Breathing a New Lease of Life into Our Brollies
Concerns of the environment are trickling down into virtually everything. At the moment, there’s a growing emphasis being placed on tackling the ‘throwaway culture’ in the UK with the 5 Rs; refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle. Every gesture helps when it comes to combatting climate change, whether customers choose to buy longer lasting products or simply make a habit out of upcycling goods that are of no use anymore, we could all make a huge difference. Here, we’ll look at some clever tips for you to upcycle your umbrellas into new household products.

Flower Vase
Perhaps you bought a new windproof umbrellas, replacing your old and battered brolly — you don’t want to just put it in the bin and contribute to the growing waste in our landfills, so what can you do instead?

You can turn your brolly into a quirky flower vase wall decoration. Everyone loves flowers, so you could give this as a thoughtful, homemade gift to your loved ones, or use it to make cheap bespoke decorations for your own home. Simply wrap a pretty ribbon at the point of the umbrellas to keep the fabric held tight, placing your favourite flower arrangement inside — if your umbrella has a hooked handle, you could use this to hang as a fixture on the wall.

Party banners
Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, baby gender reveal, graduation party, or baby shower, this nifty little trick will save pointless amounts of money on party decoration when you could be DIY’ing! Craft your own banners or streamers from the fabric of your umbrella to hang up around your home or the venue you’re partying at. These will add a unique touch to your parties as the banners won’t be like generic decorations from the store. They’ll also be a great backdrop for some fun mid-partying snaps!

A unique skirt
Umbrellas come in unlimited styles, colours, and patterns, and can be a great fashion accessory in the sun and rain if you have one that matches your style. But what if you could wear your beloved umbrella pattern in a new way? You might be wanting to switch things up or your umbrella has just broken, but luckily for you, you don’t need to be a sewing master to rock this look. Particularly useful if you have a pretty patterned ladies umbrellas, simply remove the canopy of the umbrella from the frame, add a belt and you’ve got yourself a one of a kind skirt that nobody else will have!

Scrapbook material
If you’re an avid arts and crafts fanatic and are looking for new material to use in your scrapbooks or photo albums, create swatches and shapes from your broken umbrella material to add a touch of individuality to your memories!

So, what upcycle idea will you use? Umbrellas are a lot more versatile then you might realise…

Statistics show that in the UK, around two to five per cent of school-aged children have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with 60 per cent of those continuing to display symptoms into their adult life. Symptoms include not being able to control their responses, including paying attention, siting still, and their speech. However, studies have suggested that not enough children are receiving treatment for ADHD, with many children being undertreated.

This raises the issue that maybe not enough of us are aware of ADHD and its symptoms. Many of us are unable to identify the condition and don’t know how to accommodate those with ADHD’s needs to help them excel, with children struggling in school, and as a result, underperforming. It can be very frustrating and overwhelming for a child to feel excluded or not understood, mislabelled as troublemakers or being undisciplined. Click her for more information on understanding ADHD.

To tackle this issue and the stigma and discrimination around ADHD, the Umbrella Project is a neurodiversity charity that celebrates the gifts, talents, and employability of those with neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia. Have you ever noticed unique shapes such as birdcage umbrellas hanging up and you’ve been unsure why? The Umbrella Project is a movement that is becoming more and more popular around the world each year to help people understand individuals who are neurodiverse. World leading companies like Apple, Microsoft, and IBM actively recruit neurodiverse employees because of their fantastic abilities to innovate, solve creative problems, and analyse information. The Umbrellas Project earned its name because ADHD and autism are ‘umbrella terms’ for a range of neurological differences that challenge the stigma of these disabilities, which are often invisible.

To help the rest of the world become aware of their capabilities, beautiful and colourful rainbow displays of umbrellas are designed and installed on public streets and spaces such as Heathrow Airport and Liverpool city centre. A recent campaign invited schools across the world to have their own display suspended from classroom ceilings so children can understand the unique talents among their peers. It also raises money for the charity — 2018 was so successful that it attracted over 30 million media hits and installations in Dubai, Spain, Argentina, the U.S, Romania, and Czech Republic.

Photo by Ricardo Resende on Unsplash

Businesses can get involved and sponsor an umbrella for £250. Each umbrella is signed and decorated by a neurodiverse child who writes what their ‘superpower’ is on the brolly, whether it’s a talent, gift, or ability, to celebrate their cognitive differences.

This challenges the myths and stereotypes that people may have about children with these disabilities and helps to recognise their contribution to our society and lives.

While it’s difficult to estimate how many of us believe in astrology, research suggests that 90% of adults know what their zodiac sign is. For many of us, astrology brings great comfort to us as we try to understand the uncertainty and chaos in the world with a greater understanding of celestial navigation. Whether you’re trying to suss whether yours and your partner’s star signs are compatible or if they explain the conflict you’ve been experiencing, some believe that they can provide insight into our natures and personalities.

