What a difference a year makes.....

It's a special day today. Today exactly a year ago I arrived in Dublin. Bags and baggage! I can't believe it's been a year already. Seriously. Seems like just yesterday I moved into my flat, put up my pictures, settled in, Met Z, A, J, N, A and a whole host of other special people who came into my life this year.

I can't say I have loved every minute of it. Can't say there haven't been times when I wasn't tempted to run home for home cooked meals and the comfort of Cork. But, as I move into my second year I find myself reflecting on what has happened for the best this year.

I have FINALLY found something I am good at. With shout out to E and my thesis tutor from last year who were the first to suggest it.

Mention to K who taught me the tricks of the trade to get started and how to run my blog professionally, cough. cough.

I love my friends. As crazy and as mad as they all are.

I LOVE my course and everything about it.

I do love my shitty little flat. I really do. It's the first place that has ever really been all mine. I do curse it to the high heavens sometimes, but I love that my friends feel happy to pop over for tea (wine) all the time and its the new going out/getting ready spot.

I love that I can afford to buy the clothes I want. When I want.

Dublin has changed me. Before I lived here I felt perfectly normal going out with no make-up on. Nothing. Bare. Now I wont dream of leaving the house without foundation, my eyebrows perfect, blood red lips and black eyeliner. I stepped up my fashion game as well with my style developing into a vintage/punky/rocky mishmash of epic proportions! I love it.

Some of the best things to happen in Dublin this year :

- buying my first designer handbag. myself. no one else. me. I afforded it. I wanted it. I was independent enough to buy it.

- All those insane SPY nights with Z. Dressed up like lunatics

- A's 21st in ____ this year. Got get drag king-ed up.

- Was able to visit : Galway, Cork, West Cork, Belfast, Cambridge, London and the south of France this year.

- Me and Z's wine nights in my place

- Starting to get attention from press for the blog

- Seeing my first article in print and on the stands

- my launch party which caused me major sleepless nights being a total success.

- Having the balls to do something INSANE during a recession and having it work out perfectly.

- All those nights where I stood outside college freezing.

- Finally feeling like an actual grown up and not a student!!! (even though i am one still)

- Z's mad bouts of falling over and running around Dublin laughing every night

- the 2 10 ten day going out binges I pulled off.

- Being used as a model for a photographer and posing nude. (for the 4th time)

- Being involved in B.Y.O.B and having it turn out a GIANT success for all involved!

- Buying my first fur coat (vintage)

So thank you everyone for making my first year in Dublin such as a success and with new projects on the way for myself, which I can't reveal yet.

Don't believe me that a year can change a person? look at the two pics. the difference? A year.

my 24th birthday in Dublin. The week before I moved up. Long story what I am doing in the picture in Topshop. But there you go. Look, no make-up, clothes I didn't like, Shorter hair,