The Liebsterrrrrr

Here's what happened! Lisa over at Making Life's Lemons, one of my more-frequented blogs (we're Wisco gals, you see) nominated me for a Liebster Award. It's like this:

"The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. So, what is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Isn't that sweet? Blogging is about building a community and it's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer bloggers/blogs."
Essentially, it's a wonderful, fun way to get me (and hopefully you!) to check out up-and-coming blogs.   Following Miss Lisa's example, my choices (at the bottom) are a reflection of followers on Bloglovin'. So what do I have to do? Well, it's like this:
// I tell you 11 things about me // I answer questions that Lisa sent me // Then I tag 11 bloggers and ask them 11 questions // Do my darndest to spread the love...
So here goes!


(I'm on the left. Bossing the crap out of my sister Ali, by her expression! Ha.)

11 Things About Me

1 // I think I could watch the BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South forever and ever to eternity, and never get tired of it.
2 // I have wanted to live in the UK since I studied abroad in London in 2006 -- and now that dream is going to be a reality.
3 // I have a sunglasses obsession.
4 // Thrift shopping is my day-off hobby of choice. The biggest thrills (and sometimes best fashion finds ever) come from unexpected finds at thrift stores.
5 // I love coffee. And tea. Almost in equal measure, but for different reasons and at different times of day. I love Colectivo (formerly Alterra) and Anodyne -- both Wisconsin roasters. But if I'm getting really snobby, I love a good Intelligentsia pour-over. Yummm. As for tea, PG Tips will do. ;)
6 // My favorite cocktail is an amaretto sour, although I also enjoy a good gin and tonic with lime.
7 // I like to knit, but I only ever do it in the winter when the desire for new scarves comes up. I don't have patience for much else!
8 // I have a black cat named Porter (after the darkest kind of beer). I'm going to miss him a lot. He wears a little red collar with a bell on it. I've sometimes wanted to affix a little tie to his collar so he could be like Business Cat.

9 // I like to bake occasionally, but mostly for the giving-away kind. I love to surprise people with cookies or pie.
10 // The one notable person in my ancestral line (discovered so far) was Sir Francis Drake, although apparently indirectly because he didn't have children of his own. He's no prince, but I'll take the pirate.
11 // Doughnuts are the best food-vention ever.

Questions from Lisaaaaaa

1 // If you could go back to any moment in time or time period, what would it be and why?
I think one reason I've wanted to be an art historian is because I fantasize about going back in time a lot. It's a super tough decision, but I think I would probably choose sometime in the Middle Ages in Europe. I'm drawn to the romanticism of castles and knights, etc. I'm sure it wasn't an easy time period to live in, but I'd love to see it!
2 // If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you pick?
Probably a Lana Del Rey song because her voice is low enough that I wouldn't have to try reaching notes I couldn't possibly reach! ;)
3 // If time and money were no matter what would you do?
Anything?? I'd drop everything and travel. I'd maybe invest in an apartment in someplace like Provence or Tuscany, one of those dream villa fixer-uppers, and the rest of the time I'd just travel wherever the heck I felt like it.
4 // What is your favorite piece of clothing?
Now is not a good time for this question. The answer is that I just went shopping a few bunch of times and now I have several items that I'm totally in love with right now and can't wait to wear more. I'd have to say, though, that my favorite thing of all time is one of my AllSaints tunics from last winter. It's the sort of thing that can be worn as a dress or a shirt depending on how I feel (or how warm it is).
5 // What would be your ideal vacation?
I think I may have already taken my ideal vaction -- a road trip around the UK in 2011 -- but apart from that, high priority on my travel bucket list is the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. I've been to Italy a couple of times, but this I have yet to see. And ideally, I would stay there for a month and just... be.
6 // Do you have any hidden talents? What are they?
I'm a pretty good baker when I feel like it! :D 
7 // Flats or heels?
A year ago I would have said flats, hands down, but now I think I'm more of a heels girl. Depends on the day and outfit, of course. But by heels I generally mean no higher than 3 inches and almost always boots or wedges. I'm not a stiletto gal... at least not yet.
8 // Where/when are you the happiest?
With my friends. My close friends. My bonded-for-life-buddies. They are a select handful, and I think they know who they are, but whenever I'm around them, I actually feel like I swell with gladness to be around them. I also feel that way about discovering new places, but this almost always goes hand in hand with being with people I love.
9 // If you had to change your name what would you change it to?
I used to try different variations of the spelling of my name to make it sound Irishy. Like Cait. But if I had to change it altogether... hm. Something old fashioned yet fun, like Francis or Florence, or Stella. I'm not sure I'm a Stella... 
10 // What's your favorite cookie?
A family favorite, the "practically perfect chocolate chip cookie". We've gotten it down to a science, and it really is practically perfect in every way.
11 // What item could you not live without?
I'm not sure there is anything, to be honest. It's easy to say, oh, my phone... or my computer. Then I think about photos that I have, letters I've gotten, keepsakes I've kept. I love them dearly and would be deeply saddened if they disappeared, but I'd surely survive. I don't think there is an item that I couldn't live without. But what I couldn't live without would be love. Plain and simple, in all its various forms, shapes and sizes... there's just no way.

11 Questions for 11 Lovely Bloggers

1 // What is your favorite rainy day pastime?
2 // You're only allowed to read one book ever again; what would that book be and why?
3 // What is the silliest anecdote from your travels that you can remember?
4 // Breakfast, lunch, or dinner -- and why?
5 // If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
6 // Do you have any hobbies? A favorite?
7 // Where/when are you the happiest? (I loved this question; had to forward it along.)
8 // Are you a pattern-wearer or a color-blocker, or both? And what's your current outfit of choice?
9 // What is your favorite big city?
10 // A biopic is being made of your life. Who stars in the role of you?
11 // Beer or wine? (And everything's fine.) Favorites?



I Do Declare: 11 Lovelies I Nominate

1. World in Words - Delia Monk's world travels and stunning photography 2. Club Narwhal - Amy's food, books, and travel blog... hellooo. ;) 3. Erstwhile felicity - Sonia's style, food, photography... <3 4. Lark and Lace - pretty photography and style. 5. Sara Loves Portland - obviously <3 Portland rules. 6. A Golden State of Mind - California lifestyle blog by the lovely Courtney 7. Helena La Petite - photographer based in London 8. Edinburgh Etiquette - lifestyle blog, Edinburgh style -- of course! ;) 9. Scotland in the Gloaming - photography of Scotland... at twilight. 10. Ireland in Ruins - exactly that, ruins in Ireland. Travel bug, anyone? 11. Traveling Cats - cats from around the world. I couldn't help myself!

Please do these great bloggers (and yourself) a favor and check out their wonderful blogs. I tried to include a little bit of everything -- my interests vary broadly, and so does the content of a lot of these blogs. They're all worth a gander -- and a follow! 



Days to Edinburgh move-in: 8