One Lovely Blog Award

Thank You very Much

Feeling Stronger today. No particular reason. The problem that caused this latest "downer" hasn't been resolved and yet the black cloud feels as if it has moved slightly from over my head. It's probably not noticable to those around me, but I have had more energy today and done a few jobs. I actually left the house to get some shopping and I made a couple of cards. (They're at the bottom if you'd like to see them.) I looked out of the window and thought how lovely next-doors flowers looked in the sun. I know to those of you who think thoughts like that every 5 minutes and who have the energy to plant and tend and paint and mend, this must seem like nothing, but to me it's quite something.

And so.... it's well overdue that I thank both Mrs Thrifty (who tried to give me this award an embarassingly long time ago) and (more recently) Thifty Mummyhen for thinking of me in connection with this award. As always I'm quite convinced it's not justified, but I am extremely privileged that you thought of me and send you many thanks.

Finding 7 things about me I still haven't told you baffled my brain for a little while, but I came up with these, and then I got real nervous about sharing them. I may need more therapy if the reaction to these is too adverse.

1. I just lurve country music!! I think Dolly Parton's voice is amazing and the woman herself is pretty remarkable too. I love how she doesn't take herself too seriously and my all-time favourite song is Jesus and Gravity. My pipe dream would be to go to the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tenesse, it's on the bucket list!!

2.  I'm all about pastel colours, me. My favourite of which is a nice pale lilac colour. My previous house was pale pink and pale blue in EVERY room. Sadly, my current house is Magnolia throughout.

3. I was totally upstaged on my wedding day by Mother Nature, but I didn't mind as it was the most beautiful Rhododendron I have ever seen, before or since.

4. I like Chinese food, a little too much, well a lot too much if I'm being honest. I could eat this kind of food every day and quite happily do without your traditional English or Italian or French food. DH and I don't have the same kind of affinity with Indian food though. Much prefer a Won Ton or Sesame Prawn Toast to a Samosa. I tried to make Prawn Toast once. The recipe called for a lot of lard and the result was horrible. Sadly takeaways are out of our budget at the moment. Maybe I should look for a better recipe!!

5. I would love to be able to "speak" BSL. I have tried and can sign things like the alphabet, "My name is" and days of the week, etc, but not really enough to string a conversation together. It's really difficult to learn when you don't have anyone to practice with.

6.  I was going to make number 6 my favourite book, but there was just no way I could pick just one. The Bible's a great book, but so is " Tess of the D'ubervilles" or "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco, if you haven't read it you should try it. Oh and then there's "Life of Pi" or a Dick Francis novel or a brilliant children's book called "I am David" by Anne Holm, which is suitable for adults too! I could go on, and on, and on, but I won't.

7. I'm quite frightened of cats. Sorry lovely friends with lovely cats if I haven't been entirely honest with you about this. I would never harm a cat, and I know they're "so friendly", but I'm just a bit scared of them. I was attacked by a pack of cats when I was 3yrs. I'm told this is extremely rare but they jumped on me from above, off a wall I was passing, and there were 2 or 3 in my hair and some on my back...... and I can feel the panic just typing this.... but they are just scary. There I've said it.

Passing on the Award to 15 more Blogs is a bit too much like a chain letter for my overworked brain right now and I'm never too sure how it will be received. Besides which, most of the Blogs I like, have been passing it on already. Apart from the ususal suspects a lot of the Blogs I follow are craft ones and some are Award free. I can say, that a couple I like which you may not have come across yet are:

Loopy Lous Loopy Thoughts
Getting Hooked
Aloha Cards

Thank you once again for the Award

Lots of Love Arwedd xx

A Leibster Award

I am over the moon to be given an award, especially so early in my blogging 'career'. I am really delighted to be given the Leibster award by Jo at Through the Keyhole. Thank you so much Jo.

I have really taken a lot from the fact that people are reading my Blog and the lovely comments that I have been left. They mean more than I can express in words. 

Getting to Know Me

Trying to think of 5 random facts about myself, that were vaguely interesting, was difficult. So I gave up and wrote down these five facts instead:-

1) I was an avid Line Dancer, in fact so much so, I took several dance exams and even taught my Class a couple of times when the regular teacher was away. When I was in Kissimee, Florida I bought an electric blue cowboy hat, leather cowboy shawl and matching electric blue leather cowboy boots, which I wore to every class. I either looked the part or I looked a complete ****.

2) Both my Sons were born by Caesarean Section. The first was an emergency and he ended up in SCBU for a couple of weeks. The second was an elective as decided by my Consultant who anticipated problems. Little Devils! Still they're lovely now - just as well!!

3) I once dressed up as Madonna for an 80s Disco. Guess which one is me?

4) I have been in a stretch limousine twice in my life. Both times in London, both were surprises for each son.

5) In 2005, I had a troublesome mole removed from my back which my GP said DEFINITELY was not Cancerous. It turned out to be an Intermediate to Severe Malignant Melanoma. It was removed along with a 4mm margin all around and for four months I had to wait for a lymp node biospy to see if it had spread elsewhere in my body. Thankfully, it hadn't and I now only go for annual checkups.

My Scar - I've shown you mine, now you show me yours !

Passing it On

Deciding on 5 more blogs to pass the award on to was even more difficult. I could have picked about 20 at least, but I know many of you have already had it recently, so I tried to spread it around a little. I love reading so many people's Blogs but my five are:-

1) Fostermummy - I have read every word for many months from the beginning and often go back and re-read ones I liked. Also for starting me on this journey and helping me along the way.

2) Create with TLC - For the many fabulous freebie Word Arts that I use on my card-making and the great inspiration.

3) NearlyMarthaAgain - So amusing, they have me laughing every time and Laughter really is the best medicine.

4) Never Too Old - Just the title of this Blog gives me hope.

5) Jan's Journey - a fellow Blogger just starting out like me and I'm not at all jealous of where she lives!

Please don't feel under any pressure to accept the award, it is meant as an expression of how much I enjoy your Blog, not to be a burden.

All these Blogs are  great, so hopefully you will want to pop over and have a read.

Lots of Love Arwedd xx