Dear My Witch,

 

Hi! Thank you so much for witching me! I'm going to be posting answers to questions and anything else I can think of that might be helpful to you here.

 

Stuff to add I've already thought of:

 

1. Favorite movie I left off my list - Repo! The Genetic Opera

2. NEW perfume to add to my list of favorites - Zombie Apocalypse! I just got it in a swap, and it is awesome!

 

Love,

Cam

 

Q&A

If you were my witchee, would you like any of the scents/sizes that are available on clearance?

Candle-wise, I would really love some unscented candles in a variety of colors.

 

Who wants hair pretties? (headbands, barrettes, pony-o's, scrunchies, bobby pins, hair clips, etc)

I always look dumb in headbands, but plain pony-o's that won't break my hair would be great (I need for the gym and am constantly losing them), as would pretty bobby pins and other hair-put-uppables, as my hair is long enough now to actually put up and do cute things with.

 

Do you mind artificial colors in your food (like, for example, if I made cookies and frosted them with blue or red food color, would that totally squick you out?) Are food colorings okay but only if they are natural?

I would prefer natural colorings, but they don't squick me out.

 

Would you want candles from this site, and if so, which scents interest you? http://www.darkcandles.com

Oooh, those look nice! Scents that interest me are Bonfire, Falling Leaves, Chocolate Bat, Haunted House, Jack O'Latte, Pumpkin & Spice, Clove, Dracula, Erotica, Nosferatu

 

Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing?

Most likely pride.

 

Who is musically inclined? Not me.

 

I am on an origami crane kick recently, so I wonder if anyone will be interested in origami crane earrings, origami crane in a glass vial (~1.2cm wide) phone charm/pendant or just a container filled with cranes of different sizes.

That sounds really pretty!

 

How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out?

No fur, please.

 

How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind?

A glass of wine, a good book and a soak in the tub.

 

You're given the opportunity to apprentice at any trade (or craft) of your choosing for the period of one year. Your mentor may be any currently living person. Which field of study would you choose, and who would be your mentor?

I would love to learn to make wine, with Nicolás Catena as my mentor.

 

Sock dreams?

Hmmm. I've never been much of a sock person, but looking at their site... wow. I LOVE those over-the-knee socks. Ooh, and look at the arm warmers. And the leg ones! I have an addiction to little ballet flats that don't really accommodate socks, but those might work. And I love tights. Oooh, and the super dreamy stockings!

 

ETA: Argh! You guys are such evil enablers. Seriously drooling over the Sock Dreams site now!

 

Are there any musicals you love?

Repo! I would kill to have it on Blu-ray. Not sure why I haven't bought it yet, 'cause it is quite cheap for Blu-ray.

 

How broad is your musical taste?

Very.

 

Does anyone have any symbols they consider to be personally significant or talismanic?

Cats, angels/wings, fire, Om. My wedding band has beautiful joined Celtic knotwork hearts.

 

Sweet Diva boxes just went up for sale for September. Would you like to receive something of this nature from your witch?

I would squee myself to death over that.

 

Do you have a favorite poem or poet?

Probably Eliot. Or Shakespeare. I am very fond of lots of poets tho.

 

Are there any Gods, Goddess, or other mythological figures of whom you're particularly fond?

Bastet, Freya, Hecate

 

Super villain or vigilante?

Super Villain!

 

Pirate or ninja?

Pirate. As Pottersville pointed out, much better clothes & accessories.

 

Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc?

Sure! A cool case for business cards would be particularly nice. Mine is plain black. Bo-ring!

 

If you do any kind of craft, could you use supplies? What kind? knitting needles, yarn, amazing fabric, pinking shears, cool thimbles or pincushins, jewelery making supplies, beads, etc.?

I could use jewelry making bits & bobs, and/or neat beads.

 

For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies?

Either is ok with me.

 

What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual?

For headaches, I love GRR. It's very soothing. I would LOVE some Ugh massage oil for muscle aches, but it's just one of those things I never seem to remember to order.

 

If you're caught in front of the tv, what are you watching?

Supernatural, Doctor Who, Fringe, Top Chef, Project Runway, House, Bones, Dexter, Mythbusters, Top Gear, Kitchen Nightmares.

 

What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend?

The Bell Witch and The Mothman

 

If your witch were to either write something for you or put together a collection of ghost stories, would you rather have it in writing, recorded as an oral telling, or both?

