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March 19, 2009
Headband aka "serre-tête" :: a tutorial
When we arrived in France, almost two years ago now, one of the first things I noticed - well, not literally of course, but still - were these cute little headbands made out of fabric which all little French girls seemed to be wearing. We got a couple of those and as I was repairing the seam on one of them recently, I realized how easy to make these headbands are. It won't be a huge cost saver to make these oneself, as they tend to be rather cheap. But on the other hand: wouldn't it be nice to accessorize your little girl's new homemade spring outfit with a matching headband?
No tremendous sewing experience is required for this easy project...
This is what you'll need:
- two rectangular pieces of fabric: a big one of 40cm x 12cm and a smaller one of 20cm x 6cm (seams included) - Note: you might want to change the dimensions depending on the size of the head, the type of fabric you chose and the elasticity of the elastic. The sizes given here, worked fine for my 5 and 8 year olds. Also, you might want to try to make a wider one. I've seen them in a wider version, which is especially pretty with long or very curly hair.
Note: my oldest one tried on this new headband when she got home from school and found it a little tight. Although I used the same dimensions on all of the headbands, I used a different brand of elastic. To avoid disappointment, better cut the elastic a little longer - it's easier to make the headband smaller than the other way around...
- about 12cm of wide elastic
- matching sewing thread
- safety pin and needle pins
- iron
- sewing machine
Step one: Lengthwise, iron in the seams of the bigger piece, folding over the fabric twice (about 7mm). Next, with the right sides to each other fold the smaller piece in two, lengthwise and iron flat. (pic. 2 and 3)
Step 2: Sew the seams about 5mm from the edge. (pic. 4 and 5)
Step 3: Turn inside out the smaller piece, using the safety pin (pic. 6). Slide in the elastic, also using the safety pin (pic.7). Secure with pins on both sides and then sew to secure (pic.8).
Step 4: Fold over the bigger piece as shown in pic. 9, such that its width becomes a little more than twice the with of the smaller piece with elastic. Secure by sewing a couple of stitches near the edge (pic.10).
Step 5: On one end, put the elastic part on top of the bigger piece, the bigger piece being right side up (pic. 11). Squeeze the elastic part in between by folding over fabric from the sides and secure with pins (pic. 12). Next, sew it closed (pic. 13). Repeat at the other end (pic. 14) - before doing so check one more time for the size!
And... done! "Une serre-tête" as my girls would say! The result should look like shown in pic.15 and 16. Good luck with it. And please, let me know if you have questions or how they turned out!
39 comments:
proficiat , goed gemaakt en vooral degelijk uitgelegd , duidelijke foto's erbij , een Burda waardig en vooral mooie gekleurde stof !
- March 19, 2009 at 2:27 PM
- Shannon said...
Love the tutorial! This pattern will be much used in our household. I loved it so much I did a write up on my site. Come take a peek.
- March 20, 2009 at 1:27 AM
- jane said...
Thanks for that! I´m definitely going to try to make one. The pictures are great! I always do better with a little graphic help...Have a great weekend!
- March 20, 2009 at 8:50 AM
i bought a similar headband at a third-world shop here in the states and i love it, i went to make myself one a week ago and i measured the elastic after i had sown on one end and wrapped it around my head to check for fit - stretching the elastic slightly, and then cutting the extra elastic off - -make sense?
Thank you for your tutorial, I winged mine with no pattern or directions - lol
- March 20, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- blue moss said...
love it....thanks so much
- March 20, 2009 at 3:37 PM
- Celia said...
I think it's the best headband tutorial I've seen! Gorgeous!
- March 20, 2009 at 9:30 PM
- Pascale said...
Thanks everyone for your nice comments!
To Gracie: Thanks, Gracie! That's exactly what I'll be doing for the next one! - I added a little note to the how-to after my 8 year old found the last one a little tight...
- March 20, 2009 at 10:01 PM
- luvinthemommyhood said...
You're welcome Pascale. Thanks for a great project!
- March 20, 2009 at 10:22 PM
- Rayana said...
just what I was looking for!
thank you :)
- March 21, 2009 at 2:46 PM
- Hannah said...
WOW how simple...thank you
- March 21, 2009 at 9:32 PM
- Lisa said...
This is so great! I can never find headbands I really really like, so this is the perfect way to be sure I'll have one (or two or three...) that I like a lot! Thanks so much!
- May 23, 2009 at 12:00 AM
- Joey said...
wow! super cuteheadbandseasy to make instructions
- May 26, 2009 at 5:19 AM
- wayfarer said...
awesome. i can't wait until naptime to go make this!
- May 27, 2009 at 2:50 PM
- HomeSpun Threads said...
I just made one of these yesterday and I love it. I posted and I'm sending them your way! I love it! Thank you!
- May 29, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Thank you for this tutorial, very interesting.
- May 31, 2009 at 9:36 PM
- hair accessories said...
WOW! This headband looks amazing! You're so smart! Thanks for sharing your tips and pictures :D
- June 3, 2009 at 7:30 AM
- Tammy James said...
I made something similar today, thanks for the inspiration!
- June 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM
- Lisa said...
I made some for gifts today, and they look awesome! My one question though is how exactly they should be worn. Maybe the problem is that I had my not-yet-3-year-old try on the first and it seemed really wide on her head. So I folded under the sewn edges, like continuing the folds where it meets the elastic, and that seems better proportions. Are the supposed to be folded under like I ended up doing or are they supposed to just be really wide?
