Vegan pal! (and veg*n pals named Sara(e)(h)

So, it was my (budding) regional pride that did me in! Looking at the map of Vegan Secret Pal-ers and seeing no one from Portland or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. What?! Such a friendly, vegan, crafty place we are, and no one from here on the map! Many of my new friends here are vegan or vegetarian. Heck, I even know 3 veg*ns named Sarah (though all with different spellings: Sarah, Sara*, and Sare) all in close distance to my house! And they're all crafty! Surely, we've got vegans and pals (and Sarahs) here. What was I saying?

Oh yeah, add my desire to beat my right fist over my left breast and "represent" to the realization that it might be veg*n Sarahs, and not cupcakes, that are taking over the world, I decided to take this as a sign (as I often like to do) that I should join in on the action Sarah (vegan, of course!) and Desiree are cooking up. And perhaps widen my friendship circle a bit (haha). Though, really, Sarahs do make for some mighty good company!
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1.) What is your craft, & how long have you been doing it?

Knitting – one and a half years

Sewing – machine sewing for a little over a year, hand sewing since college

Cross stitch/embroidery – about a year or so

Beading – off and on, mostly earrings for friends, sometimes bracelets and necklaces

Making polymer (femo) beads: off and on for several years

Playing with herbs and essential oils and making lotions and potions: several years

Cooking – alchemy in the kitchen since the late 90s (I love herbs and spices!)

Making handmade books and other small press stuff – for about 8 years, off and on

Writing poetry – hmm, over 10 yrs off and on and off

Making stuff out of other discarded stuff – forever (Nick from Family Ties=early childhood hero)

2.) Are you a vegan, vegetarian, veg-curious, veg-friendly or other?
I am very vegan. If I could be vegan twice, I would be! I love Robyn’s answer to this one, too.

3.) What is your favorite color(s)? Do you particularly dislike a color(s)?
likes: orange, lime green, bright pink, lemon yellow, turquoise, periwinkle, some brown, sometimes burgundy, other rusty fall colors, even mustard yellow but my favorites are the first five. I love bright and deep colors best.

dislikes: This changes, but right now I’m really not into forest green (it was my favorite color in high school/first year of college and I have too much of it around), navy, red and blue together, too much black or too much white.

4.) Do you have any allergies (such as pets, foods or cigarette smoke)?
Cats, smoke in my face, fried tofu sold as fake shrimp (gross). About everyone I know seems to have at least one cat, and it doesn’t stop me from going over to their houses and hanging out with them. And there’s still smoking in bars here and that usually won’t stop me from going. But unless you send me a cat and ask me to keep it as my pet or send a lit cigarrette in the mail and then make sure the postman blows the smoke directly into my face, I will be good.

5.) Do you have any companion animals? If so, names and types?
Nope. It’s just me and AA (Aaron).

6.) Do you collect anything?
oh boy! yarn, books of all kinds (particularly craft books, cook books, reference books, poetry books, flip books), fabric, spices, vintage clothes, pretty bags and huge bags and canvas bags for groceries, vintage glass beads, buttons, milk glass, vintage pyrex, bowls and cups, aprons, community newspapers, postcards, vintage sewing and knitting patterns, sassy magazines from the early 90’s (only 1 so far!), blank books, leaves, rocks, ephemera,…I’m trying not to actively collect anything right now (broke), though, especially stuff that I have no idea where it goes. Like if it doesn’t have a use, but just sits on the shelf, I get very confused.

7.) Do you have a favorite vegan food, snack or dish? If no fave that's vegan (for those who aren't vegan), what's your favorite food? (Hopefully your pal can find a vegan version!)
wizzer eggs and wizzer beans, peanut butter cups or almond butter cups, vegan nougat, rooibos tea (green or red, honeybush or fruit bits or without, i'm totally out!), gummy bears, fun hot sauces, valentine box chocolates, cinnamon rolls, chocolate (my favorite is the chocolove kind with raspberries in it!), Uncle Eddie's cookies, chocolate chips, soy delicious purely decadent on its own or in a shake, avocado, wasabi peas, really rich brownies, raspberries, melon slices, mango, vegetables with creamy dip, fake cheese, nutritional yeast, injera, Ethiopian food, pizza, fresh cupcakes and fresh donuts! Do you have a neato vegan specialty from your region of the world? That would be cool, too!

8.) What tools/supplies/accessories for your craft(s) are you wishing you had but don't? Also, what do you have TOO many of? (basically a wish and anti-wish list)

Wish List:
I’m always feeling like the knitting needles I need are the ones I don't have. I like circulars but I have a bunch of random sizes/lengths. Let me get back to you on that! I don't have dpns in sizes 4 - 6 (I like Crystal Palace ones best). I've heard nice things about Lantern Moons...

"fat quarters" of pretty fabrics

vintage knitting patterns from old magazines

sewing patterns

trim, rick rack, ribbon, bias tape

more dress pins with the big colorful bubble on top

cool/vintage buttons

snaps

velcro

neato vintage opaque glass beads

thrift store/rummage/curb finds

pinking shears! (just added today! (10/20)

Anti-Wish List:

blank books

crayons/markers/fancy pens

Acrylic/craft yarn

books on how to learn crochet

crochet hooks

bamboo circs

femo

9.) What type of handmade item would tickle your fancy? What don't you like? (Keep in mind this swap is open to all types of crafters.)
Gosh, I don't know. What do you like to make? I like fun stuff and whimsical stuff and useful stuff and vintage-inspired. I'd love to get something from you that you made just for me. That always feels nice.

10.) Is there anything else you would like your pal to know about you?
Secrets are exciting. Getting stuff in the mail is exciting. Just knowing that someone is thinking about me is all gooey and sweet. Hmmm, I wrote about myself most recently in these two posts.

Oh, and for more information on the swap, go here. You don't have to be vegan or vegetarian to join -- just veg-curious or veg-friendly!

*AND, Sara T. just learned to knit so now all the Sarahs do! Hooray! And I think my 3 doors down neighbor Sarah might be vegetarian, too? I'll let you know after the neighborhood potluck this weekend . . .