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2010 SW Q&A of DOOM

9/8/10 Do you have a special symbol or totem that is meaningful to you? The Queen of Swords Do you need a box for your bpal bottles? Your imps? Your something else to put in a box stuff? A travel imp case would be nice - something rigid & leak-proof, preferably If you could be any person, being, or animal from Fantasy what or who would you be? If you could go back to any point in time, where, when, why? Favorite Halloween Candy/Treat? Candy corn! Once a year I eat an entire 2-pound bag in one sitting. It is just as gross as it sounds...   9/7/10 Socks? Sock Dreams? Anyone? YES PLZ. What is something you use to comfort yourself when feeling yucky, depressed, or in pain? A cup of tea, some time on the front porch with a book, a walk in the woods. Favorite Halloween/Scary movies/books Ray Bradbury! I am pining for a copy of Something Wicked This Way Comes... What would the name of your custom blend be? The description? COMIC BOOKS. Do you read them? Are there any series you like, or some you would like to try? I read some - fairly fussy about what I like... Warm drinks? Oh yes - tea, coffee, hot milk, you name it   9/6/10 When you go to an etsy wishlist, it will tell you what things are sold. If you click on the sold item, sometimes it will give options that are similar to what was sold, but not identical, would you like the similar item or prefer not to get it at all unless it's the same item? How picky are you? In most cases, a similar item would be wonderful... Do you wear make up? Minimal. Eyeliner nearly every day, lip stain & concealer for fancy. Disney movies, Yay or Nay, and favourites if you do like them? Meh. Do you have A VCR, DVD Player or Blue Ray or a combo of the three? DVD, but we're trying to get a VHS for all our old tapes. Would you like custom icons as a gift? Sure   9/5/10 What is your favourite snack food, something you could grab any time? Cheese, bread & apples Ebooks EVIL. Nail Polish: Not much of a fan... Soft/plushy things: Awash in them. No more, please. I beg you. What hobby/craft would you like to learn how to do? I'd love to get back to learning how to knit... For those who decorate for Halloween, do you prefer cute decorations or creepy ones?: Classic, vintage. Also, as part of the cute-or-creepy question, would you want hand made, molded, glazed (by yours truly!) ceramic decorations (napkin rings, potporri/tart warmers, etc) to add to your stock? Erm. No thank you? how do you feel about mortars and pestles Could really use one, actually... Is there anything you have a phobia of, or that would make you go "squick" if you saw it in a package? Mass amounts of cat hair   9/4/10 Are you into Austen's books? As in Jane? She's alright... Prefer Hemingway. Do you read Tarot cards? If not, would you be interested? Once upon a time... a new Rider-Waite might be nice. So for those of you who are into Harry Potter at all, which house do you think you'd be sorted into? Ravenclaw. Brainy but safe. What, if anything, is your guilty TV watching pleasure? Oh geez. Uh... Firefly? If you cosplay or need a costume for your bellydance/burlesque hobby (or any other hobby which needs dressup/different from your normal wear), is there anything you need/want for it? I dream of getting to play steampunk someday, but that's not happening any time soon... Celebrity crush?: Clive Owen, Jack White Knitted things?: Yay! Natural materials, plz. What about [mixed or otherwise] DVDs? The what now? DVDs: Do you prefer widescreen or formatted? Widescreen - je suis une snob. Music: Any preference towards MP3 or CD? Either way... Do you like scented tarts? No, thanks. Lip balms? Sure - just mild/herbal flavors, please, nothing sticky sweet/foody. Do you have any body mods? If so, do you need any new jewelry, o-rings, plugs, etc (and if so, what size, length, etc)? Do you like pro-body mod stickers? Going for 18g in my ears sometime this fall. Booze. Do you drink it, would you like some Love it, want it, State of Pennsylvania says nuhuh. What is your favorite artist or art style? (including if you have links to favorite pictures/paintings/photographs) Jules Breton, Song of the Lark; O'Keefe & Steiglitz; wood-block prints; ukiyo-e     9/03/10 Hallowe'en plans? Porch-sitting while DH & Tiny C do the neighborhood rounds. Maybe a bottle of hard cider hidden in my robes Mix CDs? Yes please! Girlyness level? Meh. I wear skirts, cute socks & girl-cut tops, but I don't shave anything, don't own a blow dryer & abhor being in large groups of women O_o   9/02/10 Baked goods: Yes please! Gifts for other household members: A little something for DH & Tiny C would make their day - they get a bit moony when all the packages are just for me Are you someone who'd rather have lots of small testers of different things on your wishlist, or would you rather have one or two "big" things? Testers! I have fickle taste & can make an imp last 20-30 wears - partial decants are perfect. social networking usernames, ie twitter, facebook, livejournal, ravelry, anything else: would you like to receive Groupons or similar deals/gift certificates from your Witch? Honestly, we don't do chain shops/restaurants at all... How about tshirt/bottoms sizes? Top - XXL, pref V-neck Bottom - 18-ish   9/12:   Marzipan for the MFing WIN   I have an ancient Dell pod that I rarely use - I am much more likely to listen to CDs & vinyl. On rotation right now:   Janelle Monae - Archandroid Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers REM - Murmur Various Neil Young albums The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldier   Not much on the vampire lit/filmage - give me wizards & elves any day.   9/13:   Homemade preserves? Yes please! Bonus points for chutney, fruit butters & the esoteric old-fashioned fruits (gooseberries, elderflower, damson plums, rhubarb)...   Vintage decor? We are trying to be low-clutter, but small Arts & Crafts-era/inspired bits are always adored - ceramic tiles with trivet feet, bookends, tea towels, magnets, tiny prints, etc.   Not so much on the journals/notebooks, but pretty blank/thank you cards are awesome.   How do you all feel about flowers and plants? Flower and plant seeds? Drawings of flowers or plants? Pressed flowers? Yes, yes & yes again! I am a botany dork.   I love homemade stuff, even the wobbly/wonky/not-quite-how-you-wanted-it-to-look   Do you like maple sugar candy? Gods, YES. I make it last forever, via a highly ritualized method of consumption. I'm an only child, yes.   If you are a tea-drinker do you need a tea-cozie for your pot? I have one I made years ago, but it's decidedly... floral. I shall add some more suitable options to my Etsy list!   Go to your spice cabinet, what are the three most used spices? Nutmeg, ginger, dill weed (honorable mentions for oregano, curry, cumin, bay leaves... OK, stopping now. My spice drawer is fairly epic. I lovelovelove new/whole spices, BTW...) Are you a foodie? You need to ask? Yes. Yes, I am.
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Shotgun SW Q&A

