The Blissdom Chronicles
Blissdom is a blog conference open to several blog niches (mom, home, fitness, green, frugal, fashion, etc) whose goal is to celebrate blog authors, their work, and community. They host several breakout sessions: 1) writing track, 2) professional track, and 3) brand partnership track. My goal was really simply to meet and hang out in-person with the women that I have met and admired through their blogs. My friend Emily (Decor Chick) traveled with me and we roomed together. I’ve known Emily for a long time now, but you really get to know someone when you “live” with them for a couple of days! After traveling and staying with Emily, I can honestly say, I’d room with her any day! She was a breeze, even when I kept getting us lost! 🙂 We got there (Nashville) on Wednesday night, dropped our luggage off in the room and headed out to dinner in the hotel with these lovely ladies. Brooke (aspiring blog author), Earnest Parenting, Decor Chick, Sand and Sisal, Honey We’re Home After dinner, while walking back to our room, we ran into:
Decor Chick, Honey We’re Home, Sand and Sisal, Southern Hospitality, Centsational Girl, 320 Sycamore and her sister, Kristin, Brooke (aspiring blog author), Earnest Parenting We only got to chat for a few minutes, but I’m thankful for even that opportunity. It’s hard not to be a little “starstruck” when you meet these veteran bloggers whom you’ve admired for so long. I’m pretty sure I rambled on and on, but they were gracious nonetheless. The next morning (oh yes I did workout!) and then we attended the conference, which kicked off with an AWESOME keynote speech by Brene Brown. She gave me so much to think about that it’s too much for this post, but I’ll just show you one of the things she touched on:
Then I started seeing some familiar faces . . .
Miss Mustard Seed, Infarrantly Creative
Be Different Act Normal, House of Hepworths, This Blessed Nest, My Blessed Life
Frugal with a Flourish, Creative Kristi, Sand and Sisal
Love Feast Table, High Heels and a Hammer, Honey We’re Home
My Cottage Love (Launching Summer 2011), Pretty Handy Girl, Decor Chick
Dr. BabyMamaDrama (love that name!), House of Hepworths, Imparting Grace, Two Story Cottage, High Heels and a Hammer, Honey We’re Home, My Cottage Love, Frugal with a Flourish, Pretty Handy Girl, (oops, I didn’t get your card! Please fill me in!), Miss Mustard Seed, Decor Chick
Decor Chick, Infarrantly Creative, Tatertots and Jello, Pretty Handy Girl, The Pennington Point Thursday Night we were lucky enough to see cutie pie Mat Kearney perform (we missed Michelle Branch). He sounded so good and was funny too.
The ladies got all gussied up! Well, Decor Chick and I didn’t (we’re wearing the same thing from earlier in the day! At least she added a cute scarf!)
Love Feast Table, High Heels and a Hammer, The Cottage Chick, Sand and Sisal, Decor Chick
Decor Chick, Honey We’re Home Pretty Handy Girl, Two Story Cottage
Sand and Sisal’s awesome heels! 🙂 (had to get a shot!) After the mini concert, we went to the Incourage party, which was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I didn’t get a picture of her, but I so enjoyed getting to talk to Jen {Balancing Beauty and Bedlam}. She was so personable, genuine and just fun to be around! Near the end of the party we were all sitting because our feet hurt and she just plopped down on the floor and chatted with our group for a long time. I also bumped into Sarah {Thrifty Decor Chick} and Beth {The Stories of A to Z}. They were equally as nice, but I really didn’t get to talk to them for very long. It was REALLY crowded at that point and we were all kinda mushed together. I managed to say a few words to Sarah about how much I love her blog and compliment her on how down-to-earth and sincere she is and she gave me a big hug! So sweet!
Decor Chick, Be Different Act Normal, Honey We’re Home
Decor Chick, Tatertots and Jello, Postively Splendid, Frugal with a Flourish I didn’t get pictures with everyone, but had a lot of good chats with: Pizzazzerie (She was a Blissdom volunteer and so super cute! Also, a whiz at Twitter.) The Borrowed Abode (Jane blogs about rental decor and is really an open and honest type of person. I talked her ear off because she is such a good listener!) Pink and Polkadot encouraged me that I could make my own slipcover;) Emily and I headed home on Friday morning after breakfast with Sawdust and Paper Scraps, Pretty Handy Girl, Two Story Cottage, and House of Hepworths. *I didn’t get any pics of the gorgeous Opryland hotel, but Beth {The Stories of A to Z} did, and her post also has lots of pics of bloggers I’m sure you’ll recognize:) It was so good to get home and see this face
********** I’m new to Twitter, but if you want to follow me, I’m @honeywerehome
You crack me up. Great pics except for the last one of me and you where I look frightened. You were a great roomie too except you didn't eat any chocolate with me, but I'm sure the hotel will be grateful when they discover your unopened bag of chocolate, my old burrito and the mini champagne bottles left in the fridge. 🙂 Don't forget to give James a fry…or a burger. Love you!
