أبريل 2016 General products

I was invited to the Global Woman Magazine's Exclusive Networking Breakfast. It was their second business networking event and was held in Central London last week on Friday 15th April. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I have to say, it was absolutely brilliant!

Global Woman & Co

The magazine highlights successful, professional and entrepreneurial women of all cultures and origins, not only living in the UK – but all over the globe. It shines a bright and positive light on their lives and business success and also shows how they have overcome adversity and challenges in their lives leading them to a brighter and happier life.

I've done many nerve-racking things in my time but I have to say, getting up in front of a room full of business women to talk about my company Music Audio Stories at the Global Woman's Magazine offices, has got to be in my top five, most nerve-racking moments of my life! :-D

Anna-Christina talking at Global Woman Magazine's Exclusive Networking Breakfast

Proudly talking about my business Music Audio Stories

I felt so proud of myself because I've had opportunities to pitch in the past (not that this was a pitch, more of an introduction to Music Audio Stories) but I didn't have the nerve for it! That day was my day and now that I've done it once, I know I can do it again.

I met some amazing businesswomen and entrepreneurs and it was truly inspiring listening to their stories and hearing about their businesses. Running a business/company is an amazing experience but there are so many jobs you are doing at once. So many hats that you must wear at the same time, especially when you are also creating the product yourself as I am. It can be overwhelming. So to hear that I am not alone and other women feel the same and are going through the same things as I am makes me feel somehow stronger. I haven't always found other women supportive so this new business world of women, for me, is extraordinary.

I found myself feeling all sorts of things I wasn't expecting to feel that morning. I realised, it's not just about how you run your business, but how you live your life. For the past two years, I've been on a mission with Music Audio Stories but also on a spiritual journey of my own and my life has transformed incredibly. Finally, I feel like everything is coming together for me. I don't need to separate the various areas of my life as I have been doing. It's all me. The more powerful we are as individuals, the more we can give our special talents to the world.

This is what happens when women support each other. See if you can spot me in this video looking very rosy! :-)

Anna-Christina at Global Woman Magazine's Exclusive Networking Breakfast

Global Woman Club

It was a great experience and I feel privileged to be part of an amazing group of women making a difference in this world and inspiring others.

♥ Anna-Christina

The London Business Show is a great opportunity to promote businesses. It is a powerful and productive platform for people who want to gain clients, promote projects, create publicity and get advice from mentors and entrepreneurs.

I'm a member of the London Entrepreneurs Network group. With over 25,000 members it is the ultimate networking and learning opportunity for entrepreneurs and business owners in and around London and the UK. The group has been active since 2008. They help business professionals, investors and like-minded entrepreneurs, exchange knowledge and build successful new business partnerships. They cover all business sectors, so it's easy to make new contacts.

Last year I went to a seminar organized by them and I found it very useful. They hosted this year's London Business Show at Westminster Central Hall and once again, I found the event enjoyable and inspiring. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to speak with other business owners and entrepreneurs and I find I always pick up useful tips and ideas that help with running my own business. It's also very reassuring to hear the challenges of juggling many jobs at once from other business owners! At times, the amount of work can be overwhelming but it's all worth it in the end.

I went with fellow businesswoman and entrepreneur Roopa Bhudia who has her own cosmetic line. Have a look here: http://www.lissermoi.com/

♥ Anna-Christina

Anna-Christina at the London Business Show 2016

I have recently visited many libraries across London to promote Music Audio Stories 'March of The Ants Drawing Challenge'. I was greeted by smiling faces at every library which was so nice. Everyone I've met at the libraries have been lovely and friendly and invited me back to do our unique Story Time for the children.

Over 10% of UK libraries are currently under threat. Library closures and cutbacks are a serious problem. More than 400 libraries have closed in Britain in the last five years due to budget cuts, technology and the internet age.

Due to this, I have decided I want to give back to the community and help to save our libraries. I will be dedicating my time to this cause over the next few Half Term holidays! I'm very excited about this and I urge everyone to support their local library. They are important places for us and our children.

♥ Anna-Christina

An important part of keeping your cat healthly and happy is checking and cleaning their ears. Because the ears are one of the few parts that cats can not reach themselves they need a little help from a loving owner. Keeping your cats ears clean is extremely important because any unremoved dirt, debris, or wax can clog the ears and cause infections. Regular ear cleaning at home augment's your cats own natural grooming habits.

1. How to check the ears

During petting, casually check your cats ears for discharge, redness, unpleasant smell, swelling, and even lumps. Also observe your cat's behaviour, if he often scratches or paws at his ears (and sometimes even shakes his head often), then he might be feeling discomfort in the ear area.

If you notice that your cats ears are becoming painful or inflamed, visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian has the equipment to look deep into your cat's ear canal and give an accurate diagnosis. The veterinarian will determine if allergies, skin conditions, ear mites, bacteria, yeasts, and fungi are causing ear diseases. Seek early treatment, or your cat's ear condition may become too late to heal.

2. How to clean the ears

Ask your veterinarian for gentle ear cleaning solutions you can use to keep your cats ears clean. These special solutions are effective in removing excess wax, moisture, and debris from your cat's outer ear canal. Be sure to use only solutions that are specifically formulated for cats. Avoid medicated solutions, unless your veterinarian advises you to use it.

Different solutions are administered differently, but most of them require you to follow these steps.

* You typically only need a few drops of the ear solution. Squeeze the bottle and let a few drops fall on into your cat's ear canal.

* Start massaging the base of your cats ear gently. You should hear a 'squelch' while you do this. Repeat the same procedure with the other ear. After both ears have been cleaned, let your cat shake its head, this loosens the waxes.

NOTE: Stop massaging immediately if your cat feels pain, and then take your cat to the veterinarian if you haven't already done so.

* Wipe the solution by wrapping your forefinger with cotton wool, this should clean off wax and debris. Do this gently though and do not poke in too deep, or you might hurt your cats eardrum.

It is recommended not to use cotton buds, which can injure the ear canals' sensitive lining.

To celebrate 150 years of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Alice in Wonderland exhibition at The British Library explores how Alice has captured our imaginations for so many years.

Although the story has been adapted, appropriated, re-imagined and re-illustrated since its conception, we are still enchanted by Carroll’s original, much loved story, which continues to inspire new generations of writers and illustrators.
Come and see Lewis Carroll’s original manuscript with hand-drawn illustrations, alongside stunning editions by Mervyn Peake, Ralph Steadman, Leonard Weisgard, Arthur Rackham, Salvador Dali and others.
Discover how Lewis Carroll’s story has been re-imagined, re-interpreted and re-illustrated over the last 150 years with newly commissioned articles, a selection of manuscripts, reviews and literature relating to Alice in Wonderland.
- See more at: http://www.bl.uk/events/alice-in-wonderland-exhibition#sthash.rtSeCS6O.dpuf

The story has been adapted and re-illustrated since its conception. Lewis Carroll’s original, much loved story, continues to inspire new generations of writers and illustrators.

The exhibition was wonderful and I saw the original manuscripts with hand-drawn illustrations, alongside stunning editions by Mervyn Peake, Ralph Steadman, Leonard Weisgard, Arthur Rackham, Salvador Dali and others.

I spent a lovely afternoon absorbed in everything Alice and found it very inspiring. It's strange to think of myself as a children's author, well a children's audio book author to be precise, because I think of myself first as a composer and musician, however I feel privileged to be part of the author's world!

Very soon I'll have my own books too which will be such a joy for me and I'm so excited that I have the opportunity to be part of the extraordinary process of making a children's book!