it's time for the liebster award.

A lot of fun is going on around here with this Liebster Award that I was nominated for thanks to my friend Kerry June. And yes, I am so aware that I spelled Liebster wrong up above. Now, I don't want no spelling police to get all up on my back here, you hear? Probably the first time I have ever used the word "Leibster" and I'm not even quite sure what this award is about but it's spreading like wildfire and I thought I'd jump on board.

Sounds like a questionnaire to me for you pretty young thangs to learn a little bit more of my nit gritty secrets. So, here are ze rules:

one: post 11 things about yourself. 

two: answer the 11 questions created by the person who nominated you.

three: create 11 questions of your own to ask the bloggers to nominate.

four: choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate and link them on your blog post. 

five: bloggers must be notified of their award!

six: no tag backs. darn it. 

eleven things about myself: 

1. I have been dating Leonardo Dicaprio since age 8. The Zoo is aware of this, and he accepts the reality of this relationship Leo and I have together. 

2. I have a weird obsession with collecting swimsuits. 

Can you tell with majority of the photos above? 

3. My secret dream job is to be a sleuth and a Ghost Hunter &

follow in the footprints of Nancy Drew. 

4. I once sang "Love Shack" acapella during commercial break on the Jay Leno Show. 

He basically pushed me off stage before I could finish my song. I took the hint. 

5. I still talk on the phone to my teenage friend Godfred, who I met 

during my trip to Ghana, Africa four years ago. 

6. I was physically attacked by a homeless drunk man who jumped on my back 

in Chester, England. That was awesome. 

7. I have a playlist made specifically for when I shower. It's as diva and gospel-like as it can get. The echo in the shower does wonders to your vibrato and I literally pretend like I'm performing on stage. 

8. I have become a hypochondriac. I went to the doctor last month because 

I swore to the doc that I was about to have a heart attack 

within the next couple of days. I'm fine guys. 

9. My food of choice is jalapeno shrimp n' grits and a bowl full of gumbo. 

10. I use to pee my pants like no other in high school If I laughed too hard, or even if I jumped rope or bounced on the trampoline. I'm not proud of it. 

11. My cousin Ash and I used to go around the resort at Hilton Head Island telling people we were the Olsen Twins... and sadly, they believed us. 

eleven questions from kerry june: 

1. What is the scariest thing you have ever done in your life? 

Hands down when I flew alone to Ghana, Africa. It was the first time flying out of the country alone, not to mention I was landing in Africa of all places. Can you picture this short blonde American girl landing in Africa all by her lonesome self? I had such mixed emotions. I was on a high with how happy I was to finally make it to a place I've dreamt of for years, but at the same time, when I had African Soldiers with AK-47's greeting me at the gates with the thickest ghanaian accent ever, I wanted to wet myself. 

2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go & why?

Ay caramba, where do I begin? Well I'm going to cheat here and give you more than my two cents. For starters, I'd love to go back to Ghana and have the Zoo meet all of the close friends that I have kept in contact with for the past four years. What a sweet and beautiful reunion it would be. I think about it all of the time. 

For guilty pleasures, I'd keel over and die to see the South of France and visit all of the hot spots such as Nice and Cannes and drive in a classic car with Jackie O' -like sunnies and a vintage scarf wrapped around my head with the Zoo in the front seat whom I'd refer to as "Contini" like in the movie "Nine."

And for even more guilty pleasures, Havana, Cuba. Why? Because of the delicious  pastel architecture and the state of mind that they live in - the past. Everything is how you imagined it to be back in the day. And that's what makes it

 so magical, so intriguing  and mysterious. 

3. What is your favorite book/series?

I am always a sucker for a good murder mystery novel. I will never get sick of my Nancy Drew books, which don't judge me, but I still do read from time to time. But currently, I am STILL reading "Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil," which captures the secrets and eeriness of one of my favorite cities, Savannah, Georgia. So anything mysterious, scary and by golly, southern. 

