Showing posts with label my stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my stories. Show all posts

How to knit your own Royal wedding line-up

Posted by Shazy on Saturday, March 12, 2011

How to knit your own Royal wedding line-up
If you’re needled about not being invited to the royal wedding, don’t despair – for now you can knit yourself there.

Among the wealth of tea towels, printed plates and specially forged coins, this unusual souvenir kit has emerged, featuring knitting patterns for ten ‘characters’ from William and Kate’s nuptials.

These include the bride and groom, the Queen and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. And, of course, the corgis.

Plus, with extra patterns provided for ‘guests’, patriotic needleworkers can knit themselves into the April 29 party.


The designs are in a £9.99 book by Fiona Goble – whose previous efforts include Knitivity, a make-your-own nativity handbook – but the wool to create the whole set will cost around £80.

Other ‘characters’ include Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Harry and each takes around five hours to make – if you know what you’re doing.

Amateurs are warned that the designs’ intricate details – such as Kate’s diamante engagement ring and the jewels on her slippers – may cause them to drop a few stitches.

All the characters’ uniforms have been carefully researched and they are perfectly in height proportion, but the author did have to take a gamble on the bride’s dress – as no one yet knows what Kate’s gown will look like.

Mrs Goble said the bride-to-be’s features were the most difficult to imitate.

‘Kate was the hardest for me to create because she is pretty,’ she said. ‘They’re not supposed to be caricatures. Some of the others have more obvious features.

‘Harry was the easiest – he has small eyes and a long face. And Rowan Williams because he has very distinctive wild hair and glasses.’

If you’re a novice knitter the easiest character to make is Harry, she advises – but the corgis are tough because of their ‘tiny legs’.

And although Mrs Goble acknowledges the wool is expensive, she says sourcing it in charity shops is half the fun.

‘If you have to scavenge for it, you get much more into the make-do-and-mend spirit of the project,’ she said.

Souvenir-makers launched into action immediately after the announcement of the engagement, mindful that memorabilia of the 1981 Royal nuptials remain highly sought by collectors.

Experts estimated the wedding could boost the struggling British economy by £620million through sales of merchandise and tourism.







Read More: Dailymail
More aboutHow to knit your own Royal wedding line-up

The Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute

Posted by Shazy on Friday, March 11, 2011

The Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute
For the particularly proud country dweller perhaps, having a cockerel quintet who make their raucous dawn squawks 74 times in seven minutes might be something to crow about.

But not for the neighbours of Roy and Valerie Rylands.

Their complaints that the noise wakes them as early as 2.30am were placed before magistrates yesterday.

Neighbour Roger Morgan called in council noise abatement officials, who logged the farmyard five-piece crowing 112 times in 20 minutes and 74 times in a seven-minute period.
More aboutThe Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute

The Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute

Posted by Shazy




The Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute
For the particularly proud country dweller perhaps, having a cockerel quintet who make their raucous dawn squawks 74 times in seven minutes might be something to crow about.

But not for the neighbours of Roy and Valerie Rylands.

Their complaints that the noise wakes them as early as 2.30am were placed before magistrates yesterday.

Neighbour Roger Morgan called in council noise abatement officials, who logged the farmyard five-piece crowing 112 times in 20 minutes and 74 times in a seven-minute period.

The council officer ordered the Rylands to keep their birds quiet after agreeing that the crowing was intrusive, incessant and would disturb sleep.

But the Rylands, of Bwlch-y-ffridd, near Newtown, mid Wales, went to court to appeal against the ruling.

Jonathan Salmon, for Powys county council, told magistrates in Welshpool yesterday: ‘Its very easy to be flippant about it but that doesn’t do justice to any party in these proceedings.


‘The council receive a number of complaints each year about crowing cockerels. One might say they are the rural equivalent of the burglar alarm that keeps going off in the night.

‘The issue is whether noise amounting to a statutory nuisance has existed at these premises.’

