Lucky 11 and a Liebster

I blinked. And somehow, it's already been six months since I launched Easily Inspired! I may be half a year down, but I'm just getting started. In honor of this mini milestone, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few fun facts about myself - the girl behind the blog. 11 to be exact.

P.S. Keep reading for an exciting announcement!

11 Things You May Not Know About Me

01. You know how on the first day of school, you were forced to tell the class a fun fact about yourself? For years I've always said, "I'm MD from MD" because my initials are the same as Maryland, the state where I was born and raised.

02. My high school art teacher Mrs. Sears deserves a big thank you. Without her guidance and support, I may have never found my creative calling.

03. I'm not a huge shopper, but I do love a good deal and therefore have a major weakness for HomeGoods.

04. When I was little, my dad used to travel for work often. Upon his return, he would always bring me a snow globe from his trip. This act of kindness turned into a pretty impressive collection over the years - I now have over 100 snow globes from different cities, states, countries and continents.

05. I'm double jointed in my elbows -- a pretty solid excuse for not being able to do push-ups.

06. Most people think being an only child is a bad thing, but I really can't complain. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I had siblings sometimes, but I'm very close with my parents as a result and would never want to change that.

07. Last summer, my boyfriend and I lived in Nashville, TN. Although I was there primarily for an internship, I fell completely in love with Music City and could definitely see myself living there full-time someday.

08. The first concert I ever saw was The Cheetah Girls with Vanessa Hudgens. Yes, I was a total Disney Channel fanatic back in the day.

09. In 6th grade, I used to make 11:11 wishes for Brady Radcliffe to like me... 8 years later those wishes came true! Embarrassing, but true.

10. Krispy Kreme jelly-filled donuts -- I can't resist.

11. I was nominated by Cameron of The Diary of a Southern Millennial for a Liebster Award!

So, I'm sure you may be thinking, "Cool, congrats! But, uh... What the heck is a Liebster Award?" Don't worry, you're not the only one who is a little confused... the spellcheck on my computer keeps correcting Liebster to Lobster. (Which was only kinda funny the first time.) But, Liebster is actually German for "beloved" not "crustacean."

Essentially, the Liebster Award is an award given to new bloggers from other up-and-coming bloggers. It's a way to encourage newbies like myself, build an inclusive community and spread the love through promotion. I whole-heartedly support the #CommunityOverCompetition movement and therefore, I'm so flattered to have been nominated for an award that is based on the same principles.

The rules are simple:

01. Post 11 facts about yourself. | 02. Answer the 11 questions your nominator has asked you. | 03. Nominate 11 new bloggers and ask them 11 questions. | 04. Be sure to link up with the blogger who nominated you.

So, here we go!

Q + A

How long have you been blogging?

I eagerly clicked "publish" on my first blog post on November 18th, 2016 -- so just over six months! 

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

Easily Inspired is the ultimate passion project! I love the freedom I have to explore topics that I feel inspired by. During school, my design courses were focused on client-based projects so I rarely had the opportunity to express my creativity on my own terms.

What is your least favorite thing about blogging?

So much time, energy and heart goes into each post yet will probably only be viewed for 2-3 minutes by a reader once it's shared. I get it though, we're all human and we have short attention spans - especially when browsing online. With what feels like a bajillion other blogs on the Internet, it can be difficult to stand out.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Well, I've never left the country so I have a long, long list of places I'd love to visit. The three destinations at the top of my list are Hawaii, Paris and Greece.

What’s your favorite food?

French bread with butter. Haha, "Is butter a carb?" -Regina George

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

Dogs all the way! I have two white, fluffy Bichons named Champ and Pepito. And, I swear it's just a matter of time until my boyfriend adopts a goldendoodle puppy.

What’s your favorite movie?

When Harry Met Sally is my favorite, but throw on any rom-com and I'm a happy girl.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Summers at the beach. 

What’s your favorite way to relax?

I throw on my comfiest sweatpants, light a candle and read a good book -- I'm such a bookworm. I'm currently reading Paris Letters by Janice Macleod. 

What tv show are you currently watching?

I know I'm hopping on the Gilmore Girls bandwagon late, but I'm just about the finish the second season. I've actually been golfing with Lauren Graham's dad, but had no idea who that was since I hadn't watched the show until recently! I also can't wait for Younger to come back this summer. If you're a Hilary Duff fan, you should definitely check it out!

What advice would you give to new bloggers?

The same thing I try to remind myself - don't sacrifice quality for quantity. As a full-time student and part-time intern with a busy social life, I may be a little slow getting new posts up. But, when I do hit "publish," I'm proud of what I'm sharing with the world. So don't be afraid to start small - it'll get easier as time goes on!

And the Winner Is...

Be on the lookout for the rising bloggers I'm #EasilyInspired by. I'm nominating:

Becca, According to Bbooks | Alexis, Strong Female Lead | Katy, kady-dyd | Macey, Macey Alexandra | Jessi, Merfleur | Rebeka, Miss Caffeinated | Katie, The Kalon Blog | Neena, Capital Blonde | Hunter, Hunter Schleicher | Brooke, Meraki | Kelly, The Good Wear

I wanna know:

01. How long have you been blogging? | 02. What is the most rewarding aspect of your blog? | 03. If you could interview anyone on your blog, who would it be and why? | 04. Who is your favorite style icon? | 05. Do you have a role model in life? | 06. What is the best compliment you've ever received? | 07. Describe your dream date. | 08. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? | 09. What are 3 qualities every successful blogger should have? | 10. What are your goals for the future of your blog? | 11. What advice would you give to other new bloggers?

I look forward to reading your responses, ladies! And, Cameron - thank you again for the nomination! Keep up the great work. XO.

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