Not So New At The MADS 2015

Last year I was given a ticket to the MAD Blog Awards last minute after Sally sent out a tweet asking if anyone would like to go. I was only 5 months old as a parent blogger at that point and must have been feeling brave as I went along knowing absolutely nobody at all. I was so nervous but I had a great time and came away feeling inspired.

This year was completely different, I wasn’t so new and more than that, I was going as a finalist!!! Me and my little blog a finalist in a national blogging awards! How crazy is that? This time I wouldn’t walk in knowing nobody, I would walk in knowing I had friends to greet me and others to meet having only spoken to them online. So exciting! I was a little nervous of course, being a finalist meant I could potentially win and that meant I may have to walk up to the stage and make a speech!! Not something I love so much!

When I arrived I instantly recognised lots of people and it was hugs all around! I had arrived early so I could get my hair and make-up done, something that the TOTS team put on for the finalists. The ladies were absolutely amazing and did a superb job on everyone! I loved my hair, big curls making me feel very glam indeed!

This was taken at the end of the night so my hair had dropped out by then!

It was soon time for the main event and so we made our way into the reception room for drinks. Everyone looked amazing and I soon caught up with lots of other bloggers I knew. I also had a go in front of the Micro Scooter wall, having a photo with the lovely Karen from Mini Travellers. I am going to be working with Micro Scooters soon so it was great to catch up with them there too!

I had a little look at the table plan and was sitting with a fab bunch of people so when we were called in I happily made my way to find my seat. I had the gorgeous Caro from The Twinkle Diaries on one side of me, Hélène from Croque Maman on the other and around the rest of the table were Emily from A Mummy Too, Caitlin from Spewing Mummy, Al (and his wife Jen) from The Dad Network and Carie from Space For The Butterflies. All of us were up for awards so we were in with a good chance of being a winning table!

Dinner was amazing, everyone said they enjoyed it and I was absolutely stuffed by the end! Apologies for the photos being pink haha!

The awards were soon upon us and I started to feel a little ill. I didn’t think I would win because my category had such amazing talent but you never know do you? I didn’t win though with Going On An Adventure scooping the award for Best Pre-School Blog. Well deserved too, such a lovely blogger and a fab blog.

The awards carried on and our table did in fact have a winner with Emily scooping the Best Food Blog category. She is a super star blogger and yet was so shocked that she had won- sign of greatness right there I think.

It was soon time to go home and I shared a taxi with the lovely Leigh and Jess before saying goodbye at Kings Cross. Thankfully I am only half an hour away from London so before long I was home and having a sneaky look in my fab goodie bag (I do love a goodie bag!). The whole evening was really fun and I came away, once again, feeling so inspired by the huge amount of talent that this country has. I love blogging and the community I am a part of and who knows, maybe next year I will get to go again!