freespirit66

After close to 18 years as a homeschool mom to two daughters, I now will be going back to work as a special ed paraprofessional.

Homeschooling was the most challenging - and rewarding - position I've held. I feel so fortunate that was able to spend so much time teaching and learning with my daughters.

I enjoy photography...and documenting everyday life around the home...including homeschooling, crafts, cooking, the pets (4 dogs), nature, and wildlife. Come visit MY BLOG to read about life at the farm.

I enjoy participating in swaps and meeting new people throughout the world. With the price of postage continuing to increase, I have moved from doing mail swaps to electronic swaps.

For a look at my work, please visit my Flickr site and look under "Things I've Made".

About my Daughters

Sophia and Olivia are 21 and 19 years old. Both were born in China and adopted at 11 and 10 months respectively. Both are loving, generous girls who care deeply about others - people and animals.

Both play the piano, and Sophia also plays the harp. They also attend the same college which is nice. They have the support of one another and enjoy seeing each other on campus, and it makes it easy to visit and do things with them.

I enjoy birdwatching since there are many types of birds here (we live on almost 10 acres of which we've kept the majority in its natural state). We enjoy going on nature walks and discovering animals that live or pass through here (deer, pheasants, fox, coyotes, snakes, owls, eagles, and turkeys).

Photography, colored pencil, sewing, quilting, and Saori weaving.

I enjoy trying new things. I have tons of ideas that I've clipped from magazines for scrapbooking, but haven't sat down to do that yet.

Since being a part of Swap-Bot, I've tried new projects which have been fun and challenged me creatively: ATCs, dotee dolls, altered matchboxes, inchies, and button fairies.

My favorite colors are purple and green.

Lilac, lavender, rose, ylang ylang, sandalwood, and patchouly.

Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Barbra Streisand, Enya - any artists along that line. I also like new age and classical music. Enjoy listening to music from the eighties. I do not like rap or other offensive music.

BOOKS:

I read MANY books to my daughters when they were growing up. I still enjoy children's books that are well-illustrated and have a good storyline, especially those that are classical or "old-fashioned" (ones written in the 1930s-1950s).

Other books I enjoy tend to be from several sections in the library: arts/crafts, inspirational, and non-fiction.

"There is no life I know, to compare with pure imagination. Living there you'll be free, if you truly wish to be." - Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

"If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded." - Maya Angelo

"May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life." - Apache blessing

"You have everything you need...if you just believe." - Josh Groban - Believe (Polar Express Soundtrack) Lyrics

These movies are ones I could watch many times and they wouldn't get old for me: Defending Your Life; The Birdcage; Dead Poets Society; The Truman Show, Wizard of Oz; Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; Sound of Music; Arsenic and Old Lace; Mrs. Doubtfire; Best in Show, and Waiting for Guffman. Don't have large blocks of time to watch movies, unfortunately.

• Small gifts to put in my daughters' Christmas stockings or under the tree

• Essential oils - any oils are welcome so I can try new blends.

• Bubble bath soap.

• Japanese Craft Magazines - Anything related to felt food, making little stuffed animals (mascots), sewing, and/or quilting. Would love to see "Cotton Time."

• Anything from my favorite items on Etsy or Amazon - Etsy Favorites or Amazon.com Wishlist.

• Sashiko Fabric - Am looking for pre-printed fabric with different sashiko embroidery patterns on it.

• Craft Magazines that You Are Done Looking At - Ones that I enjoy are Living Crafts, Home Companion, Somerset Studio, Cotton Time, and any craft magazine (especially ones that focus on papercrafts.

~~~~~~~ Please Note: Please do not send items that smell of smoke. I have asthma and allergies (Sophia has allergies as well), and smoke is something neither of us can handle well. Even if your item is beautifully constructed, but it smells of smoke, I, unfortunately, cannot have it in the home. Thank you for understanding. ~~~~~~~

Sophia - is 21 years old and likes:

• cats

• harps and harp music

• make-up

Olivia - is 19 years old and likes:

• dogs

• art supplies and kits - Prismacolor color pencils and markers; etching kits; paint-by-numbers (complicated ones)

• wolves

• Skittles