nigatsubebe

I always get swaps out as soon as I can, but admittedly, I'm sometimes bad at sending tracking numbers or remembering the 'second step' of clicking "sent items" if I can't send them the same day I pack them. If you don't get your items 3-4 weeks from the end date, send me a message!

USPS POST INCREASE JULY 2022

The Forever (one ounce) stamp will be increasing $.02 on July 10, 22. An additional ounce cost is increasing from 20¢ to 24¢, and the non-machinable surcharge for square envelopes is increasing from 30¢ to .39¢. This is a good time to get your Forever stamp sheets in advance if you're in the US.

After DeJoy (the postmaster) "saved money" by having the electronic mail-sorting machines turned off, meaning millions of pieces of mail per week is now sorted by HAND, transit time has greatly increased.

What used to take 1-2 days in-town and 5-10 days 48 contiguous States now takes 2 weeks in-town and many small items, like letters that are not business-class (a different fee schedule) takes 4-6 WEEKS. Please plan accordingly!

If you are in the US and swapping, and haven't received an item, please wait ~4 weeks after the deadline. Then message the sender (and also myself, if I'm hosting the swap) to see if the item was sent on time and if you could get a re-send.

What supplies do I use?

Yarn + fabric:

Natural materials such as 100% cotton, hemp, wool, alpaca, linen. I don't end up using tencel or bamboo because it uses so many chemicals to make, might as well just buy acrylic. I do have a lot of acrylic, though, as I prioritise secondhand materials over newly-made.

Paper/Stationery:

I do papercrafting and stationery and have a penchant for "dark" stuff- old-school romantic Goth, Victorian, and Steampunk styles appeal greatly. "Black Forest during Fall/Winter" is a commonly recurring theme. I have too many postcards right now- a few photo boxes filled, but I always take very old Japanese postcards (which get archived.) Stationery is great too! I tend not to use magazine cutouts since I can get stacks of magazines for free locally.

Painting:

I'm dabbling in acrylic painting and have lowest-end watercolour sets. I haven't decided if this is something I'll take up. Mixed media and watercolour paper is always useful + welcome!

Misc.:

I love old mirrors, things with leaf motifs, asa no ha (geometric hemp) patterns, feathers, delicate Venetian-style lace, and various shades of blues, grey, and shades of deadleaf orange.

Off-site I tend to sell and trade for very different things. I have a rather large stash of kimono fabrics, books, dried herbs, video games, and even foodstuffs.

Sometimes I'm looking for specific things to barter for: kimono in very good condition, the 1976 copy of DOMA Codex Rosae Crucis, black and grey laces, etc. I'd be willing to trade half my supply stash for that Codex edition! But the list is always changing.

• Weaving (I have a 16" rigid heddle loom right now, but I formerly rigged various objects for frame looming or 'nature looming'.)

• Sewing basic items

• Archiving vintage + antique Japanese postcards of the karyukai (geisha, maiko, tayuu, oiran)

• Papercrafts like art journalling, scrapbooking, and some bullet journal/art journal hybrid work for daily use.