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About this blog

She just sings whatever she's seen

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Yule Elf 2018 Questions

Updated 11/16/18 1:15 pm   How do folks feel about fruitcake? Yes to all the fruitcake!   How about quarkstollen and lebkuchen, and marzipan? All of those sound AMAZING. I love marzipan and stollen especially (why yes, I do have a thing about fruit baked in bread).    How about my FUDGE? Ooh, yes! Honestly, all of it looks good, but especially chocolate, vanilla berry and penuche. I fear the pies might be a little sweet for me.    What is your favorite Christmas Character (Santa, Ruldolph, Elves, etc) and your favorite animal?
 Probably the Grinch (I loved the new movie as well), or Scrooge or Heat Miser (yes, I am a sucker for a holiday redemption story, I guess). I also like snowmen and am a  huge sucker for random animals with reindeer horns. I also love corgis, cats, bats, owls, and ravens. Oh and creepy crawlies like lizards and spiders and snakes.    Any wishes from the Sweet 16 release?  I still need to thoroughly explore it, tbh. I promise to get my wishlist, including Sweet 16 updated soonest!     Is there anything related to the performing arts that you'd maybe like something inspired by? Say a favorite musical or a passionate love for the Nutcracker or a need for a Diva coffee mug or Shakespeare inspired lip balm? I have a passionate love of A Christmas Carol and also snarky Shakespeare merch. 
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2011 Reading Analysis

Wow. So this was one my my less stellar years in terms of reading. Ironically, I think that getting a Kindle actually worked against me, as it made it so much easier to be a magpie, play little word games, etc. So time I might otherwise have spent reading got sucked into playing strange logic puzzles. I also think I might have lost a couple of quick reads between October and November.   The Kindle did make it easier to make progress on some of my long-term reading projects, like Ulysses. While I'm still a long way from done, having it with me wherever I have the Kindle means I plugged away more than I would have if the book just stayed by my bed. Also, my copy was lovely in its way, but it is old, has some cover damage and the 60s era cover had to be taped on, so having it in a sleak electronic format is a more friendly reading experience (note that doesn't mean I'm getting rid of the hardcopy :-).   Along those lines, I had hoped to make 2011 the year I finished everything on my previously started list, which clearly didn't happen. I did read at least part of every single book still outstanding and I think it's realistic to think at least 4 of those will be cleared out this year (I've already finished ADWD and just started up with AF again, so that's one down, one probably finished by the end of the month). There's not much left of the Molly Ivins - it's sort of a crime that I've not completed that one, to be honest, and Halloween will be resurrected come fall. So there.   I did discover a ton of new authors this year, reading more than one book (and in a couple of cases, entire series) by Suzanne Collins, , Charles DeLint, Terry Brooks, Lee Carroll, and Daniel Suarez, and one offs by Jacqueline West, Cyril Pedrosa, Tamora Pierce and Daniel Kraus. I also discovered a lot of new possibilities via the Steampunk anthology (which contains a story by one of my dearest friends) and the Halloween anthology (which I shall finish next fall, natch).   Normally, this is where I go through a detailed accounting of new vs. old, genre, etc. But I kind of don't really care. I like knowing what I read and so long as I liked it, I'm not sure it matters that much one way or another.
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13 Nights of Halloweeeeeeeen 2020

Updated 8/25/20   If you said you would be happy with homemade things, what types of homemade things would you like best?
Anything? Honestly, jewelry, yarnwork, foodstuffs - all are amazing. (Sorry, I realize that is supremely not helpful.    Do you garden or keep houseplants, and--if so-- would you be interested in seeds or gardening supplies? No thank you. I try regularly, and always kill things.    What is your favorite Halloween character or creature? Bats, spiders, snakes! I love all the creepy crawlies and Jack and Sally from NMBC, and gargoyles...   Would you be interested in a spooky fabric mask?  What should be on it?  Tie, earloop, or what?  
OMG YES!!!!! Anything along the lines I've already described. Tie or earloop is fine, although I find I marginally prefer loops..    If you'd like something knit, anything you'd especially adore? (Socks (shoe size), mittens, fingerless mitts, cowl, hat, etc)  Socks (sz 8 US Womens) or fingerless mits or a shawl are the things I'd get the most use out of.      What are you interested in from the BPAL Update?  How about the NAVA update? Nothing from NAVA, thanks. I haven't actually had a chance to look at the BPAL update yet, but I will update my wishlist accordingly...probably next week?   How do you feel about stuff being shipped directly to you instead of to me and then to you, so it wouldn't be wrapped but you could still wait to open it?  Bad idea or good idea? That's fine! I've done that before and just noted what night it's for.    Any interest in any candles or other products from Sihaya and Co?  These candles sound amazing: Autumnvale Cafe
Celtic Twilight
The Dreamer Awakens
II - Full Moon
  The plummy lip colors - Twilight Magic, Velvet Bow, and Elixir of Life look fab, as does Harvest Rust. The Enchantress shimmer is cool as well. And I would love to try the paintbox exclusive Ginger Fox in either scrub or soap.   There is a place near me that has some of the BEST coffee beans I've personally ever had- would you be interested in receiving a pound or half pound of beans? If so, do you prefer flavored (which ones?), full caffeinated - decaf - half and half?, whole bean or ground? Light or dark roast? 
OOOOOOOH, Yes please! Definitely fully caffeinated, slightly prefer dark roast whole bean, but flexible on both. For flavors, I'd probably prefer a sampler of smaller sizes, just because I am not even sure what I like anymore. 
Also, how about a mug to go with it? If so, what's your mug style- oversized 90's coffeehouse? Tiny espresso demitasse? Ye Standard Coffee Cup? Name it! Oversized 90s coffee house for sure.    Do you drink booze? If so, would you be interested in a kit to infuse your favorite varieties? (I've tried these and love them: https://www.etsy.com/shop/InBooze) Answering my own question, I do, and I love these - I've tried the Old Fashioned and the Cucumber Citrus. I really WANT to try the Blackberry Gin Smash, Blueberry Citrus - really anything that is for gin, vodka, whiskey, rum, or tequila. So, you know, pretty much all of them. LOL   Do you like animals?  Any favorites?  I do! Bats, owls, spiders, snakes, penguins, cats, corgis...   And would you like to receive a photo print of a photo I took myself? Any preference on size? Are you okay with just the print, so you can frame it yourself?   This would be lovely, but it is much more likely to go up somewhere if it arrives in a cool frame.    And what about photo printed postcards?  Sure!   One of my favorite stores sells perfumed hand-made hair rinse which I love myself. Would you be interested? Sure! One of the first things to go for me in the pandemic was dying my hair, so I no longer need to use a color depositing conditioner.   The PBSW Weenie Collection just went live (minus lotions and candles which are delayed). Is there anything you're interested in? Any scents you'd like as lotions or candles when they come in? I G.O.A.T. in soap or scrub would be fab.    Would socks make you happy? If so: what size? And what about over the knee socks?  Yes! I'm a women's 8 and usually wear anywhere from knee-high to ankle. Not so much over the knee.    What are your book tastes? Do you have a goodreads? Hmm... give me your top three favorite books! Tons of book info, including goodreads is in my sig. My 3 fave books right now are comfort reads - Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Chalice by Robin McKinley, and...a third one is harder, honestly.
Would you like any tea accessories, say like a tea infuser? 
I am good with tea accessories.
 
Interested in Blackthorn Hoodoo Tea?  Which blends? I am a complete and total atheist, but I find using products that have specific intent to be..unsettling. So I would probably rather not have these, although a lot of these look good.    Do you like incense?  If so, loose, cone, stick...? Please please please do not send me incense.    This year we've made apple butter, unsweetened apple sauce, canned sweet cherries, candied jalapenos... which, if any, of these would you welcome?
OMG, yes, all of these sound amazing, especially the cherries and jalapenos.    Would you be interested in any sort of large bag/purse/tote? If so any themes or colors? Fun shopping bags are great, but I have a ton and am set for most anything else.    I may have gone a little overboard on the nostalgia train and picked up a multitude of bottles from the cute 90s Gothic perfume company, Vampyre. I have three that can potentially be yours: Nocturnas (Sudanese Frankincense is Added to Exquisite Blackberry Essence in this Decadent Enveloping Blend) , Petra Musk ( Aged Red Musk, with it’s Woods, Spices and Musk Notes is Intensified with African Kush Oil,Imparting an Exotic Scent and Reddish Hue to this Elixir) and Blood & Roses (Three Types of the Darkest Rose Essence Dry Down into Rich Musk Bottom Notes in this Mysterious, Unexpectedly Romantic Scent). Nocturnas and Petra Musk both sound really intriguing.  
  Do you cook (or aspire to cook)?  Is there any cooking-related gift that would bring you joy?  Spices, ingredients, cookbook, gadgets, implements... I think I covered this in my initial questions, but yes! I especially like special spice blends and am always in search of good cooking spoons.   Is there a BPAL GC bottle (or imps) you have been meaning to buy but haven't?  Especially in light of the Tournament of Underdogs?  What about TAL? I actually updated my wishlist today!    Are you interested in BPAL storage?  Imps or bottles?  Or small boxes or containers for other items?   Small containers, especially that I can use for jewelry, would be great. I have a cabinet I use for BPAL.   Stuffies? Y/N If yes, preferences?  Sure! Tentacle Kitty, Pusheen, and Squishables are all frequent purchases over here and always happy for new Kawai-style friends.      Hand sanitizer minis? Other things from Bath and Body Works type places? I just placed a BBW order, but definitely am in the market for decent smelling pocket size hand sanitizer these days.    I received an extra (un-used, totally sealed) gorgeous pot of Bésame's Brightening Vanilla Rose Face Powder - is this something you'd be pleased to receive? https://besamecosmetics.com/blogs/blog/97500486-new-vanilla-rose-brightening-powder?_pos=6&_sid=37efb2159&_ss=r This looks lovely, but I'm concerned that the rose scent would be a bit much for me. 
Also, I will be in Washington DC in a few days - anything you might like from there? (It doesn't have to be specific to being the Nation's Capital- DC has lots of great and interesting stuff going on!) I live in the DC area and actually work for a major tourist attraction when it's open, so I can't really think of anything, although I would actually be tickled by something that looks up my alley that would be a sort of cheesy souvenir that a local would never buy themselves.    Dearest Pumpkin, I harvested my own delicious Kentucky BlueMint back a few months and made a tincture with it, and it is now ready to pour! It can be used in drinks (like mojitos) and as a nice mint flavoring, but I use it medicinally, for tummy upset, digestion issues and other stuff. Would you like a bottle of your own? OMG YES   Do you have a preference for treat order? Smallest to largest, peaks and zeniths, ramping up to a grande finale, etc? Or would you like to randomly pull whichever mystery package calls to your intuition on a given day? Would you like clues, so you can guess what's in each thing before you open it? I have no strong preference. Personally, I usually try to build up to something super cool for Halloween and/or the last night, but I am fine with anything.  
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2010 Reading Analysis

