euphoria

For me, the best part about swapping is choosing or making something that my swap partner will love. (Getting something back is just frosting on the cake!) I want the swapping experience to be wonderful for each of my partners and I always rate the same day I receive. I post almost everything I make for swaps on my blog, so if you want to be surprised, don't peek!

I live in rural north central FL with my husband and two very large, spoiled cat brothers: Boo-Boo and Waphels. I enjoy decorating in the shabby chic style and love to "repurpose" thrift store/flea market items. I have collected Disney Beauty & the Beast memorabilia since 1991 (long story on how that got started) and currently have over 2700 items. (Yes, you read that right.)

I've been a mixed-media artist for about a dozen years and used to host many card swaps when I first got into rubber stamping back in 1997. I don't do cards much anymore, but I love making special things for people and am swapping again on a regular basis. I participate in a few internet art challenges; my favorite is the Mind Wide Open blog, where once a month an image and a word is provided and you create whatever you like from them. (There are prizes! Check it out.)

When I'm not creating art, I like to read, write, knit and shop, especially at thrift stores and flea markets. I have a civilian job at the local police dept to support my (pretty much out of control) art supply habit. I also spend a ridiculous amount on art/craft magazines; my favorites are Cloth Paper Scissors and pretty much everything Stampington publishes (especially Somerset Studio). I also spend more time than is reasonably healthy playing games downloaded from Big Fish. Their "Mystery Case Files" series is a ton of fun; I like that you have to use your brain instead of your fingers to win.

One thing that has been consistent throughout my life is the love of a good challenge. I won my first contest (for designing an advertisement) when I was in middle school, and I have won or placed in dozens of competitions since. Challenges that have extremely strict restrictions are my favorites. I'd be likely to bypass a contest that says "Create a collage on any subject," but one that requires you to create a collage on a specific theme using only certain products and you're not allowed to use the color yellow? I'd be all over that!

As for writing, this is something I do only when there's a challenge or a swap. I recently won an honorable mention prize in Writer's Weekly's seasonal 24-hour Short Story Contest (check it out; it's a ton of fun), but it's not something I consider a main pastime. I always have trouble getting motivated to start writing, though I really get into it once I do. This is why I join challenges and swaps - to force myself to write, because I wouldn't otherwise.

I love Survivor and Project Runway (I want Tim Gunn to be my long-lost uncle!) and recently got totally hooked on LOST. I try not to let it take over my entire life, though I will admit I have three LOST websites in my favorites list. :) Aside from those and the occasional episode of South Park, I watch almost no TV; most of my time is spent at work, creating in my studio or in front of the computer. Mostly on Swap-Bot. (Love this place.)

Favorite authors: Stephen King, Ruth Rendell, Sophie Kinsella, Peter Straub, Janet Evanovich, Ed McBain, Victoria Holt, M.C. Beaton, Agatha Christie. I like suspense, mystery and historical. I used to like Dean Koontz (his Lightning is one of my all-time favorites), but he apparently went insane a few years ago and starting writing schmaltzy glurge instead of taut thrillers, so he's off my list. (Too bad; I hope he gets over it.)

Mixed media collage & assemblage, book altering, knitting, felting, art quilting (just dabbling in the latter for now). I join a lot of ATC swaps on another site; I like having a central host that trades "like for like." I've tried just about every craft there is over the years. Lately I'm into altering journals and cigar boxes; I like things that are useful as well as decorative.

I enjoy all types of music except rap, country and gospel. My favorites are rock/pop songs from the 70s and 80s. I don't listen to music as often as I used to; audio books have pretty much taken over as my listening choice (I have a 45-minute commute).

Beauty & the Beast, Ladyhawke, The Princess Bride, Titanic, The Birdcage, Zorro the Gay Blade, The 10th Kingdom, Blades of Glory, Zoolander, anything directed by M. Night Shyamalan, anything "riffed" by the guys at Rifftrax.com. (They used to be Mystery Science Theatre 3000.)

I love just about anything handmade. When someone takes the time and energy to create something for me, that is far superior to any gift you can buy.

