Happy Christmas Everyone!

Just a very quick message to wish you are a very Happy Christmas. It’s been a really exciting run up to Christmas here on the blog with loads of Christmassy events and features.

We sent out our December Newsletter this week, packed full of Yuletide cheer. If you didn’t manage to see it – you can read the latest issue here.

We’ve had more exhibitors confirm their places this week at our event An Oasis in the City:

Pop Up Tea Room: Alice’s Vintage Pantry

Handmade Room: Baba+Boo, For the Love of Vintage, Stella & Dot, H&D Diamonds

How To Room: Renaissance4Women

Please do get in touch if you are interested in exhibiting – but hurry as certain categories are almost full.

New Year Holiday

Finally, I’m heading off on an adventure just after Christmas. Tris and I are travelling to Zambia (where Tris used to teach before I met him). I’ll be sending you all regular post cards from Africa – and in the mean time, I’ll be re posting some of my favourite blogs from 2012.

But so that you don’t get lonely, you’ll still be able to chat with us on Twitter and Facebook as Rachel (our events partner) will be manning our Social Media.

Weekly round up

Just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

The Vintage Beauty Parlour

Christmas party dresses

Homey

Homemade, home baked Christmas

Book of the Month – The Other Hand

Lively

Theatre Review – Asylum of Grace

Editorial Rhubarb

Weird and wonderful Christmas presents

We’ve got TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING: Unforgettable Experience Gifts – win a case (6 bottles) of Campo Viejo – Rioja. (worth approx £50.00) (closing date Wednesday 26th December 2012), and The Vintage Beauty Parlour – win a calendar full of vintage inspiration, £10 voucher and nail varnish (closing date Wednesday 26th December 2012).

And TWO COMPETITION WINNERS TO ANNOUNCE:

Top toys for Christmas 2012 – Winner Sarah Foran “Many thanks, very pleased to be 4Manchester Women competition winner of the football game from John Lewis. As a mother of two football mad boys one Man City supporter and one Man United supporter, I am looking forward to some local derby action on the football game.” Second Prize – Herb Appleby “WOW!! I feel lucky now!! Thank you very much to all at 4Manchester Women for all your generosity and time spent on your giveaways. My daughter will be ecstatic. Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous new year to you all.”

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Have a brilliant Christmas – and I’ll see you on the other side!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Vintage Beauty Parlour, Chrissy Brand, Asylum of Grace, Alison Staples.

This not a sponsored blog post.

Christmas is coming – I can almost smell it!

Or at least I would be able to, if only I didn’t have a stinking cold! Why, why, why, Delilah do I always get a cold at Christmas. Anyone else out there suffering?

I managed a most impressive manoeuvre yesterday. I blew my nose so hard, I blew right through my tissue and ended up wearing my own bodily fluid – which dangled from my eyebrow like a six year old who’s been running amok with the rubber solution glue! I looked like I’d been gunged by the Ghost Busters!

It’s a glorious image – with thankfully no pictures to illustrate!

On the plus side, all my Christmas cards are now written (no presents purchased yet though) and I have a list of all the things I need to do. It’s three pages long, but I’m working on the assumption that if I leave them long enough, by the time I get round to them it will be too late anyway. Problem solved!

4Manchester Women News

This week we started to announce which lovely local businesses will be exhibiting at our event - An Oasis in the City – Sunday 24th March, Didsbury Parsonage (more details here).

Pop Up Tea Room

Her cakes are amazing, her vintage crockery is gorgeous and her afternoon teas are legendary. Our pop up tea room will be provided by Alice’s Vintage Pantry.

Handmade Emporium

For the Love of Vintage – beautiful vintage style cake stands, candles and other homeware goodies.

Baba+Boo – gorgeous real nappies and baby accessories.

