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  • Silvertree

    Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

    By Silvertree

    Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101  Thanks!
    • 5 comments
    • 3,510 views
 

12 Days of Christmas Swap!

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
I also crochet, so I would LOVE to have something someone else made for me!

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
I am interested in learning how to make amigurumi, so patterns or supplies for that would be great.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
Fair and dry skin, auburn hair, green/hazel eyes. Style casual – whatever’s easy lol! Not so much into makeup for everyday, but I am currently lusting after one of these: https://www.stagemakeuponline.com/02-ST3/Ben-Nye-Silicone-Tool.html?ref=%2Fsearch%3Fdepartment%3Dbeauty+tools%3Abrushes+and+applicators

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
I am too busy to remember to take care of indoor plants, so they tend to die. I do have an herb garden outside – I much prefer to use fresh herbs for cooking whenever possible. Favorite flower is a Sterling Silver rose. Not so much for the color, although it is pretty, but because they smell like I think roses are supposed to smell. Unfortunately, my Sterling Silver plant died, and I haven’t yet replaced it.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?
Love them!

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
Knit socks are awesome! I have to wear rubber boots a lot in the winter and I am always needing warm socks to wear in them! I love fingerless gloves. My ears get cold easily also, so ear warmers or ear muffs are always appreciated!

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
Other than dried cranberries, which I adore, I am not really a fan of dried fruit or vegetables.
Love raw honey, and especially honeycomb!
Jerky is great, I don’t eat beef, but my kids and husband do, so pretty much anything is fine.
Love all kinds of jam. I had a bacon-pepper jam recently that was amazing!
I also live in the PNW, but anything that is local to you I would enjoy trying!


Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
I can always use travel-sized lotions, my hands tend to dry out in the winter. I also go through a LOT of hand-sanitzers for my work. Something fairly neutral scented or vanilla is perfect, so it doesn’t clash with the BPAL I am wearing that day.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try?
I have never tried Lush, so that could be fun. I don’t use shower gel though, just soap.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes) :
I was so lucky that my Witch in this round of Switch Witch actually had my dream scent custom-blended for me!

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
I am not a big fan of the chibi style. A pencil sketch of my horse would be cool to put up in my office. Or tropical fish – especially Clown Trigger, Mandarinfish or Moorish Idol.

Christmas decor this year:
Traditional/Victorian as usual. I’m so boring that way!

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?
Shoe size is 8-8 ½. I always appreciate socks, especially fun ones!

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
I don’t know much at all about The Netherlands, anything regional is always a lot of fun to receive. Tea and Cadbury’s from England is wonderful too, the ones they send here are just not the same.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
We are BIG Shakespeare fans in my house! Anything above would be awesome. We are also very involved in theatre locally – I am currently directing a production of Noises Off which opens in January and my husband is in a production of Other Desert Cities which opens this Friday.

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?
The Polar Express, both the movie and the book.

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?
No preference, whatever my Snow Angel wants to do is fine by me!

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?
All of my wishlists are in my survey.

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?
I am a little bit compulsive about reading things in order. I’m the same way with television series.

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?
I do like Steampunk. Either earrings or hair ornaments would be most likely to be used frequently.

I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft?
I don’t keep a journal, so that would not get much use from me. Notepads however, are always appreciated.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
I love licorice! I tried the salted once, which was enough to learn that it is not for me. Sweet please!

BPAL wishlist updated?
Yes!

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
Yes to all the things!

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
Love spicy, cheesy and sweet. Honestly, if I could live on cheese, I would.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
If it were homemade, I would use baking mixes. I’m kind of a soup snob, so I make all my soups from scratch, using fresh ingredients. I love getting spices, salts and oils! My kitchen is already stuffed to the gills with kitchen gadgets, lol!

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
Bar soaps, please.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Yea on candles, nay on the others. My husband is very sensitive to scents, so nothing too heavily scented is allowed. He does like lavender and I adore vanilla.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?
I prefer sugar.

Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples Yes
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes
- Rose petal liqueur I WOULD LOVE THIS WITH A PASSION! Or even a recipe to make it myself!
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam Not so much on the peach, although my husband would love it. We all love blackberry, but I am the only one in the house who likes rhubarb.
- Baked or homemade goods (rum balls, spritz cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, fudge, cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, princess buttercups, chex mixes, trail mixes, etc.) Feel free to request a certain type of favorite thing you like. I have a food handlers license and I will make sure everything is very sterile, I am ultra virgo about cleanliness. I will avoid allergens like the plague if you are allergic to certain things. I can do gluten free baked things and/or we could do sugar free if that is a must.Yes to all, especially: rum balls, fudge, cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? We do different sizes, some with zippers, some with draw strings. I could use a nice zippered bag to hold crochet projects.
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? Yarn for crochet would be great!
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? No, thank you.
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like? No preference.

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?
Vanilla or lavender.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)
I do have a TJ’s near me. I have never tried cookie butter, which I understand is heresy.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
So many places! I’ve been lucky to get to go to many wonderful places around the world already. I would love to go to Ireland someday. A large part of my heritage is from there, and it looks like such a beautiful place.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? For example, I always love those silly expandable sponges.
I almost never shop in dollar stores, so I don’t even know what might be an option.

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
No functional fireplaces or pits here. We do have an outdoor gas grill, so wood chips for smoking might be fun.

Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
A mix, I guess. Whatever my Snow Angel wants to send me will be loved.

Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
I could actually use some stitch markers, since I am getting back into crochet and I don't have any.

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
I kind of collect cookbooks, especially really old ones - I enjoy reading about ancient and historical recipes. I kind of have my eye on Alton Brown's recent book, Everyday Cook. And I always love getting personal recipes - holiday cookies or slow cooker recipes especially.

Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
My husband isn't a big fan of games, and Avery takes after him. Two player games for me and Antonio would be awesome, so we can have fun without those two party poopers!

What animals do you think are considered cute?
Horses, cats, otters, foxes (especially fennec foxes), seals, dolphins

Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? You can view some of my pictures on http://www.by-ellen.com
Those are so beautiful! I love the foxes, and the landscapes, though I prefer the ones without human structures in them.   What are your most wanted BPALs?
I have been so lucky recently to get a lot of the ones I was most keen on. I have a possible swap pending for some Stekk, which I would love to get my paws on. Yellow Pumpkin Floss and Reapers Gonna Reap, which I have been holding off ordering until the next update. In the realm of "in your dreams!" I'd love some Macabray or The Unicorn.


Wench457

Wench457

 

12 Days of Christmas Swap Questions (TOP UPDATED FOR 2017)

Updated 11/8/17

These are in order form when they were posted in the group! If it's too weird let me know and I'll switch it around.

Are you coveting anything currently available from Haus of Gloi?
I'm looking at the sugar scrubs! Anything in Egnoggin', mama's porridge, turkish delight, and winter divinity sound so amazing from the yule drop.
Also will take the above in lip balms and I'm looking at the candles too!

Are you coveting anything from the Paintbox Soapworks update that just happened?
Anything foodie in their scrubs.


Are you coveting anything from Cocoa Pink?
I'm cocoa pink'd out right now haha. I mean I'll take anything foodie, but I've ordered a lot from them recently.
Do you have feelings about fruitcake? We're talking whiskey soaked homemade fruitcake, not a brick in a festive tin?
YESSSSS. FRUITCAKE ME.

Any strong nail polish and/or makeup preferences?
Anything super pretty and bright for the nail polish, I'll wear just about anything in this realm. I kind of only wear glitter (like the loose glitter) and lipstick for the make up section! I mean I keep my skin clean, but make up? ehhhhhhh. *lazy*

How do you feel about pomanders?
I didn't know what these were! They're SO cute so yes!

How do you feel about savor soaps? https://www.etsy.com/shop/savor
A big YES to all of this! Anything sweet foodie -- I'll try anything from here. I always try a store once haha.

Or Perfectly Posh?

http://www.perfectly.../?cgid=products
Nothing really FLIES out at me, but! I also won't say no to them either. There's some intriguing stuff on here, but it's kind of overwhelming to my sleep deprived self.

Favorite animals?
Wolves! Foxes! Ravens! Dogs! (Yes they need the exclamation point behind each of them).

Weird question, but it's on my mind: Do you have a strong preference for consumables (soaps, candles, food, etc.) over other stuff?
I don't really have any preference! I enjoy noms during the holiday season

Would you be interested in one of the Colorpop pallets?
If so, which one would you LOVE to have?
Anything else from Colorpop?
https://colourpop.co...=manual&filter=
The pony palette is adorable! Nothing else is really catching my eye right now though.


Would you like any holiday music? if so, do you prefer a CD or MP3?
Right now I prefer MP3s! I don't really listen to too much holiday music, but I don't mind listening to it. I go through spotify for everything now though!

Do you like toffee or fudge?
BOTH.

Are you interested in anything from my etsy shop? https://www.etsy.com...winklentwilight (bags, stuffies, hats, fingerless mitts, lefse cozies...)
I love all of your stuff, Miss Shari! Especially the fingerless mitts. I hate having my fingers trapped.

What kind of hot drinks do you like, and if tea or coffee or cocoa or cider or alcohol, give specifics?
Sweet teas (like super fruity teas), I don't like the herbal teas at all or anything moderately bitter. Same idea for cider and alcohol nothing super bitter, as sweet as it can come. Cocoa is a love every time. And I hate coffee.

What kind of candles do you like, scent, etc?
I'm not a HUGE fan of candles, so please don't get me too many! but I like the foodie ones ~~

Mixes or seasonings for the kitchen?
Mmmm, surprise me? I'll use it if I get it, but nothing comes to mind right now.

What is something new in your life that you wish you had more "things" for?
o_o Time?!
Nah, my projects vary so much so it's hard to predict.

We do a lot of baking and holiday good ridiculousness around here...house specialties include lebkuchen (flourless, they're mostly nuts, spices, candied fruit), marzipan, butter caramels (flavored or plain), shortbread crisps, and savory cheese shortbread. Any of these sound appealing?
All of these sound AMAZING. Please send them all my way even if you're not my person haha.

Do you have a strong preference for numbered packages vs randomly picking with maybe a few hints along the way?
I like numbered packages! I don't mind random, but numbered packages give me a sense of direction and hopefully I won't spoil anything along the way haha.

Are you jonesing for any particular BPAL right now? Anything you are just dying to try, even just a sniffie?
Nothing in particular that isn't already on my wishlist. Anything foodie! Blackcurrant sufganiyot and frostbitten dorian are ones that I'm keeping my eye on for reviews though.

How do you feel about the following flavors/ingredients:
Coconut? anything in coconut!
Mint? I'm not a huge mint fan, but anything choco-mint can't go wrong.
Lavender? ehhhhhhhhhh.
Rosewater? Second one for the ehhhhhhh group, but not as eh as lavender if that makes sense.
Cardamom? I have no strong feelings for or against cardamom.
Candied citrus peel/marmalade? Yes please! I love the citrus everything.
Anything to absolutely avoid? Anise. Bleck.

Would you like anything crafted for the storage or transport of the BPAL? (Travel imp containers, boxes for 5mls, bottle cozy, etc.) If so, do you prefer them to be plain or decorated? If decorated, are there any motifs or art that you'd particularly like?
I would love one! Decorated would be best, and anything from my favorite animals or maybe a skull? Gothic!
Keep going for my 2016 answers! I'll leave them here in case they help anyone. <3

Updated: 11/23/16

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?

I adore crochet and handmade items! My favorite would definitely be a scarf/cowl or a lap blanket; my dogs tend to ruin sweaters with their rough paws and nails.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).

I actually hate knit socks! I can never wear them for more than 5 minutes. Though everything else is fair game.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?

AMIGURUMI!! ALL OF THESE!! I am TERRIBLE at making these, but I would love to collect them! And yes fandom based would be AWESOME! (Pokémon, adventure time, nightmare before Christmas, doctor who and so on? YES!)


What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?

They all sound appealing! I've got no food allergies, so I will try anything at least once. * I'm unhelpful*


If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
I've always wanted to go to Japan! I think it'd be amazing to go there, do the tourist thing of exploring the sites, squealing over anime and just learning history and a little of the language would be amazing. Also South Korea is super appealing; I'm a recent re-convert into the Kpop scene so I'm eating it all up right now and a friend of mine would love for me to go with her one year. Maybe?!

On the other hand I also have always wanted to go to Scottland/ Ireland/ England. I think it'd be wonderful to do a month long tour of all the cities, go shopping and just zip around and (again) learn about the local history and customs! I know I was only supposed to do ONE but there's so much of the world that I haven't seen that it's way too hard to choose just one!

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
Dollar stores! I always love going to see what new trinkets they have, nothing in particular. I definitely use the dog toys they have there; I don't feel as bad when my beasts destroy them.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?

I'm a plant murderer but I adore plants; I tend to stick to hardier things such as succulents. They seem to be okay with my neglect. My favorite flower is the rose, but I've killed so many I don't want to grow them anymore! I also love venus fly traps, but not *quite* a flower. OH! And Birds of paradise! Literally my favorite flower in the entire world; they're not very smelly but they're gorgeous.

Favourite flowers to look at touch: Birds of paradise! I always take a ton of pictures when I pass them at longwood.
Favourite flowers to sniff: Jasmine, roses, cherry blossoms, angel's trumpets and sometimes daffodils.
If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)

A custom blend would probably be a different, sweeter version that involves Dragon's blood in some way. I would like maybe a Smaug based perfume too! that would be AMAZING. (like of perfumes based on dragons from old books; the most famous ones!)

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?

Most likely traditional of mythological creatures! Or maybe animal chibis?! I love hanging pictures of animals everywhere. (My future fursona will be a Wolf/Dragon hybrid if you want to have fun with that one.)

what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?

I collect randomly. I don't really complete collections unless it's only a few items I need to collect. Or if it's a book series I can see myself reading over and over again in the future. If I don't feel like I'm going to reread it then I normally don't buy it as a rule. (But its happened where I've ignored this rule). See my pinterest, facebook and goodreads for ideas on what I like. See below for pinterest, I'll be posting my goodreads on my sig.

https://www.pinteres...racosilverwolf/


When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?

I'm . .. medium tone? The only think I really use is special effects make-up, eye shadow and lipstick. FUNKY. As funktastic as possible.


Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?

I'm open to a lot of things! Try me! Or see my pinterest link above for ideas.


Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?

I like it! Especially the hand sanitizers-- i use them at work.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try?

I love me some Lush! Currently have a GIANT bottle of happy hippie so I'm good on that.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?

Sorry I can't stand licorice.

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?

Oooh! Anything interesting!

BPAL wishlist updated?

None created so far, but I'm going to try to create one soon!

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?

Yes! But stick to black ink for pens. I can't really use any other color.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?

Ooh any snacks are good! Maybe not something super spicy, but light spice is good. (Can't handle the spice!)

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?

Sure! Again, I'm open to anything. The stuff I have I use through it so It doesn't matter if I have extra.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?

Yea to all three. I don't really use candles that much so I'm not *super* interested, but I don't mind getting them.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?

Regular sugar is fine. I'm sensitive to the fake stuff.

Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples YES!!
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes? I'm intrigued by the red hots.
- Rose petal liqueur Oooh sounds good!
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam All of these!
- Baked or homemade goods (rum balls, spritz cookies, fudge cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, princess buttercups, chex mixes, trail mixes, etc.) Feel free to request a certain type of favorite thing you like. I have a food handlers license and I will make sure everything is very sterile, I am ultra virgo about cleanliness. I will avoid allergens like the plague if you are allergic to certain things. I can do gluten free baked things and/or we could do sugar free if that is a must.
Ooh I'm game for anything in this list. I have no food allergies so go for it.
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? We do different sizes, some with zippers, some with draw strings. I can get all kinds of fandom type fabric like Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Mario Brothers, etc. I have some glittery bats, skulls, etc. too. If you're interested, what size would you like and would you prefer drawstring or zipper? What colors/theme? (most things that are on jo-anns web site, we can get locally.) Surprise me! I have no preference.
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? I have a LOT of really nice "farty" or "snobby" yarn in semi-solids, self striping, and gradients. Or I can make batts with our drum carder. I have roving and wool too if you spin. Or I have some handspun yarn in different colors/weights as well. Oooh?? Sounds interesting!
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? I'm learning cross stitch and might be able to get a project done. I'm hip with inappropriate phrases... Book marks! Ahh!
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - pinterest? ravelry bundle? How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like? See my pinterest link above

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?

I really like sweet scents for melts and candles, dragons blood for incense are my FAVORITES. But I won't say no to anything else.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?

If it's related to musicals I'll be ALL OVER those things.

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?

Nightmare Before Christmas!

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?

I have no preference.

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?

I'll be posting my info momentarily in my signature.

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?

MUST BE IN ORDER!! I get upset when I read them out of order, or even if I TRY to read them out of order.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)

I have one about 5 minutes away from my house. I love their goodies, so I wouldn't say no to them.

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?

US 9-9.5, and I love some socks.

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?

Yes x1000! I'm in the process of designing an outfit, so if it goes along with BPTP's clocket, all the better.

Christmas decor?
I love christmassy stuff! My favorite type of ornament are those based off of disney characters or animals.

Jewellery?
Of course! I dislike rings because I always lose them, but anything else i adore.

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?

See my wishlist for any ISOs!
And top ten is HARD. I'm going to split them into GC, LEs and BPTP. (they are in no particular order, just whenever I think of them).

GC:
Dorian
Dragon's Blood
Dragon's Milk
Snake Oil
Bon Vivant
Baobhan Sith
Chokecherry Honey
Bliss
Lemon Scented Sticky Bat
Sherlock Holmes

D/C'd GC:
Black Opal
Antique Lace

LE:
Bitches Love Unicorns
Vamp Goth
Gothabilly
Thomas Sharpe
Theodosius the legerdemain
Pip
Velvet Pink Kitty
King Mandarin SN
Sanguinem Menstruum
Snake Charmer Res.

BPTP:
Pink Wig Spray
Dorian HG
Snake Charmer HG
Peach Pulped Frankincense HG
Peach and strawberry pulp B.O.
Snake Oil HG / B.O.
Boo HG
Blueberry Cream Pie HG/ Atmos
Chastity with the Unicorn HG
Sharing the Cake HG
Velvet Pink Kitty Hg
(Shhh, I know that's 11, I just can't decide)

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
I'm not sure?! I need to look at flyers!

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
I don't have much time to cook, but I ADORE cooking when I can. Asian style cookbooks are always welcome, maybe some healthier ones? (Like lets stay away from the Guy Fieri cookbooks).

Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
I can always do with a pack of playing cards with a fun design on the back. Cards against humanity? Things like that.

If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?

Mine are all things I've picked up from Goodreads itself, so 99.9% of them are ones I don't have! If you're my snow angel, you can get a friend to PM me any book questions! I am NOT picky though.

If you said you liked candles/melts/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?
Foodie! All foodie melts! I'm new to Supertarts but I'm loving looking at almost all of their clams. So lovely. Incense I can't do because people in my household are allergic and candles I can't be trusted with.

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
Woah that's so cool! Definitely! I have both fireplace and a fire pit.

You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf?
Both, either?! Depends on my outfit.

Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? You can view some of my pictures on http://www.by-ellen.com

Wow how beautiful! I would love them. I have pictures and posters packed on my walls, but I always rotate.

What are your most wanted BPAL's?
Ahahaha. That's a lot;
Chokecherry Honey**
Rivet Goth*
Cake Smash**
The Vine**
Blood Popsicle*
Wezwanie*
Red Lace
Aizen Myoo **
The Phantom Calliope *
The Harp of Cnoc Ichosgar *
Picture Book and Pleasure Toys *
Slippery Poppy Ticture
Crypt Queen
Titania
Menacing Ionosperic Research Instrument
Milk Chocolate and Matcha Green Tea Ganache Truffle
Eight Views of Actors in their Dressing Rooms
Silver Phoenix
Philomneides
Lilith *
Snow Bunny
The Bride*
Midwinter’s Eve **
Nahemoth *
Sticky Eyeballs and Floppy Entrails
Strawberry Sufganiyot ***
Venus Verticordia
Peach IX*
Flowers cleave apart*
There is a garden in her face*
Peach VIII **
Lustration (Panacea)
Under the Mosquito Netting
Tiki King***
Tiki Queen ***

* denotes desire, and if there's anything foodie, jasmine-y or generally floral. Honestly I'll try anything at least once.

1) Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
I'd like a mix, but I have no real preference. I won't be disappointed if I get more of one than the other.


2) Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!

New scents, tarts and things! does NOT have to be BPAL, but I love trying new things and expanding my scent profile. Other than that I'd be thrilled with whatever my snow flake picks up for me.

If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake?
Yes! As long as it's home baked, it's LOVELY.


If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey?

Ooh! I prefer rum but I'll be willing to eat any.


Dracosilverwolf

Dracosilverwolf

 

12 Days swap 2016

Hello Snow angel please ask if you need any specific answers, I'll try to answer all the questions here.
I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Scarf or cowl would be great a lap blanket would end up cat blanket,

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?
Cute but likely to be destroyed by the semi-feral feline that lives in my house.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
All of the above I like and would wear.

