"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'it will be happier'"...

This quote, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, will be in my thoughts as the clock strikes midnight tonight to usher in the beginning of a new year. I hope that 2021 has been a wonderful year for all Glamumous readers, but those of us who have suffered loss, sadness or disappointment during 2021 may well be glad that this year is coming to an end. 

At midnight, our family will raise a glass of good cheer to those who are no longer with us, and to all of you, I wish good health, happiness and many occasions to smile in the year ahead. 

Photo credit: PxHere

 

For our family, this Christmas has seemed hectic. As unpredictable obstacles chipped away my sense of organisation, I even found myself traversing the shops late on Christmas Eve searching for an elusive pack of Christmas crackers! So it was no wonder that I completely forgot to secure a set of thank you cards to send after the big day - it was all I could do to be prepared for the 25th!

Rather than venture out again, I found a stack of card stock and decided to create my own this year: an elegant, understated design with just a touch of festive colour. These cards are designed to fit standard C6 envelopes, which are easy to source if you don't already have a few lying around. 

I've created an A4 size PDF for this folded thank you card, which you can download below. Use the guides to cut neatly along the edges and score along the centre to create your card. 

Feel free to download and share this free printable thank you card to your heart's content. However, selling this design (either as a template or finished card) is forbidden: the content presented here is intended to be free to all!

Download this elegant, free printable thank you card (PDF)

I hope you will enjoy making and sending this free thank you card! You may also like to look at my collection of beautiful free thank you printables created by talented designers from across the web.

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

 

This Christmas sees many families here in the UK facing unprecedented hardship. The effects of Covid combined with rising food and duel prices means that many are struggling with the costs of the festive season and harboring concerns about putting on a decent spread for dinner on the big day. 

Marcus Rashford, the footballer famed for his campaign to tackle food poverty in the UK, has teamed with chef Tom Kerridge to create a Christmas meal plan for struggling families for just £10! 

The meal plan includes a Christmas Day feast of stuffed turkey roll, with tray-baked vegetables and greens, plus potato and carrot hash with eggs for Boxing Day lunch. The meal plan is designed for those using Healthy Start vouchers (which would cover the cost of the vegetables) though states that others would be able to recreate the dishes for just £13-14.

The entire meal plan is detailed in an instructional video on the Full Time Meals Instagram channel, which I've embedded below:

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Of the meal plan, Marcus Rashford has said: 

"Christmas has a great ability to bring family together and I want as many children as possible to wake up on Christmas morning happy and without the stress of wondering where their next meal is coming from... I want families in communities like mine to look forward to creating something special in the kitchen together and making memories."

To learn more, or donate to FareShare to help feed families on a low income, visit the FareShare website.

Image credit: Photo by Travel Photographer on StockSnap

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We recently redecorated our lounge in preparation for Christmas and I realised we have very little seasonal art to accompany our tree and tinsel. As a remedy, I designed this simple festive printable, and decided to share it here for others to use too.

I've created PDFs in two different sizes to suit differing needs. We printed the 5x7 size which sits in a frame on the mantelpiece. Alternatively, you may prefer the large A4 size, which you could easily adapt to create cards, tags or any other design you may need. 

Download the Joyeux Noël printables here:

5x7 size, with crop marks (PDF)

A4 size PDF | A4 size PNG (for use in other projects)

Please feel free to use this free printable in any of your projects. However, I would appreciate credit to Glamumous by means of a link should you share the printables on your own site or social media.

Feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.

In those precious moments of calm between furtive festive preparations, what better way to unwind than to curl up with a classic Christmas tale or two?

Luckily, there are many seasonal novels and stories of this variety we can download to our e-readers for free, saving both time and money for those occasions when inspiration strikes. 

I've collected here a selection of classic Christmas stories which are available for both the Kindle and Kobo, and where possible I'll direct you to beautiful or illustrated editions - all of which are completely free!

A Visit from Saint Nicholas (The Night Before Christmas), attributed to Clement Clarke Moore

On the night of Christmas Eve, a family is settling down to sleep when the father is disturbed by noises on the lawn outside. Looking out the window, he sees Saint Nicholas in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer...

Old Christmas by Washington Irving

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Image credit: MaxPixel

Santa/Father Christmas

Santa’s Grotto

Reindeerland

XM4 5HQ

 

As the nights draw in, I find nothing more calming than snuggling up to knit with an audiobook and a cup of hot tea. I'm not a particularly skilled knitter, but consider myself capable enough to complete small projects and delight in crafting garments for a particular person or purpose. 

With Christmas just around the corner, I've collected several lovely free patterns from around the web to share with Glamumous readers. All of these free patterns use DK yarn, which is the most accessible yarn weight here in the UK. The popularity of DK yarn ensures you'll easily be able to locate some, whether it be the cheap bright balls from Poundland or Home Bargains, or more expensive blends from Hobbycraft and independent stores. 

