Sorry, I had to cancel a bunch of swaps I was hosting. I’ve had something personally distressing pop-up, and need to divert my attention toward getting it under control. I will repost as soon as this is “stable”. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

📮📫💙💙💙💌💙💙💙📫📮

USPS is doing the best it can to keep us connected!

Please remain patient & kind.

📬💌📬💌💙📮💙💌📬💌📬

This is my actual mailbox. I use it to send swaps on-time, if not early.

Partner/Coordinator Communication will take place should this status change for any reason.

Missing Mail? Please direct message me before rating. I keep a photo-log of swap contents and packaging.

Spoiler-Alert: My Flickr account often has photographs of swaps I’ve sent.

Postage Due? I have learned of this happening 4 times since joining SB. I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience this causes. Please message me if this happens to you. I will reimburse via PayPal or with unused USPS postage stamps.

Allergy Alert: My home is pet-friendly and smoke-free. But I shed a lot, due to Hashimoto’s. So, I apologize ahead of time if there’s any hair/fur stuck in packing tape on an occasion. I understand how unsightly that can be though, so I try hard to send shed free mail. 😆

Please scroll down to “Do Not Send” section if you’re just here to review my 🛑 Dislikes list. 🛑 Thank you for your consideration!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💖💜🤎🖤🤍

My Motivational Word for 2021: Gratitude

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” —JFK

🌺Aloha!🌺

My name is 🎵Harmony Joy🎶 I like both my first and middle name as a reminder of who I'm called to be. Others refer to me as either "Harmony", "Joy", "Harmony-Joy" or 🍪"Cookie" (because of my last name) - call me whichever you please, just don't call me late for dinner! 🤣

My name is musically-inspired because both of my biological parents are hippies. I am a Berkeley ☮️-born and Nor-Cal foster-system raised “love-child”, who currently lives on the other side of the nation. I met & married my husband in the Sunshine State, while we were both active-duty Air Force.

"Children are not distractions from more important work. They are the most important work." --C.S. Lewis 💞👩🏽‍💻👩🏽‍🎨👩🏽‍🏫👷🏽‍♂️👨🏽‍🎓💞

Together, we have three children (2 daughters, 1 son). Being “Mama Bear” is my favorite part of life, and I literally get more excited about 💙 Mother’s Day than my own birthday!🎁 The title also includes all my animals (past & present). 😉

🐾 At the moment, our fur-family consists of 3 feline & 3 canine rescues: Kyna (a Carolina Dog) and Ella (a Great Dane & Pointer mix), plus a Pit-bull "grand-dog" named Luna, two tortoiseshell shorthair "grand-kittens" named Lily and Piper & Theo, who is a ginger tabby.🐾

Perhaps you can surmise that I've always really enjoyed my animals. I think my pets help me cope with “people problems” better. 😉

Whether feathered, furry, or humanoid animals, my ohana really is “my whole world” 💕🌎 And I believe that family is who we make it (beyond DNA).

My family says I’m “the jack of all trades, master of some.” 😆 I’m simply never bored! 🎨

So, besides my “V.I.Peeps”, I also enjoy many Hobbies:

• (indoor) Alterations, Art-Journaling, Ballroom Dancing, Card-Making, Coloring, Crocheting, DIY, Face-Painting, Genealogy, Painting, Paper-Making, Pottery, Pressed Flower Craft (oshibana), Reading, Sewing, Smash/Scrap-booking, Watching Movies, Weaving, and West African Dancing.

(I own a Sizzix Big Shot Plus, Portable Tim Holtz Sidekick, & The Cricut Explore Air2)

• (outdoor) Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hula Dancing, Kayaking, Rollerblading, Shooting, Stand-up Paddle Boarding, Swimming, and Shopping.

  I’m proud to be a Momma Bear 🐻🧸 Can you tell why Bettie White is my favorite Golden Girl!? 😂

• I 💙 crafting! I like to try new techniques too. My new-found interests are ATCs & APCs. However, my portfolio is varied from fiber arts and beading to woodwork and pyrography. My "style" also varies and is sometimes "moody" because I tend to make what I feel. Most of the time I embrace the mixed-media, distressed look of inky grunge and painterly splatters. However, I also enjoy the beauty of clean-and-simple (CAS) designs sometimes.

• My current collections are: Cartophilia (trading cards) to include ATC/APC and the 7-of-❤️’s playing card (in all sizes & shapes), Deltiology (postcards), and Philately (postal stuff).

