I’m not sure where the last few weeks have gone, Christmas has passed even faster than the rest of the year and that zoomed by. In 2017 I went from being on maternity leave to a stay at home mum, not a huge change I guess, but the removal of my regular income and previous identity has taken a little getting used to. It was absolutely the right choice for me as I wasn’t happy in my job and while being at home all the time is hard work I have loved seeing Little develop and being there more for my big girl.
I love blogging and all the related opportunities I have had this year. I have made new friends and learnt new skills and there have been countless amazing and surreal moments where I have thought “Really? This is my job?”. These moments have included wine tastings, meeting celebrities, posing with PJ Masks characters, playing with toys and eating half a tub of chocolate sauce and strawberries while trying to take a perfect picture. It’s a pretty varied life and it’s great to have something to push me out of comfort zone curled up on the corner of the sofa. I think the conferences (BlogOn, BML17 and Mumsnet Influencers) and events have been both the hardest and most rewarding experiences.
My blog and social media has grown well this year with my followers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook nearly doubling in number. I’m ending the year with a social following of 10k which I’m pretty proud of. I have started to publish video’s on YouTube in 2017 and recently had 2000 views on my most popular video.
I have hosted twitter parties, run some fabulous giveaways and published sponsored posts on my blog and social media. My work is reaching more people with higher page views, being featured on the front page of Mumsnet Influencers a few times and my photographs being used by several companies to promote their products. I am yet to receive any award nominations, but I’m happy to have spent most of the year in the top 500 of Tots100 (a ranking system for UK Parent Blogs) and ended the year at number 323.
Looking through my work for the year I am surprised by the number and range of companies I have worked with. Big and small there have been some incredibly generous and lovely people so a huge thank you to the lovely PRs, brands and outreach managers I have worked with in 2017.
Brands I worked with include:
Toys
Brainstorm, Cartamundi, Geomag, Golden Bear, Hape, Hornby Hobbies, Irish Fairy Door Company, Leap Frog, Lego, Little Tikes, MGA Entertainment, Miffy, Pen Wizard, Ravensburger, Snazaroo, Spin Master, Sri Toys, TJ Hughes, Toddlebike, Topps, Toy State, Very Hungry Caterpillar and WOW Toys
Kids Products and Activities
Alex and Alexa, Babease, Better Gyms, Bibetta, Boots Mini Club, ChewyMoon, Elastoplast, Furry Friends, Infacare, Kinder By Nature, Little Chickie, Messy Me, Nick Jr, Oxo Tots, Term Footwear,
Tots To Travel and Young Driver
Food
Ciao Gusto, Coop, Dolmio, Free From Baking, Prezzo, Soreen, Swizzels and True Tea Club
Beauty and Health
Afterspa, Baylis & Harding, BioCare, Flex, Ideal World, Nature’s Best, Nutri Advanced, Sensse, Tena, Vicks, YourZooki
Home and Lifestyle
Aldi, BuyAGift, CaseStation, Ebay, Energenie, FindMeAGift, HomeSense, Hotter Shoes, MenKind, National Jigsaw Day, National Stationary Week, Next, Panasonic, Petplan, Pretty Gifted, Qwerkity, Red Letter Days, SEHBAC, Sports Direct, Three, Vremi, Whiskas and Zoggs
My biggest thank you has to go to all the people that read my blog regularly and take time to comment on my social media. I really appreciate every single person.
It has been an amazing year, but I have big plans for 2018 so watch this space.
Finally got round to reading this, I'm so impressed by how you've grown your blog this year, you're doing brilliantly! As someone with kids the same age I don't know how you find the time or energy!! Wishing you another successful year this year.
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