moonswings

Woo-HOO!!! 500 swaps over 15 years! I guess I'm playing the long game. :-)

I'm a self-employed genealogical researcher and educator who works full-time doing research for clients or preparing genealogy presentations for seminars and conferences.

My husband & I have been married for 25+ years, and have always lived in Michigan, which is lovely in the spring, summer and fall. Winter is another matter entirely (unless you love the cold and snow).

We don't have any children but have an adorable 10-year-old, 20-pound, black & white beagle/Jack Russel mix named James. We live on a remote, rural piece of property out in the country, and James loves being a country dog.

I've developed a magnificent passion for handmade and specialty papers. During our recent move, I discovered I have enough to last me for about 5 more lifetimes. :-)

I studied music in undergrad with a 4-year music scholarship focused on composing music in a classical style for piano, choirs & orchestras. Take a wild guess how marketable that was. That's why I'm a genealogist. :-)

I also enjoy listening to the local NPR station and classical music station, but am basically contemporary-music illiterate. I have no idea who's popular these days in pop, rock, country, folk, and rap music.

I love reading contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and cozy mysteries. My favorite authors are Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Pamela Schoenewaldt. Both are so incredibly different from one another, but I love them immensely and re-read their works every couple of years.

Papercrafts are, by far, my favorite. For many years, I taught various paper arts classes at our local Rec & Ed. I love making collaged envies, greeting cards, ATCs, art journals, handmade books, and altered books.

I collect used vintage stamps from any country that were printed with a single color, regardless of subject matter. I use them in artwork.

COLORS: My favorite color is glitter! Especially if it's pink/fuchsia. I also love deep, vibrant jewel-toned shades of amethyst, sapphire, ruby, and emerald.

IMAGES: Birds, butterflies, flowers, trees, maps, sheet music, farm animals, dogs

DRINKS: coffee (unflavored) w/cream, sparkling white wines, bourbon, and pre-Prohibition cocktails

VACATION SPOTS: Italy, France, Spain, the British Isles, and the American southwest.

HOLIDAY: Christmas. I love the holiday cheer, the reds & golds, the candles & lights, the Christmas tree & greens on the fireplace mantles, the carols... I love it all!

I dislike things that might be considered scary, dark, or macabre. I'm also not a fan of cutesy or cartoon-y things. Please don't send the following:

• bugs
• robots
• skulls
• skeletons
• vampires
• zombies
• witches
• doll faces
• clown faces
• Hello Kitty
• Anime or Kawaii or similar
• anything religious
• anything sci-fi or post-apocalyptic
• anything with smoking odors