blueapplegallery

My name is Kim. I've been pretty busy lately with three jobs and 2 kids but I LOVE this swapping community and come back to occasionally swap.

I work as a kindergarten teacher and an online ESL teacher for VIPKid. I also make and sell handmade soap to family and friends as well as consign with a few markets.

I have many art related hobbies. My favorite art forms to participate in are pottery/ceramics and mixed media collage. I've tried glass arts (stained glass and lampworking) a few times and if I can ever obtain the proper equipment and get that up and running I would love to experience more of it. I recently got a kiln and pottery wheel and have been working in ceramics when I am able to find the time.

I am a mother of 4 year old Sophie and 1 year old Alex "AJ". My kids are pretty much the center of my world right now.

I have an odd obsession with collecting little bits of things and displaying them around the house and my "studio hut" in little jars.
Here's a sampling of things I collect and treasure:

• Glass Marbles
• lucky stars (the origami type)
• acai beads and other natural beads
• glass beads
• scrabble tiles
• game pieces
• origami paper
• metal jacks
• felt food
• polymer clay charms
• cabochons
• bread tags
• buttons
• colorful plastic bags (to make plarn with)
• Lego bricks

I'm not picky but there are things I don't exactly care for:

• The generic stuff that lines the shelves of Wal-Mart and the dollar store. It's not that I wouldn't appreciate or that I don't have my share of practical/generic items around my house for everyday use but, it's just that these things aren't interesting to find in the mailbox.

• Disposable items. Let's face it, there's enough in our landfills without me having to add to it with everything I use.

• I will pick up and read just about anything! I'm not particularly fond of cheesy romance books however.

• I read a lot of non-fiction particularly arts and crafts books.

• I also enjoy reading children's books to my students and my daughter. (Sophie loves board books with vivid color pictures. She will sit there and look at her favorite books for long periods of time which you know is about 5 minutes in toddler time!)

-My student's on the other hand enjoy just about anything that would interest a 5-6 year old. I'm always collecting books and lending/giving them to my students to read so if you have a few laying around and collecting dust, I would put them to good use!

• Blue (Any Shade)
• Lime Green
• Teal
• Bright Orange
• Brown, Gold, Avocado and Rust Orange (Used Together)
• Primary Colors (used together)

You can't go wrong if you send me something colorful!

• Soap Making
• Clay and Ceramics (I just purchased a pottery wheel and I'm working on saving for a small kiln!)
• Collage, Mixed Media and Art Journaling
• knit and crochet (especially working with Plarn)
• Journaling
• Pen-Pals
• Writing Short Stories
• Small DIY installations and tinkering projects. (Some of the projects I have successfully completed are a play kitchen for Sophie out of old nightstands and a wooden bead maze made with rubber coated wire hangers and a wooden base.)

I have 2 kids. Sophie who is 3 and Alex who is a baby. (He was born 3-4-17.)

Sophie's interests include: - art supplies - candy/snacks - dress up items - pretend play items - miniatures - building toys - dance themed items (she does ballet) - bubbles and play dough - hair bows and clips - beads and necklaces

Alex is 1 He likes:

• FOOD!
• toy cars and trucks
• plushies
• balls

(For any children's swaps, you can choose one or buy something they can share if you want to get creative. They generally tend to play with each others things anyway.) They both adore anything sweet!

My husband David is into comic books, SiFi (especially Star Wars and Dr. Who), woodworking and cars. He has dabbled in installation art as well as painting characters on glasses.

I have 2 cats (Rocket and Pinky)

I like:

• kinder surprise eggs (I can't get those in the US!)
• fruity candy
• trying international foods from other countries
• herbal teas
• coffee

Between the members of my family and I there aren't many dislikes and no food allergies in my family so if you send it, it will probably get eaten!