New Year Post Thingy

A handmade dress from last January

I had absolutely no plans whatsoever to do a 'New Years' post. I've never really been into New Years Day, it is just another day after all and I feel a bit silly treating it as some big moment where everything starts fresh. But looking at 2011 as a whole, it really was an incredibly big and important year for me in many ways. 

There were a lot of really stressful and difficult times. Overall though I really feel like the good has outweighed the bad in the most important things. I've achieved a lot personally and changed a lot, in ways that make me feel really good and positive. I feel very lucky too as I've gotten close to some really wonderful people this year, who have made a big impact on my life. The second of January also happens to be my Birthday, so it really is the start of a new year on earth for me, for real! Plus once I started going back through photos I could not stop. So here is a ridiculously long year 2011 post of photos to bore you to death! Some things that I did this year:

January trip to the beach.

Exploring the city.

Brunches out with a special friend.

Making a zine with my sister.

Getting to know an amazing lady.

Moving to the city (or 'downtown' I believe it is called in North American speak!)

More visiting cafes with a very handsome-handed fellow.

And lots of trips to the market with him to buy delicious veggies and cook up a storm!

City living!

Trips to the country.

Spending lots of time with my best friend, aka my sister. Nawwwww.

Holding crafty market stalls with awesome friends.

I quit my depressing job and started an etsy store to sell my handmade clothing! This has caused me to be incredibly poor and given me a great deal of money stress to say the least, but I have to say even despite that I am still about a billion times happier than when I had a regular income and was bored and uninspired and spending the majority of each week doing something that meant absolutely nothing to me. Yay for creative freedom and doing something that inspires you! I really, truly mean it. 

Day trips.

Meeting a super talented lady, having many wonderful sewing afternoons with her and getting to call her my friend :) Thank you blog world!

Many trips to Each Peach (R.I.P) for pumpkin pie! 

Picnics.

More visiting the country. 

Baking.

Brunch with friends.

I designed and made a collection, and had a wonderful photoshoot day with some talented ladies!

My dresses were mentioned in Frankie magazine!

And, on the last day of the year, we said goodbye to my beautiful childhood kitty Max. I'm so glad I got to spend some time with him at my parents house this year.

I hope the new year will bring many great things for you all. Like I said, I am not usually a New Year person and don't really consider the idea of resolutions very much. But this year I do have some goals, other than 'exercise more' (should definitely be on my list!). I want to continue to work hard and try to make something of my little business. Doing what I love has really changed my life for the better, and I hope one way or another that I can make it sustainable, I really just don't want to have to stop, and I don't plan to quit! 

Also very important to me though is my boyfriend Sam, and the new girlfriends I have made this year (particularly special for me, as I have generally been intimidated by females and female friendships in the past). I want to find more time to rest and enjoy the company of the people I care about. Basically, I want to keep working for the future, but enjoy the moment too. That all sounds really cliched and lame I suppose, but thankfully this post is so long I would be very surprised if anyone is still reading at this point! ;) 

HAPPY 2012!