2016 is drawing to a close...and my oh my what a year 2016 has been and I know I'm not alone in feeling this. 2016 has held so many ups and downs for so many people I know and for the world as a collective. But in this blog post I'm hoping to just share and reflect on another year as a way of closing the door on one of my most turbulant years of my still young life.
2016 for me has been one of my hardest to date. In the early months I had a few close friendships break down, which resulted in a bullying campaign and a lot of people I don't even know apparently having issues with me. I still don't know what exactly caused the big blow up and I've made peace that I never will. This year taught me that there are times when its better to accept you won't understand things and move on with life, instead of dwelling on things you'll never get the answer to. This also shed a lot of negative people from my life very quickly and showed me the true colours of some people I'd never even really interacted with before. I saw the dark bullying underbelly of the retro world and its still something that I can't unsee. It did however strengthen my drive around women supporting women and what that truly means to me. That being a mature woman means letting others get on with their own lives and not needing to crusade against them to 'bring them down' simply because of my own insecurities or because we don't get along.
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| My last photograph with my grandmother before she passed |
For me personally, one of the most significant events of 2016 was the loss of my grandmother, who had a heart attack at home a few days before the Easter weekend. Out of my siblings I had the best relationship with my grandmother. I spent many school holidays at her house growing up as a kid and as i guess it is with all losses...I was not ready to say good bye. She passed a few weeks before what would have been her 90th Birthday and with everything that had been going on with a whole heap of nasty people in my life at the time I was completely emotionally numb when I should have been grieving. We bid my grandmother farewell and her eldest child, my oldest uncle 6 months later after he lost his battle with cancer. My first family deaths since my great Aunt died when I was 19 hit me very hard. I'm only really just processing them now and it still catches me off guard a lot.
But with loss, comes growth. I found it caused reflections in me that otherwise wouldn't have happened. I began to really look at myself, my life and where I wanted to go. I mean, we don't really stop and look at ourselves...really look at ourselves all the much and I find this is often because there are parts we don't like. We live in a world where there is a lot of pressure to be a "good" person, that there are traits that are undesirable that should be changed. This year really made me embrace who I am, the good and the 'bad' because I am a whole being. I am who I am because all my traits, not just the good ones. Now days I believe more in balance than trying to push myself out of it.
I've also had some incredible experiences within the world of pinup in 2016 as well, opportunities that I am incredibly grateful for, with a few in particular standing out in my mind.
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| Attending the ProBlogger conference on the Gold Coast in QLD Australia |
Firstly, with the support of my amazing partner, I was able to attend a conference to help me better my blogging skills and help me make my blog better. This has helped me work hard on ways to begin to better share some things that are super important to me and bring you all an even better blog in 2017!
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| Entree Shoot with Sherbet Birdie |
The second is after 3 years of not feeling 'good enough' to shoot with an amazing creative team of Sherbet Birdie Photography. I booked in when an opening came up for their entree shoot and it was honestly one of the most amazing experiences of women genuinely supporting and empowering other women! I am incredibly grateful to have had a chance to get to know the amazing women of the sherbet birdie team and to have Sasha and Lauren to be apart of my amazing collaboration with What Katie Did Uk.
Thirdly, being a curvier gal with a love of vintage lingerie, getting to work with an amazing brand that I love wearing such as What Katie Did to not only showcase some of my favorite pieces and favorite brands as well, but to also help ladies who are new to retro foundations get a rough idea of where to start. It was also an absolute dream to be able to show retro lingerie on curvier figures, something that I feel is often overlooked amongst retro lingerie brands at times. Not all retro girls are petite and not all retro girls who are curvier are big busted. Its great to see brands getting on board and showcasing their items on varying shapes as well!
And finally, my little business Daisy Jean has also grown well outside what I ever anticipated. Its amazing how fast and how much it has grown in 2016 and I am incredibly grateful for the support and love my little business has received. I'm so grateful to have gotten to work with Miss Ellen this year as the face of my business and I'm truly looking forward to bringing two new faces on board in the new year. I'm hoping for an even more amazing Daisy Jean journey in 2017!
A few things I'd like to mention as amazing things that have happened for me in 2016! In 2016 I've gotten to know some incredible women! Women who I am grateful to call friends and who restored my faith in the fact there are good people out there! Thank you to these amazing women for being in my life, at whatever capacity that may be. You help lift me and inspire me.
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| Ruby Rabbit, Miss Annie Sky and me at the Sydney Rock N Roll Markets |
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| Miss Peggy Perkins and me at Mardi Gras |
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| Blogger Nicole who I met at Pro Blogger |
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| Bloggers My Vintage Childhood and Makeplusdo at Pro Blogger |
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| Cassie and I during my visit to Melbourne |
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| Meeting Miss Honey Holloway during my Brisbane Trip |
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| Miss Laura Bell, Lavender Twill, Ivy Fair, Miss Annie Sky, Cherry Bomb Adri, Me, Miss Ellen and Lila Jean Vintage |
Also, ontop of shooting with Sherbet Birdie I also had the opportunities to shoot with Australia Photographers Miss Scarlett Imagery and Miss Mercy Photography to take a step outside of my comfort zone and to get some incredible images.
I also got my first colour tattoo while I was in Brisbane at the ProBlogger conference, done my graphic artist and apprentice tattoo artist Nikki Palmer! I am absolutely in love with him and I cannot wait to get him a friend in 2017!
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| Getting Inked by Miss Nikki |
Also moving into our own place with my amazing man was definitely an amazing milestone that I feel like I have to mention too! Its given my life, my business, my relationship and my blogging such amazing growth!
While this year started off on a very rough and left me feeling incredibly overwhelmed, in the later part of 2016 I feel I have truly flourished. I've grown so much as a young woman and found a place of peace within myself that I never thought possible. Its given me such drive to 2017 and I cannot wait for all the amazing things I have on the go right now, so much I already have coming and how much I can bring to you all in 2017!
Thank you all so much for sharing in my journey both here and on instagram. For your amazing support, messages of encouragement and sharing your own journeys. Its amazing to even begin to comprehend that by sharing my own journey I am able to inspire and help others! Keep being amazing, keep doing you and I look forward to seeing what we all achieve in 2017.
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