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spinjenny

spinjenny

Last login: August 29, 2008
Country: United Kingdom
My Website
My Blog
My Flickr Photos

Please Note


I apologise for being so terribly late with some of my 'handmade' swaps. I am working on them, and all my stash/shopping/postcard swaps have been sent out on time.


If you need to fill in a customs form, please make what you send sound less exciting than I am sure it really will be. If you are sending hand crafted items or craft supplies, the best thing to do is to mark the "gift" box and just write "hobby craft exchange" in the description section. This increases the chance that the item will actually reach me.


Our cat has access to all rooms in the house so, although I try to keep all swap items away from her, I cannot guarantee that there will be no cat hairs on or in my packages. In particular, cat hairs seem to be attracted to clear sticky tape! If you have a cat allergy, please let me know and I will be extra careful. If your allergy is really severe, I can arrange to get bought items sent direct to you or get someone else to make something for you while I make something for them.

No-one in this house smokes.


badge betatester

Waterfalls I reuse packaging.

BritishBirds


About Me

I'm 59, and I live with my husband and our very spoilt cat Wysi (having lost our much loved Tigs in April). I am intensely curious about the world, I love to try something new, and I'm addicted to Killer Sudoku. There isn't much more to say about me that isn't covered in other sections ...

Favourite Crafts

I used to spend most of my free time involved in fibre crafts - knitting, weaving, spinning, bobbin lace, braiding (kumihimo and other forms), felting and so on.

I still do those, but I am now doing papercrafts too and having a lot of fun - ATCs. postcards, making my own background papers. I also want to make simple books and try chunky and altered books.

Through textile ATCs/postcards, I am trying quilting again.

I've also started to play with polymer clay.

Colours

Favourites: teal, blue, purple, burgundy, silver; also light grey and other natural fibre colours, but almost any other colour can look good in the right place.

Least favourites: sludgy colours like mustard, ochre, olive - also neons. I don't wear pink or citrus colours (orange, lemon, lime), and I don't really like any of them as dominant colours, except for pink flowers, but they are fine in smaller amounts.

Things I like a lot

These are only the things I can think of at this moment. There are lots of other things I like:

  • handmade textiles - handwoven fabric, handknit items, handspun yarn, hand-dyed anything

  • spinning fibre - mostly soft/fine wools and other animal fibres, as I am not fond of spinning plant fibres, although I like knitting and weaving with them

  • handspindles - high whorl or supported, particularly lightweight ones for lace/cobweb yarns

  • photographs - black & white 'arty' photos, flowers and close-ups are my favourites

  • Japanese/Chinese calligraphy and brush painting - I love looking at them, and I try to produce them

  • 'Western' calligraphy and typography - I like looking at good examples and every now and then I try my hand at calligraphy myself - perhaps one day I'll practice enough to like what I produce

  • pen and ink drawings, pencil sketches - that's how my DH wooed me, he's good at them. :-) My father was also very good and I want to get better myself

  • the work of MC Escher - also optical illusions in general.

  • cats, flowers, trees, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bumblebees, monkeys/apes, frogs, sheep, llamas, alpacas, bunnies and other fibre-producing critters.

Things I like to receive

Please don't feel limited by this list. I'll try to remember to add to it as new ideas occur to me, but it will never be complete. I love surprises, and I like to discover new things.

  • postcards - particularly ones featuring sheep or other fibre-producing creatures, textiles, fibre crafts, quilting - sent as cards (therefore postmarked) or unused

  • small notebooks and sketchbooks

  • notecards, particularly if featuring cats or sheep or flowers

  • craft papers - mulberry papers and similar, or if patterned, then subtle colours rather than gaudy

  • rubber stamping supplies - stamps, mounted or unmounted, kindly used or new (small ones for ATCs, background stamps, alphabet stamps, flowers, birds, cats) - I would love a small stamp of a wren, stylised or realistic (I have a wren stamp now, but I would still welcome others) - also temporary mounting sheets (EZ mount, tack n peel, or similar), inkpads, embossing materials

  • embellishments - brads, beads, ribbons, buttons (ordinary and novelty), sparkly or unusual threads

  • interesting postage stamps (cancelled is fine, or even on your envelope)

  • art supplies - particularly inks, coloured pencils, crayons, and also anything suitable for ATCs

  • polymer clay supplies - I'm mostly using Fimo Soft and Effects as that is what is available locally, but I'd love to try other brands too - particularly translucent or special effect clays - anything else which could be used with polymer clay would be welcome too

  • fabrics for quilting/patchwork - cottons, plain or subtle patterns preferred - smallish scraps are fine, as I would mostly be using them for ATCs, postcards or small wallhangings

  • novelty yarns - small amounts for braiding and for ATC embellishment - including knitting ribbons (the kind which are really a tube - nice whether plain or space-dyed)

  • knitting stuff - I love knitting socks and fine lace - I knit mostly for friends and family, so if I don't like the colour(s) to wear myself, I'll know someone for whom it will be perfect - I knit socks on short dpns (5-6"), lace on circulars - I don't use stitch markers a lot, but when I do, I like them to be special (not just the cheap plastic or rubber kinds) and I like the loop around the needle to be quite thin

  • spinning and felting stuff - soft fibres (not mohair), handspindles (particularly lightweight high-whorl ones) and fine needlefelting needles.