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
Crunchy fruit or veg- yummy, honey or jam no thank you, jerky -no, vegetarian. I've never been to the West coast, so very happy to try anything local to you.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
New Zealand, I love mountains, trees and waterfalls- it looked amazing in the LOTR films. I have flying so am unlikely to ever go there.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
I don't ever go into pound shops unless I need a stack of birthday cards for giving out at work. I can't think of anything else i would pick up.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
I love plants and flowers for indoor and out. I'm constructing an outdoor fern garden this year, having discover the snails don't decimate them, unlike a lot of the flowers I'd like to grow. I like old fashioned flowers, wild flowers, not keen on modern roses, dahlias etc. At this time of year I really enjoy the late daisies;heleniums, rudbeckias, asters and cone flowers, plus Japanese anemones.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes) Perfume, soap or body cream, I think it would need some amber or maybe some patchouli as they are my top two notes, they probably don't go so well together. My favourite ever scent is Tramp from Lush so something along those lines would be good or maybe a snowy scent for winter,

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on my tablet (ok it's my daughter's but still) or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of? I don't know, I'm really bad at this type of question- i just like things when I see them. The stuff I have collected on Pinterest is mainly Botanical art: https://uk.pinterest...l-illustration/

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
Fair usually 01 on a scale that starts 00, sensitive, blue eyes, blonde hair- natural plus a few unnatural ginger stripes!
Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
Nothing new- no more time.
Christmas Decor:
Home made things, weird things like bats and spiders on the tree, natural things-bringing in the green.- Must be able to withstand cat attack.

What kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?
I started a Scentbase list years ago and a spreadsheet- have been out the loop for a couple of years now- stopped collecting more- I have many boxes to sort out sometime.
Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!
I pop into Lush every couple of weeks - I like the bubble bars, Karma and blue skies. I picked up some new Tramp shower gel from the kitchen recently.
Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
I used to be a regular visitor to the Netherlands so I have tried lots of licorice- I like the salty stuff but don't love it, there are lots of other dutch goodies i like more.
I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
I love treats from Netherlands/ German like marzipan or chocolates, speculaas/biscuits
is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do!
I have updated, however as I have been out the loop for a while it's mainly older things on there.
Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
I do, I have loads of pens, markers and highlighters, I can always use sticky notes and I always like to receive pencils, especially the souvenir ones from different places around the world.
How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
Spicy good , cheesy good. sour not so good
Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Spices would be lovely, herbs and oils are good too. I wouldn't use salt or sugar mixes.I can't think of any gadgets I need.
Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
Bar soaps.
Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Yea! I do have quite a collection already- I do use them up - just not as quickly as I acquire them
Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
I've had lots of allergy issues this year so must be metal free. I've actually stopped wearing jewellery for the last few months due to problems.
Dried honeycrisp apples,Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon),Rose petal liqueur,Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam, Home baking
I would be up for trying any of these.- as long as it's veggie.
Handsewn project bags or makeup bags?
I could use one of these to take my contact lens stuff to work.
Yarn, roving, batts, fiber?
Would be wasted on me - sorry
If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?
Nothing too foody or floral I like green, spicy and incense-y candles
Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
I don't have a special interest, but I wouldn't be opposed to anything of this nature.
What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?
Gremlins?? i'll add something more suitable if I can think about it for a while.
Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?
Whatever my Snow Angel prefers!
Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)
As before, happy to try anything new.
What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?
UK size 7,EU 41, I think this about 9 US, yes socks are always useful, ankle length preferred
.I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving?
I like little souvenirs, magnets, pencils, tea towels from wherever you are.
Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
I would like to try some of the newer BPALs - i haven't researched what looks good yet- I'll try and catch up. My top 10 changeable, my lasting favourites are Banshee Beat, Pallas Athene, L'estate, Dolly Kei, French Tobacco SN, One of my Vanilla chaos, the rest change.
Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
Not a thing in the UK - our sales are in January.
Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
Low carb/vegetarian
Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
Wouldn't use these.
If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
I did start a Goodreads list- it is way out of date- I have huge plies of books to read and a Kindle full - so anything listed to read is probably in my possession
Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
Sadly I have neither of these.
You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf?
Either of these sound fabulous
Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? You can view some of my pictures on http://www.by-ellen.com
These are lovely photos Nemi- I sailed the Wadensee many years ago and have many happy memories of the islands and harbours full of sails.I love your kingfishers too.
What are your most wanted BPAL's?
All in my wishlist, I think they are probably all too rare and HTF now.I just have the list for swapping purposes.
1) Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
A mixture probably- really I'm so happy with any swap parcel. I will love whatever you send dear snow angel.
2) Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
See above-whatever you send. If it helps ( no expectations though) something woolly, something edible, something bath/body or smelly- actually all gifts make me glad.

heleng

heleng

 

Solstice Swap

Question 1: If I made some ephemeral art that was meant to be burned as the sacrifice, would you have a safe place to do that (a fireplace, a backyard, a bbq grill lol)? Nothing big, maybe 6 inches tall. Absolutely!

Question 2: Would you want something from this website for your "light"? They're local to me and do beautiful work and I get a 20% discount. ha ha So if you see something you love, speak up. http://www.curiouscustoms.com/homey/ They are lovely! Particularly any of the items (the nightlights are very reasonably priced) with hummingbirds or pine trees/cones.

Would people want a relaxing CD or a recording of the rainforest, or are people looking for things like mix CDs or something from a favorite artist? I don't really listen to natural sounds. I do listen to CDs though and mentioned in my questionnaire the types of music that I listen to.

Would you, Snowflake, be interested in getting a bracelet or pendant necklace as a "charm" for banishment or protection or shifting energy or bringing in luck? If so, what's your preference (bracelet, necklace pendant), size (wrist size, chain length), what metals to you prefer (copper, sterling silver?), and what colors /stones do you have an affinity for? That would be cool. I have no metal preferences but would perhaps prefer a bracelet. I have average sized wrists I think?   I think my snowflake will be receiving homemade by me bath and body products. So, are you the type that likes no color added at all, natural colorants and herbs, or rainbow glitter bombs ? I generally prefer natural colourants and herbs but I do love me some glitter!

What's the best format to send you a whole music playlist (instead of an album)? Do you have a service you already use? Would you like it on a USB, iTunes, Spotify, etc? I don't have anything that I already use I'm afraid but a USB would be fine.   Since one of the options for the sacrifice is an item to give away, I'm curious if there are any people, organizations, or causes that you like to give something away to? It could be anything - a charity you wish you could donate to, a stranger you see at the coffee shop who you've always wanted to do something nice for, an obnoxious coworker you'd like to receive one of those glitter-by-mail packages, whatever.   The caretaker at the school I work at is trapped in an extremely difficult situation. I can't go into any details, but I know that he puts a brave, cheerful face on for us every day, even though it is causing him such distress underneath. He is a wonderful person and looks out for all of us. I wish I could do something to take him away from it all but perhaps a nice gesture for him will help to bring a little light to his day.   Would anyone be interested in things that are traditional for energy cleansing and spirit clearing like a small bell, drum, cymbals, etc.?
Not so much for me, but I am on the lookout for a bell with the perfect sleigh bell ring to it! Not easy to find.

Nicorah

Nicorah

 

🌲☆12 Days of Christmas 2017☆🌲

🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲 2017 QUESTIONS   How do you feel about the following flavors/ingredients: Coconut? Yes Mint? Yes Lavender? Sure Rosewater? Maybe Cardamom? Yes Candied citrus peel/marmalade? Yes Anything to absolutely avoid? I like alot of things but needs to be vegan. Would you like anything crafted for the storage or transport of the BPAL? (Travel imp containers, boxes for 5mls, bottle cozy, etc.) If so, do you prefer them to be plain or decorated? If decorated, are there any motifs or art that you'd particularly like? Someone made a bottle softcase that was SO CUTE! I would love that for travel. Really, any kind of storage would be appreciated.   Do you have a strong preference for numbered packages vs randomly picking with maybe a few hints along the way? I have done swaps here with both unnumbered and numbered, and definitely prefer numbered if that's not too difficult. It doesn't have to climax or anything, but it's more fun for me that way...   Are you jonesing for any particular BPAL right now? Anything you are just dying to try, even just a sniffie? Yes, I think I updated my bpal wishlist last week to include the latest things i'm wishing for. Just ignore the rares~   We do a lot of baking and holiday good ridiculousness around here...house specialties include lebkuchen (flourless, they're mostly nuts, spices, candied fruit), marzipan, butter caramels (flavored or plain), shortbread crisps, and savory cheese shortbread. Any of these sound appealing? Yes, I'm totally into all of these, even better if they are vegan What are your top places to get a gift card from? BPAL and BPTP Which holiday symbols/themes do you like the best (or least)? Such as Santas, snowflakes, reindeer, etc. I would say Vintage/Retro for sure since we have the aluminum tree and the old world decor. Crystals and lots of sparkle. We also have some evil looking gnomes and Norse/Nordic/Celtic type decor that came from Norway etc.   Do you like puzzles? I do like puzzles, but we do not have a place to work on them so I would have to say no. If they are the handheld puzzles, everyone around here loves those.   What kind of hot drinks do you like, and if tea or coffee or cocoa or cider or alcohol, give specifics? I LOVE teas, mostly milk oolong, dirty chai, and I getting more into Matcha. I don't drink coffee at all, and love cocoa and mulled cider. I also ADORE sweet wines and cordials like Riesling, Moscato d"Asti, Port, an limonchello.   What kind of candles do you like, scent, etc? My favorite candles are woodsy, creamy fig, and earthy smoky vanillas. Mixes or seasonings for the kitchen? I'm crazy for spices, black salt, saffron, barbeque sauce, and Sambal Olek   Are you interested in anything from my etsy shop? https://www.etsy.com...winklentwilight OH yes, these are so cute. I think the ones with the zippers would be best for me and I adore japanese fabrics.   How do you feel about amigurumi (little crochet stuffies...animals, characters, ornaments, etc.)? These are so cute, but not as an ornament. I have to use super lightweight things on my old tree. I love amigurumi dragons and bats the most.   If I were to crochet you something wearable, do you have any preferences? Do you like hats, scarves, gloves, other? And would you prefer something fun and whimsical (e.g. fox face hat or owl mittens), something delicate and pretty (e.g. lacy wraps or scalloped boot cuffs), or just something like a basic, no frills beanie or cowl? Do you have a Ravelry account and a list of favorite patterns? I don't have a Ravelry account unfortunately, but armwarmers would be excellent!   What is something new in your life that you wish you had more "things" for? Are you coveting anything currently available from Haus of Gloi? I love Moon Dog pumpkin butter, hair oil and soap, also if the Yules are released early enough, I'm crazy about Three Treasures if that gets released again and I want to try Old Tannenbaum, Ye Olde Cake of Fruit, and Wintervale if that comes back. I do not care for the scrubs or perfumes unfortunately.   Are you coveting anything from the Paintbox Soapworks update that just happened? I'm not a fan of their soaps unfortunately, but i'm curious about the scrubs.   Are you coveting anything from Cocoa Pink? I just placed a pretty big order from CP so i'm good, but I can always use more linen sprays and/or Ends with Argon Benefits. I'm not really a fan of her shampoos but I'd like to try Soulmate.   Do you have feelings about fruitcake? We're talking whiskey soaked homemade fruitcake, not a brick in a festive tin. Yes, if its vegan - sorry, you're gonna see this alot   Any strong nail polish and/or makeup preferences? Makeup is pretty simple, but I do stain my lips, wing my eyeliner sometimes, use mascara, cream eyeshadow, claw polish in grays, mauves, indigo, and pale pink, and lip shine. For bath goodies, I like both whipped soap and bar soap equally, along with scrubs. Spray or pouring body oils, hair oils and detanglers.   *Lipstick – I’m a lipstick junkie! I’m open to trying anything but prefer creamy mattes that aren’t drying. *Mascara – I’m open to trying colors! My hands down fave is Lancome Hypnose. Second fave is the much cheaper Loreal Paris Voluminous *Nail Polish - Love neutrals, greys, blues, golds, silvers, browns and halos stuff. *Eyeshadow – I only use crème eyeshadows, love dark pinks, sparkling browns, and golds. *Eyeliner - I like to use liquid eyeliner in dark teal, brown and black. My main concern is smudging, so if you know of a fab one that doesn't budge bring it on. How do you feel about pomanders? I made so many of these in grade school! I'm sure my family was completely over me and my pomanders. I'm open to them, and would find a place to hang one maybe.   How do you feel about savor soaps? Cute stuff! I'm stunned by the sheer amount of people making indie bath products these days. There's always a new one to discover. The cherry things are appealing to me, really i'm open to trying new things.   Or Perfectly Posh? If there's something you love, share it with me, but i'm always a bit wary of consultant sites.   Favorite animals? I love so many different animals, but animals around the house or on socks and such probably lions, black cats, alpaca, owls, and swans. Weird question, but it's on my mind: Do you have a strong preference for consumables (soaps, candles, food, etc.) over other stuff? Honestly, I don't need any more knick-knacks but I don't want to disappoint. An blown glass ornament for the tree would be amazing tho. I collect the Old World Christmas ornaments, the stranger the better. I don't think I really answered this question tho Would you be interested in one of the Colorpop pallets? Anything else from Colourpop? I cannot do powdered eyeshadow, but am super curious about the liquid colors they are releasing this month. Would you like any holiday music? if so, do you prefer a CD or MP3? I collect vinyl, so if anything records are preferred. We love John Coltrane and other jazzy holiday collections. I've got a few on my Amazon wishlist if you want to check it out. Do you like toffee or fudge? YES, i'm making both of these this year tho.   What is something new in your life that you wish you had more "things" for? Not a new thing, but quality pens and other art supplies are always welcome.   🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲 QUESTIONNAIRE   WINTER WONDERINGS Do you celebrate Christmas? Another winter holiday?: We decorate the house with a tree, presents, stockings, elves, wreaths, candles, yule logs but it’s more about the ritual rather than religion.   Do you decorate? Would you like to receive decorative items?: We put up a vintage silver aluminum tree with all glass ornaments and a spinning color light wheel. I decorate the fireplace and mantle mostly with crystals, woodland creatures and gnomes. We have a few lights outside with live garland around the door and a wreath with bells.   What are your favorite things about winter/Christmas?: The food! I love the cookies, pies, candies, tamales, hot cocoa and more!!!   What is your favorite Christmas/winter holiday memory?: Driving across state from south Texas through a 3 hour blizzard with frozen windshield wipers on Christmas eve. When we reached my mom’s place, the flakes were still falling. The next morning, the snow was deep and perfect. We built the largest snowman of our lives-it felt like we had driven to the north pole. It was the last Christmas before my Mother had a massive, life changing stroke. ALL ABOUT YOU Allergies and dietary/lifestyle restrictions (if applicable): I am vegan but please don’t worry about it too much.   Favorite color(s): Deep, Black-Blue, Purple Greys, Parchment, Silver, Citrine, Orchid and Pearl.   Favorite snacks and treats: Pecans, Pistachios, Cocomels, Vegan Tamales, Trader Joe’s Goodies, Hot Cocoa, Italian Wedding Cookies.   Favorite bath & beauty products: Alchemic Muse is my hands down favorite! Cocoa Pink, BPTP Bath Oil, some Lush, Future Primitive, Moonalisa, Valhalla, Cellar Door, I have VERY sensitive skin and cannot do anything with a bunch of chemicals.   Favorite notes: Vanilla Musk, Bourbon Vanilla, Tuberose, Black Vanilla Bean, Black Lily, Amber, Vanilla Amber, Sweet Pea, Opium, Spun Sugar, Rare Woods, White Pearled Leather, Fur, Sandalwood, Vanilla Orchid.   Least favorite notes: Smoke, maple, ozone, violet, dirt, blood, metal, butter, cheese, peach, pumpkin.   Your favorite books/authors/genres: Favorite book genres: dystopian, horror, fantasy, books that take place in an "original world" Favorite book theme: poetic/gothic/romantic style writing, magical realism Favorite authors: John Steinbeck, Hermann Hesse, Elizabeth McCracken, Brom, Arthur Golden, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Katherine Dunn, Tom Robbins, Kazue Ishiguro. Salinger, Moomintroll and graphic novels like My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris.   I have a long list on Goodreads. The books that are “would like to read” I do not own yet. https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11567200-jennifer-wallace   Your preferred book format (Kindle ebook, Kobo ebook, paperback, etc.)?: I prefer actual books over ebooks but I also have a Kindle if you want to share something only in that format. Do you collect anything?: Deer figurines, minerals and gemstones, cactus, tarot cards, orchids, bpal, black cameos, art books, art supplies, windchimes, records, japanese tea bowls and cups. Your favorite fandom(s): Wes Anderson, Twin Peaks, Game of Thrones, Studio Ghibli, Mark Ryden. What are your hobbies?: Jewelry Making, Gardening, Painting, Sewing, Flower Arranging, Ceramics.   Things you could always use more of: Antique/Vintage beads, crystals, cloth napkins, head scarves, cream eyeshadows, beautiful notions like silk threads, brocade ribbon and ink pens for drawing.   What’s your personal clothing style?: T-shirt and Jeans, Maxi dresses, Eclectic bohemian hippy child yoga free spirit with a big splash of goth. What jewelry (if any) do you like to wear?: Rings, Bracelets, Earrings, Long Necklaces. What sizes do you wear (t-shirts, socks, rings, etc.)?: *Sizing on wearables: I wear a ladies t-shirt in MEDIUM, size 9 shoe, rings from size 7 - 8 Will you be having your birthday during this swap?: No. it is June 27th. Would you be open to receiving handmade items?: Absolutely. Would you like to be partnered with someone who likes handmade items?: That would be fine, but I cannot promise I will make anything. Is there anything you definitely do NOT want to receive (things with nudity, profane language, etc.)?: I am open to anything except maybe a dildo that spins and plays christmas music.   Would you like your partner to spoil your S.O./child/cat/dog? What do they like?: Sure! I have a 17 year old daughter Lula that is crazy about all things Japanese and games. Happy to get things for my Pomeranians too.   Where else can your partner stalk you?: https://www.facebook...757181231196534 https://www.instagram.com/jenjin8/ https://www.pinterest.com/jenjin8/ Are there any wishlists you’d like to share with your partner? Link here: https://www.etsy.com...orites/wishlist http://a.co/6qfBXMW Is there anything we haven’t mentioned that you’d like to share with your partner?: I love numbered gifts, so you choose in which order I open things. If you have any questions about things I like or simply want to chat about the season, feel free to ask. Looking forward to sharing more with you.   🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲 2016 QUESTIONS What kind of collector are you? I love gemstones, crystals, vintage/antique black glass, vintage fawns, silver spoons, bells, vintage trims, tarot cards (new), glass paperweights, matchbooks, postcards, incense burners, candles, vinyl records, tea bowls, expresso cups and board games. Lush shower gels: YES! UK LUSH carries things we can't get in the US! Gels: PLUM RAIN (ESPECIALLY) Grass, Calcas, Uluru, Twilight, Supertramp, Freeze, Aura Saudis, Snow-Showers, Sno-Cake, Hot-Toddy, Ponche, 29 High Street, Back for Breakfast, Avoshower, Comforter, Blue Skies (bubble bath), Ginger (Bad ASS), Tramp, Fruity Beauty, Karma. Licorice: Yes, but NO salted licorice. Stuff from The Netherlands, England, Germany, etc.: YES! rocks and minerals, trolls, little boozy Delft Blue KLM house bottles, patches, keychains, fridge magnets, espresso cups, salt/pepper shakers really anything~ Office supplies: asian papers, small elegant scissors, gel white ink pens, wax stamps, ink stamps, ink pads. Spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks: savory, herby, or spicy! Would you like cooking ingredients, mixes, spices, oils, gadgets, etc.: Sure! I love small things for the kitchen especially antique/vintage items still in good shape. Soaps or bath gel? I adore soaps of all kinds but they need to be as natural as possible. Brands I LOVE are Hot-Pour Paintbox Soapworks, Cellar Door (gimme all those yule bars), Haus of Gloi, Future Prim, Solstice Scents whipped soaps are divine. Candles, wax melts, incense? Candles and incense, I do not use a wax melts. I am VERY picky about my incense and really on use Shoyeido or Three Kings Incense. Jewelry preferences: Silver Rings, very light weight earrings, wrap bracelets, long necklaces. Sweeteners: Sugars only. Any kind of SUGAR~brown sugar, pink sugar, sugar cubes, crystal sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar. YES gimme all the sugar I CANNOT do any sort of artificial sweetener and do not enjoy Stevia. Handmade items & homemade food: Yes! I love salsa and hotsauce, pickles, and vegan baked goods.   Shakespearean swag: Love teenytiny bra knives, long heavy stockings, masks, and hair combs. Favorite Christmas story: Nightmare before Christmas Numbered packages or random: Whatever is easiest for you but numbered is definitely more fun. Goodreads or other wish lists: https://www.goodread...w/list/11567200 includes a to-read wishlist. Books in a series-- in order? In order only.   Trader Joe's: I have one here and I love the almond stuffed olives, nuts, cookies, peanut butter cups and butterscotch salted caramels. Shoe size: 9   Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!? Yes, but it will need to be lightweight. I am in Texas and I do prefer natural fibers to synthetic.   How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations? Adorable! I also really LOVE felted animals especially woodland type creatures.   Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favorite flower, if you have one? Yes, but no seeds please. My favorite flower is Peony with Magnolia and Hydrangea as runners up.   How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc). If they are like house slippers, that would be amazing. I also really really love fingerless gloves and arm sleeves. YES~   What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try? Nuts of all kinds, Honey is fine, NO JERKY unless it is VEGAN (which I do love). Jellies, Maple Syrup, Crisps and Taffy all win with me. I also LOVE vegan Cocomels. NOM~ I loVE all kinds of dried fruits especially mango, figs, dates, cherries and sweet potato chips in terms of veggies. What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? Jazzy reading glasses, fancy cocktail napkins, stationary, paper, art supplies, scissors. If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why? I would love to travel to Barcelona, Spain. I find the history, arts and culture incredibly fascinating! Paris would probably be no. 2   If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? Well, right now I am wishing for the perfect cold weather floriental fragrance. I'd love a deep, black orchid floriental with spicy resins, softly wooded incense, and a drop of silver, frosted vanilla.   If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of? I love hand painted vintage portraits, volcano and landscape paintings and if digital, Waterhouse images definitely thrill me. When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info: Fair with freckles, sensitive skin and light blue eyes. I have black eyebrows with strawberry blonde hair. I'm mostly an earthy, fairy type chick and tend to wear lots of black, flowing stuff in cotton mostly. I do love a good graphic girl tee too! In terms of makeup, I prefer natural colors mostly but do a fairly heavy eyeliner swipe on my upper eyelid. For nail polish, I enjoy light pinkish grays, dark matte blueish purple and silvers but nothing too glittery. I love creme eyeshadows, matte lipsticks and creamy blush. I am collecting eyeshadows from Makeup Geek. Would love to try Limecrime stuff and I do like a flash of color in my mascara and eyeliner.   Christmas decor this year: Aluminum tree with hand blown glass ornaments, I put all my crystals out, lots of mercury glass candle holders and a few gnomes and such. I am very picky about my Yule decor and prefer more items that are silver, pearlescent and crystal. Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying? I am planning to take a precious metal clay class next spring. Question for the group! Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap? Please, no BBW items for me. They definitely give me a headache. Cross stitch? Sure. Knitted items? I love arm sleeves Steampunk? It's cool but really not me. Paper journals? Unlined paper preferred. Socks? Long knee socks best or even thigh high. Cookbooks? YES! I love vegan cookbooks for baked items, pizza etc. Candle scents? LOVE DARK CANDLES!!! My fave for the holiday is GRAVE BLANKET. This is my most favorite commercial candle to give you an idea: http://shop.nordstro...-candle/3734465 Also love snowy scents and sugar cookie. I did find a couple Yankee Candles I actually liked this year, the Glistening Leaves and Golden Pumpkin are glorious! Games? Board Games and we also have a PS3 Raw honey? No thank you. Jam? Apricot, Raspberry, Strawberry are my faves. Garlic dill pickles? Um, I love spicy sweet the most. Rose petal liqueur? Yes yes yes! Applesauce? Also a yes Yarn? Sure, I love wool yarn. Dried honeycrisp apples? YES ISO BPAL? Lilith: My Little Grotesque Weenies: Boo Top 10 fave BPAL? Shadows and Reflections Mother Ghost Insects Mrs. Valentine Owl Moon Madame Moriarty (original) Volcano in Springtime Love and Sleep Poor Monkey Ava Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick) YES! FIREPLACE and outdoor fire pit. What animals do you think are considered cute? Panda, Fox, Owls. Koala. Favorite flowers to sniff: Peony, pansy, carnation, stock. 🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

