hooray!

despite the cold weather i'm starting to really like february, as this month (today, in fact!) marks one year of me being self employed full time, which actually feels quite surreal to say!

when i left my 'day job' last year, it happened quite out of the blue really, i didn't mark the occasion in any way (i didn't even blog about it!) i think i always had it in the back of my mind that it would be temporary, and i would have to return to 'work' at some point to support myself again, i can't quite believe how far i have come!
since leaving uni in 2008 i have been using my spare time to work on my portfolio and develop my skills, with the hope that one day i could become a full time illustrator.
i'd always been intending to further my freelance illustration career, and it's something i am still working on, but to be honest, that has been pushed to the sidelines over the last 12 months and my etsy shop has well and truly taken over.
i am always so surprised and delighted when i make a sale in my little shop or when someone leaves me a nice comment about my work. to think i'm creeping ever closer to the 1000 sale mark in my store is just mad. sometimes i can't get my head round the fact that there's someone on the other side of the world using one of my pug purses, or wearing a kitty tattoo or covering their phone in my little drawings. it's wonderful! isn't the internet amazing?!

i had been thinking about treating myself to something special as a way of celebrating my first year, but me being me, talked myself out of it as i usually feel so guilty spending money on myself, i always feel like i should be either saving it, spending it on bills or putting it all back into my little business
... however!
just as i accepted the fact the occasion would pass with little celebration, i was contacted (totally out of the blue!) by moneysupermarket.com to take part in a little blogger challenge! i was given £20 to spend on anything i wanted that would make myself or other people feel good, as part of their 'what's in your pocket' challenge ... talk about good timing!

i saw this ring on etsy and knew instantly that it had to be mine! i'd like to thank msm for giving me the excuse to buy something so pretty! it's rose gold, delicately dainty and the best thing about it? it plays on the idea of tying string around your finger to remember something important - very fitting for the occasion ♡
sometimes it's easy to take things for granted, but i know every time i look at this ring on my finger i will be reminded of just how lucky i am to be able to do what i love for a living.
isn't this turning into a soppy post?! ...

since my beautiful ring was an absolute bargain, i thought it would be nice to share the love, and spend the remaining few pennies on some little treats for you! after all, you're the ones who've helped me get where i am today, and for this i want to thank you :)

the prize:
a very cute fortune kitty notepad, some spotty washi tape, and sweeties (c/o msm!)
also! some temporary kitty tattoos, a pug greetings card, some illustration postcards, brand new kitty bunting and a plushie hanging heart all made by meeee :) as pictured above!

ways to enter:
◆ leave a comment on this blog post
◆ tweet about it!

terms:
◆ you must be a follower, either of my blog or my twitter
◆ genuine followers only please
◆ please leave some contact info in your comment below
◆ tweets must include me @harrietgray and link back to this blog post to be counted
◆ you can tweet as many times as you like, each tweet will count as one entry
◆ Accounts used soley to enter giveaways will not be counted
◆ open to anyone, anywhere on planet earth ... hooray!

i will pick a winner on 1st march, so you have until then to enter :)

*** update ***
giveaway is now closed :) thank you to everyone who entered ♥