The Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards Is Being Featured On ShePosts.com

Guess who's being featured on She Posts? We are!

I was interviewed by Laurie White of She Posts about the Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards, and, I have to say, I got fairly misty talking to her about you guys:

Attending Canadian blogging conferences over the last two years and being in touch with so many bloggers through the Awards, I am thrilled to see people bonding and sharing and growing their communities together. I feel very kumbaya about it all.

So head on over and check out our interview! It makes me feel very Mary-Tyler-Moore-throwing-my-hat-in-the-air.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Jeannine Fehr of Vancity Bride

Jeannine Fehr authors the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards winner Vancity Bride, which placed 1st in Best New Weblog, 2nd in Best Designed, and 3rd in Fashion, Style & Design.


Why blogging? Why did you start blogging, and what drives you now?

I was a budget bride myself. I had a difficult time finding vendors in our price range, and, at the time, there weren't any local resources just for budget brides. I thought, someone should do something about it… little did I know it was going to be me!

The main purpose of the blog is to help brides in the Greater Vancouver area who want something frugal yet fabulous. I considered it a hobby when I started, but, as time went on, I fell in love with the industry, and now I can't stop.

Several things motivate me to keep blogging, and the first is my readers. I love making a positive difference in their wedding planning and getting them all the answers they need to know. Second, I love meeting talented vendors in the industry, both well-known and up-and-comers. Hearing their stories is just so inspiring and allows me to have a better perspective on how the industry works. Most of all, I just love blogging… I've never blogged before Vancity Bride, so I'm really glad I started!



Do you find that people and businesses in the wedding industry in your area like the work that you do through Vancity Bride, or is it difficult to make inroads in such a competitive niche?

I get a lot of positive feedback from brides, readers and people in the industry. Part of my goal is to make brides aware of the options that are available to them, so whatever I write about mutually benefits the readers and the vendors I'm highlighting. The wedding industry in Vancouver is definitely competitive, but Vancity Bride blends in quite well. I have great relationships with many people in the industry, from those just starting out to experienced professionals, and it's important for me to maintain the mutual respect we have for each other.

What are some of the quirkier wedding-related items and events that you've come across?

The best answer for that is the wedding show I attended last month. It's called Indie I Do, and it offers alternative wedding vendors for couples who want something unique. They had bellydancers and burlesque dancers as possible wedding entertainment, a lot of vintage jewelry and accessories, and even Gothic/Rock and Roll inspired wedding gowns. I've been to this show once before I got married, and I knew I had to go again!

If you are feeling less than inspired, where do you look for inspiration?

I find inspiration from the people I talk to, from friends, brides, or those in the industry. I also come up with ideas for articles based on what I would've liked to know when I was planning my wedding. The best articles I write are the ones that are the most informative and offer lots of practical advice. If all else fails, I go to my quiet place and brainstorm.

Are you open about being a blogger? How do people offline react to your online writing?

I am open and proud of my blog, for sure! I know my blog is geared for a certain niche, but those who aren't in that niche still seem to appreciate and support the work that I do, especially since they know it makes me happy.

Are you open about being a blogger? How do people offline react to your online writing?

Only write what you're passionate about. The more you love your topic, the easier it is to be motivated to write. Keeping a calendar with a schedule of your upcoming posts will also help you stay on track and plan future posts. Most importantly, be active on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Trust me, it helps get your name out there and show off your personality!

CHEAT SHEET

Name: Location: Weblog: Social Media: 2011 CWA Winner:

Jeannine Fehr Vancouver, British Columbia Vancity Bride Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest 1st in Best New Weblog 2nd in Best Designed 3rd in Fashion, Style & Design

Meet the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards Jury

The Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards are a juried awards, which means that all of the nominated weblogs are judged by a jury using our ten criteria for design and content.

We put a call out for volunteer jurors in the fall, and 46 people came forward to be on the jury this year. Our jurors worked hard throughout the month of January over two rounds of judging to unearth the best of Canadian blogs from our list of 461 nominees. I have said this before, but it's true: without our jurors, these awards could not exist as a celebration of quality blogging in Canada.

As a thank you to them, we have rounded up a number of their bios so that you can meet the real engine behind the Awards:

Say hello to the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards jurors!

Thank you very much, you guys. You made this happen, you make this possible, and I am thrilled to have been able to work with you.

The Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards Calendar

Over the first two seasons, the Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards' calendar was set so that the winners could be announced at midnight on New Year's Eve. That turned out to be a rather lofty goal, because December is a busy holiday month, and I want our volunteer jurors to be able to enjoy these awards, too.

With that in mind, we adjusted this year's calendar so that everyone — the nominees, the jurors, and I — can all put our best into these awards:

February 1 – November 31, 2012
Nominate your favourite Canadian weblogs.

January 1 – January 14, 2013
A volunteer jury chooses the top five weblogs in each category using our ten criteria for content and design.

January 15, 2013
The Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards nominee shortlist is announced.