Mr Rylands, 67, and his 69-year-old wife have 106 acres and keep 55 hens and five cockerels named Boris (after London mayor Boris Johnson), Barack Obama, Jet, Rusty and John.

Outside court, he said: ‘We are running a farm. We’ve had hens for years. If we don’t win this, we will be put out of business. The only way to stop them crowing is to eat them.’






Source: Dailymail
More aboutThe Cockerels Who Crow Ten Times A Minute

The incredible 4,500-mile Atlantic Ocean journey of tiny turtles

Posted by Shazy on Thursday, March 10, 2011




The incredible 4,500-mile Atlantic Ocean journey of tiny turtles
Scientists have lifted the lid on an incredible 70-day journey that wild turtles, some younger than six months old, take for the first time.

Researchers tagged some of the smallest and youngest ever baby turtles to be tracked, revealing the epic 4,500 mile journey in the Atlantic Ocean.

The young Loggerhead turtles were monitored by satellite as they made their journey - the equivalent of travelling from London to Mumbai.


Scientists customised the 9gm tracker tags normally used for birds, making them waterproof, before gluing them onto the reptiles' shells.

Jeanette Wyneken and Kate Mansfield, from Florida Atlantic University, said they were amazed at the length of the journey made by the 17 tiny turtles.

'This is the first time turtles aged four months have ever been tagged and tracked by satellite,' said Dr Wyneken.

'Previously we have never known what these young turtles do once they leave their beach nests and swim off into the ocean.

'It was important to us that the tags did not stop them from behaving normally. Thankfully they acted as as if there was nothing attached to there backs at all.

'Seaweed is an important habitat for the turtles and they had no problem moving around it.'

Using data transmitted by the tags, the team was able to map every movement.

Dr Wyneken said: 'The turtles varied a lot in their movements, more so than we expected. They're likely doing much more than just paddling straight to the deep water and riding the current.

'We're very happy and excited by the results.'

The 17 satellite tags cost £32,000 and allowed the animals to be monitored from anywhere on the planet.
The little loggerhead turtles were captured from their Florida beach nests especially to take part the tagging project.

The hand-sized reptiles were between four and six months old when they were released 10-miles east of Palm Beach and weighed only 300 grams.

When they are between six and eight months of age they outgrow the tags which fall off into the sea.

'We're trying to protect them from harm,' said Jeanette.

'The question is one of basic natural history: where are they going? For how long and what are the risks in between?

'If you don't know where they are or what places they're visiting you don't know what areas you need to protect.

'And if you don't have this information you're gambling with the method you're using to protect them and enhance their survival.'

Funding for the project came from the University of New Hampshire's Large Pelagics Research Center, Save Our Seas Foundation, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, and the Florida Sea Turtle Licence Plate Grants Program.

The full results of the tracking are expected to be published later this year.






Source: Dailymail
More aboutThe incredible 4,500-mile Atlantic Ocean journey of tiny turtles

Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson Dress up as Playboy Bunnies

Posted by Shazy on Tuesday, March 8, 2011



Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson Dress up as Playboy Bunnies
Coronation Street stars Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson made history as the street's first female gay couple.

And the gorgeous pair, who have dressed up as Playboy bunnies in a racy new photoshoot, are now insisting that they'll leave the soap if producers break up the characters.

Brooke declares: 'If they split us up, I’d leave. It’s made too much impact for them to break it up.

'It’s gone past the line. Me and Sach think we should win Best Partnership at the Soap Awards.'

The gal pals dressed up in blush pink satin Playboy bunny outfits, complete with bow ties, bunny ears and cotton tails for a provocative photoshoot and interview for Heat magazine.

Lounging against an ornate bar, the girls, both 18, giggle and whisper in each other's ears as they work the cameras.

Sacha has hinted that perhaps their close bond off camera is even becoming something more, adding: 'We just come as a pair now. We tell each other we love each other all the time. I think we’re really starting to become our characters.'

