Awards Season

It’s a funny old thing, blogging.

I have always been a bit of a walking contradiction really. I’m a bit of an introvert, truth be told, and and can be a little hyper-sensitive to worrying about what people think of me. I absolutely loathe all attention being on me – so much so that when I was at one point planning a Wedding I was having genuine anxiety about the thought of having to walk down the aisle! Growing up us girls were told we should try to shine and stand out from the crowd, and this just never resonated with me – I have always felt happier blending into the background, thanks! I’m also a very private person, and don’t tend to be forthcoming about inner turmoils, even when it’s something I really should be open about.

So it probably seems a little odd that I would want to write a blog, particularly one in which I post photographs of myself on a regular basis! Honestly – the fear I felt when hitting publish for the first time was palpable! But here’s the thing – I have also always been a bit of a creative, and writing and fashion a passion of mine that I don’t get much opportunity to indulge in ‘in real life’, so blogging actually provides me an outlet for that. And while I’m an introvert, I’m not by any means a loner. I like my own space, but I love to interact with people that have similar passions to me, and the bloggosphere is the perfect place to do that. I was, at first, a little terrified at the thought of people reading my content and judging me, but so far I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences, and can honestly say it feels nice to be a part of this little corner of the Internet, that seems to be so full of lovely, like-minded and complimentary people! The real point though, was that blogging is something I do for me.

And here is where the contradictions come in again! Because while I tell myself over and over that this is just a hobby, and that it doesn’t really matter what people think (I mean, in theory, blogging for a living sounds like the dream, but the thought of having to rely on my own talent or lack of alone to earn money? Bloody petrifying!!) you can’t help but get sucked into the pool of self doubt! Sometimes the posts you really loved don’t seem to get much of a response, sometimes everyone else’s blog just looks a million times better than anything you produce, and sometimes you get a complete block of inspiration and wonder if you should just quit! I say I don’t want the attention, but then every like and comment lights me up like a Christmas tree, and when they don’t come, I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing something wrong.

So it was lovely last week to log in and see that Diana from Blame it on the Deal had nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award! Diana is a girl after my own heart as she loves a bargain, so I’m thrilled she found something on my blog she thought award-worthy! I was feeling pretty chuffed with that as it was, then a couple of days later I logged in to find that Louise Austin Richards, a fellow blogger who shares my passion for beauty and fashion, had nominated me for the Liebster Award! Two nominations in less than a week! That definitely lifted my spirits and made me feel like I must be doing something right after all!

So, those in the know will know how these awards work, but incase you don’t, here are the rules for each:

One Lovely Blog Award:

• Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog
• Share 7 facts about yourself
• Nominate (up to) 15 fellow bloggers
• Let your nominees know you’ve nominated them!

Liebster Award:

• Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you.
• Answer 11 questions from the blogger who nominated you.
• Nominate 11 blogs
• Give them 11 questions to answer

So here goes….

7 facts about me – why is it so hard to think of any?? I thought I should try to include facts you were unlikely to guess (well, it would have been a bit of a cop out to say ‘I like shoes’ for example!) so how about this lot:

• I once sang live on television! Sadly not a stunning solo vocal performance, just as part of a choir on Children In Need when I was about 9 or 10, but still…..
• I have never watched Game of Thrones, and don’t actually have any inclination to despite everyone’s shock horror responses when I tell them. Sorry!
• I cry at Weddings. Not just my family and friend’s Weddings. ALL Weddings. Yes, even ones on adverts. In fact, ESPECIALLY ones on adverts!
• I once came second in the country at High Jump, natch. That was my first and most definitely my last experience of sporting greatness, and it was only because pretty much no-one else entered, but I’m still counting it as an achievement…
• I once spent a year living in France, and it happened pretty much on a whim because I’d fallen in love with a Rugby player not long after quitting my job! I’d love to say I had an enlightening year of self growth, but I was pretty much just a Rugby wife and spent my time reassessing what the hell I wanted to do with my life rather than anything noteworthy! Still, it was a special time and I wouldn’t change it.
• Despite living here for the vast majority of my life and being blessed with those dulcette Brummie tones, I was actually born up North in the seaside town of Scarborough. I love being a city dweller, but I’m still a Yorkshire lass at heart and I think this is why I’ve always had an affinity with the sea – I just feel much calmer in my soul whenever I’m near a large expanse of water!
• I have an irrational fear of vast, unfeasibly shaped structures, most notably cruise ships, wind turbines and suspension bridges. It’s hard to describe, but whenever I get close to one I feel an odd mix of fascination and revulsion simultaneously. Like, I want to look at it, but I want to run away from it, both at the same time! I suppose you can’t call it a fear exactly, more an aversion, but I’m yet to meet anyone else who experiences the same thing so I think it might be unique to me!

