SusanLS

Update: My friend died a week ago. The funeral was Sunday. Two days later, we were in a serious single car accident when our car spun out on the freeway, the ABS didn't work, and we hit a pole. We are okay...bumps, bruises, broken ribs, but the psychic pain of seeing a light post come at you lingers. We are slowly recovering but it's all I can do right now to work. I did send out a few swaps today. The rest will trickle out. Please forgive me for being late and know that I will fulfill all swaps. Thanks.

Swap partners: Please bear with me right now. A few weeks ago a very close friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She's had a bad reaction to chemo and had several strokes as a result. As of July 4th, she has three to five weeks to live and my energy is directed to supporting her, her family and our community. She's only 55 and is the local Episcopal priest. We've been friends for over 25 years. I do plan to work on swaps as I can, and am taking things I can do while sitting with her, but it may be a bit before I get all caught up. Thanks.

Middle-aged, middle-class mother and grandmother. Married to my best friend who happens to be another woman. By day, I write indexes and edit other folks work. By night, I search the sky for alien lifeforms. And spin my own yarn.

I love to preach and do so regularly at my UU church. I used to love to read until I started reading for a living. Now I still love to read but sometimes can't bring myself to do it.

I'm more educated than I probably should be with degrees in Computer Science, Education, Anglican Theology, Spiritual Traditions and Ethics, and Publishing/Technical Writing.

My kids are grown but one is in the circus. So maybe she's not so grown. She's an aerial dancer.

I have two grandkids, with a third (a girl!) due in August.

Never met a book I didn't at least try to read. Right now I'm reading UU theology because I should be writing a sermon instead of doing this. Yesterday I read YA and a memoir. Tomorrow, who knows.

I love books about Shakespeare, liberal theology (any faith), body energy, tarot, quilting, design, altered art, watercolors, mysteries, quirky history.

My all time favorite author is Madeleine L'Engle. One of my kids is named Meg. 'Nuff said.

Other authors I enjoy: Jonathon and Faye Kellerman, Nevada Barr, Diana Butler Bass, Karen Armstrong, Rita Nakashima Brock, Rebecca Parker, Donna Eden, Kathleen Norris, Rita Mae Brown, A.J. Jacobs

My passion is fiber. I dye, spin, knit, crochet, quilt, sew, felt, and weave. But I also love paper. Of course, it could be argued that paper IS fiber. And paint. Clay can be fun, too, sometimes. But mostly I spin. We call our family room "the room sheep go to explode." Not that any have, but the room is full of looms, spinning wheels, sewing machines and FIBER

Like Gandhi, I believe that world peace could be achieved if everyone would just spin their own yarn.

Did I mention I'm a writer? I write non-fiction, poetry, mysteries, and have had more articles published than I'll ever be able to count. I was a journalist for close to twenty years.

I'm also a trained theologian and I love to write midrash. Theology is my intellectual passion much as spinning is my creative passion. Sometime I try to mix the two.

I do crafts to let ideas incubate. Then I write.

Colors: Jewel tones, blues, purples, greens, reds, pinks, blues, cream, rose, batiks, abstract, floral, pastels with small prints...okay, almost anything....I quilt. I need stash! Nothing too baby though, don't do too much of that.

Sewing Fibers: cotton, silk, wool, wool felt, muslin, wool challis, flannel prints or plaids, charm packs, fat quarter packs, decorative handkerchiefs (old or new), crocheted doilies, collars, cuffs. Embroidered linens

Spinning Fibers: merino, corriedale, silk, bamboo, all-natural blends, sari silk, glitz

Paper: Card stock, rag paper, tissue paper, origami paper, foil, ephemera, canceled postage stamps, old post cards, old trade cards, cartoons (especially those of a humorous and irreverent theological bent). Fortune cookie fortunes. Odd bits of this and that. Advertising bookmarks, especially from bookstores. Anything odd, quirky, or bizarre. Aliens, but not cutesy ones. All colors and styles

Other: Variegated threads, unusual crochet hooks, cigar boxes, iron-on bias tape (especially handmade), handmade piping, good quality dye for wool, cotton, or silk, stencils, anything Celtic, drop spindles, interesting templates for quilting, crystals, jewelry fixings, buttons, unusual beads, rhinestones, crystals (iron on), odd patches or appliques (the weirder the better), ribbons, Scrabble tiles, Mahjong tiles, poker chips, game pieces, trinkets and doodads, old photos, old letters, pages with Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese or any non-Roman script on them, wooden beads, prayer beads (but not rosaries), beach glass, stone beads, paper beads, old Tarot cards, old playing cards, old military buttons, ribbons, and medals, unusual religious symbols or art, funny bumperstickers (not crude....esoteric or smart are wonderful), handmade anything over store bought, old over new, your trash may be my treasure

Note: No smoking or heavy scents please. Allergies, you know. And I don't do cutesy.

NCIS, Big Bang Theory, Medium, Numbers, Daily Show, Criminal Minds, Star Trek: Next Generation, Dr. Who, Monk, Psych, House, Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency

Armadillos Cows Spiders and Spiderwoman (the Native Goddess, not the superhero) Dragonflies Crosses (especially unusual ones) Ankhs Star of David Chalices with flames

I am not into crude, tasteless, or cute. I like interesting, creative, outsider. Unusual religious items or images guarantee stars!