What is everyone's take on Valentine's Day? I abhorred it all through school - fabulous, a day specifically designed to publicly humiliate & destroy the unpopular I sent black Valentines one year in HS, all bitter pithy quotes & dead flowers   My first husband's total obliviousness to the holiday is what oddly made me give a rat's about it - it's a gimme, fer chrissakes, you can't go ten feet without some kind of reminder/idea, and he totally whiffed it. Came home 4 hours late from work, empty-handed, looked blankly at the nice dinner I'd made & said, "Oh. I already ate at BK."   When I started seeing now-DH, I told him straight-out, I don't need anything ridiculous, but please, at least get me some flowers & a card so I don't feel totally overlooked. We don't do much, but we do try to go out for a nice dinner at some point around the day. I refuse to go out ON V-Day, having worked fine dining for too long - it's a miserable, overcrowded, over-priced experience, and no one in the kitchen is having much fun...   Valentine's colors? in terms of clothing/accessories/decor, I like a nice, washed-out poppy red, or a deep scarlet, that's about it. Unless we're talking real flowers - then I'm a sucker for blowsy pinks Peonies especially, the huge white ones with the blush of pink in the center, but the hot magenta ones are awesome, too. A Favorite love poem?   We do like Neruda, especially The Sea & the Bells...   What's everyone's favorite semi-obscure (or underappreciated!) animal?   Naked mole rats! (Watch Errol Morris' Fast, Cheap & Out of Control for a primer) Also, hedgehogs, Inca terns, bats, & slugs. I actually have a pet slug right now - a tiny one I found in the lettuce we got at market. I have him in a jar with a lettuce leaf & a damp paper towel. His name is Steve What is your favorite sign that spring is coming?   Oh, so many! Geese overhead, robins in the garden, big fat buds on the trees, snowdrops pushing through the leaves, seed catalogs in the mail, the smell of damp earth...   Knitted things? I'm well-set on nearly all things cozy, but I would die of happiness for a Felicity... Love story?   While I do admit to getting sucked into the likes of The English Patient, my soft spot is for the more When Harry Met Sally-type stories - the friends oblivious to what everyone else can see, the disastrous attempts to find love elsewhere, the gut-punch moment when they realize The One has been sitting next to them the whole damn time... so, basically, how J & I got together   I like the love-not-spoken stories, too... My favorite elements in Gosford Park are Maceachran & Parks' confidences, quiet exchanges & near-clinches (doesn't hurt it's Clive Owen), and then their quiet parting. In theory, you know they'll never see each other again, but Parks is the sort of man who would re-appear out of nowhere years later to make good on what was hinted at...   Naughty bits?   Oooer. We have a precocious 3.75-year-old in the house, so nothing too... memorable. I do like me some Hydra-Smooth...   Pet toys? No pets, but I do feed the birds regularly. Suet cakes, a sock feeder, anything like that would be lovely....   Who on the thread likes attending Ren Faires, SciFi/Comic Cons & the like? And do you dress up for them? Once upon a time, I was all over this. I was costume mistress for our HS drama department, which included costuming for the Shakespeare troop... But now? Meh... If I had all the time in the world, I'd give steampunk cons a go, but it's not really in the cards right now. Do you need any accessories for your phone, computer, mp3 player, etc.? Erm... I could really use a fun mouse pad!   Gently Used CDs/DVDs? Preferred, actually!   First five songs on the "Top 25 Most Played" list on iPod No iPod, so here's what's been on heavy rotation in the house/car as of late:   Skinny Love - Bon Iver My Car is Haunted - Royal Bangs Home - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros Convinced of the Hex - Flaming Lips Icky Thump - White Stripes Freeway - Kurt Vile Red Dress - TV on the Radio White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes Chicago - Sufjan Stevens I'm Not Looking for a New England - Billy Bragg Too Nice to Talk To - The (English) Beat Interested in receiving gifts representative of Witch's country or culture? Yes yes yes please!   What about UNTOUCHED make-up samples or any other type of girly-sample thing? Don't wear much at all, but a nice lip-stain is always good...   WoW Nope! Mix CDs Sure!   Favourite candy Anything caramel, esp Goetze's caramel creams/CowTails aroused.gif   Plush microbes No more critters, plz!   Kitchen Gadgetry A new OXO peeler, would be great - I stole ours for soap trimming   Mardi Gras Can take it or leave it...   What about handmade sewn gifts? Any fabrics you wish to/need to avoid due to allergies, etc? Yes, please! Would you like new nail polish? If so, what colors are you craving? Never paint my nails Do you like incense and/or scented candles, and are you able to burn them in your home? If so, what kinds of scents do you like? Overrun with incense, but some bamboo charcoal would be AWESOME.   Boxes? For Bpal (bottles and/or imps) or otherwise. All set, thanks!   Would you use a natural sea sponge? No, but thank you. So, what is this unobtainable miracle your Witch found? My witch last round found it - a copy of The Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken   Would you like some of my favourite recipes? Yesyesyes!   Do you like alcoholic beverages? If so, what is your preference (beer, wine, liquor...)? And finally, is it legal to ship alcohol to your state? I do, but PA has draconian alcohol laws - can't get any shipped here   Are you into steampunk? Not hard-core, but yeah, I appreciate the aesthetic...   Would you like or accept an energetically-charged item or gift? Something that had power poured into it? If so, do you have a particular purpose that you'd prefer? (Love, protection, money, etc.) Oh yes. Something to aid in new business ventures/financial fecundity would be well-timed, indeed   Do you have any significant upcoming events in your life you'd like something for? A child/yourself graduating from high school/college? Are you buying a new home or car soon? Moving in with someone/getting married? Taking a new job? Moving to a new part of the country/world? I may well be solely self-employed in a few weeks - whether I like it or not. Part of me is thrilled, but... well. See the above request.   How are we feeling about Burlesque? I don't mind a bit of shimmy now & then   Win some earrings? No holes in these lobes, thanks   I custom mix nail polish, a process called 'frankening'. If you were my witch, would you enjoy a custom 'franken', based on whatever colors/theme you chose? Oooo, yeah! I'd wear something weird & metallic....   Since everyone is spending the same amount of money on this swap, would you be interested in seeing the cost breakdown of each item in your package? No, unless you were particularly cunning.   What color are your eyes? Dark brown/green/grey If you had to choose a color for a nightie to sleep in what color would it be? I sleep nekkid   What's your favourite flower? Oh man. Not fair. Cut flower? Freesias. Potted plant? My Red Cross & burgundy oxalis. Garden plant? Too many to pick a top favorite - I love bleeding heart, columbine, crocuses, narcissus, peonies, grape hyacinth, lobelia, harebells... if you can imagine it in an English garden, I'm probably a fan. If you like tea, what are your favorite kinds? Unflavored black, primarily - I like a good malty Assam, but Ceylon & Assam blends are lovely. I also ADORE Harney & Son's Yellow & Blue herbal tea, but it's so damn spendy I rarely get it. Absolutely no rooibos please   Hogwarts house? Gryffindor all the way.   Space, the final frontier? We are big Star Wars fans, & I do like Star Trek, as well. Not a big astronomy buff, but stars is purdy.   Favorite animals? Birds. Birds. Birds. Sheep. Birds. Are there any languages or countries that you're really interested in? I'd really like to get back to my Welsh some day, as useless as it is... Japan, Scandinavia, New Zealand & Tibet are on my life-list...   If you could be in any fictional universe, what would it be? ***DORK ALERT! DORK ALERT!*** Tolkien's Middle Earth. Yeah, I know. But I'd want to be one of the Rohirrim, or a Hobbit. None of that nancy Elven crap.   Do you like gardening,growing vegetables, house plants? Need any small tools, seeds, labels? Oh heavens, yes! We have a big veg plot we share with the neighbors - any heirloom tomato/bean/melon/lettuce/herb seeds are welcome, as are plant markers, tomato ties & the like...
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Rocktober SW Random Q&A

Comics/graphic novels? I don't read many, but favorites that I own are Watchmen, Hopeless Savages (Hm, I seem to be missing Vols 2 & 3...), Blue Monday (missing Vol 4), Geisha, and everything Marjane Satrapi has written   Haunt? Not so much from the update (maybe the Verdigris mask...), but I am dying to try her soaps... esp Linden Flower, Beeswax & Buttermilk, Bulgarian Lavender...   Home-made goodies? Psh, YEAH! Watch me say no!   If you had a machine that could take you to an alternate dimension that you could control or would like, what would be in it, who would be there, and how long would you stay? We'd have 7 acres of rolling farmland near the ocean, with a nice snug house & a flock of sheep for shearing & milking. DH's asthma & allergies would be GONE. Tiny C could run & play in the fields & woods without fear, and DH & I could support ourselves comfortably doing what we love (I'd sell artisan cheese, wool & soap, and freelance bake on the side; DH would collect & sell vinyl & antiquarian books & do some woodworking & be an adjunct at the local college). All our favorite friends (M & J, E & B, J & R, and C & E) would all live nearby, instead of being scattered across the country. DH's mom would find peace; my folks would know how to properly install a car seat
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9/25-29 SW Random Questions

What are your thoughts on Incense? Love it, but we have loads... BUT. I am desperate for some bamboo charcoal to burn a huge bag of frankincense I was gifted ages ago. Not the SwiftLight, the good bamboo kind (low smoke, no lighter fluid).... What about handbags/totes/clutches? I don't carry a purse, but I do have a small bag on my Etsy favorites that would be perfect for the days I do need to carry more than will fit in my pockets Are there any particular movies you want on DVD? Ooooo. Tough one. We are awash in our enormous DVD collection, but I bet I could find a few titles to add to my Amazon list... What about stickers?? I'm not a hoarder, but I do like them. Bonus points for sushi/truck/kawaii themed ones that I can tuck in Tiny C's lunch bag Do you just need anything from the Possets update? I've tried several Possets, and am decidedly meh about them. No thank you.   Suppose I have a bottle of something you (my witchee) really wants, and I want to share it with you. Would you like a rollerball bottle made from oil in my own bottle in it? I'd love it in something other than a rollerball - I have such bad luck with them, it seems....   Do you use henna at all (hair or skin)? No, but I'm thinking I need a bit of color in my hair - something to turn my ever-developing grey streak into something fun   Do you want anything from the Arcana update? I have a bottle of Holy Terror already, and Guy Fawkes is the only other scent the catches my eye...   Alpaca goods? MMMMM. I have a lovely rug beside my bed, woven from alpaca - it is wonderful! Yarn would be lovely...   Are there any languages other than English that you love? Would you like any books, music, movies, or other gifts in that language? I took Welsh back in college, and remember so little... maybe some children's books in Welsh?   Are you an Formula 1 fan and will you like a F1 lanyard (& the pass)? Nononononono. File this under things I would never want to get...   I enjoy taking blank esssay-type notebooks and decorating them for journals. Would my witchee be interested? Or would anyone like one for their own witchee (color/decor suggestions taken gladly) I don't have much time for rumination, but I would certainly never turn down artwork by a fellow forumite!
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9/23 & 24 SW Random Questions