And in answer to my questions set by Louise…

1. Favourite City? – I’m terrible at ‘favourite’ questions because I’m a fickle being, and my favourite anything changes frequently depending on my mood! So I have a few really – Birmingham is my home and a place I will love and defend till my dying breath! London still fills me with wonder and excitement after years of visits, and Cardiff will always be special to me after spending three years at University there. I do have a new one though – last year I spent a mini-break in Barcelona with a special someone and fell head over heels with the place (and the person!), so I do hope I get to go back sometime soon!
2. First Make Up product you ever brought? – Hard to say, because I’ve been experimenting with beauty products from an early age, right back to age 5 or 6 when I’d steal my older sister’s lipsticks on the sly and get in a whole world of trouble! My earliest love was nail polish and my little sister and I had a vast collection which we mostly acquired from Birmingham Rag Market at 50p a pop, so my first was probably something garish and glittery!
3. Favourite high-end beauty brand? – I’m not a big spender these days, but there are one or two things that are really worth dropping some cash on, and for me it s probably lipsticks as I only wear them out on the razz so they last me an age (yeah, I’m not one of those diligent people that follow lifespan rules when it comes to make-up – if it cost me £30 I’m using it till it runs out!!). My two favourite brands for lippie are Chanel, specifically the Coco Shine collection, and YSL, who make simply the most beautiful packaging! When spending a lot on a product it’s always nice to feel like you get that little bit extra!
4. Who is your idol? – Easily Audrey Hepburn! To me she was the most beautiful woman ever to walk the planet! Everything about that lady oozed class, and she is my ultimate style icon! I even have a quote of hers on my homepage!
5. Favourite fashion or beauty store? – Again, tricky for me, but I’d have to say lately it has to be Oasis, especially if my last post is anything to go by!
6. One thing on your bucket list – I don’t like living out of a backpack, so I’ve never really done the travelling thing, but one thing I’ve always wanted to do is take a road trip across America. I’d obviously want to do all the big things like Vegas and the Grand Canyon, but mostly I’d love to visit all the tiny little towns and odd attractions like the World’s Biggest Frying Pan or whatever! Maybe one day!
7. You can only use one beauty product for the rest if your life – What do you choose? – My eyelashes are quite fair and seem to grow out of my head at a perpendicular angle, so it would have to be mascara. It would most likely be by L’Oreal as they’re my go to – but every time I go to top up they seem to have introduced a new one which I can never resist trying, so I couldn’t say for sure which version I’d choose!
8. Favourite TV Show? – The Walking Dead, which was a surprise to me, because I absolutely HATE horror films! I was hooked after the first episode though, and now every time there is a mid season season break I die a little inside!
9. How did you get into blogging? – I kept an online diary years ago. It wasn’t quite the same as the blogs we know and love these days, it was anonymous, for a start, and not a pair of shoes in sight! It was mostly sarcastic ranting about the general public as I worked in the service industry back then. Fast forward a few years and I accidentally stumbled across Amber at Shoeperwoman.com while trying to track down a long sold out pair of Kurt Geigers, and then subsequently her online diary at ForeverAmber.co.uk, and realised there was a vast array of others out there like me who like to talk about clothes and shoes without judging each other! It took me a year or two to pluck up the courage to go for it, but the rest, as they say, is history!
10. Summarise your blog – Well, my tagline says it all really. I mostly talk about my dog, moan about the public and lust over dresses and heels! I’m most definitely not one of those shiny, polished Instagram girls, but hopefully that doesn’t matter to everyone!
11. Facebook & Twitter links – Confession time – I’m a bit of a social media dullard. I am yet to set up Facebook for my blog and I don’t have Twitter fullstop. Can’t do it, don’t get it! I am a big Instagram fan though, you can find me here! https://www.instagram.com/woody_wood

So that’s me! I’ll be honest, I’m rubbish at keeping up with these things, and most of my favourite bloggers seem to have been nominated already, but one of my favourite things about these posts is that it opens my eyes to other great blogs I hadn’t yet found! So rather than nominating anyone I thought I’d list a few of my favourites I think you should visit!

The Barefoot Angel	Wild Pretty Things	CiCi Marie
What Lou Wore 365	CravenWild	Inside the Life of Moi
Lettuce, Lipstick and Lycra	Don’t Give A Jam	beccapbeauty
A Clothes Horse	Darling in Scarlett	Autumn Whewell
Sophar So Good	Olive + Clo	Brooke Clarke

Thanks again to Blame it on the Deal and Louise Austin Richards for making me feel a bit spesh!

Love,