• I enjoy listening to audiobooks & many different genres of music. My go-to’s are usually country, & reggae. I have an all-in-one Radio/CD/Cassette/Record Player in my craft-room, and I 🖤 my vintage vinyl! Even in silence, I often have a tune playing in my head! 🤭

• I am most comfortable at the ocean where I can lose all sense of time hunting for sea glass, smooth rocks, and tiny shells to use in my crafts! I also enjoy fishing, but this ol' gal ain't cut out for boats! I've got a fair pair of fins 🧜🏽‍♀️, but no "sea legs!" 🤢

• I also enjoy spending quality time at libraries, museums, galleries, or studios. This is because I really enjoy folk-arts & handicrafts. I ❤️ experiential arts.
• In my youth, I enjoyed traveling the Americas and spent time living in Chile as a foreign exchange student! Now, I prefer to travel in good company, whenever possible. However, my current travels have been vicariously via postcards!

I 💜 snail 🐌 mail! 💌

• When handwriting, please print as I have difficulty reading some cursive penmanship.

Neatly written or typed things are always welcome!

• Pin-Up Ladies (esp. tasteful photography of Risqué brunettes by Bunny Yeager)
• Post Office Buildings
• Mailboxes 📮📭
• Giant Trees 🌲
• Studio Ghibli: Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service & My Neighbor Totoro

• B&W Photography! Especially of:

  • People Dancing📻💃
  • Close-ups of Hands or Paws
  • Vintage Boots, Hats & Instruments📯🎻
  • Abandoned Cars, Trucks & Trains
  • Old Books, Globes & Typewriters
  • Saturday Evening Post, Life or Time
  • Indigenous, Pacific Island & Polynesian Culture

• Handmade postcards are always welcome too. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💗💜💖🤎🤍🖤💝 I heart art!

Please share your PC collage, coloring, drawing, graphic design, painting, or photography. I also like receiving “print on-demand” PCs by Zazzle, Red Bubble, Cafe Press, Society 6, etc. If it’s a postcard that you think I will enjoy (even if the swap says "No"), mail it and let me know why! I promise that I’ll never rate down for thoughtful intentions!

🍪🥠Special Request:

Please add a cookie to the back of my postcard🍪🥠

• I also ask that my postcards please be sent ✏written🖊 on, but in an✉ envelope🌎 (if the swap allows a choice). The envelope (or clear sleeve) simply protects the image on the postcard from being smudged or torn by the USPS machinery (and they seem to be arriving damaged more recently).

WISHLIST (a.k.a. Insta-smiles 😃 & hearts 💕)

• Star Wars Postage Stamps (new, used, or faux)
• Sea Turtle Postage Stamps (new, used, or faux)
• Canceled Postage from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, or New Zealand
• Tw/Inchies/Betwinchies or Rinchie Rounds
• Hand-carved Stamp of the Cookie Monster
• Gelli-plate Printed Tissues/Scrap Papers
• Scraps of an Acrylic Pour, Marble Painting, or Citrasolv Page
• Stitched/Sewn Paper Scraps or Fabric Snippets
• A Sample of Your Poetry, Song, or Story
• Any Canx’d Postage Stamps with: giant panda 🐼 bears on it (or Orca, Penguins, and Zebra; I have a B&W animal project in progress) 😉 😁
• Any “flats” with perforated edges or shaped like postage stamps

🤙🏽 Mahalo nui loa! 🤙🏽

• Some swappers enjoy having a list to “shop” from, while others feel squelched by too many ideas. For this reason, I have tried to create “harmony” in my profile by listing some of the things I like. This is not an extensive listing, 😉 so swap partners can breathe easy because my default mode is to find the good in whatever is mailed my way. 😉 😃 😊

• Edibles: I am dye & gluten-sensitive and must eat strictly soy-free. This includes Red Dye #40 & the emulsifier “soy lecithin” frequently found in snack foods and chocolates. If a swap calls for edible treats, please refer to my Amazon list (linked above) for several ideas.

• Albanese Gummy Bears

• Big Hunk Nougat Candy Bars
• Chic-o-Stick Peanut Butter Candies
• Jolly Rancher Hard Candies
• Jordan Almonds
• Snyder’s GF Pretzels
• White Cheddar Simply Cheetos

My Strong Dislikes Are:

🚫 Loose Glitter or Confetti

🚫 Claymation or Stop-motion Characters

🚫 Sock-puppets or Anything with Monkeys

🚫 Dolls or Zettiology Creatures

🚫 Zombies or Aliens

🚫 Cosmetics or Fragrances

🚫 Snakes, Spiders or Scorpions

Actually, the only exothermic (cold-blooded) animals that I enjoy are: sea turtles, lady bugs, and butterflies🦋 The occasional snail 🐌 isn’t any bother either, though I prefer the kawaii/cute snail to the realistic ones anytime!

Also, I cannot use any dog/cat treats (mine have allergies) or personal pictures of your animals.

I greatly appreciate your efforts to avoid sending any of the above mentioned dislikes.

• Disclosure: I am a trauma survivor with medically diagnosed post-traumatic stress injuries. The distress experienced following trauma is not a disorder, so I no longer say that I have PTSD. I heard another survivor describe it as “having a war going on inside your head. Each day is a battle not to let the wrong side win.”

