birmingham bloggers 1st anniversary bash

on april 22nd, we celebrated one year of birmingham bloggers at the nest in avondale, and it was such a night to remember. in january 2014, beth, molly and i founded this community and immediately got to work to give local bloggers and writers a place to come together for fun, knowledge and networking.

i've had such an amazing time building this community with beth, molly and rachel over the course of the last year. this party was to reward loyal birmingham bloggers members who have supported us, attended our events and provided invaluable feedback on how to make this community better. we were so lucky to be able to work with amazing local sponsors to give birmingham bloggers a truly unique experience.

the nest in avondale is a beautiful, airy, open space that almost requires no decor at all - but we had to bring in some gorgeous pieces from west elm birmingham to add interest to our tablescapes and provide some texture. west elm also provided the stunning "west elm photo corner" where we set up our BB balloons and a bucket of props everyone could use in photos.

the food, y'all, the food! slice birmingham and full moon bbq hit the spot with brick oven roasted pizzas, bbq sandwich sliders, slaw, beans and all the fixin's. molly whipped up some delicious desserts - mini cupcakes and madelines with a birmingham bloggers lavender twist. cathead vodka was our libation of choice - and the honeysuckle lemonade was a huge hit with the crowd.

we had many generous sponsors donate to our goodie bags and baskets. we gave away five large, birmingham themed gift baskets full of amazing local goodies, ranging from hand poured local soap, subscriptions to b-metro and a copy of birmingham's best bites cookbooks. five lucky bloggers received these baskets, and all attendees received a giftbag from swoozie's with goodies from kismet cosmetics, revelator coffee, prints from giddy paperie, alabama themed cookies from bethcakes, st. vincent's t-shirts and birmingham bloggers themed wine glasses - my favorite!

honestly y'all, i could gush about this party for days. it taught me so much about keeping it local and building relationships with fellow birmingham enthusiasts. i'm really looking forward to being able to write a few posts about sponsorship and reaching out to the resources in your community for events, networking, blogging opportunities and so much more.

THANK YOU to the birmingham bloggers community for getting involved and making this network the incredible force it has become. we are so, so excited to continue bringing you events, workshops and partnerships in 2015. here's to another year! 

here are some of my favorite instagram shots from the party!

Much #latergram, hanging out with my BB at the @bhambloggers birthday bash! 💜 #bhambloggers #MyFoodieAffairs #mpbblog #blackgirlswhoblog #browngirlbloggers

A photo posted by Foodie from Birmingham 🍴 (@myfoodieaffairs) on Apr 24, 2015 at 8:04am PDT

Good Times at the Birmingham Bloggers 1st Anniversary Bash with these fabulous ladies 🎉🎂🎉 #eatdrinksavorlife #BhamBloggers #BhamEvents #GoodTimes #buylocal

A photo posted by Janece Maze (@aerialjane) on Apr 23, 2015 at 11:43am PDT

I had so much fun celebrating the Birmingham Bloggers 1 Year Anniversary tonight with some of my favorite @bhambloggers! #bhambloggers #nestbham #birmingham #alabama #alabamabloggers

A photo posted by Chandler MacWilliam (@shotgunsandseashells) on Apr 22, 2015 at 6:43pm PDT

#bhambloggers one year anniversary event @thenestbham was super fun! Thanks for the goodie bag girls! #instagrambham #buylocal ❤️❤️❤️these #creative people! #birmingham #birminghamal

A photo posted by Jackie Basik (@basikthoughts) on Apr 22, 2015 at 7:58pm PDT

I can't thank @bhambloggers enough for this amazing giveaway I won during their 1 year anniversary party last night! It's complete with Kendra Scott earrings, restaurant and boutique gift cards! Candle! Soap! Magazine subscription, cookbook, coffee and more! Thank you and happy birthday to an amazing group of ladies who put on an amazing event! ❤️❤️❤️

