My Very Own Liebster Award!

My Very Own Liebster Award!

by Rowena Lauren
Hey Guys!

This is super exciting for me, I’ve been nominated for a Liebster awards. Since I started blogging I’ve seen so many blogs that I love post their Liebster Awards and now I can finally write my own. Yay! The very kind Alisha from The Alisha Diaries nominated me which I am very thankful for. I’m glad someone likes reading my little nonsensical ramblings, hehe! 

Here’s how the whole Liebster Award shenanigan works…
1) You have to link back to the person that nominated you.
2) Write 11 facts about yourself. 
3) You must answer all 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.   
4) After completing these questions you must nominate 11 bloggers with under 200 followers and give them 11 questions of your choice. 
5) You must not nominate the person who nominated you. 
6) You must let your nominees know that they have been nominate and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it.

So first up and 11 facts about me. I don’t tend to divulge many Row Bow facts so hopefully there is some wonderfully insightful text ahead.
1. I can recite my alphabet backwards almost as quickly as I can say it regularly.
2. If I could I’d live on a diet of Carbs and Sugar- which actually isn’t too far from my current eating habits. (Figure, what figure?)
3. I can’t stand Plasters and literally have heart-palpitation at the thought of being in the vicinity of one. Eeeeuuuugghh Yuck!
4. I love baking. I can whip up a cake quicker than you can say Great British Bake Off!
5. I tripped in a hole in Year 4 and sliced my leg open. This is the only time I have ever had to go to hospital. I still have a beautiful scar don my leg today.
6. My Australian accent is on point! (Maybs not to legit Australian’s though…)
7. I can wiggle my ears.
8. I have little size 3/4 feet.
9. Belle is my favourite Disney Princess (Some kiddies say I look like here #LifeMade!).
10. I still work at my very first job.
11. I’m still digging indulging playing The Sims 2 every once in a while. I always try to make the biggest family tree.

Now some questions from Alisha, herself.

Why and how did you get into blogging?
This is probably totally the wrong answer, but in 2012 for a university application I needed a personal project. I had made it a New Year’s resolution to create a blog but the application pushed me to do it at the end of January 2012. I then put up several posts, print screened them, told the uni all about it in my interview and… then failed to get an offer. But hey look at me now, HeHe!

Does your family know about your blog? If not then why?
I thought they all did, and I know some of them check it. I thought the ‘rents sent out ma link to the fam or they found it on Facebook. But appaz Mumma K never got round to telling her side of the fam. They have no idea what they’ve been missing out on!

What’s the best experience you’ve had because of your blog?
I don’t think I’ve really experienced many opportunities due to my blog. I mean I get ALOT of spam mail now which makes me feel realllllly popular, hehe! I go to one Blogger’s Party last summer, which you can find here, that was cool to go to.

Would you change anything about the way you set up your blog or the way you use it? 
I defo want to get a little more profesh with it all. I’m constantly thinking of a new page design and what kind of image I want to create from the outset. I would love to use a wider range of backgrounds in my photos, and try some more urban area but I don’t live anywhere near proper civilisation which makes that hard.

Where do you want to be with your blog in 5 years time?
I’d be happy to still be happily snapping away of my looks throughout the week. Obviously it would be amazing to develop my blog and expand its recognition and following. But I’d like to be snapping away pictures of my looks all around the world as I’d love to be styling on a musician’s tour then.

What’s the weirdest thing about you that know one really knows or understands?
Everybody knows, but they just don’t understand my passion for cheesy, pop, dancey music. I like happy, poppy songs, but also deep emotional my-heart-will-go-on style tunes too. What can I say? I think it’s because I look so darn good singing them into a mirror. #MusicVideoMaterialRightHere!

If you could help out somewhere in the world, where would it be?
I feel like I should be more knowledgeable about current affairs to answer this one. So I’m going to say somewhere that needs more Social Workers to work on rehoming children. I watched a program about the whole process the children go through and it’s distressful for them if it takes so long because there aren’t enough people to help on the case. 

Have you met anyone in real life whom you’ve met over social networking such as blogger, twitter, instagram or Facebook?
I haven’t. But at the aforementioned Blogger’s Party I met the lovely Sophie then I found her blog, Darling Sophie. I’ve seen her blog go from strength to strength. So not really the answer to the question but a backwards kind of one.

What’s the best advice that’s been given to you?
‘Go on Row, try this. I think you’ll like it.’ I did, it was a Hot Fudge Sundae Pop Tart and I’ve never looked back since!

Do you have any particular quote that you absolutely love and think is completely true?
Good ol’ Audrey Hepburn’s, ‘I believe in Miracles’ quote is a personal fave. I love how girly and positive it is.

