wolfeagle

2024 Word for the year: Authentic

I am so glad that I found this site as I love swapping here on swap-bot. It's hard to believe it's been over a decade swapping here. I feel fortunate to have swapped with so many fantastic people. My name is Angela and I live in Northern California. I love to travel, and have many wishlist places I would love to visit and learn about. I'm especially interested in Swedish or Scandinavian culture and lore. I love adding paper/newspaper/magazine articles that are in other languages to my collages and mixed media art. I also love to collect found objects and any vintage photographs to use in my art, including old photo slides. I am a huge animal fan. My dream would be to own a ranch, with many different types of animals. We even love animals that many people don't, like snakes, and spiders, squirrels, bats, or rats and mice. Currently, we have 3 dogs, and 3 cats.
My family is everything to me. I love being a Grandma. I was lucky enough to meet my best friend and soul mate when I was 16. 30+ years later, and she's still my best friend and the person I want to hang-out with, travel with and chat with. We celebrated our 20th anniversary by getting married in Hawaii. One of my favorite places in the world.
I love many things..including animals, art of all kinds, mail art and crafting. I enjoy painting, wood burning, collage, fiber and mixed media projects. I love sewn projects and stuffies. And, my favorite are art dolls. I also like to dabble in mosaics, ceramics, and anything that grabs my attention at the time. Currently, I'm trying to re-learn macrame. When I was a child my grandmother had taught me how to do macrame and I made all sorts of macrame planters and projects. I believe I love arts and crafts because of her. I like to try new things, and new processes or techniques for art. I also like to recycle or upcycle items. Finding new uses for old items is fun for me, and they will often end up in my art projects.

I love listening to music-feeling the beat, and letting it take you away. I love tribal drums, chanting, wolf sounds and ocean sounds. And of course, radio music: Rock, Country, Pop-Top 40, Jazz. What I listen to depends on my mood at the time but my dial is usually on rock or country. I love 80's rock bands.
Right now I am loving

LoveTheGnomist

Also Love this video HERE-7Trolls

Some of my favorite books are children's stories. Love books that have illustrated fairy tales, and myths or legends. I like to learn about other cultures, traditions, and legends. I also like to read mysteries, supernatural, crime dramas and some romance like Nora Roberts. If it can scare me or intrigue me, I'll probably like it. I also Love craft books and art magazines. Any Stampington Publication will be treasured. I do love poetry, cooking and baking, animals, travel, art, and coffee table books. Especially ocean related and wolves. I'm not a fan of war books, historical themes and period books. I love Stampington magazines...all of them really.

I enjoy movies and often think a great job for me would be to be a movie critic as I could watch a movie every day. I like treasure hunting stories like Tomb Raider,The Mummy, National Treasure. Other faves include Super 8, Lord of the Rings, Twilight series, Da Vinci Code, Hackers, The Net, Enemy of the State, Stigmata, Copycat, Aliens, Big Fish, the Bourne Series, Timeline, Stargate, Moulin Rouge, Avatar, The Way and many, many others. Including kids movies like Aladdin, Hotel Transylvania, Monsters Inc, etc. Because I like so many different types of movies, I have many favorite actors.

I also enjoy many television shows. My favorites include: The Resident, Lucifer, FaceOff, Songland, MasterChef, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, The Walking Dead, Survivor, Vikings, Anne with an E, Flea Market Flip and Project Runway/Making the cut.

Some of my favorite crafts include mixed media crafts, anything with fibers, using fabric, felting. I love hand-made ornaments and hand made post cards, ATC's, Inkbox cards....really all mail art. Making art dolls is so much fun for me. I like to try different styles and materials. Polymer Clay and Jewelry is high on my list of faves. I like things that tell a story or are personal. I can't wait to try encaustic wax paintings. Upcycling/recycling items in to art is fun, and I often pick up pieces off the ground, like rusted bottle caps and metal bits, and think wow that will make a cool......

