Blogging Friends Forever Award

I have received an award from one of my best blogging friends, Vee at A Haven for Vee. She is such an encouragement to me and has been a faithful and frequent commenter here for quite some time. I am humbled and grateful to receive this from her. Here are the rules:

1. You may only choose 5 people/blogs to give the award to...

2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog...

3. One has to be a new follower of your blog or live in another part of the world...

It's tough to only pick five, but I am going to play by the rules this time. I am awarding this to four of the bloggers who have been with me the longest and are still around to read and encourage. They followed me from my original Charm & Grace Blog to this wonderful and much more user friendly Blogger Cottage. And I am awarding it to one newer friend whose blog I fell in love with earlier this year and have been following.

1. Lorrie at Fabric, Paper, Thread has been a blog friend almost since I began blogging in April of 2007. She is a kindred spirit in so many ways, and she never fails to lift my spirits with her comments. I love to read about her creativity whether through writing, sewing, scrapbooking, decorating, or creating from paper.

2. Bebe's Peaches~and~Dreams blog is so beautiful and filled with such fun. Bebe is a fellow southerner and really understands some of my quirky "southern-ness." She has been such a sweetheart to stick with me for so long.

3. Barb from The French Elements is a wonderful blogger who has just given me tremendous encouragement all along the way. (I would have to say that encouragement is definitely her spiritual gift!) She is a wonderfully creative person with a heart of gold, and I am honored that she has stuck with me so long.

4. Ruth from Artful Creations is a very talented artist who also has a fantastic eye for photography. (If you haven't seen her pictures from the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah, you must get over there now!) It means so much to have a fellow artist friend take the time to encourage me by reading and commenting.

Thanks to all you ladies for following me over here from over there, for taking time to read my posts, and for leaving your beautiful and cherished words of encouragement!

5. If you haven't visited The Dutchess, then you don't know what you're missing. It is always a showcase for beautiful artwork and classic literature. And just so we're following the spirit of the rules, she just happens to live in another part of the world in the beautiful Netherlands. She has definitely become a BFF over these past months.

And I am giving Strider a "notable mention" (as I am not sure he would appreciate the whole Blogging Friends Forever thing.) He never fails to encourage and exhort us in our walk with the Lord, and his comments always mean a lot.

Best blogging blessings to you all!!

An award from a kindred southern belle...

Bebe from the beautiful and uplifting Peaches~And~Dreams blog has given me the I Love Your Blog award.





I am thrilled and honored to receive this award from Bebe because I truly love her blog. I have missed her this summer as her posts have been few and far between, (we all understand about how busy the summer can get) and I am so glad to see her posting again. She posts on all kinds of beautiful things, oftentimes giving us a history lesson (but it's so much fun it doesn't feel like studying!) If you haven't visited her, you must!

~~~~~

Here are the rules of this award.
1. The receiver can put the logo on his or her blog.
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers.
4. Put links of those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you mentioned.
~~~~~

This is a tough one because there are so many. So, in no particular order...

Vee at A Haven for Vee
Cheryl at Cherdecor
Lorrie at Fabric, Paper, Thread
Barbara from Ramblings from an English Garden
Dutchess at The Dutchess
Barb at Stamplicity
Ruth at Artful Creations

An award from a cherished friend...

Cheryl at Cherdecor, has a beautiful blog and shares her heart so generously. She is a breast cancer survivor, as is my mother-in-law, and partly because of that I feel a special connection to her. She also shares a strong faith, and that is so encouraging to me. I feel very honored that she has presented me with the Friendship Award.



I would like to pass it on to a new blogging friend and very kindred spirit in many ways... including being a homeschooling mom of teens (yikes, did I really say that?), a woman of faith, and a fellow southerner... Mrs. Trixie at Making It Our Home. I really enjoy her stories about their life on the farm, homeschooling, and all the adventures that go along with that. Be sure and say a prayer for her and others along the coastal areas, as Hurricane Gustav looms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Encouraging Mondays...

An award, awards, and five things I love...

First, I must thank my sweet friend Vee from A Haven for Vee for the Brillante Award she has bestowed on me. Not only am I honored to receive the award, but particularly as it is from Vee. She is a thoughtful and generous blogger, a kind encourager, and also a happy newlywed.

These are the rules:

1. Please put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. You must nominate 7 fellow bloggers for this award. (I will not be doing this, as most of my choices for this award have already received it previously. See comment below list.)
4. Add links to the recipients.
5. Leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

I would just like to say that I think all the blogs in my sidebar deserve this award. So, if your blog appears there, consider yourself awarded. If you have received the award before, feel free to accept it again. If you have never received it, consider yourself duly awarded. Post the award to your site and follow the rules (or not).

