Manjigirl

I have just started up again as I have really missed the challenge of creating small projects to swap and receiving interesting mail in return.

I endeavour to do my best with my swaps. I encourage my partners to have the same pride in the swap they send. I love to celebrate the joy of sharing a creative moment, especially the anticipation of opening a thoughtfully decorated envelope!

I have prioritsed my collecting and now only keep items in the themes listed below.

I also reuse, regift, reinvent and recycle. It has been an interesting journey to discover I get more excited over a vintage button or piece of lace, or postage stamp in my themes, than a recently purchased and pristine designer paper!

Thank you so much to all those who make the effort.

Love songs that make me feel... happy, sad, poignant, reminiscent. All are good.

I work in a primary school library and cannot get enough of the incredible books available for young readers. Wonder, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and The Naming of Tishkin Silk are among my favourites. Runt by Craig Silvey. Harry Potter, Deltora Qust, Ranger's Apprentice.

Or a gripping series where the good guys hopefully win (T.J. Clune's Wolfsong, Hunger Games).

Mostly though I love to look at the pictures inspirational craft books... I am a visual learner and rarely read the instructions unless forced too!!

I have my favourite comfortable movies - Jane Austen and Harry Potter, generally light hearted escapist stuff! Miss Pettigrew lives for a day comes to mind.

With TV I like mysteries ie tv with a plot. I love trying to guess who 'dunnit' before all is revealed. I also love shows with aliens in - star trek, stargate, star wars!

You could summarise my interests as anything that uses paper, paint or fabric! Enjoy combining them all in altered books (yep, a librarian who deconstructs, alters, reuses books. Oops)

I love to receive:

1. Vintage anything.

2. Napkins and other translucent items.

3. Anything library related such as library and catalogue cards.

4. Christmas in the green red gold colour scheme.

5. Threads, buttons, sequins, beads for slow stitching.

I enjoy receiving used stamps in the themes of:

1. Festive - covers Christmas, Valentines Day etc.
2. Flora and fauna - who doesn't love nature!
3. Famous - Disney, books, movies / movies stars.

There is not much I don't enjoy receiving really.

• I guess work with little artistic pride.

• I am not into modern 'cutetsy', spongbob or halloween. I don't do pink or orange often either, except as a beautiful rose or muted vintage!

• I am learning to enjoy stickers but not 'boring' / reward type ones. The clear ones seem quite lovely.

Being in Australia there are certain items that you must not send:

seeds or other plant materials (pressed leaves etc.); shells; soil & sand; tea with fruit pieces; incense; dried/pressed flowers; raw nuts/seeds; any animal products such as raw hide; feathers, etc.; any wooden items This is not as restrictive as you think! I have only had six swaps opened to date and they have all passed quarantine. I fully support our quarantine laws.