Posted in June 2009

Flowers - Real Or Fake?

Source: hazel eyes
Monday 15th June 2009, 12:51pm

Fake flowers can be pretty convincing these days, but are they better than the real thing?

Real Flowers

Real flowers, are, well, real flowers. They look right, feel right and smell nice. Most floral arrangements come with a packet of food and instructions on how to care for them.

The downside is that they can be a bit messy. I'm not the worlds greatest florist, but the last time I got some flowers the liquid food bag had a tiny hole in and when I was unwrapping it from the miles of sellotape it made a nice squirt pattern on the carpet.

They also inevitably die. This means dried up leaves falling off and making a mess, and slimy brown stems to throw away - or maybe that's just me leaving them for too long.

Artificial Flowers

The downside of artificial flowers is that usually they are quite obviously not real. I'm not sure if that actually matters to most people, but they do need dusting off now and again. This is not a regualr occurrence in my house, so I fear they may start to look grubby.

On the plus side, they don't wither and die, you can keep them for as long as you want, move them about and they don't drop any petals or leaves like real flowers do. I'm not sure of the carbon foorprint of real flowers vs artificial, though I guess artificial is higher.

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Charity Donations Down But Shops Thriving

Source: hazel eyes
Tuesday 9th June 2009, 3:25pm

More people are visiting charity shops since the recession, giving them a much needed boost although charity donations overall have fallen.

More people are going to charity shops to buy goods and also to donate. This is providing the shops with a mini boom, although charity donations overall are down.

Charity gifts such as agricultural tools or animals are also becoming more popular in recent times as charities such as Oxfam raise our awareness of the plight of people in the developing world struggling to survive drought, flooding and disease.

Overall though, charities are struggling in the recession. Some have been forced to reduce staff and cut services. Shelter has seen a decline in legacy gifts and corporate income, although regular donors are still giving generously.

The government has pledged £40million towards assisting charities so they can continue to help people through the recession. The plan, for England and Wales, will include awarding grants to deprived areas, establishing a volunteering scheme and creating funds to help non-profit organisations merge.

According to a recent Charity Commission survey, only 3% of charities have considered merging with another charity and another 3% had thought about collaborating. Dame Suzi Leather, chairwoman of the Charity Commission, said "It is very surprising that more charities are not considering collaboration with others, as this can help them share expertise and costs."

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Buying A Bed

Source: hazel eyes
Wednesday 3rd June 2009, 12:55pm

Buying a new bed is not as straightforward as it might at first appear...

Type Of Beds

There is a vast array of beds available on the market place today, each designed to serve in a particular set of circumstances.

• Air bed - great for guests, a raised air bed is easily inflated and once made up looks just like an rdinary divan. It also has the advantage of easy stosing when not in use. Smaller air beds are great for camping too.
• Divan bed - very versatile bed which invariably incorporates extra storage space into the design
• Bunk bed - excellent for kids where space is of prime importance
• Futon - another great space saving idea either for guests, or alternatively they are the no 1 choice for a lot of people to sleep on.
• Sofa bed - a versatile piece of equipment, comfy sofa by day, comfortable bed by night if needed.
• Water bed - Synonymous with luxury and comfort, waterbeds are the ultimate in indulgent sleeping.
• Fantasy bedrooms - Another one for the kids. Why stop at a bed when you can have your entire room themed out however you wish.

Matching Mattresses

The mattress which affixes your bed is an extremely important part of your comfort. We spend approximately 1/3 of our lives in bed and our comfort or lack of it can have a bearing on our health.

When buying a new bed, make sure you spend at least 5 minutes lying on each bed, 30mins is preferable. This is to ensure it is comfortable and doesn't create pressure points or any other ached and pains detrimental to a good nights rest.

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