Pop the champagne open, I've won my first blogger award!

Trumpet fanfare please - I've won my first Blogger Award.  I was reading through my hundreds of blogs on Google Reader and spotted my name... I was shocked, I can tell you!  I was like "OH!  It's me... is it me?  Yes, it's me... Are you sure???" 

But before I start digress into an Oscar-style speech, let me introduce the gorgeous "Pretty In The Desert" who was the stunning sweetie who gave me first award - I love her blog!  When I first discovered it, I was immediately hooked and read her entire archives too.  Her style is so easy to read and feels like she is an old friend just chatting away to you.  I particularly love her quick tips and her cat Bowie is super cute too!  Much love and appreciation hun!  I'd award her right back if I could!

Not long after winning my first award, I was also lucky enough to win my second!  This time from "The "E" Girl" whose blog is extremely informative!  She puts so much time and effort into each post.  Thanks so much!

Renee's award requires me to tell you 7 things about yourself and as I'm a fairly new blogger and could come across as a bit of a closed book so far, WHY NOT!

1. Born in Chelmsford (yes I’m an Essex girl), I'm half Filipina, half English but my dad actually grew up in Kenya. His grandmother was from Barbados so apparently I'm part Barbadian, but you'd never tell just by looking at me!! 
2. I don’t have a sense of smell. And yes I can taste. Trust me, I would be a size 6 if I couldn’t taste – I’d live on lettuce leaves.
3. I know dance routines to some very cheesy songs that I should be embarrassed about, eg. most of Five and A1’s songs, Spice Girls…
4. I like cooking but resent it if it’s expected of me. I make some mean chocolate brownies!
5. I was in Miami when Versace was assassinated there.
6. I have a weird phobia of buttons. I don’t wear clothes with buttons, except jeans/trousers. I don’t know why. Lol!
7. I would like my career to be based in charity and non-profit organisations and hope my mortgage doesn’t force me to veer away from this.

OK, so there are a few rules that came along with this award:

Post about the award and copy the rules

Link to the person who gave you the award

Choose 3-5 blogs you would like to give the award to and link to them as well. Leave a comment ontheir blog to let them know!

Important: The award is for unknown and/or new blogs only!

Here are the blogs that I've "discovered" and think deserve this award, however I would not describe them as unknown as they nearly all have more followers than I!

Sam's Round The World Travels

Miss LV

Dear Joy

Brian Tomlinson Photography

Laura & Boutique 73 (I wish Laura would blog more as I don't often have time to pop into her shop which is tres cool!)

My last award would have been to another Laura whose blog You Are So Pretty Laura I discovered a matter of weeks before she decided to depart from the virtual world... Sad times.  I'd read back through her archives and had really enjoyed them, she seems like my kinda person, plus she's from the same town as me.  But I can relate to feeling uninspired sometimes, I often feel overwhelmed by the talent and interesting lives of other bloggers.  Fingers crossed she misses blogging soon and returns!

Thanks again for my awards, I will be feeling very chuffed for quite sometime!  Very very happy right now!