This year may be the year that gets me to start tracking pages read; because while I did not come terribly close to 100 books (totaling 82 books in their entirety, 84 with the ones started before 2010, although 132/4 with the ones read with my son, but I typically don’t count those toward my own totals) I would be willing to bet that I came pretty close to my page totals for previous years, thanks largely to discovering Diana Gabaldon and rereading the entire Harry Potter series. I also did a lot of magazine and other non-tracked reading (I am not counting skimming through pregnancy and baby-care books, for example) and had a fair amount of external distraction (hello new baby and having not been totally alone in my house since May).   Just skimming, this year had fewer really short (>300 pages) YA and urban fantasy/paranormal romance sorts of books, fewer graphic novels which I tend to polish off in a few hours as most, and a lot more really dense, really long books.   Some quick totals:   82 books read in their entirety. 2 books finished from previous years. 50 chapter books read in whole or in part with my son. 4 books which I just could not finish – interestingly, all by authors that I have really enjoyed in the past and 3 of which were installments in series where I’ve enjoyed the other books.   Of the 82 books I read in full, they breakdown along my coding as follows:   Author of Color – 1 (wow, that’s pathetic) Fantasy – 44 (my most common genre this year with 5 more than last year) Graphic Novel – 19 (hum, actually 2 more than last year- but at least two of what I categorized as GN were fairly long) Mystery - 3 (way fewer straight mysteries this year than in the past – probably because I’m completely caught up with the series I read and haven’t introduced any new ones) Non-fiction – 1 Reread – 15 total rereads and 2 graphic novel adaptations where I’d read the original story, but not the adaptation Series –60 Science Fiction – 9 Short Works – 9 Vampires, werewolves, and witches, oh my! – 25 (3 more than last year, maybe because I included the 7 HPs?) Young Adult – 16 (way fewer than last year and tending toward the longer end (i.e. 300 plus pages))   Interestingly, even with almost ¾ of my reading being from series, nearly half – 40 total- unique authors are represented, with 12 totally new authors this year. That’s about the same number of unique authors, although fewer new ones this year.
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Summer Sprite Q&A

Updated 8/20 5:45pm

Does anything, scent and / or product-wise, catch your eye from the Haus of Gloi summer drop? (https://www.hausofgloi.com/collections/summer) [you're free to pick stuff NOT from Summer as well, of course!  ]
Hummingbird, Archipelago, Beguiled and U=Pick, Blueberry Tart, Lemongrass Ice Cream in any of the product categories I tend to like (whipped soap/body butter/foaming scrubs/soap) all sound lovely. 
Yes, the rumors are true- I'll be in Paris this summer! Tell me up to five things you'd be happy to get from there, including any specific teas from Dammann Freres, my favorite french tea shop! (https://www.dammann.fr/en/#) Oh my goodness. I am honestly overwhelmed by the tea choices, but I love fruity flavored black teas and fruit infusions, so you can't really go wrong with those. Otherwise, macarons, chocolates, cheese? I'm blanking on my Parisian gifts.    I recently discovered Khamilaluna and plan to place an order soon to get a present for my roommate. Is there anything you'd like from them? Honestly, almost all of the soaps look right up my alley, other than a couple of super floral ones.    Dear Swapee, is there any small gift from mother nature that you'd like me see if I can source for you from old forests?  Obviously no promises; but if I don't know what to look for, I certainly won't find.  I really love pretty stones.   Also, second question, ring sizes, obviously fingers are all different sizes, even on the same hand - do you wear rings on all your fingers? how about a range smallest to largest?  I'm pretty set for rings.   If your Sprite were to gift you magical items or workings... a) Would you be interested in that? b) If so, what intention(s) would you appreciate most? No thank you.   Would you be interested in a set of (rpg) dice? If so, what colors/aesthetic? They will get stolen by my son, but sure, if they are really interesting and unusual.   What's your favorite creature? Cats, bats, corgis, spiders, snakes, penguins, owls, corvids, octopi   Do you like reading comics? If you haven't really read 'em, would you be interested in receiving a few that match your book genre preferences? I love comics and definitely. All of that info is in my goodreads in terms of what I already have.    I'm headed to Puerto Rico in July - anything particularly interesting you would like from there? This is my question, but generally, I'm up for jewelry, travel mugs or water bottles, magnets or other little trinkets from your travels.    Would you be interested in receiving a small bottle of home infused whiskey aged from commercially produced moonshine? Any particular flavors you might enjoy (examples include orange chai or cinnamon chocolate or hot peppers)? Also my question, but I want all of the alcohol infusions.   Would you be interested in homemade shortbread that fits your flavor preferences? Absolutely.    - If your bday is during the swap, how are you planning to celebrate? I was all over the map with what I want to do this year, but as it happens, we have been gifted tickets to AwesomeCon, so we'll be doing that. Plus I'm making Roach's 40 Orange Glaze Cake (https://twitter.com/sambaschutte/status/1517315078650884096). - Likewise, how do you celebrate relevant spiritual holidays in this time period? I do not.  - Anything you want from the UK? I am always up for UK sweets, although summer is probably not the best time to be sending me aero bars.  - Seeds, y/n? No thank you. - Are you interested in skincare/shampoo/conditioner? Other than sheet masks or eye cream, no thank you. Or lightweight moisturizer with at least 35 SPF. - Are you interested in tights? If so, what thickness, style, and size? Sure - I prefer relatively lightweight, dark colors, patterns, fit roughly US 14-16. - Do you use tarot decks? Would you like to receive more - and if so, can you list the ones you already have? I already have a couple of decks and don't really need more.  - What do you think of the art on this website? https://www.printisdead.co.uk/ I love it! I would definitely get use out of notecards, postcards, stickers, or the weekly planner. I'm not overly into the witchy designs (pentagrams, wands), but the ravens, skulls, memento mori designs are amazing.  - Is loose leaf tea good, or do you prefer bagged? Bagged is more portable and convenient, but I am fine with loose leaf and have plenty of strainer baskets and such. Now that I'm only in the office a couple of days a week, this distinction is much less meaningful.    I make arm warmers.  I make them from sweaters I thrifted.  They can be all one color, or stripes of different colors.  They can be long, to the elbows, or shorter. If you would like a pair, tell me your favorite colors.  Solids are more generally elegant, Stripes can be as wildly funky as you wish.  Long?  Short?  Cashmere?  Tell me your fingerless mitts arm warmer dreams. These sound delightful. Stripes and colors in my favorites sound good in soft blends.   PBSW Summer collection is live!!!  Anything catch your eye? Weirdly, not much from this one.   It's farmers market season in town and I have loads of lovely local artisans to shop from. Would you be interested in items from any of the following?
The Rod Homestead (I love this one I helped fund her commercial kitchen) I would LOVE Orange simple syrup or Grenadine, vanilla extract, and the sugars all look interesting.   Working Class Coffee -coffee is always welcome Philly Nuts Ooh, honestly, just about any of the flavored nuts, especially anything fruity/spicy or a little sweet 222 Creations  These are lovely, but not really my style Carol's Epiphany I really love the calla lily style earrings here.   I am learning to do embroidery. Would you possibly like a simple hand embroidered piece? Sure! I'd love something in one of my fandoms or featuring a favorite animal or a skull or something.   If you would like this is there a simple favorite flower or summer symbol, like a bee? I do love bees and butterflies and beetles, along with calla lilies and yellow roses and tree flowers like cherry blossoms or dogwood flowers.   What kind of sprite would you prefer? A ninja or to know the ID right away? I like both styles for different reasons Whatever is most fun for you.    Are you ok with shunga label art (bpal?) Sure!   I dye yarn. Is custom yarn of interest to you? No thank you.   My European travels are expanding! Anything you want from Portugal or Berlin??? I love vhino verde, but it might be of questionable legality to send me a bottle. Likewise, local liquors, German beer, etc.  Generally, spices, sweets, stickers. Painted tiles from Portugal?    My friend makes cool art with garbage, is there anything here you might like? I like this work a lot, but I don't have a lot of wall space, so I should pass.    Would you like items related to your astrological sign and if so what is it? Maybe if it were something subtle. I am a gemini and find astrology interesting, but don't really believe in it.    what do you think of plushies? I absolutely love plushies. My daughter and I collect tentacle kitty plushies and I have a little collection of arogumi made by folks for me over the years.    Are there any Korean or Japanese food/craft/self-care items you would be interested in in receiving? I am always up for Japanese Kit Kats in fun flavors and other snacks and my kiddo will love any kawaii inspired items. I also like Korean sheet masks.   Is there anything for your garden or houseplants that you need, or would like (tiny, hand thrown cachepot for a prized astrophytum, etc.), or are you proudly black thumb and shun any plant that isn't resin? I am absolutely a black thumb.    How many books is too many books? I legitimately have too many physical books, but there is no such thing on a general level.    I’m knitting up washcloths right now. Would you like some? I would likely use them as dishcloths, but definitely.
any spices you need/want?  I’m fleshing out a Penzey's order!!  I love Penzey's New Curry and Vietnamese Cinnamon.   your feelings on chocolate?  Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, White chocolate? with or without nuts? How about truffly goodness?  I went into a great deal of chocolate detail in my survey, I believer, but generally, milk, white, dark is my order of preference. I like nuts with other things (think cadbury fruit and nut) and truffles are fab.    Do you want anything for your vehicle? Like bumper stickers or magnets? Maybe magnets if they are super in my interests. Stickers will likely go on my guitar case, although I'm rapidly running out of room.   any interest in Japanese fashion-ish items? (kanzashi hair pins, and other things made form old kimono fabric, fans, tenugui, etc?) Fans, yes. I don't use hair accessories. Maybe on other things? A reclaimed fabric tote bag could be cool.    Would you use cbd infused bath products? Probably not, honestly. 
  What colors are your kitchen stuffs? All of them? A lot of blue in dishes (we just got a full set of Calamityware last year). Cooking implements tend to be black or pretty random. There is no coherency in my kitchen. 
  If I knitted up a scarf/shawl/something in the wearable area what colors would you like and please be pretty specific so I can see if my yarn stash makes this feasible (or if @twilighteyes or @winterblizzard has stash that does and I can barter) k please thanks I've been really likely dark green lately. Sparkly would be wonderful.   —->. One big box or a couple starting now?? Whatever works for you, with the caveat that you shouldn't mail anything until mid July at this point.    How close to the final deadline would you prefer to receive your package?  Should we try to squeak as close to August 31st as humanly possible, or would it be okay to send the package earlier? I don't have strong feelings one way or another.    I am afraid to send chocolate in this heat.  What other things might you enjoy? Gourmet lollipops?  Handmade Marshmallows (not by me LOL)?  Flavored cotton candy? other ideas? All of that sounds delightful.    do you have any reservations about wearing leather, like in an accessory?? Not a bit.   So I took a "viking knitting" class (which is really wire weaving) and can now make necklaces and bracelets.  Would you be interested in either one? Absolutely! If there's flexibility to the weaving, then either one. If they are super stiff, then probably a bracelet. (Or earrings?) IF SO What color wire would you like?  (silver, gold, copper, blue, purple, yellow, green orange, black, turquoise, pink, so many colors.)   I have THIS PACK among others. Silver with black, green, blue, purple, turquoise (some of those, not all of them) would be fab, although a subtle pride flag could be fun.  What length would you want (on either or both?)  6-7 inches on bracelets. Mid length for necklaces. What kind of fasteners do you like best (lobster claw, toggle clasp, magnetic?) and color of fasteners?  (silver, gunmetal, copper, gold?)  - some of the toggle clasps come in cool shapes. For bracelets, I'd want lobster claw in silver. For necklaces, toggle clasps are fine - the kitty one is adorable.  Do you think a larger chunky one like a torc or a slimmer one?  I can draw the wire down to different sizes with my draw plate.  Probably not super chunky for a necklace.   Hats! Esp. these hats? https://foxblood.com/collections/hats Generally I am actually very much in the market for a dramatic black sunhat like the ones pictured. Bonus if it has a bow or something to hold it on my head.    Tea! Especially this tea? https://august.la/collections/black-teas? SO MANY of these look right up my alley: Bourbon Sugar, Cherry Chocolate, Bergamot Plum Earl Gray, Chili Chocolate, White Chocolate Prune, Cocoa Rose, Dirty Chai, Orange Rosemary Caramel...soooooooooo many.    So apparently there's this cute little outdoor market here that sells locally made dishcloths and similar- would you be interested in having some tea towels or similar from Portugal, dear Spritz? I can always use tea towels and dishcloths.   How much do you guys like hats? I want to like hats. I really really do. But I really never wear them anymore, other than my hiking hat. I want a big broad black straw hat with a chin tie, though.   Would you like some smallish bottles of Rose Petal Liqueur, Lavender Vanilla Bean Liqueur, or Plum Brandy?  (all homemade.) Of course!   Anything look appealing from the Nocturne Alchemy gemstone scent drop today? No thanks.   How about the BPAL Dragon*Con Peaches? Probably? I need to catch up on these.   Tea, coffee, sweets, biscuits, etc. from Europe.  Is there anything you would be interested in, sprite?   https://matreshkadeli.com Yes? I cannot even begin to narrow it down!   Vintage martini glass? This is my question and I'm on a mission for myself, but I love vintage barware generally.   My peacock is shedding his feathers as the mating season has ended. Would you like some peacock feathers? I think that I've received peacock feathers from you before! So I think I'll pass this time.   Also, I have loads of herbs right now and a dehydrator. Would you like any peppermint, spearmint, licorice mint, sage or oregano that I grew? Absolutely! I love using dried mint for tea infusions and licorice mint sounds quite intriguing.    How about a few sprigs of fresh lavender? Sure!
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13 Nights 2021!!!

