happylilartist

Ottawa is an incredible city to live in. I've been here for just over 3 years, and moved by way of New York City (USA). I was born in Manhattan, raised in Queens, and love anything to do with the Big Apple.

I live with my husband and our wonderful fur family.We have a dog named Wylie, and two cats, Finnigan and Smee. Wylie is a mixed breed dog we adopted from the humane society just over 3 years ago, he celebrates his 5th birthday in November. Finnigan came to us as a stray, he was seen wandering our neighborhood, and we befriended him. He's been a happy indoor cat ever since August 2008, his age was somewhere between 1 and 2 when we brought him in, so we'll be celebrating his 3rd birthday in February 2010. Smee is our wee kitten who is pictured in my profile picture. She is the cuddliest cat I've ever owned, she celebrates her first birthday in January 2010.

I was recently married in September of 2008. My husband and I dated for 6 years (3 of which were long distance) before we were married. We met while volunteering at a summer camp in New Jersey. I have permanent resident status in Canada. All of my family, and many of my friends live in the United States. I see some of them more than others (mostly family). Family is very important to me, we do our best to keep in touch. We have no children, as of yet, but do hope they are in our (near) future! My husband and I and our pets share a two bedroom apartment. The 2nd bedroom overfloweth with art supplies. We are lucky to have (and share) an art studio in our home.

My daytime job is a freelance child caregiver for two young children. They are siblings, and I've been with them since the younger of the two was just 5 weeks old, that was just over two years ago. I am so grateful to have a job that I love.

My hobbies include making art, listening to music, armchair traveling, playing board and card games, postcrossing, penpalling, creative writing, (art) journaling, cooking and baking, reading, sewing (hand and machine), photography, jewelry making, watching tv, spending time out in nature, swap-bot, my pets, swimming and playing video games (computer games - especially the Sims 2 and games for Wii).

I have just learned about geocaching and travel bugs and am eager to get out and explore. I dream someday of being tagged with a travel bug and have toyed with the idea of including them in mail.

Because of Swap-bot I am very curious about Friendship Books, Slams, Decos, Lyrix and things like that as well as matchboxes, whimsy jars and kawaii. If you know about them, share with me your wisdom! I'd love to hear more, and if you are so inclined to send something along these lines, so I can see what it looks like, it would be greatly appreciated!

I enjoy penpalling and am always looking for penpals from around the world. If you are interested in penpalling or setting up a private swap, (see my profile for ideas) please let me know. I love to receive penpal letters that really tell me about the person writing them - tell me a funny story about something that happened to you, or something at work, places you'd love to visit, odd facts about you, hobbies you're interested in that aren't well-known, etc. I'm particularly fond of long letters and handwritten letters - the more things you tell me, the more things I have to write back to you about!

just putting this out there:

I try to re-use packaging whenever possible, so if you receive something in a recycled envelope, please know that I am trying to do my part to reduce what goes into landfills that could be recycled before being disposed of.

I've just recently started making my own envelopes to use for penpal letters, so if you receive one, and like it, let me know, and I can send you some!

What music I don't like is probably easier to list: I don't really listen to rap music (that with alot of cursing) and most country except what would be considered pop country, nearly everything else is fair game depending on my mood.

Music I love:

Ani Difranco, Bon Iver, P!nk, Black Eyed Peas, Talking Heads, Rusted Root, Joshua Radin, Regina Spektor, Chopin, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Joss Stone, Adele, Sia, Tegan and Sara, Sigur Ros, Mogwai, dar williams, led zeppelin, metallica, louis armstrong, maceo parker, pink floyd, creedence clearwater revival, rolling stones, tori amos, among many, many, many others - and always open to new suggestions!

Genres I love:

folk, non-mainstream, dance, trance, pop, hip-hop, 70's, classical, 80's, zydeco, jazz, mellow.

If I am involved in a music swap or swap that calls for a cd, you may send my cd in mp3 or wav. file - choice is yours, but please include a song list with song titles and artists.

My favorite book of all time is probably Boy's Life by Robert McCammon.

I love the Harry Potter series, anything by Tess Gerritsen, most of Richard Laymon's books, Lovely Bones and Lucky, Jodi Picoult, some of Chuck Palahniuk's Books, Zami, Written on the Body, Jasmine, Winesburg Ohio, Robert Frost's poetry.

genres:

mystery, fiction, new age, classic literature, cookbooks, puzzle books (sudoku, word finds, but not crosswords), art books (how to and about artists), photography (how to and about photographers or styles)

I live for a solid page-turner mystery. Recommendations of your favorite book (regardless of genre) always welcome.

I tend to not be a huge fan of biographies, autobiographies, historical fiction and non-fiction, westerns, romance, sci-fi, but if you know of one that is awesome, tell me about it!

I own a wide collection of movies and tv shows on dvd. What I watch depends on my mood - but my tastes vary wildly from comedy to drama, to action, to chick flick and some documentary and independent films in between.

