All the questions so you don't have to dig! Ketchup through 3/26 and additions here and there. Now realizing I should put new stuff at the top. Sorry!
So Witchees, do you enjoy pre-1970 movies? If so, who are your favorite actors/actresses? I do! I love screwball comedies--most anything with Cary Grant (one of my fave all-time films is "His Girl Friday")--and the Marx Brothers. Most of my great classic movie loves are comedies.
Are you interested in trying Super Villainess (from Villainess - the birthday scent that was just released tonight!) and if so, which item do you like the most? I do not know from Villainess, sadly. Have not been enabled.
If I were to order you a Smack, which four notes would you like? I don't even know what a Smack is!
Would you enjoy receiving a knitted gift from your witch? If so what would you be interested in (scarf, hat, wrist / handwarmers, socks, etc.) and in what colors? NO ONE knits for me--I knit for everyone else, so sure! Dishcloths, dishtowels and handwarmers, warm colors for the handwarmers, reds for the dishcloths/towels.
What kinds of fabric do you prefer to work with? Rayon, silk, linen and wool for clothes; cotton, linen or hemp for household stuff.
What is your favorite time of day and what do you like to do then? It really depends on how much sleep I've had.
Easter Candy - do you like it? If so, what types? I like FRESH Peeps but they're hard to find. Jelly Bellies and gummies. I used to love Reeses peanut butter eggs, but peanuts give me headaches now. I don't know if Cadbury cream eggs are gluten-free but I like 'em. Sees Easter stuff, but I like Sees in general.
What scent(s) are you petrified of getting DC'd? Any of the bottles on my wish list! I think I'd be very upset if Alice or Eat Me were discontinued, or Haloes. I do not have backups, and all three bottles are dangerously low.
What is your favorite type of wine? Would you be interested in trying something new? In that case, is there anything you really DONT like? Ooooo how about dessert wines? I love wine. My favorites are Zinfandel (LOVE. ZIN.) and Pinot Grigio/Gris, but I only drink the latter in summer. I call it "deck wine," because I like to drink it very cold on my back deck. I don't like Reislings. In dessert wines, I love good port. Love it.
Violette Market Update is up. Do you covet anything from it? I've never collected VM, but if someone already had samples lying around, Lost Woods, Morrigan, Cauldron, Shoemaker, and Lion and Lamb sound interesting. Tir Na Nog lost me on the jasmine but otherwise sounded divine.
What three things are you craving right now? Since I'm writing this later, what I crave right now is a housekeeper, brunch and a pedicure. I may get the middle, if I can get my ass out of my chair, but not the other two.
paper goods, anyone need? Not really, no. I love them, but they don't get used. The girls like origami paper, though.
What is a scent that you've been trying to find even a sample of for a very long time to no avail? Probably Gingerbread Poppet.
Is there anything in your life that you'd like advice or a "selfhelp" book for?: (ie finances, eating healthier, meal planning) Hm. I'm off self-help books right now; too many read in the first 50 years of my life! The only nonfiction I really like right now in that vein are knitting books, and those are on my Amazon list.
Baked Goods? Yea Nay? Gluten free, sure, but I try to avoid them in general. Something special I'm always up for.
If not Baked goods and you are changing eating habits..a book of recipes perhaps that will help the new eating lifestyle? No, I'm good, BUT! MINION ALERT! I have two ebook cookbooks out, one on crockpot cooking and one on cooking with garlic, and I will be happy to minion your Witchee with one or both at no cost to you. Just PM me.
What would I order TODAY from BPAL? Bottles of: Josie and Lulu because those are the names of my daughters; Whip, Wanda, Standing Female Nude, Young Pine Saplings, Loosening of the Obi, Sticky Bat. When I am Rich and Famous I will place orders like this at least once a month. When I'm REALLY Rich and Famous, I will place orders like this for EVERYONE!
What level of nudity? Dude, I write erotica.
gently used items from a garage sale/thrift store? Clean and usable? Sure!
Do you like cooking seasonings, like the kind you can get in ounces sizes? If so, things you'd love to try out? I love salts, especially various sea salts. I've always wanted to try vanilla salt, for instance. I like seasonings in general, not much for super-hot. I love Tajin.
Do you like any particular kinds of green or black teas or coffees that could also be gotten in bulk? Unflavored teas of all kinds and coffees. Decaf is better, though green and white teas can be regular. I love oolongs and jasmines. I like herb teas, too, but I'm kinda picky. Rooibos is good, and Sleepytime-type teas. I dislike hibiscus, and I can't have licorice.
Favorite snack foods (and can they be from bulk section as well?) Dried fruit (apples, peaches, apricots, dates), chips (to my shame), popcorn of all kinds, gummies especially Swedish raspberries, chocolates, caramels, non-peanut nuts and seeds, jerky (but be careful--soy sauce has gluten in it), cheese. Bulk is beautiful. My favorite chocolates are Sees and Green & Black (quite the contrast).
Mix CDs? Sure!
Tim Tams? ALLERGIC! They're cookies, right? Yeah, allergic.
Is there any "classic" literature (Hemingway, Dickens, Elliot, Bronte, Hugo, Wilde, etc.) that you would like to add to your collection? I love classics, but I read them from Project Gutenberg on my Kindle so don't buy me any.
Candles/melts? Sure--I LOVE candles--but be careful about the melts. Florals usually give me a headache! And I like incense better.
Get your music player, what are the first 13 songs on Random?
