Yarrow

Hi all, I would like to apologize for my missed swaps and hope you can bear with me with patience.

It’s been a terrible month with my computer: first internet issues which made it tough even to log on for more than a few minutes, and finally a virus that ran through my whole system, crippling the OS. My computer was corrupted and I had to spend a huge amount of time and money trying to get it fixed, only to be told that it wasn’t possible. So, after a long wait I finally got a new computer (phew!!)

Thankfully, my brother helped me recover most of my files from my old hard drive (including photos from 2008-present I hadn’t backed up.) You never think to back up stuff until it’s too late (of course).

Anyway, I feel awful that all this happened right in the middle of me getting into Swapbot and really enjoying the community. I hope that you can forgive me and that we can start things again, fresh (well, as fresh as my new computer). I am not a flaker, and will be bringing all my past swaps to their finish. Thanks for your understanding and patience!!

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I'm an indie comic artist/ writer who also freelances doing children's book illustration. I run the monthly NEW Ottawa Comix Jam meetings and enjoy bringing creative people together to share funky ideas.

I love animals and am lucky enough to have a Corgi, two cats, 2 rats, and a dwarf rabbit.

I love to travel! Road trips, camping and adventures help energize my creativity.

I'm an amateur astronomer and enjoy meteor showers on cool summer evenings by a tranquil lake. Enjoy belly-dancing, T'ai Chi, cooking vegetarian and vegan dishes and like gardening (even though I'm not that great at it!)

I love to draw comics, dragons, superheroes and tell autobiographical stories with myself as the main character. I like to read Heavy Metal magazine and collect trade paperbacks which can be darker themed. Like to sketch gothic, erotica, Steampunk, mythic creatures and characters.

I love books and read voraciously. Occasionally I write poetry, short stories, novelettes, journals and letters.

I role-play traditional AD&D and Palladium books' systems as well (Rifts, Nightbane, Heroes Unlimited). Working in animation and sharing a love of RPGing was how I met my current partner!

I love live concerts, art shows, theatre, used book stores, thrift shops and catching current run and repertoire movies. I like all things genre: (science fiction, fantasy, horror, medeival, history).

I volunteered with the PTS (GLBTQA centre) for a couple of years and co-moderated a women's group.

I have an interest in early Celtic mythos/ paganism, Zen philosophy and self-sufficiency.

Styles: Celtic (traditional & fusion), Middle Eastern, movie soundtracks, folk roots, bluegrass, blues, alternative rock, trance and musicals (but I am ecclectic and open to almost all kinds've music!)

Fav musicians: The Chieftains, Rawlins Cross, Spirit of the West, Great Big Sea, Steeleye Span, the Pogues, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Loreena McKinnit, Spleen Bishops, the Waterboys, Clannad, Tannahill Weavers, Fairport Convention

Basil Poledouris, John Williams, John Goldsmith, John Debney, Stromberg, Howard Shore.

Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, the Grateful Dead, Stan Rogers, Eric Bogle, Indigo Girls, Fred Eaglesmith, Ian Tyson, Elaina Martin, Ani Difranco

Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Jethro Tull, Steve Earle, Nathan Wiley, Sophie Zelmani, k.d.lang, Tom Russell, Sarah Mclachlan, Bif Naked, Chris de Burgh, The Killers, U2, Peter Gabriel, Dire Straits, Annie Lennox, The Offspring, The Clash, CCR, Simon & Garfunkel, The Grateful Dead, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, REM, Fatboy Slim, Belly, Imani Coppola

Anything by Charles de Lint (love urban faery tales)

Fav authors: C.J. Cherryh Elizabeth A. Lynn Spider Robinson Joan D. Vinge Margaret Atwood Anne McCaffrey Piers Anthony Stephen King Neil Gaiman Alan Moore Morgan Llywelyn Robert Heinlein Terry LaBan, Michael Moorcock Roger Zelazny Ray Bradbury Carol Little Ken Kesey Ursula K. Leguin Andre Norton Peter S. Beagle Troy Little William S. Burroughs Charles Bukowski T. Anders Carson John Steinbeck Jack Chalker Stephen Donaldson Frank Miller.

Favourite Books: Lord of the Rings The Hobbit Dragonriders of Pern Chiaroscuro (TPB) A Complicated Kindness Hide Your Life Away A Fine Balance The Dancers of Arun Memory and Dream Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet American Gods Chronicles of Narnia Slaine the Horned God Harry Potter series Angora Napkin (TPB) The Red Branch The Chronicles of Amber The Green Hills of Earth Dandelion Wine The Dharma Bums The Dawn of Silence The Sandman (TPB) Rimrunners Moonheart The Horse's Mouth Trainspotting Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Watership Down Duncton Wood East of Eden Sometimes a Great Notion.

My tastes range all over the place--I love a good story, action, suspense and conflict. I also enjoy well-written dramas, comedies and silly romantics.