Megan!!! You are absolutely beautiful!!! 🙂 I love love love your blog! Thank you so much for posting your trip to Blissdom! I really enjoyed it! I hope one day I will meet you too! I am very new to the blogging world, in fact, I just started a blog; would love for you to stop by and see what you think!
Oh how I dream of the day when i get to meet you and all the wonderful blogging ladies! I'm checking everyones blogs right now!!!
God bless you and your fam!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Megan, what a great photo diary of the week. It was so wonderful meeting you. Miss you already, but I'll definitely keep in touch. And you always have a place to stay In North Carolina!
It looks like you had such a fun time! I love all those girls! You are such a lucky one to meet them in person! 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend!
Wow! Awesome pics and great to see that it was worth the trip! I'm looking forward to next year!
Looks like a ton of fun! I really need to get more committed about my blog so I can make a trip like that someday! James looks adorable by the way…he is growing too fast! They all do I guess!
Looks like so much fun…maybe we can meet next year. Will you go again?
Such a great photo recap! I am glad you had such a great time! {and of course you looked adorable}. What a darling face to return to!
This conference looks like so much fun! I would definitely want to do it some day!
Oh, and I picked you for the Stylish Blogger Award! I was picked and one of the things you do is name your favorite blogs and of course I named yours 🙂 It's up now if you want to check it out!
Looks like you had a great time! great pics!
I am so glad you and Emily had a great time! And, you both looked amazing. I know you were anxious to see the little guy again!! Hope to join y'all next year!!
Just stumbled upon your blog. Thanks! I'm a new follower, by the way. I can't wait to come back. Love the stuff I saw already. Also loving the blissdom pics. Fun to put the faces with the most awesome blogs.
Keep up the great finds, style tips and posts.
Wendy
Great re-cap. You ladies looked like you had an awesome time.
Mr. Goodwill Hunting
that sounds like such a blast! Great to connect with like minded ladies…
Sounds like so much fun! Love that picture of your little boy 🙂
The pictures are great. it looks like you guys had a ton of fun. Have a good weekend.
oh, and ps…remember my good friend from nashville that visited me two weekends ago? Her husband is Mat's producer…he's great.
Looks like so much fun! Who wouldn't love coming home to that sweet face!
Looks like such a fun time!
Thank you for sharing your recap on Blissdom. I would love to attend next year. I like that you linked to all of the different bloggers that you met…I just found so many new blogs I like.
Megan! Your comment was so sweet – and seriously, I loved talking with you! You can talk my ear off any day. 🙂 And you know, I usually feel like someone who talks others' ears off.
Your blog is beautiful! As soon as I get home I'll be back to nose around.
Sounds like you had a fabulous time!! Looks like a great group of blogging ladies 🙂
soooooooooooooooooooo jealous of you and decor chick! That is all:-)
It sounds like a fun time had with a lovely group of women. I enjoyed your photos and hearing you share some of your Blissdom experience. I hope to have a blog up soon and attend next year! Megan, you're gorgeous!
How fun! I'm so glad you got to meet all those beautiful bloggers. I bet it was a blast. I hope we can meet someday, Megan!! We have some shopping to do together at Nordy's (:
Looks like you had a fab time – must be so nice to meet all those otther bloggers!
Have a lovely week!
Rachie xo
Great pictures. It was good to meet you, wish we could have chatted a little more. Next year right! Your son's adorable…I'm sure it was great to get back to him.
Thanks for including us all in your experience. I hope to one day get there myself. BTW, you are a great inspiration!
Awww! Looks like you had SUCH a fun time, Megan! I just LOVED looking through all those pictures — so awesome to see all my favorite bloggers in one place! 🙂
How fun. I was following along with everyone on twitter. I'm so jealous you met Jen from Tatertots & Jello. I would love to meet her, she seems so incredible.
What a great recap of the week. It was so great meeting you getting the chance to chat! It's fun to see all the pics. 🙂
What great pictures! You are gorgeous and what a precious baby boy~hopefully we can have some more time together next year. xo
That looks like so much fun!! I really would love to go next year::)
Thanks so much for including me in your post! It was so lovely to meet you and I'm so sorry we didn't get to hang out more! You are such a sweetheart! 🙂 xoxo
-Kristi
@ Creative Kristi
omgoodness!
thanks for including me in your round up. you are too kind. gosh, you took lots & lots of fun pics!
i don't know what i was thinking…obviously i wasn't because i hardly have any pics.
your home is just beautiful.
so nice meeting you. you are beautiful inside & out.
xoxo
kellie
It was so nice to meet you at Blissdom. It looks like you had a wonderful time. I sure did! 🙂
xoxo
Looks like Blissdom was a good time. I've been reading a lot about it on many of the blogs that I read.
I was wondering if you could share with me where you found that amazing blue and white tie dye top? Thanks. 🙂
Wasn't it a wonderful weekend!!! I loved getting to meet you – you are just too cute!! 🙂
So wonderful to meet you and all the lovely blogging ladies!! So much awesomeness in one place!!!