VJP

UPDATE 8/27/08 - I am traveling this week. I will rate your delightful packages as soon as I return home.

My granddaughter is autistic and I am so proud of her and my daughter for the obstacles they both overcome each and every day. It is not easy. The SYSTEM is so difficult to navigate, the day to day pressures of parenting an autistic child are overwhelming...and my daughter does it with such grace and dignity that I am in awe of her as a parent. I don't know where she gets the strength to start each day and finish it with such accomplishment. The work is difficult e.g. a 3 yr old undressing herself in public...including a dirty diaper or throwing a temper tantrum because she must leave a restaurant or grocery store or not wanting to be fed through her G-Tube and smacking the syringe out of my daughter's hand or throwing a tantrum every time she goes to the car to go somewhere ... because the park is across the street and she wants to go there. I am amazed at the strength, commitment, patience, and love my daughter has.

Rendi, you are my hero!!

She fights the system everyday, all day to get Maya what she needs. She does this alone because "Dad" can't handle it. She stands up to government agencies that say they will help, but really do not want to. She fights for Maya's right to an equal educational environment. When I say, fight...I mean FIGHT.

Ok, stepping down off of my soap box to say...please, support Autism Awareness by learning more. PLEASE ask me if you would like more information.
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Thank you for taking the time to read my profile.

I love the color purple and all things Tuscan.

I love purple (most shades, but especially eggplant) and sage green with gold accents for my home. But I love all deep, rich colors. I love classic decorating ... nothing contemporary, country, or over the top. Yep, pretty conservative for decorating. I collect teacups and saucers and I collect depression era glass. I especially love hobnail. I absolutely love gardening and have hundreds of flowers. I have to replant each year...except for the bulbs. I love wines (it's that whole Tuscan thing) and I enjoy wine accessories. I cannot chew gum, but I love coffee and tea. I love Starbucks...all things Starbucks. I absolutely love handmade items. Since I am an atheist, I would prefer not to receive religous items. But because I respect other's belief systems, you just might receive a religous item from me...if it is clear on your profile that you are ok with that.

My Likes:
~ Purple
~ Sage green
~ Fruit flavored anything. Except: gum, peanuts, & hard candy cuz I have braces
~ I love handmade items
~ Gold not silver
~ Loose tea over tea bags
~ Coffee
~ Teacups and saucers
~ Bottle caps - blank or your creations
~ Dominos
~ Any jewelry findings
~ Beads: plastic, please
~ Buttons (preferably with a shank)
~ Foreign Currency, coins
~ Linens (hankies, doilies, especially handmade)
~ Love the Fleur-de-lis
~ Hello Kitty for my granddaughter
~ Any stickers, yes even the teacher award stickers cuz my granddaughter loves them.
~ Anything to do with autism awareness
~ Fingernail stickers or tape
~ Gems, adhesive or not
~ Scents: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cookies, food not flowers
~ anything miniature for using on inchies and bottle caps
~ anything unique for making inchies and bottle caps
~ charms: gold or silver
~ anything in the color purple is always welcome
~ Grapes and Tuscan theme is perfect
~ Monogrammed items with any or all of my initials VJP

AND if you have received something from another swapper that isn't your style and you think it is mine...please feel free to "re-swap"(like re-gifting). Please don't be offended if I re-gift as well. If this is an issue, just let me know up front.

I love technology. I do online scrapbooking and burn cd's for my kids and grandkids instead of printed pictures in books. But I still love getting embellishments of all sorts to use on my crafts and altered art. Although I love purple, please feel free to send any color for embellishments as I will use them on crafts for others.

I'm kind of picky about scents. Nothing too strong or flowery.

I am very open to trying new things, so even if it isn't listed here and you think I will enjoy...go for it.

Items I don't need or don't like:
~ Pastel or bright colors like neons.
~ ATC's
~ Religous items
~ Teabags (loose tea is good)
~ Post It Notes (I have tooooo many)
~ Candy, nuts, gum
~ Ribbon..I have more than I will ever use
~ Smokey smelling items

NO ALLERGIES

I don't care for rude, self centered, selfish people...which includes people who don't use their turn signal. But I digress...

Jazz, New country, and classic rock.

~ Michael Buble
~ Harry Connick Jr.
~ The Dixie Chicks

I have an ipod that is no where near full so I would love to receive CD's with lots of music. About the only music I don't like is Old Country (too twangy), head banging rock and nothing that even sounds remotely like rap. I'm definitely into 60's,70's, & 80's rock or pop. I love NEW Country and the Dixie Chicks are my heroes and my favorite band.

I never seem to find time to watch movies these days, but here are a couple of old favorites. Out of Africa, Casablanca, When Harry Met Sally...yep, Chick Flicks ≈

The View, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Gilmore Girls....and lots of News....CNN, MSNBC and more ≈

I have to update this now that I have found the time to craft AND found some new crafts that I love. I am inspired by the wonderful items I see here on swap-bot and have tried some new ones. I love making matchboxes, bottlecap jewelry and magnets, bookmarks of all kinds including paper and silver, magnets, envelopes, cards, jewelry, inchies and so much more.

One on One's/Forum Swaps/Angels

Swaps for me to Send

Yooperhill ~ some bottle caps
Fleasha ~ autism inchie charm

If you don't see your name here and I owe you something...don't be shy, please pm me. I don't want to miss anything.

All caught up, for now