Be Creative

Be Creative

Show me a kid who doesn't love creativity. Show me a kid who doesn’t enjoy making some type of art — painting, singing, writing stories, dancing, playing music or making things with clay.
You won’t find one.

Until life beats it out of us, we naturally find joy in creativity. Then life (a.k.a. confused grown-ups) tell us we are or aren't good enough.

You hear that your picture of a cat doesn't look like a cat. You notice the teacher got excited about Johnny’s singing voice but didn't seem as thrilled about yours.
Somebody got the solo, somebody won the prize. Sometimes that somebody was you, but that didn’t help because you knew: it was all about being good enough, and in any moment, you could make the standard or not. Creating got stressful, fear ridden, nerve wracking. It’s wasn't too long after that that you started to avoid making art, even though you missed it.
So here’s what we wise and courageous adults must do if we want the joy of making art back. We must reclaim our artistic loves.
Why?
Only because creating is delightful and fun and calming, all at the same time.
Only because it’s spiritual, healing, transformative.
Only because it will help your physical health (boost immunity and reduce the effects of chronic stress) and make you a kinder, more generous person to be around.
Only for those little reasons.
Oh, and if there are kids in your life? That’s one more reason. Let them see an adult, happily creating for the joy of it.
Ready? Here are some tips for reclaiming your lost artistic loves:

1. Trust your intuition about what art to pursue.

Somewhere in that heart of yours, there’s a sense about the type of art your soul is called to. What forms of art feel appealing, right, charged with energy?

2. If getting started feels weighty and stressful, change up your perspective.

Ask yourself, “What would make this fun?” and brainstorm 20 ideas. Or, think of something in your life that you do with a relaxed attitude — getting drinks with friends, playing a game, cooking a favorite recipe, perhaps. Bring that mood to your first forays back into art. Or, pick a word that represents the approach you want to take. Maybe it’s “play,” or “fun,” or “silliness” or “exploration.” Remember it and repeat it to yourself when the judgments start to creep in.

3. Check out your fears.

Are they rational? Can you really fail at this? And by the way, if you did, so what? Are you really going to horribly embarrass yourself?

4. If you are feeling a little low on momentum, amp up the urgency.

Close your eyes and imagine you never reclaim the creative part of you. Imagine you live without the joy of making art for the next 20 years. What will the costs be? What will the consequences be?

5. Close the door on that period of your life when you needed someone else to tell you your work was good.

You know now that that whole game — seeking praise, avoiding criticism — just robs you of the joy and peace of making art. You used to hunger for validation. Now hunger for the rich joy of doing the work itself. Fall in love with the process of making art.

6. Do not let Ms. Critic and Ms. Creative in the room at the same time.

You’ve got two characters inside. Ms. (or Mr.) Creative needs a safe space to create, one without judgment. he/she needs to trust her ideas and make stuff without worry or fear. Ms/Mr. Critic is very different. he’s an analytical thinker, very good at noticing where improvements could be made. Until you are a very practiced artist, Ms/Mr. Critic and Ms/Mr. Creative should never be present at the same time. When you create, suspend all worries, judgments and attempts to evaluate your work. Later in the process, when it’s time to tweak the painting, revise the draft poem, etc., look at it through Ms/Mr. Critic’s eyes.

7. Don’t fall for your own B.S.

There’s a particular kind of B.S. that our minds make up when it comes to reclaiming creative loves. You will hear your brain thinking thoughts like these:

• I would need at least an hour a day to do this and I don’t have that kind of time.
• I need all the equipment and we can’t spend the money on that.
• We’d have to get a piano in the house.
• When we renovate the shed into a studio, I’ll do it.
• The only class I can take is 60 miles away.

It’s all complete B.S., crafted in an attempt to get you to stay in the safe but stale comfort zone, and not take any emotional risks by reclaiming your art. The truth is, you can start reclaiming your art, cheaply, without much time, and without any expensive equipment, today. Use that resourceful mind of yours to make it happen, and don’t be fooled by your own excuses.

8. Experiment as needed.

Experiment with formats. Maybe you thought you wanted to take a watercolor class but now that you are in it, you notice you compare yourself to the other students and might fare better at home. Maybe you planned to create once a week at night but are finding you are too tired and wondering if mornings might be better. As long as those experiments don’t become a way to put off the creating itself, feel free to tweak the how, where and when until you find a way that works for you. Just give yourself a solid block of creating time with each experiment you try.