Oscar Wilde was a clever chap when he said, ‘You can never be overdressed or overeducated’, which I think is so true as its such a stereotype that creative people aren’t very academic. The amount of people who just don’t believe my Fashion course is worth it. I’ve had people tell me, ‘Oh, I don’t suppose you Fashion course will cost £9000, will it?’ As if thats the way to tell how academic the course is! P.S It is £9000 a year, does that make me clever? Oscar Wilde preached the truth since you can certainly be gifted and gorgeous all in one marvellous package of a human being.

What’s your favourite ever thing to do other than blogging of course?
I like looking for music from new artists or just new releases, I’m quite happy to just potter away and crack-on with anything as long as I’ve got the party in my ears going on. I also secretly indulge in plotline spoilers for soaps on the telly box. My whole life is based around guilty pleasures!

Phew! That was tough and required me to use my little noggin far more than I thought it would. Now it’s my turn to nominate 11 blogs. I chose blog with under 200 followers on GFC, so I could include blogs I actually read. But if I couldn’t find that I went off Bloglovin’. Sorry if you’ve already done it!
2. Katie
6. Lola 
11. Laura 

And the questions I’d like to read answers to are…
1. How did you decide on your blog name?
2. What is you’re favourite type of post to write?
3. Who in the world would you like to swap wardrobes with?
4. Apple Juice or Orange Juice?
5. Do you feel you’re on your way to achieving things which were your initial goals when you first set up your blog?
6. Are you inspired by any of the ‘YouTuber’s’ blogs (content, design, style)?
7. Most exiting plan for this summer?
8. If you could start a second blog, what would it be about?
9. Most Played song on iTunes/music device?
10. Were you a big-blog reader before you started your own?
11. A piece of advice you’d have given yourself 5 years ago?

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. I’m excited to see how my nominees answer the questions!

***UPDATE***
(Sept 2014)

I am very grateful to Paige from The Pink Pineapples , who has nominated me for my second Liebster Award. Although I have already completed an initial awards post, I thought I’d answer Paige’s questions too sine I had such fun last time. Here we go with round 2!

How long have you been blogging for?
I began blogging in February 2012, although I set up the actual blog in the January to fulfil my New Years Resolution. That makes What Row Chose… a good 2 and a half years old. 

What’s you favourite thing about blogging?
I really enjoy the network of bloggers on Twitter and how friendly everybody is. I also like the fact that I have an excuse to wear a fabulous outfit to every occasion with the excuse, ‘I need new content on my blog.’

What’s your favourite food?
I have a very big and very bad sweet tooth so I would say sweeties are my favourite food. That’s bad because most people would think of sweets as a snack, but for me they are defo food. Any sort of crunchy bread is welcome onto my plate anytime too.

What is your morning routine?
I am so bad in the mornings! I usually set my alarm to go off an hour before I have to leave then actually get up 15 minutes before I need to be out the door. I manage to get dressed, brush my teeth, moisturise, do my hair and make-up all in that time. Just call me Speedy Gonzales!

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Friendly, Vain and Peckish.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I really, really, really, want to go to America and stroll down Venice Beach. Only on a sunny day though. If it were to rain it would totally ruin my the utopian idea in my head. Athens is also somewhere I think would be beautiful to visit.

Who do you look up to the most?
I probably look up to Mumma Bow the most, in the real world. I cling to her a lot and we’ve both come to the conclusion that it’s just because I want to be her, hehe! In terms of someones career and lifestyle I’d like to emulate, it’s got to be Victoria Beckham. I think she has defined the perfect balance between work, family, style and being in the public eye.

What’s your favourite season?
I really like Spring, when the sun is bright and the air smells and feels really fresh. I find it so easy to wake up on those kind of mornings. I’m quite picky when it comes to temperature, just a few degrees too cold or hot and I don’t deal with it very well, hehe!

If you could give one piece of advice to a new blogger, what would it be?
Social Media is your secret partner in blogging. It will aide your inspiration, productivity (sometimes, that’s what I tell myself anyway!) and promotion.

What’s your favourite film?
Aw, man this is a hard one. I don’t really watch many films. I always say I want to see them in the cinema and then never do. I only saw the first Anchorman a month before the sequel came out, oops! 

Have you got any plans for the future and what are they?

I’m with Pinky and The Brain…

***UPDATE***
(Nov 2014)

I feel so popular since I was lucky enough to have been nominated for 2 Liebster awards on the same day! Spooky, huh? Firstly, Victoria from the super cute A Dainty Discussion and secondly by Carol from her review-tastic Intrice Blog. I loved reading their posts, I’m such a nosey person!

