I was at a great blogging conference this past weekend in Chicago.
Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
It’s called Bloggy Boot Camp and it’s hosted by two of the prettiest ladies in the blogosphere, Tiff and Fran, more commonly known as the SITS Girls!
I love their conferences, and I can say that from experience.
This marked the 5th time I have attended an event hosted by the SITS Girls. Pretty sure I’ve earned some sort of an award or something.
Like maybe they should feature me again, or give me a lifetime blogging achievement award, or a million dollars or something?!
Just tossing out thoughts here.
But, there are just so many things I love about Bloggy Boot Camp, and going to it straight from BlogHer has reminded me of exactly what it is about them that makes them so spectacular.
1. They are local. Yes, people drive for hours and take airplanes to get to them, but the majority of the conference is made up of women somewhat local to the area. I love that because I think that building a local community of bloggers is so rewarding as it allows you to take what you have in this space and recreate it in your local community, whether that be friendships or job opportunities or affecting community change.
A Local Gal I Love!
2. They are informative. In an immediately useful way. BlogHer was great, but I don’t see how it can be anything other than overwhelming for someone who is still figuring out their spot in the blogosphere. BBC isn’t like that. As a matter of fact they are just the opposite and that is what I love so much about being involved with this conference; I feel like I am sitting in a room full of receptive, excited learners. Everyone is there to share and learn and give and take. It’s perfect for people who really want to learn how to take their itty bitty bloggy blog and move it from Nowhere’s Ville to Someplace Special!
3. They are supportive. True to their name the SITS Girls and the women that they attract are a supportive, responsive, helpful and genuinely nice group of people. I’ve not been to one BBC that had even the least little bit of drama associated with it and, while I appreciate a a good housewives cat fight as much as the next stay at home mama, I’m not at all interested in being involved in one myself or even being remotely associated with someone or something that sparked one. Mom Gangsta though I claim to be, face slapping and hair pulling is SO not my scene.
4. They are affordable. So many conferences are cost prohibitive that I love the SITS Girls’ commitment to keeping BBC out in the suburban boonies of Chicago where hotels are cheap affordable for women who want to attend.
5. They are fun and filled with beautifully stylish ladies. Need some proof? How about a Mom Awesome Shoe Wall…
So, yeah, if you get the chance to enjoy a Bloggy Boot Camp, I say you should totally do it, in your cutest pair of kicks of course!*
Curious about the lovely ladies featured here last week and how you can find their blogs?
Well, go look at my BlogHer 2011 photos set on Flickr; they’re all there.
Not that you even care at this point, because you’re all just wondering if you’re the lucky winner of the $50 Target gift card courtesy of Invisalign Teen.
So, shall I put you outta your misery?!
Tell who the lucky lady is?
Stop stringing you along like I’m the Ryan Seacrest of the blogosphere?!
And the winner.
Of the $50 Target gift card courtesy of Invisalign Teen is….
Hope this makes you smile! Be sure to send me your info to parentingbydummies[at]gmail[dot]com!
Not the big winner?
Too bad Don’t worry about it, I have a photo contest in the works that I know you’re gonna love!
Now go ahead and link up your happily Wordful posts and then pop over and see what Angie has to be Wordful about at the Seven Clown Circus!
I’m going to be in Atlanta – woohoo!
Although definitely not going to be local for me, but I will be there on business from Ireland the previous week, so I could not resist staying on.
Thanks for the recap of your bootcamp, it has me even MORE excited!
Where have *I* been? I’ve never even heard of the BBC before! That’s what I get for living in the Dirty South I rekon! :-) Glad you enjoyed it and had a groovy time! LOVE the shoe pictures!
It was great to meet you.
You are just adorable.
I love all their shoes. It sounds like a great conference. I am going to the one in Atlanta.
Hooray! How fun is that?! Thanks friend! :)
Love the shoes collage. And you look so pretty and happy, so I recon BBC was a sucsess. I attended the Seattle one earlier this summer and it was great.
New Follower too. ;-)
Have your badge up now under Blog Parties, Wednesday. Come check out my Guest post: What Your Child Eats Will Affect How They Perform Overall
Great shoe wall.
LOVE the shoe wall. :)
BBC sounds much less scary than BlogHer for a shy girl like me. Thanks for sharing with us!
Not sure what I’m more jealous of … all those gorgeous shoes or that you went to bloggy bootcamp!!
Just entered mine! As a mother of boys you may understand the pull of the video game (sigh).
LOVE these shoes. I just donated a bunch of mine so I could make room in my closet for all the crap I have shoved into the baby’s room closet. Such a sad day. You’ve inspired me to find more bloggers in my neck of the woods. Getting together in person would be so awesome. Have a great Wednesday!
I’m lovin’ the shoes!
Hoping you somehow make it to BBC ATL! I’ll only wear cute shoes if you are coming.
Wow that shoe wall puts Payless to shame…
Cool Bean Mommas
Love the baby shoes!! How adorable!
BBC was great and I am ready to head to another one! There was so much that I learned.
It was great meeting you and all the other ladies as well.
Fun, I want to go to a Bloggy conference! I like the shoe wall, great idea.
I love your shoe collage! Your are so adorable! But if I ever meet you, I’ll have to 1) pack my most stylish, swag shoes and 2) get a pedicure so my piggies look pretty when you click that camera.