WKAP scents? Meh - too much blood, too many foody/icky florals... Though I will say, Leaf-Strewn Couch might be worth a sniff at some point   How do you feel about stationary? (pens, notepads, cards, pencils, etc.) Yes please! I don't write many full-on letters, but blank cards & postcards are always appreciated. I am a sucker for a good liquid-ink pen, extra-fine point, and my collection of GellyRoll pens are all giving up the ghost at once - black, deep green/burgundy/purple, grey, weird muddy colors, please! I'm also looking for an "L" wax seal for my folks' bed & breakfast... does no one carry these anymore?!   Switch Witches, which shoes do you own that are your favorite? What are your "daily drivers"? I have worn holes in my Harley-Davidson boots - I can't begin to calculate how many miles I've put into those things... This summer, it's been some Lands End sport flats I got on supersale - not inspiring, but way comfy. Just sprung for a pair of SoftSpots, but I long for a pair of Fluevogs... oh hello....   If you could describe yourself in 5 words, what would they be? Deeply rooted, yet endlessly searching.   Who collects ACEOs/ATCs? I don't collect them, but a unique bit of art will always be appreciated What tarot card do you most identify with? Hrm. Depends on the day/week/month... In the Major Arcana, The Star was once my go-to card, but I'm feeling The Sun & The Empress more these days. The Swords as a whole are very important to me - they come up very regularly, and invariably have Something Important to say. There was a shop in Evanston that had a glorious mural of the Queen of Swords - it really spoke to me...   What are you and your family's feelings on: peanut butter, chocolate and caramel? YES.   What are your thoughts on Halloween decorations? I like a little festivity, but Halloween is DH's most hated of holidays... We compromise with lots of mums, pumpkins, gourds, and a token string of jack-o-lantern lights on the porch.   Do you like Celtic things? (Clothes, jewelry, pictures ect.) Within reason... I'm the first generation of my family born outside the British Isles, and we have deep roots in Wales & northern England. The usual "bookstore" Celtic stuff doesn't much appeal (Tshirts, pewter dragons, Celtic Thunder DVDs, you get the idea), and most Celtic music leaves me lukewarm (sorry, Wwindy! )... but our son adores bagpipes, so a good chest-thumping CD of pipes & drums would be lovely.   Would you like more contact from your witch? (I‘m talking particularly about e-mail) My witch has sent me a few lovely emails... but I confess: I am deeply envious of the string of e-card IGIs   Can you receive flowers at your address? Would you prefer food or a plant instead? Oh yes! I never get flowers! Would you mind vintage clothes? It's really, really hard for me to find vintage clothing that fits   What about 2010 Wall calenders? Or 2010 journals or appointment diaries? What subject? Ooh, yes! I'll put a few ideas on my Amazon list...
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Random Questions MAJOR KETCHUP :P

(Gads, I don't log in for a few days & looks what happens! I'm going to hit the highlights, dearest Witchy, but do let me know if there's a specific question you'd like me to answer...) Are there any musicals you love? I loathe musicals with nearly every fiber in my body. I am English. We do not burst into song willynilly. Notable exceptions: Tommy, Dancer in the Dark.   How broad are your musical tastes? How deep is the ocean? How high is the sky? The only genres I avoid as a rule are the ones you're likely to hear on mainstream radio (candy pop, over-produced R&B, scream-O, New Country). Our extensive collection of vinyl & CDs ranges from hard-bop jazz to cello concertos to alt country to Brit rap to triphop to indie rock of all shapes & sizes...   Talismans/familiars? Birds, of all shapes & sizes!   Would a "gift" donation to one of the organizations/causes you support be a great gift, or a lame gift? It would be lovely - anything that supports sustainable agriculture, especially... (Heifer Project)   Yankee Candle? Dark Candles? Big Dipper Wax Works? Honestly, I really like the smell of plain beeswax candles, and real bayberry candles. Scented ones don't get much action around here...   Which of the seven deadly sins is most likely to be your undoing? Gluttony & sloth are neck & neck...   Who is musically inclined? What instruments (voice counts) do you play? Would you enjoy sheet music? I barely play, but I adore the cello. I played the violin in school, because they said my hands were too small for the cello. When I grew up & moved to Chicago, I treated myself to a rental cello for 6 months, and taught myself a bit. I miss it, and hope to get back to it someday...   How do you feel about clothing/accessories made from animals? Anti-fur, leather, shells, etc.? Does even faux wig you out? Leather, wool & shells are fine, but furry stuff squicks me out slightly...   You're given the opportunity to apprentice at any trade (or craft) of your choosing for the period of one year. Your mentor may be any currently living person. Which field of study would you choose, and who would be your mentor? Oh crap. Too many to choose! I'm going to go with sheep dairying & shearing - something I really hope to do someday. We had sheep when I was little, and I did some husbandry in college, but it would be wonderful to apprentice with a farm up in Vermont/Maine/upstate NY & learn it fully...   How do you deal with stress? What's your favorite way to unwind? When I'm completely fried, I go over to my folks' place & indulge in a stinking hot bath in their huge clawfoot. Holiday Stress Relief bath oil is requisite, as is a huge cup of tea & a new issue of Saveur/Donna Hay or a Bradbury book...   Do you like Villainess soaps? What are your favorite scents? I loooove Pyromania soap, but I have 6 bars of it No more, please!   are you into 80s movies (like i am icon_biggrin.gif) if so, which are your favorites and who are your favorite characters? Oh John Hughes! We named our son after Ferris Bueller's best friend.   What are your favorite fruits? Raspberries, mangoes, litchees, blackberries, black currants, gooseberries... nyom! What is one thing you constantly keep with you that you constantly loose? Not mine, per se, but our son's water bottles are constantly wandering off. I want one of those cup holders for him that you stick in the window groove...   Are you a Miyazaki fan? Do you have all the films you like, or is your collection missing one? Is there any merchandise you want? YES! I don't do much anime, but Miyazaki gets me every time... My Neighbor Totoro is on heavy rotation, as is Ponyo. I am a sucker for the soot sprites from Spirited Away & Jiji, Kiki's cat...   Do you wear lip gloss/lip balm? If so, what flavors/scents? I'm a plain Burt's Bees girl - no funny flavors, please! Just herby/minty...   What is your favorite cookie type? Plain digestives! I rarely get them, but could eat them by the case...   Do you like to find out there's a package on the way or to receive a tracking number to stalk, or do you prefer surprise packages? Both are fabulous - if it's a big, important package, a DC number would be nice... Do you drink alcohol? Wine, beer or liquor? What is your favorite wine/beer/mixed drink? Yes - not often or in large amounts, but I know what I like: Maker's Mark bourbon, Hendrick's gin, Sauvignon/Fume Blanc, Viognier, New Glarus beers, London Pride, Red Stripe. Not much for mixed drinks - I like to taste the base liquor.   Beets? Roasted? Oh yes. Pickled? Meh.   if i were your witch, and i wanted to make you a spell or mojo bag, would you be into that? and, if you were, would you want it for something like love, prosperity or luck? or would you want it for a certain element? or would you want it for something more personal- and what might that be? Something akin to Beth's Absolution bag (TAL) would be wonderful - I still fret over things I did & said when I was twelve! Something for business success or to help me stay a grounded & compassionate mother would be lovely, too.   Would you object to annonomous postcards (real ones) from your witch before the big reveal??? This would MAKE MY DAY. I love intrigue & subterfuge!   Do you collect new/used stamps? Will you like to get stamps on your mails? We've ended up with J's childhood collection, and are adding to it for our son - new, used, as longs as they're cool, we'll happily add them to the collection
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9/15 SW Random Questions

What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend?   If your witch were to either write something for you or put together a collection of ghost stories, would you rather have it in writing, recorded as an oral telling, or both?   For the crafty people out there: would you prefer something crafted or crafting supplies? At the moment, supplies - esp soap-making (I have a wishlist at Bramble Berry). The only exception would be a knitted slouch hat like so - I have yet to get my knitting to the point where I'd even attempt this, but one in a muddy brown/green/burgundy/grey wool blend would be so nice for fall!   Any songs you are desperately into at the moment? REM's Cuyahoga Sigur Ros's Gobbledigook Feist's Sea Lion White Rabbits' We Done Wrong/They Done Wrong   Can you use pill boxes, a hard ID case, coin purse, etc? A tin pillbox would be great - big enough for a pair of earplugs & a few ibuprofen... two things I often find myself wishing for when I'm far from home   Would you like to receive something of this nature (sweet diva boxes) from your witch? I'm such a fussypants about what's in my bath & body products, and I don't have pierced ears, so no, thank you.   What mythical or fantastic race of creatures (dragons, unicorns, griffins, elves, dwarves, faeries, etc.) do you most identify with, and why? Ents! Shepherds of the forest, slow to move, but if you finally do succeed in making me mad, watch out!   How do you feel about Dia de los Muertos? Are you interested in sugar skulls? Catrina (or other) skeleton figurines? Not a big touch point for me, really.   Do you have a favorite poem or poet? The Owl & the Pussycat Also a Pablo Neruda fan.   Super villain or vigilante? Vigilante. I like to think I'm a badass, but I'm really a goodygoody at heart...
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9/13 Sw Random Questions

