What kinds of crafts does everyone either enjoy making or enjoy getting? Do you have a certain type of handmade item that you love to collect? Socks, boxes, jewelry, dolls etc?

I'm not a big crafter, but I do dabble in jewelry and food, and I've been thinking about learning to knit (bought Stich 'n' Bitch, and got a couple of needles and some yarn as gifts) but just haven't gotten around to it. I also like papercraft type supplies.

 

Getting? Anything knit wants to be really lightweight, as I live in the land of sun and soon will be adding heat and humidity to that, so I spend a lot of time being warmer than I want to be. I do occasionally go back to Minnesota in the winter, so tall socks, legwarmers, scarves, and gloves would probably get at least some use, anyway. I love boxes and am in constant need of more. I love jewelry of certain styles. I love stationary. I love food, baked goods, drink mixes. No to the dolls, though I do own a little knit, stuffed Cthulhu and he wouldn't mind having some friends (I keep thinking he might enjoy a knit Dalek or something; I like stuffed animals in general as well).

 

I would prefer things that would be not too difficult to pack (or consume), because I'm moving in early fall.

 

if you're NOT a vegan how would you feel about soaps made with emu oil? Squicked out/concerned about animal cruelty, or willing to try them?

Willing to try them.

 

Are there any of the BPTP bath oils you adore (particularly ones that you cannot get anymore). What about the room sprays?

I've only tried a handful of bath oils and room sprays (Proserpina, Winter Maiden, Holiday Stress Relief, Gula, Ice Prince, L'Autumno, The Queen's Croquet Ground, Okiya, Yuletide Past, Yuletide Present, Yuletide Yet To Come, Bah Humbug, Snow White) and would mostly just like to try bath oils I haven't tried yet.

 

How would you feel about an ultra-girlie shawl or wrap in summer-weight (lace)?

Thrilled! Those are gorgeous, and so lightweight I could probably even use them fairly regularly.

 

what would you think of hand-dyed items?

I'd probably be pretty positive, as long as the colors were dark and the pattern pretty subtle. I don't know that I'd want a whole shirt like that, but a scarf, shawl, camisole, socks, pillowcase, or skirt would probably be pretty cool.

 

How do you feel about hand-knit socks?

Good! I especially like them knee or thigh height (stretchy and with room to accommodate my fairly rotund legs) and as thin as possible, and/or with spiffy patterns.

 

For non-US witches: is there anything from the US you'd love that you can't get where you live now?

I'm in the US, but from overseas I love UK Cadbury Fruit & Nut bars (the chocolate tastes different!), Tim Tams, and weird-flavored or nutty Pocky. I also have a soft spot for Kinder Eggs, Asian bottled fruit drinks (not the think gelatin-y ones, but the strong-flavored grape or peach or orange or apple drinks), and strange savory cracker-like snacks. Oh, and also? Exotic spices or spice mixes -- I'd love a bunch of different Hungarian paprikas, for example.

 

How many potential witchees have an iPod, or download MP3s?

I have a little black full-to-bursting 8 GB nano, but I'm always always always looking for more music, via MP3s or cds or podcasts or whatever. If you're looking for more info on my musical tastes, the following mix isn't a bad place to start:

http://www.bpal.org/index.php?showtopic=52...p;#entry1381571

 

I also tend to talk music in my livejournal reasonably often (there's a tag), and will sometimes put something in the "Current Music" field.

 

Would anyone like bath bombs or bath melts scented with one of their favorite Bpal scents?

Maybe a few, though not a super-huge number because I can't use in my current apt because it has a crappy tub. But I'd save them for when I next find a good tub.

 

Would you like homemade cinnamon buns or sticky buns?

YES!

 

Is there anyone here that likes Hello Kitty or any other Sanrio Characters?

I am reasonably fond of the flat panda and find the rest of them neutral-to-mildly-good. I do have a Hello Kitty purse, but it's made out of black vinyl and hot pink trim, so I guess stuff on the gothier side will appeal to me more.

 

Ok, for all you shower people, would you like Bpal scented soap? I'm out of soap stuff right now, but if I can get any anytime soon, would that be something that you'd like? Or how about Bpal scented massage bars or solid scrub bars?

Yes, definitely! I prefer bar body soap and liquid hand soap, and would be especially interested in the solid scrub bars.

 

Do you play any online games, like World of Warcraft? If so, what server do you play on, what's your character's name, etc.?

Alas, I currently do not.

 

Is there a program you might have missed or show you love which is gone from the airwaves which might be found (or burned) for you by a Witch?

Things watched in the distant past that I'd love to have: Head of the Class! Star Trek: The Next Generation, Rags to Riches, 3-2-1 Contact, Gummi Bears, Saved By the Bell, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Kimagure Orange Road, Kino's Journey... Missed and curious: Black Books, Twin Peaks, Saiyuki, Inu-yasha, Witch Hunter Robin, Samurai Champloo, Full Metal Alchemist, Rurouni Kenshin OAVs, Azumanga Daioh, Avatar, Merlin, Project Runway, American Idol either 7 or 8, Profit, The Unusuals, Breaking Bad, Privilege, Gossip Girl, Farscape, Rescue Me, 30 Rock, Prison Break, Rosemary and Thyme, New Doctor Who, Rome, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Mad Men, The Wire, Big Love, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, Dexter, 24, Scrubs, The Sopranos, Chappelle's Show, Deadwood, Dirty Sexy Money, Traveler, Castle...

 

If you were to make a seasonal mix CD for this summer, what would you name it?

