hollycm6

IIIIIntroducing... Holly! I am sort of a colorful chaotic mess. Married for thirty-some years with kids, and grandchildren now, too... I stay busy! I'm a Swap-bot Ambassador and happy to answer any questions or to do a private swap with you if I have time. I work with (for??) my husband and I enjoy it... But it is exhausting. Little artsy-crafty swaps help me relax. SHOPPING, traveling (which I never do), and creating are really my favorite things to do. Along with hanging out with my family (grandkids!!) or watching movies or painting or cuddling my puppies... books, being at HOME... Yeah I much prefer being at home to be out.

I'd really really REEEEALLY love it if you'd check out my blogs, and follow if you enjoy them, especially my art blog. And comment, too! They are listed above. My world is so crazy right now that I rarely post to the All The Crazy World one, but post nearly daily to the threesixfive.art blog.

I also have Facebook and tumblr and twitter (which I've never checked!) linked to the blog if you prefer to follow that way... Facebook look for threesixfive art and tumblr I'm threesixfive-art. (2018: I've continued the project!)

BOOKS:

I love everything about books. :-) Especially classics, mysteries, quirky stuff like jasper fforde, YA (especially YA and childrens from decades or generations ago) I'd like a room with shelves and tables full of beautiful books and big comfy chairs and a beautiful curtained window seat...

No horror (even classics), or graphic violence, or overly sexually explicit books. I do love pretty much anything else that's well-written.

I love the poetry of EE Cummings, Mary Oliver, and others, and I like to write my own as well. And I'd like to read yours!

TEAS

-I enjoy fruity herbals. (esp berry or pomegranate)
-I don't enjoy black tea or coffee :(
-London Fruit and Herb, esp berry types
-I do use loose teas as well, so supplies for those are welcome
-I LOVE tea cups, little spoons, any tea party type things

COLORS

vivid colors over pastels. Orange, lime green, olive green, are my favorites. Deep yellow too... Bright pink, teal blue, brown... also faded old colors...Well... okay really whatever color you enjoy!

THEMES AND THINGS I ESPECIALLY ENJOY (but... I love to be surprised by random things, so skip this if you prefer!)

-art supplies:
-all things art, drawing, or watercolor...Supplies for me to use, or something you create that I can display... handmade items and unique art

-Mail and mail art: anything goes!

-pens, pencils, typewriters

-fairy garden items: I'd love a little mailbox for my fairy garden!

-dymo type label maker or label tape... new, used, whatever

-newfoundland anything. The dog. I love Emmett and Clara, my giant black newfie babies

-"Pegstamps," any, esp flowers, bees, etc

-a new letter opener

-large ish handmade or up cycled envelopes or lettersets

-tree houses (don't mail these ;)

-Mac eyeshadow, "handwritten" or "Shadowy Lady" (retired and awesome) but this is stupid. I hardly ever wear makeup anyway.

-candy (any!) but i am always looking for:
Haribo "saft goldbären"
or any gummy bears
Cadbury "eclairs"
Chocolate (esp milk, esp with with fruit or nuts or caramel)
Dentyne Ice, Arctic Chill (gum)
Lutti cara-choco chocolate caramels (oh yum PLEASE)

-my birthday is Christmas Eve, so anything Christmas or HOLLY leaves

-colors! Color themed swaps! I do love these. love love love.

-books and anything relating to books, no horror or 'dirty'... PG13 :-) ... bookmarks, any book stuff, too.

-nature
(esp dandelions! And clover! And... pussy willows, honeysuckle, daffodils, poppies, lightning bugs, ladybugs, moths, leaves, acorns, the beach, woodland things, beetles...)

-fingerless gloves (i don't work with yarn myself. I LOVE these. Serious love. Wear them daily 7 months of the year.. need need need.)

-maps and globes.

-calvin and Hobbes. LOVE THIS COMIC!!

-your favorite Bible verse, encouraging idea, interesting quote, poem, or song lyric.

-Words, letters, typography

-anything from England (my birthplace) or Norway (my heritage)

-quirky, feminine, or hopeful anything

-elephants

-seasonal potholders, kitchen towels, garden flags, etc, any season (Off season=INEXPENSIVE, my motto :)

-VW beetles (mine is chocolatey brown!!! Yes, I finally got one!!!)

-fun ankle socks

PLEASE NOTE:

I have enjoyed learning about other people's religious views here on swap-bot, as much as about other cultures, but I've also been surprised and saddened by the closed mindedness of supposedly open minded people when it comes specifically to MY faith. I respect yours, even though it isn't what I believe, and I respect your right to believe it and share it, please respect my faith, and me as well. I will never NEVER try to criticise or belittle you or your faith, or even lack of faith, or judge you based on assumptions I've made, or things I've read about other people who practice your religion. I will not try to convert you or even discuss religion unless you ask to discuss it. Please show me the same consideration regarding respect and belittling comments. That said, I am happy to discuss religion or anything else with you, and would love to count you among my friends whether we are the same or very different in the way we think and how we see the world!

(eternal life spoiler... skip this part if reading about Christianity offends you) I am a born-again Christian... I firmly believe being sweet or kind or caring is important for every person of every religion, and plenty of religions teach people to love each other... and plenty of "Christians" DON'T love others... but I understand that my deeds and behavior are not the way to eternal life, which can only be found through a personal relationship with Christ. And while I do have that relationship, that doesn't mean I think I am better or worse than you or anyone else. I am a sinner by nature and will often do selfish thoughtless things, just like everyone else, and need to turn myself back to face Christ. Please don't blame my Christianity for my shortcomings or weaknesses, which are completely mine, and I won't blame your religion for yours. Of course I don't enjoy my errors pointed out to me, but sometimes it is necessary and I'll thank you now for doing it (because honestly I may not thank you at the time) but I know I probably needed it said, (whether you say it out of love and concern or just petty mean spiritedness, either way if it's true, it's true, and I need to look at it)

In short: Being nice doesn't save me, and being Christian doesn't make me nice... it makes me realize how different I am from how God wants me to be and how much I thoroughly require his grace. This is the extent of my "preaching", and all I will ever say unasked. And thank you for letting me!

Do that which you fear to do, and the fear will die. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. -Leo Buscaglia

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. -Leo Buscaglia

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. -e e cummings

What I pledged

I should have created this section years and years ago, but I was simply too lazy! Now I am kicking myself.

So as of January 20, 2017, these are some very sweet thoughtful things I have received, and I'm so sorry for the hundreds of things which happened before and are not recorded here. And can never be repaid. I have been so blessed and so moved by the thoughtfulness of Swap-bot members over the past years. And I'm also sorry (ahead of time) for the probably erratic attempts to keep this part current.

Christmas: @sandyponey sent me a big sweet Christmas Eve birthday package, a complete surprise. Full of special stuff. Such a nice thing to do for a person she barely knows!!!!! Made me feel great.

January 18, 2017 @djcamp04 sweetly sent me a replacement of the Calvin and Hobbes book Emmett my Newfie puppy ATE. Thank you! How sweet!

(3/2018 update: ugh, I forgot to add things here and I received such awesome stuff over and over! I'm not good at keeping things up. Now this section just makes me sad.)