Angiegirl

UPDATE 4/21/11-- Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be late on my swaps. How late, I do not know. I know this is very sudden but I have been trying to deal with too many personal things and keep up with swapping and I'm just no longer able to do it. I've had 2 deaths in my family in the past 2 weeks and now my youngest is in the hospital fighting a long term illness, with no relief in sight. I never thought I would find myself in this position but I just don't have the strength to do it all. Please forgive me if I have not met a swap requirement. I am going to try to get them all done but I don't think they will be on time..... Angela

I am so happy to have found Swap-bot! This has been a lot of fun for me. I am not a picky person about what I receive, as long as some thought and time were put into it. Don't get stressed out about it. Just have fun! That's part of what crafting is all about. :)

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about my participation in a swap. I ALWAYS send my swaps and have never been late. Sometimes I send them early in the swap and other times towards the end. It just depends on my life at the time. But I always send. If you do not receive an item from me, PLEASE e-mail or message me before rating. I will resend. That is just common courtesy. Let me reiterate-- I ALWAYS send my swaps.

A little bit about me: I grew up in a small town in Ohio but now live just outside of Columbus, in Hilliard. It is Buckeye Country up here! If you live here and you are not a fan of Ohio State, then you're in the wrong place! ;) They take it seriously here. Anyway, we moved here after my husband was laid off and he found a new job with an advertising company. We purchased our first house (Yeah!) and are still living in it. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and best friend.(20 years on 12/15/10!) We love to go hiking, watching OSU football and the Cincinnati Reds, and just being with our family. We like to hang out outside most of the time, so we spend a lot of time doing yard work or gardening or fixing something up on the house. We also have some great neighbors that we hang out with. We also have been blessed with 2 wonderful sons. My oldest just turned 19 and is a freshman at the Art Institute of Pittsburg. He is absolutely loving it!. My youngest is 17 and is a junior this year. I'm lucky that I don't have to work. In my previous life, I was/am a critical care nurse. I love working with patients and their families. It is truly a blessing to me to meet so many wonderful people and be able to try to help them.

I also try to generally be a happy person. Life is too short to get your pants all twisted up on the small stuff. I enjoy life as much as I can each and everyday. I have some health problems that at some point in time could be potentially serious and I'm not going to let them stop me from living. I refuse to grow old gracefully. Age is just a number. It's one thing to be alive and another thing to be living. I love being nice to people. I also love quirky and funny people. I love art, drawing and painting, although I'm not very skilled at it. (at least not yet) I love to read, scrapbook, watch old movies, bake, hike, do photography, send and receive snail mail, decorate for holidays and learn how to do new things. I love doing random acts of kindness. I'm Catholic and The Lord has definitely helped my life in so many ways. I also have a pet dog. I can't leave him out! He's a 3 year old black lab named Shadow. He's crazy, and insane and fun! He has more energy than a bunch of toddlers put together! LOL! But he goes for walks and loves to go swimming as well. He's in the process of learning his manners because one day he wants to be a therapy dog. ;) We also have a baby snapping turtle that my youngest found and just "had" to keep. Her name is Lilly-bean! And as of March 2011, we have a new furry fluffball of a kitten whose name is Firestone. ( although I keep calling him Flintstone for some reason! LOL!)

I am also trying to be more earth friendly, so I will be trying to re-use/recycle some of my envelopes and packages.

Favorite music- I absolutely love 30 Seconds to Mars! I also like Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Staind, Godsmack, Paramore, Muse, Ramona Falls and the Silversun Pickups. BUT, I do like other genres of music as well. I do love listening to Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, Enya, celtic and middle eastern sounds. I also love to listen to classical music as well. My love of ballet might have something to do with that!

Favorite Books- I love mystery and thriller type books. Some of my favorite authors include Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, Laura Childs and Tom Clancy. Recently I have been trying to read more classical literature such as Pride and Prejudice, Doctor Shivago, that kind of thing. I have also been doing some reading on World War 2 and the Vietnam War. My youngest son got me interested in it and it is something that we can share in common.

Favorite TV- I must say that I love some of the reality shows out there. I know, it's sad, but I got sucked in! I watch The Amazing Race (which I would love to be on!), Survivor, Top Chef, Project Runway and America's Next Top Model. I know, it's pitiful. :) I also enjoy watching Nikita, The Walking Dead, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad. I also like to watch old reruns of MAS*H , I Love Lucy, and The Waltons.

Favorite Movies- The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, The English Patient, Liar Liar (makes me laugh everytime I watch it), Hidalgo, the 2 newer James Bond films but I can't remember their names. I also love older black and white films, including the funny ones with Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Also like Rebel Without a Cause, Giant, Westside Story, The Sound of Music.

I love scrapbooking. I have been doing it for a little over 10 years now. Love preserving the memories for my family. I'm just started making ATC's not too long ago. Those little things are addicting! So much fun! I am also trying to teach myself how to sew. I thought it would be a good idea since I have a brand new sewing machine that has been in my closet for 2 years!

But my favorite favorite new love is art journaling!! I'm so in love with it. I never thought scrapbooking would ever take a second place to anything but I was wrong!

My favorite manufacturers are: October Afternoon * Pink Paislee * Tim Holtz * Jenni Bowlin * Maya Road * Prima * Making Memories * Bazzill * 7gypsies * My Mind's Eye * Jillibean Soup * Basic Grey * Cosmo Cricket * Hambly Screenprints* Claudine Hellmuth

I tend to like all colors except neon ones. My favorites are blues, greens, and yellows. But I do use others. I tend to like silver or pewter over gold.

Spring and summer * Christmas * Birds and rabbits * vintage treasures * recycling * collecting music boxes and teacups/saucers * antique furniture * hot chocolate * hot teas * flea markets and antique stores * art museums * Alice in Wonderland * postcards * autumn leaves and colors * cats * scarves * dainty/vintage jewelry * lip gloss * the mountains and the ocean * M&M's * Diet Coke * Winnie the Pooh * Snoopy * St. Jude and St. Therese * dogs * cute little notepads * bracelets * socks

I love little crocheted items. I can't crochet or knit anything to save my life. I used to frustrate my grandmother to no end when she would try to teach me. LOL!

As far as decorating styles go, I'm pretty all over the place. But I try to stick with vintage, cozy, homey type stuff.

I don't have any food allergies or anything like that, so no worries there. :)

Cold weather! Neon colors. Violence. Cigarettes/smoke. Rude, inconsiderate people. Coconut anything.

I love vintage type items but that is not to say that I don't love new items as well. Believe me, I can spend an entire day shopping at scrapbook, craft and sewing stores * ribbons * Those little plastic sleeves that you put ATC"S in * Rub-ons * old black and white photos * chocolate * cute or vintage buttons * deco tape * anything Tim Holtz or 7gypsies * vintage ephemera * hot chocolate or teas * paper flowers * handmade envelopes * love October Afternoon and Jenni Bowlin products *anything from my favorite manufacturers, which are listed above

I try to be thankful for everything that I receive but there are just some things that I can't really use. Such as: make-up or spray perfumes (lip gloss is okay), glitter, soaps or candles