So the long awaited #CTMeetUp of local bloggers happened on Saturday… The best thing about bloggers getting together for a “Meet Up” is meeting all the friendly faces behind the blogs…
The hardest thing about blog meet ups is that nobody really knows who anybody is. Walking into a room full of people you don’t know is never easy, but as soon as you start saying hi you will discover that you know quite a few of them. Online we are all “twitter handles” and some of us who hardly ever (almost never) appear on our blogs it is a fair leap of faith, to step out from behind our screens. I can say that good friends online have always, always, always turned out to be fabulous friends in real life.
Se7en + 1 Things Learnt At The #CTMeetUp
- Bloggers take the Leap: It is a leap of faith for everyone to step out from behind their screens… The person we are as we write is not exactly the person that we are in real life.
- Bloggers Love Words: When you put fifty bloggers in a room you will not believe the amount of chatting that goes on.
- Bloggers Are Opinionated: If you add a discussion on “What brands want from bloggers vs. what bloggers want from brands…” it can get really noisy!!!
- Bloggers Have Something in Common: Bloggers are a widely diverse group of folk, all them totally unique and throw in the mix of all the completely different blog topics there are and you would think that they have nothing to say to each other, nothing in common, in fact. But there is one unifier and that is blogging. While they all look and sound so different, while they all have a different voice and platform… they all have blogging in common and what a unifier that is.
- Bloggers Are Inspiring: When people feel strongly enough about a topic to write about it day in and day out for a couple of years, when they can get so excited about that one topic… believe me that energy carries over into all aspects of their lives and they are a fascinating group of folk to connect with.
- Bloggers Love Goodie Bags: When I was a kid “lucky packets” were the world… well goodie bags are another version of the same. Jam packed with things that you would never treat yourself too, new discoveries and just general loveliness. Their were heaps of fabulous sponsors represented in our goodie bags… exciting times!!!
- Bloggers Love Spot Prizes: How cute is this ZANA bag, I have been following these fun folk on instagram for a while and I was thrilled to win this!!!
- Bloggers Love Meet-Ups: I spent weeks pondering: “should I or shouldn’t I,” and then once the decision was made… nervous as ever. Turns out it so good to meet the people behind their blogs. And it is so encouraging to find actual people that read your own blog. I have said it before and I will say it again: Bloggers are meant to “Meet Up.”
And the Se7en + 1th Snippet:
Special Thanks to Cindy Alfino for organising the #CTMeetUp and I Love My Laundry for hosting… and of course the heaps of sponsors!!!
So lovely to chat with you on Saturday. I have the same fear walking into a room full of people who I might know on Twitter but have never met in real life 🙂 xx
It was so absolutely awesome seeing you again!
I love your photo with the basket in focus and the rest blurred – stunning!
So glad you had a good time. Strange for me but those meet-ups kind of terrify me. I love smaller groups; the big ones sometimes feel too superficial.
Now I would LOVE to see that blue nail polish on your nails, Instagrammed!!!!
xxx
Oh Tami… it must a universal fear, starting way back on the first day of school. I am sure that the more we just do it the better we will get at it… if every time we have a meet up we meet a few more folk, eventually we will rock at it!!! Hope you are having a fantastic week!!!
Thanks Cindy, Exactly that… Well done you, really that was masterfully done and someone needed to rise up and do it!!! Hope you have a huge relax, to recover!!!
hay Marcia, it always takes me ages to respond and weeks of asking myself “Do I have to go?” And then I have a great time… I am definitely a one-on-one person, but I can do one-on-one in a crowd. For the inspiration and encouragement it is so worth it!!! And you will have to wait for a “girls day” for those nails… it will happen!!! Lots of love…
I am seriously jealous of that fabulous goodie bag. I am going to try and make the Jozi one this year – but hec, the busyness of our weekends may just once again prevent it.
I attended the Jozi one earlier in the year and it was fabulous! I’m no a crowd girl but it was good to meet people you kind of felt you already knew.
I’m glad you enjoyed it and the “loot” looks wonderful
I know Mrs FF, it was a real leap to just dive in… but so worth it. You are right, you do kind of know everyone and yet not… by the time you have all been chatting a while its like you have known them forever… So worth it!!!
Was great to finally meet you and as luck would have it, be seated next to you. Always nice putting a face to a blog and one that lives in my “hood”. xxx
So glad you made it 🙂 Cindy and I are working on some great things for the future!
PS – may I please use some of these images?
Hay Nikki, It was just so great to meet you… and brilliant to sit next to you and discover someone else from the deep south!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a fabulous week!!!
Oh LauraKim, you have no idea how pleased I am to hear that!!! Fun times ahead… You are welcome to use my images with acknowledgement, thanks so much for asking!!!
I have been catching up on the blogs that wrote about this meet up. It sounds GREAT! Wish I lived in the Cape! I have been lucky to meet up with blog friends in both Ireland and Australia. Always very cool to meet the person behind the blog.
Hay the Bright Side of Life… So good of you to stop by. I was all for meetups before this one, just biding my time waiting for one. Now that I have been to one, nothing will make m miss another one – so very fun!!! Hope you have a great weekend!!!