TeuxDeux

OK, I realise I'm a few months behind on the TeuxDeux list website, but my god isn't it fabulous! At first I thought it was pretty dull, a website to write to do lists, but now as I've so many little tasks to get done and feel like I'm juggling too many balls it's my saviour!

TeuxDeux.com does exactly was it says on the tin, creates lovely to do lists. As you ad a task you can click to cross it off and which ever tasks are not completed that day will automatically move over to the next - genius in it's simplicity. Even better it works on your iPhone (or other smart phone) so you're organised everywhere! This week I've been on top of everything, although each day my list grows and I add more and do less...

Sign up to make little scraps of paper a thing of the past.


Pic from smokingapples.com

California Girls Costume: Step 1

As Halloween approaches fast I've had a day of panic about what costume I can do this year, having rolled out the 'dead Russian doll' a few years in a row now I need to step up my game. Having trawled the internet and become brain-dead by the sheer volume of 'sexy witch' 'sexy vampire' and basically anything starting to be scary then turned slutty, I've decided with a little time on my hands (if I block out all the DIY that needs doing in our new house) I'm going to make something myself and who better to be than Katy Perry!

So here's how we get to Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' costume, breaking it down we have a white corset, multicolored shiny fabric skirt, tonnes of sparkly sweets and a lilac wig. Having overcome the first two hurdles this morning - securing a white corset/dress from ebay (China no less) for a mere £13 then a lilac wig from a website called Flagship Fancy Dress. The latter being the hardest thing to find on the internet, lilac wigs are pretty hard to come by and for a tenner, it's fabulous.

So I'm now off to Salford precinct to find an array of plastic and felt items to cover with sequins for the corset - I may really regret this...

Leaf-it

Love these bookmarks and sticky notes by appree in Korea, order them on designboom.com. That would be my biologist/environmentalist little sisters Christmas present sorted then!

Don't know whether I love the sticky notes that curl like a leaf or the leaf bookmarks more? Decisions decisions, well the only answer is buy both! Again, the less money I have the more I find to buy...sigh...

hitRECord

As the sad news hit the papers today of the recent death of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt's older brother Dan, I'm taking a look at the brilliant website that these two collaborated together on.

hitRECord.org is an unusual website, it's more of a community, or even a jamming session between people all over the world. The principle is, you make some music, video or images upload then other members use it, remix, collaborate etc.. and re-post it. The idea is if hitRECord.org then manage to make some money out of any of this work they will split the profit 50:50 with each person who collaborated on it.

Spearheaded by Hollywood actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt or 'RegularJOE' as he calls himself, from such films as 500 Days of Summer, Brick and the long running show 3rd Rock From the Sun, hitRECord.org has a unique line into the industry which youtube up-loaders just don't have, combined with the talents of all the other people on the site helping in the production and remixing its sure to produce some amazing results.
My favorite is Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeeth Date (sic) an amazing animation and odd little story which is sure to tickle the cockles of anyone who loved 500 Days of Summer or something a little out of the ordinary.




Create a profile and get going! I know what I'll be doing on a chilly Thursday morning in Salford...

Fab Lab

I nearly fell off my chair when I read about Fab Lab - and in Manchester no less! An amazing FREE resource where any individuals can pop own have an induction and use some amazing equipment from laser cutters to 3D printers. I've been after use of a laser cutter for about a year but haven't had the funds to really get going - now is my chance!

based over at Chips, the Urban Spalsh development in in New Islington, Fab Lab first started at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in inner-city Boston in 2005, now has over 35 locations worldwide.

Here's What they offer:

* A computer-controlled lasercutter, for press-fit assembly of 3D structures from 2D parts

* A larger (4'x8') numerically-controlled milling machine, for making furniture- (and house-) sized parts

* A vinylcutter, to produce signs, printing masks, flexible circuits, and antennas

* A precision (micron resolution) milling machine to make three-dimensional moulds and surface-mounted circuit boards

* Electronics assembly

* Programming tools for low-cost high-speed embedded processors

* Sewing and embroidery equipment


Open to businesses Tuesdays to Thursdays and for individuals Friday & Saturday. I actually can't wait to get in there and start making!

For more info visit their website www.fablabmanchester.org

The Manchester Weekender

It's all too much! Sack the person that put on three festivals in one weekend in Manchester! We spend most of the year waiting for something great to come along and what do you know, like buses, three come along at once. The annual Manchester Food & Drink Festival is back with some of Manchester's top restaurants churning out excellent food in Albert Square, though I think I love the posters more than the idea of standing in the rain eating! See the full programme here.




At the exact same time Abandon Normal Devices (AND) festival is also on, with workshops, films and installation art all around Manchester. I'm looking forward to seeing Phil Collins' latest short film Marxism Today at the Cornerhouse. See the full programme here.

