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Mod post: No wishlist posts in blogs

By Silvertree February 7, 2012

Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101 Thanks!
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please help save Victor the cat

Here's a post abt a beautiful rescue cat named Victor who has a blocked urethra and his owner has no money to pay for it: http://slarmstrong.tumblr.com/post/105641215910/meet-victor-hes-our-three-year-old-rescue-we The Go Fund Me is here: http://www.gofundme.com/SaveVictor Please help if you can, and please boost the signal. I once had a cat who had this same problem, 15 yrs ago, and it was $800. I can well believe that such an op is even more expensive, along w/ everything else.

thekittenkat

December 22, 2014

Ambrosial Aura

First Impressions

So the other day I blogged about wearing Loup Garou on Thanksgiving. I had to work a 16 hour shift that evening and when I got home I STILL smelled just as strongly of the fragrance as I did during the day. Maybe it wasn't strong to other people around me. One coworker told me I smelled like laundry... The bra that I had the piece of cotton in still has a heavenly scent, LOL. I usually hand-wash bras and the like, but it may take me a couple of washes to get all the scent out of it. This morning I was going to pour a couple of drops of Envy in the tub. When I first opened it, I caught the lime and a basil-y rosemary-ish whiff, very green and herbacious. Today I got more green and less lime. I accidentally poured the entire imp into the tub and it was a nice soak; I'm sorry I poured out the whole imp. The drop or so remaining in the vial went on pulse points. The Envy doesn't seem to be as long lasting as the Loup Garou was. Maybe it's because I put it straight onto my skin and not on a piece of fabric but I can't smell it at all now, ant it's been about 7 hours. I don't know that I'd order a full bottle again but I will probably order another imp or a decant. I'm glad to be ordering more this weekend and again the following payday. On a personal note: This is the first time in years that I've been able to budget money for indulgences for myself. My son will be 8 years old this coming weekend and two years ago he was hospitalized and diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, PTSD, and possible bi-polar disorder but they assigned Non Specified Mood Disorder to the list of diagnoses. He was sent home every day for the first semester of kindergarten, and even before that was asked to leave two daycare centers and a preschool. He's been hospitalized twice. I've been bitten, kicked, scratched, cussed out, had things thrown at me, and spent hours literally wrestling with a tiny octopus child of prodigious strength. I've had bruises the circumference of an orange from bites and I've had bloody lips as well. He's never been allowed to watch horror movies or anything that wasn't age appropriate in my home. This wasn't a case of bad parenting or negligence or abuse. (I've been accused of all three.) This is just a child whose brain chemicals aren't properly balanced and the areas of his brain that regulate these things aren't necessarily developing the same way as everyone else's are. We are insanely lucky to be in a program right now that offers us housing assistance and access to referrals and case management for 5-10 years so that I can complete my degree and raise my son in the manner I see fit. He is homeschooled, I work 40-50 hours a week, and this week some of my art is hanging in a show in the Design District in Dallas. Someone has already inquired about purchasing a small watercolor and the show doesn't even open until tomorrow! I don't have any outside help with my son. I can't afford the specialized childcare he requires and am very lucky that my aunt is able to take him on the overnight shifts and sometimes my mother can take him on a weekend. If not, he comes to the office with me. No one gives us any financial or cash assistance outside of our subsidized housing. I pay for medical insurance every month, we do not have any sort of food stamp (SNAP) assistance either. He receives Medicaid because he is legally disabled and receives SSI (which I suppose does count as cash assistance :-|) but that money goes to clothe him, feed him, and into savings for his future. His father has never been a part of his life and has no involvement and has never wished to. I've never received child support. I pay my mother's phone bill right now since we're on a family plan and she switched jobs after being with one company for 30 years and filed for bankruptcy. My family isn't close and people aren't really so eager to assist you when you have a 75lb screaming angry ball of rage (only sometimes) stuck to you like glue. Not that my son isn't the most amazing, hilarious, witty, sarcastic, intelligent, eager to learn, and loving small person I've ever met in my entire life, but he has his bad days just like anyone else. His are more along the "Hulk Smash" lines of bad days, though. I know that was very off track but it is such a huge deal for us to be getting on our feet and getting our lives back to what is normal for us. Being able to spend a little bit of money here and there for something for myself when someone else gets everything first automatically is a big thing. I've had to not guilt trip myself when I purchase hair dye or makeup or perfume. Less than a month ago I dyed my hair for the first time in over 3 years and what a difference did THAT make. Wow. So anyway, yeah. Loving being able to collect BPAL. Enjoying learning and being part of a diverse fandom and having one more new thing to obsess over. I've got our hermit crabs and BPAL... when I get older I'll be the smelly crab lady that all the kids are afraid of...bahahaha or maybe like the aunties in Practical Magic...that would be cool.

soilentgringa

November 30, 2014

Ambrosial Aura

Thanksgiving

I received my first ever order from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab yesterday, and it was well worth the wait. I'm sure many people have stated the exact same sentiment and many people will continue to share the feeling for years to come. I dipped my toe into the pool by ordering 6 imps to start my collection and see if the oils would agree with me. In the past, essential oils have served to give me a massive headache by smelling off or like vintage perfume gone wrong. Some have only reminded me of strong incense at head shops, so I didn't know what I was getting into. I ordered: Loup-Garou, Antony, Thorns, Ultraviolet, Envy, and Y'hai-Nthlei. I received frimps of: Obatala, Ogygia, Lilith, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat. Yesterday I wore Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat after getting the oil on my fingers. The cap was stubborn and when it came off, a few drops of oil came out onto my hands. I did noticed that the scent remained strong even after washing dishes by hand a couple of times during the course of the evening. Today I decided that Loup-Garou was the way to go. So far it is my favorite, with the strong eucalyptus kick that I adore. I put a couple of drops onto a piece of cotton ball and stuffed it down my bra after rubbing some in the crook of my elbow and on my wrist. I honestly believe that it has done wonders for relieving stress and anxiety associated with being around my family members today. My son wore Antony today. He will be 8 years old next week and I asked him if he'd like to wear some "cologne" today. I told him it smelled like "leather and heroes" and let him sniff the bottle. He asked to wear some so I put a drop on a cotton ball and rubbed it on his chest, to his delight. I'm ready to order more!

soilentgringa

November 28, 2014

flyby's Blog

UK Customs guide - how it works and what to put on forms

This is a small guide for people from outside the EU on how to complete customs forms for packages to the UK, and how to avoid landing your recipient with an excessive customs fee. Not applicable to packages sent from within the EU as there are no forms or fees (lucky you). How UK customs works Every package that comes in is scanned at the point of entry to ensure that there are no prohibited goods like live animals or nail varnish, and that there is no obvious discrepancy between the contents and what is declared on the customs form. If there is a suspicion of prohibited goods, or an obvious discrepancy (like the customs form says 'soft toys' and the xray shows lots of electronics), the package will be opened and inspected. If there are in fact prohibited items, they will be confiscated and destroyed, and the package may be returned to sender or may be sent on to the recipient less the prohibited items. If there's a major discrepancy between the declared contents and actual contents, the actual value will be assessed. Note: If there's a discrepancy in the customs form itself, for example if it's marked as a gift but the sender's name is obviously commercial (like, say, Black Phoenix Trading Post) this will also be flagged up. The package will be assessed as goods rather than a gift, and if it happens more than once the sender will get a strongly worded letter and basically told not to do it again. This is why Puddin' cannot mark Trading Post goodies as gifts. At this point, all packages that haven't been returned are assessed for taxable value. Unless there's a major discrepancy that's required re-valuation, which requires something big and obvious (like a laptop in a package that's labelled as books), this is done solely on the basis of the declared value on the customs form. What and how much tax is payable depends on whether the package is goods or a gift. Goods Import VAT is payable on goods valued over £15 (~US$23), and is 20% of the declared value plus the postage cost. Customs Duty is also payable if the value is over £135. Gifts Import VAT is payable on gifts valued over £36 (~US$56), and is 20% of the declared value plus the postage cost. Once Customs has calculated the tax, Royal Mail adds a processing charge of £8 ($12.50) and sends a horrible grey card to the recipient telling them they have to pay the total (which will be a minimum of £11/$17) either online or in person at their local delivery office, in order to get their parcel. There is no means of questioning or appealing the charge; you can't even see the parcel to find out what was on the customs form until you've paid. The options are pay the charge or refuse the package and return it to sender. (As a side note, stuff that comes in by courier rather than normal post goes through the exact same process, but the processing charges from the courier companies are generally much higher.) So! With this in mind, how should you best fill out the customs form? Goods? Gift? Commercial samples? Whatever you're comfortable with. Unless you put down a business name or are sending hundreds of packages to the UK per month, Customs are not going to check into a swap, sale, or decant circle package marked as a gift. How should I declare the contents? Be as accurate as possible, but generally go by what your local post office is happiest with. 'Perfume' is prohibited, but the kind of perfume they mean is the commercial alcohol/atomiser kind, which BPAL is not. 'Essential oils (non-flammable)' and 'Bath oils (non-flammable)' won't raise any eyebrows because they match the contents perfectly. 'Cosmetic samples' also come through fine if your post office lets you put that. What value should I declare? Whatever you're comfortable with! I refer you to the above notes on Import VAT thresholds for Goods and Gift packages. I certainly wouldn't want you to be dishonest, but Customs don't actually check unless there's an obvious mismatch between the declared value and the size/weight/declared contents. Important note on Paypal and other automatically generated customs forms If you use Paypal or some other service that automatically generates a customs form, make VERY SURE that the shipping cost is NOT included as part of the value of contents. Either it should be a separate line, or preferably not on the customs form at all. The reason for this is that Customs take the value of contents and the shipping cost (from the postage label or stamp) and calculate the tax based on both. If the shipping cost isn't separately itemised it gets included twice and the recipient pays extra tax. Example: Forumite X bought some decants from you and sent you $30 as a lump sum for $20 of decants and $10 of shipping, with a Goods and Services payment type for both of your protection. If you print a combined shipping and customs form direct from Paypal it will put the value of contents down as $30 and type as Goods, because that's all it knows. When Customs look at the package they will see $30 value and $10 shipping, and Forumite X will receive a lovely demand for £13.33 (nearly $20) in order to get the package. If you separate out the shipping (via Paypal or, if necessary, doing it by hand) then Customs will see $20 value and $10 shipping/handling, and if you've marked the package as Goods Forumite X will only be charged on what they actually paid. And hey, if the package is marked as Gift, it's under the threshold and there will be no charge.

flyby

November 21, 2014

anaengel's Blog

Imp List

Here's the list of Imps I already have at least one of. Dream goal is to have one of every imp available. And this is dream since things can go discontinued and be added at any time. But, it's worth a try. No, they are not sorted by group. Daphne Honey 'Tis the Voice of the Lobster Ekhidna Forbidden Fruit Calico Jack Ya-Te-Vo Rome Cockaigne Hellcat Baobhan Sith Loralei Deep in Earth Fallen Cairo Fire of Love Dracul Crossroads Haunted Kuang Shi Shub-Niggurath Lysander Lady Macbeth Desire Windward Passage Hemlock Honey Oender Honey Opium Poppy Belladonna Thalia Horse Chestnut Honey Havana Les Infortunes de la Vertu Hairy Toad Lily Bod Countess Bewitched Croquet Dee Belle Epoque Fascinum Santa Muerte The Death Horse Kubla Khan Morocco The Hamptons Delight Bengal Blood Rose Stimluating Sassafras Strengthener Depraved Dragon's Reverie Blood Kiss Vice Brusque Violet Herbert West Troll Purience Helena Debauchery Kabuki Reoul Honey Bien Loin d'Ici Defututa Shanghai Urd Moscow Jazz Funeral Pontalier Chuparosa Yellow Jessamine Honey Veil Nosferatu Antony Dragon's Blood Voodoo Whitechapel Black Lotus The Witch's Garden Tobacco Honey Ave Maria Gratia Plena Faustus La Petit Mort The Forest Reverie Van Van Galvanic Goggles The Phanto Wooer Prague Rumpelstilzchen Pride Chokecherry Honey Hellfire Vicomte de Valmont Morgause Twenty-one Tombstone Oblivion Manhattan Detox: Elixir VI Pain Sybaris Nyx The White Rider Hades Fae R'yleh Arcana The Apothecary Paris Sloth Bensabiel Somnus Siren Titus Andronicus No. 93 Engine 51 Shango Nyarlathotep Come to Me Athens Bathsheba Lady of Shalott Black Hellebore Honey The Jersey Devil La Belle au Bois Dormant Frumious Bandersnatch Embalming Fluid The Black Rider Black Pearl Laurel Honey Bastet Twilight The Dormouse Kitsune-Tsuki Les Bijioux Cheshire Cat Les Fleurs du Mal Katherina Baba Yaga Baku Queen of Sheba Nephilim Olokun Temple of Dreams Obatala Lolita Deadly Nightshade Honey Lust The Temptation Meliai Hollywood Babylon Goblin Lear Blockbuster Mad Hatter Aureus Wings of Azrael Evil Neutral Chaotic Dwarf O Whoso List to Hunt Dragon's Hide Snake Oil Jabberwocky Leanan Sidhe Absinthe Amsterdam Oya Black Forest Against Idleness and Mischief Masquerade Greed Seraphim Water of Notre Dame Perversion Tweedledee Lucy's Kiss Bordello Spellbound Dragon's Claw Aizen-Myoo Burial Glasgow Golden Priapus Shadow Witch Orchid Chimera Erato Eris Urennyaya De Sade Tanin'iver Independent Midnight Daya March Hare Rosalind The Hesperides Ile de la Tortue Karme Neo Tokyo Tin Foil Hat Music of Erich Zahn Night-Gaunt Le Lethe Sacred Whore of Babylon The Old Goblin Santo Domingo Nocturne Pele Brimstone Danse Macabre

anaengel

November 20, 2014

yewberry's Blog

Blind Date with a Book Swap

How would you feel about getting a gift certificate to a local store? Any favorites? I don't shop much. I love thrift stores and my local co-op. Do garage sales count? I go to my local homebrew supply store quite a bit (they sell cheesemaking supplies now, and I'd love to get into that more). Oh, and Otion (Bramble Berry’s retail store). I do most of my non-food shopping in either Seattle or Bellingham, so neither of those places are too far for me. I travel often to Uwajimaya, for example, to shop for both food and non-food items. There are also a number of cool bottle shops in the area that I frequent, namely our local Ale Spike (they allow dogs, so bonus!), Norm's Market, The Pourhouse (when I visit my father-in-law), The Beer Junction, Special Brews, Chuck's Hop Shop, and Brews Almighty.

yewberry

November 17, 2014

Reviews

List of Scents and Brief Reviews for Comparison Purposes

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vco3k8tcwXAe5JzGsQGfZBaTrSTTAPPtFozChjwRso8/edit?usp=sharing I prefer feminine, sweet, fresh scents. Especially fruits (though less so citrus, iffy about lemon), candy, and light florals. I do not like buttery foodie scents. I amp bitterness, smokiness, and musk so those don't work. Last updated: 1/5/15 I should still own all listed so if you want a comparison between scents, let me know! *** Overall thoughts on BPAL: Great concept. The vast majority of these do not work for me--too powdery or musky--they usually smell more strange than good. I also wish there were some definitive breakdown of what chemicals are in the oils. What keeps me coming back are the few unique scents that are absolutely amazing: Currently: Kumiho, Nuclear Winter Other pluses: Fast and safe shipping, getting random imps, the new postcards, and the scents that, though not something I'd wear, are spot-on (e.g. Blood Popsicle, Zombi).