Jenjin

Jenjin

 

Solstice Swap Answers

I'll be posting my answers to additional questions for the 2016 Solstice Swap here!   :waves: Hello Snowflake!

Question 1: If I made some ephemeral art that was meant to be burned as the sacrifice, would you have a safe place to do that (a fireplace, a backyard, a bbq grill lol)? Nothing big, maybe 6 inches tall.   Yep. We have a little patio, and a backyard that I would feel safe doing this with.
  Question 2: Would you want something from this website for your "light"? They're local to me and do beautiful work and I get a 20% discount. ha ha So if you see something you love, speak up. http://www.curiouscustoms.com/homey/   Oh wow. I love pretty much all of the designs, I don’t know that I could narrow down to a few designs. We don’t have a lot of horizontal space so I think nothing standing, but any of the hanging lanterns or wall scones would be very much loved.   If I had to narrow down design wise, any of the geometric designs would be lovely.  
Question 3: Would people want a relaxing CD or a recording of the rainforest, or are people looking for things like mix CDs or something from a favorite artist. I am flailing around on this one.   While I love ambient sounds, especially rainstorms and forests, I must admit I don’t use CDs too often and when I do it wouldn’t be for that purpose. But a relaxing set of MP3s or digital download would be nice, especially if i could play it on my phone at night.   Question 4: Would you, Snowflake, be interested in getting a bracelet or pendant necklace as a "charm" for banishment or protection or shifting energy or brining in luck? If so, what's your preference (bracelet, necklace pendant), size (wrist size, chain length), what metals to you prefer (copper, sterling silver?), and what colors /stones do you have an affinity for?   I love this idea but I don’t wear much jewelry, partially because I’m allergic to nickel (so it’d have to be solid silver or pure copper) and partially because i’m a klutz and hard on jewelry, so if it’s delicate I would’nt wear it.   But I do love chunky bangle bracelets so something like that would be loved. My wrist size is
I tend to prefer stones and colors that are darker; black, deep reds, blues, greens. I also love stones that are “complex”, and contain inclusions. Turquoise, cats eye, agate. You might get some good ideas for the kind of stones i like from some of my etsy favorites.
(You can find a link to my etsy wishlist in my signature)

Honor

Honor

 

Solstice Swap Answers

Question 1: If I made some ephemeral art that was meant to be burned as the sacrifice, would you have a safe place to do that (a fireplace, a backyard, a bbq grill lol)? Nothing big, maybe 6 inches tall.

I have places to safely burn things, but I don't know how I would feel about burning someone's art, regardless of intention. I could give it a shot, though?

Question 2: Would you want something from this website for your "light"? They're local to me and do beautiful work and I get a 20% discount. ha ha So if you see something you love, speak up. http://www.curiouscustoms.com/homey/

I think that the cloud wall sconce and the patterns on the sun and waterwave lanterns are beautiful, but I would not want anyone to spend that much on anything for me. If those came in a nightlight, that would be awesome.

Would people want a relaxing CD or a recording of the rainforest, or are people looking for things like mix CDs or something from a favorite artist.

I'd love a relaxing or contemplative CD. I have a lot of nature ambiance CDs already, so maybe not so much that. Mix CDs are always welcome, or music recommendations. Someone mentioned windchimes in the thread, and-- as awesome as they are-- my habitat eats them. We get really high winds out here on kind of a regular basis, so any wind music thing would have to live indoors.

Would you, Snowflake, be interested in getting a bracelet or pendant necklace as a "charm" for banishment or protection or shifting energy or brining in luck? If so, what's your preference (bracelet, necklace pendant), size (wrist size, chain length), what metals to you prefer (copper, sterling silver?), and what colors /stones do you have an affinity for?

I am always interested in shiny things, especially jewelry shiny things. Anything that also has properties is a welcome bonus.
Wrist size is average? 7", I think. I prefer necklaces be either really short or really long. Midlength things tend to either bounce on-- or become wedged in-- my cleavage. Yes, I have been clocked in the teeth by my own necklace on occasion. So many sad pandas.
I like copper and brass, silver is great so is gold. I like the metallic color that is somewhere between brass and rosegold. The list of beloved stones would be *really* long, but apatite, moonstone, labradorite, fluorite, unakite, kabamba jasper, carnelian, chalcedony, sugilite, prehnite, bloodstone, clear quartz, and opals are just a few. I like blues and greens a lot, and things that look like clear water droplets, or milky and translucent stones. Stones are awesome, and seashells, and metal, and colored glass, gum wrappers... I'm a magpie.



Usagi

Usagi

 

Solstice Swap & 12 Days of Christmas Swap answers

Solstice Swap:

If I made some ephemeral art that was meant to be burned as the sacrifice, would you have a safe place to do that (a fireplace, a backyard, a bbq grill lol)? Nothing big, maybe 6 inches tall.
Yes, I have places to burn ALL THE THINGS. Or just something small. We actually have a large bonfire area and a grill. No fireplace.

Would you want something from this website for your "light"?
Sorry, they are not really my style.

Would people want a relaxing CD or a recording of the rainforest, or are people looking for things like mix CDs or something from a favorite artist?
I kind of liked the idea someone had of wind chimes or bells. I'm really picky about my music unless it's on my wishlist. I do have music on my wishlist though! I don't mind getting thumbdrives or cds with mp3s.

Would you, Snowflake, be interested in getting a bracelet or pendant necklace as a "charm" for banishment or protection or shifting energy or bringing in luck? If so, what's your preference (bracelet, necklace pendant), size (wrist size, chain length), what metals to you prefer (copper, sterling silver?), and what colors /stones do you have an affinity for?
I like about 19" length in necklaces and would need about 8" for a bracelet. I am allergic to everything metal except (for sure) sterling silver and surgical steel. I would love charms for protection, luck, job finding, school decision making, monies, romance/life partner finding, friend finding, what-to-do-with-my-life knowing, etc. (I know! I want so much! How about lottery winning? That goes under luck and monies, right??) I might use a charm more if I could anoint it with skin safe oils and if it had a long enough cord (rat tail cord or soft leather?) to just put off and on over my head. I don't mind bracelets but I VERY RARELY wear any jewelry at all except my BPTP scent locket. I do have a protective charm in my car hanging from my rearview mirror (that I acquired in a Switch Witch swap!) I'm planning on making mojo bags for monies, protection, beauty, romance, etc. so charms to go in or on the outside of those would be fun. I have an affinity for blues, purples, greys, blacks. Tanzanite, alexandrite (prefer blue/purple - not pink/green), amethyst, hematite, moonstone, opal/black opal, sapphire, aqua aura, azurite, iolite, kyanite, sodalite, fluorite, obsidian, onyx, black spinel, black tourmaline, snowflake obsidian, tourmalinated quartz, black star sapphire, etc.

So, are you the type that likes no color added at all, natural colorants and herbs, or rainbow glitter bombs ?
I don't mind color added as long as it on the natural side. No phthalates, SLS, parabens, pro. glycol, -cones, etc. Prefer no glitter. Glitter is the herpes of the craft world. Mica is ok. Herbs are ok if they're almost totally pulverized so they don't clog our septic system or drains. I'm ok with coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, etc. I don't have any allergies that I'm aware of to essential or fragrance oils other than sometimes I get contact dermatitis if I apply oils in the same exact area too many times in a row. I have to switch it up.

What's the best format to send you a whole music playlist (instead of an album)? Do you have a service you already use? Would you like it on a USB, iTunes, Spotify, etc?
I'm kind of picky about my music as I think I said before... I wouldn't mind getting music on my wish list. either on mp3 or on cd.

Since one of the options for the sacrifice is an item to give away, I'm curious if there are any people, organizations, or causes that you like to give something away to? It could be anything - a charity you wish you could donate to, a stranger you see at the coffee shop who you've always wanted to do something nice for, an obnoxious coworker you'd like to receive one of those glitter-by-mail packages, whatever.
I support some pibble rescue groups but I'm no where near them to give them anything and I rarely leave the house. I know some people who are deserving of some poop by mail anonymous packages... but those aren't really a sacrifice.


12 Days of Christmas Swap

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Please, no crochet wearables. Amigurumi and stuffies are cute in crochet and I have quite a few in my favorites lists on ravelry. Blanket would be cost prohibitive with my yarn tastes. I actually have quite a few crocheted afghans from my grandma that I don't have room for, so I would say no on the blanket.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?
If you take a look at my ravelry favorites ("halloween or vamp swap" and "make for me" bundles) you'll see that I feel like you should make amigurumi for me, yes indeed. *nods sagely*

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
Sadly I do not really like knit socks that much and I received a pair in one of my last ravelry swaps. I don't wear socks at all for more than half of the year and when I do wear socks, they are black. And I have huge feet so you really don't want to knit socks for me anyway. But again, if you look at my ravelry favorites, I have two bundles with I would LOVE to get (halloween or vamp swap bundle and "make for me" bundle.) there are many options there! I am a picky bitchcake and I'm not afraid to say it. I mostly prefer shawls (really long and skinny-ish but not scarves. But not those triangle shaped things either.) and fingerless mitts. But on mitts I really need you to use very stretchy cast ons and bind offs as I have huge hands too. (I blame the nordic ancestors.) My preferred cast on is Jeny's Stretchy Slipknot Cast On and my preferred bind off is Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off, But as long as it's stretchy, we're good! I have measurements on ravelry linked to my profile.

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
- I love and adore honey! We usually have bees here at parents all summer from local beekeeper, and I tried beekeeping briefly in Seattle but my (wild) hive moved out and I never ordered any of my own bees. The beekeeper stiffed us this year and didn't give us the promised honey and honeycomb in exchange for keeping his bees here. I adore jerky but try to avoid corn syrup so I end up doing things like krave or my (previously local) butchers "made in house" jerky. I miss Bavarian Meats in pike place market - love their landjaeger. I have lived in Seattle the majority of my life but I am in Eastern Washington with parents right now until life is back on track. This is the home of the huckleberry things. I've lived in Denver, Dallas, and Toronto briefly as well. Would kill to have a place close to me that sells canons sweet hots (mild.) sadly mostly in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, etc. I make my own dried fruit and veggies, so I'm good there.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
The U.K. Because. (I have always just felt an affinity with Wales, Scotland, Ireland, England, etc. I'd love to visit Glastonbury Tor, Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall, Bath, Loch Ness, etc. Now if I could just meet a nice non-alcoholic Scottish boy and move there, I'd be super happy.)

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
Canadian dollar stores have the best dog squeaky toys, so we go there when we're in Canada, eh. Otherwise I usually go to the dollar store for stuff like the little sieves/screens that fit into the sink drain. They're the best for dumping out tea leaves and coffee grounds into so the water runs out and you can then pop the grounds/leaves into the garbage. My parents don't have any of these and I didn't bring mine with me from my ex house.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
My mom especially likes wave petunias. I love scented geraniums (not zonal), lavender, and fragrant purple roses. Although I'm partial to grandifloras, we have some lovely rugosas that we harvest the petals from and make rose petal liquor, jelly, syrup, etc. I make lavender wands/bottles and harvest the lavender for cooking too. (at one point I had over 50 rose bushes and 11 varieties of lavender but then we had to move.) Really I like any herb that is useful for rituals, edible, medicinal, or fragrant. I don't usually purchase flowers that are JUST pretty. Pretty and fragrant? Sold. I could use mugwort, hyssop, and rue especially - we have none of those. I'm sure we could germinate seeds. I forgot to get cuttings of my geranium before it froze. *sigh* Could use some more sage and beebalm too. Oooh -- I especially love purple and black bearded irises (they have a fragrance usually!) We only have yellow (ick!) and one purpley pink color. We're in Zone 5b: -15F to -10F. I don't think we need any gardening stuff per se though. I do love seed bombs with wildflowers and things as well, I could throw some in the pasture by the road... But they would need to be very drought resistant since we don't have water out by the road. I'd love sweet peas, carnation, chocolate cosmos, phlox, ....

oh! I'd love to have some carnivorous plants. We bought a venus fly trap this summer but it perished. Maybe a pitcher plant or a sundew?

I *HAVE* catnip, catmint, two varieties of mint at least (peppermint and spearmint I think), maybe one variety of lavender, wooly thyme, normal looking thyme, russian sage, asiatic lilies, california poppies, peonies, yellow and pink rugosas, yellow and light purple bearded iris, petunias, feverfew, parsley, rosemary, dahlias, zinnias, honeysuckle (two kinds), rhubarb, chives, raspberries, blueberries, pansies (black!), orchids, christmas cactus, mini rose bush, lilacs (two kinds.) Um, I'm not sure what else since I just moved here this month. It's my parents place so really things are not "mine". But I could plant things and take cuttings or divide later.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)
It would need vanilla, patchouli and lavender at the least. Maybe some black and/or red musk and/or siberian musk. Leather and/or Tobacco? Label art with my pit babies or a friesian? I'm not a word smith, so the prose would have to be a quote or a passage from something. But I also have major brain fog, so I can't think of anything off the top of my head.

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on my tablet (ok it's my daughter's but still) or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Well, you can see what kind of artwork I like from my Pinterest art page. All of my art is in storage and I don't really have room for a lot more. But I do have a ton of IKEA fira 9 drawer chests that need to be painted and decorated. Wish I could have you come paint those for me!

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
I don't wear very much makeup. My skin breaks out very easily so I only wear prescriptives full coverage liquid makeup in the lightest yellow/orange ecru shade. (not very often. On a daily basis I only use eyebrow powder and eyeliner (stila smudgestick or kat von d liquid eyeliner, black.) I don't have any actual eyebrow hair, just tattoos but they are pretty faded so I draw on eyebrows over them. hypothyroid = no eyebrows. I have t-zone skin, yay. Yes, my skin is extremely sensitive. I need to remember to moisturize 4-5 times a day so I can get control over the oily... I had it all normalized and then my life was disrupted and I stopped moisturizing. (And I could use more good moisturizer but its so expensive! I got a bunch of bobby brown when I had a friend who worked at nordstrom and I've used LUSH too but I'm out of both of those. Right now I'm using Kiss My Face but I think it is clogging my pores.) Eyes are hazel. Hair color is mousy brown/grey naturally but it is usually colored violet-black, dark burgundy/red, or some other color. It's usually shaved on the sides/back and long spiky/teased on the top (ala Robert Smith.) I really super need a hair cut right now because it's actually about 2-3" of grow out everywhere. I could use mascara. Style = lazy goth.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
I think I am covered right now. I have a lot of new supplies for new crafts that I need to accomplish now! Maybe different colors of embroidery floss for doing cross stitch?

Christmas decor? (not exactly sure what this question is looking for exactly? Do we decorate? What is our theme and colors? That kind of thing?)
I just moved in with family and we did not decorate for Halloween (weep) and I'm not sure how much we are going to decorate for Christmas. Hopefully at least a tree! My tree ornaments are all over the place. I bought some last year at World Market -- a purple dragon, some horses, but I can't remember if I got a sparkly unicorn. I love iridescent, glitter, shimmery things. Purple, blue, and silver. My mom gives me Hallmark ornaments every year in whatever collection, so I have all of the rocking horses (mini and regular) and I think all of the Pony for Christmas. Last year I think I snagged some Hallmark NMBC ornaments too. It would be cool to have a whole NMBC tree that I could put up at Halloween and leave up until Christmas but it might have to wait until I have my own place again. I'm always eyeing the black bare branch trees at craft stores... I know I have one of those vintage aluminum Christmas trees with a color wheel that goes under it. In storage of course.

what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?
I'm a hoarder type of collector. I have a huge list on scentbase but it isn't complete because I hurt my tailbone and back and wasn't able to sit at computer for very long for a few years, so didn't keep on top of updating scentbase. I do have a spreadsheet that is current but it isn't public. I could attempt to put it on google drive, but I've broken their spreadsheets before with the amount of data contained...

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
I DO NOT use B&BW lotion, gel, perfume, anti-bac, etc. I DO use their hand soap but I'm trying to stay away from microbeads (deep cleansing) and I don't like the foaming soap that much - however, they do have a small amount of "creamy luxe" soap that I'd love in Vanilla Snowflake and I would also love to try the Energy and Stress Relief soaps.. I would love some pillow spray in lavender/vanilla (no chamomile.) I also use the wall flowers, three wick candles, and room sprays. I could use a new wall flower - I really want the bats night light/wall flower but they might be sold out by now. A snowflake would be cool though. Or the black embossed scroll.

Scents that interest me for room spray/3 wick candles/wall flowers:
Twisted Peppermint
Vanilla Snowflake
Iced Vanilla Woods
Vanilla Balsam
Holiday (maybe? As long as it's apple wood, not apple. I don't want fruit smelling things.)
Black Tie
Cinnamon & Clove Buds (maybe? Winter is a little over powering. So not if it's close to Winter.) Oops, my mom already has this.
Fresh Balsam
Smoked Vanilla
Evergreen
Marshmallow Fireside
Winter Rose
Peppermint Marshmallow
Mahogany Teakwood (high intensity)
Cinnamon Pinecone (again, not if it's too overpowering.)
Vanilla Coconut
Vanilla/Lavender sleep

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try?
I do love me some Lush. I'd love Twilight, Silky Underwear, Snow Fairy/Candy Fluff, Snowcake, etc. shower gels (I also love the Lord of Misrule and Rose Jam but I stocked up last year and still have some. And I have enough Fairy Dust powder too.) Could use some Greased Lightning. Maybe the Mr. Sandman dusting powder if it is mostly lavender and not heavy on the chamomile. The snowfairy "fun" looks interesting - it's like a pliable bubble bar? Maybe a small bit of snowcastle soap. Bubbly shower gel looks interesting. I love their solid green sugar scrub. Mmmelting marshmallow moment, ceridwens cauldron, snow angel, and floating island all look lovely. If snow angel is the same scent as the cocoa butter bath bomb, then I LOVE that scent. (I could use some more facial moisturizer but it looks like it's pretty expensive!)

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
I've had salty licorice and it's good in small doses but not my favorite. Licorice in general is not my favorite. My mom on the other hand loves sweet black licorice.

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
I have a ton of tea and chocolate on my amazon "edibles" wishlist (from England and France!) I'd love chocolates, tea, whatever else you think I might like! Germany has Wollmeise yarn...

is you BPAL wishlist updated?
Indeed. I have not gotten any Liliths, Unicorns, or Weenies yet. Sniff.

