Well, I've been nominated for the Liebster Award twice this week (thanks Aoife and Kim!), so I figure it's about time that I actually take a few minutes to address it. First of all, if you don't know what a Liebster Award is (I definitely did not), it's to recognize new and/or small blogs and spread a little love throughout the crafting community.Nominated blogs must:
1) Be less than six months old and/or
2) Have fewer than 200 followers.
If they choose to participate, nominees must:
1) Provide 11 random pieces of information about themselves
2) Answer 11 questions posed by their nominator (is that a word?), and
3) Nominate 11 other blogs and pose their own questions.
Essentially, it's a chain letter for bloggers, but one that's kind of fun and doesn't waste time with a stupid, fake prize to lure participates (Mom, please stop sending me these. xoxo).
So, on to my 11 random titbits:
1) I was on the rowing team my freshman year of college. Everyone assumes I was the coxswain since I'm only 5'3", but I was bow.
2) I HATE buttons with a passion. They gross me out. So do small, balled up pieces of paper and dirty crumpled napkins. And gum, chewed or unchewed.
3) I was terribly allergic to cats as a kid, but now I have two and couldn't imagine life without them.
4) I love the word "displeased." And adverbs.
5) I volunteer with my local humane society every week. It provides my dog-fix since I can't have one in my apartment. Plus it's good for the dogs.
6) I am and forever will be a devoted Michigan Wolverine (GO BLUE!)
7) My mom wanted to name me Robin. Robin Roach... Thankfully, she was outvoted.
8) I really want to be the type of person who goes camping and hiking and other outdoorsy stuff, but I have yet to do any of it (at least since I stopped going to summer camp when I was 14).
9) I love tulips.
10) I wish I could speak at least one foreign language. I used to speak French, but I don't anymore (for the most part), which makes me sad.
11) I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano, and plan on taking lessons when I'm old and retired.
Since I was nominated twice, I'm just going to answer both sets of questions, and then nominate 11 blogs, not 22.
The first set is from Aoife:
1) If you could try out any craft other than stitch-y things, what would you do?
Woodworking. I used to play around with the hammer, nails, and old plywood when I was younger (probably too young), but sawing through a 2 by 4 with a hand saw when you're 10 takes too long. I needed a circular!
2) What's the reasoning behind your blog's title?
A friend came up with it. I'm crafty, and my last name is Roach (yes, I was teased as a child, and sometimes I still get looks and/or comments from salespeople, which is beyond unprofessional). Another friend designed my logo (well, altered), and I love him (the logo. Well, and the friend).
3) What was the first music album you bought?
The Proclaimers on cassette tape. I still have it at Mom's house .
4) What would be your dream job and how is that different to when you were a kid?
Hmm, I'm not sure. I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was a kid, until I realized my allergy to animals would make that highly uncomfortable. Though now that I seem to have grown out of that, maybe I'll take that one up again...
5) If you had time and money, where in the world would you choose to go visit?
India, without a doubt. And Prague.
6) Do you have a new sewing technique you want to try out and learn this year?
Pretty much all sewing techniques are still new too me, though I'd like to be able to sew wearable garments by the end of the year.
7) What is your all time favourite movie?
Mulan.
8) If you could get rid of one chore from your life, what would it be?
Folding laundry. I don't mind doing it. I just hate folding it.
9) What is the greatest source of creativity for you?
Probably reading blogs. I'm still new to this sewing thing, so I'm not yet comfortable with coming up with fresh ideas. For now I'm happy practicing using inspiration from other people.
10) What are you most proud of in your life?
I think the fact that I'm actually an adult. It's something that I have to remind myself all the time. It's still so weird to me that I get up every morning for work, that I pay my own bills and live in my own apartment and manage to feed myself every day (or, Mr. T feeds me. He's the cook). And it's not like this just happened yesterday. I'm in my late 20's, so I've been doing this for a few years.
11) What thread-related project are you working on right now!?
I have two. A baby quilt for a mom-to-be (any day now!) whom I've known for 15 years and an iPad case a friend ordered for her mom.
