Something amazing happened last week. I read on Facebook that the finalists for the 2015 MAD Blog Awards had been announced, so popped along to the TOTS 100 site to have a look to see if any of my friends had made the final cut.
Totally delighted to see the blogs of some of my very favourites listed. There was a good sprinkling of my friends, in each section, along with some names I didn’t know.
But when I scrolled down the the Best Home and Interiors category I nearly spat my tea out. Unbelievably my little blog’s name was nestled in amongst some of the most lovely blogs I have the pleasure of reading.
Now, I’ve always been a bit of a chatterbox. I have a school report that says:
‘If Caroline spent more time working and less time talking she’d have a bright future’
but I was absolutely speechless.
Thank you so, so much anyone that bothered to place a vote for me. Without wanting to sound like a gushy OSCAR winner, I’m blown away and so immensely grateful.
Ultimately, there can only be one winner but — for me — even to be in a runners-up parade, with the other five blogs that don’t take the top spot is amazing. The calibre of blogs listed is so high and to see my little blog on the same page is brilliant. More than I ever hoped for.
I’m up against some incredible bloggers, some are award winning, others have brands and sponsors fighting to be featured on their blogs, some have thousands — like multiple thousands — of followers.
And then there’s me.
Under the radar, just bimbling along doing my own thing. My blog is not 100% homes and interiors based — it’s an eclectic mix of everything I love. My family, my loves, my life. But it’s written from the heart and if you’d like to vote for me in this category I’d be so grateful.
It’s mega simple to do — just click on the link to vote and choose The Twinkle Diaries in the Best Home and Interiors category from the drop down list. It takes less than a minute to do.
Thanks so much for nominating me in the first place. I’m chuffed to bits :)
Haha love that quote from your old school report. My son had something similar. Congratulations on making the finals from a fellow finalist :)
Thanks SO much Gina!!! I’d love to tell the teacher that wrote that, what I’m doing with my life today!! And the fact that I’ve made the finals of a prestigious blogging awards!! ;) Good luck sweetie — fingers crossed for you!! x
Congratulations! Of course I voted to you. Happy #TwinklyTuesday!
Thanks Sadia darling — that’s so kind of you xx
Caro I was so thrilled to see your name on there but not at all surprised, I don’t think you realise how amazing your blog is. I’ve been reading it for so long now and I have seen it change and develop from your lovely little twin diaries into what it is now and it is just amazing! Very well done xx
Aaah Hayley — you are so lovely. I was surprised — I literally did a double take!! I just feel so totally under the radar still. When I decided in January that I was going to grow the blog and start doing it properly I never would have imagined — in a million years — that something like this would happen!! So grateful to everyone. But especially to my bestest blogging buddies ;) xxxx
Congratulations and voted! Good luck #twinklytuesday xx
Thanks so much lovely girl. I think I’ll need a HUGE dose of luck but hey! It’s a great experience nevertheless! :)
Congratulations lovely lady you deserve it and get my vote! xx
Aaah thanks so much gorgeous girl — I can’t tell you how much that means to me!! X
Massive congratulations!! X
Thanks so much lovely Laura!! :) Can’t believe my luck!
Huge congratulations to you lovely Caro and so well deserved! You have a vote from me and wishing you all the very best of luck for the finals! :-)
Aaah thanks so much darling — that’s so lovely of you. Can’t believe it!!!
Congratulations!! I’m so delighted for you – it’s well deserved! I voted on my way onto your site. Best of luck to you, I’m looking forward to reading all about your big day!
Thanks so much Becky!! I think it will be a fab day — regardless of who wins!! :)
Congratulations! Such a huge accomplishment in the blogging world. You should be very proud of building your blog. I love that you almost spit your tea out. :) I want to thank you again for featuring my post this week. Such an honor! I almost spit my coffee out ;)
Thanks so much pet — I’m a bit overwhelmed about it to be honest. I only started taking the blogging seriously in January so this is such a big deal! x
Congratulations – well deserved, fingers crossed for you #TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much lovely — that’s so sweet of you x
Congratulations gorgeous lady! So well deserved. Of course, I didn’t need to read this before I voted for you. I cheered a bit when I saw your name on there when I took a peep on the day they came out and voted for you straight away! I hope you win :) Thanks for being such a fab co-host of #TwinklyTuesday! xx
Aww thanks so much darling — that’s so lovely of you. I nearly fell over when I saw my name!! Had to do a double take!!! :)
Aww…congratulations!! I had the same reaction when I found out I was a finalist in the Best Family Fun Blog category. I couldn’t believe that lil’ ol’ me was among there with these amazing bloggers!! Good luck and I hope the feeling of being awesome lasts long after the awards ceremony in September xx #twinklytuesday
Thanks SO much Natasha — and HUGE congratulations to you too!!! I still can’t believe my luck to be honest. The calibre is so high — I never even considered that I’d make the finals. Such a treat!! :)
Caro this is so well deserved, I am so pleased to call you a friend, your blog is stylish and oh so pretty, and the content is always so engaging. Good luck beautiful lady and cant wait to see you next week xx
Thanks so much lovely girl — that means such a lot. Cannot WAIT to see you next week!!!!! WOOP!
