Snowboard fail

My twin sister was snow boarding in France recently.  Here she is in action - the best bit starts at about 30 seconds!!

Sunday Funday!

It was Mother's Day today in Ireland and UK so we called to both of our mother's with gifts of flowers, wine and chocolates.

We didn't stay for dinner in my mother's as she is having an operation on her back this Tuesday.  She was hosting my two sisters, my brother in law, my nana and my uncle for dinner so I didn't want to put more pressure on her by adding two dinner guests + dog!

After my mother's we called to Ciaran's mother.  She was delighted with her flowers but had already got a bunch from Ciaran's brother. He lives in Galway so he arranged for a florist to deliver them to her. Nice! 

Ciaran's Dad spoke to us about how much he enjoyed the Patrick Scott exhibition in the Imma so we decided to go once we left their house.

His works are spectacular and we whiled away the time looking at them.  

Scott passed away just before this exhibition opened.  He was 93 and seems to have had an amazing life.  Starting out as an architect he worked for the famous Irish architect Michael Scott for 15 years, and worked on the well known Bus Aras building -  he completed the main work on the stunning mosaic patterns in this building.  I also learnt that he designed the black and orange livery for the trains in CIE!

A very worthwhile exhibition to visit, do go if you get a chance. 

Happy Mother's Day to all you mammies - hope you had a great day!

Swan walk!

On Thursday night my sister and I saw a swan being walked down Baggot Street to the canal.

We joined in the walk and chatted with the group of people that gathered to help the swan get back to the water. It was like Forest Gump when he was running with lots of people joining the group and dropping off.

This guy in the high-viz vest was the main leader in Swan Walk (the swan had been in his garden!).  The swan was very calm but got very tired and had to sit down a lot - in the middle of the road!!!

This cyclist on the bike lent a hand.  He went near the swan with his bike to keep him walking straight.  He was the owner of the Brennan's bread (how Irish!) that is at the forefront of the photo - he put the sliced pan down to move his bike with ease. 

He picked up his stride as we got closer to the water.

And then when we finally got to the water the swan decided to not get in but eat the grass instead!

At this point we decided we had to leave him and the four of us who were left on the walk went on our separate ways!

My sister took a short video!

Daffodil Day

Today is Daffodil Day in Ireland.  The Irish Cancer Society sells daffodils, badges and products to raise money.

Last year was a complete washout - there was fierce rain storms and so earnings were right down.  The daffodils are sold outside shops.

This year they are selling a range of products including tea towels, teddies and note cards.

Look what I bought!

The Irish Cancer Society has had an increase in donations this year.  A large amount of money was raised by Daniel O'Donnell's wife Majella who bravely shaved her head live on the Late Late Show when she was diagnosed with breast cancer recently.

And now the No Makeup Selfie that is taking Facebook by storm has raised over 1 million euro to date!!!

Have you taken part in the No Makeup Selfie Initiative?  The concept is that you put a picture of yourself wearing no make up on Facebook and also make a donation to the cancer society.  Of course if you don't want to do that you can just make the donation!

Digital Marketing

I started a part time Diploma in Digital Marketing on Monday evening. The course is held in a Lecture Hall in Dublin City only 5 mins from my house - how convenient. The first lecture focused on social media and I found it so interesting.

I learnt so much including:

*  Google Alerts! Set them up - they are essential to monitor web traffic about you, your company or your competitors.  Know what people are saying about you online!  (Use inverted comma's to include your full name in the alert - or your businesses name)

* Optimize Linkedin - Use keywords that describe the industry you are in

* Use different tones for different platforms and be friendly but not familiar 

* Always respond when contact is made - this gives you the opportunity to convert a member of the public in to a customer.  Thank people for following you:  Make a connection

* Write for your reader but only put up what interests you.  If a piece of info bores you, it will bore your readers too.

* Prepare for a crisis - have a Social Media Policy

* Make a digital marketing strategy.  What are your goals?  Who are your audience?  What platforms do they use?

And finally if you are a business with a dated social media account that you never post to and it just has a load of old stuff on it, it is best to shut it down.  No online presence is better than a dated one.

Hope all of the above is of interest and if it is watch out for my post after next weeks lecture!

Helen Cody: Re-wearing your wedding dress!

Today in the Sunday Independent magazine there was a feature about designer Helen Cody and her new wedding dress collection. She reckons that wedding dresses shouldn't be left in wardrobes after the big day and should be so beautiful that you will wear it again and again!  I heartily agree with her.....

If I had worn this dress when I got married I would wear it at every opportunity!

All of these dresses were featured in the Life Magazine in the Sunday Independent and that is where I got the pictures.

Speaking of wedding dresses getting a few wears, check out my twin sister in her wedding dress.  She had a 1950's style wedding dress for her wedding in the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas.   It's hard to see but she is wearing a vintage head piece that I bought for her on eBay - it was a great find!!

Amy has reworn her wedding dress to a Christmas Party and a few other events.  How great is that???

Have you ever reworn your wedding dress?  If not, what did you do with it? Is it still hanging in your wardrobe?

 It used to be fashionable in Ireland to get your dress altered and turned in to a Christening gown for your first born.  I know in the States "Trash the dress" photography sessions are very popular.  Personally I would not like them to gain popularity over here,  I really find them distasteful.  I think it is shameful to ruin something that generally is so costly and has taken a lot of man hours to create.  

Unfortunately I have never got to wear my dress again.  It is a more traditional dress than my sisters so there is just no event that it would be appropriate for!

I should mention that my sisters wedding dress cost nowhere near the cost of some of the wedding dresses by Helen Cody pictured above.  As far as I remember she spent about €150 on her wedding dress in Debenhams.  It looks great for that price!

Retro glass coke bottles

Drinking coke from a glass bottle - tastes like the real thing!!!

I was watching a film the other night and saw a character drinking coke from a glass bottle.  I turned to my husband and said that there is nothing better than drinking coke from a glass bottle.

He agreed but also said that you never see glass bottles for sale anymore (except in pubs as mixers).

Well what do you know!  We were in the Blanchardstown Centre today and what did we see???  Coke Zero and Diet Cokes in glass bottles!!

I bought a bunch for my bar - I think they look quite adorable!

Can you buy coke in a glass bottle in your area? 

When you drink from a glass bottle does it transport you back to your childhood?!

Click here to see my all time favourite coke ad!