Any of the above would be fantastic!

 

What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with, and why?

I love Dragons.

 

How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines?

It's very cool! I would love Dia de los Muertos stuff.

 

Lolcats....yeah or nay? That's a yay.

 

What's your favorite items at Trader Joe's?

There is no Trader Joe's near me, sadly, so anything I can get. I have a friend who used to send me care packages from there when she lived in Columbus. I can't remember specifics, except that one time she sent sandwich cookies (chocolate with vanilla cream center) that I LOVED.

 

Is there a store that you love which does not have a location near you (but that has a physical presence somewhere, not just online? Why do you love it so much?

Other than the aforementioned Trader Joe's? Sephora. I really don't think I need explain that in this crowd. Also Lush.

 

If you had the funds to commission an original painting for yourself, what would it be of? What would it be like- colors, size, style?

I would love a painting of Bastet. Colors and style would really be up to the artist. I'm pretty open and have eclectic tastes. I have an amazing pentic that I commissioned from a friend in exchange for a website (see links below for photos of each piece) and it takes up most of one wall.

 

Centerpiece: http://juliearmbruster.net/art.php?view=photo&id=234

Top: http://juliearmbruster.net/art.php?view=photo&id=235

Left: http://juliearmbruster.net/art.php?view=photo&id=237

Right: http://juliearmbruster.net/art.php?view=photo&id=238

Bottom: http://juliearmbruster.net/art.php?view=photo&id=236

 

Size-wise, something not too tall would be best ('cause I'm running out of long space), but I can do wide-ish ok. Small things are nice too though. If my witch is an artist, I would cherish a piece of her artwork.

 

What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it?

Beautiful. We get gorgeous leaves most years. Once the weather gets cool and crisp, I'm in heaven. I love everything about it; the temperatures, the smells of wood smoke and leaves, etc, the beautiful look of the trees and the light outside. It's my favorite time of year.

 

Any Amy Brown art fans? I like her stuff, though I don't own anything so I don't know if I'd call myself a fan per se. But her work is pretty. I would not object.

 

How do you feel about Halloween music? Bring 'em on.

 

Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? I'm looking forward to it.

 

Do you have a crush on anyone famous? Do you have a crush on any literary characters? Would you like fanfiction or fan art based on this/these people? Not really, and no thanks.

 

You're at home, or out, and you want a snack. Something that will get you through to the next meal, or through to the end of school or what ever. What do you grab?

I am typically not a snacker. If I do, it's something like jerky or fruit.

 

Your one absolute favorite BPAL? Ugh, it's so hard to decide!!! Snake Oil maybe. Right now I'm really in love with Zombie Apocalypse and Feast of the Greatly Revered Ones. Of course, I haven't got my Weenie order yet....

 

Do you have a favorite BPAL bottle art? Again, so hard to decide! I love the Ode to Aphrodite series, Sunbird, Velvet Pink Kitty... there are so many great ones!

 

Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving? I would love decants of the Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly and Hellboy scents. I've ordered some of the others already, but none of those yet.

 

Pumpkin pecan waffles? *grabs her plate*

 

Do you have any objections to receiving downloads? Is your internet connection fast enough for you to download large files like music easily? Are there any songs, albums, movies, or TV shows that you can't find/haven't been released that you want?

Yep. That wouldn't be a problem.

 

Um.... I don't have ANY of the Alias seasons, an I would love to. That was one of my favorite shows ever.

 

What fictional character do you identify most with and why?

Spider Jerusalem from Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan. Because let's be honest, I kind of hate people a good bit of the time (present company excepted; you are not mere "people," you are switch witches and full of awesome) and am generally cranky and misanthropic. But in a fun way.

 

Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold?

Nah. I've got stuff for that.

 

Do you have a blu-ray player?

Yes! I have a PS3 and I love it.

 

What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future?

The hubby and I are taking a little two-day trip to Charleston for our anniversary. We've never been there, so we're going to go down, see historical stuff, go on ghost tours, and eat at a couple of good restaurants recommended by friends who used to live there. We're splurging on a nice hotel too, so it should be really romantic and fun.

 

Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/ect. that still hold a really special place in your heart?

Winnie the Pooh, Nancy Drew, tons of other books because I've probably spent the majority of time in my life buried in a book. Also, the original Legend of Zelda for NES. My mom and I played that game together and had so much fun!

