skatters

Hi! I am a 37 yr old single mom of 2, a daughter age 11, and a son age 21. I am an animal lover to the extreme! We have 5 cats, a greyhound dog, a hedgehog and a bunny rabbit! Yes, I have a full house - and I love it!

Originally, I did not have a lot of likes/dislikes posted, as I really enjoy being surprised and to see what other people are interested in. BUT – I have participated in a couple of swaps (not swap-bot) where the swapee did not give very much information, and I struggled. I second-guessed myself and was not confident with my ideas. I did not have as much fun shopping/creating as I would have with a bit more direction. So with that being said, here I will try to be pretty thorough – but feel free to deviate from here, I am not picky, and love to be surprised with something new!

I love to read! But I have to admit that I don't read "deep" stuff - it has to be able to be put down and picked up 20 times per chapter with all the distractions in my house! I like mysteries or romance best, usually. Jane Austen is my favorite historical author, but I mainly read best sellers now. Nora Roberts, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coutler, Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgins Clark, etc. Right now, I am listening to a lot of audio books - keeps me entertained while I crochet! I am also finding myself reading/listening to a lot of teen fantasy books, as I am censoring them for my 11 yr old daughter. Twilight, Hunger Games, The Vampire Diaries, etc. Not exactly my normal cup of tea - but they are slowly growing on me!

Right now I am totally obsessed with crocheting! I consider myself an advanced-beginner right now! Blankets, bags, kitchen items, shawls and hats. I mainly crochet for charities. My user name is the same on ravelry and crochetville.

I enjoy baking yummy sweet things! New recipes are always most welcome!

I also LOVE using my crockpot. So if you happen to have a fantastic crockpot recipe that you can write out or link me to, I would appreciate it!

Bright Colors! Rainbow-y colors. Like colors used in stained glass designs. I especially like the darker purples and blues.

Anything handmade! Crocheted, knitted, sewn, note cards, Christmas ornaments, etc... I appreciate the effort put into homemade items and love to see what other people are doing!

I do not have a problem with nice second-hand items, please save resources and money where you can!

Animals! Especially birds – owls and peacocks are my fave! Whimsical animal items are fun – I especially like animal hats!

Sweets! I would love to have your grandma’s favorite dessert or bar recipe! I like chocolate, lemon, and caramel flavors the best. I also enjoy nuts, of any kind! I would love to experience something new, out of the norm, or foreign.

Buttons! I sometimes plan whole projects around an unusual button! I also use a lot of plain black (or dark) buttons as eyes in various crafts.

Magnets are fantastic – whether homemade or bought!

Kitchen doodads are always enjoyed! I can always use pot holders, towels, dish clothes, etc. I would especially appreciate anything handmade or embellished!

Yarn! I can never, ever have enough yarn! Whether new or from your stash, whole skein or half – it’s all good! I am ~not~ a yarn snob!

Crochet Patterns! Perhaps a book or leaflet you don’t use anymore, or a link to your favorite online pattern.

Candle melts – I love the kitchen/food flavors, cinnamon, gingerbread, pumpkin, cake, vanilla etc. I don’t enjoy the floral scents, sorry.

Any long rectangular fashion scarves you might have gathering dust. I use them in crocheted chemo hats, and the women seem to really love them. Here is an example of the hats so that you get an idea of what I am looking for: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crochet-chemo-cap-with-scarf-tie/people

Things that don't thrill me...

Religious items

Teas and Coffees

Bath & Body items

Pastel Colors