I too will be blogging about these eventually too!
- July 2, 2009 at 5:48 PM
- Lisa said...
Never mind about my question...I just saw the "announcing" link with the picture. I think the issue is that my daughter has bangs. oh well! The headbands are still awesome!
- July 3, 2009 at 7:22 AM
- Pascale said...
to Lisa:
True, the headbands are pretty wide - we had a couple of store bought ones before I made these and they all had different widths. I've seen them even wider - then they become more like a little scarf - the way I would wear them in summer when I was a kid - covering quite a bit of the hair... But as you already figured out you can just adjust to the desired width and make them less wide.
Now, little H. has bangs too. And the way she wears them is by sticking her bangs under it - that way they become very handy when her bangs are a little too long and I don't have time to take her to the hairdresser or to cut them myself. Also, I'd rather have her wear these instead of her cutting her bangs "really short" as she's suggested a couple of times, when growing tired of her bangs. She doesn't seem to get it that you need to outgrow the bangs rather than cut them "really short" when you no longer want any bangs...
I'd better watch those scissors, now that I think of it!! It wouldn't be the first time we need to run to the hairdresser for an "emergency" cut because she had a go at it herself...
- July 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM
- Lindsay C said...
I have been meaning to make headbands lately. normally I just make the pattern myself, however this patters tutorial is so great I will use this instead !
Awesome Job !
- October 24, 2009 at 11:41 PM
- Chiara Handmade said...
reallu beautiful!Thank you for this tutorial!
Linked in my blog:
- May 14, 2010 at 3:37 PM
- emery ruth said...
Thanks for the great images of these directions. I linked it in my blog about recycled fashion. reFindRebel.com
- June 1, 2010 at 4:36 AM
- Frog, Goose and Bear said...
My 6 year old made one of these for herself with her Granny's help - I just blogged about it - thanks for the tutorial!
- July 14, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- Moms.little.one said...
On your picture #4 and #5 the bigger piece. I can't tell if that is the "wrong" side or "right" side?
- December 23, 2010 at 6:21 AM
- Stephanie @ Figments of a Mom said...
Somehow I stumbled across your blog. I love it. And my daughter loves this style of headbands. Since I'm just learning to sew I will definitely be giving these a try! Thanks for sharing!
- January 7, 2011 at 1:14 AM
- Beetroot said...
Thank you for this wonderful tutorial! I just made ten of these. They will go into party bags for my daughter's birthday guests. Thanks:)
- April 12, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Would I be allowed to sell these?
- May 4, 2011 at 9:05 PM
- kara said...
I've been wanting to make some headbands like these for my daughters...just haven't taken the time. Stumbling across your tutorials helped spur me on. I just made a handful of them and my daughters look so cute. Thanks so much for sharing!
- June 10, 2011 at 5:34 PM
Target is sellig these in the jewelry section for $7! I bought one and loved it. I was thrilled to find the directions. I bought several colors of fabric of the fabric quarters and elastic for less than the cost of purchasing one headband at Target. Thanks for the easy directions!
- July 2, 2011 at 1:27 AM
- Nanou said...
Thanks for this Nice tutorial ! I was wondering how it could Be done!!! I really love it And will soon try !
- October 16, 2011 at 9:36 PM
- Stärneschyiin said...
♥ Herzlichen Dank! Ein super tolles Haarband konnte ich mit deiner Anleitung machen ♥
Liebe Grüsse aus der Schweiz ♥
- March 28, 2012 at 10:46 AM
- Rebekah said...
Wow! These are super cute and so easy to make! I just finished making one and I love it! Thank you so much for this step-by-step, easy-to-follow tutorial!
- July 11, 2012 at 11:03 PM
¡genial! ¡¡gracias está buenísimo!!
- March 2, 2013 at 2:36 AM
- Bernadette said...
I've been wanting to make one of these for my daughter with fabric left over from a top I made her, but I am worried that the headband won't stay in her hair. Do these seem to slip much?
- March 17, 2013 at 6:17 AM
Thanks so much for a great tutorial! Here is my headband - http://stickypikelet.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/polka-dots-and-pretty-pinafores/
- April 9, 2013 at 11:52 AM
- Patricia B said...
Great! I'm going to make one for my daughter and one for me and then I'll post a photo!
- November 28, 2013 at 12:22 PM
- Hristo Yanev said...
Hi people,
Thank you so much for this wonderful article really!
If someone want to learn more about the baby girls headbands I think this is the right place for you!
- April 11, 2016 at 11:55 PM
Do you have an adult pattern for the same headband?
- May 24, 2016 at 8:33 PM


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Boram's grandmother passes away.
Boram's Father
I like them especially Jiyeon and Hyomin. :]
T-ara Simpson Version!
I LIKE T-ara
They can't sing.
Why i am i not on CR anymore?
Wow, lots of antis-haters.
I believe Hyomin is participating in a musical or will be very soon. She can sing. They're concept is too 19+, but other than that, these girls can sing.
I dunnO them yet...>.< its like kara...lol~ ^^
I Think I'm the only REAL T-ARA fan here .. >.>
Boram, you're my most favorite female idol...
Mr. Taxi
T-ara to make a change
The K-pop music industry is currently buzzing with speculation about possible changes within the girl group T-ara.
The rumors started circulating after Kim Gwang-su, president of Core Contents Media, announced on Wednesday that the band will make some changes in April.
