laffytaffyrainbow

I'm guessing that many people start their profile in the same way by saying ... 'hmmm what to write?!?!?' so I'm just going to start... then probably waffle a bit... then randomly stroll into my favourite world of rainbows, fluffy rabbits, unicorns, sweets, glitter and of course arts and crafts!

I love all crafts and specialise in textile based creations :) I taught textiles for seven years in the best school in the UK and have had some amazing opportunities due to my passion for crafting. I was rewarded by my last school with a 5* trip to China! It really was something special! Something I will never forget!

I love other cultures, the sheer beauty of traditions and ways of life ignite my creative imagination :) Recently I had a taste of stardom by being head hunted to work for Channel 4 as a design lecturer for Thelma Madine! I couldn't believe it at first ... it wasn't until I was munching on a jacket potato with her in the staff room that I realised 'Woah that's Thelma Madine!!!!!'

I have signed up to swap bot to share my love for crafting and spoil my future partners... I love creating beautiful parcels of lots of lovely gifts, and I love to write letters. When I was a tweenager I had 15 penpalls all over the world at one point. I loved receiving the airmail envelopes that were slightly bumped and bruised from their journeys far and wide. Two penpalls that really stand out are one from Japan, organised by the Girl Guides I was so proud to be a part of. I think this is where my love of all things kawaii and cute comes from :D I would love to visit Harajuku and also buy lots of Blythe dolls! I found that language could be a bit of an issue as I only just manage to cobble a few words together in English at the best of times! But that was a positive thing as it made me really creative in what I would send... you know that saying 'a picture paints a thousand words' well thats what I would do. I would make books and cards of art work, or create a maze of colour, sneak in some local sweet treats and create the good old mix tapes :) The second penpal that I have a special place for is my first ever one from Luxembourg, I was so lucky to have her in my life as she shared so many of the same interests and would send the most beautiful packages... not only to me, but to my family. The sweetest thing was when I told her my mum was ill and she sent her the most beautiful scarf xxxxx My mum passed away 5 years ago and I have a special box of some of her things that are special to me. And yes the scarf is in there x

I have had a bit of an eventful life so far for my 30 years, and I really do value everything that has made me me. I have struggled for over a decade with depression and anxiety but I always managed to cope with it (well hide it really as mental health has always been so taboo in the UK) but for the past two years I have struggled immensely ... so much so that I am undergoing therapy and have the help of my friend/partner/carer Wayne (its complicated when depression rules your life) and my brother who I found when I was 21 via the wonderful world of the internet. Without them I doubt I would still be around! Depression can strike at anytime in someones life and really is not as easy to deal with as saying 'snap out of it' or 'cheer up' sometimes I feel as if my brain hates me. When the depression really took hold of my life, I was at the top of my career... everything was right, but I didn't deserve it, so that was the start of my spiral. It's not all down days though... I do have up days here and there and this is one of those. Fair enough the insomnia is prompting me to get on the laptop, but at least I'm doing something :) I really do wish there was a magic wand though ... just to give me my confidence back! I really hope that swap bot helps me make some friends... the depression has stripped that away from me and I need an un intimidating way of meeting new people. Electronically and via snail mail seems the least daunting :)

My username is inspired by my new found love of Wonka sweets I had laffy taffy for the first time today... and I'm hooked! So if you are in America and paired with me... some sweet treats would be the bomb!!!! Jelly belly's rock!!!! Ooooooooooeeeeeeeooooooooo and tootsie rolls...can you tell I have sweet tooth!?!!! Oh and not forgetting Runts, Sweet tarts, Jolly Rancher, etc etc etc!!!! The only hitch is that they are sooooo hard to get hold of here and when you do find them they cost an absolute fortune!!!!

Whilst on the subject of food ...I'm a strict vegetarian and have two cats called 'to' (pronounced toe) (he's a boy) and 'fu' my little girl cat... I rescued them from a derelict house and fell in love with them :) I also have a guinea pig called Jack :)

I really cant wait for the Spring to arrive as I have just moved into a new house (to be closer to my brother who wants to help me manage my depression ) and I have a large garden :) I'm so excited as I have always wanted to grow my own vegetables. My kitchen windowsills are full of seedlings waiting to be planted outside... only hitch at the moment is the snow!!!! End of March and I am snowed in!