It isn’t just our own zodiac signs that interest us—have you ever wondered the secret to Queen Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s enduring love story? Or was there celestial influence over Princess Diana becoming the ‘People’s Princess’?

Here, we’ll look at the star signs of current monarchs to find out if there is a dominant “ruling” zodiac. Then, we’ll look to the future with different countries’ hereditary ‘next-in-lines’ to discover which star sign is most popular and least popular when destined to don the crown. After all, the answers could lie in the stars.

Current stars of the world

We looked at the birthdays of the 29 current ruling monarchs across the world, from Queen Elizabeth II of the UK and Commonwealth realms to King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain, to explore which star sign is currently the most common among our ruling kings and queens. Aries, Taurus, Leo, Pisces, and Aquarius were the most popular, with 70% having these zodiac signs.

Country	Ruler	Birthday	Age	Gender	Zodiac sign
Denmark	Queen Margrethe II	16-Apr-40	80	Female	Aries
Luxembourg	Grand Duke Henri	16-Apr-55	65	Male	Aries
Swaziland	King Mswati III	19-Apr-68	58	Male	Aries
Cambodia	King Norodom Sihamoni	14-May-53	67	Male	Aries
Belgium	King Phillippe	14-Apr-60	60	Male	Aries
England	Queen Elizabeth II	21-Apr-26	94	Female	Taurus
Sweden	King Carl XVI Gustaf	30-Apr-46	74	Male	Taurus
Netherlands	King Willem-Alexander	27-Apr-67	53	Male	Taurus
Cambodia	King Norodom Sihamoni	14-May-53	67	Male	Taurus
Morocco	King Mohammed VI	21-Aug-63	56	Male	Leo
Thailand	King Vajiralongkorn	28-Jul-52	67	Male	Leo
Malaysia	King Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin	30-Jul-59	60	Male	Leo
France	Co-Prince Archbishop Joan Enric Vives I Sicilla	24-Jul-49	70	Male	Leo
Liechtenstein	Prince Regeant Hans-Adam II	14-Feb-45	75	Male	Aquarius
Spain	King Felipe VI	30-Jan-68	52	Male	Aquarius
Jordan	King Abdullah II	30-Jan-62	58	Male	Aquarius
Bahrain	King Hamad bin Isa	28-Jan-50	70	Male	Aquarius
Norway	Harald V of Norway	21-Feb-37	83	Male	Pisces
Monaco	Sovereign Prince Albert II	14-Mar-58	62	Male	Pisces
Bhutan	King Jigme Khesar Namgyel	21-Feb-80	40	Male	Pisces
Japan	Emperor Naruhito	23-Feb-60	60	Male	Pisces

The planets above the crowns

Ruled by the planet Mars, Aries share his traits of courage, determination, confidence, and passion with a strong tendency for taking on leadership roles.

Taurus is ruled by the planet Venus, sharing her traits of beauty, artistry, hedonism, and have a strong love of luxury and comfort. Queen Elizabeth II is known for her bold and fashionable power suits and matching ladies umbrellas—she is certainly a queen of luxury. Taurus’ are also said to be fiercely loyal, which is a characteristic used to describe Her Majesty. A Taurus tends to escape from reality when they’re emotional, which is something that the Queen doesn’t display in public.

Leo is ruled by the Sun and have great energy, courage, and honesty, considered a natural leader. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, the planet of ultra-progressive thinking, originality and advocate of change and reform. Finally, Neptune rules Pisces, who have traits of compassion, insight, and spiritual development.

Elements of current rulers

All zodiac signs are grouped in four groups of three based on their element; 23% had air signs with Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini; 20% had earth signs with Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo; 16.6% had water signs with Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces; and 30% had fire signs with Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries. The fire element is the most popular among the ruling monarchs, who are fiery characters with a tendency for excitability and impulsivity. Fire and water were two of the most popular zodiac sign elements—fire signs are passionate and temperamental whereas water signs are intuitive, emotional, and very sensitive.

Modality of current rulers

Each of the four elements have a distinct quality of how they engage with the world, known as modalities, including Cardinal (30%), Fixed (40%), and Mutable (23%). Fixed was the most common modality sign, who are said to dig in and are able to hold steady to achieve their goals. It’s hard for these signs to change, which can give them a reputation for being set in their ways.

Heirs written in the stars

It would seem the stars have aligned new beginnings for the next generation of rulers. Here, we looked at 23 hereditary rulers. This is because some monarchy systems don’t run through hereditary succession and instead appoint the next King or Queen, so we won’t know their star signs until they are named as successors.