"We won't settle for the band's current success, but in order to continuously improve, we will make a big change in April to shake things up", said Kim.
The head of the entertainment agency also hinted that the change may come in the form of a different concept or band member changes.
T-ara made its debut in 2009 and rose to prominence last summer for the retro-sounding song "Roly Poly". The band revealed its somber side late last year with the song "Cry Cry", which also dominated the charts.
In January of this year, the band's new song, "Lovey Dovey", topped various music charts, testifying to the band's popularity in Korea.
Meanwhile in Japan, T-ara's debut single "Bo Peep Bo Peep", released last year, was No. 1 on the Oricon weekly singles chart. The Japanese version of "Lovey Dovey" also did well, coming in at third place on the Oricon daily singles chart after its release in late February.
To The World You Are Someone, But To Someone You Are The World!!!
T-Ara, 9 Members?
The 7-member girl group T-Ara will be adding 2 new members.
T-Ara's agency, Core Contents Media's CEO Kim Gwang Soo stated on the 6th T-Ara will transform into a 9-member group. Lately they've been trying to find ways to change the group and finally decided to add 2 new members.
The new T-Ara plans to create a new album with all 9 members and begin its promotion in July.
Kim Kwang Soo stated, "At first I started with the vain thinking that after you become a big hit, 3 years later whether you try hard or not you will maintain your popularity. However, now I feel that stars have a responsibility to set examples for others and also connect with fans. T-Ara is currently working very hard, but we plan to push the envelope by adding 2 more members."
Kim Kwang Soo has also made a comment in a variety show that he wants to catch up to Girls' Generation.
To The World You Are Someone, But To Someone You Are The World!!!
T-ara unveils new member, Dani
T-ara has unveiled their new member, Dani!
Dani turns 14 this year and was raised in the States since she was four years old. Despite her young age, she stands at a height of 167 cm with stunning looks that people have compared to the likes of Olivia Hussey.
Although she looks cute upon first glance, there is said to be an inner charisma to her style that makes her all the more charming.
As previously revealed, T-ara will begin promotions with their eighth member starting July 7th. Dani will join the group in December as the ninth member. She will, however, be starring in the group's upcoming music video as an actress in the meantime.
The reason for the delay in Dani's joining is because she wants to practice more and join when she feels she is completely ready so as to not bring any harm to the group's way.
To The World You Are Someone, But To Someone You Are The World!!!
Sorry but i'm really itching to say what I think needs to be said for this Hwayoung scandal and seeing this is a T-ara thread I might as well post here.. NECRO THE THREAD NECRO!!
In coming with Hwayoungs past news and scandals.. I find it horrid and disgusting how the T-ara members make her the "Wangta" of the group. Loving T-ara since the beginning and loyally supporting Qri ' ^ ' but then having one of your many favorite idols bullying another idol is just =/ disappointing.
For me having these idols I loved and having dedicated a lot of my support with them on their rise to fame makes me disgusted how I was a factor in helping them reach their so called "fame" ( buying CD's ,Shirts, etc).
I don't know why i'm posting really.. maybe I'm just really in angst atm with them being not the good role models I expected to be.. Which is why I'm ranting. I don't know =/ but I would love to hear people's discussion on this scandal and related stuff.
For me.. I really hope Hwayoung won't turn into another Jay Park incident and also following that her own twin is still inside that company god forbid if anything worse happens to her =/ and her family. Hwayoung hwaiting~!
Heres a link for how the whole controversy started

subset: commoncrawl


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Can any La Leche leader tell me if Sensa the weight loss product that contains tastants that you sprinkle on your food is safe while breastfeeding? I am in no way shape or form trying to drastically reduce my calories but am looking for something to help me lose a little weight. I am currently 200lbs and 5'3 tall. I am 25 years old, and am a gastric lap band patient (very different from gastric bypass-no malabsorption problems)
I asked my LC at my office and she suggested not to reduce calories at this time but I am not looking for advice I am looking for a clear yes or no answer as to whether or not Sensa passes through breast milk and if there is a concern with the ingredients in Sensa.
this is from the website.
No stimulants
No fat blockers
No diuretics
No pills
No drugs
No food restrictions
No calorie counting
No weigh-ins or meetings
No skipping meals or fasting
No pre-packaged meals
No drastic lifestyle changes
No intense cravings
No jittery side effects
No dangerous "yo-yo" effect
No mood swings
SENSA® contains Maltodextrin (Derived from Corn from the USA), Tricalcium Phosphate, Silica, Natural and Artificial Flavors. SENSA® also contains Soy and Milk ingredients. SENSA® is sodium-free, sugar-free, calorie free, and there are no stimulants, drugs or MSG.


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Re: Gutter Guys & Gals : Full Moon Baking
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:03 am
I don't know about Alice. I assume she was a virgin and is the only one of the Cullen women that could have been so at the moment of transformation. Ugh, I don't want to think about docking without permission while she was human, but I suppose it is possible. Regardless, I tend to think of vamp to vamp contact as being more human to human, although there are different opinions concerning that. It's difficult to conceive of two slabs of concrete suddenly becoming malleable when in contact with each other, although I believe in SM's world that that is exactly what happens. It obviously didn't make a difference to Jasper, he never lost a battle, heh.marielle wrote:Oh gods... Corona... I would have never had noticed if you haven't pointed that out!!!
