thanks to you..

You may remember that back in October I told y'all that I had been nominated for the "Best Teen Blog 2011" award (and others) at the 7th annual HSBA Post blog awards. I was pretty excited to have been nominated, because even that is something! I never, ever expected to "win" anything..I mean, c'mon. There were so many other amazing blogs in the running!

..Well.

Yesterday, I found out that..

*drum roll*

..Thanks to you, my lovely friends, followers, and encouragers, Umbrella Girl has indeed won the "Best Teen Blog" 2011 award.

o.O

Woah. I totally could not believe my eyes when I headed over to the announcement post and saw my name there!

Especially since...every single blog nominated  deserved to be the winner. I'm serious. Because you know, in blogging, even if an award says "winner!" ..that doesn't make me "the absolute best teen blog" out there, or any of the other blogs who won awards "the best at ___". I really don't think there is such thing as a "best" blog--everyone is unique and lovely in their own special way, and thus their blog will be unique and lovely in its own special way.

..Nevertheless, I'm pretty dang excited. ^^ ;) :D :D The prizes look pretty cool. ;) So, once again, thank you so very much for your votes--it means a ton to me. :) I am certain it was close between myself and the other blogs.

Have a blessed Tuesday, friends! I have a giveaway for you tomorrow, so stay tuned. :) 

button up!

-via-

It’s buttoning-up weather—only nine days until the first of December, and already Winter is beginning to shove Fall rudely out the door. “It’s my turn!” he says, screaming through the wind and nipping her poor shoulders with icy frost.

And it seems like only yesterday I was donning sunglasses and complaining about the heat.


..Ah, so the seasons pass. And so my life speeds by ever-quickly.


Oh. Speaking of "buttoning up:" would you like to? :)


..In other words, after a few months of sore lacking, I have made Umbrella Girl a blog button. Actually, three.  If you enjoy this blog, feel free to take one of your liking. :]

 

   <center><a href="http://one-beloved.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Umbrella Girl" src="http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1799/buttonsaf.png"/></a></center>

<center><a href="http://one-beloved.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Umbrella Girl" src="http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1972/button2e.png"/></a></center>

<center><a href="http://one-beloved.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Umbrella Girl" src="http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/7254/button3fq.png"/></a></center>

..I thought they turned out pretty cute! Which is your favorite? Let me know if you take one so I can be sure to come visit your blog in return!

the simple things

..are what make you smile.  

Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists of all time--because besides the superb talent and detail in each of his paintings, the subjects he chooses are deliciously small, simple, and real.

He captures a thought in every portrayal--a perfect atmosphere of everything going exactly as it should.

 

I love the priceless, true expressions he captures--the intense moment of a vital shot in a marbles game, the longing look of a younger sister as her older sister gets ready for a dance, a family gathered around a meal table.

It's the simple things, friends. The simple things are what make life beautiful.

--

all paintings by norman rockwell // via this source