Blissdom Canada

Conference newbie. That was me until I decided to take the plunge, be brave, and jump head first into my very first social media conference.  This is my long over due post about Blissdom Canada held in Toronto Ontario. 

What I wish I had known:

I wish I had known in advance I was about to learn more about myself, and blogging, then I ever thought possible in one little three day period.  Amazing.  You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Turns out I can navigate downtown Toronto traffic, even without the comfort of my GPS cause that GPS b*tch had the nerve to break down and stop talking to me on the 401 and now I hate her and with strikers trying to block my way into the hotel! I got there anyway.  So there.

I didn’t have to be so nervous.  Every single person I met was beyond chatty and friendly. Sigh of relief.  Bloggers are as nice in person as they are on line.

I didn’t have to pack so much!  Next time…more casual comfortable like the fab clothes provided to me by Old Navy, less super dressy like the cocktail dress and 3 inch killer heels.  I absolutely did an “overpack”.  Besides, all those fancy shoes were killing my feet.

I already knew the power of a girlfriend.  I had no idea that I would instantly meet, connect and make new girlfriends.  Meeting some of these women, who’s blogs I have been following and tweets I have been reading……it was like meeting old friends for the very first time.  Surreal.

*The fabulous Sarah from MomCentral (in our matching Roots shirts)and the uberfamous JourneyWoman! 

That although the sessions were incredible, and they were!!  The hours spent chatting around the lunch table, squishing together into a cab, or laughing as we talked into the wee hours of the morning, would be some of the most inspiring memorable moments of the conference.

I did not know that the parties like the Mabel Bliss party hosted by Mabel’s Label’s, Yummy Mummys Spa Party, The Roots Party and the BuchFamily Speak Easy party would not only be ridiculously fun, but fabulously intimate affairs where you really had a chance to really get to know the other incredible women attending Blissdom.

  

*MabelBliss party.  Spoiled.  My hair and make-up done…loved that, and caught up with PracticulMum.

 

*How could you not love the atmosphere at the BunchFamily party!

*Live entertainment while we had a private shopping party at Roots.  Sigh. VIP.

You know what else I learned?  300 women know how to party, dance and sing together..like nothing I have ever seen before.  Men?  We don’t need men…oh, except maybe Bret Michaels.  Cocktail Deeva rocked it!

    

Pictured above @CynthiaCrumb, @CocktailDeeva @fdnstudio @MrsLoulou @YummyMummyClub

I also learned that three days away from my family, and blog, would take two weeks to catch up on when I got home!  Next time, I need to work ahead…posts prepared ahead of time, maybe meals stocked in the freezer?  You know be that domestic goddess I pretend to be.  I did not feel like the best Mama when I came home.  Some of those balls I had up in the air?  They came crashing down.

Would I do this again?  Put my life on hold and go meet a bunch of strangers at a conference in a town far far away?  Probably.  This little hobby of mine is growing into a bit of an obsession.  If I want to continue to grow, push myself to be better writer, learn how to market myself, engage with brands and make those all too important real life connections, I can think of no better place then Blissdom Canada.  A big heartfelt thank you to all the fabulous organizers who poured their hearts and souls into this event, and to every women I met….it was a pleasure, a gift.

Thanks for the memories…mwah!