Gear 4 PocketLoops {Tech Review}

Posted on by

Technology Review.

Every fancied making your own music but can’t afford the technology? Gear 4’s PocketLoop may be the answer, I reviewed it to find out if you can make sweet music with an iPhone application and a small keyboard.

The PocketLoops is light and relatively small. It is really easy to use and you just pop your iPod touch or iPhone into the dock and download the free PocketLoops application from the App Store, and off you go.

It is very easy to use when you get the hang of it ,and you can make some really good music. When you get to the main screen you will see a 4 x 4 grid that has 16 spaces, four for each instrument, to record different parts of your song. The instruments can be changed just by tapping on them. There is a good selection of instruments including pianos, drum kits, synthesisers and some other bass and dubstep sounds. At the bottom are the remix, speed, stop all and volume buttons. Remixing is one of my favourites, you just turn the loops on or off to include them in your song.

You can also add effects like echo, chorus or distortion via the XY Filter Pad

It has a 25 key keyboard and it uses the battery from your iphone/pod. Luckily it has a low power consumption. It is very easy to record the loops, you just hit the keys on the keyboard. You can record up to 16 different loops.

The Gear 4 PocketLoops allows you to record high quality songs and remixes, it has a well designed keyboard and iOS application. At just under £50 it is well worth the money and tons of fun.

It comes with the following adaptors:

    iPhone 3G / 3GS adapter
    iPhone 4 / 4S adapter
    iPod Touch 3G
    iPod Touch 4G

Game of Thrones: New Trailer

Posted on by

At Frost we are super excited about the new season for Game of Thrones, not least because our favourite actor Forbes KB is in it. There is a new trailer for the second season which will be on in less than a month. The first season was amazing so we have high hopes. Enjoy….

Onion and Potato Curry

Posted on by

Onion and Potato Curry

Serves 4

This is a perfect vegetarian dish packed with flavour. It’s a delicious midweek meal for
vegetarians or those looking to eat less meat, or include as part of an Indian banquet.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 sticks of cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, crushed
5 dried curry leaves
1 green chillies, seeds removed and chopped
2 British brown onions, peeled and roughly sliced
2-3 tbsp coriander, chopped
5 medium-sized new potatoes cut into chunks
10 ripe vine tomatoes
250ml water
150g frozen peas
Approx. 3 tbsp thick, plain yoghurt

1. Place the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds in a dry pan and heat gently
until they are lightly roasted and aromatic. Pour into a pestle and mortar and ground.
2. Pour the oil into a large, heavy-based pan, place over a medium heat and add the crushed
spices, cinnamon, garlic, curry leaves and chilli, a pinch of salt and cook for two to three
minutes. Add the onion, turn the heat down low and cook for 15 minutes or until the
onions are soft and beginning to take on a golden brown colour.
3. Add the potatoes, tomatoes and water then cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the
potatoes are tender.
4. Add the peas and cook for a further 15 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and coriander leaves and then season and serve with warm naan bread.

Frost Loves…The Blend Collective

Posted on by

I am a big fan of natural beauty as I have skin that used to react to everything. I am one of the lucky few that managed to live through teenage acne without any scarring. Add on eczema on childhood, and, yes, you bet I am fussy!

I was invited to the launch of Blend Collective, a new body care range which is truly natural, no parabans or nasty stuff.

It’s two founders are Pippa Bennett and Clive Walker, both lovely people. Pippa was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and decided to live a more natural and organic lifestyle. Pippa became increasingly interested in what is applied to the skin and its impact, Clive has been at the forefront of the natural and organic beauty industry since the early ‘90s, when he held the position of Marketing Director for Tisserand – pioneers in affordable essential oil-based products.

Clive commented:

 “I wanted to create an experience people can really enjoy and cherish. I am passionate about combining natural actives at meaningful levels with pure essential oil blends to create outstanding products.  Excellence and integrity in all aspects of our brand are important to us from the truly natural ingredients that we insist on through to the design and quality of our packaging”

I have tried the range and they smell amazing, the packaging is funky as hell and they really do work. Not something that can be said of all natural beauty products. The only downside is that I kept smelling myself, which probably looked a bit strange.

