Diane Stafford On Focus

Mums Love Twitter for Social Media

2010-02-24T22:48:05+00:00

Mums love twitter for social media connections, building relationships, informing others and keeping up to date with whatever it might be that interests them most.

There are a variety of ways to use Twitter and an array of tools that you can use to preserve your valuable time as well as minimize your social media effort.

If you're a work at home mum, then you'll have many demands on your time, so anything that speeds up your relationship building efforts and helps you manage your social media time better, has to be welcome.

If you're not sure which tools to use to help you manage your social media time, you'll pick up some really helpful hints and twitter tips from this free twitter course :

The course runs over 6 days with online access into the members area where you can download reports, watch the videos or ask questions etc.

There's been quite a lot of buzz about the course and some brilliant feedback, so it's already helping other work at home mums, and a few work at home dads too, get a better understanding of twitter.

You can grab your FREE PASS here - Twitter Course

If you don't even have a Twitter Account yet and are a bit unsure about opening online accounts, you're not alone and help is at hand.

Download a free copy of the Twitter Beginners Basics Guide to help you get started.

Enjoy

Diane

Twitter is a trade name and copyright of the holder

this post is not associated with or endorsed by Twitter.com

Cold Porcelain Flowers

2010-02-17T17:51:25+00:00

Arts and Crafts Photos Art Hobby Craft Creative Network

Thought I'd share these beautifully made Cold Porcelain Flowers with you today.

The weather is pretty grey and cold where we are, and these certainly brightened my day, bringing a glimpse of the Spring season which should be on it's way to us soon.

If it's not very springlike where you are, I hope these brighten your day too.

Enjoy

Diane

Cold Porcelain Flowers by Ron Gutman

Cold Porcelain Recipe (eBook)

Who's A Slummy Single Mummy?

2010-02-01T19:13:11+00:00

I do like this blog title, it certainly grabbed my attention as a 'single mummy' myself, although the 'slummy' part of course doesn't apply to me (she say's as the clothes ironing mountain threatens to fall on her 'desk' space as she types)!

So who is a Slummy Single Mummy?

At first I thought it was someone with an interest in the alcoholic drinks industry, purely based on the number of wine glasses and drinks bottles featuring in her post images, you understand.

Once I began reading her articles, I soon realised that no, this was no 'worse for wear' incoherent blogger.

She actually writes blooming great articles which I find interesting and which indeed strike a cord with me as a 'non slummy' (really I'm not) single mummy!

After very extensive research, this slummy single mummy's identity was revealed - yes, I looked at her about me page. It took ages due to reading all her great articles first.

Anyway, so now you know who she is, if you're a self confessed slummy single mummy, then you may enjoy reading her articles as much as I do.

Great articles Jo, keep writing

Diane

Has Your Food Been Bitten By The Recession?

2010-02-01T00:42:59+00:00

Has The Food You Buy Been Bitten By The Recession?

My girls have been asking, for over a month, for Sharwoods Puppadums, one of their favorite snacks, but they've not been in stock at our local supermarket for several weeks.

Anyway, on a recent trawl round the supermarket I spotted their timely return to the previously bare shelves, so added two packets of the plain variety into the trolley to please my little treasures.

There was at this point some serious hesitation!

Was this a case of imagination working overtime I wondered.

Hmmm... the price didn't appear to be smaller!

The puppadums themselves certainly did appear to be a lot smaller than previously though!

OK, it had been weeks since we last bought any, so let's just assume you are going bonkers Diane by imagining that they've reduced in size yet not price!

They remained in the trolley; the girls were going to get their snack after all!

The girls helped me unpack the shopping. I think they were scrabbling to get to their snack really.

Anyhow, when they did get to the see through packages they both, simultaneously (they are twins btw), gasped a sharp intake of breath and exclaimed questioningly, and rather loudly, "OMG what's happened to the size of these?"

Phew! What a relief, it wasn't the old imagination after all.

There was a little speculative banter exchanged between us about the effect of the economic climate on the size of the food on our supermarket shelves lately.

It appears to us that some of the food we buy has been bitten by the recession!

Now that we've located a recipe 'How To Make Poppadoms', we'll be making them at home from now on, although they won't be sun dried in Madras!

However, the puppadums/poppadoms are not alone.

Nope, this isn't an isolated 'inch loss' event.

The poppadoms are in the very good company of a few other food products we normally buy.

There's the in store baked loaf that seems to look a lot smaller yet surprisingly weighs the same, according to the label, (allegedly - reminder to self to actually weigh one).

Then there's the cereals the kids like that we think is a lower weight, inside the usual sized box.

And ... the girls reeled off several more recently noticed anecdotal examples.

Have You Noticed?

Is there a food manufacturing weight loss conspiracy going on?

Is this a move by food manufacturers, to 'trick' the cost conscious general public, in order to increase their profits by reducing product size rather than risking consumer revolt by raising supermarket prices?

Conspiracy or not, we'll be keeping our eyes open.

My kids love their food, so not much will be getting past them now!

And Finally

The girls thought that perhaps their snack item was out of stock for all these weeks (as part of a conspiracy theory): "We reckon 'they' were hoping people would forget how big they were before and wouldn't notice they're much smaller now"

bless... hmmm could they be right?

Crohn's Disease Social Network for those Tortured By Food!

2010-01-10T14:43:24+00:00

Video for: Crohn's Disease Social Network for sufferers, tortured by food!

What is Crohn's Disease?

Crohn's disease is officially categorised as an Auto-Immune Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause severe pain, inflammation and blockage of the intestines and other parts of the digestive system, causing a wide variety of symptoms, all of which are completely unpleasant and not easily managed.

There is no cure!

Sufferers often feel they have to "get on with it".

It can be very debilitating and usually impacts on all aspects of the sufferers life and their family, friends, work, colleagues etc.

Why a Crohn's Disease Social Network?

As a crohn's sufferer since childhood years, I rarely talk about my illness, it's always been very much a part of my daily life, I get on with it, get medicated, prodded and probed when necessary and am very good at forgetting to make appointments for my regular 'pin cushion' sessions!

Although there are increasing numbers of crohn's, colitis, IBD sufferers, there is very little real support or opportunity to talk to others in the same or similar situation, with people who do actually understand what life is really like!

Thankfully, that's changing as Jason Leitman, a crohn's sufferer himself, has started a fabulous Social Network for Crohn's sufferers, their family and friends.

If you, or anyone you know has crohn's, is tortured by food or suffers in silence, please let them know about CDSN - you'll be very warmly welcomed by Jason and other members.

Can you help us raise funds for various charities including Crohn's Disease ?

or Help Plant 50 Trees : for EVERY "Advocate for Change" that joins us

Have a great day all

regards

Diane