Saturday 8th June saw the arrival of Rosalilium's Birmingham Blognix - my very first ever blogging event!
It was an early start, leaving the house at 6.30am for a 7.08am train journey involving a change at Bristol. I'd made a Sticky Toffee Date Cake for Blognix's cake competition and suprisingly it made it all the way to Brum in one piece - good job it did, otherwise I would've had to quickly buy some custard and call it Sticky Toffee Pudding...
Although my train was a little bit late I was still in good time and strolled my way in the sun to The Custard Factory.
Birmingham is a place I haven't really visited since being at university up north 10+ years ago - and even then it was only as I was travelling from north to south on the train or coach
(ahh, many happy hours spent in Digbeth Coach Station...)
So it was really interesting to see how the centre has been redeveloped and Blognix venue, The Custard Factory was a perfect example of an old industrial building being transformed into cool revitalised art space.
The main event of the day featured fabulous speakers, Jen from A Little Bird Told Me and Emma from The Freelance Lifestyle, a bloggers Q & A session and workshops about monetising your blog, photography for blogging and blog design.
I wasn't sure what to expect as I'd never been to a bloggers event before but I wasn't disappointed. Everyone I met was lovely and friendly and I picked up lots and lots of tips from the speakers and all the fab bloggers attending.
There was also lots of lovely food - Elizabeth had laid on a spread for all of us with tea and coffee all day, crossiants for breakfast, a indoor picnic lunch, sweets and plenty of yummy cakes provided by all of us bloggers at Blognix.
I've now got a long long list of notes and things to investigate over the next few weeks - Google+, Flipboard, Hootsuite, Blogstomp, getting more involved with Instagram (I definately need a decent camera phone!), using Twitter to connect with brands and bloggers and plenty more scribbles in my notebook (some of which I've yet to decipher...)
It was also heart-warming to be at an event where everyone there was equally enthusiastic about blogging. Although I'm enjoying blogging I've often wondered if what I'm doing is okay, what I'm writing about is actually interesting or if the photos I've taken are any good.
The main thing I left Blognix with was simply confidence - the courage to know that what I'm doing is perfectly fine, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and that I do actually have my own voice.
Birmingham is a place I haven't really visited since being at university up north 10+ years ago - and even then it was only as I was travelling from north to south on the train or coach
(ahh, many happy hours spent in Digbeth Coach Station...)
So it was really interesting to see how the centre has been redeveloped and Blognix venue, The Custard Factory was a perfect example of an old industrial building being transformed into cool revitalised art space.
The main event of the day featured fabulous speakers, Jen from A Little Bird Told Me and Emma from The Freelance Lifestyle, a bloggers Q & A session and workshops about monetising your blog, photography for blogging and blog design.
I wasn't sure what to expect as I'd never been to a bloggers event before but I wasn't disappointed. Everyone I met was lovely and friendly and I picked up lots and lots of tips from the speakers and all the fab bloggers attending.
There was also lots of lovely food - Elizabeth had laid on a spread for all of us with tea and coffee all day, crossiants for breakfast, a indoor picnic lunch, sweets and plenty of yummy cakes provided by all of us bloggers at Blognix.
I've now got a long long list of notes and things to investigate over the next few weeks - Google+, Flipboard, Hootsuite, Blogstomp, getting more involved with Instagram (I definately need a decent camera phone!), using Twitter to connect with brands and bloggers and plenty more scribbles in my notebook (some of which I've yet to decipher...)
It was also heart-warming to be at an event where everyone there was equally enthusiastic about blogging. Although I'm enjoying blogging I've often wondered if what I'm doing is okay, what I'm writing about is actually interesting or if the photos I've taken are any good.
The main thing I left Blognix with was simply confidence - the courage to know that what I'm doing is perfectly fine, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks and that I do actually have my own voice.
PS. - Elizabeth deserves a huge congratulations for organising such a wonderful event!
{virtual clap and woop woop needed!}
P.P.S - A wave and a hug to all the lovely bloggers I met and spent the day with - Nic's Notebook, Kat Got The Cream, Miss Imogen Smith (and friend), Tales from The Finch's Beak, Caramel Latte Kiss and Animating People
P.P.P.S - Blognix also marked the first item ticked on my '32 Before 32' list!
It was a pleasure to meet you too! I'll keep an eye out for you at bloggy events in the South-West :)
ReplyDeleteAnd you too! If I hear of any events worth going to, I'll let you know :-) x
DeleteOooh looks like it was such a fun day! It's so nice to see the event from all kinds of perspective, so many blogs I follow have been there.
ReplyDeleteSo Google+ is really going to be the next big thing? Yikes, might need to figure it out as well then, don't understand anything of it! :-)
It was a fab day! Yep, everyone was talking about Google+ - I'm still not sure I know exactly what it's about but I think it's going to be something we all have at some point! :-) x
DeleteLooks like you had a fab time .I wish I could have made it (couldn't get sitters for the kids) ....hopefully Elizabeth will do one next year xx :)
ReplyDeleteI hope she will too! I would definately attend again and already I've raved about it to lots of people! :-) x
DeleteLooks and sounds like a great day (although not sure I would have your dedication in getting up for a 7am train on a Saturday!).
ReplyDeleteI live 20 mins or so from the station so I left home at 6.30am!
DeleteIt seemed madness at the time but the whole day was well worth it - you'll have to come along if Rosalilium does another Blognix next year! :-) x
Wave back! Your photos are great on this post! :) x
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks hon! x
DeleteDon't know how I missed this but lovely round-up post and great photos. Again, great to meet you and thanks for the shout out! x
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you! The pic of Elizabeth at the top of the post was just before you managed to get her hula-hooping! :-) x
Delete