Glad you had a great time! I’m hosting Tampa BlogHer this Saturday for a small group of local bloggers. I’m pretty excited about it. I put together some awesome goodie bags, lined up a guest speaker and planned some cool ice breakers and activities. :-) Wish me luck!
Look at you getting all creative with your pictures!! I love it!
That shoe wall is great!! Looks like you had lots of fun :)
What a great way to show off your fellow bloggers – by their shoes. LOVE the baby shoes…so cute. I cant wait til Diva can fit into some shoes (shes got really slender feet)
I wish there’s one around where I won’t have to fly 12+ hours across oceans to get to… just saying. :)
Hahaha, leave it to you to come up with a shoe collage! Love it.
I loved BBC SD and definitely plan on going to Vegas next year!
Super cute idea of sharing shoes!! Love it!
Bloggy Boot Camp sounds fab! I so wish that there was something like this where i live…but sadly, I don’t think there is BBC in Japan :(
YAY! What a great wrap-up for BBCCHI! It’s true, everyone was so helpful to those around them. Besides the informative speaker presentations, there was a lot of educating going on at the round tables and at lunch among fellow bloggers. It was great to see! Happy to be featured on the shoe wall, too!
I love the shoe collage! Apparently I need to update my shoes since I am trying to go to not 1, but 2 BBCs next year. *crossing fingers*
Congrats to Galit!
First, I too am a lover of Bloggy Boot Camp. Such an awesome thing the girls got going on here.
And second, I am so happy to be apart of your shoe wall.
I asked my kids if they could find my feet and Jake runs over and point to the floor, “There they are mommy. I found them” not exactly what I had in mind but I guess he was right.
I love BBC’s, too.
I’m sure I won that $50 gift card. Are you sure it wasn’t me? :)
Look at all those cute shoes. I should add a disclaimer…mine were kinda cute, but were not comfy. Maybe they just need to be broken in some more. LOVE that you got Melissa’s baby’s shoes in the collage!
Awww. You and Kristi are so pretty, and I love all the shoes. But I am a little sad that so many great women got to be together and I didn’t get to attend.
The shoe collage? Absolutely priceless! You’re such a jet setter these days – hopefully I’ll get to meet you in person some day! :)
Love the shoe wall!
Well, the blogging conference fairy hasn’t stopped by. Maybe next year. I don’t think there will be one closer than Atlanta again.
I was glad to hear you comment to the less, um, overwhelming atmosphere. It appeared as though that was the case, but I couldn’t be sure.
of course i love bbc too – i met you at the boston one!
Love the awesome shoe montage! This conference sounds wonderful!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE those shoes! Love how you did the feature on them :)
Glad you had a great time at BBC.
I hope I get to go to a conference sometime.
High-larity! I hope to make the BBC in LV this year! And would it be sick if I said it’s only because I want to see pretty shoes?… ;-)
loving the shoes…might have to go shoe shopping now.
LONG TIME NO SEE/SPEAK!! I trust everything has been going well with you?!?! Looks like you had a fab time in Chicago!! You definitely were surrounded by fabulously stylish ladies, weren’t you?!
WM
I so wish I could have gone to BBC-CHI!
The shoe wall is so much fun!
I can’t wait for next year when I hit the conferences. I’m totally loving all the MIRL opps and um, the shoes. You ladies are some fashionistas.
Love the shoe porn! And I love me some Bloggy Boot Camp!
Love all those fabulous shoes!! Totally inspired to check out a SITS conference as soon as possible too! Thanks ; )
I LOVE your shoe collage! Glad you had fun at the BBC!
What a trip it’s been for you, BlogHer and then Bloggy Boot Camp?!? *jealous* LOL
This event seemed more do-able than BlogHer for struggling bloggers such as myself, so thanks for sharing this bit of info with us! Love the Hall of Shoes you got there *whistle, whistle*… very fashionable indeed!
And congrats to Galit for winning :))
I could not agree more with you about Bloggy Boot Camps. I went to San Fran and loved it! My plan now is to go to Vegas next year!!! Can’t wait!
Uh-oh. The first link I left was to last week’s WW post. I’m sorry. The second link is correct so if you do end up fixing it (which I totally wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t – so time consuming!) then keep the second one. Oh and I’m so excited about the photo contest!
Dang, wish I would have known about the Bloggy Boot Camp. Might have actually been able to make it being that I live in IL. Looks like it was a great time. I’m totally diggin’ those shoes in the middle on the top row.
I’ve been wanting to go BBC for over a year now. I really need to make that happen. With my luck, you won’t be at the one I attend. :(
Cute Shoe Pics! Going my first bloggie conference this weekend {{{nerves}}}
How fun! And those are some fabo shoes!
I guess I am not like other women and obsessed with shoes. I think I am shoe-style impaired. I can never find the right shoe for any outfit – you’ll generally find me a good ‘ole pair of flip flops.
I love the shoes. All of them. Including the baby shoes!
YAY for Galit but you know, boo for me… ;P
And SUPER YAY for BBC!! I went in Austin last year and echo your sentiments. I loved it. Glad you got to go AGAIN. :)
How fun! Such a great way to show off the gals by showing off their shoes. Love it :)