A couple of Fridays ago I was lucky enough to go to the MADS Awards 2015.
A real case of –
‘Yes Cinderella — you shall go to the ball!’
The finalists were announced earlier in the year. And when I saw my blog’s name in that list — I absolutely couldn’t believe my eyes. Such a shock (in a good way).
Although I’ve been writing my blog for almost 3 years, I only recently made the move to a self hosted site. I decided to start taking the whole thing a bit more seriously — at the start of this year.
So on January 9th, my new self-hosted site was purchased.
I’m not entirely sure how long it took me to make it look presentable! And switch from the free WordPress to the one you see today. But it’s been a lot of hard work over the last few months, that’s for sure.
Instead of posting every few weeks, I’ve been posting 3 or 4 times a week. Been taking on lots of crafty projects that require ridiculous amounts of time and effort.
Like the birdhouse upcycle I posted last week or the little shoe-rack that I turned into a bench-seat.
I’ve learned to create movies. No mean feat either; to begin with there was much swearing as I couldn’t work out how to use the editing software!! ;) I’m really proud of the little film I made for Camp Bestival and I’m learning how to vlog too. Here’s my latest attempt :)
I’ve been made an ambassador for some fabulous brands and reviewed some fantastic products along the way too.
All in all, the last 8 months have been a whirlwind.
Juggling the blog. Working part time for my design business. Looking after twin toddlers. Plus everything else that life throws at us has been pretty tricky. Some days most days I feel like a hamster on a wheel. I love my blog — and I take everything about it pretty seriously. The writing, photography, content but, boy, it’s time consuming. And when you’re already short on time, it can be pretty exhausting at times.
So to make that final was awesome.
A real treat and a lovely reward for all the hard work.
Some of my blogging bests — Julia, Karen and Sarah — and I, got to stay in a lovely apartment in Kensington for the night, courtesy of the lovely folk at Citybase Apartments.
I got to have my hair done by the amazing Powder Puff Girls — and drink Prosecco. Very spoiling and very much appreciated!! :)
Plus I met some really lovely bloggers for the first time; some that I’ve commented on their blogs regularly plus some new faces.
I also got to catch up with some lovely folk who I’d previously met at Britmums or BlogCamp, earlier in the year.
And whilst I didn’t win a prize, it really was a big enough treat just to be there.
I seem to have found myself in a sub-culture that I never knew existed! A lovely industry — with lovely people — and I feel so proud to be a part of it.
Congratulations to all the prizewinners — particularly my friend Karen who’s blog Mini Travellers scooped the prize for Best Travel Blog and Hayley, who won the award for Outstanding Contribution, with her blog Downside Up. She’s been instrumental in bringing awareness — and changing people’s perceptions — to Down’s Syndrome.
All in all it was a fabulous event.
Finger’s crossed I’ll be lucky enough to go again next year! :)
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
I’d love to go one day – looks like such a fun night and great to meet so many bloggers #twinklytuesday
It was SO much fun!! Lovely to see so many of the bigger, more well known, bloggers whose blogs I’ve been reading for a while. Such a treat to be there :)
Ah I love your piccys…you look awesome and that apartment! Wow!It looked like a brill night and well done you on being a finalist xx Thanks for hosting x
Thanks so much Sarah!! :) xx
What a fabulous time! Congrats on making it to the final. I’m sorry you didn’t win but I’m glad you got to meet your blogging buddies, get your hair done & enjoy the evening! Thanks so much for hosting #TwinklyTuesday x
Thanks so much Becky — that’s lovely of you xxxx
OH lovely it was such an amazing night and it was so good to finally meet you! I love your blog and know how hard you work on it, you totally deserved to be up there! Can’t wait to meet up again soon. Oh and I’m glad you got that photo of Sarah doing my hair! xxx
It was SO good to finally meet you too!! Felt like I’d known you for ages :) Thanks so much pet — that really means a lot xx
Well done on making the finals, well deserved and how gracious of you to write such a lovely post even without winning. I loved your birdhouse post and your vloggs make me giggle. keep up the good work Mrs, Listed Home is awesome! #TwinklyTuesdays
Aaah thanks so much Ali — that’s really, really lovely of you :)
Sounds like a fantastic evening, well done on how far you have come. x
Thanks so much Caroline xx
You are doing so well with your blog, it has a real processional feel.
Just making it to the MADs is huge so well done you! It looks like you had an amazing time and it is an experience that many other bloggers, myself included, can only dream about. Maybe one day…
#TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much Leanne — that’s lovely of you. It was an amazing experience — if you’d have told me, this time last year, that I’d have been there I just wouldn’t have believed it!! :)
Sounds like you’ve been on an amazing blogging journey! Well done on all your success x #TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much lovely :) It’s been a crazy year, that’s for sure!! :)
Awww what a crazy year!! I am so much admiration of you, I struggle to balance it all with one toddler let alone two! I love your blog, you should be so proud of what you’ve achieved. Congratulations on making it to the finals. x #twinklytuesday
Aah that’s so lovely of you Chloe — thanks so much :) It’s a hard juggling act, that’s for sure!! It’s going to be a bit of a struggle over the next couple of years but, after that, *hopefully* things may get a little easier :) x
It was lovely watching all the photos appearing on Twitter and Instagram that night! definitely inspiring to all us newbie bloggers. And as everyone else has said, you absolutely deserved it. X MMT #twinklytuesday
Aaah thanks so much pet!! It was so bizarre to be there — such a treat!!! :)