Foodbuzz Project Food Blog: Ready, Set, Blog!

You won't believe it when I tell you.  In fact, I almost kept it a secret, but it's not possible.  Yours truly is competing in a food bloggers' challenge (sponsored by Foodbuzz) to be the next Food Blog Star!   Here's my profile to prove it. Those of you that have been with me for the last 3 years have noticed the badge over there on the right column, stating I'm a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher.  Well, in these 3 short years, the featured publisher population has risen immensely and out of the (just over) 4,000 publishers, almost half of us are competing.  Yes, that means I'm up against almost 2,000 contestants.  And, might I add that I can pick out my favorites and almost immediately name my pick of a food blog star out of these contestants.  I'm not one to vote for myself.  🙂

I'm so excited in how far I've come to get to this point.  Just over three years ago, my first food blog entry included this horrific photo:

Now I believe I've become much more confident in my photography (with still a long ways to go.)

This competition involves 10 challenges that will test our skills in all areas of food blogging, including photography, writing, videos, creativity, etc.  Only 400 of us will make it past the first round and into the second.  Then it keeps dwindling after that, until only one blogger is left standing and awarded the title of the Next Food Blog Star.  This post is the first challenge where I need to tell you WHY I think you should vote for me.  <Eeek! SO not my forte!)

Why am I running for such a prestigious title and want you to vote for me?  What makes ME so bold to think that I can be crowned as such?  Well, let's just turn that finger around and point it back at YOU.  Yes, YOU!  YOU, YOU, YOU!  How dare YOU?  YOU are the reason I decided to jump in and give this contest a try.

YOU (friends and family) who kept asking me for recipes when I was first married, and forced me to come up with the idea of posting them on a website 3 ½ years ago, because I was too lazy to write them down or email them to you.  And, because of your continuous encouragement over the years;

YOU (darn economy) who decided to take a downhill spike and made us all more money conscious which caused me to focus on cheaper recipes and penny-pinching ideas; hence how my blog conceived the title "Pennies on a Platter";

YOU (other veteran food bloggers) who created such inspiring food blogs that I also had to make my website into an actual hobby;

YOU (marvelous food photographers) who take amazing photos of your dishes and post them for me to see, so that I envy you and strive to learn more in order to enhance my own food photography;

YOU (readers) who stumble over to my blog and make my blog hits rise with each passing moment, so that my heart rate also rises to my joyful excitement;

YOU (commenters) who actually leave me a comment or a sweet email, telling me how much you appreciate my blogging, which makes my toes tingle and my lips smile (I won't talk about those that may leave nasty comments here and there);

And finally...

YOU (Ben, my husband) who eats and eats and eats everything I make, and boasts and raves about what I may think is the dullest recipe.  You, my dear, have no idea I'm doing this (until you see this post) yet I already know I have your biggest support.

YOU (all the above) are the reason for my messy pantry, my extra pounds, my constant thoughts of food, and my improvement in photography.  So, YOU better vote for me!

Voting starts this Monday, September 20.  Don't worry, I'll remind you and supply a link!

Thank YOU!  😉