Archive for the category: challenge

:: New challenge: pimp my jewellery box

Posted by Kerry on March 5, 2008 | Permalink

Inspired by this post from Vanessa, I hit upon the idea for a fun challenge: Pimp My Jewellery Box.

The rules are simple: take a jewellery box (not necessarily a traditional kind - heck, any kind of container that’s the right size would do) and trick it out in whatever way you see fit. There’s no time limit - we want you to enjoy taking the time to make something really special, and we’ll be posting our own updates and achievements as and when they come to fruition.

Now, here’s where you come into it: we want our readers to get involved in this challenge and to share the results of their creativity with the gang here. We’ve set up a flickr group for Four Good Corners contributers and readers, and we’d love you to join and add photos of your materials, creations, “before and after”s - heck, anything you think we’d be interested in! We’ll be adding our own snaps to the pool, so we can all share in the experience, admire each other’s handiwork and commiserate if it all goes pear-shaped.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get creative! Drop us a comment below if you’re interested in getting involved, and let us know what ideas you’ve had so far!

Categories: challenge, craft
Tags: flickr, pimp my jewellery box

5 comments

:: Crafty weekend ahead

Posted by Kirsty on February 15, 2008 | Permalink

crochet rose

Oooh, I’ve got a lot of crafty inspiration and deadlines at the moment! Unfortunately, this may be hampered somewhat by the imperative need for packing to move next weekend, but I’m a girl who likes a challenge.

:: 1 - my manager’s boyfriend is now her fiance! This calls for a bouquet of crocheted roses in her favourite colour.

:: 2 - it’s Mothers’ Day in two weeks. Why did no one tell me this? I’ve got an idea for a lovely spring scarf and some luscious bamboo yarn to hopefully make my mummy very happy.

:: 3 - it’s nearly Baby Coppola time! I’m 25 squares into a 35 square blanket and I know that crocheting them together and doing the border is going to be the time consuming bit, but I’m in love with the sage green yarn I’ve bought for the border.

:: 4 - I’ve promised my brother a jumper for his birthday in April. The last time I promised a jumper to a man in my life, I gave up after three years and two sleeves, which I promptly turned into a strangely shaped cushion (in my defense, he chose a 5×3 rib pattern worked on 3mm needles - I know!). If anyone has a really simple, chunky knit jumper pattern, please, for the love of my sanity, let me know.

:: 5 - my Pointy Kitty! I’ve narrowed it down to three vintage materials from my stash (I love coming from a crafty matriarchy) and I might have to try and make three instead of deciding!

Categories: challenge, craft
Tags: baby blankets, brothers, craft, engagements, jumpers, Mothers' Day

No comments yet

:: Dave Gorman’s America, without chains

Posted by Joelle on February 4, 2008 | Permalink

It seems that Dave Gorman took part in our recent shop local challenge, albeit on a rather larger scale. At the end of his US tour of his comedy show Googlewhack Adventure, he was so disheartened by the homogeneous experience of the chain hotels he stayed in, he came up with a plan for another US trip. He bought a second hand car, and travelled coast to coast right across the US, trying not to give any money to “The Man™”.

And he’s made the whole experience into a film: America Unchained.

“In other words, no Holiday Inns, no Best Westerns and no Comfort Suites. No Shells, no Arcos and no BP gas stations. No MacDonalds, no Starbucks and no chains of any kind. Just Mom & Pop business all the way.”

I already knew Dave was a man after my own heart, with an appealing sense of humour, and an extraordinary eye for the everyday, now he proves his worthiness in support of independent businesses. Go Dave!

America Unchained is shown on More 4 in the UK, tomorrow night 5 Feb at 10pm, and will be available on DVD on 11 Feb.

Categories: adventure, challenge, shopping
Tags: america, dave gorman, film, shop local challenge, travel

10 comments

:: Say no to monster supermarkets

Posted by Joelle on January 11, 2008 | Permalink

Shop local challenge Those of you who share our belief in the goodness of supporting local shops will be puzzled and disappointed at the findings by the UK’s Competition Commission’s investigation into grocery shopping. Stangely, they recommend that we should have weaker planning laws and more big supermarkets, saying this will improve choice and competition. But hello! They seem to be thinking of competition between supermarket chains and to have forgotten the humble high street, and the local independent shops who are struggling to survive.

