Serafena

I'm an intelligent home-schooling mom with a hunger to learn and expand myself. I like to live voraciously, digesting all life has to offer.

I have a passion for alternative medicine, alternative education, and for helping myself and others attain their greatest possible expression of themselves.

I've studied the healing arts for much of my life. I love plants, healing herbs, and all things natural.

I have a deep fondness for ravens, foxes, snakes, spiders and racoons, though I truly love all animals.

I'm passionate about living an authentic life, making instead of buying, cooking from scratch and learning and using homesteading skills. I'm moving toward the goal of being as self-sufficient as I can. I have anti-corporate leanings, though I haven't broken entirely away from corporate America just yet.

I love a variety of music, though I'm not a fan of country.

This week I'm listening to: Annie Lennox, Yann Tiersen, Paolo Conte, Facundo Cabral and David Byrne, though the list changes radically and frequently.

Some perennial favorites are: Peter Gabriel, Ryan Adams, Sheila Chandra, Leonard Cohen...the list goes on and on...

Most recently I've read: The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Plain and Simple, Radical Homemakers, The Secret to Working Knowingly With God, and I re-read The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran.

I'm working on: A Spiritual Approach to Parenting, This Thing Called You, and Messages of the Divine Iliad.

I love the works of Walter Russell and Jed McKenna. They're life-changers, in case you'd like to know.

I always love to get books about crafting. Knitting and crochet pattern books make me smile, and sewing inspiration books are delightful.

I don't watch television, but I LOVE movies, especially foreign films and documentaries. I'm also a sucker for period dramas, and I'll watch any movie that strikes my fancy, because I think there are metaphors to be found in almost every film made. It's just what I do. I seek out meaning =)

I have a particular fondness for the Studio Ghibli anime films, and my kids and I watch them often.

I love to knit, crochet (yarn and thread), sew, draw, paint (acrylic), embroider and write. I'm not an expert at any of these things, but I'm a creative problem solver when I mess them up =)

I love to make and receive amigurumi, seriously cute creations, things made from hand spun yarn, hand dyed fabrics and fibers, and anything intricately adorned.

Colors I prefer: Earthy blues, greens and browns. Gold, copper and silver. Once in a while I relish a bold (though not neon) orange or green, and soft ballet pink is always a winner.

I love polish pottery, rosemaling and other European handicrafts of the like, as well as vintage European clothing designs and patterns.

I also LOVE Asian culture and aesthetics. Chinese, Japanese and Korean foods and style really appeal to me. I secretly wish I'd spent my early years learning the languages and studying abroad in Asia =)

I prefer cotton and linen to anything synthetic. I love grosgrain ribbon, cool buttons and decorative trims.

I have an unhealthy love of purses (how many does any woman need, really?). Also, I have more pairs of striped socks than is really necessary, but I still love getting more!

I love high quality stationery, good pens and pencils, beautiful greeting cards, paper items (tags, bags, etc) and journals (unlined is my preference).

I love earthy scents, spicy foods, robust teas, and natural foods.

I love natural skin and body products, and am unlikely to use synthetics.

I'm not a big fan of stickers, other than for their uses in homeschooling applications (my daughter loves to get them on her completed work!).

I don't prefer fruity scents or flavors, and I'm not a fan of floral aromas (unless they're coming from real flowers).

I really don't like neon colors. Seriously. I'm also not a big fan of pastels (other than the aforementioned ballet pink), though I appreciate light fabrics when spring comes around.

...for reading my profile! You're so thoughtful, really!