I’m so excited to share all the details on the event that I hosted last week!
For the past few years, I have wanted to plan some sort of Meet + Greet
with Bloggers in my area. (Pittsburgh)
It wasn’t until I went to a national Blog Conference in Texas earlier this year, that I finally made the decision to make it happen! I picked a date.. and reached out to brands (new and old) to put together the Ohio Valley Blogger Meet + Greet! Most of the ladies were from the Pennsylvania & Ohio area..with our farthest blogger driving 5 hours to come!
I reached out to a past sponsor, IKEA Pittsburgh, and they jumped on board to be a part of the event…
even offering to be the venue! I was so excited.
Now I just had to cross my fingers that people would actually want to come!
The tickets starting selling…and the sponsors/swag bag items started rolling in…
and everything came together! I was so excited that people were wanting this type of event just as much as me! :)
The week of the event, I had help from my girls Kacia, of CoconutRobot.com, and Angelique, of Where the Piggy Toes Go,…bagging up the fun items that arrived for the swag bags.. and as my beautiful greeters!
I couldn’t have picked two more friendly and welcoming bloggers! Love them.
Photos in this post were captured by Jacquie of The Sweeter Side of Mommyhood, some of them edited by me,
some of them Instagram Photos. Jacquie is amazing to work with!
She was zipping around the event capturing these great shots!
Be prepared…longest post of your life. ;) Full of fun details, a video
from the event and links to local bloggers you should check out!
The morning of… I was bagging up last minute swag items
that just arrived! Sophie was my little helper!
I also found out how many balloons can fit in my tiny car! Not as many as I hoped! ;)
Took two trips down the street and back to get all the pretty balloons there!
BELOW: A Video so you can see even more of the event. :)
As the girls arrived, a sign in the lobby, let them know to head upstairs!
Kacia and Angelique where there to greet them and give them a program!
Printed by CatPrint (Amazing sponsor and lovely to work with!)
An important part of this event was to help our local bloggers connect!
So I made it super easy to remember a face when they went home…
listing the social media info and photos of the girls.
I also wanted to make it easy for my bloggers to tweet and reach out to our great sponsors…
so in the program I listed all of our brands and their social media information
a long with any discount codes they were offering us!
I was THRILLED with the roar of ladies chatting!
I put a lot of effort into planning the event and working out the details..
but the attendees have to make it great! And these ladies all had
the desire to dive right in and meet each other.
They made it a wonderful night!
My wonderful contacts at IKEA, Larry and Jennifer, worked up a yummy and beautiful food/drink table for our snacky bloggers! It was delicious. or so I heard… I was too busy talking to eat anything! Actually I take that back…
I ate 2 cake balls they made. haha. DELICIOUS. (chocolate is priority.)
I loved seeing everyone meeting and greeting! ;)
Here’s Christine of More than Mommies.. and Kate,
(soon-to-be amazing food blogger!!! I’m making your logo girl ;) with her sweet friend Hayley.
In the second photo is Kim(Reposhture Studio), Kacia(CoconutRobot),
Roeshel(The DIY Show Off) and Me!
At one point during the night I did a little welcome and “thank you for coming!”
I was so excited to look out and see what
I had been imagining… finally come to life!
All of us girls have so much in common…not just being women and bloggers…
but we all have the desire to have our voices be heard, to make a difference in our society…
leave an impact on our community if not the world!
I tried to encourage everyone to support and inspire each other…
and to celebrate our blog community!
To pass out those business cards! Because this is the place everyone wants to hear about your blog!
You don’t need to explain the blog world to any of us! ;)
The funniest feeling was when I started talking and a couple people pulled
out their camera phones HAHA. so funny. and at the same time..
I knew “talking” photos was not gonna work out for me. ;)
I knew that I wanted to have some sort of activity during the night to get
everyone mixing and mingling, without being awkward!
So, my youth minister husband, suggested bingo! I designed a full page Blogger Bingo Sheet.. where each girl had to go around and have someone sign their name on a spot that they could say “oh yes that is me.”
Examples of the bingo’s were…”I’ve told my husband, Remember that Blogger I told you about?”…or… “I called my mom when I got my first commenter!”.. you get the idea ;)
It was all fun blogger related things. It was a hit!