I hope you will find a charming pattern for your next project from this tried and tested selection!

Knit Neck Scarf from Martha Stewart

Every knitter may begin with a scarf, but this pattern from Martha Stewart is elevated in style. It uses only garter stitch (although the ties are a little fiddly) and would make the perfect weekend project!

Find the Knit Neck Scarf pattern on the Martha Stewart website.

Napping by the Fire Headband by Un Peu Sauvage

Headbands are a popular project among knitters: they take much less time than a hat and can be worn throughout the colder months as a fashion accessory (in addition to keeping our ears warm!). Of all the patterns I've tried, this is the one I've enjoyed the most as it is knit flat using only knit and purl stitches!

Download the pattern from Ravelry

Fox Slippers by MollieMakes

These super-cute fox slippers would make an ideal gift for an animal lover. How can you resist?

Details and free pattern from Mollie Makes

Robby Raccoon Bag Charm from Simply Knitting

This delightful knitted bag charm appeals to the young and old alike! Knitted in stockinette, it requires little skill to craft and could easily be made while watching a (long) movie. 

Details and pattern available from Simply Knitting

Emerald Green Handwarmers by Creative Yarn

I've knitted several pairs of these gorgeous hand warmers in different colours and yarns. They are knit flat and seamed up the sides, using only knit and purl to create the intricate textures. My favourite was knit with sparkly white yarn as a gift for my daughter, she wears them all the time!

Learn more and find the pattern at Creative Yarn

What are your favourite simple patterns for quickly knitted gifts? Please do share your projects by leaving a comment below.

Since Glamumous' conception in 2007, this site has undergone many changes. The landscape of blogging has changed considerably over the years, and so has our ability to design and present content from additional sources. 

I have no doubt that many Glamumous readers use Instagram (among other forms of social media). I'm not quite yet devoted to social media as an alternative to my own site, though I do appreciate being able to draw visual content from other sources to enhance your experience. 

Including an Instagram feed in your main website provides additional content and value to your readers and helps enhance your site "brand". Various methods for including an Instagram feed widget in a Blogger-powered blog have come and gone, though I hope I've finally discovered one which works. Take a look at the bottom of the page to see my most recent Instagram photographs.

For those of you who still use Blogger to publish your website, here is a short tutorial, using a free account with SnapWidget:

1. Sign up to SnapWidget.com (or log in if you already have an account).

2. In your dashboard, choose to create a new widget, and click the "Create a new widget" button. For this example, we'll select the Free Instagram Grid widget.

3. Click the "Username" field, and you'll find a pop-up screen from which you can log into Instagram to retrieve your photo feed. 

4. (Optional) Write a brief description for your feed.

5. Set the thumbnail size you would like to display. Note: if you choose to make your widget responsive (see step 7), this option will be the maximum display size, and will adapt to smaller thumbnails for different screen sizes. 

6. Select your preferred layout, columns and rows. For example, I've chosen to display a 5x1 grid in my blog's wide footer section. If you want to display the widget in your sidebar, you might opt for a different configuration. 

7. Select other options as appropriate to your needs. I would advise for most modern Blogger templates that you set the "Responsive" option to "Yes". This will automatically resize your widget for the screen size on which your blog is displayed. 

8. Update the preview as required, and when finished, click "get widget". This will present a code snippet which you will need to copy to your clipboard.

9. Log in to your Blogger dashboard and select "Layout" from the menu. 

10. Choose to create a new "HTML/Javascript" widget in the area of your blog layout where you would like to display your Instagram feed. 

11. Paste the code snippet into the text box and click "save".

12. Refresh your blog to see your new widget in action!

I hope this simple tutorial will prove useful for those of you using Blogger to publish your site! I'm aware that other platforms (such as Wordpress) offer much simpler solutions or plugins, but have personally found support for Blogger users to be a little more tricky! Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below.

Image credit: Scarlizz, via Flickr

There's something magical about books which take a whole year to read. By this, of course, I don't mean tomes of novels, in which we may lose interest before we finish. Rather, the books which we can dip into from month to month, or as the season changes. Books which offer instruction, advice, or simply encourage us to reflect throughout the year.

Such books are often most popular in the run-up to Christmas, as they are presented prominently on bookshop displays enticing customers to purchase these lovely pages as gifts for loved ones to enjoy. By January, they are all-too-frequently shelved again, as though their contents matter less once the tinsel and baubles have been taken down.

I disagree. Such delights can and should be enjoyed no matter what the season. Such books may live atop our bedside table or the sideboard shelf, opened frequently so they do not gather dust. With renewed pleasure as weeks pass, since what seemed irrelevant in the colder days matters much more when the first buds of spring emerge, or the falling leaves of autumn grace out gardens.

