My first blog award!

I am very excited to report I've received my first ever blog award! I've been nominated for the Liebster award by the lovely Laura from Wrapped Up In Rainbows :) It's given me a warm, fuzzy feeling in my belly- like I've eaten hot candyfloss :p

Here's a description of the award (taken from Laura's page):
The Liebster award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

The rules for receiving this award
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves
2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs

11 Things About Me
1. I have man-sized (size 9) feet that are both a curse (no pretty shoes) and a blessing (I haven't spent approximately a billion pounds on pretty shoes)
2. I sing loudly and badly in the shower, without shame.
3. I don't wear make-up, except for concealer- and only then if I have a spot on my face that's so big I know people will spend the day talking to it instead of me.
4. I used to be so shy that I blushed when I had to answer the register in school.
5. I'm very proud and grateful to have achieved my ambition of owning my own house- something I've wanted since I was five years old and making mood-boards from pictures of furniture I'd ripped from the Argos catalogue.
6. I am afraid of ghost train rides- the cheesier they are the more scared I become.
7. I've only fought with my little brother once in 22 years- and it was over Wensleydale cheese.
8. I once accidentally flashed three people my left boob.
9. I've been a vegetarian for 13 years.
10. I used to be in a cover band.
11. I have two birth marks; one on my left wrist, and one on my left ankle.

Laura's Questions
1. If you were a Superhero, what would your superpower be?
Funnily enough, I was actually thinking about this earlier today! I would like to be able to move things with my mind- just like Matilda! And (if it's not cheating) it would include being able to move my own body so I could fly. Does that count as two?
2. What is your favourite film?
Hmmm... this is such a tricky question! The first film that springs to mind for me is The Princess Bride. Partly for sentimental reasons; it's a very nostalgic film for me as I've watched it countless times with the girl I count as my sister.

Aaaaaas yoooooouuuu wiiiiiiiiiisssssssshhhhhhh <3

3. What did you want to grow up to be when you were younger?
Lots of different things; and I still haven't stopped changing my mind on What I Want To Be When I Grow Up. I wanted to be a vet, a primary school teacher, and an interior designer (not all at once!)
4. If you were sent to a desert island with only 3 items, what would they be?
I'm trying to work out if this is meant to be a "Wiiiiilllllsoooonnnnnn!" kind of situation, or a desert-island holiday. First scenario items would be; solar powered trucker radio thingamagig and instructions, penknife, and some flares (solar, not corduroy). Second scenario items; my boyfriend (I know, bleaurgh! :p), my kindle, and a solar-powered freezer full of water and white Magnums.

5. What would your perfect day consist of?
A lazy Sunday revolving around food; a snuggly lie-in followed by stacks of pancakes, an hour or two reading a good book and drinking tea on the sofa, an afternoon roast at the pub with friends, and a cosy evening watching a film, scoffing chocolate and sewing something pretty.
6. What is the silliest thing you can remember doing?
Going on a midnight "night mission" around Chichester with my two best friends from school- dressed in hats, coats and shoes we'd pinched from the hallway cupboards. We filmed the whole thing too; so I own hand-cam shots of our best ninja moves and all three of us hiding behind one lamppost.
7. Which blog do you spend most time reading?
When I first discovered Matsutake and Color Me Katie I read their entire post archives over the space of a few days. I now wait eagerly for any new posts like they're a shiny new toy on Christmas morning.
8. Do you have any bad habits?
Whilst I don't actually bite my nails regularly, if one of them breaks I'll bite it off rather than finding the nail clippers. I know; shameful and gross.
9. If you could have a dinner party with any 5 people, dead or alive, who would you pick?
I'd invite my (deceased) paternal grandparents, whom I never really got to meet, my Dad, my brother, and my Dad's sister.
10. Who is your idol? Famous or not.
I don't think I "idolise" anyone; but I love Kirstie Allsopp and Nigella Lawson because they are both beautiful, busty brunettes who are paid to do the things I would love to do for a living (sewing, snooping round other peoples' houses, hanging out with Phil Spencer, and sneaking brownies from the fridge at 3am in a negligee that shows off a rather amazing cleavage).

I'm positively green-eyed with envy that Kirstie gets paid to hang out with Phil AND snoop round people's houses.

11. In 10 years what 3 things do you hope to have achieved?
In ten years' time I would like to:
- Be a few rungs up the career ladder of my dreams.
- Have figured out the career of my dreams
- Have some small people living in our house I can dress up as pirates, build a tree-house for in the garden, and bake dinosaur cookies with.

The blogs I'm nominating are:
Make, Bake & Sew - enviously delicious baking
Alicestronaut - lover of fictional maps and wearer of superhero tights
Doll Doll Dolly - rock chick capable of some serious crafting
Fran Swaine - well-worded tips and tricks for anyone who uses the internet
Hello Dodo - photos of pigeons and beautiful Brighton-themed goodies
Pleasing to a mollbird - alliteration abounds, with witticisms galore
The Happy Caravan - exciting before-and-after pics of lovingly restored caravans
Charismagick - This lucky lady has met Jamie Oliver, Bill Bailey and Dylan Moran!
Curtains for the window in my head - consistently interesting posts, and excellent hair
Sparkle Girl Jen - retro comics, delicious baking, and sunny Canadian adventures
Lyndsey Smith Painting - wonderfully detailed hand-painted pictures; I've got this one of my favourite local cafe on my fridge

My 11 Questions:
1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
2. Do you have any songs that always cheers you up?
3. If you had to lose one of your senses, which one would you choose?
4. Have you got any piercings?
5. Do you know all the moves to the Steps cover of Tragedy?
6. What is your favourite cake?
7. Do you have a go-to joke if people ask you to tell one?
8. Have you ever been in the media (TV, radio, newspapers etc.)?
9. What's your proudest achievement to date?
10. If you had to change your name to something else, what would you choose?
11. If you could switch places with someone for a day, who would you choose and why?

Obviously, don't feel like you have to stick to the rules about this :)

However, I would highly recommend having a peep at any/all of the blogs above for some entertaining, inspiring, and downright beautiful content.

Katie xx