Liebster Award!

It has been said, around the blogosphere, that the Liebster Award originated in Germany (maybe, probably, well by it's name...that's a good guess), and is used to highlight smaller, lesser known blogs and more specifically, blogs with less than 200 (once 2,000 or 300) followers.  The gist of the award is that you "accept' with the intention of "paying it forward" (modern day chain mail?).  Upon accepting the award, one chooses 11 blogs (I think it used to be 3-5) that you feel are deserving of more subscribers and "nominate" them for the award.  No one is obligated to accept the award (or even to pay it forward), but it does help to generate traffic and get the word out about some really great little blogs that can be crammed full of big punches of inspiration!  For now, let's just say, it's a fun and friendly award by bloggers, to bloggers, for bloggers! 

Thanks to Kevin @ Kevin the Quilter for nominating my "Peachy Pages!" And now, the current rules (or at least the set of rules that has been attached to my particular nomination):

• To qualify the blog must have less than 200 followers or must be less than six months old.  
• Once the award is received you are to write a post and in it:

1. List 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions posed by the blogger who nominated you.
3. Nominate 11 blogs for the Liebster Award and link to them.
4. Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

And so, without further ado... 

Random Things About Myself:

1. I don't enjoy blogging about myself...I'd rather blather on about my projects/travels, etc.
2. I would love to join a produce co-op.  I keep reading blogs about them, and now I wanna find one.  
3. I don't like eating meat and I often pick the meat out of my meal (and fling it on my hubby's plate).  I'm not a vegetarian, but I could be...I think.
4. I'd love to learn more about "clean foods" and desire the willpower to eat heathy 95% of the time.  Enough about food (it's dinner time).
5. My first crafty hobby was cross-stitch.  I still love to cross-stitch and I'm quite good at it, if I do say so myself.
6. My first "real job" was in the orderly room of a hospital in Turkey.
7. I love musicals!  "Rent" is one of my absolute faves!
8. I hate the mall!  If I need something, I take a mental list and get in and out as quickly as possible!
9. I'm a terrible gift-giver.  Please, just tell me which gift card you prefer.
10. You can keep the long walks on the beach, I'll take a hike in the mountains any day.
11. I pick up the accents of people I'm speaking to...it's weird...and it sticks for a bit!  I can't help it!

Answers to Kevin's Questions:

1.  Who is the person most responsible for introducing you to quilting?  My mother-in-law taught me to quilt less than a year after I got married.  I learned to trace templates, cut with scissors...my, how times have changed!  BTW, my mother-in-law, doesn't quilt much - actually, I can't remember her ever really quilting, but she sews all kinds of other stuff!  Maybe it had something to do with cutting out templates with scissors!?!?!  Have I ever told you that I love my rotary cutter!

2. What is the first quilting project you ever made, and how old were you when you made it?  Well, my first log cabin pieced pillow top was rainbow colored and made in the 7th grade.  It wasn't quilted though, just sewn to the backing and stuffed with a pillow form!  Ahhh....Home Ec...

3. Who is your most favorite quilt designer?  Do you have to ask?  The great Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame, of course!

4. How many quilting projects have you made to date?  A lot.  I've been quilting for 20 years, I give a bunch away and I don't really care to count, sorry!  I will tell you that I prefer to make bed size quilts - and I don't own a long arm!

5. What is your most favorite breed of dog?  "Poor-pathetica,"  I love a mutt, generally the runt of the litter.  We have two dogs (14 & 5 years old), both mixes (lab/boxer/tick houndish & runty houndish), both female, and they are the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet.

6. What color is the shell on the eggs you eat?  Well, that's an easy one...I don't eat eggs!

7. What is the longest flight you have ever been on, and where were you going?  St. Louis to Tokyo (layover in Chicago) was probably the longest, maybe?  We move around pretty often, therefore we fly just as often.

8. Which is your most favorite city to visit?  A different city every time!  I'm not much of a city girl, but I LOVE to see new things.  We've seen many fabulous cities - maybe not all pretty, but always exciting!

9. Where is the best Quilt Shop you have ever been to, and what is it’s name?  Tomato in Tokyo's garment district.  It was a great store for all fabrics Asian!  Or Domdemun in Seoul, Korea...HUGE fabric MALL!

10. Do you have a large or small family?  Pretty average family size...hubby, 2 kids, 2 dogs.

11. Have you ever gone fishing? If so, what is the biggest fish you have ever caught?  I used to go bass fishing with my dad when I was a little girl.  Biggest fish?  I don't know.  How big is a bass at the Big Bass Lake?  70, 80 pounds?  LOL!  I'm telling a BIG fish story!

My Blog Nominations (in no particular order):
1.  Deb @ Northern Deb Quilts
2.  Andee @ The Modern Diary
3.  Karen @ Stitching Circle
4.  Dee @ Dee's Quilt Therapy
5-11...and here's the part where I reserve my last 8 nominations for a later date...why?  'Cuz I've been typing too long and I'm drawing a blank!?!?!!!

Questions for My Nominees:
1.  What's your favorite LQS or crafty store?
2.  What types of things spark your creative inspiration?
3.  What are some of your favorite blogs any why?
4.  What are the top 3 things on your creative to do list this year?
5.  Where would you go on your dream vacation?
6.  What has been your favorite travel experience?
7.  What's playing on your TV and iPod lately?
8.  Do you feel you "give back" and how so?
9.  What 5 sites do you like for shopping online?
10.  What was your favorite class/lecture you ever attended?
11.  Why do you blog?  

Phheww.....that was a lot of work!  And wayyyy too much information about me, but it did give me something to blog about today!  So, tomorrow, I'm maybe just gonna post some pictures with no words!?!?  

Now I just hope that my nominees don't mind being put on the spot!  It's fun!  Really!  Thanks again, Kevin, for the nomination!