MorahLaura

If you receive my Travelling Art Journal, I'd love to get it back. Thanks.

I'm a 40-ish Jewish mom of 3. I'm happily married to my high school sweetheart (we've been together since we were 17). We have 15 hens (I eat a lot of eggs...yum!), a cat, and one pet bunny. My 9 year old also has 2 guinea pigs and a betta fish. I had a cockatiel who was my companion since I was 14; he passed away in November 2011 and I still miss him and catch myself talking to him.

I hate to cook but love to bake. I don't like messes but I'm not a big fan of housework; my house is "clean enough to be healthy, dirty enough to be happy."

I have a daughter in 9th a daughter in 4th grade, and a son in 3rd. My 9-year-old daughter loves Dr. Who, animals, Minecraft and art; my 8 year old son loves anything Minecraft, Pixar and SpongeBob. My 13 year old is eccentric and I'm not sure I could list the things she likes and have them stay current for more than a few weeks! Both my oldest and youngest have been diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger's, so we're learning how to better parent them according to their strengths and challenges, and to help them learn to navigate the world according to their special needs. Not that we weren't before, but now it's taken a more specialized tack, you know?

My politics lean decidedly to the right.

My houseplants are required to thrive on neglect; if they can't survive being watered once a month and never getting repotted, I have no use for them.

I love coffee and tea (but NOT raspberry flavor or herbals). I had a Keurig brewer, which I LOVED since I could make a different flavored cup every time, but it DIED so now I just boil water on the stove or use the old drip brewer.

In 2013 I planted an 800 sq foot vegetable garden and I love it. It keeps me very busy (but doesn't everything??).

My current interests include 18th and 19th Century New England architecture, linguistics, and collecting vintage sewing machines. I have 5 sewing machines and a serger, only 1 of which is newer than about 1985.

I don't watch very much TV; the most that gets watched is by the kids.

When I get to watch TV, my husband and I like to watch The Walking Dead, zombie movies, SHIELD, Dr. Who, and cooking and survival shows together.

I learned to crochet from my Grandma Dolly (z"l) in the mid-1990s and have been creating ever since, mostly following patterns and adapting them to my needs. My favorite patterns are kitchen items, but really I like any pattern with a lot of texture or new stitches/techniques. I also enjoy loom knitting.

I love cotton yarns, and Simply Soft in earthy and jewel-y colors. I love silk and bamboo yarns also but can't afford them! I love sock yarns with interesting patterns (though I don't know how to make socks).

I started making ATCs in August of 2009, and I have participated in ATC swaps around the internet but I rarely make any these days.

My favorite media include watercolors, marker drawings, Zentangle with a Sharpie Pen, colored pencils, and some collage.

I own a lot of rubber stamps, but most of them are leaves, flowers, birds and "flourishes." I love getting stamped images of objects, words, people and non-cutesy animals.

I'm trying really hard to teach myself tatting. It's quite challenging! I wish I knew someone who could teach me in person, but for now I'm relying on a DVD and YouTube.

I own a spinning wheel and an angora rabbit, but have yet to have the time to sit down and get the two together.

I mostly like to sew little projects, like cat toys and such. I taught myself to quilt, and I made a TARDIS quilt for a friend, and TARDIS, Creeper and Enderman quilts for my kids.

My middle daughter bought herself an American Girl doll with her birthday money, so I am the doll's personal seamstress. I crochet things for her like hats and slippers, and also plan on sewing rather than purchasing a doll wardrobe. The doll has light brown hair and blue eyes. My daughter thinks pink suits her very well and neither one is very picky about style, so modern or historical are both welcome.

I am open to learning how to do just about anything.

Crafty Wish List

• Cotton crochet thread (Sizes 3, 5 or 10)
• Sock yarn
• Fat quarters or 5" squares or 10" squares in purple, fall/earth colors, jewel tones, patterns or solids
• I received a bone folder from an extremely kind and thoughtful swapper. Thanks again, Mary!

I inherited a LARGE stash of acrylic yarns from a friend of a friend; if you are interested in receiving some, let me know and we can swap because it's not something I'm likely to crochet with much. I'd love to trade with it though!

I was also the happy recipient of quite a few upholstery sample books, so don't be surprised if you receive some from me as padding material (especially if your profile says you like fabric).

I read a lot and I'm not sure I could list a favorite book. I enjoyed Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and Kristin Hannah's "Winter Garden." I have a thing for reading authors' first novels. I really like Tana French; I enjoyed her novel, "Faithful Place." I like mysteries, "true crime" and medical detective stories. My husband likes it when I read romance novels!!

I like non-fiction and how-to books. Books about art techniques (stamping, sewing, polymer clay, drawing, spinning) and crochet patterns are fun too.

I enjoy Roald Dahl (especially Danny, Champion of the World), Anne of Green Gables, A Secret Garden and The Little Princess, and the Little House books, and I revisit them from time to time; it's like coming back to visit old friends each time.

I love PURPLE.

I love birds, and I collect eggs (not the real thing, but carved from stone, wood, metal etc).

I love fall and fall colors.

Other things I like:

• Rocks, crystals, gems, pretty stones
• Lupines and lavender and lilies-of-the-valley
• Chickens
• Owls (charms, beads, fabric prints, or postcards)
• Glass and gemstone beads
• Chapstick, lip gloss (mint or unflavored), lip/skin/nail stuff with sparkles in it, bright colored nail polish for my toes! (reds, purples, pinks and browns)
• Anything purple, even weird or totally mundane things (I have a purple fly swatter and a purple can opener)
• Note cards
• Composition books
• Colored pencils
• I keep a Bullet Journal in a quad-ruled composition book
• Genesis (the band) and Phil Collins
• My favorite bug (!!) is the Pill Bug
• I love lavender, sandalwood, eucalyptus, pumpkin pie/cinnamon/spice and mint scents. Florals and patchouli are icky to me.
• I love chocolate of any variety, but it has to be the real thing, no imitation chocolate flavor/scent.
• I love candy corn!
• I have no allergies, B"H

I don't generally decorate the outsides of envelopes/packages. This doesn't mean that no thought went into the contents, I just don't want the Post Office folks to be distracted in any way from getting my package to you!

I am not a Christian and would not like to receive Christmas or other religious-themed items.

I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's, or Easter. I don't dislike hearts, clovers or pastel colors, and I love eggs, but I'm just not into the holidays themselves.

I LOVE Autumn, but do not celebrate Halloween (although my kids dress up and trick-or-treat). Pumpkins, yes; with faces, no. However, I love candy corn!

I don't like Herbal or Raspberry-flavored tea.

Please do not send expired, out of date, or stale items.

I keep sort of Kosher and can't use any recipes with pork/ham/bacon or shellfish. I'm pretty good at finding workarounds, though, so don't sweat it too hard (salmon instead of clams, turkey bacon, yeah, it's all good).

Other than those, I like surprises, even weird stuff (but not dirt/garbage weird. "Oooo look what I scraped off my shoe! Wonder who would want this...." Answer: Not me!).

In possession of PrairieKittin's Travelling Journal.