The only crafty type items I don't really like are cross-stitch or plastic canvas (though I love embroidery, especially ribbon embroidery). I also currently have far too many knitted items, so nothing in that category, please.

Our decor is almost exclusively blue and white, except for the guest bath, which is sage green. Blue is the only color my husband and I agree on, so we have blue carpets, curtains, countertops & furniture in every room.

My wishlist:

Blank notebooks and journals. Whenever I find one in a thrift store, I buy it (can't beat those prices!) and thus have a fairly large collection, but I can't seem to get enough! I don't really like the kind you can get at Dollar Tree or in the "10 for $10" bin at Michael's; I like journals that have some "heft" to them. I prefer wire-bound to stitched, but love any kind, really.

I adore anything made by Cavallini and everything at Papaya Art, especially the "Simple Pink" line, though I don't have any of their products yet. (I visit often and drool!)

I recently started a collection of decorative file folders. I don't like that you have to buy a package of them all alike; eventually I'd like to have a set that consists of all different designs. If you have extra decorative file folders and want to trade some, lmk!

I've begun to collect tiny porcelain boxes after finding some at the thrift store. (By "tiny," I mean 2" across or smaller.) Pill boxes with hinged, metal-edged lids, or "regular" boxes with removable lids - so long as they're porcelain, they're fair game. :)

Somehow I've acquired a collection of magnets, though I hardly ever buy them. I like those with humorous sayings or unusual shapes/styles.

I lurve Disney Beauty & the Beast items from other countries, which are difficult for me to get, especially trading pins. Here's a list of all the pins I own so far. Crazy, huh? :)

My favorite colors are pink, aqua and spring green, though my favorite color to wear is blue. I'm pretty much a pastel kinda gal when it comes to my own artwork, though I'm always drawn to bold colors in others'.

Love anything vintage or shabby chic. Favorite motifs are flowers, songbirds, butterflies, cats, mermaids, fairies, vintage ladies or children - anything pretty, really. I like frou-frou, lace, glitter and bling, so long as it's fairly tastefully done. :)

I'm a little OCD, apparently, because I'm drawn to anything that is lined up perfectly and well-balanced; I especially love grid patterns in artwork or complicated patterns that are made up of many smaller pieces (big fan of Beryl Taylor, from whom I took a class once). I adore mosaics of any kind.

My favorite holidays are Valentine's Day and Halloween. Valentine's because I love all the flowers & frou-frou and pinkness. My husband and I used to enter Halloween costume contests all the time (and won quite a few, actually). We're not into that so much anymore, but I do love the look of vintage Halloween decor (especially black cats and those really weird grinning pumpkin creatures) and my husband has always been into skeletons and skulls - especially, for whatever reason, the skeletons of dead pirates!

Have I mentioned I love art supplies? I'm really into small paper and velvet flowers and leaves, clear gems, glitter, ribbons, beaded trims, lace, charms, buttons, vintage images, rub-ons (especially alphabets), rubber stamps, chipboard, handmade or other specialty papers. Also, there is no such thing as too many bottles of "Stickles," any color.

Pretty notecard sets.

I love scented soaps and candles, especially honey, lavender, lily of the valley, magnolia, pear, pumpkin and spice/cinnamon. Love pine/Christmas scents also.

Things I don't want/need:

Candy or anything similar (unless it's sugar-free) - I don't eat sugar. However, if the swap requires it or if you want to send candy or chocolate, my husband will be more than happy to eat it. (No dark chocolate, please.)

Jewelry - I rarely wear jewelry, with the exception of bracelets; I prefer beaded ones or silver (in color) to match my wedding ring.

I do not collect postcards.

Nothing religious, please.

Just in case you don't see anything that floats your boat in my profile, you can always send something for my husband. He absolutely loves milk chocolate (though not Hershey's); his favorite candies are Twix, Rolo, Toffifay and Lindt. (Basically, anything that contains caramel!) He collects Jokers from decks of cards, so if you happen to have one lying around, please pm me and I'll trade you something for it. :)