To date a third of the exhibitor places have already been bagged. We’ll be announcing the rest of the businesses very soon. So if you want to get in on the act, don’t dilly dally – get in touch. Email alison@4manchesterwomen.co.uk

Weekly Round Up

So back to this week. We’ve had record viewing figures again this week – just short of 4,000 page views. The vast majority of which are from Manchester and the North West! But just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

DIY sequin elbow jumper

Homey

Making Herman’s family album

#Booths Cheers 12 deals of Christmas

Mummy

Kids driving you mad? How to survive and enjoy Christmas

Lively

Unforgettable Experience Gifts

Review of White Christmas at The Lowry

Essex Girl in Manchester – tourist review

Editorial Rhubarb

My Top 5 Favourite Christmas No 1′s

We’ve got TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING: Top toys for Christmas 2012 – win some lovely John Lewis toys (closing date 9pm Tuesday 18th December 2012) and Unforgettable Experience Gifts – win a case (6 bottles) of Campo Viejo – Rioja. (worth approx £50.00) (closing date Wednesday 26th December 2012).

And ONE COMPETITION WINNER TO ANNOUNCE: Fran Morgan won a gel manicure and will be getting some perfect party nails from Nail Creations. Fran said “Thank you very much! I can’t believe I’ve won! This will be my first manicure. What a lovely Christmas treat.”

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Boohoo, Hannah Fincham, BBC/Kieron McCarron, Purple Gifts & Experiences, Alison Staples.

This not a sponsored blog post.

Ding Dong Merrily on High etc. etc……

What is happening to time? Where is it all going at the moment? I’m sure the last time I looked it was still October!

So what’s our news from this week?

Well we’ve been having some amazing success when it comes to Google searches, with many of our Christmas blogs appearing right up there with many big magazines and brands:

• New trends Christmas decorations 2012
• Top toys Christmas 2012
• Ways to wear black this Christmas
• Simple Christmas cake
• 2012 coat trends
• Perfect party nails
• Top tips home made Christmas
• Spinningfields Ice Rink
• Christmas at Disneyland Paris

I just love how blogging enables you to punch above your weight!

A big thank you too to everyone who has made purchases with Groupon, Wowcher, BBC Shop, Amazon, Whittards of Chelsea and Rock My Vintage after clicking through from the logos in our side panel.

When you click through from our site and buy something, we get a small commission. All of which helps to keep us in business. <<Group hug!>>

So back to this week. We’ve had record viewing figures again – which means big smiley faces all round! But just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Ways to wear black this Christmas

Christmas at Disneyland Paris

Perfect Party Nails

Homey

Top tips homemade Christmas

#BoothsCheers for the 12 Deals of Christmas

Crochet Christmas snowman

Mummy

Kids healthy teeth – tips

Lively

Dreaming Under a Different Moon – Review

Spotlight on The Three Minute Theatre

We’ve got TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING: Top toys for Christmas 2012 – win some lovely John Lewis toys (closing date 9pm Tuesday 18th December 2012) and Perfect Party Nails – win a gel polish manicure (closing date Friday 14th December 2012).

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Susan Styles You via Polyvore, Watersedge Arts, Free Digital Photos, Talk Crafty To Me via Pinterest

This not a sponsored blog post.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I feel like I’ve been talking about it for weeks – and as one of my pet hates always used to be people talking about Christmas in November, I have been cringing somewhat as I’ve churned out glad tidings of great joy ……. sorry!

BUT NOW that we are finally in December, I can ding dong merrily on high to my hearts content!

Before I launch into our weekly round up – I’d just like to share some fantastic news with you. I can confirm that November’s page views rose by a stunning 30% on October’s figures (which in turn showed an increase on September’s).

Thank you so much for reading, enjoying and sharing 4Manchester Women. I’ve started to introduce a couple of new # tags to our tweets. #byrealwomen4realwomen and #mcrwomenrock – and I believe that we do!

In other news, we took part in another #BoothsCheers evening last week, and we’ll be tweeting like budgies again between 7pm and 8pm this coming Wednesday too! I’m looking forward to seeing what three bottles of ‘red, white and beer’ arrive in my mystery package!

So back to this week’s blogs – just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Avalanche launch party

What are QR codes?

Christmas sparkle at Stella & Dot

Chef’s Table – Etrop Grange

Homey

Keeping Christmas cakes simple

Mummy

Top toys for Christmas 2012

Lively

Manchester Christmas markets

Menopause – celebrate or endure

Enjoying Christmas Manchester

Spinningfields ice rink launch event

We’ve got ONE COMPETITION OUTSTANDING – Top toys for Christmas 2012 – win some lovely John Lewis toys (closing date 9pm Tuesday 18th December 2012).

