Apologies and Awards

I have been exceptionally naughty through business and illness, not to have acknowledged some awards i've been getting.  Ladies, I apologise deeply!  It's always nice to receive an award and to read the lovely comments that go with them and I can't bear to be thought of as ungrateful for not acknowledging them in a more timely manner.  So here goes...

Mummy Boo Bear of Stitchery Pokery gave me this award back in March (!!!!).  It's for a blog which gives "great attitude".  Thankyou!  I like to be a bit bold and a bit different with my blogging so this is much appreciated.

In May, Alex of Pink Feather Paradise awarded this to me for "helpful hints, tips and a blog which is always fresh and interesting".  Awwww... Thank you Alex!  This is exactly what I aim to do so I'm glad you're finding it so!  I hope others are too.

Also in May came this award from Julia over at Primrose Corner.  It's for 'friendship'.  Julia and I correspond and tweet often - we seem to have a lot in common and have shared many a rant about the state of life, the universe and everything.  Thankyou Julia, your bloggy friendship is also greatly valued and enjoyed by me.

And just the other day, Andrea over at Indigo Blue awarded me this because she says, my blog (amongst others ofcourse!) makes her smile.  Andrea, your blog makes me smile too, it was one of the first blogs I read when I started out on this blogging journey and I always find something inspiring there.

I currently have 129 blogs on my Bloglines blogroll, including all of those on the sidebar over there to the right (I think it needs updating!) and in addition to many of the blogs which I 'follow' through Blogger.  I may not get time to comment on all of them, but rest assured, if you're reading mine, i'm reading yours and having lots of fun doing so.  Frankly, I find real life blogs much more interesting than magazines, and would choose my Bloglines (etc.,) over any ladies magazine, any day and so I would pass all of these awards on to all of you - take your pick!  

Now if there was an award for "Most Intrepid Traveller of the Year", I would award it to BillieJane over at Technobillies.  You must go and read all about her adventures right away.  She, and some other professional soap making ladies, have taken their lives into their hands, and travelled to one of the most dangerous places in the world to teach Nigerian ladies how to make soap in order to make a living for themselves and their families.  They returned a few days ago, and BillieJane has been dutifully updating her blog each day with her stories.  It's a rivitting read I can tell you, and i'm waiting every day with baited breath for the next instalment.

Shine a Light!

This morning as I was basking in the warm morning sunshine, I sensed my first whiff of spring. The birds have started singing in the mornings and evenings, and there's that certain smell in the air which heralds a change in season. When an aeroplane passed overhead, painting it's crisp white jetstream on the perfectly blue sky, I just had to grab the camera. Such a difference to this time last week when all the white stuff was on the ground!

I've won a couple of awards too, the first from Julia at Primrose Corner and the second from Helen at Angharad Handmade. Thank you ladies for thinking of me and my blog and for your lovely comments and bloggy friendship! I find you both pretty inspiring too!


This one requires me to list 5 addictions. I think i've seen these awards on most of the blogs I read, so I will pass on passing it on if I may.

As someone with an addictive personality i'm an all or nothing sort of girl and generally have more addictions than you can shake a needle at. They are ever changing too, so here are my current 5 :

1) Booja Booja Chocolates - have you tried these yet? I received a box today, and one for my birthday last month, and one for Christmas, and Easter ... I could go on. Suffice to say, that if you haven't tried them, you are missing out on a whole lot of pleasure. What's more, they are organic, fair trade, vegan and gluten free. Good for everyone. Share the love that's what I say. Each box comes with a Boojagram. I have quite a collection of these!

2) Knitting. There has been a further spate of burned dinners and shoddy housekeeping at The House of Marmalade since I took up the needles and yarn. I'm loving my knitting habit, even though as yet, I haven't actually knitted anything - except squares. However, I can now knit a chequerboard design, a waffle design, and a stripe design. I even made my own pattern!

3) The internet. I get in a panic if I can't see my Mac within arms reach. I have quite an active mind, there's always something to look up, research, read or think about!