Looking at the heirs to the thrones across these nations, it was revealed that Scorpio and Cancer are the next zodiac signs to rule the world, with 34% of heirs born from October 23 to November 22 and June 21 to July 22.

Country	Next in line	Birthday	Age	Gender	Zodiac sign
England	Prince Charles	14-Nov-48	71	Male	Scorpio
Sweden	Crown Princess Victoria	14-Jul-77	42	Female	Cancer
Liechtenstein	Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein	11-Jun-68	52	Male	Gemini
Denmark	Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark	26-May-68	52	Male	Gemini
Spain	Leonor, Princess of Asturias	31-Oct-05	14	Female	Scorpio
Netherlands	Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria	07-Dec-03	16	Female	Sagittarius
Norway	Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway	20-Jul-73	46	Male	Cancer
Brunei	Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah	17-Feb-74	46	Male	Aquarius
Morocco	Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco	08-May-03	17	Male	Taurus
Monaco	Jacques, Hereditary Prince of Monaco	10-Dec-14	5	Male	Sagittarius
Jordan	Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan	28-Jun-94	25	Male	Cancer
Luxembourg	Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg	11-Nov-81	38	Male	Scorpio
Saudi Arabia	Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud	31-Aug-85	35	Male	Virgo
Belgium	Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant	25-Oct-01	18	Female	Scorpio
Thailand	Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti	29-Apr-05	15	Male	Taurus
Bahrain	Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa	21-Oct-69	50	Male	Libra
Bhutan	Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck	05-Feb-16	4	Male	Aquarius
Kuwait	Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah	25-Jun-37	82	Male	Cancer
Malaysia	Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah	17-Sep-95	24	Male	Virgo
Japan	Fumihito, Prince Akishino	30-Nov-65	54	Male	Sagittarius
Lesotho	Prince Lerotholi Seeiso	18-Apr-07	13	Male	Aries
Qatar	Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani	03-Jun-80	40	Male	Gemini
Tonga	Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala	17-Sep-85	34	Male	Virgo

 

Cancers are said to be emotional and deeply intuitive as well as sensitive to their environments and extremely protective of themselves—will this reflect in the way monarchies will be protective of their people in a mothering sense? Cancerians wear their heart on their sleeve and have a dislike of strangers and revealing their personal lives. Monarchies famously keep their private lives as shielded as possible, so we don’t expect to see a change in terms of sharing details about what is going on personally. Tabloids often guess goings on behind closed doors, but will this information be harder to come by with the next generation of royals?

Scorpio is one of the most misunderstood zodiac signs. Their incredible passion and power means that they often mistaken as a fire sign. Scorpio is actually a water sign along with Cancer, which was the most popular element in heirs’ zodiac signs. Water energy is ambitious and enticing—their assertive nature makes them natural born leaders. When Scorpios build trust with others, they are extremely empathetic and committed. However, on a bad day, a Scorpio is driven by a relentless need for control—if they’re controlled by their egos, they risk self-destruction.

 

Source: Shutterstock, by Viacheslav Lopatin

 

Future modality upon the thrones

The most popular Modality across all heir zodiac signs is Mutable sign, who are flexible, adaptable, and restless for movement and change. Mutable signs can see life from many perspectives which makes them great communicators. With the most common Modality for current rulers being Fixed—who tend to be less flexible and more single-minded—will this shift to Mutable signal a time for even more progressive change and a shift in energy?

The Modality sign for Scorpio is Fixed, so it’s hard for Scorpio to change. This can give them a reputation for being inflexible. On the other hand, Cancer’s Modality is Cardinal, one of the oldest in the family who are assertive in their style of leadership, similar to Fixed. This isn’t surprising as heirs are born to rule.

The planets to come

Cancer is ruled by the moon, which is said to give people with this zodiac an innate need to nurture, support, and protect—characteristics important in leaders. It’s possible that we might see more emotion from global monarchs with times and traditions changing more and more in the modern world. Meanwhile, Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto, which are associated with transformation.

Considering this, the number of kings and queens currently stands at 91% men and 9% female, which will increase to 17% women when heirs come into their throne—will more female monarchs be a goal these progressive characters will strive to achieve for in the future, signalling transformation and a step forward for monarchies? Will more countries follow Sweden, who in 1980 became the first monarchy to change succession rites so that the first-born child of the monarch is heir, regardless of gender?

Being a princess might’ve been a dream of some of ours when we were children, but there are strict dress codes and fashion sacrifices that you must abide by. Our parents might’ve told us off for wearing too much makeup when we hit adolescence, but the rules for members of the British royal family have certain expectations to uphold — appearance being one of them.