And the winner of one competition to announce:

Tell us your favourite piece of H&D Diamonds jewellery and win some lovely fresh water pearl earrings was won by Elaine Stokes.

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Alice’s Vintage Pantry, John Lewis, Alison Staples

This not a sponsored blog post.

Media Stars!

It’s been another record week on the blog again, with page views currently up by 30% on last month.

It’s been a pretty full and exciting week in lots of other ways too:

• We held our most successful competition, with nearly 160 entries.

• We were invited to the launch of the posh new Italian restaurant Avalanche on Booth Street.

• We took part in another #BoothsCheers event (and were invited to take part every week during the run up to Christmas).

• We started adding offers to the Daily Deals page in our Directory.

• The petition to save The London Road Fire Station which we championed on the blog last week went from 400 – 1,200 signatures and has been taken on by Manchester Confidential.

• We added lots more exciting information about An Oasis in the City to our Events Page.

• We signed up two new advertisers – I’ll be adding their details to the web site next week.

• I (Alison) got to cuddle Justin Moorhouse when I was interviewed by him on BBC Radio Manchester.

Thank you again to everyone who reads, guest blogs for and advertises on 4Manchester Women – we’re really starting to get noticed!

So back to this week’s blogs – just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Chef’s Table – The Oxnoble at Potato Wharf

Homey

#Booths Cheers – Join the party for the 12 Deals of Christmas

Ebay Expert – generate extra cash for Christmas

Mummy

Jimmy’s Bluebelles – a story of Prader Willi Syndrome

Kids tooth brushing activity sheets

Lively

Count down to Christmas – Health & Wellbeing

Gambit – film review of the new Colin Firth film

Santa spotted in Sale

Editorial Rhubarb

Interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester

Movember MoSistas

We’ve got ONE COMPETITION OUTSTANDING – Tell us your favourite piece of H&D Diamonds jewellery and win some lovely fresh water pearl earrings.

And the winners of one competition to announce:

The tell us what’s on the top of your tree competition – the fabulous John Lewis goodies were won by:

First prize: Gerri Tennant who said “How exciting! My son gets married at the end of December and these wonderful products will help me to feel (and hopefully look) so much better, I can’t wait to start using them.”

Second prize: Lemknip Pink who said “I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of your winners, and what a lovely selection of prizes too!  I think the Santa Lolly and Chocolate Hedgehogs might end up in Christmas Stockings (if I can resist them myself!)”

Third Prize: Fran Morgan who said “This is brilliant as I never hold out any hope of winning blog competitions. I’ve never won in a blog before and it was a nice silver lining in a very stressful week!”

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs:The Oxnoble, Booths Supermarket, Jimmy’s Bluebelles, Free digital photos, Alison Staples

This not a sponsored blog post.

 Getting ourselves noticed!

Did I mention that I’ve been invited onto the Justin Moorhouse Show on BBC Radio Manchester on Tuesday? While I obviously want to shout about it from the rafters – I’m secretly hoping that no one will be listening. For someone who doesn’t generally have a problem with talking – I’m a little bit scared!

However – my mantra of the moment is that if an opportunity comes along which scares me, that is the moment when I need to say ‘Yes’! Within reason of course!

So watch out for photos on our Facebook page and an update on the blog next week.

The other big news of the week is that we announced the venue for our first An Oasis in the City event. It’s going to be held on Sunday 24th March 2013 at the beautiful Didsbury Parsonage. I’ll be updating our events page as exhibitors come on board.

So back to this week’s blogs – just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Chef’s Table – a review of Stock Restaurant

A postcard from BagsandMore

How to save money when buying fashion on-line

Expert guide to buying diamond earrings

Homey

#Booths Cheers – 12 Deals on Christmas Food

New trends in Christmas Decorations for 2012

Lively

Day Tripper – Lymm Dam

Editorial Rhubarb

Join the campaign to save London Road Fire Station

We’ve got TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING – Tell us your favourite piece of H&D Diamonds jewellery and win some lovely fresh water pearl earrings. And tell us what’s on the top of your tree, to win some fabulous John Lewis goodies.