1 Now Or Never - The Toasters
2 Reindeer - Ein Astronaut and the YouTube musicians christmas collab club
3 Not The Red Baron - Tori Amos
4 Still Lost In The Forest - Anne Dudley
5 In The Pay Of Spain - Ian Anderson
6 Haydn: Symphony #94 In G, H 1/95, "Surprise" - 2. Andante - Alfred Scholz: Philharmonia Slavonica
7 Bach - BWV.878, Prelude and Fugue in E major from WTK II - Randolph Hokanson
8 Do That Stuff - Parliament
9 Sam Hall - Johnny Cash
10 Hung My Head - Johnny Cash
11 Praise The Hoove! - The Firesign Theatre
12 All My Love Is Gone - Lyle Lovett
13 Requiem - Lux aeterna - v.01 - Gregorian Sense
How's THAT for a weird playlist. I'm astonished neither Nickel Creek nor Iron & Wine showed up, or any of my bellydance music.
Do you need another bpal box? No, not really.
Do you have any blogs you regularly read? The Bloggess, Wil Wheaton, Seth Godin, JA Konrath, Zoe Winters, the BPAL blog, Knittyblog, the Yarn Harlot, Arts & Letters Daily, DailyKos.
surprise! the world has given you the day off. You hear that, no chores, responsibilities, or budget you have to follow. What would you do in those 24 hours? Oh geez, I'm such a workaholic. It's so hard for me to even think in those terms. If the world really gave me a day off? Like a complete day off from EVERYTHING? I'd like to find a hotel room with a fireplace and comfy nappable couches. I would sit there with my books and my Kindle and lots of snackies and read read read knit knit knit. If this was at the beach, so much the better.
Oh! Or if money was no object and there was a teleportation device available (since I don't fly and the train takes a day by itself to get down there), Disneyland with my kids. We're not so much with the Disney, but I grew up near there and have many happy memories of it, and my kids have never been. Boy, I really need to get Rich and Famous soon before they're grown up.
Do you enjoy gardening? If so, what kind of stuff do you grow? Vegetables, flowers? We try. I used to be quite the gardener, both veggies and flowers. This year we're going to try to get a veggie garden in.
Favorite artists/paintings? Alphonse Mucha, hands down in a walk-away. I like Charles Vess and P. Craig Russell, both of whom are at least a little influenced by Mucha (Vess I don't know from--seems to me to be--but Russell said it explicitly--it's how I got turned on to Mucha in the first place).Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts Movement, Pre-Raphaelites (Rossetti, etc), Klimt, Carl Larsson, Bougereau, Alma-Tadema.
Booze? Yay or Nay? Yay! Rum, whiskey, zinfandel, port. I love port.
Steampunk inspired items? Yay or nay? Yay! I love Victorian-esque stuff in general.
Amigurumi? (the little Japanese stuffies) I love them but I have no space for them. I'm trying to get rid of stuff like that.
Pirates vs Ninjas vs Zombies - who wins? Which do you love most? Ninjas win but I love pirates better and I HATE HATE HATE ZOMBIES. Seriously. No zombie stuff. I don't understand the fascination at all. I did like Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker," but that's because it wasn't all "zombies yay!" And the rest of the non-zombie story was so good.
Piercings? - ears?? - elsewhere? Ears. I have multiple piercings in each but only wear one. I'd like to get my nose pierced again at some point; it's been closed for 14 years when my mom accidentally lost my nose screw in the wash and it was the only one I had with me and I was pregnant and it closed before I could get a replacement screw.
Do you like wearing things in your hair? If so, what kind (snap clips, scrunchie, headband, etc), how big & crazy (lowkey, bigger the better), and colors. Sorta. I have a huge head, srsly, it's crazy big, like hat size 7 3/8. My hair's too short to be pulled back in a tail or put in braids--it's chin length. I do like hair things but they have to be super clippy; stuff always slips out of my hair. Combs, whatever. Zip, right out.
Chocolate. With stuff in it? Om nom nom nom. I like Cadbury Fruit & Nut bars, Dagoba Xocolatl (chile!), all kindsa chocolate. I don't know that there's such a thing as bad chocolate. OK, there is, but you know what I mean. My fave is Green & Black dark chocolate with dried cherries. And of course anything from Sees.
For those who like lipgloss, lipstick, tinted balms, etc, what colors do you wear (and warm? cool?) and do you prefer something sheer or more opaque? How do you feel about shimmer? I'm not quite 50, so shimmer is out. I like sheer and opaque depending on the color. I have warm skin tone. Don't like neons or anything "clubby"--colors that make your lips lighter than your face. I love the cheap palettes with a bunch in the same compact, like Nyx. So fun. And I wear lip balm all the time, I always have a tube of it with me. I love Bonne Bell. I wish they still made the giant ones like when I was in school. You wore them on a pretty shoestring round your neck and they were hyooge!
What's your favorite animal? Or is there one that's particularly significant to you? Sheep! Because I love to knit and spin and wool's my favorite fiber. I love sheepskin, too.
If you were able to get a vintage or prototype bottle from the upcoming West Coast Will Call, which one would you want? Probably the Planting Moon prototype, since I love Planting Moon (one of the great under-appreciated BPALs). As far as vintage, maybe the Gingerbread Poppet 2005.
DVDs, Blu-Ray, both, neither? Kinda neither. We're trying really hard not to collect movies.
Sock Dreams? What kind? Absolutely, but I have REALLY thick calves. They have super-stretchy knee-highs and OTRs, though--I live in Sock Dreams country and have physically been there, and they fit. I like anklets, knee-highs and the shorter kinds of fingerless mitts.