Lord of the Rings (trilogy) Conan the Barbarian HAIR Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back Baraka Cutthroat Island Starship Troopers Enter the Dragon Bladerunner Amelie Monty Python and the Holy Grail Princess Mononoke The Princess Bride The Dark Crystal Labyrinth Willow My Neighbor Totoro Akira The Good the Bad and the Ugly The Quick and the Dead Zulu Evil Dead II Supercop V for Vendetta Sin City Jesus Christ Superstar and lots more... (anything by Studio Ghibli)

I'm an animation buff, so will watch almost anything that is a cartoon. Some favourites include:

• The Venture Bros., The Simpsons, Blackstar, Angora Napkin, Robot Chicken, Battle of the Planets

• Also enjoy British tv series, Westerns and strange, very creative stylings of Joss Whedon. Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Robin of Sherwood, Beauty & the Beast, Heroes, Fringe, NCIS, Deadwood, Jeopardy, Film International, The Frantics Four on the Floor, Monty Python, The Goodies, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Hamish McBeth, Battlestar Galactica (Caprica), Star Trek

• I've also somehow gotten hooked on the Food Network: (usually done while knitting!) Chopped, Restaurant Makeover, Iron Chef America, and lots of Cake related contest shows!

I enjoy crotcheting simple granny squares & chain stitches to make afghans. My knitting skills are limited, but enjoyable (I now have three scarves, and of course it is warming up outside!)

I love collage, but am so-so at it. My best crafts tend to be drawing greeting cards with cartoony characters, superheroes/ some burlesque stuff too! http://www.ifreelance.com/share/providers/62479/samples/182444.jpg?v=1

I've been having fun making ATC's, home-made postcards and recently inchies >^_^<

I love journal writing and collect journal books of all different sizes and styles. I have made very tiny books and hand-made mid-sized journal books as well.

I have had a great time sculpting with clay, Sulpey and also paper fibre (and papier mache). Love working in 3D, sadly sort've difficult to mail larger pieces!

I love anything to do with fabric and have had experience with macrame, rug hooking, weaving, dyeing and batik.

I love miniatures as well and have spent time constructing small books, envelopes, furniture, etc out of found material. Stemming from this is an interest in bonsai, though have not had a chance to pursue it.

Dragon I drew for an online charity (theme was your favourite childhood game :-)

I love fantasy based imagery (dragons, faeries, knights, merfolk, unicorns, castles, giants...) as well as mystical or spiritism inspired artwork.

Artists I love include: Michael Whelan Keith Parkinson Frank Frazetta Boris Vallejo Esteban Maroto Chichoni, Milo Manara Phil Hale Ramon Perez Jr. Kristy Gordon The Bros. Hildebrand Brom Troy Little Bill Sienkiewicz Kyle Baker John Findley Simon Bisley Dave McKean Brian Froud Susan Seddon Boulet Waterhouse Rackham

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/igallo/McKean.jpg

• I am drawn to female-centric and woman-based imagery, specifically very strong female characterization (Amazons, women weight-lifters/ martial artists/ warriors). http://www.conceptart.org/revelations/bios/brom/brom01.jpg

• Favourite colours: I prefer rich jewel tones (deep purples, dark forest green, earth tones as well). Green will always make me happy!

• Am a sucker for celtic ribbonwork and designs (spirals).

• Also enjoy symbols relating to language/ letter type.

• Interesting (or rude!) buttons and magnets

• Markers, brush pens, oil pastels, brushes, small watercolour sets (actually, ANY artmaking material would be welcome!)

• Incense

• Batik fabrics, or patterned fabric

• Interesting patterned paper, home-made or fancy paper, cut-outs.

• Rubber stamps or stickers

• Cool postcards.... ATC's, home-made postcards (or anything home-made :-), Inchies!

• Vegetarian/ vegan recipes that are fantastic; tried & true!

• Zines, home-made comics, small print-run works of poetry or fiction.

I'm not interested in extremely frilly, pink, lacy femmy designs and styles. Dislike intense yellow colours or dull, muddy, swampy colours (unless used in an exceptional or original way)

Not interested in anything that is negative towards body-image, or a put down of women.

Not particularly interested in overly cutesy characters (ala Disney). That being said, there are rare images that I do like that are a little Manga (like 'Sushi Cat' http://www.blogcdn.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2010/03/sushicat66-1.jpg)

I'm pretty good with most foods, drinks, scents, animals etc. I recently had Gastric Bypass Surgery and just wanted to mention a sensitivity to sugar (so please, no overly sugary things--thanks!)

• (Special thanks to Happylilartist for the use of her Canadian postal system blurb - thanks!!)

Delivery from Canada to elsewhere in North America takes around 5 -10 business days for letters and small packages, so please be sure to allow enough time for delivery.

If you are outside North America, please allow enough time for delivery to your country (2-6 weeks) and use my sent date as a guide for when to expect your mail.

Items will always be mailed in a timely fashion. I only click "sent" after I have physically mailed your item at the post office.

Canada Post does not process mail on the weekend - so there are no Saturday mail deliveries and no weekend postmarking. Please go by my sent date for an item being sent on time, and not just on the postmark date.

• Mail You Send:

If you are unfamiliar with the process for sending an item to Canada (filling out a customs declaration form and when/if you need one), contact your local post-office for instructions.

• (This next secion thanks to Lulubiz!) Beware of Canadian Customs law

Any "live" things (fresh food, live plants, dirt, ...) will be destroyed by the customs employees (if found) and a nice destruction fee could be charged to the sender...No kidding with the Canadian laws!

RATINGS and things!

Please remember to include the name of the swap and your swap-bot name in or on your package. It makes rating a lot easier!

I will always rate honestly and quickly and hope other folks do the same.

If a significant amount of time has passed, and you have not received your swap, please PM me and I will send a replacement. Things get lost in the mail, and it would be so sad to let something like that happen without being given a chance to fix it.

Cheers!