Liebster Award and Paying it Forward

Thursday 30 August 2012
Can I just say I was really surprised and touched by the lovely comments on my first post after my holiday and to find that people missed my blog posts.  Aww shucks.  It's really nice to find that I have such lovely people reading my mad ramblings.

The other lovely surprise was receiving my first blogging award from Clare from Another New Day. Thank you Clare!  I started following Clare when I found she was doing a 30 for 30 challenge - I love reading about self imposed masochistic fashion challenges - 30 items of clothing for 30 days.  Clare started blogging around the same time as myself so it's interesting to see her blogging journey running alongside mine.




So I am now the proud recipient of a Liebster award.  Some of you will already know what one is, some of you will have received one before and others like me know nothing .... till now.  After a bit of googling (funny how no one says "yahooing" or "msning") I have determined that it is an award given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers ... and that Liebster is a German word that means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome (you can tell I copied and pasted that bit).

The rules for receiving the award varies slightly depending on where the information comes from.  Some say you nominate 11 people, some say you nominate 5, some say you answer questions, some say you just write a little about the blogs you recommend.  Clare, I hope you don't mind but I found this a little easier and it helps me to explain a little about why I chose the blogs I did for their Liebster award.

So... the rules I'm following are:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog.
4. Revel your 5 blog picks.
5. Let them know you chose them by leaving a comment on their blog.


This is the difficult part having to choose just 5 blogs out of the many I read and not offending anyone in the process.  I'm apologising now in advance for the ones I haven't managed to include.


Photo Credit : Chocolate, Cookies and Candies

What can I say about Marlene?  This is one classy lady with impeccable taste and a penchant for very expensive handbags.  She writes about everything, seems to be good at everything (apart from putting IKEA furniture together) and is self deprecating, witty and a laugh a minute on her blogposts.  What I have also noticed from her responses to myself and her readers is her kindness.  Her fabulous pictures say a thousand words but her written words are equally engaging.  Thank you for your wonderful comments which have helped me so much from when I first started blogging.  And she can cook.  Respect.  And I know you've received an award before but what the heck - have another one.  You deserve it. 


Photo Credit : Lapin de Lune

This is a beautiful looking blog. I could look at this blog all day and go back and do it all again and look some more.  Oh I do!  Louise has a style of her own which I wish I had the discipline to emulate but I am too much of a a fashion schizo for that so I live vicariously through Louise's clothes and her beautiful home.  I relate to Louise in that she reminds me a lot of my younger self when I first had my own little workers cottage, mad Monty cat and everything was "just so".  Have a look at her spin off blog dedicated to the Breton tee (http://la-mariniere.tumblr.com/about) and oh did I mention she is also an illustrator? Lovely lovely fantasmagorical (is that a word?) artwork.  


Photo Credit : Absolutely Fuzzy

When I don't want to be Louise from Lapin de Lune, I want to be Stephanie from Absolutely Fuzzy (told you I was fashion schizo).  Stephanie is that cool girl that you want to be and always has that edge.  And she's lovely person and friendly too for someone so scarily cool!  She's a Sydney based graphic designer and this shows through in the clothes she wears, the pictures she takes and her photographic view on the world.  Her last couple of posts have shown the most gorgeous backdrops and have been an education in themselves.  And I love the fact that she mixes her Alexander Wang with her Topshop and Zara.


Photo Credit : A.L.L.O.

Clare from ALLO is a northern (Leeds?) based fashion buyer.  I found her through doing a google image search on white leather Primark strap sandals.  Yes, that's how weird I am.  A picture of the aforementioned sandals appeared on her blog and I was gently reeled in to reading her little mini posts.  It's usually a little snapshot and a couple of lines but it's nice.  A bit like a daily Grazia.  I like the mix of high end acquisitions intermingled with the more affordable items - I want to know what a fashion insider really buys.  She seems to be tall too. And she has good shoe porn.


Photo Credit : Porcupines Wisdom

I stumbled across Ekatarina after seeing her leave a comment on someone elses' blog.  This is how I sometimes find new blogs because I figure if we are reading the same things, we must have something in common.  Ekatarina is fab and cracks me up.  She is a totally engaging read and I love her opinions on matters of the world such as TV being the best babysitter in the world and whether butter is a killing device.  I also love the fact that she is not a domestic goddess and she makes no apologies for it.

I appreciate just how busy you ladies all are and it may not be possible to "pass it on" but that is okay.  Just take a bow and a moment to enjoy the recognition.



22 comments

  1. I LOVE the sound of all these blogs - already know Marlene who is a star - am hunting them down now. As for that sparkly handbag and the toast, yum!

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    1. That sparkly Anya Hindmarch is divine. I didn't know I wanted one till I saw it on Clare's blog and now I keep seeing it as I pass by one of the big shops in Leeds and press my nose up to the window :o) to take in the beauty.

