My name is Erica, I'm thirtysomething, and I live in New Jersey (in the USA). I love to read books, especially historical fiction. I'm an avid pen paler and mail artist. I love to make mail and art journal pages. I mostly use collage, but also rubber stamps and acrylic paint. I'm a "mail box junkie" and I'm not ashamed! I also love to crochet.

Please, if you do not receive a swap from me, message me and I will re-send or otherwise remedy the situation.

• Greco-Roman mythology
• angels
• fairy tales
• mermaids
• animals, nature, the ocean
• Art history (especially Impressionism and Neoclassicism)

Collage Fodder - text with foreign languages - images of animals and natural landscapes - patterned scrapbooking paper - stamps (especially foreign stamps) - vintage imagery - sheet music - graph paper - ledger paper

Other - stamps - ink pads - colored pencils - watersoluble crayons - ribbon - buttons - yarn! (see "yarn" section)

Historical/Literary: 300, Gladiator, Elizabeth, The Other Boleyn Girl, Lolita, Dorian Grey, Marie Antoinette, The Duchess, Troy

Light n Fluffy: The Sweetest Thing, Made of Honor, 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth, Twilight, Mama Mia

I love Hallmark movies!

My absolute favorite craft is crocheting! I love to crochet baby hats for charity. I also crochet for family and friends, and I have an Etsy shop where I sometimes sell things I crochet.

I just LOVE to read! My favorite genres are history, memoirs, cultural studies, historical fiction, short stories, poetry, and more. I am "coracalliope" on Goodreads. Please add me there!

• stickers
• tea (herbal) but no lemon or orange please, because it gives me heartburn
• book marks!
• post cards
• FB's (friendship books)
• anything handmade by you! (Zentangles, drawings, etc)

Because I love to crochet, I need yarn!

I love to use: -worsted weight acrylics and acrylic blends -worsted weight wool and wool blends -super bulky acrylics -bright colors -bold colors -variegated yarns of all weights, fiber content, and colors

!!!Please be aware that I am allergic to alpaca yarn!!!

Note: Any yarn you send me that I cannot use will be donated or posted on FreeCycle.

• I welcome handmade postcards!
• I prefer that postcards be sent "naked" (written on and stamped, not in an envelope), unless the swap's rules demand otherwise
• Please include the date somewhere on the postcard.
• I love all types of postcards! However, if you're looking to really make my day, please see the "Erica's Favorite Things" section of my profile.

Thank you!

I have pets! And they love to get mail. My babies are:

-Picasso Giovanna (greenwing macaw). Picasso lives at my dad's house. Luckily, his house is not far! It's a four mile drive away. Picasso is "bonded" with me and loves when I visit her. She enjoys parrot toys, dried fruit, nuts of all kinds (especially pine nuts! Her favorite), and parrot treats.

-Callie (muted calico cat). Callie is an adopted feline princess. My mom and I adopted her on January 31, 2012. I'm her Momma and my mom is her Mimi. Callie is a loving, happy cat who relaxes and comforts me and my mom. She likes cat nip, cat toys, and cat treats.

-Our other parrots: My dad and I have 16 hyacinth macaws! Their names are: Valentino, Savannah, Giovanni, Sabrina, Angelina, Nico, Hope (RIP), Freedom, Caterina, Bailee, Reagan, Charlie, LB, and Suzie Q. I'll update when we name the new chicks.

Just in case you'd like to "drop me a line", here's my postal address:

Erica D./13 Hewson Avenue/ Waldwick, NJ 07463/ United States of America