jannieb

Hi, I'm Janis from Texas. Yee Haw!

I have 26 year old twin boys and a 31 year old son who is developmentally delayed due to a rare chromosome disorder called "Ring 4". More information on this disorder can be found HERE

I have been married for 33 years. I was a military wife for 10 years. We lived on Ft. Huachuca in AZ: (Loved it!!). Ft. Eustis in Newport News, Virginia: (Liked it!) & Ft. Meade in Maryland: (Hated it!). He is a Veteran of the Gulf War & left 1 week after I found out I was pregnant with Grayson & came back 2 weeks after he was born. My twins were born at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.

Grayson's Section

Grayson is happy that he finally gets to get out more regularly now. He just went to see Avatar & really enjoyed it. Here he is dressed up as his favorite Wiggle.

If you are sending me a swap & want to include something for Grayson, here are some ideas...

• He loves corny jokes. You can write them on the inside of the card or send a few on a sheet of paper.
• He enjoys getting $1 bills or as he calls them "tips" to save in his bank to go to movies & shows.
• He collects $2 bills & says they are his "Magic Money.” He collects them for good luck & never spends them. He keeps them in a lock box & is the only one with a key.
• He loves the Power Rangers & The Wiggles. Greg & Sam (the yellow wiggles are his favorite).
• Cats - the real thing & in general. He collects cat ATC's & has his own binder for the ATC's that you guys have sent him.
• Gum, Popcorn & sour gummy worms.
• Everything makes him happy, so just getting a plain ol' PC or card in the mail makes him smile.

You can address cards to him at my address (PM me if you need it) or send it along with a swap.

• ATC’s, ATC Coins, Inchies & Twinchies too (any theme)
• Bright, colorful, happy suns
• The Mayor from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love when he panics & rotates his head to reveal his frazzled, stressed-out face!
• Edgar Allen Poe
• Animals dressed in hipster clothes.
• Mariachi Bands, Mexican art, & Day of the Dead
• Kliban Cat
• Cute avocados
• Lowbrow Art
• Zetti , Distress & Grunge styles.
• Houses, row houses or house shaped
• Numbers
• People & animals - with big eyes.
• People & animals - Odd, weird, surreal, quirky, whimsical
• Kelly Rae Roberts style
• Thimblestump Hollow - Huskyshuffler is my favorite!
• Chris Ryniak & Joe Ledbetter’s art & vinyl figures
• Just because it's not listed here doesn't mean I won't love it. I am open to any & all topics & themes.

Animal Likes: Any & all, but especially:

• Killer whales...all whales & dolphins really, but Orca, Narwhal, Sperm whales, & Beluga are faves
• Bottlenose & Commerson's Dolphins
• Octopus
• All dogs - Dachshund, Pug, Greyhound are faves.
• All cats
• Chickens, roosters, Blue-Jay, Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadee, Crows, Ravens
• Betta fish & Goldfish
• Black & White Cows & Spanish bulls (like Ferdinand)

Wishlist with some inexpensive tuck in’s included:

• Numbers, Gears, Clocks of any type: die cut, metal, paper, chipboard, etc.
• Interesting pieces of scrapbook paper...especially with polka dots, numbers & gears, gelli print scraps, paint, ink or splattered paper. Stained paper (like coffee stained)
• Tissue paper or napkins for collage.
• Any metal embellishments or charms.
• Blank Library cards
• An origami killer whale
• A mosaic eggshell magnet or ATC
• Zipper pouches – pencil, coin, etc. (any size)
• Good Luck anything - Pennies, coins, tokens, clovers, charms, pocket cards, etc.
• Numbers – Wood, metal, chipboard, etc. Large or small.
• Worry stones
• Beaded rosary, saint tokens, metals, charms & other catholic items.
• New & used dog/cat/animal rabies or registration tags & licenses.
• Wooden nickels, bottle caps & keys (house keys, car, any)
• I collect vintage postcards & photos from Miami Seaquarium, Sea World, Sea Land of the Pacific, Marineland & any other aquariums or destinations depicting whales/dolphins in aquariums. You won’t believe how small some of their enclosures were!

These give me a frowny face:

• Improperly packaged items that get damaged during shipping
• Strong smell of cigarette smoke
• Nudes (not opposed to receiving one...just not what I would typically go for)
• Gore, or gross stuff like medical specimens & realistic horror.
• Monkeys & Chimps, (Apes are OK)
• Animals donning circus gear :(
• Sea shells
• Spiders - YUCK!

Do not send (pretty please):

These are things I do not need or have an excess of, so while I appreciate you sending them, please be aware that they might be shared with others, which will put a smile on someone else's face too.

• Journal or Planner items
• Foam /reward stickers
• Iron On's
• Jewelry
• Scented sachets or perfume.
• Books or Bookmarks (I do audiobooks)
• Gems, rhinestones, bling, GLITTER, spangles, confetti or sequins.
• Make up, or bath & body stuff of any kind.
• Food or drink of any kind (no tea bags/drink or coffee packets etc.)

I use a LOT of tape on my envelopes, so please have some scissors ready if you're expecting a swap from me.

I swap USA only due to postage costs, wait times & reliability. I will however, swap with Canada on an individual basis.

I ALWAYS send, I ALWAYS rate, & I will ALWAYS let you know.If something is going to be late. I will angel any of my swaps, even if you are not happy with what you received from your partner.

**Feel free to use any of my past swap ideas, wording, or pictures to host your own swap or to start an International version of a swap I am currently hosting. No need to ask. We are all here to express our creativity & meet others who enjoy our interests, so if helping others achieve that I am happy to help.

I welcome any FRIENDLY guidance, advice or reminders. I enjoy constructive criticism… not being blasted in the public forums, so please contact me first. I am always willing to talk it out.