A SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE LIEBSTER AWARD!

I’ve seen numerous awards floating around in the Blogosphere, but never really expected this little blog o’ mine to get much notice. Well, over a week ago, Patricia Krank over at Old Things New did take notice and nominated me for the Liebster Award. Thank you for thinking of me Patricia – I’m so incredibly flattered!

Now, this lovely little award is given by more seasoned bloggers to blogs with 200 followers or less to show them a little bit of love. Of course, I have to giggle at this a bit because I don’t quite consider myself a “seasoned” blogger by any means – I can still use A LOT of love! With that said, I plan on passing on the torch to smaller blogs that I love, but are no less “seasoned” than me (and many are actually far more seasoned! Sorry to break the rules here…but that’s what I do best!).

Speaking of rules, here are more rules attached to the nomination:

1. Post 11 random things about yourself
2. Answer the questions that the nominator sets for you
3. Create 11 questions for the poeple that you nominate
4. Choose 11 blogs that you love (also with 200 or less followers). Link them to your post and let them know they’ve been nominated.
5. No tag backs!

So, in an attempt not to break any more rules, let’s get started…

11 Random Things About Me:

1. I’m a little bit addicted to Rock Band. I don’t play often, but when I do…I’m hooked for no less than three hours (I’m pretty sure I was a rockstar in my previous life).
2. I love fresh pineapple but hate pineapple juice. I love raw broccoli but I hate cooked broccoli – unless it’s in cream of broccoli soup. I like ice cream with my pie, but only on the side. Ever seen When Harry Met Sally? Yeah, I’m Sally.
3. I’m pretty sure I could eat Rolos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week.
4. I was the events planner for two previous companies I worked for – I LOVE planning events, but I only realize just how much until AFTER the event. During the planning, I’m a bit of a nightmare.
5. I’m the second worst procrastinator I know. My husband is the first!
6. I hate wearing socks and only wear them when the forces of nature force me to. Even in the winter – as long as there isn’t snow on the ground – I’m sockless in my cute little ballet flats. Style over comfort, I suppose!
7. I have naturally curly hair but have NO IDEA how to wear it naturally curly. I either wear it up or I straighten it with a flat iron (which happens maybe three times a year).
8. I’m not very mathematically inclined, I hate instructions, am terrible with directions, and am pretty sure the left side of my brain is the size of a pea. Maybe a walnut, just to give myself a little extra credit.
9. I’ve lived in two countries, approximately nine different states and too many cities to count!
10. I’ve had dreams that I should turn into books. Most of them are science fiction based. I have no idea how my mind conjures these things.
11. I’m pretty certain my animals (a dog and a cat) are furry little people. And I treat them as such. They are my little loves that I couldn’t do without.

Questions From Patricia:

1. Do you hit the ground running when you first wake up or are you slow to warm up? Is this a joke? There are people in this world that AREN’T slow to wake up? If only I was one of them… I’m a slug in the morning. Coffee is a must.
2. What is your favorite movie of all time? Such hard questions! Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Bridget Jones, Zoolander. I like the clever and romantic comedies, not the stupid comedies. Except Zoolander – it’s stupid funny, but so fun to quote!
3. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken, and why? Napa, because it was the first vacation I ever took with my now husband, and Croatia, because who doesn’t enjoy their honeymoon?!
4. Do you have a hero in your life? Who and why? Well, to get a little serious here, I come from a long line of military men. They and all the soldiers out there, separated from their families, risking their lives for our country…they are all my heroes.
5. Cat person, dog person, or other? Both are hard to resist. And I have both. Remember…furry little people!
6. Favorite subject in elementary school? Definitely science. I was obsessed with chimpanzees. Still am!
7. What is your favorite kind of food? Thai is delicious!
8. If you could ask God for ANYTHING what would it be? Health and happiness for myself and all my loved ones.
9. What do you like to do in your spare time? Don’t have any? Pretend 🙂 A glass of red wine, a good book, and a comfy blanket = PERFECTION.
10. What helps you get your creative juices flowing? Magazines are my muse. I’ve got two “mood boards” full of pages ripped out from magazines. A quick browse through Country Living, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, or Southern Living and I’m golden.
11. What genre of book do you tend to read the most?Historical novels. Right now I’m reading one about Henry VIII’s first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Yet another one of my obsessions – anything about Henry the VIII!

11 Blogs That Are Far More Fabulous Than Mine. (Some with more than 200 followers…)  Please go check them out and give them some blog love!

1. Artsy Chicks Rule
2. DIY Vintage Chic
3. The Happy Tulip
4. Sweet Pea
5. Our Lake Life
6. Martha Leone Design
7. Giraffe Legs
8. It’s A Beautiful Life
9. Designer in Teal
10. Caught On A Whim
11. Mollee Made

My Questions to These Wonderful Bloggers:

1. What enticed you to start blogging?
2. How would you describe the style of your home?
3. If you could have any career in the world, what would it be?
4. Red wine, white wine, or no wine?
5. What is your greatest guilty pleasure?
6. If you had your own reality show, what would it be called?
7. Chocolate or vanilla?
8. What is your biggest pet peeve?
9. Introvert or extrovert?
10. Where is your favorite place to go to relax? (Could be as simple as a room in your home, or a travel destination)
11. If you could only watch one show on television for the next month, what would it be?