Here are my answers fro Victoria’s questions first:

What’s your favourite animal?
I have always said an Indian Elephant for this question, since my Primary school days. This is mainly because I love to see the pretty colours and fabrics they are decorated for Indian celebrations. I don’t really know anything about the different meanings of the finer details, I just know they are a wonderful sight to behold.

Twitter or Instagram?
I have only recently joined Instagram and I thought I’d be really good at it. But I always forget to post pictures! My camera on my iPod isn’t very good so I just repost blog photos which are a much nicer quality! So I’d have to say Twitter. 

Do you have any phobias?
Don’t laugh. I have a phobia of Plasters and Stickers. I literally feel physically sick thinking about them! I think it’s because to me they seem soooo dirty and… yuck! I’m literally shuddering as I write this!

What’s your favourite tv programme? 
I’m not sure really. I find it really hard to stick with an entire tv series. But on my day off last Friday, I did spend an entire afternoon watching re-runs of Say Yes to the Dress and I Found the Gown. Deceivingly addictive! Catfish is another american telly show I can end up in front of for hours!
What is your favourite song at the minute?
I’m so glad this question says ‘at the moment’. Because my favourite song changes daily and weekly. Currently, I love, love, love Calvin Harris and Gwen Stefani’s song Together... Oh wait! And Karmin’s new release, Sugar. See what I mean, it changes every minute right now!

Who is your ultimate crush?
Channing Tatum will always be up there. He has a rather pretty face.

What is your favourite take away meal?
I don’t actually eat many takeaways. I will never say ‘no’ to a good meal from the Chippie though!

Any Pets?
I have the cutest (not so) little Lily dog! You might catch her in a few posts every now and again. It’s very sweet because when me and my sister get the camera out she know’s it’s time to go outside and play while we take blog photos.

Favourite season of the year?
What a popular question! I’m going to stick with Spring, as I said above.

What is your favourite thing about blogging?
I like seeing bloggers with the same garments as me and seeing how they wore them. I am always inspired by other blogger’s outfits. I can also be easily swayed when someone write a good review on a new mascara. It’s like Compare the Market for beauty products! Don’t even get me started on all the give-aways…!

Any tips?
Only blog when you feel like it. I know that I’ve tried to keep up a schedule before and my posts totally suffer because you can tell I’m just writing for the sake of writing. If you lose followers because you’re not posting regularly on the same days each week, were they ever really the kind of followers you want to begin with?

Thanks Victoria!

—

And now for Carol’s questions:
What is something about you that most people would find surprising?
I really like Maths. I’m pretty good at it too.

What is at the top of your bucket list?
Not that I’ll ever had the guts to do it, but I rather fancy jumping out of a plane. Or being on a red carpet just once to see what it’s like. 

Do you believe in the supernatural?
Nope. I’m scared of enough things in real life. If I did, I think I’d have trouble getting to sleep. 

What was your last memory about relating to the circus?
I went when I was 5 and adored the hula-hoop lady. I thought she was really pretty, I’m sure here hula-hoop skills were great too! (Great Question!)

Who is someone you look up to and why?
This one is still going to be Mumma Bow. With a sprinkling of Vicotria Beckham. And maybs a dash of Demi and Selena because I can!

What do you like the most about blogging?
I like making a diary of all the looks I have liked wearing. It sounds super vain, but I think that’s actually why a lot of bloggers do it. It’s a positive thing to be proud of your appearance. It gives me a good reason to dress up and put effort into my appearance.

What is one item you feel “naked” without?
Usually my fringe. O.K, so it’s not technically an item. But I am actually pretty confident to step out my door into the outside world with no make-up. Wearing my fringe makes me look a little more ‘compos mentis’ in the mornings.

Do you have something you like or follow obsessively? ( Example: tv show, book, celeb, etc.)
Weird, we just did a big research project at uni based upon obsessions. I did costume, but not in the true way I am obsessed with it. I love looking at all the tour costumes of different pop stars. I’m particularly fond of anything sparkly with an unusual shape. It all comes from my theatrical roots, darling!

What app on your phone/tablet do you use the most?
I use my Google app for everything. Mainly because I didn’t know what Safari was when I first got my iPod. Silly Row! Or SnapChat. I’m a beast on the selfie-game!

What tv show can you not stop watching at the moment and why?
I suppose Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road (there goes any credibility I had, hehe!). It’s not that I can’t stop watching, I just like to try have a couple of programmes that I make the most effort to watch for a full series. Also Waterloo Road has had a little hottie injection since last series, so it would be rude not to appreciate their effort!

If teleportation was real, where would be the first place you would go and why?