Oh hai Witchy! You are a saint for wading through all this self-indulgent prattle...   Who are your favorite artists/illustrators/art periods? I am a sucker for Japanese block prints, ukiyo-e - Hiroshige and Hokusai, anything involving the sea, snow or rain... I love botanical prints, and old advertising posters - especially Chicago/Columbian Exposition & railway travel posters like this.   My favorite painting, I think, is Breton's The Song of the Lark. When we lived in Chicago & had an Institute membership, I would go to the museum just to visit it. It's much bigger than the link really captures - big enough to get lost in. I love the light, the colors, that look of rapt attention, how the girl is completely transported, however briefly, away from work & hardship by the liquid twitter of the lark... I also adore the book, for what it's worth   Cranberries? Oh yes. In all shapes, sizes & formats!   Do you mind receiving used (in good condition, of course) CDs or DVDs? As long as it's playable, I actually prefer used - the bulk of our extensive collection of music & movies is second-hand.   Do you have a crush on anyone famous? Do you have a crush on any literary characters? Would you like fanfiction or fan art based on this/these people? Not a big fan fic/art person, thanks. But, since you asked, a Christian Bale/Clive Owen sandwich with a kilted Ewan McGregor on the side, plz.   You're at home, or out, and you want a snack. Something that will get you through to the next meal, or through to the end of school or what ever. What do you grab? Home: cheese, grapes, bread/crackers, or a bowl of pretzels & whatever dried fruit I have floating around... Out & about: drinkable yoghurts, Clif bars... Road tripping: Pizza-flavored Combos, peanut-butter M&Ms   Do you have a favorite BPAL bottle art? Chrysanthemum Moon has always been one of my favorites, and Tamamo-no-mae. I like the simplicity of the 2006 Yules, as well.   Is there ONE scent that you are just dying for from the Halloween update? TATTIE BOGLE. It may well smell like utter fail on me, but the association with my childhood is too strong to not at least try to find it...   Are there any decants from the Halloweenies, Literary Vampires, Gris Grimly, or Hellboy that you would be interested in receiving? I have a few Weenies on my wishlist, yes...   What's autumn like in your neck of the woods? What do you love and/or hate about it? Autumn in PA is actually pretty nice - it's a long, slow slide into winter, unlike Chicago (2 weeks between tropical heat & bone-chilling cold). We live in a part of the state that does a lot of harvest festivals, corn mazes, pick-your-own apples, and the like. We're just on the edge of the Appalachian foothills, so there are lots of nice rolling hills that showcase the changing leaves - if we get a sudden cold snap, the colors really pop. The weather fluctuates a lot, so I'll have both my wooly socks and my floaty summer skirts in rotation for a while. I love when the nights get chilly - lots of folks have backyard firepits/chimenias around here, and there's nothing like the smell of maple wood smoke   Trader Joe's? I'm more of a Treasure Island kind of girl... anyone?   Any Amy Brown art fans? Cute, but ultimately not quite my style...   How do you feel about Halloween music? (mix CDs, what have you) Gads, no. I worked FAR too long in retail to enjoy seasonal music, as a whole.   Who else is reeeeeally looking forward to Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? I am conflicted. The promo pictures look freakishly over-processed - I hope it's not that garishly CG... Now, Where the Wild Things Are, on the other hand...   Is there a store that you love which does not have a location near you (but that has a physical presence somewhere, not just online? Why do you love it so much? Cost Plus/World Market! Imported goodies, pick-your-own 6-packs, really interesting Christmas decorations, no-brainer last-minute gifts... Mitsuwa, Patel Brothers, all the great ethnic stores in Chicago...   If you're caught in front of the tv, what are you watching? Very unlikely, but on the rare chance I get the TV to myself, it's very likely LotR - either the movie or the Making Of documentaries. Yeah. Dork Alert!   Lolcats....yeah or nay? Yay! Not a rabid fan, but they are a welcome laugh during the workday...   What is your favorite creepy folk story or legend?   If your witch were to either write something for you or put together a collection of ghost stories, would you rather have it in writing, recorded as an oral telling, or both?
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SW Random Questions 9/12

Could you use a 'travel' imp case? How many should it hold? What, people use something besides old film canisters? We don't travel much, but sure, something to hold 8-10 imps would be nice.... What fictional character do you most identify with and why? Count me in the hobbit brigade More Frodo than any of the rest - he always was considered a bit queer... Restaurants you'd like a gift certificate to on Restaurant.com? We are utter FAIL at using GCs before they expire, so no, thank you.   What kind of socks? Oh yes. Long (to the knee or longer), natural fibers, deep jewel/earth tones. I fantasy shop at SockDreams all the time - I have a few pairs (incl 2 Dreamies) but covet more. Wish they had a wishlist feature... Pairs that routinely make it into my cart but never get purchased: Leg Warmers w/Brass Snaps in Black E.G. Smith Leg Therapy Solids tights in Moss & Burgundy Woolissimo Tights in Tall - Charcoal Uma Striped Over the Knee Diamond Rib Knee Highs in Charcoal, Black Currant   As a witchee, would you prefer to have many little packages sent to you throughout the round with a not-so-big final package or fewer things throughout the round with one HUGE final package to seal the sweetness? I love delayed gratification, but a small something out of the blue would make my day - so, a bit of both   What is your idea of the perfect evening at home? I really miss the long cozy nights we had before C was born - we'd cook dinner together, DH & I, and settle in afterwards to watch a long movie or play RISK or read together or just putz. Now it's me in the kitchen while DH entertains C, we eat & spend some time with him before the bedtime routine begins. By the time he's asleep, I'm beat & not good or more than 20 minutes of hanging out with DH   Are you on any social networks (MySpace, Twitter, LJ, Facebook, Bebo, etc)? If so, make with the links! Are you open to new friends? I'm on facebook, and if you friend me, I'll respond in kind.   Cute/kawaii? I'm kinda with yewberry on this - I love to look at it, and send it to friends, but really have limited use for it in my own life. A token sheet of stickers or a badge would be fine, but a whole box of Hello Kitty would make me   How often do you update your wishlist? Fairly faithfully - once a week, or when I have a swap/sale arranged...   May I help you fill out your costuming wardrobe (assuming you costume)? Are there articles you are seeking to enhance your a) Halloween costume, icon_cool.gif Renfest attire, c) Cosplay, d) Steampunk accouterment? Not much for dress-up anymore, thanks. I used to do costuming back in high school, so anything I need, I usually cobble together myself.
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SW Random Questions 9/11

Who has a birthday falling in this round?just out of curiosity Not me, but my wedding anniversary's the 21st   For those of us who like chocolate, do you like anything /in/ your chocolate, like fruit, nuts, or for the more daring among us, chilies? I'll take my chocolate just about any way you can make it, as long as it's real (no waxy crap). I am not, however, fond of whole peanuts - peanut butter is WIN, whole peanut chunks are feh. I freely admit to wanting to try chocolate-covered bacon   Are there any childhood shows/movies/games/books/etc. that still hold a really special place in your heart? Who remembers the Wonderworks series on PBS? I watched it every week without fail... same with Reading Rainbow. In terms of books, I still have my childhood Flower Fairie books, my Famous Fives, Wrinkle in Time/Wind in the Door/Swiftly Tilting Planet & my LotR box set They are hideously out of print, but I pine for the Barbapapa books - esp the New House one... Barbaplastique!   Do you have any objections to receiving downloads? Is your internet connection fast enough for you to download large files like music easily? Are there any songs, albums, movies, or TV shows that you can't find/haven't been released that you want? We have NetFlix, and DH is a music junkie, so there's not much out there that we can't find I don't download much of anything, and wouldn't want to do it illegally. Blue Ray? Nope - we're limping along on a cheap DVD player, and mourning the demise of our VHS player. Our TV is so old (How old is it?!) we can't have everything plugged in the back at once - we have a converter box & have to swap out the plugs if we want regular reception (all 3 channels), DVD or Wii. Claaaaaassy.   What's something you're really looking forward to in the semi-near future? Oh baby. Three days & two nights at a swank B&B outside of Ithaca. Just me, the DH & an enormous bath tub. No endless toddler bed time shenanigans, no reading Thomas the Tank Engine ad nauseum, no tiny person squirming his ice cold feet into my crotch at 6 in the morning Good food, hiking the gorges, mooching around the Commons... I love my son, but we are in desperate need of a recharge.
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SW Random Questions 9/10