Thanks a bunch and thanks again to Patricia!

SHARING THE LOVE.

Hello my friends and happy Friday to you! As you know, one of my favorite pastimes is perusing the interwebs. Now, I already have a huge selection of blogs bookmarked, favorited, what have you, but I’m always on the lookout for new and intriguing sites that offer words of inspiration, beautiful photographs, or simply a good laugh. Of course, it’s next to impossible for me to keep up with all the blogs that I come across and fall in love with, but I thought I’d share the love a little bit at a time:

1.  I am in love with Jesse’s visual storytelling blog. Jesse is in fact an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, but his still photographs are just as breathtaking. Currently, Jesse is creating a documentary called Give Me Your Hunger, an incredibly inspiring film that “explores how the most compassionate and daringly driven individuals have taken the seemingly hopeless war against hunger into their own hands in astonishing, brave and even dangerous ways.” Between capturing scenes for the film, here are just a few photographs he’s taken within and nearby Madurai, India:

For more inspiring photos – and to see a trailer for his new documentary – pop on over to his blog!

2. Well, I seem to be on a bit of a photography kick as of late. Perhaps it’s because I am attempting to tweak my own photography skills, which have A LOT of room to grow. But I’m learning, a little (tiny) bit at a time. In the meantime, I enjoy browsing through photographs like those of PRAMUDIYA. His photos truly seem to capture the essence of life – little clips of emotion that intrigues and leaves you wanting more. Kind of like a Mona Lisa smile.

For more amazing photographs, pop on over to his blog or his professional website.

3. While I remain on a photography kick, I am sitting in front of my laptop with coffee in hand and find myself ravenous. I mean, my grumbling stomach caused my dog to slink behind the couch in fear. Somehow, this mixture of hunger and beautiful photography reminded me of Cannelle Et Vanille, a food and photography blog! Oh goodness, I’m salivating just looking at these pictures…

You can find the recipes for both the apple, gruyere and sage Muffins and the squash and leek soup here and the recipe for the apple, oat, and herb scones here. Enjoy!

4. And lastly, for a good, hearty laugh that should get you through the entire weekend, pop on over to I Miss You When I Blink. It never fails to disappoint!

Have a blog you’d like me to share? Email me a link and why you love it!

Have a great weekend ya’ll!

COME ON IN AND STAY A WHILE…

I luuuve me some blogs, but in my humble opinion, there are a few in particular that have stood out over the test of time. Elements of Style (EOS) is one of the first lifestyle and design blogs that I stumbled upon in my quest for a good read, and even years later, it never fails to inspire and encourage. Erin Gates, the creator and author of the blog, has such an honest, open, and witty voice that upon reading it, you immediately feel as though she’s your new BFF. Seriously, I bet I could share a few cocktails and laughs with that chic and learn a thing or five about the design and art world in the process.

LOVE her office, her chic style, and amazing interiors…

This is another amazing blog that I’m quite sure I could not live without. Marion, the voice behind Miss Mustard Seed (MMS), has such a strong and inspiring personality that it’s hard not to think of her as Superwoman. Seriously, how does she do it all? Read a couple of her posts and you’ll be inspired to clean your house, paint your living room, organize your closets, refinish a few furniture pieces, and restyle your guest room – all in one day.

Her furniture and interiors are simple, farmhouse elegance…

Finally, a little outside of the design and decorating realm, but nevertheless a must read, is The Happiness Project. If you’re anything like me, you may be a “glass half empty” kind of gal (or guy!). I tend to dwell on the negative rather than the positive, and this really takes me on a downward spiral that is often hard to escape. The Happiness Project (also now a book!) is the author Gretchen Rubin’s account of her dedicated year of happy living – focusing on the things that really matter (love, family, healthy living, etc.) by setting monthly resolutions for herself. It’s fun, funny, and incredibly motivating to live life to the fullest, dammit!

Now, I have started my own blog or two in the past with the vein attempt to emulate these other amazing blogs. The first was a lifestyle and design blog, and the other was a blog about my own pursuit of happiness. But after a month or two, I always felt myself lacking the motivation to continue. Why, you may ask? Because I was trying to create something that already existed in the world! It was like trying to remake Gone with the Wind – why would anyone ever do this when the original was, and still is, so damn good?!

So I have decided to create a blog that is wholly my own, in voice and personality. It’s a little lifestyle with a pinch of business, a lot of design and DIY projects, hopefully a heck of a lot of happiness, and sometimes, my struggles to find happiness. Welcome to The Modage Cottage! Why don’t you come in and stay a while?

(Ps….did that last line sound a little Mr. Rogers to you?)