LavenderLizard

I'm an artsy-craftsy youth services librarian from down South who has finally developed the guts to call herself an artist, even though she isn't "ready."

I enjoy making jewelry (beading, wire wrapping, etc.), and sometimes make my own beads and pendants from polymer clay, shrink plastic, spices, PMC (when I can afford it, which hasn't been for months now!), Friendly Plastic (tempermental stuff that I mess up most of the time), cloth, paper, and anything else I can get my hands on. Since so many people know how to bead these days, I've shifted more into altered jewelry and making my own components. I've started altering things like scrabble tiles, dominoes, and bottle caps to make charms and magnets. I've also started soldering microscope slide pendants, and have the burn scars to prove it! (Any advice about microscopes, scrabble tiles, and bottle caps is welcome!) I just started knotting hemp, and wonder why I didn't try it before, as it is very fun.

I also make ATCs--I do a lot of hand-embroidered cards, very multi-layered collage, carve my own rubber stamps, and have started suminagashi (ink marbling) and cyanotype (from kits--I'll learn to make my own solutions someday). I don't swap the ATCs here as much as other crafts, though, as I am active on another site as well.

I like making tiny felt, cloth, or clay spirit dolls, monsters, and softies. I make dotees and icicle dolls, but I absolutely adore quirky, handmade dolls and softies in general as well as goddess dolls. My felt softies tend to have blanket stitched edges, as I find that it adds a nice finish and is very meditative to sew.

I also sew other things, though nothing too complex, play with ceramics, and make paper, herbal items, and more. I just started amigurumi (made five so far) and crochet dishcloths, but have to be careful of my touchy wrists.

I love collage art--I use antique book pages with my carved stamps, etc, to create all sorts of things with many, many layers. Gel medium is my friend...

I love recycled art, like tins, bottle caps, scrabble tiles, t-shirt purses, etc. A lot of my softies and sewn projects incorporate repurposed fibers, and I use a lot of ecofelt (recycled craft felt--a good way to make something bright and beautiful out of all those plastic bottles).

And if you find it in the Stampington magazines, I'll probably think it's quite cool...I have a "thing" for those folks! Very creative bunch.

As you can tell, I like to keep my arts and crafts varied...I can't yet draw, though. Aside from stick figures. Crooked ones.

I'll start with the boring allergy stuff... I'm VERY allergic to mold and non-carbon paper (like dressmaker's carbon and the yellow paper in receipts) and somewhat allergic to wool and strong scents. Essential oils are fine, though, and I love lavender and rosemary. I don't have pierced ears, and have to follow a strict diet for health reasons, so can't eat much of anything that could be sent through the mail except green tea and peppermints.

My favorite colors are jewel-toned red, green, blue and purple. I also like black and white things and nature tones. Frankly, though, I like most colors when they seem appropriate to their use. For wearables, it's safest to stick to those jewel tones or black, though, or I start to look sickly. I love nature themes, trees, fairies, lizards, owls, oriental style, daffodils, fantasy, goddesses, cave art, vintage, and anything that begins with "Once upon a time..." I like vintage and handmade aprons, too, and have an embarrasing addiction to antique crocheted or tatted lace edging and handkerchiefs.

I especially love getting handmade items in swaps, including (but not limited to!) handmade beads and jewelry (no pierced ears, though), stuffies and art dolls, bags, magnets, aprons, and knitted/crocheted items. I love mixed media jewelry! I really like seeing what others love to make, as well--it can be so inspirational. You don't have to be perfect at something for me to love it--as long as it's made with heart, it's great to me!

I'd love to get materials I can use to make things, too. For recycled crafts, I collect game pieces (especially scrabble tiles and dominoes), t-shirts with cool designs, other interesting fabrics, old books or book pages (especially dictionaries, foreign languages, and books with line drawings--for those of you who gasp at that, don't worry--I don't destroy anything unique or rare), antique photos, broken jewelry, altoid and other small tins, CDs, ephemera in general, and bottle caps. I can't handle mold, though--makes my nose and head very angry with me!

I also like rubber stamps (more the artsy ones), ink pads (especially ones that can be used on shrink plastic or fabric like Staz-on), papers, fabric, stone, ceramic, large glass (with big enough holes to use with hemp) and metal beads (I only rarely use plastic, unless it is polymer clay or quirky vintage).

For my overall taste, I would have to say I prefer things that have a bit of an edge, are magical in feeling, or whimsical without being overly sentimental (for example, I love Brian Froud, but am not a fan of Anne Geddes). I collect cast iron trivets, vintage lace, hand-embroidered hankies (antique and new), aprons, old marbles, and carved wooden or gourd stamps used to print fabric. I actually kiss people's feet for those stamps, to be honest. My collection only numbers four, and I hope to grow it much larger!

I'm listing lots of "likes" so that people have guidance, but don't feel constrained by them. I like surprises, too!

