Welcome to our family, Dec. 21, 2022 - "Finn" little boy born to my brother's daughter. My Mom 1st time great grand mom. I'm 1st time great Aunt.

Andrew Smith (passed 7/2021) My brother's only son. We miss him dearly.

"Scout" the Dachshund (2004 - 2020) RIP sweet boy we loved you. "Sandy" the German Shepherd passed 8/17/23, she has passed over the Rainbow Bridge to join Scout.

My only brother Robert passed, Robert R. Smith (1950 - 2020.)

'2017 & 2018 I had emergency surgery for a kidney stone. I was diagnosed with Paget's Disease of the bone, being monitored by four different doctors.

Born in the year of the Dragon, I'm a professional artist, photographer, sculptor, crafts, art teacher.

Love/Like/Wish List: My fave Tea is Twinning's English Breakfast Tea. Though send me a Tea you think I might like & I will try it.

Postcard views of your city, town, village, parks, zoo, (multi-views OK,) angels, animals, cats, big cats, dogs (especially Borzoi, Dachshunds, Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Salukis, Whippets,) horses, ponies, swans, reindeer, butterflies, dolphins, doves, dragonflies, orchids, peacocks, roses, seahorses, seashells, sunflowers, beautiful landscapes, waterfalls, rainbows, sunsets, aurora borealis, Unicorns, Classic & Vintage images of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Happy New Year, St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, Summer, Autumn views, Art Nouveau, Gemstones, Metallics, Lace, faux pearls & faux jewels, rhinestones, sequins, glitter I will mix with acrylic medium or paints, snowflake confetti.

Wall Calendars (discounted after New Year's Day,) I use picture pages to create mail art envelopes.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND SWAP IN BLACK ENVELOPE! It means a "person has passed away" for me. Black PC or greeting card OK)
PLEASE SEND "G" - Rated Items, NO "R" or "X."

I draw, paint, sculpt, take photos, rubber stamping, print making, ATCs, jewelry making, love to decorate mail envelopes, also postcards. I create & swap friendship books, deco books, handmade postcards, altered postage stamps, & enjoy using used postage stamps (worldwide, all themes, g-rated please, sending postcards without envelope preferred.

Enjoy receiving your mail art, I enjoy hosting RAKs as my health problems keep me from hosting swaps.
Contact me for private swap.

I send large envelopes, packages, boxes with USPS delivery confirmation tracking # to help you track the package & for me know you received it. International envelope, package has a US Customs form attached. It may take week - more than a month for US mail to reach an International address. If you do not receive my swap please message me, I will resend. Please communicate with me.

My worse fear: (fantasy scenario) phone call from my post office - "Hello Ms. Smith, your artwork is here, folded in half & on fire. We're trying to get the fire out with a fire extinguisher, but you'll have to come to the post office to pick it up. There're be no claim to file as the package wasn't registered or insured. Thank you for using the US postal service and have a nice day."
Police arrive at my apt: "Mam, there's no sense in getting upset over a bad experience with the post office. Please step away from the easel, put your paint brush down & no one gets sketched, OK? "

I have Paget's disease of bone, fibromyalgia, asthma, seasonal allergies, food allergy MSG,) cat allergy (though sending postcards, envelopes from apt, house with cats is OK.) (Hug your cat for me, I'm sad I can't own a cat, I love cats.) My immune system is "broken." Worse seasons: Spring tree pollen, Summer - high heat, high humidity, mold, mildew, grass pollen, Late summer - ragweed, grasses, mold. Can't tolerate high heat, strong sunlight, I "over heat," stay indoors in A/C temp control to my comfort level, hepa air purifiers, air filter on A/C . Some times of the year I am apt - bound in A/C due to sensitivity to heat & humidity. Rest of the year I'm allergic to house dust mites & their residue, indoor mold. A "controlled" environment is way I live my life. Thankful for arts, crafts, photography, access to the internet, cable TV, mail, newspapers, magazines, books, CD's & DVD's - movies, anime episodes, YouTube I watch online.
Mail, sent & received, activities with Swap - Bot, pinterest, postcrossing, pen pals, helps keep me alive & active. I have facebook, Pinterest boards: "Mail Art," "Swap - Bot Swaps."

