USAFwife

If you don't get a swap from me, PLEASE PM me! I am happy to re-send, and know that things do get lost in the mail. Please note!! We have 2 cats and a dog! If you are allergic, I am sorry, but they live here too. Just a heads up. They do not sleep on my desk or in my stationery drawers, but this is their house too.

SENDING MAIL TO ME : So, apparently the post offices in Western Mass here are pretty picky. If you are sending me a journal, please don't use media mail. I've been informed - several times now - that media rate isn't ok for journals or anything other than printed and bound books. So journals, magpie journals, etc - those can't go media mail. They will be opened here before they are delivered to me, and so far I've been charged the difference in the postage at least once. Plus, the post office opening mail can lead to things getting lost and damaged.

I mark swaps 'sent' when I put them in the blue box. Sometimes I miss the drop-off time, so the postmark might not match up.
I am not a postmark reader. If I get the swap from you, thank you, and I will rate you according to the swap guidelines. But I don't check postmarks.

I rate when I open the swap. If you haven't gotten a rating from me, please contact me. I probably didn't get it. If you don't get a swap from me, please PM me and let me know. I am always willing to re-send what I can (if it's a journal swap, that's harder, but I usually buy the tracking for those.) If you get something from me postage due, please let me know! I will reimburse you! I do not accept postage due mail, and don't expect you to, either.

First and foremost - I'm a letter writer. I started pen palling around 1988, thanks to a book series called "Pen Pals" by Sharon Denis Wyeth.

One of my early pen pals included Friendship Books in her letter and that led to my next (strange) obsession. I LOVE to see where things have visited, the different handwriting on the pages, envelopes, letters. I love to see what people choose for stationery, stickers, envelopes, stamps - all of it. The letters are always wonderful too - I don't judge a letter by an envelope :) - but I love all those little extras. I don't swap FB's anymore, but that is what lead me to swap-bot, originally.
And my Number One hobby-love is pen palling. REAL letters, building a REAL friendship - not the couple of pages basically listing old Face Book posts, not the type that don't leave me feeling that they actually READ my letter.

I grew up in a teeny tiny town in South Western Michigan, and for as long as I can remember, I wanted to GO! Just travel and visit and move. I haven't exactly accomplished that, but I have lived in 11 states, and moved 16 times since I got married in 1995. Not what I had in mind - watch how you word those birthday wishes and wishes on a star! haha! :)

So, about me: I'm a married mom of 3 teenagers, living in Western Massachusetts now. All 3 kiddos are in high school and doing an online school currently. Wedding anniversary is March 25, 1995. We are a military family, (since Oct 1st, 2002). Yes, I really am a "USAF wife"! :) We have 3 pets, all rescues that have traveled the country with us.

Really like to reuse envelopes, paper, do recycled paper crafts. I almost never buy brand new books, get most of mine from swap sites or Better World Books. (LOVE 'tree free' paper! Bamboo paper is my favorite, but I love all types!)

I would love to find a GOOD thrift store nearby - I don't like buying or wearing or sending something that someone could buy anywhere at any store they walked into. I like DIFFERENT! I LOVE to re-use, find new purposes for the old as much as possible. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!! I'm not overly crafty, but I LOVE paper, pens, stickers, stationery, journals, washi tape - that type of stuff.

I have never "fit in" - not as a kid, not in school, not as a teen, not as adult. It makes life a bit more challenging, but! I am "me".

I am very proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart store in 13 years (will admit that I love going to Target - they have cool paper - but currently the closest Target store is an hour away. Sadness)

I get rather annoyed when people spell my name wrong.

I'm afraid of owls. If you could skip sending me owl images, stickers, washi tape and not decorate the envelope with owls I'd appreciate it.

My oldest son is physically disabled, and my younger son is on the Autism Spectrum. Getting through the day is sometimes more than challenging & emotionally draining. I was diagnosed with depressions a very long time ago and it's always a struggle.