 

What BPAL scent have you never tried but always wanted to?

Monsterbait: Underpants

 

What scent have you tried and LOVED, and haven't been able to get more of and why?

Storyville, for obvious reasons.

 

As a witchee, would you prefer to have many little packages sent to you throughout the round with a not-so-big final package or fewer things throughout the round with one huge final package to seal the sweetness?

Either way is ok with me. Whatever works best for my witch time-wise and financially.

 

What is your idea of the perfect evening at home?

Wine, sushi, the hubby. Maybe a good movie/tv show/game to play... or not.

 

Are you on any social networks (MySpace, Twitter, LJ, Facebook, Bebo, etc)? If so, make with the links!

http://facebook.com/cammycat

http://twitter.com/cammycat

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/243873

http://cam.vox.com (not often updated)

http://www.catster.com/family/502957

http://cammycat.livejournal.com (not often updated)

http://www.google.com/profiles/camelliacollins

http://www.linkedin.com/in/camelliacollins

http://www.friendfeed.com/cammycat

http://myspace.com/designcam (never updated, should just be deleted)

 

Of course, we're all going to be grateful no matter what our witches give us, but for the record, what is your anti-present? Tell us something that you think your future witch might give you that you absolutely, unequivocally DO. NOT. WANT.

Although I am grateful for anything my future witch would send.... I realy don't like candy with sticky coconut stuff (like Mounds or Almond Joy). (Although I'm sure I would find someone who'd munch it right up happily.)

 

When you receive your sw packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both?

I love unwrapping things, but unwrapped is ok too. I am the WORST wrapper in the world. I can haz no talent. So I'm not terribly pick about it.

 

Super power?

The ability to eat as much chocolate as I want and never gain weight, LOL.

 

If I send you whole spices or coffee beans, would you be able to grind them or would you prefer them preground for your convenience?

Whole, please. I love to grind things fresh myself.

 

For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc)How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar?

Accessories would be great. I take my coffee with cream and my tea with honey, unless it's spicy or chai-like, in which case I sometimes add a little milk too.

 

Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com?

Zambra or Bier Garden

 

In your perfect world it is chocolate and...? Wine. And my hubby.

 

How do you scent your home: tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles?

I have just tried Nocturne Alchemy's offering oils and am in love with those. I also use BPAL atmospheric sprays with a little fan diffuser, incense, or occasionally candles.

 

Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile?

I love the sounds of my cats purring, rain on the roof, wind chimes.

 

How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar?

I am trying to break the sugar-in-my-coffee habit. I can't break the cream habit. Must have cream. Usually in tea, I just like a little honey, unless it's a spicy, chai-type tea, in which case I like it with a lil splash of milk or cream.

 

Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us?

I am the otter of my own fat.

 

What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else?

Greater financial stability. I could really use help planning for retirement, developing some sort of savings, etc. I suck at this stuff.

 

What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top?

Creme brulee.

 

What was your favouritest job ever, and why?

I love the job I have now. I love the work itself (primarily branding and web development), and in spite of its stresses, running your own business is great.

 

Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator?

I can only pick THREE!? That's not enough! Here are five. Can't narrow it down any further.

 

Bad Religion - "Suffer"

Joy Division - "Unknown Pleasures"

Most Precious Blood - "Nothing in Vein"

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult - "The Best of TKK"

Social Distortion - "White Light, White Heat, White Trash"

 

As for powering the generator, I have no clue. Whatever my father-in-law told me was the best idea, probably (he's got a couple degrees in engineering and is super smart).

 

What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"?

Queen Alice

 

Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? (like from our very own Pottersville! ) Something else?

I am not much of a cook, but my hubby is, and me, I love to eat. Exotic spices/herbs/peppers would be wonderful. We are forever losing measuring cups and spoons. A good spice rack would be wonderful (our storage solution isn't ideal or at all organized). Pot holders, napkins, yay! Cookbooks, we have.

 

Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series?

I read practically every spare moment. I think I answered the favorites question in my questionnaire.

 

What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween?

Sour Skittles and Reese's Pieces.

 

What are your phobias?

Tight spaces. Heights to some degree. And freaking spiders (yuck!).

 

What is your favourite flower (or plant)?

