I love an award!  Even one which makes me work, like this one.  Answer questions, make up questions, nominate other blogs. The blogs I nominate are supposed to be fabulous of course, but not have a trillion billion readers – yet.

Great idea I hear you cry and I agree, but I can’t tell how many readers a blog has, apart from the mega blogs.

‘Liebster’ means ‘darling’ (or dearest) in German and who doesn’t want to officially be a darling blog!  In the many evolutions of the rules, the ‘amount of readers’ rule has gone from ‘3000 or less’ to ‘200 or less’, stopping off at ‘1000 or less’  for a tea break on the way.

Same with the amount of blogs to nominate – 11? 10? 7? 5?

I was nominated by the lovely Kimmy at Making Mondays (great blog, go see….in a minute, I’m not done!).   She blogs about all kinds of wonderfulness,  and good grief I need to make these right now!

I have copied the rules as they were presented to me even though I am sure I have bent them a little bit.  I read that these awards a like chain letters which frankly puts me off.  Oh boy, remember chain letters?  Awful things.  But no, these are not awful chain letters, nothing terrible will happen if you ‘break the chain’.  Awards like this are great for finding new blogs and showing them off to your own readers.  So here I go.  Rules first.

In order to accept this award, the nominee must:

• Link back and recognize the blogger who nominated them
• Answer ten questions given to you by the nominator
• Nominate ten other bloggers for the award
• Create ten questions for nominees to answer
• Notify your nominees
• Get an award button and display proudly.   I made myself a little image which you are welcome to use.

Here are Kimmy’s questions and my answers.

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I wanted a website and I was guided in the direction of a blog format, so I could include my jewels and my ramblings and my photos all in one place.

Any advice for someone just starting?

Go.  Do it.  I know that sounds smart ass, but it really is true.  Most of the stuff I have learnt is from having a go and without that first post published, how do you know what you want to add.

Read other blogs, but don’t go bonkers and don’t try and be them.  Get ideas and inspiration and be your fabulous self.

Tips on blog photography?

Eeep, I am no photographer and most of my blog photos are from my phone.  I can’t even use my proper camera in ‘manual’ (I am learning though).  I would say, keep a phone or camera with you all of the time (where possible;  don’t take it swimming) and grab photos of anything which looks like a good photo.  Again, just do it, take the photos.  You can delete them or enhance photos with apps galore, but if you didn’t take it in the first place, ain’t going to happen.

Best post you’ve written so far?

I like this one, as I am a proper old lady about the future of listening and looking, I like a book made from paper I can hold and a CD I can see and maybe sing along to the words in the little booklet!!

http://catseatdogs.com/2013/09/18/vintage-of-the-future/

What keeps you motivated?

Knowing that you guys are reading all of this (are you still there? I have a couple more to answer) and I love to look back on posts, like a little diary.   The community of bloggers around the world is like a coffee morning online all of the time!  The more I blog, the more I love it.

How do you relax when you feel overwhelmed?

I bake something, or I make something.  The creative process is a great calming agent.  Following a recipe and ending up with yum cookies or making a simple pair of earrings from a piece of wire.  Nothing better than making stuff.

Something new you want to learn?

I am so terrible, if I can’t do something immediately I am quick to give up.  I am however determined to learn crochet (I want one of those chain crochet infinity scarves and I want to make it myself) and I am also going to learn to use all of the numbers and dials on my camera if it kills me.

A goal?

I would love to write a book or for a magazine.

 Something that has inspired you today?

The amazing blue sky over my head.

Best thing you’ve actually made your self?

My crazy bonkers children!  And cakes.