Friends of the Earth are campaigning on the issue, and are asking people to write to their local MPs and to the Competition Commission to voice concern, via their campaign page here. I did, and it only took about two minutes.

And wherever you are, remember to vote with your feet and shop local as much as you can.

Categories: challenge, shopping
Tags: campaigns, local shopping, shop local challenge

6 comments

:: Reflecting on the shop local challenge

Posted by Joelle on December 19, 2007 | Permalink

A week ago I set my fellow Four Good Corners bloggers, and any readers who cared to join in, the challenge to shop for a whole week only in local, independent shops. Of course I made the effort myself, and it is time to report back with a few conclusions.
Read more…

Categories: challenge, london, shopping
Tags: shop local challenge

2 comments

:: Present Challenge: The Results!

Posted by Vanessa on December 17, 2007 | Permalink

Like any huge fan of Christmas, I like to have as many as possible. On Saturday I held a Christmas dinner party - on which, more later (except for a small crisis over giblets, it went well). But today my boyfriend and I exchanged presents. We’d set one another a challenge to make one another Christmas presents for a $30 budget. I had NO IDEA what he would come up with so I was really delighted this morning to open a wall clock made from a copy of my favourite Shel Silverstein book, ‘The Giving Tree’!

Fortunately he was also pleased with his Road Trip Kit…

Roadtripkit

:: Picture Perfect

Posted by Vanessa on December 15, 2007 | Permalink

This picture, which Joelle sent me, always cheers me up. I was feeling quite daunted this morning as I thought of all the stuff I have to do today, both pre-Christmas dinner, pre-Christmas in general, and by way of packing - and then I looked at this.

Remind me who it’s by, again, will you Jo?

Since I’m feeling quite Christmassy, and am off to Disney tomorrow (hmm, a violation of the shopping challenge? What else is quite as corporate?) expect a very Christmas-orientated post soon documenting the success/failure of Christmas dinner and including the flying sheep, my very favourite ornament.

Categories: challenge, christmas, style
Tags: , christmas, favourites, pictures, plans, style

1 comment

:: We Love Local

Posted by Joelle on December 12, 2007 | Permalink

Since this week I’ve challenged my fellow writers (and you readers too) to shop locally this week, it seems a good moment to mention a brilliant site - We Love Local.

:: This is harder than I expected

Posted by Kirsty on December 12, 2007 | Permalink

This week’s Four Good Corners challenge to shop only in local independent shops should be easy in London, surely? Monday I set out, full of bright expectation, with three fairly simple things on my shopping list - toothpaste, deodorant, and muffin cases. I returned with toothpaste. They was deodorant in Portland Wine and Food, but it was the wrong kind. There were muffin cases in Emma Bridgewater, but they were £2.65 (though very pretty - do I love my guests enough to splurge?).

Boring necessities aside, I work very close to Marylebone High Street, which is a veritable wonderland of incredibly expensive indie shops - I think I’ll do some very successful window shopping this week…

Categories: challenge, london
Tags: london, shop local challenge

4 comments

:: Contentious fruit…

Posted by Vanessa on December 11, 2007 | Permalink

Well, so far so good in my attempt at Joelle’s shop local challenge. Though I’m eating a supermarket kiwi fruit… but it’s from before the challenge was issued! Does that mean I’m cheating? The biggest challenge will be my Christmas dinner on Saturday - I need ingredients that I’d normally get entirely from the local Trader Joe’s. Perhaps I’ll try to use mainly the Farmer’s Market, instead?

Categories: challenge, los angeles, shopping
Tags: shop local challenge

1 comment

older posts

:: Our sponsors

:: Search

:: Archives

:: Syndicate

:: Getting around

:: Features

:: Our photos

:: What we like

:: What we read