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  2. Hello Sue,

    what a nice surprise! Thank you for having nominated me! It is interesting to see that you gave such descriptions of all the bogs you love, showing that you really read them! I didn't know you read about my opinion on butter - ha-ha!
    I am very curious about other blogs you nominated and will have a look at them now as well! I might do this award thing myself at some point, once I actually do have 5 blogs I read everyday, as for now it's just you that i read and sometimes Beth.

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    1. Oh gosh yes - how can I nominate blogs that I don't read? I read your blog because you even have an opinion on butter - now that's original.

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    2. I go now throuh all the blogs you recommended and love them!I am thinking of creating my own styling blog as well...considering that I sit without a job and with a baby...it seems like a definite trend...being mum and trendy!!!

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    3. Go on - I'd love to see you doing a styling blog. I love fashion which is why I read so many but all different and quite diverse. I love the mix.

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  3. Hi Sue, AMAZING thank you so much. I have never heard of this before, but fully up to speed after reading your post. Thank you for your continued support and lovely comments very much valued.
    I'm dashing off to work so i'll catch up with everything this evening. Thanks again xx
    P.s I am Leeds based

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    1. Hi Clare - pleasure's all mine. Now you get back to reading that racy Lace novel of yours!

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  4. Sue, I alternated between laughing and wiping a tear or two away. I'm deeply touched by your words. I hope I do your words justice. Thank you ever so much for the wonderful words. You've made my day! I've been walking around like a zombie all from lack of sleep and reading this has perked me up. Ah yes, the Ikea chest of drawers. It's currently being propped up by various wooden planks. Thankfully, this is a relatively earthquake free zone.

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    1. To be honest, I can't thank you enough for helping me get along this far and being so kind as to feature me in one of your Friday blogger posts from way back and that was when I had no idea what I was doing. Not sure I do now but wittering away to my hearts content seems to work and soothes the soul. Thanks again.

      And not rubbing it in much but I have the same drawers and mine are not falling apart :o)

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    2. So TOTALLY rubbing it in! The DIY gene must've skipped me and went straight to my 3 younger siblings.

      My pleasure, Sue. I'm so pleased that blogging has given me a platform to introduce new outstanding bloggers. I find it hard to recommend blogs via Twitter as the tweets just seem to change every second whereas blogs are more static.

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  5. Congratulations for the award! Well deserved :)
    I already knew Marlene's and Lapin de Lune's blogs and I love them as well! The other 3 were new to me... but I'd a quick look at them and I think they're very, very likely to become part of my regular readings.
    Thanks to you I'll spend even more time online. yay!
    xx

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    1. Thank you Sonia - that is really kind. My picks are certainly a mixed bag aren't they?

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  6. Thanks again Sue, not sure if you saw my reply on your comment but I have to say it again here that I'm not half as cool as you say I am! Very much appreciate being included in this post.. enjoyed reading thru everyone elses' blogs and I never knew about Marlene and Ikea furniture! And of course I just had to find that post ;) Hope you have a lovely weekend!! x

    steph / absolutely-fuzzy.com

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    1. Marlene is an engaging read - I've been through most of her archive and often find myself going "I did that" and "oh absolutely" whilst nodding my head most vigorously.

      Stephanie - whatever you say - you look like the cool girl to me! Have a good weekend!

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  7. Ooh! I have only just found this post! Thankyou so much, this is incredibly sweet (liebster-ish, clearly!). Some wonderful new blogs to sift through here, too. I don't know what to say - but I shall definitely try to get my list made up within the next week or two (working with no mercy here!). Is this ok?

    Can I have a slice of that toast with butter now?

    x

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    1. You don't need to get a list together - heck we are all busy enough and it does take time which is why I just took the easy and cowards way out for this which is just to nominate 5 blogs rather than 11 and then answer 11 questions about myself and make up 11 more. Only do it if you want to is what I say and if you have time. But yes - your blog does deserve praise indeed.

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  8. Hi Sue, congratulations on this award, you surely deserve it ! I loved reading this post, I have to say that I love your writing (in french we say "plume" which means pen, and I LOVE your "pen"). Good choice as well, I adore Marlene, she is great ! xx

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    1. Hi Fashion Mama! Thank you for the compliment and I love reading your posts too - I love your honesty about the trends - good and bad! I enjoyed writing this post as I did enjoy "revelling" these lovely bloggers but I still feel bad about everyone I didn't manage to include as I like so many and for different reasons.

      Anyway - Chanel handbag arrived yet? Hubby taken the hint?

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  9. Congratulations on your award- it's so well deserved.

    Love that you recognized Marlene. You both are two of my favorites:)

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    1. How can you not recognise Marlene ... it was time for payback.

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Susie So So