The Carnabetian Army: Liebster Blog Award

Thank you kindly to Catherine from Sewing the 60s who has nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award: an award given to bloggers with less than 200 followers that deserve more recognition. 

How exciting!

Receivers of the Award Must:

• Post 11 interesting things about themselves
• Answer the 11 questions posed to them by their nominators
• Create a new list of 11 questions for future award receivers to answer
• Nominate 11 more bloggers with less than 200 followers for the award

11 Things About Me

1. My vintage handbag (the white one that I am always with in posts) is a cave of wonders. I keep anything and everything in it. In there you can find a Beatles magnet, a sprig of dried lavender from my Grandma's house, a bracelet (now broken) that she gave me, a lolly machine ring from the boy in its plastic container, a heart shaped rock also from the boy, an angel pendant bracelet that my mother found, a wind up torch, pink safety pins that may come in handy, a keyring from when I saw "The Wall" performed by Roger Waters in concert and too much more too mention all amongst an unending mass of dockets and bus tickets.

2. I have always had a natural aptitude for drawing. I became quite skillful and very passionate about it in my later years of high school and took every opportunity I had to create something. I even had the experience of having some of my work displayed within an art gallery.

3. My favourite board games are chess and 'Rummy-O'. I also enjoy doing 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles.

4. The first ever 'profession' I remember wanting to have as a child was a ghost hunter. I am a nut about anything paranormal and can't resist a good ghost story.

5. I can write backwards in cursive, and quite neatly and fluently as well. When read through a mirror the writing most of the time actually looks a lot neater than when writing normally.

6. I think that it is safe to say that Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones is perhaps my biggest style inspiration. There was a time when I actually seeked out and bought clothing items and accessories to as closely possible replicate certain outfits that he had been photographed wearing, such as the one pictured below, though in a slightly more feminine style. I even cut my fringe identical to his at one point. 

7. Singing along to the voices of The Beatles, Jim Morrison and Lou Reed has actually extended my vocal range over time, enabling me to reach much deeper notes than the average bird of mediocre singing ability. 

8. I am a terrible cook, and am petrified of taking things out of the oven! Though I have improved a lot since moving into the unit and can now cook a variety of basic meals, I still would not even begin to consider myself good!

9. I haven't had an idea of what the country's top hits consist of for a good ten years or so. This doesn't seem to phase me at all.

10. I have seen Mr. Ringo Starr himself live in concert, and when I called out to him he responded to me individually amongst the audience. Even now when I try and think that one of The Beatles themselves actually knows of my existence, though he has no idea of who I am, I am too baffled and cannot even begin to comprehend what this means to me. I never thought this dream of mine would have ever come true.

An image of Ringo the night of the concert that I attended.

Source

11. I have played guitar for approximately nine years (though it may not sound like it). I taught myself to play by ear on a child's guitar from the 50's with only five strings that my father had found on the side of the road. It much resembles John Lennon's first guitar and it had to be tuned with a pair of pliers as some of the tuning pegs had broken off. I was very determined.

11 Answers to Catherine's 11 Questions

1. What is the most played song on your MP3 player/iTunes or if you prefer tangible music what was the first record/tape/CD you wore out and had to buy again?

Unfortunately due to my recent getting of a new laptop, I lost almost all my iTunes music and thus had to start compiling my digital music collection again from scratch. So far my most played song is "I Found A Reason" by The Velvet Underground at 21 plays.

2. What was your first job and did you enjoy it?

I got my first job at the age of 14 working at a busy local chemist. My position was Customer Service and Sales Assistant but my duties were quite varied. I had responsibilities associated with the dispensary counter, perfume and makeup, fitting orthopedic shoes and assisting with a popular weight loss program. 

My attitude towards the job was varied. There were days in which I didn't like it very much at all and days in which I loved it. I did not like the fact that there was so much risk associated with selling medicinal product whilst I was at such a young age. But I loved seeing the regulars and watching their progress as they undertook the weight loss program. Sometimes I have wishful thinking of going back to work there one day, though other times I actually have nightmares that I am forced to go back and work there and I can't remember a thing!

