos of my changing bag, amongst nappies and fruit pouches. I even dot them around the house. My reliance on headphones now is usually so I can make a hand-free phone call while pushing the pram, listen to music loud while the baby sleeps, or keep myself awake whilst giving him a bottle at night.

My other headphones issue is that they forever get tangled up. I waste so much time untangling them. Not so with Wraps. These wearable headphones caught my eye. They are wristband headphones which look great and come in a variety of beautiful colours. I have them in Lagoon which is a beautiful blue colour. They have a one button mic which is really handy. They have a beautiful fibre braided cable and precision 10mm dynamic speakers. The sound quality is fantastic and they look fab.

Wraps Wearable earphones – Turn your earphones into a summer fashion accessory and never get them tangled again.

Lost numerous pairs already? Want your headphones to sound good AND look good? Wearing headphones is not just about listening to music, it’s about how you look listening to music! Wraps were created from this concept but took it a step further by making the wraps permanently wearable, whether wearing them in your ears or on your wrist.

When worn on the wrist, the unique patented slider system keeps the lightweight alloy heads, slider and jack plug all connected together for a secure compact fit. The cables are kept in perfect alignment and remain tangle free and always close to hand!

Wraps have recently launched the new ‘Talk’ range featuring a universal one button microphone which comes in six fresh, funky colour options. Stylish and functional: you can answer a call, play or pause your music and skip tracks all without having to dig into your bag or pockets for your device. Compatible with all smartphones and tablets.

Wraps Talk are available in a range of colours from www.mywraps.com and Amazon with prices starting at £19.99.

Good Karma, Now On-The-Go: Karma Cola Launch New Cans

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Fact of the day: 1.9 billion colas are drank every day. Yes, BILLION. That is over a million a minute. Now Karma Cola are putting the Karma into cola.

Ethical, organic craft cola eyes food-to-go and take home market with its #DrinkNoEvil mantra
and striking new 250ml cans and multipacks.

Karma Cola have launched new 250ml cans and multipacks. We tried the range and loved it. I loved their Karma Cola while our writer James loved their Lemony Lemonade. Their Gingerella is not only delicious, but the design if so fun and retro. Try them out for yourself.

The folks at Karma Cola are at it again, giving UK consumers more reasons to indulge in tasty, organic soft drinks in an ethically cool way.

Alongside their original, sleek glass bottle counterparts, Karma Cola and Friends – Gingerella ginger ale and Lemony lemonade – will soon be available in squat new 250ml aluminium cans. The snack size format, which is smaller than a standard canned soft drink (330ml), is set to take on the growing ‘food-to-go’ market encouraging retailers to offer an ethically sourced fizzy drink made with real organic and Fairtrade ingredients.

As well as food-to-go outlets, the cans were created to appeal to the on-trade, where mixologists have been looking for natural mixers to accentuate the flavours of premium and craft spirits.

Unlike other soft drinks, Karma Cola & Friends are made with natural organic and Fairtrade ingredients, including organic cane sugar, real cola nut, vanilla, lemon and ginger, no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.

There’s a lot of good karma in these small cans of premium pop. Named ‘The World’s Fairest Trader’ in 2014 by Fairtrade International, Karma Cola is making a big difference for cola nut farmers in a small village in Sierra Leone, sending part of the proceeds from the sale of every product back to invest in community projects.

By sourcing Fairtrade cane sugar, they help small-scale sugar farmers in India to be paid fairly for their crops, feed their families and create better lives for their communities.
They say at Karma Cola, when you’re thirsting for cold drink, don’t be tempted… drink no evil.

Karma Cola, Gingerella ginger ale and Lemony lemonade cans will be available in Waitrose stores, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Ocado.com and Waitrose.com from April, RRP £1.25.
Four packs of Karma Cola, Gingerella and Lemony cans will also be available at RRP £3.95 – perfect for the take home market.

@KarmaColaUK #DrinkNoEvil

Cara Delevingne Fronts I’m Not A Trophy Inaugural Campaign

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Every 20 minutes the world adds another 3,500 human lives but loses at least one endangered wildlife species at the same rate. Celebrated supermodel and actress, Cara Delevingne is taking her compassion for animals to new heights and looking to end the unnecessary destruction of endangered species once and for all by becoming the inaugural brand ambassador for the first-ever I’m Not A Trophy campaign. Founded by renowned French artist and photographer, Arno Elias, I’m Not A Trophy is a global initiative that aims to bring awareness to endangered animals, and to the illegal and tragic acts of trophy hunting.

The campaign features original photographs of Cara shot by Arno with artfully imposed wildlife covering her body. The international movement is the first of its kind and is an ongoing initiative to amass a greater education and understanding for malicious acts of trophy hunting and poaching of lions, elephants, rhinos and more. Supporters of the campaign can contribute to a variety of foundations listed on www.imnotatrophy.org, and for those looking to take a little piece of Cara home with them, limited edition prints of the model are available for purchase on the site. Even better, all proceeds from Cara’s prints will benefit wildlife conservation efforts.

Cara’s comment on Arno Elias’ I’m Not A Trophy initiative not only supporting endangered species, but also aiming to empower women as well.

I want to highlight women as powerful figures within our society. Much like the species that are trophy hunted and displayed as prizes, women are often seen as possessions. It’s time for our society to end the treatment of humans and animals as trophies.

Cara speaks to the overwhelmingly increasing issue of poaching and trophy hunting

I knew that illegal poaching and trophy hunting was becoming an epidemic, but after meeting and working with Arno, he really enlightened me on how tragic and serious of an issue this truly is. I am extremely passionate about animals and am so honored to be representing an organization and cause that is fighting for the rights of these innocent lives.

Cara discusses how she met French photographer and artist, Arno Elias, who created the campaign and shot Cara for it.

I was introduced to Arno’s work after falling in love with the images he did for my friend and fellow model, Suki Waterhouse. Suki put us in touch and before we knew it we were in Paris shooting together.

Cara talks about her involved with the campaign’s initiatives

I plan on being very hands-on with the organization and will do whatever I can to help create awareness for the tragic poaching and trophy hunting that is occurring in Africa. I’m extremely proud to act as inaugural ambassador for the first-ever, international I’m Not a Trophy campaign, a cause that not only benefits endangered species, but empowers women as well.

Zingo Infuser Water Bottle Review

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today we are reviewing the Zingo Infuser water bottle.

Root 7 say: “The Zingo is light, stylish and comes in many different shades to suit all personalities. The Zingo is the most recent addition to the Zingo family. It is made from state of the art BPA-free plastic that helps hide day to day wear and tear that could occur during your busy schedule.

Why not give your water a tasty Zing by adding fresh citrus fruits. Zingo brings the 21^st century to your water bottle by adding flavour to your water without any added nasty sugars or preservatives.

You can find details of the ‘Zingo‘ along with lots of other exciting products at https://www.root7.com/zingo.”

But what do we think? It is a good-looking water bottle. The citrus press is a good idea and makes the water more interesting. We like the thought of adding taste without any added nasty sugars or preservatives. It is sturdy but not cumbersome, and the plastic is BPA-free which is a must. It is easy to use and creates two full drinks per press. It is made from state of the art BPA-free plastic that helps hide day to day wear and tear that could occur during your busy schedule. We like!

How to Use Zingo

It’s so simple, easy and perfect for busy people on the go. Untighten the cup of the Zingo, flip the body onto the top cap, and press a citrus fruit half into the reamer. Then simply just tighten back on the bottom lid, add water through the cap opening, shake and enjoy.

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