Congratulations, such a huge achievement and something that you should be so proud of. Your blog is amazing! :-) #twinklytuesday
Thank you SO much Sophie!! I’m still pinching myself — it feels totally unreal! x
Done :) well done you – I love your blog its brilliant so will keep everything crossed for you :D #twinklytuesdays
Aww thanks so much lovely!! I feel like I’m totally under the radar so it all feels a bit unreal! X
A huge well done! It is well deserved though, your blog is fab and is one of my favourites :)
xx
That’s SUCH a lovely thing to read — thank you so much pet xx
It’s great to see a fellow caravan enthusiast up for this an award in this cateogory. I really do think you’ve got the toughest final but every place is well deserved. Best of luck! #TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much pet! Gosh — I really do agree!! The category is SO tough — I’d want to vote for them all — they’re all my favourites!! :)
Congratulations!!! What amazing news; I am so pleased for you darling as your blog is so stylish and very chic and I love reading it. You know I am a HUGE fan of you and your blog, and have been since I discovered you. ALL the best of luck for the finals, yes you’re up against some big names but I have a feeling you have a very large following too and that you’ll do great! Good luck, am behind you lovely lady. Jess x #twinklytuesday
Ahh thanks sweetheart — coming from one of my blogging bests, that really means such a lot. I really don’t think I have a chance but it doesn’t matter. There will be FIVE runners up! Not just one. So it doesn’t feel too bad at all if I don’t win. The five other runners up are all absolutely amazing!!!
Already voted for you :) Good luck! I tried to enter your competition too but it wouldn’t let me comment or leave my Twitter name :( Thanks for hosting #TwinklyTuesday
Debbie
http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com
Aaah bless you Debbie — that’s so lovely of you!!
Weird about the Rafflecopter — am off to check it out now!! I wonder if anyone else has had the same problem :/ Thanks so much for letting me know!! x
I tried to vote for you but the form was misbehaving, so I will have another go later on lovely! Good Luck well deserved :)
Stevie xx
Aww thanks so much lovely. Means such a lot xxxxx
Congratulations! Hope you win!
Aaah thank you SO much!! I don’t think I have a hope of winning — one of the finalists has nearly 250K Pinterest followers!! But I love her blog so much — to be in the same line-up is just awesome!! :)
Congratulations!! Well done xx #twinklytuesday
Thanks lovely. I still can’t believe it!!!! Wasn’t expecting that at all :)
I think you’ve got the content mix just right Caro. One gets a definite feel for what you like by reading your blog. well done on getting this far and fingers crossed for the next round.
#TwinklyTuesday
Fionnuala from http://www.threesonslater.blogspot.com
Thanks so much Fi — they say write about what you know don’t they? I don’t know about much else, that’s for sure!! ;) Amazing to think I’m a finalist — I can’t belive my luck xx
You have my vote – did it this morning. Many congratulations x #TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much darling — am so very grateful. I can’t believe it — am still pinching myself!! :)
Congratulations Caro!You got my vote, fingers crossed for you xx #TwinklyTuesday
Thanks so much Wendy — that’s absolutely lovely of you xxx
Congratulations! And good luck for the finals!! #TwinklyTuesday
Aaah thanks Debs — I don’t think I stand a hope in hell’s chance but I’m THRILLED to be a finalist!! :) X
Amazing news and well deserved!!! I have just voted for you. Good luck!xx
Thanks SO much lovely — on both counts. I can’t believe my luck!! :)
Good luck chic, what an amazing feeling seeing your name in amongst some other fab blogs, it’s testament to your fabulous blog, I’m loving your blogs too at the moment. #TwinklyTuesdays
Aaah thanks so much treasure. I think I’ll need a MASSIVE dose of luck to get any further — but hey! There will be 5 runners up so I won’t feel too sad :) X
I can totally see why, I think your blog is so lovely as are you xx #Twinkly Tuesday
Aah that’s so lovely of you Ma — thank you xx I never (in a million years) would have expected to see my blog in that list. Still pinching myself!! :) X
Congrats Caro on a very well deserved nomination! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you! Mim x #twinklytuesday
Thanks ever so much Mim. I think I’ll need more than luck — I’m certainly not expecting to get any further but am totally over the moon to get this far! :) X
You’re too modest!! I love your blog and the fact that it is a mix- I like reading about interiors from real people who I think I might actually have a connection with. The problem I have with a lot of interiors/ fashion / beauty blogs is that they feel so removed from my toothpaste stained life! You definitely deserve this and I will totally be voting for you :)
Thanks so much Morna — that’s so lovely of you.
PS — You got my vote ;) X
Congrats. You got my vote. Good luck x
#twinklytuesday
Thanks darling — that means such a lot xx
Your blog is amazing Caro and you definitely get my vote! I am overwhelmed to be a finalist too and with so many amazing bloggers, it is just unreal isn’t it! Cannot wait for our little night out in September! xxx
Thanks so so much Ju — I still cannot believe it. Totally stoked to get this far!! :) X
Aww, congratulations! x
Thanks SO much Lizzie!! I CANNOT believe it!!! Totally and utterly over the moon about it :) xx