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Biggart Baillie LLP
30/10/2007

QUICK GUIDE TO NATIONAL GREEN DAY

Go Green! Come Along To Scotland’s first ever National Green Day!

Glasgow’s George Square will be crammed with lots of eco friendly things to see and do on Saturday the 3rd of November from 10am – 6pm. It’s free and there will be lots of fun activities for all ages.

What is National Green Day?

A consumer fair that is showcasing environmental products. It’s also Scotland’s first ever National Green Day. The idea behind it is to raise awareness about what everyone can do to become greener. The fair will be opened by the Scottish Environment Minister, Mike Russell MSP.

Why?

It’s being organised to raise as much money as possible for The Prince’s Trust. All profits from the day will be donated. A team from leading law firm, Biggart Baillie, came up with the idea as part of the Prince’s Trust Lion’s Den Challenge (an ‘Apprentice’ type challenge).

What’s Happening In The Square?

Win £500! Guess the number of recyclable bottles crammed into the hybrid car.

Go Shopping and Save Money!

Energy saving devices will be on sale. You can do your bit to help the environment and they can save you money too! Measure how much energy your household uses, find out more about solar and wind power devices for your home and buy funky recycled bags and other products.

Get on yer bike at The Cycle Shop – lots of different types of bikes for young and old will be on sale. Then find out more about what Glasgow is doing to get more cycle lanes in the city.

Things to see and do

Climb aboard the Eco Bus – a double decker where children can find out all about recycling in a fun way and get ‘hands on’ experience by entering the ‘Conveyor Belt Challenge’, which is a challenge to separate different types of rubbish on a conveyor belt to help teach children the value of sorting rubbish before sending it to be recycled.

Explore Friends of the Earth’s large inflatable Ecopod. A fun interactive experience for kids with quizzes and games. Roll up your sleeves and make apple juice with the apple press at the children’s orchard. How many light bulbs can you light up with the mini wind turbine? Come along and have a try!

There will also be interactive eco friendly toys, an eco car that runs on green energy and much more.

Find out more…

Measure your own carbon footprint and get tips on how to be more green.

Recycle - find out more about recycling and local amenities. Glasgow City Council will be showcasing their funky new rubbish bins too!

Learn – how wind power and solar energy work, how to reduce your gas and electricity usage in order to save you money and help the environment at the same time.

Live music – The Scottish band The Black Sheep Music Society will be playing their single ‘fly’ which is a charity single in aid of National Green Day and The Prince’s Trust. The single will also be on sale and the band will be available to sign copies purchased on the day.

Can’t make it? You can always make a donation online at www.nationalgreenday.co.uk
Schools Involvement
Over 110 nursery, primary and secondary schools are competing to win a wind turbine for their school. The competitions are being sponsored by property consultants Drivers Jonas and include a “Green Fingered Flower Show” for nursery and primary schools, the “Best Green Idea” for secondary schools and a further competition for the best fundraising idea.

Schools have also been invited to a sneak preview of the fair on Friday 2 November 2007.

Notes for Editors:

Photographs and more information about the exhibits and products are available. Please contact Douglas McLachlan, Biggart Baillie LLP on 0141 228 8000 or dmclachlan@biggartbaillie.co.uk or go to www.nationalgreenday.co.uk

Background

The Prince’s Trust is a UK charity that helps young people between the ages of 14 and 25 realise their potential and transform their lives. They focus their efforts on those who've struggled at school, been in care, been in trouble with the law, or are long-term unemployed.

National Green Day has been endorsed by leading political, environmental and business figures including First Minister Alex Salmond, Councillor Steven Purcell, Patrick Harvie MSP, the Chief Executive of SEPA Campbell Gemmell, Fred Dinning from the Carbon Trust’s Consultant Accreditation Board, Glasgow City Chamber of Commerce and The Scottish Sustainable Development Forum. Geraldine Gammell, Director of The Prince’s Trust has praised the Biggart Baillie team for their fundraising activities.

List of exhibitors

The Prince’s Trust
Windsave
Glasgow City Council
EDF
HSBC
Biggart Baillie LLP
First Group
Scottish Gas
ScottishPower
Friends of the Earth
Arnold Clark
Solartwin
Mark Group
Capita
Airtricity
City Building
Livingston Precision Engineering
Go Green Bags
Carbon Trust
Craig McMartin Cycles
Scottish Agricultural College
The Wise Group
Apple Orchard
Sustrans
Less Than Nothing Productions
Ewgeco
Entrading
Caurnie Soaperie
Contact: Douglas McLachlan
Phone: 0141 228 8000
Fax: 0141 228 8310
Email: dmclachlan@biggartbaillie.co.uk
Website: http://www.nationalgreenday.co.uk

I finished these two more for the trunk show on the 10th - both have ribbon trimming on their backs, see more pics here >> and yesterday while at my most favorite coffee shop, Lux -