Updated 9/6/21     Would you be interested in a cross stitched Halloween ornament? Sure, especially something like a bat or spider or a skull or tombstone!   Are there any collage artists in the mix?   I would LOVE to curate one of spooky autumn goodness if my person were to be interested! I would LOVE to say yes to this, but it is sadly not really my thing. I love the idea of doing collage art, but I somehow never get to actually making art.    Have you seen the Dragon con list?  & would any of them appeal to you? Honestly, all of them except the oakmoss one. I'm planning to order the two online ones, but would be especially interested in Vanilla Wafers and Peach Cream; Peach and Sugared Orange Slices, and just a tester of Pomegranate, Spice Geranium, Black Musk and Peach Pulp.   What Harry Potter house are you? Ravenclaw forever with a side helping of Slytherin, except not, because I just can-fucking-not with JKR's rampant transphobia. I know there are good arguments for why it shouldn't matter and I don't judge anyone who is still into the fandom, but I had to draw a bright line last spring and just go cold turkey on Pottermania for my own sanity. That's not to say that I don't miss it down to my bones sometimes,  but she just continues to be a terrible person and I refuse to support her anymore. If she decides to stop channeling Delores Umbridge at some point, I might go back to Hogwarts, but not yet. I do still enjoy plotting out the long form puppy-shipping novella I've had running in my head for a decade, but otherwise...nah. (It also occurs to me that this is possibly the most Ravenclaw answer possible.)   Do you like any art from these two sellers? They are local artists and I will probably pick up some stuff for myself soon! 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitlinMcCarthyArt - I definitely dig the bookmarks and am always up for cool stickers for my guitar and neat notecards. I love the prints, but don't have a lot of wall space.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BatinYourBelfry - I LOVE the Plague Bat pin and just about all of the stickers.    Frankenbag? Definitely sounds cool! I make beautiful and very lightweight yarn-and-ribbon hairfalls - would you like a set in the colors and length of your choice? If yes, name up to four colors and length in inches! Remember- this can be part of your Halloween costume! So, I totally don't need these, but I've always wanted fun hair falls. My hair is super short and dyed burgundy with a natural white streak in the front - so something that would complement that color scheme (black, gray, hints of dark red) and shoulder length would work best.     Would you appreciate a skein of handspun yarn? If yes, what weight? What colors? How do you feel about beads? Any allergies to typical fibers? I totally appreciate what goes into this, but no. I fail at pretty much any project that would involve yarn.    Do you like stickers? Patches? Buttons? As noted before, I do! I also have started decorating my laptop bag with cool pins - it's already Sanrio x Tokidoki, so any attempt at professionalism is out the window.   Do you spend time in the outdoors? I do  - we hike and kayak and live right on wooded parkland with a creek that we explore on the regular.    Do you enjoy cooking and/or baking? I do indeed! I tend to bake a lot this time of year - more for Christmas than Halloween, but there is little that I can't "improve" with pumpkin - from chili to brownies.    The Paintbox Soapworks Weenie collection went live today! Would you like anything? Fairytale, G.O.A.T, and Once for Yes Twice for No all look good - I would be interested in soap or lotion in any of these.    The Pickety Witch is taking pre-orders for their new Halloween pins (estimated ship date: early September). Have any caught your eye? The bat and some of the owls and goats are cute.   Zeep's Spooky Collection drops some time next week. Here's the scent list. Would you like any wax melts, candles, whipped soaps, sugar whips (whipped soap/scrub hybrid), body butter sugar scrubs (moisturizing scrub), meringues (lotion), bath bombs, or bath rocks from Zeep? CANDLES (I don't NEED candles, but I do like them)
🎃 County Fair- A perfect day at the fair.  Sweet funnel cakes, handmade caramel apples, and fresh popped kettle corn.  Close your eyes and you'll think you're there!
🕸Hocus Pocus - Take a walk through the graveyard to the Sanderson sisters house and smell the scents of the smoky fire under the cauldron, crunchy dried fall leaves, and the sweet temptation of roasted marshmallows and brown sugar!
🎃 Pumpkin Soufflé – mouthwatering sweet pumpkin, creamy butter, warm brown sugar and a hint of spice completes this favorite fall confection!
🦇Season of the Witch - 'Tis the season...of the Witch!  Crunchy dried maple leaves, gooey toasted marshmallows and sweet caramel cider bring home all the spooky scents of fall!
BODY CARE (lotion, sugar whips, whipped soap)
🦇Boo-nilla Scream – Sweet and creamy vanilla bean with hints of fall spice and everything nice!
🍁Candy Corn Sugar Cookie – Sweet candy corn bits swirled into creamy, fresh sugar cookies
🎃 Jack-o-Lantern- Sweet pumpkin, spiced vanilla marshmallows, and hints of smoky bonfires
🦇Poison Apple – For you, my sweet!  Crisp macintosh apple, sweet fall pumpkin, and a dash of sweet baked Halloween treats will have you needing to take a bite out of this poison apple!
🍁Season of the Witch- 'Tis the season...of the Witch! Crunchy dried maple leaves, gooey toasted marshmallows and sweet caramel cider bring home all the spooky scents of fall!   Does anyone here like vintage halloween? OMG, yes! I don't really have any, but I love it.    It seems like a lot of shops’ Halloween lines have items related to the same standard fandoms, such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Beetlejuice, Addams Family, etc.  Do any of those (or other ones) particularly resonate with you?  I absolutely love TMBC, Beetlejuice and Haunted Mansion. I don't dislike it, but I am not a Hocus Pocus fangirl and I enjoy, but definitely don't ship, the family Addams.   How do you feel about atmospheric/novelty scents and novelty food items? Things like "new car candle" or "eyeball jawbreaker" or whatever. I don't really have strong feelings about them either way. I tend to like BPAL's novelty holiday single notes a lot and am not opposed to novelty food items.   If you like tea, how do you want it delivered? Loose? Bags? Tiny little messenger pigeons (subject to availability)? Messenger pigeons, duh, although a murder of crows or a parliament of owls might be more on-brand for Halloween. In all seriousness, either is fine. I'm marginally more likely to grab bags, especially if I am back in the office post-labor day,  but not enough to not want the perfect tea as loose leaf.    Would you prefer to receive ONE HUGE (more expensive) GIFT and 12 inexpensive ones, a few more expensive, or all about the same price? I don't have a strong preference, but in terms of my own gifting, tend to default to 3-4 pricier but not outrageously expensive items, and the rest a mix of smaller or gently used, but still awesome, goodies.   What are your fandoms, if any? Star Wars (particularly Leia, Yoda and silly cute creatures like Ewoks and Porgs), MCU (especially Loki, Black Widow, and Scarlet Witch  - so I have had a veritable feast on Disney+ lately),  Gaiman's Sandman (Dream, Death, Delirium) , Muppets (Kermit, Statler and Waldorf, Janice, Dr Bunson), Doctor Who (Nine, Ten, Thirteen, NOT Eleven)   Do you collect things like tarot decks?  If so do you have a wish list or a list of ones you already have?  Would you like a silk tarot bag? I do not collect tarot decks. I have a couple, including a gorgeous one that I received via a forum swap, but don't really have a use for more. I would not be opposed to a silk tarot bag, but probably wouldn't use it much.    Do you like rocks/crystals?  What colors / kinds?  Would you like them with holes drilled (either as a pendant - you'd need to stick a bale in, or a bead?)  I do like cool rocks and crystals, especially geodes. For jewelry purposes, I'd want something sort of unusual.   My mom has an etsy store - she makes bags.  Do you love anything from it?  We can also do box bags, draw string bags, dice bags, etc. and if you want a different type of material or a different fabric pattern, I'm open to links to specific things.   (yes, we have harry potter things.  We bought most of it before JKR showed herself to be a twat since we buy lots of bolts at the same time - yes, we have a whole room stuffed full of fabric.) Hehe! I would happily receive a box bag in NMBC print or ravens or something else spooky.    Let's say you want something knitted.  What are you most interested in?  (hat, fingerless mitts, scarf, shawl, cowl, infinity scarf, shawlette, gnome, doily, coffee mug cozy, talisman bag, dice bag, soap sack, washcloth (I have a pattern with the leviathan cross for bpal), amigurumi / toy, bracelet, cuff, necklace, other?)   (Can you link to a photo of what you envision or a pattern on ravelry?  Or put it on pinterest or something if you have that.)  I would love fingerless mitts, a shawl or shawlette, gnome or amigurumi in something cute or a washcloth. I don't have anything specific in mind, though. * What colors would you prefer said knitted object in?  Dark colors or jewel tones.  * Stripes, gradient, semi solid, variegated? I am all about patterns like stripes and dots or animal print and color gradients. * What type of yarn would you prefer?  ("wool", BFL, merino, merino/silk, merino/silk/cashmere, merino/cashmere, just silk, just cashmere, tencel (non-animal, plant based), other?   I also have non-dyed organic wool (mill spun) from our own sheep - finnsheep and shetland.  The finnsheep is dark brown (sun bleached black sheep from Sarge and our two black ewes we can't tell apart so they're ewe 1 and ewe 2) or a lighter silvery beige (from freckles) and the shetland is white.  (we just call her shetland.  They're mom's sheep, she should have named them, lol.)  Most of my stripy yarn is either merino or merino cashmere.) I like things soft, but don;t have a strong preference otherwise.    You can check out some of my finished projects on Ravelry if you like (click on the project for more photos)  (I'll have to make a list of which items are available  because I knit a lot of things and then just put them in a cabinet and gift or sell them.) Sadly, I cannot get to the page without creating an account.    Are you interested in receiving any of the following homemade / home dried / home canned goodies?  (just erase the ones you don't want when you answer to make it easy?) (see list in this post under spoiler because long) dried (we have a commercial sized dehydrator): Dried Honey Crisps (apple crips as @voodoocatwoman calls them, from one of the many orchards on Green Bluff) Dried catnip (organic grown on my property) Dried elderberries (wildcrafted)   canned (these are from last year, I haven't started canning yet this year.  I plan on getting more peaches and italian plums when they're ready)  Fruit from Green Bluff. Candied jalapenos Cardamom plum jam Vanilla peach jam TBD types of peach or plum canned goodies - do you have a favorite or suggestion?  I'll probably do whole plums again with cloves/cinnamon/spices as they were AMAZING (Brandied plums, maybe?)   homemade liqueur / brandy - flowers are organic from my bushes, fruit from orchards on green bluff. Rose Petal liqueur (small sample) (having had this, OMG it is good) Plum Brandy (Slivovitz) (small sample) Lavender Vanilla Bean liqueur (small sample)   Pumpkin ginger bread sounds AMAZING I also love zucchini bread with chocolate chips in - we had a family friend who used to make that and it was so good, but of course, I have no idea what her recipe was   How do you feel about oracle decks? Not really my thing. I have runes and a couple of tarot decks that I'll pull out once in awhile, but don't do a whole lot of reading.   Would you like witchy/ritual oils/sundries? Any limitations (e.g. deities you won't work with)? No thank you.    Is there anything you would like to try from the UK specifically? (e.g. Lush exclusives)  I love UK chocolates (Aero bars and the like), and other edible goodies. I haven't really looked at Lush in ages, but am always up for trying things that seem generally up my alley.   Oh, and are you into astrology? Not really.   What size shoe do you wear (inc wide/narrow, etc)? Pretty standard US 8/UK 6   Do you like/would you want to receive comic books? Any favorite genres or characters? Definitely - I tend to like dark ambient sorts of comics and graphic novels. The most recent series I've been reading is Monstress.    Would you like a palm stone, or anything else, from Haute Macabre? No thank you.    What's your favorite flower(s)? Calla lilies   What's you favorite woodland creature? Owls, deer, black squirrels   Do you prefer receiving a big box with all of your goodies, or is it okay if one or two things are shipped directly to you separately (with notice!!) for customs/shipping cost purposes (i.e. if there's something customs might not allow in from the States that can be shipped from within your country)? Shipping in multiple boxes is totally fine.    Would you like a fabric face mask? If so, do you prefer a dome shape or a pleated shape? I would love more pleated masks - they work better for me with my thick heavy glasses than even domed ones with nose wires.   I have a literal stockpile of skincare products.  Can I interest you in cleanser, sheet masks, moisturizer, sample things etc etc.?  Or a general pampering package? What is your skin type? I'm always on the lookout for new cleanser options and light daytime moisturizer with SPF of at least 30 or above. I am also an absolute sucker for sheet masks and nail/cuticle creams. Face skin type is pretty normal to slightly oily these days - I have a general regimen I like from the Ordinary that has stopped about 90% of my breakouts, so that's nice.    Anything from here?  ChocolateStorybook on Etsy Oh wow, these look delightful. I'm most curious about the caramel apple (seasonal flavor and all), hot chocolate, beer, and the other cocktail flavors.    I have been enjoying the incense from here hand-dipped incense sticks | Hexennacht and here Hand-dipped incense sticks | Mr. Hex (mr-hex.com)  Any thing interesting from either site? No thank you. Incense is not my thing and tends to be a migraine trigger.   Would you like some delicious coffee? If so, do you prefer whole bean or ground? If ground, what grind? Also, light or dark roast? Flavor preferences? Dark roast whole bean for unflavored, ground for a drip machine for flavored - I do like an occasional pot of flavored coffee - usually something sort of sweet/spicy.   I may be going to the Renaissance Fair this weekend (if not this weekend then soon and multiple times), any Ren Faire goodies you may like? It has been decades since I've been to a ren faire, so I have no idea what goodies might be available. Maybe a chain maille bracelet or earrings or something?   I always go to my town's local Farmer's Market and they have booths selling things like candles, Gourmet Pickles, Flavored Oils and Vinegars, dog treats (like bones and animal feet), honey, and bath products. Would you like any of these things? Honey, pickles, flavored vinegars and oils would be my top choices, but really, anything except dog treats would be up my alley.   Do you have a preference for numbered packages for each night of the swap vs randomly selecting from unlabeled goodies? I do not have a strong preference.    If you didn't say much about your reading preferences in your survey but would be interested in receiving books, can you elaborate a bit? I have blathered extensively about books in links, on goodreads, and in my blog here.   Are you interested in cocktails, be it recipes, infusion kits, tools, supplies, specialty bitters? Particular flavors you like? Cocktails you'd like to learn to make?  Personally, big yes - I've been doing a lot of experimentation with bitters and infusions and different flavor profiles. I especially like making different whiskey cocktails, but have also tried different infusions, like sour cherry rum and I make a mean dirty martini.   Is there something that you definitely prefer to not receive in any category (anything to avoid if you hadn't/forgotten to mention)? Other than incense, I can't really think of anything. Heavily scented cleaning products?   Are there patterns/prints (more guidance than general Halloween/Autumn) you like for things or are you open to whatever I may find that speaks to me?  I'm pretty open. I like most of the standard spooky critters - bats, spiders, snakes, black cats, gargoyles. I'd rather have stripes or dots or weenie prints than plaid or paisley, I guess.    Any significant other or other special person? Like if I wanted to send you specialty cocoa for a date night, would that be OK? I am making up the cocoa part, but you get my drift. I do have a husband of 24 years and we still have one kid at home. I'm definitely not opposed to something date night themed, but I'm having a hard time imagining what it might be.    I would love to request folks to to put their wish list in this thread and link in their signature. I would love to decant from my oils if I have any my person is looking for!  My updated and somewhat overwhelming wishlist is here: https://www.bpal.org/topic/127-wishlist/?page=10&tab=comments#comment-273423(also linked in my sig and in the meta blog post)     If you happened to list some favorite fandoms earlier, would you also name your favorite character(s) from those fandoms? See my answers there - I'd covered about half of them already.   Do you have an Amazon link?  Can you post it??  https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1VUCTGTF5088A/ref=cm_wl_search_1 (It's also in the meta swap entry)
if you are a knitter/crocheter, are you over on Ravelry?  If so, what’s your user name there?? I am soooooo not. Sorry.    I make homemade fire ciders, would that be of interest? Non-alcoholic and they are quite fiery.  I admit to being quite curious about this, so sure!   Are you interested in getting other BPAL items besides perfume, like hair gloss, bath oils or T-shirts? Absolutely. I cover a lot of these in my wishlist, but I don't have many of the newer tees, so those could be particularly interesting.    So partner, would you be interested in a Frankenbag done in Halloween prints? That sounds very cool!   Y'all with furbabies... Are there any food allergies/sensitivities or quirks to know about? Nope. Alex will try just about anything once (including my salad the other day...oops).   how do you feel about (ethically sourced) butterfly / moth art (in a jar or shadowbox) I would love that. I have a gorgeous blue morpho shadow box that I got at a butterfly garden years and years ago and love all (well most) colorful insects.    I may have preemptively picked out 2 Halloween-themed mugs with cute matching spoons, before I knew who my match was going to be! So I leave it to you: Bat, or Cat? Bat. But cat is cool too.   If you mentioned aversions to any common Halloween decor items (skeletons, witches, spiders, etc.), how encompassing is that? Specifically, is a "kid friendly" drawing of that same item on a piece of decor (like, a book cover or wrapping paper) still a preferred pass?  I would be fine with incidental depictions of zombies or gore - I just prefer other motifs.
  Would you be interested in receiving a never-used eyeshadow palette from Nororiously Morbid (gothy colors) and/or a never-used eyeshadow palette from Pretty Vulgar (romantic neutrals)? Definitely interested in gothy colors. Not so much neutrals, romantic or otherwise.    I live in Japan. Are you interested in anything specifically Japanese I could get for you here (doesn't necessarily have to be Halloween themed)? For example, are you a fan of the anime Demon Slayer and want merch? Are you interested in trying some fun kit-kat flavors? Do you need a new set of pretty chopsticks? I am ALWAYS interested in fun kit kat flavors. My daughter is really into anime and kawaii right now and is taking some very basic Japanese language classes, so she would be up for anything in that vein.   there is an excellent chance teeturtle will have a sale in time for this swap: anything (particularly tshirts or socks) that appeal? Sizes?  It might be easier to list what I don't want from tee turtle, but I'll try to narrow it down  - for tees, I'm a Womens XL and I really like Spellbound, My Cat is a Flerken, The Headless Unicornsman  Socks, Don't Make Me Hex You, Spooky Kitty    Haus of Gloi Fall Part 1 drops soon, anything here you like?  https://www.hausofgloi.com/blogs/blog/fall-lineup-2021 I love blood orange marshmallow - I'd get the most use out of bubbling scrub or pumpkin butter. Cozy Pumpkin soap sounds good, as do all of the lip balms, especially Brown Sugar Latte.   Could you use a journal or sketchbook?  No thank you. I have so many that need using...   Do you need BPAL storage?  Imps?  Bottles?  No thanks.   Do you wear socks?  What kind?  No show, ankle, knee high, over the knee?  Fibers? As the weather gets colder, I tend to like knee high or calf and big fuzzy ones in the evening. In the transition seasons, I like ankle socks. I tend not to wear them for weeks at a time during the summer. In terms of fiber the only thing I care about is not itchy.    Do you have a favorite candy(ies) [or prepacked individual snacks] that you wouldn't mind filling up your box as packing material? Or teas/coffee blends you'd enjoy? If you prefer none of this, that's fine too!  I'm always up for chocolate and other flavored teas, spice blends and packets, kit kats, pumpkin spice just about anything.   I'm going down the Shore for a few days! Any treats you'd like from a cute beach town- salt water taffy? Fudge? Wrist fans? Tie-dye beach dress...? Fudge! I went to the beach this summer and never got any and then my son went with some friends and didn't get a chance to hit the candy store, so I have a hankering.    How do you feel about fancy marshmallows? I feel all sorts of desire for fancy marshmallows.    We've asked about candy, but let's talk specifically about gummies. Do you like crazy shapes, sweet/sour?  I love the Haribo cola and peach rings. My daughter will eat any that I pass on.   Anything from these Etsy shops?  Kodiak Sea Charms, I like the bracelets and dangly earrings Halloween Hill Studio, These are a little too cutsie for my taste, but the work is great. Grave Markings I love the "Not a Phase" pin, the Pink Snek print and just about everything with the cat skull   What about the Mutter Museum's gift shop? Ooh! Plague Doctor pin, Skeleton Key keychain, Spit Spreads Death mask   I grow mugwort and it's harvest season. Would you like dried leaves for bathing or tea? Or a bound bundle for smoke cleansing? (Its said to be excellent for divination or lucid dreaming, but do not use if pregnant.)  its also a digestive bitter and tastes great on chicken. I'm willing to try anything once - I would probably use for tea or seasoning.   I grow loads of other herbs and I'm drying them now. Any favorites you might like? Mint, basil, oregano, chives, lemon balm or others? I have a store of dried mint, but anything else sounds great!    I grew a huge load of onions and garlic. Any interest? I think I'm set here, thanks.   Feathers? I have geese, ducks, peafowl, chickens and quail. So I collect their shed feathers and share them with people I like. My daughter would love any really unusual feathers (she is very into birds).   I grew a boatload of Green Shiso this year and plan to make a shiso pesto with it. Would you like some? (Nut wise it has pistachios) I love pesto, so would love to try this.    I also plan to experiment with infusing it in vodka. I'm planning a plain shiso infusion and a shiso citrus infusion. If they turn out would you like some? I always want all of the boozy infusions.    Would you be interested in this hand sanitizer dispenser/keychain that doubles as a light (its eyes light up when you press between its eyes!)?  (see photo here) OMG YES I WOULD.   If you're into tabletop games, what games do you already own, and/or what type are you interested in? I would be interested in checking out Unstable Unicorns. Otherwise, I have SO MANY games, I should probably pass.     DO YOU LIKE TRUE CRIME STORIES?  YES I DO!    DO YOU LIKE SEASONAL MAGAZINES ON BAKING AND DECORATING? I do indeed, more baking, like 1001 things to do with pumpkin or Gross Foods to Scare Your Party Guests.   If you are enthused by the idea of receiving coffee, do you want whole bean or ground? AND do you have flavors that you like (or definitely hate and never want again)? We just got a burr grinder, so any unflavored roasts I would prefer whole bean. Any flavors (I would definitely be interested in autumn flavor themed packets) should be ground.    Would you be interested in some very size-inclusive tights? There are Halloween patterns, but also most colours under the sun, and are very comfy. I would, in Halloween patterns, especially bats or spiders.    What about indie chilli sauces/chutneys/jams? What type of chilli/spice level?  Mild to moderate spice level in chutneys and jams would be delightful.   In case anyone else shares a love for adorable tiny plushies, any interest in v soft and cute vegetable/fruit plushies? There are also small animals. Oh yes.    The Polish Pickup/Indie Pickup is live for wishlisting, and will ship in time for this swap (this year). Anything strike your fancy? (It's not just nail polish...there's jewelry and bath scrubs and wax tarts and all manner of things. It's fun!)  https://polishpickup.com/ I am fascinated by the color changing polishes, but cannot even begin to pick one. The cuticle oils could be cool and I love the bat necklace.    Anything here sound good to you? https://gryffonridge.com/ The flavored sugars look good and I have an actual need for Five Spice powder.    Hayden Evens Art has released some new Halloween and Disney-themed prints and stickers.  Do any spark your interest? I do really like these, but I am not sure I have any space for the prints I really love.    So would you hate or be into more miscreant Halloween vibe decor - like wholesome figurines repainted, creepy dolls, goats with horns, (fake) animal skeletons, things in jars? Is anything too dark, morbid, or recoil worthy? This sounds super cool. I love bones and eyeballs and all sorts of creepy remains. Uh...   do you use any sorts of semipermanent dyes or do anything fun/wild to your hair? are there any hair products you like? I am back to having my hair professionally dyed a just barely sorta not really natural deep red/burgundy (keeping my silver streak in the front, natch). My kiddo has played around with different semi-permanent colors, but she seems largely out of that for the time being. Otherwise, if you have a line on some really good color preserving shampoo and conditioner, I mainly use John Freida's color depositing reds, but am not necessarily in love with them. In terms of styling products, I mostly use texture cream or gel to give it a little body and keep the slight wave from becoming too early 80s layer look.     what about skincare? i am pretty into k beauty and am curious if others are interested in any aspects of this. I enjoy sheet masks and have played with some interesting blackhead remedies. I have a regimen from the Ordinary (mostly) that I'm pretty happy with, but am definitely interested in eye creams/rollers for puffy, dark circled eyes and lightweight moisturizers with strong (35+) spf. Very light tinting in either is okay, but I am very pale (like 001/01 kind of pale, so not translucent, mainly because my cheeks are very ruddy).   Cellar Door Bath Supply Co.'s Halloween & Fall collection is out (https://cellardoorbathsupply.com/collections/halloween-fall-collection😞 anything you might be interested in? Ooh, yes! I absolutely love the idea of a collection of soap ends, because while I LOVE me some autumnal soap, I tend to cut down full bars so that I can switch things up. So the opportunity to try a few of these in smaller more manageable sizes sounds fabulous. I'm particularly interested in Autumn Apple Fest, Black No 1, Once Bitten, Pumpkin Chai Latte, Pumpkin Guts, Samhain Hard Cider, Sanderson Spice, and maybe Zombie Repellant, depending on whether the spices are the more forward scent notes (in which case, yes!). Candles in Samhain Hard Cider or Sanderson Spice would not go amiss either.   Regarding tea, what type of tea do you prefer? Black tea, green tea, herbal tea? Any type of tea you really don’t enjoy? I pretty much only drink flavored tea these days, mostly black or herbal. Green tea is pretty hit or miss for me. I also enjoy rooibos and roasted mates.    are you interested in eco-friendly menstrual products? There are some beautiful gothic print reuseable pads I'm looking at specifically. I was all about to say no to this, because I'm just about at the end of this time of my life and I am a big fan of my menstrual cup when I do get the occasional visit, but it occurs to me that if there are lightweight pantyliner style reusable pads, that could be awesome, as because my cycle is so erratic, I've taken to just wearing a pantyliner every day, which is super wasteful. (apologies if this is TMI).   Bath and Body Works? I know this is a bit of a love em or hate em company, but I really love their foaming hand soaps and scented hand sanitizers and my kids like their body wash, so I'll be placing an order with the next good sale. Anything that catches your eye? (I'm obviously set here...)     I'm making homemade applesauce this weekend with apples I picked last weekend. I'm going to try my hand at canning for the first time (got my mom, the experienced canner, on speed dial lol) If I succeed would you like a jar? Absolutely!
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Spring Cleaning 2019!

