The Versatile Blogger Award – Gracious Acceptance

It’s happened again…. A nomination for the Versatile Blogger Award again! This time from Bexy695. A HUGE thank you to you Bexy for the Nomination!

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The Rules
Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their site. Done!
Say 7 things about your self
Nominate other bloggers
Let them know you have nominated them by commenting on a blog and link your blog to the comment

7 Things about me…

As I’m sat back at home, I think it would only be apt to think of 7 things from when I was little!

  1. When I was born, my Pops was so happy, he distributed sweets, which, nearly 40 years ago, was not the done thing, you only celebrated a boy in that way!  See, my parents taught me self respect, and the importance of a woman early on!
  2. Apparently I looked like a  doll when I was little!
  3. I loved reading so much I would finish book after book by a very weak light every night, and it resulted in me needing glasses at 11… but I wouldn’t change anything, that thirst for words has got me where I am now!
  4. I tried to be sporty, really I did… I come from a family of sports men, and women, my Pops was a high jump record holder at school, and he was an athlete, and played hockey, mum played lacrosse and tennis, and my brother, well he played county level hockey and cricket. I sometimes liked a bit of netball, and badminton, and joined a tennis club, but it was very short lived! I’d rather dance, or read!!!
  5. I was a nightmare eater, my mum would cry because I wouldn’t eat all her wonderful elaborate meals, made specially for me, as a baby, and child… but hey, I grew up ok1 And I’m making up for it now, I think I eat rather too much!!!
  6. I had my tonsils out at the tender age of 4, and was so happy that I was allowed to eat ice cream, as much as I wanted!!!
  7. And it’s not from my childhood, but related to being home… I fear I have eaten so much this last few days that I have put on about half a stone!!!!!!

My Nominations…
Live Love Laugh
Shopgirl Anonymous
RupinderKW
The TJ Blog

Please don’t feel obliged to accept but if you do, it’s just a little bit of fun! 😀

But I Smile Anyway...

Infinity Dreams Award

A lovely surprise when I woke up from my nap…
An award nomination!
Akanksha from The World Past Me nominated me for the Infinity Dreams Award!

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Awarded 2/4/15

My first award in April!
What is the Infinity Dreams Award though?? I try to do a search on these awards and their origins to see why they are given, but just found heaps of links to blogs who had also been awarded it… so I am none the wiser!

Still, many thanks to Akanksha for the nomination, it is always appreciated to be thought of! 🙂

The Rules

Thank and follow the blog that nominated you.
Tell us 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the questions that were set for you to answer.
Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them.

11 facts about me…

  1. I hated insects up until I was 21, and I moved in with some younger girls.. and became mum! I previously would scream Iike a ninny and call for my Pops, but suddenly I was the ‘older’ one and when a moth or spider presented itself, I had to get rid of it… slowly my phobia disappeared!
  2. I must confess I DO watch some of the Indian Soaps on Star Plus!
  3. I only drink filtered water.
  4. At the tender age of around 17 I had to represent the ‘grandmother’ of a ‘grand daughter’ of mine… its a long story, but according to the way our relationships work, yes, I am a grandma!
  5. I’ve had dish, a cat and a stick insect as a pets.
  6. When I was little, I was convinced that the little lizards that scurry around the walls in Kenya would sit on the ceiling above me at night, and fall into my mouth, so the nights I didn’t have a net to sleep under, I would hardly sleep, and keep watch!
  7. I am so indecisive that I find it hard to answer ‘my favourite’ questions!
  8. I used to do ballet! Once, at a parent recital, during my first year learning, (I was 4-5 at the time folks!) we were asked to improvise and dance to a piece of music.  My mother laughs as she tells the story of watching me, and then listening to the teacher ask everyone what they were doing or being.  For the most part th girls were fairies, or butterflies, flying around, flittering about the dance space…then she came to me.  I was apparently a Mad Professor in a Lab, conducting experiments! How I conveyed that in dance, I don’t know LOL!
  9. I used to collect Winnie The Pooh Beanies from the Disney Store, and over 2 years amassed about 50, they came out every fortnight. the collection amounted to around £4-500 and some were true collectibles, until some friendly field mice decided to get into my parents garage, where they were stored, and nibble into bags and boxes, and shred ALL my Poohs, along with loads of other things!
  10. I said I’d never use a Kindle… All I can say is ‘Never say never folks!’
  11. I’m excited, so excited about something and I cant tell you all yet!!!!

My answers

1. Are you a writer or a poet?

I am a poetic writer… !
2. If you could come back from the dead to do one thing, what would it be?

Be there for my children as long as I possibly could…
3. A few close friends or tonnes of friends?

A few close friends, I’m not greedy. I’d rather have those few that cared, rather than many who wait for me to trip up and then laugh, or do well, then hang onto my coat-tails…
4. What do you think can lead to peace?