A two-disc set: Deceptive Leisure/Quiet Love

 

Do you collect dolls or miniatures? What kind? Do you like to get new clothes or items for them?

Nope, though I do occasionally like tiny objects like tea sets or whatnot.

 

So what are people doing with their saturdays so far?

Staying up way too late hanging out with an old friend and watching a silly movie, then coming home and spending a few hours reading fiction and poking at the internet. Now I'm busying being annoyed at my finances and writing up answers! Soon I will be having dinner with my family, and later I might go out dancing at a goth club, or I might do some sorting and packing. Actually a pretty typical Saturday for this summer except I won't usually have my family around once I go back to San Diego.

 

My fiance sent me an early dvd rip of Coraline that he was given (pretty sure it's not been released yet, but I sometimes have a hard time keeping up) and I was wondering if anyone would like a copy of it?

I loved Coraline when I saw it in the theatres (in 3D! so awesome!), but I don't feel the need for a rip. Thanks, though!

 

Would you like any recycle/upcycle supplies for your crafting?

I like pretty pictures, photos, postcards, etc. [i also like things that could be made into jewelry -- keys, small old computer and engineering parts (resistors are pretty!), cool old buttons and such.]

 

***7/12***

 

Question...do you fret or take it personally when your witch or witchee gets too quiet? Like they figured you out and don't like you?

Not really. But I'm not super-talkative myself.

 

Do you try to figure out who your witch is? Do you want your witch to give you clues?

Not really? But it would be cool to get clues. Whatever works, though!

 

Who has a Kindle? If you do, would you like a Kindle gift card, Kindle accessories, etc. as a gift? Whadda you need?

I only wish.

 

What about other electronics (Blackberries, iPhone, etc.)? Do you need any accessories, etc. for those?

Again, I only wish. Those are not really affordable on a broke grad student's salary.

 

***7/8***

 

I've recently been listening to Rasputina's 'O Perilous World' album and am particularly enamored by '1816: the Year Without a Summer'. So I'd like to know if my witchee likes Rasputina, and would like any music by them?

I do like Rasputina, though I seem to like their covers album and seeing them live more than I like their other albums, but that's only based on Cabin Fever and The Lost & Found 2nd Edition, the two albums I own. It would be interesting to hear stuff off of albums besides those two, come to think of it.

 

***7/6***

 

What new scents from the update are calling your name?

Berry Moon, possibly Stinky and Whoso List To Hunt, Alice's Evidence, All in the Golden Afternoon, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat, Imperious Tiger-Lily, and Snooty Rose.

 

I have easy access to Asian candies, tropical fruits(mangosteen, mango, durian, jackfruit) flavored biscuits/chips/snacks, dried tropical fruits, Japanese/korean/taiwanese cosmetics brands and music/CDs. Is there anything you will like from Singapore or Asia in general?

I would be interested in folk music of all kinds and the KAO Asience line of hair products, and in red lipstick (on the dark side) for lightly tanned yellow-toned skin. The things I miss most about Asia is actually the fruit drinks -- not the thick kind, but the kind that are clearly meant to be like juice, only aren't really juice. Well, and good, fresh doujiang, but that's not shippable. I do also like a variety of asian snacks, especially salty snacks.

 

***7/3-5***

 

Do you play any musical instruments? Which ones? If not, are there any you'd like to learn? What styles of music do you play, and are you interested in learning any different styles?

I'm primarily a vocalist, but I play the piano, and I played the violin for a couple of years as a kid. I'd love to pick up the violin again, but really what I want is to learn to play the cello. I also have rudimentary experience playing the clarinet, recorder, guitar, xylophone, and erhu. Besides the cello, I would be psyched to pick up the guitar, drums, and guzheng (of these, I have access to the guzheng). Most of my musical education has been in strictly classical styles; I would indeed love to branch out.

 

Are you partial to any kind of comedy?

I guess? I like dry British humor, absurdity, satire, and comedy that's smart. The Simpsons, Monty Python, Eddie Izzard, Sports Night, and Wonderfalls are some specific examples.

 

What did you do for the 4th and/or the holiday weekend?

Mostly nothing, but I did go with a friend to see Up for the second time. It made me cry. Again.

 

Partials, samples, sniffies?

Er. Yes, please?

 

Have you read anything by China Mieville, Neil Gaiman or Charles de Lint? If so, what? Like/dislike...??

Gaiman, approximately in order of like: Sandman and Death: The High Cost of Living, American Gods, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Coraline, Neverwhere, Signal to Noise, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, The Books of Magic. [i have somehow, inexplicably failed to read Stardust despite owning 2 different versions. I haven't seen the movie, either.] I have almost everything of his, the only things I think I'm on the lookout for are Blueberry Girl, Wolves in the Walls, Melinda, Odd and the Frost Giants, Don't Panic, the script version of Snow, Glass, Apples, M is for Magic, Interworld, A Screenplay, Shoggoth's Old Peculiar, Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, Angela, and the audio drama of Signal to Noise.

The only China Mieville I've read is Un Lun Dun, and it was terrific. I've been meaning to read more but haven't yet. I think I have at least one of them kicking around somewhere from years ago, long before Un Lun Dun came out. Just never got around to reading it.

The only Charles de Lint book I've read is The Onion Girl. It was pretty good, but it hasn't really inspired me to pick up more. I'd be willing to read more, if it was shoved at me.

 

Other than books/cds/dvds are there any "things" that you collect or symbols which you have an affinity for?

