Goodbye 2017
I thought a few highlights from the year would be a fun way to say goodbye to 2017. With the first day of the new year, it seemed like the perfect time to drop in and say hello once more. Whilst it’s not been easy, there’s been a lot tears, frustrations and so many moments of self doubt that I often don’t share online. On the flip side, all these experiences thrown together have cumulated in my favourite year on this planet yet. Before I give you a run down of my favourite highlights of the year I just want to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy 2018! Thinking of all those people that we won’t be taking with us into the new year, it’s not easy for so many this time of the season and I want to say that I’m sending positive thoughts your way.
Next, I wanted to say thank you for supporting the re-launch of Betty online. It’s something I have wanted to do for so long, and it seems very surreal that I’ve finally done it! Since it launched, at the start of November, I haven’t quite managed to stick to uploading 3 times a week, however I’m only three posts shy of that goal! The content I have shared with you, I am super proud of. Quality is ALWAYS better than quantity in my book. I have loved having talented contributions from both Hannah Bullivant and DIY queen Jenny Brownlees, I also have to say a big thank you to my proof reader Anita (I am the master of missing out words) and my chief photographer Kirsty aka Fashion for Lunch for always snapping me from my good angle (those photos might look candid, but sadly they’re not). And lastly thank you to Behold Studio who designed my very own corner of the internet.
Please let me know what you’d like to see more of next year, either in the comments below, email or my DMs on Instagram. Without further ado, here is a whistle stop tour of 2017, in near-enough chronological order:
Raided my Wardrobe with What Olivia Did
In January, my favourite Liv Purvis came to raid my very pregnant wardrobe. I was really nervous about sharing my most favourite things with the world, however since then it seems I haven’t been able to stop sharing my purchases and favourite pieces, sorry #bettymademedoit. Watch the video and LOLZ that ensued here.
The Girls Club at Hackney Walk
Before I went away to baby-land for a few months, I wanted to do one last set of events for The Girls Club. It was an inspirational (and tiring) two days, filled with workshops from Xanthe Berkeley, Oh Squirrel, Harriet Parry and we also hosted talks with Rosie from Tatty Devine, Liv Purvis, Stephen Lawton from HPR, Dolly Alderton, Sara Tasker and Emma Gannon. Take a look at what we got up to here.
Hired a Coach
I actually haven’t spoken to you about this much, but I think it’s only fair that I fill you in on all the facts. I can’t do this alone, I’ve tried so many times before and failed to get anywhere close to where I want to be work wise. I attribute a big chunk of my progress this year to making a decision to work with life/business coach, Ray Dodd. I have a couple of posts lined up talking about the changes I made to my work life, how I worked on my mental health and general mindset.
Had a Baby
Pretty big life event. Motherhood has quite literally brought blood, sweat and tears but more smiles and laughter than I could’ve ever imagined. I can hands down say it’s the best thing thats the ever happened to me. If you want to read my birth story you can do so here, warning I am naked in a birth pool. I think this is what my dad means when he says I share too much online….
How to Curate Your Life Podcast
When you’ve spent the best part of four months at home with a baby and someone wants to come and interview you for a podcast, this is the result. It’s overshare to the next level, talking about my career to date, dreams and plans for the future. 2018 I would love to feature on more podcasts, and I am still toying with the idea of my own, I think Spring will be when I finally bite the bullet as I have so many ideas whirring around my head. Listen to me talk to Lizzie here.
Re-launched Betty
In November I relaunched this very site you are reading from, my partner in crime, Charlotte Melling and me decided to part ways creatively (not on a friendship level - that ship will never sink). It was scary, but due to point four it didn’t quite feel like I was all alone. Since re-launching I have worked with Free People, Anthropologie and Cambridge Satchel Co - I can’t wait to continue it all in 2018 and see what it has in store.
Travelled
Paris, Cornwall and a nice little shepherd’s hut in the country. There was a time after I had June where I couldn’t imagine doing anything ‘normal’ again, however when I look back we’ve been on three family holiday’s together and it was really so much easier than my pregnant self imagined. Also I got to visit Disneyland for the first time, I actually cried twice with happiness.…
Shopped
I couldn’t wait to get back into my ‘old’ clothes after wearing the same old maternity clothes day in day out. Turns out after you have a baby, you still look pretty pregnant, not to mention the awful postpartum diet of sugar for much needed energy that I’ve been partaking in. Point being is, my old clothes neither fitted or felt like this new me, so obviously I’ve been shopping for new ones. Here are a few of my favourite outfits of this year…
Oh and just a few photos of my favourite manicures from this year, the two words that make me happiest when combined are: nail and art. My inner 12 year old would be so proud!
And that’s 2017 in a nutshell! Until now I’d almost forgotten all about the fact Adele cancelled the one concert I had tickets too, excuse me whilst I go and sob in the corner….