9. Honor yourself.

Honor your courage. Honor the spark in you that loves to create. Take time to hear the child in you, thanking you so heartily for giving him or her back the joy of creative play.
Have you lost a creative love? What is it?
What happened along the way in your life that caused it to get left behind?
Do you want to reclaim it?
Have you reclaimed a creative love as an adult already?
How did you do it? Share your tips and wisdom with others.
What difference has making art made in your life? 

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A Journey Into Finding Your Life Purpose

A Journey Into Finding Your Life Purpose

A couple of years ago I was working so much I forgot about my health, family and friends. Somewhere along the road of shooting to become a successful business owner I lost track of what was most important. My dream somehow turned into a reality of being stressed out, overweight and unhappy. It finally hit me…
Work had become my life’s purpose.
Like so many other business owners, I started my business for a chance at freedom and opportunity to be the master of my own destiny. I had visions of success and money, and with that I believed I could one day finally be happy.

But the reality was I was not happy. I was miserable.
I won’t bore you with business concepts, but there is one important concept I learned that changed my life and I want to share it with you.
All great companies have four things: purpose, vision, mission and core values.
I asked myself, why can’t I apply these ideas to my life? So I did, and here’s how you can apply it to yours.

Purpose

Your life’s purpose is the reason why you exist. It’s the reason for being.
Let me ask you again, because it’s in my humble opinion, the most important question you could ever ask yourself – why do you exist?
In the past, if you asked me what my life’s purpose was- I would have told you it was to make lots of money. Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with making money, but for myself, I finally realized it was not the reason why I exist. It was only an enabler at best.
Finding your life’s purpose is very much about finding yourself. Life with a purpose drives you when you wake up each morning. But figuring it out takes time. After pondering and pondering with no answer, I finally asked myself the following questions:

1. What do I really want?
2. What makes me happy?
3. What gives me peace of mind and fulfills me inside?

Then all of a sudden it hit me! My life’s purpose was simply to be happy.
With this new found realization, I knew this was the beginning of a new life. Now the question was what does being happy actually look like?

Vision

Your vision is what your life looks like when you achieve your life’s purpose.
Your vision should define your life’s purpose in detail. It is the manifestation of your purpose. In terms of goals, these are your Dream Goals – the biggest goals of your life. Think about it this way, if you cannot see it, how would you know if you were there? To help you see your vision, consider the following questions.

1. What does it look like?
2. What does it feel like?
3. What are you doing?
4. Who do you see?
5. Where are you?
6. What are your passions?

It took many weeks, but I eventually was able to define what happiness meant to me. I knew exactly how it looked and could describe it in detail.
My vision was to help people reach their goals and dreams,  enjoy every moment with my loved ones and give back the world.
That’s what being happy means to me. The next question was, how?

Mission

Your mission is how you fulfill your vision, and in turn, your purpose.
Think of your mission as a way to live your life, almost like a personal philosophy. It’s like a set of instructions that tells you how to do something. It’s supposed to be broad enough to give you room, but concise enough that you know exactly what you have to do each and every day. In terms of goals, these are your Now Goals – the goals you need to meet day in and day out.
Your mission aligns your daily life to your purpose. To figure out your mission, here are questions to ask:

1. How do you reach your vision?
2. How do you need to behave?
3. What do you have to do every day?
4. What should you not do?
5. What obstacles will be in your way?
6. How many options do you have?

I admit the questions above were difficult to answer. These were questions that would impact my life, and it was scary to know how many adjustments I needed to make in order to start living my life’s purpose. This was going to require me to change the way I worked and interacted with the world.
After many different versions of my mission I finally came up with one…
“Lead with my heart, make positive change in peoples’ lives and live gratefully every day.”
Your mission will keep you on track throughout the day – just remind yourself what your mission is when you get lost. For example, I have a tendency to let small worries turn into big worries that bring me down. So, when I feel myself getting derailed, I look to my mission and it reminds me to be grateful for everything in my life, big and small, which helps me refocus my energy and gets me back towards my life’s purpose.

Values

Your values are the principles and ideals that define who you are.
Everyone has values. They’re typically single words that describe everything about who you are and what you stand for. Values are learned and have been inside you since the day you were born. You learn values from your family, friends, school, work, government, community and media.
Each person defines their values differently. Ask yourself these questions to help you figure out yours:

1. What characteristics describe you as a person?
2. Who are the people you love to work with?
3. What people do you want to be like, and not like?
4. What things in life will you not negotiate?
5. What do you believe in?
6. What makes you tick deep inside?
7. What do you truly believe in?

