mnscheu

I live in Michigan with my boy and my cat. I studied art, so even though I have a day job that I love, my secret (real) life is spent in my studio, making things. I love all kinds of art, from the quirky, fun, and whimsical, to the more abstract, symbolic, and cerebral. I love pictures that tell stories, and illustrators are often some of my favorite artists.

When I'm not doing something art related, I'm usually hunkered down with a good book, scavenging a thrift store, or playing outside. I love the excitement of treasure hunting, whether it's a weird knicknack in a dusty shop, or a cool stone in the woods. Occasionally, I'll sit down and try to write down some story I have an idea for, but I never get very far. Maybe someday.

I love the idea behind Swap-Bot. I think that many people still have a bit of child inside them when they open up the mailbox, and secretly hope that there will be something fun and surprising in there. I certainly do. I'm here because I love the idea of sharing with other people all over the world, and maybe bringing a little brightness along too.

I look forward to swapping with you!

~ Some General Likes ~

Lets put it this way... there's not much I wouldn't like to receive, and very little that I would be offended by. I'm not bothered by violence or nudity, so feel free to push the envelope if you want to. For anyone that might be making something for me, and is floundering for ideas, here's a little list of stuff I'd really get a kick out of:

• Color I'm really into right now: orange!
• Anything kooky, out of the ordinary, or bizarre
• Something specific to wherever you come from
• Animals wearing clothes
• Anything geeky, especially D&D related
• Fantastical creatures or monsters (especially if you're making it up yourself)
• Strange machines, imaginary houses, rooms, or landscapes
• Cats, bats, foxes, deer or cephalopods
• Dollhouses
• Vintage, antique or anachronistic things
• Tarot cards! (I collect tarot decks, so getting something tarot related would be delightful)
• Taxidermy
• Comics!
• Tacky things. Seriously. Send me your tacky stuff.
• Mythological or fairy-tale things
• Owls, crows, and other birds
• Insects
• Mushrooms (aren't they just so cool looking?)
• Anything woodland-y, really
• Anything wizard-y or magical
• Almost anything else. Go Nuts!!!

~ Please Don't Send ~

This list is a lot shorter. I won't really be mad, if I get these things, I'll just make a sad face.

• Anything Twilight related
• Disney stuff
• Anything overtly religious

I have a huge collection of books, and picking my favorites is no easy task. It's like trying to decide whether I love my mom or my dad more. But if I were to choose based on the ones I go back and read again and again, these are probably the ones that make my top ten list:

• The Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake
• City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanDermeer
• The Orphan's Tales by Catherynne M. Valente
• Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
• House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
• Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol
• Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
• Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell by Susanna Clarke
• The Complete Grimm's Fairytales by the brothers Grimm
• The Metamorphoses by Ovid