Category Archives: Design

Zoola Cat Ring Jewellery Holder | Home

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Designed for Umbra by Alan Wisniewski, this chrome plated cat is now one of my favourite things. It may just be a ring holder but it makes me smile every time I look at it. Perfect so you don’t lose your ring or just as a decorative piece. Size is 2 3/4 x 1 x 2 3/4″ (7 x 3 x 7 cm)

The holder can hold a lot of rings on its super long tail and is well designed. It is good quality and just incredibly cute.

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The Umbra Zoola Cat Ring Holder is also available as an Elephant, bunny or a giraffe. They are super cute and very handy.

Marionette Tea Infuser | Gadget Review

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Out of all of the things we have been sent to review, this tea infuser certainly is one of the most original. You bob and duck it into your tea to infuse it. Every time is like a puppet show. It works well, is easy to use and puts a smile on the face every time.

Great design from Umbra and well made. This is a brilliant gadget. It is also BPA free too. Full marks all round. A great addition to any kitchen; Umbra Tea Infuser Tea Strainer

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Inbound Marketing And SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog | Book Review

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Inbound Marketing & SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog , Rand Fishkin ,Thomas Høgenhaven, book, book review, SEO, I am sure some readers will have no idea what this book is about. Nor even care. But for those with blogs, online magazines, websites or digital companies, Inbound Marketing and SEO: Insights from the Moz Blog By Rand Fishkin and Thomas Høgenhaven is essential reading.

This excellent book didn’t only teach me a lot of stuff I didn’t know, it also taught me stuff I didn’t know that I didn’t know. That is not to say it made my head hurt with esoteric talk, as well as being knowledgeable it is also easy to read and the knowledge sinks in. I love the graphs too.

If you are in the digital media business I think you should buy this book, read it as quickly as possible and then reevaluate your business. Great business advice in a humourous and enjoyably written book. Brilliant stuff.

The Moz blog is the go-to place for the latest thinking on Search Engine Optimization, and Inbound Marketing and SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog is an anthology of some of the finest writing on this topic.

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been a growing area for many years but industry professionals now recognise that they require a broader set of competencies. In order for SEO to be successful, a wide range of marketing channels need to be covered. In response, Inbound Marketing and SEO is split into sections encapsulating: Channels of Online Marketing; Search Engine Optimization; Content Marketing; Social Media; Outreach; Conversion Rate Optimization; and Analytics.

Aimed at both new and experienced marketers within each of these six sub-disciplines, it primarily focuses on leveraging existing products such as Google, Bing, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as marketing platforms. While most of the book does not require advanced technical knowledge, it also contains articles which look at SEO from a more technical point of view – for example, focusing on how to implement schematic data in HTML or setting up advanced segments in Google Analytics.

Updating the The Moz blog’s most popular articles on the key SEO disciplines, this new title compiles them with brand new, purpose-written articles which are unavailable elsewhere.

Inbound Marketing & SEO: Insights From The Moz Blog is available here, Waterstones, WH Smith and wherever books and e-books are sold.

Frost Loves…Museum of London Replica Collection From QVC

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We love jewellery and when we spotted the replicas from QVC’s collaboration with Museum of London we were hooked, a replica collection of some of the world’s finest Elizabethan and early Stuart jewels and gemstones from The Cheapside Hoard.  This is the first time a UK museum has licensed a TV shopping retailer to use their collection or brand.

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Opening on 11th October, The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels exhibition at the Museum of London will showcase an exquisite collection of jewellery, unexpectedly discovered beneath a cellar floor over 100 years ago in Cheapside.  Featuring stunning Byzantine cameos, glittering garnets, diamonds, amethysts and sapphires, the exhibition opens up the world of the early modern goldsmith-jeweller and their creative talents and techniques.

 

Drawing on all corners of the world; the emerald mines of Colombia, the diamond graves of India and pearl banks of Bahrain, the jewels of The Cheapside Hoard showcase London’s role in the international gem trade in an age of global conquest and exploration.

 

To celebrate this amazing find, QVC has created a replica collection of some of the hoard’s highlights including necklaces, pendants, rings and earrings, each piece set with stunning gemstones based on original pieces from The Cheapside Hoard.

Commenting on the collaboration, Joanna Mansbridge, head of jewellery buying for QVC said, “This is a one of a kind collection for QVC, the jewellery creates a real talking point and each piece has a unique story to tell about the history of London.  We are thrilled to have partnered with Museum of London on this industry first.”

Each piece is crafted in sterling silver coated in 14ct gold and will bring a part of London’s history to the jewellery collections of women across the UK.  The collection has been made using the same craftsmanship techniques as those back in the late 16th century in order to recreate the same stunning designs.

 

Harriet Berry, Licensing Manager, Museum of London said: “The partnership between the Museum of London and QVC is an exciting first for the Museum of London and the museum sector overall. This truly multi-channel partnership gives people from across the UK the opportunity to own their own beautiful piece of jewellery inspired by the stunning Cheapside Hoard whether they choose to visit the museum shop, watch QVC or shop online.”

