MAD Blog Awards 2014

Photo Credit: Tom Arber

This time last week I was at the rather swanky Kensington Royal Garden Hotel in London at the 2014 MAD Blog Awards final! Earlier this year I was shocked to find out that I had been voted as a finalist in the Best Thrifty Blog category, I am tremendously grateful to everyone who thought me worthy and although I knew I had no chance of winning, I was still really excited about buying a posh frock and hobnobbing with some amazing bloggers at the final.

After quite a bit of shopping around I found my perfect outfit...

You'll be glad to know I stayed true to the thriftyness and went shopping for my outfit at the Lowry Outlet Mall.

My gorgeous Blue floaty Dress was reduced to just £25 in Autonomy, my daring black leather lined patent Stilettos were £29 in Marks and Spencer Outlet and my stylish black clutch was a birthday gift from the lovely RedRoseMummy.

As the date got closer the nerves started to kick in, now these were in part due to being a finalist but there was another reason I was nervous...

I was keeping a secret! A few months earlier Sally, founder of Tots100 asked a few northern bloggers to meet in a top secret location to take part in a secret project. Not knowing what we were letting ourselves in for until we arrived I have to say I was not expecting to spend my summer learning the dance moves to the Olly Murs song, 'Dance with Me tonight!' You read that right, the 'secret project' was to learn a specially choreographed dance to routine for a Flash Mob at the MADS final!!

Just in case you don't know me personally, let me introduce myself; I'm Jen, I'm carrying a few stone more than I should be, I have no rhythm, am totally uncoordinated and regularly fall over my own feet!

However, last Friday night... 

I TOOK PART IN A FLASHMOB 

ON STAGE

IN FRONT OF LOADS OF PEOPLE

AND DR RANJ FROM THE TELLY!!

Right OK, I've got the shouting out of the way, but can you believe I did that? No?! Watch the video here:

So now I've got that off my chest i'll tell you a little about the rest of the evening. The venue was amazing, it felt like walking into another world. (one I could easily get used to!) I arrived with my fellow northern roomie, the not so Grumpyish Mum.

Photo Credit: Colette - We're Going on an Adventure

 After getting there early to practice our routine, we were treated to a makeover by the fabulous Powder Puff Girls, I loved my hair and make up and it was great to chat to Fiona from Coombe Mill while we waited.

Photo Credit: Tom Arber

My hair was finished just in time to get to the drinks reception, catch up with some familiar faces and make some lovely new friends.

 Photo Credit: Colette - We're Going on an Adventure

At the meal I was sat between two gorgeous ladies; Rachel from Rachel Writes and Grace from the fabulous fun food blog Eats Amazing.

Photo Credit: Grace from Eats Amazing

The dinner itself whizzed by in a bit of a blur while I waited for our big moment but I remember how amazing the Petit Fours were!

After dancing on stage as part of the Mummy Blogger Flashmob I was feeling euphoric, we sat down to listen to the lovely Dr Ranj introduce the Award Catogories and Finalists, I was thrilled for Danni from It Started with a Squish who was announced as the Best Pregnancy Blog and although I didn't win my catogory I was really pleased for Ricky from Skint Dad on his well deserved win!

You can find out the rest of the winning bloggers on the MADS Blog, but in my eyes everyone was a winner, it was a huge achievement to get to the finals in a blog awards that had more than 6500 blogs taking part and over a quarter of a million nominations and votes!

Well done everyone! 

I met so many amazing people that it's impossible to mention them all, but it was great to meet, chat or catch up! There were a few people missing from the evening that I wish had been there to share it with me, the most notable being the lovely Jenny from The Brick Castle who had started dance rehearsals with us but sadly was not able to travel to London, I could feel you on the dance floor with me Jenny!

It was an amazing night an everybody worked so hard to pull it together, so I want to thank everyone from TOTS100 especially, Sally.

Finally I couldn't resist sharing the mandatory pic with our host for the evening, the lovely Dr Ranj.