Tolerance
5. What do you dislike about yourself and why?

My short temper with my children… I often flare up at them, in moments of worry or fear, and realise that I shouldn’t have reacted that way in  the first place… naught mummy!

6. How old are you?

…….39….
7. What is the meaning behind your blog’s title?

But I Smile Anyway… it’s how I’ve been my whole life.  No matter what the situation, I have always had a smile of my face, I Was known as the smiley curly haired girl from Birmingham to my university friends who maybe, initially,  didn’t know my name, and even now, I have a smile for everyone, I believe a smile softens everything, and it costs nothing, but gives so much.
8. What do you like shopping the most?

I love shopping for arty, crafty things!
9. How many contactsare there on your phone?

I dread to think.. too many, and most, I don’t speak to with any regularity, but they are there, just in case!
10. Favorite food?

There are too many! I don’t have one favourite! but many ‘like a lots’!
11. Favorite book?

Again, a hard one, but when I was younger I read Flowers In The Attic, by Virginia Andrews and that spurred an interest in all her books!

My Nominees

I always like to nominate current bloggers who are active in the blogosphere, and little known blogs, as well as bigger ones, so they get exposure they deserve.. so here goes!
1. Purple Star Fish Books
2. Coco’s Angel
3. Emmanuel Muemba
4. Behind The White Fence
5. Diary Of Dennis
6. Joeyfully Stated
7. Human Interest
8. Project Prose
9. From This Day Forward
10. From Diapers and Tutus to Meetings and Boardrooms
11. Jassmelia Kay

My Questions to them

1. What is the one thing you’ve always wanted to learn?

2. Have you ever had a diary?

3. Do you like horror or comedy movies?

4. What is the last song you listened to?

5. Which is the one place you’d like to travel to?

6. Why do you like to blog and what do you love the most to write about?

7. Who is your inspiration?

8. If you had to choose between money or love, what would you?

9. What is the one thing you cannot live without?

10. What is the one thing you have to have in your purse?

11. What was the first thing that came up in your mind when you saw you were nominated here?

Please feel no obligation to accept the award, and take part, but if you do it would be lovely!

But I Smile Anyway...

Creative Process Blog Tour Award

Awarded 23-3-15

Awarded 23-3-15

Cool! Another award I have not heard of before! Thank you to Yashika for giving me this tour award!

There are a few rules here :
1. Pass the tour on up to four other bloggers.
2. Give them the rules and a specific Monday to post.
3. Answer four questions about your creative process which lets other bloggers and visitors know what inspires you to do what you do.

Q1. What I’m I working on at the moment?
Q2. How does my work differ from others in my Genre?
Q3. Why do I write or create what I do?
Q4. How does my writing/creative process work?

4. Compose a one time post on a specific Monday( date given by your nominator).

It occurred to me, while reading the rules that there was not a specific reason for the reward, but I chose my 4 as I WANT to know what makes you blog, I enjoy your posts, and want to know more about the WHY!!

The 4 Bloggers I nominate for this one are…
Gales Mind
Window With A View
DOMESTICATED MOMSTER
My Glamour Temptation

My answers to the questions…

Q1. What I’m I working on at the moment?

Writing wise, I have a story I have been working on for a fair few years, but it has been sporadic with the time I have to spend bringing up my family!  Honestly! It  really gets in the way of my writing, this motherhood and family business!! 😛
Q2. How does my work differ from others in my Genre?

I don’t know quite how to define my own writing, it is from the heart, most definitely, and I try to add a personal tough to all, whether it be fiction, a poem, or my own thoughts…I don’t believe I actually have a genre, but if I ever did get published, it would be either in children’s literature, or my own genre..Chick Pea Curry Lit!
Q3. Why do I write or create what I do?

I have all these words rushing around in my head, on a regular basis!  And using this blog I have finally found a release! I hope that what I write is something to make you smile, laugh, think, and maybe even intrigue!
Q4. How does my writing/creative process work?

I don’t believe I actually have a process, as such… my best poems have come to me, as an event is happening, and I find a rhyme in my head which builds, and builds! the same with other writing, fiction or other personal posts. Its like a seed is planted, then it flourishes then and there. I have to write straight away, or it goes! I find planning quite hard with my writing.  I am a very organised person, Virgo by birth. I make LISTS! but with writing, I am much more impulsive, and I think that’s what makes my words more readable…

I would like you to, if you accept the award, to post your acceptance and answers on Monday 6th April!

The Real Neat Blog Award …

Always an honour to be nominated for an award from you awesome lot!!!
This time its the Real Neat Blog Award, and I’ve been nominated by Mboki at  Learning Web Development. Thank you so much!

