Welcoming 2012

Welcome to 2012! A new year in blogging, with this first being my initial burst of energy in hoping to maintain a resolution to write more and further my ventures online.

With such an eventful (and often upsetting) year behind us, I hope this year will see a smaller share of bad luck for those close to me, replaced instead by a greater share of happiness, especially now that we have a beautiful new addition to our family.

Best wishes to all who read Glamumous, I hope the year ahead will be a happy one for you too!

Winter Festival at Heeley City Farm

On festival days, the streets surrounding Heeley City Farm are usually crammed bumper to bumper with parked cars. But not today.

I tell Sarah it's because of the rain which is bounding off the windscreen like a hailstorm of ping-pong balls. "Some of the activities might have been cancelled, are you sure you still want to go?"

Of course she does. Ever since she saw the flyer I picked up in the reception at school Sarah has not stopped asking if she could get her hair braided. Personally I was looking forward to picking up a pretty wreath for the front door and some Christmas crafts to adorn our seemingly virginal tree. So hurriedly we packed Cassius into his pram and bolted across to the main centre, seeking shelter under a thatched roof where the tombola and a woodcraft stall had set up their wares.

Origami Christmas Tree Cards - Thrifty Christmas

Last year, my aunt inspired us all by creating beautiful handmade cards to send to family members - they were a Christmas treat in themselves!

So this year, Sazzy and I will be following her lead, using this great tutorial for origami Christmas trees as the basis for our designs:

We Grow By Our Dreams: Origami Christmas Tree Tutorial

We've found some lovely quality festive wrapping paper at only 25p a sheet in the local post office, already have gold star stickers, metallic pens and beads to embellish, and are scouring eBay for budget-priced blank cards (Hobbycraft is way overpriced!).

I'll post pics once we've made a few (and I finally have access to a camera-enabled phone!)

Facebook Etiquette - Manners for the Modern Woman

These days, almost all of us will operate a Facebook account, whether to keep up with family and friends or extend our social reach.

Image credit: Carbonnyc,

Like all modern technologies, there are no hard-and-fast rules for how we should operate our accounts, but there are guidelines we could follow in order to avoid embarrassing ourselves or others.

Make use of these etiquettes as you see fit and help make Facebook a more appealing place to socialise.

"Home Sweet Home" Redux - Alternative Designs for Modern Stitchers

Begone with those notions that cross stitch is a pastime reserved for old ladies and 1950's housewives! Modern cross stitchers create with style. personality and a dose of "tongue-in-cheek" flair!

Here's a selection of "Home Sweet Home" alternatives for those who'd prefer a more modern sampler.

100 Quotes from Inspirational Women

We could all use a little inspiration from time to time: perhaps to brighten our thoughts on a dull day, to affirm uncertain actions or get ourselves out of a rut.

So I've collected 100 inspirational quotes from great women through history: females who have shaped our world, who have helped advance society or achieved great things.

Showcomotion - A Film Festival for Young People

For the next two weeks, the independent cinema, Showroom in Sheffield will be host to Showcomotion - a film festival for young people.

As a film lover myself, I'm quite excited to know this is happening in my home town and am grateful that local kids will have the opportunity to see and learn about film. And with tickets at only £2.00 each, my kids are looking forward to a few cinema trips!