Kanashisa

October 15, 2014

Alianthe on BPAL

Reviews

alianthe

October 15, 2014

Alianthe on BPAL

Coming back after a long hiatus

I've been away from the forum for a few years. Once upon a time I was quite active here, did a lot of chatting, a lot of swapping, a little reviewing. Life got crazy, and money got tight, and I used this space even more as a safe and welcoming place to connect with other people. I immersed myself in the Sleepover Party, and played The Games, and leaned heavily on the support of wonderful people here. And, yes, still participated in decant circles and Switch Witch and such. And then life got crazier and money got tighter, and I decided that the enabling was just too much and I couldn't afford myself the temptation anymore. I separated from someone I'd with whom I'd so closely shared the BPAL experience that for a long time afterwards wearing perfume at all made me think of him. I stopped wearing makeup and perfume and started trying to build a whole new life on a shoestring. But, you see, I've been running lean for too long. I'm beginning to miss it. A little indulgence in the way of something that smells delicious is perhaps just what the doctor ordered. And then there was the blood moon last night, and out of the blue I thought "huh, that's something Beth might have celebrated." Apparently not, but this year's Weenies (always my favorites) look amazing as usual, and lead me to the Lab's (new to me) search feature and finding new wish list items. And then I dug out the remains of my old stash and categorized it. Between not replacing used-up stash with new bottles, and those awful times when I had to sell off my excess stash for grocery money, and sold more than I otherwise might have because I was trying to move across country by shipping myself only what I needed, there's not a lot left. There's a little though. It's pretty much just imps and decants that didn't move during the great cleanout. Many of them are now rare or discontinued. So who knows, maybe folks will want to swap them for lovelies that have happened during my absence, or lovelies I always meant to try and didn't. I'm not sure if our old feedback profiles are still accessible somewhere out there in the ether, but I won't mind if people distrust my lack of feedback in the new forum spots. In any case, hi! I may or may not be saying anything, but I'm lurking in your forums, seeing who's still around. Thanks for still being here, and still being awesome.

alianthe

October 9, 2014

Alianthe on BPAL

The Backlog

These is a list for my tracking purposes, so I don't let things get on the wishlist that are here. It's a list of imps/decants I found in my stash, which I'm currently testing to see whether I want them. By definition, I'm not offering these up for swap. If I do, they'll go up on my swap page. The goal is to test several scents per day from this list. From Wishlist, GC: Aglaea Azathoth Blood Amber Cathode Cordelia x3 The Dodo Galvanic Gogggles Lampades RPG: Neutral x2 Oya Port-Au-Prince Tamora Tombstone Vixen From Wishlist, LE/Unavailable: A Moment in Time Autumn Cider Autumn - Overlooked my Knitting Hallow-e'en 1914 Magnificent Autumn October x2 Samhain Sonnet D'Automne Phaeon Crescent Pumpkin I (Pumpkin III) Pumpkin V Red Spotted Purple Visions of Autumn I Visions of Autumn III Visions of Autumn IV Visions of Autumn V Visions of Autumn VI The White Witch Ahathoor Danube Euterpe Inez Khajuraho Melpomene Pool of Tears Purple Spotted Swallowtail Succubus Suspiro Tanin'iver To Autumn Unsorted (Testing) Bag-o-imps GC imps: A Countenance Forboding Evil Aizen-Myoo x2 Akuma Caliban Calico Jack Catherine Death Cap Defututa Dian's Bud Elegba Fallen Grandmother of Ghosts House of Night Mad Hatter Medea Nocturne Nyx Omen Oneiroi (Somnium) Ouija The Reaper and the Flowers Santo Domingo Santa Muerte Sheol Tzadikim Nistarim Ulalume Urd Whoso List to Hunt Wicked Wolfsbane Possets 301: Halloween 2010

alianthe

October 9, 2014

therhoda's Unduly crazy rambles

Ye little gods of Chaos please be kind

Okay dear witch let me just say a few things. Last week was CRAZY, to the point i lost a day and when i caught it was friday and i was at a childrens hospital all morning. So i am behind like MAJOR, because of this i am not going to answer any questions really. If you need to KNOW something please send me a note or ask Lisanut, she can either ask me or ask the Hubby about it. I Am trying to get a decanting of the NYCC hair glosses so far no luck. i swear i am becoming a hair gloss addict. I have USED all of my Shiny Furball hair gloss and I MISS it so. I have the Eat Me which my girls really like but its SOOOo sweet. I wanted to get the apple ones from NYCC but I havnt found anyone going yet. The craziness of my life keeps amping up, but I am happy to a degree so yay life!

therhoda

October 1, 2014

therhoda's Unduly crazy rambles

Ye little gods of Chaos please be kind

therhoda

October 1, 2014

Stalking Feet

Switch Witch Help Pt 2 - Halloween 2014

If you could try ANY BPAL scents at this very moment, what would they be (can be rare, GC, any type)? I would like some Monastery in the Mountains. I had a decant. It smelled good when I accidentally stepped on it, before I had a chance to test it. Also, if there was one item you could have for your upcoming birthday - what would you wish for? Most of the things I would like are well out of Switch Witch league. Perhaps a Lucky color glassybaby: http://glassybaby.com/shop/glassybaby/filter/color#lucky . I'm also looking for a copy of the We'moon 2015 datebook, spiral bound. 93. Which one scent would you want from each of the following updates: Metamorphosis, Lilith, and GC? I haven't had a chance to even look at the Lilith scents yet, and I don't really have answers for the other two. Addendum/jumping the gun: In the 'Weenies, Magificent Autumn looks interesting. Also Visions of Autumn VI & Pile of Fallen Leaves. 94. Are you interested in anything from NYCC? No, not really. 95. Would something from the Tokyo Game Show (e.g. postcards, fans) possibly interest you? No, thank you. 96. Would you enjoy any of these couple rings? Or anything from the same stores Halloween collection? I have no use for couples rings, and the Halloween stuff doesnt really interest me. 97. If you imbibe at all preference between: wine/beer/cocktails and then glassware and/or bar-ware? Cocktail gadgetry? Books on the subject/recipes? Would you want sample bottles of local/regional/small batch craft spirits if they were home decanted and labeled? I usually drink wine. I dont like beer. Ill indulge in a cocktail occasionally, but Im not really into them. Books might be interesting; a couple that caught my eye are http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Spirits-Forgotten-Cocktails-Alamagoozlum/dp/1592535615/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=016N2C71K6NKT4NQFRD7 and http://www.amazon.com/Apothecary-Cocktails-Restorative-Drinks-Yesterday/dp/1592335845/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411781148&sr=1-4&keywords=vintage+spirits+and+forgotten+cocktails. A small/sample size bottle of a truly local craft spirit might be interesting. I was eyeing some of the local ones available at the Portland (OR) airport this summer. As for cocktail gadgetry, what does a muddler look like? Another related item, not mentioned in the question, is bitters. There are some really interesting, local/regional bitters out there in very interesting flavors. (I already have a copy of Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Parsons.) 98. Would you like some chai, lemon, rose water or other flavored sugar cubes? I would not be averse to receiving some, but sugar cubes are not really something that I use. 99. If you had to choose one currently available book (used-but-obtainable counts if you do used) costing $20 or under for your Witch to buy for you, what would it be? Probably one of Carl Hiaasens books Skinny Dip andTourist Season come to mind. 100. Are there five things under $25 at Birchbox you would like? Oh, heavens, I dont have time to look at all of them now. May update this answer later, when I have more time. 101. Do you want anything from the Fatherhood update at the Post? I havent had a chance to look at them yet, but they sound interesting from all the chatter. 102. Street art! Into it? Not into it? Meh? Not into it. 103. If you could only pick one note that you love (e.g. Vanilla, Orange, Lavender, Rose) & you could only wear/have perfume, etc in that note, what would it be? Linden blossom (also known as lime - not the citrus fruit). 104. What are you interested in from the NYCC exclusive list? I haven't studied the BPAL exclusives list, but anything with apple would probably be interesting. 105. Most anticipated "Weenie blends? I listed a few under Question 93. 106. Caffeine or no? And is this a health or preference? No problems with caffeine per se. 107. Are you interested in anything from the MAC Rocky Horror or the e.l.f. Disney Princess make up collections? I haven't looked at the Disney Princess line. Nothing in the MAC Rocky Horror line really grabbed me. 108. I pass this shop every day, If you were my witchee would you like a custom chocolate bar? What would you choose? Plain, white or milk and with what? Dark chocolate; I haven't had a chance to look at the inclusions yet. 109. Would you like to try chocolate covered Turkish Delight or flower flavoured things (Rose and Violet chocolates)? I rather like chocolate covered Turkish Delight. If you're in the Pacific Northwest, I haven't had any Cotlets in a while (I'll eat Aplets, but prefer Cotlets or just about any of the other fruits that Liberty Orchards does). I'll consume rose- and violet-flavored chocolates, but those aren't my favorite flavors.

IridiumFlash

September 30, 2014

Hellcat's Lair

SW fall 2014 update

More ketchup! 92. Which one scent would you want from each of the following updates: Metamorphosis, Lilith and GC? hm, I guess I should list any ones I haven't ordered already in decants. How about: Metamorph--Yucca Giant-Skipper Lilith--Amicitia GC--?? 93. Are you interested in anything from NYCC? Anything my witch thinks might interest me would be cool. 94. Would something from the Tokyo Game Show (e.g. postcards, fans) possibly interest you? Sure! I love kawaii stuff. 95. Would you enjoy any of these couple rings? Or anything from the same store's Halloween collection? Couple rings wouldn't do me any good as I haz no coupling but the Weenie jewelry is cute. 96. If you imbibe at all ... preference between: wine/beer/cocktails and then glassware and/or bar-ware? cocktail gadgetry? Books on the subject/recipes? would you want sample bottles of local/regional/small batch craft spirits if they were home decanted and labeled? Love cider best, though small bottles of rum, whiskey, bourbon and such would be fine. I like to try stuff. 97. Would you like some chai, lemon, rose water or other flavored sugar cubes? ooh, sounds awesome. 98. Jamberry nail wraps? always wanted to try them! 99. If you had to choose one currently available book (used-but-obtainable counts if you do used) costing $20 or under for your Witch to buy for you, what would it be? mmmm, how bout this one. http://www.amazon.com/dp/160938198X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2G7YQ7D8KWZIU&coliid=IGEJIB36WXG3V

