Awards!

I feel very honoured to have had two blogging awards bestowed upon me this past week. I have been hit hard by an awful summer flu so these awards and my reading have been two things to keep me smiling!

The first award was from Jane and it is The Prolific Blogger Award. The description on Jane's blog describes a Prolific Blogger as; one who is intellectually productive… keeping up an active blog that is filled with enjoyable content.
Thank you so much for this award Jane - it really means a lot to me. I feel that my blog has become a bigger part of my life this year and I have been putting more thought into my content and posting so I am glad it is entertaining you!

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers. Spread some love!

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to this post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky, so that we all can get to know the other winners.

I am going to pass this award on to the following bloggers who always inform and entertain me:

1. Jackie at Farmlane Books - Jackie has informative, entertaining and discussion provoking posts virtually every day.

2. Claire at Kiss A Cloud - I have never made a secret of the fact that Claire is one of my favourite bloggers - our reading tastes are not always the same but I love reading about Claire's passion for her reading life.

3. Frances at Nonsuch Book - Always informative, interesting and varied posts - I love dropping by every day.

4. Claire at Paperback Reader - Another great blog with entertaining posts and thoughtful reviews - I especially love the new blog site!

5. Kimbofo at Reading Matters - A great blog from an Aussie living in the UK - I might be slightly jealous!!

6. Simon at Savidge Reads - I don't know where Simon gets so much energy or so many great ideas but I love that he shares them with us through his blog!

7. Steph at Steph & Tony Investigate! - I love the variety in Steph's posts - books, movies, travel, cooking but it is her book reviews that I find particularly prolific!

My other award came from JoAnn and it is the Love Your Header award. Thank you so much for passing on this award to me JoAnn although I have to be honest and pass some of the glory to my partner who took the photo that currently makes up my header when we were in Killarney, Ireland last September.

Some of my favourite headers that I would like to pass this award on to are:

1. Sarah at What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate
2. Samantha at RubyRed Books
3. Aimee at My Fluttering Heart

4. Claire at Kiss A Cloud

5. Iliana at Bookgirl's Nightstand

Honestly...

A big thank you to JoAnn for passing on the Honest Scrap Award/Exercise - it made me do some thinking!

For this award you are meant to list 10 honest things about yourself (the items that I have listed are all bookish in nature) and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers to do the same. Instead of passing on to specific bloggers I am going to ask anyone who is interested to play along - I really enjoy reading these kinds of posts!

My 10 honest things are:

1. I prefer to read books by female authors – not sure if this is the Feminist in me coming out but I do seek out books by female authors and generally prefer reading them.

2. I turn the corners down on the pages of a lot of the books I read – a bad habit I know!

3. I have tried and tried to read “The Hobbit” but I just can’t stand it!

4. I once had to read a Mills and Boon book for a University English course on romantic literature – I found it quite fun!

5. I used to detest reading Jane Austen – now I can’t imagine my life without her.

6. When I was in primary school I used to go to the local library with one of my friends and we would read the “naughty” bits from the Judy Blume books before we really understood why they were naughty!

7. I write little messages in books I give to people as presents.

8. I believe that the “Twilight” book promotes an unhealthy self image for adolescent girls and young women.

9. I can’t read when travelling on any type of transport without feeling sick – very annoying!

10. I know there are way too many good books and I will never have enough time to get to them all…

Lovely Blogging!

I want to say a big "Thank You" to My Shelf Runneth Over for awarding me the Lovely Blog Award!

I was very excited to receive this award because although I don't see myself as a creative person by any stretch I do see my Blog as a place where I can explore my creativity in some small way and it is the blogging community who has helped me to achieve this so thank you to everyone who drops by my little piece of creative space.

As with most blogging awards this one comes with some rules:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link

2) Pass the award to 15 (well...) other blogs that you’ve newly discovered

3) Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I would like to pass this award onto the following blogs that I find Lovely, Luscious and Lyrical...

