The Winners of the Annual #BloggersBash Awards Are…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here we are, it’s results time. If any of the winners/those who place want to display the award on their sites, drop me an email and I will send you the logo.

But first, I wanted to share with you the speech I made earlier today at the first Annual Bloggers Bash:

I wanted to start by thanking you all for coming. I have been utterly blown away by the enormous support for this event, it is both humbling and extremely inspiring to see you all here today. I think we have to just take a moment to mention where you have all come from given most of you have travelled the length of the country to be here:

Leeds, Nottingham, Suffolk, Brighton, Birmingham, Reading, Cambridge, Oxfordshire, Sheffield, London and Hertfordshire.

But of all the bloggers there has to be a very special mention to our international blogger, Ali Isaac, who has made the trip specially, coming all the way from Ireland just to be here. So lets raise our glasses to all the bloggers who have come from afar.

Now, before we can announce any awards. I wanted to talk about how we got here, and to do that I have to make a confession. I have been blogging for 3 years under various guises and for various reasons. But never have I been so warmly welcomed into a blogging community as when I re jigged my site to focus on following my dream. The writing and blogging community have been a kind of saviour for me. Like many creative people I have suffered dark times, moments of pure self doubt, fear of failure as well as moments of pure clarity and inspiration. But without the support of some of you, with your tireless help, kind words and constant encouragement I would have given up. When I have been through tough times the community was a rock and I don’t think I am alone in feeling like I have found friends for life.

So what is my confession? I am an introvert stuck in an extroverts body! As some of you know I have spent a lot of my life feeling like an outcast, so to finally find a group of people with so many like minds has been invigorating, refreshing and to be frank, life changing. So as any introvert stuck in an extroverts body does, I had an idea. An idea that we didn’t have to stay huddled away behind laptops terrified that we might make contact with each other. God forbid we actually meet, speak and you know, be friends for real.

So before I knew what I was doing, I had written a post and clicked publish… and then it was out there. In the bloggisphere, percolating through each of our networks, winding its way onto our screens and being shared. Shared. And shared again.

I realised quite quickly that although a meet was a good idea, it left out one half of our community. The internet is magical because it can connect us to people all over the world but that also means that they can’t be here with us today.

And so the 6 ABBA’s – also known as the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards were created as a mechanism for including and recognising everyone we dearly love as part of this community who couldn’t be here.

It was at this point that this little idea sort of exploded and because I work full time and have a toddler I was no longer able to cope organising it on my own. Thanks to the generosity of each and every blogger who shared and promoted this event with their kind help today wouldn’t have happened. And so to three particularly  wonderful bloggers who became the ABBA committee.

Geoffle – has had to go on full scale adventures around London, scouting out venues, making bookings and snapping photos of various routes into our meeting places.

Hugh and Ali – have been the masters of promotion tirelessly pushing and promoting both the ABBAs and the bash. They have drawn together the hundreds of nominations helped set up posts and structure this event. Ali even wrote the exceptional Myth of the ABBAs.

I have to say it wasn’t easy being on the committee, they had to endure hours of google hangout committee meetings – literally hours! And me being demanding bossy. In order to talk shop we had to navigate discussions on glitter, fairies, tank tops, Hugh’s legs, countless hours discussing my eyebrows and the benefits of threading over waxing to which Geoff is now signed up to have his threaded later. There were discussion on uniforms and which ones are Hugh’s favourites. We had to prevent melt downs over tshirts which arrived logoless, pineapples, alfalfa butties and finally there was an all out war about Ali’s pink umbrellas – I think Hugh won that one.

So to say thank you I have a few gifts for the committee… (I handed out some gifts at this point).

So can we raise our glasses to the committee to say thanks for giving up so much of their time to make this happen.

So to the awards, we had a whopping 1204 votes. Something which I am both utterly gobsmacked about and extremely proud of. AND it was tight. Really tight. The last couple of days the results changed dozens of times. As the only person who knew the results, and I had to sit, watching the nail biting finish, trying desperately not to tell the committee. But I kept schtum and now the time has come to announce the first winner….

 

SERVICES TO BLOGGERS

The Services to Bloggers Award. Was an award for the kindest blogger of them all. A blogger who goes out of their way to help others. Maybe someone helped you kick start your blog or reblogs your posts. Perhaps someone consistently provides useful posts on how to boost your own blog. Or maybe someone who provides a platform for others. The nominations were:

Chris Graham, Suzie Speaks, Rosie Amber, Nicholas Rossis, Sally Cronin, Katherine Grubb, Susan Toy, Dylan Hearn, Sacha Black, Lizzi Considerer

 

In 3^rd Place

Rosie Amber

In 2nd Place

Chris Graham

But the winner was Suzie Speaks, from Suzie Speaks.

