Yearly Wrap-Up 2017

I can't quite believe that we are already in 2018. Last year flew by for me, probably because I was very busy working, rebranding my business and taking care of my two year old.

As a result, I didn't have much time for reading or writing, so I'm afraid my poor blog was neglected. I plan to invest more time and energy in it this year as I do miss taking part in the blogging community and making time for myself to be creative.

Blogging and Reading Stats

Books read: 11 (nowhere near my goal of 24 but at least an improvement on last year!)




Books reviewed: 5: The Longing and the Lack, Fate of the Stars, The Maze Runner, Hippy Chick, Rewired.

Blog posts: 15 :( This is a huge drop for me as I wrote over 100 in 2016. I hope to put it right this year.

Events participated in: None. :( I really missed joining in with the blogging community last year. In 2018 I want to take part in the A-Z Challenge again and some of the Bloggiesta events.

Memes participated in: 2: Harry Potter Moment of the Week, Cover Characteristic.

Book promotion posts (blog tours, cover reveals, author interviews etc.): 6 

Most active month of blogging: July (9 posts, compared to my peak of 29 last year).

Blog followers: 316 via GFC, 299 via Facebook , 225 via Twitter, 226 via Google+, 158 via Bloglovin', 5 via Feedburner.

Reading challenges completed: 0. I didn't sign up to any last year but stay tuned for my post about this year's reading challenges.

Blog awards received: 0.

Discussion posts: 0.

Top 5 most visited posts (all time): U is for Unicorns, My Wedding Part 2: DIY Pocketfold Invites, Gone but not Forgotten Blogfest, Self-Esteeem Challenge Day 28, Divergent Casting News and Fan Art.

Creative Hobbies

Art and craft projects: Sadly, none this year. I have really fallen off the bandwagon.

Cooking and baking experiments: 8: Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, choc chip cookies, spag bol, vegetable soup, leek and potato soup, dairy free birthday cake.




Poems written: None :(

Favourites

Songs: 'Shape of You' by Ed Sheeran, 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran, 'Despacito' by Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee/Bieber, 'Too Good at Goodbyes' by Sam Smith, 'Castle on the Hill' by Ed Sheeran, 'Galway Girl' by Ed Sheeran, 'Rockabye' by Clean Bandit, 'Paris' by the Chainsmokers, 'That's What I Like' by Bruno Mars.

TV Shows: The Apprentice, Great British Bakeoff, The Handmaid's Tale, Blue Planet II, Red Dwarf XII, Celebrity Hunted, Call the Midwife.

Films: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Beauty and the Beast, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.

Food and Drink: Quorn escallopes, nuggets and southern-fried bites, any vegetarian Marks and Spencer meals, salted caramel anything.

Favourite Memories: See my post: My Top Ten Moments of 2017.

Summary

Overall, 2017 was a fairly good year. The low points were a loss in my extended family at the beginning of the year, a relationship break-up and one of my close family members being diagnosed with a long-term illness. However, the good things outweighed the bad so 2017 was relatively kind to me compared to other years. 

I did slack off with blogging, writing and other creative hobbies and I do want to improve on that next year as I feel a big part of me is missing when I'm not expressing myself creatively. However, looking after and playing with my daughter will always be my main priority and I wouldn't trade the happy memories we made together for anything.

  

How was your year? What are your favourite memories? Did you achieve all your goals for 2017?