I received my first blogger award...

Last week, Deb over at Deb's Country Kisses gave me the Arte y Pico Award. Thank you Deb! Deb is one of those bloggers that I wish lived closer to so that we could meet in person and spend a couple of hours talking over tea and cookies. I just know she is a wonderful, kind hearted person and I am glad to have met her. Her blog has inspired and comforted me and for that I am grateful.

Now, there are several rules that go along with this award and they are as follows:

1. First, you have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2. Secondly, each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Next, each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award.

4. Also, the award winner and 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. And finally, you must show these rules.

Part of the reason it has taken me so long to post this award is that I had a difficult time picking just 5 bloggers to pass this award on to. I subscribe to 60 different blogs on my google reader (and the number grows everyday) and I love each and every one of them although for different reasons.

So without further ado, I choose to share this award with (in no particular order):

1. Susie over at Bienvenue. Susie is another blogger that I wished I could share a cup of tea with in person. She also has been very supportive of me and her comments pick me when I need a pick me up (Thank you Susie). She also has great taste and she makes the most beautiful tassels (which are becoming an obsession with me lately). Another thing that I love is that she has shared with her readers some easy but elegant crafts that I am dying to try out (like these elegant coasters).

2. Joy from Joys of Home. Now, I am not the only person that thinks Joy deserves this award as she has received it before. I am giving it to her again because I find her blog refreshing, funny and REAL. And if for no other reason because she shared pictures of her living room after her daughter "landed" home and I could totally relate! I know whenever I see vintage suitcases, I will think of Joy.

3. Kimba from A Soft Place to Land. I chose Kimba because I love her philosophy towards the home she lovingly creates for her family, they mirror my own (but she expressed them so much more eloquently than I could). She inspires me with here projects and makes me laugh with her stories. She says her family are suburban hillbillies and if that is the case, I would love to live in her neighborhood. And lastly, because her family is building a new house which we did 3 years ago. It was the most aggravating experience of my life (but worth it in the end) so I want her to know I feel her stress.

4. Penny from Lavender Hill Studio. Penny's blog was the first "decorating" blog I ever read and I still look forward to posts from her. I found Penny through HGTV's rate my space and her living room was my favorite room over there (and probably still is). She also creates and sells the most beautiful mosaics I have ever seen. In the few interchanges I have had with Penny, I feel like I have known her forever. I can even forgive her that we both built houses 3 years ago and her landscaping puts mine to shame!

And last (but certainly not least) I want to recognize a new blog I have found:

5. Eva from Cornflower Cottage. Eva's blog is very new (only 6 posts). She and her family are remodeling their home and, judging by her inspiration photos, I can't wait for her to start posting pictures of their work. She enjoys French Country style which is my all time favorite. I hope she enjoys blogging and that this award will show her that there are those of us that appreciate and enjoy her efforts.

Well, there is my list. I could go on and on with a whole list of wonderful blogs but I will end for today. Please take time to visit these blogs and I hope you find them as delightful as I do. Thanks for stopping by, JoAnne