Thirty Random Facts/Liebster Award

I was tagged by Belly over at Wondegondigo a little while ago to write thirty random facts about myself. This is something I've been working on slowly. Then recently, I was "nominated" by Natalie at Beauty and the Eyeliner for a Liebster Award. (Thank you, Natalie!)



Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. A Liebster Award is an "award" that is passed around the blogging community to recognize up and coming blogs that have less than 200 followers. Blogging is about building a community and it's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer blogs.

The "nominess" are to give 11 random facts about themselves and answer 11 questions that they have been given. Then they are to nominate at least three other bloggers and so on. It's kind of like a chain letter.

As to not to overwhelm you with info about me, I've decided to combine these into one post. (I hope that's okay!)

1. I have more than thirty first cousins. My dad has twelve brothers and sisters. It's a big Catholic family.
2. I wash my face with Dirt. And Mud.
3. Sometimes I use Honey, too.
4. I've had the same dentist for almost thirty years.
5. I have three cats, Godiva (Didi), Luna (Loonie) and Lux (Woo). They are my spoiled little babies.
   
   
   
   
6. I can usually be heard talking (or in some cases singing) to my cats when I'm all by myself.
7. I love reading. YA books are my guilty pleasure.
8. I love doing laundry.
   
   
   
   
9. I hate vacuuming.
10. I know how to drive a stick shift. Every car I've had has been stick.
11. I love waffles. For dinner.
12. I really do love Twilight. Both the books and the movies.
    
    
    
    
13. I don't drink.
14. I have every color of Rescue Beauty Nail nail polish that Ji Baek has ever made. Except one.
15. Quitting smoking was the best thing I have ever done for my health. 
16. Along with wearing sunscreen.
17. My day is not complete without a can of Diet Coke.
    
    
    
    
18. I'm short (5'2").
19. I have Chilblains. The toes on my left foot are ALWAYS cold.
20. Though I use others, I'm addicted to Burt's Bees Original Beeswax Lip Balm and have been for over 15 years.
    
    
    
    
21. I went to school for Printing & Publishing and got an Associate's Degree.
22. Then I went to school for Fine Art, specifically Photography and got a BFA. 
23. I have a pet peeve about the word "Taupe".
    
    
    
    
24. I greatly dislike summer. The heat just doesn't agree with me (or my rosacea).
25. I greatly enjoy shopping. Doesn't matter where I am. I could be in a hardware store or an auto parts store and find something to buy.
26. I love (seriously) HGTV. And Property Brothers--can't get enough of them. 
27. I'm a perfectionist. Especially when it comes to any type of art.
28. I spend a lot of time looking at color charts. I want to make sure that I am describing colors as accurately as I can.
29. I can not live without Diptyque's Feu de Bois. Preferably the largest size available.
    
    
    
    
30. I like giving people gifts as soon as I have them, even if they aren't wrapped and the occasion isn't for weeks. I have absolutely no patience.

Here are the eleven questions Natalie gave me to answer:

1. What is your favorite food?
   - I'm picky, but at the same time I'm not. I tend to like to eat the same thing for a (long) time and then (usually) move onto something else. I'm currently obsessed with a sort of deconstructed taco salad without the shell. Though I'll always love things like Thanksgiving, mashed potatoes and Chinese.
2. Do you like or hate scary movies?
   - I don't mind them. I usually don't find them scary, some are rather funny to me. Though Fire in the Sky is one of the most terrifying movies I have ever seen.
3. What do you do when you are stressed out?
   - Stop what I'm doing (usually working on my blog) and do something else, like look at books, makeup, movies or music. Sometimes I'll read, paint or take photographs (not for the blog). Light a candle (if one is not already going). Buy something - this works wonders.
4. Favorite beauty product of the moment?
   - Tom Ford Brushes. Armani's new Cheek Fabric Blushes. Oribe Apres Beach Wave Spray. May Lindstrom Honey Mud. Chanel Provocation Le Vernis.
5. Water or coke?
    - Ohhh, too hard to choose. I need both. I have to have a can of Diet Coke every morning, and then I drink water the rest of the day.
6. Coke or Pepsi (this one is more important)?
   - Diet Coke
7. Are you a sports fan?
   - It depends on the sport, but generally, no. Most sports I understand, such as say basketball or tennis, but when it comes to football, I've got nothing. And wouldn't you know it, my husband loves football. Like LOVES football. He even collects football cards.Yes, seriously.
8. Do you prefer long or short hair on yourself?
   - Long. Whenever I cut my hair past a certain length, like my shoulders, I always seem to end up crying. I recently cut about four or five inches off, and am loving it! It feels so short to me (though it's still long) and I'm contemplating going even shorter.
9. What is your favorite feature about yourself?
   - Typical answer, my eyes. They're a blue-gray.
10. Best kind of cookie?
    - My mom's Chocolate chip.
11. Would you rather live in the city or the country?
    - I've lived in both and always thought I would prefer to live in the country. I lived in the city during college and currently live in the country. Now while it's far prettier and more scenic in the country, it's also not near anything. And let me tell you, having to drive long distances to stores is not fun. So, now I'd probably say the city, or heck, even the suburbs.

 My questions for my nominees are:

1. What is the best book you’ve read recently (or your favorite book of all time)?
2. If you could meet any one person, living or deceased, real or fictional, who would it be?
3. What are your favorite places to shop at?
4. What is your favorite makeup brand?
5. Describe yourself in three words.
6. Do you have a favorite scent or perfume? If so, what is it?
7. What has been your worst hairstyle?
8. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
9. What's your favorite holiday?
10. Who or what is your biggest inspiration (for your blog and just life in general) and why?
11. Why did you start blogging and is it what you expected? 

Now, enough about me, here are my nominees:

For thirty random facts:

• Lenallure
• Color Me Loud - See Sara's post here
• Chloe.Ash

For the Liebster Award, I nominate:

• Weekend Ramblings
• Monsiieur Alex
• Wondegondigo
• Icaria's
• bronzer bunny