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

My catalog of answers below [Updated 9-19-19 - I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE THIS WEEKEND] for those who mentioned Yes to handmade items; what sort of knitted gifts would you love to receive? ie, socks, mittens, hat, cowl etc? Socks or scarfy/cowl/shawl type things are probably most likely to get good use in my life. And little creatures or fandom items would be awesome as well. Witch Baby Soap, a favorite of mine, just dropped their Halloween line! Is there anything there you'd like? Body Butters or soaps in Hallowmass, Banshee or Dead Man's Party Ive been feeling very autumny, and I stumbled across this artist, Camille Chew, on society6... she has such beautiful Halloween prints! Anyone know of any other autumn/spooky artists? I love that bag!! I will update if I think of anything specific. Would you be interested in any candles, wax melts, lip balms, or jewelry from Sihaya and Company? No thank you to wax melts and candles, but any of the B. Perry #PSLs, lotion, sorbetto or soap in Hocus Pocus or Ember and Mallow, any of the Wizarding lip balms, and the Spiderwebbed and Hummingbird Skull earrings are fabulous. Anything you'd love from Haus of Gloi? I love their pumpkin butter and bubbling scrubs. In terms of their autumn release, Hex, Blood Orange Marshmallow, Apple Milk, or Pumpkin Peach all sound good! Do you like stuff related to Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead? I love it, but I worry about whether or not it is respectful. How do you feel about homemade edibles? Do you have a preference for a kind? I.E. cookies, jams, etc, or something savory? Absolutely! I love homemade food goodies. Honestly anything listed is something I would love. would you like to receive something either Pagan or Vodou in nature? No thank you. For those of you that appreciate wax melts, are you interested in anything from Zeep's Halloween update (dropping Friday the 13th) or Willow Waxcraft's Falloween update (already released)? No thanks. Is there anything you would particularly like from Japan? Stationary, bento supplies, a particular snack, etc. Yes! Non-chocolate kit kat flavors, any fun sweets, little adorable toys that my daughter can steal. A fun bento box wouldn't be amiss either. what's your favourite animal (think, as a pattern on socks, bags, notebooks, etc) ? Bats, cats, owls, ravens, snakes. Are there any fandoms you’d like to receive items from? If so: are there any favorite characters you’d like to receive items from? Harry Potter (Luna, Ginny and Hedwig are my faves), Star Wars, Dr Who, Wonder Woman, MCU, NMBC  Do you prefer solid soap bars or liquid soap/shower gels? Shower oils? Definitely not oils. I worry too much about slipping and don't usually have time to do more than actually clean myself. I will get the most use out of bar soap, but I also like shower gels and whipped soaps.  Do you own a bath tub and would you like to receive bath products? Sadly no. What are your feelings about tee turtle tshirts? Any favorites? I LOVE their shirts. I'm an XL womens and I love the Incorgnito and Tortitude shirts. In the Halloween collection, I love the batty reading one and the glow in the dark bunny one.  I might have seen a wallet I think that suits you, but also suits the halloween theme. Would you like to receive a wallet at all? Sure! Are there any BPAL’s you’re wishing to get your hands on? At this point, anything from this year that sounds like it's my thing would be good.  Would you like a box to hold BPAL or other small items? What size box? Imps, a few bottles, a lot of bottles? I'm set for storage at the moment. Is there a specific type of socks you prefer? Wool, cotton, etc.? No-show, ankle, crew, knee, thigh-high? Cotton or super soft wool, ankle or knee high.  Is there any oddball small thing you need or want but haven't gotten around to buying for yourself? I always need colorful paperclips, sticky notes, ponytail holders for my daughter. Favorite Monsters Gargoyles, vampires, skeletons  Do you listen to any podcasts? Not really  Do you have any favorite Halloween or scary movies? Nightmare Before Christmas, psychological horror generally, though I don't really watch much anymore. Are there any crystals or stuff like that, that really resonates with you? I like jewelry with crystal elements, but nothing on a spiritual level. Do you drink loose leaf tea? If not, would you be up for drinking loose leaf tea if you had an infuser? I do drink flavored loose leaf tea, especially chocolate or other dessert inspired blends. I am all set for infusers.

How light the strain when, decked in vernal bloom, Thalia tuned her lyre of melody. Thaleia the Flourishing is the Muse of Comedy and Pastoral Poetry, and shares the same name as one of the Gratiæ. She is a very down-to-Earth Goddess, and has a special fondness for rural folk. She wears a crown of ivy leaves and carries the Mask of Comedy and a shepherd’s crook. The Blooming One is the Goddess of Comedians and inspires creativity in wit and the joy and release we have in laughter. A vivacious, dazzling, merry scent: honey, ylang ylang, apricot, ciste, blood orange and gardenia with earthy, warm tonka. I was drawn to Thaleia primarily on notes - how could I resist honey, apricot, blood orange and tonka! The overall description sealed the deal and frankly I wish that I had ordered a 5ml right off the bat. This is a beartiful, joyous fruity scent - it is a scent of bubbling warm laughter and the earth's bounty. On a practical level, it is definitely a scent for fruit/vanilla/tonka lovers and like these scents sometimes do, it appears to warrent slathering, as it seems to fade fairly quickly. But it is amazing and I am thrilled to have Thaleia as my primary muse.

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

Updated 11/21/18 10:15 pm How would you feel about homebaked goodies (I'd be sure to mark them as such in the Box of 12 so that it could be opened on Night 1!)? If you WOULD want them, any allergies or preferences/likes/dislikes?  All the baked goodies ALL OF THEM! (unless it has rye or dill) In particular I love fruitcake and it's relatives like stollen, gingerbread, just about anything that might be considered a "Christmas Cookie", rum/whiskey balls, etc. Do you have so much that you don't want anymore BPAL or would you be open to receiving BPAL/BPTP items in your end of the swap? Always open to more BPAL. I have an extensive wishlist that is (hopefully) relatively easily searchable and I will do my level best to keep it well updated. Is your BPAL wishlist up to date? It is updated through the first BPTP Weenie update. I will try to update the rest this weekend. If you were going to receive a music mix, do you have the capacity to play CDs or do I need to learn how to make an MP3 mix (and can you put one of those in a box? I would actually prefer CDs at this point, so have fun! What is your favorite Christmas Character (Santa, Ruldolph, Elves, etc) and your favorite animal? Probably the Grinch (I loved the new movie as well), or Scrooge or Heat Miser (yes, I am a sucker for a holiday redemption story, I guess). I also like snowmen and am a huge sucker for random animals with reindeer horns. I also love corgis, cats, bats, owls, and ravens. Oh and creepy crawlies like lizards and spiders and snakes. How do you feel generally about gently-used items? This can be anything from books to clothes to jewelry to perfumes to bath salts etc. If you're okay with some kinds but not others, please be specific. Not a problem on any level, so long as it is not gross or stanky or something. Do you have strong feelings about fruitcake? Keeping in mind that we are talking about fruitcake made with a mix of fruit that will have been soaking in spiced bourbon and Kraken rum for about 4 weeks once it is baked with added hazelnuts, pecans and candied ginger and mandarin peel. Not, like, the round brick that used to come in a tin with people skating on the front. My own bias is probably obvious here - I love to try other people's fruitcakes, since we all do it a little differently. How do you feel about slippers? Socks? Slipper Socks? I have an actual current need for new slippers - I prefer ones that are easy to slip on and that have rubber soles so that a) I don't slip on non-carpeted floors and b ) so I can run outside in them to get the mail or scuttle to the detached garage. I also love socks, mostly crew length or knee high. Slipper socks are actually a hard no, because they have all of the negatives of both just socks or slippers. Is there anywhere you would just love a gift card to? AMC cinemas, Amazon, Torrid, anyplace for soaps/lotions/scrubs that you think I absolutely need to try, Sock Dreams, Starbucks... New Question for a Monday Morning (no actual connection to a Monday morning, but whatever): HAIR. HAIR THINGS. How do you feel about shampoo, conditioners, hair "products," hair "stuff" a la barrettes, combs, clips, headbands, etc. ... or, more far afield, fun color things, tiaras, unicorn horns, or any other things you might use in your hair? My hair is super super short right now and not my natural color - if there's a pomade you love for getting nice firm, but not crunchy spiky looks, that would be cool, but otherwise I'm good on product. My daughter (Lilith's partner in crime on the Hooligan Witches label for reference) has super long thick fine blond hair and she is my excuse for things like hair gloss and she does love her a nice tiara or headband with cat ears or horns and fun ponytail holders and the like that won't get wear on my end. What about hair falls? This I would absolutely love if I actually had enough hair to attach them to. Which I don't so I'm kind of out of luck here as well. Is there anything related to the performing arts that you'd maybe like something inspired by? Say a favorite musical or a passionate love for the Nutcracker or a need for a Diva coffee mug or Shakespeare inspired lip balm? I have a passionate love of A Christmas Carol and also snarky Shakespeare merch (I already have the Shakespearean insults mug. ; ). Do you Tee Turtle (https://www.teeturtle.com/), and if so, what size for shirts? I love Tee Turtle - I'm a 2XL Womens. I especially like the bookworm and coffee ones, dark colors and Harry Potter references are a bonus. I also love the plushies and keep meaning to order a grab bag for my daughter. Haus of Gloi's Yule is up, do any of them look good to you (or past or perennial), and which medium do you like best? I love everything I've tried by them - my preference would be soap, pumpkin butter and bubbling scrub in that order. In terms of scents - Rosy Cheeked and Hearth both look fab.