Updated 4/19/19 Noon   I have A LOT of different types of loose leaf tea.  Would you be happy with some samples decanted into new, sealable bags? Sure thing - I tend to prefer flavored tea to just straight black/green/white, but otherwise, I'm always happy to sample new things!   How about a new laptop/tablet sleeve? It's new and fits up to 11.6" laptops/tablets. No thanks.    Or some vintage vinyl (for the music or for home decoration)?  I really really want to say yes to this, but I know I shouldn't because a) I don't even think I have a working turntable and b) I know I don't have available wall space. So, reluctant no.    Do you need any office-type stuff?  Pens, post its, binder clips, clip board would all be used!   Knitted washcloths, shawl, scarves, etc... I have an actual pressing need for scrubby kitchen washcloths. A shawl in jewel tones, or black and teal or something like that would not go amiss.   Hellboy decants? Honestly, I haven't even looked and I really should. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP.    Would you like small decorative bowls or plates? I have a lot of japanese trinkets and small plateware. Most of it is not dishwasher/microwave safe however. Also do you like chopsticks? I would prefer nothing that is purely decorative, to be honest. I am already hurting for wall and shelf and cabinet space. Fun chopsticks would be cool. Or usable fancy cups and saucers.    Mugs? Regular/Travel/Etc. Please no. My cabinets are already exploding with mugs. I do actually have a need for travel mugs for my morning coffee, but ONLY WITHOUT HANDLES. Not sure why I'm weird about that, but no travel mugs with handles please. Hopefully my Dustpan will feel differently.   If you said you don't really wear makeup, does that mean you hate it and will never wear it or you just don't have it around, but you'd maybe have some fun playing with a good palette if you had one at hand? I think I covered this pretty thoroughly in my original questionnaire, but I actively do not want more palettes or big collections.    Chapstick-like lip balm (unused) - yay or nay? I am pretty set in this arena right now.    What book are you reading right now?  On my Kindle, I'm reading "How Long 'Til Black Future Month", a short story collection from N.K. Jemison. In physical books, I'm reading volume 1 of "Pretty Deadly".    What is the last movie you saw in the theater? Did you like it? Captain Marvel - I loved it. Almost as importantly, so did my 8 year old.   What is one thing you are really looking forward to? My best friend from college is getting married in May and we are using it as an excuse for a get away for my husband and I. Otherwise, planning our summer vacation to San Diego, but that is a long way off.    What is your favorite type of cookie? My own homemade chocolate chip or chewy frosted sugar cookies.    What about nail polish? What types of polish do you like? What colors? Any particular type of nail art? Willing to try new types of nail art? Sparkly bold polish, no neutrals. I would be willing to try nail art, but I don't really do it myself because I'm just not that coordinated.    I will be pruning both of my bay laurel bushes and will dry the leaves for culinary use (stews, casseroles, roasts, Mediterranean recipes). I will have A  LOT, so could you use any? Sure!   Do you mind makeup palettes that have been very lightly tested? (Definitely nothing lip related as that's just not hygienic!) No thank you - not because I mind but because I really don't want any more in my house.   Vintage glass items? Oh goodness. I have to say no to this. I don't want to, but I need to. I would honestly love poison bottles though.     Loose crystals, minerals, or gemstones?    If they are tiny like beads, then no. But larger ones that my youngest could study and identify would be cool. She loves that sort of thing.    Do you have strong feelings about receiving a book from a series that is not the first one in that series? Does it matter to you whether each book can function on its own despite some backward reference?  If the story can stand alone, that is fine. Honestly, I tend to forget a lot of the details that authors pull over between books anyway. If it the kind of series where the narrative picks up hours after the last book and dives into part two of a cliffhanger, I'll probably pass.    - Anyone into men's cologne (non-bpal, think nice department store or designer brands)?   I beg of you please DO NOT send me any non-BPAL perfume. So, er, no thank you!   - Do you like comic books, and, if so, what types? Yes! I go into this pretty extensively in my book info posts. I tend to prefer graphic novels to individual issues because I'm really bad about tracking down the latter, but I love comics as a method of storytelling and would be perfectly happy to have individual issues if that's what you have. On point - I just finished the first volume of Pretty Deadly, just started the second of Y the Last Man and am anxiously awaiting Monstress vol 4 and Bitch Planet vol 3. 
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2009 Reading Analysis

