myhalfofthebrain

mostly i quilt, but I'm beginning to do some easy sewing projects like purses, totes, coasters, and lounge pants. hope to get more experienced and try some trickier things. also learning some basic embroidery

I'm just dipping my toes into: dotees, ATCs, inchies, and zentangles.

I like bright modern fabrics (think amy butler, kaffe fassett, alexander henry, anna maria horner, etc.) and black/whites. I'm not keen on holiday-themed or 'cute' fabric. I would be thrilled to receive 5" charms, fat 1/8ths or larger pieces of fabric and any kind of notions or doo-hickeys. As a quilter, I work in cotton, but for the things I'm learning to do, can use small pieces of other materials, too. An extra-special fabric surprise would be dupioni silk fat quarters.

Am just starting to learn to make Dotees and I don't have much in the way of embellishments, so those would be quite welcome.

I'm starting a small collection of craft felt, and would love to receive die cut felt shapes like very small flowers or geometric shapes that I could use to make pincushions.

I'm also interested in ric-rac and hand-made double-fold binding for quilts.

I've just bought a Sizzix Big Shot on ebay, so if you have old dies (any size or brand--it's supposed to be a universal machine) you don't use any more, I can make good use of them.

I would love to receive handmade or store-bought kits with instructions for crafts not on my list of things I already know how to do.

I love quilting magazines from Australia and New Zealand.

Ephemera, for my budding interest in ATCs and inchies.

I'm not so interested in kawaii or cutesy.

Lost, Heroes, Boston Legal, American Idol, Project Runway, Top Chef, What Not To Wear, all those stupid addictive crime and medical shows on cable.

I'm currently into books on Spirituality, Buddhism, and Quakerism. I'm reading Edgar Sawtelle right now and loving it, but I feel like such a bad dog mommy since I didn't teach my dogs sign language.

I have two rescued greyhounds, Hoover and Artemus. They love handmade martingale collars and greyhound coats for the upcoming winter season. They would also enjoy squeaky toys and homemade dog-treats. Costumes might be fun, but they are big dogs with very big chests and small hips, so they are pretty hard to fit.

joann.com--for basics, www.quiltersmarket.com is my local quilt shop, www.hancocks-paducah.com--fabric heaven, small, independent vendors on etsy and on the web.

You can find my etsy favorites here

Candy, especially from outside the US, is always welcome, but chocolate doesn't do too well in the mail here. We are the last street on our mail route, often getting mail after 5PM, and those trucks get hot. It's probably safe in the months of November, December, January, and February. (It's Tucson, remember!) If sending chocolate, I like it with things in it, not just chocolate. Just in case, please wrap in plastic.

I adore tootsie pops, especially the brown ones. I only eat the purple ones when I'm desperate ;)

I love ginger candies.

And I REALLY love Zotz.

I may be starting a healthier eating plan soon. If so, I'll update this section.

I'm a coffee drinker, but would like to learn more about teas, so feel free to send some to me.

I'm a vegetarian, so no meat or products containing gelatin, please. (You might be surprised at the things that aren't vegetarian--some breakfast cereals, some yogurts, and some sour creams have gelatin in them!--not that you'd be sending those!) I love vegetarian jerky, if you happen to have a source. I keep it in my purse in case there aren't veggie options when away from home.

Barack Obama!

Yes! We! Can!