e2java

11/5/24 Update
I have surgery scheduled on 11/8 and I will not be logging in for several days. Just a little planned sinus surgery but not sure how well I will be able to see :)

I joined Swap-Bot in 2008 after a friend blogged about her experiences here. I had a lot more time back then!

My user name comes from a portion of my summer home address in Maine from before they put in a paved road and changed the address for 911. I was struggling to come up with a user name (way back in the 90s) and everything I entered was taken. I figured no one else would use part of that address and I was right.

I spend more time on TikTok, Youtube and Pinterest than I'd care to admit.

I'm a letter writer, postcard sender, traveller, doodler and quilter. I still send out birthday cards and Christmas cards to friends and family.

I see inspiration every day in nature and the ordinary things around me. I take a hike every Sunday with my husband and four dogs.

I love all colors but especially those found in nature along with blues and browns.

My favorite postcards are unusual, thought provoking, art, architecture, foreign places, vintage, creepy, funny, animals, and recipes.

I started quilting when I was far too young and had much more time to do so. My goal this year (2023) is to create at least one quilt and also work on smaller sewing projects including an Alzheimer's fidget blanket. I like creating my own patterns and designs.

I've enjoyed collab handmade postcards, collab coloring postcards, mini-zines, handmade envelopes, mail art, handmade bookmarks and junk journaling creations.

📚 I'm on GoodReads.

Because I commute an hour each way to work, I listen to a lot of audio books. I listen to them on Audible, YouTube and find second hand audiobooks at thrift stores and used book stores.

Right now I'm listening to They Should Stay There on Audible. I'm up for any Mexican history/heritage book recommendations.

I've also collected Nancy Drew books - the kind that I had in the 70s and early 80s. My husband and I looked through antique stores and thrift shops trying to find the ones I am missing and now I have them all (except the cookbook). I would like to read them all from the first book on.

I read a few magazines when I'm looking for something different and shorter than a book. My favorites are Mary Jane's Farm, Garden & Gun and Daphne's Diary.

Podcast that I Enjoy: Crime Junkie, Business Wars, Everything 80s, Back to the 80s Radio, Going West: True Crime Podcast, Noble Blood, Carolina Crimes, The Deck, The Arcanum Project, In the Dark, The Global Leadership Podcast, Coffee Break French, Counter Clock

✈️ 🌴 🌎 ☀️ ⛱️ 🗺️ ❄️🗻💼 ⛵
Kew Gardens outside of London
Liege in Belgium
Slapton Sands in Devon
Jekyll Island in Georgia
The Florida Keys
Ambleside in the Lake District
Versailles in France
Les Arcs 1600 in France
Musee de Orsay in Paris
South Carolina Low Country

📌Recipes (I love to bake, cook and use the crock pot and my InstaPot). I'd be very interested in any dog food or dog treat recipes you may have found to be wonderful. We are vegetarian (not vegan but I do a lot of vegan recipes). I enjoy old family recipes, too and the ones from Church fundraising cookbooks. I'm currently translating my great-grandmother's handwritten French recipes.

📌Interesting articles from magazines or newspapers that you would like to share or even magazines (gently used is fine)

📌Local lore articles from your area.

📌Interesting Stickers or Washi tape. I love Lisa Frank stickers, Tim Holtz, Washi Stickers

📌Anything you made: art, envelopes, notecards, crochet, knitted, etc.

📌Herbal Teas / Green Teas or other teas (No loose, please and no Matcha)

📌Unusual stamps, vintage or foreign (used is fine)

📌All things Edward Gorey or Tim Holtz

📌Book or Podcast recommendations

📌A pen pal letter. I love hearing about your life.

📌A dog toy

✋✋✋ Things that could melt
✋✋✋ Teacher / reward stickers
✋✋✋ Matcha Tea - I've tried and just don't like it