Wow, so, definitely met the standing 100+ books goal with 120 unique books last year. In addition, there were 2 books that I started prior to this year and finished, one that’s part of a mystery series, another non-fiction history of Haitian voodoo. I gave up on 5 books entirely. Of these, 3 were by authors I’ve read before and enjoyed, including one adaptation from a book I enjoyed originally and one sequel. As of Jan. 1, I had 5 books still in progress (note that of the 2 started in 2009, 1 I’ve given up on and 1 is completed, but that’s for a year from now). The 3 remaining are from previous years. Maybe this will be the year I actually plow through Ulysses.   I got pretty haphazard about tracking reading with the boy this year. Ultimately, I just started noting books that I would/have read on my own as well. I’m just not up for keeping track of 40 Scooby Doo chapter books.   As for the rest of the analysis: • 15 of these were rereads, and that doesn’t count that I read 1 book twice. • 83 were books in series of various kinds. • In terms of genre, 39 were fantasy (as defined personally), 37 were YA, 19 sci-fi, 22 involved vampires, werewolves or other staples of urban fantasy (I categorized these differently, because Anita Blake just feels different to me than, say, Mists of Avalon), 11 were mysteries • In terms of form, 5 were short works (usually short stories), 17 were graphic novels and 4 were non-fiction (and 1 of those was a graphic novel) • Looking at authors, only 8 books were written by authors identified as non-white, 26 total were new to me (accounting for roughly 38 books read) and approximately 58 distinct authors represented overall.   Every year I tend to beat myself up for the fact that I read a lot of genre fiction and not a lot of “classics” or books that are generally heralded as books of substance. But screw that. I read for entertainment and what entertains me are stories about vampires and fictional societies where magic exists in some form and dystopic alien worlds and mysteries where I can lose myself for a while. I could whip out my hairshirt about the fact that I don’t really enjoy biographies and non-fiction much outside of humorous pop-cult essays, but really, why bother. I still read more than probably 90% of the population and I’m teaching my kid to value reading for its own sake and am continuing to discover new sub-genres and authors that I thoroughly enjoy. So, go me. Or something like that.
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New Year's Swap 19-20