Jewelry, to an extent. Quirky stuffed things. Bladed weaponry. As for symbols... Trees. Bears, because my last name means "bear" in Chinese. Chinese characters. Mountains, winter. Death, to an extent. The Moon. Music-related things, reading and writing related things.

 

Do you like musicals? What have you seen? What do you want to see? Any you'd like to own?

I do. I've seen a ton of musicals live if you count student productions (and a lot on video as well), but the only major professional productions I've seen are Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, Babes in Toyland, Chicago, Pacific Overtures, and Avenue Q. I would love to see professional productions of Into the Woods (my favorite), Wicked, Les Miserables, Jersey Boys, Working, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, The Lion King, 1776, Cabaret, Cats, Chess, Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, She Loves Me, Assassins, and Spamalot. I'd like to own pretty much all of the ones in the "want to see" list, plus Avenue Q.

 

What are your thoughts on J.R.R. Tolkein?

I enjoyed the Hobbit but got stuck in Rivendell partway through Fellowship and I'm starting to suspect I'm never going to actually read them.

 

If you answered that you would like recipes, are there any national or ethnic cuisines you prefer or don't prefer?

Not really. I have mixed results with Korean food (it's always love-hate, never mediocre), but otherwise I pretty much like the whole range.

 

What's your favorite summer activity? Swimming!

 

Would you like a recipe booklet (homemade) for homemade smoothies and shakes? Yes, yes I would.

 

What's your favorite vacation spot?

I don't really have a favorite, because I tend to like going to places new to me rather than going back to ones I've already visited. Right now the top of my "return to" list: Rome, Maui, Hong Kong, Budapest, Banff.

 

Would you like anything nostalgic? Things you loved from their childhood or maybe things you've always loved that were from a time before your own?

Yes, quite possibly. Some random childhood things: My Little Ponies, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite, Gummi Bears, Care Bears, Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact, Free to be you and me, Big Bird Goes to China, Berenstain Bears, Muppet Babies, Babysitters Club, All-of-a-kind-family, things relating to LM Montgomery books, the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, Oz, Narnia, Beauty and the Beast, older Disney films, both animated and live-action, Adventures in Babysitting, Weird Science, Head of the Class... Probably a lot of other stuff. (I grew up in the 80s and early 90s, but had a slightly atypical relationship to pop culture because my parents are first generation immigrants. I was in Minnesota (in a suburb of the Twin Cities) all through my childhood and young adulthood.)

 

***7/2***

 

What styles of jewelry do you like? Bold and funky? Delicate and dainty? Short necklaces, long ones, chokers? Bracelets or anklets?

A variety, but I lean towards elegant and delicate -- I have a few larger pieces, but they're on the simple and elegant side rather than the "bold and funky" side. The exception is my fondness for weirdly shaped plastic items. I do tend to like large rings with square, diamond, or rectangular components. My favorite length of necklace is short, just barely not a choker. and I like chokers as well. I also think I want to experiment with really long necklaces, and also the length of necklace where the center (I prefer necklaces with a clear midpoint, usually marked by a pendant or larger piece) is right above my cleavage.

 

Does my witchee like hats, a floppy summer sun hat or something more stylish?

I do like hats, but I hardly ever wear them. I think the only type of hat that I'm currently in the market for is a top hat, preferably collapsible.

 

Would you like a hand knit cap or hat?

I would be very unlikely to wear it, primarily because I live in such hot climes.

 

What kind of shopper are you? Do you make a budget? Planner, or compulsive?

I tend to make both impulse purchases and obsessively researched purchases, depending on the item and my mood. I am bad at budgets, though I've been wanting to go in that direction.

 

Do you like to buy what's new, special offers, only the usual?

I generally buy things on sale, unless it's something I really need right now or it's something that almost never goes on sale in useful sizes or whatnot. I like to try new things, but I also like having a few staples.

 

***7/1***

 

Non-melting candies....what are your favorites?

Mentos, starburst, jolly ranchers, werther's, smarties, peppermints, lemon drops and the like, jelly belly, old fashioned candy sticks, honey sticks...

 

What are you happiest about (besides SW)? What makes you feel good this summer? Any summer?

Not being a grad school anymore. Having free time. Ice cream trucks. [i much prefer winter to summer in general.]

 

Do you like coffee and/or wine?

Yes, both. I especially like dessert wine.

 

What are your thought on World Market?

I love World Market!

 

If you are a dog lover, or gigantic dog nerd like I am, would you like any breed-related items from this site? If so, which breed(s)?

Not for me.

 

A witch wants to cheer you up. What are we cheering you up from? In other words, what are the most pressing problems you're facing right now?

Being super-broke and unemployed, plus being stressed out about packing and moving. But job hunting is definitely be key problem.

 

Who out there is equally challenged and would appreciate icons/banners as witchy gifts? Sure!

 

Lip balm? I like lip balm, though I like tubes more than I like jars.

 

What's that one thing you keep meaning to get but keep forgetting or passing over?

The Absolute Sandman series. I have all the old graphic novels, but the Absolutes look really awesome and would be fun to have. It's just hard to convince myself I need them.

 

***6/30***

 

Have you any desire to read Hannibal? Nope.

 

If your witch goes to Convergence (or is bestest friends with someone, same thing), is there anything you'd love to have?

Probably only the Convergence exclusive, if that ends up being something appealing.

 

Are you freaking out over any of the discontinued scents, dear fellow Witches? Nope, although I have a sneaking suspicion that I may fall in love with Succubus once I try it.

 

For those candy loving witchees. Are there any 3 that u love and would like more of?

