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About this blog

She just sings whatever she's seen

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Yule Elf 2018 Questions

Updated 11/16/18 1:15 pm   How do folks feel about fruitcake? Yes to all the fruitcake!   How about quarkstollen and lebkuchen, and marzipan? All of those sound AMAZING. I love marzipan and stollen especially (why yes, I do have a thing about fruit baked in bread).    How about my FUDGE? Ooh, yes! Honestly, all of it looks good, but especially chocolate, vanilla berry and penuche. I fear the pies might be a little sweet for me.    What is your favorite Christmas Character (Santa, Ruldolph, Elves, etc) and your favorite animal?
 Probably the Grinch (I loved the new movie as well), or Scrooge or Heat Miser (yes, I am a sucker for a holiday redemption story, I guess). I also like snowmen and am a  huge sucker for random animals with reindeer horns. I also love corgis, cats, bats, owls, and ravens. Oh and creepy crawlies like lizards and spiders and snakes.    Any wishes from the Sweet 16 release?  I still need to thoroughly explore it, tbh. I promise to get my wishlist, including Sweet 16 updated soonest!     Is there anything related to the performing arts that you'd maybe like something inspired by? Say a favorite musical or a passionate love for the Nutcracker or a need for a Diva coffee mug or Shakespeare inspired lip balm? I have a passionate love of A Christmas Carol and also snarky Shakespeare merch. 
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Yule Cat Questions

Updated 11/19/22  9pm   Are there any currently available BPAL scents that you would love a bottle of? There's nothing in particular I'm eyeing that I won't order for myself.    Is there anything you're eyeing from Paintbox Soapworks' winter update? Joulupukki, Orange and Yellow, Poinsetta, Schwarzwald, and The Golden Orb all sound interesting should a sample sorbetto or soap fall its way into your cart.   Would you like anything from Cellar Door (they do soaps and candles)? The actual Krampus Nacht doesn't sound like it's up my alley, but Bad Santa, Christmas Morning, Holiday Nights, Snowy Morning, Sun of a Nutcracker all sound good - the soap ends would be fun.   Anything of interest from Luvmilk? (Milky Monday, their version of Black Friday, is on 11/7!) The lip balms look amazing. Baby Bat, Lofty Castle, Midnight Snack, Mother Bee, The Golden Market, and Wedding Day all look up my alley - maybe as a lotion or body wash?   Crocheted Granny shawl. Yes or No? Preferred colors? (this one is pressing, I would need to start soon) Yes please! I love rainbow, jewel tones, black and gray.   BPal wax melts? I have TKO and Red Velvet Cake, Would bundle up a few for you to try of one, or both if you like No thank you. I don't do wax melts.    Wouldst thou like a microwaveable bowl cozy? I think I maybe would.   Are you interested in boozy homemade fruitcake? I am interested in all of your possible varieties of homemade fruitcake.   How about booze itself, specifically, moonshine whiskey infused with spices and fruits? I am interested in all of your possible booze varieties (short of, like dill or asparagus flavor), but all of your whiskies, liquors, etc may come live with me.    Brown sugar shortbread? "Plain" buttery or flavored? Favorites include lavender and chocolate orange, but I could definitely do a holiday spice or peppermint batch or two. I would love something festive for sure.    Interested in anything from Odins Daughter? Mead Hall sounds gorgeous.   My favorite incense store is Good Earth Mercantile, any interest for an incense from them? Please no incense, I beg of you.    Are you a cotton candy fan? Would anything from Chocolate Storybook interest you?  All of these look amazing - I'd love to try unusual cotton candy flavors.   Body Scrubs from CarolinaOrganicsSC are AHHHHMAZING! Any interest? I am always up for a foaming scrub.   House of MetalWorks has super cute and dainty gold-filled stacking rings in my price range! If this interests you, include ring size! These are probably not my thing.    What size do you typically wear in sweaters/sweatshirts? 
1XL - 14/16 
  Several questionnaires mention joy in receiving homemade baked goods. What are your favorite holiday baked goods? Cookies, Cakes, Fudge? Other?  Yes! I love them all. Sorry, I know that's not that helpful. LOL   Are you into peanut butter cookies? If yes, would you enjoy them with creamy or crunchy PB? I do like them. I don't eat them enough to have a PB preference.    I am thinking of making flavored sugar. What are flavors you would NOT enjoy out the following:  I would love any of these!   Would you like anything from Witch Baby Soap? (Make sure to check the Throwback Thursday section of the website; they bring back a few things every Thursday!) Oh wow, the Yule Father hand salve would have been amazing. The scrub could be interesting. The Cakes and Ale body butter sounds fab as well.    Pickety witch has the yule offerings up, including Yule Cat pins (black or white) and ornaments.  Which do you love most? Both of the ornaments look fab. I'm not really a pin person.    IF YOU LIKE COFFEE --- Do you like any specific roast more than another? Light? Dark? Medium? Breakfast Blend? Dark and whole bean (or flavored and ground)..    Haus of Gloi's Yule is up, fancy anything? Mama's Porridge and Winter Divinity in soap, bubbling scrub, and/or body butter.   Teeturtle has some adorable designs and their t-shirts often go on sale. Any designs that appeal? I love the Muppets Christmas Carol shirt. Generally I enjoy their geeky designes in my fandoms. I like an XL Womens'.   Is anyone else here an Erin Morgenstern fan??  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/711842/the-phantomwise-tarot-by-erin-morgenstern/ No thanks.   Anything from the Lunacy You are eyeballing?  https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-tag/late-october-2022/?fbclid=IwAR3OzugxYK-rNtwgJBFwUfRSp_jneUcOmEgAfwRdgC_dlM0tRESwX244rqM I am hoping to update my wishlist this weekend. Sorry I've been neglectful.       
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Wishlists links and other sundry info for circular swaps.

Rather than trying to trot out info every time I do a circular swap, it has occurred to me that a meta-post covering the basic places where I have wishlists and other relevant info might be useful.

BPAL

Books: Goodreads, Bookmooch (very neglected), useful discussion hereabouts

Other Stuff: Amazon, Etsy, Sock Dreams
Swap Questions: 2015 13 Nights of Halloween, 2015 Spring Cleaning, 2014 13 Nights of Halloween, 2011 Snow Bunny...just poke around
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To everything there is a season

After almost two decades of protests, my alma mater, the University of Illinois, has decided to retire its mascot "Chief Illiniwek". They will retain the name "Fighting Illini", desipite the fact that tribe that gives the state, and the Chief, and the sports teams their name, the Illiniwek tribe, were a peaceful tribe that didn't fight - which probably helped account for the fact that they were completely wiped out in earlier centuries.   I'm taking the time to write about this because it is in part, the culmination of years of effort that I was a part of back in the early 1990s when I was a student at UofI. As a freshman and later I marched against the Chief, I met with the off-campus protesters. Somewhere I have the Daily Illini photo, not online, alas, of my sophomore year roomate and I holding up a banner bearing the admonishion - "What if the Pope were our mascot?", complete with little pope mugs and t-shirts. I think I still have the mug cut out somewhere as well.   Robert Novak and his ilk are up in arms about the PC police and caving in to political pressure. But what this really should be about is basic respect. Respect for the people around you. Respect for Native Americans on campus and for the tribes who are portrayed in the Illiniwek dance.   It's about time. And it's overdue.
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This is Halloween 2022 Q&A

Updated 10/1/22 7:00pm   Cellar Door just posted their Halloween goodies - I love their scents, soaps and candles - which of these might you fancy? Oh goodness...for soaps, Autumn Apple Fest, Basic Witch, Black No. 1, Farmhouse Pumpkin, Holland Hard Cider, Once Bitten, Pumpkin Chai Latte, Sanderson Spice. An assortment of ends would be fine. For candles, Holland Hard Cider, Once Bitten, Sanderson Spice could be nice.     If you'd like handmade knit items, are you good with soft wools or do you prefer acrylic only? Soft wool would be lovely.   Are there any items you'd love for fall/halloweenie? (Ie mittens, hat, fingerless mitts, cowl, legwarmers) I am really bad at imagining possibilities here - I would probably get the most use out of a hat or cowl with some sort of spooky design.   Anyone fancying the new Paintbox Soapworks or Witch Baby Soap Halloween launches? Normally I am all over the Paintbox update, but the only things jumping out at me are things that I already have stocked up from last year.  From Witch Baby, the Autumn Edition Cafeomancy body butter sounds sublime. Dead Man's Party soap looks fun as well. Hallowmass and Queen of the Damned soap or body butter, Pumpkinhead Scrub...    Would you be interested in an adult Halloween coloring book? I recently backed on kickstarter for one by a local gothic art market near me and it's due in during the swap period. 
That could be fun!   What are some OCYL brands you've been wanting to dabble in? I always like the look of Haunt and Arcana, but never seem to order anything...   I am working on making bath bombs.  Would you be willing to try my creations?  How about wax tarts?  What type of scents do you favor? Sadly I have neither a working bathtub or a tart warmer. Actually I do have the latter, but I haven't used it in years.

