A few weeks ago, I got a tweet from The Party Girl that they’d nominated me for a Liebster Award. Like most blogging awards, this one’s about spreading the love. I’m definitely feeling the love from Ashley, Fernanda and Victoria. Thanks ladies!

This post is also my chance to pass on the love. I have 11 nominees of my own a little further down.

Here are the rules for the Liebster Award:

• post the award on your blog
• thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog
• write 11 random facts about yourself
• nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 250 followers
• answer 11 questions posed by the nominator
• ask your nominees 11 questions

You can see the number 11 figures prominently in the Liebster Award. So here we go.

11 facts about me

1. I’ve never broken a bone, had stitches or a cavity. But I’ve gotten nosebleeds since I was a child… in the winter I get them daily. Not fun.
2. I would gladly eat pizza for every meal. Lots of mushrooms, please.
3. I had long hair pretty much all my life, and then when I was 28 I cut it all off into a pixie cut, which I love. My hair is stick straight and won’t hold a curl. I’ve never dyed my hair.
4. I’m the oldest of four kids.
5. I can sleep for 12 hours straight and am happiest with 10 hours a night… although I hardly ever get it.
6. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day.

7. I hate ironing, but I don’t mind washing dishes.
8. Easter is my favourite holiday. Even better than Christmas or my birthday.
9. I wear earrings everyday. My face looks funny without them.
10. My favourite music is 80s classic rock. And I love to listen to music while I cook.
11. I love junk food–candy, chocolate, Coke, chips. Salty always wins over sweet for me.

Answers to The Party Girls’ 11 questions

1. What’s the story behind your blog’s name?

I think my blog’s name is pretty self-explanatory. I write about our 129-acre farm and our efforts to make it our forever home.

2. What are you favourite blogs?

Oh there’s so many. Sticking with the 11 theme, I’m always happy when I see posts from DIY Diva, Yellow Brick Home, Little Green Notebook, IHeart Organizing, Young House Love (hope they come back to blogging), Smitten Kitchen, That Mutt, Manhattan Nest, For the love of a house, Amanda’s Adventures in Sewing, and Four Square Walls in my feedly.

3. Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in a small-ish town in southern Ontario about an hour west of Toronto. One of the requirements of our perfect farm was that it be in the same area as my hometown. Matt and I now live just a half hour away from where we grew up.

4. Do you like to travel? What’s your favourite place you’ve been to?

I like to travel, but since buying the farm I’ve become a real homebody (farmbody?). For our honeymoon, Matt and I went to Costa Rica, and it was amazing. Body surfing in the ocean, horseback riding up a mountain, zip-lining through the forest and swimming in a river in the middle of the jungle were experiences I’ll never forget.

5. What do you love about blogging?

I love having a record of the life we’re building on our farm. Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged by the amount of work needed for the house and the property. Looking back at my blog reminds me that we’ve actually made progress and how special it is to live here.

6. What is the number one thing you’d like to get out of your blog?

It’s been really cool to connect with people who share my interest in renovating, country living and of course doggies. I hope that continues.

7. What’s one thing you’ve always wished you knew how to do?

It’s a toss up. I have always wished I knew how to dance. I love to dance, and I do it whenever I get a chance. However, I’m not super coordinated, and I’m always jealous of those who are. I also wish I could drive standard. Matt had a standard car, and let me try a few times. I didn’t practice enough to get really proficient, though.

8. What is your favourite post from your blog?

Oh I don’t know what to say. I went through my archives of 416 published posts and I can’t pick. I love everything in the family category, my before and afters, and projects like my nightstands-to-dresser and my barrel-to-ottoman. A post that stands out for me is an early one from a month after we moved into the farm. We had just started the basement reno (oh, if only we knew it would be 9 months before our basement would resemble a basement again), and we’d removed the woodstove that had been in the basement. This was the first moment that I realized I could write funny. I didn’t know I could do that. (At least I think it’s funny).

9. What is one lesson you’ve learned since starting your blog?

My blog has taught me how easy it is to “work” on something that you love. Writing three posts a week for going on three years is not a small commitment, but I love doing it.

10. What’s your favourite movie and why?

Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo. Humour, mystery, adventure, love and a happy ending. Plus, Rene Russo is a super strong female with a great wardrobe.

11. What are you reading right now?

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner. My favourite books have likeable characters and a happy ending. I’m not sure yet that this one fits the requirements. Regardless, spending 10 minutes with a book while I eat my breakfast cereal is a nice way to start the day.

My 11 nominees

1. Lightly Crunchy
2. Apple Hill Cottage
3. Outtakes on the Outskirts
4. September Farm
5. Westlake Musings
6. Joyfill
7. Woof! Tails from St. Simons Island
8. Dockwood Furniture
9. Creative Gleanings
10. Catherine’s Chronicles
11. Sewing Pies

11 questions for my nominees

1. What is one lesson you’ve learned since starting your blog? (Yes, I copied Party Girl)
2. Describe your ideal weekend.
3. Would you rather wash dishes or do the laundry?
4. Are you crafty? What’s your craft of choice? If you’re not crafty, what do you wish you knew how to do?
5. What’s one post we’ll never see on your blog?
6. Who would play you in the movie about your life?
7. What colour have you considered painting a room in your house but haven’t had the guts?
8. What advice would you give someone who’s just started blogging?
9. If you were on an island and could only bring three things, what would you bring?
10. What was the last gift you gave someone?
11. What has surprised you about blogging?

And for another 11, this post is now longer than 1,100 words. Time to stop typing and hear from you. Pick a couple of the 22 questions in this post and share your answer. Or weigh in with random fact about yourself.