Of the regular American mass-market candies: anything Reese's (especially the big things because they have the highest peanut butter to chocolate ratio),

peanut butter or almond M&Ms (especially dark chocolate), Hershey's milk chocolate with almonds. I also like Milk Duds. (I generally prefer high quality chocolate to any of this, but these are the ones I do eat and love.)

 

And, are there any 3 that u just cannot stand and would not like any of?

3 Musketeers, black licorice, Rolos.

 

Do you have an electric stove, and would you like a bowl and tarts to use the residual heat (and for extra safety)?

I do have an electric stove, and sure, that would be neat.

 

What is your favorite classic fairy tale or children's story?

I have to have a favorite? Fairy Tale: probably Beauty and the Beast for the brave, proactive protagonist. I like Mulan for this, too, though the original poem (which is the version I love most) wasn't necessarily for children. I also like darker versions of Cinderella (and darker versions in general). Children's story... this is much hard to pick a favorite in. Alice in Wonderland, Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery, Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, The Secret Garden and A Little Princes by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the Oz books by L. Frank Baum, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, everything by Diana Wynne Jones (but for children (rather than young adults), especially the Chrestomanci books, Tale of Time City, Power of Three, and The Homeward Bounders), All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, The Enchanted Castle and Five Children and It by E. Nesbit, Little Women and Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott, So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane, The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks, and Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede.

 

What of the summer update (Egyptian, Lawn Ornaments, etc.) appeals most to you?[/b] Feast for the Greatly Revered Ones and Spinning Multicolored Metallic Pinwheel, possibly Labores Solis and Lawn Gnome.

 

With all this talk of chocolate, do you prefer milk or dark? Dark is my favorite, but milk is good for some things, as is white.

 

***6/29***

 

Do you like coconut? Sure.

.

Puddin' posts ebay sales of older stuff every now and then - what of the current lot are you dying for? Alas, I missed it.

 

Do you tweet? I have a twitter, but I don't really tweet.

 

What kind of mythology are you interested in? In vaguely decreasing order: Greek, Chinese, Norse, Egyptian, Hindu, Japanese... pretty much all kinds. Something new would also be awesome.

 

***6/28***

 

Which flavors are you interested to try from the Chocolate Research Facility?

Pretty much all of the Spring/Summer '09 series, but especially Cardamom with Almond, Peppermint with Mint Flake, and Rose with Rose Petal. Everything in the Exotic series but French Vanilla, Strawberry Yogurt, and Cheese; especially anything involving sesame. Everything in the double fruit series, especially Longan with Pumpkin Seed, but in general these are lower priority than the other categories. Everything in the nut series, but especially almond with almond nib (my nut hierarchy for being paired with chocolate: almond, hazelnut, macademia, pistachio, pecan, walnut, cashew. Everything in the fruit series, especially lychee and blueberry. Very much yes to everything in both the alcohol tea, and coffee series.

 

Do you wear makeup or nail polish? Need brushes, containers, storage, mani/pedi supplies? What colors and brands do you like?

Not really. I do own a lot of makeup -- most of it Mac but also some brands that Sephora carries -- that would want a container/storage, though.

 

Do you like shiney hanging porch decorations like windchimes or those things that spin and swirl in the wind? Sure!

 

Hair adornments?

So much yes! I love hair sticks and related toys, plus pretty pins (mostly for decorating buns), smallish snap clips (for holding flyaways when I have my hair up), hair combs (for pulling back hair from my face while leaving the rest loose), and the kind of large jaw clips with the sort of triangular shape (I have a lot of hair, it needs room to sit; an example here: http://www.scunci.com/product_detail.aspx?...d=78&lp=13). I also like clever/new/weird hair tools and decorations.

 

Is there any infomercial product you're dying to try even though you know it probably sucks?

I didn't know (except for basic kitchen things like a juicer or chopper or dehydrator, all of which would be cool), so I went looking around a little. In order of most interesting to least, the "Cleavage Control Clip," "Entertainment Coupons" (The Entertainment Book for Austin, TX), "Blendy Pen," "Smart Spin Storage," "Clever Clasp" for jewelry, and "Hercules Hook" all look potentially fun or useful.

 

What are your favorite websites (besides this one, and the online shops you listed in your questionnaire)?

Hmm. Livejournal? There are some pretty good webcomics out there as well -- I don't read them regularly, but I do like them. Wikipedia's pretty useful too, despite it's irritations. And, of course, Google and Google Maps. Oh! And I'm very fond of opentable.com's online reservation system. Chowhound's pretty neat, too.

 

We have so many talented witches and they really need to promote themselvesI more so, if you made something by hand for a previous witchee or have an etsy store or some other outlet for hand made goods, will you post it here with pictures or links? Or, if you want to brag on a previous witch's talent, this is the place for that as well.

My previous (and first ever!) witch, Somnambular, makes really nifty, slightly steampunky jewelry, primarily necklaces and earrings.

Photos of things I'm now the proud owner of: http://www.bpal.org/index.php?autocom=gall...m&album=520

Her etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5233834

I also really loved the handmade bpal boxes she sent me, but I don't have pictures yet.

 

If you could make your perfect scent (or at least most desired at the moment!) what would be in it?

Xi Shi: osmanthus, lychee, cherry, cherry blossom, apple blossom, plum blossom, moon-shimmered mist, champagne, and just the lightest breath of sandalwood fan.

paired with:

Taiyang: osmanthus, pear, peach, peach blossom, chrysanthemum, amber, sandalwood incense, Lao Li (ancient Chinese ritual beer made of rice, honey, grapes, and hawthorn fruit), and delicate curls of gold from the gilded wings of a sunbird.

