suzapalooza

My mother calls me the Queen of the Garbage Arts. I live in Los Angeles where I work for a software company; in my spare time I publish an independent magazine called ARTitude Zine, about art, craft and creativity. When I was a kid my favorite color was purple, but one day when I was 25 I woke up and suddenly realized that my favorite color is yellow -- the exact opposite of purple. I've been pondering that change of heart ever since.

Stuff I can sing to. In my CD changer right now: Lyle Lovett, Rickie Lee Jones, John Wesley Harding, Beastie Boys, B-52s, Patsy Cline, En Vogue. I love offbeat Christmas music and listen to it year-round.

Mary Poppins, The Godfather I & II, The Great Escape, In The Mood For Love, The Sting, Zoolander

I am loving the show on AMC called Mad Men, about NYC advertising agency in 1960 -- so stylish and beautiful to look at, and the story is intriguing too. Also: The Shield, Rescue Me, Lost, Project Runway, science/astronomy/archaeology programs. Mystery Science Theater 3000! Gilmore Girls before it sucked. Reruns of MAS*H, Hawaii Five-0 and Rockford Files. My secret shame is Survivor. My other secret shame is America's Next Top Model (curse you, VH1 marathons!).

Collage and various forms of embroidery. Fluent in the language of victorian silk ribbonwork. I enjoy knitting but I don't do it much, it's too hot where I live, but I do enjoy felting so I love hand-dyed wool roving! Recently I learned how to crochet and I can't stop; would love to receive miscellaneous partial balls of boring but bright-colored acrylic yarn for making granny squares, as well as amigurumi patterns. Mixed media quilting makes me happy. I hoard scrapbooking paper but do not scrapbook. I like things that are 1940s-1950s vintage, especially fancy buttons, cotton fabrics, kitschy kitchenwares. Everything is better with pink glitter and rhinestones on it. I would love to learn tatting! Looking for vintage embroidery patterns, frolicking puppies and cute vegetables with faces, that sort of thing. 100% cotton quilting fabric welcome.

I collect monkeys wearing clothing, star shaped things and cheesy Elvis stuff. I can't resist buying printed/patterned "deco" tape because I use it up with a quickness. I adore dark chocolate but I live in a warm climate, so if you are so kind as to send me some, please wrap it in plastic to contain any possible melt! :)

Here's a list of my favorites...

I like panda bears; red, goldenrod and robin's egg blue; leopard print; madras plaid; sari fabric; peaches and cherries; lavender and sandalwood; those square chalky violet-flavored candies my grandpa always had in his pocket; Moroccan-looking things; romantic floral prints; rings with big honking fake looking stones; creme brulee; small paintings on chunks of scrap wood; scalloped shelf edging paper; fragrant roses and lilacs; peanut butter cups; fresh corn on the cob; brownies made from Katherine Hepburn's recipe; retro Christmas; Formula 1 racing; Bare Escentuals eyeliners; Disneyland; swapping small handmade fabric quilties; Mary Poppins; Fever Pitch (the book, not the movie); seashells that are pink inside; Hello Kitty; messing around with fiber arts; and lazing in the sunshine with a kittycat dozing on my belly and a tall glass of lemonade at hand.