When I started blogging a mere 6 months ago (to the day, actually) I just expected to write a few posts, hopefully some people would read them and enjoy. I never expected to fall head over heels into such a welcoming community, and it's something I'm SO pleased happened. When I got the message from the lovely Sarah about organising a wee blogger meet up, I couldn't have been more excited to meet the people behind the blogs.
So the lovely group chat consisting of myself, Sarah, Gwennan, Hannah, Nina and Effi started rolling on to what we were gonna create. We wanted to create a truly Instagrammable and Pinterest-inspired picnic - and I think we definitely succeeded in that! That's not to say we were always talking about the picnic - I like to think these guys learnt that you can eat the skin of kiwis and I learnt about Buddy the Elfs adventures (because no, I've never seen Elf). When we finally came to meet it was like being back with old friends!
Anyway it's hard to tell if the day came around fast or slow, but sure enough - at the end of my week of nights - the day was finally here! Sarah, Hannah and I met up at Tottenham Court Road and then met Gwennan further along to carry the huge amounts of stuff that was necessary to create a picnic - I feel super hench/achy today. We finally reached the perfect spot Sarah and I had discovered in our recky last month and began the set up.
Once people all began arriving we all settled down on our lovely Hammam Havlu blankets for some well deserved munch - although not before we all took some pictures for our blogs! It was so nice to not get weird looks for taking 100 pictures of a muffin from 20 different angles, we were all doing it! Copious amounts of food was also the perfect setting for us all to bond over. I cannot thank Benugo enough for the incredible spread they got together for us - we had everything a picnic could ever need! And those muffins were absolutely amazing, I will definitely have to be purchasing more of them heheh. We were also lucky enough to have so many goodies sent to us from various brands that literally covered everything. Robinsons and Vita Coco made sure we were never thirsty, Ritz covered the savoury snacks and Mikado and Oreo fed that sweet tooth we all have. I was particularly pleased about the Robinsons addition - as I have mentioned before I go through squash, well, faster than water! I have it so strong and can't get enough of the stuff... written as I drink through a huge bottle of, you guessed it, strong squash!
Of course in order to make this the perfectly Instagrammable picnic we needed some decor. Interior Goods supplied us with some absolutely beautiful bunting, it really grabbed passers by's attention and made it easier to find us! And Talking Tables supplied us with the little details that made it look like it had fell out of Pinterest - with butterfly bunting for the trees to cute napkins and straws. It was perfect. Put some wonderful blankets from
Hammam Havlu on the floor (which I'm so happy to have one in my room now - perks of being an organiser eh?) and you've got yourself a picnic! As more and more people arrived it was just like meeting people you'd already spoken to - it was so good to put a face to a Twitter handle. Once 3pm rolled around the wonderful Only by Nature popped over with a delivery of their super creamy FroYo in two flavours which was just what we needed! After that we did a raffle of some bits and bobs which was super nice as everybody got to go home with a little something extra.
And nobody went home empty handed as we had managed to organise some super full goody bags! Whilst I know some people probably come to these types of events purely for the 'freebies', I genuinely felt like that wasn't the reason people came on Saturday - for one we kept it a nice surprise! It was nice to say a little thank you to everybody for journeying to see us and ignoring the weather forecast! We did have such a variety of items in there, from Bassets Vitamins and Zap It mosquito relief, to Propercorn (as their biggest fan I was so excited about this), Ape Snacks, Graze, Talking Tables bunting, Frezyderm, O'Teas and Lily O'Brien chocolate to name a few! We also got a couple of pieces from Sparkleberry Illustrations and a picnic pencil for those late night blogging notes and a discount code from Gwennan Rees Illustrations. It really was bursting at the seams and I'm so glad we managed to get it all together to say thanks to everybody!