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

Updated 9/19/18 Shortbread? Heck yes. I am up for just about any baked good. Is there something you’d like from the UK? Pimms is probably out, but I love UK chocos and other edibles. Do you like Lord of the Rings? Yes, but I"m not a huge fangirl. It is one of those things where I like the movies and such and have read the books, but have no desire to do so again. Any ceramics you could use? I can always use trays and cups for jewelry. If you like tea and I have opened tea as well as sealed tea to send would you mind some cleanly decanted and clearly labeled tea I think you would really enjoy based on your preferences? Absolutely! Would you like anything from my etsy shop? (http://twinklentwilight.etsy.com) I love a lot of the fabric choices - the dragon/bat (all of the bat options, really), ravens, galaxy, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and Dr. Who. I want something the blinded me with science for my science loving daughter and the plush monsters are adorable. I don't really knit, so I wouldn't have use for bags as project bags, but I still wants them my precious. Are you interested in a crocheted monster or unicorn or whatever? Colors? I am all about the fun plushies. Lavender Vanilla Bean or Rose Petal liqueur? Both of these sound AMAZING. Nail stamping plates I have no idea what these are and google isn't giving me a good sense of whether I would actually use them. I'm guessing not, since I am fumble fingers with polish and usually go to a nail salon. knitted things: Yes please! I would be most interested in arm warmers or socks, or maybe a shawl or cowl. cylindrical tins: No thank you. I have a ton of these lying about myself. What about white witchy items (oils, sage, stones, etc). No thank you. What about reusable shopping bags? If they are fun, from local places and such, sure! I don't need plain store ones and such as I have a ton, but I love getting ones from different locales. Korean beauty items like sheet masks? Sure! Do you like Bath and Body Works and if so, what are your fave products/scents? BBW is one of my guilty pleasures. I love getting shower gel/lotion combos and I love their foaming hand soap (although I have rather a lot of that at the moment, but I don't have any of their fall scents). I also like the C Bigelow nail and hand care products. Would you like something from Walt Disney World? I would love NMBC stuff, but other than that, I'm fine. I was just at Disneyland last December and am pretty stocked up. So Shihaya & Co has a bunch of fantastic candles, bath & body stuff (from Paintbox Soapworks!), Arcana perfume, etc. Is there anything there you are interested in? Please list products as well as scents. (as an FYI, the Smiles by Wedelstaedt soap is make by Brooke who used to own Villainess.) In terms of candles, Amber and Velvet, Autumnvale Cafe, Ember and Mallow, Full Moon, Gemini all sound delightful. In terms of other stuff, the Hocus Pocus soap and scrub, Bermuda Triangle soap. What are your favorite products and scents from Paintbox Soapworks (that are in stock?) Generally, I love her scrubs and soaps (not as fond of the lotions) I would love to try Abnoba, Indian Summer, Putney Road, Princess Pony Sparklebutt in sample sizes of either scrub or soap. I also adore the Rice Pudding hot process soap. Fatherhood update desires? I've ordered a bunch, but have added a few that I'd still love to try to my wishlist. Do you have any interest in fun tees or other goodies either related to your fandoms or otherwise from TeeTurtle or similar sites (https://www.teeturtle.com/)? If the answer is yes, what's your t-shirt size? Absolutely! I prefer women's cut, 2XL for tees. Generally, darker is better in terms of color. Do you have a favorite musical, opera, playwright or other theatrical or performing arts interest for which you might like interesting goodies? I am pretty set on this score in that I have easy access to merch along these lines. Do you have any desire/need for a new umbrella? I always need more small collapsible ones as my children seem to have discovered some sort of portal that devours all umbrellas in the immediate vicinity. Any desire for mugs - travel or otherwise? How about water bottles? I am pretty set for ceramic mugs. I can always use more travel mugs if they are both cool and diswasher safe. Same for water bottles. How do you feel about things like Halloween-themed blankets and throw pillows? I feel great about them! We have a pumpkin pillow and spider blankie that are used year round. I'd be particularly interested in flying things - bats, owls, ravens, gargoyles in blacks and purples. Are there any companies you've been wanting to try or would like to try more of? I would definitely be interested in trying more soap and lotion products from Haus of Gloi and Arcana and Brooke's new stuff. I only wear BPAL perfumes, but am much more flexible with other products. How do you feel about this: thevampstamp.com This is pretty much the only way I could possibly attempt that sort of eyeliner, but honestly, I'd probably never use it. Would you, or your swapee be interested in fall themed Yankee candle small candles? Sure. How do you feel about loose eyeshadow? (new of course) Not really my thing. I have a bunch and while I love the colors, it's just to fussy for me to use much. How does a scent of rose, mahagony, coffee and tobacco sound to you? Probably not my thing (sorry!). I only wear BPAL perfumes and that's not a combo that really grabs me for bath stuff. Is this something you, or your swapee might need or be interested in? https://www.rekonect...ducts/rekonlife (its a notebook with a magnetic spine and pages that can be removed and reattached) I have two that are totally unused. No thanks. Also, I am brewing my own kombucha now. Would you like a bottle or two? Sure! How do you feel about literal pumpkin *spice* - i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger - as a flavoring (the inclusion of pumpkin is not essential in my plotting)? How about those flavors combined with chocolate in some mystery form? I am all over this concept (literally). If you like/want books, do you have a goodreads or other place where you discuss your favorite books? Would you be interested in a spooky Halloween compilation or a classic halloweenie/autumnal book like Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes? I would love a new weenie compilation (now that I think about it, that's not the word I want, but wev). If I were making something for you, would it be: 1. Dramatic, Black Cashmere, elbow length fingerless mitts - would they have buttons? 2 stripey, funky long fingerless mitts- what colors? 3.a teapot cozy to keep your tea warm - I'm thinking a Halloween design. All of the above sound AMAZING. Probably no buttons on mits, though. For stripey, I do not have any that are peacock blue, so that with gray and black would be lovely (and probably the option that would get the most use). Would you like flameless color changing sort of fake candles that are controlled by remote? Absolutely! Would you care for horror graphic novels or comics? Yes please! Do you like local honey? Yes! Apple Pie/regular Fudge? The apple pie sounds intriguing, especially if it is particularly fruity as well as sweet (sometimes I find non-chocolate fudge to be toothachingly sweet). I also love chocolate fudge with almost anything.

Here is where I shall keep my questions. I shall keep my questions here. Updated 9/19/18 What is your favorite thing about Halloween? I answered this pretty thoroughly in my survey, I think, but kind of everything. I love celebrating with my kids and being able to buy animal skeletons at Target and the flavors and just really kind of all of it, other than not being terribly into orange and brown. I'm more of a black and purple halloweenie. Would you like a Halloween-themed cross-stitch piece of art done by your partner? If so, do you prefer something practical, like a cross-stitch dishtowel or table runner, or something to be hung on the wall? I would love this - something useful like a dishtowel (or bathroom towels) would be most beloved, as I have a wonderful house with very little usable wall space. Are you coveting something from the Lilith release? I've ordered everything I super duper wanted, but there are a few that I was on the fence about in my wishlist, but hey, I'll list them here too: Absurd Origin Story; Blue Blankie; Don't Tell Me Heaven is Under the Earth; Let Your Indulgence Set Me Free; Meditation Buddy; Scorched Marshmallows; Senator Barrial; Spontaneous Argumentation; Suffragium; The Queen of Hel; The She-Goat; The Storm; Theaomai; Have you seen the Haus of Gloi Fall update? Does anything from that tickle your fancy? I am BPAL only for oils, but I would definitely be interested in trying bubbling scrub, pumpkin butter, hair oil (would probably use for either Mo and/or cuticle oil) or soaps in Apple Milk, Blood Orange Marshmallow, and Cozy Pumpkin! The Maple Vanilla soap sounds lovely too. Enamel pins - yay or nay? Sure, but they will likely be stolen by my little hooligan. Would you appreciate handknits? Any preference (socks, hats, cowls, mitts, etc) Always. Socks and arm warmers would probably get the most use, although a cowl could be cool as that's something I don't have at all. What kind of local goods do you like to pick up/try when you visit somewhere new? I usually look for magnets, local honey or jams or other limited reach local foodstuffs. I also love trying regional alcohol specialties, particularly whisk(e)y. Do you like to cook or bake, and if so, would you like any cooking accessories, mixes, or ingredients? Absolutely! I particularly love silly holiday themed spatulas and sprinkles and such. There's a bit about this in my questionnaire as well. Pumpkin Spice: ALL THE THINGS! Do you like Day of the Dead goodies? I love skulls and such, but I feel weird about the cultural appropriation aspects of a lot of Day of the Dead stuff as I have no cultural or spiritual connection. That said, I have received lovely items from folks who *do* have that connection in the past. Sorry for being complicated. How do you feel about homemade edibles? Not just baked goods, but fruit butters, jams and such-like? Do you prefer savory or sweet or yes? All of them nommy in my mouthy. I am a total sucker for apple and pumpkin and other butters this time of year. If you have a specialty, savory or sweet, I would LOVE to try it. Quirky Socks: Goodness yes! I especially love silly Halloween themed socks, either ankle or knee length. Stuff from Japan: Sure! My daughter and I both love Hello Kitty and Tokidoki and are suckers for any sort of mystery plushy sorts of things. I also adore the different flavors of kitkats you can get there and similar snacky goodies. Yankee Candle: Sure, subject to the limits in my questionnaire. I do have a fondness for Yankee - my husband used to live close to their factory store in Western MA and we would go there all the time when he was in grad school. Bath and Body Works: Another weakness of mine - I have a bad tendency to get matching shower gel and lotions there in foodie / fruity scents. I'd also love fall scents in their foaming hand soap. Of the latest updates, Empress, Liliths, Jester, Emperor what are your wants and desires? Recent LES from this year, what are your wants and desires? My wishlist is up to date in this respect. What about Disney? If you like Disney, what are your favorite characters? I love Nightmare Before Christmas and the Muppets, but am not that into traditional Disney characters. I do like some of the Villians line, especially Maleficent and Ursula. Star wars? YES! Leia, Rey, Yoda, droids generally other than C3P0 who I find annoying. Also porgs were the most brilliant decision ever and I adore those little space puffins with all my heart. And what about Harry Potter? Whats your favorite house and/or favorite character? I am all about all the HP. I am a Ravenclaw through and through (Slitherclaw if we're talking hybrid houses). Fave characters are Luna Lovegood, Hermione and I am a total puppy shipper (Sirius/Remus). (FWIW, my family already owns a lot of HP stuff - scarves for every house but Slytherin, a Ravenclaw mug and water bottle, robes for me and my wee Hooligan Hufflepuff, a stuffed Hedwig and Pidwigen...which is not to say we wouldn't welcome more. ) Do you like honey/honey products? ​Would you like flavored oils or vinegars? Answering these together because my answer is absolutely yes to all of these. Do you have any interest in fun tees or other goodies either related to your fandoms or otherwise from TeeTurtle or similar sites (https://www.teeturtle.com/)? Absolutely! I prefer women's cut, 2XL for tees. Generally, darker is better in terms of color. Do you have a favorite musical, opera, playwright or other theatrical or performing arts interest for which you might like interesting goodies? I am pretty set on this score in that I have easy access to merch along these lines. Do you have any desire/need for a new umbrella? I always need more small collapsible ones as my children seem to have discovered some sort of portal that devours all umbrellas in the immediate vicinity. Any desire for mugs - travel or otherwise? How about water bottles? I am pretty set for ceramic mugs. I can always use more travel mugs if they are both cool and diswasher safe. Same for water bottles. Could you use any BPAL storage? Bottles or imps? I am set personally, but I did realize the other day that my little hooligan is developing a bit of a collection herself that is currently scattered across her dresser, so if you are feeling crafty and felt like making a bottle box in an Owl/MLP/HP-Hufflepuff theme, I would happily regift to her (otherwise I have to do it myself ) Do you like incense, palo santo, sage, etc? Please no. Even smelling incense in the package these days can trigger my migraines, which teenager me would find tragic, but there it is. I will be going to Son of Monsterpalooza this weekend. Anything look interesting? I can't think of anything offhand, but if there are cool creepy jewelry vendors, that could be cool. Wax tarts? No thank you. How do you feel about literal pumpkin *spice* - i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger - as a flavoring (the inclusion of pumpkin is not essential in my plotting)? How about those flavors combined with chocolate in some mystery form? I am all over this concept (literally). If you like/want books, do you have a goodreads or other place where you discuss your favorite books? Would you be interested in a spooky Halloween compilation or a classic halloweenie/autumnal book like Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree or Something Wicked This Way Comes? I would love a new weenie compilation (now that I think about it, that's not the word I want, but wev). Hat with pompom or no: I don't have a strong preference, although without is probably slightly more likely to be worn on the regular. I definitely embrace the silly, so if the hat is just screaming for some sort of embellishment, go for it. Top 3 Weenie Wants: In terms of things I did not already order for myself: The Hag (I wishlisted this last year and it almost jumped in my cart this year, so this is def. a top wish) The Goat and the Vine Pomegranate Grove: Morocco

