That was the year that was...

2010 was the year...

- I started a blog and discovered this incredible online creative community

- We moved into our new home

- I started a new business venture

I also travelled to three continents and got serendipitously stuck in Paris (yippee!).  It has been a happy year, with a rollercoaster of emotions in places, but mostly filled with adventure, fun, and new friendships.  Here is my year in blog posts, featuring the most 'significant' from each month.

***

JANUARY
- I started the year sat on a sand dune in the Sahara Desert with my man

- I didn't even know what a blog was (must have been walking around with my eyes shut, and just think what I was missing!).  127 blog posts later I am still loving it...

FEBRUARY
- I went to California for an art retreat, was inspired to start a blog and discovered a whole new world, to which I felt like I had belonged all along

'Tribal Gathering' posted Tuesday 27 February

MARCH -
I had a 'wow' Mondo Beyondo dreaming moment

Did that just happen?  posted Monday 15 March

APRIL
- I had a wonderful piece of bad luck when the ash cloud from an erupting Icelandic volcano stranded me in Geneva, giving me little choice but to hop on a train to Paris for an impromptu long weekend

'The most wonderful piece of bad luck' posted Friday 16 April

MAY
- My 33rd birthday gave me a great opportunity to look back over the many big changes of the past few years, and look forward to a new chapter in my life

'Looking back, looking forward, looking inward, looking outward' posted Wednesday 5 May

image: Francois d'Elbee (taken in Zambia)

... and posted the first Do What You Love interview, which was followed by a further 15 over the course of the year, with people like writer Danielle LaPorte and artist Claudine Hellmuth.  More to come next year! 

'The Time is Now: Do What You Love interview with Christina Sbarro' posted Sunday 9 May

JUNE
- My man and I spent three dreamy weeks island hopping round Greece

'Barefoot in Greece' posted Saturday 19 June

JULY
- All the wishing worked and we moved into our new home

'We got our dreamy little new home!' posted Thursday 22 July

AUGUST
- I celebrated my six month blogiversary!

'Learning to paint Jesse Reno style + 6 month blogiversary' posted Tuesday 24 August

SEPTEMBER
- I was lucky to be chosen as one of Britain's most exciting young entrepreneurs, and secured a place on a ground breaking business mentoring scheme run by a leading national magazine, pairing me with entrepreneur extraordinaire Kanya King, founder of the Mobo awards

'Exciting creative business news' posted Friday 3 September

Kanya King (image courtesy of Mobo)

 ... I went back to the US for another art retreat - bliss
 

'Reflections on Squam - I dreamed a dream' posted Friday 24 September

 

 
... and I was published on mega-design blog design*sponge
 

'Stop press! Published on design*sponge (eek!)' posted Wednesday 29 September

 
OCTOBER
- I launched the second Great Big Stitched Postcard swap, which attracted 85 women from 13 countries on 5 continents, and forged many new connections across the creative world

'Back by popular demand - the Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap 2'

posted Tuesday October 19

NOVEMBER
- I launched my new business venture, running art and creative enterprise retreats in the stunning English countryside

'Finally, announcing my new business venture' posted Monday November 25

DECEMBER
- I met Prince William (what a charmer).  Incidentally I also met David Beckham again that day, mmm...!

'The day I met the future King of England' posted Moday 6 December

... and I indulged in all the delights of Christmas preparations, and have loved every festive minute

'Countdown to Christmas#5: Throwing a Christmas dinner party' posted Friday 17 December

Thank you for sharing this road with me.

***

How was your 2010?  Are you looking forward to 2011? 

I can't wait, it is going to be a big year! See you there!

***