After attending last years Britmums Live event in London I came home elated, excited, inspired and more focused than I think I had ever been before about blogging, so when the tickets for this year were released that weekend I booked mine as soon as I was back home.
Over the last 12 months I have untaken and taken part in some amazing opportunities and events but yet nothing had yet allowed me to get the same feelings about the blogosphere than that weekend that had allowed me the time to learn, grow and relax with people that knew what blogging was all about, without having to explain what I do.
This year I was sponsored by the amazing Maxi-Cosi to attend and it only added to my euphoria about the event. I have been working with Maxi-Cosi for longer than I have blogged, in that I reviewed the Maxi-Cosi Rubi car seat before ‘The Oliver’s Madhouse’ was even an entity so it meant such a lot to have them with me all weekend in spirit and in person on the Friday!
My initial nervousness of my car journey to the train station (above) soon disappeared after realising that all my future journeys to London were going to be done in 1st class after getting fed the most amazing breakfast! its amazing what a calm space and full belly can do for you!
First off it was to meet with the lovely Sara from Mum Turned Mom who had been able to link up Britmums Live with some other tasks she needed to do so she could make it for the week to the UK and so I finally got to meet her in person!
We then headed to All bar one to meet up with the lovely Lydia from Maxi-Cosi, Sam from The 40 year Old Domestic Goddess and my lovely blogging buddy that I had made friends with last year, Charly from PODcast.
While in All Bar One there were so many fantastic bloggers that I finally got to meet for the first time and also those that I have met before that I got to give hugs too again this year which made the atmosphere so amazing before the official start of the event had even occurred!
On arriving at The Brewery this year there was a massive difference in that there was an outside marquee in the courtyard that was so beautifully decorated which really added to the ambiance and gave us all somewhere to retreat too for some fresh air which was great.
Friday and most of Saturday passed by in a cloud of highs from meeting so many folks, eating delicious food and being introduced to some fantastic brands from the great guys from KeyFetch the lovelies from Mark Warner and the team from Butlins who are always ready with smiles to name just a few.
The BiB (brilliance in blogging) awards which I was so amazingly a finalist in kick started the evening and in honesty felt awful! .. no one said that the winner had to say a few words!! .. which worked in my favour slightly as I didn’t win …. however I will always be eternally grateful for everyone that got me there, it was amazing to see my name up there!
The remainder of Friday night was spent at the amazing The Iskele which is the second year there for some of us and it was still so blooming delicious!
Saturday I attended the keynotes in the morning and the first one had me in tears of mixed emotions from the off, Benjamin Dutton-Brookes who writes Life As A Widower was utterly mesmerising with his conviction and strength that seemed to emanate from every word, he was awe inspiring to listen too.
After the keynotes I attended some amazing workshops the first one with Super Lucky Di was great with all the advice for running competitions and giveaways fairly and legally, followed by a great workshop on Social Media with Paul Armstrong from Digital Orange who’s workshop I also attended last year and picked up equally superb information from both last year and this.
My final workshop was ‘how to monetise your blog’ and this held a wealth of information from some amazing speakers such as Penny from A Residence who is local to me and so have met previously including working with her on the Derby leg of Team Honk. Sophie Tanner from Propellernet was also speaking at this workshop and again I have had the pleasure of working with and also meeting previously too. During Sophie’s presentation I did have a bit of a shock when a photo popped on the screen and I was in it!
The rest of the day was fantastic, a fake grass picnic, friends, laughing and some amazing food, it was an amazing event and one I am so very pleased I attended.
A few of us remained for Saturday night, choosing to socialise and debrief back at All Bar One where we cemented our friendships further.
I would like to take the time to say the biggest Thank You of all to Maxi-Cosi for not only supporting me for this event but also for their ongoing support for my blog, for their continued feedback and interaction and on being such a joy to work with.
Roll on next year I already have my ticket!
Sounds amazing I’m buying my tickets this week
i have mine in hand already 🙂 fingers crossed i can meet you this year! x
It sounds like you had as lovely a time as I did! It was so great to finally meet you x
it was so blooming lovely to finally meet you in person too! 🙂 xxx next year i hope we can talk more though x
Glad you had a great time and I didn’t see you nearly enough – it was more mental this year wasn’t it lol. LOVE how you’ve put the selfie of Vic on your post haha.
lol your so right it was far more chaotic! .. i loved the Sat night instagramming 😉 xx
I’m glad you had fun! I was at the meal too (I am just a piece of long blonde mane in your meal piccy ha ha). I know some people didn’t think it was brilliant but I must admit I had a really really amazing time and met such lovely people. I have my Mumsnet ticket booked but will hold off a bit longer for the BritMums ones. The hub may kill me! 😉 xxx
I have booked the mumsnet one in November too!! we didnt get to chat much!! .. that needs to be rectified! xx
I have to be honest, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the event, I found it a bit lonely this year.
I’m going again next yr, so hopefully it will be better 🙂 xx
there was a total difference between this year and last year although i cant quite decide what it was. I would love to do what you did and stop the night before too so no stressed travel that morning x
Fantastic weekend. Lovely to see you again x
awww thanks lovely and you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Glad you had a good time. Shame we didn’t get chance to chat – it was a bit mad wasn’t it!
it was more manic i think than last year! x
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
awww thanks lovely, it would have been nice to catch up with you too 🙂
Your post makes me sad I didn’t make it but SO excited for next year. I am promising myself I am going, no matter what! Would be lovely to catch up again, maybe even sooner!
i am totally up for meeting up lovely!! tweet me when your free and i am there!! what days are you working now?
Glad you had such a great time Jaime, it is indeed always my hilight of the blogging year, well this and the MADS. Mich x
The MADS have never done it for me as I have never got through so miss the buzz i think for that one 🙂 gutted i didnt get chance to catch up with you x
So great to finally meet you though I wish I had spent linger really catching up. It was one of those where I assumed I would find you again and didn’t. Well done on the swift take up of next year’s ticket.
Same here Fiona i thought i would catch you again! #epicfail .. better than last year where we missed each other completely!
Glad you had a good time! Shame we didn’t get to meet, but there’s always next time! Do you want me to send you some notes from the Google+ session?
I have you down on next years list to meet up with 😉 would love to take a look at your notes if you dont mind sharing them of course
Sure, I’ll email them later.
thanks so much lovely i really appreciate it x
Great post gorgeous – as usual we had THE best time together…although…I am a little concerned about the silly faces I am pulling in most of your photos!! xx
lol lol they are fantastic blooming pictures!! it wouldnt be us if we werent pulling strange faces 😉 xxxx
It was great to meet you on the Sunday morning for coffee – I did feel like I knew you already which was a bit weird. It’s always strange seeing internet people in 3D! Glad you had a great time 🙂
awww Jenny it was so amazing to finally meet you too! i do hope to see you at an event soon so we can talk more x
So wonderful to meet you at last Jaime xx Now, I just need to find a couple of other reasons to come over next June too 🙂
lol i like your style honey … i can make some excuses if you want some 🙂 hope your journey home was painless xxx
Ooh I can see me in the pic now, I had more hair 🙂
you sure did!! i forgot it had been that long!