3. Do you have a collection and what is it of?

I have multiple collections. They are:

• a collection of Beatles merchandise and memorabilia that consists of over 300 items.
• a record collection which you can view by clicking here.
• vintage clothing and accessories spanning from the 1970's back to roughly the 1930's.
• vintage items spanning from the 1970's back to the early 1920's, ranging from pocket mirrors to children's annuals.
• vintage tins - too many now
• a growing collection of vintage chocolate boxes
• business cards from all over - I keep them as little souvenirs of places I've been to
• movie, concert and show tickets
• pendants and charms that I find
• and I have eight guitars.

4. What is your default "too lazy to cook" meal?

Easily instant noodles/instant macaroni and cheese - I could live off them. My family actually joke that I am Andy Warhol reincarnated as they are certain that I could eat the exact same thing everyday for 20 years.

5. What is your favourite thing to wear that you always feel fantastic in?

Definitely my black mary-jane heels. I got them for $4.00 years ago and they've been my shoe staple since.

6. Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring?

Autumn because the weather is perfect for me and I love how the trees down south turn beautiful shades of orange, red and gold. And Summer because it brings back the happiest memories from my childhood of melting iceblocks and walking barefoot on roads almost too hot to walk on in my mother's country hometown.

7. What is your favourite moment in history? i. e. VE Day etc...

The 20th of July 1969, when mankind first landed on the moon. Whether it be true or not, I find the concept of reaching the moon truly beautiful. 

8. If you had another blog, what would it be about?

Hmm. Perhaps a personal blog in which I would post all the snippets of writing, lyrics and poetry that I write.

9. If you had to pick only one, would you prefer The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

Though I do love The Rolling Stones, I am passionate about The Beatles. Together John, Paul, George and Ringo honestly opened up an entire new world for me and enabled me to see and appreciate things on a whole new level. It is through them that my passions in life developed and flourished.

10. What is your favourite step when sewing a garment? Or if you don't sew, what is your favourite feature on a garment that always catches your eye?

Unfortunately I cannot sew (though one day I would very much love to learn!), but what always catches my eye on clothing is collars. I love them. Pussy bow, pointed flat, sailor collar, peter pan, shawl collar, nehru, turtleneck. In fact there have been many occasions in which I have bought items of clothing purely because I loved what the collar looked like.

11. What was your most favourite holiday that you have taken?

Usually I would say visiting my mother's country hometown and staying with my Grandma, but many people do not consider that a holiday. So I suppose I shall have to say when the boy and I took a trip down to Bathurst for a week or so. Whilst there we stayed in a beautiful house over 100 years old and had delicious food cooked for us, we walked through the streets of the town together and he showed me all the places that he had been to as a child whilst growing up there and we saw many lovely sights. We also traveled around the area, seeing the Three Sisters as well as many other marvelous lookout sights from mountain tops which were just breath taking. The amount of vintage and antique stores that we visited in the area were a bonus too!

11 Questions for you

1. Do you have any charms or special items that you always carry with you or keep close? What are they?

2. What is the one song that without a doubt always puts you in a good mood?

3. If you could possess the ability to play any musical instrument you desire, what would it be?

4. What is currently on your wish list?

5. Do you have any hidden talents or abilities for anything in particular? If so, what are they?

6. If there was one celebrity out there who could be your soul brother/sister, who would it be?

7. Do you have a phobia of anything?

8. If you could collect anything in the world, what would it be?

9. What food can't you stand the taste of?

10. What name(s) would you choose as an alias?

11. What inspired you to start blogging?

And now for the 11 winners of the Liebster Blog Award that I nominate - just a handful of people that I believe deserve a lot more recognition for their blogging!

1. Where the Roses Go

2. Among the Dancers

3. Shady Dell Music & Memories

4. Everything's Fine and I Dig Everything

5. A Dandy In Aspic

6. Hannahinvintageland

7. Jordan's Vintage Kitchen

8. Retro Spendthrift

9. Vintage Bird Girl

10. The Hausfrau Journal

11. The Cinnamon Slipper

Congratulations to you all and do feel free to take part.

I'd love to learn more about you all, and I'm sure others would too!