lois

Hi! I am a married mom of 3 boys. I worked in the perennial plant growing business for many years and at a lovely nursery selling them along with other beautiful things.. I love books, paper,art, dance,music and life..I love sending and receiving real mail... I am creative and love making weird things(haha). I like antique furniture and the look of everything in the Anthropologie stores..unfortunately...they are usually way overpriced for my budget....and there's the sweatshop thing..so disappointing!

One of my children is a dancer/choreographer and WOOOHOOO he was accepted to Juilliard and graduated from there (huge accomplishment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) One is a graduate student with an amazing incredible mind, and one is a lacrosse player,yo-yo expert and all round funny guy. I feel lucky! If you are interested in a private swap or just want to exchange mail... please do PM me-I will gladly give you my addy. I love movies in the theater, foreign and old as well as new...there's only so many hours in the day... I do not like anything having to do with hunting or fishing or for that matter, anything which causes pain to others;human or animal. I think I am pretty easygoing and always like to think the best of people until they prove otherwise. I think kindness is a superb personality trait!

I listen to everything...literally because my kids have hugely varied music tastes,. I like so many different things, instrumental, jazz, classical, r&r, pop,foreign music, "alternative", small town band... I love soundtracks and interesting "talking" music as well. CURRENTLY i am obsessed with kate nash, and love morrisey forever.

Books are one of my favorite things in the entire universe... I LOVE reading...its a wonderful part of life. SOME authors i love are Barb.Kingsolver ,John Steinbeck, Jonathon Safran- foer, John Irving, Dave Eggers...TOO many to name. Some all time faves:' The god of small things', 'Extremely loud and Incredibly close', 'Life of Pi', 'Animal dreams','Native son', 'To kill a mockingbird','The Invisible Bridge', 'Room'.....and I love good non fiction and documentaries too... .OH I COULD GO ON AND ON... aren't stories amazing? recently discovered the hilarious humor of Jen Lancaster's books...so funny. I still own some of my own books from childhood in the 1960's. I love them so. My grown children treasure their older books as well. I think some children's books are among the most beautiful artworks I've ever seen! I love good gardening books and art books as well. So much to learn.

I just enjoy so many things..I love seeing new places and experiencing life and friendships.I love paper, making collages and things. Love sharing and seeing artwork, bags,(the kind you carry stuff in), great clothes and shoes, food, old dishes, coffee, small bakery/bread shops, thrift stores, the fabulous city of Chicago, plants, dance, movies, theater, seeing other people's artwork, graffiti, dark beer, watching my talented children do funny things haha, love NYC, trees, rainy days,sunny days, french things... good humor and laughing, and springtime!!!!! I try to re-use and recycle as much as I can. I love being able to use packaging and shipping materials more than one time. I truly enjoy putting together an awesome swap and sending it off.

I must say that I love to do collage, I love found object art and altered things like journals as well as other things... I am not currently a scrap-booker. I love painting and drawing... I see art in EVERYTHING, everywhere I look. Fabric is extremely interesting to me ...hmmm. Love to receive homemade things even if they're not my style. A lot of my art is created using recycled and re purposed materials...especially "junk mail"(heavier paper and cardboard) I have an eye for good garbage :) I really can't toss away a beautiful piece of paper, to be honest...even if it is "toss-away" packaging in something. Hoping to learn to use a sewing machine in the near future! My latest endeavor is making original art greeting cards mixing old stuff with other stuff.

Moleskine sketchbooks or journals!, card stock, watercolor paper, textured paper,interesting patterned paper, letterpress cards, tissue paper, blank books/journals, notebooks, colored sharpies and good markers, calligraphy pens, fabric bits, old postcards-the older,the better, text in any language other than mine (English), typography,quality paintbrushes, maps. old black and white photos,strange or unusual books, rare books, old book pages, vintage maps, vintage book illustrations, french things, things from Anthropologie :), bits of beautiful old china, nice wood, Domino magazines, mixed cds of music I may have never heard before. I adore old books.

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up" -Pablo Picasso

"We are presented with lessons in this life. If we don't learn a lesson the first time, we will be presented with it again and again until it is learned" -Buddhist saying

What you think about others is more your business than what they think about you. Because what they think about you has nothing to do with you while what you think about them has everything to do with you. Your thoughts generate feelings and emotions that affect you. You are always affected more than the person you are projecting it out toward.

Please don't send me anything religious...I am not a fan of organized religion!

I sometimes go for long periods of time without swapping... but don't want to totally give it up yet. I do love mail and would always be open to exchanging mail.