sarahplease

I am having to take a break from swaps for a bit now. The start of the kindergarten school year is kicking my butt. And, on top of that I am having jaw surgery soon and I am starting a culinary arts degree. I must be mad.

I teach kindergarten and love it. I look forward to retiring (though only 4 years into teaching so I have a way to go) so I can open a chocolate and pastry shop (in northern France would be my dream). I love to sew, make chocolates, bake, garden, and create. I love to travel and explore new places.

I do love music! My favorites tend to be BritPop, music from the 90's, Americana, and catchy tunes. Currently, I am listening to a lot of Florence and the Machines, Mumford and Sons, Micah P Hinson, Caribou, The Earlies, Peter Bjorn and John, Trashcan Sinatras, and Ryan Adams. I can't say there is anything that I absolutely hate, but I would be content to never hear anymore steel drums, slow jazz, death metal, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Doors.

I am in love with children's books. There is something spectacular about fitting a whole story in just 32 pages.

A few on my top books ever (for now at least):

• Children Make Terrible Pets (brilliant!)
• Flight of the Dodo (fantastic)
• Diary of a Wombat (proof that wombats should not be pets)
• We Were Tired of Living in a House (from back in the day)
• Let's Be Enemies (from back in the day)
• Chester (he is one crazy cat)

I generally fall asleep in the previews.

Here are a few that I have stayed awake for and like...

• Where the Wild Things Are
• The Sweet Hereafter
• This is England
• Juno
• Once

Barcelona is one of the greatest cities on Earth.

Some other cities that I think are pretty cool include:

• Manchester UK
• LaTouque (northern France)
• Paris (outside of the touristy bits)
• Fenchingfield UK
• Eniskillen (northern Ireland)
• Cardiff
• Tenby (Wales)

Wales is my favorite country! I have been to many more, but it is the best!

My sunroom is pretty cool! I like to watch the birds and squirrels while I pretend to work. For that matter, I am in love with my house. It is the best fixer uper on the planet.

Stores: Wine and Cake Hobbies, Total Wine, Sainsburys, Tesco, Joann, Fabric Hut

I love fabric and could spend all day in a fabric store.

I generally go for the more muted colors (not pastels per say) or bold colors. I love my kitchen... it is seafoam green. Everytime I go in there I come closer to realizing that that could possibly be my favorite color.
I love light green, blue and brown combos.
I really like orange, but have no use for any more orange fabric as I have realized that I really never use it.
I love whimsical / cute prints... especially whimsical / cute bird / animal prints. I love cupcake / cake sort of prints. I love French country, whimsical prints, mod / retro, and funky prints.

I had a flourescent yellow purse in 4th grade - that has filled my life and burned my eyes enough. I do not need any more flourescents ever.
I am not really into realistic looking animals and whatnot, animal prints, anime, disney anything, nautical, or gross picture (like spiders and snakes) fabrics. But, I can always use those fabrics to make something for someone else. I have never had a fabric that I could not use for something.

I am pretty allergic to cigarette / cigar smoke and many flowers. Their scents make me feel yuck for quite a while. Please try to respect my allergy issues and keep those at your house.

These things always make me happy (even when I am having a rotten day):

• gnomes
• tea towels
• cocktail napkins (with cocktails is a bonus... but not so good in the post)
• guinness stuff
• hedgehogs
• flamingos (but the cute ones - not realistic)
• cute birds with long legs
• cupcakes
• owls (the cute ones)
• plane tickets with my name on them
• anything for making chocolates or cupcakes (I generally only make mini cupcakes)
• sweet recipes from around the world

I am doing this for fun and for the challenge... I need something to push me outside of my comfort zone from time to time. I understand that we all have lives outside of swap-bot and that things happen. I am totally cool with that. You are the most important thing... not getting a swap to me. If everything around you is falling to bits please fix that and then send me the swap. When you get a chance let me know. I will rate when I receive something. I don't keep a calendar and wait to give ones or threes... that is just not fun. If you send me something you get a five. Generally you get a heart, because you had to put thought into it just to do it. I used to get upset when I would put a lot of effort in a package and picking things out and then the person would not give me a heart. Now I have accepted that they are far more serious about this than me. Heart or no heart, please know that I have put a lot of thought into your swap.

This being said, please don't flake on me... that is not cool.

This being said, I did get flaked on by @mamamonkey for the @zipperED_pouch swap. Sucks. I'm still looking for an angel if you are interested.