A photo posted by Vanessa (@buddingfashionista) on Apr 23, 2015 at 3:49pm PDT

Love my new wine glass! Pretty sweet! Thanks #bhambloggers #thenestbham #buylocal #instagrambham ❤️#redwine! ❤️#blogger #bloggers👍😉

A photo posted by Jackie Basik (@basikthoughts) on Apr 23, 2015 at 4:29pm PDT

huge, huge thanks to our fabulous sponsors!
all photos by k. olis photography

 st. vincent's hospital, slice pizza & brew, k. olis photography, west elm, full moon bbq

giddy paperie, freedom soap company, babalu tacos & tapas, revelator coffee, miss molly moon design, icebox coffee, cathead vodka, saw's bbq, fab'rik homewood, stone hollow farms, southern scripted, b-metro, good people brewing, birmingham's best bites cookbook, insomnia cookies, tomatoes & grits pop-up dinners, kendra scott, gus mayer, ozan vineyards, city bee company, birmingham junior league, kismet cosmetics, swoozie's birmingham.

honeysuckle lemonade with cathead vodka

disclaimer: cathead vodka sponsored our birmingham bloggers 1st anniversary bash & provided us with some fabulous vodka to sample and serve. all opinions are entirely mine.

at the birmingham bloggers 1st anniversary bash (recap post soon!), we served this delicious, simple and refreshing crowd pleaser. it's simple to make and perfect for spring and summertime!

i've been a fan of cathead for many years. i love supporting southern brands, so it doesn't get much better than sipping on a spirit distilled by our neighbors, mississippi. i was first introduced to cathead's honeysuckle vodka at watermark in nashville, after trying it in a lovely cocktail called the southern belle, featuring cathead honeysuckle vodka and fresh peach juice. it was divine.

since, this vodka has been to go-to at cocktail joints. at collins, i often just tell them to throw this in something and make whatever they want. i always love it. it's my favorite - which is why i wanted to serve it to my fellow birmingham bloggers at our party.

 

cathead honeysuckle lemonade

• 1 part (1 oz) cathead honeysuckle vodka
• 2 parts lemonade, freshly made or simply lemonade brand
• splash of club soda or prosecco, optional

combine all ingredients in a glass or cocktail shaker. serve over ice.

the splash of club soda or prosecco gives the cocktail just a little fizz, which i prefer. this drink is also incredibly easy to make in batches and can be served in a large drink dispenser at a party or outdoor bbq. simply follow the same ratios. enjoy, y'all!

this post is a part of a little mini linkup! check out the other posts below for more southern themed cocktails using cathead vodka.

 

the southern lady from bethcakes | honeysuckle vodka collins from hey there sunshine

birmingham bloggers: one year

i talk all the time about birmingham bloggers, how the community got started and how much it means to me. i get asked frequently if birmingham bloggers is my full-time job - and no, it is not. and though the work to keep the community running as well as it does is essentially a second full-time job, i wouldn't trade it for the world. i like the hustle.

in a year of experimenting with this community, i have learned so much, not only about myself but about the amazing people who live, work and create in birmingham, alabama - and i've learned that we have an incredible stock of fabulous, talented people here. browse the birmingham bloggers members for only a few minutes and you'll find a vibrant, thriving voice that represents birmingham so well. i am honored to be able to give these folks a platform to connect.

the future holds a lot for this community and i am thrilled to see where it takes us. we've got events planned through august, and so many ideas for late summer and fall going forward.

tonight, at the nest in avondale, we're hosting the birmingham bloggers one year anniversary bash. we've been fortunate enough to work with a handful of wonderful sponsors for this event to put together a delicious spread of food, cocktails and goodie bags for our members. everyone was asked to wear purple - so of course, i went and got a purple gel manicure and spent way too long trying to find the perfect purple dress, which are surprisingly difficult to come by...

this party is about rewarding y'all for being awesome folks. i cannot wait to give away these prizes. and don't worry, there will be plenty of photos and a recap post very soon.