After a long hiatus, another round of the BPAL Book Club is on deck. This round, for no particular reason whatsoever, we are taking nominations for your favorite post-apocalyptic and/or dystopian novels. More info here: http://www.bpal.org/topic/91088-bpal-book-club-round-15-fk-armageddon-this-is-hell/

I will just respond to myself to note that we are collecting nominations for Round 16 - Comfort Books! If you'd like to join us, wander over here for a gander: http://www.bpal.org/topic/93324-bpal-book-club-round-16-comfort-books/?do=findComment&comment=2738063

Updated 3/29/18 am do you need craft supplies? What sorts? Not particularly. I can always use craft paper and markers and other colorful drawing/kid friendly craft stuff like pipe cleaners and pompoms and such though. I have given up any hope of actually getting back into needlework while my daughter is in elementary school. do you like fantasy type books? Oh yes. Check out my goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1543793-em) for more than you could ever hope to know about my reading habits. What format(s) do you listen to music on? Mostly on my very old and out of date iPod that I desperately need to transfer back into itunes. Otherwise, I do listen to the occasional cd still in my car, and will listen to stuff off of youtube or Amazon music for that sort of streaming. Anyone have kids or otherwise can repurpose toys, like Barbies in very good condition, etc? I do have a kid who would not necessarily be opposed to Barbies and the like. She doesn't play with them a ton, but free is free. are you interested in preloved tees like BPTP ones? If so, styles and size? I can wear tissue tees in XL, would need XXL for anything else. I pretty much only wear babydolls and tunics these days. Do you have a need for costuming pieces? Anything specific you’d like/ not like? I can't think of anything specific, to be honest. I don't have the time/patience/extroversion to cosplay, although in theory, I would love to. Interested in vinyl art toys (kid robot & such)? Sure! Anything for my fandoms that I mentioned in my survey, plus/or specifically because I am too lazy to look it up - Harry Potter, Star Wars, Wonder Woman, Nightmare Before Christmas, Groot, female characters generally, Doctor Who, random super coolness... I have collected art faster than I can frame it. Anyone interested in prints from Independant artists or do you have a specific decorating scheme happening in the house? (Which is, of course, ok) I have the same problem, to be honest. I have so many cool things, including some total awesomeness from previous swaps, and not a whole lot of usual wall space thanks to the way my main living areas are laid out. Do you use K-Cups and would you like a variety of coffee/tea? I don't use them at home, but would get some use out of them at work. I've done a few subscription boxes in the past, mostly like Birchbox, Ipsy, Sephora.. sometimes I get samples that I either won't try at all, or I try once and go "not for me." - How do you feel about cosmetic samples as long as they're "clean?" (I wouldn't pass on anything liquid that could have been contaminated, unless it's unopened, but I also have things like spray-on products, which I'd consider uncontaminated due to the nature of dispensing.) That would be totally cool. Buying fandom related and "cute" items is my guilty pleasure. That's why I have way too many of them. Are any of the following characters appealing to you? Harry Potter/Hedwig, Disney, Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid/Flounder, Grumpy Cat, Pusheen, Hello Kitty, Pokemon? If there's another character that I've forgotten to mention that ís appealing to you, please tell! Definitely Harry Potter/Hedwig, Grumpy Cat, Pusheen, anything Hello Kitty/Sanrio, anything from any of my other listed fandoms. Also, pretty much any of the cute little Japanese mystery bag sort of thing, Tokidoki, etc. Basically, I have a 7 year old who will glom on anything super cute. Would you like to receive silver rings that are worn but still look like new? If so: what ringsize do you wear? And any specific styles that you like? Or silver earrings (brandnew)? I don't really wear rings other than my wedding and engagement rings (on separate fingers for reasons). Artsy dangly silver earrings are absolutely wanted if they are either hoops or have hooks. No posts, please. Do you like animals? If so: any favorites? (Yes! Buying animal related items is another guilty pleasure of mine 🙃 I'm also a photographer and have many animal pictures printed) Birds - especially owls and other raptors, flying creatures generally, sea creatures, lizards, spiders, bats, frogs, cats. So, er, yes? Anyone interested in fragrance oils (non BPAL) for soap or candle making, materials to make lip balm? I would not get any use out of non-BPAL fragrance oils or other soap/candle supplies. Lip balm is kind of intriguing, though. Jewelry making supplies? I should say no to this as well. I have a ton of supplies...somewhere in the depths of boxes moved 2 years ago. Lularoe Leggings? Don't worry, they're NEW and never worn. Would you like them? What is your size? What about other Lularoe clothes? Sure! I am a TC for LLR leggings, 2xl for Julias and Randys and Madison (I think? The skirt with pocketses), M or L for Irmas, M for Lindsey, L for Sarah & the fringy kimono thing, XL for most everything else I've tried. I haven't bought any of the newer styles that have come out in the past year or so like the jean jackets and such. If you have kids stuff lying around, my daughter is a L/XL in the leggings and an 8 in anything else. Which reminds me, I have a pair of knock-off leggings with bits of Hamlet written on them that my teenager rejected, OS, never worn. Hamlet leggings, anyone? These sound AWESOME, but probably too small. Could you use Melitta filters for coffee? No thank you. New - Jewelry making addendum: Gemstones? Probably not. Cookbooks (or Magazine back issues) anyone? I would take fun geekery ones off your hands (I have a Doctor Who cocktail book, but otherwise, not others), or specifically baking, cocktails or Instant Pot/pressure cooking. Otherwise, this is an area I kind of desperately need to purge. Table cloths, placemats, runners, napkins, dish towels? Fun graphic dishtowels, yes. My kitchen decor is best described as "eclectic randomness". Just plain or floral or country kitcheny anything will probably languish. Same with napkins and placements. I always mean to use them, but rarely get around to it. BPAL storage boxes? I could find a use for one, especially if it were just a box without dividers. 5 strange things, off the top of your head that you need? Folders and/or file envelopes for organizing paperwork; large printable address stickers (the half-sheet print it out from Paypal/USPS size); fabric organization bins (I have a friend who does Thirty-One and she's always pushing those things, but I cannot bring myself to pay their prices); cuticle oil/cream - my fingers are a disaster; Sharpie type markers Cookie cutters? Cookie press/cake decorating kit? Mini muffin tins? Yes to all! Although I have a lot of cookie cutters, so would be most interested in fun geeky shapes. Are you traveling or contemplating traveling anywhere? I may have a book for that. Not necessarily guidebook, but fiction or non-fiction related to your destination. Fun! This summer we are going to Grand Teton and Yellowstone with stopovers in Salt Lake City and probably Craters of the Moon in Idaho. A knight-light? (nightlight shaped like a knight, get it?) Or a plain old still in packaging nightlight? Sounds fun, but I will pass. I don't have a lot of outlets in places where (k)night-lights would be practical. I have blank BPAL bottle stickers and CDs for burning... Not sure if this was actually a question, but I could definitely use blank bottle stickers. I do not need blank CDs. Could you use any spices, herbs, or salt? I do not need any plain salt, but I would definitely make use of salt/spice mixtures, or just spice mixtures. Plain spices and dried herbs, I'm pretty good on. What about reusable totes or bags? If something is super super cool, sure, but just generic bags from the grocery store, no thanks. If you're collecting or trying Discworld books, what's the next Discworld novel you'd like to read? I don't think we have Raising Steam. Otherwise, I think we have them all, but they are in boxes scattered about at the moment. Would you be ok with a least favorite scent note in a shower gel, soap, scrub, or lotion if it's mixed in a blend of other notes and isn't prominent? or is it totally a no? And are you good with lotions/candles/scrubs/etc. that don't have either your favorite OR least favorite notes in them? Jasmine is pretty much always a no, and a migraine trigger (although night blooming and sambac can *sometimes* be okay, but are iffy), and oakmoss and poppy/opium notes tend to overwhelm everything else for me, so I'd rather not have anything with those. Otherwise, I am usually okay with things like red wine and strawberries in bath products. What about colors of things like nail polish? If I don't have your favorite color(s), do you still want polish? I would lean toward no on polish unless you have something really incredibly glittery bright and fun that you feel like really needs to come to me. Please don't send neutrals or pastels. New question: do you have a bathtub? Would you like to receive a bubble bar? Sadly no and no. I am hoping to change this in the next year, but in the meantime, I have too many things I cannot really use already. how do you feel about knitted things?? More specifically washcloths or scarves?? Colors you love/hate? And fibers you like or don’t like?? I really do not need more scarves. Washcloths/dishcloths, definitely. I prefer brights to neutrals, natural fibers to synthetic. Do you have a preference for more fitted women's style tees, or are you fine with a basic crew neck? Definitely more fitted women's styles. Men's style crew neck tees make me look like I am wearing a sack of boobs. If you were given a choice of a top that was navy and tan stripe vs a more cobalt blue base with a jewel tone stained glass pattern, does one or the other sound preferable? Neither? Both? This isn't really fair for me to answer, since I know what each one looks like but generally speaking, I do not wear tan and if I do, I pair it with black mainly in order to wear very specific shoes. So definitely the jewel tone for me. (Disclosure, I love the jewel tone top, but it is too small.) Are you okay with receiving a book that is completely within your areas of interest, but that is in the middle of a series? (Assume a standalone storyline that might reference events in prior books but that is not dependent on them.) With the caveat assumption, sure. If it picks up in the middle of the plot, I will be sad. Would you be interested in graphic novels within your areas of interest? Absolutely. Would you be interested in new or very gently worn shoes, if so, what size? Yes, for sure, as long as the heels are not over an inch or so. Size 8US (can sometimes wear 7.5 or 8.5 if they run big or small respectively). Do you enjoy Tokidoki? YES!!! I mostly enjoy it vicariously through my daughter, but please send it all our way. Would you like fabric with one of your favorite fandom on it but chibi/cute style characters? I really should say no to this, but I am gonna say yes anyway because cutified versions of my favorite things are like ultra faves. I have a bunch of baking ingredients in my pantry that need to be used up. Would you be interested in receiving any baked goods (like cookies or scones)? Either cookies or scones or pretty much anything baked goods wise would be awesome. I do have a particular fondness for scones. Any interest in books about learning other languages? Not really. Any interest in reading poetry or plays? Absolutely! Do you enjoy audiobooks? I do - I have discovered they are a great way to experience a lot of the classic literature that I tend not to enjoy reading in printed form. Any of this year's Lupers you still need/want to try? Anything I am still interested in is in my wishlist. Could you use any tealights? No thank you. I have more candles that I can ever hope to use. I have an extra book light. Could you use one? Sure, especially if it is made for an actual book. I have one that I got to use with my old Kindle e-reader, but it doesn't translate well to actual paper books. Any BPTP swag you would like or are in search of (stickers, bumper stickers, pins, etc.)? Nothing in particular. Would you like any unused tins for tea storage? Please please please do not send me more tea tins. I have dozens lying around that my son keeps swearing he is going to use for projects. Would you be happy to receive homemade jams/jellies? Always!!! Gardening stuff and or seeds?? yay or nay? If yes, whats your climate/zone? This is one of those questions that I want to say yes to, but I know that things will never get used. Maybe wildflower seeds (zone 7a) as we always want more pollinators in our yard. We don't have a veggie garden or anything. Yay or nay? accessory scarves? yknow, the sheer or silky kind? colors, length? Nay on this. I have a bunch that I never wear and, in fact, really hope my dustpan answers this one, as I have several that should go to new homes. Tabletop gaming stuff? Board games? Yay or Nay Yay! Anything Munchkin, D&D, Warhammer or military gaming will get swooped up by the 9th grader, but that's cool. Otherwise, we have a fair amount, but the more the merrier.