MUSIC I have been a fan of The Monkees and Menudo for more than 30 years! For newer music, I like Imagine Dragons, Kids are into Daft Punk, and that's grown on me some. Also enjoy John Mayer, Adele, Enigma, & Soul Asylum. Husband likes Matthew Sweet so I know way too much of his music, too. :)

TV I like the show *"Supernatural", Sherlock, Grimm and Sleepy Hollow. All time favorite show is Are You Being Served?" from the BBC in the 1970's - that show always makes me laugh! Kiddos are really into Dr Who, Bones, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Don't go for a lot of romance, sex, swearing, drinking, violence, etc. I seriously dislike vampires - except the original Dracula. Ghosts, now - that's a different story. :)

Books: All time favorite story is "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" By Washington Irving. Have always just loved that story and all the movies - including the old Disney one - that have been made. :) Recently found & am enjoying the "Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper" series by JL Bryan. Some very favorite and re-readables are: "Love Comes Softly" by Janette Oke, "Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson, "The Dark Tower" series, "Insomnia", "Diary of Rose Red" and others by Stephen King, "Faithfully Religionless" by Timber Hawkeye

Also love the original Grimm Brother's Fairy Tales - those old superstitions and folk lore always grab my attention. :)

Audiobooks Love listening to audio books! The BBC radio dramas of Agatha Christie are the best. :)

Movies Favorites are: Emperor's New Groove, The Haunting (both 1963 version and 1999), Sleepy Hollow, 10 Things I Hate About You, Far and Away, Clue, The Mummy,

I LOVE Garfield. I've loved Garfield all my life, and dearly enjoy getting anything related.
I like butterfly shapes, trees, and prefer stars and moons to heart shapes.

Likes & Dislikes I like cats, Garfield, sloths (animal), cats (just no big-eyed ones), Hamsters (animals), llamas (animals), giraffes (animals), butterfly's, coffee, bookmarks, book recommendations, stationery, ghosts, haunted houses (stories, not the Halloween sort), old buildings /architecture/ abandoned buildings, Egyptian Gods/Goddesses (esp Bast), Greek mythology, Ziggy (cartoon character), Scooby Doo (original cartoon series), The Muppet Show (original ones), Colorado (state),The Dark Tower (book series by Stephen King - NOT looking forward to the movie!.), cooking/baking, recipes (my recipes are kept in 3-ring binders, so a full sized sheet is preferred to a recipe card), celestial things - sun/moon/stars design - esp moon, tree designs, earrings (no gold - allergic!)

Please don't send candy or food items. If we're in a tea swap, only sealed tea bags, please. (No tea with strawberry or pineapple - I'm allergic.)

Dislikes: OWLS!!!!, North Dakota, smoke smell (Not allergic to it, but it causes migraines), big-eyed creatures, Bible quotes and overly Christian items, hate-speak/racism & cruelty towards others, sex & violence in books/movies/songs, sexy vampires

Collections

Husband and I collect English Bulldogs (figurines, magnets, etc) I collect anything Garfield, pens (esp those promo ones from businesses), bookmarks, magnets (refrigerator) Daughter collects Barbie dolls & Wonder Woman (esp the OLD Wonder Woman comics) Youngest son collects GI Joe (12 inch figures) items & equipment, loves older Superman comics, Mad Magazine Oldest son likes Star Wars things, Harry Potter, the sport soccer (getting to know the New England Revolution), LEGO

I"m not a crafty person or an artistic person. I enjoy making my own envelopes and decorating with washi tape, but that's about as creative as I get.

FOR WASHI TAPE SWAPS I like animals (not owls), colors and patterns, coffee themed, postage stamp and post mark themed, books or writing/text print. Daughter likes the Llama Love design from Michael's. Real animals or cartoon are fine.

Not into the 'poop' and mustash or beard designs. And I do not use washi in my planner, so the motivational or days of the week and such just get passed on to someone else.

If I get washi I don't like as much, I usually pass it on in the next swap, as an extra.

THE COOLEST journals ever made: http://bookjournals.com/

I'm open to private swaps, newbie swaps. I will do International swaps from time to time. It depends on the swap items and the cost. But please ask!

I am interested in swapping Pocket Letters, journal swaps, washi tape, stationery, book marks, books, recommendations.
Other than that you'll have to teach me how to craft it. :) I don't use Pintrest and have no desire to start. Saying "just Google it" to me will loose my interest right a way. I hate that phrase so for something new, I'm talking actual directions.