IDS West Re-Cap and Blend 2011


A year after having a conversation over lunch with Nancy, Karla and Victoria, our dream of having a blogger soiree during the IDS West show became a reality! It all came together beautifully, with Ikea Canada jumping on board and paying for the whole thing - yes - food, drinks, the venue, swag bag goodies AND offered up a $1000 gift card too!

The ladies at Ikea Canada as absolutely fabulous, not only are they incredibly talented and passionate but so kind. I am thrilled to be able to work with them again in the future.

Another fabulous sponsor was Delta Faucets, they helped with our incidental costs and donating fabulous door prizes too; decor books and faucets.

My weekend started with the IDS West Opening Night party, where we were given a sneak peek of the whole show, yummy canapes and wine. I received a VIP invite to the Jenn-Air booth as well, their appliances are so impressive!



On Saturday evening, after all our hard work, our blogger soiree we called Blend 2011 came to life! We held it at The Loden Hotel, a fabulous boutique hotel downtown Vancouver. The food was amazing and the company equally superb!



The Designer Guild pillow from The Cross came home with me!

 Zoe Pawlak and Jen Knight {PR Ikea Coquitlam}



 Carol, The Design Pages and Michelle, I Dream of Chairs




 Myself, Nancy, Suzanne Dimma, Karla and Victoria


Suzanne Dimma and Mark Challen


Not only did Ikea Canada sponsor the whole event but they brought famous guests with them as well. Suzanne Dimma, editor-in-chief for Canadian House and Home, Mark Challen, VP of Communications {also a fabulous designer} and Kelly Deck from Kelly Deck Designs, our local HGTV star and the next "Sarah Richardson" of design!

I was star struck, wanted to pick their brains but with all that was going on, I managed to just thank them for coming and get my photos taken!


Mark Challen


Kelly Deck



The Prizes

That evening, the party continued up in our suite! Yes, we had a suite at the hotel, we grabbed platters and my favourite girls from Birch & Bird went and got more wine! We stayed up until 2:30 AM chatting non-stop.

In the morning, a few of us met for brunch at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, yum!


I so enjoyed meeting bloggers face to face and rubbing shoulders with Canadian designers!

We are looking forward to planning out next event, which we hope will be bigger and better!

If you are a design or lifestyle blogger from Canada's West, why don't you join us?
Send me an email and I can connect you to our network or you can follow our blog!

XO Barbara


Photos:
1, 2, 18 : Sheila Zeller
4, 6-11: Sari McNamee
3, 5, 15-17: Darryl Bueckert



18 comments

  1. What a great event! It's so much fun and so rewarding to meet other bloggers in person. I think it's wonderful you have a Canada West network too - that would be wonderful to have in our area. Thanks for the recap!

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  2. It was a hoot! Thanks for the photo credits. I still have a photo from IDS West I need to send you.

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  3. Barbara, I am so glad you had that beautiful pillow, you all deserve a big applause for putting together such an event. Looking forward to the next one.

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  4. Congrats on putting together such a great event!! So sad I couldn't make it, looked like a fab time!

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  5. What a fun night! Thanks again for all of your efforts...can't wait until the next one!
    ~Lily from Birch + Bird
    www.birchandbird.com

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  6. What a great recap! Thank you for all your hard work in organizing this event. There hasn't been a day gone by that I haven't reflected on how grateful I am to have been a part of this, and to be a part of dlbWEST. I am so happy to have met so many of the bloggers, and just to be connected with such amazing people.

    Thank you for the photo credits! I'm looking so forward to what comes next :-)

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  7. A beautiful event and congratulations on planning it so carefully and getting sponsors...way to go.

    Helen Tilston
    xx

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  9. It was such a fabulous evening! Thanks for all your hard work! Loved reliving the evening through your post, and I can't wait to see what happens next year! (or sooner!)

    Whoops! Sorry, that was me above! :) signed in with the wrong account!

    Meesh

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  10. It looks like it was fabulous... hope I can be there next year!

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  11. Thanks for your organizing prowess. You girls rocked it! Can't wait for next year.

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  12. It was a night to remember! Such a great group!!

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  13. Looks like a fabulous and fun event! Thanks for sharing with us.

    By the way, I am hosting a fabulous giveaway. Come by and enter for a chance to win a stylish travel bag (worth $75) by Scout when you get a chance! Don't miss out!

    Jessie
    www.mixandchic.com

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  14. Wowza...what fun! You helped put on quite the event and everyone looked so good!

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  15. It looks like everyone had a great time. Everyone looked so beautiful. I am so happy you got that gorgeous pillow. Love the different shades of blue.

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  16. Pleazzzeee, include the whole North West next time! I would be up there in a heartbeat!

    But now I am looking forward to my own private gathering in Vancouver when I will get to meet with you and Ms. Nancy! Super fun!

    Hugs,

    Mon

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