dixiehellcat

September 24, 2014

Hellcat's Lair

Switch Witch help, circa fall 2014

Hello, dear witch! Herein lies a multitude of condiments. 1. I wonder what a potential witchee would think about being bombarded with PUMPKINS in various formats. Because my current obsession just may last long enough to be of use in spoiling.....but I know wouldn't be appreciated by everyone. Would you appreciate it?!? MMM, I like punkin to eat, not so much as a perfume (sadly it smells like popcorn on me) 2. I currently have a CSA and my significant other is perpetually out of town for work, so I've been doing a lot of canning and baking with my vegetables. How do people feel about canned good (pickles, salsa, etc) and vegetal baked goods (squash bread, zucchini bread). sounds cool, if you don't mind paying to mail (those jars are heavy!) 3. Trading Post wants? ooh, not sure, I'll have to look when I get time. 4. What direct sellers do you not like and would prefer not to get things from? And also feel free to list any retail brands you really don't like. don't know much about them, except I think I'm allergic to most Mary Kay. 5. How about y'alls coffee and tea preferences? love tea, especially chais, and like coffee a lot, especially flavored ones and Kenya AA, when I can afford it. 6. Do you cook? Would kitchen accessories make you happy? I cook when I have time (are we seeing a theme here?) and gadgets would be welcomed. 7. How do people feel about creative endeavours? Would you like to receive one? Or supplies to make your own? What do you like? Drawings, stories, poems? yes plz! 8. What culture or country (doesnt have to be modern) do you feel an innate connection with? What about it makes it special to you? I love Ireland! My ancestors came from there but I loved it even before I knew that for sure. 9. Is there any sort of art commission you would like: cartoony, pin-up, fantasy, realistic, etc? If so, what subject would you like drawn (a picture of you, a character, a loved one or pet)? hm, I like art deco but all kinds of art are cool. Can't think of a particular topic though. 10. What do you find yourself doing for fun in your free time? What are your main hobbies and interests? Reading and yarning! I love to knit and crochet but I'm learning to weave. Also other crafts like ATCs (art trading cards) 11. Table-top gaming? If yes, what kind, edition, etc? Gaming accessories you long for? Used to play and loved it but don't have a group nearby now. 12. DVD movies or games that you wish would magically appear in your hands? Can they be used, through Amazon? Used vids are fine. I need a copy of my fave old movie, called Portrait of Jennie. 13. What kind of snacks or candy from other countries/states would you like to try? anything that involves chocolate, and/or caramel. 14. Do you have a favorite internet meme, character or pop culture fandom? gosh, I love several! See questionnaire. lol 15. Do you have a Facebook profile (or other social media) that you are comfortable linking to aid your witch in stalking? Please note whether you are willing to add BPALers as friends. I think I put them in my questionnaire; and I'm happy to add BPALers as friends. 16. Anybody interested in something from RCCC, whether it's con-exclusive merch or from a particular exhibitor or artist? I don't know what all they have, but if my witch saw something that yelled my name, bring it! hehe 17. How important to you is regular contact / chatter with your witch? I really like to hear from my witch at least every now and then, or I begin to feel like, I dunno, maybe my witch doesn't like me or know what to do with me. wouldn't be the first time, lol. (Not witches, I mean RL!) Now if my witch is crazy busy, I'm cool with that, just let me know. 18. Do you like puzzles/riddles/treasure hunts and that sort of thing? depends on whether I have time to devote to it and enjoy it. if so, then yes! 19. If you were to receive music, would you want a physical CD or digital versions? either is fine! 20. Whats a current problem/annoyance you have that could be remedied but you havent had time to address it? the lack of time to address anything. lol 21. How do you feel about having some sort of trinket to carry around for good luck/wishes? i.e. a small figurine, symbol, card, coin that would be neat. I'd like to see what somebody else picked out for me. 22. Are you superstitious about anything? Any things you can't have in your house for that reason bad associations? can't think of anything, except don't send me any cursed stuff. lol. I don't believe in those but such a thing would probably get on my nerves just thinking of the idea. 23. For the vegetarians and vegans: How do you feel about things (say, marshmallows or gummy candy) made with vegan gelatin or other typically-animal-derived-but-not-in-this-instance products? not a prob for me; I'll eat just about anything that isn't nailed down. 25. Do you have any fabric or skin-contact aversions? nope 26. How do you feel about Christmas/Yule ornaments? Love them, especially unusual or handmade ones. 27. How do you feel about Hello Kitty, and Hello Kitty accessories (including mugs, cups, etc)? My fave HK character is Kuromi, the Goth kitteh. 28. If you had a week free where you could learn anything, with no financial restrictions, what would you want to study? No clue. I'd probably try to arrange it around a knitting cruise. 29. Do you enjoy poetry? Who are your favorite poets and what type of subject matter do you like? It's ok. I can't think of anybody I'm crazy about. 30. Would you enjoy receiving something related to a favorite Disney character? sure. I like Pooh. 31. How do you feel about cute things as decorations or accessories? (Example: Would you enjoy this stationery - or do you prefer elegant/creepy/neutral stuff?) all of the above! I really use blank cards or note pads more though. 32. What is something you'd really like to receive from your witch? Please be as specific as possible - no, "Oh whatever she thinks is fine!" Gosh, I really like getting to know my witch. Although if pressed, I'd really like a nice Tervis tumbler. 33. Go to your music source of choice - on random or shuffle setting if possible - & share with us the 10 most recent songs/artists. Haven't been listening to anything specific for a good while, sorry. 34. Tarot cards, rune stones and/or other divination tools yay or nay? Yay! 35. Do you have a Celeb crush? or someone who you just can't get enough of....other than your SO hm. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, I guess. 36. Glitter? are you okay with it, or hate it like the plague? yep! like it. 37. If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would it be? I think the 1920s. I like art deco. 38. If you had to pick one or two quotes to live by, what would it be and why? ok, here are 2 I memorized in high school and still love. "Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free." Jim Morrison "There's two kinds of work a person can do: the kind that changes the world, and the kind that just keeps the world from falling apart." Bruce Springsteen 39. Do you prefer physical books? CD books? eBooks? If eBooks do you have preferred format, kindle/nook/kobo/PDF/ePub/ect? eAudio? yes. I have a Kindle so prefer ebooks that fit it, but I have Calibre so I can convert most anything into most anything else. 40. Smut! Yes or no? If yes, what kink, er, kind? As long as it doesn't take itself too srsly, and has some form of plot. And isn't just ridiculous. lol 41. Ebooks! Yes or no? yes! 42. If you were to get a custom bottle from House of Gloi made for you what notes would create your perfect blend? oh gosh, I don't know! 43. If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote? hm, a nice landscape, be it mountain or desert, or one of my fave animals, or something mythical? 44. What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration? I like black cats and witches. 45. Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)? I like Geek Chic Cosmetics. Used to use Sephora foundation but they changes the formula so now I'm trying various things. Also like Urban Decay and Benefit (their Bad Girl mascara is great; wish I could afford to get it more often) 46. How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor? no real problem with it. 47. I make hairsticks...would you like/use them? no, my hair is too short. 48. Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play? no LARP. 49. Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com. I don't know about that scorpion, but in general I'm a pretty adventurous eater. 50. This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like? ooh, that would be good, if you didn't mind the cost of mailing it. 51. Let's talk nail polish. What colors do you love? Hate? Which brands are you dying to try? Have you ever used indies? Do you like glitter? Any textures to avoid (glitter, sand, etc)? I like glitter but I don't use it much except around Christmas time. My usual faves are light grey-blue and grey-purple, well, most blues and purples but especially those, or a sage green. I don't like most textures though. I put layers of clear over glitter to make it smooth and I hate sand. 52. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie? would love it. 53. I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun? ooh, most anything kawaii. Pocky, especially 'mens' (dark chocolate ). Lucky cats, bento stuff. 54. Are there any GC scents that you know you love, but for whatever reason, keep putting off buying bottles of? I just finally got off the Faustus waiting list. I THINK I like Hades, but I'd have to sniff it again. 55. I know not everyone likes Lush products, but if you do, which Lush items would you like to get from your Witch? anything Karma or Vanillary scented; Coalface soap. 56. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times. not really; I use up most all my vacay time taking mother to doctors appts. 57. If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc? can't usually shove myself into girls tees, baby dolls and such. Men's large fits me best. 58. THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20? I love it! don't have a wish list though. 59. Zombies, yes or no? eh, they are ok. 60. Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves? love them! Just past the wrist, enough to slip under the edge of your coat sleeve. 61. Do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s? I think it's in my questionnaire but I love foxes, owls and dragons. 62. Anyone have any Paintbox Soapworks loves? Black Heart (RIP ) was my fave. I like Gingermilk. haven't tried many newer scents. 63. How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out? Warn me so mother isn't having a panic attack. lol 64. Do you have a ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions. Rav yay! I use all kinds of yarn. The cheapest synthetics make great stuffies. Alpaca is my favorite fiber though. 65. Sock Dreams, yay or nay? Sock yay! 66. Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors? sure. I knit but I love other people's knitting. I like wool if it is soft. Alpaca, as noted above, is my fave. Bite me, cashmere! Alpaca is better and cheaper. hehe. I like blues and purples best but jewel tones and warm neutrals, caramel, chocolate etc are nice too. 67. Is your Amazon WL up-to-date? I think so! 68. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)? would be fine! 69. Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Are there types of incense you know you don't like? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types? love incense. Don't have a charcoal burner, they scare me a bit, but cones and sticks are great. 70. I know we already had a question about needed kitchen accessories, but what about spices? would be loved. 71. Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen? Handmade cards would be great! Quill pen would be amazing, but prolly too involved for me to use. 72. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gimme that ghost pepper!" and 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" Where is your heat tolerance? hm, fairly high, but I like hot flavor, not hot for hot's sake. I guess about a 7? 73. What is your favorite type of Halloween candy? chocolates, especially the Russell Stover individually wrapped ones, ESPECIALLY the coconut nests. But really, any chocolate. And the white chocolate MnMs. 74. Do you need or want any cosy footwear, like fluffy slippers, or slipper socks etc? slipper socks are great! 75. What do you most look forward to each Fall? Halloween. Cooler weather. Not having to go out and water stuff every day. lol 76. What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you like a cool case for them - with your favourite fandom or artwork or saying? I love my Galaxy s3, and they do have cool cases with Doctor Who or Supernatural on them, just have never bought one. 77. Are there any beauty accessories you need or would like? For example make-up brushes, facial brushes or eyelash curlers. wouldn't turn down a new powder brush. 78. Would you be disappointed to get one big box, or would you prefer a bunch of little ones? And would you be disappointed if your witch actually had it together early and sent it to you sooner than later? either is fine, and timing doesn't matter. 79. Stores are putting out their halloween PJs and undies! Would you be happy to get any in a package? And if so, what size? For PJ pants, do you like cotton or flannel? I love pj pants! mens large plz. Cotton or flannel is great. 80. Do you like M&Ms? yes, especially dark chocolate, the ones with nuts, and white chocolate (see above) 81. How about wax melts? like them. 82. Would you like a subscription for Spotify? I don't know enough about it. I like Pandora a lot. 83. What scents from the Lillith update would you like to try? mm, I bought a few decants, trying to remember which...oy. 84. Would you be interested in receiving a box of sugar cube skulls? those sound neat. 85. Skin care routine? Fave cleanser? Toner? Moisturizer? What about body lotions? Any particular brand or scent? Lip balms? Yay or nay? Steamcream! <3 Best moisturizer ever. Sea Breeze for cleaning in morning, unscented goat milk soap at night. MAC Gently Off eye makeup remover. I like Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Noel lotion. Haunt and Moonalisa lip balms. 86. Is there anything you would like from Salem MA (mugs, keychains, postcards, etc.or witchy supplies like incense, candles, books)? I love Salem! anything from there would be great. I went there some years back and it is such a cool place. 87. Would you be interested in any of the items in LisaNut's etsy shop? mmm, pretty...everything! hehe 88. Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no? huh, I guess, as long as they don't look real. lol 89. Pillows (the mostly decorative type)? don't really need any right now. 90. Bags? omg, I am a bag hoar! any bags that can hold knitting, I love them. 91. Is there anything special coming up in your life? nope, sad to say.

dixiehellcat

September 24, 2014

ducky's Blog

Wishlist Update for Switch Witch 2014

Hi witch! Here's a update on some of my wishlists. Imp wishes: Mad Tea Party: Tweedledee Ars Amatoria: La Petit Mort, Lorelei, Siren Ars Moriendi: Dance of Death, Sheol Bewitching Brews: Intrigue, Magus, Mata Hari, Morgause, Zephyr RPG: Cleric, Neutral, Mage, Paladin Excolo: Santa Muerte, Tisiphone Marchen: Roses, Pearls, and Diamonds Diabolus: Phantom Sin & Salvation: Fallen, Greed, The Great Sword of War Somnus: Baku, Somnus, The Temple of Dreams Wanderlust: Machu Picchu, Santo Domingo, Tenochtitlan, Kumari Kandam LE: In Templum Dei, Sanctus, The Diamond's Gong 1/3 bottles or 1/2 bottles, I'd love whatever partials are out there of these: Grand Guignol, The Glittering Apple of the Stars, The Silver Apple of the Moon, Velvet, The Harlot's House, Pele, Brown Jenkin, 'Tis the Voice of the Lobster, King Cobra, Fruit Moon Haus of Gloi scents I'd love to try a sample size pumpkin butter of: GC: Depravity, Elevenses, Moon Dog, Twice is Nice, Troika LE: Persephone's Descent, Pumpkin Eater General notes I love: Sandalwood, incense, frangipani, copal, vanilla, tobacco flower/nicotiana, orris, elemi, vetiver, musk, guava, peony, hellebore, frankincense, myrrh Not so great on me: Honey, mint, bubble gum And here's the link to my etsy favorites: https://www.etsy.com/people/amandette/favorites/items-i-love?ref=favs_index_1

amandette

September 21, 2014

neptuneanblog

Switch Witch 2014 Help (the sequel)

