maranda222

My husband and I own a print shop in Tempe, AZ, called 3monkeys print & design. We have 3 daughters ages 12, 8 and 4. I love swapping, and crafting/ making art! When I grow up I want to be an artist = ) I work with many mediums: paper, beads, ephemera, fabric. I love sewing, it was my first craft. I also enjoy cooking and spending time with my family. I would love to spend hours at my crafting desk just playing : ) Swap-bot helps me to "steal" time to be creative. I have learned so many techniques and have really improved my artistic skills just by participating in so many fun and challenging swaps. They are like mini classes sometimes. I tend to prefer make-something, and destash swaps as opposed to buy-something swaps. I dislike mass production and over comsuption and am afraid for our planets future, so I use what I have on hand or reclaim, or reuse as much as possible. I have been truly blessed this last year in that a friend has given me hoards of fabric and ribbon and trims she scored from estate sales and from destashing her own huge collection. I love to share my collection with my partners that also enjoy fabric. I have all kinds: vintage, upholstery, velvet, broadcloth, satin, quilting, lace…. I love handmade things, both making and receiving them. I appreciate it when things are made with care and love of the craft. I don't like things just thrown together to fulfill a requirement. If the skill is so/so but you can tell it was done with care then it adds to the charm and loveliness of it : ) I love swap-bot because of the inspiration and challenges I get from all the different swaps

I love music. We listen to Pandora all day long at the shop. Some of my favorite bands are VNV Nation, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Brewer & Shipley, Peter Murphy, The Knife, Bjork, Death in Vegas, Justice, Underworld, list goes on.

I love craft books: sewing, paper crafts, jewelery etc. I read alot of childrens book with my daughters. My life long favorite authors are Emile Zola, Charles Dickens, and Barbara Kingsolver others come and go but these are always my favorites. I love old hard cover books. I love the feel of the paper and print on the pages. I like to collect all sorts of old books and cook books. I also like magazines about fabric art, like "Cloth, Paper, Scissors", and "Quilting Arts", beading, sewing, green living, and cooking magazines like "Americas Test Kitchen", and "Cook's Country".

I love movies; all kinds, dark, fantasy, period, sci-fi, romantic (like Garden State was romantic) nothing too mushy, or too girly, though they can be fun in the right mood : ) My family and I watch alot of movies together, my husband is an avid collector. I also love PBS and documentaries.

I love sewing and I love, love, love fabric, I like colorful and dramatic fabrics, and "story" pieces, metallic fabrics, I like soft, sturdy good quality fabric. I love batik fabric. They are my favorite style, though I do not like ones that look like 70's tye dye. I like to sew alot of different things from home goods to wearables. I also enjoy crafting with paper. I love paper embellishments, and pretty papers. The scrapbooking section at craft stores is so appealing I love purusing it for ideas. I do not make scrapbooking pages though I would like to try it. I really like working with beads like embellishing fabric and paper crafts and making jewelery also. I love to save pretty or unusal, usable scraps from anything (like packaging) for a potential future project. My husband gives me a hard time because I have hoards of things I'm collecting, I like to reuse everything possible. I also like having all kinds of options for whatever project comes up. I will usually try to make something myself before going out and buying it.

I love colors; purples, pinks/fuscia, greens and blues are my favorites but I am open to artistic expression. I love birds, plants, flowers, fish and nature themes with water, I also like swirls and stars and celestial themes. I love stickers, but not cartoon character or really cutsy, kid stuff. I like pretty, unusual designs, some with good sayings, I don't like catch words or slang phrases. I like classy stickers if that makes any sense. Please don't send me any Christian themes. I do like god/goddess images, like ancient Greece or Ancient lore. I love renaissance art and victorian styling, my visual tastes tend to be romantic/ dreamy/ beauty over gore and childish themes. Although I do like Steampunk and Tim Burton style darkness.

I am very interested in sustainability and conservation. I am also very into local food organizations/co-op's, and handmade wares. As a business we belong to Local First AZ, which is a non-profit group devoted to keeping money/ business local. I recyle everything so if you receive a package from me it is more than likely packaged in a salvaged envie : ) I also belong to the Tempe Freecycle Group.

I love tea, especially iced tea, so any blends good for iced are welcome : ) Note Cards- I love writting personal notes and sending cards, Pretty and/or unique stationary, Swap Labels, Buttons- Pretty/ Funky/ Different/Old/Classic, Ribbon, Funky/ Pretty Trims & Rik-rac, Hair barrettes, Headbands, Handmade Hair Fasinator (I would love one of these with feathers, I do not have one and they are so cool), Earrings - sterling silver only please : ) (I'm allergic to most metals used in costume jewelery) Pretty Necklaces or pendants, Quality Stickers, Scrapbooking Supplies and Embellishments, Paper Punches, Pretty Papers, Glass Beads, Gemstone or Natural Stone Beads; charms, jewelery findings, flat backed gems/ bling, tiny things, ATC's, Fine Art Postcards, Fat 1/4's and Fabric, Craft Kits, Paper Crafting Books or Magazines, Beading Magazines (for inspiration), Iron-on Applique, Vintage Stationary and Postcards, Natural Soaps