Something New

So, as the old saying goes. Out with the old and in with the new. I've been writing on my blog for over two years now and it is fair to say, it was looking a little old and tired. So when my good friend Laura of A Modern Bonnet offered to overhaul the design completely, I jumped at the chance! Although I might be a little biased, Laura is extremely talented. Blogger, crafter and creator of all things creative, she has a knack for making things look pretty - whether its making bunting out of book pages, creating birthday cards out of buttons and ribbon or in this case, making blogs look gorgeous. At the moment she has her work cut out with her own online shop A Novel Gift, focusing on all things bookish, but somehow still has the time to delve herself into the world of blog design!  Despite her own creative inclinations, Laura very much wants you to be part of the design process. She was kind enough to let me choose many of my images and ideas - from how my catergories should be set up to how my header should look. She even suggested making a mood board on Pinterest of the colours, themes and images I liked - making the process even smoother.  Overall, I'm really pleased with how mine turned out. The layout is much neater and more professional but still gives a little glimpse of my character. Thank you Laura! If you want to check out some of the work that Laura does, as well as the beautiful photography of my friend Amy, check out their website at Ardently Creative Designs. 

I never thought I'd...

A firm favourite blog of mine is that of my friend Laura. Not only is she super-talented (she makes her own hand-made crafts and sells them on Etsy) but also writes a hilarious account of her daily life. Cue: stories about A&E trips and dates that have gone spectacularly wrong. Last week, she posted "I never thought I'd...", and left me inspired to make a list of my own. For someone incredibly headstrong (read: stubborn) who likes to plan my life in great detail, this was a challenging list to make!

I never thought I'd have visited New York by now. Taking a trip to the big apple was top of my travel to-do list, so that the fact that I was lucky enough to experience it before my 23rd birthday is something quite special.

I never thought I'd still be in love. After four years with someone, I'd always assumed that love would fade and my limited attention span would have diverted me elsewhere. Living together, holidaying together and sharing our ups and downs have resulted in us being closer than ever. 

I never thought I'd stop having lie-ins at the weekend. Ask anyone that has ever lived with me and they'll tell you I am not a morning person. The big bad world of work has meant that I have had to get used to getting up every day at half past six. Every time I get out of bed at 8am on a Saturday to put the washing on, I scare myself that I'm turning into my mother.

I never thought I'd enjoy running. From the always-overweight girl that used to dread P.E lessons at school, the fact that I can now run a 5k a few times a week without wanting to be sick is something that still surprises me. I began running because I knew it would be a challenge, and whilst it still is, I am really enjoying the journey. 

I never thought I'd feel (almost) comfortable in my own skin. I was the kind of awkward teenager that deplored almost everything about myself. Nowadays, I can see my strengths and weaknesses. The older I get, the more I'm starting to accept myself for who I am- including my poor maths skills, terrible temper and the fact I'll always be a little bit fat.