Pink it and Shrink it.

Little Miss Geek Campaign.

I have stumbled upon an article on BBC News this week that I found really interesting as it is a topic I haven't thought about before. (Please find original article here...all facts etc are taken from it).

There are always cries for more women in science, especially physics and chemistry, and also encouragement for women to get involved with engineering. But not for technology specifically.

The article talks about the image of the male, pizza-guzzling, antisocial nerd that technology is struggling to shake off (an image that does come to my mind!). In the UK only 17% of jobs in the technology sector are held by women which is a low figure when you consider that four in 10 tech products are now bought by women (according to Forrester research).

Although more women than ever before are buying technology products, the lack of female presence in the technology sector should still be a concern. The industry needs female presence to provide a different view point and a different approach than 'pink it and shrink it'.

I think the below illustration is brilliant!! I have never noticed before...but this does happen. Just because I am a woman does not mean I need something smaller and in a nice pastel colour for me to want to use it. (Previous annoyance caused at the launch of special pens for girls with glitter ink as well...apparently they were easier to hold. THANK god someone invented those as my feeble girl hands could hardly cope with the Blue BIC I am currently using).

From BBC News by Belinda Parmar

ANYWAY - I am really pleased that someone is coming out with a campaign encouraging companies to look at the way women can improve the technology industry on all levels. Belinda Parmar the author behind the campaign has developed a 10-point practical manifesto to help teach tech companies how to attract and retain the next generation of women.

Good Luck with the campaign Belinda - here's hoping there is more women and less pizza guzzling in the future!!

Follow Belinda Parmar on Twitter here to keep up to date with the Little Miss Geek campaign.

I am a crisis

A campaign that has recently caught my eye is from The British Red Cross with its focus on a crisis. The dictionary definition of a crisis is as follows;

a time of intense difficulty or danger

The word 'crisis' is used in my vocabulary in two occasions, the first being when I am being very dramatic usually over not having anything to wear or losing my favourite pen. The second being a world crisis, such as a tsunami or famine, that hits the headlines and attracts the attention of many.

Now watch the following video...

I am the fire that leaves you homeless.

A heart attack in aisle six.

The prescription you can not collect.

I'm the boiled sweet stuck in your child's throat.

The motorway pile up that leaves you traumatized.

The food shopping you can not do.

I'm the reason you need a wheelchair.

The flood that leaves you stranded.

The empty house when you return from hospital.

I'm a crisis and I don't care who you are.

Would you categorise some of those examples as a crisis?

When I watch this it puts the idea of a crisis into a whole new light.

The British Red Cross have come out and changed the way I view a crisis. I have watched this advert with many people who have all reacted the same way; the room falls silent and everyone reflects for a while.  How did you react?

Thanks much. x

Paint The Town Black.

Guinness is a brand that I fell in love with on my trip to Dublin in April this year. It has constantly evolved and developed with brilliant characters and stories behind each campaign. Visit their site here to see the world of Guinness ads for yourself. I must admit I have a soft spot for the older print ad's featuring the phrases 'Lovely day for a Guinness' and 'My Goodness, My Guinness' and have a few of them ready to frame. I really love the illustrations!

Postcards ready for framing.

My attention was caught by their new campaign to celebrate Arthur Day on Thursday 27th September. The new advert brings to life the remarkable life and spirit of Arthur's Day and encourages people everywhere to be part of the annual celebrations. It wants us all to raise a toast to the man behind the iconic pint, Arthur Guinness.

Guinness Facebook Page.

Guinness Facebook Page.

You can follow the going's on and plans for the day with the hashtag #ToArthur or visit them on facebook. There are some behind the scenes photographs of the video shoot for the worldwide campaign 'Paint The Town Black' available to see here. 

Check out the below video and let me know what you think...

          

I know I will be having (half) a pint of Guinness this Thursday. #ToArthur

Thanks much xox

We ate like Kings.

