I don't intend to build any armies.  Ponies that I really love, like Baby Crumpet and TAF Yum Yum, however, it is tempting.  I get an upgrade pony and think, I don't want to get rid of the one I intended to replace, or I already have a mint one and see one needing repair and think, I need to help her! 

So yeah, I understand where armies can get started. 

I admit, though, to feeling some jealousy or frustration when I see someone with a giant collection of a single item.  (Like, a particular accessory, for instance.)  I think that by them buying every ________ they ever found, that they're driving the price up and making it nearly impossible for me to find that accessory for a reasonable price.    But, I recognize that's my problem and not theirs. 

My theme is 'because I love them'.  I am not a completist, usually, but I like the sense of unearthing and recreating the past that having MOCs brings me.

Shining Armor, and his strange hair, is really starting to grow on me.  Congratulations! 

She's gorgeous.  Congratulations on the reunion. 

I've seen some amazing transformations with show-accurate hair.  I don't think, however, that most people should try to hack off Rainbow Dash's hair.  I think it is an art form best left to experts and not scissor-wielding kids.  ;D

That said, I am usually pretty sad to find a perfect G1 pony...with a mohawk...so I don't want to mess with the current crop of ponies, at all.

This post is getting out-of-control long, but I tried my best to consolidate all my answers to the various questions onto it.  I apologize that they're in no particular order! 

MY WISHLIST:
http://mlparena.com/mlp/index.php/topic,302000.0.html

- Do you have any allergies?  No, but I am sensitive to cigarette smoke.

- What are your fragrance and candy/sweeties likes and dislikes?  I love sweet and foodie and fruity fragrances over perfumey ones.  I am all for candy and sweets, so long as it doesn't include gelatin.    Someone in this house would eat it. 

- What are your hobbies? Do you have pets? Do you collect anything else?  I'm a stay-at-home mom and part-time astrologer.  As a pagan, I'm always studying the arts of divination and witchcraft as well.  I love reading and being outside, exploring vegan cuisine, and traveling.  My degrees are in history and archaeology, I love anything historical.  I love the beach, whether it be the oceans of Florida where I grew up or here along Lake Michigan now that I've got a family of my own.  I love walking the shoreline and picking up sea glass and pottery fragments and other historical debris.  We have two cats, an infant, and an almost-five year old.    I also collect other blind box vinyl toys--things like KidRobot and Disney's Vinylmation figures, vintage cartoon sheets and pillowcases, She-Ra, The Muppets, and X-Men comics and memorabilia.

- What are your favourite colours?  Pastels and rainbows, cobalt and sea blues, silver and gold, pink and purple and shades of raspberry.  I don't think I've ever met a color I didn't like, though.

- Or anything else which you think will help your partner pick out some extras for you…  I love the natural world--stones and rocks and bits of driftwood, images of trees and beautiful places.  I love girly things and playful things and poetry and stickers and stationary and bookmarks.  I don't have pierced ears.  I don't want any animal products:  leather, feather, bone, beef jerky. 

- And of course can you clarify what flaws are and are not acceptable to you?  I prefer no cancer or sticky ponies, to protect the rest of the herd but can work with just about anything else.   
 
- Would you be happy to have one or two expensive items from your list or lots of little items from your list?  Surprise me!  Whatever works best--I'll be excited either way. 

- Would you like a custom as part of your box?  I've got a few G1 character customs but prefer Hasbro originals. 

Favorite animals?
Owls, foxes, whales and dolphins.  Deer!

Favorite season?
Autumn.

Do you like jewelry/do you have pierced ears?
I do not have pierced ears.  I do like jewelry, in theory, but I don't wear much now that I have a baby.  Every necklace is an invitation for her to try and saw through the back of my neck with the chain. 

What kind of weather do you love?
Breezy warm summer days and cool, crisp autumn days and still, serene winter snowfall and gentle spring rainfall.  I love thunderstorms with a book inside and rainbows and fog.  I love weather--until it becomes dangerously dry or dangerously wet or dangerously windy. 