Everyone was up moving and chatting.. I was so happy!
The incentive to get BINGO…was that each time(you could yell out bingo multiple times!) You got a blank notecard..that you would later put your name on and use for the raffles.
Some of the girls got cut throat to get their extra entries and attempts to win the raffles ;)
everyone mixing and mingling, without being awkward!
So, my youth minister husband, suggested bingo! I designed a full page Blogger Bingo Sheet.. where each girl had to go around and have someone sign their name on a spot that they could say “oh yes that is me.”
Examples of the bingo’s were…”I’ve told my husband, Remember that Blogger I told you about?”…or… “I called my mom when I got my first commenter!”.. you get the idea ;)
It was all fun blogger related things. It was a hit!
Everyone was up moving and chatting.. I was so happy!
The incentive to get BINGO…was that each time(you could yell out bingo multiple times!) You got a blank notecard..that you would later put your name on and use for the raffles.
Some of the girls got cut throat to get their extra entries and attempts to win the raffles ;)
Some of the girls shown above that haven’t been mentioned yet:
—Alyssa, Abby(Just a Girl and Her Blog), Tina(Zoocutieprintables),
Theresa (A Mom in the Making), —
— Alison (Stuff and Nonsense), Brynne (FemmeFrugality), —
The next game, was inspired by the Family Day at our IKEA in Pittsburgh…
where my husband and my kids and I had so much fun being silly doing their PicHunt!
So I decided to do the same thing for my bloggers..they all paired up into little teams..and raced off through the first level of our IKEA to take photos as listed on their card..and tweet/instagram them out using our #OVBLOGGERS.
The first team to make it through the entire list and end up at the finish line(the restaurant) received 10 raffle tickets. With 2nd and 3rd place getting some extra ones too.
I also gave out blank cards for the raffles to girls whose photos on the #OVBLOGGERS feed made us laugh!
Some of them were so funny…and deserved to be rewarded ;) plus any of them with a baby in it got points.
c’mon.. cute baby?…automatic point. ;)
where my husband and my kids and I had so much fun being silly doing their PicHunt!
So I decided to do the same thing for my bloggers..they all paired up into little teams..and raced off through the first level of our IKEA to take photos as listed on their card..and tweet/instagram them out using our #OVBLOGGERS.
The first team to make it through the entire list and end up at the finish line(the restaurant) received 10 raffle tickets. With 2nd and 3rd place getting some extra ones too.
I also gave out blank cards for the raffles to girls whose photos on the #OVBLOGGERS feed made us laugh!
Some of them were so funny…and deserved to be rewarded ;) plus any of them with a baby in it got points.
c’mon.. cute baby?…automatic point. ;)
above: Stephanie of When Crazy Meets Exhaustion with
Jenn of Coolest Family on the Block
I was so excited about the Raffles!
I had fun putting together the themes. I went with a Baker’s Theme
and a Little Artist Theme. All IKEA products currently being sold.
I had fun putting together the themes. I went with a Baker’s Theme
and a Little Artist Theme. All IKEA products currently being sold.
Announcing the Winner of the Raffles was a fun perk of being the hostess!!
The winner of the Baker Raffle…was MOLLY! a Baking Blogger..
The winner of the Baker Raffle…was MOLLY! a Baking Blogger..
and the winner of the Art Raffle..was a NICOLE a crafter!
(has art in her twitter handle(nicolemariearts)
It was meant to be… ;)
Every attendee walked away with something fun from the event.
I was SO EXCITED about the items that kept arriving on my doorstep from the brands I had been in touch with.
Some of the sponsors went out of their way with cute packaging.
It was awesome seeing them put such effort into their
gifts and celebrate our blogging community!
We Ironed on our logo to some canvas tote bags filled with fun swag.
Every girl also got to choose from a FABULOUS selection of books (that I look over EVERY time I go to IKEA)
I had asked if we could put them out on the table, instead of already in the swag bags,
so that everyone could pick what they wanted!
(blogger above, not yet mentioned: Nicole of Simply Living Life)
The girls LOVED their Bracelets from THREAD-By The Shine Project.
I was so excited to have them as a sponsor and in our swag bags!
