Mixing the old with the new can give you a new perspective on interior design see middle pages This month’s book reviews see page14
CONTENTS
Local Lanark Business man, Gordon Mulligan, Kick starts his way with a new invention see page 10
Gardening tips see page 10
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Inspiring Ideas For Your Home
Life Style
Male Grooming Guys! Personal hygiene is not just for women! Facial hair: If you like a beard or a spot of stubble acquaint yourself with a beard trimmer. A well-trimmed beard is a thing of beauty; an unkempt one can result in passers-by throwing coins at you. And beard trimmers are not just for beards; there is generally hair elsewhere which could benefit from a little 'management' too! While we're on the subject, nose-clippers are cheap; there is no excuse for furry nostrils! Nails: Gross nails are a no-no. A soft nail-brush and some precision clippers teamed with hand cream work wonders. If your hands are in a bad way consider a man-icure. Don't scoff, a therapist will slough off calluses, push-back your cuticles and buff your nails to a perfect length. Don't stop at your hands either: feet benefit from TLC too. Teeth: A great smile falls flat if your breath smells. Brush and floss every day because plaque is persistent. The sticky film of bacteria re-forms within a 24 hour period. Decay means expensive and possibly painful dental treatment. Plus you never know when you might be called upon to kiss the girl (or guy) of your dreams. Body odour: We all have our own body odour, even when we're clean and fresh. The term BO generally refers to Bad Body Odour (perhaps it should be renamed BBO!). Sadly men are more prone to it because we sweat more. Fresh sweat doesn't smell unpleasant; it's bacteria which cause the unpleasant niff. Spraying yourself with body spray doesn't fool anyone. Launder clothes regularly, shower daily and use a good quality anti-perspirant. If you'd like to wear aftershave but don't know which scent suits you, take a female friend along to the counter and ask for her opinion. When life is busy it's easy to let personal hygiene slide but a little effort goes a long way.
Ladies...
The desire to remove excess or dark hair usually begins in adolescence, and many women and men remain intent upon having smooth, hairless skin. Whether it is hair on the face, armpits, legs, back, bikini line, or other body parts, there are many options available to remove unwanted hair, but few to get rid of it permanently. The old standby shaving is the quickest but most temporary form of hair removal. Shaving cuts off hair at the surface and new growth may appear thicker and darker because the new hair shaft has a blunt tip instead of a tapered one. Before shaving, apply a moisturiser such as water, shaving cream, soap or hair conditioner to help the razor glide more easily. Plucking pulls the hair out of its follicle and when done repeatedly may damage it, thus preventing further growth. Plucking is painful, so only suitable for small areas such as the eyebrows or odd facial hair. Variations are: threading, a traditional Indian method of plucking hair by twisting strings (good for eyebrows), and epilators, equipment which plucks out hairs en masse – good for larger areas such as legs and arms.
Depilatory creams use a chemical called thioglycolate mixed with sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide to dissolve hair. Cream is applied for between 3 and15 minutes and the resulting jelly-like substance is then wiped or washed off. Depilatory creams can burn if left on for too long and may also cause an allergic reaction. Waxing is great for treating areas both large and small. Wax is warmed and spread in the direction of the hair growth and when cool is pulled off quickly in the opposite direction, pulling the hairs out of the follicle. Waxing can be done at home or in the salon, but care should be taken not to get burnt. It can also be messy and painful. Electrolysis is one of the permanent methods of hair removal and should be done professionally. A fine needle is inserted into each individual hair follicle and an electric current applied to burn the hair root, preventing it from producing more hair. Each session may take only 20-30 minutes, but a full course of treatment could take 12-18 months. Laser hair removal is not permanent but does have longlasting results. It requires multiple treatments, and works by laser beams or light pulses destroying the hair root and retarding the re-growth of new hair. It can be expensive and painful and works best for light skinned people with dark hair. Home kits are available for purchase. You should choose a method or combination of methods that works best for you depending on cost, time available, skin type, and the desired hair-free area.
Windows 7 V’s Windows 8.1 Upgrade What should I Choose? Advertising Feature As Microsoft comes to the end of support for XP, some of us will be forced to move to a different operating system. Already I can start to feel the cold sweat. It sounds a really big task, fraught with dangers and lots of panic coupled with sore heads. After having read some advice on the internet, it would seem that upgrading to any of the above systems, means wiping personal and or application data from your old machine, then reinstalling all your applications. (If you still have the pass keys or licence numbers). Oh and will the old apps work with the new OS anyway? For Windows 7 there is a program called “Windows Easy Transfer” for all your personal data. There is one word in that title which I don’t believe.
wipes all your applications. Good news there then! On a more positive note, your personal files will be retained through this upgrade. If you choose the more modern version 8.1 there is a huge change to overcome in that the start screen is entirely different. As a result, some of us older ones will be left wondering, or maybe even wandering. Fortunately there are IT businesses that can help guide you through the minefield that is Windows 7 and 8.