Do you like tea? What kind?
I love tea!  I love chai and earl gray and hibiscus.  I love white and black and herbal (not so much on the green).

Do you like puzzles/crosswords?
I used to do sudoku and things but now, with two children under the age of 5, I don't have the free time or mental focus for such things.  ;p

Do you like getting pony accessories with your ponies?
I like getting ponies with my accessories.     I buy lots on eBay just for the thrill of sorting through the jumble of accessories when they arrive.  I love accessories!    But they aren't essential to my enjoyment of a pony.  I don't need complete-with-accessories or anything. 

What things do you really dislike that we should avoid?
I *really* dislike black licorice and coffee.  I would also be horrified to get anything made out of leather, feathers, bones, or other animal parts.  I'm not a fan of those powdered drink additives, like Crystal Light, and I never developed a taste for pickles or olives.  Pony-wise, I'm no fan of fakies!    (Sorry, fakies...)

Describe your tastes a little more.  For example, are you drawn toward bright happy things, nature things, girly frilly things, gothy things, what else describes your taste?  Feel free to add to your list of things you like
I'm drawn to things that are serene, natural materials, simple elegant design as well as to playful girly things like Sanrio/Hello Kitty, kawaii stationary, etc.  I feel too tall to get away with wearing girly-girly jewelry or hair bows or whatever else, but do like fun, playful, bright colors and designs in housewares, office supplies, etc.  I love hearts and stars. 

Would you mind if i made costumes for your ponies so they will fit the theme I'm making?
The very idea of making costumes for ponies makes me smile.  So, sure!  That'd be fun(ny). 

Would you mind all from one gen(what gen?) or prefer mixed?
While I listed ponies from every generation, I'd prefer either all G1 or a mixture to include at least one G1 thing.  G1 is my favorite, to be sure.

What's your favorite pony from each gen?
I have always loved Applejack, since I was a little girl.  Wigwam, though, is probably my favorite G1.  G2, I don't know, but I've seen photos of the unicorns and think they are beautiful.  G3, my favorite is Always & Forever.  I discovered her in a thrift shop with a bobbed tail and thought she was gorgeous.  And G4, my favorite is Princess Celestia.

Unicorn, pegasus, earth pony, or alicorn?
Yes.     Though, if forced to choose, it'd be unicorns.  Or earth ponies.  Oh, don't make me choose! 

My person might end up with weird little extras. Do any of you object to random extras I think are neat but are offbeat?  Or at least not expected.
I don't mind weird.  If I get a package of Nascar memorabilia and cough drops, though, I might feel a little let down.  So, you know, *fun* weird is good. 

Do you like nature and traveling places?
I do!  I'm not as adventurous a traveler now that I have two small children, so we don't go overseas as frequently anymore, but I love getting out and discovering new places and new cultures. 

Do you like plushies and if so what kind?  If you were to get a plushie of a pony which pony would it be?
I do!  I like the G1 plushes, though I only have Cherries Jubilee.  Last year, though, I got a baby Leaper and baby Applejack handmade plush from....is it Anita'sMom?  She's famous, but I'm drawing a blank.    I love them.  If I was to get another plush, it'd be of Wigwam or Starshine.

My Top 5
I don't want to narrow my wishlist to a 'top 5' for two reasons:  I prefer the surprise of truly not knowing what you might find or pick for me AND I don't want my partner to feel they failed if they didn't choose anything in my 'top 5'.  So, instead of a top five of ponies, I'll give you a more general one.  If I could have five wishes they'd be:  to be surprised, to receive a pony in good condition, to receive an accessory of some sort, to make a friend through the swap, and for you to include a note telling me about what you picked and why.

What are your short-term and long-term MLP collecting goals?
I have a few!  My current collecting focus for the short-term is to complete my Paradise Estates, to finish my collection of all the male MLP figures, to buy and display the ponies that I love the most and to gather more accessories for my Pony Dollhouse project.  My long-term goal is to collect a MOC/MIB version of every US-released pony.  At last count, I'm only about 5% of the way there. 

