The Liebster Blog Award

Lately, I have very little time to devote to my blog. School and work take up most of my time these days, but this is what I signed up for.

So it was with surprise and delight that I was nominated for the Liebster Blog Award by redheadedstitcher a few days ago. Thanks Red!

The rules for Liebster award are:

• Post 11 random facts about myself
• Answer 11 questions given from the person who gave you the award
• Nominate 11 blogs I like

Here are my eleven random facts about myself.

1. For many years, I worked in retail selling china and crystal.

2. I own way more china and crystal than is reasonable for an average person. See #1.

3. When I watch TV programs with people eating at the dinner table, I always know the name of the china pattern, who made it, and sometimes the pattern number. See #1.

4. I am currently going to nursing school. Just hit the halfway point!

5. I collect cross stitch patterns and file them neatly in plastic sleeves that are now in two huge binders. There are more than can ever be stitched in this lifetime, but I keep buying them.

6. I love period films and miniseries.

7. I spent $250 getting the Advocare 24 Day Challenge diet stuff and then cheated…..repeatedly.

8. At one point in my life I wanted to be a librarian, and spend my life surrounded by books.

9. The mere thought of jumping out of a plane or bungee jumping makes my palms sweat.

10. I would love to learn Clare de Lune, but I lack the discipline to practice my piano.

11. I express love and compassion in practical ways. Sometimes I worry that the people in my life do not know how much I truly care for them.

Here are the 11 questions I have been given to answer which are the questions I want the blogs I’ve nominated to answer:

1. Why did you start this blog?   To write reviews of books that I have read, as well as share my cross stitch projects.  In real life, it was very difficult to find people who had the same interests. I am very inspired by how talented people are.

2. How many blogs do you follow?   Honestly I don’t know. I have some book blogging buddies that have been around for years and FB’s Sunday Salon has terrific bloggers. I have links that are old and others that are not linked that I look at. One of my “after school is over” resolutions is to update and reorganize my contacts.

3. What makes you happy?  Many, many things. I enjoy simple pleasures.

4. What are you grateful for?  The good health of my family. Just recently, my eighty-year old father was diagnosed with cancer and was in surgery a few days later. Not even a week after, he is home, ambulating fine, and in no pain.

5. What is your favorite food?  I love food! How can I pick just one thing?! My favorite is what I am craving at this moment.

6. What sort of weather do you like best?  We get a lot of rain here in Oregon. It keeps everything green and lush, but it can get old. Today it is sunny, in the high sixties, and the air smells like flowers. It’s gorgeous. But rainy days are not all bad. It can be great when you just want to sit at home, read a book, do cross stitch, or watch a movie.

7. Which famous person would you most like to meet?  Tough to choose. Do they have to be living? Because if not, I would love to meet some favorite authors like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell, or Mary Elizabeth Braddon. What inspired Lady Audley’s Secret? Inquiring minds want to know! I would also love to chat with Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Margaret Sanger, or Dorothea Dix. Go here to get an overview on some famous nurses throughout history.

8. Where would you most like to go on vacation?  Fantasy vacation would have to be Maui or Fiji. Just a tad out of our price range. However, we have booked a few days R&R out on the coast after I graduate from school. We are going to be staying in one of those deluxe yurts.  They are super cool and we had to book it months in advance. Check this pic out!

9. What sort of books do you like to read?  I read a wide variety of genres, and many of my favorites were recommended by other book bloggers. Most of them fall under the vast umbrella of “literature”. Right now I am reading Clara and Mr. Tiffany which is about the maker of the beautiful Tiffany lamps and such. I also like crime fiction, but I haven’t found a really great author in some time.

10. What sort of music do you prefer? The other night at work I was listening to the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack. Does it get any better than that? My other tastes run song to song, even within bands. So I have a mish-mash of music from different eras.

11. What characteristic do you hope other people value in you? In my real life, it’s probably something boring like reliability.  But different people see different things in me, just like I do them. I try to be a good person with high standards and a good work ethic, so I don’t concern myself too much with this.

I nominate these blogs for the Liebster Award.

Melody’s Reading Corner

Hello, My Name is Alice

Musings of a Bookish Kitty

The 3 R’s Blog

Squazi and the Chickens

Peace, Love, and Stitching

Sadie Belle Reads

Nose in a Book

Iris on Books

My Head is Full of Books

Books in the Burbs

Happy reading and stitching everyone!