Wow. I can't believe where the past year has gone...and that it's really been 365 days since my very first post. I'm so lucky that my blog has lasted this long - when I began it I honestly thought it would be something very few people would read but I had so many thoughts going round in my head about the lingerie and clothing I was trying that I needed somewhere to put them. And here I am, 12 months later, still going strong.
When I started writing my blog, I intended for it to remain completely anonymous. I wanted to share my findings of clothes and lingerie to suit my extremely voluptuous hourglass figure in the hope that my discoveries might help someone else, but to keep it very separate from my 'real' life. I wasn't ready to share 'me' with the world so I kept my head out of my photos, in the hope that the focus would be on the items I was trying, rather than me personally.
That soon changed a few months down the line when I went to Simply Yours' launch of Gok Wan's new shapewear collection in late January 2012 and got to meet some real bloggers in the flesh - women who have become close friends of mine. I got my picture taken a few times with Gok (and even asked him to pose for a 'boob grab' photo with Georgina and me) and naturally wanted to show off about it...and so my face appeared on my blog for the very first time.
Photo courtesy of Cheryl Warner
After that, things changed on my blog and I decided that it would be ok to include my face in clothing and event photos. I continued to keep my head out of any lingerie or swimwear photos as I still wanted the focus to be on the pieces, almost as if they were on a mannequin (albeit one with crazy measurements!).
Over the past year, I have published 118 blog posts, comprising 70 lingerie reviews and one guest bra review, as well as various other posts on shapewear, clothing and spotlights on particular brands. I called myself 'Curvy Wordy' mainly to link to my extremely curvaceous figure, but the 'Wordy' part seems to also ring very true!
I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past 12 months. From my blogging and Facebook/Twitter friends to the brands who have so kindly sent me items to review or invited me to events, you have all been utterly wonderful. My life has changed beyond recognition and I have loved every minute of it.
And, to celebrate my one year 'bloggiversary', I am delighted to announce my Blog's First Birthday Giveaway! It comes in the form of a number of very simple prize draws so it couldn't be easier to enter.
I have published individual posts on each of the incredibly generous companies and brands who have offered to provide a prize (or prizes!) for my giveaway. I tell you a bit about the brand and you can enter as many of the prize draws as you wish by following the instructions on the posts. However please make sure you read each post carefully as some of the draws will have restrictions on the location of entrants.
The brands and I have worked very hard to pull this together and I hope that we have managed to provide something to appeal to pretty much everyone. I am ridiculously excited about the prizes and can't wait to tell you all about them! For easy reference, I have posted links below to each and every draw post - there are 32 in total!
So, thank you again for your support, my dear readers. Without you I would have undoubtedly given up this gig a while ago, but your continued interest in my reviews and musings keeps me writing. You are wonderful and I wish you all the very best of luck in My Blog's First Birthday Giveaway!
Here's to the next 12 months :-)
THE PRIZE DRAWS WILL AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE ON SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2012 AT 00:01 EST. NO ENTRIES AFTER THIS POINT WILL BE ACCEPTED.
YOU CAN ENTER AS MANY OF THE GIVEAWAYS AS YOU LIKE. HOWEVER, PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ THE RULES AND STIPULATIONS OF EACH GIVEAWAY CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING AND, IF APPROPRIATE, MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPANY/BRAND WILL DELIVER TO YOUR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT BLOG COMMENTS ON THE GIVEAWAY POSTS MUST INCLUDE YOUR NAME (REAL OR PSEUDONYM) TO COUNT AS AN ENTRY. MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER NAME YOU CHOOSE CAN IDENTIFY YOU IF YOU END UP BEING THE WINNER. COMMENTS BY 'ANONYMOUS' WILL NOT COUNT AS ENTRIES.
A Sophisticated Pair: $25 US gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_29.html
Affinitas: Parfait Honey Babydoll in Black http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_5327.html
Beautiful Bosom Bras: Free bra fitting consultation http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_8348.html
BiuBiu: Three tops/shirts/blouses (with one item to each of the three winners) http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-biubiu.html
Brood's Big Bras: $50 AUS gift voucher and free express shipping http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-broods.html
Butterfly Collection Lingerie: $50 US gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_6445.html
Clothing at Tesco: £50 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_6854.html
Curvissa: Faux leather tote bag http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_8908.html
Curvy Kate: A lingerie or swimwear set of your choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-curvy.html
DBusted: $50 AUS gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-dbusted.html
Debenhams Gorgeous Lingerie: A lingerie set of your choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_30.html
Do It Momma: A personalised canvas tote bag with statement http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-do-it.html
Eliza Parker: $50 US gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-eliza.html
Elomi Lingerie: A lingerie or swimwear set of your choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-elomi.html
Esty Lingerie: £25 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-esty.html
Evans Clothing: £50 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-evans.html
Ewa Michalak: Three PL (plunge) bras (with one bra to each of the three winners) http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-ewa.html
Excite Clothing: £20 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-excite.html
Forever Yours Lingerie: Gift package worth $100 US http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_745.html
Freya Lingerie: A lingerie or swimwear set of your choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-freya.html
IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel: $100 US gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-igigi.html
Large Cup Lingerie: £50 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-large.html
Leia Lingerie: £50 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-leia.html
Lepel: a set of lingerie or swimwear from the AW2012 collection http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-lepel.html
Navabi: £50 off a minimum £100 spend http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-navabi.html
Panache Lingerie: A lingerie or swimwear set of your choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-panache.html
Playful Promises: £50 gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/09/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway_1981.html
Rixie Clip Bra Band Tightener: A three pack of Rixie Clips and a single Rixie Clip http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/10/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-rixie.html
Simply Be: A dress of the winner's choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/10/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-simply.html
SLiNK Magazine: A year's subscription http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/10/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-slink.html
Urkye: 70 Polish Zlotys gift voucher http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/10/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-urkye.html
Yours Clothing: An item of the winner's choice http://www.curvywordy.com/2012/10/my-blogs-first-birthday-giveaway-yours.html