The girls have also revealed their celebrity 'girl crushes'.

Both agree that What's My Name star Rihanna is their favourite. They add: 'And Nicki Minaj. Definitely. We just love Nicki’s attitude.'

The also actresses say they feel a responsibility to fans who can relate to their onscreen relationship.

Brooke, who has played Sophie Webster on the long-running soap since she was just 11, says: 'It’s mad when you realise how many people have come out because of the storyline.

'So many people have come up to us and said, “Thank you. Without this, I wouldn’t have been able to come out to my parents or have people accept me.”

'There’s a pressure to make it 100 per cent believable. Because we’re not gay ourselves, it could be like watching someone in a film trying to put on an Irish accent and getting it totally wrong.'

Sacha, also 18, adds: 'You don’t realise it at the beginning, but when you’ve been doing it for a while – and especially now because of Twitter – you get so many people saying things about it.'

In the soap, the pair play former best friends who have fallen head over heels in love.

Christian teenager Sophie was seen succumbing to her feelings for Sian in an episode screened in April.

Vincent said at the time: 'Sacha and I were friends long before Corrie and I'm so glad it's her. We've been to drama school together and known each other since we were six or seven.

'We've talked about it, we're so close so we'll be all right. I've just told her as long as she sticks to her own side when it comes to the kissing scenes things will be fine. But no tongues.

'It will also let other teenage girls know they are not the only ones going through it if they are experiencing something similar.

'Often there aren't as many lesbian characters on TV compared to gay ones so it's a really positive thing for the soap.








Source: Dailymail
More aboutBrooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson Dress up as Playboy Bunnies

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Posted by Shazy on Saturday, March 5, 2011

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old
Boy's bedroom features rope ladder to timber pirate ship
Badly behaved shipmates can be locked away in wrought-iron jail
Crew can escape through two-storey spiral slide, or down rope ladder into closet
It looks like every little boy's dream idea of their perfect bedroom.
But this is in fact one extremely lucky six-year-old's very own pirate ship room, complete with rope bridge, crow's nest and a two-storey hidden slide.
This ultimate in cool sleeping quarters was created by designer Steve Kuhl, and also features a wrought-iron jail cell and hidden rope ladder access to the closet.
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

The bedroom was chosen by its owner in Minnesota from a selection of a space ship, racing car, castle and the pirate ship.
Mr Kuhl, who owns Kuhl Design Build, used two large planks to construct the hull of the ship before covering them with layers of plywood as the deck planking.
A mixture of plaster and epoxy resin was then used for the ship's hull.
There is also a spiral slide which is accessed through a hole at the top and comes out in a sports court on the bottom floor of the house.
No doubt the proud owner will not be short of friends.
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old
More aboutUltimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Posted by Shazy

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old
Boy's bedroom features rope ladder to timber pirate ship
Badly behaved shipmates can be locked away in wrought-iron jail
Crew can escape through two-storey spiral slide, or down rope ladder into closet
It looks like every little boy's dream idea of their perfect bedroom.
But this is in fact one extremely lucky six-year-old's very own pirate ship room, complete with rope bridge, crow's nest and a two-storey hidden slide.

This ultimate in cool sleeping quarters was created by designer Steve Kuhl, and also features a wrought-iron jail cell and hidden rope ladder access to the closet.
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

The bedroom was chosen by its owner in Minnesota from a selection of a space ship, racing car, castle and the pirate ship.
Mr Kuhl, who owns Kuhl Design Build, used two large planks to construct the hull of the ship before covering them with layers of plywood as the deck planking.
A mixture of plaster and epoxy resin was then used for the ship's hull.
There is also a spiral slide which is accessed through a hole at the top and comes out in a sports court on the bottom floor of the house.
No doubt the proud owner will not be short of friends.
Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

Ultimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old

More aboutUltimate Pirate Bedroom for Lucky Six Year Old