Top UK Food Bloggers #Infographic

Check out this list of Top UK Food Bloggers...there seems to be a few like this floating around at the moment....but as it seems that I made it in at number 47 for my vegetarian recipes I thought I'd share this particular one! There are some interesting facts about bloggers' motivation and reasons for blogging, and I've discovered a few new foodie friendly blogs too, so it's worth a look.

 
Credit

My 2000th Blog Post

Two thousand blog posts ago, in September 2010 I started typing away at my laptop:

"So here it begins....

I've wanted to be a "blogger" for some time.  To have a forum for my ramblings and to document this time in my life on the big old world wide web is an exciting, if not daunting prospect!  But here goes...the time is right.
I love the technology available to us mere mortals today.  The days of filling notebooks with scribbles to purge your overloaded brain is over.  We have laptops, the internet, i-phones.  Who'd've thought that at the age of 41, I'd be able to embark on a journey of self-discovery in blog form, but here I am!
As I have written in my profile I do feel that I am blessed.  The paths I have chosen to follow have turned out to the perfect route for me (although I would have questioned a few of the twists and turns along the way at the time....what was I thinking??)  I've got to this destination without the aid of so much as a Sat Nav...for that I am proud!  I have a fantastic family, both nuclear and extended, and am literally full of love for each and every one of my peeps!
So...here begins a new chapter...the Blogging Chapter!  I hope to explore things past, present and future.  My children, my vegetarianism, random happenings, films I watch, books I read, competitions I enter....the potential is enormous.  I hope I do it justice!"

Reading this post I think I can safely day I have done my time in the blog world justice.  In fact, blogging has brought so much more to my life than I could ever have imagined.  It has been my constant companion over the last three years: giving me that outlet to be creative; giving me an excuse to do things I otherwise wouldn't have dreamed of; introducing me to new people and places and experiences.  It's my little corner of cyberspace where I do what I do.  And I love it.

In three years I've not become much more tech savvy...I still can't even work out how to get pretty social media buttons in my side bar (I've tried so many times!) and I daren't change my blog header ever again. And the prospect of going self-hosted still fills me with dread.  So I guess some things will never change. 

When I started this blog I had no idea what to expect and no idea how long I would keep it up.  But I'm still going strong as I still enjoy typing away.  When I was a child I used to play games where I pretended I had a TV show where I showed my imaginary audience things in my bedroom, made crafts and cooked stuff. (It was called One Hour of Fun and had its own theme tune and everything!)  I think my blog is just a continuation of that!  I'm still playing at that game, showing readers my life, sharing recipes and the occasional craft post. It's like make-believe for grown-ups.  Except now, the people engaging with me are real and not imaginary.  Mind blowing stuff.

To date, my most viewed post is my Olympic Waste Busting Challenge with 85,000 views (the spammers must really like this one!)  I actually won a trip to the Olympics with this post, but couldn't go because I'd already won a VIP Olympics Adventure with BMW.  Who would have ever believed I'd be having dilemmas like that because of blogging?

My wonderful mum is still my number one most loyal fan, prolific reader and commenter.  Thank you mum...love you lots :) xxx  The very fact that she still enjoys reading my blog makes writing it all worthwhile, regardless of any of the other perks!

So, here's to another 2000 posts and lots of new adventures, experiences and friendships (and comments from my mum!!).

What I Learned At Blogcamp 2012

After having a night to digest and cogitate the information from yesterday's attendance at Blogcamp, I think I have at last got my head around the facts that affect me (and therefore possibly you too!)

1:  Never, ever do do-follow links on anything that you have been rewarded for.  If you add do-follow links to sponsored posts or reviews you may incur the wrath of Google, the all seeing God of the Internet.  If you have used follow links on past review posts...change them.  Paid for posts are slightly more complicated if you have previously agreed to provide a follow link for money.  Do what is right for you in this instance but be aware that it is risky  to leave them in, but you may have to refund payment if you change them.  Rock and hard place springs to mind!!