The British royal family are famously more conservative when it comes to fashion compared to the monarchs of other European countries. Where you might see Queen Letizia of Spain in a tiered flapper-style strappy thigh-length revealing dress, an item of clothing would never be spotted on Kate Middleton or Meghan Markle at a formal or casual event. The Queen sets the tone due to her being the highest-ranking member of the family, as she has the power to set trends for the whole family to follow. Queen Victoria brought in tighter silhouettes and cinched waists so that her figure wasn’t lost in huge dresses, and Queen Elizabeth I made opulent fabrics and high neck ruffs popular. Queen Elizabeth II has a fashion sense that is a lot more modern than her predecessors, which is surprising considering she was born in 1926 and came into her crown in the 1950s.

Here, we’ll take a look at what fashion the Queen is fond of and some of the royal fashion trends she has inspired and why.

Neutral nails

Members of the royal family are encouraged to wear a particular shade of nail varnish that the Queen has worn since 1989 — Essie Ballet Slippers, a subtle nude pink colour that is sophisticated and elegant.

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton is often seen sporting bare, neutral, or clear nails, however, has broken this rule many times, as has the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle. Princess Diana only obeyed this rule when she married into the royal family. When her marriage to Prince Charles ended, she was pictured with statement red nails.

Purses have a secret language

Purses and clutch bags are a part of the royal dress code. However, they aren’t just a statement piece to a fantastic outfit. The Queen’s infamous Launer handbags are used to send signals to her staff about tricky social interactions — if only we all had people to watch out for us when we need saving from that awkward encounter!

These signals can help the Queen to get out of any conversation. According to the Telegraph, when the Queen shifts her handbag from her left arm to her right, this means she wants to wrap the conversation up, if she places it on the floor she wants to be rescued immediately, or if it’s on the table at dinner she wants the event to end in five minutes.

Purses can also be held by both hands to keep them occupied if royal family members don’t want to shake hands.

Colourful umbrellas are a royal’s best friend

If you hadn’t noticed that the Queen is fond of power dressing in a clean and bright rainbow of coloured suits, you’ll certainly pick up on it now! The Queen is always spotted out in vibrant eye-catching shades that not only make her look fabulous but make it easy for eager members of the public to spot her after waiting outside behind barriers for hours — Queen Elizabeth was reported saying “no one would know who I am” if she wore beige.

 

Source: Shutterstock, by Shaun Jeffers

As her royal duties come with long days out greeting people, the Queen has adopted the saying “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”. As well as an impressive rainbow collection of outfits, the monarch has a just as impressive armoury of over a hundred colour coordinated umbrellas. Created by Fulton Umbrellas, who have earned a Royal Warrant from 2008, Queen Elizabeth got her stylish birdcage umbrellas after the request of the Queen Mother. The birdcage style is a clear dome with a sophisticated stripe of colour around the bottom. This allows the Queen to see out of it and people to see in while matching her colour co-ordinated fashion statement.

We best get looking for designer umbrellas if we ever hope to meet the Queen’s commitment to fashion.

We expect to see the royal dress code to shift when Prince William comes into the throne, with Kate Middleton being a style icon many of us look up to. Maybe red nails and exposed shoulders will be in?

Royal families all over the world are renowned for their luxurious lifestyle, fashionable clothing, and the history behind their regal status. Not only do they play an integral part in traditional cultures, they have proven to influence the fashion choices of entire nations. For centuries, clothing styles modelled by royal figures have been iconic, gaining the royal appraisal many strive to achieve through their outfit choices and styles.

With this said, just how much of an influence has royal attire effected the fashion choices of nations all across the globe? Here with Fulton Umbrellas, retailer of ladies umbrellas, we discuss the five countries around the world that has been influenced by royal fashion.

1.    India

The prestige style that various royal families models in their everyday life has influenced more than just Britons. In fact, they have shaped the outfit choices of individuals all over the world — India being one of them. Research shows that over 1,300 people in India searched for ‘royal fashion’ related terms over the course of a year since May 2019, proving a popular dress choice for many. Since India has a royal family of their own, royal fashion appears to be an interest their nation shares.

As for India’s royal family, there have been many royal members throughout the decades that are renowned for their prestigious fashion choices. Dating back to the late 1920s, Maharani of Cooch Behar, Indira Devi, was pictured wearing a silk chiffon saree that used luxurious materials with a tailored touch of personalisation, this being the initial catalyst for this trend. Even decades before this, the Maharani family have been responsible for embracing a sense of modernity in their fashion attires that have led to many monumental movements in terms of the nation’s fashion preferences. In 1905, Maharani Rani Kanari of Kapurthala was regularly pictured wearing lavish head pieces and hats, all of which comprised a slight westernised twist to them. It was said at the time that for royal families such as the Maharanis, they were fans of westernised clothing, so much so they began including it as part of their everyday attire.