Since this is a price capped round, would you rather get one "big" thing or lots of "little" things or don't care? Don't care. I leave it up to my dear Witch.
Do you like pirate-related things? You know, there are pirate fanatics around PDX. I'm not one, but I'm not averse and it'd certainly be a good way to remember the round.
Soaps? Eh. They're okay. I have a drawer-full of handmade soap from back when I had an online store. STILL working my way through it eight years later!
Copied CD's or DVD's? Mmmmmm....somehow I'm okay with mix tapes but not this. Isn't that weird?
Caffeinated lollies? Wha'? Um, no.
Would you want an invite to a site that is invite-only ex. Diaspora, Demonoid, etc. If so, what? Geez, I have too much to keep up with now!
Pillows? Again, decluttering. Remember, I'M OLD, and I've lived in my house for 25 years! I gots too much stuff!
Purses? bags? What style/colors? I'm always up for bags to put knitting in.
Decorative scarves for hair and/or creative accessorizing? What colors? Yes! I love folkloric stuff in deep colors, all kinds. Greens, blues, reds, purples--warm colors.
Would you like anything from Starring Fragrances. They make awesome hair stuff, natural deoderant, and home fragrance (and a ton of other stuff, those are just my favs) I have no idea! Never used it. Just be careful about wheat proteins. I had to stop using Coco Pink because of 'em.
How do you feel about nail polish? What colors do you like? Sparkles? I LOVE nail polish, especially Zoya. Usually I buy myself cheapo fun stuff like Nyx, Wet n Wild etc. I don't care for black or almost black, and again, warm colors. I could use a classic red cuz No2 Squeaker broke my one bottle. I do like sparkle/frost, but don't like glitters. They're SO HARD to get off. I also don't care for the new crackle craze. Here are several collections of Zoyas whose colors I love but they don't have to be Zoyas. Any one of those colors would be welcome, I love them all.
Ok geek check - what sort of geeky things do you do? Do you read comics/graphic novels? Are you obsessed with something (a TV show maybe?) Do you work in a geeky field? Do you play rpgs like Dungeons and Dragons? Would you like gifts related to any of these? BIG. FAT. GEEK. But there's no TV show I'm all about right now! All my shows have either ended or fallen away, and I'm not a collector of that kinda stuff anyway. I play D&D, I love Jonathan Coulton, I adore ThinkGeek. I don't read comics any more, either; it's too much money for too short a pleasure. I'm a computer geek--a PHP programmer/web developer, though I don't do that much these day. Oh--I love Mythbusters! I have access to all the 'Busters I want, though, on Netflix.
Do you like poetry? To a degree. I like Whitman, and old school rhymin'. Wordsworth, like.
Do you have a favorite fabric? If someone were to make you a fabric item, would you prefer it be out of any fabric? e.g. velvet, satin, silk, cotton, bamboo??? Would this change if it were an article of clothing vs. a bag/pillow/blanket/somethingelse I love panne velvet, silk, rayon (whether standard or bamboo). Flowing stuff, though I like linen and brocades, too. Bags would be something sturdier, obviously. At our house we standardize on natural sustainable fibers if we can--wool, silk, linen, hemp--but if a kind soul gave me something of cotton I would not pitch a fit.
Anything with the Worm Moon update that you're already lusting after? I'd like to sample Lord Teishin, Ii No Hayata, Minamoto No Yorimitsu, Enlightenment of the Courtesan, Schmendrick, Molly Grue. I will add these to my wish list.
Is there any kitchen gadgets or goods or what not that you need/want? I love and need dishrags especially handknit/crocheted, and I really love and need hanging towels or apattern to knit or crochet a hanging towel (preferably knit). I also like washable cloths to use with my Swiffer. I don't like using the disposables.
If your Witch lived near you, would you be happy or creeped out to get a "coupon" for a service like cleaning help or babysitting or dogwalking or coffee out with your Witch or something like that? Would you be creeped out if a local minion personally delivered a package to your house from a far-away Witch? My answer: I don't need babysitting but I'd love help cleaning (not cleaning--HELP cleaning! I have a basement that needs mucked out and extra muscle and moral support would be great since I have neither muscles nor morals). And I would not be creeped out by a special delivery, it would be awesome.
Let's say I have a pair of something you collect, would you like one of them and we have matching things? That would be pretty neat.
What types of scents do you like to scent your home? Which do you totally avoid? I like sandalwood, Japanese incense smells, and lavender. I avoid candy-like scents and most florals. I like home scents to have a clean smell.
Minion stuff mentioned:
DO WANT ASTROLOGICAL READING ESPECIALLY TRANSITS!
trisj's ebook would be great, I'd love that.
I love our Etsy creators. Love love love Etsy in general. Except for that new privacy thing. Etsy wishlist is here and check out the favorited shops for less expensive stuff; my husband uses that wish list to get stuff for me.
Other stuff?
I love handmade soap. No one has ever enabled me when it comes to Lush. I don't care for non-BPAL perfumes much, unless they're really outstanding in some way.
I love Manic Panic and other wacky hair dye. Yes, I'm an old lady but I'm not dead.
I love mustards (be careful with mustards, many have wheat flour in them for some ungodly reason) and honeys--pumpkin honey, for instance, or honeys that might be native to your area and that I might not have sampled before (I'm in the Pacific NW). If you live far away from me and have a wildflower honey I bet it's way different than ours.
The only thing we really collect--this was on the questionnaire but I overlooked it--are snow globes, but only if they're of a particular city. Not snow globes in general. For instance, we have one of the Portland skyline, and one of the New York City skyline. We also have one from Seaside, Oregon.