  • small or flat sheep related stuff - I do collect sheepy items, but I don't have a lot of space for them - postcards, greetings cards and small figurines are perfect

  • I adore most chocolate (but not liqueur, marzipan, peanuts or cherry - see below), and I like to try sweets (translation, candy) which we cannot get in the UK - if I don't like it, I can almost guarantee my DH will eat it

Please do not send me

I can't cope with most scented products, they make me breathless, make me sneeze and/or give me a sore throat. That includes items washed in many laundry products or with dryer sheets. I'm not likely to end up in hospital, but it is very unpleasant for me. If something in your package has a strong scent, I may not be able to use other items which pick up that scent either.

Things I prefer not to receive

I will not be annoyed if you send me any of these things, or rate you down for it, but I will not use them. I can pass them on to friends or to other swap partners, but really it would be better if you save them to send to someone else

  • anything flavoured with any form of alcohol - not on principle, but even tiny amounts make me very sick, and always have done. I can cook with wine, as that burns the alcohol off, but even that I only do occasionally to please DH. The only exception is rum truffles, as DH loves them!

  • ground almonds in any form, including marzipan. This is not an allergy, but I have a strong aversion - it tastes rancid to me and I have to spit it out. Whole/flaked/coarsely chopped almonds are fine, as are most other ground nuts including ground hazelnuts.

  • peanuts and peanut butter - again I'm not allergic, but I have an aversion to them too, though less strong than to the ground almonds.

  • strawberry-flavoured things - I am allergic to real strawberries and don't like artificial strawberry flavours.

  • cherry-flavoured things - they taste like cough medicine to me - ugh!!! I do like fresh cherries, though.

  • coffee, or anything coffee-flavoured or -scented. If you do send me anything with coffee, my husband will make sure it isn't completely wasted, though. :-)

  • I prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible, so on the whole, I'd rather have the 'normal' version of foods and drinks than the 'diet' version.

  • I'm not into really 'girly' things, or Hello Kitty or Kawaii type of cute things, though I would make an exception for small SheepO items and I'm a sucker for real photos of baby animals.

  • I don't wear make-up, nail polish, lip gloss or similar products, nor do I wear earrings.

  • socks - I rarely wear other than hand-knit socks, and I have plenty of bought ones anyway.

  • although I make ATCs and do other papercrafts, I don't use ephemera or stickers much, or other people's stamped images

  • Although I am interested in religion and spirituality in general, I would prefer not to receive anything specific to any organised religion. The exception is anything educational (rather than proselytising) about religions other than Christianity. That is not due to any bias against Christianity but because I grew up in a Christian-dominated culture, so I am familiar with the basics, whereas other religions are less familiar to me and I would like to learn more about them.

Other Favourites

I'm not sure how useful it is to list these as I don't usually join the kind of swaps to which they are relevant, but as it seems to be expected, here they are ...

Books

Fiction:
I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy. I love Terry Pratchett, LOTR and Harry Potter. I also like crime fiction, particularly if it has a some humour. I love the Stephanie Plum books, but can't quite get into the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I am not fond of gory horror or romance novels in general, but there are exceptions.

Other than those genres, I have eclectic tastes. I discover other enjoyable books by browsing the library and book stores (local and online) and by reading reviews - personal recommendations from friends too.

Non-fiction:
Craft books, of course - history as well as How-To.
Books which celebrate words and word-play.
History and archaeology books about the lives of ordinary people rather than full of kings and generals and dates of battles.
Serendipitous library and bookstore finds.

Music

A wide range - early classical, blues, folk, rock.

Movies

"Casablanca", "Some Like it Hot", "Harvey", "The Blues Brothers", "Life of Brian", "Chicken Run", Wallace & Gromit, Indiana Jones, "Spirited Away", "Kind Hearts and Coronets", the Marx Brothers, "The Ladykillers" (1955 original), "The Producers" (1968 original), "Truly Madly Deeply", "Sleepless in Seattle", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"

TV

It's so difficult to pick a few titles, but "MASH" was probably my favourite ever comedy series, "Hill Street Blues" and the "Law & Order" variants are/were the best US cop shows, "ER" for US medical dramas.

I love SF, so of course I was a Trekkie, but I also loved Babylon 5 and still love both Stargates. Nearer home, I am so pleased they revived Dr Who, and John Barrowman makes Torchwood irresistible.

I also love cookery shows, wildlife/nature documentaries and lots of UK drama series and classic serials.


