Pretty Happy Baking

Last week, in the midst of crazy holiday planning at work and mini-pie baking for my own Thanksgiving festivities, I was surprised and honored to be nominated for a Liebster Award by Miss Marzipan (thank you!).  According to Miss Marzipan, the Liebster Award is given to up-and-coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. “Liebster” is German for “Beloved, Dearest, or Favorite” and the award is intended to shine a spotlight on blogs deserving of some recognition. I only started blogging a month ago, all thanks to inspiration from reading the Happiness Project and realizing I needed a hobby that could bring me continual joy. Now I can’t seem to stop baking adorable, bite-size treats and I’m honored that my attempts in the kitchen (and with a camera) have been enjoyable for others in this short amount of time. Following the 11 + 11 + 11 format of other Liebster Award nominees, here we go.

11 Random Facts About Myself:

1. I don’t like chocolate.
2. I work in fashion.
3. I can’t watch scary movies without jumping/screaming/having nightmares.
4. I’m ridiculously good at Mario Cart for N64.
5. I still love Hello Kitty.
6. I tried to dye my blonde hair red in high school–it turned pink and my friends called me Strawberry Shortcake.
7. I played basketball in college and I still miss it all the time.
8. I don’t like to drink, although sometimes a beverage is so bright, sugary, and adorable that I try it anyway.
9. Sometimes I’m skeptical of how delicious my recipes really are, because my boyfriend will eat and enjoy anything.
   
10. I owe all my creativity to my mother—the most colorful, warm, artsy woman I know. 
11. Someday I’d like to write books for children or young adults.
    

My Answers to Miss Marzipan’s Questions:

1. Colour or monochrome? I’ve always been obsessed with bright hues—pink, orange, yellow, and beyond.
2. Winter or summer? Summer—sunshine-filled days, refreshing drinks, and fruity desserts.
3. Ready-made or homemade? Usually homemade, although it depends on how much time I have.
4. Chocolate or vanilla? I’d prefer some explosion of flavor and color, like raspberry lemonade cupcakes.
5. Glass half empty or half full? Full. I’m a silver lining, all-kindsa-positivity type of girl.
6. Work or play? I love to play and relax, but it’s hard to do unless I’ve gotten all my work done.
7. Casual or formal? Somewhere halfway in-between—with lots of color.
8. Ski lodge or tropical island? My parents’ house in Michigan? That’s my favorite place to vacation.
9. Breakfast or dinner? I could eat breakfast for every meal of every day—waffles, pancakes, french toast, omelets, sugary cereal, parfaits, sausage… I love it all.
10. TV or film? I love movies. I tend not to watch TV, unless there is a series that I can really get into. I like story lines that build and dramatize over time, so sitting down for a weekend and watching an entire season of something funny, like New Girl, dramatic like the Good Wife, or silly yet worthy of obsession, like Vampire Diaries, is incredibly fun for me.
11. City or country? I love Seattle because the downtown so seamlessly transitions from city right into quaint and artsy neighborhoods. I’ve never lived in the country, just the quiet suburbs, but I don’t think I’d like being too disconnected from the people, lights, and noise.

My Nominees (Apologies/congratulations if you have more than 200 followers):

1. Playing with Flour
2. Swede and Sour Kitchen 
3. Sugar Talk
4. Les Délices de Fleur
5. The Little Loaf
6. Clairellyn’s Cupcakery
7. The Weekly Spoonful
8. Trials in Food
9. Blondie and Brownies
10. Lavish Pursuit (Carly, I know your blog isn’t about baking–sorry about the baking questions below!)
11. Miki’s Kitchen

Questions for My Nominess:

1. Favorite recipe
2. Ingredient you can’t live without
3. Recipe you can’t wait to try
4. Favorite dessert growing up
5. Best baking/cooking advice you ever received
6. Who taught you to bake 
7. Unique replacement ingredient in a time of need
8. Describe your baking style with three adjectives
9. Favorite cooking/baking tool
10. Favorite cookbook
11. Recipe that you or your family make every holiday season

Nominees, if you’re so inclined, post about your nomination and follow-up with your own 11 nominees, 11 facts about yourself, and answers to my 11 questions. If not, thanks for sharing! I’ve loved, and I’m sure will continue to love, all your posts.