sharmison33

January 16, 2019... Happy New Year everyone! I hope this year brings you all much happiness. Sadly, I’m going to have to take a break from Swap bot. Hopefully it will only be for a short while. I’m having some issues related to my brain injury. The doctors are trying to regulate my meds while I deal with the side effects. I don’t want to miss a swap or send out poorly done swaps. That wouldn’t be fair to my partners! Hope to see all you special folks soon!

December 1, 2019... Last week the wind here was terrible! We haven’t had internet for almost a week. My kids were home all of Thanksgiving break with no internet or TV. The only good thing about that was it forced them to be more creative. Swap bot is very hard to read on my phone, so I won’t be able to do my rating until the internet comes back. Don’t fear if you haven’t heard from me. As soon as we have internet again, I will catch up on my ratings!

July 22, 2019... HELLO EVERYONE! One year ago I was feeling pretty sad and lonely when I had to quit teaching art after 20 years. Then an amazing pen pal told me about swap-bot. Now, one year and 628 swaps later, I again have an outlet for my creativity. It has been a difficult year for me dealing with a TBI and lots of big changes in my life. I’ve met so many amazing, kind and generous swappers who have brought a bit of sunshine to many of my days. Many thanks to you all and I look forward to what my second swap-bot year will bring!

PLEASE READ>>>A few months ago the USPS changed the distribution center that our mail ships through. Since then, I have received MANY pieces of mail that have been damaged or completely destroyed! In the past two weeks I have gotten 3 swaps that are missing their contents. Those swappers were nice enough to resend but I really hate having to ask. PLEASE, PLEASE if you are sending me a swap please tape the edges of the envelope. When you think you have enough tape add a little more to be on the safe side!!!! I also apologize in advance for when you receive a swap from me you have to break through the Fort Knox of tape wrapped around it. I'm not taking any chances. I've complained at the Post Office but they said they can't do anything about damaged snail mail because it's not insured. AHHHHH...so frustrating!!!

Hello, my name is Sarah. I am a forty something mom to two boys ages 9 and 3. They keep me pretty busy. My oldest plays lacrosse and wrestles, so we have lots of practices and games. We also like going to the movies and the library together. I am an art teacher in an elementary school. This will be my 20th year of teaching in the same school!

My Grandma...My maternal grandmother meant the world to me. She taught me all the important things about life from how to cook and sew to the value of life and what happens when you die. Her door was always open to us and any other friends. She was one of those people who never met a stranger. Sadly, her passing in 2008 left a huge hole in my heart. However, I know she is still watching over me. There are so many things that remind me of here on a daily basis. Three of the most important things are red three playing cards, robins and Lilies of the Valley which filled the flower bed at the side of her house every Spring. Also, I would call her every year when I saw the first Robin so we could celebrate the coming of Spring. And as for the red three playing cards, as a child she taught me how to play Canasta. In the game, red 3s are extra points. When she died, my sister and I buried her with three red 3s so she could win Canasta in Heaven! I just wanted to share my story about her because it helps me keep her special story alive!

As for my own art I enjoy watercolor/acrylic painting, photography (especially abandoned buildings), calligraphy, hand lettering, holiday crafts, cards and stamps, collage, sewing and felt stitching.

I always read and write notes about my partners profile! I love putting swaps together that are special and personalized for my partners. I like sending a little something extra in each swap. It makes me feel so good to get positive feedback that my swap made someone happy and brightened their day! I feel like that’s what Swap-bot is all about. I also enjoy sending responses and sometimes little surprises to my partners after I receive their swap.

I have never, EVER flaked on a swap! However, especially because of the TBI, I do make mistakes. Like I said before, I read all my partners profiles and write myself notes because I want them to love what they receive. If I do mess something up, please...please let me know and I will make it right ASAP. No need to be mean or nasty about it...I promise it was just a mistake. My goal is to make others SMILE with some Happy Swapping!!!!