Anywhere in America! I’ve only ever been abroad to a rainy North France when I was at school. So I’d like to try somewhere that spoke English but had better weather!

Phew! All done, thanks Carol!

***UPDATE***
(Feb 2015)
I was recently paired up with Charlotte from Basic is Beauty blog for a bloggers beauty box swap. Now, she’s nominated me for a Libester award. How kind of her! 

What got you into blogging?
I started this blog as a personal project for a university interview. They said I needed a ‘personal project’, whatever that may be, and I decided to start this blog. Awks, I only had 11 views the day of the interview since I had only set it up the night before! 

If you were stuck on a island which three items would you take?
This is a hard one because I always think too literally about these scenarios. I’m tempted to say a mobile, a privet jet and ‘The Beginners Guide to Flying a Plane’ so I could get myself outta there! But I think the idea is that you take 3 of your most treasured possessions…

What is your blogging area like?
I’m quite a free spirit when it comes to blogging. I’ll blog anywhere, with any surrounding. Sometimes I’m at a table, others I’m on the floor of a train and right now I’m in the playroom of a family I’m babysitting for. 

Where is your favourite place to visit in the UK?
I have family up north, in Scotland, so every time we go there it means ‘holiday time’!

How do you normally like to wear your hair?
I usually try to have a slick, heavy fridge and the rest all bouncy and curly. But sometimes if I fancy a little up do, I’ll clip back the sides of my hair for a bit-up-bit-down style. A popular look on my blog.

What is your idea of a good night out or in?
There is nothing better then a nice dinner out at a good Tapas or a meal of yummy Pub Grub. Then after that a nice chilled time on the sofa wrapped up in a blanket with my little sister. N’awwww!

If there was anybody famous you could spend the day with who would it be?
I think chilling with Victoria Beckham would be amazing! But she is one busy lady, so I imagine we’d be running, flying and being chauffeured around the country throughout the day. For a calmer day I think Selena Gomez or Demi Lovato would be a hoot to hang out with.

What is your favourite food?
SWEETIES!

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
Urrrrmm… This is a really tricky one. I’m gonna go with Frozen on DVD. Life changing!

If you could time travel what would you do/where would you go?
When I have to walk home from the station I’d like to be able to time travel 20 minutes forward so I didn’t have to work out a sweat. #Lazy!

What is one piece of clothing you cannot bring yourself to throw away (no matter how old)?

I have a little jumper and leggings set which I wore when I was in Year One. I was playing the talented part of a deer, and they are still kept in a plastic bag at the back of my wardrobe.

—

I was also nominated by Inês from Diamond and Tiger. Thank you so much! Here we go with her questions!

Where are you from?
England. #Represent!


How long do you blog?I have been blogging since February 2012. Wow! It’s doesn’t feel like it’s been that long!


What motivated you to start a Blog in the first place?
I didn’t have any fashion projects outside of school/college/uni. So I started my own blog, documenting my personal style choices.

What were your worries/concerns when you first started (if any)?
I didn’t show my friends the wonder that is What Row Chose… for the first 6 months. Although I liked posting regularly, I was a little embarrassed about what my friends would think. Turns out the all love it, so I needn’t have worried!

Why the name?My name is Row and I like Bows.

What is the hardest thing about having a blog?

Finding the time and inspiration to write a post. Once I realised that I blog first and foremost for my own entertainment, it was easier to lose that guilty feeling after not posting for a few weeks.

Do you have series (like Wish Lists, Outfits of the Day,etc)? If yes, which is you favourite?
I used to have the classic Top Tunes Tuesday, where I’d write about my favourite songs that debuted that week. But I feel that ran it’s course. Now I just like to put them at the end of each post.

How many blogs/vlogs do you follow?
I don’t follow many religiously. I just like to catch up on my faves every now and again. I’m happy to just scroll through twitter to find posts that I think I’d like to read.

How often do you see your statistics?
I see them every time I log in. Sometimes several times a day. I just like looking at numbers!

What was the best moment for your blog, in 2014?
I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to work with CelebLook. That was a pretty special moment for me! Also, through my blog I was given the chance to go to the Company Bloggers Style the High Street event. Yay Row!

What do you hope to come in 2015?
I always think I’d like to do a little more with my blog. Over summer I have more time so who knows?!

Oodles and Toodles

Row Bow
x

More from Rowena Lauren

2 comments

  • Hehe I loved your answer to 'What's the best advice that's been given to you?' It did make me giggle haha! Belle is my favourite disney princess too!! I think you do look like her if she was brought to life. Thank you for answering my questions, I really enjoyed reading them and reading your blog.

    Alisha X x

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