*Allergy Pollen Mask, COVID-19 Mask, I wear when I go outside - Proven best blocking pollen, dust, mold spores, fits best Gempler's N95 Particulate Respirator - comes in different sizes, has exhale valve to breathe out but pollen can't get in, feels cool to wear in heat, all day. Adjustable fit noseband, elastic strings hold mask on. Sold # of masks in one box. One box for one "normal" pollen season. Where to buy: www.gemplers.com

Jurassic Park movies & Jurassic World, Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, The Thirteenth Floor, The Forgotten, Jackie Chan's Miracles, The Haunting, The Secret of Moonacre, Anime: The Fantastic Children, Innuyasha, Emma, The Dragon Hunters Anime movie, Ghost Hunt, The Ouran Host Club, Trinity Blood, Bamboo Blade, The Matrix, + 2 movies in the series, The Others,
Lord of the Rings - 3 movies, The Hobbit - 3 movies, Pirates of the Caribbean, Hell Boy, Dr. Strange, MirrorMask, The Last Quarter, Boys Before Flowers TV Korean Series, Tales of Hoffman,
Ghost In The Shell anime series, Avatar, Underworld- 3 movies, Beauty & the Beast - Disney, Finding Nemo - Disney, Frozen - Disney (I love Sven the Caribou,) Tangled, Epic, The Guardians - ("Jack Frost") .

Classical music: Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt, Mozart, Shubert ("Trout",) Vivaldi

Other Music: Kelly Brianne, Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, Enya, The Virve, Lady Gaga, Sting, Justin Timberlake, The Thompson Twins, Usher. Swedish House Mafia - "Antidote" & "Greyhound." Soundrack to Ghost In The Shell Anime, Howls Moving Castle, MirrorMask, "White Noise"-simulation of ocean waves crashing on the beach.

Expedition Unknown, Dino Hunters, Ancient Aliens, The Artful Detective, Great British Ghosts, Time Team, Most Haunted (UK,) Numb3rs, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Policewomen of Broward County, FL, Ghost Adventures, Paranormal States, Say Yes To The Dress, Televised Dog Shows, Walking With Dinosaurs, Being Chased By Dinosaurs, The Universe, Nova.

Favorite Actors: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Vincent Price, Hugh Grant.

Favorite Actresses: Liz Hurley, Zoey Deschanel, Gemma Arterton (as "Io" in '2010 "Clash of the Titans," Emily Browning.

Favorite Books:
Art books, books about artists, Geometry of Life & Art, books about history of art, museums collections, famous artists, books about art, style, Fantasy genre - "Crown Duel" by Sherwood Smith, art illustrators, graphic artists, anime artists, manga artists, etc.
Flowers books, roses, orchids, Irises, water lilies, etc.
Fashion books, fashion magazines, love designing clothing, costumes for my bjd Dollfies.

Self-Help books: "The Survivor's Guide," Loss of A Loved One, Suicide Survivor's Grief, etc. (Lost my only female cousin to suicide in '2011, my nephew Andrew 7/2021.) Please feel free to talk to me about loss & feelings of grief.

Romance books: Regency, Victorian Historicals, Paranormal, Youth Fiction, Fantasy, Futuristic, Contemporary Christian Romance, Christian Inspired Historical Romance.

Favorite Authors: Virginia Kantra, Jane Austen, Mary Jo Putney, Mary Balogh, Barbara Metzger, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain, Johanna Lindsey (earlier novels,).

Art Books I Highly Recommend:

"Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson, ISBN - 13: 9780891343370 or ISBN - 10: 0891343377

"Perspective Made Easy" by Ernest R. Norling, ISBN - 13:9780486404738 (available thru www.doverpublications.com)

"DK Series: "The Artist's Handbook," Revised Edition, by Ray Smith, ISBN - 9780756626211

"Light And Shade" by Mary P. Merrifield, ISBN - 13: 9780486441436 (available thru doverpublications.com)

"DK Series: Smithsonian - Rock and Gem," ISBN - 9780756633424 Definitive guide to rocks, minerals, gems, & fossils - lots of photos are resource to inspire artwork, crafts with look of gemstones, fossils, rocks, etc.

"7000 Years of Jewelry" by Hugh Tait, ISBN - 13: 9781554073955 Illustrated history of jewelry with 400 color photos to inspire you - Egyptian necklaces, Celtic torques, Chinese jade, African amulets, Renaissance pendants, Art Nouveau, etc.

"Dressed for the Photographer" by Joan Severa, ISBN: 9780873381521. Search for this book in your local library as book is Xpensive!, B/W photos, (best quality reproductions for good photocopies,) photos of 18th C. - 20th C. children, ladies, great resource for images to use for ATC's, art collage, handmade cards, etc. Warning: this is a hardbound book, large, lots of pages, heavy weight.

*Ask me about Arts, Crafts, Jewelry Books & I will suggest a few for you.