In case you haven't noticed in the DOZENS of tweets going out in the last few weeks, or the giant button in my sidebar, or the Instagram updates...

Excited is not a word I would use to describe the mix of emotions I feel about going to my first (and hopefully not last) ever blogging conference.  The fact that this one is so close to home is a welcomed bonus and that it's being run by a blogger I have grown to admire over the last few months is really some sweet icing on this bloggy  cupcake.  Jen of Rambling Renovators is kind of like my Canadian Blogger Hero.  She's da bomb diggidy and I'm not afraid to say it.So what happens when you're going to a blogging conference?  Well I'm not exactly an expert - see the question marks in the title of this post?  Yeah... I'm ASKING, not TELLING!  In my imagination, I will get to connect with some really super cool people over Twitter like Alex, and Brittany, and Julie, and Casey, and Amy, and I could go on and on and on! Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to meeting these super cool ladies and many others.  So here's what my best guesses are based on several posts from other bloggers on how to prepare for a blogging conference...

What I'm bringing:

1. Water - gotta keep hydrated.  We're in for a LONG day!
2. Mints - too obvious?  I mean, we'll be talking to people literally ALL DAY LONG... be nice to them!
3. Cute phone case - because it never hurts!
4. Notebook - I'll want to remember all the amazing things I'm going to learn that day (bring this if you're old school like me... a fancy iPad if you're not!)
5. Pen - not just for us old school hand-writers!  This one is always handy!
6. A large tote for all the goodies we will be leaving with and all the stuff we will be coming with, like the two below...
7. A scarf - because conference rooms can be chilly!
8. A pair of comfortable shoes - (if you're not already wearing some) because seriously, just the thought of heels from 8am to 8pm is nothing short of daunting and painful!
9. BUSINESS CARDS!  It's been a hot topic on Twitter lately... we're all either patiently waiting to start handing them out or freaking out because they haven't arrived yet.  If you're part of the latter, don't worry... you'll be ok!  (More on my own cards coming up!)

These are not pictured up there, but I am adding them in because I absolutely cannot forget these things:

1. Hand moisturizer - hands will be shaken and though many of us DIY'ers are used to the feel of sandpaper, I'd rather it not also be felt when people shake my hand!
2. A hair elastic (or two) because it's a long day, and a quick pony doesn't hurt when you're trying to take notes and such!
3. THESE!!!  Oh em gee, people the Spin Pins are LIFE ALTERINGLY AWESOME.  Who needs a sock bun when you can just twist your hair and then twist a couple of these into it?  Oh and these puppies will hold your hair up all day long.  Believe.  I started using these when I had hair down to my butt and they were amazing.  Oh throw in some regular bobby pins, too!
4. A phone charger.  I have a STRONG feeling my phone will die on Saturday, and missing photo ops is just not something I'm willing to do.  Look for the girl crouching down to find a plug!
5. A little lip gloss/chapstick.  Copious amounts of talking will be happening here, so this ia MUST!

 

What I'm wearing:

You can see the full list of items by clicking the link above.  I created this collection on Polyvore with items as accurate as possible to what I actually own.Outfit #1 consists of dark wash skinnies, a chambray shirt and black blazer accessorized with a gold necklace (maybe a pink one for some colour?) and black ankle boots.Outfit #2 still has the dark wash skinnies and ankle boots, but this time it'll be worn with a black, short sleeve shirt and an infinity scarf for a bit of warmth.  It's supposed to be a nice day here on Saturday, but the weather is insane lately, so who knows. 

The business cards:

This is uncharted territory in the world of Thalita, and in the world of The Learner Observer, though obviously not in the world.  I get it... people show off their cards all the time and this is really nothing new for everyone, just for me, so I hope you'll be kind!  I designed these myself using Picmonkey and printed them using MOO.  I cannot tell you how happy I am with their customer service and the quality of the cards.  They exceeded my expectations, starting with the packaging.  You may have seen this on Instagram:

Yeah, the packaging comes with a "yay" sicker on it.  I know... love them already!  One of my favourite parts of MOO's service is Printfinity.  This means you can design the front of the card as you want, and print as many different designs on the back as you want!  Can you believe that?!  AS MANY AS YOU WANT!  I originally had eleven.  Too many.  Seriously... what was I thinking?!  So I settled on seven different designs.

My husband suggested the QR code, which I had not seriously considered until I read Lauren's post (which is amazing, by the way) on her very own MOO business cards.  She sold me on it because it just makes perfect sense!  It's so easy to use and anyone with a QR scanner can be taken right to the site.  The designs on the back are projects I've worked on in the past year, the logo currently up on the blog and a fun little set of questions, which I have seen on a lot of cards (including Lauren's).  They don't say "Imitation is the highest form of flattery" for nothing, right?  Oh and if you use THIS LINK you're helping me get some more business cards thanks to MOO's referral services.

So which outfit would you pick?  How did I do for my first business card design? And what wise words can you share with me for my first conference?

How much longer until Saturday?