4. What is your go-to phrase that you say the most?

I honestly don't think that I have a go-to phrase. I'm sure I do, but I just don't pick up on it. I do know for a fact that I tend to literally make up words and use them confidently within my conversations and people just go with the flow. They eventually start using my made up words too, so you can call be webster. 

5. If you could only listen to one record/album/or song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Easy as pie. Anything Ray Charles. The man covers everything from Soul, Jazz, R&B, gospel-powered vocals, blues and a little bit o' country. He's my man and his voice reminds me oh so much of my home sweet home in Georgia. His sweet voice always keep's Georgia on my mind. It's very comforting and puts me in my comfort zone. I'll always love him. 

6. If you could do anything for a job, what would you choose?

Whoops. I kind of sort of already answered that above, but, as weird as this sounds, I would really love to be a ghost hunter. I am a sucker for all things spooky. On a more unrealistic note, I'd love to be a performer on stage and sing my guts out. On a more dreamlike out of this world note, I'd love to be Jenna Lyons side kick and do whatever she orders me to do, be it naming the colors of fabrics or designing window displays and store instillations. I just would love to be a head honcho for J.Crew. Oh wait, no I take it back. I take everything back. I wanna be a model for J.Crew. Don't laugh at me, I actually hate being in front of the camera alone if I can't be goofy but I'd love to travel and be a part of the photo shoots for all of the catalog spreads and what not. 

7. What is your favorite quote?

Currently, it's a quote by the late Lilly Pulitzer who I look up to when it comes to passion and achieving your goals the way you'd like to do it. 

She says, "I didn't set out to be unusual or different. I just wanted to do things my way." I relate to her in so many ways with this quote. Referring to my artwork, I really am not setting out to be anything different or to gain some ounce of fame from what I do. I just do it to keep me sane, to gain happiness in finding beauty in art, and really I just want to do it my way without having anyone telling me I can't. And if they don't like it my way, so be it. 

A lifetime quote that I love is from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things that you've never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again." 

8. Are you an extrovert or an introvert?

I'd say I am an extrovert. I'm pretty outgoing and can hold my own in a sea of people I'm not familiar with. I'm pretty loud and rambunctious, but in a non-annoying way. I do tend to go a little introvert though when I know I have to impress, or if I am around someone who tends to be more extrovert than I am, I'm not one to compete for the spotlight so I'll ease back a bit and take a breather from being so lively and let them do their thing. I will say though, I do not fear of working my dance moves in public areas. 

9. What is your favorite movie of all time and why?

I don't think I can answer this. It's much too hard, as I have so many favorite movies. But the one that gets me every single time is sadly, "Titanic." I know I know, how original and girly. But really, my whole childhood was based on obsessing over it and anything Titanic related, that it was a huge part of my younger years. So pathetic I know, but whenever I watch it, or hear Dion's, "My Heart Will Go On," I get a rush of being a kid again and it makes me really happy. 

10. If you could go to any concert, whether they are dead or alive, broken up or together, who would it be?

Hands down both Kings. The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, for obvious reasons and just the flat of King, Elvis Presley. I'd cry to see MJ's moonwalk and some of E's pelvic thrusts. Whoops. 

11. Where do you see yourself in five years from now?

Ehhh... at age 29? Kill me now. Hopefully in the deep south with the zoo and our small little family. Maybe two or three kids. I'll still be painting away and hopefully checked off some places off of my travel list by that point. Who knows where life will take me. Where ever it may be, I hope it's good to me. 

eleven random questions for you: 

1. If you could go to dinner with anyone alive today 

(that you don't know) who would it be?

2. If you could only shop at one clothing store for the 

rest of your life, where would it be?

3. What is your guilty pleasure?

4. What is your favorite childhood memory?

5. If you could live in any country right now, where would it be?

6. What is one thing that you love about yourself?

7. If a movie was made about your life, who would you cast to play the role of you?

8. What is your biggest fear?

9. Which song would you say is the theme song of your life?

10. If you were an animal, what would you be?

11. What is the scariest thing you have ever done/experience?

 bloggers of my choice: 

ashley / the better life

becca / the life of becca anderson

ashley kirkland / C & A

jenna / a simple life

katie / the hillstead family