In recent years, it’s thought that royal fashion has been influenced by monarchies all around the globe, not just home countries. When Kate Middleton visited India, she wore a local designer dress out of respect to the host country and it caused an attention overdrive. The local designer’s website where she bought it from crashed due to the high volume of people wanting to purchase from them!

2.    The USA

After the British television programme Downton Abbey took US screens by storm in 2010, it’s fair to say that America’s interest in royal life is a popular thing to obsess over. The historical aura of royalty that reputable British fashions and fabrics entail is desired across the USA. The terms ‘royal style’ and ‘royal fashion’ were searched almost 1,300 times on the web by US citizens since May 2019, suggesting many turn to royals for advice on this matter.

In 2017, the Society of London Fashion Designers hosted a dress show in memory of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret that later on was repeated in places all across America including Washington, and many Canadian cities, proving royal dress attires dating back to the 60s are far from outdated.

In more recent news, Meghan Markle has become one of the most admired royal fashion influencers across the globe. The former Suits actress made her first appearance with Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto whereby she wore a simple white shirt and distressed light-blue jeans. This caused a surge in sales of these two casual wear clothing items. As for other royal fashion influences causing a stir in American fashion is the likes of Katie Middleton and her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, whereby their tweed coats, long prestigious jackets, and adorable children’s clothing has led to many feeling inspired to take the same luxurious fashion tips on board.

3.    Germany

High-end fashion brands that strive in exceptional quality and expensive materials are, of course, popular amongst the royals. German fashion brands such as Hugo Boss have proved to be a trusted source of clothing for many of the royals’ clothing attire. Prince Harry for example was pictured wearing a coat from BOSS while attending a church service event in 2017. As for Meghan Markle, she was seen wearing a Hugo Boss leather skirt while on a trip to Sussex in 2018.

Data suggests that since May 2019, royal fashion related terms were searched over 1,050 times in Germany, suggesting that royal style is something German citizens admire. Perhaps it is due to their shared admiration of Hugo Boss, or their love for prestigious clothing must-haves. In 2019 while spending time in Germany on their royal tour, Kate Middleton was pictured wearing an array of fashionable outfits. During a visit to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, she modelled a blue Catherine Walker coat and dress with nude heels, followed by an off-shoulder maxi dress later in the trip for a party.

The royal trip could have been the inspiration behind high search volumes for royal fashion related terms — after all, figures such as Kate Middleton are renowned for their stylish clothing options.

4.    The Netherlands

Known for being one of the most significant fashion influencers in monarchy, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is adored for her iconic styles. Since May 2019, royal style related terms were searched over 740 times in the Netherlands, proving many citizens want to take on board a touch of royal fashion advise as part of their everyday looks.

Wearing formal work attire while working at home, the Dutch monarch modelled a colourful print blouse with vibrant red earrings, forming a smart and sophisticated work outfit. As for her bolder statement looks, in 2020 she was pictured wearing a green blouse, bright yellow trousers, and a multi-coloured jacket, showing she is not shy to express her colourful side through outfits. As for some of her signature casual looks, the nation adored her beige t-shirt with floral detailing and matching culottes ensemble when visiting the Silima Lombu Ecovillage in Tobalake.

Queen Maxima has proven time and time again to be of high interest to those seeking fashion advise, as high search volumes are derived from royal fashion related clothing in the Netherlands.

Clothing worn by the royals has been of great influence on nations across the world for centuries. From casual everyday looks to more formal events, it’s evident that royal families contribute greatly to these fashionable clothing ensembles.

Often, countries and cities have something different to help them stand out in the world, like the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Sydney Opera House.

But what about totally unique and eye-catching street art that changes a whole aesthetic? Street art is great at breaking up the monotonous cement and brick landscape a lot od towns and cities have, and has been recognised by the British public as art opposed to graffiti, piquing our interest and putting a smile on our faces as we pass through. Art can take many forms and is delivered in many different settings – particularly when it’s free to view in public across the world!

Here, we’ll list the best street art in the world.

San Juan, Puerto Rico
In the Condado area of Puerto Rico is the colourful neighbourhood of San Juan. Fortaleza Street is decorated with a beautiful canopy of umbrellas, which has become a major attraction in the streets of Puerto Rico. As well as being a visual spectacle for passers-by to get mesmerised in, they also shelter the public from the hot rays from the sun and any rain that may start to fall from the skies.

Source: Shutterstock, by Polina LVT.

Other cities have joined in on brightening up their streets with coloured umbrellas of different shapes like golf umbrellas, including Barcelona’s Fiesta Major de Gracia, Portugal’s Umbrella Sky Project, Dubai’s Miracle Garden, Turkey’s Old Street, and the UK’s own Vinopolis Piazza near London Bridge. If you’re visiting any of these locations in the future, make sure to check them out!

