Yesterday Google launched a new free to use service Street Finder that allows you to zoom in on any street, close up, anywhere in the world!  Then you can take a 360-degree tour including images of people, cars and houses that happened to be there when they recorded the image.  The purpose? Google say you can preview areas you are considering a visit to - useful for instance if you are considering a move of house!

Naturally this is prompting general concerns over privacy, security, invasions of privacy.... for me, well I'm fairly relaxed on this, but of course - as always - there is always an element of society that may use this technology with mal-intent.

What's your view?

Today, Friday 20th March, is the first day of Spring!  Yes, at last we can officially throw off the shackles of winter and look forward to (hopefully) the longer, brighter days and warm sun of summer.

We've already had a spring clean or two in the Allen household, but no doubt another one will be in the offing soon.... together with a thought or two of redecorating and brightening up our surroundings.

If you feel the same, why not take a look at our beautiful tapestry kits by Cleopatra's Needle and Textile Heritage...just bursting with spring time flowers.  Stitch yourself a cushion to decorate your kitchen, sitting room or bedroom or, if your short on time, maybe a springtime themed bookmark...they'll be guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you stitch!

Whatever you're doing today, do enjoy the Spring like weather!

Friday 13th - unlucky for some? Well, maybe not for the wonderful Kauto Star - the plucky King George Stake 3 times winner who makes an attempt to win his 2nd Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival tomorrow.

Good wishes to Paul Nicholls, the super trainer who looks after this star horse - here in the Allen household we have our fingers crossed for you all.

Earlier in the week we made our annual visit to the opening day of The Festival and enjoyed a great day's racing - with a couple of little flutters coming up trumps - perfect!

To all of Wales - I hope you have a very happy St David's Day!  Thankfully spring seems to be on its way and the sun is shining here in north east Hampshire! 

Tell us all how you've spent your day - here in our household, husband has fitted a new cooker and dug the garden; for myself I have spent time in updating the website and adding new products to my ebay site also. 

Included are several Welsh themed products inlcuding a Welsh Dragon bookmark from Textile Heritage and Daffodil cushions from Cleopatra's Needle - part of the sale of this will be contributed to the Marie Curie fund.