I love trees (particularly maples, cherries and willows), roses, Stargazer lilies and irises.

 

Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so?

Not really my thing.

 

An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money?

Hit my Kaboodle wish list and pick up some things I've been lusting after and normally wouldn't buy for myself.

 

Who likes coloring books? Not really my thing.

 

Do you have a Good Reads profile? If so, make with the link! If you don't have one, go make one!

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/243873

 

You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out?

Take out. We have a really awesome (and cheap!) Chinese place in town. Happy Star FTW!

 

If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it?

I would LOVE to redecorate our stupid kitchen. The counter tops need replacing, we need an island or something -- anything! -- to give us some counter space. I'd also replace the refrigerator, washing machine and dryer (the fridge with something stainless, washer/drying with one of those cool front-loaders in red to match our other kitchen stuff). I'd also retile the place with something pretty and stone, and replace the windows down there, which are very old and drafty.

 

Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for?

It's that time of year again, and sadly, our teams did not get off to a great start this football season. The hubby and I like football. The college teams we like are UGA (where I got my MA), Florida State (where the hubby went to school) and Virginia Tech (where my FIL works). In terms of pro teams, we like the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.

 

What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.)

I'm betting my witch can figure this out from my questionnaire, but CATS! Cats of all kinds, domestic or big. I also love wolves, otters, camels, foxes, meerkats... just about any mammal. I love animals, period, though I have my faves.

 

This is how the world ends... zombie apocalypse, robot uprising, alien invasion, return of the elder gods... which doomsday scenario do you prefer (or make your own!)?

You know the zombies are coming.

 

In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? (apologies to anyone who gets that song stuck in their head!)

I hope for a very Star Trek future... and sadly, fear we'll end up with something more Mad Max.

 

Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you?

To some extent. I believe, at the very least, magic and ritual can help focus our intentions and strengthen our ability to make what we will a reality. I hope that makes sense.

 

If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? ( and would you be able to resist playing with it? )

Bury that fucker! At least if I was cognizant of what it was. And the reason would be that otherwise, I probably wouldn't be able to resist.

 

Do you like pinup art/images? Yes!

 

What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions?

Not yet! However, we're hoping to have a party, or at the very least invite our best couple friends over, watch a bunch of scary movies, and eat food that's really bad for us, LOL.

 

Tradition-wise, we decorate our house and front yard for autumn and Halloween every year. We also do some sort of Mabon celebration on the equinox. My hubby makes these delicious steak fajitas with a pumpkin-habanero sauce.

 

Any other steampunk fans/lovers? Oh yes! Very much so.

 

Describe your ideal picnic lunch. Where would you go? Who (if anyone, and yes there can be multiple people) would accompany you? What sort of food would you take? And, of course, if a picnic lunch sounds like a horrible idea, feel free to say so! I love taking a picnic lunch with my hubby in the park across the street from our house. We usually bring wine, chicken (either baked or fried), some good cheeses, fruit and other finger foods like olives and such, and spread a blanket out under the trees by the pond. It's romantic and pretty cheap too.

 

Would any witches be interested in home-made sewn type crafts? If so, what type? (e.g. tote bags, pillowcases, laptop covers, etc..)

I would fall all over myself for a handmade Kindle case.

 

Favorite kind or take out kinda burger? whats your burger preference? veggie,meat or ????

OMG. My husband made the best freaking burgers last night. He combined ground lamb and beef, added herbs (sage, parsley and chives), and we had them on whole wheat buns with Manchego cheese, smoky bbq sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. That, ladies & gents, is my new favorite burger. Just thinking about it makes me hungry.

 

Whats your favorite childhood toy?

I had this bear called "A.G. Bear" (as I recall, that was actually the offical toy name). When you moved him, he made these funny little noises. He had soft grey fur and a red shirt. I loved that thing. Also, my Pound Purries.

 

If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them?

My cats LOVE catnip. Catnip or catnip toys would be wonderful, or one of those cardboard scratchers. No treats; they won't eat them, the weirdos. The dog would like just about anything. Toys, bones, treats, whatever. He's a dog; he's easy.

 

Do you Tweet? What is your Twitter name? Yes. I'm cammycat.

 

Are you on Ravelry? What is your Ravelry name? I think I've created an account there. The username would be either cam or cammycat.