By visiting an independent Microsoft Partner such as Sabre Systems you can get unbiased, Windows 8 can be installed over your XP expert advice, regarding a new system and system, but you will be happy to know it still which is the most suitable for your needs.
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Antique
and modern furniture have distinct artistry and appeal. To put both in one room means creating a balance between beauty and functionality. It can prove to be a daunting task for most but it is an adventure many are willing to try because of the extraordinary effects in style that it can contribute. Here are some tips in mastering the art of mixing antique and modern furniture.
Simplicity is important What you have to remember when decorating a space while mixing modern and antique furniture, is to avoid clutter. Clutter takes focus away from the pieces that you want to showcase. It can also make even the most expensive pieces look cheap.
Add sparks of color Update your antique furniture. Updating not only means to restore an antique piece to look like its original condition, you can also introduce a contemporary feel to it by adding unexpected colors or pattern. Add modern furniture that is bold and bright to add an exciting flavor to a room. You can also set both modern and antique furniture against a solid backdrop to emphasize its details, colors and patterns.
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Always keep your space simple by finding a focal point that all your furniture, modern and antique can complement. Find the center to a space, may it be a vintage chest drawer or a refinished tulip table. Choose certain pieces and make it pop by the right accessories and without crowding.
Mix different periods together The most exciting spaces often consist of modern pieces and antique furniture from different eras. Furniture from different periods has unique characteristics. These characteristics can communicate and complement each other creating a harmonious yet adventurous space.
Life Style
Inspiring Ideas For Your Home
Congratulations...
to Lanarkshire Business Clydesdale Community Initiative who scooped the third sector business excellence award at the 2014 Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards. Now in their 21st year, the Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards celebrate the success and achievements of the Lanarkshire business community. These prestigious awards are the highlight of the Lanarkshire business calendar and attract high profile industry support and involvement. The Awards offer Lanarkshire businesses the opportunity to promote themselves and celebrate their achievements. www.cciweb.org.uk
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Come and support local charity night China Cuisine is hosting a Cabaret night on the 14th of April in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. China Cuisine is run by twenty three year old Mack Tsang and his mum Yuk-Ying Lee who is originally from Hong Kong. Macmillan Cancer support is a charity which is close to their hearts. In early 2012 Yuk was diagnosed with bowl cancer and metastasis of the liver, she went through two major operations and chemotherapy. Both Mack and his mum would like to thanks Macmillan Cancer Support for the information and help they gave to the family during this time. In October 2013 the cancer came back and Yuk-Ying Lee was diagnosed with a tumour in the brain, again she had a successful operation to remove the tumour. Yuk-Ying Lee is still fighting her battle with cancer. Mack as well as running the restaurant with his mum is also studying in his final year at university. Mack and his mum feel that due to the wonderful help and support received from Macmillian it is time to give something back.
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If your garden is short on space, rammed with plants, or you simply have an unsightly vertical surface to cover, climbing plants can be used to great effect: from clothing frameworks such as pergolas and arches to hiding sheds and even neighbours! Whether it’s as fast growing as a Triffid, a dainty floral twiner, or an evergreen clinger, I ’ m certain there’s a climber out there for you, it’s just a case of meeting your perfect match. For those of you lucky enough to have a south-facing doorway, why not spoil yourself with the highly scented fragrance of Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Not only is it evergreen, but it boasts the added benefit of a claret-red leaf colour in autumn. For those with a north-facing entrance, how about a plant combo starting with an early flowering Clematis tolerant of shade, such as ‘Frances Rivis’, followed by the stunning pink flowers of Rosa ‘Zephirine Drouhin’, perfect in shade with the added bonus of being a thornless variety. If it’s a shady spot and a fast growing evergreen you require you really can’t beat Ivy, but I understand many people are not huge fans, so why not put in
Climbing the walls This Month’s Gardening help
the extra effort and seek out a great alternative known as Pileostegia viburnoides. It’s a bit of a mouthful but not only is it evergreen, it will provide white flowers in summer and like Ivy is a self clinger, but nowhere near as vigorous. As well as the other common examples, such as Wisteria (only plant this in full sun and if you are prepared to tie it in and prune it twice annually), Honeysuckle and Pyracantha (great for deterring intruders due to its woody thorns), there is a whole range of other shrubs which can be grown against a wall or fence, not forgetting trees of course, such as the beautiful trained fruit trees we often see in Victorian walled gardens. Shrubs planted at around 30cm away from the base of the wall or fence can be manually tied in and make excellent wall cover, often with the added benefit of flowers. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ for example, or Garrya elliptica make unusual evergreen wall coverings, and look great with a second flowering climber twining through. Don’t forget the huge variety of annuals available which you can grow from seed, such as Sweet Peas, Morning Glory, or maybe try climbing French beans as an edible wall covering? Do ensure that you provide sturdy wires for plants to travel up. The best and most cost-effective way is
simply to fix vine eyes (spaced horizontally around 2m apart) to the fence or wall and vertically at 30cm intervals. Then use a taught network of galvanised wires to provide support. Be sure to tie climbers in horizontally a n d n o t vertically as most people do … this way t h e y will look great in your garden rather than flopping over the fence and delighting your neighbour … now that really would drive me up the garden wall! Jobs for April: •Sow new lawns or repair bare patches. •Protect fruit blossom from late frosts. •If any of your plants need support this year, put the supports in now so the plants grow up through them. •Check any tree ties to make sure the tie is not cutting into the trunk. Loosen any that are tight to allow room to expand. •Once the soil has warmed up, weed borders and apply a moisture-retaining mulch such as compost or bark.
