howdyholly

I live way out in the country - 5 miles from Rock Island. There is no rural mail delivery out here, hence the PO Box. Rock Island has about 100 people but I think they are counting legs not people.

A bar and the post office are the only businesses in town. Mail is slow. Please have patience with my mail. If you don't get your mail from me within a reasonable time, please let me know and I will send it again.

Rock Island is not an island and there are no rocks here. It was named in the 30's to entice Yankees to move here with the promise that the beach was close. The beach is 70 miles away!

My husband and I do not share the same last name. Obviously, my name is Patterson. If you get a label with Jack Giesecke, he is my husband.

My husband and I have both had our vaccines. He has diabetes II and cancer. His cancer is treatable but not curable. His chemo is 2 pills a day that leave him very weak. He is essentially wheelchair bound. But he is alive as long as he takes his pills. His getting the vaccine has given me great relief.

I have Bipolar II with depression and I have been having episodes - this time with depression. My doctor has given me another medication on top of the others. And again I am feeling better. And he says to get back into counselling and to quit my quilting for other people. I am following his advice.

I have been crocheting since I was 10 when my Grandmother taught me. I have made afghans, sweaters, and toys. I have taught crochet. Making small things is my new passion!

I quilt - love making tops. Scrappy is my favorite. And I quilt them.

I really like paper and fabric. Homemade postcards, homemade envelopes, junk journals, fabric books, homemade paper, smash journals, etc. My manic side takes over and I get into too many projects.

Finding swap-bot has fueled my creativity and stretched my mind. I love it!

I read fiction...mostly science fiction these days - lots of pandemic and EMP end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it types. I have read the Red Rising series and really liked it. My favorite authors in this genre are: Ryan Schow, Christine Kersey, Jack Hunt, and T.L. Payne.

I also read thrillers and mysteries. Yes, all escapism.

I love paper. And I love fabric. I love combining them for whatever I am making. I like making junk journals from old books or from ideas I see on Pinterest. I have made books out of fabric. And just started making paper, especially from recycled paper.

My design style is very simple. If you want lots of decorations, my work will not thrill you. I am trying to find ideas to expand my horizons, but right now I am using paper to tell the story.

I love postcard swaps and making postcards. I like decorating the cards with bits of paper and fabric. Denim pants are a great resource: I use a seam line, the small watch pocket, top of the big pocket, even a patch work of different colors of denim. Then sometimes a sticker, a bit of lace or applique. To attach any fabric to a card, use double sided fusible interfacing or Stitch Witchery.

I love the color purple. In fact, my hair is in-your-face purple! Love it!

What I like in mail:

Color - especially purple, blue and green; and have grown into tans like vintage..

Texture - I LOVE texture. It can be subtle, background or the focus. Fabric used on projects is great.

Shape - All shapes on the project are great. I really like geometric, and freeform shapes (torn paper).

Other - I like butterflies, birds, cats, frogs and roses, Flowers are good. Plants and other animals are also good.

Religious - I am a Christian and I like religious symbols.

I really like homemade postcards, sending and receiving. Because the towns around here are all small, I don't have a way of buying them around here. I order some from Amazon and use those when required. My girlfriend, Vicki, has recently given me her collection of pc's and her uncle's collection. They are mostly travel cards but some are old but in good conditions.

What I DISLIKE: Cutesy - 'sweet', cartoons, Disney; Confetti, Candy; Glitter; Negative thoughts; Political from any party or group; Tea - I can drink only herbal or decaf teas.

If I receive anything on my "dislike" list but the item meets the swap requirements, then you will receive a 5.

Saw this on a couple of profiles and thought I would give it a try.

A - Altered books, Animals, Accordion music, Avocados

B - Blue, Black, Butterflies, Birds, Bipolar II with depression

C - Cats, Cookies, Crochet, Crafts, Catfish fried, Christianity and its symbols

D - Donuts, Dogs, Decaf coffee, Denim

E - EMP (survival Sci-Fi), handmade Envelopes, cheese Enchiladas

F - Friends, Fabric, Frogs (but not as pets), Floral

G - God, Grandchildren, Gmail

H - Holy Bible, Hugs, Handmade items

I - Iced tea unsweet, decaf

J - Jesus the Christ, Jack my husband, Junk Journal

K - Kathleen my daughter

L- Love, Lace, Lap quilt, Lemons

M - Mexican food, Mockingbirds

N - Nuts, Neutral colors

O - Orange, Okra

P - Prayers, Postcards, Purple, Paper, Pinterest, my front Porch, Pecans

Q - Quilts, Quilting, Quality time with my husband

R - Rain, Roses, Reading

S - Sean my son, Smiles, Sunshine, Swapping, Sci-Fi, Sewing, Scrappy quilts

T - Texas, Twinkle lights, Texture

U - Ultramarine

V - Venison backstrap, Vellum

W - Water, Waffles, Wordplay game

X - Xi'an archeological site (I got to visit it and it was breathtaking)

Y - Yellow, Yams

Z - Zoos!

I had my first cataract removed - left one - on Friday, May 14, 2021. It was successful! The problem is that I am really, really nearsighted. So one eye is good for distance but not up close. The other eye still requires glasses. Therefore, I cannot use my glasses. And I am having trouble completing my swaps. This will continue for a few weeks. My next surgery is June 4. Then I will have to get new glasses which will have the correction for up close vision. I am trying to work on my swaps, but it is not so easy. Please have patience.