Jake Garner’s LTD ‘Green Flash’ watch

Ever wanted to apply your creative flair and put your own stamp on a design piece?

Back in April, watch specialist TIME² and iconic LTD Watches joined forces to give someone the opportunity to have their design put into production.

Over 2,250 budding watch designers entered the competition to create their own unique LTD watch. The submitted designs were then displayed in a public gallery and put to the vote. The social media scene buzzed throughout April and May with nearly 15,000 votes cast; and now the winning watch, by Jake Garner is about to hit the stores!

Jake, a student from Leicestershire, has an avid interest in fashion, working hard at the weekends to fund his pursuit. Currently studying towards a career in media, Jake stumbled across the competition whilst shopping for a watch himself.

“I’d been looking into purchasing a LTD Watch for a couple of weeks so I had a look on their website… I noticed the competition and thought, ‘I may as well give it a go’. I wanted to design a modern piece with a futuristic twist to attract the attention of people in their teens.”

Jake Garner’s design has gone into production and his limited edition ‘Green Flash’ watch will be available in Selfridges and online at TIME².co.uk from mid-November for £45.

In addition, Jake Garner and three runners up received a presentation case of the latest watches from LTD.

TIME² (Time Squared) is a watch retailer selling a hand-picked range of stylish men’s and ladies watches online. Offering designer watches from the world’s best brands, TIME² have the broadest range of up-to-the minute luxury and fashion watches, catering for all tastes and budgets. They are also responsible for supplying watches to ASOS and the largest luxury watch destination in Europe – The Wonder Room at Selfridges.

The younger generation along with gamers of all ages have been doing it for ages, joining other like minded folk in the whatever the latest fad is in online games.

With some basic skills and knowledge it is actually possible to participate in a shed load of online games and if you fancy it there is always the chance of winning some money into the bargain.

The internet has seen some of its biggest growth in online gambling and poker sites, you can barely turn an online page these days without seeing an advert or link to someone offering to give you money in order to gamble with them.

It is a massive business in which the odds are firmly stacked against all but a very few, why else would they offer you money to take part?

Offering a free bet or similar is enough to entice many of us to take a chance and sample the fun for ourselves, there is little to lose it would appear. But gambling and poker can become particularly addictive, even more so if you find yourself on a winning streak.

Trust me, it seldom lasts and most people who gamble regularly have a selective memory when it comes to talking about how well they are doing from their ‘little flutters’. Nobody will ever tell you that they have lost five thousand pounds in a year gambling, while they will tell you about a little win they had recently.

You can see that I am not someone to take a risk with anything more than I can afford to lose, but a game of Bingo is I believe a leveller, a game that is based on luck and percentages rather than skill and knowledge.

It would be fair to argue that any form of gambling is based on the same good fortune and percentages, but I don’t see it that way.

There are plenty of places to play bingo online and the list is growing by the day. Most bingo games will include their own chat room so it easy to socialise between games, a good way to make new friends online.

Alternatively encourage your existing friends to take part and have some fun without having to leave the comfort of your own home, with no deposit bingo it couldn’t be easier.

Randy Jackson

The brother of the late Michael Jackson, Randy, was hospitalised in Pasadena yesterday after a suspected mild heart attack.

The 48-year-old was taken to the Huntington Memorial Hospital where he remains while awaiting test results but is said to be in good spirits.

A source reported that he was laughing and joking with his father after the suspected attack and that they are sure he will pull through.

Randy has been under great stress lately while working on arrangements for a memorial service for Michael, he also attended a hearing for the involuntary manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray on Monday.

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani features in the July issue of InStyle, and in this preview she talks about the things that are currently most important in her life.

Gwen Stefani on Fashion
Have you always been obsessed with fashion?
“It’s been the same my whole life. I made so many clothes growing up and I used to do my own costumes. Like, in college – we’d have a concert coming up and all I would do was daydream about what I was going to make. It’s the same now. Fashion gets me so excited.”
Where did you draw inspiration for your spring line?
“I wanted to make a collection I was really going to wear. I was into grey, black and white, with just touches of colour, like yellow here and there. And a lot of drapery and slouchy stuff and some tailoring – and looks that were a bit Eighties, but also modern.
It’s about what I would wear, to be honest. It’s very selfish!”

