Britmums Awards

I attended the Britmums Blogging in Brilliance awards ceremony on Friday evening.

Unsurprisingly, I didn’t win my category, but I was very pleased that the blog that did win the photography category was one that I have been reading since early this year and is a particular favourite, The Startup Wife. 

I never thought I had a chance, but I will admit to having a moment during the awards just before the photography category was announced where I though Imagine how awesome it would be if they call your name. Anyway, I got everything I was looking for out of being nominated – some great local exposure for my business, and some lovely reassurance that people like what they see here on the blog.

I only have a couple of rubbish iphone photos. What kind of photography nominee forgets their camera battery? I feel like a complete knob, but I’m putting it down to Friday being ‘one of those days’. I always find it a struggle to get ready for an evening out when Arlo is underfoot, worse when he is poorly and clinging to me all afternoon. Sam came home and immediately started tackling the washing up that I’d neglected, whilst I downed a quick dinner, defending my dangerously stainable black dress from a clingy, snotty, wailing toddler. We later had one of those text conversations.

Sorry about the washing up comment. Unneccessary.

I just really need you to be on Arlo-duty straight away when you come in the door so I can get ready in peace and leave on time. Like I do when you are getting ready to go to work.

Meanwhile the camera battery is sitting in its charger, the light blinking a silent protest. You forgot me. (I have spares in my big camera bag, but as this was a night out I had just taken the camera in my handbag).

I wish I had made better time of the milling around bit before the ceremony started. The evening whizzed by. I knew it was going to be quick because I’d received the email with timings, but I wasn’t expecting there to be zero time to chat after it ended. I’d only just sunk the required amount of Prosecco to start thinking about walking up to people I recognised and saying hello.

(Speaking of Prosecco, naked waiters? I hate muscles, and it felt a bit like I’d walked right into a horrible cliché – The mums have been let out of the house for their one night a year, let’s go wild. Plus, they were rude naked waiters)

Overall, it was a great two hours. I felt very honoured to be included in the awards ceremony and it was cool to see my name on the programmes and up on the big screen on stage. And I met the awesome Katy, who I chat to on Twitter. She blogs at Brighton Ramblings – a finalist in the Lit category. And I also met the lovely Becky, who is one half of The Ar-Blog which was also a finalist in the photography category. I’m really glad I found Becky’s blog when the BIB finalists were announced, it’s a great mixture of brilliant writing and stunning images.

I didn’t attend the rest of the conference. I haven’t really worked out whether blogging conferences are my thing yet. From the few blogging seminars that I have attended, I’ve found the talks to be largely irrelevant, especially ones about promoting your brand and how to write engaging blog posts, etc. My blog isn’t a brand – it’s just my life, plain and simple. Or my life is my brand, whichever way you look at it, the idea is the same. I don’t want to think twice about the way I write about my life and record our memories. Blog for happiness? Well, duh.

On the other hand, I am interested in hearing more about social media just for kicks, and I always like the look of the photography and writing workshops – so maybe it would be worth attending the conference just for that? Either way, I wasn’t able to spend the money on a ticket and I had a job on the Saturday…. but watch out BlogCamp London.