SweetClementine

Updated November 20, 2009

11/18 Ugh, I have a respiratory virus that has brought on my vertigo again. I'm not behind on swaps, just feeling yucky and trying to get more rest than usual. I hope you all are staying healthy this season! 11/20 ~ I went to the doctor today and also have a bacterial lung infection and asthma. And a partridge in a pear tree...

To tell you a little about myself, I am a 34-year-old mom of 2 young children, married for 12 years to my best friend from high school. We met in a karate class...but that's another story! I was formerly a junior high foreign language teacher and an elementary gifted & talented specialist. If you are Spanish-speaking, I am "Spanish reading"! ;-) Just go easy on me; my Spanish is getting very rusty!
I am now enjoying staying home with my 2 kiddos (girl 4, boy 2 years). I am continuing in a volunteer position that I've held for last 8 years as an advocate for gifted children.

My home is non-smoking, but we do love animals! We have a black & white kitty, Gypsy, and a Labradoodle, Tofu Loki. Both were rescued pets. We really believe in giving animals another chance for a happy home; if you're looking to add a pet to your family, please consider adopting a homeless animal from a rescue group, humane society, etc. There are some great animals out there needing loving homes!

I pretty much stick to sewing & fabric-related crafts. I'm always thinking about how something can be repurposed to make some cool new thing. I'm a huge fan of embroidery and enjoy making things like embroidered flour sack towels. I sew SIMPLE children's clothing, accessories, reusable tote bags (like Morsbags). I've been a quilter for 8 or 9 years and started taking quilting classes before I had a sewing machine. Back then, I pieced and quilted everything by hand! I still love to quilt when I can find the time (machine piece & hand quilt). I'm sticking to smaller projects that I actually have a hope of completing! I also wet-felt fibers around soap and am learning how to needle-felt sweet little things.

I truly enjoy learning new things. If you assemble a kit to teach me something new, I will undoubtedly love it and give it a try!

Fabrics: I purchase only quilt-shop quality fabrics. I would prefer to receive a smaller amount of quality fabric than a larger amount of lesser quality. These are some examples of my "fabric style". I love bright, modern fabrics, but I also love vintage fabrics (especially 1930s & 1940s) and Japanese-import juvenile novelty fabrics. :-)

I don't do paper crafts, scrapbooking, crochet, or knitting. It's not that I don't like the idea, just that I'm out of space and time.

Prior to having children, I was an avid reader. Now it's difficult to find time to fit in anything of length. I'm still always in the middle of a book; I'm just super slow getting through one!

I most enjoy crime, mystery, and suspense novels, like Jeffery Deaver and Patricia Cornwell. I also enjoy series like Harry Potter and Twilight. I really love to write and hope to find time to write my own book some day.

I also read cookbooks, crafty books, and magazines for a quick fix. My favorite magazines are Country Living, Clean Eating, Cooking Light, Psychology Today, Mental Floss, and Discover. I prefer mostly cooking and science-related magazines with an occasional quilting/sewing magazine thrown in for good measure. :-)

I also collect:

• children's books in other languages with simple words and lots of pictures
• books of quotes and sayings (including bilingual books and libros de refranes y dichos en Espanol)
• cool vintage classics and vintage cookbooks
• copies of Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST (sentimental reasons for my daughter!) in any language.

As the founder of the Edibles Group, I'm sure you'll believe that I adore receiving international foods. I will love:

• Something typical of where you live or locally made

• Something edible that you have good memories of. Tell me a little about it!

• Sweets~I just can't help myself with sweets. I love all kinds of candies, especially fruit-flavored candies, gummy candies, toffees, malted candies, white chocolate, and marzipan. But I'm NOT picky! ;-)

• I love See's peanut brittle & Awesome Peanut Brittle Candy Bars and Fannie May Trinidads. Unfortunately we don't have See's and Fanny May candies in Texas!

• Mixes (dessert, dry soup, beverages, etc.)

• I especially enjoy citrus flavors (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit).

• We like spicy foods and spices in general.

• Things I REALLY LIKE that many people don't: coconut, nuts, peanuts, white chocolate, marzipan, dates, figs, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, spinach

• I cherish receiving tried and true family recipes and have recipe boxes that can accommodate recipe cards that are 3 x 5 inches/76 x 127 mm or 4 x 6 inches/102 by 152 mm.

• Local cookbooks are prized. I read them as if reading a "regular" book. :-)

• I'm not so fond of: artificial sweeteners (I get headaches; Splenda is OK.). I also don't enjoy fish-flavored snacks (though I eat fish), strong black licorice, anise/licorice/mint teas, or chewing gum.

• I like chocolate, but it arrives as a melted puddle between April-October.