I wanted to get back on the thigh and unyielding sea lanes to the habor...
with Alice's case... she was a child when she was put into the Asylum, so it's easy to say that her habor had never been visited before she met Jasper... or do you think there had been pirates that made port with out permission?


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Full disclosure: I come from a family of cat people. Growing up, we always had at least one cat and these days, my parents have three. Every one of us, my parents and my two siblings and I, tend to shower them with love and let them get away with murder—literally. I once caught my mom in an embarrassing Freudian slip calling the "cats" the "kids."
Unfortunately, a lot of my mom's love manifested itself by feeding the cats every time they sat, saucer-eyed, in front of the cabinet that holds their food. After I moved to Brooklyn, I felt helpless as my beloved cats waistlines ballooned (Simon, a big orange tabby and the largest of the three, tips the scale at 22 pounds). My mom would buy industrial wet and dry food for them because it was inexpensive and, according to her, "It's what they like." My work as a sustainable food advocate led me to draw parallels between what was happening to my cats and our industrial food system—and in an effort to educate my mom and prepare myself for the inevitable day that I too will become a cat owner, I began to take a deeper look at the pet food industry.
What many pet owners may not realize is that animals' diets are often linked to health problems including obesity, heart and digestive problems, organ failure, premature aging and lack of energy in dogs and cats. And just like its human equivalent, the production of the vast majority of pet food also contributes to climate change, animal welfare problems, labor issues and in general, an unsustainable food system.
Conventional pet food is also packed with chemicals: in addition to protein, it contains fillers, colorants and a variety of synthetic substances to improve taste and extend shelf life. In Marion Nestle's Pet Food Politics, she writes about how in early 2007, phone calls began trickling in to veterinary offices with reports of cats and dogs getting sick after eating food produced by Canadian pet food manufacturer, Menu Foods. That was the first sign of the China melamine pet food scandal and eventually, the largest recall of consumer products in U.S. history. The culprit was an industrial chemical called melamine, usually used to make plastic dinnerware. Chinese manufacturers had fraudulently added melamine to wheat and rice protein ingredients in pet foods -- and, as was later discovered as the scandal unfolded, to milk in infant formula and processed pigs, chickens and fish intended for human food-- to make these foods appear to be higher in protein than they actually were.
The melamine scandal exposed many ugly realities of industrial pet food—many of which mirror truths of industrial human food. "Most pet food companies are run strictly as a business, strictly to make money. It has nothing to do with nutrition or sustainability," says Ira Manhoff, The Honest Kitchen's Tri-State Sales Manager for the greater NY area, "A lot of the food recalls we had in pet food all point to this." Since 2007, there have been 998 pet food products recalled— and many of these recalls were direct reactions to the deaths of many beloved animals. According to Manhoff, they were the result of corner cutting and lack of regulation in the pet food industry, and of the corporate mentality that people will feed their pets whatever product they put out, because they can make it affordable (while still making major profits). "The cost is going to come out somewhere," Ira says. "If you don't spend it on good food then you're going to get hit with vet costs and more importantly in the suffering of animals -- and that's priceless."
As pet owners have begun to question the food they find on pet shop shelves, many are turning to homemade food for their cats and dogs, trading in processed foods for grass-fed beef or free-range chicken dishes with sides of organic veggies. Even vegetarians, like Ecocentric blogger Dawn Brighid, have begun experimenting with home cooked meals involving meat for their littlest loved ones. It should be noted, however, that this isn't exactly the easiest task to accomplish-- cats and dogs have specific nutrient requirements and careful attention must be paid to ingredients when it comes to home cooked meals.
In recent years, pet food companies like The Honest Kitchen, Raw Advantage and Karmahave sprung up to provide pet food that addresses not only the quality issue, but the environmental impacts of ingredients as well. Greenopia.com has these three listed as the top Green pet food producers—and none of them were involved in any of the pet food recalls. It's because each vendor has exhibited a true dedication to supporting a local and sustainable food system—paying careful attention to where they source their ingredients. Each uses a high percentage of organic products and The Honest Kitchen is certified by the FDA as human grade, human edible food.
Since my family (special thanks to Dad) approached my mom with healthier, more sustainable alternatives to industrial pet food, my mom has started buying the aforementioned brands. Just like changing your own diet, changing the way you feed your pets is a learning process that takes some time to get right. As for myself, once I convince my roommate to get allergy shots and she convinces me our backyard is enough playroom for a puppy, I plan to adopt a dog or cat of my own and now believe I am armed with the information I need to make healthy food choices for my future feline (maybe canine) family member. So all you pet owners out there, remember, when it comes to feeding your pets and your family right, a better diet will protect not only your health and the health of your pets (side note: protect your wallet from medical bills), but also the health of the environment.


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text:
Collect Traces for SIP (Castellano IOS) Gateway
From DocWiki
|Problem Summary
|Collect Traces for SIP (Castellano IOS) Gateway
|Error Message
|Possible Cause
|Recommended Action
| To collect logs for SIP Gateway, follow the steps mentioned below :
1. set logging to the buffer:
no logging console debug
logging buffer debug
logg buffer 500000
2. Choose what info you need to log. Probably, most often you need:
debug ccsip error
debug ccsip messages
3. When you are ready to collect the trace, do:
clear logging
4. To copy traces as a file,
show logg | redirect tftp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/file.log
Here xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of your tftp server. We can do the #1 only once, and save it into startup.config. We need to do #2 after every reboot of the gateway. We need to do #3 and #4 every time.
|Release 8.5(1)
|Associated CDETS #


text:
Built from the ground up with a "relentless focus on the consumer", Windows Phone 7 finds Microsoft trying to re-assert itself in a market it practically invented and catastrophically lost a grip on. Failure to develop and evolve saw Windows Mobile progressively fall from grace. But that is now history and when dealing with Windows Phone 7, we barely need to mention Windows Mobile again. That's done. Finished. Irrelevant to this discussion, apart from saying that this is a whole different story. Microsoft is aiming high, it's pulled out all the stops, launching on multiple devices globally.
