princesslawyerpants

Knitting and crochet; collage and mixed-media; ATCs; cross-stitch; Zentangles; bookmarks. I am learning to spin using a drop spindle.

I'm married, have 1 cat, and have lived all over the U.S. (including Ohio, Arizona, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Oregon). I now live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and love every crunchy hippie granola second of it. In addition to crafts, I love to read, cook, write short stories, and hike. I'm really terrible at gardening and photography, but I would like to improve. I love the water, especially the ocean (but I'm pretty happy next to a duck pond, too!). I'm a former lawyer who voluntarily left the world of courtrooms, depositions, and high heels behind. I now work from home with my husband in his consulting business. I also mentor a great 15 year old girl through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. We have lots of fun trying new things and being silly together.

I promise to rate fairly and on time!

Futurama, PBS, Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert, and Rachel Maddow. I don't really have the time or patience to sit and regularly watch a series show like Mad Men (but I adore the costumes). When I remember, I tune into Project Runway- I love to see how designers use crazy materials to create beauty. (And, I adore Tim Gunn. Seriously.) When I need a treat, I worship at the altar of the Food Network holy trinity: Alton Brown, Nigella Lawson, and Ina Garten.

Likes: good books, coffee, the University of Arizona, beer, onions and garlic, cats, thunderstorms, red licorice, old cars, trains, cheese, yarn, Elvis, peppermint, Cuban food, tea, striped socks, the Muppets (especially Kermit), documentaries, sushi, aprons, scarves, cherries, and peanut butter.

Favorite colors: purple, green, pink, blue.

Dislikes: rude drivers, bell peppers, doing dishes, reality television of every variety (except Project Runway), big crowds, most things Disney (especially Disney Princesses), pumpkin pie, breakfast sausage, ferrets, and Arizona State.

Less favorite colors: orange and yellow.

Allergies/Special Requests: None, really. My only request: please don't send anything that smells of cigarette smoke. Do what you want with your lungs, but when that smell gets into yarn (wool, especially), it's impossible to get out.

I really prefer to receive handmade or vintage/thrift items. I don't join many "shopping" swaps, mostly for that reason. However, here are some things I'd love to get in general:

• small papercrafting doodads and supplies (ribbons, brads, embellishments, buttons, glitter, etc.)

• stickers with nature themes (wildlife, trees, flowers, bugs, birds, fish... you get the idea)

• Victorian, Regency, or other vintage images, clip art, ephemera, or designs (original or altered)

• Yarn in natural fibers (I have enough acrylic to last me for the next 3000 years)

• Wearable items like aprons, socks (especially knee-socks or over-the-knee socks), scarves, gloves/mittens, necklaces, earrings, or bracelets. Please don't send me a hat; I have the biggest head in all of creation and they almost never fit me properly. :(

• Vegetarian recipes. I eat everything, but have very few main dish recipes that are completely veg. Have you tried going meatless once a week? Check out Meatless Monday and take the challenge!

• Bags, changepurses, wallets, book totes, or reusable shopping bags, a/k/a Useful Pots to Put Things In. (h/t Eeyore)

• Bath fizzies, salts, or hard soaps (no liquids or lotions please). I prefer rose, gardenia, jasmine, sandalwood, lavender, and vanilla scents but I love trying new smells.

• For the family: cat toys (catnip is more than okay) and anything train related (except Thomas). For me & my Little Sister: Perler beads (the plastic melty kind), plastic lacing (a/k/a gimp), recipes for baking, Twilight-themed items.

... but I will probably give you a heart if your package is well-crafted and/or it's clear you put a lot of time and effort into it (even if it didn't turn out the way you hoped). No need to send extras to win my love. Sometimes I send surprises and sometimes I don't, depending on whether the mood strikes me. I do put my heart into each of my projects, and I hope you do too.

Fiction: My favorite authors include Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Margaret Atwood, Jasper Fforde, Phillip Pullman, J.K. Rowling, Colleen McCullough, Phillippa Gregory, Charlotte Bronte, Stephen King, and Orson Scott Card. Some other favorite books are The Eight by Katherine Neville, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark, Julie & Julia by Julie Powell (didn't see the movie though).

Favorite "Kids" books: Watership Down, Heidi, Little Women, The Secret Garden, Winnie the Pooh books, Anne of Green Gables, Little House books, The Giver, the Series of Unfortunate Events, The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Nonfiction: History; specifically, the colonization/settlement (depending upon your perspective, obviously) of Africa, America, and Australia. Cookbooks. Biographies (or autobiographies) about women who have lived interesting lives.