Swap-bot Time: November 10, 2024 2:01 pm
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freespirit66

freespirit66
Date Joined: March 26, 2008
Last Online: October 25, 2023
Birthday: June 29
Country: United States
My Flickr Photos
My Amazon Wishlist

About Me

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).

Favorite Crafts

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.

Favorite Colors

My favorite colors are purple and green.

Favorite Scents

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

Favorite Music

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.

Favorite Books

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.

Favorite Quotes

"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

Favorite Movies

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.

Items We'd Love to Receive

  • 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. ~~~~~~~

My Daughters

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

Ratings

5
rating
Comment: Thank you for sharing your pictures! That was a lot of them. :)
JossieAyame rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - August on Sep 10, 2023
5
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Comment: Thanks for sharing! Wow that sewing camp looks so cool. I wish there was something like that for adults because it looks like lots of fun
HappyMom rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - July on Aug 11, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Your blog never disappoints! I feel like I'm also graduating with the girls in their last year with 4H - you've shared so many amazing projects over the years! I love all the birds and the deer, and how clearly you capture them. I really want to get one of the cameras that have feeders attached, so you can get super up-close photos of the birds! Glad you enjoyed family time with your niece too. Thanks for letting me tag along in your adventures!
kelliegirl6 rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - June on Jul 10, 2023
5
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Comment: Thanks for sharing your monthly update. So many wonderful memories. I love that feather nest!
shiggy rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - June on Jul 9, 2023
5
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Comment: Beautiful pictures. I especially love the frog relaxing in the shade. The picture of your student with frosting on his face is so cute and silly. I love it. Thank you for sharing:)
Catt007 rated for SPCP - Blooms on Jun 27, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for the lovely photographs, so many gorgeous flowers, I wish I had the space to grow more. I love that you're working to help the pollinators. 🐝🐝
lrm1980 rated for SPCP - Blooms on Jun 27, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Fantastic photos! Thank you for sharing. I bet your garden is a wonderful place to be! P.S. I think the yellow flower you questioned might be celandine poppy. I have several plants that are finally starting to spread this year!
shiggy rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - May on Jun 24, 2023
5
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Comment: So sorry it took so long to rate you for this swap! I didn't read your message until today (I think I might've accidentally clicked on it?). Anyways, I love seeing all the pictures you added for the month of May and all of the descriptions. I especially love the beautiful snow monkeys pictures. They are gorgeous animals! Thank you for the swap and, again, sorry for the late rating:)
kelliegirl6 rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - May on Jun 22, 2023
5
rating
Comment: I love all the pictures and stories!
hazelwitch3 rated for SPCP - Bird pictures on Jun 4, 2023
5
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Comment: Thanks for sharing your bird pictures with me. One of the things I've enjoyed about this swap has been the chance to see birds unfamiliar to me -- I had never seen a red-winged blackbird. I was interested that it was using the suet feeder -- we have blackbirds but they only ground feed, they never attempt any of the hanging feeders. And I enjoyed seeing the pileated woodpecker -- we have a green woodpecker that visits our feeders. Britain only has 3 species of woodpecker. Thanks for being part of the swap -- I do think birds are challenging to photograph!!
Catt007 rated for SPCP - Animal pictures on Jun 1, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for the lovely pics. We don't have a wide range of wildlife in the UK, or rather we don't have a lot of wildlife that is easy to photograph and much as I would like to be a wildlife photographer I have no patience so it's probably not something I'd be suited to. Zoos and conservation projects are something I enjoy. We have a few conservation projects that help to fund their work with photography days which I love to go on. I love your zoo pics. 😺
spacefoxsupreme rated for SPCP - Bird pictures on Jun 1, 2023
5
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Comment: Thanks for the bird pictures! All of these seem very exotic to me even if they're normal for you, our fauna is very different over here in Europe.
IntaglioDragon rated for SPCP: Outdoor photo challenge on May 11, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Lovely photos. I didn't know there were cold weather cacti either. And I would not have had the nerve to make it very far up that tree!
spacefoxsupreme rated for SPCP: Scavenger Hunt 2023 #2 on May 10, 2023
5
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Comment: Thanks for your pictures! The Shadow one is great, and I always love people who wear colourful things in the rain!
HappyMom rated for SPCP: Scavenger Hunt 2023 #2 on May 10, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Your swaps are always such a delight, and this one did not disappoint. You found perfect photos for each item. I’m always partial to the pups, but I also really liked the church picture and the way the blue popped out on a dreary day.
KSENiA rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - April on May 8, 2023
5
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Comment: thank you for awesome photos. Your daughter's drawing is very very good.
Vickyen rated for ESG: My Favorite Photo - April on May 7, 2023
5
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Comment: Hi Ann! Thank you for the wonderful share on your blog! Enjoyed all the photos and that snow - yikes!! So glad we only had a few snows this winter, as I am not a fan! All the best! Hugs, Happy Snapping, and Swapping! ;)
Vickyen rated for SPCP: Focus on a colour on May 1, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Hi Ann! Thank you for sharing all your lovely photos that had blue in them! I love that you go in depth with explaining things, makes me feel like I am also there! All the best! Hugs, Happy Snapping, and Swapping! ;)
hazelwitch3 rated for SPCP: Focus on a colour on Apr 30, 2023
5
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Comment: Hi Ann, I loved your blue and white pictures and the great variety of subjects, all of which drew on that particular colour combination. Thank you for sharing them with me!
Vickyen rated for SPCP: Outdoor photo challenge on Apr 23, 2023
5
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Comment: Hi Ann! I am sorry for the late rating - for some reason I thought I had rated both partners for this swap and did not - sigh! Thank you for the lovely share and Cooper is so handsome! All the best! Hugs, Happy Snapping, and Swapping! ;)

Rating Overview

Overall Hearts Stars Hosted
5.0000 730 17 18
Completed Fives Threes Ones
408 850 0 0
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Uncategorized
173 67 56 112
View all

Currently In

  • the user is not currently in any swaps :(

Currently Hosting

  • the user is not hosting any current swaps

Comments

9O96O on Jun 14, 2023:

Hi freespirit66. Just letting you know that I sent my photo collage for SPCP - Blooms in your messages.

Rome 9o96o

JayRobertsGirl on Apr 9, 2020:

That is so awesome you have so many pets. I would love to have a farm one day.

HappyMom on Dec 8, 2019:

Ann - I loved seeing your November photos and was sorry to read about the passing of your uncle. You have such a beautiful family ❤️I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

anicka22 on Mar 1, 2018:

Thank you so much for the beautiful owl stickers, washitape samples and even more for your lovely note! You made me very happy!

Fenix825 on Feb 28, 2018:

Thank you very much for the notecards and the car air freshener from my February wishlist in the Wishlist group!

mejulia on Jan 30, 2018:

Thank you so much for the fun envelope of wishes that came in today's mail.

grimmlynn on Dec 10, 2010:

This is a very belated thank you for a November wish. I just found your message today in my inbox. Apparently, it thought you were spam.

What a wonderful way to give back and help out others in need. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. It is always nice to read about the good deeds of others!

Hugs,
Jeni

chincho on Nov 24, 2010:

Thanks for the comment, dear! It's great to know that oll the items are going to be in good use!

julief on Nov 11, 2010:

Thank you so much for the huge bag of fabric scraps. I already have a couple in mind for some current projects. Thanks again for thinking of me this month :)

TangleCrafts on Nov 9, 2010:

After receiving your wonderful club package, I just wondered if you can be tempted by the new ZMACS Etsy promo swap? Thanks again for putting together such a great package! :)

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