What's your favorite pain-relief remedy or ritual? Depends on the kind of pain.... I don't mess around with headaches - left alone they blossom into migraines - so it's 2 ibuprofen & a huge glass of water at the first hint. If I'm going to bed, I slather Grr or Pain on my hands, too. I've had deep leg aches since I was wee, and my DH has the most fabulous treatment. I lie on my back on the bed, and he takes the feather duvet & mummifies me He wraps each leg up nice & tight, & wedges the rest of the duvet tight around my hips & torso. Within 2 minutes, the heat build-up is amazing, like a good dry sauna. I stay like that for about 20 minutes, and the pain just melts away. DH, he is the genius   Do sounds make you happy? What ambient noises make you smile? I am reminded of Amelie's friend who likes the sound of her cat's bowl on the tile floor... I adore sounds, and briefly used my mP3 player to record snippets of ambient sounds when I lived in Chicago. My favorites: the rain on the roof outside my bedroom window, the slap of Swiss buttercream coming together in the mixer, my bench scraper scraping across my butcher block counter, the blurp of a good sponge fermenting, the tiny chip-chips of the baby cardinals, the raspy rattle of the wrens, the wind in the huge maple tree next door, the bass thump of ocean waves...   When you receive your SW packages...do you like receiving things that are individually wrapped inside? or unwrapped? or both? In general, I like prolonging the excitement, so individual wrapping is awesome That said, there's something to be said for minimizing packaging - I think ideally, a few wrapped things & just some reusable fabric/tissue tucked around the rest...   Of course, we're all going to be grateful no matter what our witches give us, but for the record, what is your anti-present? Tell us something that you think your future witch might give you that you absolutely, unequivocally DO. NOT. WANT. A big, showy, gaudy, glue-gunned, totally impractical thing that in no way takes into account the likes & dislikes I've so carefully documented here For me, personally, there are few things worse than getting a gift that looks like it was meant for someone else. I received so many of these as an adolescent, when friends & family were obviously trying to nudge me back into the realm of conventional young-woman-hood. I would happily go without a gift completely rather than relive that heartache.   Oh Witchy, I sound like such a bitch.   What BPAL scent have you never tried but always wanted to? What scent have you tried and LOVED, and haven't been able to get more of and why? Actually, I've been really, really lucky in terms of BPAL rares. The few I've tried & fallen in love with have been reasonably easy to come by or have been lavishly gifted to me by some truly amazing forumites The only one I'm really wibbling for more of is Hermes Trimegistus. I've been wanting to try Sagittarius '07 for ages, and it keeps evading me... a sniffie would do it, really! Found it!   I know we're all scent sensitive here. What are your favorite non-perfume smells? Day in the life stuff? The cool morning air this time of year, fresh-cut grass, wet sidewalks, the top of my son's head (it smells like hay in the sunshine - how does he DO that?!), baking bread, coffee brewing, clean cotton sheets, my wool jumpers that I keep packed in a cabinet scented with Templum Victoriae, the ocean...   Coffee drinkers, what types of beans to you like? Kona, Sumatra, Kenya..etc. How do you like them roasted? Do you like flavors, such as hazelnut, vanilla, etc. in your coffee? Nonononono flavored beans, please! I'm partial to medium-dark roasts - deep but the beans should still be oily brown, not burned black. Recent favorites: Kenya, Ethiopia, SE Asia blends... We get Peace Coffee at the farmer's market every week (usually Yeti Cold Press or Blue Ox, but the Mexican Bird Mountain was surprisingly good), and treat ourselves to a Metropolis order once or twice a year (their Kenya is incredible, even for a light roast, and we stalk the site for Samba & Dulce blends...). I've always wanted to try roasting our own, Ethiopian style, so good green beans would be welcome, too!   There has been a lot of talk about chocolate, but none about Candy! What is your favorite Candy? What candy do you hate? Caramels & toffee top the list - any kind, anywhere, esp Goetze's bulls eyes!
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SW Random Questions 9/9

How do you take your coffee (or tea)? Black or with cream and/or sugar? Coffee: 2 scoops of demarara sugar & a slosh of fat-free half & half   Tea: skim milk, no sugar. Absolutely no cream, no half & half (that's not why they call it a cream tea, people!), but I'll take 2% in a pinch.   Do you believe we control our destiny, or does our destiny control us? A bit of both. I firmly believe that we get back in life what we put out into the world, so in that respect we can shape our experiences. That said, I have no doubt that our paths are at times immovable - there are things that we are meant to do, places we are meant to go, and no amount of thrashing around will change that We might be able to put it off for a few days/weeks/years, but inevitably we will tread the path meant for us. We can fight it & be miserable, or embrace it & be at peace. There are times when both approaches are warranted.   What one thing that is missing from your life would you like to have above all else? Ooof. Wow, Bard. This is hard. Really, really hard. I am generally an optimistic & happy soul, but for as long as I can remember, I have held a deep sense of loss. There is a small but howling hole that is wailing for... something. And I will be damned if I know what that something is. Sometimes I think it is tied to having been born outside the UK, where all of my family is from. It's that kind of unmoored, displaced, misunderstood ennui... I have yet to find a place that I really feel I belong.   Yow. Who knew SW would double as therapy?   What's your favorite dessert treat? Ice cream? Cake? Pie? Fudge brownie cake with pie flavored ice cream on top? Ha. You ask this of a pastry chef? If we're talking *Real Dessert* (as opposed to Sweet Thing I Could Snarf Down with a Cup of Tea, or A Slice of Something to Chase the Diner Dinner), I tend to go with tarts & composite desserts... I like a good balance between sweet & tart/bitter, creamy & crisp, & anything with really dark chocolate, rhubarb, elderflower, blackberries, dried fruit, ginger or cacao nibs catches my eye. One of my favorite desserts that I used to do was a warm pear & frangipane tart with a scoop of nutmeg gelato, a scattering of Sauternes gelee & a gilded pear chip - cakey, fruity, crumbly, creamy, crisp with bursts of boozey gelatine   In your perfect world it is chocolate and...? Salt. Dark, milk, white chocolate, it's all thrown into high relief by just a few flakes of good sea salt. Runners-up include Vietnamese cinnamon, black pepper, roses, curry, lavender, and peanut butter for when I'm feeling particularly pre-menstrual   How do you scent your home Tarts, reed diffusers, BPAL, candles? We don't do much, due to DH's asthma, but I use an oil burner & BPTP sprays in my office. We do use copal & sage/cedar incense in the rest of the house when the weather's damp, just to chase away the Old House Funk.   Secret power? My real one or my fantasy one? My real superpower is remembering faces & minute details about people. I am the one who recognizes all the bit actors in a given movie & what you were wearing last Thursday. Just don't ask me to remember names!   My fantasy power would be superhuman strength - I wanna be like Mr Incredible!   For the tea and coffee drinkers: Opinion on tea- and/or coffee-related accessories/etc? (Teaware, sugar crystals, infusers, tea chests, etc) I could use a nice over-the-cup strainer - mine is really utilitarian. A cool, retro modern sugar bowl might be nice, something like this, maybe.   If I send you whole spices or coffee beans, would you be able to grind them or would you prefer them preground for your convenience? Whole bean coffee always! Most spices I use fast enough that ground is fine, but I am partial to whole nutmeg, cinnamon & cardamon...   If you do any kind of craft, could you use supplies? What kind? knitting needles, yarn, amazing fabric, pinking shears, cool thimbles or pincushins, jewelery making supplies, beads, etc.? I am a Crazy Crafter - I do a bit of just about everything. I looooove Japanese fabrics, so fat quarters are always fun. I have a few craft books on my Amazon list that'd be swell.
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SW Random Questions 9/8

What was your favouritest job ever, and why? That's an easy one - executive pastry chef for a little fine dining place in Wicker Park, Chicago. I made my own hours, had nearly full control over the dessert menu, had a quiet & wholly supportive executive chef, a band of grossly inappropriate & deeply loyal prep & line guys, and a wait staff who took an active & passionate interest in food. The basement kitchen sucked a bit, and the owners were ultimately a right pair of bastards, but if I wanted something, I ordered it. If I wanted to put something on the menu, I did it. I was constantly changing the menu according to the seasons & my whims, and I got some spectacular feedback from the customers. At the time I was petulant about not being "recognized" by the Chicago food community, but now I have the wisdom to see how that was ultimately a blessing - if we'd blown up in popularity, I couldn't have kept that micro approach, I'd have had to streamline & that would have meant a lot less of the fun parts. My feet burned constantly, I had no health insurance, I worked every New Year's Eve & Valentine's Day, but I was deeply happy.   Which three albums would you take to your apocalypse bolt hole and how would you power the generator? Rachel's Systems & Layers, Pixie's Dolittle, and Duke Ellington & John Coltrane's Impulse collaboration. I'd rig a gyroscope to my belt & run a wire to the generator - I am not one of these people who can sit still when good music is playing   What GC scent have you been putting off getting since it'll "always be there"? Until recently, Aunt Caroline's Joy Mojo - I'd keep getting frimps of it here & there, so I never thought to get a bottle. Times have changed, though, and when I next have BPAL money to spend there'll be bottles of ACJM & TKO first in the cart.   Are you interested in things like home remedies for ailments, cleaning solutions, etc.? I'm a wealth of folk knowledge already, but bring them on! We're trying to go green as much as possible.
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SW Random Questions 9/7