*warning* - side story here...over the summer when we were shopping for furniture at all my favorite shops - see my other blog; Phoenix Modern, we went to Metro Retro and as usual, got to chatting with the person working there, through our conversation...living in Phoenix, just moving here, mid-century modern furnishings, things we like, coffeeshops, decent independent business, etc.  she gave me her filled up coffee card - you know, everytime you get a coffee you get a punch or a mark on a card, fill the card and get a free coffee - she gave it to me and said, go here, to Lux.  And for a couple weeks I kept the card in my wallet as I continued to suffer each morning by walking over to Starbucks which is just a couple blocks from here, but...it's Starbuck$. Bleh - I mean, it's a last resort kind of place for me - the coffee is fine, it's the Wal-Mart like atmosphere that turns me off. So anyway...I went to Lux, and that's all she wrote. I mean, I go nowhere else now, and I drive there, as it's 4 miles away, and until it cools off a bit here when I can ride my bike, I'll keep driving. Anyway.  I wanted to do the same thing for someone else. I wanted to fill up my coffee card and give it to another so they would go to Lux and experience the wonderfulness that it is.  On Sunday, JP and I were at the art store, we had stopped at Lux just prior so I had a cup with their name on it with me in the store and at the check-out, the employee person said to me as she pointed to my cup, "...oh, I drive by there, I've never been in..."  And I said, "well, here."  As I pulled out my filled up coffee card. I said, "take this and go there, you'll love it." And I said, "someone did this for me..." And she said, "oh, that's so cool, I'll do the same then..."  And so a little community building happened right then and there. ...sometimes life makes me very happy.

*back to your regularly scheduled program*

I came up with names for each of the styles of bags...they are:

Stella

Stella is self-reliant and a sturdy sort of girl, one you can rely on, definitely independent.

Two sizes 4x4 and 5x5, with grommet and bed chain, carries coins, lip balm and cards without a whimper.

Sophie

Sophie is a bit shy and soft spoken, but never mistake this as a weakness, she's like the Eiffel Tower, delicate and beautiful, yet strong. 7x8, with or without ribbon trimmings, carries cellphone, lipstick and keys effortlessly.

Frances

Frances has an infectious laugh and twinkly eyes, with a flip of her hair and a twist of her hip, you'll wonder how you got along so far without her.

10x12, two compartment interior pocket, 14" strap, one or sometimes two d-ring straps on the outside, flat paperbag style bottom, button loop closure, easy going but not frivolous.

I'll have these three styles ready-made for the show, then will take orders for larger and/or modified items...

Ashton Kutcher è un uomo fortunato!!!!!

 E' stato recentemente fotografato mano nella mano con sua moglie  Demi Moore e con Penelope Cruz !!!

Non sappiamo che borsa aveva Demi ma quello che è sicuro è che Penelope teneva stretta nella mano una delle borse da sera piu' fashion del momento la Tod’s Capucine Pochette.

La stessa borsa è stata vista anche a Catherine Zeta-Jones, la nuova testimonial della linea di gioielli Di Modolo, ne portava una tutta argentata in occasione della festa di presentazione del marchio di gioielli!!!

Catherine vestiva anche un bellissimo abito da cocktail di  Gustavo Cadile che per una fashionista come lei non poteva che scegliere viola (Il colore dell’autunno 2008: Viola!)

A completare il look della " moglie di Zorro" non potevano mancare un fantastico paio di scarpe di Manolo Blahniks, e ovviamente una collana di diamanti da piu' di $2 milioni di Di Modolo.

Il costo della Tod’s Capucine? circa 564 euro

www.tods.it

Oppure potete comprarla su  eLuxury a $795.

After Kontan, now Bagsholic is reviewed by a contributor at Fasity.com.

Bagsholic.com for Bags Lovers 

The name says it all – a total heaven for bags lovers.  Leather bags, hobo bags, canvas bags, fur bags, clutches, you name it, they have it. Click on the link to read more.. Especially if u plan to buy a bag from Bagsholic.com this month :D

Here's some close ups of some of my goodies from the weekend. :)

A bunch of my Etsy listings expired a few weeks ago. I just relisted some of the items that are still available, and a few new ones. Please, oh pretty please, take a look. Hint:Click on my mischief mari superstuff store. Oh, that would be to the right, my mischievous friends.

Every Wednesday afternoon, the local branch of the public library has a used book sale. I have found treasures. I think most books are treasures. I say this mostly from the perspective of a writer who has banged her head against the wall hoping that would help get the creative juices flowing (did not; I got a terrible bump once). I have also cried myself silly wondering if I am doing the right thing by writing and I still haven't figured that one out. Blood, sweat, tears and a lot of other pain goes into writing, whether you're working on a novel, a screenplay, the text for someone's company literature. And sometimes even blog posts, though these I usually enjoy composing enough that they are comparatively speaking, painless. So when I think of all the effort that any writer has put into her/his work, I think it's pretty wonderful. A treasure.