Updated 1/2/18 pm Do you use, or are you interested in, Twilight Alchemy Lab oils? I have dabbled a bit and find White Light to be useful for working through uncontrollably stressful, although I have no clue where my tiny stash of TALs even are. I am more on the interested in the mythology, not really a practitioner side of things, so if you have oils on hand that you think might be useful in terms of focusing intent for any of my obstacles or interests, I would be happy to receive decants (and instructions). I'm unlikely to go through a whole bottle of anything. Physical books or ebooks, and if the latter, what format? For straight non-image intensive books, I have a slight preference for Kindle. For comics/graphic novels/interactive/illustrated books, I have a preference for physical books (and used are totally fine in that regard). I do have a Kindle fire in addition to my Paperwhite, so if it's easier or significantly cheaper to send the Kindle version of a comic or something, that's fine. I read them on my Fire on the regular. What I cannot imagine is trying to read something like House of Leaves or Infinite Jest via kindle. Do you have any interest in receiving items and instructions for a simple Imbolc ceremony/ritual, or do you prefer more pragmatic/prosaic gifts? I am more interested in Imbolic as a historical and cultural touchpoint than in terms of actual ceremony, so while I would potentially be interested in reading about it, I would be unlikely to actually perform a ceremony or ritual. Poetry, foreign language, facing page translation: how do you feel about these things, in combination? I love poetry and don't read it nearly enough, so I would be happy to receive such a thing. Any favorite plants? I like plants generally, but kill them, so I definitely do not want actual plants. In terms of depictions of plants, I lean more toward animals than plants, but I generally like trees, especially birches and non-cacti succluents. Any favorite quotes or sayings? My motto is "Pain is no stronger than the resisting force pain calls up in me. The struggle is equal." From Partuition by Mina Loy (my fave poet). What are your feelings on glitter, sparkle, and metallics? Very very positive. Would you enjoy a journal or sketchbook to exercise your creativity in? Theoretically yes, but I have so many notebooks of this sort lying around that I should say no. Yule decants? There are definitely some Yules on my wishlist that I would be interested in trying. Really anything on my wishlist is fair game (although I did just acquire Jersey Devil and Scheherazade, so I need to check them off of my bottle list). If you knit or crochet... Unfortunately, this is not a talent I have ever been able to cultivate. Do you have any favourite gem/semi-precious/other type of stones? I tend to like gemstones in classic jewel tones - sapphire, emerald, amethyst, garnet are all good, also marcacite and other glittery dark tones. Do you have a firepit or fireplace? I do - technically both, but we don't use the fire places at all, and don't use the fire pit this time of year.

Updated 11/18/17 Any Weenies you missed out on? My wishlist is up-to-date (through Yule! OMG!) Are you Amazon & Etsy Wishlists up to date? They are - Amazon definitely, although it is a little scattered, but anything on there is stuff I would still like. Etsy hasn't been updated in a while, so I'm not sure how much is still available, but anything on there that is not on my "I own this" or other specialized list is fair game. How do you feel about animated films? I generally like them, but I am a bit...oversaturated on animation with a 7 year old in the house. And we have a TON of them. Does anyone need any cosmetic or larger bags? I do really like the box bags, but I'm not sure what I would put in it. I would love something like a hand bag or shopping bag, though. If I were to knit you something like fingerless mitts, do you like short or long over the fingers? To the wrist, mid arm, or to the elbow? Thumb or a thumb hole? Frilly or not? Preferred color? I prefer gloves a little past the wrist and midlength up my fingers. My armwarmers with a thumb hole and open fingers that I can bury my fists in tend to get the most use, since I'm usually wearing them when my Reynauds flares up and my office is freezing. Colors - dark. Black, dark grey, peacock blue, red, dark green are colors I could acutally use. I have a couple of purple pair already. Not frilly. Is there a book you've always meant to read, but never got round to it? There is a bunch on my various wishlists. The main thing I'm kind of jonesing for that I should really just buy myself is the Bitch Planet graphic novel. If you've expressed an interest in candles, do you prefer unscented or scented and if the latter, what scents? No candles for me please! Do you like windchimes or other similar tinkley noisemakers? I love windchimes, also holiday themed bell ornaments, sleigh bell sort of things are lovely. Do you/would you like Christmas/holiday music? If so, any particular genres or styles? I think I touched on this in my questionnaire, but I LOVE holiday music, especially rock/punk/goth versions of classics. Do you have a Goodreads? Is it useful for my stalking purposes? I do and it is and I know I addressed this in my survey. Are there any holiday movies or shows you would particularly love to get your hands on? I have a lot of holiday shows already, so I am probably set. Would you prefer your nourishment to be literal (i.e., actual food) or representative? I don't have a strong preference, so whatever seems to sing to you is great! In terms of actual food, are you comfortable with homebaked goodies so long as potential allergens are not involved? Absolutely! Do you have favorite holiday foodstuffs? All the cookies! I bake fruitcake every year and then do a baking day with my stepmom where we make peppermint sugar cookies, coconut lime snowballs, and bunches of other noms. I welcome anything decadent, boozy (I love rum/whiskey balls, cocktails, etc), or any other specialty of your house. Are you adverse to burning things as part of your sacrifice? No incense or anything like that please, but if it involves lighting paper on fire in a sink or something, that's fine. So how do you feel about teas? Would you be interested in getting some for your "nourishment" part of your gift? If so, are there particular companies you love or have always wanted to try? Special varieties you like- holiday blends, or decaf or solid standards like Earl Grey or Sencha? I have an awful lot of tea, so I should probably pass, but I do love me some holiday blends and Earl Grey variations (or other things flavored and/or scented as such). And what about tea accouterments, like rock sugar, nice honey (I have a fabulous apiary that is literally 6 blocks from my house!), a special spoon? Honey is always welcome in my house. I don't really need other items, though. Or maybe coffee is more your thing? I have access to an incredible little shop that sells some of the best bean I've ever had (let me put it this way- even when I lived in Coffee Capital SEATTLE, I had bean delivered to me from this place!). If you like coffee, what kinds? (this place does AMAZING DECAF as well as the strong stuff!). And would you want your beans whole or ground (if ground, what grind do you like?) Coffee is always welcome! NO DECAF please, but anything else, including flavored, is great. I prefer whole beans, but can accommodate either. Scented candle lovers: do you have a favorite store/brand? Aaaaah. Stop tempting me with candles! (I love them, I just have waaaaaay too many.) Favorite/Least favorite bath products (e.g. do you like scrubs, bar soap, gel)? I don't have a tub right now, so nothing bath only. Otherwise, I like pretty much everything *except* non-cleansing scrubs. I just don't have the time to wash and scrub, so I need to combine that part of the process. What sounds are comforting for you? Any that bring up good memories? Waves/water sounds, bird song that isn't too shrill. Do you like and use christmas/other celebration decorations, baubles and the like? HO HO yes. We bought a new pre-lit tree this past weekend and I am seriously tempted to put it up this Sunday (normally we wait until the day after Thanksgiving, at least). I am not big into "country Christmas" motifs or overtly religious iconography, but bring on the Santas and snowmen and reindeer and silly animals in santa hats. Last year, some of us that participated in this swap received singing bowls for our "sound" item. Would YOU like to receive a singing bowl? Sure! I might have to steal it back from my spouse, but that is totally fine. Would you mind receiving a pre-loved book (one in good condition)? Not in the slightest! How do you feel about fruitcake, assuming that I can make it without any stated allergens? I love love love fruitcake and any other fruity holiday baked good (stollen, panatella, etc) How about rum/whiskey/bourbon balls (these are no-cook, so the alcohol is still pretty potent)? Sure! I will probably make some of my own this year, but I love trying other people's recipes. All alcoholic holiday goodies are welcome. What is your favorite store-bought holiday treat? I love those little Pepperage Farm gingerbread people, marshmallow santas, maple sugar candy, marzipan...the list, it goes on and on.

Updated 11/11/17 Are you coveting anything currently available from Haus of Gloi? I am not terribly familiar with Haus of Gloi, but the bubbling scrub and pumpkin butter looks good and the Blood Orange Marshmallow scent sounds right up my alley, as do a lot of the yule scents. Are you coveting anything from the Paintbox Soapworks update that just happened? Winter Stories, O Tannenbaum - soap or scrub. Are you coveting anything from Cocoa Pink? I don't really use CP. Do you have feelings about fruitcake? We're talking whiskey soaked homemade fruitcake, not a brick in a festive tin. Personally, I love it and am happy to receive any festive fruity bread product. Any strong nail polish and/or makeup preferences? Personally the brighter and sparklier the better for all of it. Except blush. I don't wear blush at all. How do you feel about pomanders? I definitely enjoy them! How do you feel about savor soaps? I do like what I've tried - I would probably be more into the soap scrubs or whipped soap than the soap itself. Or Perfectly Posh? I know nothing about this brand at all. But if something looks like I'd like it, I'd be happy to try it! Favorite animals? Bats, owls, spiders, frogs, cats, dinosaurs, cephalopods...not the most Christmassy of critters, but I am a sucker for cute animals in santa hats. Weird question, but it's on my mind: Do you have a strong preference for consumables (soaps, candles, food, etc.) over other stuff? Not really. Would you be interested in one of the Colorpop pallets? Anything else from Colourpop? I tend to prefer shadow crayons to pressed shadow and honestly none of them really pops out at me, no pun intended. I am curious about the liquid lip color, though. Would you like any holiday music? if so, do you prefer a CD or MP3? Yes! I'd prefer CDs or Amazon music - I especially like rock and roll versions of classics. Do you like toffee or fudge? Fudge, absolutely. Not a big fan of toffee. Are you interested in anything from my etsy shop? https://www.etsy.com...winklentwilight(bags, stuffies, hats, fingerless mitts, lefse cozies...) I absolutely love all of the stuffies! I really like the geeky print project bags, but don't have a lot of use for them, unless they were modified to be more like a handbag. How do you feel about amigurumi (little crochet stuffies...animals, characters, ornaments, etc.)? I think they are adorbs! If I were to crochet you something wearable, do you have any preferences? Do you like hats, scarves, gloves, other? And would you prefer something fun and whimsical (e.g. fox face hat or owl mittens), something delicate and pretty (e.g. lacy wraps or scalloped boot cuffs), or just something like a basic, no frills beanie or cowl? Do you have a Ravelry account and a list of favorite patterns? No ravelry account. I would especially love something fun and whimsical, a shawl or really big scarf would be especially cool. What kind of hot drinks do you like, and if tea or coffee or cocoa or cider or alcohol, give specifics? Please NO cocoa. Honestly, I'd probably prefer no tea at this point as well, as I have way too much of both. Coffee would be great - I have a grinder and would be particularly interested in seasonal flavors or local roasts. And I LOVE mulled white wine and mead and cider. What kind of candles do you like, scent, etc? Candles and other home scents are among the things I really do not need more of this year, sorry. Mixes or seasonings for the kitchen? Yes please! Garlicky, spicy, are good. What is something new in your life that you wish you had more "things" for? Not that I can think of, but if I think of anything as I see other people answer, I'll update. We do a lot of baking and holiday good ridiculousness around here...house specialties include lebkuchen (flourless, they're mostly nuts, spices, candied fruit), marzipan, butter caramels (flavored or plain), shortbread crisps, and savory cheese shortbread. Any of these sound appealing? Every single one of them. *makes nommy hands* What are your top places to get a gift card from? Starbucks, Amazon, any B&B store you think I might like. Which holiday symbols/themes do you like the best (or least)? Such as Santas, snowflakes, reindeer, etc. I tend toward animals in silly Santa hats, snowmen, honestly, I like it all, but not country kitchy. Do you like puzzles? Yes! I love puzzles - jigsaw, little figity logic puzzles, all of them. Do you have a strong preference for numbered packages vs randomly picking with maybe a few hints along the way? I don't have a strong preference one way or another, so whatever your whims dictate. Are you jonesing for any particular BPAL right now? Anything you are just dying to try, even just a sniffie? My wishlist is pretty up to date, so there's nothing additional I really desperately want at the moment. How do you feel about the following flavors/ingredients: Coconut? I like it - I prefer it with creamy flavors and textures - so coconut cupcakes or coquito are amazing, not such a big fan of coconut macaroons. Mint? I love peppermint this time of year. Lavender? Yes! Rosewater? Sure - I tend to like floral flavors. Cardamom? Yes please! Candied citrus peel/marmalade? This is one of my favorite things. Unfortunately, I am on medication that forbids grapefruit, which is one of my great sorrows ( but worth it not to migraine every day, alas). Anything to absolutely avoid? Dill outside of pickles, BBQ or smoky flavors (I like actual BBQ, but I dislike it out of context and "smoke" flavor just tastes gross to me), blue/veiny/stinky cheeses. Really intensely bitter flavors (my 7 year old likes darker chocolate than I do). Would you like anything crafted for the storage or transport of the BPAL? (Travel imp containers, boxes for 5mls, bottle cozy, etc.) If so, do you prefer them to be plain or decorated? If decorated, are there any motifs or art that you'd particularly like? Not really. I don't need bottle storage, unless it comes with a magic spell that will magically organize the bottles that are all over my bedroom (I have an entire art cabinet for them, I just need to put them in there). A small imp cozy for travel wouldn't go amiss, but definitely not one of my priorities.