Actually, I love old-style geographical stuff. You know, HELLO FROM GEORGIA, where the letters are all full of peaches an' stuff? Yeah, but only if they're useful, like tea towels I can loop on my appliance handles for a quick non-dirty-hand-dry. I keep nice ones just for that purpose. Mugs are okay, but I've got plenty of mugs already.
Oh, I love beads, too.
Contacts:
LJ: meilin_miranda
FB: MeiLin Miranda
Twitter: meilinmiranda (that's where you're really going to "find" me)
Here's what I can minion for you:
FREE:
"I Love Garlic" ebook package--actually 3 cookbooks in one package
"TNH Big Book of Crockpot Cookery" ebook package--3 cookbooks in one package
"Accounts: IHGK Stories" described here
"Scryer's Gulch 1-10" described here
"Scryer's Gulch 11-30" described here
The cookbooks are G, obviously; the rest are PG-13, though "Accounts" may be triggering for people with child sex abuse issues (it's not graphic, just warning those who may be super-sensitive). "Accounts" ties into the novel below as a prequel.
HALF-OFF:
"Lovers and Beloveds: An Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom Book One" described here and here--with discount, $1.50
"The Gratification Engine: An IHGK Story" described here and here and a tie-in with the novel--with discount 50 cents
"A Craft Fair Goldmine" with 3 extra ebooks filled with craft recipes and patterns described here--with discount $4
I have to charge for the first two because 1) the novel is my living and 2) both contain NC-17 scenes. When you buy you affirm you are of age in your jurisdiction, which is 18 in the United States. Trigger warnings for "LaB"; there are some scenes that border on non-consensual. (I really hate to describe my work that way, but I know some folks here do have severe issues.) I have to charge for the craft package because there's so much stuff in it.
If your Witchee has an e-reader, tell me which one and I'll send the right format. Otherwise, I'll send a PDF that anyone can open with a note that I can send a different format if necessary.
Here are my answers to SW '14 questions!
Pumpkin: no to most perfumes (except pumpkin chai--love chai anything), yes to everything else including edibles.
BPTP: hair gloss! Maybe candles. No room sprays. Bath oil is good but I use it as perfume.
Amazon wish list (which has other stores' stuff as well): http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1AM6H9YW9XL5Y
Ketchup! I will double post both here and on the forum.
What direct sellers do you not like and would prefer not to get things from? And also feel free to list any retail brands you really don't like.
I'm fine with whatever. I try to avoid SLS in shampoos because they literally make my scalp bleed. I have rosacea, so that limits skin cream things, too. And yes, I do try to go with smaller producers than big companies, but again, I'm not that totally picky.
How about y'alls coffee and tea preferences?
I've wanted to try more Adagio teas. I love jasmine and Japanese green and oolongs. I HATE HIBISCUS IN TEA. HATE. IT. Really hate it. I wrote bitchy letters to Celestial Seasonings when Mo sold them to the food conglomerates, who promptly changed all the formulations and put hibiscus in them. (They sent me tea samples...with hibiscus as the number one ingredient in them.) Also stevia. Really hate stevia, and teas which rely on cinnamon for sweetness. Market spice tea--the orange with all the cinnamon that has that cloying sweetness? aagh.
Having said all that, I really love tea. I love coffee, too. We use an Aeropress here, and a burr grinder--the old-fashioned ones you crank by hand. Srsly. I'M IN PORTLAND DON'T JUDGE. I also love chai and cocoa.
Do you cook? Would kitchen accessories make you happy?
Yes! I love to cook, but I really have most of what I need. My girls and I like bento box things.
How do people feel about creative endeavours? Would you like to receive one? Or supplies to make your own? What do you like? Drawings, stories, poems?
I love all creative endeavors, my own and others', and would love any kind of that thing. I would not mind embroidery floss in unusual colors. Ooh--if anyone hand-dyes things? Hand-dyed embroidery floss. Oh gods. Otherwise, I'm pretty craft-supplied.
What culture or country (doesnt have to be modern) do you feel an innate connection with? What about it makes it special to you?
British Isles--Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, York. Deep. It's a genetic thing, I think. All time periods, and not just Celtic but also Anglo-Saxon, as in the tribes. France, too, for similar reasons. I am beginning to love Korea. The food (kimchi! roasted seasoned seaweed!), the movies (The Good, the Bad and the Weird! Castaway on the Moon! ATTACK THE GAS STATION 2!!), even KPop. I've been meaning to watch some Korean TV dramas, my friends say they are amazing. They are an amazing people, creative survivors. They need to be kinder to one another, but don't we all. I also adore the Japanese; they are at the same time the wackiest and most sophisticated people on earth. It boggles the mind.
Is there any sort of art commission you would like: cartoony, pin-up, fantasy, realistic, etc? If so, what subject would you like drawn (a picture of you, a character, a loved one or pet)?
Boy, it would be tough, but art of my characters. Tough, because I'm still not widely read. I say, "still," because I have hope.
What do you find yourself doing for fun in your free time? What are your main hobbies and interests?
I spend too much time on the internet. For fun I read, embroider (embroidering all the things right now), make jam and pickles, garden, spin, knit.
Table-top gaming? If yes, what kind, edition, etc? Gaming accessories you long for?
I play a little D&D. I've got plenty of dice etc. None of my family like to game, and I don't really have time to. Maybe in my old age. Oh! We love playing a silly card game called Nertz. For that you need a whole lot of standard card decks with differently designed backs. So card decks with easy-to-read pips/fronts and unusual distinctive backs are very welcome. We have the standard Bicycle-type backs; we need weird ones. (Learn how to play Nertz. It's hella fun.)
