purplewhimsy

About me: I love walks under the moonlight on the ocean, connecting with friends, and dark chocolate. I am a hippy at heart.

I love nature, thinking, pondering, wondering, being filled with awe.

I love the smell of fresh brewed coffee, warm toast, GINGERBREAD, lavender, lilacs, lily of the valley, ocean breezes, and spring rain.

I enjoy going on serendipitous rides, and poking through used bookstores, old general stores, thrift stores and dollar stores.

Anywhere a bargain can be found, I like to find it!

I am 50-ish, blissfully partnered for 16 wonderful years with my true soulmate (who happens to also be an artist), and together we share a home with 2 cats and 2 delightful Pomeranians to keep me company during the day while my spinal degenerative arthritis keeps me home.

I love to decorate my home, and my taste is very colorful, whimsical, and artistic. I'm beginning to like "shabby chic" and cottage styles, as well as some vintage and retro looks. My kitchen has eggplant-colored walls, and decorative items related to coffee. I'd love to bring in a bit more vintage/ retro to the kitchen.

I don't do Christmas, but I loves me some happy, colorful snow peeps and gingerbread peeps, too. I also like to decorate the house with seasonal garlands...... spring-ish things for spring, kites and beach and ocean-y things for summer, harvest-y and leaf-y things for autumn, and snow peeps, gingerbread peeps, tiny sweaters and mittens and hats for winter. Just nothing that looks/says Christmas, but anything that's generically WINTER is fine.

I adore: RETRO HOUSEWIFE!
LITTLE BIRDIES, OWLS, SCOTTY DOGS, CATS, HEDGEHOGS, PENGUINS, FAIRIES, WOODLAND FORESTS, cupcakes, mushrooms, GNOMES, chickens
Stripes (red & white striped, blue and white striped...) I hate red, white & blue together, though!
Dots & spots!!
Aunt Grace/30's pastel repro's
Gingham!
Mary Engelbreit
Almost anything food/fruit, coffee, tea, citrus
Winter themes like snowflakes, snow folks, gingerbread people and such are GREAT! just no real green & red Christmas-y themes, please!

Color schemes I love:

red, aqua, pink and white
Anything purple and/or pink
Brights: Purple, kiwi (lime), fuschia, bright blue, orange, yellow
Pastels: pink, aqua, lavender, yellow, blue, very soft green Black & white; red & white; blue & white; but NO red, white & blue together, please!
Marbles (brights & pastels); tonals, Lavender/purple & yellow

NOTICE THAT I DISLIKE: NEUTRALS, (browns, tans, beige, ivory, cream--as a main color; tiny accents would be okay), MOST ORANGES, BURGUNDY, NAVY, FOREST GREEN, KELLY GREEN, "CHRISTMAS" GREEN, mosty anything "dark" and "primitive" and "country" and I really dislike americana ( that includes red, white & blue together! ) please no 4th of July or flag or pro-USA-themed fabrics either I also don't do Christmas and Halloween themes. The only exception to disliking oranges, burgundy, greens is that I do love autumn, so fall-themed anything is great.

1. any magazine in good condition (faves would be craftsy, homemaking, recipes, women's mag such as Woman's World or First, but not fashion mags)
2. used cozy mystery or cook books
3. dark chocolate
4. embroidery supplies (pattern, tea towel, floss, needles, etc)
5. sewing supplies (fabric, thread, pattern, magazine, book, etc.)
6. knitting supplies (needles, yarn, magazine, etc.)
7. craft or art supplies of any kind
8. dollhouse/fairy door (why? see http://www.urban-fairies.com)
9. old apron (not modern butcher-style) or pattern or anything related to old aprons
10. anything else of your choice (my profile probably gives good ideas)

2 things that scare me: 1. horror books and films 2. icy weather

2 of my everyday essentials 1. the internet 2. receiving snail mail

2 of my favorite scents 1. lavendar or lilac 2. Coffee brewing and/or gingerbread baking

2 of my favorite hobbies 1. Sewing and embroidery 2. Knitting

2 things I am thinking about right now 1. getting some sewing and crafting done today 2. trying to find how to make my own iron on embroidery transfers I can print from my printer

2 favorite shows 1. Vicar of Dibley 2. toss up between Eli Stone, Samantha Who, Men in Trees, The Apprentice, and Survivor----ONLY because I can embroider or knit while watching TV

2 favorite things about my house 1. the way the radiators smell like a warm iron when they heat up 2. laundry room on the main floor

2 least favorite chores 1. Cleaning out the refrigerator 2. Eating most leftovers

2 ways I am trying to improve myself right now 1. Crafting things to sell 2. Eating more healthfully and mindfully and losing weight (35 pounds gone since April!)

2 favorite craft products right now 1. F A B R I C 2. did I mention fabric? I did? Are you sure? Okay, then, embroidery floss in all its multitudinous, delightful, yummy colors!

2 foods I love 1. does chocolate count as a food? No? Well, then, sub sammies or pizza 2. Chinese

2 things that make me smile: 1. my pets 2. creating (especially making toys and sewing thigs and embroidery projects...oh, and knitting...)

I do have some (medically verified) memory issues related to my other health issues, so sometimes I forget to reply to messages or emails. So far, I'm doing okay with swaps, although I've really cut back. If you need to hear from me about something, don't hesitate to contact me a second time.

When my father died this past spring, I did get behind with a couple of swaps. I let everyone know. I just totally shut down and couldn't bear to go into my studio to create. Over the summer, I caught up with all my swaps. I sent everything out to everyone I owed, which was about 4 swaps total. Only one person has never come back to Swap-Bot to remove the 1 rating. I sent her a very nice handmade button bag, hand sewn and hand embroidered, filled with buttons, and it took several hours to complete. I have emailed her several times, but she has never responded, never signed back on to Swap-Bot, and not even updated her web site. I did make good on the swap, and have post office delivery confirmation to prove it. So please know that I have never ever flaked/swaplifted a swap. I have been a few days late upon occasion, and was several weeks late last spring with my father's death. I put a lot of thought into every swap package I send out, and try to include extra goodies to make it a nice package whenever I can. I've been on Swap-bot for more than 2 years.