old country house blog

Design Bloggers Conference 2016 – SOME HIGHLIGHTS!

Coming to you LIVE from the Design Bloggers Conference in ATLANTA !

I felt a tad guilty, leaving 2 kids with the flu  home with Dad for 4 days but, yesterday I kissed their hot foreheads and headed to Atlanta for the 6th and my 3rd Design Bloggers Conference!

BUNNY WILLIAMS AT THE 2015 Design Bloggers Conference
BUNNY WILLIAMS AT THE 2015 Design Bloggers Conference

..on the PLUS side I am happy to report that my eldest , Tate, home from UVA on his Spring break , has joined me! He slept in for the morning speakers but joined me at lunch and struck up  a great conversation with the Morning Keynote Speaker – Cynthia Rowley, YES , CYNTHIA ROWLEY...who among all the millions of things she does… Including being born exactly one day before me… Is now designing surf boards – Tate’s big love!!!

CYNTHIA ROWLEY IS A LEO!
CYNTHIA ROWLEY IS A LEO! SHE LOVES ART AND FASHION, DESIGN, CYCLING AND SURFING…AND SHE IS AMAZING! PHOTO – NIGEL BARKER

Tate and his new friend Cynthia  talked Project Runway and Surfing while I simply pinched myself ! Cynthia has a whole line of GORGEOUS women’s swimwear and wetsuits...you really need to check these out! I am absolutely in LOVE with her more than ever now and must find a way to collaborate of something! She started out as an ARTIST!

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SHORTLY BEFORE LUNCH –  WE MET Justina Blakeney !!1 JUSTINA spoke ABOUT  – Among other things, HER recently released NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER –

THE NEW  BOHEMIANS …

THE NEW BOHEMIANS
THE NEW BOHEMIANS

JUSTINA BLAKENEY GAVE A MASTER CLASS – SHARING HER  INTERNET WISDOM – SHE aspires to be the Bohemian chic design goddess (I kind of think she already is!) I love her Straightforward no-nonsense approach to the business of blogging and Branding! JUSTINA has such vision and clarity! I did NOT get a photo but instead did a little doodle of her…

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INDIA HICKS

A GODDESS…..just spoke and I can honestly say she might be one of the best… most engaging, FUNNY and entertaining speakers I have ever had the pleasure of seeing and hearing. Add the British accent and the “brilliant” family history… and she had me mesmerized the entire time.

INDI TOKEN - YES, SHE ALSO DOES JEWLERY AND I ADORE THESE TOKENS...YOU MUST CHECK THESE OUT!!!
INDI TOKEN – YES, SHE ALSO DESIGNS AND SELLS JEWLERY AND I ADORE THESE TOKENS…YOU MUST CHECK THESE OUT!!!

I always love it too when I meet someone with kids the same ages as mine! Somehow I feel a kinship. Her eldest is also 19!!!

INDIA HICKS - APPLES AND TREES KIND OF THING!
INDIA HICKS SON  – APPLES AND TREES KIND OF THING! BEAUTIFUL APPLES  FALL FROM BEAUTIFUL TREES!

DURING THE Q AND A part, someone  asked India about “the wedding”… it took a moment for me to register “what wedding????” …and then I remembered …DUH! You know, Charles and Diana!!!!!  Her Godfather is royalty! She told a sweet rid bit about Diana getting ready in her centuries old exquisite Royal tiara… And jeans …. Brilliant!

INIDA HICKS AND HER "MADDISON MAY" BAG, NAMED AFTER HER GOD DAUGHTER
INIDA HICKS AND HER “MADDISON MAY” BAG, NAMED AFTER HER GOD DAUGHTER

SHE  is so charming in her honest account of growing up with a Famous Father as a designer…in homes like Downton Abbey and I loved HER Truse love for her Father…which radiated as she spoke. She is quite down to earth…all things considered and I absolutely love that she had Dave Matthews to visit with his family and did not know..until her left…WHO he was!!! They shared Tequilla and a love for beetles! I love her. Check out India’s blog too!

Now we are on to SEO and other more technical issues and my head is swimming with ideas! There has not been a bad one in the bunch..all the speakers have been engaging and bright …I have already made new friends…and can’t wait to grab my front row seat again tomorrow!!!!

Thanks for letting em share my adventures with you~

I LOVE WHAT I DO! IF YOU ARE HERE AND WNAT TO MEET – LET ME KNOW VIA TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM!

More to come !!!! TOMORROW – NATHAN TURNER AND MARY MCDONALD!!!!

4 thoughts on “Design Bloggers Conference 2016 – SOME HIGHLIGHTS!

  1. WowI love India Hicks … I have her books, read her blogs, her home was the inspiration for one of my ORC’s ( really a lot of my rooms !!!)… and I live in Atlanta. I should have gotten myself together and attended!! I’m glad it’s so wonderful and that Tate is seeing Atlanta at it’s warm springtime best. College Spring Breaks are soooo early that it’s hard to find warm weather even in the deeper South!! Y’all have fun, enjoy Atlanta and maybe I’ll meet you next year in ATL!! I’m actually going to be near you in VA in April!!

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