 

What is your favorite Halloween icon? Black cats

 

Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put one item in that box that symbolizes who you are. It may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but you are limited to one item, and it must fit within the box. What item do you choose? Hmmm. I'll have to try to answer that one for my witch in the blog. It will take some thought.

 

Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? Yes. But I don't want to say what it is just yet.

 

Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13? I'm not loving it yet, but I do like it and DVR it.

 

Nother question! Coffee or Tea? Both are love.

 

Lavender? I'm not a lavender person. I love sage, thyme, basil, and lots of other herbs though. And I do have use for herbs, smudge sticks, etc.

 

Olive Oil? I LOVE olive oil... but I've got the hookup. One of our clients (who are also the parents of one of the hubby's oldest friends) runs an olive tree nursery in Florida, and they send us the most fabulous artisan olive oil on a regular basis. So I'm set.... at least for regular olive oil. Infused, on the other hand...? That would be very cool.

 

Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? Dangly earrings and pendants are cool. Hair-wise, I usually just leave mine down, but I could use pretty things to use when I pin it up.

 

What sorts of odd or regional foods do you crave? I'm a big ole foodie, and hugely into local foods as well as ethnic cuisines of all kinds. I love getting neat local stuff anytime I travel. In terms of regional (American) stuff I especially crave... boiled peanuts. I lived in Georgia for a couple of years, and it's a rare treat to go through SC or GA and get to have them. Also, I'm a Virginia girl, and I Virginia wine.

 

What is your favourite historical period? I'm super fascinated by ancient Egypt, and also into the Italian Renaissance and the Roaring 20's.

 

Did you order anything from the most recent update? Um.... well. I placed a rather embarassingly large Halloweenie order a couple of weeks ago. I haven't ordered anything yet from the most recent update, and am trying to be patient, since it looks like a lot of it (the Hellboy scents, etc.) will be around for awhile and I have plenty of time. But I am absolutely drooling over some of it (Pumpkin Spice Bath Oil, I'm looking at you)! (Will add stuff to my wishlist for my witch's convenience). I already have The Fool, thanks to a friend who went to Comic Con. I'll probably go ahead and order Falling Leaf Moon.

 

Vampires or Werewolves? Both. And Zombies. Speaking of which, my witch should know that I've been on a real werewolf-book-reading kick lately.

 

What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to?

Mine are (in no particular order): anything involving ZOMBIES , just about anything Lovecraft, Dracula, Lost Boys, Fright Night (1&2), Innocent Blood, The Nightmare Before Xmas, the Underworld movies, Salem's Lot, Subspecies, The Hunger, My Best Friend is a Vampire, Warlock, The Wicker Man (original), Tale of a Vampire, any Dario Argento movie, The Brothers Grimm, Sleepy Hollow, Let the Right One In, Merlin (TV series), Near Dark, Nosferatu, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Evil Dead movies, Blair Witch Project (yeah yeah, I know... but those woods look JUST LIKE where I live), Event Horizon, Hellraiser, Cat People, The Howling movies. As for stuff I don't have, I don't have most of the above. I DO have Bram Stoker's Dracula, Lost Boys, Nightmare Before Xmas, the Underworld movies, and Merlin.

 

Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? They are very yummy!

 

What kinda socks ar you wearing tonight? None. I'm just not a sock person. This may be influenced by the fact that we have hardwood floors and steep stairs, so trying to navigate them in socks is taking your life in your hands, lol. I wear them to the gym, then promptly take them off with my shoes when I get home.

 

Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's? Key lime. And apple. My hubby makes a freaking fantastic apple pie. Hmm... and it's just about that time of year....

 

Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? Yes. I am especially crazy about wrist/armwarmers and scarves. Blankets and shawls are lovely too. Headbands don't love me, though. I always manage to look dumb in them. It must be my hair.

 

How do you feel about ghost stories? Do you like to tell the old tales around a campfire? Read true accounts on the web way past your bedtime? Do you like to pick up a good anthology of Poe stories on a blustery day? Or is all that too scary for you? I LOVE ghost stories. Love love love. Any way I can get them.

 

Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? Definitely. I'm a huge fan of survival horror games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Final Frame, etc and am obsessed with Final Fantasy. I play WoW (for those as care, my main is a level 80 Undead Warlock, Deadcam, on Shadow Council), and also love board games, puzzles, etc. I haven't played any LARPs in ages, but love them too.