Ratings

ColorInFusion rated for Quotecard Postcard #15! on Aug 22, 2008
5
rating
Comment: I love the postcard and the quote, thank you
Response: LOL, we both have good taste!
jenkosman rated for Quotecard Postcard #15! on Aug 22, 2008
5
rating
Comment: thank you for the quote - very true! Have you tried to make a kusudama yet? there are some good how to videos on youtube...
Response: Thanks for the heart! I've made a few of the individual elements for a couple of the ones I found on youtube, and I've also made a 5-piece flower from "The Peace of Paper" site, but I haven't made enough of any of them to assemble into a kusudama yet. I will eventually, though.
dulcimer rated for 'Make Your Partner Laugh! on Aug 19, 2008
5
rating
Comment: This one made the sour puss mail carrier laugh as well. Thanks so much.
Response: Thanks! I 'm glad you liked it. It gave me a good giggle. :)
brokenfaedoll rated for 'Make Your Partner Laugh! on Aug 16, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for the cute postcard, Jenny. The eyes got a little bit flattened, but they survived! Thanks for the laugh! :)
Response: Thanks, Mel!
Keti rated for (private) keti and spinjenny on Aug 14, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Wonderful pattern, Jenny, thank you for your patience!
JennyTheArtist rated for spinjenny & JennyTheArtist on Aug 12, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Love all the colorful felt & fabric. yes, the pumpkins are my favorite ^_^
notahippie rated for Quotecard Postcard #14! on Aug 1, 2008
5
rating
 
5
rating
Comment: pretty, pretty, pretty purple!!! i love this postcard, it's gorgeous!!! thank you!!!
Response: Thank you for the heart, and I am so glad you like the card! I am also very, very relieved that it made it to you safely, as it is the first time I've risked adding beads to a 'naked' postcard.
embryonichappyperson rated for Quotecard Postcard #14! on Jul 23, 2008
5
rating
 
motox rated for Quotecard Postcard #14! on Jul 22, 2008
5
rating
Comment: I love the Pooh card!! I collect Pooh related items so it was the perfect postcard for me and it will be going in my Pooh and friends scrapbook. I also enjoyed the Jane Austin quote and will be adding it to my quote notebook!!
Response: Thanks for the heart! I'm glad you like it. I saw the Pooh reference in your profile, so I knew that card needed to be yours. :-)
5
rating
Comment: Thank you so much for the nice postcards! I enjoyed them so much!!! I loved the villages!
luvcatzzz rated for I know what you did last summer... on Jul 14, 2008
5
rating
Comment: if i could give you a million hearts for this one, i would! amazing package! thank you SO SO SO SO MUCH for everything!!!!! wowowowow!
Response: I'm so glad you like it! I had great fun shopping for it. :-)
chaitee rated for (private) chaitee and spinjenny on Jul 10, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Thankyou so much Jenny! Getting your package really helped turn my day from a stressful one into a grand one (honestly, I don't think you'd realise how great the timing was). I absolutely loved *everything* you sent! I went for a walk through the park with my son and studied every card. Thanks so much :)
Response: I'm glad you liked them, and that they arrived at such a useful time. :-)
AngelFaeryKathleen rated for Quotecard Postcard #13! on Jul 8, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Hi spinjenny, I enjoyed both the card and the quote, thank you, hugs :-)
kristininflorida rated for Quotecard Postcard #13! on Jul 5, 2008
5
rating
 
5
rating
Comment: Loved the cupcake postcard! This was a great smelling package! When I first got it, I could smell the Lady Grey tea! Thanks so much for taking the time to write the names and individually package them! Great teas! Can't wait to try them! Thanks so much!
Response: Wow, that reached you quickly! I hope you enjoy the teas. I love the smell of the Lady Grey too :-)
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for some wonderful goodies. They were eaten well..lol
5
rating
Comment: Thanks! I think the postcard was lovely, and the quote was perfect! I've collected a lot of cat quotes, but this one I've never heard before :D
5
rating
Comment: now that is a house on wheels! thanks for the postcard!
Lucky12324 rated for (private) fruit tea swap on Jun 1, 2008
5
rating
Comment: Thanks so much for the tea, I cannot wait to try them all now!

Rating Overview

Overall Hearts Stars  
4.9521 90 12  
Completed Fives Threes Ones
87 165 0 2
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Comments

monstermansmum05 on Aug 21, 2008:

Thank you for my hug ;p

dragonfly on Jul 31, 2008:

Caption Action Winner!

win

littlewanda on Jul 19, 2008:

Hi Jenny. Thank you for my birthday pressy! I adore the ladybirds, felt and bottle top pincushion :)

Godsrockangel on Jul 10, 2008:

ok thats kinda big - you can delete if you would like and I will find something smaller!!!!

Godsrockangel on Jul 10, 2008:

Well done for guessing my what did i do for.....

chaitee on Jul 7, 2008:

Hi Jenny, just thought that I would let you know that I mailed your package 3 or 4 days ago; I hope it gets to you speedily :)

TerryF on Jul 1, 2008:

Cation Action Winner!

kizmet on Jun 26, 2008:

Extra thanks for the Cherry Chocolate ^_^ Let's see how long it will last now ! You really made my day!

TerryF on Jun 12, 2008:

CA Winner AGAIN!

lookcloselypress on Jun 8, 2008:

Hi there! I just wanted to let you know that my black & white postcard swap has now been changed to allow digital (as long as the print is black-and-white), and I would love it if you still wanted to join!

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