DVD movies or games that you wish would magically appear in your hands? Can they be used, through Amazon?
I'm not a gamer, though I fiddle around in Second Life from time to time (my user name there is where I got my pen name--yes, lame). I don't like to own physical copies of movies apart from Ghibli and MST3K, but a friend is giving me all the MST, so don't do that. I can use Amazon and also iTunes. I never mind used anything.
What kind of snacks or candy from other countries/states would you like to try?
I don't know! As long as it's GF, I'm game.
Do you have a favorite internet meme, character or pop culture fandom?
I am ALL about Agents of SHIELD. Actually I'm all about Marvel in general, though I rarely read actual comics any more. I steal my oldest daughter's. I love Matt Fraction's Hawkeye comics and Kelly Sue DeConnick's Captain Marvel. (They live here. We are blessed.) I love Puppycat from Bee and Puppycat. I also love Studio Ghibli anything. My Neighbor Totoro is a very special film to our family; when I got sick, my daughters were about that age, and when they visited me in hospital my youngest quoted dialog from the hospital visit scene. (She was only five. Her middle name is Mei.) But I love love love all Ghibli. Oh! And Thrilling Adventure Hour!! (Bagropa!) I was really into Night Vale, but it's kind of worn off a little.
Do you have a Facebook profile (or other social media) that you are comfortable linking to aid your witch in stalking? Please note whether you are willing to add BPALers as friends.
I'm always willing to befriend BPALs, because BPALs are the best pals. I'm @meilinmiranda on twitter and MeiLin Miranda on FB. Sometimes I am NightValeNet on tumblr, but only when I'm roleplaying; I am Night Vale's cable and internet provider.
Chatty witches who want to get to know you or not?
Yes on chatty! I had a witchee who didn't like me or what I did for her or maybe the level of contact, and it hurt.
Do you like puzzles/riddles/treasure hunts and that sort of thing?
Eh. I don't hate them, but it's not my thing.
If you were to receive music, would you want a physical CD or digital versions?
Digital. I got rid of almost all my CDs a long time ago. If it's something cool that doesn't come in another format, CDs are fine, though.
Whats a current problem/annoyance you have that could be remedied but you havent had time to address it?
Besides organizing/cleaning my entire house...?
How do you feel about having some sort of trinket to carry around for good luck/wishes? I.e. a small figurine, symbol, card, coin
I am very, very into that sort of thing, to carry around, to put on my altar (I'm pagan), whatever. I have to remind myself that the only good it does is to set my mind on positivity, but I am very superstitious in general. I touch/knock wood a lot.
Which gives me a question! Are YOU superstitious about anything? Any things you can't have in your house for that reason--bad associations?
My answer: I can't have any Mary Engelbreit stuff in my house, or even stuff that looks like hers. Long story, very bad juju.
Do you like apple?
APPLE!! ALL THE APPLE!! I love apple everything. It's one of my favorite flavors (which is good because I can't drink beer and cider has become a HUGE thing in PDX) and favorite smells. Rose Red and Poisoned Apple are two fave BPALs because of this (I have tons of both). I also think apples are beautiful as objects. Pomegranates, too--I'm big with pomegranates as object/motif/symbol, and I love fresh ones, but not pomegranate smells/tastes otherwise.
Fabric:
I am not good with 100% polyester, not because I'm a snob but because it pills so badly, and I always feel clammy when I wear it. Some blends work well but it depends on the application. I can't imagine anyone giving me anything big enough to wear, anyway.
As to RCCC:
you can't bring me anything from there because I will physically be there. My daughters will be tabling in Artists Alley.
Hello Kitty:
Nah, nah--Batz Maru!
Poetry:
Truthfully, I am not as poetry-literate as I wish I were. I like Whitman, and a good acquaintance of mine (Charles Muñoz) is an amazing poet. I would like to know more about poetry, especially the greats.
Disney:
Not really a Disney gal.
Cutesy:
Dude, I'm 53. I don't like creepy, either, though. Really don't do creepy.
What I'd really like to receive:
I am sincere when I say "something from the heart." Something that shows my witch was paying attention and that means something to her as well as to me. That would be awesome. I have a bracelet from my last witch stellans that meets that description and I always feel warm and fuzzy when I wear it.
If you had a week free where you could learn anything, with no financial restrictions, what would you want to study?
Probably weaving. I've never had a good class including dressing a big loom. I'd love to learn 4-heddle. All I have is a rigid heddle. Some day I hope to at least have access to a multiple-heddle loom and classes on how to use it.
A list of my last ten favorites on Pandora:
--Tribalistas by Tribalistas
--Simple and Clean by Utada
--a whole bunch of Viennese waltzes (I was writing a ballroom scene)
--Creep by Radiohead
--Girl You Have No Faith in Medicine by the White Stripes
--Souvenir by Django Reinhardt
--Jumping Jive by Cab Calloway
--Love Again by Pentatonix
--Tightrope by Janelle Monäe
--La Femme d'Argent by Air
Divination, yay or nay?
Yay for divination! I collect tarot cards.
Celeb crush?
No celeb crush. OK, maybe Clark Gregg. Smart is sexy, Scully.
Glitter, yay or nay?
No glitter--it gets everywhere--but yes shimmer!
Q: If there was another time period other than now that described your style/aesthetics, what would itbe?
Victorian, hands-down. Also Regency.
Quotes to live by:
Let it go, this too shall pass. -- OK Go
(I watch that video every time I begin to despair. It always makes me smile and cry at the same time.)