An anonymous benefactor gives you $500 (or an equivalent amount of money in your currency of choice) with the following stipulations. You must spend all of it within a week: any money left unspent must be returned. You must spend at least half of the money on yourself. You may not use it to pay off debts or bills of any kind. What do you do with the money?   Duct tape purses and wallets and things are pretty darned cool. Who else thinks so? I don't carry either, so yeah, they're cool, but not for me   Are you an avid reader? What's your favorite book/series? Oh books. Once upon a time when I had a 45-minute train commute each way, I inhaled books. Nowadays, I'm lucky to have 15 minutes a day to read for myself - and it's usually cooking magazines & parenting articles I miss reading desperately, and long for the day when my life slows down enough to allow it again. I try to read Tolkien every year, and am frequently going back over my old Ray Bradbury. Andrea Barrett's Voyage of the Narwhal & Ship Fever, and Sena Naslund's Ahab's Wife have been some books that have blown me away in recent years.   Any cooks? Could you use anything cooking related? Aprons? Cookbooks? Measuring Cups? Recipes? Herb/Spice containers? Fancy Spices? Dish Towels? Cocktail napkins? Amazing Beaded Pot Holders? (like from our very own Pottersville! ) Something else? Oh yeah. I'm a trained pastry chef, and worked the food industry for nearly 20 years. I do free-lance baking & catering from my home now, and have a few much-needed tools on my Amazon wish list. My two aprons are unflattering & utilitarian - I'd love something with a bit more style but that's still functional (a big front pocket for herbs snipped in the garden, no frills/ruffles to drag through fresh buttercream, machine-washable). I love proper British tea towels - the flat cotton/linen weave, not the terrycloth kind. ETA: Oo. Tiny C has been demanding a packed lunch nearly every day. He looooves sushi, and I have been eyeing some egg & rice molds to jazz things up, as well as some of the kawaii bento books. Some tiny cookie cutters in car/truck/plane shapes would be superawesome, too...   Who likes coloring books? I love Dover Publications, esp anything botanical or historic...
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SW Random questions 9/5 & 6

Describe your ideal picnic lunch. Where would you go? Who (if anyone, and yes there can be multiple people) would accompany you? What sort of food would you take? And, of course, if a picnic lunch sounds like a horrible idea, feel free to say so! Oo. Can I have two? The first would be DH & Tiny C & our friends M & J & their little guy & C & E & their three girls - a big kid-friendly picnic. We'd find a grassy area overlooking a nice sandy beach - it'd be a New England summer day, not too hot. The food would be straight out of Donna Hay - pressed loaf sandwiches, bahn mi, grape leaves, pasties, brioche pockets, raspberry coconut slice, a big jar of lemonade, G&Ts for the big people. There would be kites & coloring books & digging in the sand, and shoes would be forbidden. We'd spread out on old cotton quilts & watch the birds sail overhead...   The second would be also on the beach, but at dusk, with a pit fire. In attendance: Tom Waits, Georgia O'Keefe, Kate Winslet, & a bunch of goofy indie rock boys. Tom & Georgia would get intensely drunk & sit around the fire thrashing out The Artist's Way. The boys would be off in the distance cavorting & doing stupid boy tricks. And Kate & I would get tipsy & cuddly & lie with our heads together & look at the stars & talk like we were 14...   Do you like pinup art/images? Not a rabid fan, but I do appreciate some artful curves   Who are your BPAL forum buddies? You know, people I could conspire with to Witch you! Hoo boy. You'd have MORE than willing accomplices in zankoku_zen, Wwindy, Apple & ifinena. They are all deliciously evil & I love them   What are your plans for Halloween? Have you made any yet? Do you have any traditions? Once I get John the Baptist's head on its way We'll get Tiny C dressed up, and he & DH will make the neighborhood rounds with the rest of the kids & dads - we moms sit on the porches & dole out candy. I demand a song or dance from the older kids! Some of the offerings are pretty entertaining   You're in the kitchen at the end of a pay period and groceries are pretty scarce. Do you take the five ingredients you find first and make something fabulous, or do you order take out? Depends on time, mood & what I've got. We've ordered sushi faaar too often recently. I am the queen of making something out of nothing, though.   If you could decorate/redecorate any 1 room in your home, what would it be and how would you decorate it? The bathroom - it needs a complete gutting, down to the studs, so it's a long-term project. When we finally re-do it, I WILL have a decent bath tub. A clawfoot would be lovely, but I'd settle for a nice deep cast iron & enamel inset tub. I'd love to put in original tile, too - something in jade/verdigris green, with gingko or oak leaves. I love those really heavy wood ice-box-style medicine cabinets - big & square with a beveled mirror... A square sink on chrome legs, a corner shelf for wall storage, and a small wood bench with a box for towels under the seat.   Not that I've thought this out, or anything   Any rabid sports fans out there? What teams do you root for? DH quietly helped me fall in love with baseball, and I am a White Sox fan, do or die. I'll watch rugby, footie, cricket... just don't ask me the rules   What's your favorite animal? (You can have more than one.) BIRDS. Especially impossibly tiny songbirds. Wrens are my absolute favorite, but I also love chickadees, English robins, nuthatches, warblers, barn swallows... I am a nerdy birdie DH & Tiny C are both partial to penguins. This is how the world ends... zombie apocalypse, robot uprising, alien invasion, return of the elder gods... which doomsday scenario do you prefer (or make your own!)?   In the year 2525... if man is still alive... what sort of future do you imagine? (apologies to anyone who gets that song stuck in their head!)   Do you believe in magic (or magick, if you prefer)? What does it mean to you?   If you found the puzzle box from Hellraiser, what would you do with it? ( and would you be able to resist playing with it? icon_cool.gif ) Er, whut?   What's your favorite candy to stock up on at Halloween? I can eat my weight in candy corn. The classic stuff, not the abomination known as Indian corn. And not the pumpkins - there's something not right in the texture... Anything peanut butter + chocolate isn't safe from me, either.   What is your favourite flower (or plant)? Oh man. Not fair. Cut flower? Freesias. Potted plant? My Red Cross & burgundy oxalis. Garden plant? Too many to pick a top favorite - I love bleeding heart, columbine, crocuses, narcissus, peonies, grape hyacinth, lobelia, harebells... if you can imagine it in an English garden, I'm probably a fan.   What are your phobias? No real phobias, but I am a little anal retentive when it comes to my hands. I hatehatehate having sticky hands. Hey, good thing I was a pastry chef, huh? It does mean I'm fussy about hand lotions - anything greasy or heavy is right out.
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SW Random questions 9/4