Updated as of 9/12 am: Are you ok with homemade food? Absolutely all the food (within the very broad limits of my questionnaire). I'll note that while I am intolerant of dill in most things, I do love me some pickles. If you are ok with decorations, do you have a preference for table-top, wall hanging, or window decorations? Tabletop or window. I don't really have wall space. How do you feel about stationary and/or papercrafting supplies? Not so much? I have a lot of random stationary bits and am honestly not even sure what papercrafting supplies consist of. How do you feel about kitschy/silly Halloween jewelry? Oh good gracious yes. ALL of the Halloween jewelry. Except zombies. Not really into zombies. Would you like a Halloween wreath? Absolutely, those are gorgeous. What rares are you dying to try??? Most of my super-rare desires are also super old and in my wishlist, which I promise to make a concerted effort to update ASAP. Do you like comic books and/or graphic novels? I do! Most of what I have is in my goodreads, with the exception of a few things I've gotten recently. Another thing I should update. I would be particularly interested in picking up where I left off with Fables (I've read through Vol 13), or getting more LumberJanes (I've read the first vol). Oh and all of Bitch Planet. Would you like to receive anything related to: Disney? Maybe if it's really super cool. My Disney fandoms tend to be ancillary - Nightmare Before Christmas, Star Wars, Muppets, some Marvel. If so, any favorite characters? Most anything related to the above, especially female characters and Droids for SW, Kermit for Muppets. In terms of Disney generally, the Angelina Joile Malificent, I guess. My daughter would love anything Moana. And to be more specific about Disney: How do you feel about Beauty and the beast? Belle was my favorite until I got old enough to look critically at the story. I have a vague interest in seeing the new one, but not burning. And what about Harry Potter related items? RAVENCLAW FOREVER. I mean, yes. Absolutely. If I had to pick one fandom to end all fandoms, HP is mine. Pokemon? Any favorites? My fave are the bats - I haven't opened Go in ages though and cannot remember their names. My daughter would love HootHoot or Snivy stuff. Is there any thing, category, or brand from which you would absolutely NOT like to receive things (ie., you're overrun with candy corn, you don't do scents outside of BPAL, or if you ever see another Stephen King item, it will be too soon)? I absolutely do not do perfume oil outside of BPAL. I can find uses for candy corn, so long as I open it early enough in the swap (one of the things I make for my kid's school Harvest Fest bake sale are bags of popcorn with candy corn mixed in. Easy, cheap and they go like hot cakes. Although the janitors probably loathe me.) In general, I really do not need any more candles or other home scenty things. What kinds of art/art medium do you most enjoy, or would you most like to receive, in the context of this swap? I would definitely be up for Halloweenie spooky things. And I always appreciate any sort of yarncraft because I just cannot get the hang of it. Bath & Body Works - love them or hate them? If the former, fave product types? I do like BBW shower gels and lotions, mostly, and their foaming hand soap. I probably have more of the first two than I could ever use and just placed an order, though. I'm in Japan, is there anything specific from here you would be interested in? Not anything specific, but I do love the variety of kit kat and other chocolate flavors you have available. Is there anything from The Netherlands/Europe that you're interested in? I love your licorice! And stropwaffles (which I probably just butchered), and of course, chocolate. <3 how would you feel about receiving a hand-painted container for your bpal and/or other treasures? if you are on board with that, would you want a big wood box (~50 bottles), a small wood box (~20 bottles) or a tin for carrying imps around? I have a large cabinet that I keep things in and a few boxes as well, so I'm probably all set. if you were to receive something hand knit, what type of item would you like? hat, cowl, handwarmers, etc. and what color(s)? Handwarmers or a scarf would probably get the most use, but I'd love just about anything. For outerwear, neutrals like black or gray would probably be best. Handwarmers could be jewel tones of about any stripe, but I already have a couple of purple pair, so probably not that. Nail wraps - yay or nay? Would including a small manicure set to go with them help? I would be all over a manicure set. The one I carry in my purse has seen better days. I would be interested in Halloweenie nail wraps as long as I opened them early enough for our party on the 28th. Do you want wax melts? No thank you. (Also, in case I didn't make it abundantly clear, ABSOLUTELY NO incense.)

O ALLISON GROSS, that lives in yon towr, The ugliest witch i' the north country, Has trysted me ae day up till her bowr, An monny fair speech she made to me. She stroaked my head, an she kembed my hair, An she set me down saftly on her knee; Says, Gin ye will be my lemman so true, Sae monny braw things as I woud you gi. She showd me a mantle o red scarlet, Wi gouden flowrs an fringes fine; Says, Gin ye will be my lemman so true, This goodly gift it sal be thine. ”˜Awa, awa, ye ugly witch, Haud far awa, an lat me be; I never will be your lemman sae true, An I wish I were out o your company.' She neist brought a sark o the saftest silk, Well wrought wi pearles about the ban; Says, Gin you will be my ain true love, This goodly gift you sal comman. She showd me a cup of the good red gold, Well set wi jewls sae fair to see; Says, Gin you will be my lemman sae true, This goodly gift I will you gi. ”˜Awa, awa, ye ugly witch, Had far awa, and lat me be; For I woudna ance kiss your ugly mouth For a' the gifts that ye coud gi.' She's turnd her right and roun about, An thrice she blaw on a grass-green horn, An she sware by the meen and the stars abeen, That she'd gar me rue the day I was born. Then out has she taen a silver wand, An she's turnd her three times roun an roun; She's mutterd sich words till my strength it faild, An I fell down senceless upon the groun. She's turnd me into an ugly worm, And gard me toddle about the tree; An ay, on ilka Saturdays night, My sister Maisry came to me, Wi silver bason an silver kemb, To kemb my heady upon her knee; But or I had kissd her ugly mouth, I'd rather a toddled about the tree. But as it fell out on last Hallow-even, When the Seely court was ridin by, The queen lighted down on a gowany bank, Nae far frae the tree where I wont to lye. She took me up in her milk-white han, An she's stroakd me three times oer her knee; She chang'd me again to my ain proper shape, An I nae mair maun toddle about the tree. Witch-herbs, crushed golden flowers, and a man-made-dragon's surly musk lightened by the scent of the blossoms and unearthly incense that clings to the Faerie Queen's hair. Dragon's blood musk, ambergris, sunflower, chrysanthemum, muguet, and rue, with gingered lily, moonflower, bluebell, peony, nightwort, and white rose. This is an absolutely gorgeous blend - deep rich late summer herbs and greenery dominate on me, along with gorgeous earthy musks and just the lightest breath of the late summer florals to add a touch of feminine mystique to Allison's quiver. Because while as a witch she may have been ugly, she still was a captivating one, that Allison Gross - and her perfume is simply perfect. Beth, darling, you have completely outdone yourself with this one.