Don't be a dick. -- Wil Wheaton
Many, many more favorite quotes
So much ketchup I'm competing with Heinz.
If your witch were to take a photograph (or paint or whatever) of something just for you, what would it be? Landscape? Flower? Critter? Something to illustrate a favorite quote?
Something to illustrate a favorite quote, I think. My witch can ask me for quotes, I gots lots of faves.
Ok, is my witchee as obsessed with sock dreams as I am?
I live in Portland, aka Home of Sock Dreams, and I adore their socks. No1 Daughter collects Sock It To Me. My main problem is I have thick ankles and calves. Some of their socks fit me, but you'd need to ask them about hyooge calf sizes. I think they have them marked on the site. I also have to wear support hose, but I can always wear those underneath! And I have sock garters.
What is your favorite Halloween animal or other symbol/decoration?
Dia de los Muertos and various pagan nonsense.
How do you feel about profanity and off-color humor?
I curse like whoa. Most off-color humor is okay but I really don't like gross-out. Like, REALLY don't like gross-out.
I make hairsticks...would you like/use them?
I have just-below-the-shoulder hair. I love hairsticks and use them but a lot of the time they don't work. Short ones work as shawl pins, though! Fork styles work pretty well in my hair. I like the ones with danglies.
New Question! Does anyone here LARP? If so, what kind of LARP? And what kind of character do you play?
No LARPing.
Makeup, especially of the indie variety. Nail polish, nail wraps, eyeshadow, lipstick/gloss, etc. Y/N? Specific preferences (color, finish, product, brand, etc.)?
Lip gloss palettes. I don't wear much eye makeup at all, like, maybe mascara on special occasions. I like reds and browns. My skin tone is warm. Pinks and corals wash me out and I don't think they're age-appropriate (for me--I'm not a frump, but I don't like dressing like I think I'm my daughter).
LOVE LOVE LOVE nail polish and wraps. I like all kinds of polish but especially Zoya (I'm wearing Zoya Brooklyn right now). I like full coverage, prefer foils and shimmers over creams but like creams too, I like mattes (I'm out of matte top coat), and glitters make me nuts. They're so hard to get off!! Colors: Not fond of most pink or coral creams; I do like some, but I'm really stupid picky about them. Otherwise I love them all--browns, oranges, blues, greens, silvers, golds, purples, reds, grays, yellows, all teh colorz including some really weird unclassifiables that might be brown, might be gray, might be green, might be purple--you just can't tell, but it's all there in the shimmer. If you want to know what I have (I have a lot), ask a Nacho to ask me, or send me an anonymous email. I'm very interested in indies. I have no holographics at all, and I'd like some. I haven't had much luck with wraps but I'm always game. I like nail stickers and gems, too. I have a Konad system but I haven't had much luck. No1 Daughter is good at it, and I may hit her up soon for some nail art.
Would you completely freak out if I sent you a chocolate covered scorpion or some other food oddity? This includes things like 'bacon powder' from thinkgeek.com.
Er, well, wouldn't really care for it.
This has kind of been covered, but, are you ok with receiving canned jam (from a veteran jammer!) and if so, what flavors would you like and not like?
Yes, I'm fine with it. I love jam. I especially love plum, cherry, blackberry and apricot (I like sweet/sour), but really, I just love jam and butters. Oh wait, not big on grape.
I make little monster plushes, from felt and yarn and buttons. How do you feel about getting a special Halloween plushie?
Well, I'm actually trying to get rid of stuff like that...I'm already working on not leaving my daughters huge amounts of stuff to deal with. (A mentor just went to an assisted living place and I helped her daughter muck their apartment out--she made me promise not to leave my girls with the mess she was left with. I mean, wow. I took home three minivan-loads of spinning fiber, yarn and tools that would otherwise have gone to the landfill because she was overwhelmed.)
I'm in Japan, anything specific you might want from the land of the rising sun?
I LOVE ALL THE JAPAN. If you could send weird Pockies for No2 Daughter, that would be awesome. I can't eat them, but she is a massive anime geek (and just loves sweets, let's face it). I love Totoro anything (OK, I would make exception for a Totoro plushie), Polar Bear Cafe and Mainichi Kaasan stuff (LOVE those shows), Japanese incense, hard candies, fans, office supply stuff except for the kawaii erasers which don't really work and I don't really use, textiles...look, just pack up the entire country and send it.
Also a question for the round: Soooooo I seem to have more airline miles than money right now no idea how that happened. Is there anywhere (in the US) that you are dying to get away to? Also when would you be able to get away. Would this even be something you were interested in? If so, go look at the Southwest sale for routes and dates and times.
That's extremely generous! I hate to fly, though! If you can transfer the miles to Amtrak, we've got a deal!
New question: If you are ok with receiving t-shirts, what size are you, do you prefer tissue tees, normal crew tees, babydoll etc?
Babydolls never fit. I like longer sleeves I can alter to 3/4 (but shorter ones are ok--just no cap sleeves), and I have much, much boobage so 2x is the deal. I also have a low bust, so anything with an empire seam ends up around my shoulders.
THINKGEEK! Who loves it - do you have a wishlist on there?? What are some things you are jonesing for on there for under $20?
Love ThinkGeek, don't have a wish list. A lot of what they carry are tchotchkes, though, and like I said, tryin' to get rid of the tchotchkes.
Zombies, yes or no?
NO. Not just NO but HELL NO. I despise zombies. Not really a monster/horror person at all.
Would you like arm warmers/fingerless gloves? If so, what length? just beyond the wrist, almost to the elbow, full sleeves?
