One Lovely Blog Award | Shannon Fraser Designs

OMG – I’ve been nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award!!

I recently noticed a few posts about the One Lovely Blog
Awards, but I’ve been so busy with my secret sewing projects and pattern
testing, that I didn’t have a chance to dig into what it was all about. That
changed the other day when I got an email from Sola, of Alice Samuel’s Quilt Co., letting me know she was nominating me and my blog!! Then I got another
note yesterday from Sharon of Yellow Cat Quilt Designs that she was also
nominating me! I’m feeling the love!

If you’re like me and are new to this, here’s how it all
plays out. If you are nominated, you need to first send an email to the person
who nominated you thanking them for the nomination. I have already reached out
personally to Sola and Sharon, but I want to thank them both again for thinking
of me! It really is an honour and truly made my day when I got their notes!
Please do hop over and show Sola and Sharon some love. Like me, they’re
relatively new to blogging and each new visit and comment is just so
encouraging. Let’s share the love 🙂

Anyone who blogs knows there are many, many hours that go
into the creation of a blog. From concept, to preparation, execution and
publication there are lots of details and steps to think of. So to know that
you are loving my posts makes all that hard work seriously worthwhile!

There are some rules tied to this nomination, including:

• I’m a painter. Well, a closet painter in any event! I love
  painting abstract art. I have been painting since I was in elementary school
  when my mum sent me for private art lessons. I was introduced to lots of
  different mediums and to this day I can still remember the way I felt holding
  my paint brush and trying to figure out how to paint whatever still life my
  teacher was challenging me with that day. It was often the highlight of my week
  and was far better than the piano lessons I was also taking at the time 😉 I’ve
  been dabbling with painting on fabric, which is a whole different experience
  and one I’ve been really enjoying exploring.

• I’m an animal lover. I have such empathy and love for
  animals of all kinds and I get really emotional when any animals are hurt in
  movies. We’re talking instant ugly cry face kind of emotional reaction, it’s
  not pretty! LOL.

• I’m an introvert. Yup, this one surprises many people. I’m
  seen as really outgoing and friendly, which is true, but that’s because I’ve
  learned to push myself beyond my comfort zone. I’m a total homebody and cherish
  my alone time. I guess that’s why I loved living on my own in Japan many moons
  ago 😉

• I love sharing and helping others. I guess this is in part
  what has drawn me to blogging, the ability to share my knowledge and passion so
  others can benefit from it too! I always say sharing is caring 🙂

• I have a birthmark smack dab in the middle of my cheek. I
  often forget it’s there, until someone points it out. It changes colours from a
  light pink to a deep raspberry (which is most likely why my mum nicknamed it my
  raspberry) and people have gone years without noticing it. I’m cool with it,
  until someone licks their finger and tries to “wipe off” what they think is a
  lipstick stain!

• I love driving! I probably get this from my dad who is an ex
  race car driver. I have really fond memories of sitting in his lap under the
  age of 5 and steering. Next up was learning to shift from the passenger seat,
  oh how I loved that! Before finally graduating to driving the car myself when I
  was 11. Young I know, but we were in the safety of a large parking lot and my
  dad and I had spent years talking about what to look for when driving, how to
  take turns, when to speed up, when to slow down. I’ll never forget that feeling
  of successfully getting out of first gear without stalling!

• This one is not so new, but I am a total foodie. I went to
  cooking school before heading to university and, looking back, I probably
  should have gone to pastry school as I am the official baker for my family. I
  just love baking and eating sweets!

Now for the fun of sharing some love and nominating several of
my favourite bloggers, including:

• Izzy from Dizzy Quilts – I am always amazed at how many
  projects she accomplishes on a regular basis. Something to aspire to!

• Stephanie from Queen of Wands Studio – Steph has a great
  sense of humour and I just love how happy I always feel after reading her
  posts. Her last one about “pork gobbler” was priceless 😉

• Amanda from Gypsy Moon Quilt Co. – I love her 5 Things
  Friday, a great reminder of how the simple things in life can bring true
  happiness.

• Jayne from Twiggy and Opal – Jayne always has a really
  interesting project on the go which inevitably challenges me to think outside
  the box. Like her recent post on adding layers of batting to make certain
  sections of a quilt really pop out – genius!

• Allison from Woodberry Way – I just love how happy and
  bright her quilt designs are, sure to cheer you up!

• Suzy from Suzy Quilts – she’s also a hoot and her posts are
  super fun to read and you always walk away learning something new 🙂

I hope you have a chance to explore these ladies’ blogs and
show them some love!

Happy quilting!

xo