XwattsX

having a bit of a life crisis at the moment, i WILL get everyone's stuff out, cross my heart, but if you could be patient with me, i would love you forever

if you are missing a swap from me, please always message me and let me know before you rate me. i've got postal service issues over here, and i will always re-send my part of the swap

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for now, i'm just a girl, living in virginia, looking for some decent swap buddies. i love swapping everything from letters (i'd love a more-than-one-time penpal!) postcards, all kinds of mail art, swapping ephemera and other cool stuff. i like tangible swaps more than i do e-swaps.

i have a pitbull/somekindasighthound mix who i adore - her name is watts, after mary stuart masterson's character in some kind of beautiful. she is my absolute heart and soul - you'll likely hear a lot about her :)

i have become quite a plant collector in the last few years - i live in a tiny apartment without access to a garden, so i've been trying to "green up" my living space. i currently have about 12 plants in the living room, everything from succulents to ferns. there is one aloe that i am convinced is trying to swallow me whole!

i looooooove to cook, even in the tiny kitchen i have (and i do mean tiny). i spend a good portion of every week in the kitchen, and even more time on sites like foodgawker pouring over recipes. i have a particular weakness for chef memoirs, the older the better!

my free time is generally split between art, watts, and terrible tv - sometimes all at once!

lately all i can seem to watch is true crime stuff, which can be soooooo dumb, but i can't resist! some of my favorite shows are ozark, lost, prodigal son - and i could easily spend the rest of my life on masterchef: australia (the level of cooking is unreal!)

i mostly work with paper - cut paper as well as mail art, and mixed media art. i have a massive collection of bits and bobs that i've collected from everywhere i go, just in case i might need them. i can be morbid or bubbly, so what i create can vary a great deal! i've been known to work with found objects, acetate, moss, dried flowers, acrylics, watercolors, pencils, pens, paper towels! i think there is nothing we can't make into art.

aside from a constant supply of thai iced tea (with boba, please!), there are so many things that i love.

my favorite color, you ask? right now i am super into purple and silver.

iridescent glitter and embossing powders are my bffs and i always need more, bigger, cooler versions!

lately i'm using tons of watercolor markers, caran d'ache crayons and sequins in my work, as well as antique book pages, this amazing stash of letters i dug up, and other bits i've collected over the year. i LOVE old ephemera - it really almost doesn't even matter what it is, i'm down to try to make something of it! i generally only use acrylics for backgrounds or other details, because i actually can't paint for anything.

while we're talking about thai, i also constantly crave tom kha soup - so if anyone has a recipe to swap, i'm in!

i don't really know how to describe my style. i don't like to use stickers or pre-made items in my stuff - for some reason i'd rather torture myself by drawing it all out. i love working off of prompts - it's such a fun challenge! but i also have a huge list of things that i just want to make, from overhauling a vintage dresser to my next postcard. i reckon my style could be vintage-ish - i use a lot of old things to make new art, so i actually don't even know what that's called!

it's time fooooooor The Ultimate Wiiishhhhliiissstttt!

(i thought it would be easier to list the things i love to receive/use rather than putting it in with one of the other blocks)

ephemera of all kinds

anything bold and graphic

printouts from The Graphics Fairy

decorative papers, especially those with color

book pages

acetate sheets

ribbons/trim/lace

gel pens

glitter pens

.03-.05 staetdler pens

embossing powder

glitter

sequins

stamp pads (particluarly black, copper, sepia, gold, silver)

interesting fabrics

contact paper

prismacolor pencils

colorful pens

watercolors

unused stamps

colorful ribbon or ric rac

found objects (latest find is a milagro that i found on a walk downtown)

mini envelopes

decorated envelopes

anything kawaii

letter sets/notecards

stickers/sticker sheets

postcards (handmade or store bought)

post its

small beads

matchboxes

anything ginger

anything from my amazon wishlist

almost anything from mantofev.com

please, no patriotic or religious items. and although i love a good cuppa every once in a while, tea isn't really my thing.

please don't send kids stickers or reward/planner stickers, and no disney/pokemon type stuff.