2:  We, as bloggers, have been taken advantage of, by some unscrupulous practices carried out by some PRs and SEO experts who should have known better.  It is never an option to fail to disclose payment (this is against the law and you could be fined) and we are risking our site's visibility, credibility and possible existence by posting do-follow links to brands' websites for an incentive (goods or cash).  My light hearted take on this compares the relationship between us and those who took advantage of the situation to buy their way up the Google rankings to a sleazy romance.

3: Links back to your own relevant blog posts and to other bloggers are deemed good by Google.  Links to other bloggers with relevant posts or reviews is a really positive thing to do for you both.  We are not competing, we should stand together and support each other, share our authority and relevance and we'll receive mutual benefits!  Here is Lou from Bloggomy's thoughts from Blogcamp 2012. (See what I did there!)

4:  There is no code of conduct or best practice in place for blogging or PRs.  We must stand strong against those who want us to break the law or go against Google's terms and conditions.  If we do, something will have to change...for the better.  Some PRs already understand the implications and will offer disclosed sponsored posts with no-follow links which are completely above board.  This will recreate the buzz and word of mouth promotion of products and services, put good content over cheap keyword placement and  preserve the integrity of our community.

5:  We can improve our own SEO ranking by using keywords that are used regularly throughout our post, highlighted with bold or italic text and used in titles and subheadings.  However, sometimes Google just finds something you have written in passing and makes you the number one authority on it.  For months, my post that mentioned Japanese Snow Monkeys was receiving hit after hit from people searching for the warm spring bathing primates on Google.  If only you could deliberately recreate that phenomena at will you would be a millionaire!!  In the meantime, follow those simple SEO tips to improve your visibility online.

6:  Google likes blog posts that are over 500 words long.  This surprised me as I thought 200-300 words was optimum.  It also pleased me as I enjoy a good ramble!  It also likes rich content including photos (tagged of course!!)

7:  Sally Whittle is an utter legend and we are all extremely lucky to have her.

8:  My husband is amazing as he managed a fretful toddler, Ella's very well attended 16th birthday lunch party, a house viewing, a  press photographer's appointment to photograph Kizzy with a cupcake and a tree planting event at Kizzy's school.  Then, when I got home he still cooked me dinner!

9:  The innocence of the blogging phenomena has been stripped away somewhat.  We have to approach what was once just a fun hobby with a more professional mindset. Registering as self-employed if you receive any form of remuneration in cash or in kind is really vital.  Maintaining a full and honest disclosure policy is a legal requirement.  Adhering to Google's t&c's is something we all need to do if we want to protect our blog's visibility online.

10:  Although initially my brain has wanted to implode under this new information, I now feel that this could be the start of a new era of more honest, transparent relations with PRs and an opportunity for better quality content and a community that can be regarded with more respect and integrity.  The wonderful, colourful, rich world of blogging on the internet will come out stronger if we all stand together and help shape its future against unscrupulous practices!

A Tale of Blogging Betrayal

You know that moment?  You make contact with someone new and something magical happens. Energy crackles, hearts race a little.  The tension is palpable, this could lead to something good.  The moment makes you feel special.  There must be something in me that they are attracted to.  My wit, my intelligence, my eloquence, what I have to say?  I start thinking about the future.  This relationship could last.  It could enrich my life.  My confidence is raised. I'm thinking long term.  I succumb to the flattery.  I take that step.  I give myself over to the suggestions. I am seduced by the promise of  things to come.  They tell me it's OK to do it.  I do exactly what they want.  I want to please them.  I trust them.

I thought that what I was doing really mattered to them. But I was naive. Afterwards, I realise I've been duped. I'm not special to them at all. They didn't care about me or what I had to say at all.  I feel violated and cheated.  It wasn't OK after all.  I realise that I have been used and they didn't give a damn about me. They only wanted me for one thing....that one thing was a paid for do-follow text link!

I'll never fall for it again!

NaBloPoMo is Over

I have taken part in NaBloPoMo and blogged everyday for the whole of November (go me!!)  This is actually my 76th blog post this month...I really do have excessive blogging syndrome.

