A Year in Glitter World

Aloha Sprinklerinos.

As this year draws to a close, I have been looking back over Sprinkle of Glitter and I thought I would give you a small recap of what 2011 has been to me.

January was the start of my quest for perfect skin and the beginning of my love for Liz Earle products. I also reviewed a new Collection 2000 range and told you all about my Christmas MAC purchases. January was also the month Baby Glitter's nursery was debuted and I continued to whinge about feeling sick in my seventh month of pregnancy. I was still working in my temp job for the council and I recall having a bit of an addiction to Crunchies. I made some lovely chums at that job (hello Daniel and Emma if you are reading!) and all in all was a merry little soul.

February was my most busy blog month, with 22 posts in the 28 days- I was on Maternity leave! I left my little temp job half way through the month because I was utterly exhausted and after a false alarm at my desk, I decided enough was a enough and called it a day. Also in February I chatted about the IMATS (which was at the very end of Jan) and had a brilliant time at the MAC LFW event (best. goodie. bag. ever.).

My chum Ceri threw me a brilliant Baby Shower complete with little baby cupcakes and fun games. We had so many lovely gifts and I remember February being a fabulous but tiring month.

March was a month of waiting. Baby Glitter was due, but alas, didn't want to pop out until April. I spent the month doing a lot of lifey posts as well as professing my love for more cosmetics (Liz Earle, Topshop, Avene and Tisserand all featured). As a blog post request I also invented a lush product of opal fruit scented face wipes which lots of you enjoyed. I remember being a little blue in March because I was so huge and uncomfortable and just wanted to get on with everything.

April- It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. April saw me give birth (after a long and traumatic delivery) to beautiful Darcy Jane. Whilst I was overjoyed to have my own bundle of joy, we were in and out of hospital (I didn't dwell too much on this at the time but Darcy had a few little health problems and is fit as a fiddle now), I had the baby blues, my recovery was slowed due to stress and lack of sleep, I ignored my own birthday, felt sad for my late Mother's birthday, made the mistake of having my long hair cut short and all in all found this month quite a struggle.

May was a better month by far. Baby Glitter slept a bit better, her feeding improved and Mummy and Baby had found our footing. My chum Ceri and I attended the Beauty UK exhibition in Birmingham and I hotfooted it to London for the MAC Baftas Event, where I met the lovely Muhsine of Bubblegarm and stroked her lovely baby bump (she now has beautiful Esra, aww). This was a much more sunny month and I started to feel good again. Yippee!!

June was explosive, but not in a good way- on the day I was supposed to attend the L'Oreal event, my boiler decided not to used the little gadget that controls the gas and combusted...loudly. Cue fire engines, police and an ambulance, neighbours all out in the street and my standing barefoot crying and there you have it. Aside from the boiler debacle, I enjoyed playing with and reviewing Sleek, Liz Earle, OPI, 2True and MAC and showing you a few FOTD's. Baby Glitter was featured wearing my Dad's specs and also sporting an adorable mauve tutu. June was happy.

July was another fun month. Matt went off on his travels to do charity work in Costa Rica (that wasn't too fun for me I must admit), but whilst he was doing that, I kept myself busy with visits from friends, playing with Baby Glitter and Mindycat in the garden and reviewing more lovely makeup. I showed you step by step how to create a vixen red lip, chatted about MAC's Haute and Naughty dual wand mascara and marvelled at the new intense pigment Bourjous Pots. Also, remember those amazing cribs I found on weheartit? I still want to recreate those!!

August was a month of drugstore brands. I went crazy for Garnier, Sleek, Beauty UK, Gosh and Soap & Glory. I discovered the HD Brow Kit (and haven't looked back since) and of course, Glitterbits with Marie was born! August was also the month I stopped helping out at Fanx HQ after my 12 week stint there. I feel a bit like this month went by in a blur of coral lipstick and cuddles.

September was a GREAT month. Baby Glitter was sleeping through for 12 solid hours, my Dad and I went to Miami and Orlando on business and I had my first taste of Sephora. Also, I had a swanky treatment at Hensmans Hair Salon, reviewed a lovely Sleek Palette, celebrated my blog's second Birthday (ooh it's a toddler now) AND celebrated my first wedding anniversary. I could go on and on for this month because I think it was the best, best, best of the year!

October saw Sprinkle of Glitter hit the 4,000 follower mark and I was over ze moon and zo stars. I've decided that if this little patch of internet hits the 10,000 follower mark, I was throw a party in it's honour (haha, I'm so sad!). This month I went all profesh and had a photoshoot with Baby Glitter in an Autumnul setting, attended the GlossyBox and Illamasqua events, got a new jazzy camera, met the Liz Earle, delved into the world of charity shopping and talked about nail wheels! Oof, I was busy!!

November was the month Baby Glitter and I rocked our Crown and Glory sparkle crowns. I still wear mine and on occasion, I wear hers too, tehe. Zoe and I had a whirlwind of events and attended shindigs for Look Beauty, GlossyBox and Superdrug, as well as having a little slumber party and doing the macarana to Christmas songs. As you do. I also shared with you some ideas for storing cosmetics and jewellery and a simple lips FOTD.

And here we are in December. It's been a month of beauty boxes, glitter nail polish, christmas crafts and a commemorative post to my Mummy and the month isn't over yet!

What a year it's been! It has been so much fun writing this blog and sharing my life with you all. I have found so much love and support through this glittery portal and really think of you as friends. In dark times you provide me with great comfort and in happy times I enjoy sharing the fun with you all. I hope you have had a fabulous year and that 2012 is even more bright.

If you would like to vote for Sprinkle of Glitter to be best Beauty Blog according to Marie Claire magazine, please do (if you don't want to that's completely fine too). I would love to be nominated and it would mean so much to me. All the details are HERE.

What has been your greatest moment this year?

Toodlepip!

xx