4) I'm with Helen on the tea addiction. My tea of choice is Yorkshire. Loose leaf. I make about 3 large pots a day (after I've had my 2 morning coffees). That's about 9 mugs. I think it started when I worked in the cafe last summer. My addiction to tea is so acute, that it has surpassed my taste for a gin and tonic in the evening. Luckily though, I am not quite as bad as Boy George yet because we all know what he forgoes for the sake of a cuppa!!!

5) As of today, I have a new favourite addiction which is 'gazing lovingly at, and stroking, my new desk light'. If I told you where it came from, I would have to kill you.


It is vintage, and was designed especially for it's purpose in a modern listed building. It is chrome and cream and has the most wonderful sliding mechanism allowing one to adjust it high or low, at an angle or not.

It's handy because a whole half of my sewing room has a glass roof, and therefore no lights in that section. When the daylight starts to fail, sewing is impossible with the little light available so this sits on the table in the dark half of the room.

The best thing about it, is that it looks even better at night!

Good Things Come in Threes

These Sweet Peas are for you all! To say thank you for being wonderful readers, commenter's, and friends.

Since starting my blog back in January, I have met so many wonderful, likeminded, creative, artistic and inspirational people, and not only in virtual, but in reality too! All of the blogs listed on my sidebar, are blogsters with whom I have regular correspondence and whose work and words I particularly admire and enjoy. Some of them have even become Facebook friends, thereby gaining a status by minute account of my daily life activities (poor things!!). And if it wasn't for my blogging exploits, I perhaps would not have become acquainted in person with the wonderful ladies of my village who are Sue, Lorna and Lucy.

I've received more awards too which I am passing on to ALL OF YOU listed on my Blog friends list to the right there.

Like Claire who passed me the Marie Antoinette Real Person Award. I too am a bit flummoxed as to why she, queen of frivolity whose people hated her, has been placed as the mascot of this award, but yes, I do agree that she probably did have a fabric stash to be gasped at, not to mention a shoe collection to be held in awe! And she did have a country living fantasy too - in a certain style anyway! So thank you Claire! Much appreciated!

rules for this award:
1. Please put the logo on your blog
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs
4. Put the links of those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

The second award from very talented Alex at Pink Feather Paradise . Thank you Alex!

I had previously received this award which includes the 7 things about practically everything meme from Kitty. You can see my replies to that meme here.

The next is from the lovely Andrea at Indigo Blue, who awarded this to her followers and which I also previously received from Kitty. It's....

Thank you Andrea!

And thank you again to everyone who reads this blog! I love writing it, and that you all seem to like it!

Too Much Information

I hope after this epic tag session, you will still respect me in the morning.

Firstly, a couple of awards from lovely Kitty. The one above and this one .. which comes with the 7 things about practically everything meme. Thank you Kitty! You have One Sweet Blog too!

In no particular order of importance

• 7 Things I plan to do before I die
1. Learn a language
   
2. Visit Scotland, Canada, Cuba again
   
3. Make sure my son is happy and independent
   
4. Learn how to make good clothes
   
5. Make a living from my own creativity
6. Visit India
7. Explore every nook and cranny of my own country
• 
  
• 7 Things I do now (alot):
1. Read
   
2. Write
   
3. Think
4. Procrastinate
5. Cook
   
6. Sew
   
7. Live in constant terror of failure
   


• 7 Things I can't do:
1. Speak another language
2. Shop in Tesco
3. Eat fish (yuk)
4. Watch nasty movies like "Saw"
5. Listen to rap music
   
6. Sew enough stuff for a craft show
7. Sing
   


• 7 Things that attract me in the opposite sex:
1. Intelligence/knowledge
2. Kindness and confidence
   
3. Smiling blue eyes
   
4. Sociability and friendliness
5. Honesty and openness
6. Appreciation of nature
   
7. Laugher and a big smile
   


• 7 Things I say most often:
1. Hang on a minute
   
2. Small or large (coffee)?
3. £3.90 please (the cost of 2 large coffees)
   
4. Oh B*gger!
5. Noooooooooooooo! Reallly?
6. I don't beleive it! (in manner of Victor Meldrew)
   
7. I'll do it in a tic
   


• 7 Celebrities that I admire:
1. David Bowie
   
2. Madonna
   
3. Vivienne Westwood
   
4. Audrey Hepburn
   
5. Banksy
   
6. Johnny Depp
   
7. David Beckham
   


• 7 Favourite foods:
1. Lemon drizzle cake
   
2. Marachino cocktail cherries
   
3. Booja Booja Chocolates
   
4. Italian wood fired pizza (in Italy)
   
5. Cuban rice and beans (in Cuba)
6. Chips and gravy
   
7. Baba Ganouche

From Primrose Corner, there's the 7 random facts meme (apologies if these are duplicated from previous tags - i lose track!):