As for myself, here are a few of mine:  humble, real, dreamer, committed, loving, strong, happy and optimistic.
Finally, after many months, my life’s purpose, vision, mission and values were all on one page!
For the first time in a long time, I felt new again. I felt like the storm had cleared and everything that was dark and hazy was replaced with light and clarity.
Here are a few personal examples of how it has changed my life:

• When I wake up, instead of waiting for the day to be over I am eager to go make an impact.
• I look forward to seeing my loved ones instead of complaining why they want to hang out.
• When something doesn’t work out I know I will not give up because I have a purpose to pursue.
• When the world is pulling me in a million directions I look to my mission to get me back on track.
• When I get stuck in a difficult dilemma, I look to my values to determine the answer.

Living a life of purpose is a lifelong process.
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”
And I agree because at the end of the day all we have left in life are our stories to tell.
What’s your life purpose and how are you going to get there?

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Brad Pitt Attacked

"Brad Pitt attacked at 'Maleficent' premiere"

LOS ANGELES — A man was jailed on suspicion of battery after rushing up and touching Brad Pitt on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the movie "Maleficent," witnesses and police said, though Pitt was apparently unhurt and soon resumed signing autographs.

Witnesses saw the man from the fan area jump over a barrier onto the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and rush at Pitt, touching him briefly before security guards wrestled him back across the barrier.
The man was led away in handcuffs and arrested on suspicion of battery, said Los Angeles police spokeswoman Nuria Venegas, who did not know the suspect's name. She could only confirm that he made contact with Pitt, and could not classify it any further.

Pitt kept greeting fans and walked into the theater.
Pitt's longtime partner Angelina Jolie stars in "Maleficent," Disney's new live action spin on its animated classic "Sleeping Beauty."
Before the incident, Jolie told The Associated Press that the El Capitan is like a local theater for herself, Pitt and their kids, who usually don't attend her premieres but did Wednesday night.
"Well, oddly, we usually go to the El Capitan, that's where we take the kids. That's the closest theater to us," Jolie said. "This is the first time they were able to come to mommy's premiere."
The man got to Pitt despite security that was heavy for a movie premiere, with guards keeping a large gap between the stars and the crowd.

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Apple Wants You to Run Your Home from Your iPhone

Apple Wants You to Run Your Home from Your iPhone:

After watching Google acquire Nest Labs for $3.2 billion, Apple is striking back with a smart home product of their own. According to the Financial Times, Apple will be unleashing a smart home system that could be run completely from your iPhone at the Worldwide Developers Conference next month.
The system will allow users to control their lights, appliances, and security systems right from their iOS device. This system is allegedly set up to work with some existing "smart home" devices, though it is unknown what other companies those might be. Considering Apple’s recent purchase of Beats, we could see Apple acquire an appliance or security giant to operate as the back end for this system.

Little is known about Apple’s take on a smart home thus far, though it seems to have been in the works for
several years. Apple began filing applicable patents in 2012, so whatever this system will be, they've had several years to perfect it.

While I’m all for a smart home, I really hope there is a "disable-all" feature if I don’t want Siri to judge me for not leaving the couch for eight continuous hours.

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Best poetry

Poetry . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .

 Life tends to be harder :

When expectations reach farther 

And everything brings me down 

When you aren’t around 

Smiles seem to fade faster 

When your gone away 

And nobody’s eyes shine just quite the same 

Love is a word I could use to describe 

How I look at no one else when they pass me by 

Coversations are duller 

Seem pointless and bland 

When your not right beside me holding my hand 

Im not funny today 

No one is laughing 

As the sun sneaks away 

Like nothing has happened 

And I close my eyes 

Try to fall asleep faster 

Hoping tomorrow 

Is a less painful disaster 

Remember:

Remember me when I am gone away,

gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you planned.

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

Red rose:

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,

That’s newly sprung in June:

O my Luve’s like the melodie,

That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!

And fare-thee-weel, a while!

And I will come again, my Luve,

Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!