What kinds of home smell good things do you like? (I.e. incense, candles, wax melts, felt scent balls, essential oils, linen spray) Candles and BPAL linen spray only please. I do use felt balls in the dryer and could use new ones, but I don't scent them.
  My question for the fellow pumpkins would you like anything from the bath and bodyworks Halloween line? 🤔I actually JUST placed an order during the $3 hand soap sale, so I'm pretty set. A cider scented candle wouldn't go amiss generally.    Do you have any interest in spooky squishmallows? Sure! It will likely go live in my kid's room, but that's okay. We have the corgi with the devil horns, but otherwise are a squishmallow blank slate.   And would you enjoy spooky stationary? Maybe a little of it? I don't really send/write letters other than as notes in swaps.   I know a lot of us are witchy and have deeply held beliefs about the materials we use as part of our practice. If you're one of those individuals, are there certain herbs, crystals, etc that you do not want to receive? No thank you. I do not practice and feel weird about using ritual materials outside of that context.   When you have a distinct preference for one holiday over another, What are some cross over items that actually work for both? I am all about Halloween and don't quite understand this question...   One question (that is actually several questions) -- Local honey? Infused/flavored honey? Local infused/flavored honey with Southwest notes (jalapeno, other pepper, mesquite, acacia)? YES YES YES to all of the above.   Does anything from JiJi Knight spark your interest? https://jijiknight.com/ These are adorbs and make my heart happy, but not really my style generally.    Any spooky/weenie DVDs you're missing and would like in your collection? NMBC? the Crow? An old Hammer film? Dark Shadows? The Omen? Sleepy Hallow?...? I can't really think of anything. Maybe original Addams Family?   Dang (or good!), another serious question -- Shampoo and/or conditioner bars and if so, for what type of hair (dry, fine, oily, curly, normal)? I typically use color depositing shampoo, but could use something good for scalp health/itchiness. Hair is thick, wavy and very short and dyed as bright red as I can get away with and still call it professional as the head lawyer for a non-profit.    I just got the email that the Ectogasm Halloween Collection is live. Does anything interest you? https://www.ectogasm.net/collections/halloween The cat eye socks are fun, but there's noting screaming at me. I don't really wear pins much.   On a scale from Paprika Is a Heatwave to Let Me Eat a Peck of Pickled Ghost Chiles, how spicy is too spicy, and how spicy is just right? White person medium? I like the flavor of peppers a lot, but just a hint of heat. I really like pickled peppers for this because I can use the brine to add flavor and a hint of heat without going all in on the peppers (and seeds) themselves.   I make lightweight hairfalls- would you be interested in some? Either to incorporate into a costume or just for your own year-round use? If so, name your colors and preferred length, and if you have any fiber allergies you want me to take note of! I love the idea, but my hair is SUPER short, so not terribly practical.    Homemade canned and baked and concocted goodies? Any aversions?  If I could make you some of my fudge, what would you prefer? Oh hell yes. I love it all. I would especially be interested in adding fall spices to chocolate in any/all forms.   Are you open to trying different indie perfume houses if I find a scent that I think you'd enjoy? I am pretty BPAL only, but if you have samples of something you think I absolutely have to try, I'm game.    I love making stickers!! If I could design you some stickers, what would you love to have? It could be halloween themed or not! My art style is a bit simplistic, cartoony, and cutesy, I usually draw fairies but last year I did a swap on reddit and made someone a bunch of halloween dog stickers lol. (Sidenote: They probably won't be waterproof, but they're glossy vinyl!) I would love bats, anything OFMD or NMBC.    I've got a bunch of small round labels perfect for bpal 5ml label lid art! Name your top 5-10 scents that you'd love to have lid art made for! Just as a fun little extra in your package if desired  (Could also work for other companies with lids just like the BPAL bottles) Any of my top scents would be great.    I'm going to Disneyworld in late September! I'll be going to all four parks and attending both the Not-So-Scary Halloween Bash and Epcot's Food and Wine Festival. Is there ANYTHING from Disney that you would like? Is there something you collect that perhaps you'd enjoy a Disney version of (tea, socks, enamel pins, plushies etc etc etc)??? I would definitely be interested in Haunted Mansion or spooky Muppets or Villains merch - pins, plushies, socks all sound great. Tea is fascinating.   Would you like any decor from Say Target, Homewood, or William and Sonoma? Sure. Especially anything with creatures - bugs, bats, snakes, etc.    I am going to Dragon Con for the first time! Which of these BPALs do you want? https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=50266fc02a3b75767125e0ed2&id=9bf4d797e8 I am ordering a bunch, but I'd love decants of  Chrome Peaches Pomegranate Peach Martini Peach Absinthe Peach, Coconut Cream, Marshmallow, and Nougat Ridiculously Sexy Peach Peach Milk Peach Kissed Daddy by Effy   But, I am going to Dragon Con this weekend. Is there anything you would like? Lab wise or just general geekery I would absolutely love the Karen Halion OFMD print with the the co-captains sharing tea and the foot touch insert.    Would you be interested in a bag like we sell in our etsy shop?   https://twinklentwilight.etsy.com - if so, but you don't see fabric you like maybe link to some photos of fabric you like? - we can do small box bags or pencil / cosmetic / notions type bags too.  or with a drawstring on top instead of a zipper. - you don't HAVE to use them just for knitting/crochet, you can use them for cross stitch or even not as project bags. I'm good - I love the one I already have!    If you are a yarnie, are you interested in a ceramic yarn bowl?  I have an extra Harry Potter (I know, I know) one from Lennymud that I bought before the whole JKR debacle and it didn't profit her in any form anyway.  I believe it's Gryffindor themed. So not a yarnie.  If you are a yarnie, I'd love to gift some yarn from my stash so give me an idea of colors / weight / material / yardage you'd like.   Still not a yarnie. Are you interested in trying some of our "thunder butter"?  It's like tiger balm or icy hot, but with herbs, beeswax, cayenne or ghost pepper, menthol, wintergreen.  cbd version or no? Yes please, either way. I need to inventory our canned goods but do you like things like peach jam, cardamom plum jam, peach butter, plum butter, pickles, applesauce with nothing added, applesauce with red hots, dried apples or pears, bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, blackberry jam, huckleberry jam, candied jalapenos?   Yes please! Any interest in things from our garden like dried mint, catnip, lavender, rose petals, dill weed or dill seeds, sage, rue, mugwort, rosemary? Catnip, mint, rose petals would be fab. How about alcoholic things like rose petal liqueur, lavender vanilla bean liqueur, various flavors of mead (chocolate orange, strawberry mango, whatever my son is making)? All the alcohol, but especially the mead.  Pumpkin bread or zucchini bread?  How about blueberry zucchini bread with a lemon glaze?   Yes please! (the blueberry xucchini sounds AMAZING)   I make specialty simple syrups. You can use them in teas or cocktails (and desserts).  How do you feel about a Hibiscus simple syrup? I use 2 ounce bottles for these so its just a fun amount.  Yes please!   Format for tea? e.g. teabag vs loose Either is fine. Bags are a little more convenient.   Do you like spooky themed tights? If so, what are your measurements? Yes please! Any length is great.    Pls post your book wishlist! See amazon!   Would you like to receive a 2D collage art piece? What overall vibe would you be into? (spooky, autumnal, whimsical, eerie, lovely, occult, bizarre, smutty etc.?) A spooky haunted house vibe would be lovely.    Do you like rocks/gemstone jewelry? Prefer polished/smooth rocks or raw/rough? Any favorite stones, rocks, colors that you'd like? I love rough stone jewelry, especially in deep rich tones and metallics.   Any interest in the August releases that got announced today? https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-tag/august-2022/ I'll update my wishlist.   Luvmilks seasonal goodies are out! What scents and formats appeal to you, my little pumpkin?  I am so confused by this site - they all seem to be OOS?   Would you like a Pyrex 4-cup Nightmare Before Christmas bowl with lid?   (Can also get Starwars and various Disney ones.) Sure! August Tea's fall sale starts tomorrow, 20% off everything on the site with code FALL20.  Is there anything you would like to try, my Pumpkin? https://august.la/ I listed a ton in my Summer Sprite questions, these are lovely. .   I've recently taken up embroidery, would you like a small (I embroider on 4" hoops) embroidered piece? What sort of design would you like? Something kind of creepy would be fun - snakes, spiders/webs, etc.    Do you wear nail polish, and if so, would you like some? What colors or finishes? I mostly wear bright colors on my toes - the more obnoxious the better.    I'm going to the farmer's market tomorrow, and there are lots of great vendors. Would you be interested in soap or chapstick or bath/body products?  Absolutely.   Would you be interested in a tumbler like these? If so, what theme would you like it to be? Glitter or no glitter? What color do you want the liquid to be or would you prefer the blood drip look?  Those are fun - the ghostly glitter is super cool.    How do you feel about ribbons?  Is there anything in particular you are looking for if you'd want some?  What about ribbon remnants?  Colors/textures? No thanks.   Would you be interested in any skincare items?  Anything you would not want? Sheetmasks are always fun. I'd also love a good face scrub - like exfoliating sort of thing.    Is anyone else interested in the latest Sphere & Sundry release? https://sphereandsundry.com/offerings/bpals-of-exalted-venus-ii/ Or other S&S offerings? I would be interested in sniffies of the BPAL scents, but I don't practice at all and would not have any use for ritual items.    Do you have any interest in trying my infused moonshine whiskey? I've been thinking of experimenting with autumn spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) and maybe a chocolate chai.  This is my own question, but I am ALWAYS interested in trying your boozy experiments. ALWAYS.   Any interest in spooky shape wax melts in your favorite candle scents? (What are your favorite candle scents?) No thank you on wax melts. I do find myself actively craving a spicy-boozy apple cider candle.   How about lotion bars? I've never really tried them, but would definitely be interested.   Bird and Blend tea just did their Autumn drop! Anything look good to you? https://www.birdandblendtea.us  (Also, if you're not a pumpkin person, I invite you to check out the rest of their offerings, which are always exceptional!)    I am absolutely fascinated by the sticky chais, especially the mulled cider and pumpkin. Really, the entire Halloween line looks fab.   Arcana Craves halloween drop! Anything catching your eye? https://arcanacraves.com/ A lot of the pumpkins and honeys look interesting, but I am pretty solidly a BPAL only gal. If you happen to be ordering Pumpkins Crave Quietude, Bread, Wraiths, Goblins, Honey, or Grind Shows for yourself, I would definitely be interested in sniffies.   I feel like with some of the witchy/seasonal stuff it might be helpful to know everyone's signs.  If you're interested in that kind of thing, what's your sign? My chart is somewhere in the chart thread in Believe it or Not, but I am Gemini Sun, Sag Moon and Leo rising.   Would you like anything from The Pickety Witch? (I'm going to the Vegas Oddities and Curiosities Expo next weekend, and she's vending there, so it may not matter if an item is in stock or not on the website!) https://www.thepicketywitch.com/   I sort of love the candy corn earrings.    so these nail polishes keep showing up on my instagram and they are kinda vampy--do you wear polish and do any of these float your boat?  NOTE I have never worn Holo Taco stuff so cannot vouch for quality just the vibes are super witchy 🙂 https://www.holotaco.com/collections/dark-rainbow-collection Dead Petals and Crimson Void look fab.   I have another new question! Favorite bands/artists? Perhaps you'd be interested in a DIY patch to sew onto your jacket/pants/bag or maybe pins or a sticker or anything DIY-ish? I'm not really into patches, but stickers could be cool.   oooh I am reviewing my switch witch help answers from 2017 and was reminded of Lush--there used to be a big Lushie/BPALista crossover at one point.  Is that still the case?  If so dearest pumpkin are you a Lushie?  Is there anything from Lush you are coveting?  Their halloweenie stuff is out here: https://www.lushusa.com/halloween/?cgid=halloween&pmid=604&start=0&sz=28 I haven't bought Lush in years and don't have a bathtub, but the Tarantula shower jelly looks fun and I remember liking the Lord of Misrule shower gel.    Because clothing sizing is so notoriously random &&& my idea of cute may be entirely different from your cute... sock dreams?  yea or nay?  Anything in particular catch your eyes? At one point I had a link to a sock dreams wishlist in my master wishlist post, but I don't know how up to date it is. I tend to love just about anything halloween themed, though.    I have been buying soap from https://rockytopsoap.com for at least a decade as they are unscented and less likely to affect which perfume I pull out.... I realize they are not colored and swirly and as pretty but they tend to be super hydrating and luxurious.  Do you have any interest in these? Pumpkin, honey, and anything fruity sound nice.    Nocturne Alchemy just dropped their Halloween 2022 limited collection! I am popping in here to see if anything would strike the fancy of my pumpkin? 😁 https://nocturnealchemy.com/collections/limited-collection/products/new-halloween-2022-limited-collection No thanks.    Here's a question... there's sooooooo many on here about tea but for my fellow coffee gals... do you prefer whole bean or ground??  if there's a choice how do you like your coffee ground?? I love coffee - we have a really nice burr grinder, which means that for regular coffee, we prefer whole bean. I do like an occasional pot of festive fall flavored coffee (pumpkin, etc), for which I prefer a grand for a standard drip maker.   Look at Cat Coven's site and tell me what you see that appeals - she is one of my favorite Halloweeny artists, and makes awesome things. I like supporting her work. https://www.catcoven.com/collections/new-arrivals I like the cat/moth and no nazis stickers and the Halloween water bottle.   Are you interested in any art supplies? If so, what kinds and colours? I can always use colored pens and pencils.    What are your fave smells for incense, and do you have a preference for format (cones, stick, loose without needing charcoal, loose that needs charcoal)? Absolutely NO incense for me, please.    Anything catch your eye from this super cool queer creepy-cute style UK artist? https://www.abprallen.co.uk/  I LOVE the Any Pronouns and Xe/Xir pins and Heteronormativity is a Plague, Witches and Wizards for trans kids and pride moth stickers. Honestly, there's a lot that I would like from here as a bi, genderquestioning, trans kid supporting queer person.   Pls say more about your book preferences if you haven't already! Esp. regarding fiction. This is definitely not directed at me.   My dear pumpkin, are you right-handed or left-handed (in the context of most everyday tasks)? Lefty 4 life.   Lilliths 2022 have dropped.  Anything you are coveting?  The week I've had, I've not even ad a chance to look. I'll try to update in a bit.     
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Summer Sprite Q&A