1. I lived in South Africa for the first four years of my life, and could speak Zulu before I could speak English, on account of the fact that I had a Zulu nanny who looked after me pretty much full time.
2. I can't speak Zulu anymore. I can't speak French either even though I am half French. I get tongue tied if I even try to communicate in a different language and I hate that!
3. I have been a vegetarian for 10 years but am now considering the ethics of being a vegetarian in the UK what with carbon foot prints to consider .. I think I would like to eat a soley British diet rather than a diet dependant on protein from countries far away. I am undecided. It's alot to think about.
4. I am finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that I will be 40 in less than 6 months time! I feel more like 2 x twenty year olds!!
5. I have been dying my hair black since I was 14 years old precisely. I know this because it was when I became a fan of Siouxsie Sioux. Because my mother and grandmother have naturally black hair, I look as if my hair colour is natural. I am a black haired person in a brown haired body! I have tried other colours including red and pink (not at the same time) but black is best for me.
6. I am still a fan of Siouxsie Sioux. I have seen her in concert twice. Most recently this time last year when she did the Electric Proms in Camden. She is still every bit the Punk Goddess that she always was. Incredible.
7. I have been a Bowie fan since I was 15. I think he is a genius of epic proportions. I have all his albums and a few more compilations. I have seen him in concert twice too. I would not like to meet him as it would be like standing in the presence of a god and I would turn into a blithering fool, unable to speak or even hold myself up! I would also hate to be disappointed by the human behind the legend. I can't think of any other famous person who would have this effect on me. Apart perhaps, from Johnny Depp.

I'm passing this to all of you if you want to do it!

Rules: Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

The third award is from Lesley's Creations whom I have been following for a while as she makes some really lovely felt things. Thank you Lesley! I must pass it on to four regular followers of my blog from my country and one from abroad. So to four lovely ladies with lovely blogs, who are, I think, my longest standing "regulars"..

1) Marmadaisy
2) Joleo
3) DottyCookie

4) Angharad

And my overseas award to KathiD who's blog I read most days even though I don't comment all the time. Sometimes I refer back to old posts which make me laugh again and again (the dough post and the killer squirrel posts and the recent dogs dressed up to name but a few). She makes me laugh so much I can't think of anything funny or witty enough to say back!

Phew! Tomorrow I'll show you what i've been making!

Award .. Thank You .. Thank You All!

I have been awarded the Arte y Pico award by Tracy at Dragonfly. THANK YOU TRACY! It was Tracy's blog which gave me the inspiration to join a stained glass class at the beginning of this summer. I read a post she had done a while ago, then lost her blog for a long time - as you do sometimes! I was delighted to find it again when looking up some stained glass blog references.

I decided that even though i'm pretty sure all of my nominees have already received this award, I would pass it in gratitude to these lovely blogs which all had a part in getting me started on this crafty blogging trip! Thank you ladies all for your inspirations...

Lisa at U-Handblog: Like many reading this i suspect, it was Lisa's blog(s) that introduced me to the whole 'craft blog scene'. She is one inspiring woman!

Anna at Marmadaisy: I can't remember if the first tutorial I followed was one of Anna's or one of Lisa's. But Anna's was certainly the first one I blogged about!

Jo at Today We Are: I like the humorous way in which Jo writes, the beautiful bags and dresses she creates, and her cat pictures make me laugh. She also has extremely good taste in fabric.

Helen at Angharad: Helen's makes beautiful things and I like to see them because they are the type of things which make me wish I was as good at sewing as she is.

Florence at FlossieTeacakes: I like the style in which Florence writes about her life and her relationships. She makes everything sound like the most delicious old fashioned treat - from the school run to baking pink meringues and everything in between.