I like Mail Art and Art Dolls, Monsters, Space and Science, Fairy Tales, Myths and legends, Steampunk, zombies, ragdolls, horror dolls, mermaids/mermen, driftwood, sea glass, pirates, rusty metal, assemblages, mixed media, ephemera, pottery/ceramics, handmade ornaments, fairies, elves, animals, anything ocean/nautical, asian influenced items, flowers-especially poppies and stagazer lilies, bird of paradise, and orchids, tropical stuff, decorated chopsticks, mini scissors, the ocean, lightning and thunder, rain, rainbows, lightning bugs, the smell when it rains, music and movies, laughing, holidays, 49ers, plants & air plants, texture, fibers, jewelry, wind chimes, sea turtles and much much more.

Favorite colors include shades of blue thru green-like the ocean, rusty colors, smoky blue, golds, dusty pinks, burnt oranges, reds, metals. Actually I can't think of a color I really don't like.

I always have use for used postage stamps of people if you don't save yours.

I enjoy getting newspapers/magazine articles in different languages, tags from clothing and other products....not the thin price tag, but the thicker logo or designer tags off products, bottle caps from around the globe, maps from anywhere, ties, barbies and dolls-even broken or just the limbs, art process articles or art books/magazines, broken jewelry/watches, rusted metal will thrill me, hardware like door knobs and drawer pulls, bones and teeth, bullet shells, rulers and tape measures (broken is ok), journals and cool stuff to add to journals-like journal pockets and handmade embellishments, any unique item, real vintage anything, keys, wings, small crowns and embellishments, game pieces, beads and jewelry left overs, doll appendages and patterns, and any art and hand-made items.

For postcards, I love the weird, wacky and unusual. I like art, people, nature scenes and animals. Not in to map postcards or "greetings from" type postcards. For handmade postcards and mail art, please do not put tape over your postcards or envelopes coming to me.

Dislikes: I'm pretty easy going and enjoy most things. However, putting tape over your art or envelopes, ruins your art, in my opinion. Please do not cover your artwork in tape. I also do not care for store bought stickers to be used in any art. I do not like items that smell of smoke. I prefer silver to gold tone jewelry. Please do not send me food or drink packets, as I will not use them. And if I can't use something you've sent, I will gladly pass it on to someone who can.

I appreciate every swap that I receive. I send my swaps on time and I will rate you when I receive yours. Please include your swap and user info in your swap, so that I can rate you. Please let me know before you rate me a 1 or 3 as I send all my swaps. I also photograph my swaps, and keep my postal receipts, and will gladly check on any package for you. Please rate me when you receive your item from me and feel free to PM me if there are any questions about any swap I am in or if you would like to do a private swap.
While extras are fun, I do not rate based on them. I would much rather have a quality swap then a poor swap with many extras.
I also do give hearts on Postcards/cards and email swaps- especially when the sender takes the time to actually write something about themself or they go above what is requested in the swap in someway. This can be as easy as reading my profile and personalizing my swap, decorating the envelope, including a nice note, etc...you do not need to send extra stuff to get a heart from me. I do not give hearts based on the extras but rather on if the sender put effort in to the swap. I'm also not offended easily, so feel free to create art in your own style. I will also rate based on the swap requirements, not on any extras that may have been sent. I'm always up for trading art, art magazines, jewelry and art supplies.
I do recycle and upcycle items. Including boxes, envelopes and packing materials. I'll even pull off some washi or bits from envelopes and give them new life. It's a small way to help keep more trash out of the landfill.

Reduce Recycle ReUse

I love my swaps and my groups. If you have an interest in any of them or have any questions or concerns, just send me a message. As an artist, I have deadlines constantly. To help me keep track of things, I often post swaps early and it also gives you a chance to plan ahead. I look forward to swapping with you.
Crafty Recyclers
Fantastic Art Dolls
Amazing Mail Art
Handmade Postcard Club
Experienced ATC Swappers USA
USA ATC swaps

Just as an fyi, the flickr link above is to my old group...the swapping artist....not my personal swaps.