Gwen Stefani on being a Musician
Do you enjoy performing in front of thousands of people?
“I love it. It is so awesome. I love getting ready and getting in costume, then performing and being physical. If you don’t play live concerts, nothing feels real. It’s just a song on the radio that you hear when you’re driving and it doesn’t affect you. But when you walk out on stage and there are people who actually spent their money to buy a ticket and they’re singing the songs, it’s suddenly mind-blowing.”
What initially made you decide to jump from musician to designer?
“I wanted so badly to have a backup plan for when I’m not performing any more. Let’s be realistic: it’s not going to be like this forever. So
I wanted to continue having something creative to do. I have to be creative to be happy.
I don’t have a strong sense of self-worth unless I’m doing something. I was a different person before I started to write. When I realised I could be a songwriter and that people would listen – that was when I started feeling good in my life.”
You’ve said you had writer’s block when trying to work on the next No Doubt record. Have you overcome it?
“I just wrote a song, which is really exciting! It’s not even done and I’ve listened to it two billion times already. It’s like I can’t stop. If my husband comes in and I’m listening to it, I’m like, ‘I’m sorry’.”

Gwen Stefani on Gavin and Kids
When I interviewed Gavin years ago, he said he prides himself on being an excellent gift giver. Do you ever drop any hints about what you want?
“Oh, no, we’re not allowed to do that. It’s just old-fashioned gift giving. He goes all out, you know? He’s a romantic, so it’s good. He is a creative guy and he’s amazingly inspiring with that creativity. We had a really good Christmas last year; it was fun getting gifts for the kids.”
How do you and Gavin coordinate your outfits for a red-carpet event – is his outfit based on your dress?
“We just do our own thing and it always seems to work. He has such great style. I get ideas from a lot of his clothes for the women’s clothing line, because I like that kind of mixture. I use a lot of stuff in his closet. I’ll be, like, ‘Ooh, we should do a girl version of this!’”

Are you and Gavin going to try for a little girl? Someone should get to inherit your wardrobe…
“I don’t know. Having children is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. No one could have prepared me for how awesome it is and how hard. And having two boys – there’s a lot of energy. I mean, it does seem weird that I don’t have a girl, but I feel like I’m running out of time. I also don’t want to spread myself so thin that I can’t even be good for them. “Poor Zuma, he’d be the middle guy. I’m not focusing on it right now, but it’s not up to me anyway, you know? These things are miracles, so we’ll see. Otherwise, the clothes are probably going to go to some girlfriend of Kingston’s!”
What’s your favourite meal to cook, your signature dish?
“I don’t cook. I can toast in the toaster. I can pour and set the table. No, Gavin is the one. It’s not even an option, he is so passionate about it. He cooks every day. He loves to go grocery shopping and find different things. I’m really lucky. It’s actually lucky and hard at the same time, because sometimes you
want to be fit and not eat it, but you have to eat it.”

Gwen Stefani on her signature red lipstick
You’ve even worn red lipstick while jogging. Is there any time you don’t wear it?
“No, I wear it all the time! I wear pink, I wear gloss, I wear everything, but my husband prefers when I wear red, so I want him to like me still! I remember the first time I ever wore dark lipstick. I was maybe 18 and I can remember the moment I put it on – in my Honda Prelude that I bought for like, $3,000 [about £1,950] – and looking in the mirror going, ‘Good, I like that’. Never again did I stop wearing it.”

instyle july issue

You can see the full interview with Gwen Stefani in the July issue of InStyle.

Generally speaking, celebrities have other people to look after things like this when they have plenty of cash around, but when money starts to get tight, the bills are ignored and the partying and excesses continue. Then bills are paid late, or not at all, and the celebrities get bad credit reports just like the rest of us would. Nobody ever seems to suggest to them that credit counselling might help them to manage their money better. They just want to keep enjoying themselves and keeping up their image.

In some cases, celebrities run up huge bills for clothes, food, drinks and other things and are allowed to do so because it is assumed that they are very wealthy and will pay eventually.  The designer companies are happy for well known people to wear their brand and exclusive hotels want to be associated with famous people, so no one wants to risk losing the business. So, they wait in anticipation of payment but unfortunately, this does not always happen.

When it comes to the various credit bureaus, everybody is treated exactly the same and once a default is recorded it is on record and cannot be removed without good reason. It makes no difference here whether you are Joe Bloggs in the street, or some rock star, who was once worth millions, you can still ruin your credit.

A cruise always has an air of grandeur and opulence about it, even if you’re not taking the most expensive one available.

Perhaps it is the fact that a cruise is where you are more likely to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, heightening that feeling of exclusivity.

Given the present-day obsession with celebrity lives and doings, it is no wonder that many people would give an arm, or even two, to catch a glimpse of the biggest names in town.

Post-vacation conversations are inevitably spiced with a dose of name dropping, indirectly hinting at the exclusivity and class of the holiday destination.

Now there’s no guarantee that you’ll have Brangelina & Co. aboard, even if you book the poshest cruise available. Celebrity movements, especially vacations, are shrouded in secrecy, and it is quite unlikely that the lucky agent will tell the world about his latest star guests. So what does that leave an aspiring celebrity spotter? The next best option; visit popular celebrity getaways.

