Happy Birthday to My Blog – One Today!

My lovely little Blog is one today! I can’t believe it! The last year has been filled with so many amazing things and it’s all because of you guys! I still struggle to comprehend that as I type away in the spare minutes between nursery pick ups and after-school activities that anyone actually reads what I write!

But you guys do and I’m totally overwhelmed by that, day after day! Not only that, you like my Instagram posts, you share my Facebook posts, watch my crazy YouTube videos and retweet my Tweets! I’m gobsmacked!

Thank you all for being a part of my journey! I’m really truly touched and I hope you get at least something out of this blog, as I do out of writing it.

So here’s to all of you! This is what you’ve helped me achieve in one small little year! It’s amazing! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

One Year of Blogging at Harrogate Mama Blog in Numbers

Personal Highlights

Here are some of my personal highlights over the last twelve months. Things I never dreamed I would have achieved when I first set up the blog!

In no particular order just clockwise from noon;

• Getting to meet housewives favourite Phil Spencer in Leeds, who is as charming as you’d image.Meeting Phil Spencer at a Showhouse inside a Showroom!
• My first ever photo shoot to make my blog look more ‘professional; back in April 2016 A Peek into a Blogger’s Professional Photo Shoot,
• My first ever brand collaboration with Yorkshire’s SNAP! Recipebox -A Review
• Heading to the Mumsnet Blogging Conference and meeting loads of amazing fellow bloggers with my bestie!
• Giving a full page interview to the Harrogate Advertiser on Why I Support the Harrogate Advertiser’s ‘love our locals’ Camapign,
• Meeting Mr Bloom (#MamaCrush), this was my first ever press pass event, the kids were thrilled with the meet and greet, not as much as me though! ?
• Working with fellow Mama as she started on her photography journey Catherine Gibbin on A Harrogate Family Photo Shoot and Exclusive Discount Code
• Hosting my first blogging event Harrogate Mama ‘Bad Moms’ Movie Meet Up which sold out in record time and working with the MAMA Academy charity

Blog Collaborations with local, national and international brands

I’ve been lucky enough to work with brands from McDonalds right through to Lexus this year and pretty much everything in-between! Here are my brand highlights from 2016.

In no particular order just clockwise from noon;

• The new Harrogate Smiggle store with my kids was the highlight of their blogging year anyway! I loved seeing their little faces! What Opening the Smiggle Store in Harrogate was really like
• Going to the launch party of the new Everyman Cinema in Harrogate with my husband was amazing! It was a proper party, with lots of party people drinking party fizz and we also got to see a movie. Date night on an epic scale! What the Launch Party of Harrogate’s Everyman Cinema was like!
• Taking the family to Deershed Festival 7 was amazing! The weather was fantastic and my blog and vlog were well received! All you need to know about Deer Shed Family Festival – North Yorkshire
• Working with Vantage Motor Group was a particular highlight for me last year! I worked with them on the Lexus NX F Sport and we went all over in it at October half term! It was fab! Half Term Road Trip with our Lexus NX 300h F Sport
• I’ve loved collaborating with Bettys on a couple of blog ventures last year. Their Christmas showcase event was particularly noteworthy! Christmas Table Inspiration and Gift Ideas from Betty’s
• As a Mama who likes to shop I was over the moon when Jaeger got in touch about working on a project together! The coat in this shot is now my statement coat, I will love it forever, I know! Jaeger – En Pointe in Harrogate for Mama Fashion
• We had a brilliant time in London in October going to the Guinness World Record Event at Excel – the cable car across to the event is a high point for me and my girls from last year! One ‘must do thing’ in London with Kids
• Finally my most successful collaboration from 2016 was with tree top nets! I reached thousands and thousands of people with the blog and vlog about the opening of the fab setting! Trampolining in the Trees at Yorkshire’s newest family adventure; treetopnets

Sharing real life stories of parenting and supporting local businesses too!

I’m so proud of having supported local and independent brands on the blog too. I hope I’ve also shared stories you can relate to around real parenting too. Here are some of my favourite local and parenting posts from the last year.

Clockwise from top in no particular order;

• My first ‘Amazing Mama’ was the lovely Rachael Reid from Harrogate’s Prologue Performance Cycling, and so the Amazing Mama’s series was born! Amazing Mamas’ Series – Rachael Reid, Mama and Business Woman
• Chris Kemp at Harrogate Youth Stage School Starmakers got in touch to say he’d like to share what they offer to young people in Harrogate and I was thrilled to help! Starmakers; A Harrogate Stage School with a difference!
• I was pleased to be able to support my good friend Kim Nim in her new venture into the world of Jamberry nails. Amazing Nails from Harrogate Jamberry Consultant Kim Doan-Nim
• Some of my most popular posts across the year have been my school holiday round ups! I share events that are going on all around the Harrogate area. It’s a great way to share with you what’s on! What’s On in Harrogate for Kids on WEEK FIVE of the Summer Holidays
• My Wicked Wednesday posts were fab! I loved posting pictures of the Small Boy constantly up to no good! Wicked Wednesday – Bin Day
• RHS Garden Harlow Carr holds a special place in my heart and I love to share any news they have to tell! I think lots of Harrogate families enjoy visiting and it’s great to support such a fab local charity! Four Things You Probably Don’t Know about RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate
• Sharing fab new products is another thing I’m really proud of being able to do with the blog. The brilliant Isabel Conneely talked all about her jewellery business when we met to chat Amazing Mama’s Series – Jewellery Curator and Marketeer Isabel Conneely
• We LOVE Hesper Farm Skyr in our house, they’re a really small independent brand who are going places and it was great to share what they’ve been up to with you all! Yorkshire’s Hesper Farm Skyr Yoghurt has a delicious story to tell…

I’ve also met some amazing friends through blogging and great people to know locally in Harrogate, it’s been such a positive experience all round!

So, that’s one year of blogging! I feel like I need a lie down after reading all that! Ha! I wonder what the next year has to bring for me and Harrogate Mama Blog! I feel it’s going to be good one!

Thanks again for all your support, it really means the world to me! And if I can do it, anyone can – so if you’re thinking, I should start a blog, you really should. All you need is to get online and to start to write and the rest will follow!

And if you think you’d like to work together in the up and coming year get in touch, I’m starting to offer sponsored posts and working with clients to support their own social media and marketing campaigns too!

Get in touch on email at: [email protected]