12 Days of Christmas 2016 Q&A
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!
