HUMP OF HAPPINESS | THE LITTLE THINGS

I'm sure that i've talked about it on my blog before - i'm a lover of the little things. The attention to detail, the small gestures, the random acts of kindness. Those tiny things in life that can absolutely brighten up your day. 

Here's just a reminder to do more little things, whether that's for yourself or for those around you. 

#HumpofHappiness

Have a lovely day!

Krissie x 

Hump of happiness | Take Time

" Take time to do what makes your soul happy." - •Anonymous• 

Have a fantastic day!

Krissie x 

Hump of happiness | Be yourself

"By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before." - • Edwin Elliot • 

Have a smiley day! - Krissie 

Hump of Happiness| Glow worm

"I wish I were a glow worm, a glow worm's never glum. 'Cause how can you be grumpy, when the sun shines out your bum?!"

• Author unknown •

Have a fab day! - Krissie 

Winnie's 100th Birthday Surprise | Social media goodness

Many believe that the meaning of ‘community’ is slowly disappearing, especially in an age where the majority of people live through the screens of their phones and computers. Gone are the days that you know your neighbours well enough to pop round to their house for a cup of sugar or to have a gossip over the garden fence. So when BBC Radio Sheffield launched a campaign for help on Facebook, they were overwhelmed with how their online 'community' had rallied round in the thousands. 

The team at BBC Radio Sheffield, located at 54 Shoreham Street, decided to organise a surprise for 99 year old Winnie. Using the social media platform, they reached out to their audience of 10,000 followers and asked for help in making Winnie’s landmark birthday really special, suggesting that those wanting to get involved could send cards and letters to the studio before the end of the month. 

Winnie doesn’t have family and has barely any contact with the outside world, so even she wouldn’t have been prepared for what was to happen next. Within two days the radio station was inundated with messages, cards, letters and the Facebook post had been seen by over 3 million people.  

Because of the campaign’s success, the team are now throwing a huge birthday bash for Winnie to present her with all of the kind gestures from people all over the UK and a far. 

You can read regular updates from BBC Radio Sheffield and even watch a video of the birthday girl being told about the fabulous responses she’s received, by clicking HERE. 

[Source: BBC Radio Sheffield]

Happy Birthday Winnie, I hope you enjoy the card I have sent to you too.

Hump of happiness - Alice in Wonderland

"You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head... but I'll tell you a secret.. All of the best people are!" - • Alice in Wonderland • 

Have a wonderful day! - Krissie 

Hump of happiness | Inspired by Roald Dahl

If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely. - •Roald Dahl• 

Have a lovely day - Krissie

Social Media Favourites I January 2015

Last year I documented my best weekly social media finds with regular blog updates called ‘Social Media Favourites’ and i’ve decided to continue this series of blog entries into 2015. After all, i’m an advocate for using social media for goodness. 

Therefore, please find below a hand picked selection of funny, entertaining and educational content that have been shared across YouTube and twitter over the last week. 

1. Foot tapping in New York

New York based band Coyote & Crown performed a cover of ‘Me and my uncle’ by Greatful Dead in Williamsburg back in November last year and their performance certainly sparked a few funky dance moves and the odd jig.

Source: +Coyote AndCrow 

2. Awesome Facebook profile pictures

Everyone loves a good looking guy with a sense of humour and this one has oodles of creativity too! Each week he uploads a new transformation, complete with costumes, make up and the perfect location. 

There’s 20 to scroll through and no two are the same: 

Source: +Bored Panda 

3. Break Free

Australian model and DJ Ruby Rose wrote, produced and stared in her own short film last year about gender roles. The film addresses gender fluidity, being Transgender and what it is like to have an identity that deviates from the status quo. The autobiographical video includes insightful images of Ruby cutting hair, removing make up, binding breasts and putting on a prosthetic phallic. 

For those that don't understand, please take five minutes to watch and for those that do understand, you still may learn something. I did. 

Source: +RubyRose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFjsSSDLl8w

4. Mini Me's

Baby boy’s dressed in cute outfits to match their dad’s is pretty adorable and Bored Panda have gone one step further by collating 20 of the best ‘like father, like son’ photos of dad’s and their sons in different scenarios. 

*Warning* - Cuteness overload!

Source: +Bored Panda 

5. Isabella takes on Gaston 

Imagine taking a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida and being able to meet the characters from your favourite Disney films? Well, YouTuber ‘Jonas Almost Famous’ happened to capture the funniest moment whilst queuing to meet Gaston (Villain from Beauty and the Beast). Situated at his meet and greet spot in Fantasyland, Gaston meets an adorable little girl named Isabella who takes upon her self to stick up for the Beast and the scene that unfolds, is just hilarious. 

Source: +JonasAlmostFamous 

Have a great week!

