marliese

Hi there - I am Marlies, mom to three teenagers. I live near Amsterdam and I work as a policy officer / online learning expert at a major Dutch university.

I have been a Swap-Bot member for a decade now. I always send my stuff in time. If, because of any circumstance, I would be unable to send before the deadline, I will contact my partner. If you did not receive a swap, please contact me! The Dutch mail system has been undergoing budget cuts and as a result, items that I (or any other Dutch resident, LOL) put in the mailbox between Friday 5 PM and Monday 5 PM will not be processed until Tuesday. This could be practical to know when you check the postal date on my envelopes.

Next resolution: I always rate. I try do to this the same day, but always asap. Feel free to message me when you wonder if your swap has arrived though.

(Please note: When a swap is late without notification or does not match the swap description, we are obligated as swappers to rate down. And when a swap does not arrive (and your partner does not offer to resend) a rating '1' is in order. This may seem harsh but it's the only way to keep Swap-Bot safe and to fight flakers.
Not rating when you are being flaked on, is potentially hurting others - even when you think you're being forgiving and easy-going!!)

For a profile based swap, you could consider sending me:

• Tickets stabs, library cards, other vintage ephemera
• Postcards with photography or (woodland)
  illustrations
• Stickers (planner or other) - not puffy/3D
• Herbal tea (no chai but infusions like mint, camomile, verveine, nettle)
• Chocolate (all kinds - just no mint)
• Die cuts
• Colored envelopes (store bought for now - I have quite a stash of handmade envelopes of my own)
• Plant seeds (if your local customs allow that)
• If you can find items with a squirrel or fawn, I would love that. Little figurines (squirrel, fox, deer) too.
• Items (charms, stamps, stickers) with clouds
• Paint (the acrylic kind) markers
• Blackbird, magpie or swallow themed items (pins, cards, charms, etc.)

I prefer my received postcards naked - with actual stamps. :) When we're in a postcard swap together, I don't mind free postcards as long as the other swap requirements are met. No obvious advertising cards though. Thank you.

My favorite travel destination is the South of England. I like piers and lighthouses and the Jurassic coast line.

Some of my favourite books/authors:
- Anything by Frederick Backman
- The night circus
- The time traveller's wife
- The Solitude of Prime Numbers (Paolo Giordano)
- Anything by Curtis Sittenfeld
- Anything by Annie Proulx
- Anything by Willy Vlautin

Among my favourite children's authors/illustrators are Dr. Seuss, Lauren Child, Astrid Lindgren & Ilon Wikland. Childhood heroes!

I love everything polaroid (or instax) related. Also, items with cameras on them.

I also like retro patterns like woodgrain prints or (large) houndstooth (b&w).

At first, I felt bad about listing my dislikes, but you might as well save the shipping costs so here's a bunch of things I'd rather receive. Please:

• NO items with moths, butterflie, spiders... phobia related.

• NO budget stickers, disney, reward stickers and unpersonal premade notes or swapcards (if not subject of the swap).

• NO smelly things (perfumed items or things from a smoky environment). I am very sensitive to scent. Even scented stationary gives me a headache and triggers my asthma.

• I don't like Rooibos or Green Tea.

• No Diddl, Disney, fairy tale figures (two exceptions: Little Red Riding Hood and Alice in Wonderland, well, she's not really from a fairy tale...)

• no recipe cards

• no black tea
• no candy with mint
• no religious items or animal rights (or political) items

Please don't send me jewelry which isn't 100% nickel free - I will not be able to wear it.

I also prefer NOT to receive washi tape samples. I prefer whole rolls, or no washi at all, which is ok with me too. :)