Monday, February 10, 2014

Liebster Award!!!


I was nominated for a Liebster Award from Kaitlyn at Kaitlyn's Simply Vintage! Thank you, Kaitlyn!

Liebster is German for dearest, and the award is meant to be given to bloggers whom you think deserve more recognition. 
Here are the rules:
  1. You must answer the 11 questions set by the blogger who nominated you.
  2. You yourself then pick 11 blogs who in turn have under 200 followers.
  3. You must then think of 11 questions for the blogs you have picked and also tell them.
  4. You must link back to the blog that nominated you.
  5. Write 11 facts about yourself
So, let's get started!

1. Why did you start blogging?
 Hmm. I'm not sure. Part of it was to document my sewing projects and partly to get to know other people in both the sewing and vintage communities. Living in a small rural town and being a homeschooling, stay at home mom, doesn't mean I meet a lot of people with similar interests. But I must say I'm blessed with a husband who loves to see me dress vintage and for me to sew for myself and the family.

2. What is your favourite piece of music? 
Does it have to be just one?!? I actually spent most of my life playing music and performing on stage. While I was still in elementary school, along with my brothers and father, we toured the country for the National Endowment for the Arts. I signed my first recording contract when I was ten. I haven't been touring or performing much in recent years due to my father's health, then my grandparents health decline and passing, and just being overwhelmed with the joy of being a mommy. But I am thinking of getting back into it a little more. 
Hmm, let me throw you for a curve. I love so many different styles of music and songs, but will have to pick on of my all time favorite songs written and performed by one of my favorite songwriters: "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford. 

3. Do you thrift shop? If so, what's the purchase you are most proud of?
Oh yes! Probably a vintage sweater in near perfect condition about twelve years ago. I still wear it a lot.

4. Tea or coffee?
Depends on my mood...and the night before, lol. If I'm sleep deprived, definitely coffee. Otherwise I love hot green tea, and being from the south I love cold sweet tea, too. 

5. What colour are the walls in your bedroom?
Plain old white. We've lived here about seven years and just never gotten around to painting them. Maybe one day....

6. What is the best piece of advice your parents ever gave you?
I'll give you one from my mom and one from my dad, to be fair. 
My mom told me not to date anyone I wouldn't want to marry. If you really think about this one, it would save a lot of people a lot of heartache. So, when I finally took her advice, I met my husband at seventeen and we've never looked back. I'm more in love with him now than ever before, and he is the greatest husband and father imaginable, thanks be to God.
My dad was our main music instructor, even though our mom's a great pianist, and he always said to not play over your head. What he meant by that was to not try to play things you weren't ready to play or that were at the time beyond your abilities. It's so tempting, especially as a young player, to want to play beyond what you're ready for, but it never benefits anyone. It never sounds good to those listening and you just come across as an amatuer. My dad really emphasized our playing and focusing on what we were good at when performing and saving what we weren't ready for yet to be worked on during practice time. It sounds like common sense, but I assure you a lot of young musicians fall into the temptation of trying to be what they aren't and end up unemployed and unsuccessful. I think that's a good lesson for us all, to be satisfied with where we are, and yet that doesn't mean you don't try to improve yourself or your situation, it just means enjoying and celebrating where you are in the moment. 

7. What would your dream house be?
An old renovated farm house with a working old fashioned farm. It's what my husband and I've always dreamed of, but land is so expensive and renovating an old home is expensive, so we haven't quite gotten there yet, but we still hope maybe one day we will.

8. What creative pursuits do you follow?
I play and write music, I enjoy cooking and especially baking, cross stitch, embroidery, quilting, sewing, and just crafty stuff in general and reading, I love to read and learn. 

9. Are you a morning person?
I used to think I was, then I had kids, lol. So, even though I'm often up by no later than 5:30, it's very begrudgingly and only because I wouldn't get a shower, exercise or anything by myself otherwise. I HATE mornings now, lol. 