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
No, I am boring. Sticky notes maybe if they are SO COOL that I MUST have them (like the coffin shaped ones I have - but unfortunately their "sticky" part is AWFUL and I have to tape them on things!) I use my BPAL pens a lot, they're my favorite. Do not use pencils, stationery, highlighters, etc. Maybe if I went back to school I would feel differently. I do like washi tape, I use it to wrap bubblewrap around bpal bottles & imps. I'm always looking for washi tape with bats, gargoyles, crows, skulls, etc. (I have lots of skulls right now.)

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
cheese!! ALL THE CHEESE! I love garlic/dill curds, cheddars, fresh cheese with jalapenos in it (used to get some every week at the farmers market in seattle), gouda (both hard and creamy), parana, cotswald, sage darby, parmesan, mizithra, romano, havarti, mozza, etc. I like mildly spicy things, like candied jalapenos or mild canon sweet hots. Not so much on the sour, more about the savory.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
I wouldn't mind mixes but most of the ones I've gotten from places like World Market haven't been very good. I love spices, sugars, salts, vinegars, etc. but we have a TON of things and I don't know that I need anything. All of my spices are out in the garage because there wasn't room in the house with my parents spices... Don't really need any cooking gadgets right now. I can always use green tobasco sauce. I do, when I have my own place, have a skeleton themed kitchen and a NMBC cookie jar/container collection. I have a skeleton hand oven mitt, skeleton apron, bone shaped silverware, serving set, and salad tongs, skull cookie jars/salt & pepper shakers, skull measuring cups, skull measuring spoons, spatulas with skulls on them, skull wine stopper, skull bottle opener, etc. I would welcome more skeleton/skull kitchen things for when I actually get my own place again. I love sugar skulls and have some sugar skull kitchen stuff on my amazon wishlist (either in cooking/kitchen or housewares area.)

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
I would rather not receive any bar soap unless I specifically request it because I have boxes and boxes of it. (I'm a soaper.)

And really, I have a ton of bath gel and sugar scrubs too. But that doesn't mean I'd hate to get more because hoarder... especially Lush.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
I'd love more ritual candles and beeswax candles (pillars or votives.) And some really good japanese stick incense. I always love loose incense/resins for charcoal burners. I don't need any wax melts but I keep eyeing the ones at Paintbox Soapworks and Two Timing Tart.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
I don't really wear any necklaces or jewelry - although I would like to get my ears gauged a little since they need to be repierced. I have some ideas on my amazon wearables wish list. If I wear necklaces, I like around 18-19". I mostly wear stud earrings but my lobes are SO THICK that most studs are too short and the earring ends up being too tight on my ear and getting infected. Right now I haven't worn earrings for ... six months? a year? So once I save up some monies, I'll see about getting them pierced with an actual hollow needle since my original piercing was done in the early 80's with a gun.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?
I avoid sweeteners like the plague. I prefer raw sugar if possible. Definitely avoiding corn / corn syrup. Stevia is ok.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
No mugs of any kind please. I just moved in with family and all of my kitchen stuff, which includes about five or six HUGE BOXES OF MUGS, is all packed up and out in a shed. I do love lip balm but I am a little picky on ingredients. I'm not really into performing arts swag. I'm such a curmudgeon!


What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?
Hm. Nightmare Before Christmas? I usually watch Elf every year. I like the old Rudolph animated with Bumble. Bumble is awesome. I haven't watched that for years and years though. I'll watch silly movies like The Holiday or Love, Actually if they're on. Christmas with the Kranks is ok, mostly watched that for Jamie Lee Curtis. Christmas Story is kind of silly, I finally watched that a couple of years ago to much protest by my then DH.


Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?
Whichever is best for you!


Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?
Yes, they are all in the SW Help link in my signature and/or in the link that says Switch Witch Stalking & Services spreadsheet. Believe me, there is probably way more there than you need.


For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?
I absolutely start at the beginning of a series.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)
I have a Trader Joes. I do not like cookie butter, I do not like pumpkin spice ANYTHING (ick, ptooie), no plantains, no potato chips... Give me ALL OF THE CHOCOLATE COVERED PEPPERMINT JO JOS, those babies are like crack. I like their PB&J chocolate bars too. I really do like way too many things from Trader Joes... so dangerous to go in. Their pub cheese with jalapenos? I could eat the whole thing (heated up) in one sitting.

What's your shoe size? Would you like to receive socks?
Man, I am just no fun. No socks please. I have super huge feet and I tend to just purchase black mens socks. All of my sizing info is in my ravelry swaps area (link to which is in switch witch stalking spreadsheet in my signature.)

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?
I am fine with steampeak as long as we stick to silver/black and no brown/copper. However, again, I am not a big jewelry wearer. *sad face*

I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft?
No journals, albums, stationary, or anything that would require me to write on it. I have a really hard time writing; my hand motor skills/flexibility when it comes to gripping things is very poor. I wouldn't mind cute note cards or "thanks for the swap / thanks for the purchase!" cards (with either my forum names (TwilightEyes/MissTwilight) or forthcoming etsy shop name. (which I still haven't come up with.)

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
Yes, those would be in my ISO post which is linked from my wishlist. *grin* I think I have my top scents already listed in my profile.

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
... no idea. I usually avoid Black Friday and do Cyber Monday. I know that the Lab/Post usually has a treat if you order something and I'd love to have the treat, but it wouldn't come in time. I'm really more in the swap for friendship and happy then for "getting stuff" and I would be happy with homemade or handmade things.

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
I like to cook when I have my own place... It is kind of crowded here and someone is ALWAYS in the kitchen so it kind of drives me nuts. I might have some cookbooks on my amazon wish list though.

Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
I like games. I'd love cards against humanity or exploding kittens. I think they are both on my amazon wishlist.

If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
I think on my "to read" list on goodreads, it is mostly things that I own but haven't read yet. My amazon list is a much better indicator of what I want, especially if you list it by priority. And I actually read everything on my ipad, so I would have no problems looking .mobi or .epub files that came in email or on a thumb drive....

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
I do not have either a fireplace or a fire pit, we just have an area where we burn dead fall and things. Sadly I do not need any firestarters or scenting bundles right now, they would just sit and gather dust until it was nice enough outside to sit by a fire again. It's the rainy season and snow will be here soon.


You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf?
If I mentioned a scarf it was that I'm a knitter and I have relatives who are knitters and everyone always buys or makes me scarves and I do not need one at all, thank you. I have all of the scarves. Light, lacy, thick fabric, thin fabric, wide, thin, long, short, knitted, striped, solid, designs, silk, wool, etc. Really, stop with the scarves.


Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? You can view some of my pictures on http://www.by-ellen.com
The web page didn't work for me, I got a grey screen with some different options at the top, but no photos. It's ok, I don't have room for any more artwork right now since I have downsized from a 4500 square foot home to a small basement to one room. All of my artwork is packed up right now.   If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake?
I am not really a fruitcake fan, but one of my friends sent me a recipe for pear/cherry/almond/marzipan fruitcake that uses amaretto. And it was really good. (it was really hard finding dried pears though.) But the traditional kind of fruitcake? Um... probably not.   If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey?
Mmmmmmm boozy chocolate! We usually do rum balls but I'd be up for whatever! I might have to try using some Sinfire or something this year ... cinnamon chocolate boozy balls. We're going to make some bailey's fudge in the next couple of days. (we = my mom. I will probably just watch since I am still sick.)

twilighteyes

twilighteyes

 

Christmas Swap Help

Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Absolutely!

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
Yes, I would love something like that. I'm currently trying to keep a couple of herbs and a miniature rose alive. I do love roses.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
No mittens and I probably wouldn't wear hats. But socks are good, and I love fingerless gloves.

What kind of snacks do you like?
Cheese, nuts, olives, peppers, jerky . . . Whatever doesn't have a lot of sugar or carbs right now would be awesome, especially with the holidays!

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
No idea . . . Sometimes I find really fun decorations for the holidays there. And I can always use battery-powered candles.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
I'd go back to London!

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like?
I would love a hair gloss, maybe with very good vanilla.

If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Either, probably a literary theme.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
Fair with sensitive skin, green eyes, long brown hair. Picky about cosmetics, but I do like nail polish if I can get it to stay on! I don't do artificial nails or eyelashes.

Christmas decor this year:
Just moved into a new apartment, so I don't know how much I'm going to have handy *to* decorate. (I have some space, though.) I do still get a kick out of Charlie Brown Christmas decorations, no matter how cheesy they get. I love retro, old-fashioned, Victorian, pretty much anything . . . Are there Gothic Christmas directions? Also, I need more Krampus in my life.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
I don't have a ot of time for new crafts and hobbies, although I've been thinking about making candles. (Random, I know!)

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap? I use the sanitizer all the time. I have a lot of their lotions already, but hand soap, candles, sprays, and their lip care items.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell! I adore their "Silky Underwear" and "T for Toes" has just about saved my relationship! There are a lot of Lush products I haven't tried, however, including showergels. I can't use bath bombs right now, but anything for the shower is great.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet? Not crazy about licorice itself, although Possets' Liza and Venus Black are two of my favorite scents ever.

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
I can't think of anything . . . Except maybe airline tickets!
is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do! I just updated. Still waiting on most of my Halloween and Lilith decants, however, so that could change.

Oh, and maybe, just in case, I should answer my own question! As far as sweeteners go, stevia is my friend right now. I can also do Splenda/sucralose about twice a week. Sugar alcohols in very small doses are also OK.

mountainwitch

mountainwitch

 

12 days of christmas 2016

Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Most yarny things are too hot for me to wear. A hat or fingerless gloves/mittens will be nice though! But please no itchy yarn.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?
Yes!   Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
no sorry. Plants will probably die in here. Because I forget to water them, but also because my cats like to eat them.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
I'm not interested in handknitted socks, but I love fingerless gloves/mittens or a nice hat.   What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
No jerky (I'm a vegetarian) but yes to all the others.   What kind of snacks do you like?
what not? chocolate, nuts, all sort of savory snacks. As long as it's vegetarian.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
I love dollar stores! But there isn't something in particular I'd like to buy there.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
One place only??? Noooo not possible. Places I've never been that I'd like to travel to: New Sealand, Iceland, Australia, India (to see Tigers in the wild!), Sumatra (also because of the tigers there, but also Orangutans!).
Places I've already been to that I love most: Costa Rica (nature and animals!), Thailand, Vietnam, Norway.
If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like?
That'd not easy! Patchouli blueberry maybe...

If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Traditional artwork. I love Kingfishers so a Kingfisher painting or figurine would be awesome.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info:
I have a light skin. My hair is brown most of the time, though at the moment it's dark reddish/purple. It's an a-symmertrical bobline that's too short for any accessories. I have blue eyes.

Christmas decor this year:
None, sorry!

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
No.   Question for the group! Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
Yes! But no hand sanitizers or car scents, won't use that.   Homemade food?
No, sorry   Handsewn bag?
Only as a shopping bag. I'm very picky on handbags.   Cross stitch?
Nope, sorry.   Knitted items?
Ehr it isn't knitting.. But I really like those crochet skull armwarmers.   Steampunk?
Yes!   Paper journals?
Wouldnt use them I'm affraid   Socks?
Yes! EU size 41/42   Cookbooks?
Nope   To read list?
I'm not that much of a reader, sorry.   Candle scents?
Posted my favorite notes in my q'naire   Games?
No.   Raw honey?
No   Jam?
Never eat jam, sorry.   Garlic dill pickles?
Yes! But please no gherkins or (string)beans.   Rose petal liqueur?
Yes yes yes!   Applesauce?
Also a yes   Yarn?
No, own too much of that.   Dried honeycrisp apples?
Yeeeeeesss!   Christmas decor this year?
None   Licorice?
As long as its vegetarian so no gelatin.   Office supplies?
Sure   Bar soaps or bath gel?
Bath or shower gel! Sort of collect them. But nothing against soap bars, like them too.   Candles, wax melts or incense?
Never incense. I like candles or wax melts, but I have too many of them so I'd say no.   Sweeteners?
I prefer not. i prefer real sugar/maple syrup/honey as a sweetener.   Shakespearean swag?
No   Fave christmas story?
Nothing I could think of.   Books in series in order?
Yes, always in order.   Trader Joe's?
We don't have those shops here so surprise me!   Spicy/cheesy/sour snacks?
I like spicy or cheesy. No sour snacks or candy please.   Preference numbered packages or random selection?
Numbered! Would be too hard for me to make a choice myself   ISO BPAL?
This years Halloween: Apple X, Honeyed Apple
Lilith: Spider witch
Also listed some on my Pinterest board.   Top 10 fave BPAL?
Aaaarhg that's difficult! I'll list some of my favorites, in no particular order:
Snake Oil
Winter solstice lunar eclipse
Aizen Myoo
Rosy Maple
Miskatonic university
The worst pillow
Velvet unicorn
Sjöfn
Australian copperhead
De vos unicorn
Bitches love unicorns
All the dust of the land
In brightness and in joy
Samhain
Third charm   Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
No, don't have that   What animals do you think are considered cute? Kingfishers, cats, dogs, gecko's, foxes, chameleons, owls, tigers, lions, birds of all sorts, polar bears. But I actually like all animals...   If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
I don't have a Goodreads account.   Perfume wishlist (asked through DM):
Drink me
Eat me
All souls
Shadow in the elevator
Edith cushing
Black moths
Bewitched
Ligeia: Incipient Madness
Metamorfosis: eastern coma
Venustas
Very pink surprise cake
Jezebel
O
Spellbound
Rakshasa
Lush: Amelie Mae (was on sale last week, but I forgot! And when I came, it was sold out :'(   Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one? No thank you   Favourite flowers to sniff: I'm not that much into flowers scents. But I do like the smell of rose and lavender.   Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
Whatever my snow angel decides!   Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
I like receiving things that aren't available here. Local snacks or candy. Or other things that I just can't get over here. Other than that: I trust my snow angel will make this swap awesome! So I trust everything you choose to give me will be the best!   If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake?
Sure! If it survives shipping...   If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey?
Nope please don't. I'm not that much into booze anyway, but I hate chocolate combined with it.

Nemi25

Nemi25

 

Snow Angel Q&A

Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Absolutely. I would love this. Especially a lap blanket or sweater. Or a cowl for my pup.   Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
Wow, I love plants and gardening, so yes. My favorite flowers are peonies and african violets.   How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
I feel really good about knit socks and beanies.

What kind of snacks do you like?
My typical snack is granola, muesli, or crackers and cheese.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
No idea, but I'm down for a surprise!

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
Currently, Alaska. I would die to see the Northern Lights this year.   If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like?
It would be a perfume, with heavy tobacco notes, vanilla or honey, and apple.   If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Traditional, something spooky or abstract.   When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
I am fair, with olive toned skin. Not sensitive skinned. Green eyes. Brown hair. I like minimal makeup, but with impact. I've been obsessed with Kosas lipstick lately and gold/bronzey eyeshadow.   Christmas decor this year:
Very forest-y.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
Any. I am always interested in learning new crafts and taking up new hobbies.

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
Oh yeah, love. All of the above. I can't get enough of .38 pens. OMG and magnets! And thumb-nails!

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
I am so into all of those. Especially the cheesy spicy ones. Hot cheetos? Calling my name.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Yes...Spices are my jam. And jam. And soup, and sugars, and seriously anything. I'm getting so hungry now.

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
I would have answered gel, but that was until someone mentioned Paintbox soaps in another topic. So both?

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Yay to all, with preference leaning to incense and candles.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
I can't wear necklaces because they weigh too heavily on my previously broken collar bone, even the dainty ones, but I treasure beautiful earrings.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?
I prefer sugar, nothing to avoid.

Bath & Body Works:
I love their candles and am a huge sucker for marshmallow, woodsy scents, and assorted pumpkins.   Lush shower gels:
Rose Jam!!!! Or the honey one.   Licorice:
Sure do.   Stuff from The Netherlands, England, Germany, etc.:
Oh my yes!!   Handmade items & homemade food:
Yes and yes! I will eat all of your home treats. Homemade dog treats???   Shakespearean swag:
Hm, no. I was always more of a John Ford girl.   Favorite Christmas story:
Twas' the Night Before Christmas   Numbered packages or random:
Your choice!!   Goodreads or other wish lists:
I don't have either, but I love surprise books. I read pretty much anything.   Books in a series-- in order?
Eh, unimportant.   Trader Joe's:
I don't have one near me and I am obsessed with cookie butter.

Shoe size:
7-7.5

n0menclature

n0menclature

 

12 Days of Christmas - questions!

Updated 7th November!

is your BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do!
It's mostly updated, but I'm currently going through the long list of scents that were released while I was out of the hobby - mostly between mid-2012 and earlier this year - and making the mega-long list of things I'd love to sniff. I really enjoy trying many things, rather than hunting down specific ones to wear forever, so there are certainly plenty of things off the list that I'd enjoy a chance to test.

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
Ummmmm ... Top 10 (not really in order):
Blackberry Jam & Scones
MVJBA Pancake Breakfast
Butter Rum Cookie
Blood Kiss
Perversion
#7wordstory: Sloth
Anne Beany
Monster Bait: Bloody Mary
Sugar Skull
Anthesteria
but... I wear a lot of different scents, and if you asked me in a few days time I imagine half of that list might be totally different!

I'm particularly ISO a bottle of Le Pere Fouettard, and really keen to try Mother Shub's Squamous Sea Salt Caramel Cookies, Streets of Detroit, Gáttaþefur, Pottaskefill in particular, as well as Rum-Soaked French Tonka, French Vanilla & Madagascan Vanilla Rum SNs. Those are the ones I'd be most interested in blind bottles of, right now!

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
I dunno enough about Black Friday to answer that question, I'm afraid! I think it's different here...

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?
Size UK 6, most of the time. Socks are great if they're cotton
Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
Yeah, though I prefer plays to read than play-associated stuff, I think.

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?
Muppets Christmas Carol. 100%. All the way.

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?
Either is good!

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?
Nothing that's particularly up to date, I'm afraid. I want to read all the books on this year's Man Booker shortlist, though, if that's helpful.

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?
I would definitely prefer to read things in order where possible

Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples - sure!
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) - yes please
- Rose petal liqueur - I'd love to try some
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam - definitely
- Baked or homemade goods - sure, if you can avoid my allergies, which are many and varied, but particularly nuts & wheat...
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? - honestly not really - I have a handmade dice bag from a dear friend and not much need for any others
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? - nice cotton yarn would be amazing, especially chunky stuff or variegated stuff, as I can't find any anywhere!
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? - inappropriate wall hangings please. Bonus points if suitable for a work office where swearing is fine but naked people are definitely not...
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - I guess a shawl or some gloves, but I don't have any ideas for patterns I'm afraid!

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things
Not a huge incense burner, but I like warm spicy scents in candles.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?
I think I have no particular feelings about sweeteners!

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
YES. Good pens are everything.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
Hungry spice depends on how spicy, cheesy is almost always good, sours less so.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Cooking ingredients interest me, but cookable mixes often have stuff in that I can't eat, sadly. Good, weird salt is something I would love.

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
Neither, I'm afraid, due to my temperamental skin.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Candles for preference, but I'm not massive on them.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
Not really - I wear all sorts, it just depends on the outfit!

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!
I'm interested in their massage bars and hair stuff! Bath & shower things no, because of the skin, but the massage bars seem like I'd be able to use them and I'd love to try one.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
Nah thank you, I have tried it and naaaaaah

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
I live in England so I'm good for British stuff, but stollen is a Thing I Like Even Though I Shouldn't Eat It...

Do you have a spreadsheet?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tPrDdW-fgyq8C-hBA7_uumBL9_p2BC5EV2ixzWd-vs0/edit?usp=sharing&authkey=CKDvxJIM
It's a bit... intense.

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
I love soft feely things, but it depends on the yarn you're using. Cotton yarn is always a safe option but lots of other things can set off my eczema.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?
<3 them, but again the yarn is sometimes an issue.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
I would love a pair of cotton yarn fingerless gloves! I also like socks but have never had a hand knit pair that didn't make my feet itch

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
I like salty things! No nuts, but I really love all sorts of other salty snacks - I was once given a packet of home made pork scratchings and they were the tastiest thing. Dried fruit sounds good - I have a secret love for the dried cranberries & raspberries coated in thick yogurt you get in Pret over here... Honey and jam are occasional treats too. Jerky I don't have enough experience with to know whether or not I love it!

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
I'd go back to Australia for a while. I loved living there, and I miss my friends over there.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? For example, I always love those silly expandable sponges.
See, I've not been to enough dollar stores to know the answer. If they're generally like pound shops over here, then garden stuff is often a good bet - I love getting seeds & bulbs to grow, bonus points if they're a bit of a mystery - or stationery, pens & pencils, daft cards to send on to people.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
I have a small back garden for the first time in my life, this year, and I grew tomatoes and raspberries and wildflowers. Now I'm hunting for interesting herbs I can plant in the middle to make a gorgeous herb garden. I think my favourite flower is probably forget-me-nots or irises, and I love the way honeysuckle and jasmine smell - though I'm not so keen on floral scents.

Christmas decor?
I am decorating for Christmas but I'm hoping it will be all reusable things except for the candles. It will be a secular Christmas, and probably silver and red, but since I've been out of the country so much recently I barely own any decorations...