Not sure if there are going to be that many more questions, but I was tired of scrolling down to the bottom of that other entry in order to add new answers, so here we are, Witch! Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no? sure Pillows (the mostly decorative type)? sure Any kind of bags - big, small, medium, purse, grocery, etc? grocery or tote would be better for me I think If you happen to be my witchee, would you be interested in any of the items in my etsy shop? You can favorite them on etsy or mention the specifics in your blog https://www.etsy.com...f=hdr_shop_menu I do kinda like this, but as mentioned earlier about scarves, I'm not sure I would get much use out of it here in South Central Texas, considering that I already have way more scarves than I need. If your witch was going to Salem Massachusetts, would you want anything from there? I was thinking mugs, keychains, postcards, etc. But what about witchy supplies like incense, candles, books, etc? Hmm, I dunno much about Salem. I mean, I took History of Witchcraft in undergrad and I think I made an A, but tourism-wise I have no idea. Mugs or postcards sound okay. And I've already mentioned that I like candles and (stick) incense, and my preferences for those things, so if you find something there you think I'd like, go for it! Witchy books, probably not. I don't really read the "esoteric" books I do own. Which one scent would you want from each of the following updates: Metamorphosis, Lilith and GC??? (I'm going to ask this about weenies once they launch too!) No idea, haven't gotten my decants yet
As mentioned yesterday, decant of Venustas would be nice
Listed 3 or so earlier in the round when there was a similar question... to add another, Blockbuster would be nice
On a whim I have decided to go to the Tokyo Game Show this weekend. There will presumably be lots of silly free swag like postcards and stupid fans. Would something like that possibly interest you, witchee mine? Sure, that sounds cool. If you have a significant other (or even a close friend that will laugh at the implications), would you enjoy any of these couple rings? How about anything from the same store's Halloween collection? No to these two specific questions (my husband and I do have wedding rings, but even those don't actually match since he insisted on yellow gold and I on white gold... and otherwise he's not a jewelry person). But, looking at it, I do think that store has some cool stuff in general. I have been upping my cardigan game recently and no longer have any sweater clips, so some of those interest me, like this one and this one. Hope that helps! So - IF you imbibe at all ... preference between: wine/beer/cocktails and then glassware and/or bar-ware? cocktail gadgetry? Books on the subject/recipes? would you want sample bottles of local/regional/small batch craft spirits if they were home decanted and labeled? (I can't think of any craft distillery that makes minis.. at least not around here). Ooh, multi-part question! For actual alcohol preferences, I feel like I was really thorough in my original questionnaire. The only glassware/barware/"cocktail gadgetry" I can think of that I need is a martini shaker... I can't believe I don't own one anymore! And I guess just a regular old bartending dictionary would be nice because that's another thing I used to have but don't anymore. Home decanted and labeled small batch craft spirits (wow, that's a mouthful!) sound intriguing... but again, you'd have to be into "living on the edge" since it's not technically legal to ship them to my state. My question, I make sugar cubes, would my witch like some chai, lemon, rose water or other flavored sugar cubes or am I the only one who wants to put on my gloves and BPAL and go to a tea party? Chai, or rosewater (or lavender as someone else mentioned) would be great, but not lemon. So I went to a Jamberry nail party tonight, and now I am wondering if this would be something other would like? Same as my answer to the last nail wrap question... not my thing. If you had to choose one currently available book (used-but-obtainable counts if you do used) costing $20 or under for your Witch to buy for you, what would it be? Well, other than the two specific ones I mentioned in my questionnaire, maybe Indigo Springs by Dellamonica? Are there five things under $25 at Birchbox (here's the men's page for that. Not sure why some of these things aren't in both sections!) you would like? Yeah, that's a bunch of products. Guess I'll just look until I find 5 I like. Simple Syrup (not the raspberry one but all of the others sound cool) Neoprene Bag Dry Shampoo Eyeshadow Quad (not in Black Magic or Taupetation though) Nail Lacquer Remover (and that was in the first 10 pages... may check out some more pages at some point and update this....) Do you want anything from the Fatherhood update at the Post? Naw, not really a straight-up foodie or floral person. I'd be curious to smell A Stroll Through the Quarter, but I doubt it'd actually work on me. Street art! Into it? Not into it? Meh? Yeah, it's cool. If you could only pick one note that you love (e.g. Vanilla, Orange, Lavender, Rose) & you could only wear/have perfume, etc in that note, what would it be? Gosh, I dunno, not much of a single note person here. Maybe some kind of incense/resin, or maybe some kind of non-white musk. Weenies I'm interested in trying (but did not already request decants of): White Witch
Witch Bride
Pumpkin II
Caffeine or no? And is this a health or preference? Caffeine is fine, but I do like herbal teas and such too. I was unable to have caffeine for medical reasons for several years (due to a heart condition that has since been surgically corrected), so I'm not quite as addicted as some folks, but I do usually have one soda, cup of coffee, or tea (either hot or iced) per day. As for Rocky Horror/Disney makeup collections, I guess refer to my previous answers which describe makeup preferences. Would you be interested in a custom painted miniature? No thanks, I never did "get" those things. I know a lot of people here are very passionate about different causes. Are there any local or national charities that are close to your heart that you know would appreciate a donation in your name? I donate to various things when I can and like choosing them for myself, but if my Witch really wants to do something in my name, well, there's always The Lilith Fund. I have two partial (Backup) bottles of some scents on your wishlist, Witchee. However, the labels aren't perfect, due to a tragic imp explosion. Would you still be ok with getting them? Absolutely. Do you like incense? Or are you more of a fan of essential oil aromatherapy/fragrance oils a la Yankee Candle/B&BW? Or all of the above? What scents do you prefer for those kinds of things? Nag champa? Lemongrass EO for the house? PUMPKIN SPICE EERYTHANG. What companies do you like specifically (if any) - links? I know we've already had/I've already answered an incense question in this thread, and I've already linked to my favorite incense company... I just checked and that stuff is in my first blog entry from this SW round. The only thing I left out in that question that might be important is that I probably wouldn't like overly fake-fruity smells for incense. As for the rest of this question, I don't use essential oils other than BPAL. Basically for home-scenting I use candles, stick incense, and BPTP atmo sprays (not all at once, though!). Also - Trading Post Weenies are up!! What's everyone interested in? I signed up for a decant of Boo Hair Gloss already... hopefully I'll get it! As for things I can hold off on if needed, I also really want the Dead Leaves & Dark Incense Candle, and, even though I have way too many atmo sprays for how long they last, would be interested in a decant of Chrysanthemum Tea atmo spray. No thanks.
Also no thanks
Sure!
Sure, Sure (no square rims though), sure, no, maybe (I've never really used coffee or tea syrups, think I already found a couple I was interested in when I answered an earlier question though), maybe.
desired Lush holiday items: all of the Christmas bubble bars!
Lord of Misrule bath bomb
Fairy Ring soap
Butterbear bath bomb
Snow Angel bath bomb
Yog Nog soap
First Snow dusting powder
Snow Fairy shower gel
Snowcake soap
desired Villainess items (not sure if this was an official question, but someone did bring it up here): Killer Tomatoez soap (this would be soooo awesome)
Mudslide soap
Dulces en Fuego soap
Vale soap
Silk & Cyanide soap
http://www.eatchocolateconspiracy.com/ items: All of the chocolate bars sound really good, and so do the truffles (though they are out of stock right now).

neptuneanblues

September 20, 2014

ducky's Blog

Switch Witch 2014!

Hi Witch, here's some ketchup! I'll get you some more this weekend, I hope you have a great one! I wonder what a potential witchee would think about being bombarded with PUMPKINS in various formats. Because my current obsession just may last long enough to be of use in spoiling.....but I know wouldn't be appreciated by everyone. Would you appreciate it?!? Yes, I like pumpkin. 2. I currently have a CSA and my significant other is perpetually out of town for work, so I've been doing a lot of canning and baking with my vegetables. How do people feel about canned good (pickles, salsa, etc) and vegetal baked goods (squash bread, zucchini bread). Sure, but you don’t have to bake for me! 3. Trading Post wants? I would love samples of any room spray or hair gloss. I’ll put specifics in my wishlist. 4. What direct sellers do you not like and would prefer not to get things from? And also feel free to list any retail brands you really don't like. Can’t think of anything I hate. I usually go for a indie/etsy seller for fun stuff. 5. How about y'alls coffee and tea preferences? I loooove tea. Any tea. I especially love oolong and green tea. And autumnal tisanes. (Ok that sounds really snooty! I didn’t mean to! 6. Do you cook? Would kitchen accessories make you happy? I do cook, but I can’t think of anything I’ve been wishing for in the kitchen. 7. How do people feel about creative endeavours? Would you like to receive one? Or supplies to make your own? What do you like? Drawings, stories, poems? I’ve had a past witch have something knitted for me and I loved it! I also would love to see your art, if you make some! 8. What culture or country (doesn’t have to be modern) do you feel an innate connection with? What about it makes it special to you? I love vintage tiki kitsch, it’s just such a fabulous brand of midcentury escapism. Aloha for everyone! 9. Is there any sort of art commission you would like: cartoony, pin-up, fantasy, realistic, etc? If so, what subject would you like drawn (a picture of you, a character, a loved one or pet)? That would be pretty cute if you wanted to draw my pup! 10. What do you find yourself doing for fun in your free time? What are your main hobbies and interests? I love to borrow books (both digital and actual paper) from the library, and sit in a tea cafe and read them. I spend way too much time browsing the internet. I love to cook dinner with my husband, and we also love to dabble in making cocktails. I love to go out for food and drinks as well. I walk my dog, and I take pole dancing classes (it’s seriously fun). I have my friends over a lot, and we are currently making a list of the essential horror movies we need to marathon all through October. 11. Table-top gaming? If yes, what kind, edition, etc? Gaming accessories you long for? I don’t game too much, although my husband and his friend want to start a D&D night and want me to join. I’ve never done it before so I’m worried I’ll do it wrong, haha. 12. DVD movies or games that you wish would magically appear in your hands? Can they be used, through Amazon? I would love a dvd or blu-ray of South Pacific. You know, that awesome musical. 13. What kind of snacks or candy from other countries/states would you like to try? If you have access to the vegan starbursts that I hear are available in the UK, I would love some! 14. Do you have a favorite internet meme, character or pop culture fandom? I am paranoid parrot. I am generally easily amused by memes. 15. Do you have a Facebook profile (or other social media) that you are comfortable linking to aid your witch in stalking? Please note whether you are willing to add BPALers as friends. I don’t post too much on fb, but my instagram is missmallard and it’s open to the public. 16. Anybody interested in something from RCCC, whether it's con-exclusive merch or from a particularexhibitor or artist? I don’t really know what’s happening there, sorry! 17. How important to you is regular contact / chatter with your witch? I’d like to chat as much as you’d like to chat, witch! I promise now I’m done with my crazy season at work and I will be much more prompt with questions! 18. Do you like puzzles/riddles/treasure hunts and that sort of thing? I love to do crossword puzzles! If you know of any really interesting ones, I’d love it! 19. If you were to receive music, would you want a physical CD or digital versions? Digital is great but I do still listen to CDs in my car. 20. What’s a current problem/annoyance you have that could be remedied but you haven’t had time to address it? I don’t know…I keep meaning to get a decorative little headband for my bangs. 21. How do you feel about having some sort of trinket to carry around for good luck/wishes? i.e. a small figurine, symbol, card, coin… Yes! I have a tiny little kiiroitori keychain charm, and I have a tiny plush totoro (like, smaller than a ping-pong) that hangs in my car. I love stuff like that! 22. Are you superstitious about anything? Any things you can't have in your house for that reason--bad associations? I’m not really superstitious. 23. For the vegetarians and vegans: How do you feel about things (say, marshmallows or gummy candy) made with vegan gelatin or other typically-animal-derived-but-not-in-this-instance products? Yeah, if it’s vegan it’s totally fine. 24. Ok, so we've covered pumpkin. How do you feel about the other fall classic – apples? I do like apple spice stuff for fall! Apples are so good, I love Mutsu apples and I can’t wait until they are ripe this year. 25. Do you have any fabric or skin-contact aversions? Nope, I do love soft stuff though and I’m pretty obsessed with that mink-y fabric stuff. 26. How do you feel about Christmas/Yule ornaments? I have a collection of bird-related ornaments. 27. How do you feel about Hello Kitty, and Hello Kitty accessories (including mugs, cups, etc)? Hello Kitty is cute, but my heart lies with Rilakkuma (by which I mean really kiiroitori). 28. If you had a week free where you could learn anything, with no financial restrictions, what would you want to study? I would brush up on my Spanish. It would be so handy for work. For fun, I really want to learn aerial silks/lyra. 29. Do you enjoy poetry? Who are your favorite poets and what type of subject matter do you like? I don’t read much poetry, so I’m afraid I don’t know! If you have a favorite poet let me know and I’ll check them out. 30. Would you enjoy receiving something related to a favorite Disney character? My fave disney characters are Jack Skellington and Alice. 31. How do you feel about cute things as decorations or accessories? (Example: Would you enjoy this stationery - or do you prefer elegant/creepy/neutral stuff?) I love elegantly creepy stuff this time of year! 32. What is something you'd really like to recieve from your witch? Please be as specific as possible - no, "Oh whatever she thinks is fine!” Some brands I love: Tokyomilk dark, Voluspa candles, someone just showed me Witch City Wicks and they look like awesome candles, I love Ramakrishnanada incense, I’ve always wanted to try Fred Soll if you have a spare stick! I love tea, and drink it often. I love raw crystals, and I keep meaning to get a little candle-oil/incense warmer like this: http://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Decor-Spiral-Fragrant-Warmer/dp/B0030MPKNM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1411161174&sr=8-4&keywords=oil+warmer to use with resin incense. I love the sample sizes of Haus of Gloi’s pumpkin butter and I can add specific scents to my wishlist. 33. Go to your music source of choice - on random or shuffle setting if possible - & share with us the 10 most recent songs/artists. 10 artists I’ve just listened to: Bruxa, the New Pornographers, Banks, Witch Mountain, Chelsea Wolfe, Tchami, Fallulah, Die Antwoord, the Wytches, Sylvan Esso. 34. Tarot cards, rune stones and/or other divination tools yay or nay? I love tarot, and I have 4 decks - the Wild Unknown, Aquarian Tarot, Morgan-Greer, and one other one I can’t think of the name of. I’m definitely interested in other decks or other forms of divination! 35. Do you have a Celeb crush? or someone who you just can't get enough of....other than your SO? I have major crushes on Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy. I plan on seeing “Horns” as soon as it comes out! 36. Glitter? are you okay with it, or hate it like the plague? yes,I love glitter. 37. If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would it be? Art deco, art nouveau, midcentury tiki…I realize that’s quite a mishmash. 38. If you had to pick one or two quotes to live by, what would it be and why? “life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats” or however that one goes! 39. Do you prefer physical books? CD books? eBooks? If eBooks do you have preferred format, kindle/nook/kobo/PDF/ePub/ect? eAudio? I really do enjoy reading both physical books and on my kindle. 40. Smut! Yes or no? If yes, what kink, er, kind? I secretly enjoy reading Twilight fan fiction. This is free, so don’t worry about having to find any for me…i just answered so you can laugh at my expense! 41. Ebooks! Yes or no? Yes 42. If you were to get a custom bottle from House of Gloi made for you what notes would create your perfect blend? I would say any of these notes would be a good start: sandalwood, copal, frangipani, vanilla, musk, anything incense-y or woodsy mixed with some lighter notes. 43. If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote? I love birds and pit bulls. 44. What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration? I enjoy a good skull, skeleton, or black bat. I like pretty much anything to do with halloween! 45. Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)? I have a great love for indie nail polish, KB Shimmer is great and I’ve got a few others on my etsy wishlist. I do love sample size fyrinnae eyeshadows and lip lustres. 46. How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor? I have a total poop mouth and I will definitely laugh at farts. I’m sorry to be so brash if you are not quite as gross as me, Witch! 47. I make hairsticks...would you like/use them? I would, I have quite thick bra-strap length hair if that helps to know. 48. Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play? I haven’t ever tried it. 49. Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com. If it’s weird and vegan I’m fine with it! 50. This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like? I pretty much like jam, blackberry, plum, nectarine, anything really! 51. Let's talk nail polish. What colors do you love? Hate? Which brands are you dying to try? Have you ever used indies? Do you like glitter? Any textures to avoid (glitter, sand, etc)? I love the cruelly bases with awesome glitter already mixed in, as KB Shimmer has down quite well. I also love dark vampy blackish purple-reds, and I would love to try a color changing polish. 52. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie? Sure! 53. I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun? Kiiriotori! 54. Are there any GC scents that you know you love, but for whatever reason, keep putting off buying bottles of? I have those in my wish list! 55. I know not everyone likes Lush products, but if you do, which Lush items would you like to get from your Witch? I would like a bottle of Grass shower gel! Or a chunk of soap like sultana or anything that’s not minty. 56. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times. I would love to get away but I have a few vacations planned already. If you’d really like to hear more about it let me know and we can chat. 57. If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc? I am generally a size small in shirts. If they are a larger fit I prefer normal crews, I also like tanks. 58. THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20? I think that is a fun site but nothing specifically I know is on my wishlist. 59. Zombies, yes or no? Well yes, they are scary if that’s what you’re asking! 60. Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves? I wear leg warmers more than arm warmers! 61. Do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s? I love waterfowl so much and also pibbles. 62. Anyone have any Paintbox Soapworks loves? I like the sampler of adorable tiny soaps. 63. How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out? Sure, I’d be down if you give me some warning that someone’s coming! 64. Do you have a ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions. I haven’t learned how to knit. I really should. 65. Sock Dreams, yay or nay? Yes!! I love socks and Sock Dreams. I am so spoiled that I get to go in the actual store but they have such lovely customer service online too. 66. Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors? I love scarves. No wool and black/grey/purple are my favorite colors. 67. Is your Amazon WL up-to-date? I’m not sure if I have one open to the public. 68. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)? NA for me 69. Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Are there types of incense you know you don't like? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types? I do love incense, I’d love sample sticks and I keep meaning to get into loose incense. 70. I know we already had a question about needed kitchen accessories, but what about spices? I love spices! If you have a favorite and it’s vegan I’m down. 71. Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen? Cards are lovely! 72. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gimme that ghost pepper!" and 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" Where is your heat tolerance? I’m around a 6-7. I love spicy food but I’m not as quite as tough as some people. 73. What is your favorite type of Halloween candy? Lollipops! 74. Do you need or want any cosy footwear, like fluffy slippers, or slipper socks etc? I do love those little mary-jane type slipper socks. 75. What do you most look forward to each Fall? Rainy days to enjoy tea and books, movies, changing leaves, cozy blankets, the fireplace, halloween, scary movies, candy dishes everwhere, pumpkin spice chai, hot milk tea. 76. What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you like a cool case for them - with your favourite fandom or artwork or saying? I have a pretty awesome haunted mansion case on my iphone, but it’s a 5s if you have an awesome case in mind. 77. Are there any beauty accessories you need or would like? For example make-up brushes, facial brushes or eyelash curlers. I think i’m pretty good. 78. Would you be disappointed to get one big box, or would you prefer a bunch of little ones? And would you be disappointed if your witch actually had it together early and sent it to you sooner than later? I like getting stuff however you’d like to send it, I’m not picky. 79. Stores are putting out their halloween PJs and undies! Would you be happy to get any in a package? And if so, what size? For PJ pants, do you like cotton or flannel? Yes, those are so fun!! I like the flannel ones like at old navy. I wear an XS at Old Navy but other places a S is fine. 80. Do you like M&Ms? Not vegan 81. How about wax melts? I don’t have a warmer but I would be interested in trying some out. 82. Would you like a subscription for Spotify? I have one, thank you! 83. What scents from the Lillith update would you like to try? I really like the sound of Venustas. 84. Would you be interested in receiving a box of sugar cube skulls? Sounds cute. 85. Skin care routine? Fave cleanser? Toner? Moisturizer? What about body lotions? Any particular brand or scent? Lip balms? Yay or nay? I love the lip balm at Epically Epic Soap, and I’d love to try your favorite as long as it’s vegan and there is no coconut oil. 86. Is there anything you would like from Salem MA (mugs, keychains, postcards, etc.or witchy supplies like incense, candles, books)? Witchy stuff is cool! 87. Would you be interested in any of the items in LisaNut's etsy shop? I’m not sure what’s in there, as I’ve lost the link. 88. Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no? Sounds cute! 89. Pillows (the mostly decorative type)? Not so much, I have a lot already 90. Any kind of bags - big, small, medium, purse, grocery, etc? I love small canvas totes for just picking up a few things at the store. 91. Is there anything special coming up in your life? Nope, all the crazy stuff has happened so now it’s just normal life. 92. Which one scent would you want from each of the following updates: Metamorphosis, Lilith and GC? From Metamorphosis I would want Yucca Giant-Skipper, for sure, Lilith, Venustas, and GC I would say Velvet or Harlot’s House, or Grand Guignol. 93. Are you interested in anything from NYCC? Gas Lamps Flare. 94. Would something from the Tokyo Game Show (e.g. postcards, fans) possibly interest you? I’m not familiar. 95. Would you enjoy any of these couple rings? Or anything from the same store's Halloween collection? Not quite my style but those are fun. 96. If you imbibe at all ... preference between: wine/beer/cocktails and then glassware and/or bar-ware? cocktail gadgetry? Books on the subject/recipes? would you want sample bottles of local/regional/small batch craft spirits if they were home decanted and labeled? I’d love some tiki books from beach bum berry! Or falernum, or local samples. I have all the hardware. 97. Would you like some chai, lemon, rose water or other flavored sugar cubes? Sounds good. 98. Jamberry nail wraps? I’m more of a polish person 99. If you had to choose one currently available book (used-but-obtainable counts if you do used) costing $20 or under for your Witch to buy for you, what would it be? Night Film by Marisha Pessl. 100. Are there five things under $25 at Birchbox you would like? Anything vegan. 101. Do you want anything from the Fatherhood update at the Post? A Moment in Time sounds amazing. 102. Street art! Into it? Not into it? Meh? Not really. 103. If you could only pick one note that you love (e.g. Vanilla, Orange, Lavender, Rose) & you could only wear/have perfume, etc in that note, what would it be? I think sandalwood.

