karikatzi

My name is Karina, I'm a mom, wifey, home maker & craftster. I'm originally from England but had lived in the US for nearly 10 years now (I've lost most of my accent and cravings for soggy chips aka fries).

In a previous incarnation I lived in New York and worked for a big graphic design company, doing huge fancy PowerPoint shows for Pepsi & Heineken (to drop a few names), so the contrast between TN & NY was a little shocking at first but now I love it... mostly - I do miss the diversity & restaurants.

Nowadays I mostly make fun stuff for my Etsy shop ( www.KariKatzi.Etsy.com ) and local art markets, but have also illustrated 4 book covers now, with the 5th in progress. I would love to be a full time book illustrator some day.

My user name is KariKatzi as I will always have a special place in my heart for cats, (I've been called a "Cat Whisperer" by several different people on different occasions) but really love all animals. As I type this, I can hear our chickens and peacocks having a very loud conversation in the distance, the cat purring nearby, the birds in the trees singing, the frogs & crickets peeping & chirping, the fish tank bubbling away and my 2 year old screaming blue murder... just kidding, she's coloring very quietly at her table. Hee hee.

I love to knit, paint, hand sew and generally get in a bit sticky mess with my little girl! I love love love funky yarn, groovy buttons & swirly bright colors that go zing together!

My main craft money makers are my knitted (hot-water-bottle covers) Kuddle Kritters & Gnome Place Like Home night lights made from home grown gourds

I also love photography & am a compulsive graphic designer, I find it actually impossible to not re-design docs that come my way! Hee hee

Authors - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Chris Moore, Cornelia Funke & J. K. Rowling. Comedy with a touch of the dark side and some magic makes me a happy bunny

Books - Little Prince, Twilight series, Mr God this is Anna, Hanta Yo, Mutant Message Down Under, Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus & Frank Muir's Whattamess - classic

Currently reading InterWorld by Neil Gaiman

Well I'm pretty easy going. The main thing I love best is to get prezzies (or swaps in this case) from anyone who read this (or know me) and think to themselves hmmm maybe she'd like...?

That being said you should also know that even though I do love cats I am not the kind of person that has pictures of fluffy kittens hanging on the wall next to my cat print curtains and matching throw if you know what I mean! Hee hee.

However lolcats are a whole other thing! O rly? :)

LIKES

• Nature & the natural world, animals, gardening (I'm a newbie but have some veggies growing now), fresh flowers, plants & herbs

• Nature spirits, fairies, gnomes, toadstools.

• Stars, universe, spirituality (but not organized religion see below), healing, creativity, joy, laughing, funny things, cartoons.

• Music (kinda gone a bit alt. folk in my old age, ex. Weepies, Regina Spekto, Lily Alen) but always keen to hear new music though especially from different cultures and genres.

• Giving gifts to my friends, I can always use cards, gift wrap, tags etc.

• I like fresh natural smells like freesias, rose, lavender, lilacs, green tea etc but my nose is super hypersensitive so with smelly things less is definitely more than enough.

• Recycled art, funky furniture & design, handmade stuff, non-commercialism (apart from IKEA that is! Love IKEA Hee hee).

• Knitting, painting, sculpting, photography, buttons, ribbon, natural cotton, bamboo, wool etc fabrics (especially oriental, retro, funky patterns).

• Oooh and I finally just found out what a dotee doll is and think they are awesome, gonna make some soon.

• Buying from local artists, farmers etc. Buying 'fair-trade' items that aren't made in sweat shop, slave conditions.

• And last thing, incase it helps you gauge my taste... We don't have TV just rent DVDs but I absolutely LOVE Flight of the Conchords, Futurama, Heroes & Firefly (may it RIP).

• Cute funky things & toys, monsters, aliens, animals, dragons (for me not my little girl! Hee hee, I might share if she asks real pretty).

• and LolCats!

MY DAUGHTER (age 2.5) LIKES - Handmade felt or wooden play foods - Chunky wooden (not-too-fragile) doll house - Waldorf & Montessori type toys - Colorful play silks & scarves - Rainbow-lead pencils (these are hard to find) - Organic or natural juice candy - Toddler Hair accessories - Funky socks, leg warmers & hats - 3T clothing bright and funky as possible! - Loves animals, birds, fairies, rainbows, - Playdough tools - Dressing up - Books, especially beautifully illustrated bed time books

DISLIKES

• NO FOOD! I love chocolate & goodies but am on a strict wheat-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, citrus-free, joy-free diet for a while so please don't lead me into temptation! If you must send something edible then (non-caffeinated) herbal tea is safest for now (boo hoo).

• Not keen on plasticy fabrics (polyester, nylone etc), especially chintzy, flowery patterns, hearts or animal prints etc

• Country, wood cabin, seaside etc motifs

• Not into postcards

• Icky bugs & spiders, poison ivy, wasps

• Not at all a sports person

• No religious stuff please ie. Jesus/Jehohva/Allah/etc stuff (I am a spiritual person but in my own way, so no offense intended)

• Do not like stinky candles (ie Yankee Candles) especially factory created smells like linen, rain water, vanilla pie, apple cinnamon and so on, in fact it's probably best to steer clear of smelly stuff in general.

• Don't like violence, cruelty, profanity

I have NEVER EVER EVER flaked on a swap and never will! Well unless something really really bad happens to me on the way to the post office - but I'm sure even then I'll find a way to get your swap sent out on time! Hee hee.

If you feel that I haven't sent your swap in good time, please let me know before you rate and we'll twig out what happened and of course I will do the same for you! I won't badmouth flakers publicly because hey we're all human and things happen. But I promise that I will do my very best to keep SwapBot.com fun!