Here we are not interested in the hardware - that will follow - here we are looking at what we've seen of the new software so far. If you want to know what hardware there is, what networks it's on (in the UK) and what our first impressions were of these devices, then head over to our Windows Phone 7 homepage.
In composing this review we have used three devices: the HTC HD7, the Samsung Omnia 7 and the LG Optimus 7; one handset from each of the major launch partners for Windows Phone 7. Of these we know that the HTC HD7 wasn't final firmware, but having three devices, we can iron out those quirks that are down to Microsoft and those that are tied up in hardware issues. We've also been running some beta software applications, but again, the LG devices were free from those, so we should have a good balance when it comes to the overall user experience of Windows Phone 7.
Less stop and stare, more glance and go
Yes, we've stolen Microsoft's own tagline, but it seems fitting as this is the idea behind the design of Windows Phone 7 - keeping you informed about the important things simply and easily.
Starting with the lock screen, Windows Phone 7 doesn't just ask you to unlock to enter the device, it contains a range of information, as well as letting you customise the wallpaper to whatever you want. Windows Phone 7 isn't unique in this sense, but we like what you get here: big time and date, notifications across the bottom of the screen to show your missed calls, messages, emails, but most impressively, your calendar appointment and venue. Just as Microsoft says, you really can glance at it and know what is going on.
Compare this to the iPhone, which really requires you to unlock the phone to find out what's been going on, and Windows Phone 7 is better placed. Android, with all its various skins is equally adept, the top notification bar usually showing you that something needs your attention, or with the likes of Samsung's drag and drop puzzle pieces taking you directly to your messages.
Additionally the lock screen will also give you controls over your music player. Grab the phone out of your pocket and hit the button to look at the lock screen and a drop-down music controller appears when you are playing music. This will let you pause and skip tracks. It is a universal sound control area, so will also let you switch the ringer to vibrate, and the volume keys remain live when the device is locked so you can always change the volume of your tunes. The same drop-down audio menu can be triggered by pressing the volume button, wherever you are in the device.
What are less glance and go are the general phone status icons. These are hidden at the top of the device, and tapping at the top will see the reception bars, battery status and so on drop down. Often they will be hidden, with only the time on show, waiting for you to enquire after this information before it is shown.
Swipe the screen up and you find yourself at the homepage or Start screen. Wherever you are in the device, hitting the mandatory central Start button on the phone will bring you back here. This screen is also completely customisable.
Gentleman, Start your engines
Like the lock screen, the Start screen is designed to be informative and engaging without having to do anything. The screen is made from live tiles which drop into a grid of sorts, the tiles being either square or rectangular, with some getting the "double tile" treatment.
Double tiles are used to give some things greater prominence, firstly to break up the Start screen visually, but also to give you more information. The calendar tile is double so you can read text within it, which is useful; the photo tile is double so you get more of a picture, which is pretty. Microsoft hasn't always done pretty before, but it certainly does now.
In terms of customisation you can add and remove tiles from the Start screen, as well as change all the colours. There are two background options, either light or dark, and a selection of colours which change the overall colour-theme of your device. This will change the colour used to highlight information, the tiles, links and so on. From a visual point of view some might think the big blocks of colour look a little basic, but their live nature adds interest.
Of the devices we've been using, each has had the default colours of the network in place - red for Vodafone, orange for Orange, blue for O2 - but you can simply pick what looks right for you. There is only a basic selection and we're surprised that there is no colour wheel to pick a custom shade - perhaps we'll be seeing an app from someone like Dulux offering to colour match your phone to any shade you show the camera?
Sitting to the side of the Start screen is an arrow that opens the list of applications on your phone. This includes everything, from the dialler to apps you download. This continually grows into a massive list, but each and every item can be pinned to the Start screen as you see fit. We're yet to see what sort of implication this has on usability, as the Marketplace is yet to really get up and running, but we've had no problems filling the Start screen with extra applications.
The core Hubs are represented by tiles and it's in these tiles that you get the best example of their live status, for example your Xbox avatar will popup in the Xbox Live games tile, your Pictures tile gets a background from one of your pictures, the Music and Videos tile will pick up a background from an artist you sampled in the Zune Marketplace, and the People tile has constantly changing pictures taken from your contacts.
Pinning a contact to the Start screen again gives them an animated tile. One click takes you through to their contact page so you can call, message or mail them, or view their updates. We'll cover contacts in more detail further on. You can also pin a browser shortcut to your Start screen which gives you a thumbnail of that page, which is nice, direct and to the point.
Hubs, Hubs, Hubs
Hubs are the name of the game for Windows Phone 7. For those that don't know, Microsoft has outlined a number of core Hubs for the platform: People, Pictures, Music and Video, Office, Games and Marketplace. These Hubs underpin the Windows Phone 7 experience.