I have recently returned from a London adventure to visit my favourite digi' kids Lauren and Mark. Follow them, especially Mark, as they are full of wise things. They have just moved to Chiswick and are truly living the London dream with a gorgeous flat with a 'holiday' balcony.

After a late night Friday with sketching, gossipping and cider - we spent Saturday strolling the south bank. There is always so much happening there, from the amazing food market full of the tastiest food of all time to the bright colours of exhibitions and stalls. 

Saturday evening found us wandering through Soho and eating at Ping Pong, the best dim sum restaurant, then ending up in the Porterhouse in Covent Garden. I must add that we detoured slightly as my fabulous friend Michelle spotted a Peruvian bar and we popped in there to try a Peruvian drink; Pisco Sour.

If I'm honest, most of the weekend was structured around food; we truly did eat like King's.

I love being in London and am really excited to head back down there in November to attend the Kaleidoscope Festival.

Anyway, check out my photographs from the adventure...

Breakfast a la LD1.

South Bank.

Churros. So tasty.

Love the typography and illustration.

Two of the beauts. They are SO fancy.

The most gorgeous chocolate cake ever. Made by Me.

Thanks much xoxo

It's still raining...

Another blog post and another apology for my lack of activity on here. However, this isn't due to me being super lazy (slightly) but July and August have been pretty rubbish months for the world of 'Kassie' with everything possible seemingly going wrong with a few parking tickets and 2am bathroom floods thrown in by life for good measure.

HOWEVER, less of the negativity. One of the most exciting things to happen this summer is my selection to be part of the new Created in Birmingham team. I am one fifth of the new bunch of CiB-ers and am really enjoying it. Please visit the site to find out more about all things creative in Birmingham. Like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. Your support is really appreciated.

To say goodbye to the summer I was taken on a surprise visit to the Lake District by the boyfriend. We stayed in a gorgeous little hotel called The Moss Grove Organic hotel. All the rooms have king size beds and spa baths as well as beautiful decor. The breakfast was also a Mediterranean theme with lots of fresh veg and bread with yogurt and pastries. Delicious!

Anyway, here are a few photograph's from the northern adventure. I hope you all enjoy.

Lots of graffiti heart's around Windermere.

Cream tea with cakes.

Love the packaging. And the ginger bread.

Vintage.

Tweedies bar. If all else fails...ask for the Ale selection.

herdy.
Visit them online.

Thanks much xoxo

June Pick 'n' Mix.

The end of June offered a variety of events and come Sunday 1st July I was ready for a lie in and a cup of peppermint tea. But anyway, read all about it...

My first very exciting event was a SURPRISE visit to see the Watch the Throne tour with Jay Z and Kanye West. I had pondered for a long time over buying tickets or not, and with other events going on I decided against it. Luckily my boyfriend surprised me and I am so glad he did!

The Watch the Throne tour was everything I thought it would be, like the album; it was brilliant. I have a very eclectic taste in music with my the biggest chunk of musical love going to bands like Bombay Bicycle Club, Two Door Cinema Club & Ben Howard, but when Jay Z and Kanye announced they would be launching an album together I could not wait. For a more detailed insight into the tour - please read my friend Josh's blog.

But here are a few pictures...

They did Paris 5 times in Birmingham. Too much? NO WAY.

Not mine. Let me know if it is yours and I will credit you.
Thanks much.

Loved it and very much a musical milestone.

The following Friday I attended the celebration of the limited edition Fused Magazine - the cover looked amazing and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. The event was old at Trove, The Old Science Museum, which was a venue I have walked past for the last year on my commute to the Mailbox from the Jewellery Quarter and had never been inside. It was gorgeous with open brickwork, exposed tiles and vintage sofas topped with Drumstick lollies, cider and DJ. Winning.

The event also launched Creative Shift with Helga Henry and team. It was really good to hear of so many great plans and ideas for the Birmingham area. To find out more about Creative Shift please visit their website and find out about The Art of Direction.

Here are a few pictures from the event...

