quiltncat

5/4/2012 I am also keeping my swaps to private swaps and small zentangle ones for a while so I can take some time to work on bigger craft items for my home and family. I have been neglecting my own projects for far too long!

I am a married Southern California mom of a 3 year old little boy. I love animals - we have 4 cats and 2 dogs. I love crafting of all sorts, but my favorites right now are zentangling, sewing, quilting, and anything recycled. I love ATCs too, though I don't make any except zentagles at the moment. I really like being thrifty and eco-conscious. I reuse whatever I can, including packing and shipping supplies. I would rather spend my money on crafting supplies than shipping supplies!

FYI - I work nights and do most of my swapping and crafting at night. I also live on the West Coast. If I press "sent" late at night, which I usually do, it often gets dated the following day.

I do have 4 cats. Though I use the lint roller with reckless abandon, I am positive I don't get all the hair off the stuff I send. I apologize in advance. You have no idea how much I wish I had a crafting room that was cat-free, but until we win the lottery, I will not. PLEASE let me know if anything I send is unacceptable in any way, and I will do my best to make it right.

I am laid-back and easy to please. I tend towards things that are funky or silly or non-mainstream. I am not offended by creepy, weird, or disturbing. I AM offended by racist, redneck, and religious.

Please note!! I live in the desert and it is VERY HOT here from about March to November. My mailbox is black and it sits in the direct sun all day. Please don't send me anything that melts!

Zentangling - my newest obsession!!

Sewing - not complex clothing (yet) but tote bags, shorts, skirts, and repurposing recycled fabric and clothing into something new.

Quilting - I like small projects like mug rugs. I have SO many projects in line to be completed, yet somehow I always find a new pattern or idea that I simply must go explore. I love quilting!

Cross-Stitch - I have been doing this since I was a little kid. I don't do much now because it's hard to do around a little kid and 4 cats. But I have lots of projects started and in the works for later.

Handmade and fabric greeting cards - I think paying over $2 for a birthday card someone is going to throw away is the dumbest idea ever. So I am making my own from now on. I am new at it, and not very good, but it's fun!

Hand embroidery - I just started doing this and I think I am hooked.

I am sure there is more that I am not thinking of right now. I do not knit or crochet, I don't scrapbook, and I am not artistic in a drawing or painting kind of way (but my husband is an artist.) I don't do much papercrafting, though I like what others create, and I love pretty scrapbook paper. Really, I just love COLOR and I love putting color together in different ways. So paper and fabric are my weaknesses. But just because I don't do a particular craft doesn't mean I wouldn't LOVE to receive it!

I don't have a favorite color or least favorite color. I like them all! I do love brights and most contemporary designs and styles. I like combinations of similar colors, like blue/green/yellow or purple/red/orange. I usually like whimsical prints, batiks, and geometrics. I love the new retro-mod trend I keep seeing lately. I am not big on calicos, country-themed items, plaid, children's character print fabric other than what I have listed below, or realistic florals. I am curious about some civil war repros, but generally I don't like repro fabric. Think contemporary, fresh, fun, and vivid. Not grandma-type stuff. I can always use solids and tone-on-tones to help even out my stash, which is very print-heavy because that's what I love to buy most.

My son is a very typical kid who likes most mainstream toddler stuff. He is fairly obsessed with firefighting and construction at the moment. Cars (the movie,) Nacho Libre, The Fresh Beat Band, Yo Gabba Gabba, any superhero but especially Captain America, Batman, Thor, or Spiderman, anything with school buses or construction equipment, Duplo legos, matchbox type cars, just little boy stuff in general.

Other random stuff I like - HOMEMADE GIFTS and upcycled items! I love seeing what other people like to create, even if it's not something I would do myself.

I don't wear jewelry and prefer not to swap makeup.

Also, I don't have any allergies and I am not picky when it comes to food. I don't like black licorice or cherry flavor. While I do love snacks, I am not likely to sign up for food swaps because of the climate here. And squirrels could probably get into my mailbox if they had something really interesting to lure them there.

