Do you remember that one scene from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast where Cogsworth goes totally bananas at the end of this hugely elaborate musical number and begins to dance like he’s attempting The Git Up Challenge or something? (When you think about it, this should be listed as one of the Top 10 Greatest Feats From The Last Century since he is a clock and all. It’s not easy to move your hips like that when you don’t actually have any hips…but THAT’S WHAT MAGIC IS FOR, AMIRITE?) In any case, Dancing Queen Cogsworth™ is a pretty apt description of how I’m feeling right now.
Why is that, might you ask? Well – sit down, pull up a chair (not exactly in that order), and let me tell you. It’s because…*pause for maximum dramatic effect which really isn’t that dramatic since the reason is right there in the title of this post* … It’s my ONE YEAR BLOGIVERSARY!
Looking Back
Time is a funny thing – the days seem long, the weeks are longer, and yet (in a supreme anomaly) the months go by as quickly as The Flash and Superman combined. It’s like time is being zapped away from my memory with a Men in Black Flashy-Thing because I can’t believe that my precious baby is already turning one this week!
When I was still a baby blogger, I guest posted on the lovely Lara Kareem’s blog, Naija Book Bae. In this interview, Lara asked me a pretty insightful question: What is your long-term goal/plan for your blog? My answer was this:
“To stick with it. I have started a number of blogs, mostly personal but some for my writing, over the years. However, I am the kind of person who loses interest in something easily and quickly once the shininess of it wears off. So those blogs are now who-knows-where, drifting out in the middle of the interweb sea, gaining dust and growing old. But I want to stick with this blog for at least a year, and see where things are then. It will be a really big accomplishment for me if I make it that far.”
Guys, hail the conquering hero because guess what? I MADE IT THAT FAR! Waffles for everyone!
Highlights and Statistics
During my first year of blogging on Novels & Waffles, I…
- interviewed some really amazing illustrators in an attempt to give more recognition to the artists behind our favorite book covers
- participated in five blog tours
- hosted the Blogiful Blog Design Week with Tracy from Truffle’s Literary Wonders
- (kind of unintentionally) created the hashtag, #thenewadultrevolution on Twitter
- opened my own little blog design shop (which has been more successful than I ever imagined it would be)
- joined the Year of the Asian Reading Challenge
- guest posted on Reader Voracious, Drizzle & Hurricane Reads, and Read by Tiffany
- went self-hosted
- was nominated for Best Aesthetic AND Best Personality in the The Third Annual 2019 Book Blogger Awards
- launched The Bibliosmile Project – a feature that aims to spotlight how books (+ the bookish community), has brought smiles, happiness, and positivity into our lives
Thank You A Waffle Lot!
Looking over all the things I’ve accomplished this past year, it really makes me emotional because NONE of it would have been possible without YOU. When I first joined the book blogging community, I had no idea how incredibly supportive everyone was going to be! I had no idea that I would make so many new friends, be given so many amazing opportunities, or receive so much encouragement from people I’ve never even met in real life! As an extremely lonely young mother who was living in the Middle-of-Nowhere Japan at the time, forging these connections and creating these friendships saved me from the dark recesses of my own mind in a very real way.
So, I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to every single one of you who has taken the time to stop by my blog, to like a tweet, to comment on my Instagram, to commission a design, or to share a kind word. Basically, thank you for being the amazing community that you are! Novels & Waffles wouldn’t exist without you!
The Giveaway
To showcase my eternal gratitude, I’ve decided to host a waffley fantabulous giveaway! Giveaways are kind of like cake; everybody loves cake, and everybody loves giveaways! I mean, who wouldn’t want a chance to win FREE THINGS??? I know I would.
One lucky winner will get the chance to win a Complete Blog Design Makeover from yours truly and two runners-up will receive a 10% off coupon for my design store, Waffley Cute Designs.
The Complete Blog Design Makeover includes: A blog header, a blog button, customized social media buttons, a post signature, and two different post dividers (a $90 USD value…ALL FOR FREE).
The Rules:
- Must be 18+ to enter, or have a parent’s consent.
- Must be following my blog, Novels & Waffles.
- Winners must respond within 48 hours, or else I will pick another winner.
- Giveaway ends on 11:59 PM JST on August 30th, 2019.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
How long have you been blogging?
What are some highlights from your blogging career?
Have you heard of and/or tried the The Git Up Challenge?
Congratulations! I’ve been blogging for 4 years, and I never thought that I would reach such a milestone. Joining the book community is one of the best things I’ve done!
This is so amazing Kat! I really do love your blogs aura and here’s to more years!
Congrats on meeting your goals, Kat! Sounds like you had a wonderful year. My blog just turned eight! So it can be done, it just takes hard work. Hope your next year is wonderful too😊
Congratulations on one year! That’s so amazing, and thank you so much for continuing on for a whole year! I enjoy reading your posts so much. <3
Congrats Kat!!!! You really have done so many amazing things in only one year!!! I wish you the best in the following years to come 💖
Congrats on a year of blogging :)))
Congrats on a whole year, Kat! You’ve done so much in that short space of time, and I suspect you’ll do even more in the future. 🧡
Congrats! You’ve done great things in just a year, and it’s been encouraging to see that!
*throws confetti* Congratulations, Kat! I can’t believe your blog is just one year old! My blog is 11 months old, and I could have sworn you had been blogging for years now!
