DeboraCreates

Last updated: January 2023

My name is Debora (she/her).

I have always had pen pals from a very young age. Receiving "happy mail" is always fun, and it is a joy to spread cheer as well.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE NICE PEOPLE I HAVE MET ON SWAP-BOT!!

I love to try all different types of arts and crafts, and often say my hobby is "collecting art supplies."

Cardmaking has been my one consistent hobby for the past 20 years, although the techniques and styles may vary.

While always an art enthusiast, I began to take mixed media and fine art workshops later in life. That doesn't mean it's easy for me to draw or paint realistically!

This past year I took my first wheel-throwing pottery workshop. (It was fun but I have no room for 3D hobbies!)

Gelli printing has been an obsession for about 10 years, I love collage, and I keep several art journals going at once.

Deco Booklets

Due to postage/mailing issues, as well as the preference of swap partners/coordinators, I prefer to receive deco books with "art-style" bindings (no tape, brads, or staples) and small/thin deco booklets, (letter-mail size, with no bulky embellishments) particularly if sending me EXTRAS in a swap. I also prefer to receive booklets with USA/Canada home destinations for the same reasons.

I am always willing to send a deco home and welcome being the "last page signer".

Themed decos are an enjoyable challenge (see below for dislikes), but "open theme" often suits me best, because I can use what is in my current craft stash, materials from a recent theme, or what suits my latest interest or mood.

I love the ephemeral nature of deco books and often look for opportunities to create whimsical entries and repurpose found images/backgrounds on my pages. I also love their collaborative nature.

I work on the oldest books first, to help them move along!

PM me if you are interested in a private swap, or if you just need to get some decos moving - I will gladly accept them. :-)

Swapping:

If you believe I am late with a swap, kindly reach out to me via PM to resolve the issue.

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle - I recycle bubble and large envelopes. I also save and re-use all the thin plastic packaging from craft supplies, often to protect my swaps.

I often turn mail art envelopes received into art journals or collage backgrounds.

• I try to rate people within a week of receiving the swap (usually on the weekends).

• Rating me is the best way I will know that you received my swap, and I appreciate it.

• Please send me a PM if you do not receive my swap within two weeks of my sent date.

Likes:

Mail art envelopes, Contemporary Art, Unique Notecards, Dogs (especially Shih Tzu's), Birds, Pink Flamingos , Beach themes, Palm Trees, watercolor imagery, Botanical Themes, Flowers, NYC, David Bowie, Star Trek (all of them), thank-the-postman stickers, Kawaii stationery, humorous and feminist (nonpolitical) notecards, and items handmade by YOU!

My art style is more colorful mixed media than chabby chic/ vintage. But I enjoy receiving YOUR style.

Dislikes:

Things I dislike: Adult coloring book pages, loose glitter, confetti, sports , kid/school stickers, Dollar Tree Stickers and Notecards (I buy too many myself), vintage book pages.

Themes I dislike:
Vintage (for now), kid, fantasy themes/images, fairies, dragons, TV, "fandom", horror, comic books, movie franchises, super heroes, sports, cats (except for Hello Kitty !), circus, rodeo, bullfighting.

Kindly avoid sending political or religious items.

I do not swap: Friendship Books (FBs) , "Sticker Books", Slams or label bags.

Important: I am neuro-sensitive, so kindly do not send any scented items, or those that may smell of smoke, or any food or drink items.

Please do not put flashing graphics on my profile.

*** Thanks for reading this. ***

I am trying to get organized, so no extras are needed! Anything I cannot use, I will re-gift.

My wish list:

• Zines
• Unique (non-occasion) notecards, as I collect them
• Images cut from books, or stamped images that would make good collage or card focal points; stamped images on various backgrounds

70s/80s rock, post-punk, new wave, synth pop, new-romance: David Bowie, Duran Duran, Erasure, Devo, Depeche Mode, The Police, The Clash, Joe Jackson, Talking Heads, REM, XTC, New Order, The Smiths, (if you know who I'm talking about, you get the drill), also classic rock like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones...and ...David Bowie!

British rom-coms (think Hugh Grant and Colin Firth), Bridget Jones Diary, Love Actually, Notting Hill, Simon Pegg movies, (especially Shaun of the Dead), Harold and Maude, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn, Star Trek IV, Bad Santa, Mission Impossible, Bourne, Monty Python, Mel Brooks.

I collect new/used postcards with different views of Times Square, Union Square, Greenwich Village, Gramercy or Broadway in NYC. Also looking for new/used PCs of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Prague, Paris, Vienna, San Juan, Sydney.

I use a postal scale. I do not expect any postage due, but if it happens, please let me know.

Items are marked "sent" on the date I place them in the outgoing mailbox inside my building.

Our postal carrier arrives at 6 PM ET; mail is often postmarked at a location two hours away. The "sent date" may or may not exactly match the date it is postmarked, but it should be within one-two days, depending on when the business days fall.

Kindly mail heavier items in strong envelopes with adequate postage. I have been receiving a lot of items with postage due stamped on the envelope, but so far the mail carrier delivered it to me anyway.

Lately, I notice that washi tape is coming off envelopes in the mail, or torn by machines. I love mail art envelopes but I do not recommend using washi on the outer envelopes.

Mailing in the USA - ZIP+4 is important: Here is a link to properly address an item so the USPS "optical character recognition" equipment can read the address:

Postal Addressing Standards