Examples:

Comedy:

Very Bad Things, Without a Paddle, American Pie(s), Along Came Polly, knocked up, 40 year-old virgin, juno, empire records

Drama:

The Prestige, Crash, American Beauty, the Beach

Action:

The Rock, Italian Job, The transporter, mr and mrs. smith, kill bill, from dusk till dawn, tremors

Chick flicks/teen movies :

blue crush, 10 things I hate about you, he's just not that into you, the break up, final destination, scream, she's all that

others:

goonies, gremlins, labyrinth, a knight's tale, cheesy horror movies like final destination, psychological thrillers, and my only dislikes are westerns and some horror movies (friday the 13th, freddy, chucky, etc)

Older shows:

that 70's show, 3rd rock from the sun, the x-files, buffy the vampire slayer, dawson's creek, gilmore girls, party of five, fraggle rock, charmed, i love lucy, roswell, my so called life, csi (las vegas, mostly), the original degrassi high, saved by the bell, and the early 90's tgif's.

does anyone remember models inc?

more recent:

weeds, big love, tru blood, lost, six feet under, dexter, dead like me, nurse jackie, corner gas.

altered art, Atc's, baking, beading, bookmaking, calligraphy, cardmaking, collage, cooking, doodling, domestic crafts, fabric art, dying and surface design, friendly plastic, fulling & Felting (needle and wet felting), iris folding, inchies and twinchies, jewellery-making, kirigami, painting, papercrafts, paperweaving, photography, pottery, polymer clay, sculpture, scrapbooking, sewing (by hand and machine), textile-art, quilling, weaving, zentangles and mandalas

i'm trying to learn crochet and knitting and have just begun my cutting squares for my first block quilt (it's going to be a 9-patch)

and I'm going to take my first lampworking class in a few weeks! (10/03)

I like/love (my favorites)...

*Anything Handmade

*Anything purple (deep royal purple is the best, to me!)

*Non-mainstream music (I define this as not heard on the radio in North America)

*Elephants – in photographs, or stylized drawings, figurines, charms, beads, on fabric, you name it.

*I Collect: Postcards, ephemera and unusual papers, vintage advertisements, costume jewelry, rubber stamps, art, coins and paper money, movies, books, magazines about art, bookmarks, artist trading cards, inchies and twinchies, recycled and upcycled materials, recipes, plastic bags with words/patterns(to make fusible plastic), fabric, fibers and ribbons, old photographs, and buttons, letter n's in any shape or size, watch parts, game pieces, beads, hair wraps & headbands, art supplies, jewelry, ear cuffs, recipes, postcards (both blank and naked), photographs (taken by others).

*Dolls & Toys: Playmobil and vintage toys and any elephants. I don’t really like dolls unless it’s a handmade softie/dotee

*Craft Supplies: paintbrushes, paper, ephemera, product packaging in languages other than English, rubber stamps, recycled things, fibers and ribbons, fabric, buttons, old photographs, yarn , game pieces, beads

*Decades/time periods: 1920’s – late 1980’s. renaissance, gothic & steampunk inspired also

*Colors:

Always Winners: Purple, Avocado or Wasabi Green, teal (deep turquoise) Chocolate Brown, Black

For clothing, I favor black, russets, burgundy, dark green, purple, teal and earthtones.

I’ve been pushing the limits to expand my own creative palette, and have found that I really do like all colors, and as such, if you are mailing me art, please make art using colors and materials you love ( so, sender's choice). If you insist on including things I like: I am always drawn to earthtones (red clay, rusty orange, brown, greens, and jewel tones). I'm a big fan of bold or graphic patterns. My home contains alot of purple, teal, green, aqua, blue and turquoise. The only color I am not so fond of is soft shades of pink ( i prefer magenta!)

*Animals: Elephants, cats, dogs, koalas, birds (especially in silhouette )

*Randomness:

tea, coffee, art journaling, hot chocolate, chocolate, candy in interesting packaging, the smell of the ocean, landscapes of the ocean, thunderstorms, heart shaped rocks, thrift store and flea market finds, tattoos and piercings, dancing in the rain, handmade art, candles, smelly bath products (I love lush!), the body shop, dr. bronners soap, thought provoking quotes, jokes, tribal and native art and artifacts, packaged foods (especially tea) and sweets, beads to wear in my dreadlocks (with a hole approximately the size of the top end of a chopstick), chunky or oversized jewelry, the scent of vanilla, the smell of fresh cut grass, diversity and acceptance, equality, dreadlocks, showing one's creative spirit ('originality'), sazon (a goya seasoning commonly found in the states, but I can't find in Canada), natural scents like hemp, patchouli, sandalwood, and mint

most things Disney related (unless I specifically join a swap where these are part of the swap)

the color pastel pink

pudding & Jello

frilly things

overly floral perfume and or floral smelly things.

