One Lovely Blog Award...

Last week I had the honour of being nominated for the 'One Lovely Blog' award by the very lovely Kate at 'Granny Taught Me To Crochet.' Thank you Kate! Do pop over and see Kate's lovely blog. It is well worth a visit, and you'll keep going back for more! In accepting this award, I am asked to share seven things about myself with you! Now, I have done a little of this before, so today I'm going to try to keep it fresh, and share things with you that I haven't shared before. Here goes...

Number 1...

Number 2: I used to be a clown...

Yip...Back in the day, I used to dress up as a clown in all forms and disguises, and I entertained the young and old! I loved getting behind that mask, because suddenly I became anonymous. I loved the fact that I could be someone completely different, and that I could teach and have an impact on people's lives in a fun way. I know that many people find clown's scary, strange and bizarre. But, I think it all depends on the character of the clown, and the message that he/she conveys! I still love clowning around, but it only happens at home in the comfort zone of family!

Number 3: I have a soft spot for toys, especially the vintage   

                              kind...

I had the privilege of working in the Toy Department of a very famous English store for over three years...Harrods! I loved every minute of it. I think my love of toys was deepened by this experience. There is something quite magical about childhood, the innocence, the fun, the power of imagination and escapism. Here are a few of our favourites at home...

Pinocchio...a vintage puppet-on-strings...

Wind-up bear...he still plays his little drum with a twinkle in his eyes!

My very first vintage toy purchase...I acquired this about eight years ago...It is simple, yet beautiful!

I have always loved jigsaws. As a little girl I whiled away many hours building, playing, thinking...I found this 1977 wooden jigsaw in a charity shop. I was born in 1977, so had to have it!

And most importantly for me, at the centre of it all, books...I love all books, but vintage children's books have a special little corner in my heart. I picked these up in a thrift shop, and the 'Gingerbread Man' was a particularly good find, as it was my favourite when I was little. My Ouma used to sit me on her knee and read this exact copy to me...♥

Number 4: I once had a big...bad...perm!!! Yikes!

 ...in my defence: I was very young, and it was in vogue! Promise...

Number 5: I'm not a big fan of body piercings!

Don't get me wrong, I have a neat little set of holes in my ears, from which I dangle a bit of bling from time to time...but most of the time they carry pearls! But that's it. When my daughter asked me at the age of four if she could have her ears pierced, she heard a firm 'No..., I certainly didn't have them that young, and neither will you!' ...Ahem...I had to re-think my policy when I stumbled upon this old photo of me at nursery school...aged five...! Yes, there they are...little stud earrings!

Number 6: One of my unfulfilled ambitions, is to play the drums! I would love to learn. My dad is a really good drummer, and I grew up watching him play. Maybe one day. You're never too old, right?

...an afterthought: Can you imagine a 1950's housewife wannabe rocking away in her puff petticoat and pin curls behind a set of Pearl drums? That might be me one day...hee-hee...

Number 7: I'm a Pinterest-a-holic!

Yes, I love Pinterest, and if I'm not careful, hours can pass by with me pinning and re-pinning! It inspires me, challenges me, and boy...it is FULL of eye candy! There are so many talented people in this world who share there creativity, there lives and experiences, and I love taking little peeks into their worlds. If you haven't joined the Pinterest phenomenon yet, do take a look, but I warn you, be strict with yourself! Otherwise you'll lose many productive hours at the computer screen!

Come and take a look at my boards!

So, there we go! Seven things you may, or may not have known about me! Lastly, I'd like to pass on the 'One Lovely Blog' award to some of the blogs that inspire me. I can't possibly do this for every blog I admire, as there are so many! But, I'll share a few with you. The blogs I'd like to give a special mention to today are:

1. Miss Beatrix

2. Found and Sewn

3. Kitty Loves Custard

4. A Tale from Toadstool House

These lovely corners of the blogging world are well worth a visit! Do pop in and say hello to the lovely authors. Thank you for stopping by here! We're off to the seaside for the day tomorrow, and we're very excited. So, off to bed now for an early start! Night-night!

Tania♥♥♥