heartfelt

I am a South African living in New Zealand with my husband, two little girls aged 8 and 5, a horse caled Straz, bulldog called Poppy and a new Bulldog puppy called Jasmine, pug called Salty, chickens, bunnies and fish. In between looking after this menagerie I am a teacher who also likes to craft, paint, read, surf the net and try the odd jog (just to feel a little less guilty).

I am totally eclectic - housework to Black Eyed Peas, craft to Ray la Montagne, Worship to Jars of Clay. www.musicovery.com - is one of my best sites. Don't like Jazz or heavy rap or heavy anything - except a bit of Basement Jaxx

Anything Creative and DIY. Love magazines - especially "Marie Claire" and Elle Decoration. I enjoy finding old craft patterns at the second hand shops. Fiction that is sweeping. Something well researched and that takes you to another time and place - with great charachters. I highly recomend Francine Rivers - Mark of the Lion series if your into the same kind of thing. I dont like crime, prefer historical and or romantic but not too cheesy. Currently reading Irresitable Revolution by Shane Claiborne

My movie going days are few and far between now - but when I do go I want to see something that can only be seen on the BIG SCREEN. Like "Whale Rider". I love the stories that weave magic like "How to make an American Quilt", "dangerous minds", "The Hurricane", "Big Fish" Im also into subtitles like "Manion de la source", or "Motor Cylce Diaries". I love anything arty, a visual feast.

I will try anything and everything at least once - i am still looking for the one true passion. I sew a bit, but Im into trying collage and papermache combinations at the moment and embroidery on canvas, altered books, stuffies, ATC and painting. I lack patience and get bored a bit too quickly - so I give up on anything that takes longer than i hoped (like knitting or quilting). My blog will give you a good idea of what I am up to.

Every Tuesday i meet with a bunch of crafty friends. We are called "the little Gem session" Like them, I drool over all the crafty things: Buttons, fabric, ribbon, inspiring images or work. We are working on altered books at the moment. I collect old childrens books, vintage bric a brac, (especially old printed tins) old or new, if its handmade i love it and if I found it in a thrift shop its even more precious. I dont like fantasy or science fiction (fairies or unicorns,) don't like anything eighties (except some of the music) - im more cute fan than anything edgy and grungy - Im especially taken with all things small and dinky. Not a sticker collector allthough my girls love them, prefer paperie and stationary - tape, pens, tags, stamps and ephemera. In fact the more random the ephemera the better. My style is a mix of vintage and contemporary, quirky or retro I get really excited about a new project. I adore getting parcels - so it makes sense to join swap-bot. New Zealand has very little range of things - especially on the paper goods front.

I am always on the look out for inspiring blogs and am trying to work on my blog. I think Etsy is incredible.

I love the scrapbooking work that I do once a week with some teen mothers. (I volunteer at their school).

Im into slow food - especially on a cold winter's day - a big pot of soup and crusty bread - yum!

I wish I could bottle and market my children's lovely, spontaneous, carefree aproach to their creativity.

I give thanks over and over that my creator loves to create and has made me in that way.

I would like this exchange experiece to be a positive one - so i will try to be as considerate as possible. Cliche I know - but good communication is what its all about. If something of mine has not arrived - due to postal quirkiness - plese let me know.