Updated 8/20 5:45pm

Does anything, scent and / or product-wise, catch your eye from the Haus of Gloi summer drop? (https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/summer) [you're free to pick stuff NOT from Summer as well, of course!  ]
Hummingbird, Archipelago, Beguiled and U=Pick, Blueberry Tart, Lemongrass Ice Cream in any of the product categories I tend to like (whipped soap/body butter/foaming scrubs/soap) all sound lovely. 
Yes, the rumors are true- I'll be in Paris this summer! Tell me up to five things you'd be happy to get from there, including any specific teas from Dammann Freres, my favorite french tea shop! (https://www.dammann.fr/en/#) Oh my goodness. I am honestly overwhelmed by the tea choices, but I love fruity flavored black teas and fruit infusions, so you can't really go wrong with those. Otherwise, macarons, chocolates, cheese? I'm blanking on my Parisian gifts.    I recently discovered Khamilaluna and plan to place an order soon to get a present for my roommate. Is there anything you'd like from them? Honestly, almost all of the soaps look right up my alley, other than a couple of super floral ones.    Dear Swapee, is there any small gift from mother nature that you'd like me see if I can source for you from old forests?  Obviously no promises; but if I don't know what to look for, I certainly won't find.  I really love pretty stones.   Also, second question, ring sizes, obviously fingers are all different sizes, even on the same hand - do you wear rings on all your fingers? how about a range smallest to largest?  I'm pretty set for rings.   If your Sprite were to gift you magical items or workings... a) Would you be interested in that? b) If so, what intention(s) would you appreciate most? No thank you.   Would you be interested in a set of (rpg) dice? If so, what colors/aesthetic? They will get stolen by my son, but sure, if they are really interesting and unusual.   What's your favorite creature? Cats, bats, corgis, spiders, snakes, penguins, owls, corvids, octopi   Do you like reading comics? If you haven't really read 'em, would you be interested in receiving a few that match your book genre preferences? I love comics and definitely. All of that info is in my goodreads in terms of what I already have.    I'm headed to Puerto Rico in July - anything particularly interesting you would like from there? This is my question, but generally, I'm up for jewelry, travel mugs or water bottles, magnets or other little trinkets from your travels.    Would you be interested in receiving a small bottle of home infused whiskey aged from commercially produced moonshine? Any particular flavors you might enjoy (examples include orange chai or cinnamon chocolate or hot peppers)? Also my question, but I want all of the alcohol infusions.   Would you be interested in homemade shortbread that fits your flavor preferences? Absolutely.    - If your bday is during the swap, how are you planning to celebrate? I was all over the map with what I want to do this year, but as it happens, we have been gifted tickets to AwesomeCon, so we'll be doing that. Plus I'm making Roach's 40 Orange Glaze Cake (https://twitter.com/sambaschutte/status/1517315078650884096). - Likewise, how do you celebrate relevant spiritual holidays in this time period? I do not.  - Anything you want from the UK? I am always up for UK sweets, although summer is probably not the best time to be sending me aero bars.  - Seeds, y/n? No thank you. - Are you interested in skincare/shampoo/conditioner? Other than sheet masks or eye cream, no thank you. Or lightweight moisturizer with at least 35 SPF. - Are you interested in tights? If so, what thickness, style, and size? Sure - I prefer relatively lightweight, dark colors, patterns, fit roughly US 14-16. - Do you use tarot decks? Would you like to receive more - and if so, can you list the ones you already have? I already have a couple of decks and don't really need more.  - What do you think of the art on this website? https://www.printisdead.co.uk/ I love it! I would definitely get use out of notecards, postcards, stickers, or the weekly planner. I'm not overly into the witchy designs (pentagrams, wands), but the ravens, skulls, memento mori designs are amazing.  - Is loose leaf tea good, or do you prefer bagged? Bagged is more portable and convenient, but I am fine with loose leaf and have plenty of strainer baskets and such. Now that I'm only in the office a couple of days a week, this distinction is much less meaningful.    I make arm warmers.  I make them from sweaters I thrifted.  They can be all one color, or stripes of different colors.  They can be long, to the elbows, or shorter. If you would like a pair, tell me your favorite colors.  Solids are more generally elegant, Stripes can be as wildly funky as you wish.  Long?  Short?  Cashmere?  Tell me your fingerless mitts arm warmer dreams. These sound delightful. Stripes and colors in my favorites sound good in soft blends.   PBSW Summer collection is live!!!  Anything catch your eye? Weirdly, not much from this one.   It's farmers market season in town and I have loads of lovely local artisans to shop from. Would you be interested in items from any of the following?
The Rod Homestead (I love this one I helped fund her commercial kitchen) I would LOVE Orange simple syrup or Grenadine, vanilla extract, and the sugars all look interesting.   Working Class Coffee -coffee is always welcome Philly Nuts Ooh, honestly, just about any of the flavored nuts, especially anything fruity/spicy or a little sweet 222 Creations  These are lovely, but not really my style Carol's Epiphany I really love the calla lily style earrings here.   I am learning to do embroidery. Would you possibly like a simple hand embroidered piece? Sure! I'd love something in one of my fandoms or featuring a favorite animal or a skull or something.   If you would like this is there a simple favorite flower or summer symbol, like a bee? I do love bees and butterflies and beetles, along with calla lilies and yellow roses and tree flowers like cherry blossoms or dogwood flowers.   What kind of sprite would you prefer? A ninja or to know the ID right away? I like both styles for different reasons Whatever is most fun for you.    Are you ok with shunga label art (bpal?) Sure!   I dye yarn. Is custom yarn of interest to you? No thank you.   My European travels are expanding! Anything you want from Portugal or Berlin??? I love vhino verde, but it might be of questionable legality to send me a bottle. Likewise, local liquors, German beer, etc.  Generally, spices, sweets, stickers. Painted tiles from Portugal?    My friend makes cool art with garbage, is there anything here you might like? I like this work a lot, but I don't have a lot of wall space, so I should pass.    Would you like items related to your astrological sign and if so what is it? Maybe if it were something subtle. I am a gemini and find astrology interesting, but don't really believe in it.    what do you think of plushies? I absolutely love plushies. My daughter and I collect tentacle kitty plushies and I have a little collection of arogumi made by folks for me over the years.    Are there any Korean or Japanese food/craft/self-care items you would be interested in in receiving? I am always up for Japanese Kit Kats in fun flavors and other snacks and my kiddo will love any kawaii inspired items. I also like Korean sheet masks.   Is there anything for your garden or houseplants that you need, or would like (tiny, hand thrown cachepot for a prized astrophytum, etc.), or are you proudly black thumb and shun any plant that isn't resin? I am absolutely a black thumb.    How many books is too many books? I legitimately have too many physical books, but there is no such thing on a general level.    I’m knitting up washcloths right now. Would you like some? I would likely use them as dishcloths, but definitely.
any spices you need/want?  I’m fleshing out a Penzey's order!!  I love Penzey's New Curry and Vietnamese Cinnamon.   your feelings on chocolate?  Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, White chocolate? with or without nuts? How about truffly goodness?  I went into a great deal of chocolate detail in my survey, I believer, but generally, milk, white, dark is my order of preference. I like nuts with other things (think cadbury fruit and nut) and truffles are fab.    Do you want anything for your vehicle? Like bumper stickers or magnets? Maybe magnets if they are super in my interests. Stickers will likely go on my guitar case, although I'm rapidly running out of room.   any interest in Japanese fashion-ish items? (kanzashi hair pins, and other things made form old kimono fabric, fans, tenugui, etc?) Fans, yes. I don't use hair accessories. Maybe on other things? A reclaimed fabric tote bag could be cool.    Would you use cbd infused bath products? Probably not, honestly. 
  What colors are your kitchen stuffs? All of them? A lot of blue in dishes (we just got a full set of Calamityware last year). Cooking implements tend to be black or pretty random. There is no coherency in my kitchen. 
  If I knitted up a scarf/shawl/something in the wearable area what colors would you like and please be pretty specific so I can see if my yarn stash makes this feasible (or if @twilighteyes or @winterblizzard has stash that does and I can barter) k please thanks I've been really likely dark green lately. Sparkly would be wonderful.   —->. One big box or a couple starting now?? Whatever works for you, with the caveat that you shouldn't mail anything until mid July at this point.    How close to the final deadline would you prefer to receive your package?  Should we try to squeak as close to August 31st as humanly possible, or would it be okay to send the package earlier? I don't have strong feelings one way or another.    I am afraid to send chocolate in this heat.  What other things might you enjoy? Gourmet lollipops?  Handmade Marshmallows (not by me LOL)?  Flavored cotton candy? other ideas? All of that sounds delightful.    do you have any reservations about wearing leather, like in an accessory?? Not a bit.   So I took a "viking knitting" class (which is really wire weaving) and can now make necklaces and bracelets.  Would you be interested in either one? Absolutely! If there's flexibility to the weaving, then either one. If they are super stiff, then probably a bracelet. (Or earrings?) IF SO What color wire would you like?  (silver, gold, copper, blue, purple, yellow, green orange, black, turquoise, pink, so many colors.)   I have THIS PACK among others. Silver with black, green, blue, purple, turquoise (some of those, not all of them) would be fab, although a subtle pride flag could be fun.  What length would you want (on either or both?)  6-7 inches on bracelets. Mid length for necklaces. What kind of fasteners do you like best (lobster claw, toggle clasp, magnetic?) and color of fasteners?  (silver, gunmetal, copper, gold?)  - some of the toggle clasps come in cool shapes. For bracelets, I'd want lobster claw in silver. For necklaces, toggle clasps are fine - the kitty one is adorable.  Do you think a larger chunky one like a torc or a slimmer one?  I can draw the wire down to different sizes with my draw plate.  Probably not super chunky for a necklace.   Hats! Esp. these hats? https://foxblood.com/collections/hats Generally I am actually very much in the market for a dramatic black sunhat like the ones pictured. Bonus if it has a bow or something to hold it on my head.    Tea! Especially this tea? https://august.la/collections/black-teas? SO MANY of these look right up my alley: Bourbon Sugar, Cherry Chocolate, Bergamot Plum Earl Gray, Chili Chocolate, White Chocolate Prune, Cocoa Rose, Dirty Chai, Orange Rosemary Caramel...soooooooooo many.    So apparently there's this cute little outdoor market here that sells locally made dishcloths and similar- would you be interested in having some tea towels or similar from Portugal, dear Spritz? I can always use tea towels and dishcloths.   How much do you guys like hats? I want to like hats. I really really do. But I really never wear them anymore, other than my hiking hat. I want a big broad black straw hat with a chin tie, though.   Would you like some smallish bottles of Rose Petal Liqueur, Lavender Vanilla Bean Liqueur, or Plum Brandy?  (all homemade.) Of course!   Anything look appealing from the Nocturne Alchemy gemstone scent drop today? No thanks.   How about the BPAL Dragon*Con Peaches? Probably? I need to catch up on these.   Tea, coffee, sweets, biscuits, etc. from Europe.  Is there anything you would be interested in, sprite?   https://matreshkadeli.com Yes? I cannot even begin to narrow it down!   Vintage martini glass? This is my question and I'm on a mission for myself, but I love vintage barware generally.   My peacock is shedding his feathers as the mating season has ended. Would you like some peacock feathers? I think that I've received peacock feathers from you before! So I think I'll pass this time.   Also, I have loads of herbs right now and a dehydrator. Would you like any peppermint, spearmint, licorice mint, sage or oregano that I grew? Absolutely! I love using dried mint for tea infusions and licorice mint sounds quite intriguing.    How about a few sprigs of fresh lavender? Sure!
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Spring Cleaning v4.0 2015 Q&A

1.Ladies and gents, if you're comfortable receiving clothing, what size(s)? Any particular types of clothing (skirts, oversized t-shirts for crafting, work clothing)? How do you feel about shoes that were bought, worn once, and never brought out of the closet again? Ditto this for anyone else in your household who might appreciate wearables.   I am a L in BPTP tissue tees, XL in just about anything else, including Tee Fury and Threadless. Otherwise, I'm a 12-14 in bottoms (usually larger in pants, smaller in skirts unless they are super form fitting, generally skirts are somewhat safer because I am about the bass, as it were), I don't wear much in the way of button ups because boobage. On the weekends it's pretty much tees- either TP or geeky tee fury type stuff and jeans for me, and pretty business formal during the week. Shoes: I wear a US 8, I love me some funky Fluevogs, or sandals in the summer. I'm trying to keep heels to no more than 1.5 inches because my calves are not what they used to be. Totally happy to take anything that fits this description off your hands.   2.How do you feel about socks that were very briefly on fresh-out-of-the-shower feet & then removed when it was discovered they didn't fit? Absolutely! I do have pretty monster calves, so I have the same "gee these are adorbs except for the circulation in my legs" issue, and I have a couple of pairs in my hope to find a home pile myself.   3.How do you feel about vinyl designer toys? (Ex super7, kidrobot, etc) I've never really gotten into these, which basically means I'm a clean slate. Someone mentioned Lego, which is my obsession. Otherwise, my fandoms are Harry Potter (Ravenclaw represent), Doctor Who (especially 9/Rose), Star Wars, Firefly, GOT (sort of, though I've only read the books), pretty much anything Gaiman related, LOTR sort of.   4.What kind of makeup and/or nail polish would you be interested in receiving? What kind of colors do you like? Sure! I covet bright colors for eyes and lips and could actually use some sort of setting "glue" for sparkly shadows (I know there's a name for this, but search me). Also, I search forever for non-black or brown mascaras (especially need blue-black, but love other colors too). I do not need facial care stuff or foundation/powder and I never wear blush, so anything along those lines would just get a home in the next round of BBBoxes. 5.Speaking of books, are there any books you WOULD NOT READ if something happened to fall into your package? My goodreads has a ton of info about my preferences, but jumping of an earlier answer, I would NOT be interested in anything religious at all, including pagan stuff. I'm an avowed atheist, so it's just not my scene. Otherwise, I'm not real big on non-fiction or much from before 1940 or so. 6.Are there any other hoarders collectors of nail polish? All the bright sparkly colors for my toes. I don't really wear/need neutrals and don't care much for matte.   7. Any hobbies/crafts you would really like supplies for? Similarly, any that you just *really* don't need more stuff of? I keep saying that I want to start doing cross stitch and embroidery again and I can always use polymer clay and related supplies, beads, and jewelry fittings.   8.Are you interested in anything for your kitchen? Pots/pans/gadgets/small appliances/etc. In terms of need, probably not. But I could find a good use for a salad spinner, double boiler, madeline and bakeware. Fun dishtowels and spatulas are cool. And wooden spoons.   9.How about fashion accessories??? I have super short hair, so don't really use hair accessories, but my daughter has really long hair and is growing out her bangs right now, so she would get use out of hair clips, headbands and the like. I have a lot of scarves and such as well, so I don't really need more, but if something seems perfect, I'd be happy to adopt it.   10. Used makeup? I'm not terribly picky about my makeup, other than mascara. No non-cleanly tested mascara, please.   11.Would you like to try anything that may not be so easily available in your country, for those of you who may get an international person? Sure!   12.Kids' stuff? I have a daughter who will turn 5 during the swap who loves owls and rainbows and birds and dolphins. Gently used clothes in a size 5 or above are totally cool, as are Kindergarten age appropriate books and such. I also have an 11 year old son who is gigantic and totally pubescent and who will take anything military history related off your hands.   13.Are there any styles/colors of handbags you won't carry? Anything in the biege/brown/white/yellow/orange spectrum or anything too canvasy utilitarian or patchwork hippy-chic. Otherwise, I prefer cross body bags that are kind of classy-funky, if that makes any sense.   14.Do you play video games & would you be interested in recieving games? If yes, what systems do you have & what types of games do you like? Sure! Personally, I mostly play adventure/HO games on my kindle (think Big Fish/G4), but we do have a Wii that I wish I had more time for and my son and husband play all the time. They are also angling for an Xbox.   15.Are you a BPAL only person, or do you wear other perfumes as well? BPAL only please!   16.Do you have pets and if so what?   Two cats and a tank of guppies, none of whom need anything. The cats don't really like treats and catnip gives one of ours a really bad trip, so we avoid it. Cool aquarium accessories might get some love, I guess.   17. Bath/beauty stuff? Ie oils, salts, bubbles? Masks, bb creams? All the bath stuff. ALL OF IT! Except for non-cleansing scrubs. I have SO many jars of non-cleansing scrubs that I really really should not adopt more. But all the foaming scrubs. I am pretty set for a skincare routine as well, but am always on the look out for a good charcoal face wash to tempt me away from my current decidedly uncool Mary Kay regimen.   18. If you are a dustpan who would like to receive yarn, are you particular about said yarn? Wool allergies? Irrational hatred of acrylics? Can you use partial balls (like I used maybe 50 yards of a 200 yard skein), or do you only use certain weights? Please no yarn. I have no use for it unless you're making something out of it before you sent it to me. No fabric, either, while I'm thinking of it.   19. How does everyone feel about CDs and DVDs? Any preferences? Sure, but I have no idea how to even begin to guide this question, other than to send you to my amazon wishlist.   20. Hey, how do people feel about stripes? Say, black and white stripes? Stripes are love. 21. Do you have any interest or use for anything tarot-related? Not really. 22. Do you like cats? Actual cats are great, have 2. Not that big on stuff with cats on it, unless it's kind of weird (like a cat in a space helmet or something, not anything super cutsie). 23. Do you collect anything? Not super comprehensively, but I like gargoyles and creepy critters. My daughter will take anything you have with owls on it. Lego is probably the biggest thing, now that I think of it. We have several hundred of the actual sets and probably close to a million bricks all told. So there's that. I also love sticker books and adult coloring books and my daughter likes the youngling variety. Son is in a big military history kick right now. 24. Also, I've unearthed a ton of stuff from the regifting heap, so do you have any use for a potpourri container, a bright purple reusable water bottle, or a Massage Envy gift card? As noted in thread, I will take all water bottles or travel mugs that are in good condition and I'd happily find a use for Massage Envy. No potpourri please, containers or otherwise.   25. If you are interested in receiving homemade baked goods, do you have any favorites or limitations not mentioned in your questionnaire? Would you like a full list of ingredients included? Homemade baked goods are awesome, no limitations other than what I listed in my questionnaire. Most salient would be please no no-calorie sweeteners or dill. 26. If you are interested in receiving clothing, would you like any belts, sweatpants, or slippers? And do you have color/style preferences? No sweatpants. Belts would be great. Slippers that can go outdoors would be great in dark colors, or cozy socks. 27. If you are interested in receiving books, would you like to receive ebooks? As in, book files I'd send you on a USB drive, that you can read on your computer or e-reader. Sure!   28. How do you feel about barely-used candles? I have no objection to partially burned candles.
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Spring Cleaning Q&A

