Thank you Jana!

Jana of Be-Jeweled by Jana just awarded me with the "Kreativ Blogger" award! Thank you Jana! (Stop by and visit her! She makes lovely wire crochet jewelry.) I think I got another award once before but I didn't know what to do with it. Jana has thoughtfully posted the instructions on her blog.

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Post the award on my blog

2. Thank the person who gave me the award

3. Link the person who gave me this award

4. Share 7 things that you probably don't know about me

5. Choose 7 great bloggers to give the award to

6. Share a link to their blogs

7. Leave a comment on their blog

Seven things you probably don't know about me:

1. I loathe mornings. I find that as I get older I can't stay up very late anymore either so my days are rapidly shrinking. Definitely an evening owl.
2. I love the smell of fingernail polish remover, rubbing alcohol, varnish, paint thinner and gasoline. And rubber cement, probably because it smells like gasoline.
3. I've been to South Africa 8 or 9 times (Gorgeous and charming place and people). Couple times to Zimbabwe. Once or twice to Swaziland. Had killer vacations in Egypt and Ireland. Spent part of a summer in Japan. Had a few vacations in Holland (LOVE Holland).
4. I used to speak French, Spanish and German. Not so much now. It's all mostly gone.
5. I can convincingly mimic pretty much any accent.
6. I was in a play once, I played the Shelby character in Steel Magnolias.
7. At one time I had the International Code of Signal Flags memorized, thanks to flashcards I made myself. I found it was not a system of communications I used very much (primarily because I had no actual flags and lived deeply inland) so I eventually forgot about it.

I would like to bequeath this award to the following bloggers:

1. Kelley's Bead Studio -- Kelley is a very talented lampwork bead artist (I own many of her beads and LOVE them), and I love all the videos she posts of her process, and her frequent asides about animals (both pets and the uninvited), and kids.
2. Miss Fickle Media -- Shannon does phenomenal things with metal patinas! I love her humor, her passion for her art, and her posts about the joy she finds in her family.
3. Silver Parrot -- what can I say? Laugh-out-loud funny (do not read while imbibing a beverage), adventures in resin, the perils and joys of motherhood, and lots of bead porn. KJ rocks!
4. Hint -- Love the Zen-like simplicity of Beth's blog, her pithy musings on being human, and her periodic tutorials--super helpful for both the mind and the artist!
5. Maire Dodd -- Mary Jane's jewelry designs are exquisite and wonderfully unique, always infused with heart, soul and spirituality, with a gem to ponder in every post.
6. Put a Little Magic in Your Life -- I really enjoy Renate's posts about her flea market finds (the anvil! the hammers!), photos of the gorgeous work she is doing with metal and resin, and pictures of her home and travels.
7. Diva Designs -- Lynda does things with polymer clay I have never seen anyone do before (maybe I'm just sheltered). She is, as far as I am concerned, the "Queen of Fauxtiquities". Her beads and focals are both convincing facsimiles of everything she puts her hand to (leather, metal, amber, jade, jet, ivory...), as well as deliciously exotic and absolutely gorgeous. I love visiting her blog to see her new creations.

Stop by and check all these ladies out! You'll be glad you did!