Dave from Ammo Magazine and Michelle from Inkygoodness

And then the Olympic torch arrived in Birmingham and Olympic fever took over...

I come from a very sporty family so I spend many a weekend spectating and supporting my brothers, both who play hockey & cricket at a very high level, so when London was selected at the venue for the 2012 Olympics I was very excited indeed!

I am attending a few hockey events during the Olympic games, both with my sporty family and my sporty friends, and have been swept up with the Olympic excitement of all the advertising (see previous post).

So when the Olympic torch came to town I was front and centre to wave it in. My friend was running an event in a park in Birmingham, along side others, so I attended this first before heading out to the Dudley Road to wave Olympic fever into Birmingham.

There have been lots of pictures of the torch, you only have to search #torchrelay on twitter. So here a few pictures of all that happened before the torch ran through...

The torch relay was sponsor overload with Samsung handing out Union Jack flags, Lloyds TSB handing out green and white streamers and Coca Cola handing out freezbies. I expected this and thought I would find it rather irritating to have the brands in our faces ahead of the Olympic Torch (which is after all what it is about). However the loud music and dancing really hyped up the crowd and encouraged the cheering so when the torch came through excitement was at its peak.

I have had a few seconds of Olympic fever and cannot wait till July for London 2012.

Thanks much

xoxo

Olympic (ad) Loving.

London 2012 is just around the corner and I can hardly contain my excitement to get down to London and support the GB teams in their quest for gold. I have tickets for numerous hockey events and have been lucky enough to get a GB game!!!

My excitement is only heightened through the variety of Olympic ads that are beginning to make their way onto our screens.

Below are two of my favourites so far... 


P&G talk about 'The Best Job in the World' as being a Mum, this full length video follows the story of young athletes from growing up and training to them competing at this summers Olympic games. (There are shorter versions available for specific countries.)

British Airways encourage us to stay at home and support our team. With a British Airways plane preparing for take off but heading out of the gate and through the streets of London

          


...I know there will be more to follow but for now, thanks much xoxo

AGA iTotal Control

Having recently visited the Birmingham Made Me Expo in the Mailbox (blog to follow) I stumbled upon a new app which initially amazed me but back at my desk I am wondering; is it a step too far?

This May AGA launched 'AGA iTotal Control' this is a new on-off AGA which you can control where ever you are using your mobile smartphone, PC, laptop, iPad or tablet. The technology allows you to sync your AGA using the touch of a button.

The new cooker has three ovens for roasting, baking and simmering (also hot plates which cannot be turned on by the app but can be turned off) all of which can be controlled remotely to ensure your meal is ready and waiting for your arrival home.

The technology also recognises that not everyone owns a smartphone or has access to internet via mobile phone so the cooker can also be controlled via text message using the following controls;

- Roasting oven on
- Baking oven on
- Simmering oven on
- All ovens on
- All zones off

Once the message has been received the AGA will reply saying, for example, 'Baking oven on activated'.

Incredible, no?

Screen grab from AGA website

I must admit the idea of returning home on a wet and windy day in November to find my dinner cooked and ready to eat with the house smelling of warm toasty food is appealing but there is something about it which makes me feel a bit odd.

The technology is fantastic and having seen it in practice I can appreciate how forward thinking and fantastic it is but this was in an exhibit and not day to day life (and this is not a blog about technology). I worry it would leave me continually paranoid about leaving the oven on or forgetting to lock my phone and turning the roasting oven on in my handbag. Let alone what could happen after a few drinks (I find touch screen and alcohol never mix).

So as much as I would love an AGA (I dream of a Kirsty Alsopp kitchen but anyway...) and I love technology like this that makes me go "oooo" while touching the screen of my smart phone, however I would rather you left me turning the oven on when I get home. Even if it does mean I eat my dinner 40minutes later.....

Thanks much xoxo

NOTE - See the original AGA press release here.

Improving with musical age.

