lostinavalon

WHEN POSSIBLE, PLEASE USE STAMPS---I'M A COLLECTOR!

Please, I beg of you, don't fill my envelope with CONFETTI! There is nothing worse than getting doused with itsy bitsy bits of... Some people love that. I'm not one of those people.

I am a 33 year old wife of 15 years and mother of 9. I have 4 boys and 5 girls aged 13 down to newborn. My husband and I homeschool our kids and he also is employed as a Software Engineer for a local company. I have an off and on relationship with our local university studying History and English literature. I enjoy reading historical fiction and most nonfiction, sewing and all kinds of crafting. I love anything tea-related and pink, cottage, shabby chic styles. I love Hello Kitty and dolls. My favorite time periods are the Regency, Victorian and Edwardian eras. My favorite artist is the painter, Jan Vermeer. My favorite holiday is St. Patrick's Day. We spend a lot of time at home and have a pretty relaxing life! I blog at http://www.hopeineveryseason.com and also host a weekend link-up party there for crafters, homemakers, etc. I'd love to have you come link up your blogs and show off your stuff! I am a BookCrosser and would LOVE some labels if you've got any! :)

Seasonal note: I don't celebrate Halloween so please don't send Halloween things...Fall-themed things are great! Pumpkin stuff is fine...just not Jack O' Lanterns...thanks! :) Although we love to celebrate Christmas, we don't "do Santa" so I don't have much use for Santa-themed items. However I do like the vintage or Old World-style "Santas" where he looks more like the actual St. Nicholas may have and less like a cartoon character.

U2 is my most favorite band! However, I also like to listen to Journey, INXS, and The Eagles. I really love classical piano, Celtic harp, and Scottish bagpipes. I listen to most anything from the 80s-90s, including most Country music. I love almost all Christian contemporary worship music.

I DON'T like rap, heavy metal, most "Oldies", and anything with excessive profanity.

BookCrossing.com Wishlist

Paperbackswap.com Wishlist

I'm a BookCrosser...are you? Let me know! Jane Eyre is currently my favorite book. My favorite genre is Classics---anything 1940 or so and earlier. I haven't read a whole TON of Classics so if you've got a recommendation, send it my way! I've enjoyed work by Henry David Thoreau, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott. and the Brontes. I enjoy some Christian fiction, some nonfiction, art books. I like non-murder cozy mysteries but have a hard time finding them. I love to read about art history.

I DON'T read romance novels, sci-fi, murder mysteries, anything involving graphic violence, any sort of negativity toward children or anything containing sexual encounters.

I like watching most movies made before about 1970 or so. I like movies based on Classical novels or the lives of authors. I like watching all of the Classics. Usually, if I watch something that was put out recently, it's a documentary or based on a book. I like the "old" (1980s and earlier) Disney and Looney Tunes cartoons. I really don't watch a lot of movies but am willing to give most things a try. I own both a VCR and DVD player.

I DON'T watch anything violent, graphic, full of profanity, or full of sexual encounters. I usually don't watch anything above a PG rating unless it is rated higher for violence such as a war documentary or something.

I only watch what I can get on Netflix. DR. WHO!!!, Mythbusters, the Stargate series, Sanctuary, Merlin...

I love doing most crafts! My favorite themes are Regency, Victorian and Edwardian era art, Alice in Wonderland, vintage styles, shabby chic, cottage style, children, flowers, and places in Europe like PARIS or the UK. I love to do paper crafts and anything "girly". I am a scrapbooker! I love to do altered art and am starting to build a collection of "found items". I would like to learn to paint roses and other flowers. I am a pretty skilled seamstress and love to make my daughters dresses from different time periods. Right now, my oldest daughter has got a pretty good collection of Revolutionary War era dresses that I've made. I am also wanting to begin quilting soon.

Pink and green, pink and brown, pink alone :)

Sweet chocolate like milk, white or not-too-bitter semi-sweet, no chocolate with fruit but chocolate with nuts is fine; LOVE Lindt White Chocolate Truffles!!!, carmels; chocolate and carmel or chocolate and peanut butter together; marshmallow candies like Peeps or chocolate covered marshmallows; carmel corn; tangy fruity candy like Skittles or Starburst; spearmint gum; Cadbury chocolate

Prefer Hot Chocolate when doing hot drinks swaps

Tea: peppermint or plain ONLY; (unless swap is sender's choice, of course! :)

I have no food allergies. I don't drink coffee. I don't like black licorice.

Candles: cinnamon, "baked" things like apple pie, pumpkin pie, etc.; eucalyptus, fruity; most Scentsy bars

Lotions & Bath Products: lavender, rose, verbena, almond, light florals

I have no allergies to scents.

stamps; postcards; buttons; sea glass; old canning jars; old books; miniature salt & pepper shakers; Limoges pottery; old photos; toile; tea-related items; French-themed items; birds; doilies; handmade potholders, especially the doll dress design; Blue Ridge pieces in "Pinkie" design, glass bottle stoppers, strawberries, kitchen kitsch