TerryF

Change of Address: While I live in Canada, I will be in Florida Nov. 6 - Dec. 18, 2011 and Jan. 8 - Apr.8, 2012. I have someone at both my Canadian and American addresses to advise me of swap mail received when I am not there. (";)

KINDNESS RULES!

Please read this thread about swapping postcards - it has information everyone should know, and applies to all kinds of swaps!

I would really appreciate if you would not send me extras if you have me as a swap partner. The thought is lovely but I am trying to destash. Many thx!

LATE SENDERS PLEASE NOTE: I know life happens but, if you are going to be late sending me a swap, I would really appreciate if you could at the very least have the courtesy to let me know no later than the send by date. Not the day after, or the day after that, but by the send by date. If you do not, I will rate a 3.

~Member of Swap-bot since October 2006~

~Completed 23 swaps with 47 partners before the hearts system was implemented on January 27, 2007~

I live in Canada's cold capital city, Ottawa, and am retired. I love to cook and sew and craft and read and listen to music. I collect cookbooks (about 1000), craft/sewing books (about 2000), fridge magnets (about 200) and handmade Christmas ornaments (about 300).

I am a contradiction: quiet yet love to laugh, shy yet outspoken, quick to react yet calm, selfish yet thoughtful. A homebody and a loner, my close friends are few but very special to me and I would do anything for them. My DH is absolutely wonderful and I count my blessings every day.

I like:

Colours: pretty much all except orange (and even that is fine if not in large amounts), but especially blues, purples, black, teal, lime green, darker reds, soft pinks, soft yellows, taupe - favourite combos: black and any bright colour, black and taupe, navy and white, blue and green, blue and purple

Nature: animals (especially cats, frogs, turtles, whales, dolphins, fish, squirrels, mice, polar bears), birds (especially owls, robins, flamingos, peacocks, penguins, pelicans), trees (especially palms, willows, red maples), beaches, flowers (especially gerberas, tulips, peonies), insects such as butterflies, dragonflies and bees, oceans, lakes, rivers, sky, sun, moon, stars, sunsets, breezes, storms, mountains, fields, green spaces

Fragrances: fresh, clean scents like Yankee Candles ocean scents, Method Sweet Water hand soap and laundry detergent

Places: Florida, the Caribbean, New York City, Vancouver

Entertainment: theatre, music, choral performances

Hobbies: reading (cookbooks, sewing/crafting books, non-fiction), writing, cooking, fabric crafting & sewing, bicycling, walking

Styles/Themes: Christmas, Victorian, retro, art nouveau, art deco, shabby chic, country, European, Asian themes/styles, prim (all types), clean lines, contrast, bright colours with black, polkadots, fun, funky, quirky things (like spider brooches, irreverent stationery, wild sox, etc.), fairies, dragons, gnomes, glitter

Things: fabric postcards, unique and/or handmade stationery, pincushions, quilts and quilties, beaded, fabric and silver brooches, bracelets and rings, small, unique handmade dolls (Dotees, art, goddess, etc.), fridge magnets, spirituality (disorganized religion!)

Paper Postcards: I prefer funny, quirky, unusual, colourful, artwork, text; not so keen on the traditional touristy photos of scenery or places or maps unless there is an unusual element to them, or you have taken the photo yourself.

Supplies: fabric, trim, unusual and/or vintage buttons

People: kids, family, girlfriends

Food: Italian and Asian, guacamole, vegan and vegetarian, popcorn, prime rib, potatoes in any form, home baked bread

I'm not so crazy about:
1) candy, chocolate, sugar, caffeine
2) perfume, cosmetics, lotions
3) sports and politics
4) pushy religion
5) overly cutesy or cartoon stuff like Kawaii, Disney
6) the colour orange (unless in small amounts and/or when appropriate)
7) plaids, checks and stripes (unless unusual or appropriate to the item)
8) anything that smacks of "old lady", like those awful assorted floral notecards that come in boxes

PLEASE NOTE: I LIVE IN CANADA WHERE WE HAVE A REALLY SLOW POSTAL SERVICE - IT CAN TAKE 3-4 WEEKS FOR MAIL JUST TO GET TO THE U.S. AND IT IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE TO AIRMAIL ALL OF MY SWAPS. I WOULD ASK ANYONE NOT RECEIVING THEIR SWAP WITHIN A MONTH OF THE SEND BY DATE TO CONTACT ME SO THAT I CAN RESOLVE THE SITUATION. THX!

I like just about any kind of music if it's live. At home, I listen to everything from classic choral music to pop to country to Sarah Brightman to Neil Young. My favourite songs are The Dance and The River by Garth Brooks.