How do you feel about merchandise?  Do you focus on just the ponies or do you also get a thrill out of pony purses and ceiling fans and wrapping paper and whatever else has been made?
I love the G1 merchandise EVEN MORE, if it's possible, than the ponies.  Part of it is not knowing what all out out there.  There's a world of unexplored collecting waters in merchandise and I *love* that.

How do you feel about Friendship is Magic?  Do you watch the show?  Do you enjoy it?
I've watched the first season with my (almost) 5 year old son on NetFlix.  I think it is clever, fun, and warm-hearted.  We both love watching it together and, given enough time, will watch the rest of the episodes, too.  Nothing touches G1 for me, but it is a worthy follow-up, I think, to that world of toys I loved as a child.  <3

For those who would like/not mind a custom...what kind of customs?  Gimme two or three ideas for a custom and references.

I love G1 characters on G3 or G4 bodies.  I'd love to have all sorts of interpretations of Applejack.  I really enjoy getting babies for G1 ponies that didn't originally have one and I've loved the look of some of the BBE to NBBE transformations I've seen done.  I love boy ponies more than anything.  Hope that helps if you're considering making a custom for me. 

Would you rather have extras that are pony-related, or that have to do with your other interests?

There's no way to fail with me.  All ponies would be delightful and other surprises would be fun.  I'm thrilled just to see a box in the mail. 

What is your favorite holiday?  Yule.  I love the anticipation, the time buying gifts and baking, spending extra time with my loved ones, and the relief knowing that the longest night of the year is over and that the sun is coming back.  It's like the "hold on!" rallying cry to my seasonal depression and fierce craving for sun in my eyes. 

Do you like homemade snacks?  Yes!  I love that with homemade foods, you can control the ingredients and make something without all the crazy/scary chemicals, mystery ingredients, and animal products.

Anyone else like to cook/exchange recipes?  I don't cook as much as I'd like, with two young children at home, but I love tested family recipes. I'm vegan, so it is always nice to get new ideas.   Right now our lifestyle is simple stuff--raw salads, fruits, nuts, simply steamed veggies, and easy things like pasta/rice/stir fries.

Also…in case I get a vegan partner…what is the difference between vegan and vegetarian again?  What is okay for a vegan and no okay?
Vegans are a type of vegetarian.  Others covered the differences, more or less, but some ingredients to look out for, in addition to obvious things like milk and cheese, would be gelatin, carmine, and honey.  If you get me as a partner, I will understand if you don't send food.  Some vegan candies, however, are Twizzlers and Swedish Fish, most Oreo cookies, lots of super dark chocolates.   

Also...who has a birthday within the next two month?  (During the buying phase)
Mine isn't until October 18th. 

If a SS is in your wish list would you prefer it flocked or deflocked?
Yes.    I love well-flocked ponies as well as deflocking as a cure for mangey ponies. 

What are your favorite fruits in drinks?
Whaaat?     Um.  Lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, and apple.  But I like real fruit--not fruit flavorings--so I can't imagine you sending a smoothie or a juice through the post. 

Do you mind if I send extras that relate to my local area?
Not a bit!  That'd be fun.  Particularly if you live in Scotland or Ireland--where I have family ties.  But yes, I'd love to learn more about you and where you live. 

Would you be happy to have pony accessories as part of your "extras" or would you prefer "extras" as fun items and any pony accessories your partner purchases simply included as part of your pony allocation?
I'm having deja vu.  Did I already answer this?  I would love pony accessories extras.  The more MLP, the merrier!  But, I'd also like to give you free rein to gift me with whatever you'd like.  I am not a picky partner, or an ungrateful one, I'll be so excited to open the box no matter what you send. 

If your package is has a theme would you prefer a generic theme? (say something shiny or colorful or floral ect) or would a holiday type of package be alright (birthday or something)?
I trust your muse.  Go with whatever! 

