Aimeejanie

My son, Devon has had much going on healthwise... Many of you are familiar with our struggle and I thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support. He is currently undergoing treatments every other week which translates to a full hospital stay for each. Nothing fun. (Not for me, but certainly not for my Devie Darling) The good thing is that we are going to re-evaluate his over-all health in 3 1/2 months and possibly be able to start his treatments from home. Cross your fingers. I will keep you posted. Due to all of this I have decided to cut my swapping way back for awhile... I have also decided to give up my waitress job and focus on trying to salvage my sanity! Unfortunately, with so many appointments, Dev's schooling, and life in general it can be a bit overwhelming. I am hoping everything will settle down by Autumns end and I will be back enjoying my quiet time with my creativity and all of my swapping friends.

I'm 36, very happily married for almost 14 years, mother of 3. I have 2 sons~ Tyler, 19 and Devon, 12. I also have a step-daughter Casey, that is 21. She has given me one of the greatest gifts ever~ my first granddaughter, Madison.

My youngest has some serious health issues so I use art and crafting to help keep my sanity! I also make girls tutu's and love putting together my swaps in my free time. (If you only knew that my free time is at midnight and after you would understand the irony in that statement!!)
I am a stay at home Mom who feels like she never gets to stay at home enough!!

I am pretty easygoing and very easy to please.

I LOVE handmade items and truly appreciate the time and effort it takes when someones gives of themselves.

For this reason, I am an ETSY ADDICT!!

If you are my partner please know that I will always be happy with whatever you decide to send. If I can't use a particular item I'll pass it on to someone else who can!

I truly believe THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NOT THINGS.

I am an 80s music lover and am not too shy to admit it! I also listen to rock, pop and the 70s. Disco would be a guilty pleasure for all of us! Saturday Night Fever is my all time favorite movie and soundtrack. (The Bee-Gees are awesome :) Easy Listening on Sirius while I craft is the best!! I also have a soft spot for a bit of Jazz~ Muddy Waters is "The Man."

I do listen to the "90s and now" with Devon and love a lot of the music but I don't gravitate to that if I get to choose the genre!

I don't watch too much T.V. (Except Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State) I do listen while I craft but rarely do I sit down and simply watch. I do love to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie or two with my honey... Tombstone, The Gladiator, The Patriot, Pulp Fiction, A Knight's Tale, Sling Blade, The Green Mile & The Shawshank Redemption are amongst my faves. The flip side is that I also love off the wall humor and always am laughing when noone else is! Crude humor? I'm your girl!! (How could I forget Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, 16 Candles...? You know~ all the cheesy 80's movies you watch when noone else is around!! LOVE them too!)

Devon and I go to the movies quite often so if it's PG-13 or under and in the theater I have probably recently seen it!

I love to read and cannot imagine a day going by anymore without a book in my hand... I enjoy all kinds of books~ from Stephen King to Philippa Gregory... I especially love true-life crime and murder mysteries. I just read quite the spectacular book~ "Strange Piece of Paradise" by Terri Jentz. It is a true story of Terri's return to Oregon to investigate her attempted murder and to solve the riddle of herself. It has been an amazing read!! Russell Banks is also one of my fave authors of all time. Everytime I read a book of his it leaves me looking at the world in a whole different way...

Devon is now 12 as of February 20th. I feel like he is so much a part of my swaps and my profile I want to say just a little bit more...

Fun stuff first~ He is cyber schooled~ loves History and Science & LOVES to read! He loves all kinds of books~ is very much into travel guides and also anime. They are both a sickness I swear! He is big into following the stock market and world news. The Chinese News Channel is his current addiction and he will be starting to learn the language this month! He's 12 going on 40 and a pocket protector! :D He loves to cook (Italian is his favorite!) and is constantly reading cookbooks of all kinds. (Baking is in his blood... He adores vintage cookbooks and is already talking about Culinary School!) The Barefoot Contessa is his idol so I am taking him to a book signing with her this month~ We are both so excited it is pathetic!!

Now that it is cooling down he is all about hiking, exploring with his pup, playing outside when he can, playing lots of poker and board games plus watching football (GO STEELERS!!)... On the not so nice days you can usually find him holed up in his room with a book, legos or some figurines for hours on end... He is learning to play the acoustic guitar and rocks at Guitar hero!

On the not so fun side side~ as I have mentioned before, Dev has some pretty serious health issues. He has a Primary Immune Deficiency (CVID) which boils down to the fact that his body does not make any antibodies against being sick. Have you seen John Travolta as "the boy in the bubble?" Well, that is Dev's disease just not to that extreme. Thank God.

