13 loves {2013}

It's the last day of the year and I've been a bad blogger this month but I couldn't let the month go by without one last post.

I loved Pam's concept of {13 loves} and joined in right away in January. I haven't been able to come up with a list every month but looking back, there are 7 lists of things that I loved in 2013. So I've decided to bring together my top 13 favourites for the year...

One

I got myself this gorgeous lipstick and it is indeed fabulous! Perfect pink to match your own lips!

two

One of the best photos ever. I was lucky enough to spend time with all my beautiful nieces and handsome nephew this year and could fill my list with photos of them. But this is just such an adorable photo, I will let it represent time with them all. Can't wait to spend more time with them in 2014.

three

A present brought back for me from far away travels. In Pink! Need to get to use it more. 

four 

Amanda Catherine Des Esty shop (here)

Still love these and they are still on my Etsy favourite list. I intend to get them for someone (or me!) next year. 

five

  

A big highlight of the year was a much anticipated concert, the first for quite some time, by one of my musical heroes for the last 30 years!  Nigel Kennedy is a genius and I was thrilled to be able to get tickets for the 2^nd row at his recent concert featuring Bach and Fats Waller – a really super combination, if a little unconventional. Actually, that is probably the best word to describe Kennedy himself… unconventional. Anyway, to get to the point, I got the chance to meet him after the concert as a signing had been set up. I was like a teenager and was thrilled to have a quick chat with him, have him sign my programme and grab a photo. It may not be the best, but one that makes me smile every time I look at it. 

Six

Scrapabilly online shop here

Back in the summer, I was invited to join the Scrapabillyhttp://www.scrapabilly.de/ design team - lucky me! Sylvia's shop is an amazing treasure trove crammed full of gorgeous stash and I'm delighted and honoured to have been asked, and so warmly welcomed, onto the team. Happy to have found a new scrappy home.

seven

Pinterest find (here)

Considering I am someone who doesn't have nice fingers (I'm a nibbler) or nails, I fall in love with a lot of nail varnishes. I didn't manage to track this one down yet but when I do, I know I will love it!

eight

Pinterest find here

So true, so true!

nine

Check out the Jingle Belles blog (here)

I'm a huge fan of the brains behind the Jingle Belles blog, Lauren and Stephanie. They are so inspirational and help us to stop the stress of homemade Christmas cards by inspiring us every week to create our pile of cards all the way through the year. I am excited to play along in 2014 and have that happy pile of cards ready to go again in December.

ten

These shoes which I spotted in the Marina Bay Shopping Mall, Singapore when I was there in December stole my heart. Every time I look at this photo, I fall in love all over again. 

eleven

My word just sort of came to me back in January and I promptly ordered a charm to remind myself of it every day. I've been working on it, quietly, in my own way through the year and am happy with the progress I made. 2014's word came to me early and I am ready to go with it as of now!

twelve

Counterfeit Kit Challenge (here)

I've been playing along with the Counterfeit Kit Challenge for nearly three years now and I love it as much now as I did back then. Love that I get to shop my stash, love that I have a pile of ready made mix and match products that are ready to go whenever I want to scrap, love the team and the awesomely creative girls over there. The Counterfeit Kit Challenge is an awesome idea and I'm thrilled to be part it. It makes me happy.

thirteen

This place. I love it. I miss Pam but hope she will come back to us sometime. I have some truly special friends over there and am thrilled every time a new layout hits the gallery. Join us {here}. We'd love to see you there.

And there you have it - the highlights of the 2013 from my {13 loves} lists. Of course, there was a lot else that I loved and was a part of throughout the year but this is quite a representative list all in all!

Even though this was originally Pam's idea, I've decided to carry on this idea in 2014 with {14 loves} which I hope to get posted on the 14th of every month. I'd love it if you joined in too.

Wishing you all a very good New Year celebration or "einen guten Rutsch ins neuen Jahr" as they say round here and thank you each and every one of you for visiting my blog. I appreciate every one of you and hope to be a more active blogger in 2014. Why not drop by and let me know how I'm doing.

Goodbye 2013... hello and welcome to 2014.

See you on the other side!