 

So I have a question for the witchees, and hopefully mine will answer as well...In trying to decide what to fix for dinner, I thought that I've received some great recipes from friends (particularly the culinary mastermind that is scotchgrrl). I also have a few great recipes of my own. So would anyone like to receive some original, or very much loved recipes from his/her witch?

I would adore recipes!

 

List things you DO NOT need any more of:

At the moment, anything heavy and/or bulky and/or difficult to pack, as I'll be moving very soon. Mascara, foundation.

 

***6/27***

 

Is there something that would offend you if you received it in your mail/gift/email)? (as in profanity, a bad words in an email/card/music ... or a card or something with a scantily dressed man/woman pictured on it, crude/immature humor tshirts, etc ...) Nope!

 

What do you like to snack on? Wow, huge question. Roasted nuts and sunflower seeds, trail mix (especially the kinds that include dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate), Sun Chips, Cheetos, white cheddar Pirate's Booty and Smart Puffs, 94% fat free microwave popcorn, high-quality chocolate, chocolate-covered nuts, fruit, raw veggies (especially carrots), hummus, cheese & crackers, popsicles, ice cream and/or frozen yogurt and/or gelato, baked goods in general...

 

What is the color scheme you use most when you decorate?

I don't really have one. Black and red is a common one for me, as is shades of blues and sometimes also purples. I would consider things dark green or wine colored. I also like dark woods.

 

If you have music or DVD's on your wishlist, do you mind getting a burned copy? How about if it is original packaging but previously used? Or do you only want it new? That's fine; I prefer mix cds for burned music and used copies for DVDs, but really anything's fine.

 

Who is your favorite artist? What are some of your favorite pieces of their work?

I don't really have a favorite artist (I like many different types of art), but I've always liked Arthur Rackham (all his Arthurian legend stuff, a lot of the Alice in Wonderland stuff and Fairy Tales stuff, Titania Sleeping, Freya the Fair, Twilight of the Gods, Brunhilde, Feeling Very Undancey, Enter the Two Brothers, The Old Woman in the Wood...); I'm not so much into the fairy ones unless they're pretty dark and/or creepy) and Mucha (for example, Les Saisons 1990, Seasons 1896, Les Saisons (the one with long hair even more amazing than 1896) Music, Dance, Reverie du Soir/Evening, Repos de la Nuit/Night's rest, Stars, Zodiac, Lorenzaccio, Laurel, Fruit, the Slav Epic, the Lottery of National Unity, the Zdenka Cerny cello concert poster, and Meditation; I tend to prefer the less cluttered, more graceful and elegant pieces, and subtle (but not washed-out) neutral-ish colors and blue-range palettes, though there are always exceptions -- I do really like some of the more intense coloration better, it all just depends on the specific colors and comos; note also I tend to prefer darker-toned to lighter-toned.).

 

[For example, from these four Seasons, my preferences best to less good:

http://www.art.com/products/p10278198-sa-i...aisons-1900.htm

http://www.art.com/products/p13200468-sa-i...our-seasons.htm

http://www.art.com/products/p10310465-sa-i...les-saisons.htm

http://www.art.com/products/p12903632-sa-i...easons-1896.htm]

 

 

Are you a candles person, incense person, or just a BPTP spritzer for room scents?

Candles a little more than incense, though I do like both. I like the BPTP room sprays but have enough for years at this point.

 

What is your favorite latin or faux latiny phrase?

Probably deus ex machina -- so fun to say, and so very useful for any writer or person who wants to talk about books.

 

***6/26***

 

How are you doing for BPAL storage? Need any boxes?

I am always in need of boxes.

 

Is there any place you've visited where you feel like you left your heart there?

Oh, tons. Venice, Rome, Budapest, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Seattle, New York, Chicago, Banff, the Grand Canyon, Itasca State Park (the headwaters of the Mississippi), Acadia National Park in Maine, Hawaii, and Vermont. (This doesn't include the places I've lived or am planning to move to -- Minneapolis/St. Paul, Boston, the Bay Area, San Diego, and Austin.)

 

What one item would you just love to have that is made by a Switch Witch? The answer is always jewelry. But food/drink is very close behind!

 

Is your abode a palace covered in fur, a disaster area ,or a neat freaks delight? A disaster area.

 

Are there any phobias you have that you absolutely, positively, do NOT want anything from your witch referencing? Nope, not that I can think of.

 

Are you a good witch or a bad witch? Both! The answer is always both.

 

What kind of a car do you drive and would you want something you could use in your car? Rear view mirror charms, steering wheel covers (a new thinkg for the knitters ), car blessing medicine bags

I do not have a car, but I'm planning on getting one soonish. I would be interested in rearview mirror charms and car blessing medicine bags for that eventuality.

 

Do you want to know when you have something coming in the mail, or would you rather it be a complete surprise? Either is fine!

 

What is your mailbox situation?

My housemate and I live in a condo complex, so there's a small mailbox in a big wall with all the others; small packages (about the size of the small priority mail boxes the lab tends to use) fit in there, but everything bigger tends to get delivered to our door.

 

***6/25***

 

Are you interested in Tarot or Tarot art?

I am mildly interested in Tarot itself and very interested in various Tarot art. I only one deck, the Haindl Tarot, and the two books that go with it by Rachel Pollack. I would be up for expanding my Tarot horizons.