Awarded 27/3/15

Awarded 27/3/15

And these are the rules:

1) Put the award logo on your blog.

2) Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.

3) Thank the people who nominated you, linking to their blogs.

4) Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.

5) Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.)

So, I have displayed the logo… and again, a huge thanks to Mboki!!!!!!!

My questions

  • Tell us one thing that the world doesn’t know about part of the world you are coming from.

Hmmm…. ooh! I don’t know! Well, ok, my area was one of the first places in England to have a Sikh temple established, as when the initial migration happened, of Sikhs from the Punjab, to England, they came by boat and would dock here! Now we have one of the biggest temples in Europe!

  • If you have to choose three days sleep or three days without sleep what will be your choice?

Three days without sleep, I could keep awake, but I couldn’t make my self sleep!

  • If you chose to sleep tell us why, if not then what will you be doing in those three days?

Oh as a working mum there is so much to do, I would be cleaning, cooking, spending time with the family, reading, watching things I miss usually, and probably blogging or browsing my reader a lot!

  • Who is the most important person to you right now and why?

Not one person, there is one entity which is the most important to me, my family. Without them, I am nothing, and I couldn’t choose between my spouse or my children!!

  • Does your blog represents who you are in real life?

Absolutely it does! I write what I think all the time, and so I guess that is a 100% true representation of me! – Though sometimes I might hold back, knowing there are a lot of people I know that are reading too….

  • What was the most challenging thing when you started to blog?

I think it was working out what I wanted this blog to be about, then I realised I am Jill of all trades, master of none, so I wanted to be able to write allsorts, and that’s exactly what I did!

  • Quality or quantity?

Very dependant on what you are thinking of…. but essentially a little bit of good quality is better than a whole ream of rubbish, I guess!  Damn! I’d better stop posting so much!!!

And so to nominate…..
The Indecisive Eejit Funny funny blog!
Mihran Kalaydijan Beautiful music…
Real Mom Of Long Island Another mom blog that is fantastically funny!
Baffled Baboon Randomly funny blogger!
Angels Whisper 2-11 Gorgeous Kitty Shots!

And my 7 questions… (This is almost harder than choosing the nominations!)

  1. If you could change anything about yourself, what would you change?
  2. Where did your blog name come from?
  3. What is the meaning of your name?
  4. Tell me your dream date!
  5. What is your favourite type of music?
  6. Which single person has inspired you the most in life?
  7. Sweet or savoury?

And there we have it!  Please don’t feel obligated to accept the award, it’s just a small way of showing my appreciation to a few blogs I enjoy! If you have already received it, either be like me and have it again (after all, you don’t see them super stars giving back Grammies, or Oscars, saying “Oh no thank you, I got one last year!”) or just feel appreciated!

But I Smile Anyway...

CBA, Again! Yup, you guessed it, Creative Blogger Award!

Awarded 26-3-15

Awarded 26-3-15

I am honoured to have been nominated again for the Creative Blogger award, this time by Jane at Cupid Or Cats. Thank you so much!!

So go the rules  (…… oh and I chose a different version of the award image, to pretty it up a little!)

  • Thank and post the link of the blog that nominated you
  • Display the image loud and proud!
  • Share five facts about yourself to your readers
  • Contact all of your nominees and notify them of their award.  You can pick as many blogs as you like, but five is the minimum.
  • Pass these rules on to them

So the thanks are done, but you can never thank enough, so thank you a TONNE Jane!

My award image is up there, loud and proud as I said!

Five facts about me that I (may or )may not have disclosed already… (damage limitation!)

  • I seriously can’t wrap presents!  I wish I could pay for someone to make them look attractive, but they end up covered in half a roll of sticky tape! That, or I cut the paper short and have to do patch up jobs!!!
  • I once won a raffle, and the prize was £500 of travel vouchers… my mum asked for the cash instead, and being such a lovely sister, I gave half to my brother.  the first £25 I spent on a mini jogging trampoline… I was a young teenager at the time, and you know what, I still have it here with me, nearly 3 decades later!!!
  • When I had m hair cut in a bob, with the curls, I was told I looked like Jennifer Grey, of Dirty Dancing fame…

gal-ferris-jennifer-grey-jpg Nads n me (3) You Decide!!!

  • I was a chronic nail biter when I was young, and I am gutted now! My nails used to be lovely, then I totally ruined them!!Please people! Refrain from ruination of the nail!!!!!!!
  • I LOVE CUDDLY TOYS!!!!!!!

And my nominees are…

Yadadarcyyada
Nutsrok
Down Home Thoughts
All Things Chronic
Kelzbelsphotography

As I say everytime, please don’t feel obliged to take part, it’s just my way of appreciating some more blogs, and sharing that appreciation, as someone, Jane, has done to mine!

Happy Blogging all!!!

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