Locations like Barbados and the French Riviera have held an eternal fascination for the jet set, and continue to be your best bet for some serious gawking.

Think Mick Jagger, Lauren Bacall, Tiger Woods, and Sting. St.Moritz can give you more than a great skiing experience; George Clooney will drop by if you’re lucky enough. Dubai is fast emerging as the latest hotspot for the A-list crowd including the likes of Jessica Alba, Ben Stiller and Liverpool FC.

There are many cruises to and around most celebrity getaways; sign up for holiday with a dash of glamour and excitement.

Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell celebrated his 50th birthday on Saturday night at the home of his former girlfriend Jackie St Claire, despite his actual birthday not being until October 7th.

Simon was serenaded by his celebrity guests with the song ‘You’re So Vain’, which the original singer Carly Simon said had be written for him, but Simon quipped that wasn’t Nobody Does It Better’  written for him too.

Leann Rimes and her husband Dean Sheremet, have allegedly separated after seven-years of  marriage.  The singer was only 19 when they got married and he was 21, but recently it’s been said that their lives were going in different directions.

Rimes has been in the media lately for alleged security camera footage which showed her, supposedly kissing Eddie Cibrian, her co-star in Northern Lights.  Cibrian is married with two children and has denied the reports.

There was a surprise guest at the British MotoGP yesterday, being ridden around the Donington Park circuit on the back of a Ducati motorcycle by Superbike legend Randy Mamola.

Price Harry, donned red and white motorcycle leathers and rode pillion on the Superbike which pulled a wheelie away from the start before going flat-out down the straight to an amazed crowd of supporters.

Michael Jackson

According to reports, the body of Michael Jackson is to go on public view at his Neverland ranch on Friday before a private funeral takes place on Sunday.

It is also claimed that the 02 Arena where Jackson was to hold his shows could be the site for a tribute gig, featuring his family and celebrities.  Fans who had bought tickets to the publicised shows have now been given the choice of having a full refund or being sent their ticket as a souvenir.

Beyonce helped a man propose to his girlfriend at her concert in Florida on Monday night while performing her hit single ‘Single Ladies’.

She suddenly stopped singing and the lights were dimmed before she handed her microphone to a man in the audience who said “Beyonce, you told me if I like it, I need to put a ring on it” before dropping to his knees and producing a ring for his surprised girlfriend who nodded while the audience and the singer cheered.

Tennis star Anna Kournikova, allegedly got into a bit of a fight on Saturday night while partying with friends at Lavo in Las Vegas.

A woman apparently threw a drink over the player for ‘invading her space’, infuriating the star who began shouting at the woman and pushing her until security stepped-in.

Comic Relief

The celebrities on the Mount Kilimanjaro Trek are suffering from altitude sickness as they continue gruelling charity walk.  The team which includes Gary Barlow, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Ronan Keating, Alesha Dixon, Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Denise Van Outen and Fearne Cotton.

Ms. Cole has already been given an injection to help with her sickness, while Gary is still suffering with back problems.  The event is supposed to last eight days but could take longer but the group have already managed to raise £500,000 for Comic Relief.

According to reports, Elizabeth Hurley has donated a photograph of her 6-year-old son Damian, to be used for a limited edition charity stamp for the charity ‘Woman’s Aid’ which raises awareness of domestic violence.

Prince Charles has been named as the World’s Best Dressed Man by Esquire magazine while Prime Minister Gordan Brown was voted as one of the worst dressed.

Paula Abdul, one of the judges on American Idol, is allegedly being sued after a woman fell over on a damaged driveway at the home of Abdul while recording for the Reality TV show ‘Hey Paula’.

The woman is seeking damages of almost £18,000 from the former pop singer and the TV studio who were filming in Los Angeles.

David Cameron

The son of the Conservative leader David Cameron died today in hospital after being taken ill last night.  Ivan Cameron, 6, suffered from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy.

The young child was diagnosed not long after his birth and has needed constant medical care ever since.  It is believed he died at the hospital with his mum and dad at his side.

The annual Prince’s Trust Ball will this year have Will Young as it’s headline act, which will take place on the 5th March at the Hurlingham Club in west London.

The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ pair Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone, will also be entertaining the guests with their stunning Argentine Tango.

The former boyfriend of Britney Spears, Adnan Ghalib, has allegedly been charged with assault after trying to run over a process server who was attempting to serve him with the papers for the restraining order against him.

The victim had to cling to the bonnet of the car to stop himself from going under the wheels causing a broken wrist according to reports.  Ghalib failed to turn-up at the hearing where he faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, battery and hit and run.