January 16 – January 30, 2013
The volunteer jury chooses the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category using our ten criteria for content and design, plus points for category fit and a registered domain name.

January 31, 2013
The Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards winners are announced!

Let us know if you have any questions!

Nominations for the Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards Are Open!

Now that the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards winners have been announced, it is time for our 2012 season to begin!

Our goal is to support and promote quality Canadian blogging, so nominations are open between February 1st and November 31st so that we can keep a running blogroll of Canada's blogging talent throughout the year. This means that nominations for the Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards are open!

Anyone can nominate weblogs for an award — whether you're Canadian or not, whether you're a blogger or not — so have at it. Give quality Canuck blogs their due!

To nominate your favourite Canadian weblogs, check out our FAQ and use our handy dandy nomination form.

Let's make our third season our best yet!

The Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards Winners!

The Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards are coming to a close!

Over the past year, the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards saw 461 nominations across 37 categories. Our 46 volunteer jurors have worked hard over the course of this January using our ten criteria to judge each of the 461 weblogs in the first round and each of the approximately 175 in the second round to arrive at our winning weblogs. Our jurors have been a flexible and generous group, and I am thrilled to have been able to work with them over the last month. They are what make this Awards possible as a tool to promote weblogs of quality across Canada regardless of popularity.

And with that, we are pleased to announce the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in the Ninjamatics' 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards!

Best Weblog About Art & Photography
Art et photographie

First: Dream, Create
Second: Tracy Risinger Photography
Third: KellyNeil.com

Best Weblog About Arts & Culture
Arts et culture

First: Reeder Reads
Second: East Coast By Choice
Third: THE Blog

Best Designed Weblog
Meilleur design

First: Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Second: Vancity Bride
Third: No Ordinary Rollercoaster

Best New Weblog (for weblogs created after July 31, 2010)
Meilleur nouveau blogue (blogues créés après le 31 juillet 2010)

First: Vancity Bride
Second: Vanilla & Spice
Third: The Best of This Life

Best Written Weblog
Meilleurs textes

First: The Marvelous in Nature
Second: No Ordinary Rollercoaster
Third: Tanveer Naseer

Best Weblog About Business & Career
Affaires et carrières

First: Tanveer Naseer
Second: The Marketing Boutique
Third: Danny Brown

Best Comics Weblog
Bande dessinée

First: Troops of Doom Comic
Second: Weregeek
Third: A Softer World

Best Weblog About Crafting
Artisanat

First: Lifeologia
Second: I Made It So
Third: Ali Does It Herself

Best Weblog About Ecology & Social Justice
Écologie et justice sociale

First: SEWNatural
Second: Eco Yogini
Third: Adventures In Local Food

Best Weblog About Education
Education

First: Teaching By the Book
Second: Images of Learning Project
Third: Doug – Off the Record

Best Weblog by an Ex-Pat
Expatriés

First: Finding Me in France
Second: 365 Fashion Rehab
Third: montrealzen

Best Weblog About Family & Parenting
Famille et enfants

First: Home to Heather
Second: Coffee With Julie
Third: Under the High Chair

Best Weblog About Fashion, Style & Design
Mode, style et design

First: Dream, Create
Second: The Backseat Stylers
Third: Vancity Bride

Best Feminist Weblog
Féminisme

First: Gender Focus
Second: Je suis féministe
Third: Brilliant Woman

Best Weblog About Food & Drink
Cuisine et breuvages

First: Crumb: A Food Blog
Second: Vanilla & Spice
Third: Cookin' Canuck

Best French Language Weblog
En français

First: Je suis féministe
Second: Ce que j'ai dans le ventre
Third: Comme la fois où j'ai eu un pogoball

Best Weblog About Gardening
Jardinage

First: You Grow Girl
Second: Bloomingwriter
Third: The Kitchen Magpie

Best Group Weblog
Blogue collectif

First: Criticize This!
Second: Je suis féministe
Third: CornerBrooker.com

Best Weblog About Health & Wellness (includes physical and mental health and disabilities)
Santé et bien-être (incluant santé physique, mentale et handicaps)

First: HealthyBalanceBlog
Second: Weighty Matters
Third: Covenant House Vancouver's On the House

Best Humour Weblog
Humour

First: Ironic Mom
Second: Cheaper Than Therapy
Third: creatinglittlemonsters

Best LGBTQ Weblog
GLBTQ

First: Crazy Lesbian Mom
Second: Alfred Lives Here
Third: Two Moms to Be

Best Life Weblog
Mode de vie

First: No Ordinary Rollercoaster
Second: The Kitchen Magpie
Third: Casie Stewart: This Is My Life

Lifetime Achievement Award (for weblogs created before January 1, 2005)
Prix d'excellence pour l'ensemble de son œuvre (blogues créés avant le 1er janvier 2005)

First: Weighty Matters
Second: HelloMelissa.net
Third: Cheaty Monkey Coin-Operated Boy

Due to a counting error — as Barbie would say, math is hard! — we have had to re-award third place in Lifetime Achievement. Cheaty gallantly came forward to show us the error. She is a queen among bloggers.

