2018 a review

So here we are again, the end of another year which once again feels like it has whizzed by.  I thought I’d take a look back on my 2018 .. just to remind myself & you, if you’re interested .. which I hope you are, what I have done and what has happened over these amazingly fast 12 months.

The year started with a weekend to London with Phoebe, it was a Christmas present from me to her, we had such a brilliant time and it was so lovely to be able to spend time together just the two of us, doing what we do best .. shopping!  The Christmas lights were still out and looking spectacular .. a whirlwind of a weekend in which we needed another break to get over this one!

 

Also in January I was contacted by the wonderful Laura & Paul of NOTED Fashion to see if I would like to collaborate with them, I had been following NOTED for a while on instagram and loved their style and clothes .. but what I didn’t realise was that they were very local to me in Leominster (only about 20 minutes away).  I remember when I received the email I squealed with delight that someone wanted to collaborate with me .. that these sort of things really did happen .. of course I said YES and one rainy Saturday afternoon Mr W & myself went to visit Laura totally unannounced at her shop … well what can I say, we got on like a house on fire .. so much so Mr W went off for a coffee whilst we chatted and chatted … almost a year on we are firm friends and I adore visiting Laura & Paul at their shop (they always have such brilliant events), I also always come home with bags of fabulous outfits that I have bought .. I really feel so privileged to work, discuss future plans and collaborations with them.

 

There was of course the small matter of planning of my marriage my wonderful  and gorgeous Mr W, our wedding was in July, it was small affair with family and a few friends.  I bought my dress in the January sales & saw it via instagram (of course where else) .. as soon as I tried it on I knew it was “the one”.  We hired our favourite band for the evening and danced the night away .. even Mr W danced! .. and we were so lucky with the weather .. it was just a perfect day.

 

And talking of weather, how can I miss out our amazing summer of sun, sun and more sun .. the hottest since who knows .. endless days of sunshine and warmth, perfect for visiting & taking photos of those all important instagrammable photos, including the now insta famous Confetti Flower Fields in Wick where I met several gorgeous insta famous beauties and the lavender fields in the Cotswolds.  It was also the start of me putting my “big girl pants” on and going out and about in public with my tripod .. admittedly it was stupidly early in the morning so not many people were around .. but it was a start.

 

Then there was Paris .. ah Paris, how I absolutely love this beautiful city and a perfect place to visit on our honeymoon .. I have been wanting to visit for so so long .. I still look at the photos we took .. well when I say we I obviously mean me and Mr W taking them of me (this was intensive training for insta hubby status .. which he loved of course.   We still have so much to visit so a return trip is already being talked about.

 

In the Autumn I found out that dreams do come true and was invited to go to the Boden SS19 event in London, those who know me & follow me on instagram will know my love for Boden an absolute favourite of mine for many .. many years .. it was such an amazing day and I felt (& still feel) so lucky to have been invited (I am of course hoping that this was the first of many invites).  I got to see the new season delights .. a lot of which are in my online basket .. I even got to meet the man himself .. yep Mr Boden .. Johnnie himself .. I obviously wasn’t even a little bit “cool”  & in true form gabbled to him about my love for his clothes, he was just delightful, amiable & very chatty .. and as soon as I’d left the event I called Mr W who I speed talked to most of the way back to the train station (don’t worry he’s very used to me) .. but also understood my utter excitement about the whole day!

 

Going on from this my dreams continued to come true, I have not only been also been super lucky to have collaborated with Boden but also my other favourite brands including the fabulously wonderful Joules Clothing, who I have written a couple of blog posts for & really enjoyed the process of taking and putting together photos & writing a blog articles, but also Fatface another firm favourite in my wardrobe .. all these brands I wear all the time .. they give me confidence in myself and make me feel (& if I may be bold) and look pretty damn good.

So this is my (brief) review, obviously life happened in-between these little segments, but its funny that when you look back and think about all that has happened you realise just how much you have done and how much has happened, and it seems all in the blink of an eye .. yes 2018 has of course had its ups and downs, it has been vey difficult at times but also had such happy joyful moments .. here we are at the end of a year that won’t be forgotten soon.  I feel that I have, at the grand old age of 47 have grown too, I have updated my blog .. with it has to be said a huge amount of help & I am so proud of it now, my passion for blogging and of course instagramming has grown and grown, which only proves age is and has no limits .. and that if you love what you do anything is possible.

So as we draw a line under 2018 I am excited to see what 2019 brings .. I of course already have lots of plans of things that I would like and love to achieve, places to visit and hopefully fellow instagrammers and bloggers I would truly love to meet, but thats for the next blog post.

Thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting either on here or on insta, it really does mean the world to me.  I really hope you’ll join me along the way for all the adventures in 2019.

Happy New Year.

Niki xx