At the event I also met Alec Lawless. Alec knows everything there is to know about putting a fragrance blend together. There are three different blends in the range and Alec the enlivening one. Read Alec’s blog.

Alec also gave me some great advice on stress: ‘Fix the source of the stress, don’t paper over the cracks’. Sound advice from a wise man.

The Blend Collective is a team of leading, well-known aromatherapy and perfume experts from the UK combing their expertise to produce an exceptional range of truly natural body care products. The range consists of three distinctive luxury fragranced blends – Enlivening, Unwinding and Balancing – and each one contains four different body care products, all of which are a minimum of 99% to 100% natural and are formulated with delicate essential oils as well as other powerful active ingredients.

BLEND collective has been developed and produced in the UK, using the finest blends of 100% pure essential oils that are chosen for their therapeutic benefits as well as their amazing aromas. To achieve the beneficial aromatherapeutic effect, it is ensured each product contains the optimum performance level of essential oils. Try the Enlivening Collection for an energising lift, the Unwinding Collection to help you relax or the Balancing Collection for a more Zen-like experience.

BLEND collective is the brainchild of Clive Walker – ex-Marketing Director of the Tisserand aromatherapy brand who has been credited for making aromatherapy products available to a wider audience – and his business partner Pippa Bennett who is passionate about the use of essential oils in everyday life.

With so many brands falsely claiming to be natural and organic, BLEND collective is committed to set a new standard of integrity and excellence with its own ‘truly natural’ label. All products in the range are at least 99% natural, contain organic ingredients where possible and are free from the following potentially harmful chemical ingredients: petroleum derived chemicals, sulphates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, artificial colouring, glycols, TEA (Triethanolamine), DEA (Diethanolomine), silicons and PEGS (Polyethylene glycol). 

In order to protect the environment, all BLEND collective product containers are recyclable and sourced only from maintained sustainable forests.

The range consists of the following fragranced blends:

1.Enlivening Blend – by Alec Lawless

2.Balancing Blend – by Emma Nash

3.Unwinding Blend – by Glenda Taylor

Products are available from www.blendcollective.co.uk. More stockists to be confirmed soon.

http://www.blendcollective.co.uk/en_GB/home

Frost Recommends The Blend Collective.

The Titan Prophecy. The New Harry Potter? {Book Reviews}

Posted on by

The Titan Prophecy: Rise of the Dark One is a blockbuster fantasy novel aimed at young adults, steeped in Greek Mythology and tales of Greek gods and dragons. I am not a young adult but I still loved it. It is Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings. The book educates and entertains as it uses real Greek mythology and stories, it then entwined them with the story of Charlie, his sister Emily, and his friend Max. Two boys and a girl, sound familiar?

This is not just some Harry Potter rip-off. It is dazzling and original. It is hard to put down and actually a little bit scary. Not sure if I am supposed to admit that…The book includes current world issues like climate change into the fabric of the novel. It also has some killer lines like: ‘Thinking? Surely you can do better than that?”

It has a familiarity for anyone who is a fan of history due to the real mythical historical figures in it. It is a blockbusting action-adventure-fantasy-time-travelling- novel. A real triumph for A.M Crawford, a former political journalist. This book is the first in a series and I will be reading the other ones, even if I am not 11 and outside of the demographic.

This book received the ultimate stamp of approval from me; I got some of my friends to buy it so they could read it too.

A.M Crawford commented: I have tried to weave a tale that will engage the imagination of boys and girls from the age of 11 onwards so they will grow older with Charlie, Max and their friends and remain engaged throughout their teens. The combination of elements of Greek mythology with an adventure story set in a quintessential English village is a magical mix.”

