takaratown

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I went to Japan in early March for a little over a week. When I got home I got very very sick right away. First of all I got food poisoning on the plane, then I also got a cold, then just when I thought I was getting better, I got a flu. I have been sooo sick...and worst of all it has made me super foggy ! I feel like I was in a coma or something....

So if I have forgotton anything, or have not taken care of a tag or swap or WTA please let me know. I did forgot to re-sent a lost WTA during this time, which I have taken care of, and I think that was the only casuality of this sickness...but I cannot be 100% sure at this point, so please please write to me, if I am forgetting something.

Thanks everyone, and thanks to cupcake sprinkles, who did not get her re-send WTA on time! I am sorry about that. I put lots of extras in your new package, so I hope they make you happy!

ME IN A NUTSHELL:

I LOVE cute stuff from Japan and Korea

I like Vintage stuff - 60's era and 80's Fairy Kei

I like Witchy Stuff.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

My name is Jenny Biscuits and I live in Takara Town, the cutest town around. Actually Takara Town is the name of my little Kawaii Shop : www.takaratown.com and I sell all sorts of cute stuff there.

I sell what I am obssessed with myself, so I have lots of super cute Kawaii stuff like memo pads, stickers, letter sets, pens and more... So if you want to get to know a bit about what I love take a look around Takara Town!

I love Kawaii brands like San-X and Sanrio, but I also really love other Cute again stuff like Cooky Girl, and My little friend.

Plus I love to Decoden, so I sell my Decoden items ( and take custom orders ) and supplies for Decoden Craft. If you do not know what Decoden is; it is basically a Japanese art/craft where you make tiny cute cabochons, or fake mini cakes and candies, and then glue them with fake whipped cream or glue all over your stuff like cell phones, jars, books etc.

I also have a store on Etsy, and from there you can check out all my favorites to see what I like: Check out my etsy page, and favorites to get more of an idea of what I like. http://www.etsy.com/people/TakaraTown?ref=si_pr

Some other things I enjoy are : Sewing, knitting, crocheting, felting, and I also spin my own yarn! Most of my sewing is inspired by Zakka style in Japan.

I do NOT like the usual look of "crafts" such as boring quilt stores fabrics or quilt projects or items typically found at craft fairs, or in american crafting magazines.

I only use Japanese, or vintage fabrics in my sewing. ( er, well unless it is really expensive natural fabrics then I will use those from the U.S - like linen, or real wool felt)

Sparkle and Glitter are my two favorite colors!

Oh, and I love handmade tarot cards and pagan or nature based religion items. I have a very witchy side, and enjoy all traditional alter building items, and spell casting supplies.

Oh and I live in a 1973 Winnibago Brave Motorhome! I love it, and love to decorate it with all sorts of vintage items, and fabrics! My color theme for the winnie is avacado green, with sunshine yellow, and bright orange. ( with as many cheesy mushroom things as I can find)

And the other main thing you need to know about me is that I have two long haired cats. They are the cutest little buttons in the world, and I love them very much! I try to change out their toys often to keep them stimulated, so I love swapping cat toys!

THRIFT STORE WISHLIST ( for thrift store swaps!)

60's stuff. I love Atomic Style from the 60's, and also anything considered ugly...like ugly cookie jars with mushrooms...or hand-towels in puke yellow..

I am searching for are 60's curtains, and bathroom stuff, like soap dishes etc. Oh, and paint by number kits

I am always searching for 80's stuff ( especially Fairy Kei) ANYTHING WITH THESE CHARACTERS ESPECIALLY!

Popples My little Pony Rose Petal Place Rainbow Bright strawberry shortcake any type of unicorn or fantasy creature in pastels

anything 80's and with pastels - purses, shoes, earrings, wallet...anything like this is great 80's pastel colors

I READ PROFILES:

I always read profiles thoroughly and try to avoid dislikes even when it is not for a profile swap.
I have gotten several packages that I had to rate 5 because they followed the "rules" but send junk. It is such a shame. I got some earings recently that were clearly from a dollar store....But they followed the rules technically.