And pony armies?
I don't have any pony armies.  I love boy ponies and would never, ever, ever turn one away no matter what condition they're in--but that's not quite the same as intentionally building an army. 

- Would you like to receive other horse/pony/unicorn/pegasus figures that aren't MLP?
Oh, sure!  You can't go wrong there.

- Do you actively collect Nirvanas or International ponies?
I don't--but I'd love to start!  I have a couple international and/or Nirvana ponies.  It is a field I know nothing about, really.

- Would any of your be offended by animal parts? Either in food, or in crafts? Like leather/fur/feathers, or bone, or the like?
I'd be horrified.  Please, for the love of ponies, don't send me animal parts! 


- What are everyone's favorite color to wear?
Black, white, sea green, pastel blue, pink, ivory, sage, lavendar

- Are there any colours you dislike wearing?
I'm a redhead, so I can look pretty ridiculous in some orange or reds.

- Do you have any pets? If so, do they like playing with toys and what kind of toys do they like?
I have two geriatric once-feral cats.  They're still pretty feral, to be honest, and don't play with toys or interact with us very much.

- Does anyone like/collect coloring books? If so, just MLP or other kinds as well?
I would LOVE a G1 coloring book.  I've never had one.  I am not a super-huge fan of coloring books in general, but I do have some from some of my other collectible things--like Silverhawks and She-Ra and Muppets--and you can't go wrong there. 

I'm no fan of fakies.  Sorry.

I love backcards.

I'm open to special-needs ponies--smells, initials, flaws--I'm ready to love and take care of whoever you send. 

T-Shirts:  I'm tall, so I tend to go for unisex L t-shirts to make sure they're long enough.  In a more fitted, junior's size, I don't know--maybe an XL?

FiM Trading Cards:  I have been collecting them, but by the time this swap is over, I expect to have them all.  I'm a total sucker for trading cards, stickers, pamphlets--anything small I can collect every single one of.  :p

Blind Bags?
Sure, I'd be happy with blind bag ponies.  The only three I have, currently, are the glittery Wave 1 three--Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash.  I bought a bunch more for my son, who loves MLP, and stuffed them into his egg hunt eggs--but didn't get any for myself!  :p


Regardless of price (this is for a craft) what is your all time favorite pony?
If I could answer that question--I wouldn't have had to amass such a big pony collection.    I have crazy big love for Wigwam, TAF Yum Yum, Baby Princess Sparkle, Applejack, and Moondancer, though.

And does anyone collect Garbage Pail Kids?
Ha!  No.   


If I were to get you a MIB G4 would you like me to keep it in the package or is it ok if I take it out to save room in the box?
I'd be happy either way.  I like having both...so either loose or MIB works. 

So...if you really love G1s, will you be upset if I end up sending a mix of generations?  All from your list of course!!  I'm just realizing I can't do all G1s like I wanted to.   
I love them all.  I wouldn't be disappointed in a mix, at all!

Also, if you like vintage puzzles, coloring books, activity sheets, and pony craft stuff, will you be very upset if they are used and have marks within them?  Or will you be glad to have them period?
I do happy dances when I find things like that in any condition--so long as they aren't moldy. 

Bracelets?
I like bracelets and have a pretty normal 7" wrist.

What kind of music do you like?
All kinds--except metal and classic rock.  I prefer quiet these days, though, now that I have two kids. 

What video games do you like?
The last video game I played was on a Sega Genesis in about 1996.  So, really, I'm not into video games. 

Do you like anime, if so which shows?
I don't.  I've never watched anime, really, besides some Sailor Moon episodes when I was a teenager.

I think this is kinda like a treasure hunt lot.  You can't really see the accessories, so who knows what all might be in the box?    The ponies look clean, too.  Look how white Glory is!  Decent price per pony plus all sorts of mystery.  I love big lots like this from non-collectors.  They can be quite fun to unpack and sort.