Elanah

Note: I had a computer issue come up before Christmas. My adorable little dog was feeling a little too playful while I was holding a jar of water near my laptop... And now my laptop keyboard is completely fried. I need to save up a bit so I can replace it. I'll be stepping away from swapping for a while, so I can put my postage money toward my new laptop.

FYI: I do my best to mark my items as sent on the day I drop them in the mailbox. As the mailbox outside my office doesn't get picked up until 4:00 or later, my items may not bear a matching postmark.

Hi y'all!

I have a fantastic job, working in admissions at Texas A&M University! I love my job and I look forward to making a career in higher education. Eventually, I look forward to working in international education.

I'm from Texas, most recently, but I have lived internationally, in both Mexico and Germany, and grew up in Michigan.

I'm conservative, Christian and single, and I enjoy my life. I am very much involved with my church, Community Church - College Station. I also love being mommy to my adorable little boy, Xochi, my 18 pound rat terrier mix. Xochi's favorite things are napping, napping on mom, and cookies (dog treats, haven't found one he doesn't like...).

I love CCM and Country music. My favorite artists range from Tenth Avenue North, Downhere, Casting Crowns and Ross King to Luke Bryan, Jake Owen and Thompson Square.

I'll listen to a little rap, but keep in Christian - Lecrae and Cross Movement artists. Oldies are also a lot of fun.

I love crafting. I do a little bit of everything, but my favorites at present are sewing, quilting, and crocheting. I've done a few baby afghans this year, which have turned out fantastic, and I'm getting into sewing clothes and quilts, so anything along those lines is great.

My favorite colors are basically anything on the cooler end of the color spectrum (purples, greens, blues). I also enjoy cooler pinks, that reddish orange that has been popular this year, and mustard-y yellows, but I start getting picky around those colors. In general, though, I prefer fairly saturated colors, with fewer pastels and neutrals.

I have an unexplainable love for paisley prints. Most of my other print preferences are more clean, like damasks, Celtic knots, swirls and animal prints. I prefer to make my statements with color.

Like I said, earlier, I'm getting into making my own clothing. At present, I'm using plus-size patterns (24-26), or creating my own patterns. My style is pretty simple, with clean lines. I like contrast, but I'm not much for really small or busy prints or floral patterns.

I love jewelry. My favorites are funky pendants (Christian or without religious significance, please, no bones/skulls) and statement earrings. I am also really into natural products. For example, my favorite set of jewelry is made from un-shelled coffee beans, painted a lovely rich coffee color, while my favorite funky earrings are made from strips of dried mango skin, dyed bright blue, creating a feathery look.

At present, I am an aspiring vegetarian. I believe it's ok to eat animals, but I don't think that our method of agriculture is sustainable, so I intend to teach myself to enjoy fruits and vegetables more, then cut out all meat/fish/poultry/dairy out of my diet, so if you have vegan or vegetarian recipes, I would LOVE to receive them!

Please, no shrimp! I'm slightly allergic and want to avoid the emergency room! Also, please no super-processed foods. That's just not how our bodies were made to eat.

I also love ethnic foods. Having lived internationally, I have a taste for spicier foods. If it's tasty, I'll eat it, even if it makes me cry.

I very rarely receive things I don't love, but I do have a few things I would prefer not to receive.

• Chocolate, while delightful in the cooler months, will not survive the Texas heat in the mail box, so please no during April to September.

• Anything that might melt or get damaged if left out in the mailbox in the Texas heat - crayons, candles, etc. - during summer months.

Purpleheart52 - The Christian Homestead: Send me 3, Please! (October) - Autumn Edition

She sent me the most beautiful, thoughtful swap, filled with delightful extras, from lovely purple fabric, to recipes and recipe cards, a beautiful hanging sign, magnet and book mark, and a lovely dish towel! It was a delightful swap to receive, and so incredibly timely with the scripture and blessings!