Buy it here: The Titan Prophecy: Rise Of The Dark One

http://www.facebook.com/thetitanprophecy

High profile celebrity supporters back campaign for Fairtrade in 2012

Posted on by

High profile celebrity supporters back campaign to ‘take a step’ for Fairtrade in 2012

Sarah Brown, Harry Hill, Alistair McGowan, Alex Jones, Christine Bleakley, Lorraine Kelly, Dan Lobb, Sue Perkins, Jessica Hynes, Francesca ‘Cheska’ Hull, Kate Walsh, Natalie Pinkham, Di Dougherty, Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova, Louisa Lytton.

With individuals, groups and businesses up and down the country ‘stepping up’ the action for Fairtrade throughout 2012, a host of celebrities have committed to take their own steps in 2012 to help the world’s poorest farmers get a fair deal for the products they grow.

Sarah Brown will be reaching for the Fairtrade tea each time she goes to the supermarket. She said:

‘If you care about the people behind the food that ends up on your plate, or what clothes you wear, then please reach out to the poorest farmers around the world by taking a step for Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight.

‘By taking a step you will contribute to the start of getting millions of farmers and producers around the world a fairer deal. I will be taking my step for them when I do my weekly shop and reach for the, tea, coffee, bananas and chocolate that all show the famous FAIRTRADE Mark.’

TV presenter Christine Bleakley (ITV Dancing On Ice) saw what a difference Fairtrade can actually make when she visited a coffee farm in Uganda. She said: ‘The question isn’t ‘why do you buy Fairtrade?’ but ‘why don’t you?’ Ever since visiting Oliva Kishero, who farms coffee on the remote slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda to support her own children and several orphaned cousins, I have been buying Fairtrade because I’ve seen first-hand what a difference it can actually make. I shall make sure that all my friends and family are doing the same during 2012’.

Comedian Harry Hill (ITV TV Burp) has visited Fairtrade banana and cocoa farms in Ghana and the peanut farms where they grow ‘Harry’s Nuts!’ Fairtrade peanuts in Malawi. He saw how the extra money or premium which goes to the farmers from Fairtrade sales helps them to improve their lives – to educate their children, for example, and put proper roofs on their homes. He said: ‘I shall be eating more of my favourite snack Fairtrade Harry’s Nuts! salted peanuts – yum yum!

It’s great that by going NUTS for Fairtrade such big changes can be possible within just one African country.’

Impressionist Alistair McGowan and TV presenter Sue Perkins (BBC Great British Bake Off) have both been bitten by the baking bug and have vowed to cook up a storm with cakes made with Fairtrade ingredients. Alistair said: ‘This year, like many people, I’ve been introduced to the joys of baking. And, as an ethically-minded shopper, I try to include as many Fairtrade ingredients as possible in my new creations. There are many tasty Fairtrade products to bake with; from ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom to raisins, honey, dried fruits and vanilla. There’s even Fairtrade wine for the more adventurous!’ Sue Perkins said: ‘I’m no stranger to eating delicious cakes. I will be taking my step knowing they taste even better if they’ve been made from Fairtrade ingredients.’

Chocoholics Alex Jones (BBC One Show), Natalie Pinkham (BBC Five Live / Formula One) and Di Dougherty (Sky Sports) will be treating themselves with more Fairtrade chocolate. Alex Jones said: ‘During 2012, my step will be to enjoy my Fairtrade chocolate knowing that every bite will deliver a little bit of extra magic, supporting the farmers who grew the cocoa to invest in a brighter future.’

Early birds Lorraine Kelly and Dan Lobb will be joining actress Jessica Hynes and TV presenter Kate Walsh in making sure that their first steps of the day throughout the year will be to drink a Fairtrade cup of tea or coffee. Lorraine Kelly said ‘I cannot go without a cuppa first thing in the morning. So I will be making sure I drink Fairtrade tea and coffee this year. It’s an easy way to make a difference to the lives of farmers in developing countries.’ Dan Lobb said: ‘Buying a Fairtrade banana or cup of coffee is a tiny step on my part. But by switching to these products during Fairtrade Fortnight, it’s like a butterfly effect and ends up making a massive difference in the fight against global poverty.’