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
I don't wear makeup because of my skin conditions - it just completely dries me out. Very occasionally I wear bright eyeliner and a touch of mascara, but only once or twice a year.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
I'm just starting to try oil pastels, but I am rubbish at drawing... I want to try glass blowing, making silver jewellery, and falconry. Those are hard things to put in a flat rate shipping box, I realise.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)
Oooooh. Smoky, foody, with a little bit of fruit. I guess vanilla, vetiver and jam would probably feature in some form... It would probably have a description related to journalism or mental health. Or both.

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Traditional artwork, I think, and probably a drawing of a group of friends and I. Or our tabletop game characters!





mazaru

mazaru

 

12 Days of Christmas 2016

Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!? I would adore a cowl or lap blanket!!

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one? no, I am not into planting or gardening at all. I kill anything I have, no matter how hard I try not too. But, I love Tiger Lilies, they are my favorite flowers.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc). not for me, thanks.

What kind of snacks do you like? I am willing to try new things, just nothing with bugs.


What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? I can't think of anything, really.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why? Scotland. I've just always felt drawn there, ever since I was a kid.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? I have absolutely no idea. Something foodie, with cinnamon and vanilla, maybe

If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of? probably something traditional, maybe something with my dogs or my kid

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info I am not a big makeup wearer. Usually just mascara and a red lip or gloss

Christmas decor this year: we are continuing Halloween at Christmas time.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying? not right now. I have about 6 I work on at any given time, my husband would probably kill me if I try anything new at this point lol

syrenemyst

syrenemyst

 

[12 Days of Christmas] Circle Questions

CIRCLE QUESTIONS : 12 Days of Christmas ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*☆ **Dear Snow Angel, I want to start off by writing an apology in advance. I write a lot, and often, I write too much. I so very sorry you have to get through much walls of text ;-; ♡ celestia ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*☆           I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!? SCARVES!! I collect scarves!! My favourite ones are suuuuuuuuuuper long, soft and plush x3 mmmm .. Maybe a hooded scarf? part scarf part cowl? love a white/off-white/ivory/cream post-apocalyptic inspired design like this! but maybe with your twist on it in crochet? ;D   How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc). I dont particularly wear socks but.crotchet lacework wrist cuffs like these - the kind that flare to accommodate the hand? ;D WHY VERY YES, ID LOVE A PAIR..IMMENSELY **cant contain excite* ... maybe ...if we're going with my other aesthetic, a post apocalyptic theme, "trashy and raw" like this, something to fit a similar aesthetic? with knit instead? buckle straps? I have two very different styles x3   How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations? I COLLECT THESE. YES YES AND YES , ALL MY YES!! SAN-X's NYAN NYAN NYANKO CAT (kitties hiding in food)!! Fat, round, white chibi unicorns !! But you know what? If I'm to be honest with you...a giant amigurumi Poro would be my ultimate wish. I actually collected nyanko cat amigurumi from knitting friends to attach to scarves or incorporate them into giant headpieces/head accessories (like headbands) or necklaces. Most of my amigurumi gifts are the size of an outstretched hand..so quite large but I have many uses for smaller sizes ones too!   What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try? Dried pears! Dried jackfruit! Dried mango! Dehydrated/freeze-dried yoghurt (awww YESSSS my favourite!) , fruit leathers, freeze dried strawberries, Crunchy dried vegetables sound absolutely delightful! I It all sounds good to be honest, I dont know what local products exist in my own demographic, let alone in yours- but it all sounds very much like a YES PLEASE Although raw honey and jam are yesses, I think that might be too cost ineffective for my Snow Angel. If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why? Ive travelled to quite a few countries, and frequently still travel between three, so going any one place I can, inevitably always ends up being home. I did a round the world trip during my student exchange as part of my university undergraduate experience. Aside from my home in Australia, Ive been to quite a number of countries each in both Europe and Asia, and have also seen parts of Canada and the USA. A lot of the time, the globetrotting is mostly visiting friends and family. As such, ill assume this question asks which one place wed like to visit ;D   I'd love to go to see the Hanami season, specifically in Kyoto, Japan. Seeing the cherry blossom festivals there during March/April has been a longstanding dream of mine. Sakura/cherry blossoms are my absolute, favourite florals! I appreciate most of Japanese culture and do mean to visit eventually with my non-biological twin on our first trip, catching up but its the one place in the world Id really like to visit. All that pink, all that nature, all that culture- and all the noms!! *___*   What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? Is there any white pearlescent aquarium gravel to fill out some clear acrylic holders for my make-up brushes? I've love metallic gold sheen or light muted rose pink too! Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one? This March, for my daughters 5th birthday we'll be re-purposing a wooden children's sandpit and convert it into a little mini outdoor herb and vegetable garden ;D so while Ive never received plants or gardening stuff, Im definitely a firm yes! I love a lot of flowers!! My scent profile includes an abundance of, albeit sweet, florals! I love them so much Ill have to group my favourites. Favourite flowers to look and touch: cherry blossom/sakura, carnations, sweet pea calla lilies, orchids, and tulips (and julstjärna (poinsettias?) Favourite flowers to sniff: cherry blossom, carnations, sweet pea, vanilla orchid, lilacs   If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes) Excluding the desire for my own custom perfume decanter (not enough crystal makers out there!) I'd probably most want the only product I constantly wear- perfume. I have a holy grail custom perfume in one of my signature links that describes a pink/golden/ethereal scent. I've only currently been able to separate the two..but If somehow they could be combined into one glorious pink.gold.ethereal scent, that would be my ultimate custom blend. I imagine the general feel of this scent to share similarities with BPAL Haloes, to have a similar warmth and sweetness without the apricot note, more vanillic, golden, ethereal white, and perhaps even delicately pink-tinged. Altogether a very different scent, only a similar vibe. If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of? I'd love an oil painting or digital line-art, anime styled chibis of my little family as a portrait. .. Maybe a chibi portrait of my two children? ;D I'll upload a picture shortly.. maybe it's doable... but if it isn't, stick figures are okay too... just make it large enough for me to frame, because I'll treasure it no matter what! When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info? Make-Up Profile: I'm fairly light skinned, warm undertones- I have what people call "creamy asian skin". it's not ivory cream like my youngest, and not buttery caramel like my oldest.. I'm kind of in between them... maybe a C2 MAC Face and Body and NC25 during Spring and an NC20 during winter. I have blue-green eyes, pitch black hair, light Asian complexion. My make-up style is either super smoky and gothic (per post-apocalyptic style) or lolita/hime gyaru neutrals, pink/gold/rosegold/ivory- and that's only when I dress up. I rarely wear make-up anymore, and have since traded in favour of my BPAL/NAVA colllections (even my commercial perfumes get neglected in favour of them).   Aesthetic style: My "normal" clothing style is mostly chiffon, fine mesh, lace and silk A-line dresses, fitted at the waste or completely shapeless (read: OSFA), flowy materials that do not crinkle easily, floral appliques, fine rhinestone accents, fine glitter and thread (not the cheap sparkle), semi-matte sheen. My favourite clothing brand is a Japanese lolita fashion brand called Mary Magdalene. They produced my favourite, coats, especially A-line/flared coats with fitted waist/corsetted back, which I own in both wine/bordeaux and pink colorways, and a lot of my favourite dresses here (OP) and here (JSK). My other favourite clothing brand is called Demobaza and is post apocalyptic clothing aesthetic style. I also love h.naoto (Blood) and wear a lot of Liz Lisa.   Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying? The hobby I'm most interested in trying involves learning to record and edit videos into professionally presentable YouTube clips of my family's silly, daily antics. I have decent video recording equipment (a DSLR-> Canon 7D), decent audio recording equipment (Audio Technica AT2035 which use for streaming online games)... and i'll have a great CPU to handle all the power once I take my desktop in Australia to Sweden... but...I haven't actually tried it yet. I'm a little apprehensive of failing...because it's something I really love doing for fun but carries a lot of potential threat.   Christmas Decor? Do you Decorate? What is your theme and colours? On Decor (General): Our Christmas Tree (Julgrön) is snow white in colour to reflect the winter solstice which is widely celebrated in Sweden where I live (haha Christmas is just called Jul..or well, Yule), and we have neon rainbow christmas led lights which curl around it. When the room lights go out and the led lights go on, we get an amazing blinkage of dancing rainbow colours reflecting off the white of the tree...and the tree ends up looking pinky-purple. It's glorious! We all put a massive paper star in the main window *julstjärna" and candolier's underneath it, and also in in every other window we can possibly find.   On Decor (Family Tradition): Every year, those celebrating or visiting our little family during the Jul (Yule) period is invited to bring a spherical christmas bauble decoration. It can be any size, colour, design... it is supposed to be a representation of your identity staying with us over the Yule period. The only request is that it is a spherical/round bauble. Each year we hope to grow it by adding to the tree, to reflect each visitor's identity and personality. In this way we like to "welcome" extended friend and family together as a whole "family" on the tree... like a non-proverbial family tree!   On Theme: Our Yule theme decor mainly comprises cute crystal/swarovski glass woodland, fae, and fantastical creatures (deer, fawn, hummingbirds, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, butterflies, unicorns...and to some extent, fairies, and dragons). These all match the rest of the room theme colours due to being made from frosted or faceted crystal and glass. Together with our massive white tree, it is my attempt to reflect the Swedish celebration of the winter solstice, or midwinter (midvinter) aspect of Yule - that is, the focus on nature (ahaha... Yule Logs, Hearths... etc) - and also hence my particular addition of woodland creatures to the decor (a favourite theme of mine). It has a warm and mysigt (cosy) kind of feel during the light hours of the day- and transforms into a rainbow light spectrum (kind of my butchered take on the Aurora Borealis) when it turns dark at 3pm. I wanted to keep an epic Christmas feel (which for me is seeing our indoor christmas light show at night LMAO), but I also wanted to be able to make it look classy for everyday too.   On Colour: Yule in my family here means LOTS of rose gold, crystal white, frosted white, crystal glass, and light cream. The decorations are placed to make it look like a more glorious version of the same colour theme. We have a giant paper star in the window (ours is gold this year) and a candolier thingy that all Swedish households have in their window... ours is white and simple but eventually we'd like to get one a little more special to improve our theme- like an elk and deer/fawn or other woodland creatures.   I do have to be practical about decorating... I don't want clutter and I definitely don't want to feel pressure to take down decorations so I like stuff to match beyond Christmas... and be "okay" well into March. We're always busy with the kids and work, there's only my partner and myself taking care of the kids when they're out of kindy. Snow Angel, please don't feel discouraged if this is too difficult.. that's the position I'm finding myself in too ...which is why the main celebration room is still incomplete! haha ...I included a themeboard to hopefully help make more sense out of it all. What kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own? I'm an excessively scrupulous collector. I only buy what's on my wishlist and I do lots and lots of research for months before I decide to put something on it. I love making lists! I love planning! I have spreadsheets (current collection) on MS Excel/Google Spreadsheets, a transaction log (tracking my sales/swaps) on MS Excel, and databases (end/final collection) on Scentbase/Google Docs. I'm that kind of crazed, obsessive, and manic collector...but I share! and I enable! And I really like to chat and help others achieve their collection goals too! Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap? I am stocked up on most of these, and don't really use the others   Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet? ;-; I come from a country of liquorice lovers... but I am not one of them Sorry!   Is your BPAL wishlist updated? I update almost weekly! It is the only collection hobby I have with a set goal, so yes, it is often very up to date ;D Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc? I love San X Nyanko Kitty (Japanese kitties hiding in food, lol) stationary (writing sets, mechanical pencils in .5mm) but I don't really need anything else to be honest I'm all stocked up. How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks? ;[ I'm making a conscious effort to cut down and minimise this for the sake of my 4 year old, who is trying to copy everything I eat. And I would rather that she eat towards a healthier lifestyle...than one of junk food... having said that, I accept all the candy! ALL OF IT! I'm not perfect ;[ Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets? Cooking gadgets are most welcome! Kyaraben stamps are my current focus of interest, but kitchen gadgets that are fae or whimsical and have a very clean or intricate aesthetic- something like magic wand salt and pepper shakers, Cool Jewels ice cube tray, and other nifty little aesthetically pleasing kitchen gadgets. If you have good cooking hacks (they could be used as cooking gadgets hahaha) they'd be super useful to me too! Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel? I don't use bar soal or bath gel- I do use body wash though, I don't really care what I'm using because it all goes down the drain. And I hate seeing great smelling things go down the drain. Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay? I already have a stockpile of candles, and don't like using the other two. I'm sorry Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc? Length: hmm I like my necklaces to be about 24" unless it's teething jewellery for my bub, then 36" ! Earrings: I don't really have a preference.. but I'm super picky with what I wear as I don't tend to change it up like normal people ;[ I wear quite spendy, quality investment pieces because I'm not really "change it up". Of course, motifs of woodland creatures (deer, fawn, rabbits) or fae/fantastical creatures (unicorns, fairies, dragons) will be treasured greatly ;D ..especially in sterling silver or enamel.   How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid? Just sugar please (white sugar, brown sugar, unrefined sugar, rock sugar etc). I don't buy into the other stuff.   Would you be interested in: Home Cooked Food: CHEWY BROWNIES! Maybe a non-top-secret-family-only guarded recipe? ;-; I have no ideas for what to cook this Christmas. Handsewn Project Bags: Would a purple dinosaur shaped bag be super hard and out of the question? My four year old loves all shades of purple (the more the better!) and she loves T-Rex the most but appreciates anything remotely shaped like a dinosaur Cross-Stitch: Anything Kindred (from League of Legends) related.I love their phrase: Never One Without The Other. Here are perlers of the masks worn by Kindred (a LoL champion) . I imagine something to this effect as a cross-stitch might look more doable than just showing you a picture of the champion itself. DX   If you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - pinterest? ravelry bundle? How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like? For some reason I always gravitate to amigurumi when knitted items are mentioned- Amigurumi Poro ? (a critter from League of Legends) ;D Id love to collect all kinds of Poros! I LOVE POROS! Ive just never started.. other than that, I dont really wear knitted items L   If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things? I like candles but I have plenty. I dont use incense. I try not to light both as I have two small children who are entranced and overly curious by things that burn, and things than can burn.   Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies? Sorry, not really, but I am super grateful you asked! The most I have is a lolita JSK (dress) called 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' inspired from the Shakespearean play of the same name, but other than that and other Shakespearean inspired chiffon painting dresses in lolita dresses, I don't really hold much of an interest, even though the swag must be awesome!   What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite? I wrote a super long answer to this, but it got deleted before I could post- so I'll just say 'Musavise'. It's a Norwegian secular song about a mouse family preparing Christmas Eve and the mother constantly reminds the children about a mouse trap and to be mindful of it while the festivities are being prepared. I do appreciate all the moral-motive stories that occur during Christmas but morals and thought-provoking stories about cause and effect should not only be a Christmas occurrence, ;P ..I like to think of Yule in a more secular manner.. Given that I have an incredibly, religiously diverse immediate and extended family, this is pretty much why I don't only lean heavily towards one aspect of it...and probably why I have trouble coming up with a favourite Christmas story.   Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection? I'd love them numbered so my daughter can feel involved picking them out with her "super awesome counting skills". Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey? To be completely honest with you, the external wishlists not listed in the survey have more to do with big ticket items such as the CPU wishlist I'm currently building from, which is why I've elected to skip them. I'm getting most/all the parts during the Black Friday sales in Australia before I head back to Europe. I'm seriously really excited about it though, and I can't help sharing the happiness!   More on topic, a lot of my wishlists not included in the questionnare/survey, focus on stuff my kids.... such as..stuff to make with them (scrapbooking tools, dessert ideas) and Hime Gyaru fashion which I wear a lot of when not wearing Lolita (which has been for a while!). For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained? I prefer books suitable for reading to my children. So I would prefer receiving them in order to minimize confusion as English is not their first language (but I'm working on making it an equal native!)   Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc) There are a grand total of 0 Trader Joe's where I live. I won't lie, I'm not a huge fan of these and the appeal of non-consumables is far more greater than something from you which I won't be able to treasure long term, dear Snow Angel.   What's your shoe size? Would you like to receive socks? My shoe size is UK 7 / US 9... I don't wear socks, and have plenty of sockettes for my ballet flats, so thank you for the offer but please no   Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk? I like the fashion but it is not my aesthetic. In regards to jewelry, I'm more into cute and fantastical motifs- deer/fawn, fairies, rabbits, kitties...so if you found a way to incorporate them into the steampunk aesthetic, maybe something along the lines of a steampunk inspired hummingbird (or other petite bird breed) flying inside a cogwheel? Either way, I'd think you were a genius of sorts!   I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft? Oh my! ..Such a lovely skill and talent you have! I'm starting my scrapbooking journey with my eldest so papercraft is welcome! We haven't bought anything yet.. I'm letting her see all the options and to have her slowly deliberate her decision (youngest is currently more interested in eating it all so nothing for her yet haha). If you had access to thick GSM paper, a paper album for all the scrapbooking would be PERFECT!   Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? I make ISO hunting my mission to help unite scents with forever homes ;D I'm currently searching for my last, elusive BPAL scent, 'Elf v4'. It's probably my only HTF DISO left. Even my extended ISO isn't very big because I only wear BPAL and NAVA vanillas...I try not to actively search out super HTF rares because not only are they hard to find, they are also out of my budget. Because of this, I generally only dedicate scents as DISOs when I am mentally and financially prepared to take the hit, but I keep holding out hope that I'll be able to find another amazing swapper. I have lucked out on rare occasion...so who knows? x3 I guess if I were to make a current D/ISO within my own current budget, it would look a bit like this: DISO ✿ Elf v4 ✿ XCDL13   ISO ✿ Voyeurs Among the Cherry Blossoms (I think I'm entering a swap for this soon, yay!) ✿ NAVA Kobalt SL ✿ NAVA Crystallne SL ✿ NAVA Eternal Ankh ✿ Mrs. Dunbar ✿ Reapers Gonna Reap ✿ Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree   What are your top 10 scents? I love BPAL so much so this Top 10 entirely comprises this company. I only wear BPAL and NAVA vanillas and won't use other perfume oils. I guess that should make my Top 10 easy, right? Nope. I struggled WAY TOO MUCH with this question in the past that I ended up writing about it in my signature...twice, under two links!! My official Top Ten and Scent Profile are both in my signature. This Top Ten does not follow the same format as my official Top Ten and has been reformatted to reflect two distinct and equal categories (LE and GC insead of Everything Else and GC). It no way reflects everything I believe deserves to be in my Top Ten and I lament at the thought of some that got cut out. I am also expecting some new arrivals soon, but I tried really hard for you.   Limited Edition/Limited Exclusive ✿ 1.) Elf v4 ✿ 2.) L'Estate ✿ 2.) Amaterasu v3 ✿ 3.) Black Lace ✿ 4.) Serving Fish ✿ 5.) Reflected Vulva ✿ 6.) Ava ✿ 6.) Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending ✿ 7.) The Girl ✿ 8.) Celeste ✿ 9.) Volcano in Springtime ✿ 10.) Clockwork Couture: Female   General Catalog/Discontinued/Permanent Collection ✿ 1.) Antique Lace ✿ 2.) The Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree ✿ 3.) Haloes ✿ 4.) Fairy Market ✿ 5.) Titania ✿ 6.) Morocco ✿ 7.) Dorian ✿ 8.) Katharina ✿ 9.) Alice ✿ 10.) Yemaya   TL;DR: ALL THINGS Golden, Pink, and some scents black - but have a golden feel. I primarily gravitate towards Sugary/Creamy/Honeyed Floral and Vanillic scents   Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale? I'm really looking forward to the Black Friday sales because I'd really like to get some computer peripherals! If you're from the US and can fairy some things over, I'd love to piggy back some things (because realistically, Black Friday sales for me are the best and most realistic opportunities for me to buy big ticket items I've been saving up months/years for, such as our Thule Coaster XT. I'm really excited I finally get to buy it!! haha) Items 1-3 in the list below are all the things already being budgeted for purchase. I just wanted to share my excite for Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales ;O;!! Everything else is only speculative because I have no idea if they will even be part of the Black Friday sales.   ✿ 1.) SteelSeries Apex M800 Wired Gaming Keyboard ✿ 2.) Logitech G502 Wired Optical Mouse (RGB version) ✿ 3.) Asus NVIDIA GTX 1070 Strix (1.63 Ghz/1657 clockspeed) ✿ 4.) Pokemon Trading Card Game Booster Packs (any of the 3.99 ones haha) ✿ 5.) League of Legends $10 RP or $25 RP card on EUW (Summoner name: celestja) ✿ 6.) Pop! Vinyl Figure: Jinx ✿ 7.) Final Fantasy XV on PS4 Pro (PAL) ✿ 8.) League of Legends: Lulu Figure   Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind? YES! I collect dessert cookbooks from all over the world in their native language ;D So far I have French, Swedish, German, Australian, Malaysian, Chinese, and HongKongese (lol). I'd also be super thrilled to receive a tasty dinner cookbook for beginning home chefs so my partner can get the hang of making easy and healthy (but delicious, please) family meals.   Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players? We are certainly a game-heavy household- and are mostly console (PS4, gamecube), social (tablet/mobile), and PC gamers To answer your question, yes to both! 3-4 players unless we have guests over, then obviously more. We're a gaming household We recently started buying boardgames for my eldest daughter to join in. I like strategy games (like Risk), creative/competitive children-friendly games like Rapidough or this Swedish trivia card game (name escapes me) which involves a gridded map and multiple tiered questions about a specific zone in the country which you had to guess the location for. I also love some of the new card games popping up on Kickstarter (Exploding kittens?)...Does the Pokemon TCG count DX ...We play and collect that as a family, too! The rest of the family want to start collecting Pokemon everything.   If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader? I don't All the books I read are from literary groups and Scholastic reading lists...for my children. So any of these books which send a nice and clear message or moral are just as appreciated. 'Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes' and 'Don't Forget the Bacon' are two current family favourites.     What animals do you think are considered cute? I think woodland creatures are cute, especially fawn, deer, rabbits, butterflies, hummingbirds, then of course, kittens, lambs, and can't forget unicorns !! I love these all so much, I own a majority of them as prints and motifs in lolita dress designs.   Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick) No fire anything here please. The only fire we're starting is the one that eventually lights 4 candles on the Advent calendar so that the room isn't a blackout during dinner   Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick) No fire anything here please. The only fire we're starting is the one that eventually lights 4 candles on the Advent calendar so that the room isn't a blackout during dinner   You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf? Either material sounds great! I love chunky knit, I love lacework, and hey- I love lacework knit!! - the only caveat is that it needs to be soft to the touch (I can't wear scratchy fabrics, my skin irritates too much to ignore), and be long enough to wind-a-hundred-times. Not even kidding! I love LONG scarves. If you are skilled with the needle, and could make something like this hooded super-long assassin scarf (in black) [1], I'd love you forever. Here is another example [2] ..and here is too [3] (all from the same brand, Demobaza)   Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? You can view some of my pictures on http://www.by-ellen.com These are absolutely dear and precious! It would be an absolute treat to own a signed, monster-size print from your collection of the fallow deer, wolf or bluethroat, as a centerpiece frame for the living room wall. I couldn't find the exact filename to differentiate from the others, so I screenshotted the ones I specifically connected with. I love the fallow deer the most as a subject, but the way this particular fox was shot against the framing of those branches and the balance of the foreground greenery...and the depth from the the background flora... fantastic!   What are your most wanted BPALs? It's kind of hard to answer this because my most wanted BPAL are generally the ones that I'm still struggling to hunt down enough of. Elf v4, Jingo Kogo v6, Fée, Cherry Blossom SN, and XCDL 13. The not-so-rares include L'Estate, Serving Fish, Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, Voyeurs Among the Cherry Blossoms, and Black Lace (2007 teal label). I do have a sufficient supply of the rest, so I've resisted as much as I can to not list them for this question.   Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things? ]I would most certainly prefer non-foody things, I suppose... because I cherish the idea of making any gift I receive, live forever... and edibles simply cannot honor that. Of course, I cannot say the same for my kids and man lol.   Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts! BPAL. NAVA vanillas, something to do with both my kids (which I now suspect you are doing, and am beyond ecstatic!), , a sewn super long hooded scarf like this in black (or a super long knitted/crochetted/lacework etc one with amigurimi attached to it which might take forever so don't listen to me), kyaraben for making food art, nyan nyan nyanko cat stationary, nyan nyan nyako cat amigurimi, a dessert cookbook from your country, memorabilia from League of Legends, Pokemon, and/or Final Fantasy, a glass fawn paperweight .. I've just listed everything here on this blog, haven't I... I guess pretty much anything on this list with thought put into it! I didn't want to miss stuff in case you made stuff not in this answer. I'll love anything you give me, snow angel! As long as there is thought behind it! Because that connects me with you and makes everything incomparably, more special! [/color]     You mentioned the possibility of including a photo of your children. Can you please either post one in your blog or send one to me here? OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMG!! My snow angel contacted me! HI!!! I included two photos (one via email and a separate one here), because a mother cant waste an opportunity to show off her children ;p   ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・° 彡 ☆彡              