I really cannot wait to start sending things via snail mail :) oooo the nostalgia :)

I am going to stop the waffling for a second and just list the things that come into my head that I like (be warned ... I can be random and you may think 'Huh? How did she think of that ... from that?!?!' LoL!

1. Rainbows
2. Kawaii
3. Sewing
4. Crochet
5. Arty stuff
6. Fabric
7. Buttons
8. Beads
9. Embroidery Hooplas
10. Sketchbooks (empty and full)
11. Cats
12. Amigurumi
13. Cooking
14. Earl Grey
15. Flower pots
16. Mixed media art
17. Laurie Mika (amazing mosaic artist!)
18. Tonne Finnager (Tilda - amazing home furnishings crafty projects!)
19. Doodles
20. Road trips
21. Chai Latte
22. Zozo the magic queen
23. Altered art
24. Embroidery
25. Old architecture
26. Books
27. Dotees
28. Sewing patterns
29. New crafts
30. Wool
31. My car
32. Surprises
33. Magical Reveals (hmmm ... how to explain... like a pop up card ... you don't expect it.. or a plushie that turns into something else... or opening a box that is completely different on the outside to what is on the inside...)
34. Patchwork
35. Lace
36. Texture
37. Floral patterns
38. Geometric patterns
39. Photography
40. Secret worlds

Crafted items by other people that I would love

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!!!! If it has your love and attention I will cherish it. To be specific (as I like my partners to be specific, because I really want to make them happy)

Massive item swap wish list (seriously dont have to do this as they are huge amazing things that I have always wanted and know take extreme amounts of love and time!!!) 1. I would love a patchwork quilt... They are stunning! But as I mention later on... I would love to make my own quilt too consisting of collected patches of grey fabric from my swap partners all over the world. It can be plain or highly decorative ... The choice is yours... I just ask for it to be grey :)

1. Altered art. I love texture and layers. Zozo the magic queen is awesome and I would love some artwork to hang on the wall. A 3d art box would be simply cherished!!! I love the work of Laurie Mika, her shrines are stunning!

2. Stained glass... Not sure how safe it would be to post... But it is a craft that amazes me as I don't do it. Any glass work is just beautiful! I love the colours, the delicacy, the techniques used oh and the best thing has to be diachroics!!!!!! (Not sure how to spell it, but its stunning!) I bought a lovely glass brooch from a craft fair and absolutely love how it has been fused together... The depth to it and the way the light enhances its dimensions is just amazing!

I understand that these are MASSIVE asks ... But you never know... One day...

I really do mean it when I say I will truly love anything that is hand made.

Smaller and totally awesome wish list would include

1. A dotee... They are such cute little friends!
2. A handmade bound sketchbook would be awesome!
3. As I am a newbie I would love some stationary, some pretty envelopes and writing paper would be great!
4. Hand knitted socks :) I have tried making some and failed miserably!!! I'm a size 7.5 or 41/42 :)
5. A textural textile cover for my iPad would be awesome :)
6. Something for my new garden... A wind chime or something to hang would be lovely as I have lots of trees.
7. Textile art piece... I love texture and would love a large 30cm x 30cm art work of many layers and techniques ... I can frame it here to make it good for posting :)
8. A clay yarn bowl.... Yes please... That would be totally awesome!
9. What would be really cute is something for Harvey (9) and Roman (6) to open. They are Wayne's children who visit me. I love them to pieces as they make me smile and laugh so much! When I was writing in my friendship books they helped me by drawing in them... so cute! They were really interested in them traveling all over the world :) I'd like to include them :)