WEATHER ISSUES

We live in the country in the middle of the woods. It's beautiful here. Nice and quiet and very private. However, being a good distance from town, weather can play an important role in my mailing. During heavy rain, we have a small bridge that floods. It's the only way out of here so we can get stuck for a bit. When it snows, we can't get up or down our hill to get to the main road. Sometimes, even if I can get to our mailbox the mailman can't get to me! It doesn't happen too often but I can't control the weather. If this happens, I will be sure to send a message to let my partner what happened. I will not flake on a swap but country life does have pros and cons!

MEDICAL ISSUE...

I'm just going to go ahead and put this right up here at the top. A year and a half ago I suffered a traumatic brain injury. Life has been pretty rough since then. Some days, after my boys go to school and I'm home alone Swap Bot is the only thing I have to occupy me. After a day of hard doctors appointments ad physical therapy, kind letters brighten my day. I am not posting this for sympathy but understanding. Please understand that I do write everything down but sometimes still make mistakes! I know some people probably think if I can't do things right I shouldn't be doing swaps. However, I try my hardest and if I mess up all you have to do is let me know and I will resend. I have never flaked on a swap. Please be understanding and leave out the snarky comments and condescending tone. All you have to do is kindly tell me what happened and I will fix it. As I am quite aware of, life can change in an instant. One event can change your life completely. Life's to short to be mean. (More info on my head injury below sorry to repeat but I want people to understand the situation!)

I fell down a flight of steps while carrying laundry. My head went through our baby gate at the bottom of the steps leaving me with a rather large head wound that required many stitches. I was also diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. I don't like telling people this as I certainly don't want it to come across as me looking for pity. However, I struggle with the loss of my short term memory. This is in no way any excuse for me to flake or be late! Just a warning that I may have to ask for clarification and I may repeat things or misspell words. Swap Bot has been a Godsend for me. I had to quit teaching after 20 years and I felt really disconnected from the outside world. These exchanges help me be creative, practice my writing and look forward to goodies in my mailbox. Thanks to all of my partners for being a part of my recovery!

Painting

card making

rubber stamps

Cooking-teaching my kids to cook

All things snail mail related

Digital scrapping

Reading-Horror, SciFi, YA, Motivational, Christmas books

Yoga and meditation

Party Planning-love making party things from Pinterest

Thrift Shopping- I love to re purpose things I find at thrift stores

Journals- I keep lots of journals on health, gratitude, my kids and list making.

I love all kinds of music. When I hit shuffle on Spotify, I usually end up with some interesting play lists. I like metal, classic rock, progressive, new age, classical, disco and show tunes. See I told you it was a wide variety! Some of my favorites are Pink Floyd, Rush, TOOL, Iron Maiden, Journey. I like horror inspired music like the work of John Carpenter. I also love the theater and some of my favorite show tunes are from Cats, Aida and Les Miserables.

MY GRANDMA (See story above) I LOVE OPENING AN ENVELOPE TO FIND A PLAYING CARD!! A red 3 card makes my heart happy and will definitely earn you a heart ❤️ ❤️ Playing cards-I collect red 3s (Hearts or Diamonds). They are just a little reminder of her, the quintessential grandma! Other things that I collect that remind me of her are Robins (birds) and Lilies of the Valley. Any of those things are the key to my heart!!!

After a trip to Georgia’s Bigfoot Museum, my boys are now completely fascinated by all things Sasquatch! If you can find something cryptid related the boys (me too lol) would be super excited!!

Since I live in such a small town, we rarely get neat stamps like I see on the mail I receive. If you don’t save them, I would LOVE to have your used stamps from your incoming mail! I also like any small denomination stamps...1,6, 10 cents.

Favorite colors- blues and greens...think peacock

Anything Egyptian/Egyptian art related, Art and Artists...favorites Monet, Druer, Klimpt, Ansel Adams and Frank LLoyd Wright I can't stand Andy Warhol!

Favorite Animals: sloths, llamas, owls,humming birds, hedgehogs, cats

I LOVE anything peacock and phoenix. I consider the phoenix my spirit animal since I feel like I rose from the ashes a new person since my accident!

TV: Stranger Things, Amazing Race, Big Brother and British Comedy.

