Oh dear. It's been a while hasn't it? It was two weeks ago today that I was nursing a pretty sore head from one, two, three... too many Cosmopolitan cocktails at the Cosmo Blog Awards!
How time has flown eyh! It seems that going back to student life has somewhat left me with no life...quite the contrary to what one may think, an easy life with loads of spare time - I think not!
Having so much work due in during the first week of term I spent Freshers week, yes Fresher's week! in the library...even Sunday!! So, I apologise for those of you who have been curious to know about the Cosmo Blog Awards, sorry it's taken me quite so long.
Anyway here goes, a run down of the lead up to the event and the night:
Firstly I would like to thank ALL of you who nominated me to be short-listed for the award, I didn't even know until over a week after the closing date as I thought nothing would come of it! Of more than 43,000 blog entrants you guys nominated and short-listed me, narrowing it down to 10 in my category and to be among one of 130 on the night over all the categories!
It was then up to both my readers and the lovely ladies (and gents?) at the internationally famous Cosmopolitan magazine to vote and select a winner for each category which was announced on the night of Wednesday 2nd October 2013 at the amazing London South Bank venue: the OXO Tower.
What - A - Night!
I was so nervous at first. When I read the invite: '
no plus ones', there was a brief moment when my stomach sunk, where I worried that I would be chilling out in the corner
toute seule. Why I was worried? I have no idea! I clippity-clopped in my new cobalt blue heels along the riverside to the venue, trying not to stumble on the way between nerves and cobbles until I reached the entrance where a small group of earlybird bloggers were waiting to be let in. That's where I met the lovely Jess, blogger of
Mismatched Knitwear, fellow category short-lister, my new BBFF [Blogging BFF] and the chic chica with whom I enjoyed the nights antics!
As the doors opened and the porters ushered us in, we hurried over to the cloakroom to deposit our jackets, but before we could even get there, a lovely server was with us, sparkling wine in one hand, canapés in the other. This didn't stop all night. I don't think there was a single moment where I didn't have a drink in my hand - alcoholic much?
As Jess and I wandered around taking it all in, snapping snaps of the trendy, chic and uber-fashionable bloggers, pinching ourselves to check we weren't dreaming, we got stopped by the seriously sweet Sam from the
Vintage Cosmetics Company, where she persuaded me to add length to my already long eyelashes, and I walked away fluttering my eyelids with a new pair of
Kitty lashes.
Jess and I then tottered round to the bar, grabbed ourselves one of what was to become far too many cocktails and thought it was time to head for the photo booth for round #1.
 |
| The Vintage Cosmetic Company eyelashes, yet another cosmo cocktail and the award announcements! |
....dun dun duuuuun. It was time for the award ceremony! As we gathered round to watch the très chic Editor in Chief, Louise Court and Co. announce the winners of each category Jess and I bumped into foodie fanatic Lottie, blogger of
Lottie's Little Kitchen and we all waited in awe to hear those all important results.
 |
| Jess, myself and Lottie, cocktail in hand of course! |
...and the winner of the Best Newcomer award in association with Next iiiiiiiis...
Laura Louise and her naughty disease - and a rightful winner is she! This girl deserves so much credit and a massive round of applause and we went and had a little chat and congratulated her for her award.
A mention of course to the girl whose blog I used to read before I started mine, an awesome girl who I didn't even realise was going to be at the awards and who I hugely embarrassed myself in front of as I spoke gobbledy goop tell her how much I loved her blog, Olivia of
What Olivia Did.
 |
| Laura Louise, winner of my category and Best Newcomer Award and myself and Olivia of What Olivia Did |
After the announcements, it was time to mingle and network a bit, Jess and I bravely took a step in Louise Courts direction and managed to catch her eye for a brief chat - yes I got to speak to the editor in chief of one of the biggest international women's magazines! I handed over my business card, hand shaking with nerves and excitement and Louise kindly added it to her ever growing pocket card collection.
 |
Top: The gorgeous Editor in Chief of Cosmo magazine, Louise Court and myself (not looking so gorgeous!) What an honour!
Bottom: Gina, myself and Amy, Cosmo and Hearst girlies |
Another cosmopolitan later and we get chatting to Gina and Amy, two beautiful and on-trend girls who work at Hearst and Cosmo. We chatted for ages, joking about what we write, what we do and how they got to where they are, and Gina tells me about her blog,
The New Bridget - a MUST read - absolutely hilarious, I love it. The life of Gina as the New Bridget Jones...!
After our 5th, 6th, 7th? cocktail we headed back to the photo boot for a few last snaps and then the night began to draw to an end. As it happened Gina lived a few minutes from where I was staying so we grabbed our jackets and goody bags [post to come] said our goodbyes to Amy and Jess and scurried to the station. After a funny train-closing-door-in-face-stuck-on-train-stuck-on-platform incident (in true Bridget Jones style by Gina) we finally made it home and said our goodbyes to each other.
Again, what - a - night!
 |
| What I wore: Make up |
 |
| What I wore: accessories |
What I wore:
Necklace // Primark
Black top // Ted Baker
Leopard print jeans // Miss Selfridge
Cobalt blue heels // New Look
Bag // Marc Jacobs
Ring // Vintage from Paris
Bracelet black and white // Primark
Bracelet // Gift from Paris
Recalling it all today leaves me feeling so proud of myself and my blog, a site which I once set up to fill my friends and family in on my year abroad, how far it's come in such little time. I didn't win, no. But I wasn't expecting to. I wasn't even expecting to be short-listed. So thank you thank you thank you! I am so proud to have gone from one in 43,000 to one in 130. What an achievement and it's all thanks to you! Congratulations to all the winners of the night, and I really hope it doesn't stop there.
 |
| Once again, thank you to everyone who has supported me! |
Thank you & I love you all!
Until next time, grab a cosmo, and have a good weekend!
E x
