samsstuff

Almost everything: punk, metal, blues, jazz, classical, R&B, not a huge fan of country, though I like some old school artists... I'm not sure how to really fill this out more without randomly listing artists. There truly are many & a list will exclude a lot of things that I like. So, here, in random order & covering decades (if not centuries) an incomplete list: Otep, Silversun Pickups, The Clash, The Ramones, Rob Zombie, Nirvana, Mozart, Sonic Youth, Primus, The Gorillaz, The Deftones, 80's music, 90's music...

Anything that has something to say, humor, sci fi, history, biographies, some science, modern lit...

Randomly: Christopher Moore, Haruki Murakami, Chuck Pahulniak, biographies, history, art books, photo books, Kafka...

Almost everything: photography, jewelry making, crochet, sewing, embroidery...

I generally use natural materials, unless I am recycling something vintage or found or if I really like the texture/color

I might be fun to try felting (I tried some awhile back & it is fun)

I can't knit :(

love photography, art & music. I have been to many places & would love to visit more. I love graphic design. I take vintage, new & found objects & give them a new purpose, life & story to tell. I love to write when I can. I have a blog & have had articles published on several online craft sites.

Other things I like: gardening & growing things animals journals, notebooks, mail art & zines :)

So many, I love movies

Another random list: Moonlight Kingdom, Donnie Darko, Fight Club, Casino Royale, Sunshine, 28 Days Later, Sean of the Dead, Juan of the Dead, The Big Lebowski, Pan's Labryrinth, Repo Man...

True Detective, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who (the new ones), old British comedies, The Daily Show, American Horror Story, Breaking Bad, The Tudors, Heros was great, at least in the beginning, Firefly...

My favorite colors- right now I like bright or chartreuse type greens & bright cherry red (so, not the traditional Christmas red or green), I like khaki green, most greens, pink, oranges, blues (especially turquoise) & sometimes black, but I like other colors, too. There are very few colors I don't like Things I could use: I am currently looking for old math & science textbooks & sheet music or music books, vintage is great, if you can find them or have them lying about Button forms (I like making little embroidered buttons) Twill ribbon (I like using it to make hand embroidered labels) Natural fiber yarn Embroidery thread Vintage buttons, beads, bits & pieces of vintage jewelry Ribbon & fabric (preferably natural fibers/vintage) Vintage cookbooks, game books, math books, music & science books (even if they are in poor condition) Embroidery hoops (especially if they are vintage) & frames Findings & beads (preferably natural materials or vintage) Vintage photos & paper In general: The ocean Music The sky Movies Books Cameras Teapots & tea 'Fancy' coffee drinks Vintage things Geeky stuff

Things I don't really like:

Country music (although, every once in a while I like something old school, like Johnny Cash). Lapsang Souchong & chamomile tea coffee (unless it has lots of stuff in it or it's really concentrated, like Greek coffee) dried fish products knit fabrics, in general. I prefer natural fibers to man made. Children's stickers (I don't hate them, I just don't use them for anything) Plastic beads I don't do scrapbooking, but I do occasionally use some supplies for making other things Plastic Headbands or any hard headband, they hurt & give me headaches Clip-on earrings, I can't wear them (though, I might be able to use them for something else)

Alright, so I don't really want to do this, but it seems that this needs to be said: I'll keep it short, since I really want Swap-Bot to be fun, for myself & for those I swap with. I really make an effort to make & send things that, based on my partners profile, I think they might like & am careful to follow the rules of each swap, as written. When rating, please rate based on the actual rules of the swap & not perceptions or expectations. When I select/make my item, I have only the rules to go by, anything else would be guess work. I will rate you a 5 if you have followed the rules or have made an effort to let me know that you have an issue (I'll give you a heart, if you've made an extra effort). I don't rate based on assumption, expectation (because you can't read my mind, either) or likes/dislikes. I also don't rate based on extras. It's great if you want to send extras, but don't feel like you have to, to get a good rating. I have enough extra stuff lying around to last a lifetime, just ask my husband, if you don't believe me...

While I'm on the subject, sending early is great & appreciated, but sending on the due date is not the same thing as sending late. A last day to send date, is just that, the last day to send. I'd love to send early, but I work & don't have lots of spare time. Just because I sent it on the due date doesn't mean I threw it together at the last moment. I take care in making everything I send. Period. Even if it's not your style.

Lastly, I find a lot of due dates end up being on a Sunday/a postal holiday. Sometimes it's that it's not Sunday/a holiday for the swap host & sometimes it's because of an oversight. In these cases, I may have to send on the next available day.

The postmark date can often be a later date than the ship day. If I drop something off at the post office on Saturday evening, after work, it may not be postmarked until Monday (or Tuesday, if it's a holiday on Monday). It doesn't mean I didn't ship on time.

Disclaimer: You can read on if you wish. I have left these things up as they were important at some point, but please remember that this occurred in 2013 or before. That has been quite some time to keep holding on to the past. For those that need to know, here's my side of the story: 8/7/13 I've decided to leave Swap Bot, for the most part. I'll finish the swaps I've got going & I might join something here & there, but right now, I'm not sure that I'll ever want to do this again. While I've met many friendly & fun people & received some amazing things, I've also met others who have made this a very unpleasant experience, whatever their motivations might be. I don't want to stick around & become part of some smear campaign, be bashed in the forums or elsewhere on the site, in public or in private. I will resend, if you need me to. I take care & put thought into every swap. I send things that, based on your profile, I think you would like, but this is costing me too much time, money, effort & lastly, distress for me to continue. I refuse to be bullied & I refuse to become a bully. Thank you to all those who have been friendly & sent such amazing things!

Anyway, enough negative stuff, Swap-Bot should be fun. For me, the fun is in the surprise & the challenge of the swap. I really want this to be a fun experience, for everyone. Let the swapping begin :)

*** 8/14/21 MAIL THIEVES! *** We had mail stolen out of our mailbox, again! I have a bunch of torn envelopes, with nothing in them, that my neighbors found. Some, I've identified & contacted the senders, but others, I can't tell what was in them or where they're from. There may be Swap items among the missing items & there may have been things which were not found by neighbors or that did not have addresses on them. Just in case you've sent something recently and haven't been rated yet

I fell at work, fractured my thumb and sprained my wrist, this is making it very difficult to do anything that involves fine motor skills. Hopefully, this will affect too much, but I am going to be late in sending anything, I will let you know.

***8/21/23 More Mail Thieves! I don't know everything that was taken, other than a couple of things I've ordered. If I should have received a swap from you, around this time & have not rated you, please let me know. ***12/13/23 Mail Thieves Again! I hate them! This past week we where hit twice! It's getting close to Christmas, so they're probably looking for gifts, money and it's apparently easier to steal than to get your own!

*To whom it may concern & I believe you know who you are, though I don't yet, because you choose to remain anonymous and attack me behind my back. Stop! I have been an honest swapper and person. I have done nothing to you. Yes, mail theft is rampant in my area, no I don't have the money to get a PO box. Yes, my mail box is actually across an increasingly busy street, where people drive well above the speed limit. I can't change this. I am not legally allowed to move my mailbox. Everyone on my side of the street has their mailbox located across the street. Stop the harassment! I thought Swap Bot was supposed to be a friendly place, apparently I was wrong! These things do not make me a bad person or swapper, they are out of my control.