Updated 11/20/19   Would you like anything from Spireside candles? https://spireside.com/ I'm not really up for candles at this point, but the whipped soaps in Flight of the Pegasus and Beauty Sleep look good. And poking around in the candles, pretty much all of the holiday ones really do sound amazing, especially the Yeti and Jungle Bells and Wizard Ball scents.    Are you interested in anything from Bird and Blend Tea Company? Snowball teabags look delightful. Generally, caffeine free chocolate flavors are my jam.   On the decorating spectrum, do you head more towards classic/stylish or towards cheesy/kitsch? Definitely the latter, but not country kitchy, more geeky/silly.   Fiber artists! (Knitters, weavers, crocheters etc) How would you like to get some nice yarn? No thank you.   Is there any animal you feel a strong connection with? Corgis, tortie cats, bats, dragons, penguins, the owl that lives in my backyard, our ball python   Books - there is a TON of info in my other blog posts and everything I've read in the past 12 years is in Goodreads, so I will send you there.   Cowl or fingerless mitts (these are the only things I'll have time to do.) - if a cowl, do you want something like a double length cowl, or a cowl that looks like a shawl,  a large bulky cowl, or a short tighter type cowl?  (not necessarily these patterns, although if you love the pattern I can do it.  I welcome photos of what you want.) - if fingerless mitts, how long do you like them over the fingers, how far past the wrist, and how large are your hands, wrists, and arms in inches? I would ABSOLUTELY love a double length or shawl-like cowl.   Is merino wool ok or do you have allergies I need to be aware of?  (most of my stash is Merino or a blend of Merino, Cashmere, or Silk.) Marino and blends are fine.     
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13 Nights 2019 Queries

My catalog of answers below [Updated 9-19-19 - I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE THIS WEEKEND]   for those who mentioned Yes to handmade items; what sort of knitted gifts would you love to receive? ie, socks, mittens, hat, cowl etc? Socks or scarfy/cowl/shawl type things are probably most likely to get good use in my life.  And little creatures or fandom items would be awesome as well.    Witch Baby Soap, a favorite of mine, just dropped their Halloween line! Is there anything there you'd like? Body Butters or soaps in Hallowmass, Banshee or Dead Man's Party   Ive been feeling very autumny, and I stumbled across this artist, Camille Chew, on society6...  she has such beautiful Halloween prints! Anyone know of any other autumn/spooky artists?  
I love that bag!! I will update if I think of anything specific.

Would you be interested in any candles, wax melts, lip balms, or jewelry from Sihaya and Company? No thank you to wax melts and candles, but any of the B. Perry #PSLs, lotion, sorbetto or soap in Hocus Pocus or Ember and Mallow, any of the Wizarding lip balms, and the Spiderwebbed and Hummingbird Skull earrings are fabulous.    Anything you'd love from Haus of Gloi? I love their pumpkin butter and bubbling scrubs. In terms of their autumn release, Hex, Blood Orange Marshmallow, Apple Milk, or Pumpkin Peach all sound good!
 
Do you like stuff related to Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead? I love it, but I worry about whether or not it is respectful.   How do you feel about homemade edibles? Do you have a preference for a kind? I.E. cookies, jams, etc, or something savory? Absolutely! I love homemade food goodies. Honestly anything listed is something I would love.    would you like to receive something either Pagan or Vodou in nature? No thank you.   For those of you that appreciate wax melts, are you interested in anything from Zeep's Halloween update (dropping Friday the 13th) or Willow Waxcraft's Falloween update (already released)? No thanks.   Is there anything you would particularly like from Japan? Stationary, bento supplies, a particular snack, etc. Yes! Non-chocolate kit kat flavors, any fun sweets, little adorable toys that my daughter can steal. A fun bento box wouldn't be amiss either.    what's your favourite animal (think, as a pattern on socks, bags, notebooks, etc) ? Bats, cats, owls, ravens, snakes.   Are there any fandoms you’d like to receive items from? If so: are there any favorite characters you’d like to receive items from? Harry Potter (Luna, Ginny and Hedwig are my faves), Star Wars, Dr Who, Wonder Woman, MCU, NMBC   Do you prefer solid soap bars or liquid soap/shower gels? Shower oils? Definitely not oils. I worry too much about slipping and don't usually have time to do more than actually clean myself. I will get the most use out of bar soap, but I also like shower gels and whipped soaps.   Do you own a bath tub and would you like to receive bath products? Sadly no.    What are your feelings about tee turtle tshirts? Any favorites? I LOVE their shirts. I'm an XL womens and I love the Incorgnito and Tortitude shirts. In the Halloween collection, I love the batty reading one and the glow in the dark bunny one.    I might have seen a wallet I think that suits you, but also suits the halloween theme. Would you like to receive a wallet at all? Sure!   Are there any BPAL’s you’re wishing to get your hands on? At this point, anything from this year that sounds like it's my thing would be good.    Would you like a box to hold BPAL or other small items?  What size box?  Imps, a few bottles, a lot of bottles?  I'm set for storage at the moment.   Is there a specific type of socks you prefer?  Wool, cotton, etc.?  No-show, ankle, crew, knee, thigh-high? Cotton or super soft wool, ankle or knee high.   Is there any oddball small thing you need or want but haven't gotten around to buying for yourself? I always need colorful paperclips, sticky notes, ponytail holders for my daughter.    Favorite Monsters Gargoyles, vampires, skeletons   Do you listen to any podcasts? Not really   Do you have any favorite Halloween or scary movies? Nightmare Before Christmas, psychological horror generally, though I don't really watch much anymore.    Are there any crystals or stuff like that, that really resonates with you?  I like jewelry with crystal elements, but nothing on a spiritual level.   Do you drink loose leaf tea? If not, would you be up for drinking loose leaf tea if you had an infuser? I do drink flavored loose leaf tea, especially chocolate or other dessert inspired blends. I am all set for infusers. 
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12 Days of Christmas 2020

PBSW has their Yuletide Winter collection out sans candles (http://paintboxsoapworks.com/new-limited-edition/2020-yuletide-winter-limited-editions/) that are coming soon. Is there anything you'd like? Also any scents you'd like as candles when they come out? I love PBSW soap and sorbetto - Black Twig, Comfort and Joy, Sozzled, White Snow Bright Snow all appeal from the Winter collection. Black Twig seems like it might make a nice candle.   If you like incense what type to you use? Stick/cone/loose? No thank you.   Do you have a favorite animal? Bats, cats, snakes, spiders, lizards, owls, penguins, reindeer antlers on other animals.   Would you like gloves/mittens/scarf/winter hat? No mittens, but any of the others would be lovely.   Loose/bagged tea? I use both, but in all honesty, bags get used more.    Would you be interested in trying out anything from Nocturne Alchemy Lab? No thanks.   Would you like a batch of home-made bath salts? Sadly, no - no bath tub.   Anything catch your eye from Dandelion Chocolate? The cacao fruit jam w/ passionfruit, nougat, bitters, granola   What's a thing you always tell yourself you're going to get just for you but haven't yet? Name one thing under $10 and one thing over $10 Under $10 -  Over $10 -  Oh gods, I'll have to come back to this one.    What's your favorite type of chocolate? (milk, white, dark, with nuts, with fruit, flavored chocolate, etc.) I love milk and white, not dark so much and I love nuts, fruits, flavors.    How do you feel about stationery? (letter sets, stickers, pens, etc.) Pens for sure. I always need post its and interesting note cards.    If you had to pick a favorite flavor (sweet, spicy, sour, savory, salty) what would it be? Can I pick a combo - sweet spicy?   What's one food/flavor that you absolutely hate or dislike strongly? Strong fishy flavors   For the purposes of this swap (not trying to start an international perfume debate), is honey a gourmand note? I love honey and I like gourmand, so not sure it matters. I think it can really be both gourmand and not so much.     Thoughts about lovely bespoke cleansing scrubs a la Sugar Spider (https://sugarspider.shop/) or PBSW sorbets?  I adore them so much I have a monthly sub to Sugar Spider, so no need to enable me there.    How about literary writing gloves? Also love them and am  planning a Storyarts order at the moment because I need all the Christmas Carol things.    Tokidoki, anyone? Other cute kawaii goodness? Plushies, blind boxes, etc? Goodness yes. My daughter and I bond over our love of all things tiny and adorable.     Fun cloth masks? Holiday themed or no? Favorite style?  Sure! My favorite style is accordion fold or shaped a bit, with or without a wire to help with nose fitting  and earloops. The only catch with a holiday theme is that by the time we open there won't be much chance to use it.   Journals or Sketchpads or Sketchbooks - yay or nay? No thank you. I have so many that I just never use. 
Face masks (like the kind that come one to a package? I actually have quite a few that I've never used. I'm definitely not opposed. 
Anything from Sock Dreams?  I do love me some socks, especially with fun designs. I think I have a wishlist in my wishlist blog. 
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Analysis of 2008 Reading

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

So, to start, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't reach 100 books. At some point, I thought I'd counted and was way ahead of 89 - 93 if you count the books I finished in 2007 that I'd started previously, 99, if you count books which I didn't finish in 2007 as well - I can get to 100 if you count the one book I read about 75 pages of then decided to abandon. Although I think I'd still have to go with 99, since I don't think I actually read anything of Ulysses last year.   Braking down the 89 that I read entirely in 2007: * 78 were new to me, 11 were re-reads * 22 were children's/ya books * 6 were graphic novels + a 7th novelization based on a comic series * 3 were non-fiction (2 books of essays, 1 of literary criticism) * 41 were installments of fantasy/sci-fi/historical fantasy series * 35 were by authors which were new to me in 2007 * there are 42 unique authors represented
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12 Days of Christmas 2019

Updated 11/21/19   What are you feelings about chocolate? Not the drink, but the candy. If you like it, what sort? I covered this pretty thoroughly in my questionnaire, but I love chocolate. I prefer milk and white to dark and I love fruit and nuts and other bits in, as well as truffles and other non-bar chocolates.    Do you like animals? Any favourites? And would you like to receive framed animal photo’s?   I do like animals, especially bats, owls, spiders, penguins, snakes, lizards, beetles. I probably would not have a place for a framed photo though.   When it comes to art, would you like to receive printed art? If so: what style? I really don't have wall space.    Any Trader Joe’s goodies you really love? I don't really have any faves. We have them locally, but not conveniently, so I don't go there often.     for those folks who like candles/tarts/incense... what companies/scents do you favorite??  anything/place to strictly stay away from??   This is about the only time of year I burn candles, but I don't really need more. I don't do tarts and please DO NOT send me incense.     If you wear jewelry, what's your style?? I tend to be pretty go big or go home with my jewelry. I like big dangly earrings and chunky necklaces and things with interesting astronomy themes. I do not wear gold or rings or earrings with posts.    Would you like/do you need a smallish sized box I would paint? It could be very small or a little bigger to hold some bpal bottles or similar.  I don't have a specific need, but if something calls to you, I am always happy for more little storage options. I would definitely prefer it not to have dividers or other customization, since I probably will not use it for bottles, but rather for jewelry or other things that are overrunning my dresser.   If I were placing a Tentacle Kitty order, would you want a Little One to hop in the box for you? This is my own question, but I seriously lurve Tentacle Kitty. I am ordering the tortie one for my daughter, but I love the snowflake and santa hat ones in particular.   What are your feelings about fruitcake?  I make little mini-muffin bites with dried fruit that soaks in good quality booze for at least a month, not your average grocery store monstrosity.  I always want to try anyone's fruitcake, so yes please!   Do you care if a book is used or not? Not a bit.   Do you use sugar or honey in your tea/coffee. If you only use one, would you like to try the other? I don't really, but I do like infused or different honey varietals and infused sugars for other purposes.   Do you enjoy nuts? Most of the time I prefer nuts in mixes with other things - fruit, chocolate, that sort of thing or with spices. BUT, my husband LOVES nuts, so he would definitely be happy.   What is your favorite category of candy (ie gummies, chocolates, pure sugar [like nerds or pixie sticks])? Probably chocolates and licorice (the rich black stuff, not fruity, but I also love jelly beans and allsorts). I'm also a fan of sour gummies.    Are you interested in spices, herbs, or blends from Penzeys or similar? I have a lot already, so I'm probably good. If you have a favorite blend from someplace else, I'm definitely game.    You find yourself in IKEA without proper adult supervision. Why do you get kindly escorted out by security and/or make your local evening news? Probably for sleeping on one of the couches covered by those furry white shirling rugs.   How do you feel about bugs? I LOVE BUGS. Especially beetles and butterflies, but generally, I love bugs and bug related things (although maybe not like cricket flour or anything).    
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Shameless Self Promotion