Felt tip pens

Stickers- sheets, flakes, Kawaii

Old architecture and abandoned buildings

Ephemera, especially vintage, holiday and words to have interesting things for my ATCs.

Postcards I enjoy... Art and artists,
Where you live-landscapes, native animals. Big Letter States, Animal Pictures, Bigfoot or Yeti, Funny Animals, Vintage Objects and toys, Abandoned Buildings, Ocean-mermaids, seahorses and octopus, Steampunk, Victorian, Fairy Tale, Movies especially vintage sci fi and monster movies ***If a PC calls for a choice, I'd like mine naked and stamped as long as that's an option!

Wish List:

Letter sets and stationary. I have a terrible time finding it around here!

Playing cards- 3❤️ 3♦️...definitely a heart for these!

Tarot Cards- I don't know much about them or how to read them but I LOVE the artwork on them. I only have two in my collection so I would love to have more of them!!!

Anything LACROSSE related. My boys play and it’s just gaining popularity here. Makes it hard to find neat stuff.

Anything Bigfoot, Sasquatch or Yeti related

ATC sized paper

Cute shaped brads

Ephemera of any kind, Tim Holtz, vintage, holiday

Washi tape you can never have too much in my opinion! Except for Disney...I’m not a fan of princesses!

Anything holiday related. I love reproductions of vintage holiday cards

Anything with the animals listed in my favorites especially washi and stickers

BOX TOPS-my boys collect them for school!

Postage stamps unused, used, small denominations

Stamped Images. I'm really enjoying card making and love using stamped images but rubber stamps can be rather pricey. I would LOVE for you to share some of your favorite stamps with me and to get some stamped images on plain card stock for my cards. House Mouse stamps are my favorite!

Old book pages or sheet music

I'm sorry this does seem really long. Please know that I will find joy and beauty in every PC, letter and work of art I receive! Nothing beats finding great stuff in your mailbox. I enjoy writing and receiving snail mail and also spend a lot of time decorating envelopes. I have not done ATCs since art school/college but I am excited to start making them again.

As I said, I have to sons ages 9 and 3. Both boys enjoy playing lacrosse. My youngest loves construction equipment and my oldest is into video games. My oldest will be doing any of the swaps that involve kids and writing. Both boys love to be creative. They love to paint and draw. The both love those little craft kits that you can get at the craft stores. They also like card games and even though there's a large age gap between them, my oldest will play them with his brother. They are both candy lovers and have a fascination with pez dispensers. The love slime and beg me to make it at home all the time. As for mail, they love animal postcards and neat stamps. Most of all they are excited to find stuff in the mailbox and even more thrilled when it's for them! I don't like to put their names out there for everyone to see so if you get me for a partner for a kids swap let me know and I will send you their names.

The boys would LOVE to have box tops! The class that collects the most box tops gets a dress down day. They both go to Catholic school so getting to pick out what you wear for a day is like gold for them.

If you would happen to be an international swapper, the boys would love to try some snacks from your area. They watch you YouTube videos of people trying foreign snacks for the first time. I pretty sure there's a YouTube video for everything!!

I hate to include this category but just in case...

ATCs that aren’t the CORRECT size! I’m not talking about just a tiny bit off, I understand that happens. I’m talking about cards that aren’t even close. There wouldn’t be a standard size if you were supposed to make it however you want!!! They don’t fit in a binder then for those who collect them!!!

Religious things... I have no problem with religious images in art. I quite like vintage pictures of Mary, saints and famous religious art work. However, I have my own religious beliefs and I throughly respect the beliefs of others. That being said, I don’t like people who try to push their beliefs on others! So, please don’t send me any religious pamphlets or stuff like that.

Realistic frogs.

Peaches and raisins.

Hot tea.

Teacher stickers( I am a teacher but not working right now due to my accident)

Please NO foam stickers. I have an entire storage tote full from after holiday sales!!

No kid stickers especially not girly. I just can’t find anything to do with them.

PLEASE...PLEASE...no Disney Princess anything. I have no use for them and honestly, I’m not a big fan of the whole princess thing anyway! I prefer the original fairytales Disney swiped them from!