MrsQ

I'm a 40-something bookseller who loves music (listening and playing) and crafty things. My largest obsession is knitting; I also love a good novel, fine chocolate, and excellent espresso (or any kind of DARK coffee, preferably organic & fairly-traded - on the other hand, I don't like decaf, flavoured, or Starbucks coffees). My (wonderful!) husband and I are devoted staff to four fabulous felines. I try to minimize the exposure of swaps to cats, but I can't promise 100%.

I love, love, LOVE the colour blue, especially darker, richer blues - cobalt, indigo, etc. However, I'm also trying to branch out, so other colours, especially rich jewel tones, are also welcome!

I also seem to collect funky paper, pens that feel like writing with silk, unlined journals, blue pottery, linen napkins, fabric placemats, candles...all manner of space-taking-up eclectica...."shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and kings." ...a decorating style that's more funky/Asian/ethnic than cutesy/floral/girly...

(I actually don't really like cabbage...but I do have a stick of sealing wax and a stamp for it - very fun!)

Candy: I like most everything except black licorice, peanuts (but I don't have nut allergies) and unusual "savoury" candies - I've had students from Japan and Korea give me candies with fish and stuff in them, and my bland Western palate can't handle 'em!

My personal philosophy is to do my best to walk gently on the planet, shop locally, support small businesses and artisans, live authentically, and try to be nicer to people. I am far from perfect at it, but I bumble along doing the best that I can.

And by the way - if for some reason, the snail-mail gremlins waylay a package from me to you - please email me and let me know! I will do my best to trace, or replace...

Most anything that doesn't sound too twangy, or like rodents being tortured. Or jazz that considers "laptop" a genuine instrument in an ensemble...but I will confess to a preference for rootsy-folksy stuff, like Iron & Wine, Bruce Cockburn, Neko Case, etc. I especially love to discover & support "indie" music of most genres: ethnic/world; folk; roots; danceable rock; etc.

Amelie, Lord of the Rings, Waking Ned Devine, Men With Brooms, A Mighty Wind

Too busy knitting/swapping/crafting to watch much (plus, we don't have a TV)...but I do have Netflix, and use it often!

I am still bitter that Firefly got cancelled...Grrr!

Knitting, making coffee, journalling (or at least, collecting funky blank journals...faster than I can fill them up, it seems!)

Anything by Barbara Kingsolver; Tolkien;Neil Gaiman; the Narnia books. "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" has been a recent favourite, as have "Station Eleven" and "The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender."