WOW - A Liebster

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was nominated for a Liebster Award from nevernakednails, recently. Nevernakednails blogs about nail polish, birchboxes, hair products and cosmetics. She’s quite sassy and has made me laugh out loud on many occasions. Sometimes her posts look like a dissertation but don’t let that intimidate you. There’s quite a lot of good information and entertaining banter buried in there. Her posts are easy to read and the prose flows like a pleasurable conversation. I love the fact that she uses the inside of her refrigerator as a backdrop for her nail photos!! She is truly a unique and lively blogger who is not afraid to say the unthinkable or what is on her mind. You must go for a visit.

Onward:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

11 questions asked by nevernakednails

1. What is your blog about, and why?

My blog is about nail polish and anything related to hand and nail care. I try as much as possible to only use cruelty free products. I originally decided to start my own blog as a personal journal, to keep me motivated to not gnaw my tips. Which I have been doing on and off since the second grade!

2. How old are you? This mostly applies to how old you feel.

I’m 36, and I feel 36. Tired but working, bored and distracted.

The effects of the rat race, daily grind, time and pressure, whatever you want to call it, starts to show at this age. “Do what you love, so you never have to work a day in your life.” Yeah, easier said than done.

There’s a flyer hanging at work that says:

At 3 years old we say, “Mom I love you.”
At 14 years old we say, “Mom, whatever.”
At 16 years old we say, “Mom is so annoying.”
At 18 years old we say, “I am leaving this house.”
At 21 years old we say, “Mom you were right.”
At 30 years old we say, “I want to go to mom’s house.”
At 50 years old we say, “I don’t want to lose my mom.”
At 70 years old we say, “I would give up everything to have my mom here.”

I fit right in.

3. Would you please tell me a short story of the last time you really, really had some absolute fun in your life?

This is a really, really hard question. Let’s define “fun”, first. From Wikidictionary: Fun is “enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure”.

I would have to say just the other day I went to DSW shoe warehouse with hubby and tried on about 50 pairs of shoes. He tried on maybe 15. I smiled. I laughed. I was amused. I bought some cheap shoes and nail polish, it was a light-hearted experience.

4. Where are your favorite places to shop and what are your favorite brands of things to buy?

Favorite places to shop: Anywhere really, but lately, Marshalls, Williams and Sonoma, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, thrift stores, and garage sales. The messier the better, it is where you find some good deals. I like high end malls/boutiques too. High end boutiques have a purpose: to stay on top of what is new and find some possible game changers. When I’m shopping in a cheap place I tend to have more fun because it is lighthearted. Lower prices and non-commissioned sales people equals less pressure.

Favorite brands of things to buy:

If it’s not listed, I’m all over the place. But these are tried and true brands for me.

Shoes:                       Chie Mihara, Dansko, and Prada
Socks and Hoisery:   Hue and Wolford
Jeans:                        Seven for all Mankind
Work pants:              Banana Republic
Yoga pants:              Champion from Target
Underware:               Gap
Bras:                         Playtex
MakeUp:                  Laura Mercier, but I don’t wear make up very often.
Nail Polish:              China Glaze
Skin Care:                Bliss, Replenix, Cetaphil, Roc retinol.
Toothpaste:               Crest, stannous fluoride, people.
Toothbrush:              SoniCare
Knives:                     Wustof
China:                       Portmerion and Villeroy & Boch
Cookware:                LeCreuset and Cuisinart
Coffee maker:          Krups
Coffee:                     Douwe Egberts
Wine:                       French, cote du Rhone region
Cars:                        Volkswagen, or anything German.
Camera:                   Nikon, although I’m currently shooting with a Panasonic-Leica lens.

5. Do you have any crafty hobbies, or something you're just good at?

Crafty hobbies hmmmm…. I want to learn how to knit. I use to make jewelry, but sourcing for quality materials started to become really hard to find and expensive. I’ll tell the truth; I wasn’t very good at making jewelry. I’m pretty good at painting walls. Tip: Use Purdy brushes when cutting in.

6. What did you expect to be doing at this time, five years ago?

Five years ago, I was 31, and it was 2007. I had been married for one year. My state of mind was not future oriented. I was looking back at my twenties in regret. I thought about my failures, my shortcomings, and how I didn’t enjoy my twenties enough. I thought about trying to live day by day and enjoy the present. I hated my job but I always do my best and got a big promotion in August of 2007. I did not make plans, so I’m pretty much in the same place now as I was back then. Same job, same house, same car…. So far, my thirties have been about working towards retirement, personal growth, stability and coming to terms that my time and energy are limited.

7. If you use youtube, what types of videos do you watch the most?

Music videos, how to cosmetic and nail videos, raising backyard chicken videos, and sometimes funny cat videos.

8. What is the song(s) that you must play full blast, windows down, belting it out, don't nobody better get in your way, driving down the road?

Small things, by blink 182

9. Kids?

No, none and no thanks. Don’t try to convince me, I am 11 years past my reproductive prime. “Being lonely, no one to care for you when you are old, and no one to put flowers on your grave” is a poor and selfish reason to have children.

10. Best day ever?

Tomorrow, it holds so much potential.

11. Who taught you to do something you really like doing?

Michele from Lacquerized.com I’ve never met her and she doesn’t know me, but she’s a Dutch blogger who taught me how to paint my nails, and convinced me to go cruelty free. Monkey see, monkey do as nevernakednails would say. Michele has stopped posting and I really miss her and wonder where she is.

My 11 questions for you, the nominated.

What are you looking forward to this week/month?
What have the last few years taught you?
What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Who do you like best, you mom or dad?
How many close friends do you have?
If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?
What was the last movie you went to see?
What is the last book you read?
Age and do you feel your age?
Children and or pets?
Why do you think people follow your blog?

Blogs with less than 200 followers and no tag backs! This was NOT easy.

http://hopelessshopaholic.blogspot.com/
http://romancedelalunatm.blogspot.com/
http://somethinsgottagive.blogspot.com/
http://topcoattales.blogspot.com/
http://m43photo.blogspot.com/
http://thepolishpaparazzi.blogspot.com/
http://divagirlstrikesagain.blogspot.com/
I could not come up with 11 bloggers without tagging back. So if you are reading this and want to join in please feel free! Post the questions you want to answer and provide a link in the comment section!