Okay, now from Kim. And no repeats. I think this is the most I've ever shared about myself on the blog!
1. Do you have a book you reread over and over? If so, which one?
I read a lot, but rarely re-read. I think the last one I read more than once was Harry Potter. My copy of the first one is well worn.
2. In an alternate universe where you are endowed super powers, but only one, which would yours be?
Flight. No question.
3. If only allowed one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Ah, that's a hard one. Probably nachos, but only the one's my boyfriend makes.
4. What is your favorite part about blogging?
Being able to easily share my crafts with friends and family. So much better than spamming everyone's inboxes. Also, I like writing for fun. When I was a kid I loved writing stories, so it's nice to go back to writing for enjoyment instead of a deadline, even if it isn't exactly award-winning prose.
5. Where would be your ideal place to live?
India. (Can you tell I'm slightly obsessed with India even though I've never been. Mr. T (my bf) is Indian, though he has yet to take me. He hasn't even been back in close to 10 years).
6. What is your favorite season of the year and why?
Fall. The weather. The colors. And my birthday.
7. When you laugh out loud, do you have a weird snort or chortle or nuance that you do? What is it?
I personally think I have an annoying laugh, but I don't let that stop me from laughing. Sometimes if I get going really hard, I start sort of choking so it turns into mostly silence with long, high-pitched squeals while I suck in air. If Mom and I get going at the same time, it's even worse (better?). She once set off the burglar alarm when we were playing Cranium - apparently the system thought her laughter sounded very much like a window being shattered.
8. Your favorite type of crafting?
It varies depending on my mood. I've been crocheting the longest, so that will always have a special place in my heart, but right now knitting is at the top of the list. That's why my sewing and quilting projects are taking so long to complete. I've been spending the one hour I have each night knitting, and neglecting everything else.
9. Do you workout? What is your favorite type of cardio if you do?
Yes, at least 6 days a week. Biking is my favorite, especially now that Mr. T has a bike so I have a riding buddy. But in the winter I run, elliptical, and do yoga.
10. Have you ever dialed Jenny at 867-5309? SPOILER: I have!
No, but I've always wanted to!
11. What is your attention span when it comes to how-to craft videos or tutorials for a new technique on the web?
Depends on the video and the technique. I watched the Craftsy 2012 Block of the Month and Creative Quilt Backs videos start to finish, but I often fast forward on YouTube.
Wow, that was probably way more about me than you ever wanted to know about me. Now, for the blogs I nominate:
Made with Moxie (Jill has 201 followers, but I'm still counting it because she's hilarious)
My questions for them:
1) What is your favorite non-crafting related hobby?
2) If you could have a coffee date with one person, famous or not, living or dead, who would it be?
3) What is your favorite sewing (or crafting) notion?
4) Do you have a nickname? If so, what is the story behind it?
5) What is the best gift you've ever given? Received?
6) If you were reincarnated, what would you want to come back as?
7) If you got a tattoo, what would you get? (If you already have a tattoo, what is it, or what is your favorite if you have multiple, or what would your next one be if you want to get another?)
8) What food did you love as a kid but now can't stand. Or vice versa? (Mine is beets and Brussels sprouts, respectively).
9) What is your favorite thing you've ever made?
10) If you were to update Wikipedia, what would your entry be?
11) Do you have an odd skill or talent? (For example, I have an uncanny ability to determine which celebrity a person resembles [this is a fun bar activity]).
This was a super long, wordy post, so here are cute pictures of my cats sleeping (I may or may not be turning into a crazy cat lady...).
 |
| Mitchell |
 |
| Cashmere |
I almost peed my pants reading about your mom and you laughing and her setting off the burglar alarm. THANK YOU! No joke - loved learning all of that. Having a bike buddy sounds awesome - is the DC area pretty bike friendly? And mine was flight hands down as well :-)
ReplyDeleteOnly getting to visit now. The story of you and your mom laughing made me laugh too! I just start woodwork, I'm making a chair. I've been desperate to try for years. I really like it. Thanks so much for the answers, congrats on the double :) I really loved learning more about you - fun!
ReplyDelete