And the winner of two competitions to announce:

Catherine Thomas will be getting on her bike and heading off into the sunset after winning our free bike hire competition with The-Bike-Barn. She said “I am thrilled to be the winner of the Bike hire and meal and will look forward to my cycle around Manchester and lovely meal at Jackson’s Boat so thank you so much.”

And Vicky Robinson and Kerry Kilmister, who won the Breast Cancer Awareness competition, with wonderful prizes from Bags of Style. When she learned she’d won a fantastic LYDC Handbag, Vicky said “It’s a fantastic prize and I’m really thrilled to have won”, while Kerry said “Thanks so much for this fantastic prize! I can’t wait to go out with my husband and show off my gorgeous, stylish wrap!”.

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs:Stock Restaurant, Booths Supermarket, Chrissy Brand, Adam Prince

This not a sponsored blog post.

Christmas is coming

We went to our first Christmas event this week – the press launch of John Lewis’ Christmas range. We’ll be filling you in this week about how we got on.

4Manchester Women has also been invited to be a VIP on-line partner for Booths Supermarkets 12 Deals of Christmas. There’s more information on the blog tomorrow, which explains why we’ll be tweeting #BoothsCheers like a budgie every Wednesday at 7pm on the run up to Christmas.

We also found the venue this week for our first Oasis in the City event. Details coming soon – but let’s just say, put Sunday 24th March 2013 in your diary. It’s going to be an event you’re not going to want to miss!

Finally, no mummy blogs again this week! Double boo! We are actively trying to recruit regular guest mummy bloggers to rectify this. If you are interested please contact alison@4manchesterwomen.co.uk

So back to this week’s blogs – just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Chef’s Table – The Angel Northern Quarter

Shoesday by Fly London

Homey

Book Club – The Mystery of Mercy Close

Make a Mug Cosy

Lively

Mersey Valley / Trans Penine Trail – bike hire offer

We’ve got ONE COMPETITION OUTSTANDING – Tell us about your first bicycle and win bike hire and a meal from The Bike Barn and Jackson’s Boat (Sale Water Park). They are also offering half day bike hire, a sandwich + chips + hot drink for the bargain price of £5.00 (click here for details).

And the winner of one competition to announce:

Jo Healy will be heading to The Oxnoble for a Manchester minibreak after winning our Manchester Tourist competition.

And while we have chosen the winners of the Breast Cancer Awareness competition, with wonderful prizes from Bags of Style, we are still waiting to hear back from one of the winners, so will announce the names next week.

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs:The Angel, Amazon, Alison Staples

This is not a sponsored blog post.

Record week on the blog

Records are tumbling faster than Beth Tweddle in a leotard here at 4Manchester Women Blog Central. A big thanks to everyone for reading our little blog and for getting involved.

As promised, I’ve got a few announcements – the taste of things to come!

I’m delighted to announce that our new events partner is The Social Butterfly – aka Rachel Adams. Rachel recently organised the beautiful White Memoirs Wedding Fair and was co-organiser of the brilliant Vintage Manchester Best of 2012 Awards. We’ve got some exciting event plans. We’re off to look at venues next week and I can’t wait!

I’ve also got two new regular guest bloggers to announce:

• Elly Earls from the Manchester book group Runaway Readers will be bringing us her book of the month, from what’s new on the shelves.

• Chrissy Brand from the blog Mancunian Wave (a daily Manchester post card) will be joining us for a monthly sights and sounds of Manchester guest blog.

We also launched our new rolling What’s On page this week. We’re in the process of scouring the What’s On listings – so that we can bring you a much better resource.

No mummy blogs this week! Boo! So we are actively recruiting to add to our stable of regular guest writers. If you are interested please contact alison@4manchesterwomen.co.uk

So back to this week’s bumper blogs – just in case you missed any of them, here is our usual weekly round up. Enjoy ……

Hotty

Steven Stone fine jewellers

Summer Wardrobe – Winter Sun

Shoesday by Alexander McQueen

Homey

Christmas crafting top tips

Lively

Be a Manchester Tourist

Breast Cancer Awareness – keep up the good work

Manchester Science Festival

Editorial Rhubarb

Forward Ladies Networking Event

Halloween Half Term What’s On

We’ve got TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING – Breast cancer awareness (closing date 9pm Friday 9th November 2012), with some lovely prizes from Bags of Style. And Be a Manchester Tourist (closing 9pm Saturday 10th November), with an amazing Manchester mini break from The Oxnoble in Castlefield.

