My Year Of Blogucation

So it's 19.48 Saturday night and I am sat on a train pulling out of Euston station having just been to Blogfest. It was a truly wonderful day, the highlight being meeting my amazing blogging friends who I chat on line to daily yet have never met. They are all a lovely as I hoped they would be, so kind, caring and supportive. Yet I come away feeling slightly overwhelmed. 

I take you back to June 2014 when I attended my first ever conference Brit Mums Live. Wow I was totally courted and wooed by the blogging world such a glitzy affair.  I learnt so much and met so many wonderful people. I came away buzzing high from the blog bubble, but looking back totally naive. 

I had no idea about stats; no follow links, publishing laws. It was all like a lovely wonderful fairytale. Don't get me wrong blogging is still my fairytale every time I press publish I get that excited shiver down my spine, I look upon my blog like another child that needs nurturing and attention, have grown to love it, but it has been a learning curve.

My next event was Tots100 Blog Camp. So totally different to my Brit Mums experience but again I met so many generous, caring people and learnt loads. But, and its is a biggish but; I was overwhelmed at the concept of pitching to editors, advertising and working with brands. 

Becoming a Blogger, Overcoming Confidence Hurdles

If you had asked me when I was a child, what I wanted to do when I grow up? I would have said writer. I used to spend hours writing stories and I can not remember a time when I didn’t read at bedtime I love books. However when I hit my teenage years something changed. Yes I still remained creative, but I lost my confidence in writing, I put it down to a tyrant of an English teacher that killed any aspirations I had of being a writer, crushed the confidence I felt when writing as a child, and picked holes in everything I wrote. 

I turned my creativity towards hairdressing and got a Saturday job in a hair salon. I turned out to be quite good at it, so came the praise as a reward for my efforts. Hairdressing became a passion and I carved a successful career. I have been lucky, I have had some amazing jobs. I am now a teacher, a job I love. I am always mindful that I never want to be like that English teacher, and kill my student’s creativity and confidence. I want to feed their hunger for the profession, encourage creativity and help them aim high. Realise their dreams. 

So yes I am glad I took that path, I have met some incredible people on my journey, have some wonderful experiences and have the odd tale or two to tell. 

But there was always that niggle at the back of my mind, what if?  I started reading and following blogs and realised there may just be a way to become a writer. But I was terrified that like I was told at school, I would never be good enough. A few of my friends offered support and said they would blog with me, I know they were just being supportive. I must have talked about it for 1 1/2 years. I wanted to write a blog about fashion, hair and make up I think purely because of my professional experience. 

My Calf Diet, Week 9, Keeping my resolve on a Weekend Away.

Woohoo I was so happy when I saw that number 4 this morning. I have now lost 10 pounds. I can't believe it, I am now 6.5 lb. off my target. 

This week has been challenging, I know I have waffled on and on about Brit Mums but it was so amazing and that included the food. Delicious treats such as cakes, pastries, pork pies, canapés, wine, coffee, tea and chocolates, were continuously flowing for the whole event. All so tempting and exceptional quality, as a result it was very difficult to say no. Fortunately there was also lots of pineapple. I was apple to keep my resolve; but for the odd canapé and glass of wine. But must have eaten 2 whole pineapples. 

It was very difficult getting a healthy lunch on our train journey's, we were lucky to find an M&S food hall to buy salads and fruit. Everywhere you looked in the train station I could see pastries, cakes and the most tempting of all Burger King. Traveling really does test your resolve. I found it helpful to take a few slimming world rocky road bars to eat, in case of a week moment. 

Jack Bodyboarding on The Liberty of the Seas, My First Vlog

One of the seminars I attended at Brit Mums Live highlighted the importance of using videos in blogging to highlight moments in time. Although a photograph does a great job at capturing moments, A video can sometimes create a bit more atmosphere. I am an extremely visual person, as a result I use lots of images. So have decided to have a practice with a video of Jack body boarding on the flow rider on the Liberty of the Seas last year. 

I suppose the beauty of the video is that I can show he was able to stay on the board where a photo could be deceiving being a second snapshot. 

So here goes wish me luck.

Wow it took me ages to work this one out, I am quite a technical problem but really needed to persevere. A valuable lesson learnt at Brit Mums Live. My very first Vlog complete.

Brit Mums Live, Wow

This weekend I went to Brit Mums Live, an amazing blogging conference in London. I was so lucky that as I have set up an educational blog at work, my college supported me and paid for me to go the event. I was so excited, but very nervous about the event. Being a very new blogger I had no idea what to expect. Would all the bloggers all be as lovely as they seem on their blogs? Would I be totally out of my depth?

I need not have worried. I went with my friend and colleague Lisa and we were made to feel so welcome. It was like being a child in a sweet shop, lots of amazing seminars to suit every bloggers taste, expert experienced bloggers on hand to give tips and advice.

Brit Mums Live, Getting To Manchester

When we booked our train to London to visit Brit Mums, Lisa confided to me that she was slightly concerned about traveling around London. I reassured her that traveling in London was not an issue, having lived in Essex and worked in London I am more that competent at finding me way around. 

No what concerned me was getting to Manchester train station in one piece, she looked at me like I was stark raving mad. Yes I love Manchester City for shopping, and nights out but I never drive there!! I drive to Trafford Centre but not Manchester.

Support from Chris Hmmm, I wasn't driving the train.

My concerns were correct; in fact Lisa may never travel in a car with me again. I took the wrong turning from the motorway. Well it wasn't wrong, just not a way I knew, poor Lisa was furiously reading the map to keep us on track.

100 Happy Days, Day 85, Wohoo Packing for Brit Mums

For today I have chosen my suitcase, I have decided what to wear from Brit Mums Live and started packing today.  I am so lucky that my College is supporting me to attend, I have developed a blog for my students so am going in a professional capacity. It is my first visit as a newby blogger, I am sooooo excited, and a little nervous.