Keep smiling :-) 

Katy Perry | Roar by Isabelle | Krissie ♥

Children literally say and do the funniest things and my latest YouTube video featuring Isabelle is no different. 

She discovered a new love for filming her self singing and watching it back and if her mum and my mum (Nanny Chris) weren't talking in the background, this would have been a full length video (they didn't know that we were filming). Instead I have edited the best bits together with a cute moment thrown in the middle! 

I laugh every time I watch it, especially when she makes up the words! 

Izzy is only six years old, so please show her lots of support and enjoy :D

Keep smiling!

_______________________________________________________________

|You're in the YouTube video Grandad|                |Week 7|

  

Social media favourites | Week 7

Happy Sunday!

This weeks favourites are all about singing and most importantly, Beyonce and Frozen! But i have also added in a couple of amazing heart warming stories to balance out the power ballads. 

A quote I have found today which I am feeling really inspired by, is:

"If it's both terrifying and amazing then you should definitely pursue it!" - Ereda. 

I interpret this to be linked with having dreams and changing your direction. 

Hope you have a great week ahead!

1. Let it Go - Disney 

YouTuber, Brian Hull recorded a phenomenal cover of Frozen’s Let it Go with the help of Seth O’Neal this week and what makes it special, is that Brian sang the song whilst imitating other Disney characters, such as Mickey, Minnie and Winnie the Pooh. 

Click on the image below to listen to the mashup!

Source: +Brian Hull


2.  BEYONCÉ

You may have heard or watched a video from American acapella group Pentatonix at some point over the last few years. They are a group of 5 vocalists who are just incredible at putting together covers of their favourite tracks. Two of the group, Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi, host their own spin off YouTube channel called Superfruit. 

Each Tuesday see’s them uploading a new video and their latest Beyonce inspired cover demonstrates how their voices are truly sensational. Listen to them singing a collection of songs from her new album. 

Source: @sup3rfruit  @scotthoying  @mitchgrassi

3. Anything for love

Photographer, Albert Bredenhann recently documented and shared a video of a few loving ladies participating in a photo shoot which had been organised to show support to their friend Gerdi McKenna who was diagnosed with cancer. Not only was the photoshoot a surprise, Gerdi also didn't expect the courageous acts of kindness her friends and family made. 

Source: @albert_pixelpro

4. Random act of kindness

An anonymous donor left fresh knitted hats on the statues of canal workers inside the Wellend Memorial Monument, in a bid to keep those in need, with warm heads throughout their recent snow storm. Each hat came with a handwritten note encouraging people to take one. 

What a lovely gesture and the statues look cosy too! Read more about the story by clocking on the image :)

Source: @StCatStandard

5.  Christina Bianco's 'Let It Go' 

Heading back to Frozen and in particular, another fantastic cover with a twist. Christina Bianco who is a well known actress, singer and impressionist has put together her rendition of Let it Go by impersonating Idina Menzel, Demi Lovato and a few other celebrities.  

It’s brilliant how she captures their accent and mannerisms in a few words. Close your eyes and you won’t be able to tell it’s the same person. 

Source: @XtinaBianco1

Happiness Fact!

Did you know that Penguins only have one mate their entire life and “propose” by giving their mate a pebble?

Keep smiling :-)

_______________________________________________________________

 |Week 6|                                                     |You're in the YouTube video Grandad|

 

Social media favourites | Week five

Good afternoon! We are in March and doesn't it just feel great to see the sun shining and the sky blue? For this weeks instalment of social media favourites there are some fab, heart warming stories, funny dancing and a crazy animal. But first things first, here’s a little bit of motivation for the week ahead. 

“There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things whig are beyond the power of our will”

1. Do it for the vine

Vine is a mobile app owned by Twitter that enables its users to create and post short looping video clips. Video clips created with Vine have a maximum clip length of seven seconds and can be shared to Vine's social network, or to other services such as Twitter. 

The beauty of the app is that many videos are of great comedy value, including this one that features a dancing grandad! 

Source: @JakeFoushee

2. Would you help a freezing child in need?

SOS Mayday, part of the SOS Children’s Villages action network in Norway, released a heart-wrenching social experiment video to raise awareness of displaced children in Syria who lack coats to weather the winter.

In the video, a young boy sits at a bus stop in Norway, shivering from the winter cold because he doesn’t have a coat. Compassionate passers-by stop to help the boy and give him their coats, gloves, hats or scarves, and all of it is captured by a hidden camera. The point of the video is to illustrate that the same kind of aid can be given to cold children in Syria by donating to the SOS Mayday campaign. To contribute to their efforts, please visit their website: SOS Mayday.

