maranda222

My husband and I own a print shop in Tempe, AZ, called 3monkeys print & design. We have 3 daughters ages 13, 9 and 6. I love animals. We have 2 cats, 2 aquatic turtles 1 Sulcatta tortise, 1 parrot (green-cheeked conure) and 1 hamster (my youngest first pet : ) ) I love, cats and birds they are my 2 favorite animals. I love swapping, and crafting/ making art. 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 like to use what I have on hand or reclaim/ reuse as much as possible. 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, and meeting different people from all over the world.

I love music. We listen to Pandora all day long at our shop and each person gets to listen to their stations. Some of my favorite bands are Radiohead, Modest Mouse, PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Brewer & Shipley, Peter Murphy, The Knife, Bjork, Death in Vegas, Justice, Underworld, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Teagan & Sara, Fiona Apple, Incubus and the list goes on......

I love, love, love craft books: sewing, paper crafts, jewelry etc. I read a lot of children's 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. My new reading obsession is with magazines. I don't have a ton of time for reading books but with magazines I feel some accomplishment when I finish the whole thing. I like to read them cover to cover. I have subscriptions to: Everyday Food, Whole Living, Living, and Real Simple.

I love movies; all kinds, dark, fantasy, period, sci-if, 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 a lot of movies together, my husband is an avid collector. I also love PBS and documentaries. My husband usually has control of the TV so in the rare moment that I have control I will put on PBS. I love Antiques Road Show and Downtown Abbey and Masterpiece Theater, though it is rare that I get to see those, we have 1 TV in the house : )

Sewing was my favorite craft but it seems I am growing away from it. Lately my favorite crafts have involved paper. I enjoy smaller projects that I can complete in one sitting. It is hard for me to come back to finish a project once I leave it. I love paper embellishments, and pretty papers. I recently scored a Sizzix Original Die cutter for a great price and am working on getting more dies for it. I also enjoy working with beads and chunky embellishments, to embellishing fabric and paper crafts and making jewelry also. I love multi media crafts. The hot glue gun is my favorite crafting tool : ) I love to save pretty or unusual, usable scraps from anything (like packaging) for a potential future project. I have collections of things for future projects, 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, bright 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, any blends good for iced are welcome. Also, I prefer black tea over green, but still enjoy it every now and again and my husband only drinks green tea. I don't like white tea, I think it is too weak. I love chai and Earl Grey and I will gladly accept marked loose leaf teas. I do not like decaf teas, but do like herbal blends like Traditional Medicinals brand. I love chocolate and unique candy from your region or country. I love spicy candy too like chili covered mango and chili chocolate.

Wish List/ Likes List: 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, Vintage/ old used postcards, old photographs, 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