Let's Get Sentimental: A Look Back + New Blog Goals

So yesterday was my blog's official first anniversary date. I decided to keep yesterday's post pretty short because I know people wanted to enter my giveaway and not read about past posts from my blog! Haha shoot, I probably would be the same way too if I were on another blog.

Anyway, so today I wanted to get a little sentimental and talk a little bit about my blog from the past year. No, I won't go into some emotional rant, but I just want to share some of my favorite blog posts from the past year then look at what I've accomplished through my blog and what I want to accomplish in the next year.

My Favorite Blog Posts by Category: 

Fashion:

DIY: Denim Shorts from Dad Jeans: I had a lot of fun with this DIY and it is also one of my most popular posts of all time! If you want to turn your old jeans into denim shorts, check out this post!

Two Ways to Wear: Tribal Print Crop Top: I wrote this post back when I was part of Macy's Campus Tour a couple months back, and I just had so much fun with it! I loved putting the outfits together and writing the post. 

My Blog's First Anniversary + A GIVEAWAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG! Livin' and Lovin' Blog is finally a year old! I can't believe I've already made it to one year with this baby of mine, and it's amazing. It's been an amazing first year with this blog, and I'm so thankful to every single one of you for supporting me over the course of the past year despite the many changes this blog has seen.

I started getting back into blogging and taking it more seriously a little over a year ago on Tumblr. I quickly moved onto Blogger and recreated my blog as Through the Eyes of a Cali Girl a year ago today. At the end of October I changed my blog's name to Livin' and Lovin' Blog because I felt like it fit me better. Long story short, that's how I got to where I am today.

Livin' and Lovin' Blog banners throughout the past year

Unfortunately, I don't have screen shots of my blog in the past year, but here are the three banners I've had (including my current one) to show how my blog has changed throughout the past year.

It's always pretty awesome to get to a birthday or anniversary and reflect on how far you came in the past year. And with this blog, it's really been a rollercoaster and I've really fallen in love with this blog and all the hard work I've put into it.

But anyway, enough of the sentimental stuff for now. I'll save the rest of it for tomorrow. Now it's time for the reason you are all probably here: A GIVEAWAY!

Why I Write

On Day 3 of my blog's anniversary celebration, I thought it would be fitting to talk about why I write. I've been writing this blog for a year, and I've written such a wide variety of posts about a bunch of different topics. I've been a newspaper writer for over three years, and I've also kept a blog (different from this one) for even longer--5 years to be exact.

Before getting into writing and journalism, I was a little all over the place on what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do fashion design, interior design, visual communication (design in-store displays), and I also went back and forth between wanting to be a singer and attempted to audition for singing shows so many times and even knew someone who could get me in a recording studio, but things always got in the way.

Your Story Blog Hop: Your Family

It is finally Week 1 of the Your Story Blog Hop! Hoda from Joojoo Azad ~ Free Bird and I have been planning for the launch of this link-up for the past few weeks and I am so excited to finally launch it!

Hoda and I have been talking for the past few weeks about how much we so badly wanted a way to incorporate our cultures, religions, stories, and backgrounds in a way that we could also get to know other people and they, in turn, could get to know us! That was when we came up with the Your Story Blog Hop.

This week's first prompt was announced last week to get people excited and thinking about doing this with us, and hopefully you will join us! This week's prompt is all about your family:

What is your family like? Do you have siblings? Were your parents married growing up? Who do you consider your family?

Of course, you didn't have to answer all of the questions in this order or anything like that, but they were just a way to get you thinking about your family. All you have to do is tell us about your family! You also don't have to go into deep and serious aspects about your story with things like rape, abuse, or anything like that if you are not comfortable. I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable; I just want to get to know you a little better.