10. What is your ideal fashion item?
Shirtwaist dresses, from the 30s to the early 60s. I love every style of them, and wish I had one for every day. 

11. Do you collect anything? My mom and husband would say that I collect vintage sewing patterns and fabric, lol. I seriously have hundreds of vintage sewing patterns dating from the 30s to the 80s and have enough fabric to clothe our family for a long time, lol. I don't see myself as collecting either though, because I buy them all only ever with the intention of actually making something with them. But I will have to admit, I have felt like I'm rescuing them from our local charity shop, and have bought some patterns there that's it was questionable whether or not I would ever actually use them, but I tell myself that maybe it will be more my daughter's style. 

Okay I did cheat and list some blogs that have a few more than 200 followers, but still don't have a lot, because I wanted to show blogs I honestly read and follow myself.
So here's my nominated blogs: 

The Vintage Home Sewist - This blog is a great mix of vintage, sewing, homesteading, and motherhood. 
The 50s Project - A blog with historical context for those who wish they could live a 50s kind of life. 
Willow Homestead - Did you ever have one of those blogs you have to read everything they post, because it just draws you in? This blog is one of those for me. Again, what's not to like, farming, vintage, sewing, motherhood. Do you see a pattern here?
A Bobbin Winding Mama - As a mom who loves to sew for my family and myself, I'm always excited and inspired to see what other mamas are able to accomplish. This blog is a great place to see lots of practical sewing for your kids. 
A Frolic Through Time - I love following her historical sewing and she is a wealth of knowledge about true historical context and methods as well as creating beautiful pieces and tutorials.
Butterflies and Hurricanes - A great mix of sewing and vintage that everyone will enjoy.
Jill's Home Remedies - Exactly what it sounds like. A resource to all things herbal and tips for do it yourself cleansing and detoxing. I know I am one of those people, lol. (She has tons of followers, sorry, I just really like her blog and wanted to share.)
Erika Made It - A really nice and fun sewing blog. She makes beautiful clothes and has a really fun sense of style.
Ladylike Delicacy - Beautiful vintage style and sewing from a beautiful Finnish lady, and she translates her posts into English.
La Couturiere Diamanche - A beautiful vintage sewing blog and she's a new mama!
Little Farm In The Big City - A fun urban farming blog. Yep, cause my dream is to have a farm one day.

And here are my questions:
1. Where did you get the name of your blog?
2. Why do you blog?
3. What's something we couldn't know about you from just reading your blog?
4. What is a blogging goal you have?
5. Where are you from?
6. Who or what inspires you?
7. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
8. What do you hope most for your future?
9. How has blogging changed you?
10. What color is your kitchen?
11. What do you see out your window?

There it be, hope you find some new reading and enjoyed learning a little bit more about me. 

6 comments:

  1. Loved reading your responses. I have to agree about shirtwaists. I need to either find more, or find a good vintage shirtwaist pattern. Thought I had a good one going I refashioned, but t turned into a bit of a disaster, just posted about it

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    1. Keep trying, I've had my share of disasters, too.

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  2. Great answers! I couldn't help but beam a big smile when I saw that you listed shirtwaist dresses as your ideal vintage fashion item. They're unequivocally one of mine as well (it's rare for more than a few days to go past without me wearing one).

    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Aren't shirtwaists amazing? They come in so many shapes and styles and seem to flatter everyone, not to mention how practical they are. I could live in shirtwaists and hopefully given the time, I will have enough of them to do just that.

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  3. Thank you for the liebster award. I did that many years ago on an old homesteading blog that I had. This one is mainly just to journal my projects for my record. So I hope you don't mind that I'm going to pass on paying it forward. I'm glad I inspire you though. I only wish I had time to inspire you more LOL

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    1. I totally understand, lol. I've enjoyed seeing all of your projects, so don't stop posting them. That's one of my main reasons for this blog as well. I've decided I need to share more of my sewing for my kids partially because of your blog. Keep on inspiring!

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