If that wasn't enough Un-convention is on this weekend with Bill Drummond, Jah Wobble, Jarvis Cocker, to name a few, are playing at a host of venues across Salford, namely the Salford Lad's Club where tonight Billy Bragg and Kid British are playing at the iconic venue. Great event, although I found it utterly confusing how you buy tickets, and frankly £50 for a festival pass for one weekend is pretty much most of a weeks salary for some of us Salfordians. Seems as though it's more for people to come to Salford, not for us to see things in our area, what a shame.

Finally the Manchester Weekender, which combines some of the above three but adds some more extra activities, just in case you couldn't find something to do! It rather handily divides the weekend into three choices, The Urban Weekender, The Classic Weekender and the Urban Playground, giving you a slice of what's on whether your preferred weekend includes your fixie bike or your three kids.

Nevertheless it's been a crazy two days in Manchester, but a bit of a shame these things weren't spread over the month as only those with the time to trawl the extensive festival listings packed in enough to get a flavour of what was to offer.

Shall try and catch some of the AND festival exhibitions as the continue over the next day or so. Shall report my findings!

Freelance Space Manchester

For those talented freelance designers in Manchester with the uber-tiny space to work in shared with a cat, two flatmates and an old sandwich, help is at hand! The excellent studio NoChintz has launched Studio 17, an amazing space for freelancers to rent a desk in their eames chair filled space complete with meeting rooms and an enviable business address. Spaces are £250+vat a month, for more info contact Dominic at NoChintz on 0161 236 1412 or email studio17@nochintz.co.uk

Only a hundred more clients and I can have one...

We've Moved!

Several arguments, one leaky boiler, one broken Peter Blake later we've finally moved! You'd have thought that moving two streets over would be a piece of cake but alas no, loading up the tiny car every evening for two week is possibly the most laborious way to move. But here we are in our first house, and finding it really strange being able to paint any wall we fancy, after almost six years of renting it's a pretty odd feeling! I shall be posting all the disasters in due course, there will be many...

Oh, and Phill really isn't that odd looking in real life!

Sky Lanterns

The latest Chimney Pot Park lovely craze is Sky Lanterns, no party in complete without letting a few lanterns go - there's something about fire and pretty paper that mesmerizes. We got ours from the pound shop in Salford precinct but you can get them from amazon.co.uk here.

Google Bouncing Balls

Today's Google title is amazing, waving the cursor over the dots cases them to shoot out in all directions. Clever stuff!

Crate Grown Salad

Armed with some new free crates from Salford food market I boldly attempted to grow chic crate grown salad boxes. After some thought I decided the best idea would be to line the crate with an old plastic bag (with holes punched in), put the soil on top and throw seeds at it with my fingers crossed. The result was a brilliant array of lettuces with the slugs kept away by a cheeky smear of WD-40 on the edge of the crate.

Salad perfection! I shall write a tutorial on this this evening, though it's pretty simple!

Until later xx

Chevre Chaud

I didn't think I'd be putting on factor 20 in Salford, but it has been a summer of surprises over in Chimney Pot Park. As we watched England crash out of the world cup we couldn't bring ourselves to put on a big Sunday roast so we opted for the quickest summer comfort food to ease our sadness. Out comes the chevre slices, and ten minutes later we sit in the sunshine reminded of last years summer holidays at their place in South-West France. OK, the goats cheese was from Salford market and the wine was Australian, but if you closed your eyes and blocked out next doors Lady Gaga on full blast you could almost imagine!



The success of this relies solely on good goats cheese (no tesco value!) and a sunny day, or else you're eating mediocre cheese in the rain - not fun.

Chevre Chaud

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 x half inch thick round slices of good quality goats cheese with the rind on
a few sprigs of thyme
a baby gem lettuce, washed
handful of watercress if you fancy
30g walnut halves (or smashed bits if you're shelling them yourself)
2 slices of white bread
4 tbsp olive oil
2tbsp runny honey

For the vinaigrette

½ lemon, juice only
1 tbsp walnut oil (or olive oil)
½ Bramley apple, grated


1. Pre heat oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Place the goat's cheese on a baking tray. Arrange a walnut half on top of each cheese. Smash up the remaining walnuts a bit and set aside. Drizzle the cheese with honey, scatter over the thyme leaves and season with black pepper.

3. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes, or until the cheese has melted inside but retained its shape.

4. Shred the lettuce before transferring to a bowl. Add the crushed walnuts and toss to mix.

5. In a glass mix the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of walnut oil and 4 tablespoons of olive oil (to taste). Grate in half the apple, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.

6. Drizzle a little vinaigrette over the salad and toss together.

7. Toast the bread until golden. When ready, use pastry cutter or chef's ring to cut the toast into 4 round discs.

8. To serve, arrange the dressed walnut salad onto serving plates. Place the toast on the salad and top with the goat's cheese drizzle over a little more honey if you like. Spoon over the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Enjoy with a glass of French white in the sun!