UPDATED 11/18 I love crocheting, it's my favorite hobby. Can I make you a scarf/cowl/sweater/lap blanket to keep you wintery-warm!? Absolutely! I am not much of a cowl wearer, but otherwise, bring on all the homemade goodies, especially since yarn-craft and I do not get along. How do you feel about knit socks? (Plain stockinette, lacework, cables, etc). Are there any other hand knit items you'd especially like? (Mittens, fingerless gloves, hats, etc). Yes please! Fingerless gloves are another desire of mine. How do you feel about amigurumi (i.e. little crochet toys), either characters from a fandom, wee animals, or as decorations? I don't really have feelings about them, to be honest, which is a good excuse to show me why they are awesome! (This is as good a time as any to mention that I forgot to include Ghostbusters on my list of beloved fandoms.) What kind of snacks do you like? Does dried fruit or crunchy dried vegetables sound appealing? Do you like (raw) honey? Jerky? Jam? What sort of local products do you like to receive as gifts? If you're familiar with products in the Pacific Northwest, is there anything specific you'd like to try? I love dried fruit/veg/nut combos. I love honey, like good jerky, jam is fab. The only thing that jumps out at me from PNW that I wouldn't want is salmon anything. Otherwise, I love to try local snacks, bread mixes, that sort of thing. If there's one place you could go in the world, where and why? I really want to go to Australia and New Zealand. Truly, I want to go everywhere, but that's my next big desire. What sort of dollar store items do you always get a kick out of? I inevitably get distracted by the wall of tacky jewelry, but I never actually buy anything. Do you like to receive plants or gardening stuff? Do you grow plants? What's your favourite flower, if you have one? I would not want gardening stuff or plants. I generally prefer not to receive things I will inevitably kill. Calla lilies are my favorite flower. If you had a custom perfume/beauty/bath product made for you, what would it be and what would the scent description look like? (everything from prose to the specific selection of notes) Something spicy/creamy/red musky. Text would be a silly bit of poetry. I love drawing! Either fanart chibis on the tablet or portrait work in graphite pencil... but it's been a while..so I'd love to use this as an excuse to draw something for you! If you could commission an art piece, would you choose traditional or digital artwork- and what would it be of? I...have no idea. Sorry, that is totally unhelpful. Maybe sketches of my kids? Have we already answered questions about Christmas tree themes for this year? We always do a tree, but it's not themed. Generally, we do a combo of modern bright colors, ornaments from my childhood, things my kids have made, souvenirs from vacations, and whatever characters my kids are currently into. When it comes to makeup, what is your coloring? Fair, dark? Sensitive skin? Eye color? Hair color? Style....funky, natural? Any additional makeup info? Fair with ruddy cheeks. Blue eyes. Dyed dark red hair. Makeup style is definitely funky - if I want to look natural, I just don't wear makeup. Otherwise, I usually do a bit of powder foundation, vibrant eye shadow crayon and black or blue/black mascara (note I DO NOT need more black mascara). Then a red or berry or burgundy lip color. I don't wear blush or lip liner or usually eye liner, although I will play with that sometimes. I am always in the market for more bold eye or lip colors, nail polishes (glitter is good) and could legit use a "glue" for loose powder shadow. Is there any craft or hobby that you are interested in trying? There's nothing I'm particularly jonsing for at the moment, but I've been a little curious about needle felting if there's an all inclusive kit you like. My daughter also loves crafty stuff, so things we could work on together would be fun. Would anyone mind bath and body works items? Such as hand sanitizer, lotion, candles, car scents or soap? I love their lotions and shower gel and some of their specialty spa stuff. I also love their candles, perhaps a bit too much. Any Lush showergel (or other product) you'd like to try? I sort of collect their showergels, mostly from The Kitchen. So if there's anything you'd like to try, now's the time to tell! My fave Lush products are their bath products, which I have no current ability to use, sadly. I don't care for their soap at all, their shower gels are okay. I do love me some Lemony Flutter, though. Do you like licorice or would you like to try it? Would you prefer salt or sweet? ALL THE LICORICE!!! I generally prefer sweet, but like salty if it is combined with something sweet (Nemi gave me some chocolate covered salty licorice last year that was AMAZING.) I live in The Netherlands but I will visit England soon and might pay a visit to Germany. Anything special from here that you'd like to try? Magnets, jewelry, local sweets and candy are among my travel related loves. is you BPAL wishlist updated? If not: please do! I will try to get that taken care of ASAP. Do you like office supplies like pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, etc? I particularly love pens in all sorts of colors and sticky notes. How do you feel about spicy, cheesy, or sour snacks? Sure! I particularly like cheesy.. Would you like any cook-able mixes like for soup or baked goods, cooking ingredients like spices, sugars, salts, oils, or cooking gadgets? Absolutely! Would you prefer bar soaps or bath gel? I marginally prefer soap, just because I'm more likely to grab it to use. Candles, wax melts, or incense - yea or nay? Candles are fine, although I am kind of drowning in them. Please no incense or wax melts. Jewelry - any preference about length of necklaces, earrings, etc? The bigger and bolder the better. I do not wear post earrings, though. Otherwise, in terms of length, anything goes. Sweeteners: I don't do artificial sweeteners.Honey, agave, other actual sugar alternatives are fine. No stevia or stuff like that though. Handmade items & homemade food: Absolutely! Shakespearean swag: This is my question, so I am pretty well set, but yes, I do love me some random Shakespeare. Favorite Christmas story: A Christmas Carol all day long, the book, adaptations, everything other than the Jim Carrey version. Numbered packages or random: Whatever you prefer, Snow Angel. Goodreads or other wish lists: Everything is in my swap help blog entry linked in my sig.. Books in a series-- in order? If books are pretty much standalone, like Discworld or a lot of police procedural series, I am cool with random entries. For anything that is truly serial and the series is meant to tell a full story together, then I want them in order. Trader Joe's: I have one super close but I never actually go there, so it is fair game.(I love cookie butter ; -) Shoe size US womens 8, socks are wonderful I'm going to San Diego next week. Are there any souvenirs from there you'd like? How about any little souvenirs in general that you appreciate receiving? I can't think of anything SD specific, to be honest, but see above re my usual souvenirs. Do you like Steampunk? Would you be interested in any jewelry inspired by steampunk? I yes and yes! The biggest catch is a lot of steampunk jewelry I see is very gold/bronze based. I make paper albums and journals. Would you be interested in receiving something like that? Would you like some other type of handmade paper craft? I have so many journals that I never get around to using, so I should probably pass. Are you currently ISO any BPAL new or otherwise? What are your top 10 scents? I a not ISO anything in particular right now. I will try to get my wishlist updated ASAP. I listed a lot of my faves in my survey, I think. Black Friday will be a thing during this swap, anything you might want that will be on awesome sale? I'm sure there will be some deals on movies or games that are up my alley, but there's nothing specific I can think of (I tend to avoid any offline black Friday shopping). Homemade stuff specifics: Would you be interested in: - Dried honeycrisp apples Yes - Applesauce (with red hots for sweetness and cinnamon) Yes - Rose petal liqueur Yes! - Blackberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, or Peach Jam Yes! - garlic dill pickles Yes - raw honey from bees on our property Yes! - Baked or homemade goods Always. Of particular interest from the list are rum balls, cranberry bars, fudge and trail mix. If you make extra fab brownies or breads, that's cool too. - handsewn project bags or makeup bags? If you have thematic fabric or the desire to make something that fits with my fandoms, that would be super, but I don't really need them in general. Of particular interest would be Harry Potter, Doctor Who, NMBC, MLP. Bigger bags that could hold some of my daughter's huge MLP collection would actually be pretty fab. - yarn, roving, batts, fiber? No thank you. - any cross stitch items like a small wall hanging or bookmark? Bookmarks, dishtowels, pillows, other usable things would be great. I don't have much wall space for hangings, though. - if you said you'd want a knitted item, are there any particular favorite patterns you'd like - I have no idea and am not on ravelry or relevantly on pinteroist. I am not real big on cable-knit or that sort of classic texture, though. For some reason, I now have an image of some sort of cephalopod texture and would be all over something like that, though. In terms of colors, any of the jewel tones I mention in my survey, especially black/gray/purples/teal. If you said you liked candles/incense/etc., what are your favorite scents for such things? I love anything evergreeny this time of year, or spicy foody kind of scents. Do you like to cook and would you be interested in cookbooks? I do cook, but I have a lot of cookbooks. I do love quirky fannish ones, though. I have Dining with the Doctor. Do you like games (board/card), and if so for how many players? Yes! I would particularly be interested in games that can be played with 2-3 players as well as larger groups. If you have a Goodreads "to read" list, are those mostly books that you do not have and would like copies of, or are those mostly books that you already have piled on your shelves/lurking in your e-reader? I have tried to break down what I have and what I want via an "on-my-shelves" sub-category. Anything on my to-read list that is not so marked is something I would be happy to receive, whether it specifically says "want a copy" or not. Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or fire pit, and if so would you like handmade firestarters or scenting bundles to throw on it? (think bundles of apple wood chips and cinnamon bark, or little wax/herb/paper bundles with a wick) Technically we have both fireplace and a metal fire bowl thing, although we have never used the former and rarely use the latter. I wouldn't necessarily be opposed, but these sound like the sort of thing I would acquire and never remember to use. What animals do you think are considered cute? Penguins, owls, birds generally, bats, lizards, seals, and I have a fondness for arctic animals specifically - white foxes, wolves, polar bears, etc. You mentioned scarves in your questionnaire. Are you referring to a chunky thick keep-me-warm-in-a-snowstorm scarf, or a light and lacy could-be-warm-if-I-wound-it-a-hundred-times scarf? I don't think I did, actually. But generally, I like big shawl like winter scarves more than light lacy scarves. I stalked your etsy and noticed you like gemstones in jewellery! If yes, what's a list of your favorite semi-precious gemstones? Sapphires, garnets, moonstone...honestly, I care more about color and overall style than gemstones themselves. And what is your ring size in US? I really would prefer not to receive rings. Sorry! I can barely wear my wedding and engagement rings anymore, let alone others. Would you like to receive a photography print? My pictures are mainly of animals or landscapes. What would you prefer? Any favourite animals you'd like to receive a picture of? Would you also like to receive postcards? These are beautiful, but outside of owls or birds that I could share with my daughter, I really don't have wall space right now. Thinking about your package arriving and unwrapping, would you prefer more foody items or more non-foody things? Non-foody, please. Some food items are wonderful, but I would prefer that less than half be treats, thanks! Name a handful of things you would LOVE to see in your 12 Days gifts! Jewelry, books, a mix cd of seasonal music, fun sparkly decorations, socks or arm warmers... Grabbing this from the thread, but I also love fandom blind bags, incl. Lego! Anybody else pay attention to Solstice Scents? Nope. I am a BPAL only gal and do not wear anything else. If I were go get my shit together to actually bake before December 7, would you have any interest in fruitcake? My own question, so the YES I LOVE IT answer can probably be assumed, but yes, I love fruitcake - even the stereotypical brick - but especially people's different recipes. I go pretty much gaga over any holiday fruit bread - panatella, stollen, etc. If I were still feeling the alcoholic spirit and decided to make boozy chocolate balls of some sort, do you have a preference for bourbon, rum or Irish whiskey? I have no real preference. In terms of drinking, I lean toward whiskeys, but all the booze is welcome over here.