The website for the Immune Deficiency Foundation is listed above my profile if you would like to learn more about this disease.

Everyday is a struggle to keep Devon healthy but it is worth the struggle. Everyday. :D

I love vintage or vintage-like Halloween goodies! I decorate my entire house for Halloween and have a special affinity for all things "Wicked Witchy." (I figure since the broom fits...) I definitely prefer vintage cute over "new and cutesie." Hope that makes sense. Creepy is great, ghoulish is questionable. (Zombies are ok... Zombies with eyes dripping blood... not so much!)

Christmas is along the same lines... I love a more vintage or classic Christmas. I am more "outdoorsy-winter" than bobblehead Santa...

With both holidays, anything handmade will tug at my heart... Your time and effort mean more than a price tag anyday!!

CUPCAKE ANYTHING!

vintage or new aprons (half-aprons preferred) well, vintage anything! (but especially kitchen goodies and children's books) pink, turquoise or red pyrex, red or black handled kitchen gadgets, tin canisters, old kitchen handtowels, cupcake toppers (new or vintage), coffee art, altered bottlecap "schtuff", handmade felt or crochet foodies or animals (Did I mention WE LOVE THESE!?) Sock monkeys... Favorite animals are turkeys, owls, hedgehogs, porcupines, opossum, deer, skunks (any woodland creatures!) stamped or decorated tags of all sorts, cards made by you, ATCs, new & antique postcards, yummy soap and lipbalms... little things~ rick-rack, felt, cool buttons, ribbons, lace.

So many different things... eclectic at best!!

As far as food wise~ I eat anything!

I am not picky one iota! I love to try foods and candies from everywhere!

I am slowly and steadily developing a passion to cook so I am actually starting to enjoy myself in the kitchen :D In actuality Devon and I cook together almost everyday and my husband joins us most nights... I'm spoiled, I know!

I am a coffee junkie~ Well, I like a little coffee with my creamer is what my husband says...

I love tea, too. Chai tea is my absolute favorite, herbal tea a close second. I don't mind plain teas but prefer flavored. (Devon is a tea junkie!! We drink tea together every morning and every afternoon... It is pretty fun to try different teas and to spend about half an hour of "together time" twice a day. It is a great way to spend great quality time together and I look forward to it all day long!!)

I don't really have a favorite color. I do love turquoise, pink and brown and as a rule I probably tend to lean towards richer, darker colors and earthtones. I can say neons are not my favorites~ except in my mohawk... (Kidding, ladies... I'm kidding. :)

THINGS I DON'T LIKE...

....Need I elaborate!?

If you have not received my swap in a timely fashion please contact me BEFORE you leave me a bad rating!! I do my best to always have my swaps out early~ ALWAYS on time! If there is an issue for some reason I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make it right. You just need to let me know.

I do my best to make swapping a true pleasure for everyone involved and am loving getting to know each and every one of you!!

I also rate very fairly... Hearts are for everyone who sends their items~ meeting the requirements... I do not police the postmarks but if a swap arrives 2 months late even I will have to take a stance!

I have recently begun to rate a few people with dreaded 1's... The thought of doing that sickens me but I think there is a point where I have to admit I have been "flaked" on. If I have rated you such and you do send your owed I items I will gladly change your ratings. But even I have my boiling point.

I have no allergies, in fact I have 1 beagle named Oreo and an African Grey Parrot named Kiwi that never shushes up! (I don't know where she gets that from!)We have a huge Oscar fish (named quite originally~ Oscar :) with a friend named "Sucka" (Sucker fish), one lone Beta, plus 4 lizards. What a zoo, I swear!!

I have a smoke-free home. Thank God!

Yes, it's true... I am a vintage apron lovin' girl trapped in the most contemporary kitchen and house you could ever imagine!

It's so ironic I could choke! I can't give up my stainless steel (anti-bacterial) but sure do miss my sweet kitchen "schtuff..." (I still collect some to feed my cravings~ I am just pretty good at using things for uses other than what they are intended for! I use a lot of kitchen goodies in my craft space... That way I get a taste of sweetness without interrupting the clean and simple flow of the rest of the house. Losing our house in a flood simply changed EVERYTHING.)

Anyways~ I adore vintage (or vintage look) aprons! I prefer half aprons because I am a short girl. (5' 3" & 6-8ish :) I love ALL colors! I adore pinks, browns, turquoise... red, white, black... brown, orange, avacado... Lots of prints~ including obnoxious flowers, retro colors & designs, polka dots, gingham... Honestly, I have never seen an apron I didn't love! I would do something fabulous in trade for a sweet cupcake apron (!!) I love frills and rick-rack and love to be a girly-girl where aprons are concerned!!