The Sunshine Award

Thank you so very much to my wonderfully talented friend, Jacqui, from The French Village Diaries. She nominated It's not just about the recipe . . . . for the Sunshine Award! To have someone as accomplished as Jacqui nominate you is truly an honor. For those of you not yet acquainted with Jacqui, she is a brilliant, savvy writer/blogger living in France. In addition to blogging about her life as an ex-Pat (she is originally from the UK), she also writes a monthly column in a local English magazine, The Deux-Sevres Monthly. I think the powers-that-be in France are missing a fantastic opportunity in not hiring her for tourism. I want to travel to France thanks in large part to The French Village Diaries and one day (not so long ago) found myself browsing real estate websites - in France! - after reading her posts and updates during her recent holiday traveling through France. Thank you, Jacqui, for thinking of me and It's not just about the recipe . . . .!

The Sunshine Award is given by bloggers to bloggers. The recipients of the Sunshine Award are "bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere". The way the award works is this:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Select 10 of your favorite bloggers, link their blogs to your post and let them know they've been awarded the Sunshine Award

Here we go! 10 questions first:

Favorite Color - green. I love (almost) every shade of green.

Favorite Animal - the dog. We are a family of animal lovers, but have a special fondness for dogs. They really are man's best friend! All breeds are wonderful, but we are partial to Australian Shepherds and have three of them:  Roger (the dad), Shadow and Johnny Cash (sons and brothers from the same litter). I'd be lost without them.

Favorite Number - three. I don't know why. I just always pick three.

Favorite Drink - Coca-Cola. It's a weakness. I've been trying to give it up, but have only managed to cut back and only a little.

Facebook or Twitter - Facebook. I feel like I get to know the people I follow and the people who follow me on Facebook. Twitter moves just a little to fast and doesn't it seem like there are a lot of "rules" on Twitter?

My Passion - baking. I like to cook and try new recipes, but I really get excited about baking! My favorite recipes are for breads and pastries.

Giving or Getting Presents - giving, definitely giving. I like getting presents (who doesn't?), but I love seeing someone else's face when they open a present I picked out for them. 

Favorite Day - the first crisp, cool day in Fall. The kind of day that has a clear, blue sky and a enough of a nip in the air that it has you putting on a sweater or sweatshirt.

Favorite Flowers - carnations. I love the spicy floral scent of a carnation. I'm not partial to any particular color (well, maybe green).

And now for my 10 favorite bloggers I'm nominating for the Sunshine Award:

Brighton Park:  I enjoy the shared interests I have with Katie, be it homeschooling or Jane Austen. Katie shares excellent recipes and brilliant tutorials at Brighton Park. I used one of her tutorials just last night and created (for the very first time) a button for my blog! Katie provided great instructions and I created a personalized button and added it to my site in no time.

The DIY Dreamer:  A Pinterest party brought me to Christine at The DIY Dreamer. It's no secret I love to read. One would think I would have an enormously large collection of bookmarks, but I don't. Mine seem to "disappear" whenever I loan books to friends. When I saw the link to her wonderful felt ribbon bookmark project, I wasted no time clicking on it. Once at The DIY Dreamer, I browsed a little and discovered a treasure trove of wonderful crafts. 

Flourtrader:  Brilliant. Talented. Creative. These are just a few of the words I would use to describe Tina. I fully expect to be reading her recipe book someday. I'm hoping for an autographed copy (it never hurts to start planting seeds early). In addition to being a gifted baker and cook, Tina is also a tremendous supporter of other bloggers and always has a kind word or two of encouragement and praise. I look forward to each and every one of her posts and I'm thrilled whenever she stops by to say hello.

The Painted Hive:  This is the first site I visit whenever I'm looking for ideas for my home. Kristine has ideas and how-to's for projects big and small. In fact, I believe it was a project for canister labels that first brought me to The Painted Hive. Wonderful, wonderful ideas for the home abound at The Painted Hive!

The Big Green Bowl:  Like me, Michael Ann loves to bake and I'm always excited to see her latest creation! She delivers on her guarantee that each of her recipes is a winner and she offers helpful tips and hints with almost every recipe. The hardest decision I make at her website is what to try next!

Robyn's View:  I don't remember exactly how I came to know Robyn. It was at a linky party, but I'm not sure which one. But I definitely remember what she linked that caught my attention - Coconut Sugar Scrub (it's in the DIY Recipes tab when you stop by). Since my first visit, I've discovered that Robyn is an inventive cook and baker. Her recipes are all keepers!

Love the Grows:  What's not to love at Love the Grows? Mrs. Grow (I know her first name, but I like calling her "Mrs. Grow" even though I'm pretty certain I'm old enough to be her mother) shares delicious recipes and beautifully designed recipe cards on her site. I admire her drive and enthusiasm and look forward to each new post.

Repeat Crafter Me:  I don't know how she does it. And Sarah does do it all - beautifully! If you like to craft, crochet and cook, Repeat Crafter Me needs to be on your reading list. You'll find terrific instructions for making everything from my personal favorite (so far), Vegetable Rock Signs to crocheted football helmets to crock pot recipes.

Moore or Less Cooking:  I am continually inspired reading the delicious recipes at Moore or Less Cooking. What I like most is the contemporary spin on traditional recipes - like her grilled cheese sandwich and mint julep. I'm not going to tell you what's new with those classic recipes. You'll have to check it out for yourself! You won't be sorry.

A Virtual Essence:  Fun! That's always my first thought when I visit A Virtual Essence. I have to confess that I don't know the name of the talented blogger at A Virtual Essence, but it doesn't stop me! I find great recipes, fun thoughts and a wonderfully sunny sense of humor whenever I visit and they keep me coming back.