Things I could use

1. I love writing letters, so anything to help with that would be fantastic!
2. Yarn.... I LOVE YARN!
3. Fabric... You really can never have too much lol!
4. Rubber stamps ... I don't have any and would like to build a collection... I would love an alphabet set!
5. Sweeties ... NOM NOM NOM ... As long as they are suitable for vegetarians ;)
6. Embroidery silks
7. I'd love to learn how to make lace
8. Colour changing nail polish ... I really can't find it in this country! I have seen on American tv nail polish that changes in uv and by temperature... But can I find it here? Nope :(
9. Hair bobbles :)
10. Anything Swarovski... Like beads or hot fix rhinestones (I'm kind of addicted to them after working on My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding!!!
11. Mother of pearl,metal, glass or clay buttons have such a beautiful quality to them.
12. Knitting needles
13. Glass beads ... I mainly use seed beads or knitting gauge glass beads
14. Funky shoe laces
15. Ribbons, laces and trims ... You really can never have too much!
16. Dried flowers
17. Bias binding... I love to make corsets, so I get through lots of bias binding... I absolutely love quirky prints.
18. Purse frames ... I'd love to have a go at making a purse.
19. Kanzashi flowers... AMAZING!!!!!!
20. Needle felting kit... I would love to try this craft :)

Things I have NO use for I really don't want to waste your time, money or effort by not using what you send, and the last thing I want to do is offend anyone x but I guess writing down what I wouldn't use will save any heartache x

1. I don't paper craft, so card stock, magazine clippings, postcards, etc really wouldn't get used.
2. Plastic beads. I love to use glass beads as their lustre is beautiful, but I really don't like plastic beads. Sorry.
3. I don't wear jewellery
4. I don't use stickers... But maybe they would be good to decorate envelopes :)
5. As much as I love Kawaii .., the only things I would use of this would be stationary items so I could write to someone who loves it with it :)
6. Plastic buttons... I'm inundated with them!
7. Anything like a plastic model/toy
8. I really don't like anything to do with smoking

Favourite TV programs

1. Top Gear

2. Millionaire Matchmaker

3. The Real Housewives of Orange County

4. Anything Kirsty Allsopp

5. Come Dine with Me

Favourite Films

1. 10 Things I Hate About You ( MMMMMM Heath Ledger mmmmmm)

2. Despicable Me ( I'm just like Agnes!)

3. Wreck it Ralph

4. 13 Going on 30

5. Shrek

6. Drop Dead Fred

7. Sweeny Todd (beautiful visuals!)

8. Labyrinth

Music

1. Tool

2. Perfect Circle

3. NIN

4. Marilyn Manson

5. Ameli soundtrack (perfection!)

6. Electronic 80's

7. Dirty Beats (deep drum and base)

8. Ludovico einaudi ...simply amazing!!!!!

9. Sigur Ros

10. Halestorm

Favourite colours

Well it depends on what it is for ... Yes I love rainbows.. but thats the real ones... I could stare at them for hours! But in terms of crafted items I will explain ...

Interior

I am decorating my new home and to give you an idea of the scheme... everything in terms of decoration is plain and simple. Various tones of grey. The idea being that I will inject splashes of colour through art work, ornaments, trinkets and furnishings (that way it is easy to change the theme of the rooms without having to decorate all over again :D)

I love vivid lime greens, fuchsias, turquoises and peacock colour palettes.

Monochrome is also awesome! I love black and white doodles, and doodles that have been translated into embroideries. I also love pencil sketches :) Especially when they are really dark and full of emotion in the strokes!

I would love to build a collection of art works from pen pals all over the world. Artwork in any medium as I just love the thought that someone has spent time on something unique and special for me x

I also like the idea if making a patchwork quilt of fabric from all over the world too. It would be awesome if I could be sent a 20cm x 20cm square of fabric! It could be just a plain piece, or it could be worked on :) I just think it would be beautiful. I would limit the colour palette to shades of grey (hang on isn't that a raunchy book :O)!!!!

Things I don't like 1. I'm a strict vegetarian... so if you would like to send me some nom noms... please check to see if they are suitable for vegetarians :) Thank you

1. I also don't eat butter or margarine :)

2. Purple and orange together ... long story but it makes me physically sick lol!

3. Erm... struggling... Cotton wool ... eeeeeeee the feeling of it bleurgh! lol!

I really am looking forward to spoiling my partners :) I hope I get to sign up to more swaps soon, there is nothing better than receiving something from someone who has spent so much love, care and attention to detail on a special something for you!