UPDATED 9/14/16 Anything here: http://paintboxsoapworks.com/ look like something you'd like to try (assuming that you're not already ordering it)? My own answer is that I need just about everything in Red Right Hand, but I will probably be taking care of that myself. Do you like stuff related to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? I love Day of the Dead conceptually and have been fascinated with it ever since reading Ray Bradbury's stories about Mexico as a kid, but the mass commodification of it makes me a little uncomfortable as a lily white atheist. I do have some beautiful sugar skull items which were given to me by someone sharing her culture which I treasure and I would absolutely welcome more in that vein. Knitted Items? Absolutely! I would particularly be interested in fingerless gloves, but just about anything, really. <3 Fandom/Specific Items? Harry Potter, Ghostbusters (especially the new one), Doctor Who, Star Wars, also happy to take any My Little Pony stuff off your hands for my 6 year old (or me l). Fall/Halloween Icons? Bats, owls, gargoyles, skeletons, ravens, First, talk to me about soaps- do you like them, and what kinds of scents/lather/varieties do you like? Love soap! I tend to prefer hot process to glycerin, scents I think I cover pretty well in my questionnaire. Second, tell me about teas! Favorites? Anything you'd like to try? I love chocolate flavored and other sweet flavored teas, all the apple, pumpkin, chai this time of year. Lastly, I go to Renn Faire- is there anything from there you might like? It has been so long since I've been to one, I'm not even sure what I might like - jewelry, maile, that sort of thing is always good, I guess. What Weenie of year's past are you seeking from the lab? Nothing in particular. In terms of what I'm looking for and didn't purchase, my wishlist is in my sig. Are you a shawl wearer- and if you don't wear one now, would you? I would happily be a shawl wearer. Tell me about LUSH- do you like them? If so, what are some of your favorite things from there? Particularly fond scents or products? Stuff you can't stand? I don't care for their soap and I don't have a bathtub, so I don't currently have a use for bombs or melts...so, basically, I like Lush conceptually, but I don't actually use most of their products right now. I do love me some Lemony Flutter. Maybe lotion? Japanese goodies? I love Japanese sweets and Sanrio/Kawaii cuteness. So, in this swap, you open a goodie every day. I have seen this gift direction done several different ways, but I am interested in which you are most keen to do. Would you rather: A. have strict direction as to which gift is to be opened on which day(aka the number system)? B.have a few gifts that are meant to be opened on specific days (ex: *this* one is for Halloween night only), but the rest be your choice? C. have a free-for-all, grab bag-style box of goodies, where you are the sole arbiter of your goodie grabbing destiny(everything is wrapped but you pick the gift you want to open each day)? D. be surprised? I have received and given all of these ways and love them all. I know that is totally no help. The Witch is In/Out sign? That is super cute! I could definitely find a use for something like that. Pumpkin Spice or No Pumpkin Spice? ALL THE PUMPKIN SPICE!!!!! Although I prefer caramel apple Oreos and Milky Ways. Milk, white, and/or Dark Chocolate? Milk or white. If there is something amazing and on the sweet side that only comes in dark, I don't dislike it, but I prefer rich chocolate tastes to bitter ones. Do you like Yankee Candle? Anything you want from there? I'm not opposed and I love autumn scents, but I'm not familiar enough with their current line to have strong preferences. Anything you have your eye on at BPTP? Not in particular, but I'm always happy for decants from my wishlist. Bath and Body Works - yay or nay? Personally, I am a fan of their lotion and body wash, but not any of their perfume/body sprays/etc (unless you have a stockpile of their dry spray that came in an aerosol can that's been out of production for a couple of years). I also really like their handsoaps for the sink, but have a ton. Likewise, candles. Tell me of your Sock Dreams, please! Link to my wishlist is in the post below this one! I'd like to make some baked goods, would you like some? And if you have any food allergies what can I use as substitute? Absolutely. No allergies, but I definitely want full sugar, no stevia or anything. Anything special you want from the Target dollar spot? I haven't checked it out recently, but I often find fun sticky notes or magnetic notepads there, fun pens, little art supplies. I live in The Netherlands. If there's anything in particular that you'd like to get from here, now's the time to tell! Struphwaffles (I am sure that I just butchered that), and I still covet more of the chocolate covered salty licorice that you, Nemi, sent me in another swap. I'm sort of collecting Lush showergels.Regular collection, but also many Kitchen items. Are there any showergels you'd like to try? I'd be happy to make you samples! I have no idea about any of these, so sure! I do like shower gel. What is your stance on Glitter? I have a 6 year old child who loves anything that sparkles. Thankfully, my stance on glitter is essentially bring it on or I would have already become homicidal. Also, if you have a Goodreads or other online reading log, does it include a wishlist? Otherwise, is it safe to assume books on the 'to-read' section are wishlist items? Or are you less into keeping a physical copy of the book, and instead prefer to turn to the awesomeness of the library to get your to-read need accomplished. My Goodreads is pretty comprehensive and I try to be good about noting whether I already have a copy or whether I want a copy as part of my sub-shelves - generally speaking, if it is marked as want-a-copy, I specifically want to own it, not get it from the library. If it is marked as on-my-shelves, I have a copy, I've just yet to read it. Otherwise, things are fair game. If I have neglected to note that I already own something that is on my to-read shelf and you end up sending me something that I already have, well, that's my bad. Tea lovers, what do you like from Whittard? I have never tried them, but would happily do so! how about art? (Small/mailing safe sizes, course) I have fairly limited space in our new house due to the layout, so while my answer is always yes, I'm a little less enthusiastic than I might otherwise be just due to circumstances. Dearest Pumpkin - how much are you wedded to wishlists, say I have some read once books which I think you might like based on what you've read in the past, but there is nothing of the sort on your current Goodreads "to read" list? I am not at all wedded to them. I do suggest checking my "read" shelf at Goodreads before investing in off-wishlist books, but I am always thrilled to receive new options that I may not have thought of or discovered yet! How do you feel about reading series out of order? Obviously not in situations where the subsequent books are part of the same story arc where you will be totally lost and frustrated if you haven't read all of them, but say, standalone stories which are technically part of a series and which might obliquely reference past books, but not in such as way as to spoil the plot of the book which I happen to have in my possession that you might like. In the situation I'm describing, I am totally fine - if you have, say, the 4th Tana French novel, send it on. If the story relies heavily on past action, I'd rather not, but especially for long detective series and others where the basic plot is wrapped up in each book, that's fine. Would you be interested in a Halloween themed short story anthology? Absolutely. I have Halloween edited by Paula Guran, but not any others. Is there a limit to the number of books you'd like to receive? I wouldn't want to only receive books, but I would be happy to have 3-4 nights of them if there's stuff you think I'd love. Movies in 15 Minutes? Why yes, I have read it and have a copy I'd love to pass on to a fellow forumite. Question: What kind of phone do you have? I need to know.... I have a Galaxy S5 Active at present, but will hopefully be upgrading to a 7 at some point during the swap. Have you seen the horror film The Babadook? If so, did you like it? Would you want something Babadook-themed? I haven't seen it. Based on the description I googled I can't decide if I would probably love it or spend the entire time feeling ill over kids in danger. Those who are amenable to yarnie things--ok, two questions: Any undesirable fibers (wool allergy, vegan so no critter hair at all, etc.)? and how do you feel about cowls/infinity scarves? I'm not allergic or vegan or otherwise totally opposed to anything, but wool is definitely not my favorite fiber unless it is super soft. That's really my biggest requirement - I like things super soft. In terms of infinity scarves, I've never really gotten the knack for them. Which doesn't mean I'm opposed to them, I just don't have any. Motherhood update: Haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but will update! So who likes incense? and is there a preferred scent? and cones or sticks? Would you like a burner for it? Not sure if I mentioned this in my survey, but ABSOLUTELY NO INCENSE PLEASE. It will never ever get used unless I send it to someone else and is frequently a migraine trigger. So please no thank you.

Good morning! Just a quick reminder for everyone that the report button is one of the best friends your mod team has for knowing what's going down around this very large and active forum. If you see something that you think would benefit from mod action, whether it be a thread careening wildly off topic, a total duplicate of that other thread you just read yesterday, or someone behaving in a way that is less than charitable to their fellow forumites, the best thing to do is to use the report button at the bottom of the post in question. Particularly, if people are name-calling or otherwise being inappropriate, that is the primary way to call it to our attention in a way that does not risk perpetuating any drama or inappropriateness. Reporting a post or a thread does not have any negative consequences for the person reporting and is incredibly helpful for those of us charged with maintaining order and civility in our limited free time. Thanks! Sniff on, y'all.

Gaming nerd? Kinda sorta. I am definitely on the geek spectrum, but in terms of games, I tend to prefer adventure/mystery type games. If you have any Chaos Theory bottles on your wishlists, would you mind getting bottles on several days of this swap? I don't think I do have any CT on my wishlist, but I wouldn't mind a bottle or two if they seem like they are within my overall scent desires. If you listed wearables - what sizes? I think I covered this in my questionnaire, but generally L/XL, feet are US 8. Are your forearms skinny or bulky? My forearms are pretty...average? I generally do not have issues with my forearm size as it relates to clothing or jewelry. My upper arms on the other hand...they are pretty thick and tend to present problems. How do you feel about yarn/wearables? Ok with wool as long as it's soft? And any particular things on your wish list as far as knit items go? (Headbands for fall/winter, cowls, fingerless mitts, mittens, socks, etc) Soft anything is wonderful. Hats, scarves, socks are all wonderful. I am always in the market for fingerless arm/hand warmers, that I can both type and hide my always cold fingers in. What kind of items would you like to get that are not available in your country? I would love candies, jellies, jams, other edibles and local specialties. How do you feel about home baked cookies? Is there anything that should be left out (nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, etc)? Home baking is love! I have no real restrictions in that area, aside from typical attempts at not overeating. Well, that and no artificial sweeteners. How do you feel about receiving pens? If you like them, do you have a prefered stroke size (ie: do you prefer a thick or fine stroke)? Any preferred colors (assume the sky is the limit here)? Pens are great. I tend to like mid-range stroke sizes - not extra fine, but not seriously thick. In terms of color, between blue/black/red, I prefer black. Otherwise, I love fun pen colors which are not those three. Socks? For fall, I tend to prefer knee-highs, as I pretty much constantly wear short boots, at least on the weekends, which is also pretty much the only time I wear socks. I love fun funky socks. My Sock Dreams wishlist is here, which I share not as an OMG BUY ME THESE, but more as an idea of what I tend to gravitate toward. Tea? I have a bit of a tea problem, as in I have waaaaaaaay too much of it. That said, I am always happy to try any yummy seasonal tea flavors. Yankee Candle Boney Bunch? The Boney Bunch doesn't actually do much for me, sadly. The Wicked Web (especially the collar or the bat wings), or the silhouettes and spellbound are much more up my alley. I also have a bit of a candle problem, much like tea, in that I have tons, but can't seem to prevent myself from inviting more in. What are your favorite tv shows, movies, topics of geekery, famous persons, specific objects (like tarot or harpsichords), memes, cultures etc. that you would like to receive items themed around? Fandomish likes include Harry Potter (Ravenclaw with a side of Slytherin or Griffyndor, depending on the day), Star Wars, Muppets, Doctor Who, Firefly. I also watch Castle and Grey's Anatomy, but not in a major fannish way. I enjoy gargoyles, bats and spiders. I'm not sure I'm really answering the question, though. If you've said you like coffee: Do you prefer whole beans or ground? Do you like flavored coffees? Whole beans for unflavored, ground for flavors. Are you a soap only, shower gel only, or an either works person? If you like soap, are you particular about type? (all natural, no glycerine, created on a full moon using the blood of virgins, etc) Another area in which some would say I have a "problem". I will use just about anything, with the caveat that Paintbox is about the only glycerine soap I can use. I particularly love cleansing scrubs. Items you want but never seem to buy? Just as I never buy them, I never remember them. :headdesk: Something that might be fun would be a cool lariat/id card holder. If you listed you like books: what kind of books? What are your favorites? Do you also like the "English classics"? Are there any books or writers that you really don't like? I definitely do not like "English classics" to the extent that I understand the term. I like Dickens for the most part, but not much else. Well, Shakespeare, but I have the collected works, so I don't need more there. Between my Goodreads and this post, it can tell you most of what you need to know. What are your favorite musicians, favorite singers or bands? Anything or anyone you really don't like? REM, the Smiths, Nick Cave, Current 93, Sol Invictus, lots of 60s and 70s rock, new wave, 80s college rock, 80s and 90s goth and industrial. I like some country of the old school Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn variety. Some hip hop. I haven't really kept up with music over the past 10 years or so, which is kind of depressing. Do you like Japanese/Korean snackies? If so do you prefer sweet/savory or both? I'm not fanatical about them, but I do like interesting sweets. Savories are cool as long as they don't involve seaweed. Do you prefer light lotions or thick butters and do you like scented or unscented? Yes and scented. Do you like small crossbody bags? I am all about the crossbody bag, but on the larger size. Birthday during swap? Nope. Pistachio-flavored snacks? Sure! Do you collect anything? I like bats and skulls and spiders and other creepy crawly things and butterflies and colorful beetles and other insects. But nothing that I'd seriously term a collection. What are some of your favourite things about fall/Halloween, or what do you look forward to? I went into this in a lot of detail in my survey, I think, but I love cooler days and wearing jeans and my favorite Fluevog ankle boots and long sweaters. We throw a big Halloween party every year which I love planning. And pumpkin spice everything and apple cider and spices and caramel. Going to a corn maze and going pumpkin picking and carving pumpkins and taking my kids trick or treating. Horror themes? I'm not at all into zombies or really seriously goreshock kind of stuff. Also, anything involving mutilation of eyeballs freaks me the right fuck out. Hey, Pumpkin! How do you feel about lounge pants/pajama pants? Absolutely - cozy lounge pants in an XL would rock. Do you have long, medium, or short hair? What kids of hair accessories do you like to use? Very short, no accessories needed. BUT, my 5 year old has almost waist length hair, so things would have a possible home. If you have an Etsy favorites list, are all of the things on the list things you'd be happy to get, or are some of them gift ideas for other people, or stuff that you've already bought and loved but don't need more of, or for any reason not something you'd want to get in this swap? List 'tis here: https://www.etsy.com/people/emzebel/favorites/items-i-love?ref=favs_index_1 Everything is something I'd love to have, although most of the stuffs have sold, so it can also serve as inspiration for the types of things I tend to go for, as opposed to a shopping list. Do you bake or cook & if so (or even if not!) would you want Halloween-themed kitchen stuff or sprinkles or similar? Sure! I bake a lot this time of year and we have a fairly extensive sprinkle collection (so, I guess I do collect something?) that I think is low on the autumnal at the moment. And I love love love themey utensils and bakeware. Question: Wishbones, and designs with them ? Yay or nay? I...have no idea. I'm not opposed to them, but I tend to have more of an affinity for skulls and talons and other bony things. Are there any general catalog/easily found/not crazy expensive BPAL bottles you'd love to get your hands on? I would dearly love a bottle of Scheherazade, which I love, but never seems to make it into my cart. Otherwise, my wishlist is pretty comprehensive and lists some GCs. Alcoholic beverages in your goodies-- yay or nay-- if yay, what kind? Yay booze! I am on a big gin and bourbon kick right now (and whiskey generally always has a home with me). I also love little sample bottles of random flavored or unusual options in just about any liquor type. I also love seasonal ales this time of year. I am not big on wine. With anything, if there's some sort of local specialty that you just adore, I'd love to sample it! CANDY CORN--- YAY OR NAY? Nay, sorry. I'll visit an Asian market later this afternoon/evening. Bit of a last minute decision so last minute question, too. So hope my swappee reads and answers this before I'm there. Is there anything in particular you'd like to get? Sorry, I'm late on this one, but there's nothing in particular that I'm jonsing for at the moment. How disappointed would you be to get a package with little to no spooky themed stuff (except the wrappings)? I do love me some Halloween, but I will love anything you send, spooky or no. <3 Would you be interested in gently used BPAL tees going back several years and/or 80s/90s goth-industrial-generally morbid tees all in crew neck/Men's style, size M - L, all black or dark gray? Since is my question, I'm going with no on this one. I don't wear crewnecks anymore and clearly hubby has too many. How do you feel about superheroes? I adore Wonder Woman and have enjoyed a lot of the newer MCU stuff. How do you feel about Star Wars, especially extension universe comics? Another area where we have more than enough. How extensively have you sampled the Lab's Weenie wares? Any past releases you are dying to get your hands on? Years you missed? Other than what's in my wishlist, I'm good. Weenies tend to be my biggest order of the year.

