Liebster Award

I am honored that as a new blogger I was nominated for this award by cjohera at https://cjohera.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/leibster-award/

There are a few rules for the award, just like any other award.

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.

2. Answer the 11 questions asked of you by the person who nominated you.

3. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers to do the same.

4. Let the bloggers know you have nominated them.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I am a teacher, currently teaching primary school Art and Cooking.
2. I love art but I don’t love cooking.
3. I live with my son who is 22.
4. I enjoy using my iPad in bed or on the couch.
5. I have a Masters in Education.
6. I was married for 15 years.
7. I lived in North Carolina for 2 years where I taught elementary school.
8. I love vintage and retro furniture and decorative items and have them all over my house.
9. I love to go to auctions and markets and swap meets to buy second hand stuff.
10. My favourite colour is red.
11. I have two chronic illnesses.

Answers to the questions I was given:

1. What is your favorite book and why?
Guess How Much I Love You, a children’s picture book. It depicts how I feel about my son and we used to read it together when he was little.

2. If you could go back to a certain period in your life, when would it be?
When I was married and I was unwell, that should have been dealt with differently.

3. What do you do to relax and unwind?
Watch tv or read on my iPad.

4. If you could jump into any movie, what would it be?
Thelma and Louise. I want to do that!

5. What do you do when you are stressed to the max?
Sleep.

6. How do you spend your holidays?
Travelling somewhere, looking at second hand shops, going to markets.

7. What is your favorite animal and why?
My dog, she is lovely and gentle even though she is so big and has a scary woof.

8. What is the most rewarding thing you have ever done for someone or a group of people?
I get this feeling all the time when I teach and I see the children connect with what we are doing.

9. If you won the lottery, what would you do with it?
Buy a house near the ocean and become an artist and writer.

10. Do you believe in destiny or fate?
Yes, everything happens for a reason.

11. What is the career of your dreams?
Teaching is a dream career, but being an artist and writer appeals to me right now.

My Questions to My Nominees:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What has surprised you most about blogging?

3. If you could change one thing about your current life what would it be?

4. What is one special thing from your childhood that you treasure?

5. What do you do to take your mind off your troubles?

6. If you could live in any country in the world, where would you go and why?

7. If you had a time machine, what time period would you travel to and where?

8. What is one of your favourite things to do and why?

9. When you go to the shopping centre, what is your favourite shop to visit and just get absorbed in?

10. If you happened to be stranded on an island with just one small backpack, what would you absolutely have to have in it?

11. If you could have a super-power what would it be and why?

My nominees:

Welcome

http://yourinnerart.wordpress.com

http://rubyonesock.wordpress.com

http://dddangerous.com

http://sarcoidan.wordpress.com

http://robertmgoldstein.com

http://sarcoidsoldier.wordpress.com

http://truthtonic.net

bio

http://moderndaywarriorprincess.wordpress.com

http://amyblaylock.com

One Lovely Blog Award

Thank you to Melinda, at Treefall Writing, for thinking of me for the One Lovely Blog Award. I am not sure I deserve it yet, being a new blogger whom I think is still trying to find her feet.  That said, It is lovely for my blog to strike a chord with others who come back to see what I might have to say day by day.  It is encouraging to know there are other thought-filled people out there who put time and consideration into this blogging thing, and who fill our WordPress readers with a huge variety of stimulating ideas and experiences.  Thank you again Melinda for the nomination!

In accepting this nomination, I need to tell you all a little more about me:

1. I am originally from Tasmania and visit family there regularly.  It is a lovely scenic place but I left in 2003 to live a different lifestyle in the surrounds of Melbourne, a large cosmopolitan city with plenty of adventure, entertainment and importantly, work and study opportunities.
2. I have one son.
3. I have been teaching for 11 years, including a stint in the United States for 2 years.
4. I love retro, 60s and 70s stuff and I do not know why. Perhaps it is a subconscious desire to return to or recapture the feeling of childhood (that is very deep huh?).
5. I love going to antique and collectible auctions, bidding and buying random stuff that I can sell on my second-hand stall and some things that I can keep for my own collections.
6. My mind comes up with too many ideas for the amount of time, energy and money I have at my hands.
7. I hate living with chronic illness and I think I sometimes use my blog to vent my frustrations with my life.

Since joining WordPress I have become enthralled in the variety of posts and the openness to which people share their experiences, their writing and their art.  This is handy especially when I have to spend a lot of time resting my body after work and on weekends. My interests vary depending on my mood and include art, writing, travel, humour, illness, and just life really.

Some blogs that I have connected with and would like to nominate for the One Lovely Blog Award are outlined below. Please go and have a look at them and see if they connect with you too.

Motivating Giraffe – The cutest hand drawn illustrations with captions that reflect life and it’s little problems.  Brings a smile to my face every time.  Some of the art work can be purchased through etsy too.

myfriendlucy – I’m a teacher, I can’t resist a cute picture book.  This blog reviews children’s picture books and I love just scanning through the posts for inspiration.

Kindness Blog – I love reading these stories of kindness, both big and small gestures to be kind to others, they support my faith in the kind nature of humans and remind me to do good wherever I can.

Sarcoidosis Soldier – The writer of this blog also lives every day with chronic illness and often explains situations I can connect with directly. We are both in our forties and are both trying to live our lives as fully as possible in the new normal that we have been thrust into.

Choosing Hope – This lovely young blogger is dealing with living with a chronic illness called POTS in her twenties. Her blog has a very positive but realistic message.

atleastihaveabrain – This thought goes through my mind many times a week.  I have a lot to learn from Helen, who remains positive and very active in supporting her family even though she faces many challenges with her health.

autisticandproud – 14 year old Fionn inspires with his braveness and openness to share his life, struggles and successes, with aspergers.

jmgoyder – Julie is a wife and mother trying to juggle life at home with life at the nursing home where here husband now lives.  A really lovely lady who generously shares her life experiences and her feelings with her readers.

Your Inner Art – This blog helps me sort through the confusion in my head and tap into the inner creativity that is hidden in me somewhere.

Raising My Rainbow – The journey of a family with a son who loves expressing femininity.  This blog encourages the reader to rethink gender in our society, without explicitly doing so.

rubyonesock – This blog is written by a friend.  Her thoughts are quite random and very engaging. Hopefully by nominating her for the One Lovely Blog Award she will write more often!

Travelosopher – Random thoughts, life, travel, art all collide on this blog. Plenty to think about here for those who love to travel and who love to reflect critically on the everyday.

If you would like to accept the nomination, you need to write a post that includes:

– a link back to the person who nominated you

– the One Lovely Blog Award picture

– 7 facts about yourself

– a list nominating a number of blogs for the award as well

You must also contact your nominees and let them know they have been nominated.