Updated 4-25-23 am   Embroidery floss?   No thanks. I want to say yes to this because I do like doing embroidery, but I know in my heart it is unlikely to happen.  Seed beads? No thanks.  Veggie seeds? No thanks.
Comic books?   Absolutely! There is a lot about my preferences and what I have and don't in my swap info and Goodreads.  
Poetry? Yes please! 
PS1-4? No thanks.  What size jigsaw puzzle would you like? 300, 500, 1000 pieces? Anything other than 300. Tarot cards? Yay or nay? No thanks. I have a couple of decks that I just never think to grab.  Music? Digital? CDs? What genre? I mostly use Spotify these days, but will occasionally I listen to CDs in the car. I mostly listen to 80s alternative, goth and industrial (I'm old),  but I am definitely interested in newer stuff and like just about anything other than serious dude country.  How about DVDs? Anyone still watch any of those? I really don't. There's a handful of things I might be interested in - e.g. some Terry Pratchett adaptations or other things that are only available on DVD.  Unused notebooks? Sure. I use these for notes when I'm doing mystery games.  Do you like LUSH?  Favorite scents?     I haven't used Lush in years, but I do like their body wash and lip balms, but have no idea what I like of their current line. I do not care for their soap and don't have a bathtub. Do you bake? Would you be interested in sprinkles or any cake/cupcake decorating stuff? I do bake - I would use sprinkles for sure. Other decorating stuff maybe - I don't tend to do fancy stuff.  Would you be interested in receiving a scarf? Any color preference? No thanks.  Would you be interested in receiving a hat? Any style or color preference? Winter hats no, but funky vintage ones sure.  purse? I have a million purses and bags that I need to donate because I’ll never use them again!  I can always use a fun cross-body bag.  OCYL - I think I covered this in my survey, but maybe not - I am pretty much BPAL only for perfumes, but I am up for just about anything in terms of scented body products.  Incense - Please DO NOT send me incense. Or tarts, because I just won't use them, but incense is almost always a migraine trigger for me.  Mystery/Escape Room Games - Absolutely, 100%. I have played a bunch of Deadbolt Mystery Society, Hunt a Killer and just started a sub to Finders Seekers.  Moonshine and other booze? I will take all of your booze, decanted, infused, or otherwise.  On a scale of 1-10, how "gothy/goth-adjacent" are you? A 10, I guess in that I used to be super in the scene in multiple cities, online, etc. While I haven't been super active in a long time, I definitely still feel very goth-adjacent in the sense that it's kinda always a dormant part of my identity. The Black No 1 will always flow in my veins (even if I was never actually raven haired).  would you use a brand new sealed package of organic matcha powder that has a best buy date of 2/23/23? Unlikely. I suppose I might use it to try my hand at matcha shortbread, but likely not before the use by date started to worry me (since I still don't even know where my flour and sugar are from our kitchen remodel).  Dustbin, how would you feel about hair products like leave in conditioner, shampoo bars, texturizing products, dyes, etc.? Maybe shampoo bars (if they can be used with dyed hair) or dry shampoo spray. Lightweight gel/goo that is good for short and/or wavy hair could be nice. Do you need any pantry things like flours, sweeteners, or spices? Always happy to take interesting spice blends or flavored sugars. Probably not flour. I could stash away any artificial sweetener that I could use in baking for the next time someone wants low-sugar friendly treats, but otherwise, I wouldn't use it personally.  Dustpan, would you like a mug? If it is large, dishwasher safe and relevant to my interests, sure. I will also take all of your random vintage/inspired tea cups and saucers, bonus if they are singletons.   Dustpan, what are your feelings on vintage toys, either just antique-type toys or things like Barbies, original MLP, etc.? (good condition, but no box) Mayyyyyyyyyybe if it's like a tin wind-up bat or something else directly relevant to my interests. There was a time when my youngest would have been all over original MLP, but they left that stage behind a while ago. Otherwise, I really need fewer collectables in my life.    Dustpan, how do you feel about home decor? Seasonal/day-to-day things? This is an area where I seriously need to declutter unless it is something super relevant to my interests. That said, I will definitely find a home for vintagey Halloween or Christmas deco, or things that could be used as serving dishes/utensils for our annual Halloween open house. 
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Spring Cleaning 2019!

Updated 4/19/19 Noon   I have A LOT of different types of loose leaf tea.  Would you be happy with some samples decanted into new, sealable bags? Sure thing - I tend to prefer flavored tea to just straight black/green/white, but otherwise, I'm always happy to sample new things!   How about a new laptop/tablet sleeve? It's new and fits up to 11.6" laptops/tablets. No thanks.    Or some vintage vinyl (for the music or for home decoration)?  I really really want to say yes to this, but I know I shouldn't because a) I don't even think I have a working turntable and b) I know I don't have available wall space. So, reluctant no.    Do you need any office-type stuff?  Pens, post its, binder clips, clip board would all be used!   Knitted washcloths, shawl, scarves, etc... I have an actual pressing need for scrubby kitchen washcloths. A shawl in jewel tones, or black and teal or something like that would not go amiss.   Hellboy decants? Honestly, I haven't even looked and I really should. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP.    Would you like small decorative bowls or plates? I have a lot of japanese trinkets and small plateware. Most of it is not dishwasher/microwave safe however. Also do you like chopsticks? I would prefer nothing that is purely decorative, to be honest. I am already hurting for wall and shelf and cabinet space. Fun chopsticks would be cool. Or usable fancy cups and saucers.    Mugs? Regular/Travel/Etc. Please no. My cabinets are already exploding with mugs. I do actually have a need for travel mugs for my morning coffee, but ONLY WITHOUT HANDLES. Not sure why I'm weird about that, but no travel mugs with handles please. Hopefully my Dustpan will feel differently.   If you said you don't really wear makeup, does that mean you hate it and will never wear it or you just don't have it around, but you'd maybe have some fun playing with a good palette if you had one at hand? I think I covered this pretty thoroughly in my original questionnaire, but I actively do not want more palettes or big collections.    Chapstick-like lip balm (unused) - yay or nay? I am pretty set in this arena right now.    What book are you reading right now?  On my Kindle, I'm reading "How Long 'Til Black Future Month", a short story collection from N.K. Jemison. In physical books, I'm reading volume 1 of "Pretty Deadly".    What is the last movie you saw in the theater? Did you like it? Captain Marvel - I loved it. Almost as importantly, so did my 8 year old.   What is one thing you are really looking forward to? My best friend from college is getting married in May and we are using it as an excuse for a get away for my husband and I. Otherwise, planning our summer vacation to San Diego, but that is a long way off.    What is your favorite type of cookie? My own homemade chocolate chip or chewy frosted sugar cookies.    What about nail polish? What types of polish do you like? What colors? Any particular type of nail art? Willing to try new types of nail art? Sparkly bold polish, no neutrals. I would be willing to try nail art, but I don't really do it myself because I'm just not that coordinated.    I will be pruning both of my bay laurel bushes and will dry the leaves for culinary use (stews, casseroles, roasts, Mediterranean recipes). I will have A  LOT, so could you use any? Sure!   Do you mind makeup palettes that have been very lightly tested? (Definitely nothing lip related as that's just not hygienic!) No thank you - not because I mind but because I really don't want any more in my house.   Vintage glass items? Oh goodness. I have to say no to this. I don't want to, but I need to. I would honestly love poison bottles though.     Loose crystals, minerals, or gemstones?    If they are tiny like beads, then no. But larger ones that my youngest could study and identify would be cool. She loves that sort of thing.    Do you have strong feelings about receiving a book from a series that is not the first one in that series? Does it matter to you whether each book can function on its own despite some backward reference?  If the story can stand alone, that is fine. Honestly, I tend to forget a lot of the details that authors pull over between books anyway. If it the kind of series where the narrative picks up hours after the last book and dives into part two of a cliffhanger, I'll probably pass.    - Anyone into men's cologne (non-bpal, think nice department store or designer brands)?   I beg of you please DO NOT send me any non-BPAL perfume. So, er, no thank you!   - Do you like comic books, and, if so, what types? Yes! I go into this pretty extensively in my book info posts. I tend to prefer graphic novels to individual issues because I'm really bad about tracking down the latter, but I love comics as a method of storytelling and would be perfectly happy to have individual issues if that's what you have. On point - I just finished the first volume of Pretty Deadly, just started the second of Y the Last Man and am anxiously awaiting Monstress vol 4 and Bitch Planet vol 3. 
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Shameless Self Promotion

There is no reason why anyone would even read this thing (since it essentially consists of a bunch of lists for my own record keeping), but I've started a real, honest to goodness, ranting about politics/social issues/isisms blog: I'm Just Not Impressed.   Visit?
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Seven Spooky Nights Questions

Updated 9-1-23     Would you like any of the following?   (Maybe just remove the things you aren't interested in?):  Consider them removed. I am SUPER interested in mead of all sorts.  Catnip (organic, from our property.  Dried in our dehydrator.) Canned food items Thick Huckleberry Syrup (or thin huckleberry jam -- it was kind of a fail for how thick/thin it is, but still tasty.  Has sugar.) Bluebarb jam (blueberry/rhubarb)  (has sugar.) Blackberry, Raspberry, or Strawberry Jam  (they have sugar) Possibly peach or plum jam or butter (we can probably make it without ingredients you can't have -  if allergies) Apple Crips (dried apples with nothing added, not sure what kind of apples we'll do this year.  Usually honeycrisp.) Thunder Butter?  (like icy hot but made with herbs, beeswax, menthol, wintergreen, cayenne.  Spot test so it doesn't burn your skin.) Rose Petal liqueur sample (has sugar.) Lavender Vanilla Bean liqueur sample (has sugar.) Mead sample (flavor depends on what kind of mead my son has made lately.  Can make it dry, semi-sweet, or sweet to your preference.)     Would you like me to knit you a hat, shawlette, cowl, or fingerless mitts?  I can do colorwork hats or cowls with skulls, bats, pumpkins, ghosts...   Yarn preference?  (merino wool, merino cashmere, merino silk, merino silk cashmere, acrylic, sparkles or no sparkles, etc. Shawlette and fingerless mitts would get the most use - not picky about yarn, so long as it's soft. Sparkly is a bonus.    How about a soap bag (knitted), washcloths, or tarot card bag?  (washcloths will be cotton.  soap bags will probably be either cotton or non-superwash wool so they shrink around the soap.  Tarot will be silk - I have limited colors in silk.) I can do the BPAL Brimstone logo, bats, skulls, cats, jack o lanterns, whatever on washcloths.   Washcloths would be cool. My kiddo might want a tarot card back with a cat theme.    Or maybe a gknitted Gnome?  Or bat?  Ghost?  Black Cat?  Voodoo doll?  Monster?  Or something else spooky?  I have lots of patterns.  Here is an example I did for the Gnome swap. I love my collection of handcrafted critters from my BPAListas, so YES.    If you want any knitted things -- color preferences?    I can do stripy mitts, cowls, or hats.  Solid or gradient color shawlettes, cowls, mitts, hats.   Colorwork hats or cowls (base color plus whatever color for your skull, ghost, bat, jack o lantern, spider, witch hat, moon, cat, or whatnot.)  Solid one color for soap bag, washcloths, or tarot bag.  (I think I only have purple silk for the tarot bag.)  Pick three or four colors for Gnomes (one of those colors will be their beard, I usually use white.) Pretty much any of my favorite colors in my survey - I definitely prefer patterns to solids. Flamboyance is kinda a personality trait over here.    My mom has an etsy shop with project bags for knitting/crochet or what ever you want to use them for.  We could also make tote type bags, flat zipper cosmetic type bags, or boxy bags/dice bags.  Are you interested in this type of item?  I have all kinds of spooky fabric that isn't currently up on the shop if you look through the sold items.  https://twinklentwilight.etsy.com  I love the one I have, but I'm good! I mean, I'll ALWAYS take cool tote bags, though.    LUSH's Halloween collection drops 8/31.  I will be making an order.  Can I pick up something for you? I am not a huge Lushy, but I do like their bath washes if there's something in my scent profile. I know there's a clovey one that I've liked in the past.    Which Surprise Items that will be at Dragoncon might you be interested in? Most of them? Definitely Blackout Blinds and Unclenched. I need some time to digest the Halloweenies.    Would you be interested in dangle earrings or pendants made of dried roses (and other beads)? Sure!   How do you feel about stuffies that are sewn? Form or fabric preference? Sure! Bats, cats, spiders, corgis, gargoyles come to mind.    Teeturtle, anything look fun? I love their Halloween shirts - especially the various cats and bats, but I should note that I have the Pumpkin Spice Unicorn and Candy Corn Bat already and I'm a hard no on the Hogwarts house inspired stuff.    Haus of Gloi's first fall collection has dropped - anything you like? I am aways up for their pumpkin butter and bubbling scrubs in Apple Milk, Blood Orange Marshmallow, Cozy Pumpkin, Golden Corn Cakes, Hex, Kitchen Witch, Little Hedgehog, Pumpkin Eater, Pumpkin Queen, or Red Roan   What about Paintbox Soapworks Fall scents? About the only thing that appeals to me this year is Pokeberry (jam, sorbetto, soap) and maybe Putney Road (sorbetto or soap).    How do you feel about CBD as an ingredient in something? Like a pain relief lotion or lip balm? I'm not opposed to trying it.    I'm getting into bookbinding! Is there a fanfic/book (I can try to get the text block in paperback and rebind it)/out-of-copyright book that you want hardbound all fancy? If you were somehow able to get your hands on Ray Bradbury's Dark Carnival, I would worship you forever (it's currently $750 on Amazon, so I am not holding my breath).    Cellar Door's seasonal items are out.  Anything you need? I would love to try most of these as soaps and would be happy to receive soap ends. The only ones that don't appeal are Haunted Woods, Michigan Moonglow, October Road and Zombie Repellant.    Are you interested in anything from Grounds and Hounds? I'm more of a kittytowncoffee.com kinda sib,  but I am always up for pumpkin spice (ground), and damn if the corgi butt and "I'm Spooky without coffee" mugs are not super cute.    Anything from here?  The Halloween Collection is adorable.  Clothes That Fit - Snag US (snagtights.us) I've always been intrigued by their stuff, but I don't wear skirts and dresses much these days. The bats and the Grimoire and Lux Amethyst look lovely, though. I'd be an E, it looks like.   Moonalisa? lip butter in Black Cat or Goblin Grog?
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Rolling with my Gnomies