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FUNNIEST BLOGGER

The Funniest Blogger Award does what it says on the tin. This was for a blogger who continually makes you laugh out loud. Maybe you laughed so hard you cried. Maybe you snorted drink through your nose at one of their jokes. The nominees were:

Amanda Lyle – From Inside The Life of Moi, Hugh’s News & Views, Tara Sparling, Sarah Louise, Geoff Le Pard, Alienora, Seumas Gallacher, Barb Taub, Live Love Laugh, Russell Gayer, No Facilities, Blonde Write More, Sarah Brentyn, Paula Kelly Ince, David Robinson

Special mention to Seumas Gallacher who missed out on 3^rd by just 1 point.

In 3^rd Place

Barb Taub

In 2nd Place

Hugh’s News & Views

But the winner was Lucy Mitchell from Blonde Write More.

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INSPIRATIONAL BLOGGER

The Most Inspiring Blog Award again does what it says on the tin. A blogger who consistently inspires you. A blogger that’s thought provoking and inquisitive. Or perhaps they have become a muse to you with constant provision of inspiration. A blogger who touched your heart and inspired you. The nominations were:

Suzie Speaks, Yvonne Spence, Norah Colvin, Sacha Black, Just Pondering, RockstarDinosaurPiratePrincess, Hell4Heather, Ali Isaac, Kate Ann Jack, Natalie’s Lovely Blog, Ritu Bhathal-Padhaal – From But I Smile Anyway, Cindy – A Woman’s Wisdom, Sue Vincent, Shelley Wilson, Charles E Yallowitz, Margo Kinberg, Nicholas Rossis, Seumas Gallacher, Sherri Matthews, The Sister Wives, Yvonne Spence

Special mention to Sue Vincent and Ali Isaac who missed top spots by just a couple of votes but who were streaks ahead of the rest.

In 3^rd Place

Ritu Bhathal-Padhaal – From But I Smile Anyway

In 2nd Place

Just Pondering

But the winner was Suzie Speaks

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INFORMATIVE BLOGGER

The Most Informative Blog Award is an award for the blogger who has the most informative posts. Maybe they constantly post about new and interesting topics you love. Or maybe they post about fascinating topics you knew nothing about. A blog you find yourself longing to read a  because of their content. The nominations were:

Chris McMullen, James Michael Sama, Cathy’s Reviews, Barb Taub, Chris Graham, Ali Isaac, Olga Nunez Miret, Sue Coletta, Write On Sisters! Nicholas Rossis, Ronovan Writes, Sacha Black, By The Letter Book Reviews, Jenny in Neverland, Natasha Borton, Ryan Lanz, JB Wye, Norah Colvin, Authors Supporting Authors, Anne Goodwin, Elizabeth Barnes of Autism Mom

In 3^rd Place – a tie

Nicholas Rossis and Ronovan Writes

In 2^nd Place

Chris Graham

But the winner is Sarah Hardy from By The Letter Book Reviews

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BEST DRESSED

The Best Dressed Blog is an award for the most stylish blog. A blog that looks sleek and sexy. Maybe they use stunning imagery, or perhaps they just have a unique written style to their blog posts. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so only you can judge who’s blog is the best dressed. The nominations were:

James Elkington, Sue Vincent, Kay from Suddenly They All Died, Concierge Librarian, Barb Taub, Seumas Gallacher, Kevin Hotter, Cathy Ryan, Sherri Matthews, Charli Mills, Jane Dougherty, Dorne Whale, A Girl Called Jack, Paul Militaru,Carol Hedges, Derrick Knight, Irene Waters

In 3^rd Place

Carol Hedges

In 2nd Place

Sue Vincent

But the winner is Concierge Librarian

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BEST OVERALL BLOG

The Best Overall Blog Award is the Grand Champion Blogger. This category was for any blogger who you thought excelled all round. Someone who continually produced fantastic blogs that never failed to entertain, inform or inspire. Who’s blog do you adore? Is there a blog you just wish you had written? Then this is the category you would find them in.

The Nominees were:

Sally Cronin, Dylan Hearn, Geoff Le Pard, Ed Mooney, Hugh Roberts, Peter Wells, Ali Isaac, Sophie – Reviewed the Book, Jane Dougherty, Jo Robinson, Ali – A Woman’s Wisdom, Craig – Coldhandboyack, Chris Graham, Rosie Amber, Charli Mills, Rose B Fischer, Dragon Story Addict, Seumas Gallacher, and Carol Hedges,

Special mention to Hugh Roberts and Ali Isaac who were tied in 4^th and missed 3^rd place by just 1 vote.

In 3^rd Place

Sally Cronin

In 2nd Place

Rosie Amber

 

But the winner was Chris Graham

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