I also get really dissapointed when someone sends something for a Fairy kei, or Kawaii Swap that is not Fairy Kei or Kawaii at all. Just because something is "cute" to you, it does not mean that it is Kawaii. For example, a fabric square with cartoon dinosaurs on it is not Kawaii....It needs to be something you would actually see if you googled "Kawaii".

Also just because something " seems 80's" does not mean that it is "Fairy Kei". Fairy Kei IS 80's stuff, or at least, re-created stuff, like a popples t-shirt that has been re-printed....but not something from WalMart that sorta looks 80's!

I promise to put care and extra attention into my swaps. I will never send a package that I would not love to get myself....!

TROUBLE SHOPPING FOR ME?

I have been told that my profile is really specific and difficult to purchase for. I can see their point. I think that if you were purchasing items in a small town ( like mine) it would be hard to do. Online you can find anything, but not everyone does that. So if you find it hard to buy for me here is a small list of items that you can find in any town:

1. Sparkley makeup - especially eye shadow!
2. Thrift Store Stuff - I love vintage stuff
3. Craft Supplies ( I think most towns have a craft store?) : I always need: Colored Glue Sticks, Loose Glitter, and Wrapping Supplies for gift wrapping. I love anything sparkly, or cute, and can always use ribbon, wrapping paper, and stuff like that.

JAPANESE BOOKS:

I am learning to read Japanese Hiragana and Katakana, so I love to get Japanese childrens books, or magazines to help me with my reading lessons.

I also love any and all Japanese craft books and magazines!

I also love any and all Japanese cook books and magazines!

CLASSIC LITERATURE (unabridged only) -

Cassanova

The Count of Monte Cristo

Crime and Punishment

DIARIES -

Diary of a Country Parson

Diary of Anne Frank

TRUE STORY -

Motorcycle Diaries

Autobiography of a Yogi

Autobiography of Gandhi

Vampire Books -

Sookie Stackhouse Novels ( true blood), Twilight

FANTASY-

Tolkien

Tom Robbins ( author) -

Skinny Legs and All

Even Cowgirls get the Blues

Still-ife with WoodPecker

COOKBOOKS:

I love old cookbooks, from pioneer times, as well as any authentic book from another culture. Usually when you buy a cookbook in the states for some other place in the world you get an "americanized" version of the dishes, so I try to find cookbooks from the country they represent. I sit and translate them to get the best recipes ever!

Billy Idol

Spoon

Modest Mouse

Camera Obscura

Mates of State

The Darkness

Journey

Starship

Built to Spill

Nick Drake

Mars Volta

Ani Defranko

Pizzacato Five

to name a few....

The Secretary

Howls moving Castle

Sex and Lucia

Running with Scissors

Spirited Away

Code 46

I heart Huckabees

Lord of the Rings

Kiki's Delivery Service

Closer

The Island

Princess Monoke

to name a few....

True Blood

Sailor Moon

Six Feet Under

Dexter

Mostly I make Decoden Stuff, cell phones covered in fake whipped cream and miniature sweets cabochons!

I love collecting all sorts of cute, kawaii cabochons, and molds for making decoden. I like collecting different sorts of clay, glazes, paints, pens, and findings for making cabochons and kawaii charms.

I like dollhouse miniatures too, anything tiny!

I also like making pretty dairies and notebooks with Washi Tape, deco tape and pretty kawaii stickers.

Needle felting - I usually make cute things like mushrooms, Russian stacking dolls, fake sweets.

Crocheting - I have been doing this since before I can remember. I make hats, gloves, and fake food

Handspun Yarn Making - Spinning - I love novelty yarns, that are very colorful and have lots of sparkle in them! I love all sorts of fiber!

