Au Revoir 2010: A Year in Review

Wow. We're two weeks into 2011! Can you believe it? It feels like yesterday I was raising a glass to 2009. I'm sure there are plenty of you that were happy to say adios to 2010, but I'll be honest with you, I was not. In fact, I'm certain I've been going through the five stages of grief (hence the blogging hiatus -- sorry). It was one of the best years of my life. Don't believe me? Here's the highlight reel.

Happy Birthday to me! This wasn't no ordinary birthday. It was the big 3-0! It would've been an awesome birthday just for the fact that all of my girlfriends came out just for me. But it was made extra special the moment I opened the door and got the shock of my life when one of my bestest friends (who lived in Edmonton at the time) was standing there! The ensuing shrieks could be heard for miles I'm sure. It was the best present anyone could have given me. Thank you to everyone for making it a birthday I will never forget!

Dear Edna was born! I'm exhausted just typing that line. On some sort of deluded whimsy, I decided to sew up a bunch of aprons, totes and yoga bags and open my very own Etsy store. Give it the good old college try. See how it does. Well, it was a lot more difficult and more work than I expected. In fact, saying I just sewed up a bunch of stuff and opened a store is seriously putting it lightly. But it was so exciting, interesting and the most rewarding work I've ever done! And the response was beyond anything I ever expected. I am actually kind of in disbelief that I'm not only still in business, but growing! If there's one thing that makes me excited about the future, it's Dear Edna. I'm so thankful to everyone that encouraged, supported and invested in me this year. I honestly couldn't have done it without you. Honest. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Eurospectacular '010. All those hard months spent launching my small business were rewarded with the vacation of a lifetime, a vacation I have dreamed about since I was a little girl: 4 weeks travelling some of the most gorgeous and romantic cities in the world. London, Amsterdam, Bruges, Brussels, Paris, Strasbourg, Colmar, Dijon, Beaune, Lyon, Nice, Pisa, Florence, Rome, and pretty much all of Malta. And all with the love of my life. Could life get any better than that?

Downey Family Reunion. My mother grew up in a very small town near Lindsay, Ontario, called Downeyville. Yes, it is named after her family. They immigrated there from Ireland to escape the famine and carve a new life for themselves. Hundreds of family members came from near and far for our first ever reunion and it was so great to see them all. Look at all those beautiful, happy faces. It was a good weekend.



My Best Friends' Weddings. In September one of my oldest, dearest friends from high school was married and I was honored to be her bridesmaid.  Congratulations Melissa and Marc! I wish you all the best! A month later, Jen and Luke got hitched. The wedding was absolutely stunning, as was the bride. Congratulations Jen and Luke! xo

As you can see, it will be a tough one to beat. But I'm ready to suit up and accept the challenge. There are already so many exciting things in store, including more weddings, more sewing and more travelling! Yeehoo!

{top images via whitneyraepaper and Frosted}