amandette

September 19, 2014

Stalking Feet

Switch Witch Help - Halloween 2014

1. I wonder what a potential witchee would think about being bombarded with PUMPKINS in various formats. Because my current obsession just may last long enough to be of use in spoiling.....but I know wouldn't be appreciated by everyone. Would you appreciate it?!? Yes, I like pumpkins. Probably more as an unaltered vegetable shape rather than as a jack-o-lantern or such. I bought myself a blown-glass pumpkin last year, orange with a green stem, although other, less natural colors might also be interesting. And when I was in a Neiman Marcus store recently I was eyeing the velvet, beanbag pumpkins with natural pumpkin stems. Pumpkin-flavored stuff, perhaps. I don’t dislike pumpkin or pumpkin spice, but I’m not a huge fan, either. 2. I currently have a CSA and my significant other is perpetually out of town for work, so I've been doing a lot of canning and baking with my vegetables. How do people feel about canned good (pickles, salsa, etc.) and vegetal baked goods (squash bread, zucchini bread). Generally favorable. Cucumber pickles or salsa would be a definite yes, pickled green beans probably less so. Breads & baked goods probably yes, provided it didn’t taste overwhelmingly of vegetable. 3. Trading Post wants? None to speak of, although I haven’t really studied the website recently. The tissue tees and yoga pants are too small for me. 4. What direct sellers do you not like and would prefer not to get things from? And also feel free to list any retail brands you really don't like. I think I’ll flip this question around. Probably the only direct seller stuff that I’m interested in at the moment would be Tupperware. I could use some nice, basic storage bowls for leftovers in sizes for about one to four servings (not teensy-tiny and not huge). 5. How about y'alls coffee and tea preferences? Tea is fine – black, oolong, green, or white. Flavored ones, especially fruity, are fine. I’m not so sure about rooibos or herbal teas. This summer I rediscovered the joys of plain black or oolong tea with milk. I’ll drink coffee, but I don’t brew it for myself at home. 6. Do you cook? Would kitchen accessories make you happy? I keep meaning to start *really* cooking again. There are a few kitchen gadgets I’d be glad to get, such as a strawberry huller, cherry pitter, or apple corer. (Believe it or not, I do already have a mango pitter. And a mandoline.) 7. How do people feel about creative endeavours? Would you like to receive one? Or supplies to make your own? What do you like? Drawings, stories, poems? I’d be delighted to get something creative/handcrafted from my witch. I don’t really need any supplies for my own endeavors. 8. What culture or country (doesn’t have to be modern) do you feel an innate connection with? What about it makes it special to you? I’m not sure I’d describe it as an “innate connection”, but I do have a liking for traditional Japanese culture, especially from the Heian period up to about Momoyama. The aesthetic tends to be so spare and elegant – although some of the textiles can be highly patterned. I’m also fond of classic French culture (no bande dessinee, please). Again, the elegance. 9. Is there any sort of art commission you would like: cartoony, pin-up, fantasy, realistic, etc? If so, what subject would you like drawn (a picture of you, a character, a loved one or pet)? No, not really. 10. What do you find yourself doing for fun in your free time? What are your main hobbies and interests? I do a lot of reading. Most of my reading is non-fiction, especially history. I keep meaning to try my hand more at crafting, and occasionally I’ll take a class – I’ve done glassblowing and inkle weaving, for example. I also like to travel (as in visiting other places) but the actual travel (i.e., flying) is such a hassle anymore that I don’t do as much as I used to – plus I have a job that requires me to travel fairly frequently. 11. Table-top gaming? If yes, what kind, edition, etc? Gaming accessories you long for? None. I’m not into gaming, either tabletop or on-line. 12. DVD movies or games that you wish would magically appear in your hands? Can they be used, through Amazon? I tend not to watch movies. I have a large backlog of DVDs that I’ve purchased and never watched. 13. What kind of snacks or candy from other countries/states would you like to try? If available, I’d like some more real Australian Tim-Tams. (I don’t like the Pepperidge Farm version.) Also some of the unusual flavors of Kit Kats that are available in Japan (passion fruit!). 14. Do you have a favorite internet meme, character or pop culture fandom? No, not really. I don’t belong to any fandoms, although I like LOTR, GoT, and other literary-based things. I also appreciate classic Star Trek and Star Wars stuff. There are internet memes that I enjoy seeing when they cross my newsfeed, such as Doge, Moon Moon, and the like, but I don’t seek them out. 15. Do you have a Facebook profile (or other social media) that you are comfortable linking to aid your witch in stalking? Please note whether you are willing to add BPALers as friends. If my Witch ends up being someone I’m already Facebook friends with, then of course she’s welcome to check my “Likes” to see what interests me. But I keep my Facebook profile locked down pretty tightly and tend not to post very much. 16. Anybody interested in something from RCCC, whether it's con-exclusive merch or from a particular exhibitor or artist? I’m not into cons or comic fandoms in general. Exceptions might be made for BPAL and BPTP con exclusives, of course. 17. How important to you is regular contact / chatter with your witch? Not very. I like to get something near the beginning of the round so I at least know that I have a Witch, but I think that a high level of contact would be a bit overwhelming. Occasional e-cards, etc. are nice, but I’m not looking for high levels of contact. 18. Do you like puzzles/riddles/treasure hunts and that sort of thing? Not particularly. 19. If you were to receive music, would you want a physical CD or digital versions? Physical CDs, please. 20. What’s a current problem/annoyance you have that could be remedied but you haven’t had time to address it? My messy, messy, messy, cluttered house. 21. How do you feel about having some sort of trinket to carry around for good luck/wishes? i.e. a small figurine, symbol, card, coin… As long as it was small and sturdy, fine. Something that survive pockets & my purse. 22. Are you superstitious about anything? Any things you can't have in your house for that reason--bad associations? No, not really, although I wouldn’t want really sad-themed artwork, depictions of violence, etc. – bad feng shui, if nothing else. 23. For the vegetarians and vegans: How do you feel about things (say, marshmallows or gummy candy) made with vegan gelatin or other typically-animal-derived-but-not-in-this-instance products? N/A 24. OK, so we’ve covered pumpkin. How do you feel about the other fall classic – apples? Very favorable. 25. Do you have any fabric or skin-contact aversions? I prefer natural, non-scratchy fibers. And while I like good silks and satins, I tend to avoid other slinky, slippery fabrics (I think of them as “sleazy”). 26. How do you feel about Christmas/Yule ornaments? Those would be fine! 27. How do you feel about Hello Kitty, and Hello Kitty accessories (including mugs, cups, etc)? To be perfectly honest: No. No! NOOOOOOO! Get it out of here! 28. If you had a week free where you could learn anything, with no financial restrictions, what would you want to study? Let’s go to Egypt and study hieroglyphics! Or more realistically, there are quite a few week-long courses at the John C. Campbell Folk School that I’m eyeing. 29. Do you enjoy poetry? Who are your favorite poets and what type of subject matter do you like? I don’t read a lot of poetry, but I’m more inclined to do so now that I used to be. I tend to prefer narrative poems, although my very favorite is The Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot. I don’t particularly like poems that leave me feeling sad or upset. 30. Would you enjoy receiving something related to a favorite Disney character? Not really; I don’t have a favorite Disney character. Anyway, I live only about 60 miles from Disney World. 31. How do you feel about cute things as decorations or accessories? (Example: Would you enjoy this stationery - or do you prefer elegant/creepy/neutral stuff?) I prefer elegant stationery – classic Crane correspondence cards are about my speed. I tend to steer clear of cutesy anything. 32. What is something you'd really like to receive from your witch? Please be as specific as possible - no, "Oh whatever she thinks is fine!" I’d love to get something that my Witch has made, if she’s the crafty type. 33. Go to your music source of choice - on random or shuffle setting if possible - & share with us the 10 most recent songs/artists. 1) L’homme armee (Suspicious Cheese Lords) 2) Mein Voglein Schebte Mir Fort! from Siegfried by Richard Wagner (Solti & the Vienna Philharmonic) 3) O Heilige Gott! from Die Goetterdaemmerung by Richard Wagner (Solti & the Vienna Philharmonic) 4) La Douce Mille (Corvus Corax) 5) Anakrousis – Orestes Stasimo (from Musique de la Grece Antique) 6) Part 1/ IBM 1401 Processing Unit (Johann Johannson) 7) Symphony No. 3, Op. 55, “Eroica”, in E-flat/ Marche funebre: Adagio assai by Beethoven (Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra) 8) A Praga E Uma Praga (Xuxa) 9) Double Drums (Laura Chandler, Sacred Drums) 10) El Amor Brujo: II. Danze Ritual Del Fuego by De Falla (Angele Dubeau & La Pieta) 34. Tarot cards, rune stones, and/or other divination tools: yay or nay? I already have a large collection of tarot decks, so probably nay on that one (because of the risk of duplicating one I already have, if nothing else). The same probably applies to oracle decks. I would be open to getting a set on rune stones since I don’t have one now. I might also be interested in a scrying mirror, but I’m not interested in pendulums. 35. Do you have a Celeb crush? or someone who you just can't get enough of....other than your SO. Nope! 36. Glitter? are you okay with it, or hate it like the plague? Glitter is OK if it is very firmly attached. I’d say that I prefer “sparkly”. Loose glitter is anathema since it can never, ever be firmly corralled again. 37. If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would it be? Traditional Japanese culture, especially from the Heian period up to about Momoyama. The aesthetic tends to be so spare and elegant – although some of the textiles can be highly patterned. Of course, in real life, I tend to have more clutter and padding – the traditional Japanese didn’t have much in the way of upholstered sofas, fluffy pillows, and the like. 38. If you had to pick one or two quotes to live by, what would it be and why? First and foremost: be careful what you ask for; you might get it. Second: what goes around, comes around. 39. Do you prefer physical books? CD books? eBooks? If eBooks do you have preferred format, kindle/nook/kobo/PDF/ePub/etc? eAudio? Physical books, please. I never listen to audiobooks; my attention wanders too easily. I have the Kindle reader on my iPad, but I’ve noticed that the e-books I have tend to go unread. 40. Smut! Yes or no? If yes, what kink, er, kind? No, thank you. 41. Ebooks! Yes or no? I prefer physical books. The stuff in the Kindle app on my iPad tends to go unread. I really don’t like reading books on a screen. 42. If you were to get a custom bottle from House of Gloi made for you what notes would create your perfect blend? I’m not at all sure, and I haven’t looked at their site recently to see what’s available. I suppose that it should have at least one each of the classic bottom, middle, and top notes. I like citrus and linden blossom. Tuberose tends to come on too strong for my tastes. 43. If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote? Landscapes, especially seascapes or shorelines. Wild animals, probably yes. 44. What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration? Pumpkins (not jack-o-lanterns). Cats, owls, and crows/ravens. Bare trees. 45. Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)? I tend not to wear make-up and am especially bad about using the large amounts of nail polish that I already have on hand. I don’t use nail wraps, I don’t wear eye shadow because of the high humidity in Florida (it would all end up in my eyelid crease in about 3 minutes flat), and I seldom wear lipstick. Some of the smaller companies I’ve purchased from include butterLondon and Portland Black Lipstick. 46. How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor? Profanity, not really. I also don’t really care for off-color humor, although if it’s a good joke that just happens to be off-color (usually some type of word play) I’ve been known to laugh. But I dislike “humor” where the only joke is that it’s obscene. 47. I make hairsticks...would you like/use them? Nope. I think hairsticks are pretty, but I have short, fine hair that spits out any kind of ornament I try to wear. 48. Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play? Not a LARP’er. 49. Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com. No insects, please. That doesn’t rule out everything – Lilliebelle Farms has some awesome chocolate-covered bacon that I adore (it’s just a little pricey, though). 50. This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like? Probably. I would be concerned not so much about the flavors as about seeds. I’m slightly paranoid since shattering a molar on a raspberry seed years ago. But I like strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry flavors. I also like guava jam/jelly. 51. Let's talk nail polish. What colors do you love? Hate? Which brands are you dying to try? Have you ever used indies? Do you like glitter? Any textures to avoid (glitter, sand, etc)? I already have a ton of nail polish that I never use. I think I don’t really like any textures other than smooth and glossy. 52. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie? Kind of meh. 53. I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun? I have a small collection of kimonos (mostly Uchikake, some Furisode, Tomesode, and Iro Muji, and a few haori) and obis (mostly fukuro obi and a couple of maru obi). Furoshiki. Netsuke. Woodblock prints, especially Shin-hanga – I have a small collection of Kawase Hasui prints and one by Hajime Namiki. More realistically, some of the unusual Kit Kat flavors available in Japan – I loved the passion fruit flavor. 54. Are there any GC scents that you know you love, but for whatever reason, keep putting off buying bottles of? No, not really. There are some I think I’d like to try, but I’m terrible about testing the imps that I already have and I almost never buy GC bottles. 55. I know not everyone likes Lush products, but if you do, which Lush items would you like to get from your Witch? I don’t care that much for Lush products. It’s not that I definitely dislike them, but whenever I go into a Lush store I wander around, sniffing the products, perhaps sampling a lotion or cream, and then leave without buying anything. Their products just don’t grab me. 56. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times. I’d like to go back to the Oregon coast. I’m trying to figure out when I can fit in another trip or two before the end of the year so I can hang on to my United Airlines Premier status. I don’t really need a Southwest ticket at the moment. 57. If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc? I already have so many t-shirts on hand that I fear I could wear a different t-shirt every day for a month without repeating or having to do laundry. I normally get a men’s/unisex L or XL (whichever is 24 inches across [48 inch bust]). I women’s I can sometimes wear a 2XL. I don’t like my t-shirts to fit tightly, and most women’s t-shirts are just flat-out too small for me. I prefer crewneck, sleeved shirts, not tissue tees or babydolls (or v-necks). 58. THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20? I like Think Geek’s products, but I do not have a wishlist there. I haven’t allowed myself to browse the site recently. 59. Zombies, yes or no? I’ll go with MeiLin on this one: not only no, but HELL NO! 60. Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves? I like arm warmers, but am wary of the being too tight on my fairly large-circumference arms. For that reason, just above the write is probably safest, although I would also like almost to the elbow if they are large enough / have sufficient stretch. 61. Do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s? Orcas! (Killer whales.) Also tigers and the smaller wild cats, e.g. bobcats, lynxes, Scottish wild cats, Pallas cats, and cougars/mountain lions – yeah, that last one is not too small. 62. Anyone have any Paintbox Soapworks loves? I like Tarty’s soaps, but already have a large soap stash on hand. 63. How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out? Probably completely creeped out with some annoyance. I’m not home that much anyway, between some long work days and a fair amount of work travel taking me out of town. And I’d be very embarrassed if someone came by at 4:00 pm on Saturday and caught me still in my nightgown (although I probably would just not answer the door in that case!). 64. Do you have a Ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions. No Ravelry account. I have a weakness for things like hand-spun alpaca yarn hand-dyed with botanical dyes, but since I don’t crochet or knit I don’t use it for anything. 65. Sock Dreams, yay or nay? Yes. I buy from Sock Dreams occasionally, but usually stick to crew socks because of my large calves (although they do have some knee socks that can supposedly accommodate my 16.5-inch calves. I also prefer natural blends – I realize that some nylon is usually necessary in socks, but don’t much like 100% acrylic. Also, non-scratchy/itchy. And the Uma arm warmers! (But I have to be careful there that they’re large enough – some of them work, some don’t.) 66. Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors? Yes. For stuff that I wear, natural fibers & non-scratchy (no acrylic, please). I’m not sure what fibers are appropriate for dishcloths. 67. If you have an Amazon list, please make sure it's updated!!! My Amazon wishlist is not up-to-date, and I’ve made it private, anyway. I don’t like Google bots scoping out my wishlists. 68. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)? I love caramels! (Provided the consistency is not such as to pull out my numerous fillings.) As long as the cow, goat, or other dairy critter is healthy and the milk handled in a hygienic manner, I wouldn’t have a problem with raw milk. 69. Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types? That might be nice. I already have an incense burner and some charcoal tablets somewhere . . . . . 70. I know we already had a question about needed kitchen accessories, but what about spices? Sure! High-quality spices would be good. I think it’s about time to throw out some of my older spices, so even some common ones would be useful. 71. Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen? Perhaps. See my comments elsewhere about stationery. I’m not sure I’d ever use a quill pen. I sort of like the *idea* of quill pens, but the poor thing would probably end up sadly neglected. 72. Heat tolerance! (as in spicy food): On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gimme that ghost pepper!" and 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" Where is your heat tolerance? About a 6 or 7. I have actually nibbled on a ghost pepper and survived, but I don’t feel a need to prove how macho I am by consuming capsaicin just because. But if it’s hot and also tasty, great! (And Theo’s ghost chile salted caramels were very good. The ghost peppers weren’t overly strong; I could tell they were ghost peppers mainly because of the delayed reaction.) 73. What is your favorite type of Halloween candy? I don’t really have a favorite Halloween candy. 74. Do you need or want any cozy footwear, like fluffy slippers, or slipper socks etc? I already have a sufficient supply for Florida – I almost never use them here. 75. What do you most look forward to each Fall? Lower temperatures. Although I sometimes have to wait until Thanksgiving for that. 76. What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you like a cool case for them - with your favourite fandom or artwork or saying? My iPad already has an extensive wardrobe. My laptop has a sufficient set of cases for the rare occasions I take it out of the house. My BlackBerry is employer-supplied and just about due for a refresh, anyway. So no, I don’t think I need any cases or carrying bags. 77. Are there any beauty accessories you need or would like? For example make-up brushes, facial brushes or eyelash curlers. Although I almost never wear make-up, I like to have an assortment of eyeshadow brushes on hand so I can use a fresh brush for each color. Plus there are different sizes & shapes of eyeshadow brushes! 78. Would you be disappointed to get one big box, or would you prefer a bunch of little ones? And would you be disappointed if your witch actually had it together early and sent it to you sooner than later? Whatever works best for my Witch. I do not have a preference one way or the other (early vs end of round, single vs multiple). 79. Stores are putting out their Halloween PJs and undies! Would you be happy to get any in a package? And if so, what size? For PJ pants, do you like cotton or flannel? I’m very particular about my nightclothes and underwear, and have a sufficient supply of both. So no, thank you. 80. Do you like M&Ms? Yes, pretty much all the flavors. 81. I know your feelings about scented candles, but how about wax melts? I’m in favor of either one, but I almost never get around to using them. 82. I'm not sure if they gift streaming subscriptions, but would you like one? Would it even be useful for you or do you prefer having real music in your hands? I don’t do streaming anything. I’m an old-fashioned, hard copy, CD type and rarely even do downloads. 83. What scents from the Lilith update would you like to try? Nearly all of them look good, but I plan on placing an order. 84. Would you be interested in receiving a box of sugar cube skulls? They’re kind of cute, but I’m not terribly fond of the skull motif and I don’t use sugar cubes, anyway. 85. Skin care routine? Fave cleanser? Toner? Moisturizer? What about body lotions? Any particular brand or scent? Lip balms? Yay or nay? I’m pretty well set for the stuff that’s part of my skin care routine (cleanser, toner, moisturizer). I do seem to be running low on body lotions. I like the formula base that Conjure Oils uses & I tend to like fruity scents. I am also adequately supplied with lip balms at the moment. 86. Has anyone mentioned Jamberry nail wraps yet? This is something I would not use. 87. If your witch was going to Salem Massachusetts, would you want anything from there? I was thinking mugs, keychains, postcards, etc. But what about witchy supplies like incense, candles, books, etc? I might be interested in something in the way of a souvenir. I don’t really need any witchy supplies. 88. If you happen to be my witchee, would you be interested in any of the items in my etsy shop? The mini witch hat might be cute: https://www.etsy.com/listing/203833930/witch-hat-mini-hand-knit?ref=shop_home_active_4 89. Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no? Nooooooooo!!!!! (It would have to be truly adorable, but even then, probably not.) 90. Pillows (the mostly decorative type)? I have a weakness for pillows. So even though I don’t need any, yes. 91. Any kind of bags - big, small, medium, purse, grocery, etc? I have too many purses already, But totes and shopping bag types are another weakness of mine. 92. Is there anything special coming up in your life? Just my birthday.

