posted25/02/10
If you have found a great ski deal where you can enjoy off piste skiing, you will also need essential kit for your holiday.
A pair of durable ski trousers with side-openings made from breathable material.
An outer shell jacket made of breathable material
Several thin layers of clothing between your skin and the outer shell are an approach that gives better heat retention and good flexibility. These tops are known as “mid layers”
Underwear with good wicking properties
Warm hat
Sun hat
1 warm pair of gloves
1 thin pair of gloves
Goggles
Sunglasses – UV factor category 4 recommended
35-40 litre backpacks
Minimum1.5 litre water bottle that won’t freeze
Sun cream and lip salve (factor 30 or higher recommended)
Tools you will need – A Harness, an avalanche transceiver, a shovel and a probe. Occasionally you might need glacier gear (crampons, ice axe).
You also need to make sure you insurance will cover you for off piste skiing and not just the usual skiing holiday related accidents.
posted21/02/10
If you’re looking to renovate or refresh your bathroom you need to consider what needs completely replacing and what just needs an update. Some things are easier and cheaper to renovate than others, when budgeting it’s important to look at what needs replacing out of necessity and what just needs a slight update. Below is a list of things to consider when renovating your bathroom;
If your bathroom suite needs replacing consider making a few changes, if you have a bath/shower suit do you have room for a separate bath and shower enclosure either in that room or another.
Do you need to install new fittings such as taps, showerheads, water controls and radiators or towel holders.
Do you need to completely retile your bathroom, if the tiles are in good condition and just dated then how about repainting them a bright modern colour.
You can also give new life into a bathroom by replacing dated bathroom cabinets with modern ones at a cheaper cost.
posted18/02/10
If you’re looking for an individual t-shirt a design that no one else will have then t shirt printing is a great idea. You can use your own designs and have the printed onto t shirts hoodies vests and bags.
Printing is a reliable way to get your images onto clothing and www.splashlogo.co.uk offer a huge range of clothing and accessories that you can print your designs onto. They use various techniques such as Digital Transfer, Embroidery, DTG-Printing, and Screen Printing enabling you to get the exact appearance you wanted at a great price.
Digital Transfer uses a heat press controlled by computer to produce single or multiple colour transfers in a wide variety of materials, with digital transfer there are no screen or set up costs involved and the resultant transfer has superior durability and can be industrially washed, dry cleaned, tumble dried and ironed.
DTG-Printing uses technology from the US call Direct to Garment printing where you can do short runs of four colour printed t shirts which means you have fast turnaround of jobs – 48 hour normal service, no set-up charges, advance T-shirt samples for proofing, high quality re-production, no “crazing” of image when stretched or washed and no nasty textures.
posted16/02/10
If you are thinking about updating your current heating system why not invest in underfloor heating to save yourself some money and the environment.
It can lower your energy bills by as much as 40% and requires less energy to heat your space compared to traditional heating methods that can lose heat through duct leaks.
Having electric underfloor heating means you will reduce damp air in your home, it is also clean and allergy friendly.
You will find after it in your home you will no longer have cold spots in your house.
Electric underfloor heating is safe and easy to use and it can be fitted into any room with any type of flooring so you can tailor make it to your specific needs.
There are no leaks unlike conventional radiators, and once installed you don’t see it or any pipes and it makes no sound.
posted13/02/10
An en-suite bathroom is a welcomed addition to any home, it gives you extra space and time the whole family can enjoy, instead of on a morning every one battling to use the only bathroom. En-suite bathrooms don’t have to be large at all, all you need to fit in really is a toilet, sink and a shower enclosure.
Shower enclosures don’t take up as much room as a full on bath with overhead shower, they can neatly fit into most spaces with shower trays coming in numerous shapes and sizes fitting the most awkward of spaces. Once you have your enclosure fitted you can easily fit a sink and toilet in and if you still have room you can add a towel rail or radiator. Then when you roll out of bed on a morning you can go straight into your en-suite without having to queue.
en suite
posted11/02/10
If you’re not interested in following fashion or not that bothered about clothes and shudder at the thought of buying any sort of men’s and women’s clothing, you still should have the following wardrobe essentials that will keep you covered.
Womens basic clothing
Vest top – A staple for both men and women ideal in winter underneath other garments and on hot summer days good to keep cool. Vest tops are also very popular for exercise clothing with many sports specialist developing new materials for enhanced performance.
T-shirt – The humble t-shirt where would we be without it, developed in the late 18th century from a one piece garment became popular choice for miners who worked in hot stuffy environment, then was used as part of the US Navy in tropical climates. The adaptation of the t-shirt from men’s clothing work wear to the most popular item of clothing is thanks to its versatility and durability.
Long sleeved top – Next along after the t-shirt, this wardrobe staple is ideal wear during colder months and into spring, great worn with jeans long sleeved tops come in various styles so they generally go with most things great for a comfy casual look.
Hoodie – They may have come under bad press recently thanks to the government’s blame of crime and disturbance of young people in hoodies however they are a useful and durable item of clothing. Ideal for lounging around the house in or as a warm outer layer of clothing hoodies are both versatile and practical.
Mens basic clothing
posted09/02/10
If you are considering installing underfloor heating you will be glad to know that it works ideally with stone tile flooring in areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms. You probably have become used to stepping onto a cold tile floor in your bathroom however when you lay underfloor heating beneath it the stone tiles they retain the heat much better than carpeting. Both water and electrical underfloor heating work well and neither need much maintaining.
There’s nothing better than stepping out of your hot shower or bath onto a nice warm tilled floor, there are also other benefits to the underfloor heating on tiled floors because they retain heat much longer you will find that once your heating is off or lower the room still keeps warm thus reducing your energy bills.
floor tiles
Picture courtesy of DefeatEd2k4
posted07/02/10
Hair straighners – You need a good quality durable pair of hair straightners preferably with ceramic plates such a GHD, who offer a varying range of sizes, as well as offering limited edition GHD straighners.
Hair brush – As with hair straightners you also need a good quality hair brush, the type you need depends on the style and length of your hair for long straight hair paddle brushes are great at reducing frizz and for shorter styles round hairbrushes give you lots of volume.
Decent, clean make up brushes – It’s good to replace your make up brushes over time as the can become dirty and cause spots however if you use a brush cleaner such as MAC’s brush cleaner your brushes will stay cleaner and last longer and will also stop any colour contamination.
Cleanser, toner and moisturiser – To keep your skin looking as fresh as possible it’s a good idea to use a facial cleanser to get rid of all dirt from your pores that build up and cause spots, when looking for a cleanser, toner and moisturiser you need to make sure you use one that fits your skin type.
Hair products – It’s not just your skin that needs protecting, your hair does too, there are many shampoos and conditioners out there made for different hair types, as well as some designed specifically for coloured hair.
posted05/02/10
When you are remodelling your bathroom and fitting a shower tray for your shower enclosure there are many things to think about, to start off you need to make sure you have the right tray for your size and shape of bathroom. Shower trays come in numerous shapes and sizes from regular square and rectangle shapes to more stylised designs like pentagonal and quadrant, the cost of shower trays also depends on which shape/ style you choose as well as the material.
Once you have decided on which shape of shower tray you want you can look at placement, a shower enclosure can be fitted almost anywhere in your bathroom however you will need to make sure it does not obstruct any other bathroom fittings and furniture and that you are not restricted with ceiling space. You may need to consult a plumber for advice on positioning of fixtures such as the waste pipe.
Corniche shower tray
