Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

By | November 5, 2012

Best Conference Ever

Have you ever been at a place where inspiration, ideas, ambition, determination, and just plain old excitement eat at your bones?

Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

I’ve had arthritis eat at my bones, but never this.

I’m afire with passion. Passion for blogging. Passion for social media. Passion for telling stories. Passion for what I think God wants me to do. Saweeet.

I know that I’m on top of the mountain right now and soon, maybe tomorrow, I’ll come tumbling down. It will be sad, but I won’t forget this.

I got to go to Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago this weekend and I made lifelong friends. I know I did. I found lifelong inspiration, and I heard lifelong wisdom. Gah! From beginning to end, it was All. So. Good.

Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

If you are a blogger and have never been to a blogging conference before, Bloggy Bootcamp (the two day one) is the one you should do first. Cause I did it first, and it was awesome.

I have funny stories to tell you, and I promise they will come. I did some awkward things, you know, like I always do. I will absolutely shame myself for your amusement and giggling purposes. But for now, I’m all Anne-of-Green-Gables goopy, sappy, romantical for blogging.

So I’m just gonna pour out some love and tell you a tiny bit about the people who made my trip FABULOUS! Here’s what I want you to do, if you don’t mind. You don’t have to, but remember, I’m like on cloud nine right now so humor me a bit.

Each day this week I’m going to introduce you to one or two bloggers who I personally met. I would really like it if you would click through to them and check out their fabulous sites! They are all different, so you’ll get a taste of something new each day. My life is better because I met them and I read their blogs. So do it!

Today, I’m going to introduce you to my two roommates who I met for the first time ever at the conference. That’s right. I slept with some people I didn’t know.

I was a little worried that they’d be creepers. I was probably the creepiest person in the room. Huh.

This is Brittany from NaturallyEstes.

Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

She is not a natural food or natural beauty or natural cleaning products blog. She just happens to be naturally hilarious. I’m pretty sure reading her blog will benefit your health in some way. Cause, you know, it’s natural.

She has four kids and she’s a hair younger than me. Ok, maybe a year. She lives in Texas and has this fabulous accent that is contagious. You know what I mean, right? I found myself trying out her twang and wishing I was born in the South.

Anyways, Brittany has a heart of gold. She’s raising money this month to help free four women from the sex slave industry. If she meets her goal, she’s gonna dye her hair pink for December.

Guys, she looks really good in pink, so let’s help her do this. You can read her post here and watch a video where she explains the project in her adorable little voice. If you feel compelled to, I don’t know, free someone from a life of horror—go ahead and donate!  Forgo two Pumpkin Spice Lattes this month and break open some shackles.

This is Natalia from MaNouvelleMode.

Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

She’s not French, but she lives there quite often. Huh? You say. Well, she’s married to a Bahamian basketball player who lives in France for half the year. So. Cool. Yeah, it is as glamorous as it sounds.

If you like to pin hairstyles, beauty and fashion on Pinterest, Natalia is the person to follow. She has this gorgeous Disney princess hair and she does some pretty amazing stuff with it. I’m totally growing my hair out. I don’t think it will look quite like hers, but never hurts to try.

She’s fashionable, but approachable. Does that make sense? Sometimes uber fashionable people can be intimidating. Natalia is like one of those pretty Valentines-candy boxes: beautiful on the outside, delicious on the inside.

Ok, I meant for that to ring out like the shackles thing, but I’m not quite sure if it did. I mean to say she’s sweet as a box of chocolates! There. Much better.

Natalia converted Brittany and I to lipstick.

Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

She has this giant bag full of colors (that she bought around the world) and she’s not afraid to go out of the house with hot pink lips. We played dress-up a bit and I have got to say that wearing red lipstick is so much fun.

I tried to steal her tube of red but then thought better of it. She is, after all, 6 feet tall and could whoop me.

So. Go see these ladies and follow them! Cause it’s really good to laugh and it’s really good to wear red lipstick.

20 thoughts on “Bloggy Boot Camp Chicago Was The Best Time Ever

  1. Tiffany Romero

    I just LOVE that you enjoyed yourself and love even more that you featured two of my most favorite people!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      I am seriously blown away by how wonderful that weekend was. I was so blessed to get to meet them and feel enriched by calling them my friends!

      Reply
  2. Kristiina

    Natalia TOTALLY has Disney Princess hair! And now that I am back to your blog I totally remember it and commenting that I love the design. I actually didn’t find you from SITS originally, I found you through googling RA blogs because one week I was having really bad joint pain and I was trying to figure it out and psych myself up to go see a Doc.

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Oh yay ???? You remember me! So whatever happened with the joint pain? Did it just go away or are you still struggling with it?

      Reply
      1. Kristiina

        Yes yes, I just didn’t connect your blog title with content but now I do! Well, it mostly went away, every once in awhile I feel really achy but it’s not consistent at all. I still need to go to the doctor but I’ve just been putting it off. Very bad, I know.

        Reply
        1. hillary

          You should definitely follow up with it. Just to be safe. It might be fibromyalgia. I have that too, and it’s pretty common.

          Reply
  3. 3 Fabulous Bloggers You Need To Follow

    […] I wanted to share a few blogs that if you are not already following, you should. Remember  Monday when I promised I would introduce you to all the cool peeps I met at Bloggy Boot Camp […]

    Reply
  4. Suzy

    Hey Hill,

    Glad you had so much fun.

    I can’t wait to read about your funny stories and what your learned during your weekend.

    Suzy ????

    Oh, yes and by the way, Texas accents are really great, you should come visit me!!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Thanks, Suzy! Have you gotten hooked up with the SITS girls yet? You need to! How’s the blogging coming?

      Reply
  5. Yuliya

    It was great to meet you, I loved your energy! Natalia is as awesome you describe (fashionable but approachable is right on) but I didn’t get a chance to meet Brittany so thanks for pointing me in that direction!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      It was so great to meet you too! Yes, Brittany is another fabulous person to get to know.

      Reply
  6. nicolette @ momnivore's dilemma

    Now that’s a slumber party side of the conference that I really needed! ????

    Reply
    1. hillary

      Ok, that is a fabulous idea! I never heard of Sparklecorn–I’ll have to check that out. I think I wanna go to BlogHer and just hit up the expos like Anna said. I doubt any of those sessions could beat what we just had.

      Reply
    1. hillary

      Have you been to a conference? I am still bubbling over with excitement!

      Reply
  7. Bloggy Boot Camp!!

    […] Read more from Hillary at Because My Life is Fascinating I’ve been to Bloggy Boot Camp in Baltimore, Philly and Boston. But this? This was hands-down the best one yet. Maybe it’s because I am at a point in my blogging career that I am ready to take certain action items, or I have certain connections to different parts of the industry, but this weekend, things felt right. […]

    Reply
  8. Natalia

    you’re amazing! I am so glad I found you and was able to be roomies with you! I really feel like I made lifelong friends through this!! Love you and make sure you come down & see me!! I’m totally following your blog too!

    Reply
    1. hillary

      I am totally planning on visiting you in December. I think we should have a girls day and go shopping and wear red lipstick. By the way, I’m buying some this weekend!

      Reply
  9. Kim@Co-Pilot Mom

    So glad to hear you had a great time! Can’t wait to hear more. I would love to go to a blogging conference someday. (Hopefully, maybe..) ????

    Reply

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