I’m going to be sharing more about our sponsors and some
fun detailed shots of what went into the swag bags later on!
Quick List here if you want to check them out:
I loved following the #OVBLOGGERS hashtag after the event, to see the girls going through their Swag Bags.
I also invited the girls to make their “business card giving” extra special…
sort of like trick or treating for bloggers!
It was neat seeing what everyone came up with!
I’m going to post about my business card packaging sometime too. :)
 |
| Thank you to all of the wonderful ladies who came! It was inspiring to be in the same room with so many creative, passionate and lovely ladies! Other bloggers below, not yet mentioned, Lucy of bel monili, Jeanne of juNxtaposition, Janene of More than Mommies, Heather of Diary of a First Time Mom and Eva of EvaHumbleBee  |
Jenn @ I Make Myself the Queen
July 25, 2013 at 9:49 pmThank you so much, Natalie, for hosting the event! It was a blast! I’d like to run around Ikea wearing a mustache about once a week ;)
My only complaint, Jenn is spelled with 2 “n’s”…because 2 n’s means more of Jenn! ;)
WhenCrazyMeetsExhaustion
July 25, 2013 at 9:50 pmThis was just the BEST!! Thank you again for putting it together and being the hostess with the mostess! Fabulous meeting you and all of the ladies! xo
Good luck with your book! I’m trying to spread the word for ya! ~Steph
Mama
July 25, 2013 at 9:56 pmI live in PA and I am a blogger. I would love to come to your next event! Looks like so much fun and I love Ikea.
Ana
July 25, 2013 at 9:59 pmLove this, Natalie! Wish I lived back in the OV to join the fun. Thanks for the recap!!
Abby Lawson
July 25, 2013 at 10:22 pmWhat a great wrap-up! Thanks again for hosting, friend! It really was the best ever!
~Abby =)
nicolemariearts
July 25, 2013 at 11:15 pmLady, this really was an awesome time :) Much love!
Tina Milas
July 25, 2013 at 11:32 pmYay!!! Natalie, you did an amazing job putting this all together!!! I had a fabulous time meeting you and all the other ladies!!! ;) – Tina
Beth
July 26, 2013 at 7:45 amThis post was SO much fun to read! You did a great job with putting that all together. I do not have a blog, but seeing all of you come together and inspire one another makes me want to have one! :)
Christine Hutchinson
July 26, 2013 at 8:47 amI was showing my girls the video this morning and they were full of commentary: “Is that The Busy Budgeting Mama?” They recognized you! :) When they saw the baby make an appearance they immediately were saying “I wish you could have taken ME there!” THAT would have beeeeeeen…fun. and my favorite: “Mommy you look pretty on the computer.” Aw, shucks! ;) Thanks for a wonderful time, and a great recap–can’t wait for the next one!!
Holly Strother
July 26, 2013 at 3:38 pmI’m really kicking myself for not going to this! It looks like it was a blast!
http://www.thefreckledmask.com/
Amy Renea
August 1, 2013 at 11:54 amOh MAN…I so SO wanted to be there! Tell me you will be doing it again?!?!
Alison Agnew
August 1, 2013 at 8:49 pmwhat a fun
and engaging night that was
thanks so much
for planning and hosting!
{alison}
Tanya
August 2, 2013 at 7:52 pmIt looks like you had a blast. I so wanted to go. I only live about a half hour from Ikea. I had a wedding though. Hopefully there will be other chances to get together.
Jessica @ jessicaNdesigns
August 4, 2013 at 9:51 pmI live in Oh and feel like all the conferences are on the West coast!! This looked amazing! I would love to attend something like this!! Looked so fun!
Amanda Jayne
August 6, 2013 at 10:06 pmLooks like you had a blast!! When you first mentioned it I told my hubby I wanted to go, I asked him, “How far is Pittsburgh??” Unfortunately the answer was 5 hours and that was a little too far for me to be able to make it. Plan one in Michigan, pretty please?
Airyckah Lane
August 12, 2013 at 12:11 amLooks like fun! Was fun seeing you this past weekend at Ikea, as well. hope you don’t mind, but I posted about you in my blog http://midnightmindness.blogspot.com/2013/08/ikea-vip-family-event.html