Strictly’s Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova will be starting their days with a glass of Fairtrade orange juice. They said: ‘A Fairtrade breakfast is our first step of the day. We always try to have a refreshing glass of Fairtrade fruit juice because we know this guarantees that the orange farmer has received a fair deal.’

Committed shopaholic and fashionista Made In Chelsea’s Cheska Hull is vowing to add more Fairtrade cotton to her wardrobe. She said: “Ethical fashion doesn’t have to mean boring. Even the most fierce fashionista can find something gorgeous to wear made out of Fairtrade cotton.”

Ex-Eastender’s actress Louisa Lytton will be hoping to receive more Fairtrade flowers on special occasions in 2012. She said: ‘A step for Fairtrade is an easy way to make a difference to the lives of farmers and workers in developing countries. So, next time you want to surprise a loved one, why not give Fairtrade flowers?’

Through the ‘Take A Step for Fairtrade’ campaign, the Fairtrade Foundation wants to see more individuals and businesses buying and selling Fairtrade products in the UK. The public are being asked to think about what they can do every day, every week or every month throughout 2012 and take a step to make a difference to the lives of farmers in the developing world who produce the products they buy.

With a wide range of products, from supermarket own label to top brands – great products offering good value and decent values too – a step for Fairtrade can be as simple as trying a new Fairtrade product like buying a Fairtrade coffee on the way to work, or making sure the weekly shopping basket contains one or two more Fairtrade products like Fairtrade tea or bananas, or encouraging their friends and family to switch to Fairtrade.

With Fairtrade every step counts.In Malawi, for example, sugar farmers earn a fair price for the sugar they sell on Fairtrade terms. As a result, farmers in Chinangwa village have been able to bring clean water and electricity to their homes, afford roofs for their houses and school fees for their children.

The more people that support Fairtrade, the more farmers and workers will be able to improve their lives through the better terms of trade it offers. The Fairtrade Foundation encourages everyone to start their journey at www.fairtrade.org.uk/step

MILLIE AND MANUKA DOCTOR

Posted on by

Made in Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh is supporting Manuka Doctor, innovators of the UK’s first ever Purified Bee Venom skincare collection, on their stand at this year’s Vitality Show.

On Saturday 24th March between 10am and 1pm Millie will be offering skincare advice to show visitors in support of her favourite skincare range.

Millie, brand ambassador for Manuka Doctor and a huge fan of natural beauty, suffered with acne in her teens and knows what it feels like to still get the occasional breakout. The heavy make-up required for filming and constant parties and events, means Millie needs something highly effective in cleaning the skin. Being a make-up artist she also understands how hard it is to keep skin looking clear and healthy.

“As a make-up artist I come across so many products and brands – I also get sent a lot of products to try – my absolute favourite at the moment is Manuka Doctor. I really like their ApiClear range. The Foaming Cleanser, Skin Treatment Serum and Moisturising Lotion are all really good for balancing troubled skin.” Millie Mackintosh

Millie’s not alone, since Manuka Doctor’s launch at the end of last year, hero products from the range have completely sold out through Holland & Barrett stores nationwide. Other celebrity bee venom fans include Kate Middleton, Victoria Beckham, Kylie and Dannii Minogue and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Manuka Doctor’s ApiClear range is specifically designed to help balance troubled skin. Purified Bee Venom (PBV™) works alongside New Zealand Manuka Honey, known for its anti-bacterial qualities, and Propolis, to help eliminate the causes of blemishes, nurture cell regeneration and renew damaged skin cells.

A recent trial into the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of Purified Bee Venom against acne inducing bacteria, conducted by Dr SangMi Han and published in the Journal of Medicinal Plant Research[i] (2010), proved Bee Venom to be an effective alternative treatment for antibiotic therapy for acne. Try the ApiClear Treatment Serum (£18.99 for 30ml) to provide an antiseptic solution for inflamed troubled skin.

