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Justine was sharing this incredibly intriguing project she found happening in the UK… supposedly its like Farmville, but in real life… while still online… anyhow, take a peek below at what she has to share about it!
Last month, the National Trust launched the MyFarm project, which creates and bridges digital communities with the daily realities of farming. Although the project was heralded by the BBC and others as “FarmVille meets reality”, those behind the project are clear to stress that this is not a game. Instead, the community of 10,000 online Farmers have a direct impact on the workings of the farm at National Trust’s Wimpole Estate and are effectively working with farm manager Richard Morris to decide how it should be run. The first MyFarm vote took place last month, with internet farmers voting to grow wheat and that decision is already being implemented!
The project is a fascinating mix of real and virtual worlds and demonstrates a great use of digital and social media to raise awareness about the National Trust and British farmers. It also provides unrivaled access to a working farm. No matter where you are, you can follow the estate on twitter (@WimpoleEstateNT) as well as farm manager, Richard Morris (@farmermorris) as he goes on his rounds to check on the farm and reports on the many new arrivals (the last few days have seen many new piglets and calves!). They team have also just set up a dedicated MyFarm twitter account (@MYFarmNT) and an account for Emma who looks after the Shire horses (@EmmaMyFarm). The Shires are one to watch at the moment, with a new streaming cam for MyFarmers to be able to watch the pregnant Queenie and hopefully witness the birth of a Shire foal live in the next week or so!
In addition to being a fascinating project, the Wimpole Estate is an incredible place to visit. Located just outside Cambridge, it is one of my favorite escapes, with a beautiful stately home and gardens as well as the farm. It is also home to many of my favorite rare breeds. The home farm is a Rare Breeds Survival Trust approved farm park, home to a number of rare breed livestock including horses, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. The estate also runs a great events/courses series. I recently learned to hand shear some rare breed sheep and may be back soon to try my hand at hedgelaying, blacksmithing or ferretting. The next MyFarm vote is coming up soon and is about a subject near and dear to me, SHEEP! So let’s get voting to save native breeds!
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*rugenius in
design
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1 Notes
Justine went to check out the Birmingham Interiors 2011 show ~ and brought back some awesome pics ~ here’s her next post!
Another find at Interiors 2011, was the work of Rosemary Anrude! It’s hard not to be drawn right over to her booth showing off trestles and stools, a line of furniture that uses wooden threads and maple trestles for playful nuts and bolts furniture. It brings the little kid right out of you. In fact, biggest problem with this furniture line might be resisting the impulse to decon/reconstruct it all. See more pics on the next page!
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*rugenius in
design
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Justine went to check out the Birmingham Interiors 2011 show ~ and brought back some awesome pics ~ here’s her first post!
Earlier this week, I wandered up to Birmingham for Interiors 2011. One of my favorite stands at the show was a showcase by the students at Birmingham City University. Their four trend pavilions set out four unique student interpretations of Global Color Mix Trends for Autumn/Winter 2011/12 and titled ‘Afrika’, ‘Curve’, ‘Botanic’ and ‘Fable’. Take a peek at lots more pics on the next page!
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*notcot in
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3 Notes
Wow. What a few weeks/months/etc its been ~ but the last week in particular feels like the quietest i’ve been online in a LONG time! So before hopping back into the design chaos ~ after design week in NY, i popped across the pond to the english countryside to celebrate my little sister’s wedding. Who knew, even with wifi, it would actually keep me busy enough to stop working nearly completely! So here are a few pics of some of the random, prettiness encountered over the last few days on the next page…
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4 Notes
On unexpected inspiration and another random close up look at Oxford... how about some Moss and Spiders? And also praying mantis and silk worms... (And yes, moss fascinates me, remember the Singapore Moss?) So here are some fun little adorable moss clumps on the bridge... and then a huge spider that i found there too... then exploring into some of the zoology labs where i was whisked away to see some very cool (and insanely fly/web filled) space of pretty massive spiders and silk worms which are being researched to understand the magic of their silky webs... see the many pics on the next page!
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7 Notes
*notcot in
tech
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7 Notes
Aston Martin has just launched its One-77 ~ only 77 in the production run... they are saying over 100 buyers had already signed up and put down a £200,000 deposit without even SEEING this £1.2m beauty... Everyone was teased with the appropriately referenced upskirt shots coming out of the Paris Auto Show, where they only revealed a portion of the car under a cover! Where are they ending up? Only six in the U.S. to be exact, with just five destined to stay in the UK out of the total production run of 77 (says autoblog). You must admit its mesmerizingly beautiful, the curves are absolutely stunning...
"One-77 fuses advanced technology with stunning Aston Martin design to create possibly the world's most desirable automotive art form. Based on a sophisticated carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, this 7.3 litre V12 super car will deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning customers." Take a look at more sneak peeks of this luscious new design on the next page, and check out the video of what it's all about.
So here's where it gets really interesting ~ especially for our UK readers (or anyone who can be in the UK first week of Dec) ~ Aston Martin invited me to come out and tour their factory and see the car itself ~ unfortunately the timing is terrible and far too last minute as much as i'm dying to get out there! So, i thought i'd invite a reader to help cover it for me! SO, WHO WANTS TO VISIT ASTON MARTIN'S GAYDON FACTORY? Think you're a perfect fit? Know a car lover with mad photography skills? More details on the next page after the pics and videos of this beautiful work of art. (I could stare at these for ages, i'm already jealous of whoever gets to go!)
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3 Notes
NOTCOT Note: Here's another post from Justine (rugenius) ~ and her adventures in the UK!
Like Fru and Gu, Sheffield's Winter Gardens are something I'd come across earlier in my tenure over here in England, but never had the chance to really explore. I came across them when staying at the Mercure hotel in Sheffield, which is itself indulgently modern. I admired them from the hotel, whose Champagne bar and restaurant flank the gardens, but never actually spent time in the space. On my recent return, the gardens themselves are more than noteworthy.
The Winter Garden is a temperate haven. With its high, sweeping wooden arches and use of natural light, it transforms what is an often gray and dreary South Yorkshire day into a world bathed in soft light. Unlike the heat and humidity we often associated with greenhouses, the interior is cool and dry (and I must admit, reminds me of home!). And the high ceilings provide excellent acoustics, creating a reverential atmosphere and sense of calm (thats right, no reverberating screams of children!). See many beautiful pictures of the interior of this incredible space after the jump!
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So, i sent 
On random Monday inspiration from Oxford (out here for Justine's phd graduation!) we took a walk over to 
On awesome 4th of July presents from afar ~ my sister just bought me and then installed to photograph ~ this awesome 