If you live in one of these places, I love these things that I can't buy here:

• Chicago & Milwaukee~ The Spice House spices, especially Back of the Yards seasoning rub
• Europe ~ mini Haribo packs of candies; we can get the gold-pack gummy bears but that's it. I love them all! :-)
• France ~ caramel
• Germany ~ mini Haribo packs (Star Mix, etc.) and any local brand of gummies
• Italy ~ Goleador gummy candies (have tried cola and fruit; love them both!)
• Minnesota~ Ken Davis or Roscoe's barbecue sauce
• Spain ~ chocolate bar with cornflakes & peanuts together (I think it was a Ritter Sport?)
• Sweden ~ fruit soup mixes
• UK ~ Horlicks Malt & Caramel flavors
• USA ~ See's peanut brittle, Awesome peanut brittle candy bars, & molasses chips, and Fanny May's Trinidads

• Reusable cloth shopping bags that I wouldn't find here in Texas, especially international ones. I love ones in other languages and those from local farmer's markets. Just something different to spice up a trip to the grocery store! ;-)

• Locally-made items and handmade things

• Anything "cultural" really~I love stuff from other places, in other languages, etc.

• Fruit (especially citrus), vanilla, & coconut scents & tastes (if it's an "edible" scent, I generally like it)

• Old black & white photos--my favorites have old cars, dogs, candid children, bicycles, or holiday themes, but I like any old photos, really! I make copies for artwork and never destroy the original.

• Dragons (my son's name means "dragon")

• Copies of Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST (my daughter's middle name)in ANY language :-). We have English, German, and Greek.

• Fabric~cotton fabric, especially vintage or ethnic fabrics, 1930s/40s reproduction prints, Japanese juvenile prints, fabric from where you live (cotton preferred)

• Colors~ I'm very eclectic about color choices and there's very little I don't like. I usually choose bold, vivid colors over pastels, but yet I like the faded, vintage, shabby chic colors and style too. I probably gravitate slightly more towards blues, purples, and greens. My kids, on the other hand, are not so eclectic. My daughter will choose blue and my son green every time!

• Vintage embroidery/applique/quilting books & iron on transfers for embroidery

• Vintage buttons

• New dishtowels representative of where you live

• Crocheted or knit dishcloths

• Recipe cards; even better are recipe cards with your handwritten recipes on them!

• Private swaps~Is there something you want from the US or from Texas in particular? Send me a note~I'd be glad to swap with you!

• Artificial sweeteners often give me headaches, though Splenda is alright

• Smoky, perfumey, or floral scents or tastes (migraines)

• Jewelry made with metals other than sterling silver, stainless steel, or 14k gold (metal allergies-boo!)

• Commercial characters (Disney, Winnie the Pooh, Barbie, and other cartoony characters...but I have 2 & 4 year olds that enjoy them!)

• I have a very eclectic style, but I just don't care for old-fashioned, country-styled things (apples, geese/ducks in bonnets, roosters...)

• Religious propaganda (stickers, music, and other items meant to promote a particular religion), though I do like religious items if they have cultural significance. I am respectful of others' religious choices, and I hope for the same in return.

• Chocolate doesn't do too well in the Texas heat from about April-October. If you do send something chocolate during this time, please wrap it separately. White "chocolate" withstands warm temperatures better.

• Bubble gum/chewing gum

• Red meat...but I can't imagine you'd be thinking of sending me that! :-)

Here's a little information about my children in case you'd like to include a little something for them. My 4-year-old especially loves to receive mail.

My 4-year-old daughter "L" is into:

• Playing doctor, kitchen, and dress up
• The colors BLUE, purple, and pink
• Anything "science-y"; she doesn't get grossed out and likes anatomy-related stuff, etc.
• Arts & Crafts projects, coloring, and stickers
• Fireman Sam, Caillou, Sid the Science Kid, The Little Mermaid, Shrek
• Children's music (sing along songs) & classical music. (We also find it hilarious that she seems to love 80s dance music! How did that happen?!)
• Copies of Shakespeare's The Tempest in any language
• Wears US size 4T clothing
• ANY mail for her, including postcards--she is always interested in where things come from and asks questions to learn more about the different places

My 2-year-old son "D" is into:

• Anything with wheels or dragons (dragons relate to his name)
• Balls
• Simple puzzles
• Wow Wow Wubzy
• Fruity snacks
• The colors GREEN and blue
• He's a giant for his age and currently wears US 3T clothing.

I am completely reliable with a good moral compass, and I ALWAYS send out my swaps. If you are expecting something from me and it doesn't arrive, please PM me and we'll get it worked out! Thanks!

I also always give my partners a rating no matter how small the swap--sometimes it takes a few days, but I WILL rate or send a PM/profile post. If I've missed rating you, please send me a PM so I can hop to it! I appreciate those who remember to rate me as well.