Source: @SOS_barnebyer


3. YouTuber Dance Battle With Marcus Butler and Alfie Deyes

Alfie Deyes, also known in the YouTube world as PointlessBlog is a British Youtuber and all round funny man!  He has a tag line of ‘do more of what makes you happy’ and that’s certainly what happened in his latest video featuring fellow YouTube sensation, Marcus Butler. 

The pair took on the ‘Just dance’ game, over on Alfie’s gaming channel and proceeded to dance in a battle to be crowned the winner. This film had me laughing from start to finish, with their serious faces and terrible coordination, you’ve just got to watch it! 

Source: @PointlessBlog @MarcusButlerTv

4. A 99 year old Beggar! 

Dobri Dobrev from Bulgaria to most looks like an old beggar but what he does everyday to benefit children without families is out of this world. I won’t give away his story, please follow the link below. 

It just goes to show that you shouldn’t judge a book my its cover and we could all take a leaf out of Dobri’s book. 

Source: @ViralNova

5. Dancing Cat - What is love?

When you think of amazing 90’s tunes, its guaranteed that one of your go-to songs is Haddaway’s ‘What is Love’ as it’s such a great song and makes you want to dance. To my surprise, this week I came across a cat dancing to this very song on Vine, created by Esa Fungtastic and now I can’t stop listening to the song! 

Here is the cat bopping:

For a weekend special, here is the original video - let me know in the comments if you can’t get this out of your head too!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhrBDcQq2DM

Source: Esa Fungtastic via @vineapp & @HADDYMUSIX

Happiness Fact:

It has been suggested that there are several factors that contribute toward happiness. This is an ”equation for happiness,” suggested by psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman:
H = S + C + V

H = Happiness
S = Set range (genetics: about 50%)
C = Circumstances (8-15%)
V = Voluntary Control (past, present, future)

Keep smiling :-)





_______________________________________________________________

 |Week 3|                                                        |Week 4|

 

Social media favourites | Week 4

Happy Monday to you! 

My social media favourites for last week is being shared a day later than usual because my internet has been on the blink and so instead of posting this out over the weekend, I can now brighten up your Monday morning with a couple of great finds! 

I hope you have a fabulous week and enjoy watching, reading or even singing to my top 5 favourites. 

Here is a quote to keep you motivated throughout today!

' One small positive thought in a morning can change your whole day!'

1. Little Boy Shocks a Guitar Store Owner 

This I believe is an old YouTube video from quite a while ago, however I have only just come across it as a friend of mine shared it over on facebook. 

Brendan McFarlane is a singer, song writer and musician from Perth. In this video he sings a little country number inside a guitar shop which completely delights the store owner. You can tell from watching that he oozes talent and it came as no surprise to find that Brendan is now in the studio recording his first original album! 

Source: @BrendanDmac


2. #SingitKitty

Here is what happens when a pedal-pumping songstress meets a flat-faced dynamo. - Isn’t that just an incredible summary? But the brilliance doesn't stop there, actually there is 1 minute and 14 seconds of it over on Three’s YouTube channel thanks to their new advert called #SingitKitty. 

Using the basis that we all need silly stuff, and how magical the moments are when we share silly stuff, Three have coupled a cute little girl named Jolie and a singing cat called Bronte to entertain our socks off! The short film tells the story of two friends who come together to ride around their street singing along to Starship’s 1985 classic, We Built This City and they end up taking us on the most fun, emotional ride of their lives.

The advert is genius and has me in stitches, singing along every time I see it. It’s a great follow on from their moon walking pony advert #DancePonyDance and just goes to show how the ‘silly stuff’ really can and does go viral through social media. 

Source: @ThreeUK

You can star in your own kitten-rocking, face-morphing music video at http://www.singitkitty.co.uk and for a Brucey bonus, here is the one i made! 

http://www.singitkitty.co.uk/#play/TFGrU 

Just make sure that your mouth is lined up, otherwise you will look like you have two mouths like i did! 

3. If It Fits, I Sits

Carrying on with the occurring theme of entertaining cats, the writers of boredpanda.com have rounded up a collection of photos to prove that no space is too tight for a cat!  

Again, if you love having a giggle, then these cat are the best of the best and even when it might look like they won't fit, then these cats demonstrate just how flexible they are. 

Click on the panda below to see the cats in action! 

Source: @boredpanda

4. Haribo Starmix advert 2014 

Also this week, it seems that i’ve found another great advert to share and this one is from Haribo. 

We all know their tag line ‘Kids and grown ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo’, therefore this film is cleverly set in a boardroom to demonstrate how the sweet shapes inside a bag of Starmix bring out the child in everyone. 

The advert also features Adam Brown who plays Ori in The Hobbit, so there is no wonder that he likes the rings the best. - See what I did there? 

Have a watch by clicking on the Haribo below. 

