i started a new job on 6/22, so i may not be spending as much time on the 'ole swap-bot

We moved to Ohio from Seattle, into an OLD house that we absolutely love ...we are A LOT closer to his family now, and mine too, but we both still miss the pacific northwest...not just the city, but olympic national forest, mt. rainier, puget sound, the columbia valley (mmm....delicious wine country!)

Less than a year until the big three-oh. married to a fantastic guy. no kids. and no plans for them in the near future. have an adorable dog, kita - my beautiful australian cattle dog mix. we rescued her from a dog shelter in seattle, and she's been just over two years :)

i went to school in Maine (where i met my husband) to be an oceanographer but ended up in the environmental chemistry field - when i was working, i was at a full service lab and i ran the ICP-MS where i tested soil and water samples for metal contaiminants (so if you wanted to test your garden soil for asenic, or your drinking water for lead...) i start a new job at a solar panel company testing raw materials for quality...that's all i know right now!

my favorite color is blue, all shades of blue! i like cows, real ones, fake ones, but especially the cute-sy cows. i'm a slob, but i try soo hard not to be. But it's all an organized mess, b/c i know where everything is (usually - i still haven't found EVERYTHING from the move yet). I love sarcastic humor, dirty humor is fun too, and i have nothing against vulgar words (so sending 'questionable' swaps to me is OK! - it's hard to 'offend' me in that way, and i find it funny!!!)

My husband is a big sailor (both commercial and recreational) and we just purchased our first sailboat - an 18' interlake. i'm still new to this sailing thing, but it's growing on me.

i like music that i can sing a long to... i like matchbox 20, dido, sarah mclaughlin, jem, poe, tantric/days of the new, O.A.R., christina aguilera, DMB, the cranberries, collective soul. I also like harder rock that's gets radio air time (i know it's not all good, and it kind of all sounds the same, but it's what i like).

i don't like screaming rock/heavy metal. I like to hear and understand the words. I don't like rap or country - unless it's crossover into popular music and they play it on my rock station.

i love making jewelry. i am pretty much focused on wire right now, but i'm trying to break my way into cold connections and soldering (if you have books or articles from magazines on projects or tips for this stuff - i would really love it!)....silver, silver, silver! i love beads, shiny silver, or sparkly crystals, spacer beads, antique beads. i'm really not into large chunky beads, unless they are your original lamp worked :)

i'm also into sea glass. i can't walk the beach with my head up, i'm constantly searching the sand and rocks for my next little treasure. part of that soldering i mentioned above, is so i can make bezel cups for sea glass and connect them for bracelets, earrings, and necklaces!

i LOVE books. i like them used and/or new...i like to pass good ones on to my friends or turn them in at used book stores for someone else to read. i'm always up for a good historical romance novel (Rosalind Laker is a great author and gone with the wind/scarlett is one of my all-time favorites), mystery, science fiction - i'm totally into michael criton right now. easy reads are nice - harry potter was a favorite, i like twilight...onto the rest of the series. steven king is excellent, he's a great writer and has FANTASTIC plot development. I just finished reading Cell...and it wasn't scary at all, but a little creepy...

i'm currently between books, having just finished Cell, and then i read Twilight all in one day while waiting at the airport.

I love LOST, grey's anatomy, heros, one tree hill, smallville, house, fringe and i've been watching the new Battlestar Galactica on dvd lately (only a few episodes left!) My husband and i have Netflix, so i'm constantly getting new movies and tv shows on dvd...it's great! I will never turn down a good comedy or chic flick!

Old silver (plated) spoons or forks - i want to make a spoon bracelet and other silverware related items, so if you got a sort of matching pair, that would be great, but not matching can be worked with too and i would SOOO much appreciate it!

OLD WINE CORKS - I really really want these!! (especially if they have cool pictures on them!!).

SEA GLASS - if you are willing to part with it!

candles (i like fruity and flowery, i stay away from aromatherapy),

soaps (hand soap, not body soap),

milk chocolate (with peanut butter, caramel or toffee, always good), i don't really like dark or white.

I LOVE CANDY!! (if you can find strawberry mentos, those are SOO good!) - nothing cherry or banana flavored please.

stickers! sheets or singles, but not teacher/religous ones. i really need more of these since my stash is dangerously LOW :)

magnets (handmade, please),

fun notepads, refridgerator pads, and postit notes,

hot chocolate packets (all flavors!),

individual popcorn bags (fun flavors),

handmade envelopes (from magazine pages or whatever as long as i can USE them :)

markers (like sharpies) in fun colors,

music cds with your favorite mix on them (as long as it adheres to music requests above :) or maybe something completely different than anything listed above, something i've never heard of would be ok, too!

blank postcards

pieces of ribbon (about a 1/2 inch wide and at least 5 inches in length )

books (see above) or anything about boats/interesting history/beer brewing for my hubby

doggy treats for Kita (especially if it's something your dog loves, that i could try with mine - she eats everything :)

address labels (either blank or ones you've decorated for me - we just moved and i have NONE!)

i LOVE cheese, potatoes, and bread. But please don't send them in the mail... i love recipes...i use a crock-pot and i like recipes with a few ingredients, ones that can be made in larger quantity and frozen, for two servings.

i don't like coffee or tea.

i stay away from black licorice.

i don't like rap or country (unless it's crossover into popluar music)

i'm not religious and am not into anything religious - although i want to add that i do not have a problem with you or your religion; i'm just not into it myself.

if sending recipes, please avoid cabbage or fish

I Especially don't like junk. please don't send it!

Swaps I'm waiting on

NONE - everyone has sent out on time!! yay!

Swaps that have been flaked and by whom:

i knew it would happen eventually, but it doesn't make it less sad :o(

I heart the color blue by krambear due out Feb 18

Photos by caesarpag

Recipe Scavenger Hunt by rlshnhn

Dessert in a Letter by Zem

Music to Run By CD Swap by sherrykadan

Angels are SO sweet...

A Box in a Box in a Box #2 flaked on by pockettcraft angeled by Kristipye

Handmade Jewelry Swap! by SMBee angeled by MissMayhem

Mixed CD Swap by sonambula angeled by ccap