TaraM84

A note to my partners. My father passed away suddenly on February 4th, aged just 54 years old. He had a major bleed in his brain on Feb 2nd and never regained consciousness.

Feb 21st - As if Feb couldn't get any worse for me, my boyfriend and I broke up today after almost 4 years!

May 4th - My mothers Aunt passed away today following a long struggle with cancer.

Apologies for any packages that don't get sent out entirely on time. I will endeavor to meet any deadlines as best I can. I will definitely be sending all packages that I am required to. If I am behind on your package I will PM you to let you know. Thank-you for your consideration & patience.

If you are sending a parcel to me by registered post, or with tracking, could you please let me know when you send it and approximately how long it should take to get to me. I only ask as for some reason my post office doesn't like to inform me when there are parcels for me to collect. I only ever get the 'final notice' in my mailbox, which is usually 1-2 weeks after they actually receive it in the first place! If I know a parcel is coming I can call them around the time it is due and see if it has arrived. Thank-you!

I am 23 and currently living at home with my mum and brother as I can't afford to live away from home due to studying. I have lived in share houses for a few years though.

I have a gorgeous cat called Ruby and a sweet old dog called Lulu who is absolutely terrified by almost anything (clapping, wind, noise in general) and would lick you to death if given the chance. My brother has a cat called Angel, who is anything but an Angel. In fact, we have to keep the cats separate from each other, otherwise poor little Ruby gets ripped to pieces!

I'm still stuck at University when all of my friends have finished and started full-time work and everyone in my course is either straight out of high school or older with children. I tend to hang around the older ones as I can't relate to the younger ones. I have another 2 years of my course left, so hopefully I don't go insane from having no money before then.

I consider myself a rather crafty person and also love to cook & collect recipes.

I am studying health sciences at university and majoring in nutrition as I would like to be a dietitian and help people make better decisions for their health, especially those with disorders and diseases which can be helped or controlled through diet.

I made a huge change to my study a couple of years ago(I was studying hospitality and events management), when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In the future I hope to help other people who are going through the major lifestyle changes that being diagnosed with such a full on disease can bring. This disease is with me for life, at present there is no cure (and no I will not grow out of it) and so I have decided to turn it around and do the best I can with what I have been dealt.

I don't let diabetes define who I am or how I live my life. I've made changes to accomodate it into my lifestyle, but I try not to let it rule my life. I was a foodie before I got diagnosed and I still am now, just in moderation. My approach seems to be working as I have consistently good 3-monthly blood tests which indicate good control.

Please make sure you write my address out properly when sending to me, lately I have had a lot of people mis-spelling my suburb - it ends in ley not ly Thank-you

I'm pretty much into anything... mostly Top 40, alternative, 80's & 90's... Aaliyah, Alex Lloyd, Alicia Keys, Ashanti, Barenaked Ladies, Bernard Fanning, Brandy, Christina Aguilera, Craig David, Crowded House, Destiny's Child, Dido, Eagle Eye Cherry, Faith Hill, The Fugees, Gnarls Barkley, Hootie & the Blowfish, Hot Action Cop, Incubus, James Blunt, James Morrison, Jamiroquai, Jeff Buckley, Jewel, Kasey Chambers, The Killers, Korn, Kris Kross, Limp Bizkit, Maroon Five, Mary J. Blige, Midnight Oil, Mis-Teeq, Missy Elliott, Missy Higgins, Mya, Nirvana, No Doubt, Norah Jones, Panic! At the Disco, Pearl Jam, Pete Murray, Pink, Presidents of the USA, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, Rogue Traders, Salt 'n' Pepa, Scissor Sisters, Something for Kate, Spiderbait, Superjesus, Third Eye Blind, Thirsty Merc, TLC, Tool, Ugly Kid Joe, Velvet Revolver & The Veronicas... are all highly played in my iTunes...

I have trouble remembering storylines in movies, so I can watch the same movie several times and only remember what happens halfway through watching it again! But I remember liking: Juno, PS I Love You, Moulin Rouge, The Prestige, Requiem for a Dream, Saw, The Hannibal Lecter series, The Notebook, Amelie, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Kill Bill, Donnie Darko, The Ring, Mallrats, Drop Dead Fred, Cruel Intentions, The Virgin Suicides, 50 First Dates, The Simpsons Movie, The Science of Sleep, The Pursuit of Happiness.. ...that's all that I remember right now!

I like to watch Medium, House, Cold Case, NCIS, Law & Order, Oprah, Dr. Phil, My Name Is Earl, The Chasers War on Everything, Spicks and Specks, Iron Chef, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Weeds, Black Books, Scrubs, Gilmore Girls, Californication, The 4400, Supernatural, Psych, Thank God You're Here(Australian)... I'm also a sucker for reality TV (sad, I know) so I watch The Biggest Loser, Big Brother, Australian Princess, Next Top Model, So You Think You Can Dance? (LOVE IT!) and pretty much anything that fulfills my 'watching regular people doing everyday things' urge.

• Sewing (especially making bags)
• jewellery making (although I haven't done this in a while)
• cooking (the edible craft!)

Australia is notorious for its tight quarantine laws, please refer to the 'What can't be sent to Australia' website (link above) before sending to ensure that I will receive your entire package.

