happymama

LOVE Swap-bot!!! I want my partners to enjoy it as much as I do. I rate normally the day I receive, unless I have had some emergency. Please contact me if you are missing a rating. For stuff my stocking swaps, we do not celebrate Christmas, but are not offended by it either...so no worries about wrapping paper, etc...just would have no use for Christmas related decor. But if it can be used any time of the year, great! :) I am still looking for realistic (not cartoon) view master reels. 😊

Simple items I love to swap: nice pens, pencils, stickers, looseleaf tea, natural fiber yarns, material for sewing, stationary, candles. I collect sheep, especially black faced ones. Also swans, songbirds, and Dala Horses :) Tea cups, tea pots, and squirrels! Another thing I collect is view master reels, and kaleidoscopes. ♥

I collect the Lamplighter series of books, (old reprints), and books by British author Charlotte Maria Tucker (ALOE). I read a lot about World War II, as well as true survival stories, wilderness adventure, herbal and home health care. I am passionate about good, and vintage children's books. I love Tasha Tudor, ALL her books and illustrations! I love Beatrix Potter, in her entirety also. I love the original A.A Milne, and also any lifelike sweetly illustrated children's books. Jim Arnosky's illustrations are favorites, as are Joan Walsh Anglund's. SO SWEET! :) I would LOVE to be introduced to your favorites too. I have a lot of children to give me read-aloud experience! :)

*Life Is Beautiful *The Boy in the Striped Pajamas *The Scarlet and the Black *Sophia Scholl *The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler *Yarn Princess *The Great Escape *Beatrix Potter children's movies with original artwork.

*Painting/drawing *Weaving *Scrap booking *Scherenschnitte (paper cutting)

*Crocheting wool rugs *Raising Children =) *Cooking, especially old fashioned and Scandinavian. *Needle felting *colored pencils, esp Prisma Colors :) I love Tasha Tudor, Beatrix Potter, and other such artists. I love children's books with gorgeous nature or other artwork. I love hand thrown pottery, and finding it in thrift stores. I look for browns, blues, greens, or any combination of those three colors.

Favorite colors: cornflower blue, aqua, sage, chocolate brown, barn red, navy/colonial blue. My style is rustic colonial. (wrought iron, quilts, candles, old wood, and I collect sheep and swans) Love Washi tape, in lace, floral, old stamps, black and white...fractured star!! I LOVE House Mouse! ♥♥♥ I paint, whenever I can squeeze in time--mostly acrylic--I stick mostly to realism, but quirky sometimes catches my eye. I paint often on unusual surfaces, like turtle shells.

Favorite flowers: Forget me nots (!) Roses, violets, lilacs, dogwood. Pretty much, if it's a flower, as long as not too gaudy, I like it. :) I'm not crazy about exotic flowers--I like more country style. Orange is my least favorite color for flowers. Fuchsia or purple are not favorites either, but there are exceptions--as in violets or lavender. :)

I am a happily married wife of 28 years, with ten children. Yup, I'm busy! But I am also pretty organized, and get a lot done. I love snail mail! I also love to help and encourage others. I blend my own spice mixes, and love to cook. I have three boys who are blacksmiths, and four girls who spin (spinning wheel), knit, and crochet.

More favorites: *Loose tea, and tea parties! My favorite flavors are Hazelnut vanilla, Rose, Jasmine, White chocolate, Blueberry, Maple or Caramel--any combination of those, or I am always willing to try new flavors. I LOVE chai teas too!! *Ovaltine, especially chocolate!!
*Lindt chocolate, especially the blue and black wrapped. I like dark chocolates, not so much milk chocolate. Hate "bad chocolate" like Hershey bars :~^ *Nature--scenery, wild animals (especially birds) my favorite bird is indigo bunting. I also love bluebirds, chickadees, nuthatches, etc. *antiques *natural fibers (wool, cotton, linen...) *soft, heathered colors *camping *horses *home made soaps *I can't use most modern skin care items--things with too many chemicals like sodium laureth sulfate--so I use organic or homemade skin care products, shampoos, and soaps. I am a natural girl!! I love EOS lip balm, and one of my hopes is for a blueberry one, or honeysuckle-honeydew, or mint! :) *children (this could be put way up on top. I LOVE children--how else could I have ten?!) *I'm Swedish, so like Scandinavian stuff *Dala horses *Bible verses (I'm a Christian first, and everything else second) :) *children's books (I love reading to my little girls) *Sheep ( I mentioned I collect them above, but wanted to mention them again) I just LOVE sheep.

*Miniatures, especially antique looking *Fragrances: floral, natural (non-chemical) *essential oils *creativity *natural lip balms like EOS, Burt's Bees, etc If it's not natural, I cannot use it.

Things I am NOT crazy about: *The color orange, unless in fall scenery or nature *Lime green *stripes, plaids, diamonds, argyle *modern art *polka dots *don't like nudity *romance novels *clashing colors *naughty stuff *bling (HATE IT) *cartoons, Disney stuff, (except vintage Pooh, which I like, or vintage Mickey, etc) *synthetic fabrics (allergic to polyester, nylon, acrylic, etc) The whole family sticks to cotton, wool, linen, and other natural fibers *We carefully avoid all artificial colors and flavors and artificial sweeteners like Splenda, Nutrasweet, etc.

*pretty pens/pencils *buttons *art supplies *old lace *home spun yarn *ethnic music cd's *mature stickers for scrap booking *any scrap book stuff *mini paintings *good chocolate *dainty jewelry *stationary *I collect hand thrown pottery in blues and browns. *note pads *pretty hair clips (I have long blonde hair) *bird themed items *anything with forget-me-not flowers *natural lip balms *candles *anything sheep themed *good black, green or chai teas *tea cups/saucers *raw honey *pecans, almonds, walnuts, macadamias *essential oils *light natural colored nail polish *embroidery *calligraphy *wind chimes *seeds (flower or garden veggie) *recipes *feathers (natural un-dyed) *Nutella (YUM!) *money saving ideas *Hand made soaps *Vintage/reenactment patterns *Needle felting wool *Homemade jams/jellies *wool material (for rug making) *blank books for journal *spices for cooking *hair scrunchies *gourmet hot cocoa *children's books with lovely artwork *tiny dolls--or just small *hand made items *tins, especially vintage styled *I collect hand thrown pottery in blues, greens and browns when I find it at thrift stores. *I love small pieces of drift wood and pretty feathers