ClockworkKaren

7/20/21: I'm reining myself WAY back on Swap-bot due to increasing issues in my life. If you are one of the people in the swaps I signed up for previously, please know that you WILL get get your swap item. I am working to complete and mail them as quickly as I can. Sometimes life just really sucks and tries to suffocate -- but WE will win.

6/27/21: I've had some crap going on in my life recently. I'm sorry for falling behind in some of my swaps but I'm working hard to catch back up to the ones I owe things to be mailed.

6/7/21: I added this whole section to post updates and to let you know when I last went over this list of "My Favorite Things."

Hi! My name is Karen. My cat is Clockwork. As anyone who has tried to do anything around a cat, I figure I should acknowledge her supervisory role. ;)

I love all sorts of animals and I would have a whole menagerie if it wouldn't mean closing in some animals' territory needs and feeding them their appropriate diets wouldn't end up costing millions of dollars. I've recently taken up birding -- going out to where the birds are and watching as well as sitting at home and watching the ones that come to me.

I like all different genres of music. What I do look at rather is the words/themes an artist uses and some variety in sound of songs. I'd prefer positive themes about methods of getting the much needed social changes our world needs and I don't mind the "controversial" topics. What I do key into is that the writer and performer need to show me that they know more verbs and adjectives than just fk and fking and their releases require more than a pair of tracks to perform them at karaoke.

This is a big topic for me. I LOVE books! It's been a process becoming ok with destroying one in the name of art. The only book I still have a problem tearing pages out of is the Bible, but as a friend said, if it has been a very well loved book that has become unusable as a whole, I can process it in an 'organ donor' type fashion for smaller encouraging art pieces.

I prefer paper over PDF eBook but they can't be beat when it comes to storage and moving boxes -- I have had mild injuries to unsuspecting friends who failed to notice the big word BOOKS on my small boxes!

I am a primarily fiction reader. When I do grab a non-fiction book at my local library - another solution to the storage challenge until I can afford the house where I can have that wonderful little library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast! - I tend to almost fall into 'notetaking from a textbook' mode.

My favorite genres of fiction is the Christian romances. I also like general romances and historical romances where the author is very descriptive but not needing oversexualization to carry the plot through. I'm also working my way through some of the Literary Classics I was supposed to / should have read while I was in school. I also dabble in the other genres when friends recommend a book from their favorite genres they think I may like, too.

I've tried my hand at many different kinds of crafting. While I've done things like scrapbooking and quilting that are too expensive and space consuming to do as a primary crafting type, there are elements of them in some of my other projects.

I love decorating up a functional planner. Its basic job IS to keep me from forgetting stuff not just looking pretty. I'll collect stickers, washi and paper - both full decorative sheets and the results of borrowed punches.

I also am working to consolidate my knitting and crochet stuff -- I have needles and hooks stashed EVERYWHERE but can't find them when I want them! I love collecting pattern PDF files that I'll print off and tuck in with each project to mark off as I go. I also collect decent sized pieces of ribbons and small balls of accent yarns.

As for the yarns themselves -- just about anything goes. I have patterns large and small, from bed-size blankets to small accent flowers. I do most of my work in acrylic but I also love a good sturdy cotton yarn for making reliable bags, washcloths and hand towels. My latest personal projects are taking cotton squares/rectangles and creating adjustable "sweatbands" for my water and soda bottle size for the summer.

I love color -- all of them! It smacks my Major Clinical Depression in the face and tells it to "go away and never come back!" If pressed my FAVORITE color is a nicely vibrant plum. I also like any purples, forest greens, deep jewel tones, and bright neons.

I collect stickers and washi. The sizes don't matter. I can usually find a perfect spot for them to go.

I'm obsessed with my planner! At its base is a Sweet Life Planner that I've applied a few Bullet Journal concepts to. I love to talk about them and how they're able to be customized to people's real life needs.

Speaking of journals, I totally love them. It doesn't matter if it's a guided journal or a blank bound one. There's even a whole section of journals on my bookcase with all the J-titled books!

I'd like to try frankendecking but I'm still trying to get some base decks & supplies to make them with before I sign up for any swaps.