One Lovely Blog Award!

  

You know, there really are some charming and delightful people in the world, and I've had the pleasure of "meeting" many of them online.  Sometimes, if you're really lucky, you get to meet your online friends in person.  Sometimes, if you're really, really lucky, they say nice things even after they've met you in real life.

So it is with the wonderful Karin of Backstory Beads, who recently nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award.

In return, I'm asked to:

1. Thank the nominee and link back to them in the post.
2. Share 7 random facts about myself.
3. Nominate 15 (or so) bloggers I admire.
4. Contact them to let them know they have been nominated.

(Full disclosure here-- a few months ago, I was incredibly fortunate to be recognized with a Kreativ Blogger award, which had several of the same requirements.  Not because I think I'm fascinating enough that you'll want to read a few more random facts about me, but because you really should treat yourself to the other blogs I cited there, here's the link to that post)

Okay, so now to get even more random about myself:

1. I adore beadweaving, but I would rather smack myself in the face with a flounder than hem a pair of pants.  Just goes to show that not all activities involving a needle and thread are created equal.
2. I enjoy those reality television shows that involve creativity and/or performance of some sort.  So you'll see me raptly watching Project Runway and even The Voice, but I'd rather hem a pair of pants than watch Real Housewives, regardless of where they live.
3. Monty Python?  Yes, please.  John Cleese can make me laugh just by being on camera (see also: Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda).  I also love Craig Ferguson.  Apparently I am a sucker for a man with a wicked sense of humor and an accent.
4. Currently I'm deep into the third book of the Game of Thrones series. I blame my son for addicting me to them.
5. My children are in their 20's, yet I'm not sure I've figured out what I want to be when I grow up.
6. I was a member of my college's modern dance club for exactly one day.  The coach (bless her heart) invited me to join, I went to the two-hour rehearsal, and literally crawled back across campus afterward, desperately grateful that it was too dark for anyone to see me.  My brief, not terribly glorious dance career was thus ended.
7. I have an evil sweet tooth.  While it's usually under control, do not let me near your chocolate. Or your caramel.  And don't even try to get between me and a Snickers bar.  I'll even hem a pair of pants if I get paid in Snicker's bars.

And whose blog do I want to share with you?  Besides the previously mentioned Backstory Beads and those I recognized in this post, here are some that deserve your attention (yes, I know some of them have also been named One Lovely Blog, but trust me when I say that you should visit them if you haven't already)  They're listed alphabetically, and all images shown are from the blog.

 

ArtAnnyR - Bead weaving? Check.  Soutache?  Check.  Fabulous color combinations?  Check.  Truly wonderful eye candy that makes me wish my grandparents had taught me Polish when I was little.

Aurus - another blog in Polish, but with soutache jewelry this luscious, understanding the language is not necessary.  Seriously -- go, look, be amazed.







Beads for Brains 365 - A fascinating journey where Mandy takes us along on her quest to master a new bead stitch, technique, or pattern each day for a year.  Along the way, she's discovered some really fabulous sources for patterns and tutorials, and demonstrated how unlimited one's creativity can be. 

The Cerebral Dilettante - I discovered this blog during the most recent Bead Soup hops.  Currently, Keirsten is challenging herself to use only what she has in her bead stash, and she is creating some fabulous pieces.  It's an inspiration to dig into the dark, forgotten corners of your bead storage and make something with the treasures you've been hoading.

Designs by Dawn Marie - A beadweaver with an awesome eye for color and a bold approach to combining elements.  Her pieces are grand, beautiful, and elegant.

KJ's Beadacious Beads - KJ sets design challenges for herself, and then takes us along for the ride as she completes them, sharing with us the frustrations and discoveries along the way.  And she creates some darned beautiful pieces, too!





Jewelry, Art and Life - You probably know Jen from all of her bead-related work online, but her blog is a special glimpse into her creative mind.  She shares her inspirations, her frustrations, her family adventures, and her heart in this blog.   It's a great combination of beading and real life.

One Kiss Creations - Christine is one of the master minds behind the Time To Stitch challenges.  Add that to the fact that she's a sweetheart who makes some lovely jewelry, and you've got a blog that's a pleasure to visit regularly.





Therese's Treasures - Therese is one of the friendliest and most generous bloggers out there.  In addition to creating some jaw-droppingly beautiful beadwork, she never fails to leave a comment (always encouraging, always positive) when she visits your blog.  Not only that, but we discovered early on that I knew her brother when I used to live in Alabama.  Small world, eh?



Again, thank you to Karin for selecting me for this award, and I hope you get as much inspiration from these other bloggers as I have!