IridiumFlash

September 17, 2014

Ysabet's Blog

Wishlist

GC Aureus Les Bijoux Black Forest Black Opal Black Pearl Bliss Blood Bread-and-Butter-Fly Calico Jack Cthulhu Dana O'Shee Defututa The Deep Ones Djinn Dorian Eclipse Embalming Fluid Haunted Hecate Hellcat Hi'iaka Hunger Jack Kill-Devil Kitsune-Tsuki Kuang Shi Leanan Sidhe Lightning Manhattan Mary Read New Orleans O Ozymandias Shango Slobbering Pine Squirting Cucumber Sudha Segara Tempest Tezcatlipoca Thanatopsis Tombstone Vice Whitechapel White Rabbit Carnaval Diabolique Mme. Moriarty Salon (Traveling Exhibition) Haloes Wezwanie/Hold Salon (Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements) Butterflies and Plovers Yules The Cracked Bell Halloweenies Pumpkin Queen Pumpkin Smash Lunacy Selkie Emathides

Ysabet

September 16, 2014

therhoda's Unduly crazy rambles

Round two of question answers

hi witch if you are out there I would like to tell you that i ahve been updating wishlists and pinterest. if there is an easier way for you feel free to point it out. so the answers 33. Go to your music source of choice - on random or shuffle setting if possible - & share with us the 10 most recent songs/artists. this is hard because i ahve my itunes pretty much locked down to play lists which are done by my mood- So i went with the 10 most played songs on my computer that weren't kids songs Someone like You by adele I am stretched on Your Grave by Kate Rusby Sober by Pink Come on Get Higher By Matt Nathanson Fallen by Sarah McLachlan Aint no Rest For The Wicked by cage the Elephant America by Josh Groban Smile by Lily Allen (I admit i am LUSTING after her new album) How to Save a Life by The Fray You Know I'm no Good by Amy Winehouse 34. Tarot cards, rune stones and/or other divination tools yay or nay? tarot are nice my last deck was decimated by my children i cant have nice things anymore 35. Do you have a Celeb crush? or someone who you just can't get enough of....other than your SO okay I admit it i LOVE Cumberbatch he is so snarky and cute 36. Glitter? are you okay with it, or hate it like the plague? not so much at the moment i LOVE it but a 2 year old and glitter not such a good match 37. If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would it be? Early 19th century i love craftsmanship and beautiful things 38. If you had to pick one or two quotes to live by, what would it be and why?the two that seem to be my life are "God bless the child thats got her own" and "I was an oak, now i am a willow i can bend" these both show what i ahve lived through and where i ahve come out of it at 39. Do you prefer physical books? CD books? eBooks? If eBooks do you have preferred format, kindle/nook/kobo/PDF/ePub/ect? eAudio? Hummm I like books of all flavors the house is all apple so any flavor i can put in ibooks is good electronically and paper is always there which i like a LOT 40. Smut! Yes or no? If yes, what kink, er, kind? Smut is good but well i tend to Hide it from EVERYONE 41. Ebooks! Yes or no? as said above sure 42. If you were to get a custom bottle from House of Gloi made for you what notes would create your perfect blend? oh man I had to go see what this was NOW i have two more pages of WANTS. I like things that smell of apples and hellfire, with books and cakes as a back note 43. If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote? I like BRIGHT colors of fall and summer landscapes or things like the innocence of animal shown in a photograph does that help 44. What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration? I happen to like witches and black cats 45. Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)? its in my halloween pinterest board well the ones i have seen. i am open to anything really but i have SENSITIVE skin so beware of that 46. How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor? depends are my Kids reading over my shoulder 47. I make hairsticks...would you like/use them? GIVE ME i love hair sticks but they ahve to be LONG and strong, My hair snaps them like twigs sometimes 48. Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play? nope to busy playing myself most of the time 49. Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com. ummmm let just say Dont on this one 50. This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like? No strawberry and we are ALL good. i ahve to admit That i Like Hot pepper jelly on cram cheese, and I love love Blackberry jam 51. Let's talk nail polish. What colors do you love? Hate? Which brands are you dying to try? Have you ever used indies? Do you like glitter? Any textures to avoid (glitter, sand, etc)?I cant take sandy ones, I love color If i get to do my nails I want them to SHOW damn it 52. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie? it would be stolen but thats not a bad thing 53. I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun? i love some fo thier little bun candy things, but i ahve no idea what the name for them actually Is 54. Are there any GC scents that you know you love, but for whatever reason, keep putting off buying bottles of? not so much, My daughter used up her bottle of alice but i havnt replaced it yet 55. I know not everyone likes Lush products, but if you do, which Lush items would you like to get from your Witch? I Love bathbombs they dont have to be lush but i LOVE theirs 56. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times. I would love to go see a friend in Denver but well I cant go look because i would be Sad about the fact i wasnt going 57. If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc? I LVOE snarky tshirts But I am a big Girl so i need a XL and it need to NOT be some whimpy woman's tiny thing 58. THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20? no wishlist and i Fled before my will power was lsot 59. Zombies, yes or no? no 60. Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves? yes i would like some of these If they were big enough to go up to my elbow. But i ahve big arms and am not sure it would work 61. Do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s? yes i love Horses and big hound dogs 62. Anyone have any Paintbox Soapworks loves? Umm Yes the new bees lament i WANTS it so far ahvnt managed it though 63. How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out? umm could you tell Lisanut to give the Hubby a warning so that he could find a reason to clean. i would lvoe to see you but I might DIE of mortification if the house isnt ready for company 64. Do you have a ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions. nope yarn scares me 65. Sock Dreams, yay or nay? YAY oh my god YAY 66. Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors? Sure i never turn away goodies of the soft type 67. Is your Amazon WL up-to-date? yup 68. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)? ummm i eat raw cookie dough 69. Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Are there types of incense you know you don't like? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types? hummm not sure on this one as with the kiddos open flames are such a bad idea. tea lights are risky here 70. I know we already had a question about needed kitchen accessories, but what about spices? i Love love good spices 71. Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen? i unfortunately have the penmanship of a drunken chicken. Actually if you wanted to send me adult penmenship things that would be great. So someone MIGHT be able to read my writing someday 72. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gimme that ghost pepper!" and 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" Where is your heat tolerance? 4 i like Louisiana hot sauce and its as high as i can go 73. What is your favorite type of Halloween candy? humm I dont think i have one for just halloween 74. Do you need or want any cosy footwear, like fluffy slippers, or slipper socks etc? sure but it need to be the kind that stays on your foot i almost killed myself on a pair that were flip flop like 75. What do you most look forward to each Fall? it is my favorite time of year and it goes by WAY to fast 76. What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you like a cool case for them - with your favorite fandom or artwork or saying? umm I have otterboxes for ANYTHING thats electronic but hey i like stickers 77. Are there any beauty accessories you need or would like? For example make-up brushes, facial brushes or eyelash curlers. okay i Love nice brushes, and for some reason my eye liner brushers die horrible horrible deaths 78. Would you be disappointed to get one big box, or would you prefer a bunch of little ones? And would you be disappointed if your witch actually had it together early and sent it to you sooner than later? which ever is easiest i myself do one that i try to time for halloween.