Updated 2/12/23   Would you like to receive Girl Scout cookies and if so, what kind is your favorite? Sure! My youngest left scouts this year and I haven't ordered any yet. We like Thin Mints, Samoas/Caramel Delites, the new Adventurefuls, Smores and I really want to try the new raspberry ones.   Would you like a Gnome amigurumi?  (smol knitted or crocheted gnome)  Yes please! -- if so, What gnome colors appeal to you?  (three-four colors please) jewel tones, black, gray -- do any of these patterns appeal to you (I pretty much have all of them including the ones for humans but I'm not going to make a colorwork sweater for you, sorry.  I *might* make a hat or mitts if you like grey, blue, and red as shown because I already have that yarn.) I really like the long floppy hat one - Here we gnome again.   How about Gnome tea towel(s)? Sure!   Would you like a cross stitched gnome picture / ornament? Sure.    What's your favorite way to experience Nature?  A hike in the woods, a day lounging on the beach, only as screen savers on your computer? Wandering in the woods behind my house, kayaking, definitely love beaches and exploring bodies of water, tide pools, etc. When I think "nature" I think trees and water.   what kinds of safety and environmental concerns need to be considered for your gnome so they can safely reside at your home? will they live outdoors so they need to be weatherproof (for what kind of weather)? will they be indoors and need to be pet or child-safe? do they need to be very tiny or capable of hanging on a wall?  I am ready and willing to provide a suitable habitat for an outdoor gnome, but would also happily provide an indoor home. Sadly, I do not have a lot of wall space for a hanging gnome.   How do you feel about zombie or other horror gnomes? I'm really not into zombies, but would not be opposed to a creepy gnome.   Do you need any seeds? If so what varieties might you be interested in? Flowers, veg, herbs.. ? I have a black thumb, so please, no seeds or live plants.    Would you like feathers from my Peacock, Gary (short for Gyrados)? Sure!   if BPAL is one of your treasures, which BPAL would you like the mostest?  (Maybe one that is available right now from BPAL and one Limited Edition/Discontinued?) My wishlist is actually updated for once. I'll try to think of specifics.   If you are a tea drinker, which (if any) of these teas tickle your fancy? Parisian Breakfast and Vanilla Black and Nutcracker all look good.   would you like a tiny hand drawn gnome picture? Sure.   Is homemade vanilla something you might like?  I have a "Mother Jar" that I can decant from.  These beans have been steeping for 2 years in a very nice bourbon. OMG YES!!!!!   Are there any colors you would prefer your gnome not to have? I'm not really into orange/yellow/brown or pastels.   If the creativity bites, would you possibly like a small embroidered gnome? Could be an ornament? Any gender preference or details you might like added (small mushroom, bee, heart or egg...)? A little ornament with bees would be delightful.    Do you have a need for cheese knife?  https://ototodesign.com/products/bert-cheese-knife? OMG, I was all set to saw naw, then I saw the link and he is hekkin adorable and I wants him.    I'll be in Seattle next week- any treat you might enjoy from the PNW? Spoopy/ Gothy things? Nice coffee beans? A Nirvana t-shirt...?   
Always up for coffee beans. Now I am coveting a gothy gnome.
  I'll be back in Disney World next month- anything you might like from Epcot or Hollywood Studios?   
I can't think of anything specific.    Would you be interested in a small copper nature totem that could nestle in your garden or amongst your plants? I can do some chasing to create a mushroom or a leaf or a special bug fren... That sounds lovely. Our yard is kind of vaguely controlled chaos, but we have a lot of neat sculptural things hidden about. I would particularly be interested in a bug fren.   Would you be interested in a decorative pillow or zippered pouch featuring a gnomely figure?  like this?  or a little coin purse? or please tell me to make this because oh my gods... Yes! The first or the last for sure. The coin purse not so much.    I have an angora rabbit and she's currently molting. Would you like rabbit fur for spinning, felting, or other crafty uses? This sounds lovely, but I don't really have a use for it.    Do you need any spices? There's nothing I specifically need, but I'm always interested in trying new spice blends. I could use some new curry blends specifically.    How would you feel about gnome-inspired clothing? I would feel good about it.   would you be interested in any horror movie merch? If so, do you have a favorite horror movie / character? Not really my thing. (although a scary gnome could be fun)   Haus of Gloi launched their Valentine goodies today. Anything appeal? https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/valentines-1 Ooh, whipped soap, bubbling scrub, body butter or soap in Come Hither, First Blush, Superfreak, Who Needs Love and maybe Lily Cakes if the Lily isn't SUPER strong (this one sounds intriguing, but potentially migraine inducing)   Moonalisa? If she restocks soap or releases body butter in the Lemon Curd and Coconut Cream or Raspberry Vanilla Cream, sure!   NAVA? No thanks.   Seeds/Plants? Sadly no. I definitely would get no use out of seeds. I might be able to keep an air plant or a succulent alive, but it's iffy.   Shortbread? This is my question, but yes, I would love to your version in floral or fruit flavors.      Any candles you might like? Be sure to check her clearance for leftovers from Halloween! https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeresaLynnsSimpleLux Some of the Headache and other aromatherapy stuff looks interesting, but I'm not sure about the scents. I definitely have TOO many candles, especially since I rarely burn them outside of September - December.    Lupers? I'll try to get my wishlist updated.  
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New Year's Swap 19-20

Updated 11/20/19   Would you like anything from Spireside candles? https://spireside.com/ I'm not really up for candles at this point, but the whipped soaps in Flight of the Pegasus and Beauty Sleep look good. And poking around in the candles, pretty much all of the holiday ones really do sound amazing, especially the Yeti and Jungle Bells and Wizard Ball scents.    Are you interested in anything from Bird and Blend Tea Company? Snowball teabags look delightful. Generally, caffeine free chocolate flavors are my jam.   On the decorating spectrum, do you head more towards classic/stylish or towards cheesy/kitsch? Definitely the latter, but not country kitchy, more geeky/silly.   Fiber artists! (Knitters, weavers, crocheters etc) How would you like to get some nice yarn? No thank you.   Is there any animal you feel a strong connection with? Corgis, tortie cats, bats, dragons, penguins, the owl that lives in my backyard, our ball python   Books - there is a TON of info in my other blog posts and everything I've read in the past 12 years is in Goodreads, so I will send you there.   Cowl or fingerless mitts (these are the only things I'll have time to do.) - if a cowl, do you want something like a double length cowl, or a cowl that looks like a shawl,  a large bulky cowl, or a short tighter type cowl?  (not necessarily these patterns, although if you love the pattern I can do it.  I welcome photos of what you want.) - if fingerless mitts, how long do you like them over the fingers, how far past the wrist, and how large are your hands, wrists, and arms in inches? I would ABSOLUTELY love a double length or shawl-like cowl.   Is merino wool ok or do you have allergies I need to be aware of?  (most of my stash is Merino or a blend of Merino, Cashmere, or Silk.) Marino and blends are fine.     
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Krampusnacht Swap Questions

Updated 11/4/21   Haus of Gloi yule update:  I'd love to try Mama’s Porridge, Spruce Tip Shortbread and Winter Divinity in bubbling scrub, whipped soap or pumpkin butter; all of the lip balms also look good    PBSW's Yule Update: I LOVE Christmas Morning Riot (would get the most use out of hot process soap), Comfort and Joy, Poinsettia, The Golden Orb (sorbetto or soap sample sizes)    Sugar Spider:  I have a big stockpile from last year's Candy Cluster, so I'm good.    Solstice Scents: Not really my bag   Any interest in any of the following in a krampus theme? + Tee (sizing?) Absolutely, women's XL (Relaxed fit if that's an option) + mask - YES PLEASE!!! + jewelry (necklace?  Earrings? ) - Sure - earrings, necklace or a charm bracelet would all be fun +socks - definitely! Love fun socks, prefer calf length or knee highs   Krampus style -  Stocking color - really dark, almost black green and red Style - cat, cute, demonic in that order    What is something you can't get where you live that you wish some nice person who lives somewhere else would send you? Trying to think of anything - generally speaking, I love any kind of regional sweets, Asia specific Tokidoki?   Perfect Krampus Scent - Smoldering red musk, fir tree switches, and dark chocolate "coal"   Jingle bells on earrings - please no, that sounds like a sensory nightmare right next to my ears. Bells in other places are fine.   Fruitcake - I LOVE trying other people's fruitcake, but homemade only, please.    Fudge - I love Holly's penuche with pecans, I'd love to try the chocolate mint. The forest fruits is super good too.    Cellar Door - I might like the Krampus Nacht in a candle, but not so much a soap. Holiday Hearth and  White Pine Wonderland would also be fabulous. I would enjoy soaps in Bad Santa, Frost Bite, Frozen Lakeshore, Gumdrop Forest, Jingle Juice, Merry Michigan, Snowy Morning, and Your Nutty Family - maybe some soap ends?
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Krampusnacht 2023

Updated 11-5-23   Paintbox Soapworks Yule is coming out!   Are you interested in any (especially their not-Krampus-but-Sinister) of their offerings? Black Twig sounds intriguing and I know I like Schwarzwald in soap or scrub.   Interested in any of the Haus of Gloi Yule (or other things on their website?) I love their pumpkin butter, bubbling scrub, whipped soap in   Brown Sugar Latte
Mama's Porridge
Rosy Cheeked
Spruce Tip Shortbread
Turkish Delight
Winter Divinity
Ye Olde Cake of Fruit
  
Body Powders:
Turkish Delight
Winter Divinity   Would you be interested in any tea from August or Brutaliteas (the latter even has a Krampus-inspired tea)? Or, is there any tea from another purveyor you are lusting after? The Krampus themed tea sounds great. I am completely overwhelmed by the options, I'm going to be honest, but if there's something that seems like it's up my alley, please feel free to share with me!   Is there any international snack you would love to get your hands on? (I can check and see if the International Marketplace in my city has it!) I love chocolate coated salty licorice which is hard to find in the US and German gingerbread with marzipan and chocolate.    Victim, how would you like an adorable Krampus t-shirt?  Krampus Kitteh please! I tend to like a more fitted cut in a XL or 2XL   Are you interested in homemade brown sugar shortbread? Always happy to have baked goods.    How about fruitcake? Yes please.    How about infused moonshine whiskey? Absolutely   How do you feel about graphic novels and manga? Any favorites? Graphic novels are about the only things I still read as physical books. There's a few on my Amazon wishlist, but feel free to reach out about specifics. Ones I've already read are all on Goodreads.    Victim, would you be interested in a knitted or crocheted Krampus thing?  Absolutely!   Would you like a handmade wreath? I have made two in the past and really enjoyed the process, If so can you please let me know what your color preferences are. Do you tend to like sparse wreathes or packed ones? How would you feel about a Krampus wreath or would you prefer a general seasonal one? Sure! I would probably prefer something generally seasonal, but it could be a little creepy. I'm not sure about sparse vs packed.   teeturtle is having one of their megasales - anything look fun to you? (they have way more than just t-shirts)  https://www.teeturtle.com/ I love TeeTurtle, but I think I missed the window on this one. 
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Krampusnacht 2022

Updated 11/12/22   I leave for a ten-day trip to Paris and London in one week's time and I'd love to bring back a goody or two if my Naughty/Nice Puss has any requests! All of the festive goodies, anything specific to the holiday season in France and the UK. 
are you interested in an advent calendar?  What kind?  (Dog cookie, tea, chocolate, etc.) Absolutely! Fun chocolate, marshmallows, tea, jams, lip balms are all good.    Officially asking for your krampus preference, naughty children!  Vintage/classic krampus and cat-rampus.   I hand-make light-weight hair falls, the kind that is NOT meant to look real, but more like doll (or Dolly) hair. I use stuff like recycled silk, ribbon yarn and the like to keep them extremely light-weight and pretty. Is this something you would like? If so, tell me your color preferences (the more options, the better!) plus any allergies I should know about (wool, alpaca, silk etc), and length. I would probably not get any use out of these, sadly.    Would you like a super ugly "Christmas" sweater with krampus all over it??   Yes. Yes I would.    Is there anything you particularly have your fingers crossed for on your wishlist? Not really.    are you hoping for more perfumes or more non-smelly goodies Definitely not hoping for mainly perfume - I only wear BPAL, but some is good if you have wishlist goodies.    dear Victim, are you in need of a squishable krampus? (or other squishable?) SUCH NEED! I also really really love the moths, especially the rosy maple moth (which I coveted even before OFMD). We have a corgi and an axolotl and the plague doctor and nurse and Baphomet already, just for context.    Anything from Penzy's to show you praise or to punish your wicked tongue? I love their vanilla and the Vietnamese cinnamon and the new curry spice blend.    Do you like homemade fudge if it is Krampus'ed up? Absolutely!   would you like a piece of Krampus themed art? Either watercolor, resin, polymer clay, or wire wrap? Something small would be fun.    I'm probably going to place an order for October 33rd once I get paid next week. Are there any BPALs (recently released or otherwise) that you would love to get on St. Nicholas Day?  I need to update my wishlist. I've been so farking busy that I haven't even given the Weenies a good look.   Is there anything you'd be interested in from Loreworks?  Please note, the body wash is marketed as body wash/bubble bath, but it DOES contain SLS for those who avoid it.) Magic Michael, Edgar Allen Ho, Screamcicle, Pear gingerbread cobbler and Mourning all sound good in either body wash or shea cream.    dear victim, are you interested in a microwaveable bowl cozy? I'm not actually sure what that is?    Dearest Victim, might you bed a fan of the glorious old punk band, the Damned? I'm seeing them perform on Friday, so there might be things like tour t-shirts or stickers available- would any of this be of interest to you? (if not, no worries, I can worship them enough for the both of us!  ) I do like the Damned and my spouse really likes them. I doubt I'd get much use out of a shirt, but a sticker for my guitar case would be cool.    Dear *ahem* Victim *snicker* ... Would you enjoy a 2023 wall calendar? I would, but it needs to be family appropriate, since the only place I use one is in the kitchen where my 12 year old and their friends can see it.    Victim, is there anything you would like from the Zeep holiday collection releasing on November 1st?  (see this post) Sugar whip or meringue in just about any of the scents other than the moscato one, since wine notes tend to be very iffy on me. Grinch Cookies and Snow Angels sound particularly appealing.   Are you interested in boozy homemade fruitcake? I am interested in all of your possible varieties of homemade fruitcake.   How about booze itself, specifically, moonshine whiskey infused with spices and fruits? I am interested in all of your possible booze varieties (short of, like dill or asparagus flavor), but all of your whiskies, liquors, etc may come live with me.    Brown sugar shortbread? "Plain" buttery or flavored? Favorites include lavender and chocolate orange, but I could definitely do a holiday spice or peppermint batch or two. I would love something krampusy themed - chocolate cinnamon maybe?    I want to make altered altoid tins for Christmas.  Would you like one?  I would love one!   What kind of homemade cookies do you like? All of them? I am particularly fond of gingerbread and spice cookies, jammy cookies and iced sugar cookies. Honestly, the only thing I'm not partial to is nuts in cookies (I do like pecan pie cups and fruitcake).    Are you interested in having any freshly dried apple crips?   (Golden Delicious and Fuji -- sliced, dried apples with nothing added.) Sure!   Is there anything you're eyeing from Paintbox Soapworks' winter update? Joulupukki, Orange and Yellow, Poinsetta, Schwarzwald, and The Golden Orb all sound interesting should a sample sorbetto or soap fall its way into your cart.    Would anyone like something nice from Upavim, a women’s craft collective in Guatemala? The ellipse and sweet and simple bracelets seem neat.   Krampusnacht soap is back at Cellar Door!  Sadly I didn't see any candles in this scent but plenty of other holiday candles.  They ship really quickly if anyone is in need for their victim. The actual Krampus Nacht doesn't sound like it's up my alley, but Bad Santa, Christmas Morning, Holiday Nights, Snowy Morning, Sun of a Nutcracker all sound good - the soap ends would be fun.   If you guys want cookies and have favorite cookie recipes, I'd love to see them!  Either behind a cut or a link??  Something that works with cookie cutters would be fab. Honestly, I would rather experience YOUR favorite recipes, but I will share some of mine in the main thread.    Haus of Gloi just dropped their Yule update- like what you see? https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/yule?page=1 Mama's Porridge and Winter Divinity in soap, bubbling scrub, and/or body butter.   I make infused vodkas! The one I am most proud of right now is a spiced hibiscus liqueur. I make this as a jelly, too. As far as the Liqueur, We have been making an autumn Moscow Mule with it, and the other day I made a Mai Tai! Its yummy!  Definitely interested!   If I can find the recipe, I want to make my grandmas Orange Slice Cake. Its a super yummy cake but a bit difficult to make as far as cutting up all the oranges. If you would like a mini cake IF I make it, lemme know! The ingredients are as follows: 
dates
orange slices candy
coconut
buttermilk
pecans
orange juice That sounds AMAZING.    Victim, darling, are you a fan of the Dresden Dolls? I'm seeing them this Saturday and there will no doubt be some good merch including t-shirts, posters, stickers and even artisanal chocolate bars! 😮  Any of that sound appealing? (if t-shirt, pls give size!)
I'm not really a fan. 
   I uncovered a secret supply of vintage LE BPAL Trading Post soaps in my possession! I realize some folks are over bar soap, but in case you'll make an exception, lmk and maybe Krampus will deem you nice enough to get one   That would be delightful. 
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Everything you ever wanted to know about books...