celestia

celestia

 

Q & A Database

Q&A Database This is a collection of all questionnaires, surveys, and thoughts relating to my identity and scent profile.       Forum Forum Profile Profile Questionnaire Signature Scent (what would I smell like?) Personal BPAL Evolution Collection Breakdown Incoming Collection (Planned Orders): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7   REVIEW LISTS: Favourite Scents Reviews of my Top 50~ BPAL Scents 2016 BPAL Favourites Categorical Favourites   PREDICTIONS: Initial Thoughts/Shortlist for Updates and New Releases Lupercalia 2018 (+1) 15th Anniversary 2017 Yules 2017 (+1) Fatherhood 2017 (+1) Liliths 2017 (+1) Dog Days of Summer 2017 Lupercalia 2017 Yule 2016 Art of the Unicorn #1 Art of the Unicorn #2 Motherhood 2016 (Liliths) American Gods I American Gods III SWAP CIRCLES: 12 Days of Christmas Circle Profile Circle Questions

celestia

celestia

 

12 Days of Christmas Q & A 🍭

Hello my lovely Snow Angel!☃️   Can......Can I start the questions early? I'm very excited. I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?   Absolutely! It's a little warm in TN, but I still wear scarves and hats! (Man I wish I was crafty!)   How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations? .   Omg.....Yes! Little foxes, bunnies, cats, Border Collies, anything cute and cuddly makes me Squeeeeee!   How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).   Fingerless gloves and funky hats sound awesome!   What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?   All about local honey! Chocolate and nuts....crunchy sweet and salty is a yum. Jam is good, too!   If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why? .   Ireland.....I've always wanted wanted to go there...especially since I'm Irish and born on St Patrick's Day!☘️. Also Paris....the culture and art....ahhhhh!   What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? . Stickers, fun things to send in swaps/sales, wacky seasonal stuff!   Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one? . I love trying to garden, I live in an apartment so there's not a lot of room....but I still have a flower / vine bed. Favorite flower is coneflowers..... love wildflowers. Also love herbs!   If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes) :   I'm desperately looking for a forest with dark berries.....preferably blackberries scent! Favorite notes are blackberry, Plum, patchouli, vanilla, and frankincense.......dirty berries, and sugared Plum.   I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?. :   I love so many things....from the styles of Mab Graves to Waterhouse. Original art, you can't go wrong! Traditional, but then again digital could be very cool! My family in crazy digital sounds awesome!   When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?   I've got fair, sensitive skin with hazel eyes and blonde hair (added brown and strawberry). Makeup style is normally pretty organic....mascara, tinted moisturizer, and chapstick. But sometimes I like to play with it (would love to know how to do a great smoky eye and great brows.....halps!). I want Adele's eye makeup!   Have we already answered questions about Christmas tree themes for this year?   My trees are always a mishmash of everyone's likes.....so no theme here but I like putting lots of animals in my tree 🌲.   what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?   Oh Snow Angel, I wish I could tell you that I'm organized.....but that would be a naughty lie. I tend to go from collector to trying to pair everything down (which fails).   Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?   I'd love to learn to knit. I used to know a little bit about it.....but I guess I brain dumped it. I love yarn so much....it's criminal that I don't know how to use it....my cat seems to know, but he's not talking!   Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?   I like BBWs fall/Halloween candles and room spray   Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!   Oh my weakness....I'm seriously coveting Plum Rain shower gel from the kitchen....oh Lawd!!!   Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?   I was at Office Depot not too long ago, and I wanted everything in there! Cool tape, colored Sharpies, sticky notes....in short: yes!   Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?   Both!!! Love to try Cellar Door Soap, Valhalla....and well, you know about the Lush thing!😜   Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay   candles....all day long!!!!!   Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces   I can't do earrings (makes me look like a monkey? 🐒). But I love necklaces and charms....length would be long or choker   How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid? Pour some sugah on me!   Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?   I'm an English Lit. major, so you can't over swag me with Shakespeare. I love so many of his plays. I need Shakes on a tote bag.....or HIDDLESTON (I can't help scream his name, sorry!)   What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?   We read Dickens' Christmas Carol every year, so I'd have to go with that one. But LOVE Nightmare Before Christmas .... Burton!!!   Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?   Definitely numbered....let the story unfold!!   Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?   Would love to start reading the Kingkiller Chronicles and more Gaiman.....and Pablo Nerudo   For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?   Any order.....for instance, I'd love to own The Chronicles of Narnia....any order. And any Harry Potter (I promised oldest son to read and then we'd watch the movies together......I'm so behind)   Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)   No Trader Joe's for miles! Yes!!! I'd love to try some of their famous yummies!   What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?   Size 6....and yes to comfy socks! My dog tends to hide one sock at all times!  
***PSA TO MY SNOW ANGEL! Adding extra fandoms, because my brain wasn't working❤️❤️: King killer and HIDDLESTON!!!! I'd love to read the Kingkiller Chronicles! And Tom Hiddleston because....Lawd!❤️❤️ from your snowflake.....who seems to be quite flaky! ***.

raspberryswirlgirl

raspberryswirlgirl

 

12 Days of Christmas swap answers

08 Nov
Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
I do not, sadly. I have a gas insert and I miss the smell of the wood smoke.

07 Nov
If you said you liked candles/melts/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things? Same as my scents for what I wear- easy peasy
Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind? Gluten free
Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players? I love board games! and card games! and it can be for 2 to 200 players. All are good!
Would you be interested in:

- Dried honeycrisp apples Yes!

- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes!

- Rose petal liqueur Yes!

- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam YES!

- garlic dill pickles YES!

- raw honey from bees on our property Yes!

- Baked or homemade goods (rum balls, spritz cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, fudge, cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, princess buttercups, chex mixes, trail mixes, etc.)
Feel free to request a certain type of favorite thing you like. I have a food handlers license and I will make sure everything is very sterile, I am ultra virgo about cleanliness. I will avoid allergens like the plague if you are allergic to certain things. I can do gluten free baked things and/or we could do sugar free if that is a must. This to me is awesome. I truly appreciate you going above and beyond when it comes to allergens. I cannot have wheat.

- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? We do different sizes, some with zippers, some with draw strings. I can get all kinds of fandom type fabric like Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Mario Brothers, etc. I have some glittery bats, skulls, etc. too.
If you're interested, what size would you like and would you prefer drawstring or zipper? Zipper please!
What colors/theme? (most things that are on jo-anns web site, we can get locally.) I love all things dr who, Harry Potter, day of the dead, ravens. owls, foxes, octopuses, if you need to know more, ask

- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? I have a LOT of really nice "farty" or "snobby" yarn in semi-solids, self striping, and gradients. Or I can make batts with our drum carder. I have roving and wool too if you spin. Or I have some handspun yarn in different colors/weights as well. I really want to try my hand at spinning so this would be amazing! I also love to crochet and knit, so "farty" yarn would be a nice treat lol.

- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? I'm learning cross stitch and might be able to get a project done. I'm hip with inappropriate phrases... Sure!

- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like -
pinterest?
ravelry bundle? You can take a peek at my ravelry library. My user name is witcharoo.

How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like? Jewel tones, and black.

04 Nov
Bath and Body works? just the handsoap (foaming preferably)

I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving? I would appreciate anything my snow anbgel wouldl ike to bring, but I do like to collect patches and squished pennies from different places.


What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks? 7-8 and yes please life is too short for boring socks.

Stuff from The Netherlands, England, Germany, etc.: Yes Please! England especially. It is on my bucket list of places to see. I really really really want to go there. But, I know that both the Netherlands and Germany have great things to offer, so if my snow angel is headed there, I do collect patches ( or badges as some call them) of different places, so I would also love those as well.

Office supplies:
Yep I work at a boring old desk so anything to make it more my own is welcome.

Spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks:
Yes please! As long as there is no wheat in them it should be fine.

Would you like cooking ingredients, mixes, spices, oils, gadgets, etc.:
Yes I would

Soaps or bath gel?
I use gels more often than bar soap, but that doesn't mean I won't use it.

Candles, wax melts, incense?
Candles and wax melts, yes. Incense no. I love it but it bothers the hubs.

Jewelry preferences:
Silver/silver-toned, or copper/bronze (I don't have any allergies or sensitivities).

Sweeteners:
I try to avoid artificial sweeteners when I can.

Handmade items & homemade food:
Yes yes yes please!

Licorice? I used to love licorice, but I can't have it anymore since it contains wheat.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc) I do not have a Trader Joe's near me, but always watch with envy at the wonderful things that come out of that store lol. So yes, I would love some of their famous delicious treats.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
I love Shakespeare so this would be good for me
What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite? I would say that my favorite Christmas story would have to be the Claymation Rudolph the red nosed reindeer because I remember vividly watching when I was small at my grandparents house. As I ot older it was definitely a Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation.

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection? Whatever my Snow Angel's heart desires.

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey? No I don't but I am always interested in learning about new authors.


For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained? Obviously in order is usually best, but if it's a really good story, it should be fairly easy to pick up in the middles with no issues.


03 Nov
what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?
I have an excel spreadsheet that I chronicle everything I own and have tried- I also have notes on if I have already swapped it, just to remind myself that I have indeed tried a specific scent already.

02 Nov
Christmas decor?
We are hosting Christmas this year and the theme is cozy Chirstmas. So everyone will be coming in their pjs or comfy wear and I plan on using alot of knits and warmish things for decorating the tables with. My trees (yes, I have 2 every year) don't have a theme unless you called it colourful eclectic. I have all sorts of ornamets and bright colours and nothing matches and they look awesome

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
I am very fair, with hazel eyes, dark hair, styled any old way I want on any given day I wear lots of different colours when it comes to eyeshadows and as for any other additional make up info I am looking into foundations. I have always used just a powder but right now I am considering trying a liquid....

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
Right now I am really looking into spinning my own yarn. I want to get one of those kits with a top spindle ( the ones where the disk is at the top, not the bottom) and some roving and just give it a go. I wouldn't care if the yarn was dyed or not, I just really want to try it.

31 Oct
I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?

I love crochet and you can make me any number of things, an aghan (although I pretty sure shipping would be horrendous), mitts, fingerless mitts, a scarf/cowl kind of deal, or whatever my swapper wants to make for me.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).

I cannot get enough of knit socks. The time it takes (for me anyway) to actually sit down and make a pair, well let’s just say I am in awe of people who can churn them out. You can do cables, lace, plain, whatever your heart desires. Anything else that tickles your fancy to make me would also be happily accepted J

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?

I would LOVE some!! Fanbased would be most welcome (Harry Potter, Sherlock, Dr who, game of thrones, labyrinth, dark crystal, Nightmare before Christmas, Princess bride, and many more)


What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?

All of them sound good. I just can’t do wheat though, that’s the only thing you need to watch out for. Other than that, I am very adventurous with food and will usually try anything once.


If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
England would be a place I would love to go to. I am in love with all of the history there. Ireland is second on the list, there are a few vying for third.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
So, I don’t know if there is anything I get a kick out of per se, I like to browse the aisles. I do purchase some of my kitchen items from there (think tin foil, sandwich bags etc), and sometimes they have cook kitchen gadgets.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
My favorite plants are lavender, roses, peonies, succulents, irises, marigolds, peppermint, in no particular order.

Favourite flowers to look at touch: pansies, peppermint, lavender,

Favourite flowers to sniff: Roses, peonies, daffodils, irises, violets,

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)
A custom blend would probably be something smoky, with a hint of a sweetness coming from one of my favorite flowers, and ending with a whisper of parchment and ink.

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?

Traditional for sure because I would want to hang it up,a nd I would get lazy printing out a digital one. And whatever you are happiest drawing would be good for me J


Anita

Anita

 

12 Days of Christmas 2016 Q&A

Questionnaire

Do you celebrate Christmas? Another winter holiday?:
I celebrate Christmas hard. =) But as more of a secular celebration and family time, and less of a Christian religious holiday.

Do you decorate? Would you like to receive decorative items?:
I do, and I would in particular love decorations that are snowy winter forest themed.

What are your favorite things about winter/Christmas?:
Light in the darkness, warmth in the cold. Going out to CA to spend a week with my parents and siblings, who I miss dearly the rest of the year. Paper snowflakes and real wood fires. Carols and cookies. Cozy everything and a storm howling outside.

What is your favorite Christmas/winter holiday memory?:
Being surrounded by hundreds of candles and poinsettias and chrismons in a darkened church while my father led the congregation in singing Silent Night at Christmas Eve services (I'm a pastor's kid, who still appreciates all of the ritual and wonder of the church even if don't still claim the belief.)

ALL ABOUT YOU
Allergies and dietary/lifestyle restrictions (if applicable):
Allergic to nickel/brass/pot metals...basically no fun costume jewelry

Favorite color(s):
Dusky sunset ones...golden oranges and dusty purples and twilight blues

Least favorite color(s):
Neon anything. Orangey-reds.

Favorite Christmas snacks and treats:
Anything spiced and/or molasses heavy, like gingerbread. I also love those chocolate-covered marshmallow trees from See's...we got them ever year as kids.

Do you like coffee, cocoa, and/or tea?
yes, yes, and yes. (Though not a big rooibos fan, as far as teas go)

Favorite bath & beauty products:
Bath bombs/soaking salts/bath oils/massage bars. Lush is a brand I love, but I'm open to whatever.
Also love sheet masks.

Favorite scents (both specific notes and perfume blends):
Just getting into BPAL so not many blends, but here are some notes I tend to like:
Spicy--carnations (Lush Potion lotion), cloves, ginger, cardamom...love 'em
Citrus--grapefruit, tangerine, orange/orange blossom...particularly grounded in woods.
Wood--especially dry woods like oak leaves and sweet ones, like the Ponderosa pine forests...the bark smells like rootbeer and butterscotch and vanilla
Amber--particularly if it leans a little almond. BPALs Bastet makes me want to devour my own arm...

Least favorite scents (both specific notes and perfume blends):
I have a scent aversion to freesia. Other than that flowers are a complete mystery to me (other than carnation, which I read as more of a spice than a floral), so I'm not sure what works or doesn't.
Generally not a fan of what my skin does to grassy or green tea type smells, or things that most people would describe as "clean and fresh" or as a "cotton/linen" scent. Fine in a room, awful on me.
Also, I have always thought that I don't like patchouli, because its been my experience it goes out of control and takes over when it touches my skin. But then I discovered it was part of a citrus/spice/resin blend that I love (Smell Bent's Sno Birds) so maybe in a minor supporting role?

Your favorite books/authors/genres:
I have eclectic genre taste and love books and this is a hard question! A few of my favorite books are The Little Prince, My Antonia, House of Leaves, American Gods, Y the Last Man, the Sandman series, The Bell Jar, Leaves of Grass, The Eyes of the Dragon, The People of Paper, and I will stop there for fiction. I also love biographies and popular science books.

Your preferred book format (Kindle ebook, Kobo ebook, paperback, etc.)?:
Paperback or Kindle

Do you collect anything?:
Not really, but I do have a fondness for foxes

Your favorite fandom(s):
Again...too many...but Orphan Black, Doctor Who, Namesake (and the worlds of Oz and Wonderland that it draws heavily from), Adventure Time, Stark Trek, D&D, Buffy (& the general Whedonverse) and does Grimm's Fairytales count as a fandom?

What are your hobbies?:
Crochet, Hiking, Baking/Cooking, and I'm learning guitar and knitting

Would you like any supplies for your hobbies?:
Pretty yarn is always appreciated!  
What sort of music do you like?:
Tend mostly toward indie rock and folk
*Are there any holiday albums you're looking forward to?:
Not sure if this is supposed to be about new releases, but I always look forward to pulling out Loreena McKennit's A Winter Garden and Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song and Sufjan Steven's Songs for Christmas.

Do you have VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray?: DVD/Blu Ray

*Does your player of choice have region restrictions?: Region 1/A


Things you could always use more of:
Lip balm! BWC Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion.

Do you wear nail polish?:
Yes, if it is 3 Free (no DBP, Formaldehyde, or Toluene)

Personal clothing style:
Whimsical? A little weird and romantic and earthy. If I had all the monies, I'd live in Prabal Gurung and multi-era vintage.

Do you like jewelry?:
Yes
*If so, what sort?:
Sterling silver, particularly in celtic design; leather and bone and shell and beads
*What sizes and/or lengths do you prefer?:
Anything from chunky to delicate.

Would you enjoy receiving wearables (shirts, socks, shoes, arm/legwarmers, hats, etc.)?:
Sure
*Sizing on wearables:
Socks/shoes: 8; hats/gloves/legwarmers: large; clothing: XL/16

Home style:
Eclectic- my SO loves industrial and I'm an arts and crafts girl, and we have a lot of art (James Jean is our collective favorite artist if you want to get a sense) and we love pop surrealism
Would you appreciate decoratives or art for your home?:
Sure
*Are there any restrictions (no naked people, no breakables, that kind of thing)?:
Nope.

Would you be open to receiving handmade items?:
Yes!

Is there anything you definitely do NOT want to receive (things with nudity, profane language, etc.)?:
Plants. Sadly, my cats will just try to eat them.

Would you like your partner to spoil your S.O./child/cat/dog? What do they like?:
Sure!
My S.O. likes World of Warcraft, the Gilmore Girls, white chocolate, spices for cooking, flannel, Fallout, and eye masks for while I'm reading at night.
Our cats love those Da Bird type feather wand toys and Bonito flakes and catnip.
No kiddos here.

Are you comfortable receiving good/like new condition used items?:
Absolutely!

What are five inexpensive things you always appreciate receiving?
Washi Tape or other fun crafty supplies
Popcorn...kernels or popped & flavored
Fun socks
Sage smudge/sweetgrass/resins
Any kind of cooking utensils or small gadgets for the kitchen

And here's the circle's Q&A:

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?
Yes, absolutely to all of this!

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).
I would love socks or mittens or gloves! I especially like cables and fair isle, and lace is lovely but I fear for it's durability on my hands or feet. I am actually trying to pick up knitting now, so I have a whole board of "someday" things to knit on my Ravelry (44sunsets there as well), if that is of interest for inspiration. But honestly any hand-knit things you dream up would be lovely.

