14/02/2026
Not your traditional Valentine's content... ❤️
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To say this is my favourite of all the days, I didn't actually know what to post this year (obviously I toyed with wedding photos! 😉), but then I realised I'd had this reel in drafts for aaaaages, and what better to celebrate all things love than with an event that gave me all the feels and more. ❤️ Exactly three months ago, I celebrated the shop's Sweet 16th with friends, customers, and customers-who-have-become-friends. Having never really acknowledged a shop birthday before, it felt like the right time to go all out. The last couple of years have been particularly tough for the shop (2026 ain't letting up either! 🤣), but I'm still standing thanks to the love and support that all my wonderful customers have shown me. Every time I went home and aired my fears to Alex, he reminded me that I have an entire community of folk willing me on and enabling me to keep going. He'd actually been encouraging me to celebrate the shop for a number of years, but I always dismissed it. What did he know? Turns out he was right. 🙄
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As well as celebrating Raffia, I wanted to make sure I used the event to support other small businesses. There's no point in me papping on about shopping small and then catering with 3 for 2 nibbles from M&S (albeit they do have some bangers)! Instead, the evening was catered by the talented , with extra treats from (including GF options, of course!). In addition, we all know that no party in the 2020s is complete without merch. I'm not even sure a party classifies as a party without it these days. Fortunately, my merch was provided by , who knocked it out of the park with her oversized bags. A special mention also needs to go out to and , who kindly gifted some fantastic party favours, , who used her magic to elevate the decor (plus acted as impromptu content creator by filming vids on her iPhone 5!! 😘) and finally, The Station, who let me totally rearrange their furniture to allow for all the dancing!
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Happy Valentine's Day, you lovely lot. ❤️
