I like Zentangling, for myself, and I like other people's work.

I was looking at some of the "top swaps" and noticed that many of them specified "no home made", well, home made is really what I would most like to receive (I can buy things for myself).

I'm on the far side of middle-aged, married, no kids, but we have a rescue dog (black pitbull - sweet as can be). I work full-time in an office (systems analyst) but I am no longer enthusiastic about it...counting the days, counting the days.

I have a small house on the East Coast of the US not too far from New York City. I like doll making most of all as that incorporates sculpture, painting, design, fabric, embroidery and beading. I used to be able to draw and paint, but I lost the knack from disuse. Zentangling seemed like a way back, but I like it for itself. I think the gems are really pretty.

Likes

• Jewel tone colors
• Hand-made/one of a kind
• Wit and Symbolism
• Fish-related (includes cephalopods)
• Insects and Arachnids
• Ooak Art Dolls
• Shiny stuff
• Grungy stuff
• Beads, ribbons, embellishments
• Anything interesting or unusual or personal
• Religious iconography and mythology

Dislikes

• Violence, cruelty and gore
• Saccharin or kawaii
• Passive-aggressive narcissists who can't be bothered to acknowledge they even received the swap for weeks on end because that isn't "fun" for them.

Ambivalences

• Stickers - most, but not all, are uninteresting
• Cartoons (Garfield is hideous, but Mutts is elegant; I do love Lynda Barry)

• It just depends on how well it's done

• Clowns mostly hate, but it could be done well, this one is charming:

• Muddy colors, again, it all depends on how they're used
• I don't mind receiving religious tracts as long as you don't mind how I use them in my work (be forewarned)

I like to do mixed media using jewelry, paper, ceramics - anything that can be altered or repurposed - one man's crap is another man's treasure.

Since I've joined Swap-bot, mail art has become my main creative outlet ~ postcards, ATCs and just starting zines which have challenge of the added elements of time and narrative. I've added gelli printing (lowercase because it's homemade from gelatin and glycerine, remelted after each use, pia) and alcohol inks to my repertoire since being here. I've done a couple of journals, but honestly, they're exhausting.

I also do handmade one of a kind paperclay and polymer clay dolls, so fabrics and embellishments (dangly earrings) are always welcome.