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Steven Stone, The Oxnoble, Forward Ladies, Alicia Griffins photostream on Flickr under creative commons.

This is not a sponsored blog post.

It’s all gone a bit spooky!

It’s been a Halloween and half term packed week on the blog. And if we hadn’t already scared ourselves enough – look who I bumped into this weekend on our Minibreak to Chester! This is the last week that the dinosaurs will be at Chester Zoo, so I’m really pleased we got to see them – though maybe not the one that spits at you!

My husband and I (sounding like The Queen) got married last year at Chester Zoo – so it’s a great excuse to go back and relive happy memories.

It’s been another jam packed week here at Blog Central, with visitor numbers to the web site really starting to gather momentum. And I’m hoping to be able to introduce another couple of new regular guest bloggers very soon, which will really strengthen what we can offer you in your daily 4Manchester Women fix.

So just in case you’ve missed out on any of our blogs this week – here as usual is our weekly round up ……

Hotty

Vintage Manchester Best of 2012 Awards

Shoesday by Pretty Ballerinas

Homey

Vintage Home Show

Auntie Eva’s Yorkshire Parkin recipe

Mummy

Halloween face painting tutorials

Lively

Be safe – be seen

Celebrate Team Manchester 2012

Editorial Rhubarb

Weekly What’s On

We’ve got ONE COMPETITION OUTSTANDING – Pryces Kids Halloween Baking Competiton (closing date 9pm Wednesday 31st October 2012).

And ONE COMPETITION WINNER to announce. Karine Jade was the lucky winner of our Not Doing Halloween / What Used to Scare You competition. She wins a lovely Baba+Boo Halloween dribble bib. She was delighted “Oh thank you so much, you have made my day”. If you haven’t already checked out the stories, have a look, they’re really funny!

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Lucy Greenhill, Victoria Baths, Picship, Pinterest (via craftgawker), Alison Staples

This is not a sponsored blog post.

Out and about spreading the word!

We’ve not been out of my glad rags all week! All on your behalf (of course) – we’ve sampled new menus (welcome Elaine, our new foodie blogger), attended awards ceremonies and asked important people stupid questions! Who knew all this amazingness was going on in MancLand!

If things couldn’t get any better in this week where 4Manchester Women turned six months – I’ve launched our new monthly newsletter and managed to grow some Brussel Sprouts on our allotment!

So just in case you’ve missed out on any of our blogs this week (and there’s been a lot of them) – here as usual is our weekly round up ……

Hotty

Chef’s Table – Linen’s new menu

Shoesday by Madonna

Stella & Dot Turn Pink – supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Fashion Cam 360 – Manchester Arndale

Homey

Work from home? Get organised!

Celebrating Apple Day - Bramley & blackcurrant curd with sloe gin

Mummy Blog

Imaginative Play

Why I’m not doing Halloween

Lively

Hairspray 2013 tour launches – interview with the cast

Review of Some Like it Hip Hop – at The Lowry

Editorial Rhubarb

Weekly What’s On

We’ve got  TWO COMPETITIONS OUTSTANDING – Pryces Kids Halloween Baking Competiton (closing date 9pm Wednesday 31st October 2012) and Why I’m not doing Halloween (closing date 9pm Friday 26th October 2012).

And ONE COMPETITION WINNER to announce. Natalie Holland was the lucky winner of our Kids say the funniest things competition. She wins a family ticket to Legoland Discovery Centre at The Trafford Centre. She was delighted “Wow I am so thrilled! I’ve been desperate to take the kids, how fab.” If you haven’t already checked out the stories, have a look, they’re really funny!

I hope you enjoyed this week with 4Manchster Women. Remember to keep checking in with us next week to see what else we’ve got ‘on the blog’!

Alison x  (your 4Manchester Women Editor)

Photographs: Elaine Bowers, Clippy, Baba+Boo, Alison Staples

This is not a sponsored blog post.