I may not have completely fulfilled my own remit as laid down in my post from November 1st,  pledging to take part in the NaBloPoMo Challenge (ie not including lazy posts), but I've certainly posted everyday.  I have written reviews for Christmas present ideas, hosted competitions, joined in with memes, posted  recipes, film and game reviews and reported from events, as well as writing some personal heartfelt posts.  Quite a mixed bag!!

It's been fun, but I didn't enjoy the feeling of pressure and deadlines when I was battling against having a poorly toddler, getting no sleep and feeling ill myself!  But I refuse to be beaten.  Somedays I realise I just have nothing to say!  Other days I'm bursting with ideas.  I've also got a lot of commitments through working with PR companies, especially in the run up to Christmas with my Gift Guide.  I take those commitments seriously.

This challenge has made me appreciate that this blog is my place.  My words.  My way.  If I want a day off then that is OK.  If I post five times in one day, that's OK too.  I hope people enjoy what I do or at least some of what I do!!  As long as I am enjoying my blog, I will continue to write it.  Lesson learned!

The PR / Blogger Symbiosis

So much is being said at the moment regarding the relationship between the PR and the blogger and the value of reviewing.  I felt I'd put my own opinions into a post as it is something that directly effects me.

As in all walks of life there is a massive spectrum of integrity, professionalism and respect on both sides of the fence.  We've all witnessed the PR company that asks us to not mention that a post is sponsored.  We've all received ill thought out press releases, unsolicited items for review and unsuitable proposals that a quick read of our blog could have avoided.  Similarly we know some wonderful PR companies who build up personal relationships with us, help promote our blogs and provide us with amazing opportunities.

Some bloggers/reviewers work incredibly hard to produce relevant reviews for their readers, working with real integrity.  Although a review post does not attract much direct interaction initially, they receive constant page views as people search for information on products of interest to them.  My review vlogs on YouTube receive thousands of hits.  My Disney Jungle Junction Toy review vlog is at 9,588 views...someone is interested in finding out more.  My Graco Ambassador Page and videos from November 2010 still receive page views week after week.  Clearly, consumers are looking for impartial reviews to make purchasing decisions.  Bloggers are not paid journalists and are not answerable to any higher order, so in most cases the reviews are  genuine opinion.  Some people question the integrity, where bloggers are being seduced by freebies and other incentives and therefore do not want to upset PR companies or brands by giving negative feedback.  One of my most negative reviews received a very positive response from the company I was reviewing for, thanking me for my honesty and asking to use my quotes in a meeting with their clients.  (I did feel a little guilty when I wrote it, but what would have been the point of lying.  I was not nasty or unpleasant, but I was honest and pointed out my genuine concerns.)

The term 'blagger' has sprung up of late and is being bandied about as an all-encompassing insult.  This has been used to describe everyone from the unscrupulous people who are setting up blogs with the sole intention of getting as many freebies as they can without doing anything constructive in return, to anyone who does reviews on their blog at all.  The constant badgering for #prrequests on Facebook and Twitter seems so unprofessional.   There are plenty of companies offering opportunities that you can respond to on relevant forums and sites.  This desperation to contact everyone, everywhere is just a little needy and greedy.  We all had to build up our contacts, it is not an overnight thing to be approached by PR companies.  Asking a company straight off for a valuable pushchair, a day after starting a blog is obviously going to erode the credibility of bloggers.

Some blogging purists do not like to see reviews sullying the clear waters of their dashboards.  They would rather that cyberspace was filled with literary works provoking debate or providing a good read.  Of course that side of blogging is wonderful, with so many great writers inspiring us, entertaining us and provoking our thoughts.  However, the blogging world is huge and there is room for reviews to run alongside amusing anecdotes or wordy rants.  That said, I hate seeing reviews which are just copied and pasted from press releases, where the product is not shown in use and no original photography or video is used to showcase the product.  You just know the product sent out to be reviewed is now on Ebay or some For Sale forum on Facebook.  It is the lack of integrity and the dishonest motives of the reviewer that should earn them the derogatory name of 'blagger'.  Don't tar all reviewers with the same brush.

