Hiving Fun 2013

So I’m just back from a whirlwind week-end at The Hive Blogging Conference in Berlin and I’m feeling so inspired and full of new creative energy. You should have seen me enthusiastically scribbling new ideas and projects in my notebook on the plane back to Italy last night (even if this morning I can only understand 1\2 of what I wrote).

Like last year, the highlight of this event was meeting old and new blogger friends in person.  It really does make a huge difference to spend time with these amazing ladies face-to-face.  It has me thinking that we really do have to organise more real-person time together (I have a plan brewing in my head friends).

The conference was held at the uber-cool Betahaus again this year.  The food was amazing and the multiple fridges full of the best beverages around was a highlight for just about everyone there (and the sound of accidentally kicked over bottles will always remind me of The Hive).  I even loved the very colourful 4 story climb up the stairs to the conference rooms. Made me feel a little less guilty after eating one (or more) of the delicious cupcakes offered.I have to mention how great the decorations were this year.  The lovely Lauren from Folies du Bonheur made what must have been 4 kilometres of these orange and pink paper garlands.  They were hanging up the four flights of stairs, from the ceiling and on the walls.  It brought so much joy to the venue.

Another great feature this year was the business card map.  Everyone got to pin their card (or my case magnet) on the beige linen map.  Obviously Germany was pretty well represented but it was also so nice to see and read the cards from everyone visiting from all around Europe.  I don’t think I ever saw the map without someone hanging out and admiring the various cards.

And of course there were the talks and workshops.  I heard so many stories about various blogger’s journeys within the blog world and the common denominator in all of them was the advice to blog about what you’re passionate about.  I still love Jenni Fuch’s (from Museum Diary ) quote ”If you don’t feel it, don’t blog it”.  Whether is was Katja from Travelettes, Tina from Traveling Mama or Kat from Zero The One, these women all had amazing (and different) stories, experiences and knowledge that they so generously shared with us all.  A huge thanks to every single one of them. (image above is a peek into Kat’s fascinating video workshop).

The conference founders Peggy and Yvonne did an extraordinary  job at organising everything from the speakers to the catering to even babysitting for little blogger-babies.  I was seriously amazed at how calm and collected they remained throughout the entire week-end.  I can’t wait to hear more about their new The Hive Conference in Copenhagen. (my post about last year’s The Hive is here).

Now off to sew something up with the pretty fabric that was given to us by supercraftlab!

Tags: Berlin, blog, blogging, photography, The Hive Blogging Conference