 

What would you think of soap samples/shampoo bar samples? (I believe the latter can be used as soap if you are not shampoo bar inclined). Or other sample sized bath/beauty products, for that matter?

I am very much not interested in shampoo bars, but I am conversely very interested in soap bars! In general, I am up for sample-sized bath/beauty products. I like trying things!

 

What about burnables as in candles, tarts and/or incense?

I like them, though I don't actually use them super-often. But maybe if I had more I'd use them more, I don't know.

 

Who knits? Do you also spin and dye? What supplies, that you wouldn't buy for yourself, would you just love to have for that activity? I do not.

 

Do you like coffee? Whole bean or ground? Bold/Medium/Mild roast?

I do! Any of those are fine, it's the other aspects that matter more.

 

So you have enough socks and wraps... (shush, VCW!) Are there any other knitted goods you might like? Lap blanket? Fingerless gloves? Arm warmers? Little knitted animals? Silk scarf? Head band? Wrist cuff? Dish clothes?

Lap blanket, very much yes. Fingerless gloves, yes, but preferably in extremely light weight, and same with the arm warmers -- note that my forearms, while not super-thick, are also not super-thin. Dish cloth, yes, silk scarf, yes; head band, wrist cuff, no. Of these, little knitted animals (and the lap blanket) and the things that makes me most go "oooooh."

 

***6/24***

 

Are you obsessed with honey? If so, is there a particular kind you like best? Spun honey, flavored honeys, certain types of honey....etc.

I don't know about obsessed, exactly, but I really love it, pretty much all kinds. I'm a fan of creamed honey (aka spun honey, I believe), I like some flavored honeys (rosemary and lavender are favorites, and I expect other herbs might also be good), and in general, the darker and more strongly-flavored, the better -- for example, I like Trader Joe's 100% Desert Mesquite Honey.

 

What are your favorite materials? Or material things? Some people like jewelry, some like woods, some plants...

Silk, dark wood, fine soft cotton, steel, silver, 24k gold, porcelain, glass. Also all sorts of stones, gems, and minerals, among them most of the jewelry types -- agate, onyx, lapis lazuli, garnet, jade, hematite, obsidian, black pearl, black opal, mother of pearl, jasper, malachite, turquoise, tigers-eye, marcasite, dark amethyst, corundums and beryls -- though I also just like cool-looking rocks. Copper's pretty neat, too, except for turning my skin green. I also like paper, paper is awesome.

 

Is there anything you've been wanting to learn that your witch might be able to help you with?

See the question about musical instruments. Also, graphic design, more cooking, maybe knitting (as mentioned above), vidding, and I'd like to get back into art, mostly drawing, calligraphy, and possibly painting, oh, and maybe origami and papercraft..

 

Posters, yes or no?

Yes!

 

What are your favorite animals? Or, what animals resonate strongly with you?

Bears and big cats. I also like pandas, penguins, and birds of prey. Also, among dogs, Westies and black labs are my favorites.

 

Are there any historical figures you are particularly interested in - say, that you'd enjoy reading about, or movies, etc.?

Qiu Jin, Lady Hao, Empress Wu, Yu Xuanji, Ban Zhao, Zhuangzi, Gao Yaojie. Queen Himiko. Herodotus, Thucydides, Alcibiades, Socrates, Plato, Pericles, Aristophanes. Meyer Lansky, and possibly other mafia-related figures. Jane Austen. Clara Schumann, Frederic Chopin, Bartok, Dvorak, Sibilius, Stravinsky, Beethovan... really most romantic-era composers and turn of the century/early 20th century Russian greats have the potential to be interesting, depending on the quality of the storytelling. I like modern music history too -- rock, blues, folk, etc. Most female rulers, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Victoria, and both Elizabeths, as well as Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and the like. Mary Magdalene. Eleanor and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Isadora Duncan. Bettie Page, Marilyn Monroe, and Jackie-O. Most female writers, come to think of it, including all the ones in my book lists. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other early feminists. Donaldina Cameron. And probably others...

 

What, if anything, are you earwormed with right now?

"Don't fall in love with me yet/we only recently me/true I'm in love with you but/you might decide I'm a nut/give me a week or two to/go absolutely cuckoo/then when you see your error/then you can flee in terror/like everybody else does/I only tell you this 'cause/I'm easy to get rid of/but not if you fall in love/know now that I'm on the make/and if you make a mistake/my heart will certainly break/I'll have to jump in a lake/and all my friends will blame you/there's no telling what they'll do/it's only fair to tell you/I'm absolutely cuckoo." Sometimes Magnetic Fields songs are insanely catchy.

 

What scent are you wearing right now, if any?

Chaos Theory V: recursive self-similarity v4: snake oil series: CCCXXXIV

 

***6/23***

 

Anyone reading an amazing book right now?

Actually, yes -- The Dragons of Babel by Michael Swanwick. I'm not very far into it yet, but so far, it's fascinating.

 

What socially respsonsible site would you recommend to ALL Witches? sHeifer International, perhaps.

 

What is your favorite anime, or if you don't like that what is your favorite animated series? Do you like villians that are funny because they are meant to be, or are you like me and love the villian that just can't seem to get his evil schemes to work?

Whisper of the Heart. (I'm also fond of Kino's Journey, Here is Greenwood, Escaflowne, and most Studio Ghibli, among others.) I actually like morally grey, sympathetic, smart villains (and heroes for that matter) the best, but funny and bumbling villains (poor Wile E. Coyote!) can also be entertaining.