As for the PR companies, many of them seem to be solely interested in SEO and getting the company URL out there, regardless of the quality of the post they are featured on.  I would like to see some more discerning decisions made by PRs as to who they choose to work with.  But this however would be time consuming and require extra effort in an industry that works fast and to tight deadlines.  In life I like to be rewarded on merit and recognised for the quality of work I produce.  I wish it were the same in blogging, then perhaps reviewers would receive more respect!

At the end of the day, the PR/Blogger relationship is one of symbiosis.  They do something for you, you do something for them, ergo it is mutually beneficial.  I do enjoy receiving things for my family that I would otherwise probably not have bought.  Being a Toyologist has provided the kids all the toys they could ever want and being a Graco Ambassador and Quinny Caster will keep Freddy in all the pushchairs and car seats he'll ever need!  In return I have helped spread the word about their products, I've given my opinions, I have pimped links, appeared in the press and I have represented brands at events.  I've never done anything that I didn't think was appropriate and always do the best I can do when I agree to take on a commitment.  My influence and reach is being put to use for the benefit of a brand and their products are driving traffic to my posts.  Win/win.

I am happy to have reviews sit alongside personal posts about my life.  It is still relevant to me and my family and hopefully will resonate with other parents interested in the products.  I almost always include photos and often include videos which  show the product being used or demonstrated and we have fun as a family testing out products.  I love what I do.  It has been such an adventure and yes I have been incredibly lucky and am extraordinarily grateful.  I hope that all the scandals, hierarchy, infighting and unscrupulous practices don't burst our blogging bubble!  I hope the fabulous PR companies continue to recognise the value in the voice of bloggers and carry on working with us in our wonderful virtual symbiosis.   And I hope one day the purists and the reviewers can sit side by side and be proud of their body of work!  It is an exciting, ever growing, ever changing media and I for one hope to explore the potential and possibilities for as long as I can!

Day 8

NaBloPoMo Challenge

Never one to shirk away from a challenge, I am now signed up to NaBloPoMo!  I know it sounds like an infectious tropical disease, but NaBloPoMo is actually a natty little contraction of "National Blog Posting Month" where bloggers are being challenged to publish a blog post every day for the whole of November.  It is organised by the folks at Blogher in the USA, but this year we are joining in thanks to nlpmum.com.

I am quite a prolific blogger anyway.  But I'm using this challenge to reconnect with the reason I started blogging.  That is to write about me, my life, my family, our adventures.  I am going to try to write a daily post that is not review based, a competition post or sponsored.  I do love reviewing and truly believe it is a completely valid  part of the blogging world.  However, I have become a bit lazy and not really stretched myself or my imagination to the extent that I should.  So I am going to delve a little deeper and give a little more of myself this month. I'll still be keeping up with my review commitments

In the past I have found it very therapeutic to write about times in my life that I had previously kept buried.  I have written about my depression, my weight and eating issues, battling my demons and my teenage years.  I also love to talk about my five children and my parenting ideas; my husband who has been my rock through thick and thin and my extended family.  I love a good debate and usually have an opinion on everything!  So there is lots of material for a month of posts!

Why don't you join in?  The Facebook page has prompts and motivational ideas in case you get writer's block and you will find great support from other bloggers.  It is also a chance to discover some new blogs  for yourself as other bloggers will be posting links to their NaBloPoMo posts!

So with this challenge set...I will power through November one blog post at a time!

The Great Blogging Dilemma

I attended Blogcamp in Manchester with an open mind.  I has hoping to connect with fellow bloggers, learn a few tricks of the trade and come away feeling more excited about the community of which I am a part.

The day was indeed very interesting with excellent advice on blog design,  an informative talk from a PR man and some inspirational ideas from other bloggers.

One of the speakers said that we needed to have a voice, have an opinion and make it heard, so I have decided to take her advice and speak out about something that I feel is causing divisions in our community.

