ArtfulFig

I am so glad that I found this site. It looks like great fun & I am really looking forward to getting involved here. I am a transplanted Brit living in the US for more years than I can remember. Though I have been back and forth across the Atlantic a few times. I am 53 years old. I love art & arts and crafts. I have been creating since my childhood and have never stopped. My 88 year old mother lives with me. I do have three adult children. I live with 3 geriatric cats--2 are black & 1 is smokey grey. They have been a part of my family for a long time and they know it. And yes they are spoiled. My oldest cat who was also black I recently had him put to sleep. Shadow was almost 16 years old. He was diabetic for 3 1/2 years requiring insulin shots every morning & evening. The diabetes finally won & his poor little body was worn out. I was with him when he passed away. He was lying in his bed with a favorite toy by his side. It was a very peaceful passing. We buried him in his bed with his toy.

I love being close to nature. It is soothing and calming in my often hectic life.

FAVORITE MUSIC

My favorite music is The Beatles, Enya, Coldplay, Secret Garden, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Barbra Streisand, Classical, Glenn Miller, The Raveonettes, Celtic, Phil Collins & movie soundtracks. My tastes in music are rather eclectic.

FAVORITE BOOKS

Some of my favorite books are Pride and Prejudice, the occasional Star Wars novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Phantom of the Opera, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, of course the Twilight series--honestly I could not put that down! I do enjoy nonfiction too. The Hiding Place & Gift from the Sea are two of my favorites. I do not read romance novels.

FAVORITE MOVIES

There are so many movies that I have really enjoyed--Chariots of Fire, anything Pixar, Pride & Prejudice, Winged Migration, Andy Goldsworthy Rivers and Tides, Amazing Grace, Bride and Prejudice, August Rush, Lord of the Rings and action/fantasy movies like Push, Twilight and Star Wars.

TELEVISION SHOWS

A few of my favorite television shows are Leverage, Numb3rs, House M.D., So You Think You Can Dance, Heroes, and Chuck.

FAVORITE CRAFT

In no particular order I love: ATC's, jewelry, flower cuffs (it’s like a corsage worn on the wrist). collage (Vintage maps, books, handmade paper & vintage paper are things that I love to play with), handmade greeting cards, drawing, felting, journaling, mixed media, art dolls, embroidery--I could go on & on. I do like things that are handmade. I like photography too.

FAVORITE COLORS

I have loved colors since I was child. My favorite colors are red, purple, blue, green.

WISH LIST OF THINGS I LOVE

In no particular order: nature related items, vintage buttons, sea shells, England, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland, China, London, Venice, Paris, New York City, vintage postage stamps, journals, vintage journals, paper ephemera, vintage paper, vintage maps, dragons, embroidery thread, ribbons, fibers, dragonflys, handmade greeting cards, scrapbook paper, local & international ephemera (things that are unique to your location in the world), postcards, sea glass, sea pottery, glass beads, old things, vintage photographs (children, women, men, couples, families or nature related e.g. seaside/beach), masks, asian joss paper, things that are made of wood, scraps of 100% wool for felting, cut up 100% wool sweaters-great for felting, antique or vintage wallpaper, foreign newspapers, vintage postcards, foreign postage stamps, birds especially- sparrows, owls, penguins, puffins, European robins, wild animals, photographs of stone statues, photographs of interesting antique/vintage buildings, photographs of large old trees, handmade things. I know that is a long list, but hopefully it will give you some ideas. Thank you.

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Please don't send me any feathers-I'm allergic to them or strongly scented items-I'm sensitive to their aroma. I'm also really sensitive to cigarette smoke, no offense meant to the smokers out there. :0) I would prefer not to receive gothic, darkness, things that come in premade craft kits-it doesn't allow you to expand your own creativity, anything cutesy, celebrity related things, or liqueur filled chocolates.