• I have also been diagnosed with ADHD-Combined type but I prefer to call it “variable attention stimulus trait” {VAST}. The negative connotations associated with ADHD make me sad and angry because I’m a very intelligent, successful person. I am humble enough to admit that I struggle with trusting others, executive functions, and memory impairment. Although I am still brave enough to ask for and accept help when I need it too. Participating in Postcrossing and Swap-bot have been ways for me to re-establish some positive connection with others in a non-threatening manner.

• I am also a {board-certified} peer-support specialist for military Veterans and have a firm foundation in both fact & faith-based programs. Continuing education is part of maintaining my credentials, so I am often learning and training.

• I was recently introduced to the {Gender Unicorn} and what it means to be an LGBTQ+ Ally. I share this because it’s not just a “current event”, but a journey to enlightenment for me. Although I am considered a cisgender female, and use the pronouns she/her(s), I am not a “girly-girl” and have an androgynous gender expression/presentation. I self-identify as a two-spirit, third gender or {Māhū}, with polysexual attractions. Boots are my go-to heels, you’ll never catch me wearing a pa'u skirt without shorts underneath, and my "makeup" is tattooed on.

• I know from first-hand experience that having a {W.R.A.P} works. Having this plan allows me to stay in control and working my WRAP® helps me monitor feelings/behaviors and reduce the negative ones. I always advocate for mental health awareness. However, I wouldn’t ever push information onto another.

  Please respect me and refrain from sending me any propaganda. If I want to learn more about your specific opinions or beliefs, I will ask. 😉

A Note About My Faith/Beliefs

• My dog-tags say Non-denominational Christian ⛪️ but I consider myself to be a “spiritual” being, who recognizes God as a higher power that reveals truth through creation. I do not subscribe to any extreme religions or legalistic views.

• Although I was baptized, as a teenager, in a Four Square Church, as an adult I find that nature is truly my favorite “church”. I often wander in the great outdoors, observe wildlife, and practice being a good steward of the Earth.

• I abhor politics & do not identify with any “party” (why is it even called that?) But I do believe in the importance of informed voting practices, so I FactCheck before heading to the ballot box. Confirmation bias is as bad as hypocrisy, so I try not to propagate that malady, if I can help it.

• Thank you for understanding, and I appreciate every kind and careful consideration with 💖-felt gratitude!

☺🚧 Profile page & person always under construction 🚧☺

(Up-to-date as of: 9/1/2021)

I am 3 hours ahead of Swap-bot time!

• As a swap coordinator, I often "close" my swaps a day earlier than the posted date because I am a "night-owl" and do most my work while others are asleep! :-)

• As a co-founder or officer in multiple groups, I am responsible for coordinating regular or recurring swaps. This means that sometimes my dashboard will show a bunch of swaps listed, months in advance. This doesn’t mean that partners have been assigned for all my swaps yet. It certainly doesn’t mean that I’m overwhelmed and going to flake on a swap either. Please message me before banning me from a swap for the perceived “appearance” of my dashboard.

• If a swap that I’ve posted is left without any "interest" (watchers) for 72 hours, I will delete it to perhaps repost at a different time.

• I only coordinate swaps that I am willing/able to angel. I also make a sincere effort to vet each participant before assigning partners.

If you end up needing a swap angel'd, please direct message me.

• • I follow-up on swaps if it's been thirty (30) USPS business days from the date I logged my swap as sent, (and at least two weeks from the deadline date) but no rating has been posted. I will contact my partner about a resend because I know postal services lose things sometimes.

• • I {rate} incoming swaps within 48 hours of their receipt. It’s my practice to only archive them once received/rated!
• • I am not concerned with postmark dates. They’re completely unreliable and have been counterfeited by swappers here before. As far as I’m concerned, if I receive the swap described you’re good to go. 👍🏼 🖐 I will never rate a 3/1 without contacting my partner and coordinator.
• • I appreciate feedback when rating and do try to make the time to respond to rater's comments accordingly. Even “silent” ratings I’ve received will often receive a simple “thank you” to show my gratitude for remembering to rate! However, there are times when I cannot get to all of them. This does not mean that I am any less grateful for the valuable time that you’ve invested in me or the happy mail! I promise.
• • • I do not visit the public forums on purpose. My first visit there felt terribly negative and since it's not a membership requirement, I have made a healthy choice to avoid the unnecessary distress. I simply swap on Swap-bot because I enjoy sharing happy mail!

Interested in ATC Buddy JAMS?

Try The ABCs Group

Current USPS postage rates are as follows:

• First-Class Forever Stamps = 58 cents
• Postcard Stamps = 40 cents
• Large Envelope “FLATS” = $1.16
• International Letters and Postcards = $1.30 each

Cut back on mailing single postcards internationally.