There seems to be a great deal of debate at the moment about the rights and wrongs of blogging.  There is a definite hierarchy in blogdom.  Some of the top echelon of blogging are there by merit, much loved and respected and renowned for the quality of their work.  Some are the self-appointed watchmen who stand in judgement on all aspects of blogging, looking down over the young pretenders who are flooding cyberspace with their blogs.

I love to write, but started this blog with no clear idea of where I wanted it to go. I knew I'd never shake up the world with my words.  It wasn't a calculated decision to blog in any particular way.  I don't really have a USP, I am a stay at home mum with five kids and a happy marriage, not someone with a great tale to tell.  I didn't plan my target market, the demographics of my readership or the direction in which I hoped my blog would develop.  It simply became an organic journey which I was happy to go along with, allowing it to take me where it wanted to go.

The blog is my hobby.  It is something to do to stop my mind going numb from watching re-runs of CBeebies and Disney Junior.  It is infinitely preferable to watching Jeremy Kyle while my son naps.  It is more interactive than doing a crossword puzzle.  I don't harbour any desire to become an award winning journalist or pen a novel.  I don't consider myself important or special...I am one of thousands, doing it in my own way which is perfect for me.  I don't want to be labelled, pigeon-holed or judged for hobbying.

One of the hotly contested topics is working with PRs and brands, and in particular, the product review.  To some there is a sense of 'selling out' if you undertake reviews and carry sponsored posts on your blog.  I have seen debates where bloggers are asking other bloggers to request payment on particular campaigns to prevent the undervaluing of the  community.  There is a sense that if you do it for free then you are somehow letting down the sisterhood.  To me however, I do not see reviewing products as a job, not as it stands right now. OK, I know that I am providing free marketing for brands that have huge advertising budgets...but I'm not Saatchi and Saatchi.  I'm giving them a post on my blog in return for a sample.  I'll possibly help improve their SEO, my reach and influence may make others click through and indeed I know of a lot of sales that have come directly from my reviews, but it is not a one way street.  I am not a victim to the PR man...in fact I consider myself very privileged.

Product reviewing and working with PRs has opened up so many unexpected doors.  The products I receive are each an opportunity.  Whether I am sent a £500 Graco pushchair or a  £5 e-cloth, I treat them in the same way.  It is an excuse to try something out with my Tiny Testers, take photos or film videos that I would otherwise never have taken.  I have archived some moments that would otherwise have been forgotten...Freddy playing with Brothermax Bath Toys, taking a Johnson's Bubble Bath or eating Ella's Kitchen ...the videos and photos are mine to keep. I'm cataloguing Freddy's babyhood in a very unique way. I'm loving it, it's a completely new take on saving memories!

I always review things to my best ability, regardless of its value.  I cannot bear the idea of copying and pasting press releases and using stock photos.  That would seem utterly pointless to my motivation for doing what I do.  I actually use the product, and say what I see, reporting back in a multi-media way.  I am delighted to receive thanks from brands or PR companies who have actually read what I do and are impressed with the efforts I have made.  Possibly I am naive and am undervaluing my worth.  Maybe I could be asking for remuneration for my time and energy, but then my hobby would become a job with expectations and complications. For me to accept these terms where I become answerable to a higher authority, I would want to build a relationship with a brand that I could identify with, be proud to represent and work in a long term arrangement rather with.  The one-off opportunities don't fit this criteria.  The sample in that case compensates me for my efforts.  But I do take objection to the notion that I'd do anything for a freebie...I wouldn't and I do not.  But if it is something that I can see potential in, I will accept a product and review it well.  I don't want to choose between writing personal posts or doing reviews.  There is room for both.

I'm a total realist, I know that if I can't attend an event or review a product there will be a hundred bloggers willing to step into my shoes.  The market is saturating, but the levels of quality are massively diverse.  I will always do my best because that is who I am.  If people no longer read what I write because a quarter of my posts are sponsored in some way...well that is their prerogative.  But every post I do is written personally by me, interjected with personality and reflecting my family life in some way.  There is no shame in the way I conduct myself.

