A Little Fish in a Big Pond – BritMums Live 2014
Wow. BritMums Live. What can I say… I have had an incredible time! Although my first time at BritMums Live, I wasn’t nervous beforehand I was just so, so excited to finally be meeting so many people that I spoke to so often, read their blogs daily and feel like I know although until now have always remained inside my phone and laptop!
I went to some of the sessions, spoke to brands, ate lovely food, drank wine and endless cups of tea, lay on fake grass eating cherries, ate cakes, pottered around and the time just flew by. The days were laid out really well, the BiBs were fantastic and both days were over before I knew it.
The highlights for me were getting to meet some lovely bloggers again who I had met before – Sarah (Toby Goes Bananas), Emma (Mrs Shilts), Pippa (Red Rose Mummy), Zoe (MamaGeek), Mummy Muncher (Life With Munchers), Kate (Family Fever) Emma (Me The Man And Baby) and Jade (Late For Reality).
Also to meet some people whose blogs I read ALL THE TIME – Anna (In The Playroom), Mary (Over 40 and a Mum to One), Jaime (Oliver’s Madhouse), Katie (Hurrah For Gin) and Em (Snowing Indoors). One of my favourite parts of the weekend has to be spending time with Vicki (EllieBearBabi) who I have spoken to for a long time now and carved out a friendship with over the wonder of social media even though she lives in Northern Ireland! – This weekend definitely cemented that friendship!
Aby (You Baby Me Mummy) and Kerrie (Wife, Mum Student, Bum) both stopped me to say hello which was lovely! Listening to Kerrie and others read their Blogger’s Keynote posts was a huge part of BritMums for me, celebrating other bloggers, the great posts that have been written and the amazing variety that we write about. Laughing and crying together. I was shocked at how many people left not only before the Blogger’s Keynote speeches but during them, whilst the bloggers were speaking. For me, the Blogger’s Keynotes were something I was looking forward to as much as the BiB awards!
Two bloggers whose lives seem to run alongside mine with children’s ages, location and more are Emma (Born in 2011) and Chloe (Sorry About The Mess) and I was glad to finally meet them – I’m sure I’ll be seeing them again! I’m glad I grabbed a moment, although brief, to say hello to Katie (MummyDaddyMe) who I rave about constantly, I have always loved her blog, been in awe of it and Katie’s blog is part of why I started blogging in the first place – I was really, really pleased that she won the Family category at the BiBs.
So I met so many people, and how did I feel? I felt like a small fish in a very big pond. A huge pond. A lake. But I felt like I was surrounded by other equally sized fish – None were bigger than others although some were definitely more glamorous! All of us fish, all in a blogging pond and all there because we love to write, we love our blogs and we love being part of that same amazing pond.
I’ve written before about being bullied at school and how this affected my life. I’ve always strived to fit in, always tried to change to be accepted and this weekend for me was so much more than a blogging conference – It was the final realisation that I do fit in, I am accepted and that is nothing to do with changing myself, it’s all about being who I already am. Donna, Wife, Mum, Blogger.
Thanks BritMums Live for an incredible weekend. Thanks to Purflo for sponsoring me and for Joe Browns for the awesome dress I wore on Friday. I am already looking forward to next year!
Apologies to anyone that I have missed out of this post, I met so many lovely people and tried so hard to remember everyone but I’m bound to have forgotten a few!
What a lovely post! I didn’t get to meet you. I felt a little shy to be honest, but I did enjoy myself. Its certainly a fantastic experience which is perfect for bloggers to actually meet each other in person. The second day I managed to speak to more people which really helped my confidence and become a little more myself. Hopefully next year I will meet you and some other bloggers that I really would love to meet in person, yourself included.
I’ve said already but SO good to meet you, i was a bit nervous that we might not click or whatever i think just because i loved you so much online already!
I did leave during the keynote which was a real shame but i really wanted to get back to my boys before bed, as jim is away in Brazil Felix was really funny about me leaving him too you see. i actually imagine a lot of people just had trains to catch, would have been better if it had been a little earlier maybe.
p.s you have amazing skin, i kept thinking that but i don’t think i actually said it 🙂 xxx
hahahaha! Thanks! I think it may just be my make up…! 🙂
I was more offended by the people who left right in the middle of the keynotes speaking. I think you left in between. It definitely could have done with being a bit of an earlier finish as it started so early, I was exhausted by the end!
I love you just as much in the flesh as online AND I will carry on my single handed free PR campaign of We <3 Hurrah For Gin until you actually win an award rather than celebrities cheating you out of them! x
It was so wonderful to meet you after reading your blog for so long! And I LOVED that dress x
So lovely to have a catch up with you even though it was brief – hope you enjoyed your dinner! Perhaps I will see you at something else soon and we can chat a bit more x
So lovely to meet you too Michelle – Thanks for saying hello 🙂 I thought I was following your blog but I wasn’t – I am now 🙂 I hope you had a lovely weekend too x
Definitely the BritMums come down! I think everyone is feeling quite emotional and out of sorts after waiting for BritMums for so long, going and experiencing it and then it being over already! We will definitely meet at something smaller at some point I am sure x
It was such a fabulous weekend, and so good to meet you again – properly this time! Thanks for looking after me on the tube!
It was so good to spend some time with you Donna, you are so lovely and I love how straight talking you are! I am taking a leaf out of your book and will be commenting more on my favourite blogs, I’ve learnt loads this weekend and my to-do list is now huge! Fab round up of the event xx
So lovely to spend time with you too, I loved our little group! 🙂 I learnt loads too, trying to get into Pinterest at the moment & going to take time to reply to comments on my blog too 🙂 x
‘Twas lovely to see you again – I had such fun although I don’t think I managed to say hello to nearly enough people! Loved your Joe Brown’s dress by the way, I don’t think I said 🙂
I felt so great in the Joe Browns dress, so glad I wore it 🙂 x
I’m glad you enjoyed it, I love reading everyone’s posts and building myself up to buy a ticket for next year! It sounds like a great event and seems like it was something really important for you to go along to and be alongside everyone and feel accepted, as well you should! xx
Definitely buy one! I’d love to go next year and will be looking for a sponsor again 🙂 x
It really is, hope you had a lovely weekend too x
Donna it was utterly amazing to meet you in the flesh!! i do hope we can meet up again in the future and talk more!! (thank you for being my train partner to my stop at Kings Cross xxx
We will definitely meet again Jaime and talking more is guaranteed!! x