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
Jams! Part of our holiday traditions are aebleskivers with jam, so whatever your local or cultural specialty is on that would be excellent.
Jerky is also a winner, especially fun stuff like salmon or bison.
Dried fruit and veggies are great, as long as they are free of sulfur dioxide. I especially love unsweetened dried berries and cherries, which I think is a Pacific Northwest thing?
No honey for me, as I recently stocked up on that.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
New: Choquequirao/Machu Picchu, because they are breathtaking and ancient ruins, and hiking the Inca trail is a life goal.
Return trip: Ireland, which I visited last summer on a family roots trip and am in love with. The landscape makes me feel like I am home...the Burren, especially, speaks to me in deep ways.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
Oh, I get a kick out of the whole place; I love the randomness of the dollar store. In terms of things I end up buying, it's usually art supplies, stationary, bubbles and glow sticks, or storage boxes/buckets/baskets.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
Sadly, no plants for me. I live in a city apartment with no real outside space.
My favorite flowers for looking at are wisteria, ranunculus, and giant allium; I love the smell of pink jasmine, magnolias, and lilacs; and anything flavored with rose or violet is sure to delight me.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)
Gosh. Any bath products are great. As for scent, probably some something with ginger/chai and suede/old parchment/wool...and maybe carnation? Would all those smells work together? Basically something that smells spicy, warm and a little musty with maybe just a hint of floral.
Or, on the other hand entirely, perfume that captures the smell of wet concrete and metal and petrichor in the city when it rains...a damp but NOT green smell. Not sure how one could create that, though.
Basically, I want a smell like the storm outside, or one like the cuddling up with a blanket, a book, and something spicy when I get home. =)

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on my tablet (ok it's my daughter's but still) or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
First off, original art of any kind would be amazing! I have a board of some of our favorite contemporary artists/artworks on pintrest here if you want some inspiration, but I would really appreciate whatever comes from your creativity!

As for specific ideas for fanart chibis: we used to have two female sugar gliders, Hodgkin and Huxley, and I don't know if you could make little chibi versions of them dressed up as some characters from my listed fandoms, but that would be awesome. They were the standard black and grey.
As for portrait work in pencil, I would love a sketch of my long running RPG elf ranger-turned-Death-cleric. She's got completely black eyes and dreadlocks woven with hemlock and belladonna. She carries on her a sickle, an hourglass, and a bone "rosary", wears dark leather armor and a cloak, and I've always imagined her looks rather like Dichen Lachman.

Christmas tree/decor themes for this year?
I have no theme...we just throw on all the sentimental ornaments from all years past. But for other decoration, I am big on the snowy forest motif, and I favor an evergreen and ivory and silver and blue palette.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
As mentioned, I'm just starting to pick up knitting. As for other potentials, I have always found papercutting to be gorgeous and intriguing. And I do want to try taking up jewelry making at some point!

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
I have sensitive skin, I don't really wear much makeup, and I am really picky about what I do use, so probably best to avoid that. I love nail polishes though, from sparkly funky to matte neutrals. I have very fair neutral-toned skin, medium brown hair, and brown-grey hazel eyes.

What kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?
I really am just starting down the collecting road, but I recently made up a Google spreadsheet here of everything I've ordered or been frimped/gifted. I am keeping notes so I can figure out what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, it is mostly blank at this point, since I'm just starting to fill it in.

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
I find many of their scents make my nose itch, but I wouldn't mind things from their aromatherapy line, particularly in orange ginger or lavender chamomile. I prefer body scrubs or bath items to lotions, and no hand sanitizer.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try?
Any and all things Lush, except soaps cause I don't use them. As for showergels, I haven't tried Bubbly or Yuzu & Cocoa yet, and I love citrus or spicy/chocolate/coffee washes.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
Love sweet black licorice.

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
No specific requests, but holiday treats or little trinkets from any of those places would be great.

Is your BPAL wishlist updated?
I haven't made one yet, but I'll get on it!

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
Maybe pretty or funky sticky notes or colorful gel pens? Otherwise I'm set on this.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
An enthusiastic YES to all.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Homemade mixes would be awesome, and I love things for cooking/baking.

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
Bath gel

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Candles and incense, please! I especially like "forest" or spice smelling ones.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
I like everything from chokers to super long, loopable necklaces. Same with earrings: studs, hoops, chandeliers are all good. I'm not a big ring person, and I prefer my bracelets to be of the bangle to tennis variety.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid? Sucralose and other artificial sweeteners tend to upset my tummy and tastebuds. Honey, agave nectar, molasses, and raw sugar are my usual choices, but fine with sugar, stevia, and other natural sweeteners.

Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples
YES
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon)
YES
- Rose petal liqueur
VERY YES
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam
TRIPLE YES!!!
- Baked or homemade goods
LOVE BAKED GOODS! Not allergic to anything. Prefer fruit/spice to chocolate. Not that into peanut, but other nuts are great. Toffee would be awesome as would any type of molasses cookie.
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags?
SURE. Large bag for yarn based projects would be excellent, with a zipper. Nightmare Before Christmas fabric would be perfect!!!
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber?
YES, YES, YES! All the fiber craft! Especially handspun or "farty" yarn would be amazing. =)
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark?
BOOKMARKS! and snarky/inappropriate phrases are totally welcomed.
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - pinterest? ravelry bundle? How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like?
RAVELRY BUNDLE AS MENTIONED ABOVE; 44sunsets on there too.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?
I love Shakespeare, so swag away. Favorite of his plays are probably Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, and The Tempest.

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?
The Muppets Christmas Carol movie and O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi hold a special place in my heart. As does Gremlins!

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?
Doesn't matter...whatever makes the most sense to you, dear Snow Angel.

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?
I don't really keep online wishlists. Sorry! I've actually been meaning to get more active on Goodreads, so maybe I'll be able to work on that next weekend!

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?
In order, please.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)
I am near one, so I'm set.

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?
Size 7.5 to 8, and I love getting socks.

I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving?
Not really. I have family in San Diego so I'm there plenty. In general, I'd prefer neat little things from local shops or even shells/rocks/pinecones collected somewhere to identifiable "souvenir" type things.

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?
Steampunk is cool, but inexpensive jewelry would probably be difficult given my metal restrictions. Maybe if you could make or find something where the base is entirely leather with metallic accents that don't touch the skin?

I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft?
Yes, paper journals would be lovely. As well as stationary/cards.

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
I now have a wishlist linked in my signature. Can't say I have a top 10 yet, but Alice, Morocco, Bitches Love Unicorns, the Lion, Bastet, Spiced Autumn Cider, and Dead Leaves, Raw Leather, Bourbon Vanilla, and Clove have all been winners. (The losers so far: Tomb Moss, Embalming Fluid, and, tragically, Witch Dance. Hoping that last one will settle and behave on me with aging because I so badly want the notes described to come out on my skin instead of straight Nag Champa.)

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?

Yarns and other crafty stuff. Video games on Steam (I will update a wishlist for there too!). Board games.

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
Yes I like to cook, but no thanks on the cookbooks...I have too large a collection for our small apartment already.

Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
Yes, love board games and card games. Something that ranges from 2 players up is most welcome, and I generally like deck building (Dominion), resource/route building (Ticket to Ride), or cooperative strategy (Pandemic) games more than "party" type games.

Would you like to receive a photography print?
Sure, I love photography, and a print of a photo taken by you, Snow Angel, would be a fun way to literally see the world through your perspective! I generally gravitate toward landscapes/cityscapes, but really whatever you put your artistic lens to capturing.

What are your most wanted BPAL's?
As for the more-difficult-to-obtain, I would say Hod or Gingerbread Poppet. I also made a wishlist of those things that interest me which is now linked in my signature.

Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
A mix, but more non-foody items.

Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
BPTP hair gloss or bath oil decants. Handmade holiday decor.

Any interest in homemade fruitcake?
Never had it, but I love ginger and nuts and dried cherries and molasses and bourbon, so sure!

Boozy chocolate balls preference?
Irish whiskey, for sure!


44sunsets

44sunsets

 

12 Days of Christmas 2016

UPDATED 11/18

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?

Absolutely! I am not much of a cowl wearer, but otherwise, bring on all the homemade goodies, especially since yarn-craft and I do not get along.

How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).

Yes please! Fingerless gloves are another desire of mine.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?

I don't really have feelings about them, to be honest, which is a good excuse to show me why they are awesome! (This is as good a time as any to mention that I forgot to include Ghostbusters on my list of beloved fandoms.)

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?

I love dried fruit/veg/nut combos. I love honey, like good jerky, jam is fab. The only thing that jumps out at me from PNW that I wouldn't want is salmon anything. Otherwise, I love to try local snacks, bread mixes, that sort of thing.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?

I really want to go to Australia and New Zealand. Truly, I want to go everywhere, but that's my next big desire.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?

I inevitably get distracted by the wall of tacky jewelry, but I never actually buy anything.

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?

I would not want gardening stuff or plants. I generally prefer not to receive things I will inevitably kill. Calla lilies are my favorite flower.

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)

Something spicy/creamy/red musky. Text would be a silly bit of poetry.

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?

I...have no idea. Sorry, that is totally unhelpful. Maybe sketches of my kids?

Have we already answered questions about Christmas tree themes for this year?
We always do a tree, but it's not themed. Generally, we do a combo of modern bright colors, ornaments from my childhood, things my kids have made, souvenirs from vacations, and whatever characters my kids are currently into.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?
Fair with ruddy cheeks. Blue eyes. Dyed dark red hair. Makeup style is definitely funky - if I want to look natural, I just don't wear makeup. Otherwise, I usually do a bit of powder foundation, vibrant eye shadow crayon and black or blue/black mascara (note I DO NOT need more black mascara). Then a red or berry or burgundy lip color. I don't wear blush or lip liner or usually eye liner, although I will play with that sometimes. I am always in the market for more bold eye or lip colors, nail polishes (glitter is good) and could legit use a "glue" for loose powder shadow.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?
There's nothing I'm particularly jonsing for at the moment, but I've been a little curious about needle felting if there's an all inclusive kit you like. My daughter also loves crafty stuff, so things we could work on together would be fun.

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?
I love their lotions and shower gel and some of their specialty spa stuff. I also love their candles, perhaps a bit too much.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!
My fave Lush products are their bath products, which I have no current ability to use, sadly. I don't care for their soap at all, their shower gels are okay. I do love me some Lemony Flutter, though.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?
ALL THE LICORICE!!! I generally prefer sweet, but like salty if it is combined with something sweet (Nemi gave me some chocolate covered salty licorice last year that was AMAZING.)

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?
Magnets, jewelry, local sweets and candy are among my travel related loves.

is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do!
I will try to get that taken care of ASAP.

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?
I particularly love pens in all sorts of colors and sticky notes.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?
Sure! I particularly like cheesy..

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?
Absolutely!

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?
I marginally prefer soap, just because I'm more likely to grab it to use.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?
Candles are fine, although I am kind of drowning in them. Please no incense or wax melts.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?
The bigger and bolder the better. I do not wear post earrings, though. Otherwise, in terms of length, anything goes.

Sweeteners:
I don't do artificial sweeteners.Honey, agave, other actual sugar alternatives are fine. No stevia or stuff like that though.

Handmade items & homemade food:
Absolutely!

Shakespearean swag:
This is my question, so I am pretty well set, but yes, I do love me some random Shakespeare.

Favorite Christmas story:
A Christmas Carol all day long, the book, adaptations, everything other than the Jim Carrey version.

Numbered packages or random:
Whatever you prefer, Snow Angel.

Goodreads or other wish lists:
Everything is in my swap help blog entry linked in my sig..

Books in a series-- in order?
If books are pretty much standalone, like Discworld or a lot of police procedural series, I am cool with random entries. For anything that is truly serial and the series is meant to tell a full story together, then I want them in order.

Trader Joe's:
I have one super close but I never actually go there, so it is fair game.(I love cookie butter ; -)

Shoe size
US womens 8, socks are wonderful

I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving?
I can't think of anything SD specific, to be honest, but see above re my usual souvenirs.

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?
I yes and yes! The biggest catch is a lot of steampunk jewelry I see is very gold/bronze based.

I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft?
I have so many journals that I never get around to using, so I should probably pass.

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?
I a not ISO anything in particular right now. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP. I listed a lot of my faves in my survey, I think.

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
I'm sure there will be some deals on movies or games that are up my alley, but there's nothing specific I can think of (I tend to avoid any offline black Friday shopping).

Homemade stuff specifics:
Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples Yes
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes
- Rose petal liqueur Yes!
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam Yes!
- garlic dill pickles Yes
- raw honey from bees on our property Yes!
- Baked or homemade goods Always. Of particular interest from the list are rum balls, cranberry bars, fudge and trail mix. If you make extra fab brownies or breads, that's cool too.
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? If you have thematic fabric or the desire to make something that fits with my fandoms, that would be super, but I don't really need them in general. Of particular interest would be Harry Potter, Doctor Who, NMBC, MLP. Bigger bags that could hold some of my daughter's huge MLP collection would actually be pretty fab.
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? No thank you.
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? Bookmarks, dishtowels, pillows, other usable things would be great. I don't have much wall space for hangings, though.
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - I have no idea and am not on ravelry or relevantly on pinteroist. I am not real big on cable-knit or that sort of classic texture, though. For some reason, I now have an image of some sort of cephalopod texture and would be all over something like that, though. In terms of colors, any of the jewel tones I mention in my survey, especially black/gray/purples/teal.

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?
I love anything evergreeny this time of year, or spicy foody kind of scents.

Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks?
I do cook, but I have a lot of cookbooks. I do love quirky fannish ones, though. I have Dining with the Doctor.

Do you like games (board/card), and if so for how many players?
Yes! I would particularly be interested in games that can be played with 2-3 players as well as larger groups.

If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
I have tried to break down what I have and what I want via an "on-my-shelves" sub-category. Anything on my to-read list that is not so marked is something I would be happy to receive, whether it specifically says "want a copy" or not.

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
Technically we have both fireplace and a metal fire bowl thing, although we have never used the former and rarely use the latter. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed, but these sound like the sort of thing I would acquire and never remember to use.

What animals do you think are considered cute?
Penguins, owls, birds generally, bats, lizards, seals, and I have a fondness for arctic animals specifically - white foxes, wolves, polar bears, etc.

You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf?
I don't think I did, actually. But generally, I like big shawl like winter scarves more than light lacy scarves.

I stalked your etsy and noticed you like gemstones in jewellery!
If yes, what's a list of your favorite semi-precious gemstones?

Sapphires, garnets, moonstone...honestly, I care more about color and overall style than gemstones themselves.

And what is your ring size in US?
I really would prefer not to receive rings. Sorry! I can barely wear my wedding and engagement rings anymore, let alone others.

Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards?
These are beautiful, but outside of owls or birds that I could share with my daughter, I really don't have wall space right now.

Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
Non-foody, please. Some food items are wonderful, but I would prefer that less than half be treats, thanks!

Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
Jewelry, books, a mix cd of seasonal music, fun sparkly decorations, socks or arm warmers... Grabbing this from the thread, but I also love fandom blind bags, incl. Lego!

Anybody else pay attention to Solstice Scents?
Nope. I am a BPAL only gal and do not wear anything else.

If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake?
My own question, so the YES I LOVE IT answer can probably be assumed, but yes, I love fruitcake - even the stereotypical brick - but especially people's different recipes. I go pretty much gaga over any holiday fruit bread - panatella, stollen, etc.

If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey?
I have no real preference. In terms of drinking, I lean toward whiskeys, but all the booze is welcome over here.

emzebel

emzebel

 

12 Days of Christmas

All my question answers in one place!   I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?   Most definitely! Perhaps not a sweater but I would very much welcome any of the other items   How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?   That's not something that I would really go for.   How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).   Yes to all of the above!! I loves me some knitwear, especially socks and leg warmers right now. I like chunky knits, cable knits, large buttons, anything really!   What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?
Any and all of the above Especially honey as it is one of my favourite foods. I usually have at least three different varieties in the cupboard at any one time. I'm also very intrigued by local delicacies and products, so although I am not familiar with the Pacific Northwest, I would love to try the products.

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?
At this time of year, I'm all about dreaming of Finland, snow, log cabins and seeing the Northern Lights.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?
I don't normally go to those shops unfortunately. If you see something that you think would suit me though, then go for it!

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?
I'm all about the gardening but we are going to be doing a lot of groundwork in our garden and so we should really hold off from adding more plants until we are done. I do love wild roses, dog roses and similar. Otherwise, I would love to add a mulberry and a Japanese wineberry at some point but now is probably not the best time. We already have an extensive herb garden and have most things in it that we need.
As for indoor plants, I already have a large jade plant and more aloe vera than I know what to do with! Again, we are going to be doing a lot of work in our house and so no more houseplants should really be introduced until it is done.   If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)
Something heavily scented that I could use in the shower, like a whipped soap perhaps. The scent would definitely involve vanilla and most likely warm spices too. I may have to think about this answer and come back and update this!   I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on my tablet (ok it's my daughter's but still) or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?
Either would be lovely! The art in our house follows a woodland theme, featuring trees, flora and fauna of woodlands. I do love hares too!   When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?

No makeup needed thanks.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?

No thanks.

what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?

Not much of a collector of anything apart from BPAL/BPTP

Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap?

No thanks.

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try?

I haven't used Lush in years so I'm a bit out of touch. Any that fit my scent preferences I suppose?

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?

No thanks.

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?

I can get most German and Dutch things here but if there is anything that just shouldn't be missed then I'm game! I love trying local things.

BPAL wishlist updated?   Yes!

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?

Purple writing pens are useful but otherwise no thanks.

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?

Yes to all the snacks!   Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?

As someone who enjoys cooking, I have cupboards packed full of such things so perhaps not, thanks!

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?

Candles are good, incense is ok, melts are a no thanks.

How do you feel about sweeteners? Do you prefer sugar, stevia, sucralose, etc.? Anything in particular to avoid?

I prefer natural.

Would you be interested in:
- Dried honeycrisp apples Yes
- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes
- Rose petal liqueur Sure!
- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam No thanks, I make my own.
- garlic dill pickles Yes
- raw honey from bees on our property That would be awesome!
- Baked or homemade goods (rum balls, spritz cookies, fudge, cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, princess buttercups, chex mixes, trail mixes, etc.) Feel free to request a certain type of favorite thing you like. I have a food handlers license and I will make sure everything is very sterile, I am ultra virgo about cleanliness. I will avoid allergens like the plague if you are allergic to certain things. I can do gluten free baked things and/or we could do sugar free if that is a must.
Faves are bolded but also interested in chocolate bark.
- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? We do different sizes, some with zippers, some with draw strings. I can get all kinds of fandom type fabric like Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Mario Brothers, etc. I have some glittery bats, skulls, etc. too. If you're interested, what size would you like and would you prefer drawstring or zipper? What colors/theme? (most things that are on jo-anns web site, we can get locally.) Don't really need, thanks.
- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? I have a LOT of really nice "farty" or "snobby" yarn in semi-solids, self striping, and gradients. Or I can make batts with our drum carder. I have roving and wool too if you spin. Or I have some handspun yarn in different colors/weights as well. No thanks.
- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? I'm learning cross stitch and might be able to get a project done. I'm hip with inappropriate phrases... No thanks
- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - pinterest? ravelry bundle? How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like? As a non-knitter I am not really clued up on patterns etc. I mentioned my favourite colours in my questionnaire.

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?

At this time of year, apple, orange, spices and true pine.

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?

Play themed lip balms sound very cool!

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?

A Christmas Carol - pretty much all versions!

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?

Up to you!

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?

They are all in my sig.

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?

No preference.[/b]

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)

We don't have Trader Joe's over here and I would be more than happy to try some of the available munchables.

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?

UK 5.5 - 6. Socks would be fab!

Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk?

Yes and yes!   Christmas decor?
Described in my questionnaire. My tree is silver, gold and white, and the rest of the house is decorated in a forest/log cabin style, with natural evergreens and holly with red berries.   Jewellery?
Already have LOADS thanks.   Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? If so, what kind?
I love to cook but I already have a lot. I could be tempted by one that includes excellent recipes that are traditional to your home country though   Do you like games (board/card), and if so what kind and for how many players?
Not for me thanks.   If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader?
My 'Waiting to be read' list is made up of books that I own but haven't read yet. My 'to read' list is made up of books that I would like to own but don't yet.   Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick)
Yes we do and that would be lovely   Most wanted BPAL?
Anything from my wishlist, which is quite small and so hopefully not intimidating!   1) Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things?
An equal balance would be quite nice. I do loves me some edibles but other non-foody things would also be appreciated. If it swayed to more foody though, I certainly wouldn't complain!


2) Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts!
Good lip balms! Always in need of those. Also edibles, tea/drinkables, socks, soaps, shower products and candles. I'm fairly easy to please!

Nicorah

Nicorah

 

Questions!

I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!?

Yes! I would love any hand-made item. Crocheted or Knitted!

I mostly knit... How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc).

Knit socks in some funky colors would be awesome. Like I said above I like anything; mittens, hats, scarves, shawls, etc.

How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations?

I'm open to animal amigurumi! If a simple ch loop could be added to the top so I could use it as decoration, it'd be fantastic

What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try?