Edited 4/4/13 to add links to amz, etc.   Amazon Bookmooch - woefully out of date and a combo of me, my husband and my kid Goodreads - not so much a wishlist, but sort of what I'm poking around with   Okay, maybe not exactly, but it dawned on me that it might not be a bad idea to toss my answers to the recent bookworm swap over this away, for the curious.     What kind of books do you usually like? Any favorite authors, genres, or topics?   I love urban and traditional fantasy, whether it be about vampires, fairies, steampunk or something strange happening in a castle far away. I definitely like the supernatural twist and have a yen for post-apocalyptic tales (e.g. Terry Brooks) and mystery and fantasy kids lit (think John Bellairs, Harry Potter, Neil’s kids books, the Garth Nix "Keys to the Kingdom" series, the Uglies series, and Clive Barker's kids books). I also like straight mysteries (particularly about the southwest US (Nevada Barr, J.A. Jance, Tony Hillerman, Kirk Mitchell) and I also really like Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks series) and am woefully behind on new developments in that genre. Fave authors include Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler, Julliet Marrillier, Robin McKinley, Jacqueline Carey, Catherynne M. Valente, JK Rowling, John Bellairs, Jonathan Carroll, ...I could go on for a while, but the links below should really help. And I'm just getting into Charles de Lint.   Pulling a list from a similar swap (kind of repetitive, but more info is better, right?):   *Urban fantasy(DeLint, Gaiman, lots of people I really need to read, I'm sure) *Magical realism (Jonathan Carroll and the like) *Quasi-historical fantasy (I'm thinking things like a Juliet Marillier and some of the non-adaptation McKinley here and I'd probably put Outlander in this category for my purposes since I don't otherwise tend to enjoy historical romance) *Supernatural romance (vampire, werewolves, zombies, OH MY! Things I'm pretty well caught up on incudes Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, Kelly Armstrong, and I've read most LK Hamilton to the point where I just can't anymore ;-) *Sci-fi (although I tend to gravitate toward short stories in this genre - a la Ray Bradbury - and more worldbuilding Steampunky sorts of stuff than hard tech-geeky a-bunch-of-guys-land-on-a-strange-planet sort of stuff) *Mysteries/crime/detective novels (tho I'm more into the actual crime solving than the legal wrangling, so, more Sara Paretsky/Raymond Chandler/Michael Connelley than Scott Turow/John Grisham, also I sort of love true crime, which I rarely admit to and never seek out but adore when it falls in my lap) *Fairy tales (classics and adaptations and totally new interpretations) *Mythology adaptations (really, just kind of in love with adaptations of almost any sort, including comic versions especially the original text classics) *Authurian/Avalon myth (this is a fairly recent acquisition, so it's good mining as well is my guess. I've got MZB covered, but otherwise...) *Comics/graphic novels (not so much superhero stuff for the most part, but there's a lot of BPAL related stuff I haven't read) *Kids lit of any of the above, especially the mystery/fantasy bit (loving Rick Riordan with my 8 year old right now!)   Any authors, genres or topics you really dislike?   I am not a fan of Jim Butcher, oddly. I should be, but he just doesn't grab me. Similarly, Holly Black and I have never really hit it off. I think most of my other "dislikes" are touched on below.   Do you consider yourself "well-read"? Well-read within a particular genre?   Kinda, in that I read all-the-damn-time. There are huge gaping holes in my knowledge base, though, as I'm kind of a magpie.   How do you feel about classics?   I'm kind of embarassed to admit this, but kind of meh. I love Dickens, but otherwise, can pretty much take or leave most lit written before 1900. I know, I'm a philistine.   Would you like something challenging/outside your comfort zone or would you prefer something fairly close to what you know you like?   I would definitely like *something* in my comfort zone. There's a pretty deep well there, I think. I would absolutely love to discover new authors within genres I like and am happy to discover things kind of on the fence. Pride, Prejudice and Zombies sorts of crossovers hold no interest for me, though.   How do you feel about nonfiction?   I'm typically not a huge fan, to be honest. I do tend to like narrative non-fic storytelling along the lines of Sarah Vowell or Chuck Klosterman (I just bought his new novel, FYI), but I really look to recreational reading for escapism. I do love a good political firebrand, but I have a lot of that unread on my shelves at the moment. Although, as noted above, true crime is kind of my secret shame.   Are you ok with something like a graphic novel or young adult book?   Abso-frikkin-lutely. I love graphic novels and YA lit.   What makes you pick a book up and want to read it right away? What makes you put something down and never want to pick it up again?   You know, I have no idea. My main go-to books that I read over and over again are Gaiman's Neverwhere, McKinley's Chalice and the Harry Potter series. They are all escapist fantasy to some extent, but I read plenty of other things in the same genres, but don't feel compelled to read them repetedly. Those books, though, feel like slipping between the pages and into a whole new world, almost like pulling up the covers in bed on a cold night. I know I just mixed my metaphors, but I don't care. ;-) In terms of putting things down, while I have no particular issues with violence and gore, being shocking and gross just for the sake of being shocking and gross just doesn't appeal to me. And I have no issues with genre tropes, but I really really need a story and some fabulous characterization as well.   Would you be open to receiving ebooks? If so, what sort of reader do you have, and do you prefer electronic or physical books?   YES! I would love/prefer kindle books, to be honest, but would be perfectly happy to get physical goodness as well. And for anything with color pics (e.g. graphic novels) the Kindle just won't cut it. For physical books, used is a-ok.
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BPALentines 2022

Updated 1-20-22 pm   Tell me what kinds of coffee you like- whole bean? Grind? (If grind, what type?) Flavors? Light roast? Dark Roast? I gave quite a bit of detail on this in my survey. Generally speaking, I'm a the darker and stronger the better gal. In terms of flavors, I like chocolaty or boozy. I don't really know what notes I like - all of them?   Things from Mexico? Add me to the vanilla bandwagon - it has gotten SO expensive here. Also happy to get spices, silver jewelry.     What are your favourite colours? Are you happy with Valentine's themed colours? Patterns? I lean toward black, gray and jewel tones - I definitely like reds and dark purples and a little dark pink. In terms of patterns, subtle hearts or cupids would be cool. Otherwise, I love geeky stuff (Star Wars, MCU), celestial, kawaii.   Jewelry?? Types? Sizes? Styles? Colors? I love jewelry - the bolder the better. I prefer silvertone or black metals with colored stones or enamel,  modern or art deco type designs or geekery. I mostly wear dangly earrings, medium length necklaces and bracelets.    Would you be interested in anything from Ravenstone? OMG, those cicada earrings! I honestly love all of the black metal earrings and the rainbow cicada necklace.    Do you have any interest in journals, planners, habit trackers, etc.? I do find myself using a notepad that has open weekly scheduling laid out. I don't use it every week, but when there's a lot going on, it helps me sort things out. Otherwise, not really.    Do you have a goodreads account or somewhere that tracks which books you've already read/own? (I'm especially curious if you'd like a copy of American Gods, as I have a spare that needs rehoming) I have an extensive Goodreads linked at the swap help link in my sig (but I've read American Gods many many times and ran the forum group read on it, so you're probably not sending to me.   What kind of tea do you like? Type (loose leaf vs bag), and also flavours? I don't like super strong teas. I love Earl Gray blends, chocolate and fruity flavors. Bags will probably get slightly more use.    Would you be interested in anything from https://snagtights.com/, and if so, what is your size? I would definitely be interested in trying these in a bright color or pattern. I'd be a size E.   Are you interested in secondhand oracle/tarot decks? No thank you.   What category of makeup (and what shades) are you most interested in? I'm always in the market for eyeshadow crayons in bright colors.    Are you interested in ritual oils (e.g. Twilight Alchemy Lab stuff)? If so, what kind of intentions/magic resonate with you right now? No thanks.   Are you interested in incense? What formats? Please do not send me incense.    Super specific, but pls note if you are a fan of Taylor Swift...  Not really.    Are you into citrus/ fruity scents? I am, especially for bath and body products.   Which florals are a yes/no? Death notes? I can do rose, lavender, carnation, lily in small doses. Jasmine is a NOOOOOOO.    Are you into Skincare/haircare? Sheet masks/cleansers/hair masks? False lashes? Sheet masks, yes. Otherwise, not really. I could use a good eye cream!   Does honey work with your skin chem? Buttercream? Honey, yes. Buttercream, no.   If you said "yes" to OCYL, which houses have you been dying to try? Which ones aren't compatible with your skin chem? This is definitely not me.   Favorite Quote? I'm not super into stationary, but my mantra is "Pain is no stronger than the resisting force pain calls up in me. The struggle is equal" from Mina Loy's Partuition.     
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Books for 2011

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2011.   Read Entirely in 2011 1. I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett (F) (YA) (S) (368 pages) 2. Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon (F) (SW) (S) 3. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt - Mike Mignola (F)(GN) (S) 4. Rough Country - John Sanford (S)(M) 5. Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 6. Steampunk - Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (SF) (SW) (400 pages) 7. Bread and Butter Indian - Anne Culver (YA) (R ) 8. Graphic Classics Edgar Allen Poe (GN) (partial reread for text) 9. The Shadows (Elsewhere Book 1) - Jacqueline West (YA) (F) 10. Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 11. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 12. Mad With Wonder - Frank Beddor, Sami Makkonen (GN) (F) 13. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 14. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (F)(S)(YA) 15. Mystery and Dream - Charles DeLint (F) 16. The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan (YA) (F) (S) 17. The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan (YA)(F)(S) 18. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan (YA)(F)(S) 19. Pale Demon - Kim Harrison (F)(V)(S) 20. The Blue Castle - L.M. Montgomery (YA) (R ) 21. Muse and Reverie - Charles de Lint (F)(SW) 22. River Marked - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 23. The Mystery of Grace - Charles de Lint (F) 24. The Painted Boy - Charles de Lint (F)(YA) 25. Three Shadows - Cyril Pedrosa (GN) (F) 26. Burn - Nevada Barr (S)(M) 27. Dingo - Charles de Lint (F)(YA) 28. Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book - Tamora Pierce (YA)(F)(S) 29. Widdershins - Charles de Lint (F) 30. Chalice - Robin McKinley (F)® 31. Armagaddon's Children - Terry Brooks (F) © 32. Elves of Cintra - Terry Brooks (S)(F) 33. Storm Born - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 34. The Black Swan - Lee Carroll (S)(V)(F) 35. Angel Fire East - Terry Brooks (S)(F) 36. Thorn Queen - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 37. Freedom - Daniel Suarez (S) (SF) 38. Daemon - Daniel Suarez (S)(SF) 39. Bad Boy - Peter Robinson (S)(M) 40. Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey (F)(V) 41. Rotters - Daniel Kraus (YA) 42. The Watchtower - Lee Carrol (S)(F) 43. Iron Crowned - Rachelle Mead (S)(V)(F) 44. Downtown Owl - Chuck Klastermam 45. Rule 34 - Charles Stross (SF) (S) 46. Endangered Species (Lost novelizations) (S)(SF)(F) 47. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ®   Chapter books read with Son 1. The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush - S. Jones Rogan (2010) 2. The London Eye Mystery 3. The Curse of the Romeny Wolves - S. Jones Rogan 4. Leprechaun in Late Winter (MTH 43) 5. Crazy Day with Cobras (MTH 45) 6. Tales from the Oddessey v1 7. Tales from the Oddessey v2 8. D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths 9. D'Aulares Norse Gods and Monsters ® 10. Greek something 11.Greek something 12. The Lightning Thief 13. Sea of Monsters 14. The Titan's Curse 15. The Red Pyramid 16. Abarat 17. The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury 18. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident     Started in 2010 or before, finished in 2011   In progress (if not started in 2011, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (started 2005, completely restarted in 2011) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW) (2010) Dances With Dragons - George R.R. Martin (S)(F) Halloween - Paula Guran (SW) (F) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Cofer (S)(YA)(F)       Island of the Could Not Finish   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color(F) = Fantasy(GN) = Graphic Novel(M) = Mystery(NF) = Non-fiction(R ) = Reread(S) = Series(SF) = Science Fiction(SW) = Short Works(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!(YA) = Young Adult
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Books For 2010

