Without a doubt, the best part of Blissdom–for me, anyway–was the socializing. And not just during the cocktail parties; there were plenty of opportunities to get real with fellow attendees. Among them? One of the highlights of my Blissdom experience was having dinner with a small group of great girls (hopefully my ordering from the kids menu–so as to avoid the sushi–didn’t bug them too badly).
Over the course of the weekend, I had the pleasure of hanging out–once again–with the two bloggers who inspired and mentored me as I brought Such The Spot to life. As if that weren’t enough, though, I also got to meet new friends—some with blogs I’ve stalked read for quite some time, and others whose blogs are like new-found treasures for my Google Reader. Come with me; I’ll introduce you.
Steph
Stephanie is one of my two blog heroes. She’s a superstar in the blogging world, and for good reason: she has the sweetest, most genuine of hearts. I met her for the first time in April of 2008 at a Disney World blogging event and I instantly discovered that she is every bit as shiny and happy in real life as her posts would suggest. Her blog is chock full of beautiful photography, heartfelt sentiments, and prose that practically pirouettes off the page. She blogs at Adventures in Babywearing and she’s @babysteph on Twitter. I {big, puffy heart} love her and I know you will too, if you don’t already.
Jo-Lynne
Jo-Lynne is the other superstar blogger who inspired me. I met her, too, for the first time at a Disney blogging event and we clicked instantly. In spite of the popularity of her site, she is one of the most down-to-earth bloggers I know. She’s the kind of friend who meets you with an excited SQUEE! Because she’s sincerely happy to see you. Her advice on all things fashion and food have influenced me to improve both my wardrobe and waistline. She blogs at Musings of A Housewife and she’s @dcrmom on Twitter. LOVE HER!
Michelle
Michelle is a blogger I’ve admired from afar as starstruck fans often do. Not anymore though, because after having met her in person this weekend, I realized that she is about as genuinely unassuming as can be; blogging superstardom clearly hasn’t gone to her head. While both quiet and confident, Michelle was ever-present in her conversations with me, rather than distracted by the opportunity to network with the “big bloggers” who may have been close by. She is just as eloquent and intriguing in living color as she comes off on the pages of her blog. See for yourself at Scribbit or @scribbit on Twitter.
Sarah
Sarah is Stepanie’s best friend, but this was the first time I’d had the pleasure to meet her. I can see why Stephanie loves her so – she’s awesome, not to mention talented. Sarah designed all the logos and signs and media for Blissdom. You might say she’s a web designer extroidinaire. Not that you’d know it by her demeanor. She is quiet – very much so. And thoughtful. And encouraging. And gracious. And so very friendly. I felt comfortable with Sarah instantly and I am so grateful to have had the chance to meet her. She’s most active on Twitter @sarahviola but she has a blog too.
Ashleigh
Ashleigh impressed me with her friendly smile and engaging conversation when I bumped into her in between sessions at Blissdom. Where I have a bad habit of being heinously shy and introverted, Ashleigh was outgoing without being obnoxious. In striking up a conversation I was flattered that she seemed to want to get to know me for me, rather than from a self-promotion standpoint. She has the friendliest of smiles, flawless skin, and really great shoes. I’ve not read Ashleigh’s blog before, but after taking a brief look this weekend, her wholesome topics and sweet voice entice me to dive into her posts and keep going back for more. I wish I could have spent more time getting to know her over the weekend! She blogs at Heart and Home and she’s @heartandhome on Twitter.
Jodi
Jodi is a mom like me, literally; she’s on the Disney Moms Panel. Though I’ve hung out with Jodi several times during various Disney-centered events, this was the first time we had the chance to spend a significant amount of time getting to know each other. And—as I suspected I might—I really liked what I found. Jodi is hilarious. She’s also a great friend, always helping to promote the posts and plights of her friends rather than pushing her own interests. Oh yeah, and she’s ambitious. Jodi is training to run a half-marathon next month. Something tells me she’ll do just fine. Jodi blogs at Multitasking Mommy and is @jodigrundig on Twitter.
Nicole
Nicole was my Blissdom roomie, and just so happens to be neighbor, sort of; we’re both from Tucson. I knew Nicole prior to Blissdom, but we hadn’t spent a ton of time together. Now I’m wondering why. The more I learned about Nicole, the more I discovered that we are like two peas in a pod. Every time she told me another little nugget of information about herself I found myself saying, “hey, me too!”. Whether we were discussing our personality quirks, political views, or homebody habits I found that the two of us have a lot more in common than just where we live. It was awesome rooming with Nicole and getting to know her a bit better. And lucky me – our proximity makes hanging out more often a likely possibility! Nicole blogs at Pixel Boutique and she’s @myaprongstrings on Twitter.
This is, by no means, an exhaustive list of Blissdom’s most fabulous bloggers. Because if it were, it would also include Amanda, Christine, Esther, and so many more. I did, though, want to give a special shout out to the gals who went out of their way to make a Blissdom newbie {yours truly} feel right at home. These are genuinely warm and welcoming friends–the real deal. I hope you’ll take a minute to get to know them, if you don’t already.