MonicaVereana

November 2009 - I am taking a short hiatus until after the holidays, in order to concentrate on Christmas and New Year's with my family. I will continue to check my emails, so I will respond to all PMs. Have a great holiday season and I look forward to swapping again in the New Year!

I AM ALWAYS WILLING TO ANGEL ANY SWAP I HOST OR JOIN...JUST ASK.

ALSO, I WILL NEVER FLAKE ON A SWAP, SO IF SOMETHING DOESN'T ARRIVE IN A TIMELY FASHION (or I HAVEN'T CLICKED 'SENT'), PLEASE PM ME AND I WILL REMEDY THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY!

I am a knitting, crocheting, sewing, jewelry making, writing, crafting fiend; I disguise these superhero qualities by working as a high school secretary by day. My job is in budget, accounting and computer work; I spend most of my day trying to look busy. Unfortunately for me, I am saddled with a boss who doesn't like me to do anything else with my time (like writing or blogging), as well as an incredible efficiency. Recently, I have been given responsibility for updating our school website and I'm loving this learning curve!

I am a mama to 3 wonderful kids; stepdaughter15, stepson13 and son22mos. Why we waited to have teens & a toddler at the same time is anyone's guess, but its working out really well. My stepdaughter is very bright and is finally coming out of her shell socially; she is a grade 10 IB student, involved in student council, the yearbook, and the Rainbow Alliance. My son is into lacrosse and spends most of his free time at the Y or playing video games; his goals this year (according to him) are to buy a laptop with his own money (and he'll do it, too!) and to make honour roll.

My husband & I both grew up in the same neighbourhood in which we currently live. He owns The United Kingdom Shoppe, importing food & gifts to Ontario. We spend a lot of our free time watching movies...everything from documentaries to new release blockbusters, from Asian martial arts flicks, to standup comedy...whether its garbage or golden, we'll usually sit through it!

I have fantasies about being a single woman living in a waterfront villa in a quaint hillside village in Greece and spending all of my free time writing, or knitting, or swimming, or reading and having elicit affairs with locals, men & women alike. But in real life, I love being a wife and mother; I find it challenging and rewarding and fulfilling in every way. The only complaint I have is in not having enough hours in the day...but who does?

I listen to nearly anything but have a soft spot for folk music of the 60s & 70s (think Buffy St. Marie & Cat Stevens), bluegrass (think Bill Monroe & Rhonda Vincent), swing music of the 40s (think Benny Goodman & The Rat Pack) and my mom's renditions of anything (John Denver, Emmy Lou Harris, Neil Young).

John Irving will someday realize that I am his longlost lifemate...until then I can pretend that I am the reincarnated soul of Margaret Laurence.

Aside from those dreams, I read A LOT. I will read fluff in the summer (once devoured every Marian Keyes in one summer), but I prefer good lit. Recently finished the fascinating Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and am currently reading The Tales of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende.

Just finished Dreams from my Father by Obama, and The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green by Joshua Braff. Both were fantastic, on different levels.

YUCK! Except for Law & Order (original & extra crispy), there is really nothing on TV right now worth watching. That said, I have devoured all six seasons of Oz on DVD.

I do watch a lot of Brit TV on DVD; Miller & Armstrong, and QI are current favourites.

And every Tuesday night, my husband and I curl up in front of the computer and watch a full week of Corrie on CBC online!

Braveheart, Citizen Kane, Bowling for Columbine, The Godfather, The Searchers, Some Like it Hot, Natural Born Killers, Taxi Driver, Grease, West Side Story, Jaws, Clockwork Orange, Harold & Maude, Goodfellas, Silence of the Lambs...the list goes on and on!

I knit for the zen of it; I crochet for the speed of finishing; I make jewelry for the immediate gratification; I sew for the practicality of wearing things that fit. I am ready and willing to take on any new craft, but I refuse to scrapbook. My next new step will be in resin jewelry. I've gotten into papercrafts, particularly ATCs and dirty shanks (which I do in many media) and postcards. I'm currently obsessed with my digital camera (http://www.spontaneousphotographer.blogspot.com/) In reconfiguring our basement storage space I managed to create a sh*tty little craft room; having dusted off my sewing machine I am back in the saddle, so to speak. Soon, I will be able to use my incredible powers of craftiness to take over the world!

My personal style runs from the bohemian naturalist hippie to the classic clean chic. I am not a girlie girl, but not a tomboy either. I don't like glitter or sparkles, of any kind, on anything, in any shape or form or colour. I am a sucker for vintage anything, especially styles from the 40s, 50s & 60s. Bettie Page is my personal iconic ideal.

Clothing - basic and classic; neutral colours, with some summer hues; red/pink, blue/teal, tangerine/peach.

Jewelry - love glass beads, simple pieces with wirework, no plastic, no clay, love the look of lampwork, but probably wouldn't wear it.

Home Decor - anything goes; my home is an eclectic mix of modern & vintage, but all in natural colours (beige, green, brown, burgundy, cream). I have a penchant for an India-style in my bedroom (dark reds, golds and low light).

Any questions?...feel free to ask.

I love yarn, especially skeins from around the world. I love natural fibers (wool, cotton, hemp, silk, bamboo, etc) and in natural colours. But I also love creative colourways; think Noro.

I can always use sewing notions, especially ric rac, grosgrain & regular ribbon, fabric remnants & scraps, thread, machine needles, vintage sewing patterns (plus sizes 14/16/18), zippers, velcro, purse handles, any new amazing notions, etc.

I don't need buttons.

I also love to get paper stuff, strange stickers, beads & jewelry supplies, miniature books, vintage photos, and weird ephemera-type stuff, like the contents of junk drawers.

I absolutely adore vintage glasses, like rhinestone, horn-rimmed, silver frames.

@taramarie2009 @chickpeafiend @crispy @mfinley524 @WINI @Gerbina @Anonymousey @NotoriousJWC @ArtsOnFire @Mywindowtoyours @cloudsdreamdisorder @fjaril @clebeans @misssarah01 @kelicola @CraftyLala @LaurenRhodes @R0s3mary @theory @ikw @sweetthay @free2flutterby @fieldhouse @pinkmorrison @Lzimms @Twigh

@literateandstylish is pending removal from this list; she has contacted myself and her partner and is currently remedying this situation; when I get confirmation from her partner that she has recieved her swap I will remove her name.

If you are on the list, and believe it is in error, please contact me and we will work something out. I may be strict, but I am also reasonable and forgiving.