Now, I have been tagged by Schotzy at Wings of Eagles for five things I love:

1. God's Word

2. My family

3. Whatever flower is currently in bloom

4. Seeing creativity unfold

5. Vivaldi's Four Seasons

This one came with no rules. Again, most of you have participated in one of these before. If you would like to participate again, consider yourself tagged!

Finally, many of you have been to me as Jonathon was to David: "And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God." (1 Samuel 23:16) I hope in some way, I have encouraged you as well.

Doubly blessed

I received the Arte Y Pico Award a while back from Barb at The French Elements, and today I have received it again from Barbara at Ramblings from an English Garden. These two Barbaras are among my most favorite bloggers, so any award bestowed by them is very precious to me. This award has special significance to me also, because of the meaning of the award:

According to Arte Y Pico, the originator of the award, it is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy and above all, ART, much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all those bloggers and to bloggers who day by day share this space and enrich it a little more each day." What a terrific award...

Thank you to Barbara and if you haven't visited Barbara's world, then you must. She shares from her heart and shares some of the loveliest pictures of a real (her own) English garden and other very beautiful places she visits throughout the beautiful English countryside. It's like getting to go on vacation without leaving home.

Now to pass the award along:

In keeping with Barbara's precedent, since I have received the award once already I am going to bestow it on one blog friend, Cheryl at Cherdecor. Her blog is beautiful in so many ways, but most of all because of her generous caring and sharing spirit. She shares candidly from her life, she gives us glorious pictures of her gardens, she shares spiritual insights and prayers... and just generally is a blessing to the blogging community. All creativity... whether painting, writing, sewing, gardening, etc... is art. And Cheryl is a beautiful artist weaving words and pictures together with grace. Go visit her and tell her I sent you!

An award that made my day...

I have been given the 5 Blogs That Make My Day award by sweet Barb at The French Elements. Just so you know Barb... your blog makes my day, too!

Here are the rules:

(DISCLAIMER: For those to whom I am giving this award, I know that some may have already received the award. I do not want any of you to feel pressure to have to pass it on. I know how busy life can be. Just know how much I enjoy your blogs.)

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that make me think or make my day.

2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.

3. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news.

Please visit:

Barb at The French Elements (I just had to give it back to you, Barb, because it's true!)

Ruth at Whispering Oaks Cottage

Lauren at Button Willow Cottage (Lauren doesn't have comments enabled on her blog, but if you haven't visited her little oasis on the web... well you really must go check out what you've been missing!)

Lana at Honeysuckle Lane's Simple Joys

Rebekka at The Sugar Bar (brand new blog from an old blogging girlfriend... previously MapleSugar and The Cake Parlour)

Thank you, Barb, for giving Charm & Grace Cottage its first award!

That sweet Barb at The French Elements has given Charm & Grace Cottage its first award. I am so humbled and grateful for this one. According to Arte Y Pico, the originator of the award, it is "dedicated to many who nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy and above all, ART, much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all those bloggers and to bloggers who day by day share this space and enrich it a little more each day." What a terrific award...

And now I am looking around for those on whom I will bestow this award. I will, of course, have a hard time narrowing it down because so many of you inspire me. But, alas I must limit myself to five... five fabulous blogs:

1. Barbara at Ramblings from an English Garden... a delight from beginning to end, Barbara's blog is filled with beautiful photos, educational fieldtrips, inspiration, and most of all the joys of life in England!

2. Jo at NeereAnDear Creations... has a lovely blog filled with beautiful artwork, thoughtful musings, and inspirations from a generous heart.

3. Ruth at Artful Creations... has an artist's eye for beauty not only in her paintings, which are stunning, but in her photography. She also delights us with trips to public gardens and also beautiful shots her own garden.

4. Lorrie from Fabric, Paper, Thread.. is a wonderful writer and artist who has recently been published in Today's Christian Woman, (and just today I learned she'll soon have an article in Somerset Memories, too!) She is inspirational as well as very talented and, of course, her designs are made from things such as fabric, paper, and thread!

5. Vee at A Haven for Vee... has a beautiful blog filled with lovely photos, thoughtful writing, and a generous helping of a loving spirit. She really has an eye for beauty and a way with words,which makes for a wonderful blog!

You all truly do inspire me!

Now for the rules:

1) Pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contrubuites to the blogger community, no matter the language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award-winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself. (I would like to add that as some don't do these kinds of things, so if you choose not to do this I will not be offended!)

4) The award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y pico"blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5) To show these rules.

Now, I am off to notify my friends!