Update 10/23/2022 I'm back!!! I took a lot of time off to deal with a lot of things, including more health issues, but I've been missing this group and I'm eager to take part in some swaps! My mail has been so boring and sometimes downright depressing, and I really need to get some HAPPY MAIL coming to brighten up my days. I'm looking forward to creating some great projects and sending out good wishes to my partners.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MAIN PROFILE INFO updated 10/25/2022

Greetings! I'm Kathy Bates, and no, I am not the famous actress, (although I can relate to her in many ways). I read that I should introduce myself to my swap partners, so here it is: I live in Southern Indiana, near the Ohio River, with Lisa,my life partner; we have two dogs: Lucy the Pug and Baby the Aussi-Shepherd mix, both rescues.

I retired in 2019, but I keep busy with several hobbies:
1) Family History (especially the Heritage scrapbook I'm putting together) so genealogy is a big love of mine; 2) growing Bonsai trees (tree postcards and stickers are always welcomed); 3) browsing through antique store/thrift stores/consignment stores (where I find a LOT of items to use in my craft projects!), 4) surfing Pinterest (where I have pinned so many things that I'd love to try), and, of course, 5) Crafting (especially paper crafts!). There's nothing more fun than meeting the challenge of turning some found item into something fantastic! I like creating all sorts of paper crafts: ATCs, postcards, minizines, journals, folios, and of course, I have a list of 'projects in progress' as well as a list of 'ideas/techniques to try'.

My main project this year (2023) is the same as last year: to finish decluttering and streamlining my home to make it more 'handicap-friendly', and getting my crafting corner set up. I have a beautiful big window overlooking my back yard, and I'm looking forward to sitting at a work table there, watching the birds at the feeders outside while I craft. The trick is to get it all organized so that I can find what I need when I need it, without having the place look like a craft store was blown in by a tornado. We all know that "creativity is not a pretty sight" until the project is finished and the mess cleaned up, right?

I like all kinds of paper crafts, love getting happy mail, (A lot of my postcards have been coming through with scrapes on the front, which really messes up the picture; because of that, I'd really prefer to receive them in an envelope or clear sleeve, if possible); I enjoy putting together 'packets' of goodies for other people to enjoy, and learning new things. I'm always on the lookout for new ideas to use in crafting and have a big collection of materials that I like to share with other crafters.

Happy swapping to you! May your mailbox be full of happy mail and your postage stamp supply renew itself continuously!!

Thanks so much for swapping with me, Kathy Bates, (not the actress).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Updated 10/25/2022

Favorite things: bees, dragonflies; crafty bits and pieces like ribbon, buttons, charms, and unique papers/gift wrap/book pages, fancy printed napkins; anything beach related, whether on the shore or in the water; dogs especially pugs; birds and feathers; bonsai trees; genealogy; cats; guinea pigs; capybaras; chocolate, coffee, cocoa! I also like bath and shower gels and lotions, pretty kitchen towels/hand towels/washcloths. Whimsical items will always please me, so if it makes me laugh, it becomes a favorite!!!

Favorite movies/TV shows: anything with Robin Williams or Nathan Hale, Z Nation, police shows, hospital shows, fire department shows, end-of-the-world/saved-by-the-hero type movies, time travel shows, movies based on true stories. Also Fringe, Deadwood, Jurassic Park series, Medium, Ghosts, anything with Queen Latifah.

Favorite Music: just about anything from Mozart to Pink, reggae, 60s/70s/80s Pop, Heavy Metal, but not Thrash Metal; Country except for the really twangy kind, jazz, Gloria Estefan, Eurythmics, James Taylor, Pentatonix, Ed Sheeran, Adam Lambert... And lately, Leonard Cohen, Stjepan Hauser, and Michael Buble.
Just no Gospel or Justin Bieber.

Wish List: Time, Money, and Good Health... But don't we all want those things??!!! Since there is never enough of those three items to go around, in lieu of that, I would love to receive anything whimsical or humorous - I love to look at the funny side of Life! Or you can check out my 'favorites' lists. Basically anything I get in the mail that isn't a bill or an advertisement is 'fun mail'!!! I'm not into Disney or religious things, so please save those for someone who will appreciate them more.

Favorite time of the year: Autumn, when the leaves are beautiful and they crackle under my feet when I walk, and the air smells so crisp! Next favorite would be Spring, when everything starts waking up again. Summer is usually too hot for me, but Winter is okay, as long as there is coffee and cocoa available, and a big pot of soup!

Hobbies: (1) I've been working on my family history, so genealogy is a big interest. I have one family line tracked back to the 1600's. My mother was a German war bride, who came to the US one year before I was born and gained her US citizenship after learning the language and studying about her new country. So working on her ancestors is a bit of a challenge, but little by little, I'll break down those walls! (2) I also grow bonsai trees, and used to sell them at art fairs and craft shows. I didn't get rich off of it, but did make enough money to finance my bonsai hobby and make trips to bonsai nurseries to choose more trees to play with and train. I still have a few that I will sell, but my collection is now at about the quantity that I can care for easily. (3) I've discovered the joy of birds and have several food and water stations for them out in my yard. Our regular visitors all have different personalities, and it's especially exciting when we get a new visitor! That sends me scrambling to the bird books to learn more about that species. (4) Flower gardening, especially my work in progress: a Whimsey Garden! It will be full of art creations that make me laugh and that share some quotes that I love. Health issues this past summer kept me from making the progress on it that I was hoping for, but next Spring, I'll be going at it full-speed with the creations I make through the winter.

~~~~~~~~ SWAP INFO: If you don't get a swap from me that you are expecting, please let me know before you rate, so that I can check on it and make things right. I think a lot of the time it's the creating and sending out things that is the most fun for me, and I definitely don't want to be a flaker! I also try to err on the side of sending more than required; it's part of my 'declutter' campaign! If you should receive a swap from me with postage due, please let me know so that I can take care of the extra cost. Also, as I mentioned, I prefer to receive postcards in an envelope or clear sleeve, since so many of them arrive with big scrapes down the middle; it's such a shame to think of the time and energy someone has put into it only to have it reach me with damage due to postal machines. Also, I love handmade postcards, so if a swap says only store bought postcards, and you want to send me a nice handmade one, I will rate it as if it is store-bought and will appreciate the effort you put into it!