Berlin, Germany
The Berlin Wall was once used as a barrier that divided and oppressed the people of East Berlin. Now, it is used as a symbol of freedom through artistic and creative independence. Berlin Wall has been graced with several iconic murals, such as Thierry Noir’s colourful cartoon heads, for something totally unique and original.

Source: Shutterstock, by Maridav

Understanding what the wall once stood for and what it is decorated with now is certainly a must see stretch of art.

Istanbul, Turkey
In 2013, a retired forestry engineer started his street art project by transforming a huge staircase from an eye-sore to a bright and colourful rainbow, injecting life into an unvisited, insignificant part of town. Not everyone was a fan, and in response, the government painted over it with a dull grey colour. This caused anger, with people viewing it as a lack of respect and an act of control over the public. This sparked the rainbow revolution!

In unity, other members of the public repainted the stairs with rainbow colours, as well as other staircases and walkways.

Source: Shutterstock, by blackboard1965

Naples, Italy
Naples has an abundance of stunning street art across the city, with detailed murals and portraits that you could swear were alive. Jorit Agoch is one of the most significant street artists in Naples which has raised this destination’s profile as a cultural hotspot.

Source: Unsplash, by Maria Bobrova.

Il Merola Park of Ponticelli, the Park of Murals, has four great portraits – check out the range of art and attractions to have a look at.

There’s some amazing street art around the world that you must see when on your travels. They’d be great spots to take some memorable pictures!

Iconic Gadgets in Films
With the popularity of online streaming services, it was only a matter of time before other franchises wanted to get involved with the change in how we’re viewing films and programs. Disney Plus launched in March this year, with film fanatics jumping at the chance to watch their favourite films for a few pounds a month – particularly exciting in lockdown. 50 million subscribers had signed up in five months, which was a great success for Disney.

To celebrate our favourite films becoming readily available, here, we’ll take a look at some of the most iconic gadgets in films.

Mary Poppins
A true film that is quintessentially British – Mary Poppins is based on P.L. Travers’ book series, which was adapted into a moving picture in 1964 and remade in 2018. The story follows a magical nanny who uses her iconic umbrella to help two neglected children get closer to their father.

The magic umbrella can be used as a parachute, allowing her to fly over London while knocking sense into her like an old friend giving advice! Like Mary Poppins guides the children, the umbrella is guiding her. Imagine how useful and stylish a flying designer umbrella would be…

Disney Plus subscribers say that they’re watching old classics, with 22 per cent watching Mary Poppins and The Lion King opposed to the newer films. Following the launch of Disney Plus, searches for Mary Poppins increased drastically in December to 100.

Safe to say the iconic umbrella truly makes it a classic for all of us.

Star Wars
In the Star Wars films series, the lightsabre is used by both the Jedi and the Sith. An elegant weapon powered by kyber crystals, these swords can cut through virtually everything while also deflecting blaster bolts. Lightsabres come in different colours that represent different meanings and origins – even if you haven’t seen any Star Wars films, you’re likely very aware of the signature weapon.

When manufacturing the lightsabre, you don’t choose the kyber crystals – the kyber crystals have to choose you. The Jedi or Sith bonds with the crystals, which change colour to match the nature of the person it chose, such as level of experience or Force sensitivity. Some colours are rarer than others, such as red, purple, and yellow. For a lightsabre to be red, the crystal has to be commanded through dark side corruption rather than bonding. Lightsabres can be healed, creating the rare white colour.

Looks like Star Wars has become more popular following the launch of Disney Plus, with searches increasing to 100 in December.

Aladdin
One of the most popular Disney films is Aladdin, originally released in 1992 and remade and rereleased in 2019. Aladdin relied on his magic carpet, aptly named carpet, throughout the film. Carpet is discovered by Aladdin and Abu in the Cave of Wonders when trying to find the Genie’s lamp, and is quickly adopted by Aladdin as his sidekick, helping save his life various times and helping Aladdin and Jasmine to fall in love while singing ‘A Whole New World’.

Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor’s hammer, known Mjölnir, is one of the most fearsome and powerful weapons created, with the ability to level mountains. In Marvel’s adaption, the hammer is an enchanted Warhammer forged by dwarves in the heart of dying star, which could only be wielded by someone who was worthy.

As Thor’s main weapon of choice, the iconic hammer has become a symbol in itself representing the hero. Featuring in the post-credits of Iron Man 2 lying in the sand for a few seconds, fans knew what the next major Marvel film would be featuring.

Some gadgets are so iconic, they’re like a character in their own right! What are your favourite film gadgets?

We’ve faced the brunt of winter. Things were starting to look up. Nights were getting lighter and warmer. It was easier to get out of bed on the mornings… but Covid-19 ruined our summer plans and has essentially thrown everything up in the air. Weddings have been rescheduled, holidays cancelled, the best part of the year has started disappointingly.

