BigHillGoddess

5/29/13 I need another hiatus. I have too much personal crap going on that is causing a serious block to creativity. I just don't have the heart or energy for this right now.

4/11/13: I have had my hiatus and am ready to do a little bit of doll making. I am going to limit my swaps for all of 2013, as I am focusing on a Medicine Doll Workshop, facilitated by Barb Kobe.

I have decided to focus the bulk of my swapping on developing my skill in art dolls. That is truly my passion and I am not going to dabble with a bunch of other crafts anymore.

I have pruned my groups down to just a few. My main focus is on my group Art Doll Circle, with Crafty Witches and Fantastic Art Dolls right behind.

I am also looking for commissions for art dolls and ornaments. Please contact me off swapbot, using the contact me button on my blog. Thanks.

I love earthy or beachy natural items and anything handmade just for me is treasured. My favorite colors are robin's egg blue, dark red, and all greens.

I collect books, (like old books, as opposed to new paperbacks) art dolls, pottery bowls and platters, witches, mermaids, gargoyles, and coffee cups. And I love candles.

I adore coffee (my favorite legal addictive stimulant) and anything to do with it, but enjoy tea also, especially in the fall and winter.

My style is sort of a French Country/shabby chic/retro. I like to use vintage items in my decor AND in my art.

I live in Nashville with my husband Richard, my adorable dog YoYo, 2 cats-Jenny and Slinky, and assorted aquarium fish named after rock stars and characters from The Waltons.

***** Sometimes when I complete something, I find a stray cat hair or two, but I examine everything carefully before packing. Please be assured that I do my utmost to ensure your package doesn't include pet hairs as "extras!" I also check my partners' profiles-if a pet allergy is mentioned, I obsessively vacuum the craft area and I store works in progress in air tight containers. My best friend has cat allergies but she can sit in my craft room with no issues. ****

I have 3 grown children, 2 boys and a girl (men & woman!). Joy, joy, joy in my life because of them! They are all in serious relationships, so I feel like I really have SIX kids!

The youngest, Nathan, is being deployed (National Guard Army) to Kuwait in May 2012. UPDATE! This was deferred until 2014! Here he is, 2 days before leaving for boot camp, cooking at my wedding picnic. Such a good guy!

This is my wonderful doggie YoYo and sweet demon kitty Slinky:

Music is the background of my life and there is a song for everything that has ever happened to me. I listen to everything from Appalachian Picking Society to ZZ Top. I usually listen to classic rock, celtic music, and blues. I am not a huge fan of country or contemporary christian music, but other than those, enjoy just about all music.

I am an avid reader! Pride & Prejudice, The Age of Innocence, Alice in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys, Wind in the Willows, Little House series (and many classic childrens' lit),Good Omens, Walden, Gift from the Sea, Griffin and Sabine series, anything by Charles De Lint, Edith Wharton, Joanna Trollope, Rosamunde Pilcher, Robin Pilcher, Maeve Binchy, Terry Pratchett, Anita Shreve, and Agatha Christie.... I could go on and on....I love reading!

Some favorite movies: You've Got Mail, Under the Tuscan Sun, The Princess Bride, The Godfather, Die Hard, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Big, Mr. Deeds, Sleepless in Seattle, St. Elmo's Fire, Rocky I & II, Howard's End, Remains of the Day, A Room with a View, The Age of Innocence, Mr and Mrs Bridge, Little Shop of Horrors

I am sure I could name more, but I think that's enough!

• art journals--I am always up for a tip in swap
• plushies
• art dolls/ healing dolls--love private swaps for these
• quilting

On my wish list:

• fabric scraps, all colors, especially fat quarters
• funky yarns, ribbon, and lace trim.
• buttons, beads, brads, and little notions
• pretty napkins and tissue papers for decoupage
• interesting found objects to incorporate into art dolls and altered books -especially skeleton keys, old shipping tags, old tickets, tiny bottles, and library cards & pockets, junk jewelry
• oven bake clay and paperclay
• old lace and doilies
• recipes on 4x6 cards decorated by you
• small ornaments made by you-all holidays
• milagros
• purse frames (examples on my etsy fave link)
• heart ornies you have made or decorated that I can hang on my inspiration tree.
• witch art dolls
• blue heron anthropomorphic art doll
• half aprons made by you (with extra long waist ties)
• vintage and vintage style Halloween decorations
• blog and pinterest board recommendations
• author and book recommendations

pagan related wishlist:

• 4x6 BOS pages made by you, especially relating to herbs and other kitchen witch needs
  • small candles
  • unique little offering dishes
  • small god & goddess dolls made by you
  • my totem/muse is the moose

I realize some of these things are nothing to do with swapping and crafting, but if you are perusing my profile, I am assuming you want to know something about me. Sometimes, it is easier to find something special for someone if you know a little bit more than the crafting/swapping profile! Ergo....

• sunshine
• rain
• storms
• trees
• stones (cairns and stone walls)
• history
• long winding pathways, labyrinths
• reading
• playing with the dog
• cooking and baking
• Hestia
• making own cleaning supplies
• yarn, fabrics, lace (especially pre- WWII)
• French Country, shabby chic
• Scotland, Celtic
• fires
• streams
• Appalachians (I have hiked over 700 miles of it!)
• Rhiannon
• Gaia
• Biddy Early
• Green Man
• coffee, tea, cookies, chocolate
• Halloween/Samhain
• journals
• pens
• old books
• postcards(vintage and new)
• vintage kitchen linens
• painting
• hiking
• exploring new places/armchair travel
• country stores, antique stores, junk stores
• lavender and rosemary

• old maps

• snail mail!

• really bright colors
• Goth-I do like creepy Goth and Southern Goth, I am referring to "emo-Goth" as a dislike
• pony beads, plastic beads in general
• cutesy (Kawaii, Disney, kids cartoons)
• Christian images (although I do like milagros and "Our Lady of Guadalupe" things)
• traditional country-no geese/ducks, and country blue, please!
• licorice
• perfumes and bath stuff that smells like food-other than coconut and lemon
• puffy paint
• condescension
• tardiness
• inconsiderate drivers
  *people who jump to conclusions without all the facts

I am pagan. I embarked on my path many years ago, after spending the first years of my life going to church every Sunday and Wednesday, joining every ladies group, teaching Sunday School, etc..... and feeling like a hypocrite every day. I now practice a deep and personal style of spirituality and revere nature as my ancestors did on the Borderlands. Life is better this way, makes more sense. And I don't feel like a hypocrite any more!

I am not Wiccan or a Witch, although have strong leanings that way. I try not to label myself, but for those that just have a compelling need to have a label, just plain ole kitchen witch or green witch is probably the closest to how I live my life. I further explored this in this blog post if you would like to read more.

I put this here, because when I put the items in my list of things I don't care for, I thought it would be better to explain why I don't want nativity scenes, crosses, or praying hands or other Christian religious icons. It just doesn't have any relevance to my life and when I receive things like that, I try to be respectful... I don't throw them away, but have to spend time and energy finding a person to re-gift to.

A major pet peeve is people that do not understand what need and desperation is and the difference between want and need.. I have angeled a few packages for people, mostly high dollar or time consuming crafts ones. I don't do this for recognition, but rather because I do understand it is a let down when you spend your own money and time to send someone something wonderful and are left empty-handed. That being said.... receiving a swap is NOT a need. It definitely is not a DESPERATE need. (Need is food, water, clothing, shelter) It is a WANT. Pure and simple. When I see a post in the forums that says an angel is needed or in desperate need of, I am unlikely to offer to help out. If I see a post where someone mentions that they are flaked on and they are disappointed, or a host asks for an angel, I'll be more likely to offer to help out. You swap at your own risk. I am constantly astonished at the number of people that don't understand this.

12/14/2010: I received a print from someone named Carrie. I don't know who to thank! Is this you? If you can identify the print, I will leave you a gushing thank you on your profile, I promise---I am a believer in acknowledgment and thank yous!

~~~~~I joined MyFitnessPal with several other botters. I had 105 lbs to lose at the beginning of the year and 77 still to go, which is where the ticker is starting 5/5/12. It is time to get healthy!~~~~