Liebster Award Nomination - Thank You!

 

 *(You can skip this first paragraph if you find it irrelevant - I just wrote it for a bit of background)

After several years in New Zealand down a job path that was intriguing but not nourishing for me, I decided to take a long holiday and really focus on my life. I went to India where I spent three months painting, spending time with my mother, surfing and connecting with some of the most beautiful souls I know. This time was SO important, and I could not have spent it in a healthier way! By the time the 'vacation' was over, I had discovered that this constant feeling of joy and passion was not 'a way' to spend my life. It was the ONLY way! When I painted, created illustrations or crafted anything with my hands, hours would soar past and I would have such beauty to show for my time. This was me emerging into something new and allowing myself to live my life for the first time. Not only that but through me stepping onto this new path I attracted similar minded people who would allow me to be who I really truly was; I could spend hours in silence with them just drawing, never getting bored. 

One of the sketches from my time in India

As a way to bring this new way of 'working' and forging my own way of life into reality, I began to create my online profile. This could be a platform, a base from which people could reach my store, find out about my processes and where I could connect with people with similar passions. One of those amazing people is Emily Heard. This, for me, is the most rewarding part of my online endeavour. I read and share her posts avidly, because this person is on the same path as me even though we have never met! I don't have to come up with everything myself, there are other people out there who are going through the same things - Amazing that this magnetism works in physical social networking as well as in the less tangible online world! I am blown away by the kindness that has been shown to me by this beautiful artist, and only wish I had a larger audience to sing her praises to! Being nominated to participate in the Liebster Award is an exciting crystal shard of encouragement, I am honoured.

Emily's Blog: click her name or emilylouiseheardart.wordpress.com

The Rules (I have copied these directly from Emily's blog as their vary from site to site):
Firstly, if you have been nominated for ‘Liebster Award’ and accept it, you are required to follow few rules.

1. Write a post about the Liebster Award.
2. Thank the person who nominated you.
3. Post a link to the person’s blog who nominated you on your blog.
4. Answer all the 11 questions provided by the person who nominated you.
5. Nominate 11 deserving blogs, who have a follower count of less than 1000. (You can also nominate who has already received this award.)
6. Create a new list of 11 questions for your nominees to answer.
7. List out all the rules in your blog post.
8. Do not forget to inform the nominees. You can do this by commenting on their blog post. Most importantly, give a link for them to your post.

Emily Heard's 11 Questions for me:
1. What inspires you? My biggest inspirations are things of beauty: Beautiful literature, qualities in people and art. For example the writings and paintings of Terri Windling inspire me so much that I simply have to draw SOMETHING when I read her work. They create so many magical images in my head. Also, the qualities of kindness and generosity in my family and friends inspire me to give MORE back.

The Woodwife by Terri Windling - Picture from Terri's blog

2. What is your biggest pet hate? Haha, although I try hard to live in pure love and joy, I have so many pet hates! I can't describe how much it irks me when I see someone steal someone else's idea and claim credit for it, so that's probably my biggest.

3. If you could pick one day of your life and relive it, what day would that be? That would be a day in the Andaman Islands which I spent surfing, eating seafood and spending time with my mother finished off with night time swimming with phosphorescent plankton - that was probably the most unreal day of my life. Or the day when I woke up to my two Ragdoll kittens for the first time (I know I snuck two in there but!!!)

4. If you could pick a talent for yourself, what would it be and why? Putting humbleness aside I am grateful for being a multitalented individual and would not be able to cope with having another talent! I already wish there were three of me to engage in all the things that I am passionate about! 'Superhuman Patience or Organisational Skills' would be ideal attributes but I'm not sure if they constitute talents!

5. What motivates you? My desire to bring the idea of 'Working Doing What You Love' into reality. Everything I do stems from this so it is my primary motivation.

6. What do you enjoy reading about the most on WordPress? I love reading a variety of things from the fashion posts of Amy Valentine & Leanne Lim Walker to the inspirational stories of artistic growth from Sawdustbear & Emily Heard.

7. If you had a super power, what would it be and why? Hands down, the cliche 'to fly'!! It would probably not be the best power to help me achieve my goals, but it is something I dream about regularly even at this age! I would love to have that perspective on this planet, it would be amazing to fly through or above jungles and rough terrain! Aaaah I can't deal with even thinking about it haha!

8. If could live a day in the life of another person for one day, who would that person be? Probably Danielle Pedersen of  'The Handy Maiden.' I would LOVE to know what it feels like to get so many orders every day, or to sell out of your precious creations as fast as you can list them... And I would love to get a deeper insight to her process! She is amazing. 

The Handy Maiden Barn Owl Statement Necklace - Picture used from Handymaiden Etsy

9. What is your aspiration in life? My biggest aspirations are that I can live a happy and full life doing what I'm passionate about, and that I can be a part of the perpetuating force of love that extends to everyone else: I want you to be happy too.

10. If you could pick a colour to match your personality, what colour would that be and why? That's a funny question because I always have one colour which I identify with at different phases of my life. Currently it is the periwinkle blue of Hydrengeas.

Picture of Hydrengeas from Mahoney's Garden

11. If you could jump on a plane tomorrow to anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go to the Anadaman Islands again (and invite all the loved ones) and spend at least a month surfing, drawing and becoming a brown berry! ☀ I would love to see what Bali is like, but I am too out of shape for those waves at the moment!  ❤

I Hereby Nominate (these are not in any order OK? >.< ) :
1. Brittney Bartholomew from eponymous Brittney Bartholomew
2. Audrina from Audrina Bowtique
3. Shing Yin Khor from Sawdust Bear Makes Things
4. Charlotte Fisher from Things I Do Think & Buy
5. Ellen Altanta from Ellen Atlanta
6. Regina Maria Chur from Wide Eyes Fashion Blog
7. Isabel Ocampo from Isabel's Blog
8. Abbie Cronin from About a Girl
9. Ana from Anita's Gatos
10. Silvia Minucelli from Mijbil Creatures
11. Emily from Emily Louise Heard Art -  I'm nominating you back *mwahaha!* If you don't want to do a whole new post you can just comment or send me a mail with your answers to the Qs? I plagiarised a few from you hypocrite that I am hehe.


My Questions for You:
1. How did you get your very first followers?
2. What would your Spirit Animal be and why?
3. What are the key points that would constitute your 'Perfect Day?'
4. When was the moment that you discovered what you really wanted to be? What went on in that brilliant mind?
5. What superhuman ability would you like to have and why?
6. Who supports you the most in your life?
7. What are three things that you LOVE?
8. What wins: comfort or fashion?
9. What would be your 'Best Possible Outcome' of the next five years?
10. What are your three favourite animated films?
11. If you did see something magical, what would your reaction be?

❥  For anyone confused about my blog I have actually split my blog into two, this one focusing on craft and art and the other on beauty and fashion - fashion blog is: Little Mew Wears  You can follow whichever suits your interest more or neither :)

Lot's of love to everyone involved, and thank you again to Emily for nominating me. If you were nominated but just don't have the time to put together a full post, please don't feel compelled - just take it as a compliment!

 ❤