lalchee

I'm a writer/editor in Vancouver, B.C. Single, no children; proud auntie to two nieces and "honorary auntie" to lots of other great kids.

I love knitting, travelling, reading, cooking, going to the theatre and movies, photography...

I'm a vegetarian, trying to ditch the dairy and eggs as well, but not vegan yet -- cheese is my downfall.

I'm right-handed, but a political leftie. :-)

Knitting, knitting and knitting! I'm still fairly new, but I'm addicted. :-) It's the only craft I do on a regular basis.

I'm a semi-snob, yarn-wise: high-quality, smooth acrylic blends have their place, and I use them for some projects. But I do not like 100% acrylics and loathe novelty yarns.

I use all kinds of animal fibres, but I also love knitting with non-animal natural fibres, like soft cotton, linen, corn, soy and bamboo.

I occasionally make simple beaded jewellery & ornaments -- much less since I've been knitting, but I'm getting back into it a bit -- with stitch markers. And thanks to two of my swap partners, I am starting to teach myself to crochet.:-)

Greens and purples (any shade of either) top my list -- I like to wear them, decorate with them, etc. I also love hot pink.

I also like and wear blues, greys, browns, black, deep purpley-reds (not so keen on fire-engine red).

With the single exception of socks, I do not wear anything yellow or orange. I do like the colours, though -- just not on me! :-)

I tend to prefer darker shades to lighter ones.

Vegetarian stuff (no gelatine!). :-)

• Dark chocolate (ideally dairy-free) -- with nuts, coconut, fruit -- all yummy. • citrus- and blackcurrant-flavoured sweets • marzipan • Jelly Bellies • Marmite

Tea: black, green, herb & fruit teas. My favourite is masala chai, but pretty much anything other than peppermint, licorice & chamomile.

Coffee: Unflavoured, fully caffeinated.

I'm a big fan of 18th & 19th Century English fiction, particularly Jane Austen. I love murder mysteries, especially English ones -- Reginald Hill is a favourite. And Harry Potter!

Also plenty of non-fiction: social history and biographies; knitting books; vegetarian & vegan cookbooks; travel writing; collections of quotations; dictionaries...

I like most styles of music, depending on my mood -- just about anything except really heavy metal and violent gangsta rap. Off the top of my head: early Tom Waits; Sinatra; Crowded House; Blue Rodeo; Kathleen Edwards; Feist; Edith Piaf; Dixie Chicks; Brad Paisley; Pete Seeger; Leonard Cohen; Billy Bragg; Greg Brown; bhangra music, classical...

Movies: Bollywood masala movies; 12 Angry Men; It's a Wonderful Life; Amelie; Babette's Feast; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner; The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming; The Third Man; The Shawshank Redemption, cheesy 1940s & '50s Hollywood musicals

TV (way too many!): The Rick Mercer Report; House; Top Gear; British mysteries -- Inspector Lewis, Midsomer Murders, Foyle's War, etc.; Law & Order; CSI; Doc Martin; Relocation, Relocation; Antiques Roadshow (BBC); Dexter; historical costume dramas; documentaries

I love florals (particularly lavender and lilac) and citrus scents. Also Nag Champa incense. I really miss the Body Shop Tobacco Flower stuff.

While I love them in the kitchen or in the great outdoors, I dislike cucumber, cinnamon, cherry/berry, vanilla and pine/fir in my bathtub, on my body, or in a candle holder.

Melon I just plain hate. :-)

• pig stuff, especially flying piggies (but not Miss Piggy) • India-related items (anything and everything related: Bollywood, Ganesha, maps, magazines, books, pictures, cards, etc. • knitting stuff: magazines, patterns, needles & gadgets/notions (point protectors, stitch markers, buttons, etc.) • smooth beads (nothing that yarn can snag on!), particularly glass & bamboo ones • jewellery findings: head pins, toggles, jump rings, split rings (especially silver-coloured ones) • Tofu Kawaii items, (Hannari Tofu, Tofu Oyako, etc.) • Indian or Thai Buddhas (i.e., not fat, giggly Chinese Buddhas) • paisley items • vintage (1900-1960) print ads, especially for beauty or household products (the cheesier, the better!) • tulips, roses, lilacs, irises -- most flowers, really • vintage View-Masters & reels (scenics & news rather than Disney, etc.) • Miffy/Nintje items • Classic Pooh (not Disney Pooh!) • Grover, especially Super Grover items • Moleskine pocket journals, particularly the lined reporter-style and the memo pocket ones • vintage travel-related stuff, particularly from the 1920s-'50s -- luggage labels, advertising, maps, guidebooks, etc. • trains and train-related art/advertising • bakelite items • vegan recipes (and vegetarian!) • bento items • business card holders • bookplates & bookmarks, especially homemade ones • stationery: notecards, notepads • ultra-fine Sharpies (any colour) • Scrabble and other word games/crosswords • Enid Blyton books (older editions) • Art Deco, Danish Modern

• altered books (I admire the skill and creativity of those who make them, but I have a problem with the concept) • meat, poultry & fish products and recipes containing them • foods that contain gelatin(e) (e.g. marshmallows, most gummy candies, Altoids) • cherry & cinnamon-flavoured candy (or gum) • licorice (Twizzlers as well as the real stuff) • Hello Kitty, Elmo and Disney character items • clowns • Sudoku

DeeBee - Newbie Yarn Ball