My list is by no means complete. What follows is a selection of books I myself have found interesting, and which I hope will satisfy a multitude of tastes and pleasures. Finding such titles without prior knowledge of their existence has proved a little difficult, so please feel free to tell me of your own favourite "yearlong" reads in the comments below so we can share with others looking for such books.

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden

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What a beautiful and illuminating book this is! As the title suggests, it is a facsimile of the country diary produced by Edith Holden in 1909, written in her own hand and accompanied by glorious watercolour images of the flora and fauna she observed around her home in the Midlands. The book is divided into months, with the start of each chapter punctuated by a interesting anecdotes, etymology and poems.

The photograph above (by Holly Grace Levell, via Instagram) is intended to offer an insight into the gorgeously decorated pages. Although among the most expensive titles in this list, it is truly a delight to own (particularly the most recent reproduction), and you may well find a secondhand copy for a bargain price.

The Almanac by Lia Leendertz

This is a beautifully illustrated almanac which aims to provide a seasonal guide to he year and help us connect with the natural world.

Lia Leendertz is an award winning writer on food and gardening who has published in the Guardian and Telepgraph newspapers, in addition to her long-running column for The Simple Things magazine. Her 2019 almanac follows on from the success of last year's, which revitalized the almanac tradition for a new audience. It partly follows the pattern of the old rural almanac - sunrise and sunset tables for the whole year, tide timetables, moon phases and information on the sky at night - but also features seasonal recipes, folk stories and songs, a peek inside the beehive each month, a seasonal cheese of the month, and the names of each month in all of the languages of the British Isles. It is a celebration of the British year in nature, and a joy to own!

I am the Seed that Grew into a Tree - National Trust

Although I discovered several volumes of daily poetry while researching this article, this is the book which stands out!

Marketed as a children's book, it has won the Waterstone's award for the best children's gift book in 2018, but is equally endearing for adults to read too.

Fully illustrated throughout, this gorgeous volume collects 366 poems inspired by nature, from historical to modern-day poets, including: John Agard, William Blake, Emily Bronte, Charles Causley, Walter de la Mare, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Eleanor Farjeon, Robert Frost, Thomas Hardy, Roger McGough, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, John Updike, William Wordsworth and many more.

It's a wonderful investment to share with your family, whether you choose to read a poem before bed in the evening, or simply dip into throughout the year.

Sweet Peas for Summer - How to Create a Garden in a Year by Laetitia Maklouf

The seasoned gardeners among you will be aware of the myriad of books to help you through the year. Sadly, my fingers are far from green, so when browsing for content I was thrilled to learn that Laetitia Maklouf had written a sequel to The Virgin Gardener (Glamumous review here) which is delightful!

Maklouf's style of writing is truly accessible to those of us who know little of gardening.In Sweet Peas for Summer, she takes us through the process of creating a garden which can be enjoyed year-round, including projects to make with your home-grown plants and planting ideas for every personality type.

Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day by Clemency Burton-Hill

Clemency Burton-Hill had the wonderful idea of assigning a piece of classical music for every day of the year, complemented by enthusiastic descriptions of her choices and a little background about each composer.

This is ideal for anyone who would like to learn more about classical music, and from the reviews I've read on Amazon, it appears that seasoned enthusiasts enjoy new discoveries too! To accompany the book, you can find playlists on Spotify or Apple Music in order to avoid sourcing 365 separate downloads.

A Year of Reading Aloud by Georgina Rodgers

I discovered this gem on the inspiration shelf at my local library. Obviously the beautiful cover caught my eye, but upon reading the description I realised this stood apart from the other "year of poetry" books I'd looked at in it's premise.

Rogers created this book to help us revive the lost art of reading aloud, and the learning of poetry by heart. Perhaps many of my generation remember having been "forced" to learn a poem or two at school, wondering why our teachers encouraged us to experience such a seemingly pointless exercise. The fact is, reading aloud has hidden benefits: it strengthens the mind, boosts creativity and improves our working memory.

Give it a try and see for yourself! And if you disagree, at least you'll have a beautiful book with which to decorate your shelves...

The Harvard Classics in a Year: A Liberal Education in 365 Days

I hope you may forgive this shameless self-promotion once you realise what a fantastic tome this is!

The Harvard Classics in a Year aims to provide a whirlwind tour of classic literature. By reading for just 15 minutes a day throughout the year, you can discover text from “twelve main divisions of knowledge” including History, Poetry, Natural Science, Philosophy, Biography, Prose Fiction, Criticism and the Essay, Education, Political Science, Drama, Voyages and Travel and Religion. Each reading is framed by an introduction, a context in which the text can be read and understood, often with insightful information about the author, it's wider history, or why that particular selection is appropriate reading for that day.

Available only in digital format, this is a mammoth book which will most certainly see you through a whole year of bedtime reading - all for less than a cup of takeaway coffee!

