beautiful bloggers make the world go 'round

So... WOW! is all I can say to accept two blog awards I received this week.  Remember when I told you guys that the blogging community, especially style blogging if you ask me, is a lot of fun?  Well, it's also one of the most encouraging communities, me thinks.  I've never seen so much constructive criticism or so many encouraging comments online before. 

First, my super darling friend, Summer (who is in blogging the novel-writing process over HERE
- so awesome!), gifted me with the Over the Top award.

The award came with some guidelines... like you get to watch me answer questions with only one word.  And then I get to pass it on to 5 other lovely bloggers of my choice!  Stay tuned...

Your Cell Phone? forgotten

Your Hair? desperate
Your Mother? whimsical
Your Father? layered
Your Favorite Food? edamame
Your Dream Last Night? Africa
Your Favorite Drink? chai lattes
Your Dream/Goal? mastery

What Room Are You In? dining
Your Hobby? crafts

Your Fear? Speidi

Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? fulfilling
Where Were You Last Night? home
Something That You Aren't? finished
Muffins? pumpkinnnnnn
Wish List Item? marc
Where Did You Grow Up? ville
Last Thing You Did? kiss
What Are You Wearing? later
Your TV? bleh
Your Pets? dog
Friends? livers
Your Life? full
Your Mood? peacful
Missing Someone? friends 
Vehicle? fusion
Something You Aren't Wearing? socks

Your Favorite Store? anthropologie
Your Favorite Color? lavender
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? seconds
Last Time You Cried? weeks
Your Best Friend? lover
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? kitchen
Facebook? daily
Favorite Place To Eat? cafe

Second, Lizzy Punch tagged me for the Beautiful Blogger award!  I've seen this one floating around a little bit here and there on some of my favorite blogs so I'm definitely a little giddy to receive this one, too.  Now YOU get to read seven random things about me that you may or may not already know.  I will limit, if not eliminate, explanations:

1. I don't have a sense of smell.
2. I have not-so-secretly always wanted to be a hair stylist.
3. I am happiest in the Spring/Summertime when I'm spending a lazy day with my little family.
4. Chai lattes are my lifeblood.
5. I am a Georgia girl by upbringing and an Auburn girl at heart. War Eagle!  (And married into a whole family of LSU tigers... hmmm, something is wrong about this picture.)
6. I am a Twi-fan.  Please, forgive me.
7. Style-related... I am a shoe and handbag gal all the way.  But my number one choice of "shoe" in high school was the mocha corduroy Birkenstock.  Bringin' it back, ohhhhhhh snap.

And there ya go! NOW the fun part...

First, I will nominate some Beautiful Bloggers.  Three of my in-real-life friends and lovely style bloggers that I want to recognize:

• Viktoria @ Viktoria with a K.  It's been a long, LONG time since we were united in real life but I love seeing her style posts because, even through a recent dark time, she is such a sunny online influence. 
• Shannon and Melanie @ Thrifty Threads.  They are part of a collaborative style blog and post on all kinds of style topics, always with a "thrifty" twist.  Shannon also does a little personal style blogging over at Today's Resolutions. 
• And Summer, who nominated me for the Over the Top award.  Her blog fascinates me as I know slim to nothing about the process of writing a novel.  Her patience AMAZES me!  And she is one of my favorite people to hang out and be goofy with. 
  

Second... back to the Over the Top award.  I am supposed to nominate/tag five people for this award so here goes:

• Krista @ Unveiled.  One of my good in-real-life friends, Krista really does go Over the Top with her blog, Unveiled.  I love reading her take on matrimonial (is that a word?) style on Wedding Wednesdays and many other lifestyle topics.  Also, like me, she recently started a weekly style series - Fashion Fridays.  Very often, I find myself at the end of her posts either laughing, thinking hard or just thinking, "Well said."  She finds so many ways to say things that I've yet to put words to.  She was recently married in July of '09 so to read some of her thoughtful and funny takes on getting married, go to her archive.
  
• JoAnn @ Sidewalk Chalk.  Another in-real-life blogger.  Though we don't know each other well, we went to school together and share several mutual friends.  JoAnn is another Over the Top blogger - she always throws a little something extra into her outfits and into the background she gives.  I love that she infuses her outfits with pieces that are modern, traditional and sentimental at the same time.
• What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear?  I've mentioned this blog before on Athenista and I really am amazed at how Over the Top she and her readers go to have fun with Emma's looks from Glee and on the red carpet.  Such a fun read with great tv/runway-to-realway translations.  Love it!
• Tieka @ Selective Potential.  One of my favorite personal style blogs.  Her posts are sometimes silly, sometimes insightful but never short of thoughtfulness.  She really shares her life with her readers and makes style fun.  I would take most of her outfits exactly as she styled them, her looks are so fun!  Something I can definitely appreciate.  Plus... you KNOW she is Over the Top when you see her in daily snaps outside... on an iced over bridge in the middle of Michigan's crazy cold winter!  Or out it in the snow in just a cardigan... now, that is Over the Top!
• What Would a Nerd Wear.  Love her easy, approachable take on daily outfits.  And she's another brave soul with her outdoor daily photos in the snow and ice.    
• Also, a sixth honorary award goes to caffeinerd.  I am loving her posts and her approachable online personality.  She is such a loyal commenter and encourager and I've noted before on her blog that I love that she still smiles at least a little for the camera in her snaps!  A very positive read.  Plus, she's got me sold on doing a blue-yellow color palette sometime soon.
  

There are so many more that I would nominate.  Maybe I will just have to come up with my own little Athenista award to bestow upon my readers, bwaha. Thank you, lovely ladies who nominated me.  It was fun but I think it was even more fun to nominate new people because I can't wait to see what they share and who they nominate in return!