 

Tea. How do you feel about it? I like tea!

 

would my future witchee like to receive steampunk style jewelry? So. Much. YES.

 

Does your feline like catnip? I don't have one.

 

Salt soap bars (soap made with a large quantity of salt, like salt-scrub-in-a-bar)? Sure, could be neat.

 

How would you feel about homemade jelly/jam from home-grown berries? I really love jam, so this would be amazing.

 

Homemade dill pickles? Made from cukes, beans, snap peas, baby zucchini? Ooh, yum. I like cukes the best, but any of those would be fine.

 

***6/22***

 

Based on Prior Carnivale act prototypes...which one are you truly excited about? Alley of Games! And possibly The Sword Swallower.

 

Would it bother you if you are not the first person to receive the same gift? Imagine a Witch who always sends her favourite book, for example.

Nope, that would be fine.

 

Pets: What do you have, and do they need/want anything? I have no pets.

 

Does anyone play video games? What platform(s)? Are there any new or vintage games you would like?

Some, though not so much recently. I've got a PS2, and I've been thinking about getting a Wii sooner or later (I'd kind of like to get a Fit) and possibly an Xbox 360, but who knows when that will happen. I've got a Mac laptops (running 10.5.6) and could run games on it as well; I also have access to a Nintendo 64. The current game I'm most interested in is Ico. As for classic games, I really love all the Monkey Island games, plus Mario Kart and Street Fighter and that sort of game. Also, Worms. And I miss Sim City and The Sims from when I was a kid a lot, also... Frogger. And Zork/Dungeon and Rogue/Hack/NetHack, perhaps. And I always meant to try Civilization. But really, I'd be up for trying most games that you think are worth playing.

 

Twilight fans, would you be interested in any products from this Etsy seller? If so, add the items you like to your Etsy favorites and make sure your wishlist is posted somewhere for your witch. Not for me.

 

Are you in need of decanting supplies, wand caps, or other scent-related paraphernalia?

YES! I'd love to get into decanting, so a start kit would be awesome. Also, wand caps for the Lab's bottles.

 

***6/20-21***

 

Are there any single notes (likely non bpal) that anyone is dying to have/try?

Not particularly? Osmanthus, perhaps, or lychee, or champagne, or cherry blossom.

 

net flick or the likes gift subscriptions? A month of Netflicks vs a DvD?

I have Netflix, and more would always be nice. Either of those would be great.

 

Any non NZ or Aus witchee that I get gets Tim Tams, OK? Very, very okay. Tim Tams are delicious, and hard to get here.

 

 

New (or added to), 7/20/09:

 

***7/15***

 

Who knows about wizard rock and wants more? Who doesn't know but wants to?[/b}

I've heard of wizard rock but haven't heard much and don't own any. I would be happy to hear more.

 

What's the wallpaper/screensaver on your computer?

Just a view of Earth from space with starry night sky, one of the default backgrounds that came with my computer.

 

Do you like Sugar Ray (the band not the boxer)? Not really.

 

***7/14***

 

Would you be interested in receiving some pasties from your witch?

Actually, yes, that would be neat. It would need to be 3" minimum diameter; 3.5" might be safer. [i would also be in favor of meat pasties, yum.]

 

How did you get your forum name?

http://www.bpal.org/index.php?s=&showt...t&p=1505725

 

Anything from the trunk show?

... whoops. Guess I should've answered this earlier. Nothing struck me as "must have," though the Aphrodite prototypes are tempting, as are the ones of TKO and Hua Mulan. Mostly I don't know what some of those vintage scents are supposed to be like and I don't have time to research right now. Anything that seems like it would appeal to me based on notes and such, perhaps.

 

[b[Anything from the newest ebay listing?

Nothing offhand, though again, this is a matter of not really know about many of them.

 

"If I could be I would be ____________ for a day." Fill in the blank.

Filthy rich; I would pay off so many loans and do the charity thing and give piles of it to my family and invest the rest to play with later.

 

***7/13***

 

What are your favorite types of baked goods? How would you feel about candied citrus peel, chocolate-covered or not? Would you be interested in the mix version of the baked goods or perhaps a spice mix, something along those lines?

All of those sound awesome. I like most baked goods, but off the top of my head, some favorites: really peanut buttery peanut butter cookies, carrot cake, gingerbread, bete noir and flourless chocolate cake in general -- darkest chocolate possible, almond cake and cookies and biscotti and croissants, mint chocolate cookies, poppy seed hamantaschen, blueberry muffins and tarts, anything with black sesame. But really, pretty much all baked goods.

 

Have you found any new loves since the beginning of the round that you wished you'd known to include on your questionnaire?

Not that I can think of.

 

Questions not (yet) on the list, but discussed in the thread:

 

So what is everyone else lusting over from the ComicCon CBLDF Lines?

WKAP sounds like it's going to be too foody for me (which is too bad, because I love the Dresden Dolls -- I have all the music and I have at least one of the DVDs, but I would love more stickers/buttons/books), but I'm hoping the booth has imps like they did for the Gaiman scents in '07. Basically, if I want any, I'm hopefully going to just pick them up myself. (If they run out of something I want before I can snag it -- like Sunbird -- I'll add it to my wishlist.)

 

All you lovely witches out there, are u planning on revealing to your witchees?

Probably, yes. Possibly accidentally. /o\

 

Do you have a favorite insect, like a ladybug or dragonfly? Do butterflies or praying mantis creep you out?