Gordon “Kick Starts” new idea Local businessman Gordon Mulligan, has designed a foot start for petrol driven lawn mowers. Gordon has been in the trade for over 35 years. Using his considerable experience he had seen the need for an easier way to start your usual petrol driven mower. Gordon said “not everyone has the power or the speed in there arms to start a petrol mower this device overcomes that problem”. The footstart is an easily fitted add on device that fits 99% of common petrol lawnmowers Gordon has patent pending in UK and in the USA. Retail cost is £99 per footstart but on special offer of £60 if ordered with a new mower, or during a service with your present mower SPECIAL OFFER 16 INCH PETROL MOWER WITH FOOTSTART £189.00
Contact Gordon on 01555 660 400 or mobile 07747 613 027
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New Release Date Friday 18th April The Love Punch is a 2013 British comedy film written and directed by Joel Hopkins. It was screened in the Gala Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Emma Thompson and Pierce Brosnan star in Joel Hopkins's romantic comedy. They play a pair of divorcees who have just packed their daughter off to university. They hit some financial trouble, and find themselves engaged in a jewel heist in Continental Europe. Timothy Spall and Celia Imrie also feature in the movie
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A Good Read
Sophie’s Bakery for the Broken Hearted - Lolly Winston
36-year-old Sophie has just lost her husband, Ethan, to cancer. She had only been married a few years and is devastated. Lolly Winston takes us on a journey through the emotional rollercoaster of bereavement and its different stages, from denial to acceptance. At first Sophie is a wreck, someone who sleeps all day and guzzles cartons of ice cream for breakfast. When she shows up for work, distraught in her bathrobe and bunny slippers, she finds she’s not only lost her husband but her job in a Silicon Valley PR firm. Distraught, Sophie leaves California for Ashland, Oregon and through the fog of her grief starts to rebuild her life. She discovers a previously hidden talent and opens the bakery of the title. Along the way she has to deal with her mother-in-law and also collects a rag-taggle bunch of new friends who variously try to seduce her, support her and burn her house down. As she juggles her business with her new life, Sophie proves that with enough humour and bravado it is possible to rebuild
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The Magic Paintbrush – of a magic brush which makes Julia Donaldson and Joel everything she paints come to Stewart life. But with this power comes
a life after a devastating loss. And who’s to say she can’t find love again in the process... Lolly Winston knows how to tug the heart strings. Sophie’s grief is present throughout the book, and heartbreakingly raw, yet the book is funny, touching and uplifting by turn. Even at her lowest, Sophie maintains a wry sense of humour: on an application which asks who to contact in case of emergency, she finds that she has no name to enter so writes “George Clooney”. Keep the Kleenex handy - this novel will have even the hardest-hearted reader in tears.
Julia Donaldson is peerless as a writer for 3-6 year-olds yet her story themes appeal to adults too, which means they don’t mind reading them again and again. She’s as much a master of ‘distilling language’ as any poet, making every word count. In addition she uses the natural rhythm of the spoken voice – which is what makes her stories ideal for reading aloud. The Magic Paint Brush is an immensely charming tale and the illustrations are quite beautiful and appropriately Chinese in style. Shen is a little girl who is given the gift
great responsibility. How will this smart little girl deal with a greedy emperor who wants her to help make him even richer? The results are delightful, beautiful and poetic.
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