Reviews are a huge part of our community.  In fact a predominantly review led blog is in the finals of the Mad Awards.  Given the voting nature of both the nominations and the final stage, this may become a more common occurrence in the future. Bloggers who have support from Facebook fans, get support from brands that rally for votes  and who host competitions on their blogs have an  ever growing, like-minded, loyal readership.  Perfect for the voting forum.  I will be interested to see the results, whether a review blog will beat a blog with traditional journalistic content due to the mechanism of the competition itself.  Times may be a-changing.  Those bloggers who hold onto the unsponsored purity of the blogging world may be in for some surprises.  Maybe it's time for a MAD Best Reviewer award to demarcate the categories further and acknowledge this strata of the Tots 100.

Please, don't get me wrong.  There are some beautifully written, inspiring, thought provoking, informative, innovative blogs out there and I would never undermine their credibility and their place in the ranks of the blogging world.  I'd hate to see their essences dissolved or devalued, but not everyone can be an incredible writer.  Other bloggers still have a right to express themselves in any way they so choose. It is this diversity which makes the internet such a magical place.  There is room for everyone and this will give rise to many different styles of blog.  We are not all the same...the only thing we have in common is the fact we all have a blog.  We can not be homogenized and square pegs will never fit round holes.  Do we just accept that Mummy Blogger is a huge umbrella that we can all shelter under, or is it time to differentiate between the blogging clans yet still say vive le difference!!

I sincerely hope that we can all co-exist in our corner of cyberspace.  Our world is still in its infancy, I'm sure great change is afoot.  Personally I hope PR companies become more discerning instead of going for blanket coverage when distributing their samples to mummy bloggers.  I hope that social media is used intelligently, creatively and to its fullest potential.  I hope the credibility and integrity of our community is maintained.  And I hope to remain a part of this thrilling adventure for many years to come!!

Listography... 5 Decisions I'm Glad I Made

I do sometimes wonder if my life has been a series of events that were always destined to happen.  My journey seems to have been decided for me and I've walked the path willingly, knowing that the ultimate destination was the place that I always needed to be!

Kate has challenged us to come up with five decisions that we are glad we made...so I'm going to take some credit for taking the forks in the road that have lead me to where I am today.

1: Keeping My Son

When I was pregnant and single, it was suggested by people close to me that I had an abortion.  I even had a clinic recommended to me.  I would have been able to go to university, brush my past under the carpet and start a new life away from the waste of space who was my now ex-boyfriend.  At the Family Planning Clinic when my pregnancy was confirmed, the nurse went straight for the abortion option speech.  I will never forget her writing "will not consider abortion" in big letters across my medical notes when I stated emphatically that I wanted to keep my baby.  She seemed disappointed!  Perhaps she was on commission?  I may have been a young, vulnerable, single teenager ...but I knew that this baby, my Joe, was my destiny!

2: Being Brave Enough to go it Alone

Being 21 and finding myself pregnant with baby number 2, could have made me prepared to settle for the relationship I had found myself in.  I had a partner and a roof over my head and I'm sure I could have done what I needed to do to make it work if I had tried (or given in and accepted my lot).  But instead, I had the guts to find myself a flat to rent and start again on my own when I was 6 months pregnant.  I would never have been happy living like I had been, and my children would not have had a good life had I stayed.  I would have had to compromise who I was and what I wanted.  It was not the easy option to go...but it was the right one.  I don't regret anything though, because I wouldn't be without my daughter Megan for the world.  Another good decision!

3: Ian

Being brave enough to risk a fantastic friendship and making Ian my other half was a tremendous decision.  He has helped me to be the best version of myself I could be.  We've had another three gorgeous children to add to the two beautiful ones we already had.

Recently when we tidied out our garage I unearthed a box filled with cards and letters I had sent to Ian over the years.  From the age of sixteen, when Ian left school, to when we got together at twenty-three, I had regularly written to him.  He had kept every single one.  We were so meant to be together!!  Writing those letters and never letting our relationship fade away was a great decision...because as soon as the time was right we didn't hesitate!

