Did you know only 15% of official statues in the UK are of women?

That’s out of the 640 official statues across the UK, according to recent research. So the folks that make Sure Maximum Protection decided to try and even things up a bit, by challenging a bunch of bloggers to create a statue of a woman they admire.

I love a bit of arts and crafts fun (remember mine and Helen’s awesome painted head from a while back?) so I was definitely up for this challenge. I was sent a lovely little art kit complete with acrylic paints, paintbrushes and a little white statuette to decorate so on Sunday afternoon I set to work on my inspirational woman. Here’s the finished article:

I don’t think it’s a superb likeness by any stretch of the imagination, but eagle-eyed fashion (or politics) followers among you might notice the black and red Tracy Reese dress from election night in November 2008. Yep, it’s First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.

Why did I choose the FLOTUS? Well, where do I begin? It’s the very fact that Michelle excels at a multitude of roles that impresses me. Not only did she have a successful law career for many years, but since becoming First Lady she has spearheaded a campaign to tackle childhood obesity in the US, which we all know is a major problem all across the developed world. Michelle is equally dedicated as a mother to Malia and Sasha as she is to her role as the wife of the most powerful man in the world. Just last week Michelle delivered a widely-praised speech in support of Barack Obama’s campaign for reelection and she is consistently rated higher in terms of favourability with the public than her husband. On top of all that, the other thing that I particularly like about Michelle Obama is that she’s really into fashion and isn’t afraid to say it. Frequently, having an interest in fashion is seen as shallow or vapid, it’s belittled, often in a sexist way, but Michelle is vocal about how fashion is something she enjoys. ‘If I can have any impact, I want women to feel good about themselves and have fun with fashion,’ she said in 2009. That doesn’t mean it’s the be all and end all, but I think it demonstrates what a well-rounded woman she is. I think Michelle is a worldwide icon who definitely deserves a statue, even if it is only my little painted one. Plus, Beyonce wrote her a letter because even she is in awe of Michelle. Now that’s what I call an endorsement.

So, now I want to know, which inspirational woman do you think deserves her own statue?

Hey commuters, French Connection are giving away free swag at London’s Victoria Station tomorrow

French Connection and Sure Women have teamed up to offer you a free wardrobe refresh (see what they’ve done there?) on your way to work this Thursday.

For one day only, Thursday 5th July 2012, a giant pop-up wardrobe will be in place in Victoria Station stocked with French Connection clothing and accessories for commuters to pick up first thing, at lunch time or after work. It’s one piece per person and the fashion freebies will be divvied out on a first come, first served basis so you might do well to set off on your commute a tad earlier than usual so that you’ve a better chance of bagging a handbag or pocketing a pencil skirt. Got an important client meeting coming up? Need a certain something to complete your holiday wardrobe? The FC closet might have just what you’re after. Since my office is just round the corner I’ll be heading over to the station to have a peek myself.

If you can’t make it down to Victoria there’s still a chance to win a brand new outfit from French Connection’s latest collection every day until 30^th September 2012.  All you need to do is pick up a limited edition can of Sure Women antiperspirant, go to www.surewomen.co.uk and enter your code next to your favourite fashion look to be in with a chance of winning.

The fashion for free pop-up wardrobe from Sure Women and French Connection will be at Victoria Station, London from 7.30-8.30am, 12.30-1.30pm and 6-7pm on Thursday 5th July 2012. For full competition terms and conditions visit the Sure Women website.

Want £50,000 to make a short film? Here’s how you can win it

The latest project in the Bombay Sapphire Imagination Series, will give not just one but five people the chance to make a short film with a budget of £50,000. Think you’re the next Spielberg, Hitchcock or Scorsese? This could be your big break.

How does it work? Well, you have to use your imagination of course. The gin geniuses at Bombay Sapphire asked the Academy Award winning Screenwriter of Precious, Geoffrey Fletcher, to write a script. To enter the competition you have to use the script to write a treatment for a film up to five minutes long (if you don’t know what a treatent is then you need to brush up on your cinema lingo). The thing is, the script is seriously sparse on detail. It’s basically just Character A and Character B having a conversation, so the genre, style, location, casting, it’s really all up to you. Sound like a challenge you want to take on? Read the full script and find out how you can enter over on the Imagination Series website.

After the entry deadline of 1st August 2012, Fletcher and the rest of the judging panel will choose five winners from a shortlist who’ll each get that all important £50k budget to make their ‘picture,’ as they say in Hollywood. The winning films will be unveiled at exclusive screenings in early 2013. Imagine having that on your CV, eh wannabe directors?

It’s a worldwide competition so chances are you’ll have some healthy global competition. The contest was originally announced at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York but I went along to the London launch event recently in the heart of media town, Soho. While sipping a gin and tonic from a glass roughly the same size as my head (I know my head is tiny but this thing was gigantic) we listened to Fletcher talk about the competition and why he decided the get involved. Fletcher described how he suffered ‘years and years of rejection’ before he made a breakthrough with Precious. He knows how hard it is to make it in the film industry and hopes that the contest will open some doors for aspiring filmmakers. ‘Perhaps we’ll find some geniuses and they’ll go on to great careers,’ he said.

Need a bit of help to get started? First up, check out the video below for some hints and tips from Geoff himself. Bombay Sapphire will also be hosting ‘Learn How to be a Film Director‘ interactive workshops on Monday 16th and Wednesday 18th July at the Bombay Sapphire Blue Rooms at Zenna Bar (6-8.30pm). Tickets are £15 each and reservations are via info@zenna-bar.co.uk. An experienced lecturer from a local film school will talk about how to get into the film industry, washed down with gin cocktails of course.

Want to be part of the world’s longest social scarf?

Well you’ll have to learn to cyberknit. Sort of. Here’s a sneak peek of Wrapped in Merino, the latest global social media project from promoters of all things woolly the Woolmark Company.

Officially launching tomorrow, 29th May, Wrapped in Merino (merino is a super soft type of wool, FYI) hopes to make it into the record books by creating the World’s Longest Social Scarf. How? Well, they’re going to need your help. But don’t worry, it doesn’t involve any actual knitting (unless you’re into that, in which case why not attempt the world’s longest actual scarf?). What you have to do is go to the Wrapped in Merino microsite, upload a photo, design a section of the scarf as you see fit using the handy rotating tools – I went for a tasteful polka dot blue myself – and share it via all the usual social channels – Faceyb and the Twitters obv, plus my new favourite, Pinterest - if you wish.

What’s in it for you? Prizes potentially. Everyone who designs a swathe of scarf is automatically entered into a prize draw for one of eight winners packs, which include such desirable things as Net-a-Porter vouchers and Merino wool scarves – real ones, mind, not the cyber variety.

The campaign will be running over on the We Love Wool Facebook page, which I can honestly say is a constant source of joy in my Facebook feed – they’re always posted totes adorbz photos of things like knitted tea pots and mittens that two people can wear while holding hands. Can I get an ‘awww’? So head over there tomorrow and add get designing – the World’s Longest Social Scarf won’t knit itself you know.

Visit the Wrapped in Merino microsite, the We Love Wool Facebook page or watch a video about the project below. Check out my section of the scarf:

And the winner is…

Congratulations to Emma, who won the online part of our beauty giveaway – the other winner was Jess, at the Tweet Up. Emma sent us this photo when she received her bag full of makeup, shampoos, shower gels, perfume, face creams and other smellies and sent us this message:

Wowza, so many goodies. How many other fashion blogs would give away their beauty samples? I’m most excited about the anti-ageing products! Thanks Style & Then Some.”

You’re welcome Emma! Look out for more giveaways coming soon.