Happy 12th Birthday, Sparkles and Shoes! 🎉

Today Sparkles and Shoes officially turns 12 years old, and I’m feeling all the nostalgia. When I hit publish on my very first post back on August 2, 2012, I was living in a tiny New York City apartment, writing late at night after work and hoping maybe someone out there would read what I had to say. I never imagined that simple beginning would turn into a twelve-year adventure.

What makes this blog birthday extra special is that it brings things full circle. Sparkles and Shoes was born in NYC, grew and evolved during our six incredible years in England, and now—after a whirlwind move back across the Atlantic—I’m celebrating this milestone once again back in New York, where it all began. It feels a bit like coming home twice: once in real life and once here on the blog.

Over the past dozen years I’ve changed jobs, moved countries, expanded my family, and documented hundreds of outfits, trips, and moments in between. This space has grown from a fun creative outlet into a living scrapbook of my life, and rereading old posts still makes me smile (and sometimes cringe, but in the best way).

More than anything, I’m grateful for you. For the readers who have been here since the early days, and for the new faces who’ve joined along the way. Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing, and cheering from afar.

Here’s to year twelve—full of sparkle, stories, shoes, and whatever adventure comes next.