Girl for All Seasons (A Year in High Heels) by Camilla Morton

Camilla Morton's sequel to her bestselling "How to Walk in High Heels" is a book I've featured before on Glamumous. Despite being published twelve years ago, I still find it relevant and inspiring.

The Year in High Heels is much more about experiences than fashion and beauty - though of course Morton will assure you that you can do it all with style!

The book is divided into twelve months, each featuring fun essays, a set of challenges and a suggested read for your book club. Many guest authors have contributed, including Manolo Blahnik and Dita von Tease. Combined with Morton's witty prose, this is a great book to dip into throughout a glamorous year.

French Women For All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes & Pleasure by Mireille Guilliano

By the author of French Women Don't Get Fat, this is a wonderful book of seasonal recipes and simple pleasures.

Mireille Guilliano encourages us to eat for pleasure, to savour our food while also (miraculously) maintaining a healthy weight. Far more than a simple book of recipes, this title encourages to examine how we live, and to take simple pleasure in our lives. I rather enjoy re-reading Guilliano's outlook throughout the changing seasons.

A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy

During the final 15 or so years of his life, Leo Tolstoy collected and published the maxims of some of the world's greatest masters of philosophy, religion and literature, adding his own contributions to various questions that preoccupied him in old age, such as faith and existence, as well as matters of everyday life.

Originally, this book was banned in Tolstoy's native communist Russia. Although his last major work, this book proved popular both during and after his lifetime, offering readers a daily delve into the thoughts and writings which had influenced him so greatly.

This version was originally translated into English and printed during the 1970's, and resurrected in the current format just a few years ago. It's a lovely book to dip in and out of, or to read first thing in the morning as brain-fodder for the day ahead.

What are your favourite year-round books?

This selection provides just a few of the "year-round" books I discovered while researching for this article, though I will say they are my favourites (I own almost all of them, and have borrowed the others!). Have I missed your favourite title? Please feel free to leave your own comments and suggestions below.


Header image credit: David Morgan, via Flickr.

What better way to encourage your children to read daily than providing them with a cute reading log?

I designed this “Woodland Hipster” themed reading log a few years ago for my daughter, it was originally published on my Pretty Books website, but I thought Glamumous readers may enjoy it too. This design uses clipart by Clementine Digitals @ Etsy.com.

The log was designed to be printed on A4 paper in booklet format, and includes plenty of space for your children to write about their daily reading habits, plus space for reflection at the weekend. There’s an optional bookmark and pocket for the back page.

Here's some more pictures from my Instagram feed:

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You will need:

• A4 sized paper and cardstock
• Scissors or a craft knife and ruler
• Glue
• (Optional) Corner punch

To print and assemble:

1. Download the free PDF
2. Print pages 1-2 on a single sheet of A4 cardstock (print on both sides). This will form the “cover” of your reading record.
3. Print pages 3-8 on both sides of A4 printer paper (the inner pages).
4. Fold the cover and sheets in half, and assemble. Staple together along the fold (or stitch if you prefer).
5. Finally, print page 9 on a single side of thin card stock (this is the sheet for the bookmark and inner pocket). Cut out the bookmark and (if desired) round corners with a corner punch.
6. Cut around the pocket, score along the flap lines and fold inwards. Use glue or double sided tape to stick the pocket inside the rear cover of your reading record.
7. Feel free to download, print and share with anyone you think might enjoy using a reading record!  I’m happy for you to share an image or two on your own website, but please direct people here to download the file (rather than hosting the PDF on your own site).

Download the Free Kids Reading Log Printable Here

If you have a child of school age, it's most likely that you've heard of World Book Day! On Thursday March 7th, social media will be inundated with pictures of children dressed as their favourite fictional characters, while schools will be devising new and interesting ways to encourage a love of reading for their students.

There are loads of ideas for dressing up, including instructions for how to achieve these costumes, over on the World Book Day website. Most of these don't require you to buy anything new or specific, perhaps just a printable or two and a little imagination.


Alternatively, this brilliant list of "no stress" World Book Day costumes by Artventurers may help you find something fast and fabulous - even if it's at the last minute!



World Book Day isn't just about dressing up though! By fostering a love of reading from an early age, we can ensure that our children:

• Experience sufficient mental stimulation, which is proven to reduce the likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer’s in later life
• Have reduced stress levels
• Broaden their knowledge (including emotional intelligence)
• Expand their vocabulary
• Improve their memory
• Develop stronger analytical thinking skills
• Improve focus and concentration
• Develop better writing skills

Attend a local event

Host a Big Booky Breakfast

Watch an author or illustrator masterclass

Watch the BBC Live Lesson

Design a National Book Token

Find reading recommendations and share a story!

How are you celebrating World Book Day this year?