Anyway. Oh, yes. The book sale. On my most recent trip there I found hardcover editions of Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel, both of which I had tried to get from the library last year when they came out but was terminally on the waiting list for available copies. I also picked up a hardcover collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. Each for a buck. Score! And because I'm such a regular customer, one of the volunteers gave me a copy of the 1962 edition of The Random House Vest Pocket Handbook of Etiquette.Was she trying to tell me something?

I stuffed those books into a bag I sewed a while ago, a floppy tote bag with long handles that I constructed out of leftover fabric from a failed attempt at making a summer dress. Enough people at the library have asked me where I got mine that after my last book-buying spree I thought, time to spread the fashion fun. This one, as you can see, has one of my famous cookie designs on it, the ferocious lion.

Here's a closer view of the funky bag filled with books.

I just listed it and a few new aprons in my Etsy shop. And more stuff - very super stuff! - is on its way.

********************

Here are the first from over the weekend,  1) a new medium sized tote purse, it's 10" high by 12" wide, a two compartment pocket on the inside, fully lined, a d-ring strap on the side, a 12" strap and a button loop closure...I have to select a button and stitch it on yet. It's cotton denim exterior and cotton interior, interfacing throughout for added strength and stability. 2) thumb purse as my sis calls them, 7" x 6", with a d-ring strap, fully lined, zipper closure, two strips of ribbon trimming on the exterior, wool gabardine exterior and a tricot type lining on the interior. 3) coin purse, 4" x 4", cotton throughout, lined, zipper closure with grommet and beaded chain. More to come!

geanta din textil alb&negru cu nasturi aplicati

60lei

SOLD OUT

geanta din textil cu buburuze cusute manual

60lei

geanta din textil cu buline umplute si cusute manual

60lei

geanta din textilcu aplicatii de material si brodata manual

70lei

  SOLD OUT 

geanta din textil cu dungi si nasturi aplicati

50lei

I seem to have spent days, weeks even, making Christmas presents, mending things (well ok so I spent just a tiny amount of time on the mending) and generally doing all sorts of things for others and not lots for myself so today I made something just for me.

Just rereading that paragraph makes me feel incredibly selfish and guilty but like most Mum's I do spend a lot more time on my family than on myself.  Even making quilts - which I enjoy - are mainly for the benefit of my family - and if I want to be honest to use up the stash so I can buy more stash......but shhhhh don't tell Ashley....vbg.  To do make something that is frivolous and not really intended for a purpose however humble is something that I rarely find time to do lately.

So today I have made that frivolous item.

It is a bag I have been wanting to make for approximately two years - see it takes a long time sometimes for me to decide but once I do - stand back...vbg.  This side (sorry the photo is so lousy) I used a lace square, an ebay buy of some months ago, which I machine sewed down then embroidered with fly stitch and 4 mm silk ribbon the green leaves/stems.  The big shiny bit in the middle is a brooch I picked up at an op shop a couple of years ago. Each leaf on the brooch is covered in diamante and it's really pretty and in fairly good nick.

The pattern is from "Handmade" Vol 21 No 7.  It was a Christmas issue and is probably a few years old but has some fantastic patterns and projects in it.

Sorry this photo is even worse.  I used a lace "swag" for want of a better term and hand sewed it down and added green beads in the middle of some flowers and pink in the middle of others.  They are not quite the right pink - but do look better than they do in this photo.

The inside is lined with cream homespun and the handles have cord in them to make them ruched.

So there you have it - my frivolous item.  A bag made with no particular purpose in mind (nor might I add does it match or even go with my clothes) but just made because it was calling me.

My husband has christened this the "algae bag".

It is the Diaper Bag pattern by Craft Apple.  I used three coordinating fabrics from - you guessed it - Ikea.

I know that I'll get lots of use from this bag.  There is an exterior pocket for drink bottles:

Inside there are large interior pockets on both sides and a mobile phone pocket on one end.  Of course, I have added a key fob as well.

There is a flap across the top of the bag with a magnetic snap to keep things secure.  I made this bag almost entirely according to the pattern, but added purse feet to the base - because now that I know how, I'm likely to add them to everything!

There were a number of sewing machine needles broken throughout and loads of thread breakages.  I think that my machine is due for a service.  What I'd have given for an industrial machine when sewing this one!  The fabric is thick, so by the time there is fabric, interfacing, wadding, then seam allowances, top-stitching became very difficult.  But it has all led to a well-structured bag with loads of room (which I always need).

By the way - I love it!  But Jodie, I don't think that I'll be carrying it while wearing my Ikea skirt!