Saturday, November 26, 2016

Ahh the mirror is the problem!

Dear blog readers,

The truth is, this matter with the Donald being president elect in the U.S. has discombobulated me a bit, so not into witty words.   But, not to leave you dear reader bereft of same (!!), I enclose for your perusal a poem from the Irish philosopher Edmund Burke. 

The heading may sound a bit philosophical, as one might assume with the topic coming from a philosopher.  But, is not a heavy dissertation to ponder on, rather a light read to, hopefully, cause you to smile in empathy.
The Mirror 
 
By Edmund Burke 1729 - 1797, Irish Philosopher.
 
I look in the mirror
And what do I see?
A strange looking person
That cannot be me.
For I am much younger
And not nearly so fat
As that face in the mirror
I am looking at.
Oh, where are the mirrors
That I used to know
Like the ones which were
Made thirty years ago?
Now all things have changed
And I`m sure you`ll agree
Mirrors are not as good
As they used to be.
So never be concerned,
If wrinkles appear
For one thing I`ve learned
Which is very clear,
Should your complexion
Be less than perfection,
It is really the mirror
That needs correction!

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

I am a shameless fan of Sugru.

 Sugru  is the Irish word for fun.  Sugru is also a product -  a kind of moldable glue. 

The best description of Sugru I´ve  ever heard is: ´if Playdough and Uhu had a baby together it would be Sugru!´  (Full disclosure, Jane Ni Dhulchaointigh, or Jane Delehanty in plain English who invented Sugru, is from up the road from us in Kilkenny.)

So I don´t know about you, but I feel a little creative self expression may be in order these days; it is a time perhaps to be in a place where you can enjoy, be creative and be a bit in control in your corner of the world at least.  Very timely Sugru sent me an e-mail with all sorts of things you can do or make, to have fun, be creative and be in control in your corner of the world at least.  

To read more about same, see below and do enjoy.

 - Oh and if you want to know more about Jane and her invention, link to:  https://sugru.com/story
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Does the thought of the upcoming festivities make you secretly cringe?
In these serious times — taken for what they really are, the rituals of Christmas are an amazing opportunity for having a properly good time with friends and family. Here are a few for starters!
 
Christmas rule 1: Christmas decorations should be traditional. No! Break the rules and have a laugh while you're at it.
Being the handy one in the family, one thing the holidays can offer is a chance to get creative! Decorating doesn't have to be traditional. Get the place ready for a cosy time with friends and family - and make it look cool at the same time. Here's our take on good old fashioned Christmas tree! Isn't it awesome? It's made from Sugru hooks, lights, leaves and...walnuts.
We chose the corner of a room but Sugru sticks to almost any surface, so you could make this in almost any space - on a wall, on the back of a door, on a window... come on over to Sugru.com and see just how easy and fun you can make it in our how-to tutorial. Inspired?
Christmas rule 2: Shop till you drop. Why? Make your own gifts instead.
This may take a little more time than a dash around town, but it has the added satisfaction of putting the effort into something for someone you love, and doing an awesome project.

I've done this a few years now, and my top tip would be - think about making a limited-edition collection of something. One year I made a collection of potato printed pillow cases, another year I made a collection of hand-painted dinner plates, and the year after that a set of Sugru decorated mugs - all went down a storm. People feel so special to be included in your limited edition number.

We've put together a page full of personalised gifting inspiration for you. Take a look through, give it your own personal twist and then... get planning.
Need some Sugru for your Christmas projects? Get started!
Which project will you do? Maybe you have lots of your own ideas we haven't even thought of yet. Either way, it looks like you'll probably need some Sugru for that... so we're doing 15% off all orders in the Sugru shop this week. The offer will finish on November 17 (midnight PST). Use the code MYWAY. Just click on the link below or enter the code at checkout.




Christmas Rule 3: Sing carols as a family. Hmm... Do what you enjoy!
If baking's your thing, get stuck in. If you're more of a mountain climber – go climb a mountain. If you crave the sun, think about a cheeky little getaway? And if you love nothing more than time to yourself with a video game, don't let others guilt you into singing carols instead - carve out some time during the break for just having fun the way you want. Our new Rebel Tech Kit is all about personalising and taking control of your tech - like this game controller. Made perfect for its owner's hands with Sugru. Watch the video.

[Fix of the Month] A beautiful mobile made with Sugru stamps
Maybe a Christmas tree can be just part of a tree... literally! Look at this beautiful mobile that Elias made using fabric, a branch, a stamp made from Sugru and some gold paint. Congrats Elias - we love this project. The rest of you - take a look over on his website to see how to make your own.