Of course, it’s extremely important that we follow government regulations so we can get self-isolation guidelines and travel bans lifted as quickly as possible by remaining indoors to prevent the spread of the virus. We know that this will have a toll on our mental health, so here, we’ll give tips on how to beat the blues and survive self-isolation.

Stay active

With the unpredictable weather that Britain loves to bestow on us, taking advantage of the one form of exercise per day and staying active can be demotivating when it’s raining — and let’s be honest, it rains a lot in the UK. Try not to slip into an unproductive and sluggish routine by going to bed late, waking up late, and not leaving the house every day for a walk, either alone or with your household.

Try to avoid scrolling through social media endlessly and binge-watching series all day with nothing else to do as this can make you feel a lot more negative. So regardless of the weather, and when you’ve got nothing to do, grab your men’s or ladies umbrella and head outside for some fresh air and stretch those legs. Whether it’s for an hour or 15 minutes, reset your mind after being stuck indoors all day. If you’re feeling lethargic, you’ll find that this wakes you up and awakens energy in you.

Take time cooking great meals

Don’t underestimate the effect of eating healthily. Indulging in unhealthy comfort food might seem appealing to beat the self-isolation blues, but this will make you feel worse. Do your best to eat well, and even spend some time experimenting with new meals and testing your skills.

If you previously felt rushed off your feet from work and life and you lived off ready meals and takeout, take pride in your cooking! Don’t eat the same sort of meals routinely and try to eat a diverse diet with different spices and cuisines — diverse food is good for our gut bacteria and microbes, which are crucial to your immune function and weight regulation.

If you want to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need, vitamin D is a nutrient we struggle to get from food alone that we usually get from the sun. As we spend significantly less time outside, this vitamin is great for healthy bones, muscles, and teeth.

Limit how much you read the news

It’s important to keep up with current affairs usually and broadening our knowledge with goings on in the world. But with the 24/7 coverage of Covid-19 dominating headlines, it can be quite wearing on our mental health. According to WHO, a constant stream of news about an outbreak can cause people to feel anxious or distressed. Switch off and seek guidance at specific times when you want to dispel fake news.

Keep doing things that make you happy

Does wearing make-up make you feel happy? Do you like wearing smart clothes? Well, don’t stop! Just because you’re in the house doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be doing ‘micro-lifts’, which are things usually scattered throughout our day that lift us up without us realising. The cumulative effect of missing out on these things that makes us feel good can have a damaging effect on our mood, so look after yourself!

Sources

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/covid-19-corona-virus-advice-for-the-general-public.html

Self-isolation is upon us — with bank holidays approaching and uncertainty of when we’ll be allowed back outside, it’s down to us to spruce up our time at home and improve our gardens to have fun with the people we live with. Fortunately, there’s plenty of inspiration for us to use to transform our gardens into a relaxing haven as the weather starts to warm up. Pop-up venues have become increasingly popular as of late. With everything from container units to outdoor amphitheatres, us Brits are keen to make the most of even the wettest of weekends. With fantastic events all over the country, why not recreate them in our own back garden? Here, we’ll will explore how you can take on the elements and enjoy the fresh air as we head towards spring in self-isolation.

Creating the perfect environment

Firstly, and most importantly, make your garden aesthetically pleasing as well as practical. Most beer gardens and outdoor dining areas have been designed to accommodate us comfortably, so that should be the first thing on your mind for the perfect ‘al-fresco isolation’ experience.

Parasols for all seasons

Order some parasols. Seriously, this should be consideration number one! The British weather is notoriously unpredictable, and you don’t want to throw a garden party for the rain to randomly douse you and the people you live with (unless if you’re having a water fight?). If the weather isn’t great, usually when out and about outside, you’ll have been protected by the elements by your men’s and ladies’ umbrellas — but now they can put these to one side in your garden and you can sit under the protection of your lovely parasols. The great thing about parasols is that they don’t stand out like a sore thumb in certain seasons, they can be used for protection against rain and shade in the sun. Everywhere from your local Wetherspoons to the Ritz Restaurant Terrace in London have parasols!

Up your flooring game

Decking and patio can be a pretty addition to any garden, but it can be so samey and can make your garden forgettable out in terms of decoration and creativity. Up your decoration game and invest into extra details that will make yours stand out from the rest. Setting down a beautiful outdoor rug underneath your dining area will take your garden to the next level — sumptuous padding makes everyone feel right at home. There’s plenty of waterproof and reversible rugs out there, so get looking online!

