Few things are more satisfying than popping row upon row of bubble wrap, with our stress levels seemingly melting away the moment we lay our hands on the good stuff. Even if you haven’t received a bubble-wrap filled parcel in weeks you can still get your fix by heading to the nearest post office or stationers and stocking up. And instead of lining your nearest cardboard box with your stash of bubble wrap, or using it in place of a stress ball at the office, why not dabble with some of the creative ideas below? Get arty If you loved finger painting and potato printing as a child, there&rs...; [More]

1. Address What it usually means: The particulars of where a person lives or where an organisation is situated.What it means to celebrities: An OTT Oscar’s acceptance speech or similar that is bound to draw gasps from the watching crowd.   2. Correspondence www.studentbeans.com What it usually means: A civilised exchanged of letters between two people.What it means to celebrities: An all out, back and forth Twitter spat between two enraged A-listers.   3. Drop offs http://picsforfun.blogspot.co.uk/ What it usually means: A series of pre-arranged parcel deliveries.Wha... [More]

Receiving a parcel out of the blue is exciting enough in itself, but for those who want to raise the ‘you’ve got mail’ barometer up a notch or two, what better way is there than a few colourful parcel accessories? Below are five items that are guaranteed to pimp your mail. 1.       Funky wrapping paper Ensure that your parcel definitely won’t be returned to sender by using this funky scrabble wrapping paper (£2.50) from notonthehighstreet.com. Adorning your parcel in this way is also likely to inspire a few games of ‘who can cre... [More]

Returning from a day at the office, many of us are likely to be met with a piece of junk mail or three barring our entrance to the place we call home. From flyers for the local pizza parlour to mini catalogues advertising a host of weird and wonderful wares from self-heating socks to banana guards. And while our first instinct may be to hurl these unwanted pieces of mail into the recycling bin, with a little thought and a dash of ingenuity we can actually turn one man’s trash into another’s treasure. Here are 5 creative ways to repurpose junk mail that are guaranteed to deliver. &n...; [More]

Summer is always jam packed with music festivals, and while Glastonbury may have been and gone music buffs won’t be disappointed by this month’s festival offering. Below are some of the best. Wilderness (August 7 – 10) – Conbury Park, Oxfordshire This multi-award winning festival offers an extensive programme of events covering anything from live music and theatre to banquets and lively debates. Crooners including famed American singer-songwriter Burt Bacharach will help to keep crowds entertained while the Lakeside spa complete with wood-fired hot tubs and sauna will h... [More]

As one of the world’s foremost capitals, London is home to a number of famous residents. Visitors heading to central London will barely be able to turn a corner without stumbling upon a noted address offering a window into the capital both past and present. Architecture buffs that are keen to get a glimpse of London’s most esteemed addresses will definitely want to peruse the list below. Buckingham Palace While the Queen and Prince Phillip spend much of their time in Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace serves as the Queen’s London residence and the location for some of the grea... [More]

Today (July 23rd) marks the first day of the Commonwealth Games, one the most coveted events in the athletics calendar. Since the first Games in Hamilton, Canada in 1930 this multi-sport event has the number of participating Commonwealth countries steadily increase from 11 to 71. Held every four years the Commonwealth Games is third only to the Olympic Games and the Asian Games, and all eyes will be firmly fixed on Glasgow as the 2014 Games host. Below we reflect on some of the host cities of the Commonwealth Games throughout the years. Glasgow, Scotland- 2014 One of Scotland’s most vibr... [More]

While there are many parallels between postal systems from centuries gone by and those in the present day, the humble stamp and envelope being two, there are many features of the postal system that have been firmly consigned to the past. Read on to discover 5 relics of our postal past. Victorian pillar box   Picture credit: David Merrett Prior to the mid 1800s there were two ways to deliver a letter, either in person to the Receiving House (a predecessor to the Post Office) or waiting for a uniformed Bellman to collect it from your door. Then Post Office Survey’s Clerk, and later no... [More]

Imagining a world without next day delivery, is likely imagining summer minus the sunshine or plate of lightly battered cod without a tasty sidekick in the form of vinegary chips. At a time when very few of us are prepared to wait for the things we want, the ability to order last-minute and be greeted with a parcel of goodies the following day is often more than welcome. Here are just 5 scenarios where next day delivery is a lifesaver The annual events that slip our minds They may happen every year, but that doesn’t mean anniversaries, birthdays and other key celebrations don’t sli... [More]

Online shoppers the world over head to a handful of places when they want to snap up anything from a set of AAA batteries to the latest items of pet fashion wear. Online marketplace eBay is one of them, and with scores of items for sale from the weird to the wonderful, the best part of a day can easily be lost in the grip of a bidding frenzy. Those with a penchant for the unusual are well catered for on the site, as evidenced by this list of the 5 of the most curious items currently for sale on eBay. 1.    Unicorn horn for cats - £9.95 The success of sights such as i ... [More]