bluesky

2/14/21 new year, (re)new(ed) profile!

About me – almost 45 years young - married – 2 cats (one grey, one black, both rescues) – SAHM to my miracle baby after many years of “waiting” (yeah she’s the one that keeps me young lol!). German expat and US citizen since Dec ’17. Currently studying to become a herbalist. Trying to build a herbal and Farm business. Located on Michigan's LP where we tend to our suburban Homestead and budding Herbal business (follow Sunny Squirrel Farm LLC on Facebook :) enjoying the outdoors, spend time in the garden, at the local library or park, maintain our own Little Free Library (visit Little Free Library Read and Seed on Facebook) craft, create, make, read, sew, preserve food,write letters, postcards, journal , try to pursue a simple and zero-wast/no plastic life...

Likes – reading, writing, penpalling/snailmail, swapping, volunteering, listening to music, making music, cooking, baking,fermenting, gardening, crafting, needleworks. Interested in urban homesteading, permaculture, backyard animals (if only the city could be convinced … ), plastic free living, natural and attachment parenting, Montessori and a little of Waldorf teachings, interesting discussions, spending time outdoors, growing, herbs, flowers, farmers markets, making my own herbal teas and remedies and such, making my own food, reusing, repurposing, recycling….

In general…

I always rate and as soon as possible. No rating usually means not received yet. If I’m late send, I will email you. Often use recycled packaging. Mostly wrap my gift swaps in tissue paper / holiday neutral wrappings. Please email, if a swap was not received, mail can get lost…nowadays usps.can be really slow at times...I’m happy to resend, also please use my address exactly as shown in the address window, thank you! Mailman said it makes it safer to arrive. We have some street confusion here (locally). For the holiday/gifts swaps I don’t care/mind how the giftwrap looks like (and also not about the shape/size etc as we dont use stocking stuffer but collect in a box during the year) – just to mention it, as I was asked about it. No must of course, but ideally I’d love plastic free wrapping or even none at all, if you write the swap name on the envelope and I’m just going to keep the whole thing closed until the holidays. I will not rate down for no wrap, even when its a swap requirement, as its my own preference. One of the swaps I received in 2018 was one wrapped in cloth tissue, which I thought was really cool :) of course, if you prefer to wrap, wrap away - up to you :) --- again, if you don't wrap it, please mention it on the envelope, so I can keep it a surprise until the holidays. I will put the envelope as a whole in my holiday box.

LIKES and WISHLIST:

Anything handmade by you from my wishlist.

Anything for my daughter will mostly give you a heart, especially if it’s swaps for the holidays or.her birthday, since we have almost no family and holidays can be a bit lonely at times. The pandemic situation doesnt help. I'm used to it, but try to make it as nice as possible for DD.

Herbalist! And permaculturist. Everything around it. Books about herbalism/Herbal medicine (love 2nd hand!) Essential oils, herbal medicine making supplies (dried herbs, wax, butters etc) plants, rooted cuttings, rare seeds the wilder the better! :) perennial seeds, flower seeds, herb seeds, organic seeds, non go, open pollinated, homegrown by you...

Natural /vegan cosmetics (unscented is mostly best, since I have a problem to smell certain things, or check my etsy favorites).

Anything that supports plastic free life. (examples fabric tote bags, unpaper items etc,you can check etsy for ideas)

Pretty letter opener from organic / natural material

Fridge Magnets – we really only collect/interested in fridge magnets with a “real photography” of your place, city, state, country with a name of the place, city, state, country on it. Also state map magnets (but I have Michigan, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connectictut, Illinois already) Not interested in non-descriptive ones, religious themed ones …. I have more than enough fridge magnets from Prague and Israel, so please no more thank you!! I dont have for example magnets at all from these states - Delaware, Minnesota, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington State, New Mexico, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Utah, Nevada.

Touristy Postcards for me and/or my daughter – city view, flora, fauna, nature, landscape only. -- we also have no TV, so she does not know Comic characters yet and I prefer PC's for her that show something to learn about the world.

US mint/new stamps, worldwide used stamps or other philatelic items (FDCs, Mini Sheets, commemorative Panels) mostly flora, fauna, landscape, nature themed.

Anything from my etsy /amazon wishlist or inspired by it.

(used) Fountain pens and supplies (ink, ink samples, FP suitable envies/notecards/lettersheets, Goulet Pens giftcard etc.

Sewing supplies – organic thread, sashiko thread, wool felt, sherpa fleece, biias tape etc (please NO fabric currently , no fat quarters etc, I have way too many right now thanks to swap bot and my love for upcycling snd mending.

Address Labels.

plastic free Laundry Stain Stick, Soap Nuts, dish soap (etsy list has examples)

Books, 2nd hand is great. Amazon list, herbalism, fermenting, mystery novel, thriller, new release, nature themed (ex: where the crawdads sing), fantasy, ya, biographies, life in other countries, non fiction... Just Romance no and nothing to dramatic either...

Colorful organic socks or knitted by you size 9-10

PLEASE DONT SEND -NO – I can’t use – I currently have too much of:

Not into any holidays and related things. We don't celebrate most of them. I don't really do Valentine's either and only a rudimentary Thanksgiving so far. I was asked about Hanukka related items - I'm fine thank you :)

No food sorry. No chocolate or drinks Really sorry ;-) health issues keep me from it :(

Not into calendars, figurines recipebooks, planners, religious stuff, jewelry, nail polish, no overly scented, fragrant or smelly items. Unscented is better.

Currently good with notecards, fabric, bookmarks, wash and stickers, notecards and lettersets, joirnals, cross stitch kits, tea towels.and mitts, sticky notes, scrapbook, and paperclips. I have enough :)

Not much into key chains and souvenirs aside from the memtioned fridge magnets, postcard and philatelic items.

No plastic whenever possible Prefer organic, natural, sustainable, recyclable, compostable.

Kid’s Swaps/ My daughter – she will turn 4 in May 2021

Things she loves now to do:

• loves to write and receive touristy postcards

• pretty hair accessories

• colorful socks (recycled, organic or home made would be awesome) size 4T or 7-8 for socks. Or ask about measurements

• stickers and washi tape

• papercrafts, cutting, coloring

• outdoors, gardening, growing, fairy garden, animals

• magazines like highlights hidden pictures

• reading and watching and making pictures

• music and singing and dancing and talking and... 😂

• jigsaw puzzle up to 35 pieces

• more wishlist: all etsy and Amazon inspired. Stamps for postcards. Seeds and plants (organic). granny squares (pref 12x12) to grow her blanket. Recycled crayons, soap, lip balm. Nature finds. Happy with used books, puzzles etc as long as complete and good condition. German books or movies or cds are a special treat. Very into "sendung mit der maus" and "Sandmaennchen" . Prefer no plastic and natural/organic materials.Please wrap her gifts. She loves the surprise.