Outside of these Hubs you have the other essential elements, such as phone functions, messaging, email, calendar, maps and the internet browser. Together these cover the basic offering from Windows Phone 7. In addition to this, manufacturers have also been able to create their own Hubs, into which they can pile a collection of extras - we've already seen some of what the HTC hub has to offer, for example, but we won't delve into that here - we'll save that for when we are reviewing the specific device concerned.
Party People
Smartphones are about people, or so everyone says. It's the people experience that has made HTC Sense on Android devices like the HTC Desire so popular. Windows Phone 7 doesn't offer quite the same degree of connectivity with social networks that HTC Sense or Motoblur does, and we suspect that has something to do with Microsoft wanting to push Windows Live as a social network in its own right.
On starting your Windows Phone you're invited to log into your Windows Live account, in a similar way as you are invited to log into your Google account on an Android device. Windows Phone 7 supports Google (and Google Apps accounts) too so your email, contacts and calendar will fall into place.
Facebook is the core service here for Windows Phone 7, and after plugging in your details, you'll find your Facebook friends falling into place. This functionality isn't unique to Windows Phone 7, of course, Android has been doing this for yonks and even BlackBerry offers the same functionality, but it does mean you can easily populate your People Hub without going near a computer.
The People Hub is divided into three areas: a list of all your contacts, with pictures and BIG names, a "what's new" screen and finally a recent screen. You can search, with instant results returning your contacts by name, with the option to hit "search Google directory" to return results beyond names, so you can search by company name for example.
Adding contacts is simple - you just plug in their details, but that's not how people really add contacts. Microsoft has responded to the lack of copy and paste as a feature in Windows Phone 7 (it is promised for early 2011), but instead it's talked about smart tags. Smart tags essentially pick up on pertinent information so your the phone can do the right thing.
It works to a point and that point is that it picks up on things like phone numbers and makes it easy to add them to contacts (or you can select an email address and make a new contact). So harvesting that sort of information from emails to build up your "people" is easy, but one part of the smart links didn't work as we'd have liked.
If we're being honest, the time we use copy and paste the most is to extract address information from an email invitation and paste it into either the calendar, browser or maps. You can happily get a map for a contact, but we found that addresses were ignored in emails, so the information is trapped and you are left to write it on the back of your hand and then key it in where you want it. We also found that our Google or Windows Live calendar location info wasn't picked up on, so again, we had no way of accessing it.
Despite the lack of "wider" social network integration, you can view other feeds by linking your Windows Live account to other social services. We found this pulled in LinkedIn updates nicely, but in the absence of a LinkedIn app, this is a one-way process.
You get Outlook support as you'd expect and for those planning on using their Windows Phone as a business device, you get Exchange support too, including appointments. With our Google accounts we found we had folder/label support, so we could sync the "All Mail" folder, and then use it for searching - particularly useful if you find yourself having to refer back to emails whilst on the move.
Emails look fantastic and we found that they displayed well, although at times we found that emails didn't download the text until we had clicked on an attached document, at which point all the text fell into place. We're not sure if this is a small bug, but it was an issue that was easily resolved by downloading the attached doc - as an intermittent issue it is difficult to judge.
One of the quirks of Windows Phone 7 is what you can attach to emails. Start writing an email and the attach "paperclip" option only lets you add a photo. There is no direct option to attach another type of file. However, if you venture into Office you can opt to send files via email. Hopefully Microsoft will see the benefit of linking these up so you can attach docs to emails from the email itself.
Pictures are pulled in from your Facebook account and from Windows Live, although sneakily the "albums" only contain a single thumbnail until you open them up to browse further. The arrangement of your photos is slightly odd, as there are a number of views that aren't immediately obvious.
Enter through the Pictures tile and you'll find those signature wrapping backgrounds (customisable) lifted from your photos. The first view gives you your local pictures and your camera roll, with a "what's new" page you can swipe to where you'll find updated Facebook pictures from your contacts. You can browse these photos and flick through the gallery they came from, leaving comments as you go. Essentially is reflects the Photos tab of your Windows Live account.
Flick the other way in the Photos hub and you get the option to view All. This will then open up your Facebook and Windows Live photo albums so you can browse (having let them download of course). If you want to use a photo (say to add to a contact, or share via email, MMS or on Facebook) then you'll need to save it locally to your phone. A long press gives you this option, as it does from images online too.
Every Windows Phone has a camera and you can elect to have all your pictures automatically uploaded to your SkyDrive which forms part of your Windows Live account. In the menu is the option to share, or a "quick upload" option which you can set to SkyDrive or Facebook, for one-click uploads. Photos can also be geotagged too, if you wish. You get pinch zooming on photos if you need to inspect them a little closer.
Music & Video Hub: Welcome to Zune
The Music & Video Hub handles a wide range of content, again all lovingly displayed with wrapping wallpapers as you swipe through the screens. Broken down into music, video, podcasts, radio and Marketplace, it pulls together your media in one place, except photos, of course.
The Zune desktop software gets a phone tab and a range of settings that apply to your phone, which includes a software update option, and everything is relatively comprehensive; you have options of what happens to photos when you connect your phone, how media is converted, whether the video resolution is altered and so on. The Zune software also lets you sync wirelessly, but you'll need your PC on and your phone plugged into the wall (i.e., charging). You can always download the Zune software and take it for a test drive if you are in two minds - it's free.
Mac users will have to wait and see what options they are offered: Microsoft has suggested that syncing is coming to Mac, but as for the form and function, all we can say is watch this space.