Prices range from £79.00 to £469.00 for one of these unique replicas which will be available to buy exclusively from QVC from 3rd September and also from the Museum of London gift shop throughout the exhibition.

For more information about the Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels visit www.museumoflondon.org.uk/cheapside.

 

Style Your Living Room With Feng Shui

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A cluttered room can make you feel disorganised. Ever had a piece of work to do but just haven’t been able to until the mess surrounding you has been cleared? That’s exactly it! Creating the perfect feng shui in your home is so important, particularly for your peace of mind. This infographic from Furnishing Homes explains just how important the placement of items are in terms of creating the perfect zen area for your front room!

Furnishing Homes
Furnishing Homes

Historic Church Tours | Things To Do

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The Churches Conservation Trust

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13th August – 5th October 2013

Suffolk – Somerset – Northamptonshire – Lincolnshire

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·      Stunning photographs of England’s most ancient churches available·      Fascinating programme of four themed tours:

 ‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’,  ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’·      12 historic sites visited

 

 

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The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the national charity protecting ancient churches at risk, has launched a programme of fascinating Historic Church Tours across the country.

 

The tours will guide visitors through stunning countryside vistas, whilst breathing life into England’s shrouded ancestry and exquisite ancient architecture. Four intriguing themes included in the special Historic Church Tours are ‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’, ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’

 

Taking place at selected churches across the country from Suffolk to Somerset, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, Historic Church Tours encompass a comprehensive geography of British architectural and social heritage.

 

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The next tour, Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials, will take place in Suffolk, 10:30am–4:30pm on August 13. Starting at All Saints, Little Wenham, a 13th-century flint church often described as one of Suffolk’s best-kept secrets, visitors will be in awe of the stunning wall-paintings and canopied ancient wall monuments. After a light lunch, move onto St Mary’s, Badley, a truly remarkable Medieval church with an atmosphere of great peace and stillness. With nothing for company but a 16th-century farmhouse and the wildlife of its pretty churchyard, St Mary’s is a breath-taking retreat for any passer-by. The final stop of the tour will be St Peter’s, Claydon. Overlooking the Gipping Valley, this church will astound visitors with its vibrant stained glass and extravagant carvings; a spectacular site to end this tour.

 

Historic Church Tours taking place in 2013 are as follows:

 

AUGUST

Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials – Suffolk

The three churches on this tour were selected for their stunning artwork in the form of extravagant carvings, stunning wallpaintings and vibrant stained glass.

 

SEPTEMBER

Churches at War – Somerset

Three of the CCT’s most stunning and iconic churches are positioned in Somerset. All three have been unwittingly caught up in a time of war, from acting as a hideaway during the Monmouth rebellion, to being solitary observer of mid-air disaster, the churches have seen all and kept their counsel.

 

Carvings – Northamptonshire

CCT churches in Northampton have an abundance of carved treasures on display. For this tour, CCT have selected three of the best from St Peter & St Paul’s in Preston Deanery,  stunning carvings of animals, to the Norman St Michael’s, Farndish, which boasts gorgeous carved corbels and elegant arches, and the stunning 900 year old St Peter’s in Northampton, which is full of carved treasures.

 

OCTOBER

Monuments and Memorials – Lincolnshire

This tour will explore the stunning and spectacular monuments and memorials in three Lincolnshire churches. Take in the breath-taking interior of St Lawrence’s, Snarford, the unusual red-brick chapel of St George, Goltho, which stands alone amid acres of corn and oilseed rape with only a few trees for company, and Milton Mausoleum, the only surviving mausoleum in Nottinghamshire.

 

All guided tours are priced at £40 per person and will include a light lunch and coach transportation to and from a local train station.

 

Tickets are available on general release now. To book tickets, go to http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Historicchurchtours/

 

Crowdsourcing For Dummies

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crowdsourcingfordummiesIf you are a relatively social and have a social media account, or even an email address you will probably know what crowdsourcing is. Not only has it now become popular, but it also has helped business and films. No longer are people with a great idea a slave to a bank or a PR company. What better way to find out how to improve your business than from people who want you to succeed, an audience and customer base who are already built in? What is not to like? Well, there are negatives I am sure but let’s find out more about Crowdsourcing For Dummies. Could this book help?

Crowdsourcing For Dummies by David Alan Grier has a wealth of information. Did you know that Netflix uses crowdsourcing to improve its ability to predict customers movie ratings and L’Oreal used it to create a television advert for a fraction of the usual cost? It really is all about the crowd now. You can use them to build your brand up, marketing, solving problems and to boost your profits.

One of my favourite things about this book is that is goes through all of the different variations of crowdsourcing, including crowdcontests, crowdfunding (very popular), macrotasking, microtasking and self organised crowds. The opportunities out there are vast with the right knowledge.

From the basics to joining the crowdforce and raising money with crowdfunding; I can’t think of anything that is not covered in this well researched book. Part 3 is all about building your skills and I really like the chapter on crowdsourcing with social media. At the very end is the part of tens, and I really liked the Ten Success Stories and  Crowdsourcing blunders to avoid.

This is a very good book. I would definitely buy it if you are even slightly interested in crowdsourcing.