Honored with a Liebster Award

I'm so honored to have been nominated by Amanda of Amjaylou Blog for a Liebster Award.  As part of the award, I will answer some questions that Amanda posed to her blog nominees.  You can read Amanda's nomination post and her own Liebster answers over at THIS POST.

Here are my answers to Amanda's questions:

1. How many WIP's do you have at the moment?

At least 9, though I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things!

2. What are they?

Sewing:

Doll quilts and bedding for my niece
Africa (Ghana) fabric quilt
Hand-quilting my curved piecing table runner

Crochet:

Square a week crocheted squares from Jan Eaton's book
Rip out a crocheted blanket I don't like and re-use the acrylic yarns
Playing around with Sun and Stars and Summer motifs (created some new patterns to post) to make some summer decor for my house
Crocheting some curtains for the kitchen
Crocheting a multi-colored blanket with Cotton-ish dk yarn (my own pattern)

Knitting:

Teaching myself to knit (again) as I think I've forgotten all I learnt a few years back and a friend invited me to a knitting afternoon together (of course I could just always crochet!)

3. Regarding days out what would be your idea of heaven?

Beautiful weather (high 70s on the fareinheit scale, low-humidity, gentle breeze, sitting near a body of water - lake, ocean, whatever - with lovely friends and enjoying some great food and drinks).

4. What would be your idea of hell?

ALS - aka Lou Gehrig's disease - awful, horrible, terrible, no cure and I saw both my grandmother and aunt die of this dreadful disease - trapped inside bodies that don't work with a mind that is completely lucid.

5. What book are you reading at the moment?

I'm in between books, waiting to hear the title for my next book club read but just finished a book called I Dare Me by LuAnn Cahn (I will blog about this book as the author herself visited our book club!)

6. What is your favourite tipple? ( can include non-alcoholic!)

Hands down I'd have to say very dry champagne.  But, I do really enjoy my tipples and other faves are: margaritas, mojitos, and good Belgian beers among other things...

7. What's been the best holiday you've been on so far?

When I graduated from college - I took myself on a trip around the Northeast USA and Northeast Canada. I paid my own way thru college so I figured I might as well by myself a trip in celebration.  I bought a cargo van with only two seats upfront.  I loaded the back with whatever camping equipment I had and I set off with a handful of maps (no cell phone, no internet, not really any plan).  I camped (by myself for 2 weeks and then was joined by bofriend/now husband for another 3 weeks) in a different location every night - I hiked, swam in lakes, read books by firelight, lazed around in tents, drove around the country, met lots of people, cooked whatever I had time for over a fire or charcoal, listened to music and enjoyed the out of doors.  I only planned where I was going next one or two days at a time.  It was the most idyllic experience.  I'd do it again! (I went as far west as Kentucky (starting from Maryland) and Ontairo and as far north as Prince Edward Island and across the entire state of New York, went thru the Green Mtns of Vermont, White Mtns of New Hampshire, all over Michigan and Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and down the entire northeast coast of the USA.  I ended my trip with a week at the beach outside of Wilmington, North Carolina)

8. What is your dream destination?

For my 25th Anniversary (this year) I had hoped to take a 2 week trip to Croatia and the surrounding countries that border the east side of the Adriatic Sea.  I have been saving for this trip for 10 years (to go with my husband by the way).  I haven't managed to save enough so I had to decide not to go.  I am very sad as I had looked forward to this for many years.  Instead we were going to go to the Northwest of the USA (Oregon and Washington State) since the plane flights make it much less expensive but my husband scheduled an event smack in the middle of the time we were due to go - so now I have no 25th anniversary trip and I am very sad and disappointed.  I'm hoping maybe we can make a go of one trip or the other soon, or maybe next year.  More than anything, my entire life, I have wanted to travel - EVERYWHERE - all over the world.  My life took other paths and instead I have done very little travel and have left the USA only once to go to West Africa.  I hope I still get to travel more.

9. What would you put into Room 101?

Okay - here's my USA coming out... I had to look up what is Room 101.  But I think I've got the gist.  I'm not familiar with the TV show which is apparently a British thing?  But if I am to choose something I really really don't like to go into Room 101 - I'd choose MONSANTO - the chemical and genetic modification company in St. Louis, Missouri who is out to ruin everything about food and seeds and in this world.  I believe they are a HUGE EVIL and they are poisoning our food for financial gain and our hands are tied - they are in the process of taking over the entire food chain and are the scariest threat to us all...fortunately the European Union has managed to keep Monsanto at bay - but here in the US, they seem to own most of the government and it's very very hard to stay clear of them and their poisoned food.  My sister has nicknamed them MONSATAN.

10. Do you have a favourite TV chef?

I watch TV cooking shows in small doses.  I have been known to watch a bit of everyone: Ina Garten, Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, but I really don't pay a lot of attention to TV cooking shows.

11. What is your all-time favourite cake?

The limoncello cake I just ate last weekend with my husband at a little restaurant in Manayunk.  I would go back JUST for this cake - tho. all the food was really good too.

Amanda also asked that I answer the following things:

Name 11 random facts about ME:

I DO NOT like country music - at all - even for a second!
I LOVE really fresh and organic, non-GMO food
I have dance parties in my living room with my husband (REALLY)
I am left-handed but do most crafts including crochet with my right hand (some with both hands)
I am a very fast reader
I love to body surf and snow shoe
I HATE shopping (except for the thrift store where I buy most of my clothes - Salvation Army)
I have hosted year-long exchange students twice (from France and Germany) here with my family
I absolutely despise radio ads (I usually only listen to listener-supported, ad-free radio)
I am on the board of our local Historical Society - which is like a part-time job!
My "real" job, aka paying job is as a self-employed personal photo organizer - a perfect job for me

Nominate 11 blogs/bloggers for a Liebster Award:
(I love to find new blogs but many I follow have way more than 200 followers - or the ones with fewer followers have already received this award - therefore I have selected nine blogs from my blog reading regimen to receive the award and they are listed below)

A Conversation with Moo
Yarnaway
by Petra
Diaper Mum
Crochetkari
A Stitched Pattern
Crochet Missy
Simply Penny
There Where is Soleil

Those of you who have received the award from me can do the following:

Type a post on your own blog explaining that you have been awarded a Liebster and then answer the 11 questions I have posed below.  Nominate up to 11 other blogs with under 200 followers (tho... I think you can fudge a bit here) who have not been previously awarded.  Let those other bloggers know that you have nominated them.  You can also opt to search google and find a liebster award button to pin on your site and to indicate that you have received the award.  I hope you enjoy discovering a few new blogs and supporting a few new blogger friends!

11 questions I'd like to ask my nominees:

1. How long have you been blogging and how does it make you feel?
2. As a blogger, have you made true friendships with other bloggers?
3. Who lives in your house besides you (pets included)
4.  If you had to move to another country besides your own - where would you go?
5.  If someone handed you $100 to spend RIGHT AWAY - what would you buy?
6.  What 5 shows have you recently watched that you liked (TV, Series, Movies, Netflix, etc)?
7.  If you could have only 3 hobbies, what would they be?
8.  Who are the people who make you feel the best about yourself?
9.  What habit do you wish you could discard?
10.  Name your favorite: fruit and vegetable and dessert.
11. If you had $5000 to give away to a favorite charity or organization, where would you give?

Following Amanda's lead - also give us 11 random facts about you!

TATA - Enjoy and happy Liebster!

If you were nominated by me, please feel free to put a link to your post in the comments section of this blogpost below.  Thanks!