Best Media & Journalism Weblog
Médias et journalisme

First: Criticize This!
Second: iPhone In Canada
Third: The Movie Blog

Best Microblog (Twitter, Tumblr, Identi.ca, Jaiku, Posterous, etc.)
Microblogue (Twitter, Tumblr, Identi.ca, Jaiku, Posterous, etc.)

First: ShopMyClothes.com (tumblr)
Second: @all_caps (twitter)
Third: @hotelqueen (twitter)

Best Military Weblog
Armée

First: A Military Wife's Mayhem
Second: This Is My Blog
Third: Cops and Donuts

Best Weblog About Music
Musique

First: The WildWorks Station
Second: Unbrelievable
Third: True Vine Productions

Best Weblog About Nature
Nature

First: Memorizing Nature
Second: The Marvelous in Nature
Third: Strattons Farm

Best Placeblog (contains local political/social/arts/community articles about a place)
Placeblogue (contenant des articles sur la politique/vie sociale/arts/communauté dans une localité)

First: I Spy Montréal
Second: Hello Ottawa
Third: CornerBrooker.com

Best Podcast & Vlog
Podcast et vlog

First: Audio Smut
Second: Questions and Cocktails

Best Political Weblog
Politique

First: Prairie Dog Magazine's Dog Blog
Second: Russ Campbell's Blog
Third: On Procedure and Politics

Best Weblog About Pop Culture & Entertainment
Pop culture et spectacles

First: Couchtime
Second: Reeder Reads
Third: Criticize This!

Best Weblog About Religion, Spirituality & Philosophy
Religion, spiritualité et philosophie

First: Emerging Mummy
Second: Canadian Atheist
Third: The Spirit That Moves Me

Best Weblog About Science, Technology & the Internet
Science, technologie et Internet

First: Erica Glasier: Oversocialized!
Second: CMS Critic
Third: Sync

Best Weblog About Sports, Fitness & Recreation
Sports, condition physique et loisirs

First: Some Good Adventure
Second: Long Track Long Shot
Third: Calgary Playground Review

Best Weblog About Travel
Voyage

First: Gourmet Fury
Second: Breathedreamgo
Third: Have Baby Will Travel

Best Weblog About Writing & Literature
Écriture et littérature

First: Ill Seen, Ill Said
Second: THE Blog
Third: Calling Shotgun


Congratulations to all the winners! Tell people about your win and grab a button for your blog.

Nominations for the Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards open tomorrow, so nominate your favourites for the coming year!

Proposed Changes to the Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards Category List

For this coming 2012 Ninjamatics' Canadian Weblog Awards season, I am planning on making a few changes to the the categories.

As these Awards grow up and the world of weblogs goes through its own shifts and changes, the categories need a little fine tuning. Some categories in the the 2011 season's categories have proven to be a poor fit for some weblogs, some categories will do better being incorporated into others, and some may or may not need to be in the list at all.

I have come up with a proposed 2012 category list that removes the Microblog category, as microblogging platforms such as Twitter are quite a different animal from weblogs, and they aren't a good fit here. I have combined Business & Career with Military, Arts & Culture with Music, and Gardening with Nature. A new category I am proposing as part of an answer to this question is Disability, although that specific title is tentative.

Here is the proposed Ninjamatics' 2012 Canadian Weblog Awards category list:

Art & Photography / Art et photographie
Arts & Culture / Arts et culture
Best Designed / Meilleur design
Best New Weblog / Meilleur nouveau blogue
Best Written / Meilleurs textes
Business & Career / Affaires et carrières
Comics / Bande dessinée
Crafting / Artisanat
Disability (or Special Needs, maybe?)
Ecology & Social Justice / Écologie et justice sociale
Education / Education
Ex-Pat / Expatriés
Family & Parenting / Famille et enfants
Fashion, Style & Design / Mode, style et design
Feminist / Féminisme
Food & Drink / Cuisine et breuvages
French Language / En français
Group Weblog / Blogue collectif
Health & Wellness / Santé et bien-être
Humour / Humour
LGBTQ / GLBTQ
Life / Mode de vie
Lifetime Achievement / Prix d'excellence pour l'ensemble de son œuvre
Media & Journalism / Médias et journalisme
Nature and Gardening / Nature et Jardinage
Placeblog / Placeblogue
Podcast & Vlog / Podcast et vlog
Political / Politique
Pop Culture & Entertainment / Pop culture et spectacles
Religion, Spirituality & Philosophy / Religion, spiritualité et philosophie
Science, Technology & the Internet / Science, technologie et Internet
Sports, Fitness & Recreation / Sports, condition physique et loisirs
Travel / Voyage
Writing & Literature / Écriture et littérature

What are your thoughts on this list? Are there categories that you think can be added, subtracted, or combined? Do you have any thoughts about the category titles? What should the title be for the Disability category?