On returning from the beautiful Tesoro Blu hotel in Kefalonia, Greece last weekend I was in need of a pick me up and this came in the form of a Coldplay ticket from one of my bestest Josh. The ticket was a Christmas/Birthday present last year so I was even more excited having not footed the bill ;-)

Josh, Emma (his gf) and I made our way to the Eithad Stadium in Manchester with thousands of other Coldplay fans. On making our way into the stadium we were given a wristband with a LCD light attachment on it (see below) - they were all different colours and I knew from Twitter that these were going to make the night beautiful. We took our places to the left of the stage about 50 people back - EXCITED does not even cover it!

The less said about the first support act the better - I will keep it short and sweet; everyone cheered after the following statement "This is my last song tonight". There is nothing else to really say...it was not good.

Robyn came on next and she was a delight! I love her stuff anyway but she had an incredible energy running round the stage dancing and get involved with the crowd. Her cover of Paradise by Coldplay was also brilliant, cheeky but brilliant.

A few moments from the Coldplay set stood out for me...(other than the confetti cut out in shapes from the album such as tear drops, doves and hearts AND the fireworks AND the giant bouncy balloons with graffiti art scribbled on...)

- My wristband coming on and looking round the Eithad stadium to see 55,000 other lights twinkling in the dark.

- Hurts like Heaven & Warning Sign were my favourite tracks. A perfect example of the old and the new.

- Having seen Coldplay before I knew how the crowd would react to Fix You, and second time round it did not disappoint.

The LCD wristbands are something I have never seen at a gig before but I am sure they will not be the last. The technology made the crowd feel connected to the band and to each other. You could not help but smile and sing with your fellow gig goers while waving your arms in the air.

I won't go on about how incredible they were because they don't need it. Anyone who has seen them before would never dare to call them 'boring' or 'depressing'. Coldplay are only getting better with musical age and I am already looking forward to the possibility of a further album while still loving the older tracks.

Check out the video from the gig...

Thank you Joshua for the video.

Thanks much xoxo

#tamperine

The weather has been glorious in Birmingham this week and this has meant the full use of the lunch hour (running away at 13:01 and returning at exactly 14:00). I was visiting my friends jewellery on display at one of the current exhibitions for Birmingham Made Me and stumbled upon another exhibition taking place in the Mailbox.

The room was full of tambourine's dangling from the ceiling as well as ones used within pieces of art on the walls - it looked incredible. There is a list of all the contributors and the names range from Ricky Gervais to Lawrence Roper to Kylie Minogue. So whats it all about?

The idea was born here in Birmingham from the locally based music charity Sound It Out. It involves more than 45 stars spanning the entertainment, sport and arts industries coming out to support the Tamperine Project.

Celebrities were asked to 'doodle' (or tamper) on the tambourines which will continue to be displayed in The Mailbox until 26th May, are now available on eBay to bid on.

Sound It Out, established in 1992, uses music as a medium to make a difference to people facing challenging circumstances in some of the most deprived communities across the West Midlands. The charity aims to deliver positive activities to people who are most in need in settings such as schools, hospitals and community centres. Find out more about their work by visiting their site or searching for #tamperine on Twitter.

Celebrities involved in this project include;

Dame Judi Dench
Sir Tom Jones
Kylie Minogue
Manic Street Preachers
Kasabian
Amanda Holden
Kirstie Allsopp
Stephen Fry
Kate Moss
Amir Khan
Ricky Gervais
And many many more...

Here are a few of my faves;

My fabulous friend Michelle Turton from Inkygoodness with the tamperine by Ricky Gervais

I really recommend you get down to the Mailbox and check it out - its escaping the sunshine for a 20 minutes to see these. Also have a look on eBay and have a bid on any you love (I have my eye on one...but I am currently top bidder so I'm not telling....)

Thanks much xoxo

Talented Friend.

Beautiful photographs by my friend Matthew Plunkett.

They are gorgeous.

Follow him - he tweets some fabulous things.