bluecornflower

Update 18/10/09: I am going to be taking a break from hosting and participating in swaps for a while. I want to concentrate on some of the craft projects I have been saving up, incl Halloween and Christmas things, and starting my first quilt! Wish me luck! I will still be around our groups, and will still be granting wishes. I can't quite cure my addiction to swapbot just yet!!!

Hi I am Rochelle and I live in Co Donegal in Ireland. We have lived here for 4 years now, London for the previous 10 years and I am originally from New Zealand.

I am married and have a son Max who is 5 years old and autistic, and loves to help me make things. I work part time during school hours and I am involved in two local charities for special needs children which keep me busy.

I joined swap bot in November 2008 and quickly became addicted! Since I joined I have been doing lots of machine sewing and cross stitch making all sorts of new projects which has been great. The best thing is that I have also made lots of friends already through swapbot!

We live in a new house in the countryside overlooking Lough Foyle (which is a big river). The price to pay for our great views is the terrific winds we get here in the winter! We live over the road from a small farm, so we have ducks and geese visiting the wilderness that is our front lawn (we haven't done any landscaping yet!). In the mornings I like to see the rabbits bouncing across the grass from our kitchen window.

I promise to rate you as soon as I receive your swap (that day or next day at the latest). I always send my swaps out on time, usually earlier. I send all my swaps from our local village postoffice (to support our local postmaster) so my post may take a few days longer to get to you. I recycle packaging in a not too obvious way.

I have now got my mum onto swapbot, she is @calicocat here. Welcome mum!

Thanks to my recent visit by my mother and a trip to a Quilting show, I now have a new interest - quilting! I have yet to make my first quilt, I have all the things to start, just need to find the time now! I have been cross stitching and sewing since the age of 10. I used to be able to knit and crochet, but I am afraid that I have forgotten how to! I would love to learn to crochet again. My main hobbies are sewing, cross stitch, making Christmas ornaments, and I have just discovered a new skill at making dotee dolls! I would like to start making fabric inchies and ATCs in the future, I have seen some great examples on flickr which have inspired me to start!

Gilmore Girls, CSI, Cold Case, any BBC Jane Austen or Bronte historical costume dramas. What I end up watching is Max's favourites which is cartoons - Horrid Henry, Ben10, Star Wars movies and anything by Pixar (Cars and Toy Story are the favourites this month). A new favourite to add is the Open Season 2 movie - has anyone seen the character "Fifi" the little white poodle with a blue bow around? I would love to get hold of one, as Max thinks Fifi is fantastic!

Amelie, Gosford Park, O Brother Where Art Thou, Three Weddings & a Funeral, Fried Green Tomatoes

• Favourite colours - I like most colours, I prefer bright or pastel colours to dark colours for crafting.
• Favourite fabrics - anything cotton, I am not fussy! As most of the swaps here are for quilting fabric, I am still searching for good quilting shops nearby. I tend to use heavier 100% cottons for my crafts as I have a stash of these, and my local shop sells them. I love gingham, polka dots, florals, tea cups, mushrooms, gingham, trees, owls fabrics
• I like Tanya Whelan, Amy Butler type designers
• I like blues, reds, greens, yellows, pinks, yellows, creams ...
• Favourite place to be - forests and beaches. I like walking and collecting shells, stones, driftwood and sea glass
• Favourite mail - handmade things that someone has made for me, and craft supplies!
• Favourite time of the day - waking up to a beaming 5 year old's smile every morning!

• Anything bright blue for Max!
• Small Note cards
• DMC threads (esp varigated/unusual ones)
• Buttons (incl odd ones, vintage, unusual ones!)
• Fabric, fabric, fabric - cotton, velvet, felt - small pieces for crafts
• Ribbons
• Patterns - bags, all shapes and sizes!
• Holly Hobbie - the original 70s version in blue patchwork.
• sea glass/beach glass - weathered by sea and sand
• blank recipe cards (can't seem to find these here)
• biscornu patterns/links
• Wall planner/organiser/diary ideas to get me better organised!

I thought I would make a list of some of the fantastic things I have received here. This is not a complete list so please don't be insulted if I haven't included you! I especially like handmade things:

• @sewsouthern sent me a giant pincushion which is in daily use, and that I can't do without!

• @beancounter sent me a beautiful patchwork pincushion that I use for my special decorative pins

• @JacquiMcR sent me a beautiful handmade craft bag with little houses handsewn on the side

• Thank you to everyone who has sent me such fantastic parcels, @cllfdl @bluelily @heidistitches @secretsheep to name but a few!

• Star Wars figures, esp droids, general grevious, clone fighters, CP30, and R2D2
• Anything that is blue and with a number '7' on it!
• He likes all the pixar movies, Cars, Toy Story, Finding Nemo etc
• He loves McDonalds and McDonalds toys and merchandise
• Small plastic road signs, traffic lights to play with his matchbox cars are always welcome
• Thomas the Tank Engine - anything at all!
• Max loves cats (we have two black/black and white)
• Matchbox cars, esp the characters from the Cars movie
• Iron on transfers with Star Wars characters would be great!
• Max only likes plain milk chocolate (not dark or white), so small chocolate bars, chocolate buttons, etc are fine. It is never too hot here to melt anything, so you can send chocolate anytime of the year.