Blood Kiss makes me jump to Perversion, but that might be because I fell in love with both around the same time. I see Urd has been recommened, and I second that one. Also, maybe Skuld.

Same deal applies in RAOK - if you want your PIF thread to stay open, bump it up!

1.Ladies and gents, if you're comfortable receiving clothing, what size(s)? Any particular types of clothing (skirts, oversized t-shirts for crafting, work clothing)? How do you feel about shoes that were bought, worn once, and never brought out of the closet again? Ditto this for anyone else in your household who might appreciate wearables. I am a L in BPTP tissue tees, XL in just about anything else, including Tee Fury and Threadless. Otherwise, I'm a 12-14 in bottoms (usually larger in pants, smaller in skirts unless they are super form fitting, generally skirts are somewhat safer because I am about the bass, as it were), I don't wear much in the way of button ups because boobage. On the weekends it's pretty much tees- either TP or geeky tee fury type stuff and jeans for me, and pretty business formal during the week. Shoes: I wear a US 8, I love me some funky Fluevogs, or sandals in the summer. I'm trying to keep heels to no more than 1.5 inches because my calves are not what they used to be. Totally happy to take anything that fits this description off your hands. 2.How do you feel about socks that were very briefly on fresh-out-of-the-shower feet & then removed when it was discovered they didn't fit? Absolutely! I do have pretty monster calves, so I have the same "gee these are adorbs except for the circulation in my legs" issue, and I have a couple of pairs in my hope to find a home pile myself. 3.How do you feel about vinyl designer toys? (Ex super7, kidrobot, etc) I've never really gotten into these, which basically means I'm a clean slate. Someone mentioned Lego, which is my obsession. Otherwise, my fandoms are Harry Potter (Ravenclaw represent), Doctor Who (especially 9/Rose), Star Wars, Firefly, GOT (sort of, though I've only read the books), pretty much anything Gaiman related, LOTR sort of. 4.What kind of makeup and/or nail polish would you be interested in receiving? What kind of colors do you like? Sure! I covet bright colors for eyes and lips and could actually use some sort of setting "glue" for sparkly shadows (I know there's a name for this, but search me). Also, I search forever for non-black or brown mascaras (especially need blue-black, but love other colors too). I do not need facial care stuff or foundation/powder and I never wear blush, so anything along those lines would just get a home in the next round of BBBoxes. 5.Speaking of books, are there any books you WOULD NOT READ if something happened to fall into your package? My goodreads has a ton of info about my preferences, but jumping of an earlier answer, I would NOT be interested in anything religious at all, including pagan stuff. I'm an avowed atheist, so it's just not my scene. Otherwise, I'm not real big on non-fiction or much from before 1940 or so. 6.Are there any other hoarders collectors of nail polish? All the bright sparkly colors for my toes. I don't really wear/need neutrals and don't care much for matte. 7. Any hobbies/crafts you would really like supplies for? Similarly, any that you just *really* don't need more stuff of? I keep saying that I want to start doing cross stitch and embroidery again and I can always use polymer clay and related supplies, beads, and jewelry fittings. 8.Are you interested in anything for your kitchen? Pots/pans/gadgets/small appliances/etc. In terms of need, probably not. But I could find a good use for a salad spinner, double boiler, madeline and bakeware. Fun dishtowels and spatulas are cool. And wooden spoons. 9.How about fashion accessories??? I have super short hair, so don't really use hair accessories, but my daughter has really long hair and is growing out her bangs right now, so she would get use out of hair clips, headbands and the like. I have a lot of scarves and such as well, so I don't really need more, but if something seems perfect, I'd be happy to adopt it. 10. Used makeup? I'm not terribly picky about my makeup, other than mascara. No non-cleanly tested mascara, please. 11.Would you like to try anything that may not be so easily available in your country, for those of you who may get an international person? Sure! 12.Kids' stuff? I have a daughter who will turn 5 during the swap who loves owls and rainbows and birds and dolphins. Gently used clothes in a size 5 or above are totally cool, as are Kindergarten age appropriate books and such. I also have an 11 year old son who is gigantic and totally pubescent and who will take anything military history related off your hands. 13.Are there any styles/colors of handbags you won't carry? Anything in the biege/brown/white/yellow/orange spectrum or anything too canvasy utilitarian or patchwork hippy-chic. Otherwise, I prefer cross body bags that are kind of classy-funky, if that makes any sense. 14.Do you play video games & would you be interested in recieving games? If yes, what systems do you have & what types of games do you like? Sure! Personally, I mostly play adventure/HO games on my kindle (think Big Fish/G4), but we do have a Wii that I wish I had more time for and my son and husband play all the time. They are also angling for an Xbox. 15.Are you a BPAL only person, or do you wear other perfumes as well? BPAL only please! 16.Do you have pets and if so what? Two cats and a tank of guppies, none of whom need anything. The cats don't really like treats and catnip gives one of ours a really bad trip, so we avoid it. Cool aquarium accessories might get some love, I guess. 17. Bath/beauty stuff? Ie oils, salts, bubbles? Masks, bb creams? All the bath stuff. ALL OF IT! Except for non-cleansing scrubs. I have SO many jars of non-cleansing scrubs that I really really should not adopt more. But all the foaming scrubs. I am pretty set for a skincare routine as well, but am always on the look out for a good charcoal face wash to tempt me away from my current decidedly uncool Mary Kay regimen. 18. If you are a dustpan who would like to receive yarn, are you particular about said yarn? Wool allergies? Irrational hatred of acrylics? Can you use partial balls (like I used maybe 50 yards of a 200 yard skein), or do you only use certain weights? Please no yarn. I have no use for it unless you're making something out of it before you sent it to me. No fabric, either, while I'm thinking of it. 19. How does everyone feel about CDs and DVDs? Any preferences? Sure, but I have no idea how to even begin to guide this question, other than to send you to my amazon wishlist. 20. Hey, how do people feel about stripes? Say, black and white stripes? Stripes are love. 21. Do you have any interest or use for anything tarot-related? Not really. 22. Do you like cats? Actual cats are great, have 2. Not that big on stuff with cats on it, unless it's kind of weird (like a cat in a space helmet or something, not anything super cutsie). 23. Do you collect anything? Not super comprehensively, but I like gargoyles and creepy critters. My daughter will take anything you have with owls on it. Lego is probably the biggest thing, now that I think of it. We have several hundred of the actual sets and probably close to a million bricks all told. So there's that. I also love sticker books and adult coloring books and my daughter likes the youngling variety. Son is in a big military history kick right now. 24. Also, I've unearthed a ton of stuff from the regifting heap, so do you have any use for a potpourri container, a bright purple reusable water bottle, or a Massage Envy gift card? As noted in thread, I will take all water bottles or travel mugs that are in good condition and I'd happily find a use for Massage Envy. No potpourri please, containers or otherwise. 25. If you are interested in receiving homemade baked goods, do you have any favorites or limitations not mentioned in your questionnaire? Would you like a full list of ingredients included? Homemade baked goods are awesome, no limitations other than what I listed in my questionnaire. Most salient would be please no no-calorie sweeteners or dill. 26. If you are interested in receiving clothing, would you like any belts, sweatpants, or slippers? And do you have color/style preferences? No sweatpants. Belts would be great. Slippers that can go outdoors would be great in dark colors, or cozy socks. 27. If you are interested in receiving books, would you like to receive ebooks? As in, book files I'd send you on a USB drive, that you can read on your computer or e-reader. Sure! 28. How do you feel about barely-used candles? I have no objection to partially burned candles.

Hello hello! If you haven't stopped by Book Club recently, we are currently brainstorming entrants for the first ever March Madness style bracket here at BPAL.org. But we're choosing sports teams, or even favorite Lab product (although that has a definitely ring to it). Instead, we are brainstorming as many books from which the Lab has chosen inspiration for a group read showdown! Sound like fun? Then stop on over here and see if you can think of any I missed - of particular interest are specific works by Poe, Lovecraft, Clive Barker and specific Sherlock Holmes books, as well as poetry and other works from the General Catalog. We need around 20 more titles to make for a full bracket of 64 and ideas on how to break things up are welcome as well. Nominations are open through January and then I will be on the hunt for a bracket generator. Come join us!

Please use this topic for Circular Swap swaplifts as well!