Liebster award...

Shelly of the Family, Books and Crochet...Oh My! blog nominated me for a Liebster award.  This is all a bit of fun aimed at bloggers who wish to grow their list of followers.  

Participation is entirely optional.  I know life is busy.  But, if you wish to take part, the rules of engagement are:

1)  Post 11 random facts about myself

2)  Answer 11 questions the awarding blogger has asked

3)  Nominate 11 blogs with less than 200 followers, add their links to this post, and let them know they've been nominated

4)  Create 11 questions the nominated blogs have to answer

I love to grow my blog.  So...here goes:

11 random facts about myself:

1) I love dark blue.

2) The first thing I bought myself was a dark blue leather pencil case which I still own.

3) I do all my computing on a laptop.

4) I lost 30 pounds in weight five years ago and have mostly maintained a healthy weight since then.

5) Being made redundant in 2011 was the chance to start knitting again.

6)  I learned to crochet recently and am really happy about that.

7) I volunteer at a school as a reading helper.  The children are so funny.

8) People who haven't seen me for 50 years still recognise me.  I'm not sure what to make of that!!.

9) I have trouble resisting chocolate.

10) I will be forever grateful that I never started smoking cigarettes.

11) I have just had a tooth implant after a year of gruelling dental appointments.  It was all worth it.  :-))

Answer 11 questions set by Shelly:

1)  What is your favorite item to crochet/knit?

Hard to choose, but I think I have knitted more hats than anything else.  I'm even thinking of buying a head model to display them better for photos.

2) Have you ever done any yarn-bombing?  If so, describe it.

No, but I never say never.

3)  Do you belong to a crochet/knit club?

There are a couple I could go to but I always think the travelling time and fares could be better spent on knitting and more yarn.

4)  What is your favorite thing to cook?

Anything with pasta, but I don't do it often as my fussy family don't like it.

5)  Do you have a favorite yarn to work with?

I will work with anything, but I really enjoyed knitting with Rowan wool cotton a few months ago as the texture was lovely.

6)  Do you enjoy sports?  If so, what is your favorite?

I prefer to take part rather than watch.  I'm a bit of a gym bunny, love Pilates and walk everywhere.  I sometimes watch tennis and swimming.

7)  What is your favorite TV show?

Coronation Street of course!!!!  I'm going to visit the old film set in August.

8)  Are you a coffee or a tea person?

Neither.  I gave up coffee years ago because I loved it so much that I would drink cup after cup.  I never liked tea and finally stopped drinking it when I saw the insides of an ancient tea pot at work.  My family all love tea and coffee though.

9)  Do you grow a garden (containers count)?

Yes, I enjoy gardening for the exercise and pretty results.  I wish I had more time to sit and enjoy it.

10)  Do you have a pet?

A tabby rescue cat called Fleur.  She follows me everywhere in the house and garden.

11)  What is your pet peeve?

People who put their feet on seats in buses and trains.  Why do they think that is ok??

My 11 nominated bloggers with fewer than 200 followers are:

Ali of Random Wooliness

Evelyn of The Soaring Sheep

Lisa of Needles and Wool

Maria of Maria's Creations

Diana of My Paper Daisy

Snoopydog of Snoopydogknits

Josiekitten of The Woolly Adventures of a Knitting Kitty

Marianna of Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days

Daisy of Daisychains

Bossymamma of Little by Little by Bossymamma

Joanne of Rose & Dahlia

11 questions for nominated bloggers to answer:

1) What is the last thing you knitted or crocheted?

2)Where would you go on holiday if price was no object?

3) Do you think there is intelligent life on other planets?

4) At what age did you learn to knit or crochet?

5) What is your natural hair colour?

6) Which is your favourite season?

7)  Are you a books or e-reader fan?

8)  Do you prefer curtains or blinds?

9) Are you wearing earrings right now?

10) Do you have a special crafting area at home?

11) If one person could rule the world, who should it be?

Thank you for nominating me, Shelly. 

Another Leibster award

Elisabeth's Elizy Art Crochet blog is well worth a visit for its inspiring and pretty crochet photos.  

She recently added me to her list of Leibster Award nominees.  Here are her questions and my answers:

1. What is your favourite day of the week?

 Monday, surprisingly, as I only work on Sundays now.  That means when I wake up on Monday mornings I have a whole lovely week ahead of me.

2. If you were an animal, which would you be and why?

A horse, because they work hard and people generally love them. 

3. What is your favourite song?

Spanish Eyes.

4. If you were President/Prime Minister for a day, what would you do?

Go to work in a shop or factory to see how normal people live.

5. What are you afraid of?

I'm not keen on dogs, though I'm not as bad as when I was a child and petrified of them.  When you are 3 years old and the same height as a mouthful of fangs, it scars you for life!

6. If you could speak another language (that you don't already know) which would it be?

Polish as it would be useful to be able to speak to a lot of the people who come in to my workplace.

7. What craft do you want to learn but have never tried?

Quilting.....maybe one day though I don't think I have the patience or eyesight for it.

8. Which country do you most want to visit?

Canada.

9. If you had a day all to yourself completely free of responsibilities and things to do, what would you do?

Pay a visit to Holmfirth which is where "Last of the Summer Wine" was filmed.

