Sharon's Little Sunbeam Award

A little while ago Diane from Always Crave Cute entered a post in which she said with regret that she would not be participating in awards or link ups in future.  Diane expressed what a lot of bloggers seem to feel - that there is nothing more exciting and thrilling than being nominated for an award, but that the conditions attached to accepting are often complicated and time-consuming.  Often people are also a bit uncomfortable offering up some of the personal information that the questions attached to the award ask.

Most awards also require the recipient to nominate a list of other blogs to pass on the award to.  I must confess that when I've done this in the past I'm never sure if my invitation is a pleasant surprise, or cause for irritation.  

 

One of the comments left on Diane's post mentioned the idea of a personal award kept permanently on the blog sidebar.  The award is given once a month and there are no requirements or strings attached in accepting.

I thought this was a lovely idea and so I have decided to adopt it in my blog.  The recipient does not have to answer any questions or pass the award on.



It is, instead, my way of acknowledging the other great people who make up my bloggy world.

As my blog is not a very big or influential one I have decided to call my award 'Sharon's Little Sunbeam' and I will shine it on a blog I feel enhances my blogging experience.  As Diane was the inspiration behind the idea her blog is the first recipient.

After Diane I am in a bit of a quandary as there are a handful of other blogs that I would like to give the award to simultaneously for different reasons.  Because of this I have decided to change the recipient once a week instead of once a month - and for the first few weeks please be advised that the blogs I'm choosing are all held in equal esteem!


I have one question that I'm hoping everyone will give their opinion on.  I don't know whether to contact the recipient on each occasion (bearing in mind that the whole thing is supposed to be hassle free and low-key on both sides) or leave it as a surprise.  The people I'm choosing will, on the whole, be regular visitors to my blog.  Would you think it a nice surprise to see your blog nominated when you pop in to visit, or would youi feel uncomfortable with a link to your blog that you were not aware of?

All illustrations in this post are by Libico Maraja (1912-1983), taken from the story of 'Sleeping Beauty' in 'The Splendour Book of Ballet'.