Rules:
1. Recipients must pick 5 blogs they consider deserving of this award for creativity, design, interesting material, and for contributing to the blogging community in whatever language.
2. Each of the 5 selected blogs must include the name of the author and a link to his/her site to be visited by readers.
3. The recipient must show the award and indicate the name and link to the blog of the one that handed it to him/her.
4. All Award recipients must include a link to the Arte y Pico site to inform all readers about the origin of this award.

TagTastic!

I've been tagged by Jenny at JennyFlower and also by Anna at Marmadaisy. Anna's tag included another "brilliant blog" award! Thank you both! And huge congratulations to Anna on getting an A in your exam. Well done!! Without further ado, because i've been delayed replying to the tags due to post holiday washing disorder, here are the rules as from Jenny's blog, and my 6 random things ...

1. Link to the person who “tagged” you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when you have answered.

*****

1. I have 6 tattoos - 3 on my back, one on my right arm, one behind my ear and one on my left foot. (that's me above with a corset I made).
2. I have about 20 piercings, but only 6 are "active", 2 in each ear (16 holes in total there), one in my navel, one in my tongue and the other 2 matching a bit lower down. (no not that far!)
3. I am a qualified beauty therapist and nail technician. I did both these things 10 years ago, but soon became disillusioned by the industry so reverted back to default in an office.
4. When I left secretarial college 10 years before i went to beauty college (which is what i really wanted to do if my parents hadn't insisted I had to be a secretary) I could write shorthand at 100wpm and type at 70wpm on a typewriter - wordprocessors didn't exist in those days!
5. I went to a boys boarding school in Scotland with 29 other girls, but was expelled when I was 15 for being "uncontrollable".

6. September is my favourite month, because despite being "uncontrollable" I actually loved school and was always glad to get back there after the long summer holidays.

I think most blogs I read have now been tagged with this, so I won't tag anyone specifically. Do feel free to join in if you haven't already though!

A Breif Interlude

Hello everyone! I'm back from Italy and my goodness, quite bowled over by the number of lovely comments wishing me happy hols that I received on my return! I just wanted to say thank you for all of those messages, and report that I had a lovely time thank you - not quite as brown as I'd like, but at least that means less wrinkles. I was lucky enough while I was out, to be awarded a Brilliant Weblog Award by Anne at Fabric and Bags. Thank you Anne! Have you read Anne's blog? She hasn't been posting much of late because she's been busy preparing for a large trade fair in Yorkshire. Anne told me her schedule and I was exhausted just reading it, but she has given me a lorra lorra inspiration and before the holiday I decided to go for it, sooooo ...

I've taken over a room in the house - put the dining room back where it was before the extension was built - and i'm going to sew sew sew. I've signed up for the "WeMake Oxford" craft fair in November, then there will be a few more things round Christmas time, and after that, i'm aiming for the Festivals of which there are many around here in Oxfordshire for a start.

There are so many inspirational blogs which I love to read and which really get my creative juices flowing. I was catching up with Marmadaisy's posts yesterday, and like her, after suffering "post career stress disorder" after too many bad jobs, decided that life's too short. It was during my 6 month break away from work that I discovered craft blogs, and have been amazed by the sharing, caring community that I have found. There were many blogs which got me started, Marmadaisy, Domesticali, U-Handbag, Today We Are, Flossie Teacakes, Kimono Reincarnate, Angry Chicken etc., (links to the right).

I've picked 5 blogs which I've discovered lately to pass the award on to though ofcourse everyone deserves the award!

Deborah at Comfort Joy Designs - a blog I have just discovered which is full of interesting things.

Anna at All Things Lovely - a blog which does what it says on the tin, full of all things lovely and most excitingly, Anna is chronicling her recent purchase and refurbishment of a cafe in the Cotswolds!

Michelle at Leni and Rose - for her Tuesday Tips which are most useful, and other crafty and daily musings.

Kath at JuicyFig - a new blog with lovely colourful pictures, which I enjoy reading, not least because Kath lives in the Ribble Valley, Lancs, where I used to live.

Jenny at JennyFlower - I love to read Jenny's blog, her cheery nature and lovely comments make me smile.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!

I have to go camping now! Back on Sunday and holiday pics to follow.