orcasong

If you can't send out a swap to me on time, don't stress. Just let me know and keep me updated. I'm a patient person and NEVER rate anyone down for lateness - only for not sending at all. The idea is to have fun, not stress!

Please don't take advantage of this, though. I've seen people who are late by over a month start signing up for more swaps before finishing mine.

I know some people like to send extras. Thank-you! I'm sure I'll like whatever you send. Though, I'd like to make some suggestions for what I'd enjoy most. I have plenty of craft items and don't need anymore. I'm trying to minimize the amount of "stuff" I have. If you want to send extras, maybe consider sending something related to the swap, something spiritual, or consider supporting one of the charities I've listed.

I'm 32, a SAHM living in Portland, OR with my partner. We've been married 7 years, and we've been together 10 years. We have a son who is a toddler. We also have a black and white cat named Kitty.

I'm an introvert. I spend my time with family, on Facebook, or with spiritual activities. I'm a positive person who tries to remember the spark of light in each person and to see all with love.

I'm a pescatarian (vege-fishi-tarian), but don't have a problem with others eating meat. I've been slowly working on removing eggs and dairy from my diet, too, and to watch for animal products in things I buy.

I try to keep my life simple. I don't have cable, don't engage in a lot of mainstream culture and don't keep track of stars, music, movies, or TV shows very much. I've found this is what's best for me.

Due to time and other interests, I'm really only doing spiritual swaps and maybe a watercolor swap here and there.

If you are assigned to me in a swap, feel free to donate to one of these in lieu of the swap for about the cost of the swap and I'll give you a 5 with a heart.

• Heifer International (Vegetarian & Vegan options available, such as trees)
• Bead for Life Donation option under "How to help" or check out their store. I wouldn't mind anything from their store in lieu of a swap either.
• Oregon Food Bank
• Somaly Mam Foundation

Religion is my thing in life - my biggest passion and most swaps I do will be spiritual.

I'm Gnostic. Because of the nature of my spirituality, I am likely to participate in swaps that are Pagan, Christian, or Buddhist.

Gnostic Christianity is different from mainstream Christianity. I know it isn't well known, so if you are wanting to customize a swap for me in this way, feel free to ask questions.

As far as my more Pagan side, I love trees and plants and talk to them. I feed the land spirits in the yard and try to make them a small comfortable place that is as "wild" as I can get away with. I'm also a panpsychist, so I see absolutely everything as living.

Spiritual favorites:

• Sophia
• Christ (Gnostic)
• St. Francis
• Cathars (a Gnostic tradition from the 12 & 13th centuries)
• Archangels
• Angels
• Icon art
• Nature
• Unconditional Love
• Images of the Virgin Mary

For swaps that are specifically for customizing, ideas for sources for quotes, prayers, etc:

• Gnostic texts
• Gnostic websites
• St. Francis
• Rumi
• Dalai Lama
• Buddha
• Maya Angelou
• mystics

Also, I love quotes about Divine love / unconditional love for all, or just overall good spiritual wisdom.

Feel free to PM me if you aren't finding what you want to or are having troubles.

I also love Norse Gods (especially Odin & Frigg), Norse mythology, and runes, but I don't have the connection with these that I used to. I found I kept adding and removing these from my list of spiritual favorites.

If you are planning on sending me or making me something from natural items (rocks, shells, sticks, etc.) that you personally take from nature, please ask them (or the land or what makes sense to you) before removing them from their home. If asking isn't your thing, then I prefer you not to use those kinds of things in the swap.

• Crows and ravens
• trees
• runes
• Nature
• Solid color silhouetted trees, plants, and birds.
• Amish/Mennonite. My ancestors were Amish.
• inspirational quotes. I have an entire journal I dedicate to quotes, poems, lyrics, and prayers that I've collected over the years.
• Japanese watercolors and Japanese calligraphy.
• snails, slugs, crabs and just about anything that has eye stalks. I think creatures with eye stalks are the cutest things.
• kawaii: mamegoma, nyanko, kerori, and nagomimakuri.
• Kosh from Babylon 5
• ocean animals and other aquatic animals. (favorites are hermit crabs, orcas, and rays.)
• mythological/spiritual creatures/beings: dragons, fairies, angels, nature spirits
• Japanese luck cats.
• frogs, turtles, and other aquatic animals.
• Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke).
• I love the sun!!!
• Secret of Kells (movie)
• easy vegan recipes
• journals

• yellows and oranges (my biggest color obsession)
• all shades of blue.
• natural colors: browns & greens
• fun combinations. Since I was a kid, I've obsessed over really good color combinations and would organize anything colorful (like crayons) into group of 3 good matching colors. Yes, I was a strange kid.

• Sulamith Wulfing
• Becky Kelly
• Nikki McClure
• Brush Dance

• Attempts to convert me to another religion, to ditch religion entirely, or to move me away from any of my views. It won't work, trust me.
• Racist things
• Anything gory
• Anything negative, angry, or bitter in tone.
• Anything that implies some people are better than others.
• Anything anti-religion
• Modern war/violence themes (guns, etc.)
• spooky or scary things.
• Skulls
• Frida Kahlo (I never got into her artwork)
• Anything anti-GLBT
• Destruction. I'm a panpsychist (a philosophical term meaning I see everything as living and thinking), so something that's destroyed is just like seeing an animal or person that's been destroyed.

Food sensitivities and dislikes:

• Caffeine: It makes me reaction odd emotionally. Please no caffeinated coffee or tea.
• Chamomile: It has a similar effect as caffeine for me. Please no chamomile tea.
• Gum: makes my jaw ache.