Liebster Blog Award Volume Five

I was recently nominated for another Liebster blog award by Keely from Another Girls Paradise. Thank you so much, Keely! I'm always astonished when anybody nominates me for an award. Truth be told, I'm astounded that anybody even reads my little blog at all! They always mean a lot, but having done a few of these lately, I'm running out of things to share about myself.

Rules

You must post 11 random facts about yourself. You must answer 11 questions from the person who chose you. You must create a new set of 11 questions for who you tag. 

You must then tag 11 blogs with under 200 followers and let them know. You can not tag back.

I'm going to break the rules a little here, and just share some facts about myself, and answer Keely's questions. I hate having to choose between all the wonderful blogs I follow, and have already passed the award on to my favourite bloggers several times.

11 Facts About Little Old Me

1. Most of my family are (English) Northerners, but my Sisters and I are Southerners born and raised.

2. I keep tropical fish and have a shrimp called Francois. I decided they needed French names. It's thought that his shrimp friend Jean-Pierre was murdered. Although it remains a mystery as his body was never found.

3. I have an odd sense of humour (see no. 2 above)... 

4. I love movie and musical soundtracks.

5. One of my favourite theatre experiences was seeing Sister Act in the West End whilst Whoopi Goldberg was starring as the head nun. She was only on stage for a couple of weeks, so it was a once in a life time experience. She was fantastic!

6.  I'm planning to get a tattoo of a flock of flying birds as soon as I'm back in one piece and living a more normal life. I want this to symbolise regaining my freedom, and to remind myself to never take life for granted again.

7. I'm also seriously considering getting the words 'make it count' tattooed on me, too, as another reminder to live each day well. Many of you might recognise it as a quote from Titanic. It happens to be my favourite film, but the three little words would have spoken to me even  if they were said in a film I hated.

8. I can cross stitch a little. Nothing too elaborate, mind, but I've learnt to cross-stitch, and back-stitch, and can manage small designs. I've not adopted it as a hobby, though.

9. I used to sketch and paint, but haven't done a single picture since I broke my wrist five years or so ago.

10. I'm considering taking art, photography, and creative writing classes when I'm physically able to do so.

11. As well as the skills in no 10, I'd love to learn how to crochet, sew, knit, and how to make clothes and patchwork quilts, accessories, and jewellery. Basically, I want to learn how to create everything.

Keely's Questions to Me

1) Are you afraid of the dark?

No, but I don't particularly like it.

2) What movie or song makes you cry? 

Movies- 

These make me cry every single time...

The Green Mile, Marley and Me, I Am Legend, Titanic, Steel Magnolias.

Songs-

This of course depends on my mood, but if I'm particularly upset or down, then these songs have the power to make me bawl like a baby.

The All American Rejects- It Ends Tonight
Avril Lavigne- Slipped Away
Boyzone- Every Day I Love You, Better, and One More Song.
The Calling- Could It Be Any Harder, and Stigmatized
Coldplay- The Scientist
Evanescence- Hello, and Lost in Paradise
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole- Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Kings of Leon- Pyro
Linkin Park- Valentine's Day, My December, The Little Things Give You Away and Leave Out All The Rest
Lostprophets- 4am Forever
Michael Jackson- Little Susie
My Chemical Romance- The Ghost of You
Ronan Keating- Winter Song, Mama's Arms, and In This Life

I started listing them and came up with so many songs that made me cry. I decided to keep most of them in the post, but cut a few out.

3) Favourite comfort food? 

I'm not a comfort eater, but there are some foods which can't be beaten and do leave me with a content feeling- so probably my Mum's home made chocolate cakes, or her apple pie which are both a rare treat. 

4) If you could live anywhere, where it would be and why?

I would love to have a town house in New York as it's an incredible, beautiful, lively city; worlds apart from the town I live in.. I'd also love to live by the sea in Cornwall so I could walk on the beach and paddle in the sea everyday. I've always dreamt of living by the sea and becoming a surfer.
  

5) Favourite item of clothing?

I adore most of my wardrobe these days, but if I had to choose I'd say my black hummingbird print skirt; my black bird-print maxi dress; my navy/cream flamingo print circle dress, and my black and white polka dot shirt dress. I love how I feel in each of these items, and I think they're all visually pretty, too.

6) What do you do to cheer yourself up on a rainy day?

I actually like rain and it doesn't make me miserable at all! I love curling up with a good book and listening to it lashing against the windows. If I need to cheer up a miserable grey day, I'll dress in something colourful and play some good tunes.

7)  Do you believe in ghosts? 

Yes. I'm not sure if I believe that they can be seen, but I believe their presence/energy can be felt. The elderly man who owned this house before us died here of an illness, and for a few years there was a bad energy in the house, particularly in a couple of the rooms. I regularly felt it, and always sensed I was being watched. My Sister and I once saw the kitchen cupboards opening and closing before our eyes. I still hate being in the dining room or my parents bedroom alone.

8) Favourite book?

I have two firm favourites: The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, and The Stand by Stephen King. They're both great and interesting reads in different ways, and if you haven't read them I suggest you get yourself copies pronto!

9) Do you have a childhood item that you'll never throw away?

I haven't kept hold of much from my childhood, but I have some teddies in the loft, and a copy of my favourite childhood book ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' that I have no intention of giving away. I'm a sentimental soul.

10) Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

I honestly haven't thought that far ahead. I don't have a life plan pencilled in my diary like many do.

I hope I'm happy, healthy, free of pain, living life to the full, doing something I love, with great friends and family around me.

11) Why do you like to blog?

Firstly, I find blogging a great distraction from my back injuries. Blogging has given me something to focus on every day, and it fills a good portion of  my time. The days used to drag so much more before I created this blog, so it's become my saviour. It's great to do something positive during a difficult time in my life.

 I like being able to show that there are ways to make living with life-changing injuries a little brighter. I like showing society that larger girls enjoy fashion and looking good, too, and that women of all sizes look good in fashionable threads. I also love to write, and obviously I love fashion, style, and beauty, so it's enjoyable to combine them and focus on those subjects with lovely like-minded individuals.