my friend and co-founder, beth, made this beautiful birmingham bloggers birthday cake, so check out her blog for the recipe! and though we won't have it at the party tonight, we loved having our own little mini celebration. having co-founder molly in athens has been a bummer and we miss her so much (you should see our group texts...) - but we are so happy she'll be joining us for the one year celebration tonight.

countless meetups, 160+ members, new friends and many fun collaborations later - birmingham bloggers is a year old! here's to many, many more. see y'all along for the ride.

why i scheduled side gig work hours

writing this post, i feel silly. it's a no-brainer, isn't it? well, no - for me, it wasn't. in fact, this highly intuitive, revolutionary idea was likely the furthest thing from my mind. until i implemented it, i didn't quite understand why others did, or how it would impact my productivity and overall well-being.

here's my problem: i'm a workaholic.

if permitted, i will grab a project and run it into the ground - up till 2am making tiny kerning tweaks on text in photoshop, brainstorming what i should or shouldn't have said in that email on my way to work, planning events in my brain on my lunch hour. how wonderful, meredith, you're so motivated!

wonderful, yeah, until it wasn't. there are only so many days of that type of obsessive, work-focused existence you can lead. it was truly insightful to learn just how hard i can work, that i can jump hurdles, that i can basically go into "beast mode" & get. shit. done. i am so, so good at that. but i can't do it every day.

so, i set up "work hours" for my blog and birmingham bloggers. these are the only hours i write posts, take photos, add things to the birmingham bloggers site, plan events, schedule social media or process join forms. it's two nights a week, and one day of the weekend - and that. is. it. i may answer a rogue email out of my allotted "hours" on occasion, but overall, i try to remember something i learned in the being boss facebook group regarding emails: i am not a paramedic.

what happened was i stopped putting myself first. working, writing and constantly staying on top of things became an obsession - and i was expending so much energy planning and trying to get it all done as quickly as possible that i began to neglect the basics. all the energy that fueled my over-working tendencies could have been put towards myself. now, i've finally re-shifted. i feel balanced. i handle my life - my day job, my health, my relationships - and my side hustle jobs come next, as they should. it doesn't mean i'm not just as motivated or inspired. i still have big plans, big dreams and aspirations for where i can take my own blog, businesses and my work with birmingham bloggers, but now, i am able to be much more focused and in tune. i feel much more productive and less scattered because i have my work hours, and i stick to them.

tips on how to start side hustle "work hours"

• let go. accept that it's ok to not work 24/7. (hardest part, y'all) make a list of your priorities, and then think on that - is how you're spending your time a true reflection of your priorities? are friends/family at the top? then why are you working 70 hour weeks?  

• if you have a day job and are also balancing side gigs like a blog, small business or artistic project, take a look at your calendar and keep in mind how much you're working during the day. decide on your side gig "work hours", whether it's 3 days a week or just 1. put these hours on your calendar and treat them just like the hours you do for your day job.

• stick to them! decide what emails you must answer out of hours. but really here, be honest. are you working at a hospital? is this email going to save a life? is it truly time sensitive? probably not. it can wait an additional 12 or so hours until your "work hours" start, can't it? and in that time, what can you do for yourself instead? read a book, take a walk?
• when you do work, work efficiently. how much more work on your side job could you get done if you utilized 3-4 solid hours on 2 days a week to really dive in, and opposed to feeling scattered - watching a youtube video in between answering emails or trying to do 10 things at once. focus on the task at hand. you may find you didn't need to work as much as you thought.

do you have work hours for your side business or blog? could you benefit from them?

birmingham bloggers blogentine bash

i think the word blogentine is one that has needed to exist for, y'know, a while now.

for our first february event, birmingham bloggers hosted a blogentine bash party at fab'rik boutique in homewood. attendees were matched up secret santa style with their "blogentine", and brought gifts to exchange to the party. we were treated to some delicious snacks from rachel - beet & ricotta topped crostinis, hummus and sriarcha deviled eggs. beth made some beautiful red velvet madeleines, and fab'rik supplied us with a yummy prosecco + pomegranate cocktail.