Source: +UKHaribo 

5. Boy with autism gets surprise gift from trash man

Austism Speaks is an organisation based in New York whose goal is to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders and they've recently shared a video on their YouTube channel of rubbish collector, Manual Sanchez carrying out an act of kindness for a young autistic child. 

They were sent the video from Robin Newberger as her son Daniel has a fascination of rubbish vans, which means every Monday he waits and watches as Manual drives by to pick up the rubbish. But on this particular day Manual steps out of his truck to give the little boy a gift. 

I won’t spoil the surprise, instead click on the link below to see what Daniel is presented with.  *Warning* you may need tissues!!

Source: @autismspeaks

Happiness Fact

Happiness has a fragrance. Clinical experiments on body odour have proved your scent changes between when you are stressed or happy

Keep smiling :-)

_______________________________________________________________

 |Week 2|                                                        |Week 3|

 

Social media favourites | Week 3

Here is this weekend’s second instalment of my social media favourites. 

I hope that you enjoyed week 2 that went out yesterday, as it was actually meant for last weekend but instead you can read both now! 

Don’t worry, there are enough great things to share and please let me know if you have found a story, video or quote that you think I would like to include in next weeks favourites by tweeting me at @Krissie_Akrill or leave a comment below. 

Yesterday I came across this quote from Dr. Seuss which is a great outlook to have on closing chapters in your life. 

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

1. Mother and Son wedding dance

Picture yourself enjoying a lovely time at your friend’s evening wedding party and it comes to the point of the night when the groom announces that he is going to entertain his guests with a mother and son wedding dance.

Once you have that picture in mind, take a look at the video below because you won’t expect what you are about to see.  Plus if you are in the mood for dancing, why not turn up the volume and join in! 

Source: +Doug Larson 


2. Coming out speech 

At the Time to Thrive LGBTQ conference on Friday, Hollywood actress Ellen Page came out as gay during her speech. Explaining that she was "tired of hiding" and "lying by omission".

Ellen also went on to say "I'm here today because I am gay. And because, maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.”

Hoping that her revelation will help other young people who are struggling with their sexual identity, it took lots of courage for Ellen to openly talk. 

Please take a few moments to watch Ellen’s speech in full and show her some support.

Source: @EllenPage

Go Ellen!

3. 20 things to start doing

During the many hours I spend swooning on Pinterest, I came across this motivational picture named ’20 things to start doing’ which reminded me of my New Years Resolutions and details tasks that are fab for anyone who would like to make a few tweaks to look and feel better. 

Plus if you are the type of person who starts new regimes and gives up after a few weeks, then the best advice I can give is to start with one task at a time. 

You could dedicate week one to task one and once you have practised drinking lots of water and green tea, you can then move onto the next task, continuing until you have added all of the tasks into your routine. 

Source: Please note that this image did not have a direct link on Pinterest, but can be found on my tumblr profile. @Krissie_Akrill

4. L-O-V-E Mr & Mrs Fletcher

Mcfly guitarist Tom Fletcher and his beautiful wife Giovanna have shared yet another amazing cover for the subscribers of Tom’s YouTube channel (tommcflytwitter). 

Over the years they have graced our laptop screens with many collaborative sing-alongs and this one was made even more special because Giovanna is pregnant with their first child.

The couple sang Nat King Cole’s 1964 hit song L-O-V-E and left a lovely comment for the viewers in the description box that read “Happy Valentine's Day from me and the wife (plus bump)”

If you are ready to smile from ear to ear, then be sure to check out their video and give them a ‘thumbs up’  to let them know that you are a fan! 

Source: @tommcfly @MrsGiFletcher

Also, if you haven’t seen it - you should definitely check out Tom’s wedding speech! 

5. Dancing with your dog

Carrying on with more YouTube inspiration in this weeks favourites.. 

I am subscribed to a channel named Hello Giggles which is described as the ultimate entertainment destination for smart, independent and creative females. 

I’d link to think that I fit that category.

The channel was founded by actress and musician Zooey Deschanel, producer Sophia Rossi and writer and internet sensation Molly McAleer. But you don’t have to be smart, independent or creative to enjoy this bundle of joy! 

Zooey demonstrates how to dance with your dog in three easy steps:


1. Pick music your dog will like
2. Cater your dance style to your dog
3. Work with your dog's size

For a detailed description, please click HERE and you could also join in with your dog whilst watching the video below! 

Source: @hellogiggles @ZooeyDeschanel

Happiness Fact!

The most powerful way to increase your short-term feelings of happiness is to perform random acts of kindness to others, or to send a letter of gratitude to someone you care about. Five such acts in a week will increase your happiness for up to three months.

Keep smiling :-)

_______________________________________________________________

 |Week 1|                                                                    |Week 2|