I have been tagged and awarded

This happened several times while I was on vacation. If I missed your tagging me, sorry I lost track of a few of them. First tag was from http://ruby--slippers.blogspot.com/ then http://nostalgichomemaking.blogspot.com/. If more of you tagged me, sorry I don't remember where the comment was from.

These are the RULES:

Link to the person that tagged you. Which I did. Post the rules on your blog. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 random and/or weird facts about me:

1. Didn't know I was afraid of swimming in the ocean till my last trip. I had been to the beach many times and swam in the ocean. But never to the point where the water was deeper than twice what I was tall (this was 5 times deeper or more) and never to the point where I couldn't reach the shore with a few stokes in swimming. Well, I went snorkeling in Christmas Cove in St Thomas; that was an eye opener. I realized I was scared which started an asthma attack. So I was ferried to the beach where I built up my courage and started to swim on my own back out to the snorkeling area in little steps; not totally on my own -- my husband was a dear and went with me to help build my courage. Gotta love that. By the time we had finished I wasn't scared anymore and had tons of fun. So found fear and concurred it. Pat myself on the back; I swam all the way back to the boat that was anchored in the outer part of the cove. Doesn't sound like much, but I was ready to just sit on the boat at the time. I would have missed all the cool fish and swimming with four sting rays, which I will always remember.
2. In high school I used to own a vinyl mini skirt and vest that I found junking. I loved it; my friends thought it weird. So, sadly, I gave it up; at times I wish I still had that and the chain mail mini skirt I made my 10th grade year that was cool. I wonder who owns them now since they went to a local thrift store in California.
3. I am one of three children, plus I have two half siblings, and I have one step brother. Try to explain that genealogy to a six year old. Gets a little confusing for them, not me.
4. First thing I made in crochet was a pair of lace gloves for my oldest daughter's blessing/ christening. I made these without a pattern. The first set used size 10 thread with size 10 hook; next set used size 30 crochet thread on a 13 hook. OK, I said this was my first project. I had crocheted as a child -- just chains and slip stitch cord. At the age of 24 I picked up a hook for the first time in 18 years and bought a book with basic stitches and started to make the gloves without trying anything else first. I actually made two pairs by the special day; a cream set for every-day use and a white set to wear on that special day.
5. On my third date with what is now my husband, I ended up in the hospital with stitches in my right elbow from having gone single track mountain biking with him, when I hadn't ridden a bike in about ten years. Not wise, I know, but it was fun and now we have a silly story to tell.
6. From the event just above, my husband learned that when I am real nervous (ie stitches) I start to laugh uncontrollably, a reflex I know, but it is weird to me, but that is how I am.
7. I used to love making friendship bracelets; even got to the point where I could put words in them. I think every sk8boarder in the town I grew up in had at least five of them during the years I was in high school. You could always see me making them whenever I had a stray moment. The reason I bring this up is, Sunday I saw a girl doing just the same thing I did as a teenager; safety pin attached to skirt and knotting away. When church was over I explained to her I used to make those and explained how to make words in the knots. She was excited to go home and try. So I got this sort of nostalgic feeling that all her friends would be like mine, with tons of bracelets made with love and a few words.

Since I am doing this all at once, consider the 10 people below tagged and awarded.

Then I received the excellent award from

http://stitchinginatlanta.blogspot.com/

The Rules:

By accepting this award I must now share with you 10 blogs that I also deem 'excellent'. If you are one of my 10 you then choose 10 blogs that you feel have an excellent quality about them. You can give it to as many people as you want-even those that have received it already, but please award at least 10 people.
My ten are these:

1. manda at tree fall Because of her beautiful skills in making things and her determination. She may not be able to respond to this because she is near due to have a baby.
2. anna marie for the beauty in her fabrics and her lively spirit.
3. jnny B at allsorts for her vibrant colors on her blog and her tutorials.
   
4. Maven at Fiborporn for just being kind and helping me find more about oya, and her cool items she makes.
5. Eva at Apple and Eve I love her embroidery and little hedgehogs and bunnies; so sweet, and she produces them so fast.
6. cassi at Bella Dia I love the colors of her blog, the tutorial, and how to's. Great site.
7. eloomination for keeping the weave it alive and having tutorials and patterns for it.
8. mette at Mettetations for all the eye candy yarn and cool projects.
9. Shula at poppalina I just aways feel like she is a kindred spirit in a lot of the things she makes and through a lot of the stuff she has posted about her life.
10. sew mama Sew Always something new and fun happening there; lots of links and tutorials.