1. A Bookish Way of Life - Always informative and chatty I love dropping by Nadia's blog.

2. An Embarrassment of Frivolities - This is a newly discovered blog for me but I love the title and the content is just as fun and pretty.

3. Bloomsbury Bell - Another fairly recent blog discovery for me - I just love not only the book reviews but the photos and description of an English life that I covet!

4. Bookgirl's Nightstand - Iliana's blog is not new to me (in fact it was one of the first book blogs I ever came across) but her blog definitely fits into the always lovely category for me.

5. Farmlane Books - I find Jackie's blog lovely for her honest feedback and thoughts on the books she reads.

6. In Spring It Is The Dawn - A lovely blog for many reasons but particularly for its focus on Japan (one of my favourite countries) and its literature.

7. Kiss A Cloud - Claire's blog is definitely one of my favourite places to visit - always lovely in thought and presentation.

8. Nonsuch Book - Frances's blog is another relatively new find for me - I love the lovely mixing of posts, thoughts and photos.

9. The B Files - I love Verity's blog for it's mixture of reading and cooking - very inspirational for a bad cook like myself!

10. Thyme For Tea - Tamara's blog is always delightful - positive, informative and glowing - definitely lovely!

11. What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate - I discovered Sarah's blog through the recent Persephone Secret Santa gift giving and I am so glad I did - a gorgeous blog that has already had an impact on my reading.

Awards!

I have been very fortunate to receive two awards from two of my favourite bloggers lately.

The first is The Sisterhood Award from Iliana at Bookgirl's Nightstand - thank you so much Iliana!

I would like to pass on The Sisterhood Award to bloggers I feel a reading connection with (there are so many of course but I will restrain myself!). My Sisterhood awards go to:

1. Kiss A Cloud - Not only have I had some wonderful reading recommendations from Claire but her blog is always letting me in on great books ideas - thanks Claire!

2. Farm Lane Books - we seem to share similar reading tastes and this blog is always putting forward thoughtful reading and reading related ideas.

3. MariReads - I love Mari's blog and I regularly pop over there to see what she is reading next.

4. The Evening Reader - this is a relatively new blog find for me but I am loving it already. The posts on Gone With The Wind has me hooked and I knew we were going to have similar reading tastes!

5. Urban Bachelorette - Amanda is another blogger I have discovered fairly recently but I am loving reading through her posts and have found we share a lot of the same reading tastes.

My second award was from Farm Lane Books and it was The Zombie Chicken Award! I must admit this one took me a little by surprise (I don't even like chickens!!) but once I read the description of the award I felt very honoured:

“The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all…”

So, my Zombie Chicken Awards go to:

1. Thyme For Tea - Even in the face of zombie chickens I know Tamara would still be producing an interesting and enlightening blog!

2. Trish's Reading Nook - As with Tamara I know Trish will always have high quality posts - definitely excellence being displayed for me.

3. Little Breeze - there is definitely grace, persistence and excellence over at Megan's blog.

4. Books and Cooks - anyone who can cook and has great reading recommendations deserves a zombie chicken I think!

5. Laura's Reading Reflections - for grace, persistence and excellence.

I Love Your Blog!

I was really excited to see that I had won this award from Mari. Thank you so much Mari - I love your blog as well!

I originally started my blog as a way for me to challenge, expand on and record my reading experiences but the connections I have made in the reading and blogging world have really enriched my reading life so I am so excited to see that my blog is being enjoyed by others.

Now, for the fun part of passing on the award to blogs that I adore:

Here are the rules to keep the award moving:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

My "I Love Your Blog" Awards go to:

1. Thyme For Tea - a close personal friend as well as a blogging friend, Tamara's blog always challenges and informs me about broader issues in the world - thanks T!

2. The Reading Life of an Antipodean Owl - a fellow Aussie, I love reading the great reviews as well as other local info.