 

Silent Night:

Staring at the moon and stars above All night long Singing a beautiful song All alone.   I'm wondering Wish I could be the stars That  glitter smiles In your sorrowful eyes.   Wish I could be the moonlight That shines so bright In the darkest hours Of your life.   The calmness of the night, Ponders me so many things But enjoying the pleasures Of my dreams.   Wish I could stop the clock That spins circles on the wall O silent night! 

Best Friends:

Best Friends Over The Years

You've Always Been There,

You've Helped Me

When No One Else Cared Over The Years

You've Always Been There,

You've Helped Me When No One Else Cared.

Through All The Things That Have Gone Wrong

Our Friendship Has Grown Ever So Strong

You've Always Cared Through All The Tears,

And All The Laughter Throughout The Years

We've Been Through Good Times And

We've Been Through Sad,

But We Got Through It No Matter How Bad.

You Gave Me Hope When I Thought There Was None,

We've Stayed Friends And Had Lots Of Fun.

If I Could Go Back And Live My Life Again,

Some Things Might Change..

But You'd Always Be My Best Friend

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Unbelievable Places

Unbelievable Places! . . .

Antelope Canyon, USA

Possibly the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest, Antelope Canyon  is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona.

Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways making it one of the most photogenic scenarios. 

Possibly the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest, Antelope Canyon  is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona.

Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways making it one of the most photogenic scenarios. 

Bamboo Forest, Japan

The Sagano Bamboo Forest is located to the northwest in Kyoto Basin, Japan, covering an area of 16 square kilometers. It is one of the most beautiful natural environment in entire Japan, not only because of its natural beauty but also because of the sound the wind makes as it blows through the thick bamboo grove.

Black Forest, Germany

The Black Forest is not only one of the most varied, but also one of the biggest and best known holiday regions in Germany. The site is more than 200km long and 60 km wide. The dense growth of conifers in the forest blocks out most of the light inside the forest. 

The Black Forest is the birthplace of skiing in central Europe, with the first ski club being founded at the Feldberg Mountain that rises to a height of 1,493 meters. It was here that the first wooden skis were produced and the first ski lift built. Today, the Feldberg region is one of the largest ski resorts outside of the Alps

Mount Roraima, South America

Mount Roraima (mountain, South America) giant flat-topped mountain, or mesa, in the Pakaraima, the 31 square kilometer summit area of Mount Roraima is defined by 400 meter tall cliffs on all sides and includes at the point where the boundaries of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana meet. 

The tabletop mountains of the Pakaraima are considered some of the oldest geological formations on Earth, dating back to some two billion years ago. The result is the staggering landscape of Mount Roraima. Angel falls is located on a similar tabletop mountain some 130 miles away. 

Lavender Fields, Provence, France

Lavender Fields are a sight not to be missed, the color, the texture, and the scent of a lavender field encapsulate for many the essence of Provence. Lavender is said to heal insect bites and burns as well as repel insects. It can soothe headaches if you apply it to the temples and it helps you sleep if you have the flowers by your pillow. Late June through July is the best season for lavender in Provence. 

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni is a salt flat located in the southwest Bolivia. 

Salar is a Spanish word translating into "salt flat," and Uyuni is Spanish for "enclosure." As part of the Andes, the Salar is located at 11,995 feet (3,656 m) above sea level. 

Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world accounting for 4,086 square miles (10,582 sq km). The crust is comprised of salt and covers a sea of brine that ranges from 7 to 66 feet (2 to 20 m) deep. Collectively, the Salar de Uyuni accounts for between 50 to 70% of the world's lithium reserves.

The absolutely breathtaking walking on water illusion is something that is very unique to the salt flats found in Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia

Tunnel of Love, Ukraine

Giant trees surround this old train tunnel located in Klevan, Ukraine. The magical-looking place is nicknamed "The Tunnel of Love" by locals because it is a popular spot for couples to visit.The beautiful train track is naturally covered by green trees and makes a tunnel.

It was part of Poland between WWI and WWII. This was an industrial track (apparently for a steel mill) and won't show on any map view, satellite is needed.

Add your reviews about this post, part 2 will be published soon..

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Microsoft To Launch Real-Time Translation Through Skype

Microsoft To Launch Real-Time Translation Through Skype:

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the company plans to launch a real-time translation tool for Skype before the end of this year.

He just announced this at the Code Conference in Southern California.
On stage, an English-speaking Skype executive called up a German-speaking Skype executive.
They held a 5-minute conversation. The first executive would say something in English. Then, after a pause, the a computer voice would repeat what he said, but in German.

