Polka Spots and Freckle Dots is One Today!

A year ago today, I created my little blog Polka Spots and Freckle Dots, and published my first post with a thundering heart. I had no idea where this blog was going to take me when I sent that first post out in to the void, but one year later I'm still going strong and am thrilled to be celebrating my blog's first birthday!

I just can't believe it's been an entire year already; where has the time gone?

My first post was a quick introductory post, which included a grainy, headless mirror shot of me in my favourite polka dot dress, and a few words about how fatshion and body positivity blogs had helped me during the first six months of my injuries. Of course, I didn't get a single comment, and the quality of the photos was much worse than they are today, but that was how my blog began.

 You can read my first blog post in full here, if you'd like to see it.

I cannot express just how much joy my little blog has given me this past year; nor can I describe how much of a life line it has been for me during one of the hardest years I've ever had to face. My blog has provided me with an outlet, a place to express myself, a distraction, and a purpose during a year of physical pain, limited mobility, and far too many hours confined to bed. I genuinely love and look forward to blogging every day, and I'm beginning to regard it as a life style and not just a hobby; it's never far from my thoughts.

I've poured all my energy, heart, and soul in to this blog, and I've loved every minute of it! I may not have achieved as much as many bloggers; I've not gained a huge following, become 'famous' in the blogging world, attended numerous events, or been approached for a never ending stream of collaborations, but I'm proud of what I've created. I'm proud that I've been able to add my story to the fatshion community for plus size girls everywhere, for those self-conscious, body-conscious ladies who've been shamed in to hating their bodies, and told they can't be fashionable or look pretty because they're not skinny. If I can help or inspire one person the way other fatshion bloggers have inspired me to accept myself for who I am, then every second I've put in to my blog has been worth it!

I'd also like to say a big thank you to each and every one of you for reading, commenting, and supporting me this year! I'm still surprised that anybody would ever want to read my blog, so every reader and every comment means the world to me. I've been lucky to have made some lovely blogger friends, whom I never would have 'met' had I not began this blog, and it's been a pleasure conversing with like-minded ladies. So, thanks, guys!

So, looking back... in twelve months I have written over three hundred and twenty posts, blogging daily as often as possible. That's an awful lot of dresses, colour, cardigans, prints, wish lists, inspiration posts, and musings!

How about a little summary of my favourites?

Some of my favourite posts of the year include...

// How to Wear Colour: Where to Start
// How to Wear Colour: How to Build Up Your Confidence
 // My Tips For Living with Disc Injuries
// How to Create Beauty Boxes 
// My Dressing Table
// My Make Up Collection
 // My Christmas Shopping Tips

Some of my favourite outfits of the year are...

Hmm, anybody would think I favour a certain style...

Dress? Check!
Cardigan? Check!
Skinny belt? Check!
Leggings or tights? Check!

And some of my favourite nail looks of the past twelve months are...

I think it's obvious that I like a bit of colour, and change my nail polish almost as often as my underwear.

I don't know what the future holds for Polka Spots and Freckle Dots; who knows where the next twelve months might take me, but I'm looking forward to finding out! I certainly haven't finished this journey yet! I have many ideas for future posts up my sleeves!

So, again, I just wanted to say a very big thank you for all your support over the last twelve months. Thanks for reading, following, commenting, and supporting me! It means the world to me, and I hope you'll all stop by from time to time over the next twelve months!

Have a great day, guys.