What sort of odd or regional foods do you crave? Oh man, I am SO glad this was asked.   A bit of back story: My entire family is English, proper living-in-the-UK English. I was born & raised in Canada & the US, but my parents steeped me in English culture - I have never lived there, but in some ways it is very much home to me. (Can you get nostalgic for a place you've never lived?) There are so many things that I had as a kid that I pine for now - when we lived in Chicago, most of it was easily obtainable, but now we're in PA, my options are shot.   Hard-to-find British foodstuffs that make me all wibbly & happy: Branston Pickle Milky Bars Black currant/gooseberry jam (though honestly, I am a jam whore - any kind will do!) Thick honey (Waitrose's Tanzanian Leatherwood & Sunflower honeys, esp) Battenburg Dark chocolate & plain Digestives (I could eat whole sleeves of the plain ones) Shredless marmalade (this is for my Mum, who had to turn her jar over to Customs on the flight home ) Smarties Rose's/Quality Street Taylor's of Harrogate Scottish Breakfast tea (loose or bags) Yorkshire Gold tea (loose or bags) Thank you!   Is anyone playing this round of SW into ABJ? (asian ball jointed dolls) No dolls at all, thank you.   Whats your favorite childhood toy? Oo. I was a nerdy bird even then, so books top the list. Colored pencils. I did have a doll house that got a lot of attention... Mostly I liked just exploring in the woods & fields, poking around in the mud & picking black raspberries... What is your favorite Halloween icon? Mm, bonfires. Punkies & all manner of lanterns. Bare trees, blowing leaves.   Favorite kind of take out kinda burger? Whats your burger preference? veggie, meat or ???? Gotta be veggie... there was a place in Evanston that did fantastically greasy, crispy veg burgers. Cheese, mustard, extra pickles   Imagine that you're given a shoebox-sized time capsule, and you are asked to put one item in that box that symbolizes who you are. It may be anything you can imagine, and money is no object, but you are limited to one item, and it must fit within the box. What item do you choose? A picture of a spreading tree, ancient & rooted to the center of the earth. As you tilt the photo, the tree reveals itself in different guises, according to the seasons. Its branches dance in the wind, showering the ground with scarlet leaves & huge ruddy gold apples. Its blossoms catch on the breeze & spiral toward heaven, and the swallows dive & flit between the petals. It stretches its roots to drink in the warm summer downpour. Its boughs shimmer with frost & shelter a myriad of tiny birds, fluffed out against the winter chill. Because it is a magic card, you can feel the breeze & smell the blossoms as you shift the photo, and an occasional swallow darts out of the picture & flutters about your head.   Are you involved in any long-term, ambitious project? something like decorating your house or saving for a trip to the other end of the world, for example. Ooooooh, the house. The house, the house, the house. (And raising our 3-year-old. But that's different.)   We bought a 1915 Arts & Crafts-style shingle bungalow 2 1/2 years ago, and it is our joy & our despair. So much potential, so much character, so much that needs work. We are trying to do some uplifting, cosmetic/quality of life projects, but the money & time keep getting diverted to basic safety/code compliance/major system issues. I am desperate to get the lighting re-done before winter sets in - it is awful, badly wired & UGLY, and parts of the house look worse than they really are, simply because the lighting is so bad. If you have a pet, what kind of gifts would be good for them? No pets, but I do spoil the local song birds A seed sock or small shelf feeder might be nice (something I can mount on the fence that faces the kitchen window), and I have to replace the suet cake every 3-4 days in the depths of winter... We get wrens, cardinals, mourning doves, juncos, chickadees, and the occasional titmouse, jay, and goldfinch. The wrens are my favorite   Twitter? Technically yes, but I rarely use it. It's strictly for work crap.   Ravelry? Oh yes. I am tartchef there, as well.   Would any witches be interested in home-made sewn type crafts? If so, what type? (e.g. tote bags, pillowcases, laptop covers, etc..) Absolutely - we are trying to ditch plastic grocery bags, so sturdy totes would be awesome. Tiny C is into packing his lunches now, so a neat lunch sack for him would make his day! Bonus points for Pixar Cars print, or sushi fabric What's your favorite color? Green, in nearly all its permutations, but grey is gaining as I get older...   Any other steampunk fans/lovers? Yes indeedy!
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tartchef

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SW Random questions 9/3

What are everyone's favorite Halloween-y/Autumn-y/spooky movies? Are there any you don't own but would like to? Not so much on the scary spooky films. I like M. Night Shamalan, and Alfred Hitchcock, that kind of thing, but not the usual Halloween stuff. Mind you, I did enjoy the Kronos-scored Dracula release.   Are roasted pumpkin seeds and home made chex mix the best fall snack foods, or what? Clearly you've never had my garam masala roasted almonds   Whats your favorite pie, my dear SW's? Mmm. Cold fruit pie, maybe blackberry-apple, or rhubarb. It has to be cold, though - nice & pasty...   What kinda socks are you wearing tonight? None right now, but my M Stripes & Super Dreamies came out to play recently...   Do you like socks? Blankets? Wrist warmers? Arm warmers? Headband? Shawl? Or what kind of knitted thing would you love the most? I'm a recent convert to socks, the longer the better! I have larger calves & thighs, so fit is important. We keep the house at a balmy 65 all winter long, so blankets, arm/wrist warmers & cute beanies are always welcome. I crochet, and am envious of the smooth glory that is stockinette. I especially covet a Felicity in some kind of slubby grey/green/brown/purple blend...   How do you feel about ghost stories? Do you like to tell the old tales around a campfire? Read true accounts on the web way past your bedtime? Do you like to pick up a good anthology of Poe stories on a blustery day? Or is all that too scary for you? The only creepy stories I really enjoy are Ray Bradbury's - just the right mix of creep, nostalgia, & adrenaline I can't wait til Tiny C is old enough for me to read him The October Tree.   Who here is LOVING Warehouse 13? Erm. Whut? Nother question! Coffee or Tea? Yes please! I'm partial to a good Ethiopian/Kenyan, no flavored or decaf plz. I'm English, so tea is a life force - Assam, Ceylon, Prince of Wales... if you can find Twining's 1706, I would die of happiness! Not so much on the flavored stuff, but I do like a nice lychee/rose/chai. Herbals mainly go to the kidlet, or for making iced tea, and we are up to our armpits in green tea thanks to overly generous neighbors.   Interested in locally produced products? Food, skincare or both? Yes! Buy local! I love regionally-unique stuff - if there's a story behind it, so much the better!   Does anyone in here wear a lot of dangly earrings or collect pendants of all kinds?? How about hair clips or pony tail band things? No earrings or ponytails round here, but I could use some sweet barrettes/fancy slides/hairpins to keep my layers out of my face on occasion...   What is your favourite historical period? Hmmm. I'm really digging the 30s & 40s lately - nicely cut suits, everyone in hats, the whole thrill of transportation... I also am fascinated by how the population responded to war - there's an economy & fortitude there that I don't think we've seen since.   What other hot beverages everyone likes for fall? The usual coffee & tea, hot toddies, hot cider, real hot chocolate...   Did you order anything from the most recent update? No, I'm being good & sitting on my hands for the moment.   Olive oil? Ooo yeah. Love it in soap, too   Lavender? Yes, and yes again! I like to smell it, eat it, wash with it, look at it...   Vampires or Werewolves? Or some other monster? Eh. Neither? The Elliots? (Any Bradbury readers out there?) Any Gamers here? What kind? Board games? RPG? Miniature? MMORPG? Back when we were child-free, DH & I used to have LotR RISK marathons & regular chess matches... some day I hope to have both time & brain cells enough to resume that tradition.
tartchef