10. Do you have any bad habits?

No, and I lie as well!! 

11. If you could go back in time and witness a famous historical event, which would it be?

I would love to have seen the Tower of London being built in the 11th century.  It fascinates me that this ancient building still survives surrounded by modern London architecture.

I recently nominated quite a few bloggers for the award......they know who they are!!!!

Another Liebster Award...

Just like buses, Liebster Awards come along in 3s.  I blogged about 2 nominations yesterday and have just been nominated again.....this time by Jaqueline of Opening the Front Door

Jaqueline's questions to me were:

What was the last book you read?

Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil which is a lovely book about a lady who is getting her life back by working in a wool shop.

Do you have any "hidden" talents that you would like to share?

I can wiggle my left eyebrow on its own!!

What is your favourite smell?

Fried onions.  I used to work in a building near a cafe and the smell used to tantalise us.

If you wanted to escape would it be cottage by the sea or log cabin up a mountain?

A log cabin up a mountain.

What item do you seem to knit the most of?

Hats because they are great for using up remnants of wool.

Can you knit with double pins?

Yes.  I can't remember why or when I learned but I'm glad I did.  They come in useful.

If you could spend a day with someone famous who would it be?

Charlotte Bronte.  I think she was born a century too early and quite lonely.

In cooking would you choose Mary Berry or Delia Smith?

Delia Smith, but only because I don't know much about Mary Berry.

Do you have a favourite sweetie?

Chocolate.

Do you have anything stashed away that your husband/partner doesnt know about?

I have too many unworn clothes.  But I'm not buying any more until I really need them.

Do you write a shopping list or do you shop as you go along?

I usually write a list and usually manage to stick to it.

I have to nominate more bloggers to answer some questions and pass the award on to another 4 bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  A difficult decision, but this time I have chosen:

Maria Nazareth for her amazing crochet at Maria's Creations

Holly for her inspiring blog Holly Marie Knits

Hilary for her pretty blog Threaded Life

Sarah for her beautiful patterns at Sezza Knits

I hope they will find time to answer some questions and pass on more questions to their nominees.  Here are my questions:

Which of the four seasons do you like best?

Do you exercise?

What is your "guilty pleasure" food?

What was the last item you knitted or crocheted?

When did you last buy wool or yarn?

Did you enjoy your school days?

If you could have only one, which would it be...dishwasher or microwave?

Do you follow any sports?

Do you have any pets?

Which is best....sea view or mountain view?

If your house or apartment had a name, what would it be?

My Liebster Award blog

I was recently nominated for a Liebster Award by two bloggers which I find pretty amazing as my knitting blog has been going for only 3 months.

Terri at Cache-mire asked:

1.  What has been your favorite book to read?

  Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

2.  If you could go back and meet your 20-year-old self, what one piece of advice would you give her?

 Don't take criticism too personally.

3.  Have you ever traveled outside the United States? If so, where?

England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Austria, Belgium.

4.  How do you spend your quiet time?

 Knitting of course!

5.  What is your favorite activity and how do you feel when you are doing it?
I love to walk as it keeps me fit and gives me time to think.
6.  What is your greatest accomplishment?
Producing another human being.
7.  What has been your greatest adventure?
Climbing a mountain in Cumbria, getting lost in dreadful weather on the summit, and getting down again safely.
8.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?  Why?
Yorkshire as I feel at home there.  I think I must have lived there in a previous life.
9.  Name one thing still on your bucket list.
Visit Niagara Falls.
10. What do you most want to be remembered for?
Being a good mother and hopefully a good grandmother one day.
11. Why do you blog?

Initially to record my knitting projects.  But now it is to meet other similar bloggers and get inspiration.

The second blogger to nominate me was Busybusybeejay who asked:

Favourite room in the house.

My bedroom.
Are you a lark or an owl.

I suppose I'm a lark as I get up early.
Do you like cooking?

Sometimes.
favourite film?

Goodnight, Mister Tom.
Do you like shopping?

Not really, unless I'm in good company and we can chat over a coffee.
Travel plans for 2013?

Same as last year.....none.
Dinner partner?

Patrick Bronte so I can tell him to go easy on his 3 daughters and son.
Can you speak any languages other than english?

Average French.
Which month is your birthday?

August.
Do you have a favourite perfume?

Anais Anais.
Are you tidy/untidy?

Tidy.

Apparently I have to nominate 4 bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  It was a difficult choice as I follow lots of very deserving blogs.  But, this time, I have chosen the following bloggers for their friendly and inspiring blogs:

Linda at Chalky's World

Julia at Jaydee's Ramblings

Jaqueline at Opening the Front Door

Ali at Random Wooliness

Just for fun, here are my 11 questions for my 4 nominees:

Which of the four seasons do you like best?

Do you exercise?

What is your "guilty pleasure" food?

What was the last item you knitted or crocheted?

When did you last buy wool or yarn?

Did you enjoy your school days?

If you could have only one, which would it be...dishwasher or microwave?

Do you follow any sports?

Do you have any pets?

Which is best....sea view or mountain view?

If your house or apartment had a name, what would it be?