Dried fruit sounds good, I'm not sure about veggies though. I love raw honey, and jerky (I'm even open to exotic animal jerky), love jams, local products like candies, teas, anything really I'm open to trying things!

If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why?

Estonia. I fell in love with their folk metal and began to learn about the country and would really love to visit.

What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of?

I don't go to the dollar stores very often. I think the only thing I buy there is Halloween cups

Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one?

I don't have a place to grow plants sadly. I think I could take care of succulents, but I've not looked into it. I don't know if I have a favorite flower? I just like pretty flowers (all of them)

Favourite flowers to look at touch:

Colorful flowers!

Favourite flowers to sniff:

Jasmine, Lavender, Carnations, Roses, Orchids, Sweetpeas

If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes)

I'll have to give this one some extra thought..

I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of?

I love all types of drawing work! I'd probably want a piece of my cat. I've been looking at people who do caricatures of pets recently.

When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info?

I'm almost always the lightest skin or the second lightest. I am a ghost. Throw all the things on my skin, it can handle it! Grey-blue eyes, Wine red hair, goes super red in direct light. I like funky and natural makeup =w = I really like dark red/dark purple lipstick or bright red, I could use a nice natural shade. I love colored chapsticks, I'm all about easy to apply color I also like the liquid liners with the nice felty tip.

Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying?

Cross-stitch. I tried it when I was younger, but never got into it like I did crocheting. I see all these super nerdy awesome cross-stitch things and I really want to make them. (I want to make the 'please don't do coke in the bathroom' sign, because it makes me chuckle.)

Christmas Decor:

Currently we're living with my folks until we can save enough to move out, so we're not exactly decorating for Christmas. I certainly wouldn't mind a Christmassy blanket, comfy pillows, wall decor, maybe even indoor-safe lighting. (We have some fairy lights and I really love them, more would be awesome!)

what kind of collector are you? And do you have a log or a list somewhere away from the forum of the things you love, hate or already own?

I actually have a bpal spreadsheet that is the most up to date with what I own, what I like, and what I hate: Here!

Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell!

I haven't tried any Lush products in a long time. I do however really like Paintbox Soapworks, and they just released their Yultide scents! I like soaps, sugar scrubs, lotion, and my husband would appreciate some shaving soap.

Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet?

I'm down with licorice as long as it isn't black licorice, salty and sweet are both flavors I'm down with!

I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try?

(I don't think this one will apply to me this round since I just received from the fabulous Nemi, whoever she has this round, you're going to be SPOILED!) I love treats from other countries! Tea, candies, toffees, butter-syrup waffle cookies <3

is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do!

It's not 100% up to date, but the spreadsheet I have is super current. I update that more frequently.

Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc?

I have a lot of those types of items as I am going to college? But if you can think of a super useful college item I'll be happy to have it!

How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks?

Not too spicy, I can do like jalapeno hot? I like cheesy things, and not so good on sour.

Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets?

Yes to all these things.

Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel?

Depends on where you're buying from PBSW for bar soaps, and I like shower gel from B&BW.

Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay?

I have three bags of wax melts, but....I WILL TAKE ALL THE YULETIDE SCENTS OMG I SHOULD BE STOPPED. I also love candles, and I haven't done incense in a very long time.

Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc?

Bracelets or necklaces. I like more eclectic jewelry as opposed to fancy things? Etsy has a lot of these laser-cut plastic necklaces that I really really like. They're costumey kinda jewelry, which I really like. Here are some ideas!
(I'm also kinda a whole lot obsessed with Mads Mikkelson as Hannibal, so I'll take any related items or inspired by things)
Almost forgot; I also really dig gemstones/gemstone jewelry. It's about as fancy as I get. I like the more stringed beaded pieces, but bars/crystal/anything is cool!

- Dried honeycrisp apples

This sounds amazing. Yes please.

- Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon)

I'd love applesauce, but maybe without redhots.

- Rose petal liqueur

I'm not sure what this is?

- Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam

Uh, yes. I love Jam. I make cookies with it all the time.

- Baked or homemade goods (rum balls, spritz cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, fudge, cranberry bliss bars, chocolate topped toffee, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, princess buttercups, chex mixes, trail mixes, etc.) Feel free to request a certain type of favorite thing you like. I have a food handlers license and I will make sure everything is very sterile, I am ultra virgo about cleanliness. I will avoid allergens like the plague if you are allergic to certain things. I can do gluten free baked things and/or we could do sugar free if that is a must.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, lemon tarts, blackberry struesel, divinity, maple fudge, chocolate covered ginger snaps, I'm forgetting things, but I'll devour all baked goods

- handsewn project bags or makeup bags? We do different sizes, some with zippers, some with draw strings. I can get all kinds of fandom type fabric like Walking Dead, Doctor Who, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hello Kitty, Harry Potter, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Mario Brothers, etc. I have some glittery bats, skulls, etc. too. If you're interested, what size would you like and would you prefer drawstring or zipper? What colors/theme? (most things that are on jo-anns web site, we can get locally.)

This would be amazing 'cause right now all my craft stuff is all over the place. A "crochet/knitter" bag would be fantastic. I like Hello Kitty but I also like all types of animals. Sharks, octopi, foxes, bears, owls, dragons etc.

- yarn, roving, batts, fiber? I have a LOT of really nice "farty" or "snobby" yarn in semi-solids, self striping, and gradients. Or I can make batts with our drum carder. I have roving and wool too if you spin. Or I have some handspun yarn in different colors/weights as well.

Handspun yarn would be super cool, any weight is fine with me, I make a lot of different things.

- any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? I'm learning cross stitch and might be able to get a project done. I'm hip with inappropriate phrases...

yesss, I want the "don't do coke in the bathroom" cross stitch. it makes me giggle

- if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - pinterest? ravelry bundle? How about favorite colors for whatever you'd like?

http://www.ravelry.com/bundles/12-days-items-- as for colors I like pretty much anything. I really dig using color palettes: https://www.pinterest.com/ashinros/color-palettes-yarn/ hopefully that gives inspiration for color choices that I like!

If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things?

Food scents, holiday-like scents: tree smell, cookie smell, cold wintery smells, wet smells, floral smells, beachy smells. I think the only smells I don't like is straight patch or the more licorice/bitter scents

Do you have any interest in Shakespearean swag (insult mugs, play themed lip balms, oodles of other possibilities) or general performing arts related goodies?

I don't think so? I'm sorry

What is your favorite Christmas story - be it book, movie, cartoon - and if there are various versions, which is your favorite?

Polar Express I think. I was in the play as a child.

Do you have a preference for numbered packages or random selection?

Whatever my Snow Angel prefers!

Do you have any external wishlists, Goodreads, or anything else that you might not have listed in your survey?

I think I've linked them? Other questions are helping remind me though!

For books that are part of a series, do you have a strong preference for whether you receive them in order, assuming that any overarching plot is reasonably easy to pick up on and the main story is self contained?

I prefer my books in-order.

Do you have a Trader Joe's near you? If not, would you want some of their famous delicious treats? (Cookie butter - original or pumpkin spice!, sweet plantain chips, chocolate covered potato chips, etc)

I do have one nearby, but I wouldn't mind getting maple cookies, stroopen waffles, or any other yummy treat from there haha

What's your shoesize? Would you like to receive socks?

Shoes normally 9/9.5 sometimes 10 but not often. Socks would be nice. Sockdreams has some nice "mismatched" ones I like. I prefer knee-high in length and any type of design just no words please.

I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving?

I live right by San Diego so no thanks! Anywhere outside of California would be nice. My mom likes state magnets!

Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents?

I would like to find another good scent for my husband. He likes Thunder Moon, Theodisius, Villain, Wilde, Anteros, Arkham, Golden Priapus. He smells pretty great in anything, I would really like to try a decant of The Magician (CP) on him.   I'd really like more Adante Con Fantasia, I have so many regrets for not buying a bottle.

Top 10 GC Scents:
Calico Jack, Mary Read, London, Dwarven Ale, 51, Kumari Kandam, Tombstone, The Obsidian Widow, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat, Undertow

Top 10 LE Scents:
Adante Con Fantasia, Ice, Jareth, Lemon-Scented Sticky Bat, Samhain, The Snow at Noon, Stardust, Avunculus, Daiyu, October

Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale?
Here's where I get to be boring! I could use some washcloths for my face, a good paper towel holder for the kitchen, tea storage would be great, a baking sheet,




Ashinros

Ashinros

 

Halloween Questionnaire

Anything here: http://paintboxsoapworks.com/ look like something you'd like to try (assuming that you're not already ordering it)?
I will take any and all PBSW items. I love the sugar scrubs and bar soaps. I'll also be placing an order but that doesn't mean I'll be upset if i get more! ahahaha

Do you like stuff related to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)?
I really love how celebratory Latin American culture makes the passing of loved ones. American culture is so sad about it. While I'm completely white I appreciate the celebration and would appreciate any cultural-related items without appropriating it. =w =

Knitted Items?
Ah yes! I crochet and can't pick up on knitting haha. Socks, scarves, cowls, beanies, gloves, anything oversized. I'd super super love an oversized sweater but I have no idea how long those take, I assume as long as it takes me to make a blanket.

Fandom/Specific Items?
Ah, probably anything Tim Curry-Clue/Legend/RHPH related? Labyrinth, and then I like owls.

Fall/Halloween Icons?
Bats, cats, pumpkins, ghosties, witches, skeletons....I prefer cutesy ones but I'll totally take realistic and spooky skulls and gothic-y styles too

First, talk to me about soaps- do you like them, and what kinds of scents/lather/varieties do you like?
I love soap, liquid and bar soap is what I'm used to. Scents - pmuch everything except straight patch/vetiver/frankincense. Mixed with other things is okay though! I've only really tried normal lather hot/cold process soaps, but I'll try anything!

Second, tell me about teas! Favorites? Anything you'd like to try?
Genmaicha, Oolongs, white teas, I really love Temecula Tea & Spice Company (a local place but they have gift cards and ship within the US!) From there specifically I like their Genmaicha, Genmai Hojicha, Mango n Friends, Orchid Berry, Carrot Cake, Lemon Meringue, Blueberry,

Lastly, I go to Renn Faire- is there anything from there you might like?
Oh I haven't been in such a long time...anything fantasy-y which is all of the renfair if I remember haha. I really like those button down fairy-style dresses, the ones on Amazon probably wouldn't fit me since I need like a 2XL/20 US women's

What Weenie of year's past are you seeking from the lab?
Samhain 2010, Death on a Pale Pumkin HG, Gourd of Deprivation HG, Autumn Overlooking my Knitting, I just started collecting Yule of last year so I'm new to weenies, so I will try any/all of them! I really super love Death on a Pale Pumpkin HG, and reading the notes on Gourd of Deprivation I think my husband would really like it.

Shawls?
Down for that! I never make any for myself so it'd be nice to get one

Gift Order?
Suprise me! If you want to number them, be my guest, if you want me to be a rabid Halloween fiend and go free-for-all I will!

Tell me about LUSH- do you like them? If so, what are some of your favorite things from there? Particularly fond scents or products? Stuff you can't stand?
I've only used their bath bombs which are pretty awesome. If there's something you think I'd really like, I'm open to try new things!

Items from Japan?
I HAVE A LIST! Candies and snacks, Monster Hunter items, Pokemon Items, Hello Kitty items, Monokuro Boo Items, I really like figurines and plushes and cool gadgety-like things. IE: I have a Rioreus piggy bank!

Anything you have your eye on at BPTP?
2XL in: Make America Live Deliciously T-Shirt, Black Cat Friday the 13th T-Shirt, Bitches Love Unicorns T-Shirt, Samhain HG, Chastity with a Unicorn HG, Places Everyone, The Serpentine

Pumpkin Spice or No Pumpkin Spice?
I just bought pumpkin spice everything at the grocery store so....pumpkin spice all the things. If you have a local shop that does something super fun pumpkin spiced, I would love that!

Milk, white, and/or Dark Chocolate?
Any/all but with dark chocolate I like it to have some sort of extra flavor like mint, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry (no orange)

Do you like Yankee Candle? Anything you want from there?
I love Yankee Candle, but I have three gallon-sized bags FULL of tarts from there, so I think I should use up some of my stash.   Bath & Body Works?
I use their body washes. I just perused their site and realized they have a lot of discontinued scents available and got super excited since a lot of the smells I like are no longer available (SUN RIPENED RASPBERRY and Be Enchanted) I'll take any of the new fall scents, and any of the fruity floral scents, but not cherry blossoms please! Purrrfect Pumpkin "shower spell" looks too cute.

Sock Dreams?
I love sock dreams! Sadly my thunder thighs deny their beautiful long socks on me. I haven't looked in a long time though, so maybe they have new options for luscious bodies (EDIT: I just checked out the site, I think any of the plus sized stripey socks, tights, leggings, or anything that looks super comfy would be awesome!)

I'd like to make some baked goods, would you like some? And if you have any food allergies what can I use as substitute?
I love baked goods! No allergies here

Target Spot/Dot?
I saw online some cookie cutters? If they have those that'd be great! I'm not really sure what they have at those.

Netherlands goodies?
I'd be stoked to get anything from your country! Traditional candies or snacks, or little knick-knacks that are popular. I like learning about other places

Lush Showergels?
I've never used any, but I'll try them!

Glitter?
I love glittery sparkly things, mostly in nail polishes. I can't think of any other time I really use it. (Unless it's on a sign, in a candle, a bag or something in which the design is glittery!)

Reading Wishlist?
I have some on an Amazon wishlist of mine, I'll take any fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, horror type books. (I'll go now onto Amazon and make a dedicated wishlist for the future!)

Art?
I don't have a lot of place for it right now.

Whittard?
Probably easier to say what I don't want I'll take teas bagged/loose/instant exceptions being: Earl Grey, Spice Teas, Licorice, Chili. I like all types of tea, and really enjoy fruit flavored teas (everything looks great) I'd also take hot chocolate exceptions being: chili and orange.

Dearest Pumpkin - how much are you wedded to wishlists, say I have some read once books which I think you might like based on what you've read in the past, but there is nothing of the sort on your current Goodreads "to read" list?
I'm always open to reading books people will think I like! No objections here!

How do you feel about reading series out of order? Obviously not in situations where the subsequent books are part of the same story arc where you will be totally lost and frustrated if you haven't read all of them, but say, standalone stories which are technically part of a series and which might obliquely reference past books, but not in such as way as to spoil the plot of the book which I happen to have in my possession that you might like.
My anxiety won't allow me to read them out of order D:

Would you be interested in a Halloween themed short story anthology?
Yes! That'd be awesome

Is there a limit to the number of books you'd like to receive?
No, but I know that they make boxes heavy so I wouldn't want you to have to spend super extra money by shipping me a ton of books.

Have you read Movies in 15 Minutes by our very own Cleolinda? Would you like to?
I haven't! I'm for reading anything though!

What kind of phone do you have? I need to know....
Uh, Samsung Galaxy Avant? AKA: Phone no one has anymore haha

Babadook?
My husband said this was a pretty scary movie, and nothing bothers him. So for me I say no.

Those who are amenable to yarnie things--ok, two questions: Any undesirable fibers (wool allergy, vegan so no critter hair at all, etc.)? and how do you feel about cowls/infinity scarves?
I'm down with any fibers, but prefer ones with out glitter as they tend to be scratchy. I love cowls/infinity scarves as long as they're not like turtlenecks.

Motherhood update:
La MIlagrosa
Little Lady Frankenstein
Stonehenge at Dusk
Texare
The Devil Will Find Work for Idle Hands

So who likes incense? and is there a preferred scent? and cones or sticks? Would you like a burner for it?
I haven't burned incense in such a long time! I used to have this cool bottle with dragons on it that burned sticks. My mom hated it hahaha.

Ashinros

Ashinros

 

First Halloweenies Haul Reviews

BPAL reviews   Pumpkin Sugar- amazing! I can almost taste caramelised pumpkin and sugar! Like if you were to make pumpkin brittle. The throw on this is impressive and I dabbed a touch on last night and 6.5 hrs later I could still smell it, if a bit fainter.   Spiced Autumn Cider- wet: reminds me of going to an orchard backup home and getting fresh mulled Cider from the farm shop. Delicious! Not too sweet (but I get the maple at the very top) and spicy in all the right ways. Very iconically autumnal in a foody/drinkie kind of way. Dry: the spices are coming through beautifully and I still get the apple, it's the bottom of the pot of mulled cider.   Devil's Night 2016 - i definitely smell the fires in the distance and the sooty musk. As it dries it sweetens to an almost autumn powder if that makes any sense.   Yipe!- in the bottle, it's sugary sweet syrupy. Wet- like a melted ice lolly or melted black cherry sweet. I want to eat my arm. As it dries it darkens and lifts to a less syrupy smell to sweet fruit tea or incense.   Third Charm 2016- in the bottle- very musky patchouli. Wet- It smells like a cast spell. Very magical! The cedar really brings all the earthy smells together and binds them nicely like a wrapped smudging stick. As it dries it warms to a beautiful wood smell and like you walked into a witchy/crystal shop. Like boxes on boxes of incense.   Fizzy Jack O'Lantern 2016- in the bottle: a little soapy almost. I can smell the lemon and a slight pumpkin with lots of "fizziness". Wet- lemon gin and pumpkin. Still a little soapy. Maybe it's a "clean" scent rather than "soapy." This isn't unpleasant, just not pumpkin-y enough. Dry- ok, here's the pumpkin! And the gin! The lemon and soapyness has subsided to reveal something I definitely want to drink on a night out.   Her Strong Enchantments Failing- cold, purple, incense. Very sweet. Wet- I can smell the blackberry very prominently. But still incense is strong at the base. Slightly more floral as it dries. It still smells "purple". That sounds may be because of the description, but if you know what a purple popsicle smells like, that's the top note. I totally smell the pale rage. Somehow colour and visual descriptions work with this perfume. It's fruity, but not. Ha! I may need to take a break from smelling for a few hours.   The Unquiet Grave 2016- in the bottle: cold, floral, clean wet: very clean scent and I would describe as white. Absolutely get the frozen roses, white sandalwood at first. As it warms, the frankincense comes through. I smell as if I'm in the Ice Garden from The Night Circus. Dry: more of the gardenia is coming through and I think I can smell the orchid. Skirting the edge of soapy but not offensively.   Dead Leaves, Blackcurrant, and Tobacco Tar- in the bottle: like crushed wet leaves you can smell from an open window!! Love it so far! Wet: Very organic smelling, with a hint of musk. I'm guessing the muskiness is the lab's dead leaf note. This seems to be the common theme between them. I bought everything blind and this is my first Halloween purchase so sorry if any of this differs from veterans of these scents. Dry: I get the black currant! Actually I am reminded of Lush's twilight bath bomb (but just the dust), maybe thrown into wet leaves...for whatever reason. I am in LOVE! This is a sure keeper!   Samhnainophobia 2016- in the bottle: dark and boozy from the vetiver and I definitely get the bourbon geranium. Like a dark Halloween night after a few days of rain. Wet: beautiful and dark! Not sickly dark like I was expecting. Very smoky in the best way possible. Dry: even smoker but still retaining a slight sweetness to its dark base.   Dead Leaves and Sugared Cardamom- wet: musky, dark. The cardamom is coming through beautifully. This is very pleasant. As the muskiness fades, I can smell the leaves a bit more. As it dries some spice emerges and gets very sweet on me! This is a slow burner on me and I'm glad I've given this one some patience. It was almost headachey on my the first time I tried it but the drier it becomes the more I am falling in love.   Dead Leaves and Lavender Buds- in the bottle: very fresh French lavender with a hint of muskiness. Wet: crushed lavender flowers and the dead leaves are coming through as well. I feel like if you had a lavender field surrounded by trees, this is what the edge would smell like in autumn after a rain. Dry: Like I'm stomping through live wet lavender and raking leaves! So happy with this one!!   Witch Dance 2016- in the bottle: sweet and booze. Wet: beautiful floral bourbon or liqueur. This is dark floral and earthy. Very sultry and pretty. I am wanting it to be stronger as it dries. My skin seems to be eating everything I put on it. I need this one to age and strengthen. I really like it! Just needs some throwing and staying power on me. So gorgeous though. Glad I bought it!     Dead Leaves, Honeyed Patchouli, Champaca Blossom- in the bottle: fresh and outdoorsy. Not sweet fresh. Earthy fresh. The sweeter patchouli really compliment the dead leaves very well and the champaca blossom lifts the whole scent. Wet- this is the one that I feel best represents my childhood memory of dead leaves in piles while my grandfather raked them into mountains for me to jump into. Dry- even more lifted and sweet. The floral note is more pronounced and still beautiful. The honeyed patchouli is so lovely at this point. Another winner!!   Dead Leaves and Blackberries- in the bottle: sweet and syrupy. The musky dead leaves is the top note. Not super close, but I feel like if you like Yipe! you'll like this one. Wet: the dead leaves scent is a little more pronounced but still getting lots of the sweet blackberry. Very pleasant. Dry: even sweeter. Throwing a bit better now. I really like this one! Not overly sweet. Just enough.       Samhain 2016- in the bottle: like I'm walking through a damp wood just like the description. Wet: the fir is coming through nicely. The black patchouli is my favourite of all the patchoulis so far. This is essential autumn. So my jam. Really wish it was stronger. Dry: even more fantastic. Beautifully sweet autumn earthy. Only wish the throw had more beef to it. My skin eats this up. I hope this ages into something precious. Love!

Magicunicorn

Magicunicorn

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