Here goes...my first ever blog! Written in the comfort of my own home because my original plan seemed less ideal.

I was going to get cozy in a coffee shop, because blogging with a cup of tea goes hand in hand. But, that would have meant driving for three hours, in the dark and rain (and I think it was trying to snow too).

Instead, I decided to sit at my kitchen table, also known (for the past 4 years) as my office, and get comfy in my pjs.

I have already scouted out cute little cafes, where I will become a regular, drink London fogs, and write!

When I was a little girl, I would sit at the kitchen table at Grandma and Grandpa’s (every Thursday in the holidays) with my younger sister, Libla (Elizabeth was too difficult to say...and 30 years later, the name has stuck). We would draw pictures and write stories in old Christmas cards that ‘Grannyma’ saved for us.

The stories were usually about a Donkey and his Dog, because that was Grandpa’s favourite bedtime story for us. The pictures we drew often accompanied the stories, like a childrens book. I thought, maybe one day, I would write a book.

As I grew up, I began writing in journals. These were no longer made up stories, but instead, my thoughts...my story.

I would write about boys, the squabbles that Libla and I would have, and more about boys! And I ‘designed’ my future...

- Join the local Police Force...CHECK!

- Marry an Italian Man...CHECK...well, a man who loves pizza is pretty close, I think!!

- Emigrate to Australia with aforementioned Italian...(kind of) CHECK...my pizza loving hubby and I moved to Canada, choosing the cold winters and grizzly bears over hot beaches and spiders!! Some, I’m sure, will call me crazy!

- Design a house and build it...CHECK...should be moving in this year, EEEEK! And then I can write blogs in an actual office and not at the kitchen table (maybe I will still write at the kitchen table, sometimes!)

Even though there were a few changes along the way, I made them happen!

Whenever I come across my journals, I have to read a page or two...ha, I could write a book.

I’ve thought about it for years. Usually when I’ve read a good book...that was before I realised how flaming hard it is to write a blog!!

I do love to read and I should do it more often (one of my New Year’s Resolutions...day 16 and I’ve managed at least a chapter a day), but it only seems to fit into my schedule when I’m on holiday...when I return back to the ‘office’, life gets in the way, travels at 100m/hour, and my book gets tossed on to a dusty pile of books and forgotten about!

But, I was determined to finish my last book, and I did, one (or two) slow pages at a time...I escaped into the 20th century and realised that if someone who began life with nothing and could make so much of herself, we all can!

Coco Chanel was a stubborn woman...but her stubbornness was CONFIDENCE...the confidence to be and do her own thing.

She was determined to change fashion and get women out of those ‘dreadful’ waist-cinching corsets and long skirts...and she succeeded. The iconic suit and little black dress was born.

Even in her later years, she refused to go with the ‘fashion’ when Dior brought back the corset, after Coco had worked so hard to remove them from our closets.

Her suit and little black dress lived on (and is still around today).

Mademoiselle Chanel was a unique character for her time. She was a woman trying to make something of herself in a man’s world. She came from nothing but her name lives on even though she has gone.

I admire her courage and confidence to be.

This novel has made such an impact on me...I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. And that thought has crossed my mind, yet again...I should write a book.

I once knew what I was going to write about...my book was going to be “Just the Cake and the Dress” (yes, I was one of those girls who dreamed of her wedding day) That idea is slightly outdated now though, as I did end up finding the [pizza loving] man too!!

But, I can do this...

I will [one day] write a book!

I believe in following my dreams, catching them and making them happen. I also believe in pink, but that’s a story for another time!

What have you been wanting to tackle??

Have you been engaged for what seems like forever, because you are putting off that overwhelming task of actually planning your beautiful big day?!

Maybe you are wanting to get your beauty on, but you are waiting for the ‘right time’...or your confidence! The funny thing is, a boudoir session will actually give you that confidence boost you’ve been looking for!

The Pretty as a Picture Photography blog is here to help brides and beauties find their confidence (and time) to build their perfect day (and shoot) they have dreamed of.

So, here it is...my first ever blog and the beginning of my writing journey.

Today marks ‘page’ 16 of our 366 ‘page ‘book’...