As I stood waiting for Sarah and Hannah inside Tottenham Court Road station, watching the heavens empty with rain and tourists struggle with their umbrellas I didn't have the highest of hopes for the day. I couldn't have been more wrong. As we emerged from Lancaster Gate with our thousand tonnes of bags the rain started clearing and a blue sky shone out. Despite a bit of a breeze occasionally covering everything in leaves it couldn't have been more perfect weather - our sun dances must have worked! I also just want to share a little bit of love for everyone that turned up - you're all wonderful and it was a genuine pleasure to meet you all. As for the four girls that I bonded with through sweatily lugging bags of popcorn across London, you all suck. Nah, it was absolutely amazing to meet you all and it really was like meeting old friends. To think we all bonded over the Internet and just knew each other from that sounds terrifying, but it worked so well. I haven't laughed so much in what feels like years, my abs, arms and legs all feel like they're ready to fall off but it was totally worth it. Also to mention the lovely Effi and Nina, thanks for all your help and support up to the event, if though you couldn't make the day I still feel like I've gained 5 extra super cool friends.
Cringe alert over, when's the next one then?
So the lovely group chat consisting of myself, Sarah, Gwennan, Hannah, Nina and Effi started rolling on to what we were gonna create. We wanted to create a truly Instagrammable and Pinterest-inspired picnic - and I think we definitely succeeded in that! That's not to say we were always talking about the picnic - I like to think these guys learnt that you can eat the skin of kiwis and I learnt about Buddy the Elfs adventures (because no, I've never seen Elf). When we finally came to meet it was like being back with old friends!
Anyway it's hard to tell if the day came around fast or slow, but sure enough - at the end of my week of nights - the day was finally here! Sarah, Hannah and I met up at Tottenham Court Road and then met Gwennan further along to carry the huge amounts of stuff that was necessary to create a picnic - I feel super hench/achy today. We finally reached the perfect spot Sarah and I had discovered in our recky last month and began the set up.
Hammam Havlu on the floor (which I'm so happy to have one in my room now - perks of being an organiser eh?) and you've got yourself a picnic! As more and more people arrived it was just like meeting people you'd already spoken to - it was so good to put a face to a Twitter handle. Once 3pm rolled around the wonderful Only by Nature popped over with a delivery of their super creamy FroYo in two flavours which was just what we needed! After that we did a raffle of some bits and bobs which was super nice as everybody got to go home with a little something extra.
As I stood waiting for Sarah and Hannah inside Tottenham Court Road station, watching the heavens empty with rain and tourists struggle with their umbrellas I didn't have the highest of hopes for the day. I couldn't have been more wrong. As we emerged from Lancaster Gate with our thousand tonnes of bags the rain started clearing and a blue sky shone out. Despite a bit of a breeze occasionally covering everything in leaves it couldn't have been more perfect weather - our sun dances must have worked! I also just want to share a little bit of love for everyone that turned up - you're all wonderful and it was a genuine pleasure to meet you all. As for the four girls that I bonded with through sweatily lugging bags of popcorn across London, you all suck. Nah, it was absolutely amazing to meet you all and it really was like meeting old friends. To think we all bonded over the Internet and just knew each other from that sounds terrifying, but it worked so well. I haven't laughed so much in what feels like years, my abs, arms and legs all feel like they're ready to fall off but it was totally worth it. Also to mention the lovely Effi and Nina, thanks for all your help and support up to the event, if though you couldn't make the day I still feel like I've gained 5 extra super cool friends.
Cringe alert over, when's the next one then?
artwork
bbloggers
beautiful
bloggerpitp
bloggers
blogging
bunting
decoration
friends
hydepark
instagram
lblogger
london
londonbloggers
meet up
pinterest
 I just expected to write a few posts, hopefully some people would read ...){kind=link}
2 comments
Loved this post loved that picnic love you <3 <3
ReplyDeleteThanks for setting up all our photos and then letting us steal them....soz for getting my hand in the back of the photo of the Oreos ;)
Let's get organising the next one!! xxxx
Aw, this brought a tear to the eye Mel! I'm so glad it all went to plan. I'm also super impressed you made it after a night shift. That is dedication!
ReplyDelete