everyone chatted, mingled & exchanged their gifts, and then fab'rik gave away some awesome door prizes, including the chance for two bloggers do to an instagram takeover and run fab'rik's insta for a day. it was super chilly outside, but bloggers braved the cold & came out to party with their blogentines, and we are so grateful!

a few of y'all spoke with me about your feelings on this community, and i honestly have not been able to stop thinking about it since. i am so happy and honored to be able to bring everyone together. y'all made my week, seriously. we want to continue to create events that inspire and educate.

speaking of which, if you're a birmingham bloggers member, head to this link to fill out a survey & be entered to win a $25 giftcard to babalu tacos & tapas. we truly want your feedback regarding what you'd like to hear at one of our march events, a workshop with the birmingham social media guru wade kwon. thank you in advance!

everyone at fab'rik was so helpful and accomodating! they're a fantastic boutique, and if you've got one in your city and have not visited, please make your way there asap - they just got in a ton of spring items that are gorgeous, not to mention, winter items are on sale!

thank you fab'rik for hosting us!

photos via bethcakes :)

birmingham bloggers valentine giveaway!

i’ve teamed up with bloggers from birmingham bloggers to bring you a valentine’s giveaway! we wanted an easy way to give back to our readers and show our appreciation. enter below for your chance to win a $165 giftcard to target. this giveaway is open to us residents only, and ends at midnight next monday, february 9th. happy early valentine’s day, and good luck!

visit www.bhambloggers.com and all the bloggers in the giveaway here:

LCB Style, A Pinch of Healthy, The M Studio, Hey There Sunshine, Eat Drink Be Well, Morrell's Armoire, Fast Foodie, Bethcakes, Blissfully Southern, Lola Charles, The Style Gathering, Shotguns & Seashells, Between the Pearls, Sizeable Chic and Everyday Living.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

birmingham bloggers + bottle & bone

if you live in birmingham, you know who's got the meats: bottle & bone.

bottle & bone is a new establishment at the uptown entertainment district on the north side of town, catering to the beer, wine and meat lovers of birmingham. in addition to a to-die-for brunch, bacon flights (yeah. bacon. flights.), beer & wine on a tap plus any cut of meat you could ever ask for, bottle & bone hosts butchering classes, beer tastings and so, so much more.

the wonderful jen barnett of bottle & bone invited birmingham bloggers to stop by and get a taste of what bottle & bone has to offer. we sampled multiple bacon flights and boudin balls. those went kinda quick, as expected. we also tried the 'beef on wcek', which features brisket, brown sauce & creme fraiche, and the 'the daily grind', an awesome burger with pickles & aged cheddar.

paired with the bacon flights and awesome sandwiches, we sampled some dark beers - even a peanut butter ale! everyone sipped wine, local brews and chatted the night away while we got to know the menu. i met a lot of new birmingham bloggers and had fun talking with everyone!

thank you so, so much to jen and the entire bottle & bone team for hosting us! this place is awesome y'all, and i am so glad we've got such a unique addition to the birmingham culinary scene. bottle & bone is truly one of a kind. click here to take a look at their menu. if you're in birmingham and you haven't stopped in yet, you're missing out. cannot wait to go back!

some photos courtesy of the wonderful www.bethcakes.com :)

birmingham bloggers + revelator coffee

revelator coffee is a new addition to the birmingham coffee scene that is not only a stunning visual treat, but a true source of authentic, knowledgeable baristas ready to deliver a one of a kind coffee experience. revelator's focus is on the coffee, and rightly so. as a coffee fanatic, i knew i had to check this place out. and when i did, i decided it was the perfect place for a birmingham bloggers meetup. revelator was so, so kind to host us and let us get to know their brews.

on saturday, january 17th, beth and i invited 12 other birmingham bloggers members to stop by revelator for a casual "coffee chat" to discuss our 2015 blogging resolutions, how to make them, and how we plan to achieve these goals. the chat was a mixture of new and seasoned bloggers alike, which made for great discussion on achieving certain blogging goals.

the wonderful whitney of heart & arrow design helped our bloggers get off on the right foot in 2015 with her custom blogging planner. everyone was so excited about these and got to instagramming them right away! we made little goodie bags for everyone and included some sticky notes and pens to help everyone plan their hearts out.