3. Little Breeze - Another Aussie blogger with beautiful photos and travel stories - always inspirational.

4. Kiss A Cloud - a gorgeous title for a gorgeous blog!

5. Another Nutter - I love this blog for it's reflections on life and reading - and some great recommendations.

6. Austenprose - I love this blog for its beautiful representation of all things Austen.

7. Bookgirl's Nightstand - such variety to be found on this blog - I love it!

Premio Dardos Award

I am really excited and honoured to be given this award by my beautiful friend Tamara at Thyme for Tea - thank you so much!

The Premio Dardos Award is in appreciation of the merits - culturally, literary and individually - of every blogger who expresses him/herself on his/her blog. The conditions are:

1. To be tickled pink
2. To copy & paste the award picture to your blog
3. To write down the regulations
4. To link to the blog who bestowed you the award
5. And finally, nominate 15 blogs for the award

I realise that some of the blogs I nominate will most likely have already been nominated for the award by one or more other bloggers but I don't think you can ever have too many awards so here it goes:

1. Thyme for Tea - not sure what the rules are about awarding to the person who awarded you but I think it is well deserved in this case!

2. A Work in Progress - such a well thought out blog with wonderful posts everyday.

3. A Striped Armchair - I know Eva will have been awarded this award previously for sure but her blog is just so amazing I don't think she could be given enough really!

4. Between Concrete and Sky - such a beautiful blog filled with reading, photography and even dancing!

5. Charlotte's Web - an honest, thought provoking blog.

6. In Spring it is The Dawn - I love this blog for it's beautiful content and presentation.

7. Life and Times of a "new" New Yorker - Fun, spirited and entertaining - I love this blog.

8. Little Breeze - This is a new blog find for me but already I'm checking in quite a bit, beautifully set out and expressed.

9. Reading Writing Living - As the title suggests this blog covers it all - wonderfully.

10. The Reading Life of an Antipodean Owl - A great Australian blog.

11. Under The Dresser - always honest and always fun to read.

12. Caribousmom - This blog is simply stunning, gorgeous to look at and the posts are always so informative and interesting.

13. Gondal-Girl - Another wonderful Australian based blogger.

14. Another Nutter - Yet another Aussie with fantastic wit, humour and honesty.

15. Austenprose - One of my favourite blogs encompassing everything Austen.

First Ever Blogging Award!

I was very excited today to meet a new blogging friend from Australia and to receive my very first ever blogging award! Awards are always exciting so thank you very much Suzie from Munch+Nibble.

Along with the award comes a meme;

7 things I did before

1. Played the organ and guitar (not well!)

2. Worked as a nanny

3. Drank vodka, lime and sodas

4. Bottle fed lambs

5. Rode a push bike

6. Write

7. Read

7 things I do now

1. Read

2. Pilates

3. Teach

4. Travel

5. Drink Pinot Grigio

6. Drive a car

7. Dream...

7 things I want to do

1. Travel around Italy in a Fiat

2. Live in Bath

3. Meet Jane Austen

4. Read

5. Write

6. Read some more

7. Live happily ever after

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex

1. Sense of humour

2. Genuineness

3. Loyalty

4. Intelligence

5. Gorgeous hands

6. Strength

7. The ability to laugh at themselves

7 Favorite Foods

1. Mashed Potato

2. Peaches

3. Strawberries

4. Chocolate

5. Pasta

6. Oysters

7. Watermelon

7 things I Say Most Often

1. A word I probably shouldn't print here

2. Seriously

3. Sure!

4. No worries

5. Love you

6. Ewok

7. Can I go home now?

And now the seven people I would like to tag for this award and meme:

1. Tamara at Thyme for Tea - the most creative person I know

2. Jill at Under The Dresser for her always funny and entertaining blogging

3. Iliana at Bookgirl's Nightstand for her creative book blogging and making

4. Andi from Tripping Toward Lucidity for her creative thinking and writing

5. Tanabata from In Spring it is The Dawn for her glorious photos

6. Nutmeg at Another Nutter for her thought provoking blogging

7. Bethany at Ex Libris for her many and varied posts that always get me thinking