I Feel Elegant, Oh So Elegant

The Elegant Blogger award is making the rounds again, and three nice people have nominated me, so here we go.  

Rules

~When you receive the reward, link back to All Things Good and the blog that nominated you (My sister Molly, Miss Jane Bennet and Melody)

~Display the award button in the post

~Answer all of the 12 questions given in this post (Do not make your own questions)

~Nominate 8 bloggers

~Notify them that they have been awarded 

Questions

1. What made you decide to start blogging?

Well, I had a private blog for several years (starting when I was 13), just for friends and family, but in 2010 I discovered the blog Ribbons of Light and was completely bowled over by the idea that there were blogs out there about Jane Austen and period dramas. Who knew?  About a year later, the thought struck me that I could start one of my own-- there was no need for me to share my personal life in a blog about classic books and movies, after all, so with some trepidation I chose a pseudonym and began writing Yet Another Period Drama Blog.  And here I am, nearly two years later, happy as a clam and incredibly thankful for all the blessings blogging has brought me.

2. What is your fashion style?

I loved the phrase Hayden used-- "I’m kind of a sweaters-and-skirts type of person. Basically, I like to look like a librarian." Yep, that's pretty much my style too. I like the 40's and 50's vintage look. But I also really like ruffles, and pink, and necklaces, and swishy skirts... I used to say that I wished I could live all day every day in 19th-century garb, but since my family got involved in Civil War reenacting, I've discovered that wearing a corset and hoopskirt for eight hours straight can be a little tiring.  I still love historical costuming (more than ever before!) but I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm also grateful for modern comfy-wear.  Heehee.

3. What is something none of your followers know about you?

I'm going to take "followers" to mean "people who read my blog and don't actually know me in real life" because I'm really hard-pressed to come up with something my sisters and Melody (who are all followers of this blog) don't know about me.  So here goes... I like Jane Austen.

That was a joke.

No, no, I didn't mean it was a joke that I liked Jane Austen, I meant that it was a joke because you all obviously know that and... never mind.

Okay, well, I am a huge closet fan of Peter Pan.  The Disney movie was basically half my childhood (the other half being taken up with Mary Poppins and American Girl, etc.) and I can probably still recite the whole script.  I discovered the original novel when I was about eight or so and it remains one of my favorites to this day-- but I regard the Disney Peter Pan and the J. M. Barrie Peter Pan almost as two completely different characters that I love for different reasons.  Oh, and Geraldine McCaughrean's Peter Pan in Scarlet is the best not-by-the-original-author sequel I've ever read in my entire life and you should read it.  But read Peter Pan first.  And don't watch the live action movies, because they're not the same thing at all.

4. What are some of your blogging goals?

Sheesh... I don't really know.  Obviously I want to glorify God in everything I write, but I think that's more of a rule than a goal.  I'd like to encourage others by what I write, and maybe even convince someone that old-fashioned novels are absolutely and totally worth their time, and that Jane Austen is indeed all she's cracked up to be. :D

5. Where is your favorite place to shop?

Thrift stores.  And used bookstores.  I admit, I'm a penny-pincher, but those places can be treasure troves if you know where to look.

6. What would your ideal amount of blog followers be?

Um... currently it's 312.  Because that's what I have right now.  I don't have an "ideal number"-- rather, I'm just thrilled every time I log onto my dashboard and see that a new face has been added to the little gallery on my sidebar.  Welcome to the party, we're delighted to see you, don't let our craziness scare you away 'cause we're all mad here!

7. What are your talents?

Well, this is a fun question.  Everyone who filled out this tag had SOMETHING that came to mind when we read this, yet no one wants to come right out and say it for fear of sounding like a stuck-up little slug.  But I shall go ahead and be conceited and say that I'm pretty good at making people laugh.  At least in writing and on the Internet.  Real life... not so much.  Ask my siblings.

8. Are you a leader or a follower?

Definitely a leader.  It's a firstborn quirk, what can I say.  I'm trying very hard to curb the tendency to just rush in and take over when I'm doing a project with someone... it's easy to use the excuse of, "oh, well, I'm just a bit of a perfectionist" but the cold hard truth is that I usually consider myself more capable of getting things done and therefore should be the one to boss everyone else.  Cough.

9. What is one of your favorite quotes?

One of?  ONE OF?  Argh.  I'm going to go off the beaten track here and choose one that doesn't come from a favorite novel or movie-- I use plenty of those on my blog already.  :D

"It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desires that He creates."  

~Amy Carmichael

(And no, I am not cheating by having the Martin Luther quote too.  That is a picture illustrating the question, not an answer to the question. *whistles and looks at ceiling*)

10. Do you have a favorite book or book series?

Um, yes. Yes, I do.

Now, if I looked like this all the time, I'd have no problem saying
"all of the above."  Heehee.

11. Out of all the of the synonyms for elegant, which would you describe yourself with (smart - stylish - dressy - graceful - dainty - fine)?

Hmmm... maybe graceful? If we're talking about clothing style, that is, not hand-eye coordination.  *ahem*  Or fine?  Argh, I don't know.  I want very much to be elegant, but I really don't consider myself so, not yet anyway, which makes this one a toughie.

And the word "elegant" always makes me think of Emma Jane Perkins in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, which makes me want to pronounce it "ellergant," which makes me want to giggle in a very in-ellergant way.

12. What is your favorite flower?

I am boring and run-of-the-mill-- roses, preferably pink ones.  I like any color, though.  I used to favor red but I've become increasingly fond of pink as I've gotten older.

Now I'm supposed to nominate eight other bloggers for this award, but practically everyone in my circle's been nominated already so I shall just pass on the tag questions to all of YOU.  But instead of saying, "I award this to anyone who wants it, so go ahead and put it on your own blog," (because face it, no one wants to post an award on their blog and be all, "Nobody actually awarded me but such-and-such said anyone could take it if they wanted...") I'm asking you to answer the questions in a comment here.  Because I consider you all very nice and elegant and all that and I want to see your answers.  Go for it!