I tend not to have favourite authors as I read mostly non-fiction. I always have at least 3 books on the go: a serious one, a cookbook, and a craft book. (";)

However, I do make an exception for fiction when it comes to children's books and their wonderful illustrations! Some of my favourite authors and illustrators are:

• Lucy Cousins
• Roald Dahl
• Eric Carle
• Shel Silverstein
• Laura Numeroff
• Robert Munsch
• Theodor Geisel
• Beatrix Potter
• Tomie DiPaola
• Louisa May Alcott
• Anna Grossnickle Hines
• Margaret Wise Brown
• Robert Louis Stevenson

I am in heaven whenever I find a new thrift shop with a children's book section!

Law and Order (all), CSI (Vegas), Criminal Minds, Coronation Street, Property Virgins, Two and a Half Men, documentaries, biographies, true crime, cooking shows like Hell's Kitchen, What Not to Wear (I should go on it!), Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, reality tv, anything on TLC/Slice, A&E, Animal Planet, Women's Network, PBS

While I'm partial to creating in fabric (quilting, sewing, postcards) and thread (embroidery, cross stitch), I cannot do much of this anymore due to deteriorating vision.

I have started playing with paper crafts as they are much easier on the eyes. (";)

I don't knit/crochet/tat or scrapbook, although I love getting these types of items handmade by others.

I love receiving ANYTHING homemade/handmade!

I love Christmas and glitter! From 1984 until last year (2010), I made about 200 ornaments a year. I have since cut back but still love to make them.

My crafting style tends to be minimalist as I just cannot keep adding on - I am amazed at those who can do this and end up with something totally beautiful because all I ever end up with is something that looks like it was sucked on by the cat - and this before my eyes started going. lol

I pledge to other Swap-bot members to:

• Rate all swaps.
• Rate as soon as I am able to get online.
• Rate fairly and kindly.
• Contact my partners before rating them a 3 or a 1 to give them an opportunity to resolve the situation (but I will not contact a partner who sends late without advising me by the swap deadline, unless there are extenuating circumstances - and I also have a problem with people who click "sent" by the deadline but do not actually mail their swaps until later, as I consider this dishonest)
• Do my best to leave a message with all ratings, even if just a simple thank you.

I would appreciate if my partners would do the same - thx! (";)

Since I am participating in more PC swaps now, here is a list of my preferences:

I do not care for:
1. The usual, generic tourist type PCs - unless they are made of photographs you took yourself, or have an artistic/unusual look
2. Ad PCs - unless they are related to the arts or to food
3. Kawaii or overly cutesy

I like just about everything else (not easily offended) but especially:
1. All handmade (including digitally made by you - I think people are missing out on fun PCs because they don't believe these are acceptable as "handmade")
2. Quirky, funny, unusual, sarcastic, dark, twisted, etc.
3. B&W and sepia photos of people, famous or not
4. Anything related to music, theatre, literature, art, books, etc.
5. Mythical creatures like fairies, unicorns, dragons, witches, gnomes, elves, etc.
6. Christmas (not religious though)
7. Food
8. Quotes, poems, etc.
9. Houses
10. Water
11. Trees

Since I can no longer see well enough to handwrite narrative very legibly, I type almost all of my notes, letter and PCs. (";)

Whether you join a group or a public swap that I am hosting, I apply my own criteria for screening. I admit I am tough on screening. I want my swaps to be fun and safe for everyone who takes the time and interest to join them. (";)

I look for:

• Fully completed profiles (including favourite colours, or a statement that you have none)

• Recent log on to SB (within the last 7 days, or a dated message on your profile if you will be absent for a while)

• No unexplained 1 ratings (no matter how old they are)

• No unexplained 3 ratings (no matter how old they are) and no chronically late senders

• No late unsent swaps on your Current Swaps List

• No drama problems in the forums (I am not talking about a healthy exchange of opinions here, but rather of rudeness, unfairness, discrimination, etc.).

If you cannot meet these criteria for a good reason, please pm me to explain before the sign up deadline. I will not hold up partner assignment to ask you.

I screen after sign up, but if you have a concern with anyone who has joined my swap, please feel free to pm me about it.

I do not set a minimum rating to join my swaps as I think this is too arbitrary: someone may have a less than perfect rating due to circumstances beyond their control. As long as the circumstances are fully explained in your profile, or to me in a pm, I will take that into consideration.

If all of the above criteria are not met, I will ban regardless of your overall rating or your relationship with me. I also reserve the right to ban for other reasons that I believe are in the best interest of the majority of the swap participants.

As for Newbies, unless my swap description specifically states "No Newbies", you are welcome to join and I will consider your participation as long as you meet the above criteria as best you can.

You must communicate with both me and your partner no later than the swap send by date if you are going to be late for any reason. Exceptional circumstances will be taken into consideration.

If there are any problems, please try to work it out with your partner, but if that is not possible, contact me and I will try to help.

Please do not give a 3 or 1 rating without giving your partner a chance to fix the situation.

Thx.

I have sub-normal vision that cannot be corrected with glasses, so usually type my PCs, notes, letters, etc., but I always sign in my own hand. And I am able to read really tiny type/handwriting with the use of a magnifier. Nuff said. If you want to know more, please pm me and I will be happy to bore you blind with the details. (";)