MAD Blog Awards : The Main Event

Where to start?  I think it's very obvious by now that I didn't win my category - "Most Innovative" - at the Mum and Dad Blog Awards 2011 (aka The MADs) but, you know what, it doesn't matter.  I would have been proud for any one of them to win and we all really did deserve it.  But MASSIVE congratulations to Ruth - Geekmummy - who won, played our video at the ceremony as part of the (pre-planned joint) acceptance speech and started an impromptu dance-off between us all from that category.


I had no idea what was going to happen, or what to expect at the ceremony but I was determined to enjoy every single minute of it.  And that I did.  Serious kudos go out to the following people:

  • Sally Whittle, our Evil Overlord, for just being Sally - unassuming, bossy when needed and having a certain way with words in emails that make you say, "Yes, I'll attempt to lick my elbow on camera for you".  I am extremely grateful to be acquainted with someone who is genuinely interested in celebrating bloggers and blogging.
  • Jen Walshaw and everyone else that helped out behind the scenes. An extra special mention to Vic and Sophie for all their hard work on the live blog throughout the evening and to Paul for his live feed from his trusty netbook.
  • Simply Be for providing a dress for me that generated a LOT of lovely comments.  This is an Anna Scholz dress and there is a personal reason why I chose this dress.  The designer and I share a surname (my maiden name).  Due to some research a while back I found out that there are only a handful of people in this country with that surname.  Could we be related?  Whatever the reason, I adore her designs anyway and I'm so pleased that the dress was flattering in every way.
  • The last-minute hairdresser arrangements - the very lovely Adam from Electric Hairdressing, London which gave me a hairstyle that I've always wanted to do myself but never seem to be able to manage - a quiff-type affair.  Again, this got me loads of compliments because it is so different to how I normally wear it and there are only so many ways you can wear short hair, aren't there?

And what a fantastic night we all had.  Everyone was properly glammed up and we even had celebrity-style photos taken in front of a sponsorship screen.  Wine (and soft drinks) were flowing and it was wonderful to see so many of my blogging friends and meet up with some others who I have admired from afar.  And genuine supportiveness from my fellow nominees - Ruth, Heather, Claire and Liz.


To see no bitchiness or no cliques and genuine celebration of the quality of blogging that is provided by the Parent Blogger community was amazing.  To hear the cheers and applause when each nominees name was read out was moving, to be quite honest.  Oh, and I presented Carol from Dance Without Sleeping with her award for "Post of the Year" so I had a little moment in the spotlight there too.

Congratulations to ALL the winners on the night.  Each one well deserved in its own right.


There are extra pictures on my Facebook page.
And of course there are some "out-takes" - what event wouldn't have those.  
But you'll have to stay tuned for that...


Edit:  click here to read the "Bloopers and Best Bits"