Sewing - I like Vintage fabrics from the 60's and 70's, natural and fine fabrics like pretty neutral linen, and most of all Kawaii Japanese cute fabrics like Kokka Brand.

I tend to make vintage inspired items for life in my little winnebago, or Zakka inspired items that pretty, and detailed, with lots of hand embroidery

Dislikes

I do not like sewing items such as buttons or ribbons unless they are vintage or kawaii.

plastic canvas crafts ( although I recently just saw one really cute hello kitty thing made in plastic canvas) so again, I probably only like this if it is kawaii.

things that are sold at craft fairs, and painted with silhouettes and say things like:" Martha Stewart doesn't live here" or " Please bless this home" ( those things make me shutter)

I do not like quilt stores, or the fabric they sell. I also do not like most american quilts.

www.takaratown.com - is my website, and it will give you a good idea of what I like.

I have two cats, Izzabella, and Mulligan.

Izzy is Mulligans mom. We adopted Mully, and a year later heard his mum was in the shelter so we saved her too!

They are both Turkish Angora Mixed breeds, and have wonderfully soft hair.

I feed them Wellness Core dry food, and Wellness grain free Wet Food Pouches. For treats they eat Freeze dried Liver, or other freeze dried meats.

I don't like to feed my cat something that is full of animal by products, dyes, or artificial flavors.

The only exception is that every once in a while i break down and buy my Izzy some feline greenies, because our neighbor used to sneak them to her, and she really loves them. Oh junk food!

They love string. Izzy loves realistic cloth toys, especially mice, and Mulligan prefers sticks and string to play with.

They both go nuts for catnip, and have long hair so always need good brushes.

I use nail caps on thier nails, but they love to scratch, and prefer those card board nail scratches to the rope ones.

WISH LIST: I really really want to get some Japanese catnip for my cats. I cannot remember the name of the plant, but it is supposed to be three times the strength of regular catnip in america. If you are reading this and live in Japan, I will do a private swap with you to get some of this stuff, and I will send you something you want from the US! ( I will do this even if you dont have the catnip stuff actually! I love everything from Japan!)

I LOVE FOOD! I especially love to trade recipes and foods with people from other countries.

I like candy, but I love savory foods more. I especially like to cook, so if there is some dish that is iconic to your country, I would love the ingredients for that item and a recipe for how to make it.

Here is a list of specific things I like from specific countries;

Japan:

Okonomiyaki sauce and toppings. gummie candy baumkuchen cake Takoyaki sauce powedered dashi stock wasabi paste and or powder

ALL RECIPES..savory and sweet!

Netherlands:

Stroopwaffle Recipes for savory dishes

Greece:

Olive oil Mousakka Recipes

My favorite meats and veggies are :( not that you will send veggies but more for recipe swaps) turnips cabbage Potatoes greens ( all kinds) Lamb ground meats all fish pork

( But I eat all foods so I will like any recipe you trade with me)

Spider ( webs are cool, but spiders are gross)

Other bugs, or reptiles

Butterflies ( I like the idea of them more than I actually like them)

Jesus things - Christianity in general - sorry.

Mary Englebright art or fabric or anything like that

crafty craft fair stuff

crafty things, sewing room stuff, americana

I also don't really like erasers, I would prefer to have a charm, or something usable.

Thomas Kincade

Betty Boop

Dollar Store items, specifically Sanrio Cheap stuff. Sanrio used to be really good, and you had to buy it from the special Sanrio stands in the store, or from the actual Sanrio store in the mall, but now they sell crappy Sanrio stuff and the dollar store and Wal-Mart and it is not the real thing. If it is not from a Sanrio store it is not for me!

Gingham - all sizes, and colors.

Vintage 50's, 60's, and 70's. I like avacado green alot! I like mushrooms, and that sorta stuff too.

Calico is great!

Kawaii Fabric! woo hoo. Kokka brand! Mushrooms, hedgies, stacking dolls, little dear, etc. I love Kawaii Fabric!