There is no reason why anyone would even read this thing (since it essentially consists of a bunch of lists for my own record keeping), but I've started a real, honest to goodness, ranting about politics/social issues/isisms blog: I'm Just Not Impressed.   Visit?
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2021 Welcome Spring Questions

Updated 2-20-21   is the wishlist in  your signature up to date?? Sort of. I need to catch up on anything post Yule and will try to do that in the next day or two.    Whole bean coffee or ground? Loose tea or bagged? Prefer whole bean coffee, marginally prefer bagged tea for the convenience, but will happily accept either.      What type of "spring" item would you like?  Actual bulbs/seeds for the flowers mentioned?  Artwork depicting said flowers?  Something in that scent?  A baby goat?  I would love to say yes to seeds/bulbs, but I know myself well enough to know that I am terrible with plants. Yes please to baby animals.   I actually love floral food items - bitters, teas, those little pastiles, cookies (I'm planning to try my hand at lavender shortbread this afternoon). I also love ladybugs and butterflies and other insects, so feel free to play with that side of the theme.    Please share your 5 most recently read books! To the goodreads! Bridgerton Collection Vol 1 - Juila Quinn Across the Green Grass Fields - Seanan McGuire The First Battle - Erin Hunter (this is one of the Warrior cats books that I'm reading with my 10 year old) A series of Amazon shorts by Harold Schecter about historical true crime that I'm going to count as 1, even though there are 5 of them Unspeakable Things - Jess Lourey   Please share your most recently read books that you’d rate 5 stars! This is hard since I don't tend to really rate books this way, but here are my top 5 from 2020: The City We Became - N.K. Jemison War for the Oaks - Emma Bull Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi Every Heart a Doorway (and the whole Wayward Children series) - Seanan McGuire A Stitch in Time - Kelley Armstrong   Please share your top 5 books of all time! This is also sort of impossible, so this is more what sort of jumps to my head. The first two are easy because they are books I regularly reread. The others are more broadstrokes things like love (18 months ago, Harry Potter would have been on this list, but I just can't with it anymore. JKR has ruined her creations for me with her closedmindedness and transphobia).  Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman Chalice - Robin McKinley Cainsville series - Kelley Armstrong Best of Ray Bradbury I can't just pick one, so I'm going to just say Charles d'Lint   Regarding hair decorations: Do you prefer bigger items (scrunchies, large hair pins, etc), or smaller items (hair baubles, decorative bobby pins, etc.)? 
No hair decorations for me. My hair is super short and I don't really wear things in it and neither do the longer haired members of my family.    Is there anything you’d like me to know about your hair or skin type? For example: hair clips don’t work on me because my hair is too thin, I prefer creams over lotions because my skin is very dry, etc.  My hair is super short and normally dyed a burgundy that I can mainly get away with because I'm an entertainment lawyer, so people like a little artistic flair. I don't really need anything hair or skincare wise, although I do enjoy sheet masks for oily/combination skin or "brightening" formulas because I'm in my mid-40s. For body lotion, just about anything is fine.    I live in Japan. There are a lot of fun snacks here, from the “normal” (flavored kitkats, rice crackers, fun jelly pouches, etc.) to the “weird” (pickled plum flavored candy, seaweed snacks, dried squid/fish, etc.). The current seasonal kitkats are ume (Japanese plum), peach parfait, passion fruit, and matcha tiramisu (along with the standards of matcha, raspberry, and hojicha). Do any of these things sound good to you? I have a mad mad passion for Japanese kitkats - any of the seasonal varieties sound amazing (passion fruit, peach and plum are some of my favorite flavors in general). I'm not a huge fan of the plain matcha. We actually get a monthly box of various Japanese snacks and other than the kit kats, I particularly love just about anything pastry-like.    Astrological info: Gemini sun, Sagittarius moon, Leo rising - years and years ago, Jarvenpa read my chart here.   How do you feel about insects?  As noted above, I definitely think about the return of our small arthropod friends as part of the joy (and sometimes annoyance) of spring.    Would you be interested in clothing, like a tee shirt or otherwise depicting something spring-like? If so, sizing? Sure - I tend to be an XL and prefer more fitted "womens/girly" style tees. Generally I tend to like darker colors and geeky prints, but something like a detailed anatomical flower or insect drawing could be very cool.   I've started experimenting with different shortbread combinations - would you be interested in sharing in some of my experiments? If so, would you prefer plain shortbread, or flavors?  This is my question, but I'm definitely here for just about all the baked goods, especially fruity and floral, for spring.   Favourite colour palettes for accessories/clothes/homewear? Black, grey, purple, green, peacock blue - basically jewel tones.   Favourite fruit/veg Papaya, cherries, peaches, blackberries, generally stone fruit and berries in spring, tomatoes, cauliflower, corn, potatoes, okra, beans. I actually have oral allergy syndrome, so I cannot eat raw apple skin, celery or cucumber skin.    Are you interested in any of the following?    Rose Petal Liqueur Vanilla Lavender Liqueur Peach Jam Ginger Peach Butter Star Anise Plum Jam Candied Jalapenos   ALL OF THEM, OMG. Especially interested in the liquors, ginger peach butter, star anise anything and candied jalapenos.  So all of them.   Are you a crafter of fiber, and if so, would you like any kind of yarn or roving?  No thank you. Fiber craft and I do not get along.   I have some extra drop spindles, are you interested in one?  No thank you.    Would you like any knitted goodies like a spring shawlette, hat, or fingerless mitts?   A shawlette or fingerless mitts would be delightful!   For snacks - am actually in the UK, not sure if there's anything special here that US board members would be interested in? I generally love British sweets, especially Cadbury bars, custard cremes, tea cakes, and the like.    Do you appreciate socks?  What kind of fibers?  No-show, ankle, crew, knee-high, over the knee?   I love fun socks with cute designs - ankle/crew socks would be best for spring. Pretty open on fiber so long as they are not wool.    Would you appreciate a spring-themed mask? What kind?   Absolutely - I prefer around the ear. 
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BPALentines 2022

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

Updated 11/4/21   Haus of Gloi yule update:  I'd love to try Mama’s Porridge, Spruce Tip Shortbread and Winter Divinity in bubbling scrub, whipped soap or pumpkin butter; all of the lip balms also look good    PBSW's Yule Update: I LOVE Christmas Morning Riot (would get the most use out of hot process soap), Comfort and Joy, Poinsettia, The Golden Orb (sorbetto or soap sample sizes)    Sugar Spider:  I have a big stockpile from last year's Candy Cluster, so I'm good.    Solstice Scents: Not really my bag   Any interest in any of the following in a krampus theme? + Tee (sizing?) Absolutely, women's XL (Relaxed fit if that's an option) + mask - YES PLEASE!!! + jewelry (necklace?  Earrings? ) - Sure - earrings, necklace or a charm bracelet would all be fun +socks - definitely! Love fun socks, prefer calf length or knee highs   Krampus style -  Stocking color - really dark, almost black green and red Style - cat, cute, demonic in that order    What is something you can't get where you live that you wish some nice person who lives somewhere else would send you? Trying to think of anything - generally speaking, I love any kind of regional sweets, Asia specific Tokidoki?   Perfect Krampus Scent - Smoldering red musk, fir tree switches, and dark chocolate "coal"   Jingle bells on earrings - please no, that sounds like a sensory nightmare right next to my ears. Bells in other places are fine.   Fruitcake - I LOVE trying other people's fruitcake, but homemade only, please.    Fudge - I love Holly's penuche with pecans, I'd love to try the chocolate mint. The forest fruits is super good too.    Cellar Door - I might like the Krampus Nacht in a candle, but not so much a soap. Holiday Hearth and  White Pine Wonderland would also be fabulous. I would enjoy soaps in Bad Santa, Frost Bite, Frozen Lakeshore, Gumdrop Forest, Jingle Juice, Merry Michigan, Snowy Morning, and Your Nutty Family - maybe some soap ends?
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12 Days of Christmas 2021!