Then the German executive would speak in German. After a pause, the computer spoke in English.
There were subtitles in both languages on the screen, too.

Nadella says the translator will be included in all Skype products across all platforms, including Skype's iPhone and Android apps.

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Smartwatches the next big idea as sales of smartphones slacken

Smartwatches the next big idea as sales of smartphones slacken

Oh, you've got a Pebble," said the security researcher, Mikko Hypponen, looking at the smart watch on my wrist. "Me too. But mine" – he pressed a button on the black device on his wrist, and the small black-and-white screen washed over until a familar shape appeared – "mine has Flappy Bird."
He proceeded to demonstrate how he could play the maddening smartphone game on a wrist-sized screen, pressing the two buttons at its side to make the frequently ill-fated bird avoid the deadly pipes. Hypponen's quirky use of his Pebble is at least one answer to the question: what are smart watches for? As sales of smartphones slacken, because almost everyone who wants one has one, hardware companies are looking around for other gadgets to sell us. And the smartwatch is their latest idea. If they can sell us one each they're in the money. And if they can get us using apps on them, that would be even better.
It is hotly anticipated that LG will join the select group, which includes its South Korean rival Samsung, the US-based Pebble, Japan's Sony and a host of smaller players with names like Meta, Cuckoo and I'm Watch (sic). Motorola, which Google is selling to China's Lenovo, is also expected to introduce a smartwatch – the Moto 360 – this summer.
Although Google's Android software runs about three-quarters of the smartphones on sale outside China, there is more of a battle to see who will dominate the supposedly emerging smartwatch business. There were about 1.1m Android smartwatches shipped in 2013, according to the research company Strategy Analytics, compared to 190,000 Pebbles. But Samsung's new Gear 2 watch, released in April alongside its Galaxy S5 smartphone) uses Samsung's own software, not Google's; Pebble too continues to push ahead.
That could all change imminently: Google is releasing the Android Wear operating system software for LG's G-Watch and Moto 360 – both of which have only been glimpsed so far as Photoshopped mockups. Experience suggests that the real things will probably be less pretty, significantly heavier and have less battery life. But Android Wear will bring information about transport delays, weather and so on via the Google Now software presently found on Android phones.
Two questions about smartwatches. First: what are we really going to do with them? The answer, according to their makers, is see notifications from your smartphone, but without having to take it out of your pocket or bag. Using a low-power Bluetooth wireless connection, your watch can know about the emails, tweets and Facebook updates your phone has received, and show them on its screen. And, perhaps, play Flappy Bird.
Alternatively, the watch can control a phone, answering or rejecting calls, changing the music that's playing, or changing the volume. And with suitable apps on board, the watch becomes a tiny computer in its own right.
But perhaps the most important question is: if smartwatches are so great, why hasn't Apple made one? The answer may be that it just doesn't feel the time is right. Senior Apple executives have expressed interest in my Pebble (they've already bought their own, for experimentation) but Apple tends not to do anything until it judges that a market is ready. However it has registered the "iWatch" trademark in Europe and Japan.
Fewer people will want a smartwatch than a smartphone. A wander through eBay soon turns up people selling their first-generation Samsung Gear ("used once" is a common refrain). No one has yet figured out how to make a wearable computer desirable. Will Android Wear – or an Apple iWatch – change that?
It may be a problem with this whole generation of wearable devices. After six weeks wearing Google's Glass – which has a camera and small screen fitted just above the right eye – the BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones has regretfully decided that "in its present form with its current software, Google Glass is a failure".
It's too early to say that about smartwatches. But there is the risk that like Google Glass, their manufacturers will promise much and find the devices fly no longer than the average Flappy Bird.

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China cracks down on instant messaging services

China cracks down on instant messaging services:

BEIJING — China is targeting popular smartphone-based instant messaging services in a month long campaign to crack down on the spreading of rumors and what it calls infiltration of hostile forces, in the latest move restricting online freedom of expression.

Such services incorporate social media functions that allow users to post photos and updates to their friends, or follow the feeds of companies, social groups or celebrities, and — more worryingly for the government — intellectuals, journalists and activists who comment on politics, law and society. They also post news reports shunned by mainstream media.

Some accounts attract hundreds of thousands of followers.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the crackdown on people spreading rumors and information related to violence, terrorism and pornography started Tuesday and would target public accounts on services including WeChat, run by Tencent Holdings Ltd, which has surged in popularity in the last two years.