YES. I am a large person (with medium hands and small wrists), so unless you find really stretchy to-the-elbow, just beyond the wrist is good. I also like wrist warmers. It's amazing how just warming (or cooling) your pulses can help.
How would you feel if your witch or a minion of your witch showed up in person at your house with goodies? Thrilled? Annoyed? Completely creeped out?
If it were arranged beforehand that'd be fine. Actually it'd be awesome.
Do you have a ravelry account? Tell me about your yarn obsessions.
I do! MeiLin. Feel free to friend me, folks! My yarn obsessions. Well, since I inherited most of my mentor's stash, I'm not allowed to buy more. if I have an obsession, it's with long-variegated yarns like Noro. I also love odd balls and remnants, which I *am* allowed to have. I do a lot of "scrap" knitting projects. I am also allowed to acquire custom-dyed and/or handspun yarns, I am a protein fiber person--camelids, wool and silk, blended and alone.
Paintbox has a discount code! SWITCH10 is 10% off! Anyone have any paintbox loves?
Heard of but never experienced.
Question: do you feel a particular affinity for a specific animal/s?
Besides Totoros?
Knitted items like scarves, shawls, dishclothes....yay or nay? Favorite fibers? Favorite colors?
Love them. I am a knitter myself, so always love to get things from others. I like all fibers except acrylic, though anything meant to stretch like a hat I'd prefer not to have in a bast fiber (plant-based--cotton etc).
This wont apply to most of you, but I'm having a hard time contacting my witchee. If you were to receive handmade caramels, would it matter if they were made with raw cream (unpasteurized)?
Considering cream gets heated pretty thoroughly in the making, no, but if it's from a reputable, clean raw dairy I wouldn't have a problem even if it weren't. Raw milk is magic.
Would you enjoy getting a sampling of quality incense taken from various sources? Are there types of incense you know you don't like? Would you want a burner for loose incense and a few charcoals to get you started with that, or would you rather stick to simpler types?
I love that kind of incense, though I have to wait till I'm alone in the house to burn it. Yeah, the perfume-on-a-stick kind is yucky. I used to burn incense with charcoal but it's been a long time and I don't have the "kit" any more. The other kinds are easier/preferable, to be sure, but if something special is in the wind, so to speak...
Spices:
I could use good quality cardamom pods and cinnamon--actually anything needed to make chai spice and garam masala
Would you like handmade stationary or cards? How about a quill pen?
I would love a quill pen!
Maple candy?
OMG IT'S MY FAVORITE.
What is your favorite type of Halloween candy?
I have a sad love of peanut butter cups, candy corn and mallowcremes, especially the assorted ones but even the pumpkins. The real ones made with honey (I think it's Brach's).
What gadgets do you use in your everyday life and would you life a cool case for them - with your favourite fandom or artwork or saying?
Hm. I'm about to get a new-to-me iPhone. Not sure which one, though! Not the 6. Prolly a 5.
Stores are putting out their halloween PJs and undies! Would you be happy to get any in a package? And if so, what size? For PJ pants, do you like cotton or flannel?
I'm a big girl, so finding something for me would be awkward, I'm sure (22-24 womens). I love PJs, though I don't sleep in them; I use them as loungewear. I'm a writer, so sometimes they turn out to be daywear. No undies, please.
I do! They're not my absolute all-time favorite, but I do like them. I like the dark chocolate ones and the peanut butter ones; weird ones i'd be careful about gluten.
Eh, kinda meh. Meh on scented candles, too. They often give me a headache. Artificial scents usually do.
I already subscribe to Pandora and I get Amazon free via Prime.
New Question! Would you be interested in receiving a box of sugar cube skulls?
So cute but I would eat them. I will say that there's something about regular old sugar cubes piled in a bowl that make me unutterably happy. Who knows why, I sure don't. Brown sugar cubes, white sugar cubes, those wonderful lump sugar "cubes" that come in both brown and white...I have no explanation..
What do you most look forward to each Fall?
Apples and fresh cider. Changing leaves. Cool nights. Sweaters. Fires in the fire pit. The first fire in our pellet stove, and the first wood smoke from our neighbors' chimneys. School supplies. The return of soup and congee to my cooking. Mellocremes. The return to my bedroom upstairs for work, since it's no longer stifling hot.
Skin care routine? Fave cleanser? Toner? Moisturizer? What about body lotions? Any particular brand or scent?
I don't really have a skin care routine. Dr. Bronner, salux cloth, Complex 15, biore strips. I should do better but I don't know how! My face is dry, and I have rosacea. I should probably be masquing. Body lotions, I have a love/hate. The commercial ones all seem to leave me drier than before. I usually end up with coconut oil. If you know a good, more natural lotion for aging dry skin, dear witch, go for it. I like most scents, really--check my notes list,
Lip balms? Yay or nay?
Oh gods yay. I am sadly addicted since youth. My lips have always been dry. Burt's Bees is my favorite, but anything--lip balm, furniture wax, whatever--beeswax-smelling is always my favorite. Again, the more natural ones seem to do better on me.
Official Lilith thing: I did get decants, or at least signed up. I did not get decants of Om Gam, Mermaid or Pink Surprise Cake, despite curiosity, because monies. So if you get them and they don't work on you, dear witch, send them along.
ancilla, on 17 Sept 2014 - 08:26 AM, said:
Mmm...no. I don't really see Salem as a place to celebrate. That's just me, no judgment, seriously.
LisaNut, on 17 Sept 2014 - 08:26 AM, said:
I am so overwhelmed with scarves and hats and shawls, srsly. They're the major thing I knit.