Most importantly, do not send:

• seeds or nuts
• tea or coffee
• wooden items
• plant matter, including soil and straw
• live or dead animals or animal parts (eww... like I would want them anyway!)

On a personal note, I dislike:

• coffee or coffee flavoured/scented items
• anything religious (I am not against religion, I am very spiritual, I just don't believe in one particular god over all others)
• anything political
• science fiction
• gold jewellery
• picture frames (I just don't use them)
• hankies (again, I don't use them)
• Colours - mustard, flourescent colours

I am not easily offended, but please don't send me anything racist, elitist or sexist as I believe that all people are equal and deserve to be treated with respect.

Favourite colours:

• pink
• purple
• aqua
• silver
• green
• blue
• chocolate brown (esp. with pink or blue)

Favourite scents:

• chocolate
• strawberry
• vanilla
• cookies
• spice (anything food related!)
• lavendar
• rose
• I love LUSH cosmetics

Favourite Things:

• flowers
• gerberas
• irises
• spring blossoms
• hearts
• butterflies
• dragonflies
• hummingbirds
• ladybugs
• birds
• bees
• monkeys
• trees
• anything to do with the ocean
• I would love to recieve anything handmade!

Craft Supplies I use:

• fabric
• buttons
• ribbons
• machine thread
• Jewellery findings (earring hooks, etc - I have plenty of beads but have run out of stuff to put them together)
• Cosmetic making supplies (I would love to get into this but I don't know where to start, so if you could point me in the right direction that would be great)

Fabrics:

• cute prints
• retro prints
• funky prints (like Amy Butler)
• cool florals
• bright colours
• quirky movie/character prints (such as Alice in wonderland)
• Japanese fabrics
• 100% cotton flannel (I can't get good cool/funky prints here, just plain colours or baby prints)

Parcel Supplies:

• address labels (with or without my swapbot name on them)
• notecards
• letter paper
• stationary sets
• Birthday Cards

Sizing:
I am an AUSTRALIAN size 10-12 (medium) in clothing (and underwear - for Panty Raid swaps!).

Piercings:
I have my ears and belly button pierced.

Collections:

• Betty Boop
• magnets (cute/funky/cool ones, not advertising - state/country magnets would also be cool)
• pin cushions
• playing cards (not plain, ones with a theme or character or promotional/advertising sets)
• craft patterns
• craft magazines
• recipes (I would love to recieve your favourite recipes or traditional recipes from your country)
• cookbooks or cooking magazines
• kitchen gadgets (If any would like to send me a Bento box or some information on them I would really, really appreciate it!)
• aprons

Treats: Please don't avoid sending me lollies and edible treats on the basis of me being diabetic, I enjoy them in moderation, in fact as I am on insulin they save my life if my blood sugar levels go too low - so you could be saving my life!

• Any lollies/candies (for when I am low!)
• chocolate (especially dark chocolate, but any really)
• Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
• Hersheys kisses
• M&Ms (I especially like the dark chocolate version and we can't get them here)
• hot chocolate mixes (I love tea but please don't send it as it will be confiscated by quarantine!)

Swaps - This list isn't up to date at the moment!

Working on:

• 'Mothers work is never done' Due May 3rd X 1 (PMed partner about being late)
• '2008 Spring Handbag' Due May 15th X 1
• 'Anything Goes Bookmarks' Due June 1st X 2

Sent, waiting on rating:

• 'Recipe Postcard Swap' Sent Feb 8th to Libbybear
• 'I Must Be Crazy! Postcards #4' Sent Feb 12th to vmlay, whinendine (resent Mar 26th) & butterflybear
• 'Favourite Recipe' swap Sent Mar 5th to jennynotjennifer
• 'Butterfly ATCs' Sent Mar 18th to Crazystamper & Angel11
• 'Homemade postcards swap' Sent Apr 11th to Midnight
• 'Teatowel & a surprise' Sent Apr 18th to cherryfairy
• '100 things that once scared me' Sent July 2nd to Tinasloan

Waiting to Receive:

• '100 Things I'm feeling stressed about' Due Apr 30th from cfchai Not Yet Sent
• '100 Things I’d Do If I Had Time' Due May 5th from cfchai Not Yet Sent
• 'Spring 2008 Handbag Swap International' Due May 15th from musingsofasoutherngirl Not Yet Sent
• 'Anything Goes Bookmarks' Due June 1st from kellygirlknits Not Yet Sent & justfornow Not Yet Sent
• '100 things that once scared me' Due June 26th from craftycooky Not Yet Sent - User Partialy suspended

Forum Tags

Sent:

To Send:

• 'YGM #7' to YarnTails drawn 9th April
• 'YGM #8' to Tricia561 drawn 25th April

To Receive:

Wishlist Games

Sent: Only listed when received - to maintain the suprise!

• None

Received:

• ATC & Card from MicheleoneL Jan 24th (general)
• Pocky & little cow from Jannikinz Feb 18th (Aussie & NZ)
• Ribbons from MordFiddle Mar 11th (Aussie & NZ)
• Material & Letterset from ozrob Mar 12th (Aussie & NZ)
• Package from symphonie Mar 27th (Aussie & NZ)