You'll need a Zune account and you'll need to get your credit card handy if you intend to buy on the fly: essentially the Zune Marketplace offers the same sort of experience as iTunes does on the iPhone. There is plenty of preview material, so you can sample songs before you buy. Once you buy, you download to the device, can sync to your PC and share around your other devices as it is DRM free. Alternatively, you could take the Zune Pass option (something we didn't test), which gives you unlimited music streaming for a cost. We've already seen confirmation from Spotify that it'll be producing a rival app, so you will have choices.
The music player itself is easy to use, with big album art and links into the Zune Marketplace to encourage you to buy more from the same artist. The FM radio needs the headphones to act as an aerial and lets you save favourites for easy access; you can use the speaker too to broadcast your radio rather than having to listen to it through the headphones.
At an OS level, Windows Phone 7 supports AAC, H.264, MP3, MPEG4, WMA and WMV, although Microsoft admits that other apps may play other formats, a little like the situation you find on Android. Obviously we'd like to see wider format support, particularly to cater for easy video syncing with the likes of DivX and MKV.
Games and Marketplace
Marketplace offers a number of access points on Windows Phone 7, the first is via Zune Marketplace as mentioned above, the second is directly through the Marketplace app, finally you can jump in from the Xbox Live Hub. Frustratingly there seems to be little separation between them when you use search in the Marketplace, with results being returned not only from apps, but also artists and albums. Search for "eBay" for example, and your're faced with some album results before you find the official eBay application.
Marketplace gets the same rolling wallpapers as elsewhere on the device, picking up a theme from a featured app. It is then divided into Applications, Games and Music. We also know that manufacturers will be able to tinker here slightly, but again, we'll deal with any of these issues as and when we look at specific handsets.
When we started playing with Windows Phone 7 a week ago, we'd say that the Marketplace was a rather desolate place. This was one of the problems that Windows Mobile suffered and it's key to attracting new users to the handsets. As we've been playing with Windows Phone 7, more interesting apps have been coming online - eBay, the Tesco shopping app previewed on launch day, Shazam. These are names we are familiar with, and now we sit and wait for the Marketplace to officially launch on 21 October to really see whether Windows Phone 7 is going to offer everything we expect as soon as it hits the shops. At the moment the jury is out.
The Xbox Live "integration" is one of the areas that has got a lot of attention for Windows Phone 7 - leveraging one of Microsoft's strongest consumer brands. You can sign in with your Xbox Live ID and your avatar appears on your handset. Currently, clicking on yourself takes you through to an "under construction" website, so we're guessing there is more to come in this area. We've also seen an Xbox Live Extras app which pulls in more information, lists all your gaming achievements and indicates what friends are online. It is now available for download and once installed means you can tap your avatar, get a load of new features and you can head off and see your achievements and so on. A nice addition, if the Xbox Live features appeal to you, you'll want to download it straightaway.
With the Marketplace not being fully up and running we haven't seen exactly how Xbox Live on WP7 is going to be, but we have had the chance to play some games. From what we've seen so far, there is plenty of fun to be had. We've been playing a little Rocket Riot, with all its retro mayhem madness and some Frogger, which is a bit of a throwback - you also have the likes of The Sims 3. There will be both single play real time games and turn-based games to play against friends.
But the best thing about Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 that we've seen so far is some of the names involved - Konami, LucasArts/THQ, EA, Microsoft - which have been responsible for some great games. We've yet to see any real linking between what happens on your console and what you carry in your pocket, but we're sure this will change in the next few weeks.
Office and Keyboard
If you thought that everything was looking good from an entertainment point of view, you'll also find Office Mobile present and correct on all Windows Phone 7 devices. This means you get access to Word, Excel and PowerPoint on the fly. The latter two are items you're likely to view rather than edit, but the former, along with OneNote, you might be inclined to use more often. OneNote, naturally, will be able to sync with your SkyDrive making it really easy to start working on something and pick it up on your PC later. Photos and recordings can be added to OneNote notes, but but be aware that recordings don't work with web app.
This means you'll be able to receive documents by email, open them up and edit them and send them on, which is a great feature to have from the off. One exception we found was PDF docs. The phone doesn't natively support then - try and open a PDF and it will inform you that you need to download an app, and at the time of writing, that app wasn't available. We'll file that under "coming soon".
Any office work you do decide to do - along with all that emailing and messaging – will rely on there being a decent keyboard. We found the Windows Phone 7 keyboard to be responsive enough to bash out messages at speed on all the devices we tested it on.
The spell-checker doesn't seem quite as adept as that of the HTC Sense keyboard on Android, so you will have to occasionally turn back and make some corrections. We're surprise that even though the phone identifies spelling errors as you type (with the traditional red wiggly line) there isn't a check spelling option after the matter.
But the real positive thing is that you have the size and space to bash out those notes or messages, and with the screen sizes on Windows Phone 7 you don't have to contend with a tiny portrait keyboard either.
In a smart move Microsoft have taken a slightly different approach with the cursor. If you want to edit some text, a long press will pop-up the cursor. Rather than appearing under your finger as many do, it appears above your finger, so you can then drag it down into the exact space you want to edit. Take that Apple and Android, Microsoft's solution is elegant and effective.
Everything else - maps, bing, browser, multitasking
Maps are present and correct and pack in some interesting features, like the fact that it displays in overview mode until you zoom in: when you get close to street level then it switches to satellite view. Pinch zooming is supported. The mapping seems fast too, with Bing integration meaning you can find points of interest nearby.