I think you’ve done a lot of amazing things on Novels and Waffles, and I can’t wait to see what this next year brings you! Your blog is already so beautiful and professional, and I’m so excited to continue reading from you! 😊
Happy Blogoversary! I can’t believe you’ve *only* been blogging for a year! When I found your blog and how well put together it was and how amazing your content is, I assumed you’d been blogging for years! I’m so glad I discovered you, however, and love reading your posts! I hope the next year is even better and has lots of extra syrup. <3
Oh my gosh, this is amazing, congratulations!! I actually cannot believe that you’ve only been blogging for a year, because you have managed to make your blog so amazing and sophisticated and how you want it in only a year!! But I love your posts and hope you continue blogging and keep making amazing content.
Congrats matey!! Arrrr!
Omgg, congratulations!! I can’t believe you’ve only been doing this for a year, all your blog posts, designs, and all around content are just so professional! You’ve accomplished so much in a year, I hope you have many more successful years of blogging to come! 💓💓
Congratulations! I can’t believe it has only been a year!
You’ve done so much within a year!
I thought I was following you before! I just fixed that, sorry!
Also happy blogiversary :)
OH MY GOSH, CONGRATULATIONS, KAT!! It’s hard to believe that you’ve been blogging for only a year! You are such an amazing blogger and an even more spectacular person, and I just want to scream about Novels and Waffles to everyone in the world! I hope you have an even more successful upcoming blogging year! <3
Congrats on your one year blogoversary! That’s super exciting! I’ve been blogging for eight years now – with some hiatuses mixed in during some rocky patches.
Congratulations on one year of blogging Kat. :) It’s an incredible achievement but hopefully there’s plenty more years of blogging still to come. I was the same because when I started I’d already had a few failed blogs and I wasn’t sure if I would make it a year here but I did, and now I’ve been blogging for nearly four years!
Again congrats! :) <3
Happy bloggiversary!! Your stats are amazing! here’s to bigger and even better things :D
You have accomplished so much in only a year. Congratulations!
That’s great! Congratulations! 🎊🍾
Congratulations on 1 year! I’ve been blogging for just over two years now!
I can’t believe you’ve only been blogging for a year, I feel like you’ve been here for AGES, you’re doing such an incredible work and are just so established and put together and ahh I admire everything you do so much. CONGRATULATIONS and I can’t wait to see what the next blogging years have in stock for you <3 it's been the best getting the chance to chat with you and to get to know you and I hope this continues!! <3
Aahh Kat!! So many congrats on your 1 year blogiversary!! From the quality of everything you do, it feels like you should have been blogging for so much longer, but I guess it’s just a testament to how amazing you are 😎 I’m so excited to see what your next year of blogging brings for you, and you should be so so proud of everything you’ve achieved!! 💗💗
Congratulations on such an amazing start to your blog!
Good luck to the winner :)
– Emma :)
WHAT KAT you’ve only been blogging for one year?? *mind explodes* How is that even possible. I’m a brand-new reader of your blog, but I’m already in love and so excited for another year with you! Congratulations on such an amazing start and for everything you do for this community! :D 💛 🧇
YAYYYYY HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY, KAT!!! I’m so happy I stumbled across your gorgeous blog, your posts always light up my day 😊 Here’s too many more years of your sunshine filled posts!
💛 Ngoc
Again, the happiest of blogiversaries, Kat!!! I’m so proud of you and everything you accomplished, and I can only wish you the very best in everything else you put your mind to in the future :) 🧡🧡🧡
Congratulations Kat, THIS IS SO AMAZING. What awesome stats, and you have achieved so much since you started blogging! I’m so glad to hear that your design shop is going really well too! :D
You are such an awesome blogging friend and I have no doubt you will meet even more incredible milestones in your second year! You’re a total pro and deserve all the waffles. :D
I’ve had my blog for three years now, but have officially been a blogger for just over a year myself :) (By that I mean, posting consistently.) Congratulations to you on this marvelous achievement!! I joined your readership pretty much just before you hit this milestone, but better late than never right?! ;)
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HAPPY ONE YEAR, KAT. I can’t believe that your blog is just one year old?? You’re such a seasoned blogger already! And you’ve accomplished so much in just one year!! I’m so happy that this book blog stuck, and that you’re continuing to grace us with your amazing presence!! <33
[…] blog aesthetic, for me, indicates professionalism. We can’t all be Kat @ Novels and Waffles, but not to worry–literally anyone can have a blog aesthetic that won’t scare people […]
A bit late, but happy blogiversary!! 🎉 I hope you treated yourself to some delicious waffles 🥰 I loved reading your highlights and stats, it sounds like you managed to get so many amazing things done in this past year and had lots of fun 💕 Maybe 2 year WordPress anniversary is coming up in October and I cannot believe it’s been two years for me :o
Happy one year blogiversary! Your website is seriously awesome & your design skills are out of this world. I would love to win this giveaway or even be a runner-up. How generous of you!! ♡
Happy one year blogiversary!! I love your website, it’s so darn cute!!
I’ve been blogging for 3 years and hopefully I will be for many more!
Congratulations! I can’t wait to get to my one year blogiversary! I used to have a personal blog that I had for about four or five years and then stopped blogging for … several years until I decided to start a book blog. So glad that I did :) I missed blogging!
Congratulations on one year AND on sticking with the blog so far! You’ve accomplished a lot and I am so thankful that blogging brought you into my life. To many more years! xoxo