Spiders (as in cute knit kind) yes or no?
Daughters are terrified of them, so no.
Pillows (the mostly decorative type)?
Depends? Not tchotchke type ones. If they were actually pillows, like good-sized couch pillows, then yes.
Any kind of bags - big, small, medium, purse, grocery, etc?
I adore bags.
LisaNut, on 17 Sept 2014 - 10:27 AM, said:
20th wedding anniversary on the 13th of October.
QUESTION! On a whim I have decided to go to the Tokyo Game Show this weekend. There will presumably be lots of silly free swag like postcards and stupid fans. Would something like that possibly interest you, witchee mine?
ALL THE JAPAN. I'm not a big gamer, though, so...will they have anime/manga, or anime-related game stuff? The girls do love Sonic, Mario and Zelda.
Ha! The flyboy/your worshipfulness ones are hilarious and the hubs LOVES Star Wars; if we were to get a ring set, that would be the one. Imma crochet him a Death Star for Yule. Last year he got a Death Star ice cube mold. His handle is velvetackbar, because we have a black velvet painting of Admiral Ackbar above our wood stove. Yes. We do. The Halloween stuff...eh. The things I liked best were the bracelets. A custom cuff with a Switch Witch slogan or a fave quote would be cool.
We love regional weird/unusual/interesting stuff, though we've found a large amount of it is actually made in a factory in Nebraska (I think it's Nebraska). Anyway, I'm not kidding; people are calling it artisinal and it's actually made in a huge factory and bottled to look artisinal. I don't mind home decanting. We live in the heart of the local craft spirits community, in fact, right now I'm sipping on a perfect Bloody Mary made with Vinn Baijiu, a sort of Chinese vodka made by an ethnically Chinese family from Vietnam. PERFECT Bloody Mary, I'm telling you! We can't drink beer, but we love cider (not the super sweet fruit ones), wine (zinfandel!) and booze. I like dark liquors--bourbon, dark rum, whiskeys. Himself likes traditional "working man" spirits--grappa, baijiu, slivovitz.
Edit: As for cocktail/wine/etc accessories and books, a cocktail strainer would be nice. The hubs informs me we have plenty of books. We could use some wine glasses or high balls.
lorizav, on 19 Sept 2014 - 7:53 PM, said:
EEEE SUGAR CUBES yes. I love sugar cubes with an irrational...love, I dunno, they make me happy, and flavored sugar cubes sound amazing.
Oh wow. I think I need more Tiffany Aching Terry Pratchett, is what I need, or perhaps the book of Louisa May Alcott's pennydreadfuls...
Dearest witch, I updated my etsy list, which is hard to find since it's under my real name, whatever that is:
https://www.etsy.com/people/LynnS/favorites
You may note a whole lot of Sihaya earring wardrobes, which is what I finally figured out was the "thing over $10 you wouldn't buy yourself but want."
BPTP Fatherhood series: All of them. Seriously. All. of. them. I got decants of most.
Oh, I had a bit of a question too: Street art! Into it? Not into it? Meh?
I love murals, if that counts.
Are there five things under $25 at Birchbox
Oh good gods, my dears, there isn't enough time to go through all that...
If you could only pick one note that you love (e.g. Vanilla, Orange, Lavender, Rose) & you could only wear/have perfume, etc in that note, what would it be?
WHAT KIND OF HORRIBLE PERSON ARE YOU TO MAKE ME CHOOSE *ONE*? I think I'd have to go with vanilla. Or lavender. Or lavender vanilla--where's my bottle of TKO?? (I've lost it. )
Would you be interested in a custom painted miniature?
Sure! My character, Maira Myrthytrin, is a half-elf wizard with a badass little viper named Fith as her familiar. She has blue eyes, long very pale blonde hair in a braid, and gold hoops in her ears. She wears leathers, not robes, and her main weapon besides magic is a light crossbow.
I know a lot of people here are very passionate about different causes. Are there any local or national charities that are close to your heart that you know would appreciate a donation in your name?
Anything involving hunger or health care. Examples: Doctors Without Borders; Heifer International; the Oregon Food Bank.
I have two partial (Backup) bottles of some scents on your wishlist, Witchee. However, the labels aren't perfect, due to a tragic imp explosion. Would you still be ok with getting them?
Oh heck yeah! As long as they're legible or re-stickered, I'm good.
My mom has crocheted a bunch of little witch hats, would this be something you are interested in?
Sure! I could put it seasonally on my altar's little goddess figure.
Are you interested in anything from my mom's Etsy shop? https://www.etsy.com/shop/twinklespins
I love her bags! OMG, the Layena bag and the white rabbit bag!
Are you interested in dried honey crisp apples or italian prunes?
What's the shipping on 325 lbs? I'll send some money to help.
118. Do you need any travel mugs, coffee mugs, tea makers, rock sugar, coffee or tea syrups, etc?
Good on travel mugs/coffee mugs/tea pots. I love rock sugar. I just realized, too, that I'm out of "blooming" tea. I have the little glass teapot but no more teas. I love Monin syrup but I never get any; No2 Daughter uses it all before I get so much as a sniff.
119. Is there anything from my shop that you might like, past or present?
cyrenemyst, your things are beautiful!
120. What are 6 GC scents & 6 others that you would be interested in as imps?
Oh good heavens, too much.
121. Lush just released holiday stuffs. Any interest?
Oh gosh, so cute! I have never done the Lush thing, so sure!
122. Any chocolate loving witches want something from this place?
The spice bar or blackberry ginger bar, mayhap.
