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