Manuka Doctor’s Purified Bee Venom is the result of a unique patented purification process that removes any unwanted particles after it’s been collected from the bees. The venom is extracted using a safe process that ensures that the bee’s lifespan, well being and performance are not affected.

The Manuka Doctor range of Purified Bee Venom products is sold exclusively through Holland & Barrett stores nationwide and online at www.hollandandbarrett.com.

Prices range from £3.49 to £49.99.

Boots Summer Show

Posted on by

Boots Summer Show on Wednesday 29 Feb 2012.

Decked with sun-loungers, sombreros and coconut shelled piña coladas, the garden conservatory at the Barbican Centre was transformed into an oasis of tranquillity for the Boots Summer show.

The giant health and beauty retailer showcased its new range of products for summer 2012 with lotions and potions for work, rest and play.

With temperatures set to sore mid year, Boots’ new range provides functional yet appealing cosmetics and travel accessories whether you’re in an emergency or simply want to add a bit of glamour to your evening.

Highlights from the tropical event include the sweet-smelling self-tanning lotion, the highly glittered nail varnishes and the gorgeous 17 bronzing powder.

But here’s a summary of what you can expect in-store and online from May/June onwards.

Make-up

With its own range of make-up (17 and No.7), Boots has had to up its offering to the already populated cosmetic counter.

This year it seems to be all about getting a sultry, shimmering glow to the face and body and the new range is guaranteed to add a sparkle to your dull cosmetics bag.

The 17 Instant Glow Bronzing Powder (£5.49 for 20g) is striking in terms of its looks; a leopard print design of multi-toned powder within an embossed palette. As well as adding warmth to the skin, the speckles of gold dust illuminate the face.

My favourite product from the summer preview was No 7 Stay Perfect glitter top coat (£8 for 9ml) which, unfortunately, is only on sale between 16 May – 10 July.

In either gold or silver, the nail varnish is perfect on its own or as the pièce de resistance on top of a bold statement colour.

Soltan Beautiful Bronze (£5.99 for 125ml) is the perfect medium for women who want to enhance their skin tone in a quick and affordable way. While promising to moisturise your skin and add a deep, rich tone instantly, this self-tan also leaves your skin smelling sweetly, unlike other tanning products. Another bonus is that you can wash it all off after you’ve dazzled and danced the night away!

Sun, Swim and Gym

This range is aimed toward both active women and those who prefer to relax on the beach and have a dip in the sea.

Our hair is exposed to UV rays, chlorine and salt and Boots has developed an intensive shampoo (£3.05 for 250ml) and conditioner (£3.59 for 200ml) that hydrates hair strands, leaving your bob sleek and shiny. It’s handy enough to pack into your gym bag or take with you on your summer holidays.

Another sure handbag favourite is Mark Hill’s Holiday Hair (£4.49 for 50ml) which adds nutrients to the scalp to stop it drying out and it’s especially good for coloured hair, preventing it from fading too quickly.

Food and Dieting

The Shapers products include a variety of not too naughty but nice snack bars and flavoured water packed with vitamins.

Under 100 calories each, the raspberry and white chocolate, and the rocky road crispie (55p for 24g) will be included in the Boots healthy meal deal options along with sandwiches for the weight-conscious. Perfect for women on the go.

Travel Medicine

I have to say, I was very excited about the Boots Pharmaceuticals Repel products for when you’re on your travels.

The bite and sting relief patches provide soothing remedy to bites and stings with its hydrogel pads, preventing you from scratching and irritating the infected area further.

But Boots hasn’t just thought about the necessary pills and pads for vacations away, it’s also come up with novel Allergy and Hayfever melt-in-the-mouth tablets (£4.99 for 14 one-a-day tablets). With millions of people suffering from Hayfever, these instant tablets should help you make the most of summer, rather than having to hide indoors once the pollen counters begin to rise.