tartchef

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Sw Questionnaire

Updated 9/1/10:   Switch Witch Questionnaire   Forum Name: tartchef Full Name: Hayley J. Croom Email Address: tartchef@yahoo.com Mailing Address: 931 Wayne Ave, York, PA 17403   ====================   Basic Info Birthday: May 23, 1973 Pets: Dust bunnies, a stray cat that lives on the front porch & the birds at the feeders Children: One 4.5-year-old boy, aka Tiny C/The Tiny/Captain Goofball Religious orientation: Spiritual agnostic with a side of Buddhism Favorite Holiday: Christmas? Mostly for the food, really… Occupation/Major in school: Desk jockey, soap-maker & pastry chef, but I studied psychology, comparative religions & fine art. And animal husbandry. Living arrangement (by yourself, with roommates, etc): With the DH & aforementioned goofball Livejournal/Blog/Website: http://tinyurl.com/p...worksonfacebook Organizations/Causes/Activities (Things you belong to or causes you believe in): Anything that works towards tolerance, equality, justice & sustainable living gets my vote     BPAL Favorite BPAL oils: The original Aries, Tzadikim Nistarim, Daiyu, Ahathoor, The East, Valentine of Rome, Judith & Holofernes, Hod, Hermes Trismegistus Favorite notes: Frankincense, black pepper, carnation, spikenard, chrysanthemum, osmanthus, beeswax, tea, tobacco, olive blossom… Favorite non-BPAL perfumes: I’m pretty BPAL-loyal, but Arcana’s Holy Terror & Haunt’s Batik were worth bottles. Least favorite notes: Rose, lilies, civet, dirt, most vetivers & dragons bloods Least favorite non-BPAL perfumes: Just about anything you’d find at the mall If Beth made a custom blend for you, what would the notes be, and what would you want the label art to look like? Frankincense, black pepper, carnation, spikenard, chrysanthemum, osmanthus, beeswax, tea, tobacco, olive blossom… She’s done combinations of a few of these, but man o day, what I wouldn’t give for a bottle with everything blended together… The label would be sepia-toned with a series of botanical drawings in varying transparencies overlaying each other. There’d be a bit of hand-tinting, and a few fine details in bronze ink.   Clothing & Jewelry Hair type: Straight, thick & fine; wash & go, mostly, but I’m looking for a good natural styling putty/paste now my hair’s short Skin Type: Combination, prone to hormonal breakouts Allergies (specifically B&B related): No cocoa butter in my facial products, plz. Other things to avoid: SLSs, -bens, -cones, animal testing Tub, shower or both? Both, but my bathtub sucks Favorite bath & beauty products: Organic jojoba oil, non-foody scrubs, hydrosols Clothing Style/Fave garments: Funky but casual, with an emphasis on natural materials & stuff I can wear/wash to death. My daily uniform is usually a Tshirt/long sweater over a knee-length skirt with pockets. Over-the-knee/knee-high socks & tights as the weather demands. Clogs, high lace-up boots or those funky sport flats. Favorite clothing colors/colors to wear: Bonus points for muddy/antiqued colors – gunmetal, all kinds of grey, olive, oatmeal, chocolate brown, washed out red, deep plum, but shots of chartreuse are allowed Type(s) of jewelry worn: EAR CUFFS.... I have no piercings, and have only 2 decent pairs of cuffs to my name. I do like wide wrist cuffs & bracelets, but don’t wear them often at all. Ring/wrist/collar size: Ring size 7 or so/6.5 inches/15-inch neck Jewelry - gold or silver? Silver, brass, copper, bronze, anything that looks old & worn.… Do you have any allergies to metal? Nope Favorite gemstones: Marcasite, moonstones, peridot, carnelian, amber, dark grey/green/purple freshwater pearls Sock/Shoe Size: 9 ½/10, on the wider side   Lifestyle Style/home decoration style: Arts & Crafts/Craftsman meets IKEA, natural colors & materials Favorite decorating colors: Green! Wood tones, deep rust, coffee brown, shots of cream & scarlet red. Things you collect: Dust… DH has an enormous record collection, and we love old travel posters. Bonus points for anything Chicago/train related. There’s an obscure deep olive green series of Lord Nelson pottery that we’re in love with…. Favorite music: Oh crap. Too much to list here. Currently rocking Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Ros, Bach cello suites, White Rabbits, Nick Cave/Grinderman, Tom Waits… Least favorite music: Over-produced pop/emo/rap. EZ listening. Musicals. Vegetarian/Vegan?: (Please be as specific as possible to reduce confusion!) Vegetarian with serious lapses. I am horrifically allergic to chicken & turkey, and don’t do red meat at all. I do eat a good bit of fish (esp sushi), and bacon & sausage & pate are my undoing. I do wear leather, but no fur, please. Other food restrictions: No artificial sweeteners or MSG, plz. Favorite flavors: Ginger, tea, blackberry, black currant, lavender, rosemary, black pepper Favorite foods/drinks: Sushi, Cornish ice cream, Christmas pudding, organic/fair trade, micro-roasted coffee, Ceylon/Assam tea with milk, homegrown tomatoes on homemade bread with salt & pepper, chaat papri, mezze platters, Panang curry with tofu, a good Ploughman’s with Branston Pickle, good dark chocolate Favorite authors/genres: Tolkien, Hemingway, Ondaatje, Ray Bradbury, Amanda Barrett, Willa Cather, Ayn Rand, Dorothy Sayers, Patrick O’Brien, Philip Pullman, Joan Aiken… I like a ripping good yarn, a good dose of escapism & adventure, but the writing has to be quality. Least favorite authors/genres: Romance, chick lit, most of what passes for mystery/suspense/true crime. Books/authors you'd like to read, but haven't yet: How do you feel about receiving gently used books as gifts? LOVE IT. Favorite stores (including clothing stores): Cost Plus & IKEA, neither of which are convenient anymore. Target & Old Navy (a love/hate relationship, really). Farmers markets, roadside stands, the tiny ethnic shops/markets in Chicago, Mitsuwa. Favorite online stores (including B&B stores): SockDreams. Etsy (I’m under tartchef 7 paintboxsoapworks). MountainRoseHerbs. Bramble Berry. Magazines you subscribe to: Eating Well. Saveur. LadyBug Magazines you like, but don't subscribe to: Donna Hay – I buy it every month, but can’t bear the $125+ for an actual subscription… Favorite movies: Lawrence of Arabia, LotR, anything Miyazaki, Master & Commander, The Princess Bride, There Will Be Blood, Good Night and Good Luck, anything Wes Anderson, Indiana Jones (yes, even the new one), Star Trek (yes, even the new one), Bond (Connery will always be my favorite, but Daniel Craig is welcome anytime), sweeping Merchant-Ivory-esque pieces… yeah. Lots. Favorite TV show(s): Not so much. Carnivale. Mad Men. LOST. DH has me watching Fringe & Arrested Development lately… Hobbies/crafts done: Soapsoapsoap, crocheting, sewing, novice knitting, gardening, and some day I want to get back to cello lessons & drawing/painting…   Wishlists BPAL Wish List (including SW/SF Help): in my forum signature Other website Wish lists (amazon.com, etsy.com, etc): under Wishes, Whims & Other Desires in my sig   Random Questions: - On a scale of 1-5, how organized are you? Sometimes 4.75, sometimes 2. I either have it nailed shut or have near-total FAIL.   - Where, outside of the U.S. would you love to visit? (if you're international, this can be anywhere) Scotland, the rest of England I haven’t seen, New Zealand, Oz, Japan, Tibet, Nepal, Scandinavia, Iceland… anywhere cool & green & mountainous/coastal will do   - Do people tell you that you act older, younger, or your age? Both – apparently I look younger than 36, but act much older… Two kids & two marriages will do that, I guess.   - Have you ever been skinny dipping? Yep, and I’d happily do it again in a fairly secluded setting.   - Do you wear pajamas to places other than at your house? No way – I’ll pop out to the curb in my yoga pants, but that’s it.   - Your least favorite feature about yourself: My pot belly – see the 2 kids part. My stomach muscles separated & all my flab rides right there. Reeeal attractive. A-line skirts are my friend.   - Do you live in a neighborhood or in the middle of nowhere? In a ridiculously twee neighborhood in an otherwise shabby/shady part of the city. Folks usually don’t even know our street exists, and are blown away by the quaint architecture & porch-sitting, baby dandling, neighborly atmosphere. If we lived anywhere else, I’d probably hate this redneck excuse for a city.   - Do you like to shop? Honestly… yes, but not for very long. I’d rather spend an hour or two in one or two good stores than all day shop-hopping. Online, shopping, on the other hand, I adore.   - If you were a shoe, what would you be and why? A clog – sturdy, practical, maybe a little clunky, but cute in my own way.   - They're making a bio-pic based on your life. Who's portraying you? Enya, but she’d have to spend a year with some English bakers first to get the physique & the attitude down…   -Have you ever thought, "oh, I'm going to get myself one of those one of these days" but then never do? List 1 under $10 and 1 over $10. A new potato peeler/ice cream scoop to replace the ones I gacked for the soap business … A new rug for my office.   - Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise, but only just. Any time the birds are singing like mad.   - Has a stranger ever told you that you did something really well? What was it? Handled the multi-headed hydra that is my life J Baked. Handled my son’s tantrum. Talked someone through using a computer system. Ignored the haters & did my own damn thing.   - Do you like garage sales (boot sales)? Sometimes… the ones in Chicago were always worthwhile.   - I like to slather my food in …: attention? I am partial to good sea salt & fresh black pepper…   - State fairs or carnivals? Oh yes – especially the livestock/agricultural buildings, saltwater taffy, funnel cakes, & fried fish sandwiches on thick white bread.   - Do you like to splash in puddles after it rains? Did the thought make you smile? Why wait til after? One of my favorite memories is when Tiny C & I went out in a summer downpour & tore up & down the sidewalk in our bare feet.     Notes (Here's where you can add additional information you'd like your Switch Witch to know!): Oh Witchy, my Witchy. I’m a mom. Draw me a stick figure on a piece of newsprint & I’ll love you forever. I rarely spoil myself, and DH & I are both fairly practical, low-key sorts, so my expectations are most forgiving. Please send me a ping once in a while so I know you’re out there, but don’t worry about showering me with packages. I’m just happy to be here.   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Forum Information (Everything written below this line is removed before questionnaires are forwarded, and is only meant to help out the Ringleaders.)   Are you willing to ship internationally?: Alas, I have to say no for this round L   Date you Joined the Forum: September 1, 2006   If you joined under 2 months ago, do you have a history/feedback under Ebay, MUA, etc (please list):   Have you participated in Switch Witch/SwapFaery/BirthdaySprite before?: Yes If yes, who did you send to/receive from: Lilly/chimera87; girasol/VCW Please talk about your past experiences and, if applicable, give us feedback on your most recent SW: LOVED IT. Fraught with a bit of nail-biting at one point, but I like to think I’ve calmed down a bit & can embrace the Zen of SW.   Favorite Witches: Not fair J   As a Witch (giver), how much contact do you usually keep with a Witchee? Pretty high – e-cards, multiple packages As a Witchee (receiver), do you have any preferences regarding the level of contact from a Witch? I like to feel loved… ninja Witches make me sad.   (Note: Mentors are separate from your Switch Witches. New witches will be paired up with more experienced witches to help them learn the ropes) Please choose only one; don't select to be a Mentor and matched with one. Do you want to be a Mentor Witch this round? Sure! Do you want to be matched with a Mentor Witch? No, thanks!
tartchef

tartchef

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