People can subscribe to feeds from public accounts without first exchanging greeting messages, as must be done with private ones, which typically link friends and acquaintances.

Tencent and other companies did not answer calls or immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

Earlier this year, the ruling Communist Party announced the creation of an Internet security group led by President Xi Jinping. Observers say authorities are wary of millions of Chinese with Internet access getting ideas that might threaten the Communist Party system.

Noting that such services had become popular online communication channels, Xinhua said: "Some people have used them to distribute illegal and harmful information, seriously undermining public interests and order in cyberspace."

"We will firmly fight against infiltration from hostile forces at home and abroad," Xinhua quoted a statement from the Cabinet's Internet Information Office as saying.

This is China's first major campaign covering mobile phone messaging platforms, said Mark Natkin, managing director of Marbridge Consulting, a Beijing-based internet and mobile research company.

The timing of the crackdown suggests it may be a response to discussions about recent deadly attacks in China's western region of Xinjiang, the U.S. indictment of five Chinese military officers for cyberspying, or the continuing government 

"Anytime we see a tenser environment on fronts like those, there tends to be a corresponding clampdown on various communications tools," he said.

The communist government encourages Internet use for education and business but operates an extensive monitoring system. Operators of social media are required to enforce censorship rules against material deemed subversive or obscene.

In March, WeChat removed at least 40 accounts with content about political, economic and legal issues.

Web-based microblogs, known in Chinese as "weibo," once enjoyed explosive growth in China but have come under increasing pressure. A new legal interpretation allows the government to jail microbloggers who post false information that has been reposted 500 times or viewed 5,000 times.

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Skip the tuck shop now! Tasty recipes!

Angry Birds’ nest recipe

This sandwich is a great addition to any kid's lunch box. A sambo that's full of healthy veggies and looks like one of their favourite characters? They'll wolf it down in a flash!

Ingredients

• 1 slice wholemeal bread
• 1 slice white bread
• filling of choice
• cheese discs (eyes)
• green beans (eyes)
• carrot pieces (beak)
• 2 grape tomatoes (for feet)

Method

Place the white bread disc over one of the wholemeal bread discs and, using a 9cm cutter, cut out the lower part of the birds face, carefully cutting through both pieces of bread.

Discard the large section from the white bread and the small section from the wholemeal bread.

Spread the whole round of wholemeal with your desired filling.

Place the cut wholemeal piece at the top of the disc and the small white cut section at the bottom to form the mouth/beak region.

Using cream cheese, glue the crusts on as eyebrows, the cheese discs plus green bean slices for eyes and the carrot pieces for the beak.

Line a lunch box with sprouts or crispy noodles to form a nest.

Place the Angry Bird sandwich over nest and finish with 2 grape tomatoes for feet

Crispy chicken dippers recipe

Skip the tuck shop and fill the kids' lunch boxes with these delicious chicken dippers. Add a tangy sweet chilli dipping sauce and some salad for a really tasty lunch.

Serving Size:

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast fillet, approx 300g1/3 cup (50g) plain flour1 egg, beaten1 cup panko breadcrumbs1 tbsp parmesan, grated2 tbsp olive oil1/3 cup mayonnaise2 tsp sweet chilli sauce

1/2 lemon, juiced

Method:

Cut chicken into 1cm strips. Lightly dust in flour. Dip in egg. Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan and season well. Coat chicken liberally in breadcrumb mixture.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large frypan. Cook crumbed chicken strips for 4-5 minutes or until cooked, turning often so they brown on all sides. Remove to a plate lined with absorbent paper.

Combine mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce and a squeeze of lemon. Serve chicken with dipping sauce on the side.

Notes:

Panko breadcrumbs are in the Japanese section of the supermarket. Normal breadcrumbs would also be fine.These chicken strips are delicious hot or cold.

Banana smoothie with Milo recipe:

Combine all ingredients in blender until thick and creamy. Pour into individual serving glasses. If desired, sprinkle with

Serving Size:

2

Ingredients:

2 cups skim milk1 banana, roughly chopped2 tablespoons natural yoghurt1/2 cup Milo5 ice cubes

Method:

Combine all ingredients in blender until thick and creamy.

Pour into individual serving glasses.

If desired, sprinkle with extra Milo.

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