4:  Moving to Shropshire


We lived in a Housing Association flat in Hampshire.  It wasn't a great area to live and I worried about the future of our children.  My sister had just moved to a lovely house in the country and we saw the possibility of a much better lifestyle.  Ian wasn't on a big wage but we worked out we could just about afford a house of our own if we scrimped and saved.  It also meant that Ian had to carry on working down south while we relocated to Shropshire.  We found a lovely three bed semi with a garden for less than it would have cost us to buy the flat we lived in!  As Ian worked shifts, he lived three days with us, returning to work for a further three days and so on.  We only had one car so my sister helped me with school runs and shopping trips when Ian was away.  Eventually Ian found a better paying job nearer to our new house and he came home.  Everything fell into place.  We now have a 4 bedroomed detached house and I count myself extremely lucky!!  All thanks to our decision to become Salopians!!

5: Starting My Blog


I've loved being a wife and a mother, but I've always felt that I needed an outlet for myself.  I've taken courses, done extra A'Levels, volunteered at my kids' schools around the children once they started nursery.  But it was starting my blog last year that has really fulfilled that part of me that has wanted something for myself (without compromising the time spent with Freddy).

I've met some great people, I've done things I would never have dreamt of doing (interviewing Ken Barlow??!!), I've been to some amazing places and I've had unbelievable opportunities!  My personal confidence has grown immensely.  I've met some fellow bloggers already this year and can't wait to meet up with so many others at Cybermummy!  I've had some brilliant products sent to me for review and I'm about to start my Toyology adventure. I've 'met' the lovely #mumentum ladies who are helping me with my weightloss efforts by offering support and encouragement.  Blogging has changed my life quite literally!  What a great decision to click that "create blog" button on Blogger!!

MAD Awards Open for Nominations

I started this blog in September 2010, with no real direction or idea of where it was going.  Over the months it has become my therapy, my diary, my way of sharing experiences and a forum for me to join in with other bloggers taking part in a myriad of fun memes and bloghops.

The direction of my blog has been altered by the opportunity to do reviews.  I know a lot of old school, purist bloggers, whom I respect greatly, frown upon the inclusion of reviewing.  However, I honestly believe that it provides a service, gives people like me a voice and brings a transparency to many brands that was up until recently, non-existent.  I do it with integrity, giving the same time. effort and attention to the product regardless of its price.  I hope I keep my reviews entertaining by employing the services of my team of Tiny Testers and making fun videos and taking original photographs.  I'd like to think I help people who read them weigh up the pros and cons of purchasing decisions, and give some money saving ideas along the way.

I hope my mix of personal anecdotes, ramblings, confessions, parenting ideas and reviews makes my blog relevant and enjoyable to read.  I love blogging...it has become an outlet for me, a way to connect and something to keep me off the streets (so to speak) during my time as a Stay at Home Mum.  I have found confidence, personal growth and unexpected friendships.  I've learned to edit films, dabble in HTML and have even started vlogging.  It's been a wondrous journey that has quite literally changed my life.

The MAD Awards have now opened for nominations.  I would never presume to think that anyone would nominate me.  There are blogs out there that are far more worthy than mine.  Inspirational women, hilariously funny folk, people with stories to share that have made we weep.  I am in awe of the written words I read on a daily basis, I frequently laugh out loud and have cried absolute buckets at stories that have stayed with me.  That is the beauty of the blogging world...I am proud and honoured to be a part of this community.

To be honest, I never really thought anyone would ever read my blog and so have been delighted, excited and humbled by feedback.  I'm now nearing 30,000 page views which blows me away.  If anyone wanted to nominate me in one of the categories I would be thrilled.  But I know I am a little fish in a big pond full of greatness and will be happy to just play my part in this wonderful celebration of blogging.

Be sure to use your votes.  Show your support and nominate those blogs that have brightened your day, touched your soul or helped you feel less alone in the world.  Use the badge displayed in my sidebar to direct you to the website.  Join in and celebrate our beautiful, diverse, eclectic blogosphere!