sassafrass

May/22 I'm only doing the occasional swaps right now due to family/life. I will rate and answer any messages as quickly as I can.

A note on Rating: I usually rate a couple times a week, as all of my incoming mail goes to a mailbox that I can't access after hours. I try to get there at least twice a week and rate as soon as I go through my mail.

** If you are sending to me, I also have a Canadian address if you prefer **

If you have not received my swap after a reasonable amount of time (what is that anyways, with covid?!) please let me know prior to rating a 1. I've been here almost 13 years, and am very serious about swapping. I don't flake. I'm more than happy to resend if something's gone wrong and will always extend the same courtesy.

Below are some things about me. This is not a "you must send these things" list. It's to help with any profile related swaps, and to get to know a bit more about me. I always appreciate everything that is sent to me.

Hard to believe I've been here almost 13 years! Time flies :) I've had the pleasure of meeting so many great people from around the world, that I would have otherwise never known.

I design and create metalwork jewelry, and it's my passion and full time gig. I am lucky enough to spend my days in my studio, creating pretty things to send to lovely people around the world.

In my spare time, I love to do crafts of all kinds (see below), spend time with my hubby and cats. We lost our 3 seniors (17.5 and 18 years old) within about half a year of each other, but we have one monster left and an outdoor feral who now comes into the house occasionally for a snoop :) I love going to thrift shops and vintage and antiques markets and could spend hours upon hours (days? lol) sifting through old treasures.

I love creating so many different things, and can't think of much I have not tried yet.

My current hobbies are paper crafts, scrapbooking, stamping, painting, mixed media art and collage, art journals, junk journals, ATC's, smash books, gelli printing, stitching, altered art, and digital art. I've begun trying out more painted and dyed papers and loving that.

During lockdowns, I started to get back to some old crafts I haven't done in years ... crochet, sewing, cross stitch, embroidery and macrame (it's actually cool again lol).

Vintagy Things

• old photos, especially Victorian photos like tintypes and cabinet cards. I also love black and whites from the 1920's and 1930's
• vintage ephemera, old maps, travel stubs, old documents, victorian postcards, vintage postcards
• tiny vintage bisque dolls and figurines (frozen charlotte/penny dolls, little dogs, cats)
• vintage and old scraps of lace and ribbons, vintage rhinestone bits, vintage glass and/or rhinestone buttons .. love Victorian era buttons
• vintage hat pins
• old skeleton keys
• old used postage stamps from around the world
• foreign language book/dictionary pages
• vintage maps
• interesting images from magazines (whole pages and cut out)
• vintage wooden spools (with or without thread)

Crafty Things

• Love anything from Tim Holtz, Maggie Holmes, Dear Lizzy, My Minds Eye, October Afternoon, Basic Grey, etc.
• handmade junk journals
• handmade envelopes
• Flow/Frankie magazines
• Things for junk journals/smash books - used bus or metro tickets, interesting candy/sweets wrappers (esp with foreign writing), other little ticket stubs/papers/receipts, little envelopes, takeout menus, etc. I especially like anything that is unique or from a different country, or has foreign writing on it :) I would love air mail labels/stickers from your country
• chipboard and embellishments of all kinds
• stickers (words, quotes, vintage style)
• sari silk ribbons (any colours!)
• beautiful scrapbook papers
• washi tapes
• rubber stamps (love artsy ones, butterflies, dragonflies, birds, old writing, ornamental, etc.)

Miscellaneous Random Things :)

• small shells and beach/sea glass
• I love postcards of any kind, but do prefer store bought PCs unless the swap is for handmade
• love anything matryoshkas (they always look so happy!)
• absolutely LOVE anything from Papaya Art
• bird motifs (natural and/or vintage looking and whimsically drawn)
• small pretty things
• aged and worn looking things
• pretty florals
• Anything Edward Gorey
• owls and woodland
• Chococat and Deery Lou, although not a fan of Kawaii, otherwise :)
• I LOVE Halloween
• Felix the Cat
• Dr. Seuss the Cat in the Hat
• Charley Harper anything :)
• cats on postcards, notes, etc
• Anything Moomins :)
• Somerset style
• nature inspired things
• strange things like old pictures/postcards of urban decay, ornamental and unique headstones/cemeteries
• I love and appreciate anything handmade :)

Fave Colors

• My favourite colours are black, pinks (not bubble gum) kiwi/avocado/moss/celery greens, turquoise, aqua, teal, and choc or moss brown, jewel tones, fall colors, rustic colors. Not really into primary colors or fluorescents/neons

Themes I Enjoy

• whimsical drawings/art
• Charley Harper
• Birds in a whimsical or vintage illustrated style (not cartoons)
• Flowers
• Woodland
• Studio Ghibli My NeighborTotoro
• Architecture
• Paris, french, and eiffel tower
• Vintage/Victorian Halloween

I appreciate and welcome everything I receive. The following are just not really my personal taste:

Heavily scented items, primary and neon colours, cartoonish/child-like items (except those mentioned above), anime, kawaii, etc. (unless noted), religious items, dragons, vampires, etc., those yellow smile face stickers (yes, I'm weird lol)

Clowns, sloths, and snakes creep me out, so I would be over the moon happy to not find them in my swap :)

Ghosts, Chicago PD, Criminal Minds, FBI, Cold Case, Friends, The Mentalist, Law & Order, Castle, Bones, Elementary, Sherlock, House (MD), The Closer, True Detective, Dexter, Cardinal, Person of Interest, Bosch, crafting shows, cooking shows, serial binge watcher of Investigation Discovery channel.

I love music and can't get through a day without it! Mostly an alternative/grunge gal, but I'm all over the map really! Some faves:

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Type O Negative, The White Stripes, Brad Sucks, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Radiohead, Garbage, Thirteen Senses, Muse, The Verve, The Cult, Linkin Park, The Black Keys, Pearl Jam, Sisters of Mercy, Oasis, The Offspring, Stone Temple Pilots, Incubus, Third Eye Blind, Broken Bells, Foo Fighters, AC/DC, HIM, The 69 Eyes, AFI, Neverending White Lights, etc

Books I most enjoy are mysteries and crime dramas. Some of my favourites being from James Patterson (love the Alex Cross ones!). I also love Stephen King, Stieg Larsson, Kathy Reichs (Bones), Tess Gerritsen (Rizzoli and Isles)

I also LOVE craft books and art magazines. Would cherish anything from Stampington/Somerset (even previously loved)

My fave movies are rom coms, comedy, some action movies, and thrillers. Love any and all James Bond movies!

I must admit I am in love with Robert Downey Jr. I know we are meant to be together, and as soon as he realizes this, it will all be good! ;o

Just notes for me:

Sent ISS: 3-2-1 swap to @eevalah (with tracking) and the envelope has now been returned to me with Finnish post return label on it. I have contacted her, but she has logged in and not responded to my message. Also sent email to her and not gotten a response. Not sure if she is still active here, but I will re-send if/when she does decide to come back and provide the appropriate Information. Pic of envelope is on my Flickr.