clowns

lace, cherubs and victorian decor (florals, pink and lace)

Please do not send any homemade, raw, or unpackaged/unsealed foods. Canadian customs can seize your package if you include these things. (tea is an exception, if it is sealed, not loose)

Allergies:

(please note, I have sensitive skin and am asthmatic, so the below trigger allergic reactions in my skin and may also trigger an attack, so please do not send)

base metals in pierced jewelry (silver or surgical steel earwires only please)

latex

all fish and seafood including shellfish

sensitive to cat and dog dander (despite having pets of my own)

cigarette smoke

About Swaps:

Mail I send:

Delivery from Canada to elsewhere in North America takes approximately 5 -10 business days for most letters and small packages, so please be sure to allow enough time for delivery. If you are outside North America, please allow sufficient time for delivery, and use my "sent" date as an indicator for when to expect your mail.

I am new to swap-bot, but committed to delivering promised swapped items and tags. Items will be mailed in a timely fashion (sometimes early, but always by the send-by date). I only click "sent" after I have physically dropped your item(s) in a mailbox, or at a post office. For tag items, I will send you a message to let you know it's in the mail. In the event that you do not receive your swap/tag item and the average travel time for your country (from north america) has passed, please let me know so I can send a replacement. If you receive an item from me that you feel does not adequately meet swap requirements, please send me a message. I only send items that are a quality I'd like to receive, however,if you feel differently, I would prefer to attempt to set things right than receive a negative rating. In the event that I would need to be late on a swap, I will communicate this to you, along with a projected send date, as well as a follow-up when it's in the mail. I don't anticipate this being an issue, but I just want to put it out there, how I'd plan to go about it.

Mail You Send:

If you are unfamiliar with the process for sending an item to Canada (ie, filling out a customs declaration form and when you need one), contact your local post-office for instructions ( I can try to help too - but I only really know about the USPS and Canada Post systems).

Ratings & Hearts:

I will rate an item shortly after it is received, and always rate according to whether the received item met swap requirements, and will always rate for an item that has been received. (ie, if I didn't rate, I haven't received the item yet). I also like to send messages when I've received a tag item. My philosophy regarding ratings is simple - I rate based on meeting individual swap requirements (not that I liked the item you sent), and I award hearts based on effort (moreover, the "heart" that was put into a swap, it itsn't necessarily based on including "extras" but time and effort put into the swap (including extras does not guaruntee a heart anymore than a heartfelt envelope or package does). I try to rate fairly and objectively (not based on whether or not I like the item, but that it was sent by the deadline and that it met guidelines) . If you are concerned I didn't receive your package and it has been more than the standard travel time for your country, please let me know. I always like to be on the safe side too! I will always allow for varying delivery times depending on where you are sending from. In the event that I do not receive mail from you and it is atleast 2 weeks past your send by date (and the send-by deadline) I will send you a private message before giving a rating.

I love swap-bot. I'm quite new here still, but am serious about swapping, and at the same time I think it should be fun. I love getting mail (that isn't bills!) so If you feel as though I have rated you unfairly, please send me a message and we can discuss it. I hope swap-partners will afford the same courtesy. I believe that communication is key.

I appreciate ratings very much from my partners as well! I also believe the rating system is an essential part of making Swap-bot as a whole and individual swaps successful, it becomes incentive for people to mail their swaps, do it in a timely fashion, put effort and take pride in the mail they send and most swappers rely on these ratings to join other swaps and groups. You will see a variation on this in the swaps I host too.

Lateness:

I understand we all have lives outside of time we spend on the computer and sometimes other obligations creep up. If you need to send a swap/tag item late - please PM me BEFORE the swap send by deadline if at all possible. I will weigh this in when completing your rating. I am less lenient if you make no effort to communicate with me.

Flakers/non-senders/non-raters:

I will report flakers (those who flake on swaps I participate in as my partners) and those who flake/don't mark sent on swaps I host will also be banned from future swaps I host. Flaking is something I feel very strongly about - it's no fun to send a package and receive nothing in return - it ruins the fun for the rest of us!

Hosting:

I pledge as a host to take the time to address questions in a timely fashion, and to monitor the swap for suspicious swappers and known flakers. In the event that your partner, in a swap I host, flakes on you, please contact me. I will first try to help you resolve the situation if it's been more than 2 weeks after the send by date and there is no indication the item has been sent and no communication from the person has been received. If there is still no resolution, I will either help you find someone to angel your swap, or I will angel it myself. This is only fair, as it is my job as a host to weed out those swappers that flake, so finding another solution is the right thing to do.

Angeling: If you stumble upon my profile, and happen to have been flaked on for a particular swap and am looking for an angel, let me know, I might be able to send you a replacement, just send me a message about it

Private messages/e-mails:

I respond to messages in a timely fashion, so send me a message if you have any questions.

Cheers! (and happy swapping!) and thanks for reading!