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2010.   Read Entirely in 2010 1. Frostbitten - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 2. Heart's Blood - Juliet Marillier (F) 3. Sandman: Fables and Reflections - Neil Gaiman (S)(R )(GN) (F) 4. Cybele's Secret - Juliet Marillier (S)(YA)(F) 5. The Man with the Golden Torc - Simon R. Green (F)(S)(SF) 6. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon (S)(F) 7. The Well of Shades - Juliet Marillier (F)(S) 8. Sandman: Brief Lives - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 9. The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden - Catherine M. Valente (F)(S) 10. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming - Patricia Briggs (V)(GN)(S) 11. The Orphan's Tales: Cities of Coin and Spice - Catherine M. Valente (F)(S) 12. Once Dead, Twice Shy - Kim Harrison (V)(YA) 13. Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris (S)(V) 14. Flirt - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 15. Paladan of Souls - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 16. Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 17. City of Glass - Cassandra Claire (YA)(S)(F)(V) 18. Devine Misdemeaners - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 19. Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species (NF)(GN) 20. The Summoning - Kelly Armstrong (S)(YA)(V) 21. Men of the Otherworld - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) (SW) 22. Sandman: World's End - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 23. Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris (S) (SW)(V) 24. Lord Sunday - Garth Nix (S)(YA)(F) 25. Personal Demon - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) 26. Living With the Dead - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) 27. Sandman: The Kindly Ones - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 28. Fables: War and Pieces - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 29. Black Magic Sanction - Kim Harrison (S)(V) 30. Child of Fire - Harry Connelly (S)(V) 31. Jack of Fables: The (Nearly) Great Escape - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 32. Fables: The Dark Ages - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 33. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman (R )(F) 34. Fables: The Great Fables Crossover - Bill Willingham (S)(GN)(F) 35. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 36. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 37. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 38. Sandman: The Wake - Neil Gaiman (R )(S)(GN)(F) 39. Voyager - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 40. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 41. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 42. Imago - Octavia Butler (S) (AOC)(SF) 43. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 44. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - JK Rowling (R )(S)(F)(YA) 45. Alex and the Ironic Gentleman - Adrienne Kress (YA) 46. Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut (SF) 47. Drums of Autumn - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 48. A Door in the Hedge - Robyn McKinley (F)(SW)(YA) 49. Tales of the Otherworld - Kelly Armstrong (S)(V) (SW) 50. The Firey Cross - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 51. Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs (S)(V) 52. Lord John and the Private Matter - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 53. The Homecoming - Ray Bradbury & Dave McKeon (SW)(GN)(R for story) 54. Pictures that Tick - Dave McKeon (SW)(GN) 55. Alibi Man - Tami Hoag (S) (M) 56. House of Mystery - Bill Willingham (GN) (S)(f) 57. Namaah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey (S) 58. Identity Crisis - Brad Meltzer & Rags Morales (GN) 59. Vampires Don't Sleep Alone - Elizabeth Barrial and DH Altair (V) 60. Peter and Max - Bill Willingham (S)(F) 61. World's End - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 62. Exit Wounds - Rutu Modon (GN) 63. Darkest Hour - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 64. The Gates - John Connolly (F) 65. A Breath of Snow and Ashes - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 66. Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 67. Always Forever - Mark Chadbourn (S)(SF) 68. Dead in the Family - Charlaine Harris (S) (V) 69. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown (S)(M) 70. Exile - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S)(GN) 71. Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon (F)(S) 72. Now and Forever - Ray Bradbury (SF) 73. The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Begle (F) 74. Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett (SF) (S) 75. The Fall of Atlantis - Maron Zimmer Bradley (F) 76. A Christmas Carol and other Stories - Charles Dickens (R ) 77. Storm Prey - John Sanford (S)(M) 78. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (R ) (SW) 79. The Runaway Dragon - Kate Combs (YA) (F) 80. Steven Colbert's Tek Janson - (GN)(SF) 81. The Anarchist Convention and Other Stories - John Sayles (SW) 82. Sandman: The Dream Hunters - Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russel (F) (GN) (R for story)     Chapter books read with Son 1. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman 2. D'Aulaire's Norse Gods & Giants - Ingri D'Aulaire 3. Fire and Wings: Dragon Tales from East and West - Marianne Carus 4. Favorite Norse Myths - Mary Pope Osborne 5. A Ring of Tricksters - Virginia Hamilton 6. The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient China - Leonard Everett Fisher 7. The Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Maya - Leonard Everett Fisher 8. Children of the Dragon - Sherry Garland 9. Spellbound - Anna Dale 10. Kenny and the Dragon... 11. Magic Tree House 44 12. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens 13. The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush - S. Jones Rogan (in progress as of 12-29) 14-37. The A-to-Z Mysteries - Ron Roy (Letters: A-L, N-U, W-Y, Special 1) 38. The Calendar Mysteries - Ron Roy (January) 39-50. The Boxcar Children Mysteries - Gertrude Changler Warner (1, 3-6, 8, 11, 14, 25, 51, 65, Special 11)   Started in 2009 or before, finished in 2010 Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward (2009) (S)(V) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) (AOC) (NF)   In progress (if not started in 2010, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) Everything You Know About God is Wrong - Russ Kick (NF) (SW)   Island of the Could Not Finish 13 1/2 - Nevada Barr (2009) (M) Curse of Challion - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) Lover Mine - JR Ward Bullet - Laurel K. Hamilton   Some coding:(AOC) = Author of Color(F) = Fantasy(GN) = Graphic Novel(M) = Mystery(NF) = Non-fiction(R ) = Reread(S) = Series(SF) = Science Fiction(SW) = Short Works(V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my!(YA) = Young Adult
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Books for 2009

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2009.   Read Entirely in 2009 1. Heat Lightning - John Sandford (S) (M) 2. The Discworld Graphic Novels (The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic)- Terry Pratchett (GN) (SF) (S) 3. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini (YA) (S) (F) 4. Stolen - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 5. MacBeth (original text graphic novel) (GN) 6. Blood Lite (anthology) (SW) (V) 7. Buried Onions - Gary Soto (AOC) (YA) 8. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues - Ellen Raskin (YA) (R ) (M) 9. The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin (YA) (R ) (M) 10. The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy (AOC) 11. City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau (YA) (SF) (S) (F) 12. Fables: Sons of Empire - Bill Willingham (GN) (S) 13. Wild Ducks Flying Backwards - Tom Robbins (SW) 14. Blue Light - Walter Mosley (AOC) (SF) 15. Snow White and Rose Red - Patricia Wrede (F) 16. Coraline - Neil Gaiman (R ) (YA) 17. Fledgling - Octavia Butler (AOC) (V) 18. Dawn - Octavia Butler (AOC) (S) (SF) 19. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (F) (R ) 20. All the Colors of Darkness - Peter Robinson (M)(S) 21. White Witch, Black Curse - Kim Harrison (S) (V) 22. Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 23. Chalice - Robin McKinley (F) (read a second time in December) 24. Beauty - Robin McKinley (F) 25. Dinosaur Tales - Ray Bradbury (R of most stories) (SF) (SW) 26. Wolfskin - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 27. The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge - John Bellairs/Brad Strickland (M) (S) (YA) 28. Wolf Tower - Tanith Lee (S) (F) (YA) 29. Superior Saturday - Garth Nix (F) (S) (SF) (YA) 30. Dime Store Magic - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 31. Industrial Magic - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 32. Four is a Crowd - Emily Chase (S) (YA) 33. Dead Girls are Easy - Terry Gerey (S) (V) 34. Lessons from the Fat-O-Sphere - Kate Harding & Marianne Kirby (NF) 35. Taste of Night - Vicki Pettersson (S)(V) 36. Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (SF) 37. Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 38. Tithe - Holly Black (S) (F) (YA) 39. Uglies - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 40. A Match Made in Hell - Terry Garey (S) (V) 41. Pretties - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 42. Dead and Gone - Charlaine Harris (S)(V) 43. Nation - Terry Pratchett (YA)(SF) 44. Damage Control - J.A. Jance (S)(M) 45. Haunted - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 46. Specials - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 47. Broken - Kelly Armstrong (S) (V) 48. Hatter M - Frank Beddor, et al (S)(GN)(F) 49. A Child Across the Sky - Jonathan Carroll (F) 50. Stormy Weather - Carl Hiassen 51. Foxmask - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 52. Jenny of the Tetons - Kristiana Gregory (YA) 53. Appointment with Death - Agatha Christie (M) 54. Adulthood Rites - Octavia Butler (AOC) (S) (SF) 55. Lucky You - Carl Hiassen 56. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (R ) (S) (F) (YA) 57. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (F) (R ) (S) (TA) 58. Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation - Ray Bradbury, Tim Hamilton (R for text) (GN) (SF) 59. Wicked Prey - John Sanford (M) (S) 60. Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey (S) (F) 61. 8th Confession - James Patterson (M) (S) 62. Extras - Scott Westerfeld (S) (SF) (YA) 63. The Forest House - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (F) 64. Heir to Sevenwaters - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 65. Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 66. Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 67. Rose Daughter - Robin McKinley (F) 68. White Apples - Jonathan Carroll (F) 69. Making Money - Terry Pratchett (S) (SF) 70. The Dark Mirror - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 71. Fables: The Good Prince - Bill Willingham (GN) (S) 72. Embroideries - Marjane Satrapi (AOC) (GN) (S) 73. The Blade of Fortiu - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) 74. Sandman: The Doll's House - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 75. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (v.1) - Alan Moore (GN) (S) (SF) 76. Coraline: The Graphic Novel - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (F) (YA) 77. Succubus Blues - Rachelle Mead (S) (V) 78. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (v.2) - Alan Moore (GN) (S) (SF) 79. Skin Tight - Laurel K. Hamilton (S)(V) 80. Palimpsest - Catherynne M. Valente (F) 81. A Wizard of Earthsea - Ursula K. LeGuin (F) (S) 82. A People's History of the American Empire - Howard Zinn, et al (GN) (NF) 83. The Sharing Knife: Beguilement - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 84. The Gates of Sleep - Mercedes Lackey (S) (F) 85. Sandman: Dream Country - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 86. Wildwood Dancing - Juliet Marillier (S) (F) (YA) 87. Skinny Dip - Carl Hiassan 88. Bread and Butter Journey - Anne Culver (YA) (S) (R ) 89. Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs (S) (V) 90. No Humans Involved - Kelley Armstrong (S) (V) 91. Double Whammy - Carl Hiassan 92. The Wooden Sea - Jonathan Carroll (F) 93. Lady of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley (S) (F) 94. The House Where Nobody Lived - Brad Strikland (YA) (M) (S) 95. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (S)(YA) (V) 96. Touch of Twilight - Vicki Pettersson (S)(V) 97. The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury (R ) (YA) (SF) 98. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger 99. Sandman: Season of Mists - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 100. Real Food for Mother and Baby - Nina Planck (NF) (S) 101. The Austure Academy - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 102. The Ersatz Elevator - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 103. The Vile Village - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 104. The Hostile Hospital - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 105. The Carniverous Carnival - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 106. The Slippery Slope - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 107. The Grim Grotto - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 108. The Pentultimate Peril - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 109. The End - Lemony Snickett (YA) (S) 110. Quicker than the Eye - Ray Bradbury (SW) (SF) 111. Feminist Theory from Margin to Center - bell hooks (NF) (AOC) 112. The Ghostway - Tony Hillerman (S) (M) 113. The Sharing Knife: Legacy - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 114. Sandman: Game of You - Neil Gaiman (GN) (R ) (S) (F) 115. The Sharing Knife: Passage - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 116. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare (S)(YA) (V) 117. Kissing the Witch - Emma Donoghue (YA) (SW) (F) 118. The Sharing Knife: Horizon - Lois McMaster Bujold (F) (S) 119. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (R ) 120. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman (YA) (F)   Chapter books read with Son 1-7 The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 5, 14, 16-20) 8-11. Captain Underpants (v. 1, 3-5) Dinosaurs - Magic Treehouse Reference Book Teddy Roosevelt and the Treasure of Ursa Major - Ron Kidd Chasing George Washington - Ron Kidd Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone - JK Rowling (R for me) (S)   Started in 2008 or before, finished in 2009 1. Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris (2008) (S) 2. Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren (2006) (NF)   In progress (if not started in 2009, starting year in parens) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) (AOC) (NF) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins (2008) (SW) (NF) 13 1/2 - Nevada Barr (M) Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward (S) (V)     Island of the Could Not Finish Guilty Pleasures v 2 - Laurel K. Hamilton (GN) (S) (V) One for the Money - Janet Evanovich (S)(M) Tag Against Time - Helen Hughes Vick (YA) (S) (SF) Un Lun Dun - China Mieville (YA) (F) No Defense - Kate Wilhelm (S)(M)   Some coding: (AOC) = Author of Color (F) = Fantasy (GN) = Graphic Novel (M) = Mystery (NF) = Non-fiction (R ) = Reread (S) = Series (SF) = Science Fiction (SW) = Short Works (V) = Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my! (YA) = Young Adult
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Book List 2008