I don't watch much TV or movies other than what my toddler likes. I would rather read or craft if I have time to myself. When I want brainless TV, I watch true crime shows mostly. I do love the Muppets and anything Jim Henson. I also like Invader Zim, Adventure Time, and similar oddness. I like music but I am more likely to listen to podcasts about crafting or storytelling or random facts about random things. I am addicted to podcasts and would possibly wither and die if I were to be separated from my Ipod for too long.

I love love love private trades!

I work at a library. I recycle tons of newspaper and magazines, and we sell lots of books for a quarter apiece. I bet I have access to interesting stuff, I just don't know what to look for. If you need anything you think I might have, PM me!

I live just down the road from a National Park. I can get any souvenier/postcard/magnet you could imagine. There are lots of cool ones with desert scenes and animals like quail, tortoise, and roadrunner. I also live in an area with lots of interesting art. A lot of it is published in the local paper and magazines. Again, I bet it would be interesting to you paper-crafters.

I am a member at our local zoo, which has a couple pressed penny machines. I don't collect them myself but I am happy to trade you for something else. I go there about once a month or so.

I also can offer:

Scrap cotton fabric of all sizes and styles

Scrap cotton fabric in 1.5" x 3.5" rectangles

Scrapbooking pre-cut paper frames in a bunch of sizes and colors

Tote bags, mug rugs, zippered pouches, coasters, quilt blocks, basic clothing like aprons or skirts.

Zentangled ATCs or tiles

I am not offended by used items, reused packaging, or scraps. As long as it's clean and usable, I am happy. (FYI emphasis on "CLEAN" as I have received some questionable stuff lately...scrapbook paper with grease spots on it, fabric that reeks of cigarettes....these things do not couint as "clean.") This includes sticker sheets with some of the stickers removed - perfectly fine by me!

I don't join expensive swaps and don't expect expensive things. I am a perfectionist with my own crafts but I am not a jerk about what I receive. Many of the swaps I join are specifically for beginners because I joined Swap-Bot as a way to learn new techniques and boost my own creativity, not to receive a bunch of stuff. I am 100% in favor of the phrase "It's the thought that counts" and I think we are all in different places on our creative path. Collaborating and sharing with others is a great way to learn and improve. If you want kind and honest feedback about anything you have made, I am happy to help.

Scraps of cotton fabric at least 1.5" x 6" I can use for notecards, crafts, so many things!

Fat quarters - please just tell me if it's quilt shop fabric or walmart fabric. I want and can use both, but I like to know what I am working with ahead of time :) I really need quilt shop quality solids and tone on tones especially. I don't like fleece or flannel and I don't have much use for non-cotton.

Halloween anything, but especially fabric or paper or ribbon. Or anything. Lol, I love Halloween!

Tea of all sorts - I am sort of new to tea but so far I love fruity, cinnamon, green tea, and jasmine best. I have tea almost every morning - hot in the winter, iced in the summer. I don't like mint teas or anise. Wrapped tea bags only please, I don't have a way to use loose tea either. Caffeine or not, doesn't matter. Caffeine teas are for morning and decaf is for evening, so it's all good :)

Sudoku or other puzzles - at least medium difficulty :) I like a challenge!!

Dotee dolls - they are so cute!

Anything creepy or odd or weird.

Papercrafting supplies - I make my own envies sometimes from pretty paper and am making some notecards and other things here and there. I can always use paper or cardstock scraps, stickers, and misc papercrafting stuff.

Supplies or ideas for children's crafts and art.

Country or Americana themed anything, including calico print fabric. Oh, and sunbonnet Sue! Ack, I hate her!

Political or religious stuff.

Handmade items that clearly did not have any effort put into them. I hate that I have to even say it.

Black licorice or cherry flavor things

Cigarette smoke smell

Figurines or knick knacks a.k.a. dust collectors

Mint, anise, or loose tea

Wow, this is a short list. See how easy I am?

I don't collect stamps so don't waste your pretty ones on me - I do save the international ones to use for swapping with other people, but I don't keep them for myself.

I do not collect postcards! When I do postcard swaps I do them 100% for my toddler. I don't care about how expensive they are or what the stamp looks like. When a postcard arrives, he knows it belongs to him, and he takes it right over to put it up on his display wall. We talk about what is on the card, so cards with interesting pictures, animals, vehicles, anything you think might spark a good conversation with a 3 year old is appreciated!