Mismatch on purpose

Shabby chic is a style appearing to endure all. And this is ideal for your back garden! To take advantage and create this type of look, you could buy a metal table big enough to fit you and the people you live with, that will endure all kinds of weather and complement with mismatching furnishings and seats that will look trendy and boho. Grab a cheap linen tablecloth that will look rustic, with random cushions, candles, and lights and hey presto — the perfect ambient spot!

Create the atmosphere

Make sure you’ve got a portable speaker so that you can all listen to your favourite music and have a sing along while eating food and drinking great drink!

 

There’s plenty of fun, creative ideas to improve your self-isolation experience at home. With the people you love and live with, what could be better?

The beginning of a new year is always prime time for weather forecasters, predicting how the forecast will be wetter, colder, and more challenging for us to battle through on our daily commute. While many people struggle enough in January, combatting the post-festive blues, it’s also the beginning of the UK’s peak storm season. With many epic freezes on record, a chilly start to the year has happened a lot over the years. Let’s take a look at some of the most historic winter freezes in the UK and predict whether 2020 will follow suit.

1836
One of the oldest cold snaps on record, the winter of 1836/37 sent a chill right through the core of the UK, with a hostile combination of sub-zero temperatures, snowstorms, and gale force winds. On Christmas Eve of 1836, the southern region of the UK was battered by a formidable deluge, as well as intense blizzards and high winds, resulting in serious snow drifts. By Boxing Day, there had been little to no relief from Mother Nature and the storm hit the town of Lewes, Sussex, near the Southern coastline. The north easterly winds swept up a deep layer of snow on Cliffe Hill, and it was reportedly near 20 feet deep. The overhang of snow was fated to collapse onto a row of houses belonging to some of the poorest working people in the town, known as Boulder Row. The residents were advised to leave their homes but refused to do so, even after the snow drift partially collapsed and swept an entire timber yard close to the cottages into the nearby River Ouse. On the following day, the remaining snow drift fell, engulfing the cottages. Nowadays, the avalanche is commemorated by the Snowdrop Inn, a pub built on the former Boulder Row site.

1947
Post-war Britain was hit by a serious wintery snap in February 1947, and it was a freak event which certainly took the nation by surprise. The weather had followed the now modern trend of a mild January, only to experience blankets of snow in a sudden chill at the end of the month. This pattern has become a common trend ever since – making the 1947 freeze the origin of what we now know as the typical British winter. Since the snow started on the 23rd January, it fell somewhere in the UK every day for 55 consecutive days after, and we’ve not experienced this since!

1962/63
Considered as the worst winter in recent history, 1962/63 was certainly a year the UK wrapped up warm and stayed indoors, as outside temperatures fell to a record -20°C in December 1962. In Glasgow, snow fell on Christmas Day for the first time since 1938, making for the ultimate festive postcard scene. Across Wales and in South West England, snow drifts were cutting communication off in towns and villages for days at a time. Lakes and rivers around the nation were transformed into icy spectacles, and the sea even froze over near harbours and ports. Newspaper headlines in Ireland read ‘More Snow Falls as Cut-Off Families Run Short of Food’, and images show groups of people pushing vintage cars out of deep snow. This freeze was the coldest to hit for over 200 years, and the country only began the upwards climb out of winter in March 1963.

2018
Throughout the ‘noughties’ we certainly experienced some particularly frosty periods, but the notorious cold snap which gripped the country from February 2018 onwards was undoubtedly one of the worst events in recent history. This wintery spell caused £1.2 billion in damages, with the lowest temperature of -14°C recorded in Cairn Gorm, and a shocking 17 UK casualties. The phrase ‘Beast from the East’ is used to describe cold and wintery conditions created by a polar continental air mass, happening typically when air pressure is high over Scandinavia. Across the continent in Europe, many countries experienced a similarly intense chill, with snow falling in Rome for the first time in six years and in Paris, metro stations were adorned with icicles hanging from the ceilings.

At home, UK residents were forced to prepare for the wintery influx and the MET office issued several weather warnings – reaching the highest recognised level, red. From the north of Scotland to the south of London, every corner of the UK was affected to some extent by chillingly low temperatures, black ice, and blizzard conditions leading to some power outages. This continued into March, with travel disruption from closed roads to cancelled trains and planes alike.

2020
What could be in store for this winter then? Meteorologists have taken a look at the patterns we experienced towards the end of 2019, and with this in mind, it seems like cold snaps will be short lived. But climate change scientists have forecasted that January and February will experience an average temperature of 3.9°C. This is 0.5°C below average for this time of year. These cold snaps might not be prolonged though, and there’s rain on the long range forecasts – nothing a birdcage umbrella can’t tackle! However, if this prediction is right, then winter 2020 could be the seventh coldest of the past 30 years.

As we move into February, time will tell on whether or not we will shiver long into March, welcoming spring with open arms!