I like spiders a lot, but also things in the ladybug-dragonfly-butterfly, as well as scarabs. Preying mantises, grasshoppers, crickets, and bees are also pretty cool. I'm not a huge fan of millipede-type things, ticks, lice, aphids, flies, mosquitos, or cockroaches.

 

Summer Blockbusters? Not really interested in any of those.

 

Horror movies? Not for me. I would be interested in especially good (28 Days Later -- loved, Alien -- pretty good, Silence of the Lambs -- have been meaning to see) or particularly funny (Shaun of the Dead = awesome) thriller/horror movies, but in general it's just not my genre. I was just too much of a scaredy-cat when was a kid (seriously, Labyrinth, Ghostbusters, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom all scared the ever-loving shit out of me when I was about 8). I'm trying to catch up now that I can handle it, but slowly. I do tend to like urban fantasy stuff (including vampires, were-animals, fae, ghosts, demons, etc), and I like some aspects of paranormal-type things as well. So... it depends.

 

With Harry Potter mania about to burst in the US again with the release of the new movie, how many HP fans do we have here? And would you like HP related stuff?

I do like the HP books though I'm not a canonical fan, as it were. I would probably enjoy HP-themed stuff of various kinds, though preferably either elegant or cute, not garish or tacky. For example, these:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15076063

are pretty neat, but if it for me, I would prefer them to be less... fringey/tasselly, if that makes sense.

 

House-wise, I am so Ravenclaw it hurts. But in the good way. The Ravenclaw colors are nice as long as the bronze is really bronze. I also have a fondness for Slytherin, and love their colors.

 

So tell me my darling Switch Witches (whom I adore)...what puts you in a Sassy I am woman/man hear me roar mood? is it a scent? piece of Jewelry? Article of Clothing? Song? IS there something that just makes you feel...ON!?

Stompy boots (preferably my beat-up, old, woefully discontinued Docs), swishy-but-body-conscious skirt (broomstick skirts = bad (alas), flippy/flared at the knees or fishtaily at the ankle = yay) -- I used to have this amazing stretch black velvet skirt with a line of sleek, barely-there, almost-ruffle just below the knee that was amazing, kickass top -- again, body-conscious, something that emphasizes the hourglassiness of my figure (stretchy "babydoll" style tees = yes, a lot of the standard, cheaper "women's" t-shirts = no (grr)). Awesome dangly earrings often give me a little boost, and I used to have this gold pendant my grandmother gave me that I seem to have failed to unpack the last time I moved. Also, my hair being in a good mood. Music will sometimes help, too. "Barracuda" by Heart, "When the Levee Breaks" (and actually most of IV) by Led Zeppelin, "Kill All Your Friends" (and several other songs -- "House of Wolves," "Teenagers," "Give 'Em Hell, Kid," "Thank You For the Venom," etc) by My Chemical Romance, most of War by U2 as well as some Achtung Baby, Joshua Tree, Rattle & Hum, Facelift by Alice in Chains, The $5.98 EP: Garage Days Re-Revisited by Metallica (well, that bit of Garage Inc. now, but I have a cassette from high school kicking around somewhere), some songs off Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins, "Good Day" by the Dresden Dolls, "King of Nothing" by Ghost of an American Airman, a handful of Nirvana songs, "Wishing Well" (actually most of that album) by The Airborne Toxic Event), sometimes Cake's Fashion Nugget or a handful of Violent Femmes songs, to an extent "Guilty Pleasure" by Cobra Starship and a handful of Midtown songs, "When Eagles Dare" by The Misfits, Love, Life, and Leaving by The Detroit Cobras, Neptune by The Duke Spirit, "Me & Dorothy Parker" by The Flash Girls, "She's a Rebel" by Green Day, "Sometimes" and "Laid" by James, somewhat ironically "Hallelujah" as sung by Jeff Buckley and "The Golden Age" by Beck, "Black Cat" by Ladytron, "The Age of Understatement" by The Last Shadow Puppets, "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick (and Letters to Cleo), Snapline's album Party is Over, Pornostar, and a handful of PK 14's stuff, "Goddess on a Hiway" by Mercury Rev, "Starlight" by Muse (and most of that album), "Ophelia" by Natalie Merchant, "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash, "Jack the Ripper" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, "For Real" by Okkervil River as well as most of The Stage Names, Horses by Patti Smith, "Tenement Teeth" by Pela, several songs off Doolittle by the Pixies, "Down by the Water" and "Send His Love To Me" by PJ Harvey, "Bastards of Young" and "Alex Chilton" by The Replacements, Surprise Attacks by Ribbons, "Rich Woman" by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Lioness" by Songs: Ohia, "Gun Street Girl" by Tom Waits, "Black Soul Choir" by Sixteen Horsepower, Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos, "Iowa" by Dar Williams, "Rags & Bones," and "This Girl Is Taking Bets" by Thea Gilmore, the War Tapes EP, "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes, "Adore Adore" and "Wake Up" by Yoav... basically everything I have around that kicks ass, rocks out, or in some cases just hits me deep in a particular way. [sorry for the length, I tend to get carried away with lists...]

 

Would you rather received music burned onto a cd in audio format OR a thumb drive with songs in mp3 (or you specify which) format?: Either cd or thumbdrive is fine, though right now I seem to have misplaced my cd/dvd drive, so thumbdrive would be a touch more convenient. But it has to be around here somewhere. Mp3 is fine, though I tend towards mp4/AAC more.

 

Lollyphile-wise (http://www.lollyphile.com/), the White Russian lollipops are the only ones that really appeal to me.