And just so you know, extras are always lovely and appreciated, but you don't have to include them to get a heart from me. I give those for the actual swap items, so there's no pressure to add more if you don't want to!

Movies:

My three favorite movies of all time are Labyrinth, Amelie, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Analyze that, if you dare! I just saw Where the Wild Things Are, and was THRILLED with the screen adaptation for so many reasons. I also love the original three Star Wars (the newer ones do not exist in my world), Bull Durham, Stardust, the Witches of Eastwick, Pride and Prejudice (the one with Colin Firth, naturally), Mirrormask, Howl's Moving Castle (the book is excellent too), Juno, Lord of the Rings, Serenity (best sci fi flick since Bladerunner, I think, though a friend made a good case for the first of the Matrix trilogy the other day), Benny and Joon, the first half of Lady in the Water (the second half is unfortunate, I admit, or at the very least seems to run away from narrative control), kung fu flicks in general (recently saw the Tai Chi Master, and boy was that one fun), Spirited Away, Lost Boys (gotta love the '80s action!), and for some reason, stuff like Resident Evil and Planet Terror. Love love love old black and white horror of the Vincent Price variety, and I just saw Suspiria, and find it very artistically inspiring.

Television (not all current):

Star Trek, any and all Joss Whedon but especially Firefly, Bones (I was an anthropology undergrad who came within inches of going into forensics), Monk, Psych, Numbers (before it started following the Law and Order tone too much), X-Files, Northern Exposure, Get Smart (not the movie, the 60's tv show--I know it's not PC, but it is so funny!), Supernatural, Dark Angel, Burn Notice, Chuck, and the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series. I currently get no TV channels, though, so anything I can't rent is lost to me now! (I'd rather mail swaps than pay for cable tv, as I am sure you guys would understand!)

I love quirky characters and fairy tales.

I'm a LIBRARIAN! 'Course I have these!

I love fairy tales, as said before, but I am not talking about Disney--though I own and love Enchanted!--more the folk tale tradition (a great modern fairy tale I read is the Book of Lost Things, and I consider Charles de Lint's mythical themes to fall into this arena too). I love art and craft books, and collect them somewhat obsessively. I stalk the magazine racks for my favorite magazines. I love urban fantasy as well--fairy tales are not just for the past! I love Wise Child by Monica Furlong, the poetry of Hafiz and Rumi, Charles De Lint, Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, The Folk Keeper, David Shannon's picture books (talk about quirky!), The Wishing of Biddy Malone, The Ordinary Princess, Savvy (a book I love that was just named a Newbery Honor! Whaddaya know...I'm thrilled about this year's winner, too!), Shakespeare (yeah, I know I'm a geek), the Safe Keeper's Secret, Shannon Hale, Brian Froud, and let's see, how long can my list be?...

I am addicted to books about the crafts I make...things like jewelry making (especially the fancy art jewelry), polymer clay, sewing, amigurumi, collage, and on and on...

I will rate everyone when I receive your package, I promise! If I somehow forget, I won't be offended if you remind me. I never, ever mark my swaps sent until after I have actually given them to the folks at the post office. I don't mail from my door.

I also send out a message to let you know if I haven't gotten something...so you'll know if something you send me goes missing. And of course let me know if you don't get something from me--I have never yet flaked on a swap, and barring death, it is my intention never to do so! If you are ever disappointed with my swap package, let me know so that I can make it right.

I've had a lot of flaking since I started trading here, but the cool packages from you honest swappers make it worth the effort!

Swaps I never received: NFS - Dotee Doll for Beginners, Towel Day Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/36213), Felt Minnie Monster Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/34847), Owl Stuffie Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/30562), Coraline Mini Stuffie Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/30797), Goddess Inspired Fridge Magnet (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/26614), another Owl Stuffie Swap (angeled by hostess yarnigras!), Handmade Button Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/26113) from two of three partners, Anything You Want to Make Swap (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/19876), runes ~ handmade ~ USA (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/19628), Favorite Fairy Tale Character Dotee (angeled!), Smashed Cents #2 (angeled!), Newbie Swap #11 (angeled!)

One of my swaps was recently returned from South Africa unclaimed, but I messaged that person to let them know about it and haven't received a response. I'll gladly re-mail!

I love doing private swaps, too.

I have two cats, but they are not allowed in my craft room, so should not affect my swap items at all. I am also extra careful if someone's profile says they are allergic! Mine is also a smoke-free home.

I have not bought new music for AGES, and don't have the ability to download it either. I'm interested in trading for mix cds to update my collection. My tastes are quite eclectic. I love "chick" singers like Ani Difranco, Dar Williams, Alanis Morissette. I love classic rock and jazz from Ella Fitzgerald to the Beatles to Blue Oyster Cult--lots of moods). I've loved the music they use in Supernatural on TV--what a great mix! I also like celtic and folk music and some harder rock and punk (like Flogging Molly). I am not a rap fan, though, and I find vocal styles like John Mayer's grating (no offense to the fans!). If you think you can put together a collection for me, please let me know!