Search is a key part of the Windows Phone experience and tied to that search button. As is the case with Android, search is context sensitive, throwing up results based on the application you're in. That means searching in Marketplace returns Marketplace results, searching in People will return contacts results. Searching from the home screen will open up a Bing page and return your results, divided into local, news and web. This is great for finding places, as it will throw up a local result with a map market, so you can dive straight into the maps, and plot a route to that location. The integration across services around search is good in this regard and can be a really powerful feature.
Windows Phone 7 comes with its own version of Internet Explorer, which we have found works very well for general browsing and is nice and quick to load pages. Multiple pages and pinch zooming is supported, as is double tap zooming. The glaring omission is the lack of support for any sort of internet video. Head over to the YouTube website and try to play a video and it will tell you that you need the app, but at the time of writing, that app wasn't available to download.
Multitasking is also something you can't do. We say can't, but you'll always have the core apps running in the background, so you can be playing a little Rocket Riot, stop to take a call and return to your game without a problem, a simple resume option meaning you can get back in where you left off - surfing the internet whilst listening to your music is also possible. We found that notifications came through, for example an "ending soon" notification from the eBay app, despite not being in the application.
One of the most noticeable things is the sheer lack of settings. Anyone watching Android of late - especially those of the HTC Sence variety will have seen a burgeoning in the number of settings and options there are. Windows Phone 7 is simpler and we found that surprisingly appealing.
On other obvious omission is Messenger. A core Windows Live application - perhaps the application that drew people into Windows Live in the first place is not represented at a core level on Windows Phone 7. We expected this to be fully integrated so you could instant message contacts from the off. As far as we know, Windows Live Messenger will be offered as an application developed by Miyowa, but as yet it hasn't appeared.
Finally, don't forget that once your Windows Phone 7 device is up and running, you'll have a range of supporting feature online. You'll be able to locate, lock and erase your phone (or phones) online, so if you lose it or have it stolen, an on-screen message will inform the new owner that you've locked it. Remote erase is also quick and easy and a great free feature.
It is clear that Windows Phone 7 is an impressive consumer mobile operating system, with some nice touches and flashes of inspiration. We like the refreshing departure from sometimes busy interfaces that you'll find elsewhere: Microsoft haven't been scared to use white space and with screen sizes that give you plenty of space the mobile experience on Windows Phone 7 is great.
The use of moving backgrounds and text that rolls over the page draws you into what feels like a bigger picture. The edges of the screen don't constrain the display, you simply swipe across without feeling like you have made a departure from where you were before.
In our tests Windows Phone 7 has been stable too. We've had crashes, sure, but always around the same events on beta software and the occasional glitch on the device that we knew wasn't final hardware. Microsoft's decision to restrict what manufacturers can do with a Windows Phone might have come as a surprise, but might be the best decision yet: like the Apple and the iPhone, Microsoft can more or less guarantee the experience you are going to get.
Does Windows Phone 7 offer you anything you can't get elsewhere? Not really. The inclusion of Zune makes it an interesting offering in the face of iTunes, and the gaming offering, although yet to really come to fruition, looks promising.
Is Windows Phone 7 currently competitive? Almost. There are some key apps missing from the experience. We're happy with the core ingredients, but we'd like to see video sorted as a matter of urgency. YouTube may be frivolous and a great time waster, but when you're standing in front of a hotel mirror, desperately trying to remember how to tie a bow tie, it can be a real godsend. We've heard mention of a Twitter application already, but we're yet to see the level of integration that it offers - will you be able to update from the Me page to any service you want, or will you always have to open the app?
A few questions still remain which we hope will be resolved when Windows Phone 7 launches later in the week - like Xbox Live and Marketplace - but with Windows Phone 7, Microsoft seems to be back on the right track. But the deciding factor may well lie in the hands of developers and how quickly the app offering gets up and running - only time will tell.
That said, those who are forced to use a Windows Phone because of workplace demands, should be very happy indeed.


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Bud Light 2013 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl Hits Missoula
The Bud Light 2013 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl hits Missoula on Tuesday, February 12th.
Experience Missoula's craziest nightlife attraction. The Bud Light 2013 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl combines the excellent concoction of the Zootown's vibrant, colorful history, adding shots of legendary scenery, zany regulars, notable haunts, and a sprinkling of other surprises. Even Missoula natives are amazed at the stories they hear!
The eight-hour guided tour wanders through the streets of Missoula, with stops at a handful of its coolest watering holes. At each, you will get a piece of Missoula's past, plus V.I.P. treatment just for "crawlers". The tour involves a small amount of walking. Drinking is not required--just a party spirit! This tour is for adults 21+ (bars will I.D.)
There will be tons of prizes including a chance to win a free trip for 2 to Las Vegas. A free shuttle will be provided throughout the night starting at 8 pm. The Worlds Biggest and Longest Party is sponsored by Bud Light.
- Union Club 5-5:45 PM
- The Rhino 6-6:45
- Stockman's 7-7:45
- The Iron Horse 8-8:45
- Silver Dollar 9-9:45
- Sean Kelly's 10-10:45
- Bodega 11-11:45
- The Elbow Room 12am-Close
Must have 6 out of 8 stamps to enter, the drawing will be held at the Elbow Room at 1 am. Must be present to win.
Free Shuttle provided through out the night starting at 8 pm.