therhoda

September 16, 2014

MisaMisa01's Blog

Fall Switch Witch 2014

misamisa01

September 15, 2014

Skylark's Ramblings

Autumn 2014 Switch Witch In Round Questions - in progress

1. I wonder what a potential witchee would think about being bombarded with PUMPKINS in various formats. Because my current obsession just may last long enough to be of use in spoiling.....but I know wouldn't be appreciated by everyone. Would you appreciate it?!? Pumpkin is lovely! I like pumpkin things. Except coffees, but that is because of coffee, not pumpkin. 2. I currently have a CSA and my significant other is perpetually out of town for work, so I've been doing a lot of canning and baking with my vegetables. How do people feel about canned good (pickles, salsa, etc) and vegetal baked goods (squash bread, zucchini bread). Salsas and pickles and other relishes are also all awesome. Vegetable baked goods are also wonderful - if they can survive the journey. 3. Trading Post wants? I have only just discovered the hair glosses, atmos and bath oils and have fallen hard for hair gloss. I would LOVE to try any of the RPGs series atmos (I am a huge gaming geek). I missed Tombstone Hair Gloss and am kicking myself. 4. What direct sellers do you not like and would prefer not to get things from? And also feel free to list any retail brands you really don't like. Avon, etc. I have never used them so. I don't know. I don't recognise most of the names on the list. I tend to prefer products that have relatively few chemicals, otherwise my skin freaks out. 5. How about y'alls coffee and tea preferences? I went into this a bit on my questionnaire. I despise the taste of coffee - except for coffee candies. I love the smell, but the taste is just not for me (many people have tried to convert me). I adore tea. All tea, any tea. Dearest and I have over 50 kinds of loose leaf teas at home and are always on the lookout for more. I love pure, flavoured, whatever. Bagged tea goes with me to work. We are such tea fiends that we have a temperature control kettle, teapot and strainer and multiple floating tea duck infusers. On a slight side note, One thing I don't need is more mugs. Unless it has an eeyore on it. All our mismatched mugs match because they are eeyore. (And Dearest has a Cookie Monster, but that is the only exception). Jasmine is a no-no - it makes me act all weird and paranoid and weepy when it is in a tea. 6. Do you cook? Would kitchen accessories make you happy? I love cooking. And I love useful yet quirky looking kitchen gadgets and accessories(e.g. My measure cups look like Russian stacking dolls). My favourite kitchen gadgets tend to come from jacobjacob (like my beloved mezzalune for chopping), but anything practical and colourful is awesome. I do need a kitchen timer as I could never get the last one (a penguin) to work. 7. How do people feel about creative endeavours? Would you like to receive one? Or supplies to make your own? What do you like? Drawings, stories, poems? It would be awesome to have anything made by my Witch! Love stories, poems, art - the works. 8. What culture or country (doesn’t have to be modern) do you feel an innate connection with? What about it makes it special to you? I lived and taught English in Japan for 2 years, so feel a strong connection to all things Japanese (it is one of my homes), South African culture (I am from there, so obvious) and at the moment have an obsession with all things Wild West both real and fantastical because of a game I am in. But I love discovering new cultures so anything that you would like to show or explain would be awesome. 9. Is there any sort of art commission you would like: cartoony, pin-up, fantasy, realistic, etc? If so, what subject would you like drawn (a picture of you, a character, a loved one or pet)? Anything I love art. An interpretation of my user name (skylarkza) would be awesome. Otherwise my current RPG character or any of my "regular" NPCs. I don't want to bore you, so if you want to know, poke me in an ecard. 10. What do you find yourself doing for fun in your free time? What are your main hobbies and interests? ALL the things! Reading, learning Irish and German, running table top rpgs (occaisonally playing), writing scenarios and LARPs for cons, boardgaming (Yes, I am a nerd), running a bit, baking/cooking or just vegging out on Youtube. 11. Table-top gaming? If yes, what kind, edition, etc? Gaming accessories you long for? Yes. RPGs and boardgames. Oh, Witch. I don't want to keep you here forever. I play pretty much anything (except GURPs and Pathfinder, or 80% of deck building games and CCGs). We have 3 bookshelves almost exclusively devoted to RPG books and comics, and 2 of boardgames. Gaming Accessories - I always love pretty dice! And nice cards are really handy too. 12. DVD movies or games that you wish would magically appear in your hands? Can they be used, through Amazon? I don't watch too many DVDs and pretty much play the Sims. The final expansion for Sims 3 would be awesome! (Into the future!). As for DVDs, To Wong Foo Thanks For Everything love Julie Newmar is one I can never find. I have no issues with gently used. 13. What kind of snacks or candy from other countries/states would you like to try? I am not huge on sweets, but like a few. Tart candies are the best. Or savoury snacks. 14. Do you have a favorite internet meme, character or pop culture fandom? Where do I start? Let's put it this way. The Scion game that I run contains a cat guide named Nyan (the player couldn't think of a name), a Hound of Lugh named Doge (again, player was stumped) and 3 sickle weasles named Er, Mah & Gerd (player wanted to see what I would come up with). It also contains Loki playing Tom Hiddleston. Take from that what you will. I also LOVE the Welcome To Nightvale Fandom and am a 10/11 Whovian. 15. Do you have a Facebook profile (or other social media) that you are comfortable linking to aid your witch in stalking? Please note whether you are willing to add BPALers as friends. Yip. Added in the handy spreadhsheet thingy. 16. Anybody interested in something from RCCC, whether it's con-exclusive merch or from a particularexhibitor or artist? Not sure and don't have the time right now to check it out fully. But I am such a geek - I would probably love anything. 17. How important to you is regular contact / chatter with your witch? And occasional hi is good. Especially since I have a radio-silent ninja witchee. The e-card was awesome. 18. Do you like puzzles/riddles/treasure hunts and that sort of thing? YES 19. If you were to receive music, would you want a physical CD or digital versions? Digital is probably better. I tend to break CD drives. 20. What’s a current problem/annoyance you have that could be remedied but you haven’t had time to address it? Finding a new job! OK. Seriously, other than that it is the great unboxing of the boxocalypse. Sadly not much a Witch can help with. 21. How do you feel about having some sort of trinket to carry around for good luck/wishes? i.e. a small figurine, symbol, card, coin… That's cool. 22. Are you superstitious about anything? Any things you can't have in your house for that reason--bad associations? I prefer to think of myself as spiritual rather than superstitious. Can't think of anything where I'd go no, that can't be in here, unless something happened that I started to associate with the item and didn't want to think of. 23. For the vegetarians and vegans: How do you feel about things (say, marshmallows or gummy candy) made with vegan gelatin or other typically-animal-derived-but-not-in-this-instance products? Awesome 24. Ok, so we've covered pumpkin. How do you feel about the other fall classic – apples? LOVE apples. Especially green tart ones (Granny smith...mmmm...) Not so much floury ones (pink lady) 25. Do you have any fabric or skin-contact aversions? Wool is sometimes scratchy until it gets a few washes. But, that's all i can think of. 26. How do you feel about Christmas/Yule ornaments? Eeeeeeeeeee! 27. How do you feel about Hello Kitty, and Hello Kitty accessories (including mugs, cups, etc)? Funny thing. I used to hate Hello Kitty, now I love her. So awesome (but preferably no mug) 28. If you had a week free where you could learn anything, with no financial restrictions, what would you want to study? In ONE week? Long term would be teaching. But ONE week... hmmm... My brain says intensive Irish course, to get me closer to being able to teach here. My heart says a creative writing workshop. 29. Do you enjoy poetry? Who are your favorite poets and what type of subject matter do you like? e. e. cummings, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Wordsworth and more. Almost any subject matter is fine my me. 30. Would you enjoy receiving something related to a favorite Disney character? Yip 31. How do you feel about cute things as decorations or accessories? (Example: Would you enjoy this stationery - or do you prefer elegant/creepy/neutral stuff?) I love cute and kawaii things. I like most "styles", though my last flatmate did get me a little worn down on uber goth. 32. What is something you'd really like to recieve from your witch? Please be as specific as possible - no, "Oh whatever she thinks is fine!" Hmmmmm. Something that they think is cool and relates to their hobbies. With an explanation. That would be awesome! More awesome than a specific item. If I have to go with a specific item, probably The Six-Gun Tarot (it's a book, like I said I am a liiiiitle obsessed with Western and Weird Western things at the moment) or Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy 33. Go to your music source of choice - on random or shuffle setting if possible - & share with us the 10 most recent songs/artists. As per my iTunes (shortening some soundtrack artists from 15 billion people to the soundtrack)... 1. 2500tons of Awesome - The Pacific Rim Soundtrack 2. The Trolls - Frozen 3. Kiss The Girl - The Little Mermaid 4. The One That Got Away (Acoustic) - Katy Perry 5. Overjoyed - Bastille 6. The Game of Love - Daft Punk 7. Fighting Trousers - Professor Elemental 8. Vanellope Von Schweetz - Wreck It Ralph Soundtrack 9. Paradise (Radio Edit) - Coldplay 10. Blue Collar Jane - The Strypes 34. Tarot cards, rune stones and/or other divination tools yay or nay? Yay 35. Do you have a Celeb crush? or someone who you just can't get enough of....other than your SO I may be a Hiddleston fan. Especially a Hiddlesworth fan (Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth's friendship is so adorable) 36. Glitter? are you okay with it, or hate it like the plague? Glitter! *throws it in the air* I actually have glitter body dusting powder... it was for a character, I swear! 37. If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would it be? Uhhhhhh... Renaissance meet Boho 38. If you had to pick one or two quotes to live by, what would it be and why? I don't like picking quotes to live by as life is so fluid, but at the moment this one would resonate with me pretty much constantly: To thine own self be true. 39. Do you prefer physical books? CD books? eBooks? If eBooks do you have preferred format, kindle/nook/kobo/PDF/ePub/ect? eAudio? I prefer physical books, though I do have the kindle app on my ipad. 40. Smut! Yes or no? If yes, what kink, er, kind? Yes. anything consensual (no mind control kink, thanks) 41. Ebooks! Yes or no? Meh? 42. If you were to get a custom bottle from House of Gloi made for you what notes would create your perfect blend? I have no idea! I am no note mixer! Blueberry, Sweet Cream, Marshmallow & Ylang Ylang looks good - though pomegranate could sub in for the berry. 43. If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote? Critter! 44. What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration? Black cats 45. Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)? I am a huge urban decay fan and am open to trying anything. I like unusual colours - sparkly is good. Anything 2unusual" (what's a nail wrap?) would need a how to. 46. How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor? 95% fine, unless a minority group is being joked about. 47. I make hairsticks...would you like/use them? I would be curious and would need instructions. 48. Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play? Yes! Mostly Theatre/Parlour LARP. I NPC in a friend's game as the most non-sterotypical Glasswalker Ahroun ever, Phoebe. She is super protective of the cubs (is Den Mother) . Sometime switched out for Eudora AKA Wikipedia - Glasswalker Ragabash/troll who believes in psychadelic rainbow stealth, no other long running characters at the moment. 49. Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com. I wouldn't, as long as it was vegetarian - so no bugs or bacon! 50. This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like? Yes! I love strawberry (even though I am allergic). apricot is also good. Or surprise me with something unusual (tomato jam is quite nice) 51. Let's talk nail polish. What colors do you love? Hate? Which brands are you dying to try? Have you ever used indies? Do you like glitter? Any textures to avoid (glitter, sand, etc)? Love polish though I don't wear it much. I've been building an OPI stash but am game for anything pretty. I especially love multi toned shades - the ones that change colour as the light reflects off them. And I love glitter. I have no idea about textures because I haven't tried any before. 52. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie? I would love it! My birthday is in October so I have a small collection of Halloween plushies (Halloween Hello Kitty, Halloween Stetich, Halloween Chibi Cthulhu and a starbucks bear wearing an owl costume - my "Owlbear"). 53. I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun? Uh, all of it? No seriously, I lived there for 2 years. Your local Hello Kitty phone charm would be awesome, as would melon flavoured kitkat. If you are willing to try and ship the teeny eyebrow razor-sticks, that would be cool - but I don;t know if it is legal. 54. Are there any GC scents that you know you love, but for whatever reason, keep putting off buying bottles of? Miskatonic University, Al Azif, Centzon Totochtin and Temple of Dreams are all ones I keep putting off. 55. I know not everyone likes Lush products, but if you do, which Lush items would you like to get from your Witch? I do, I especially love the bath bombs and jelly soaps - though I have 2 LUSH stores really close by. (But if you could find a sliver of Demon in the Dark soap, you would make me giddy with joy. 56. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times. I live too far away for it to be practical unless I was planning a trip anyway. Yay other countries. 57. If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc? I normally get standard unisex/mens t-shirts. XL. I do like babydolls (and love vneck babydolls), but they have been fitting a little... snug... the last few years. Running may help that, but at the moment I am sticking with standard shirts. If you want a better idea of sizing, I normally get my XL shirts from ShirtWoot or Qwertee (and recently got 3X blouses from Holy Clothing, which are a bit loose). That should help if you want to cross reference size charts. 58. THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20? Yip - and it is mostly ice cube trays which make AWESOME chocolate molds! http://www.thinkgeek.com/brain/gimme.cgi?wid=82118dd3b&icpg=wishlist 59. Zombies, yes or no? LOVE zombies! LOVE them sooo much. Dearest first realised that he found me attractive at a zombie walk when I asked him to apply blood to a fake bite on my collar bone - while I was wearing a corset. The only zombies I don't like are the World War Z movie, because I LOVED the book and why did they have to buy the title for THAT. 60. Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves? I LOVE armwarmers AND fingerless gloves. Especially the latter. They are crucial for typing in winter! I like elbow length. Also LOVe socks, but have HUGE calves. I wear XL in unisex t-shirts (most brands) 61. Do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s? Cats. Owls. Octopods (it's a Cthulhu thing). 62. Anyone have any Paintbox Soapworks loves? LOVE her Sorbettos! They are AMAZING! Haven't tried much else. 63. How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out? If it was arranged beforehand first - fine. If it was out of the blue - totally creeped out. My psycho stalker ex looked up my address and rocked up at my house the first time we met, so people I haven't given an open invitation too suddenly appearing really freaks me out. 64. Do you have a ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions. Nope, don't really knit. Prefer to sew. 65. Sock Dreams, yay or nay? They look AMAZING! Especially the tenacle-y and stripey ones. 66. Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors? I don't know if I could bring myself to use a lovingly knitted dishcloth. Otherwise YAY! I live red/purples and bright green/blues. 67. Is your Amazon WL up-to-date? No, but it still has tons of stuff I like on it. 68. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)? Wouldn;t bother me at all. 69. Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Are there types of incense you know you don't like? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types? Sounds cool - though I would need a how to guide for anything that is not on a stick. 70. I know we already had a question about needed kitchen accessories, but what about spices? I have soooo many spices. Though pre-ground cloves! That would be amazing! Or a favourite spice mix. 71. Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen? All would be awesome. 72. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "gimme that ghost pepper!" and 1 being "oh, that's a bit too much black pepper for me" Where is your heat tolerance? 9.5 73. What is your favorite type of Halloween candy? I never really grew up with Halloween candy, so I don;t know specifically. I tend to like hard sweets (like butterscotches). 74. Do you need or want any cosy footwear, like fluffy slippers, or slipper socks etc? My pikachu slippers got tossed out in the move due to holes and missing tails. I haven;t gotten round to replacing them. 75. What do you most look forward to each Fall? Drizzle! Pretty leaves that go crunch! Reading under the covers! 76. What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you like a cool case for them - with your favourite fandom or artwork or saying? My ipad and phone both already have cases, though the ipad's is purely functional and not "cool". 77. Are there any beauty accessories you need or would like? For example make-up brushes, facial brushes or eyelash curlers. Something to keep my eyebrows under control! They are wild and free at the moment. Otherwise, pretty much anything else would need an instruction manual. 78. Would you be disappointed to get one big box, or would you prefer a bunch of little ones? And would you be disappointed if your witch actually had it together early and sent it to you sooner than later? Whatever suits my witch. 79. Stores are putting out their halloween PJs and undies! Would you be happy to get any in a package? And if so, what size? For PJ pants, do you like cotton or flannel? Yip. XL or XXL (loose = comfy). Flannel. 80. Do you like M&Ms? Yip 81. How about wax melts? What now? 82. Would you like a subscription for Spotify I don't use it, so no. 83. What scents from the Lillith update would you like to try? All of them. Mermaid looks interesting. Most of the others I am interested in I will be ordering. 84. Would you be interested in receiving a box of sugar cube skulls? Cool. Yes. 85. Skin care routine? Fave cleanser? Toner? Moisturizer? What about body lotions? Any particular brand or scent? Lip balms? Yay or nay? Lush mostly, with some Urban Decay spritzes thrown in. I prefer minimal chemicals (hence LUSH mostly) and non-harsh scents. Don;t really use body lotions (though I should) and love lip balms. 86. Is there anything you would like from Salem MA (mugs, keychains, postcards, etc.or witchy supplies like incense, candles, books)? Books? 87. Would you be interested in any of the items in LisaNut's etsy shop? The purple boa is awesome 88. Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no? I HATE spiders, but I am OK with cartoony styled plush ones. Edgar the con spider was sent by a friend and lives in my dice bag. So a knit buddy would be OK. 89. Pillows (the mostly decorative type)? Love 90. Any kind of bags - big, small, medium, purse, grocery, etc? Bags that you can sling on your back or over shoulders. Not a fan of handbags or purses without shoulder straps. 91. Is there anything special coming up in your life? My birthday, my anniversary with dearest and then running RPGs and LARPs at Galecon. So... yip. All in October. 92. Which one scent would you want from each of the following updates: Metamorphosis, Lilith and GC? Phaon Crescent, Mermaid and Miskatonic University 93. Are you interested in anything from NYCC? Yes! The hair glosses (especially green apple) and One Pale Woman and Daylight Kissing Her Wan Hair. Or anything geeky. 94. Would something from the Tokyo Game Show (e.g. postcards, fans) possibly interest you? I still have tons of these from when I was in japan. 95. Would you enjoy any of these couple rings? Or anything from the same store's Halloween collection? The couple rings just aren't me and Dearest's kind of thing. The cuffs are cool though! 96. If you imbibe at all ... preference between: wine/beer/cocktails and then glassware and/or bar-ware? cocktail gadgetry? Books on the subject/recipes? would you want sample bottles of local/regional/small batch craft spirits if they were home decanted and labeled? I don;t drink! Mocktail recipes would be awesome though. 97. Would you like some chai, lemon, rose water or other flavored sugar cubes? Yes 98. Jamberry nail wraps? They look cute, I'd like to try them. Especially Let It Snow, Fright Night, Monster Mash, Batties, Pumpkin Spice - who am I kidding, they are all adorable! 99. If you had to choose one currently available book (used-but-obtainable counts if you do used) costing $20 or under for your Witch to buy for you, what would it be? Used or not. Hyperbole and a Half in softcover. 100. Are there five things under $25 at Birchbox you would like? The Royal Rose Simple Syrup OPI Alpine Snow Karma Organic Spa Nail Polish Remover Minimergency Kit Kusmi Tea 101. Do you want anything from the Fatherhood update at the Post? Flying Kites 102. Street art! Into it? Not into it? Meh? Can be cool. I like cute ones rather than "icky" ones. 103. If you could only pick one note that you love (e.g. Vanilla, Orange, Lavender, Rose) & you could only wear/have perfume, etc in that note, what would it be? That's mean! Probably Vanilla. 104. What are you interested in from the NYCC exclusive list? See 93. Though anything would be appreciated. 105. Most anticipated "Weenie blends? I am curious about many of the single notes, especially fog machine, stage blood, grave dirt 106. Caffeine or no? And is this a health or preference? Not much. Except in black teas and Mates. Just tend not to like things that have it. 107. Are you interested in anything from the MAC Rocky Horror or the e.l.f. Disney Princess make up collections? The what now? That sounds AMAZING. I would love either! HUGE Disney & Rocky fan. And having just looked at them both - if it weren't weenies and I didn't have to spoil my Witchee, I would probably throw my money at them. Or at the elf villainess collection. 108. I pass this shop every day, If you were my witchee would you like a custom chocolate bar? What would you choose? Plain, white or milk and with what? Rose Petals and Sea Salt Caramel or Dark. 109. Would you like to try chocolate covered Turkish Delight or flower flavoured things (Rose and Violet chocolates)? As long as there is no gelatine, yes. 110. For those of you who like Fantasy or play Dungeons and Dragons... would you be interested in a custom painted miniature? If so, what gender, race and class? Any preferences for a theme, color scheme, preferred weapons/armor, etc? Specific character description you would want me to try to hit? Yes! Something female and rogue or rangerish. OR the foppiest male Orc fencer you can muster! (Call it a challenge - or an old character I was once fond of) 111. Are there any local or national charities that are close to your heart that you know would appreciate a donation in your name? If it doesn't go against your own personal viewpoints - ARC (Abortion Rights Campaign - includes petitioning for the right to abort in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities, rape, incest). Irish Cancer Society (2 friends of mine died from Cancer this last year) And I will be doing a run for Movember where we will get a group page eventually - just no link yet. 112. I have two partial (Backup) bottles of some scents on your wishlist, Witchee. However, the labels aren't perfect, due to a tragic imp explosion. Would you still be ok with getting them? Of course! Labels are nice but not essential. 113. Do you like incense? Or are you more of a fan of essential oil aromatherapy/fragrance oils a la Yankee Candle/B&BW? Or all of the above? What scents do you prefer for those kinds of things? Nag champa? Lemongrass EO for the house? PUMPKIN SPICE EERYTHANG. What companies do you like specifically (if any) - links? I would generally be more inclined to use essential oils and fragrant candles. But Dearest isn't fond of flames, so I have fallen in love with Atmo sprays. Not that I don;t love incense - I just got out of the habit of using it when I had a housemate with allergies. Nag champa and resin scents are wonderful. I had a pomegranate candle once that was amazing. I love linen and ocean scents - pretty much anything goes! 114. Trading Post Weenies are up!! What's everyone interested in? Pumpkin Spice Everything, everything. Boo Hairgloss. The Pumpkins of war... the whole update is amazing. 115. My mom has crocheted a bunch of little witch hats, would this be something you are interested in? If I could think of a place for the little witch hats - but it is late and I can't at the moment. 116. Are you interested in anything from my mom's Etsy shop? The bags are nice - my brain keeps thinking the knitting bags could double as giant dice bags. 117. Are you interested in dried honey crisp apples or italian prunes? Yes 118. Do you need any travel mugs, coffee mugs, tea makers, rock sugar, coffee or tea syrups, etc? I wouldn't mind trying tea syrups or rock sugar. Physical equipment we pretty much have sorted. 119. Is there anything from my shop that you might like, past or present? All of it is amazing. The Tinker's daughter is particularly nice. 120. What are 6 GC scents & 6 others that you would be interested in as imps? You have already spoiled me rotten with imps!

skylarkza

September 15, 2014

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