 

it made my day to meet some members i hadn't met before! i am so passionately excited about how this community is growing and some days i just can't believe it. i mean yeah, this is the largest city in the state of alabama, but... this many bloggers? really? we're at 115 members now, and we don't seem to be slowing down any time soon. i am so glad we're able to host events like this.

i can't wait for our casual meetup at the new bottle & bone on the 22nd - definitely be on the lookout for a post allllll about this amazing place (they have flights of bacon. yeah. flights.)

some photos courtesy of the amazing www.bethcakes.com :)

birmingham bloggers workshop brunch

over a month ago, rachel approached beth and i with the idea to host a workshop brunch for birmingham bloggers. of course, we jumped on the thought. bloggers love brunch. everyone loves brunch. win win. this past saturday, december 6th, was the day we'd been waiting for - brunch time!

naturally, we chose the nest in avondale for our event space. kristen is incredible and so easy to work with! the nest is bright, open, airy, just the right vibe for an upbeat brunch on a saturday morning.

since founding birmingham bloggers in april, i've gradually begun to experiment with event planning, and the scale is only getting larger. i'm an ad girl at heart, so pr is a new venture for me, but it's so, so much fun. beth, rachel and i worked so hard developing the menu and decor, meticulously obsessing over details, practicing scones at 5am (that's beth's story to tell) and trying to figure out which flowers were "too much" or "just enough".

thanks to rachel's culinary genius, we were able to provide a delicious menu (um lemon zest homefries, hello) right after the workshop portion of the event, which detailed instagram tips & tricks as well as general photography knowledge. i did get to enjoy a mimosa, but the rest of the brunch was spent on my feet cooking & plating, hence my lack of food photos.

here are some shots from birmingham bloggers members that i'm currently obsessing over. gorgeous!

Third course at the #bhambloggers Instagram Workshop Brunch -- baked eggs with crispy prosciutto and lemon zest homefries.

A photo posted by Javacia Harris Bowser (@writeousbabe) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:48am PST

Best Super Green Salad ever courtesy of @thenestbham for our Instagram workshop brunch thrown by #bhambloggers

A photo posted by Rachel Tindall (@tohellinahandbag) on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:10am PST

#BhamBloggers brunch 😋 #ladieswhobrunch

A photo posted by Chandler MacWilliam (@shotgunsandseashells) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:16am PST

#bhambloggers

A photo posted by @southernscripted on Dec 12, 2014 at 8:16am PST

A wonderful brunch with #bhambloggers #brunch #thenestbham

A photo posted by Anna Watkins (@annawithaplan) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:26am PST

i'm so proud of this event. i still have a lot to learn, but this brunch gave me a solid place to start. 2015 will bring more events for birmingham bloggers, and i can only hope to continue to provide everyone with fun, informative and uplifting ways to get involved in the local blogging community here in birmingham.

thank you so much to kristen of the nest (soon to be baking bandits shop... so excited!), rachel, beth, nancy of magic city macarons for some beautiful & scrumptous party favors, & all the fabulous & talented members of the birmingham blogging community.

special thanks to

the nest birmingham

magic city macarons

bloggers in attendance

javacia of writeous babe & see jane write

chandler of shotguns & seashells

parker of fast foodie us

anna of ann with a plan

brittany of brittany ray

rachel of to hell in a handbag

katrina of gump style

alexandria of my guide to bham

layken of southern scripted

lizzy of lizzy is dizzy

libby of pink flamingos

brooke of in a world of bees, there's me

chanda of chanda temple writes