Middle Aged Mama

Blogging about my Midlife Adventures

When Bloggers Meet

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Yesterday was the inaugural Redland Bloggers Meetup, and what a grand day it was.

Redland Bloggers MeetupI have a tradition of making things happen, if what I want doesn’t already exist. Take the magazine, Footprints (I’ve kept the Facebook page and still occasionally post there!), that I ran for 15 years. When I couldn’t find the magazine for Aussie Christian women that *I* wanted to read – I started my own!

And so it was that after blogging here at Redland City Living for nearly six months, I was dying to meet some of my new bloggy friends IRL (In Real Life). I didn’t want to wait til the Problogger Conference, happening in September on the Gold Coast – so I set about organising my own little bloggy meetup.

I knew of maybe four or five local bloggers and promptly put the call out … thinking that a small gathering would be fine, better than nothing, you know?

Instead, I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and the number of people who wanted to come along! We even had guests travel from as far afield as the Gold AND Sunshine Coasts; I was so humbled.

Redland Bloggers Meetup
L to R: Amanda from A Cooker and a Looker; Kirsten from K & Co; Lisa from Random Acts of Zen; Min from Mins Mash; Yours Truly; Carly from Bay Island News; Judy from Australian Inspirational Women (you can just see the top of her head!); Kerry from Five Days in Paris; Cheryl from Bayside Kids Directory is also hiding; Emily from Have a Laugh On Me; and Sarah from Slapdash Mama.

Luckily I warned the staff at the cafe beforehand, because I knew there would be:

  1. Plenty of talk and chronic over-sharing;
  2. Raucous laughter – and lots of it; and
  3. Photos being taken and then promptly shared on social media via our phones!

Hosting the Redland Bloggers Meetup was so easy – all I had to do was book the venue. Bloggers are a delightful bunch like that, get them together and no ice-breaker or specially planned activities are needed. 😉

Carly and Judy
Carly and Judy
Kerry, Cheryl and Emily
Kerry, Cheryl and Emily

Conversations varied from careers to housework (what were we thinking!), in-laws, fashion and caring for children with special needs.

Of course it was a fantastic opportunity to talk all things blogging –  the stories that we CAN’T tell online, what our partners, families and friends think about our blogging (that’s if they even know about it!), how to monetise our blogs, time management, which linkies to join, stats, social media, and websites and blogs worth checking out.

I would like to thank each of the following for their part in making the event such an outstanding success:

  1. Min from Mins Mash;
  2. Lisa from Random Acts of Zen;
  3. Sarah from Slapdash Mama;
  4. Kirsten from Kirsten & Co;
  5. Anne from Domesblissity;
  6. Cheryl from Bayside Kids;
  7. Kerry from Five Days in Paris;
  8. Judy from Australian Inspirational Women;
  9. Emily from Have a Laugh On Me;
  10. Amanda from A Cooker and a Looker; and
  11. Carly from the upcoming Redland City news magazine (watch for the launch issue next month!)

Now, I know you’re all dying to know the answer to that most important of questions: what did I wear? (After all, I *am* a middle aged fashion guru!)

RedlandBloggersMeetUp
Me, Kirsten and Lisa – hey look at that – stripes are obviously the IN thing!

I had a couple of outfits planned, based around jeans or leggings. Then the weather threw a spanner in the works by being unseasonably warm! I still went with my new favourite jeans, but added a light t-shirt with sequins and my red flats for a pop of colour. I wish I had a fun red necklace to complete the look but alas I don’t (yet!).

It was such a great time, we will DEFINITELY have to do it again – and next time we might make it an evening affair, so that some of the people who couldn’t make it today can come join the fun!

Have you been to a Bloggers Meetup? Wishing there was one in your area? I hope I’ve inspired you to hold your own!

It’s Thursday, so I’m joining in with:

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Comments

  1. It sounds like you guys all had such a great time !!! I have been to a couple of blogging meet ups and always have so much fun ! As you say – no ice-breakers / planned activities needed. Glad you pre-warned the cafe about the noise and the photos !!
    Have the best day !
    Me

    • It’s hard to have the best day when YESTERDAY was so fantastic! 😉

  2. Good for you Janet! Love how you make things happen. Sounds like everyone had a great time connecting.

    • What can I say, except I’m kinda weird that way. Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like crazy!

    • Thank YOU lovely for the flowers and the lovely gifts for everyone. I’m wearing my bracelet right now!

  4. Great write up of the day Janet – it was super fantastic to meet you – you are as bubbly and funny IRL as on your blog! Thanks for organising this and allowing me the chance to meet up with such awesome bloggers. Wish I had spent more time picking everyone’s brains! Em x

    • The time just went so fast didn’t it! I hope I got to talk to everybody – it’s all a bit of a blur now (or maybe that’s just the cold & flu tablets I’m taking?!). And your blog is THE FUNNIEST! Always gets me laughing xxx

  6. Great wrap up of the morning Janet! This was the perfect FIRST bloggy meet up for me – close to home and with such an awesome bunch of ladies. I had the best time! Wish I’d got to talk to each individual more but there is always the next one 😉

    • Absolutely Anne! So glad you were able to join us after your other appointment xxx

  9. Yay for being a doer and not a gunna! Look at the fun you can have by making things happen! It looks like it was loads of fun.

    Thanks so much for linking up 🙂

    • So glad I had my hysterectomy or I would never have had the energy to do all this!

  10. Thank you for such a wonderful day! I loved it thoroughly. Thanks!
    What a lovely worded post too.

  11. Congratulations on organising such a successful event Janet. Looks like everyone had a great time. There’s nothing like meeting people face to face who you only know online! I’m sure your bloggers meetups will become a regular and popular event. I’m looking forward to checking out some of the interesting-sounding blogs you listed.

  13. Oh what fun! I’m a Brissie girl, so maybe by the time you organise another get together I will be a bit further along the blogging track and have something to contribute.
    I love that online communities still put so much value on face to face time as well.

    • We’d love to have you, it doesn’t matter how far along you are on the blogging track xxx

    • I know – it started at 9.30 and I had to tear myself away at 12.45 for another appointment!

  15. good on you for organising a meetup! While with the internet you meet lots of people – it’s always so much better in person.

  16. Sounds awesome Janet – and good on you for organising it! I didn’t realise so many of my favourite bloggers lived in Queensland! For some reason, I thought Redland was in NSW…geography is obviously not my strong suit!

  17. We had a wonderful time. I’ve been subsumed by a terribly sick little girl so I only just saw this. Thank you so much for organising it and your red shoes were adorable xx

    • So sorry to hear about your girl. My girl’s been sick and needing lots of mamma love too this week even though she’s 16! xxx

  18. Looks like you all had fun. I have been to a few blogger meet-ups and they are awesome. We always seem to have so much in common and I may be biased but most bloggers seem to be truly lovely. Weren’t you clever to organise it!