Books read/started/finished/etc. in 2008.   Read Entirely in 2008 1. Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents Who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out - McSweeney's YA Short Story Collection 2. Lunatic Cafe - Laurel K. Hamilton 3. M is for Magic - Neil Gaiman 4. Dead as a Doornail - Charlene Harris 5. For a Few Demons More - Kim Harrison 6. The Cat's Pajamas - Ray Bradbury 7. The Revenge of the Wizard's Ghost - John Bellairs 8. The Thief of Always - Clive Barker 9. Burnt Offerings - Laurel K. Hamilton 10. Blue Moon - Laurel K. Hamilton 11. Obsidian Butterfly - Laurel K. Hamilton 12. Train Man v1 (manga) 13. The Innocent Man - John Grisham 14. 6th Target - James Patterson/Maxine Gross 15. Narcissus in Chains - Laurel K. Hamilton 16. The Dark Secret of Whetherend - John Bellairs 17. Definitely Dead - Charlene Harris 18. Cerilean Sins - Laurel K. Hamilton 19. The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter 20. Kushiel's Scion - Jacqueline Carey 21. Incubus Dreams - Laurel K. Hamilton 22. Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War - Clive Barker 23. Yuki Huma Dream Shoppe (manga) 24. Wild Ones v.1 (manga) 25. Not Safe After Dark - Peter Robinson 26. Micah - Laurel K. Hamilton 27. Friend of the Devil - Peter Robinson 28. Farewell Summer - Ray Bradbury 29. Serenity Rose Vol. 1 (graphic novel) 30. Mistral's Kiss - Laurel K. Hamilton 31. Grave Sight - Charlene Harris 32. Shakespeare's Landlord - Charlene Harris 33. Danse Macabre - Laurel K. Hamilton 34. Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman 35. Roomates - Emily Chase 36. My Roomate is Missing - Emily Chase 37. Kushiel's Justice - Jacqueline Carey 38. Strange Candy - Laurel K. Hamilton 39. The 13th of Never (graphic novel) 40. Hellboy - Seed of Destruction - Mike Mignola (v. 1 graphic novel) 41. Justice Denied - J.A. Jance 42. Emerald Magic, Tales of Irish Fantasy - Andrew Greeley Ed. 43. The Harlequin - Laurel K. Hamilton 44. Nature Girl - Carl Haissian 45. 7th Heaven - James Patterson 46. Grave Surprise - Charlene Harris 47. The Outlaw Demon Wails - Kim Harrison 48. Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris 49. You're No Friend of Mine - Emily Chase 50. My Dead Girlfriend (graphic novel) 51. Kushiel's Mercy - Jacqueline Carey 52. Keeping Secrets - Emily Chase 53. Hellboy - The Chained Coffin and Others - Mike Mignola (v. 3 graphic novel) 54. Hellboy - The Right Hand of Doom - Mike Mignola (v. 4 graphic novel) 55. An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 56. Shakespeare's Champion - Charlaine Harris 57. Hellboy - Conqueror Worm- Mike Mignola (v. 5 graphic novel) 58. Hellboy - Strange....- Mike Mignola (v. 6 graphic novel) 59. Rose - Jeff Smith & Charles Vess (graphic novel) 60. Dark Side of the Moon - John Sanford 61. Stardust - Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess (reread of text, first time w/illustrations) 62. Lady Friday - Garth Nix 63. Watchman - Alan Moore (graphic novel) 64. Parable of the Sewer - Octavia Butler 65. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris 66. Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi 67. A Lick of Frost - Laurel K. Hamilton 68. Glasshouse - Charles Stross 69. Daughter of the Forest - Juliet Marillier 70. Hellboy - The Troll Witch and Other Stories - Mike Mignola (v. 7 graphic novel) 71. Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier 72. Persepolis 2 - Marjane Satrapi 73. Child of the Prophesy - Juliet Marillier 74. Storm Front - Jim Butcher 75. Maus I - Art Spiegelman 76. Maus II - Art Spiegelman 77. Kindred - Octavia Butler 78. Summer Blues - Emily Chase 79. Best Friends Forever - Emily Chase 80. Blood Noir - Laurel K. Hamilton 81. Wild Seed - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 82. Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens 83. Invisible Prey - John Sandford 84. Hellboy - Wake the Devil - Mike Mignola (v. 2 graphic novel) 85. Hellboy - Darkness Calls - Mike Mignola (v. 8 graphic novel) 86. Mind of My Mind - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 87. Clay's Ark - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 88. Patternmaster - Octavia Butler (in Seeds of Harvest) 89. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 90. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman 91. Parable of the Talents - Octavia Butler 92. The Host - Stephanie Meyer 93. Bloodchild and Other Stories - Octavia Butler 94. Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward 95. Across the Wall - Garth Nix 96. Phantom Prey - John Sandford 97. Survivor - Octavia Butler 98. Winter Study - Nevada Barr 99. Bitten - Kelly Armstrong 100. Exit Wounds - J.A. Jance 101. Dead Wrong - J.A. Jance 102. Halting State - Charles Stross 103. Silver Screen - Justina Robson 104. Swallowing Darkness - Laurel K. Hamilton 105. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris 106. Scent of Shadows - Vicki Peterson 107. The Marriage of Sticks - Jonathan Carrol 108. Moon Called - Patricia Briggs 109. A Secret Rage - Charlaine Harris 110. Shakespeare's Counsler - Charlaine Harris 111. The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder 112. A Cristmas Carol - Charles Dickens (annual reread) 113. Angels and Other Strangers - Katherine Patterson (annual reread) 114. Outlaws of Sherwood - Robin McKinley 115. The Shining - Stephen King 116. The Final Death (Anita Blake Graphic Novel) 117. Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling (read stories to son as well)   Chapter books read with Son 1. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White (reread with son) 2. Stuart Little - E.B. White (reread with son) 3. Matilda - Roald Dahl (with son) 4. Trumpet of the Swan - E.B. White (reread w/son) 5. George's Marvelous Medicine - Roald Dahl (w/son) 6 - 45. The Magic Treehouse series (v. 1-40) 46. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Koningsberg (reread with son) 47. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (abridged, w/son) 48. Who Really Killed Cock Robin - Jean Craighead George (reread w/son) 49-60. The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, 17) 61. The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum (w/R) 62. Cam Janson an the Mystery of the Missing Dinosaur Bones - David Adler 63. Transformers: The Search for the Allspark   Started in 2007 or before, finished in 2008 Dead to the World - Charlene Harris (2007) Les Mis - Victor Hugo (via LJ) (2007)   In progress (if not started in 2008, starting year in parens) Divine Horsemen, The Living Gods of Haiti - Myra Deren(2006) Ulysses - James Joyce (2005) Jambalaya - L. Tisch (2007) Who Let the Dogs In - Molly Ivins Blood Lite (anthology) Shakespeare's Christmas - Charlaine Harris   In progress with R The Magic School Bus Chapter Books (v. 10, 14)   Island of the Could Not Finish Death of a Darklord - Laurel K. Hamilton Hand of Evil - J.A. Jance Children of Chaos - John C. Wright Black House - Steven King/Peter Straub (2007) Artimis Fowl - Eoin Coifer Fool Moon - Jim Butcher Septimus Heap Book 1: Magyk - Angie Sage Mr. Monk in Outer Space - Lee Goldberg Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
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Analysis of 2008 Reading

First off, hot damn, did I ever meet my goal of 100 books for 2008.   I did a couple of things differently this year - first, because my son is now super into having me read him chapter books - which have ranged from classics like The Wizard of Oz to insipid Transformers tie-ins, I started tracking those separately, instead of counting substantive classics that I might actually choose to read on my own as part of my own count (as I did with things like Roald Dahl last year. The second is that I gave myself permission to not read things that I wasn't enjoying. Which means that rather than having my "couldn't finish" list consist of one book that actively revolted me, if a book didn't engage me and I didn't care about picking it up again, I just didn't. It was kind of a lovely feeling, and I actually wonder if it contributed to my longer reading list, since I wasn't forcing myself back to things that didn't capture my attention. The third change was how I listed - going in order of reading, as opposed to alphabetically by author. I like all of these changes and plan to keep them for 2009.   Anyway, my totals: 117 books read entirely in 2008 2 started in 2007, finished on 2008 62 books read with the boy 6 books in progress (one of which I finished just this morning) 2 books in progress with R 9 books kicked to the curb   An interesting thing about those last 9, too - 5 of them were by authors that I've read before and liked and of those, I read and enjoyed books by 4 of them just this year. Three were books in series were I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, but just couldn't get into the second. Three of the 9 were books in well regarded YA series. Another was a television tie in for a show I enjoy.   Of the books in progress, one I've already finished, two are books of short stories or essays that I fully expect to finish in 2009. I suppose I should make finishing the other three part of my reading resolutions for this year, in addition to reading another 100 books in their entirety.   The reading with my son doesn't really take too long to look at - most were series books, most were at least mildly educational, either by design or by virtue of being classics.   Now, the meat. Breaking down the 117 that I read entirely in 2008: * 108 were new to me, 9 were re-reads (if you count the fact that I had already read the text of Stardust) * 20 were children's/ya books (I didn't count some things are are sometimes shelved as YA in the library, such as some of the manga/graphic novels which were not specifically aimed at these age groups, S. Myers "The Host" or the Juliet Marillier books, which while certainly appropriate to a YA audience don't struck me as being marketed as YA - so, this could potentially be about 10 higher) * 22 were graphic novels, 1 of which was a GN version of a book I've read several times, another of which was related to a book series) * 2 were non-fiction (1 book of essays, 1 true crime) * 10 were books of short fiction * 83 were installments of various series, of which 13 were YA, 17 were graphic novels, * I read 13 new authors, accounting for 37 of books read * there are 47 unique authors represented   I am rediculously pleased that I read way more than my 100 book goal - I want to read more of substance next year, though.
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Analysis of 2007 reading

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year.   Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented
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2021 Welcome Spring Questions

Updated 2-20-21   is the wishlist in  your signature up to date?? Sort of. I need to catch up on anything post Yule and will try to do that in the next day or two.    Whole bean coffee or ground? Loose tea or bagged? Prefer whole bean coffee, marginally prefer bagged tea for the convenience, but will happily accept either.      What type of "spring" item would you like?  Actual bulbs/seeds for the flowers mentioned?  Artwork depicting said flowers?  Something in that scent?  A baby goat?  I would love to say yes to seeds/bulbs, but I know myself well enough to know that I am terrible with plants. Yes please to baby animals.   I actually love floral food items - bitters, teas, those little pastiles, cookies (I'm planning to try my hand at lavender shortbread this afternoon). I also love ladybugs and butterflies and other insects, so feel free to play with that side of the theme.    Please share your 5 most recently read books! To the goodreads! Bridgerton Collection Vol 1 - Juila Quinn Across the Green Grass Fields - Seanan McGuire The First Battle - Erin Hunter (this is one of the Warrior cats books that I'm reading with my 10 year old) A series of Amazon shorts by Harold Schecter about historical true crime that I'm going to count as 1, even though there are 5 of them Unspeakable Things - Jess Lourey   Please share your most recently read books that you’d rate 5 stars! This is hard since I don't tend to really rate books this way, but here are my top 5 from 2020: The City We Became - N.K. Jemison War for the Oaks - Emma Bull Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi Every Heart a Doorway (and the whole Wayward Children series) - Seanan McGuire A Stitch in Time - Kelley Armstrong   Please share your top 5 books of all time! This is also sort of impossible, so this is more what sort of jumps to my head. The first two are easy because they are books I regularly reread. The others are more broadstrokes things like love (18 months ago, Harry Potter would have been on this list, but I just can't with it anymore. JKR has ruined her creations for me with her closedmindedness and transphobia).  Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman Chalice - Robin McKinley Cainsville series - Kelley Armstrong Best of Ray Bradbury I can't just pick one, so I'm going to just say Charles d'Lint   Regarding hair decorations: Do you prefer bigger items (scrunchies, large hair pins, etc), or smaller items (hair baubles, decorative bobby pins, etc.)? 
No hair decorations for me. My hair is super short and I don't really wear things in it and neither do the longer haired members of my family.    Is there anything you’d like me to know about your hair or skin type? For example: hair clips don’t work on me because my hair is too thin, I prefer creams over lotions because my skin is very dry, etc.  My hair is super short and normally dyed a burgundy that I can mainly get away with because I'm an entertainment lawyer, so people like a little artistic flair. I don't really need anything hair or skincare wise, although I do enjoy sheet masks for oily/combination skin or "brightening" formulas because I'm in my mid-40s. For body lotion, just about anything is fine.    I live in Japan. There are a lot of fun snacks here, from the “normal” (flavored kitkats, rice crackers, fun jelly pouches, etc.) to the “weird” (pickled plum flavored candy, seaweed snacks, dried squid/fish, etc.). The current seasonal kitkats are ume (Japanese plum), peach parfait, passion fruit, and matcha tiramisu (along with the standards of matcha, raspberry, and hojicha). Do any of these things sound good to you? I have a mad mad passion for Japanese kitkats - any of the seasonal varieties sound amazing (passion fruit, peach and plum are some of my favorite flavors in general). I'm not a huge fan of the plain matcha. We actually get a monthly box of various Japanese snacks and other than the kit kats, I particularly love just about anything pastry-like.    Astrological info: Gemini sun, Sagittarius moon, Leo rising - years and years ago, Jarvenpa read my chart here.   How do you feel about insects?  As noted above, I definitely think about the return of our small arthropod friends as part of the joy (and sometimes annoyance) of spring.    Would you be interested in clothing, like a tee shirt or otherwise depicting something spring-like? If so, sizing? Sure - I tend to be an XL and prefer more fitted "womens/girly" style tees. Generally I tend to like darker colors and geeky prints, but something like a detailed anatomical flower or insect drawing could be very cool.   I've started experimenting with different shortbread combinations - would you be interested in sharing in some of my experiments? If so, would you prefer plain shortbread, or flavors?  This is my question, but I'm definitely here for just about all the baked goods, especially fruity and floral, for spring.   Favourite colour palettes for accessories/clothes/homewear? Black, grey, purple, green, peacock blue - basically jewel tones.   Favourite fruit/veg Papaya, cherries, peaches, blackberries, generally stone fruit and berries in spring, tomatoes, cauliflower, corn, potatoes, okra, beans. I actually have oral allergy syndrome, so I cannot eat raw apple skin, celery or cucumber skin.    Are you interested in any of the following?    Rose Petal Liqueur Vanilla Lavender Liqueur Peach Jam Ginger Peach Butter Star Anise Plum Jam Candied Jalapenos   ALL OF THEM, OMG. Especially interested in the liquors, ginger peach butter, star anise anything and candied jalapenos.  So all of them.   Are you a crafter of fiber, and if so, would you like any kind of yarn or roving?  No thank you. Fiber craft and I do not get along.   I have some extra drop spindles, are you interested in one?  No thank you.    Would you like any knitted goodies like a spring shawlette, hat, or fingerless mitts?   A shawlette or fingerless mitts would be delightful!   For snacks - am actually in the UK, not sure if there's anything special here that US board members would be interested in? I generally love British sweets, especially Cadbury bars, custard cremes, tea cakes, and the like.    Do you appreciate socks?  What kind of fibers?  No-show, ankle, crew, knee-high, over the knee?   I love fun socks with cute designs - ankle/crew socks would be best for spring. Pretty open on fiber so long as they are not wool.    Would you appreciate a spring-themed mask? What kind?   Absolutely - I prefer around the ear. 
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