Updated 11-24-21 am   Is there anything you forgot to put on your Qs you wish you had? I cannot think of anything, but will be sure to note in the thread if I do! ACTUALLY, did I note that I love marzipan? Well, I do love marzipan.   If you were down with knitted or crocheted items: do you prefer a wearable or amigarumi? If wearable, is there something you’d really like? If amigarumi anything you love? I am good with both - I would probably most love either handwarmers or a shawl in terms of wearables or washable socks. I love amigarumi - especially little critters in creepy animals (Skyelyric sent me an adorable little raven for the Halloween swap). Kitties, bats, spiders, snakes, gargoyles, owls, dragons would all be awesome. Or wee fictional Star Wars or Marvel characters would be cool.      Teeturtle is having one of their megasales - any tshirts, or whatever, that strike your fancy? Size/fit? Stealing my answer from the Halloween swap -  It might be easier to list what I don't want from tee turtle, but I'll try to narrow it down  - for tees, I'm a Womens XL and I really like Spellbound, My Cat is a Flerken, The Headless Unicornsman  Socks, Don't Make Me Hex You, Spooky Kitty  In terms of others, I love Statler and Waldorf & Look Santa off the top of my head. (I have the holiday porgs setting fire to things and the candy cane dragon already along with a bunch of others). I kind of have a tee turtle problem.    What is the best book you've read recently? I'm honestly having a hard time answering my own question because I have been reading a lot of really escapist mysteries and fantasy lately, none of which has been particularly good, but has been cheaply entertaining. I have so much bookish info available, though that maybe this isn't really vital or me to answer?   What are some examples of decorations you would enjoy? I'm always down for ornaments and fairy lights, dish towels, little animal figures in santa hats.   Is there any kind of accessory or product you'd want for your hair? Not really. My hair is super short and I don't really use accessories or products other than volumizing gel that I like.    What is your jewelry style? Generally go big or go home. Honestly, that's kind of my style generally. If I'm going to put any effort in, I don't really see the point in subtlety.    Are you interested in fandom themed items based on the movies/shows you're into? For sure - useful items, like mugs or waterbottles or clothing are particularly great. Or lego type kits.    Are you interested in spicy sauces/jams etc? Absolutely!   Are you interested in Thai snacks? e.g. Thai brand crisps, wafer roll type things, savoury small crackers Sure!   I make light-weight yarn-and-silk-ribbon hair falls. Would you be interested in getting some? Possibly? If they can work with super short bright burgundy hair.   What are your favorite animals or mythical creatures? Kitties, bats, spiders, snakes, gargoyles, owls, dragons     I actively support Defenders of Wildlife and am curious if any of these would be of interest?   https://gifts.defenders.org/wildlife-adoptions?price=20-30  Sure! I love penguins, owls, otters and sea turtles especially.  Honestly,  I'd be more down with a donation and a crafty critter or drawing. Unless there's some mechanism to track "my" adoptee, I don't need a certificate and photo and would just as soon everything go to the animals.    I'm candying citrus peel this year. Oranges, mostly. Is that something you would like? Chocolate dipped? What about homemade caramel sauce?
Enthusiasticly on board with candied citrus in all forms.  Caramel sauce would not go amiss, but probably be used less.   Do you like adult coloring books at all and if so do any of the ones from this store strike your fancy? I want to say yes,  but should say no, as I have a bunch already. Including for my fandoms.   how do you feel about solid perfumes? I'm almost exclusively a BPAL wearer, so unless you're making your own,, it's probably not my thing. When I've tried them,, I can never figure out how to apply them effectively.    Is there anything in particular you'd want from the UK? All the sweets? Clotted cream isn't going to ship well. Mince pies.   Are you ok with paper books at all? Sure, especially if it means you can send gently used copies or graphic novels.   Do you already have expansion packs for your fave card games? Not sure I have favorite card games listed. I'd love CAH kids edition tho.   Are you interested in perfume samples/decants, or only full sizes? For BPAL, either.   Are you interested in oracle decks? I'm not opposed.   How about wax melts? No thanks.   Reindeer, are you interested in a muscle rub that is similar to icy hot but is homemade by us (cayenne pepper, menthol, wintergreen, beeswax, olive oil, herbs, etc.) ? If so, CBD version or no CBD version?  I said no to the CBD version in another thread, but this might be a good chance to try that?     How about some home grown organic cat nip? sure!   How do you feel about fruit infused sugar/syrup? I have epic amounts of both, due to my candying this year. I have lemon, citron, orange and cherry.  yes please! All sound lovely,  especially cherry!   How do you feel about candied quince?  intrigued        
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13 Nights 2022 Q&A

Updated 9/10 5:30pm   1.  Would you like anything from Paintbox Soapworks Halloween line? https://paintboxsoapworks.com/new-limited-edition/2022-weenie-collection/ Normally I would, but nothing is grabbing me this year.    2.  Do you have any interest in Halloween or spooky squishmallows? Sure! It will inevitably live in my kid's room with the Devil Corgi we got a year or two ago.    3.  Anything from Bath & Bodyworks Halloween Line? I just placed an order a week ago, but I would definitely be interested in candle in my preferred scents - especially anything with a cider vibe.   4.  Autumn/Fall scents I love:  Pretty sure I addressed this, but I love pumpkin and apple cider scents, spices, and boozy scents.  Ones I dislike:  I don't really care for leaves or moss or incense. My lovelies, what about you?  Are they different for home vs body & bath??  I definitely will go a little more earthy in candles.    5.  I make things from old sweaters. If I were to make you a set of arm warmers/ fingerless mitts, what color(s) & style? Options- Long or short? Solid - one fabric Stripes- bands of colors sewn together- like fun black & red, black & purple etc.  I currently have some nice cashmeres. I would definitely be more interested in stripes or patterns in my favorite colors. Either long or short would be lovely.    6.  I'm going to Disneyworld in late September! I'll be going to all four parks and attending both the Not-So-Scary Halloween Bash and Epcot's Food and Wine Festival. Is there ANYTHING from Disney that you would like? Is there something you collect that perhaps you'd enjoy a Disney version of (tea, socks, enamel pins, plushies etc etc etc)???    I would definitely be interested in Haunted Mansion or spooky Muppets or Villains merch - pins, plushies, socks all sound great. Tea is fascinating.

7.  I make lightweight, doll-like hairfalls out of things like silk ribbon and yarn. Would you like some, either to incorporate into your costume or just for personal year-round use? If so, name your colors, length and any fibers you could have an allergy to. I love this idea but my hair is super short and I don't really have any occasion to wear them.    8.  I am going to Dragon Con for the first time! Which of these BPALs do you want? https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=50266fc02a3b75767125e0ed2&id=9bf4d797e8 I am ordering a bunch, but I'd love decants of  Chrome Peaches Pomegranate Peach Martini Peach Absinthe Peach, Coconut Cream, Marshmallow, and Nougat Ridiculously Sexy Peach Peach Milk Peach Kissed Daddy by Effy   9.  Would you be interested in a bag like we sell in our etsy shop?    https://twinklentwilight.etsy.com - if so, but you don't see fabric you like maybe link to some photos of fabric you like? - we can do small box bags or pencil / cosmetic / notions type bags too.  or with a drawstring on top instead of a zipper. - you don't HAVE to use them just for knitting/crochet, you can use them for cross stitch or even not as project bags. I love the cat and bat prints, but already have my amazing Black Widow one.   10.  If you are a yarnie, are you interested in a ceramic yarn bowl?  I have an extra Harry Potter (I know, I know) one from Lennymud that I bought before the whole JKR debacle and it didn't profit her in any form anyway.  I believe it's Gryffindor themed. I am so NOT a yarnie.    11.  If you are a yarnie, I'd love to gift some yarn from my stash so give me an idea of colors / weight / material / yardage you'd like.   Same. 12.  Are you interested in trying some of our "thunder butter"?  It's like tiger balm or icy hot, but with herbs, beeswax, cayenne or ghost pepper, menthol, wintergreen.  cbd version or no? Absolutely. I've never tried CBD, so might be interested in that, actually.   13.  I need to inventory our canned goods but do you like things like peach jam, cardamom plum jam, peach butter, plum butter, pickles, applesauce with nothing added, applesauce with red hots, dried apples or pears, bread and butter pickles, dill pickles, blackberry jam, huckleberry jam, candied jalapenos?   You know I am. ALL OF IT. 14.  Any interest in things from our garden like dried mint, catnip, lavender, rose petals, dill weed or dill seeds, sage, rue, mugwort, rosemary? Dried mint and catmint would be fabulous. Ooh, and rose petals.    15.  How about alcoholic things like rose petal liqueur, lavender vanilla bean liqueur, various flavors of mead (chocolate orange, strawberry mango, whatever my son is making)? I would especially love to try the mead, since I've not had it before and I adore mead.    16.  Pumpkin bread or zucchini bread?  How about blueberry zucchini bread with a lemon glaze?   Goodness yes. the blueberry zucchini with lemon glaze sounds incredible.    17.  How do you feel about raisin in baked goods? I am definitely not opposed.    18.  Lego? If so, what types, minifigures? I am always up for minifigs, especially the mystery bags. I'd love more Muppets ones and the new series coming out this fall.    19.  Favorite spooky fictional characters? Generally, I tend to like vampires more than werewolves, don't really like zombies. In terms of specific characters, NMBC...weirdly drawing a total blank on specific characters.    20.  Luvmilk's seasonal goodies are out.  What would you like?   https://www.luvmilk.com/mm2022.html#/ It looks like everything is sold out and I am so confused.   21.  Would you like a Pyrex 4-cup Nightmare Before Christmas bowl with lid?   (Can also get Star Wars and various Disney ones.) Sure! I have the cat/bat one already and have some on my wishlist.    22.  August Tea's fall sale starts tomorrow, 20% off everything on the site with code FALL20.  Is there anything you would like to try, my Pumpkin?  https://august.la/ I listed a bunch in my Summer Sprite answers. Honestly, I'd probably prefer something more specifically autumn.   23.  I grow lots of different herbs and I'm dehydrating loads of them right now, are you possibly interested in: catnip, sage (culinary and/or purple), oregano (Greek and/or purple), rosemary, plantain herb, chives, celery, licorice mint, lovage leaf, mugwort, mint, spearmint, chives, borage leaf, blackberry leaf, raspberry leaf, comfrey, lemon balm, or others?  Catnip, licorice mint, other mints all sound good.   24.  My peacock is molting his tail feathers, would you like some? I have a bunch from a previous swap.   25.  I'm learning embroidery. Is there a simple motif or symbol (like a pumpkin, a black cat, flowers, spider web…) you might like hand embroidered? Spider web, bats, black cat all sound lovely.    26.   Would you like either a basket or a tablemat (that works as a place to put hot dishes as well as being decorative). I make both from fabric wrapped rope that is sewn together.  Could be a bread/rolls basket, a yarn bowl for knitting or crochet, or a big flat mat. A bread basket could be neat.    27.  I'm taking a trip to New Orleans, anything you'd like food or souvenir-wise?  Chicory coffee? Bignet mix?   28.  Are your booklists linked somewhere, and up to date? 
My goodreads is totally up to date and there's a bunch of books on my Amazon wishlist.    29.  Do you have fur kids and would they like treats as well??   My kitty girl would love treats and catnip. She doesn't really do toys.   30. Do you have any interest in trying my infused moonshine whiskey? I've been thinking of experimenting with autumn spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) and maybe a chocolate chai.  This is my own question, but I am ALWAYS interested in trying your boozy experiments. ALWAYS.   31. Any interest in spooky shape wax melts in your favorite candle scents? (What are your favorite candle scents?) No thank you on wax melts. I do find myself actively craving a spicy-boozy apple cider candle.   32. How about lotion bars? I've never really tried them, but would definitely be interested.   33. Bird and Blend tea just did their Autumn drop! Anything look good to you? https://www.birdandblendtea.us  (Also, if you're not a pumpkin person, I invite you to check out the rest of their offerings, which are always exceptional!)    I am absolutely fascinated by the sticky chais, especially the mulled cider and pumpkin. Really, the entire Halloween line looks fab.   34.  Do you need any BPAL storage?  Bottles?  Imps? Not really, but thank you!   35.  Does anything catch your eye from my local tea purveyors? https://www.fridaytea.com/ (I hope they make more Womb of Doom soon!) or https://perennialtearoom.com/ All of the fall seasonals from Friday Tea look lovely, generally anything that is some combination of fruity/boozy/chocolatey/spicy   36.  Can you use a mug?  What kind/size do you like? I shouldn't, but if you see something that just screams me, especially if it is relevant to one of my fandoms or favorite spooky animals. I like BIG mugs for coffee or travel mugs without handles.    37.  One of my favorite Etsy chandlers is having a sale, anything catch your feathery fancy?  https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeresaLynnsSimpleLux Mulled Cider, Apple cider donut, Poisoned Apple, Witches Brew...you get the idea.   38. If I were ordering some marmalade or other jammy things, would you be interested in any of the following?  Orange Marmalade, Blood Orange Marmalade, or whole fruit jams in strawberry, peach, current, or triple berry? Again, my question, but I am always up for marmalade or pretty much any fruity jam.    40.  For decor what general Halloween style is preferred? Traditional, cute spooky, dark and gothic, horror, etc? More descriptive the better!! I think I covered this in my original questionnaire, but I definitely like dark/gothic, traditional in the sense of spooky Victoriana, skulls and the like. Nothing too cutesy or explicit horror on either end and no country pumpkin sort of stuff. 41.  (please read in thread as it's rather long)  Are you interested in anything from Solstice Scents? https://www.solsticescents.com No thanks.     
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Krampusnacht 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

Em-

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