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Date Joined: January 18, 2021
Last Online: June 21, 2022 Birthday: October 7, 1978 Country: United States My Instagram My Goodreads |
Hello Swappers!
May 1, 2022 Update- As some of you know, I previously stopped accepting any mail with postage due because I was getting so much of it. Since then, I've had several of my regular swapping friends tell me that my post office is seriously overzealous with requiring the extra postage! I don't want things sent back, so I'm starting to review everything I receive again and will return on a case by case basis. I'm going to try to let them know when it seems they are being unreasonable. Please note that if the swap required tracking and it arrives without (and postage due) I will likely return it. Tracking/sending as a package can prevent this issue! I take almost all my swaps to the post office to double check the postage. If you ever get a swap that requires additional postage from me, please just contact me with a photo of the envelope or feel free to refuse the package!
my name is Tracy and I am so excited to be a part of this community! I believe that mail is one of the great joys of life. Sending and receiving has become even more important to me since covid began. It is so much easier to be honest, thoughtful and compassionate in letters than it is in an email or on social media. We need to bring back the lost art of this type of intimate correspondence!
I have lived in Michigan for most of my life and am a huge lover of the Great Lakes. Before I left work to stay home with my three young boys, I worked as a wetland biologist for the state. First I worked in the permitting program, then moved on to help head up monitoring, restoration and protection programs for Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands. I miss my work, but don't regret leaving.
We live in Brighton, which is just north of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan. U of M is my alma mater and I love visiting the campus as often as possible!
When I'm not focusing on my kids or writing letters, I am an avid crafter. Needlework, knitting and collage (with both paper and fabric) are my favorite pastimes, but I also enjoy dipping into other arts and crafts that I'm not as good at, such as watercolor, drawing and coloring. I love art journaling and am lucky to have two wonderful friends that I trade journals with. We give each other a prompt and encourage imperfection.
Reading is another favorite pastime (especially classics and historical fiction) as is hiking, and exploring our local antique shops. At the beginning of the covid lockdowns I decided I would try to relearn Spanish. I practice every day, but it's going to take some time! I would love to attempt to read and write some Spanish postcards or letters!
Prior to the lockdowns, I became a certified health and life coach and I was working on building a business. My focus clients were women who have never learned to love their bodies and who have been perpetual dieters throughout their lives. (I fit into this category for most of my life.) My program helped teach women to accept their bodies, learn to eat intuitively and pursue health without focusing only on weight loss. I believe that ALL bodies are good bodies and that we must honor and trust these vessels we occupy during our time here on earth. While I loved my wetlands work, I felt that coaching was actually my calling. When schools closed, and my kids were home and needing me so much, I found I couldn't sustain being mom, teacher and business owner. I have temporarily shut my doors on that dream and am trying to work up the will to begin again.
On most people's profiles I see that many are not interested in discussing politics or religion. I completely understand that, and agree that I do not want to be preached to or persuaded. However, I do think that conversation and mutual respect is how we can heal the world, so I am very open to learning about the opinions, passions and stories that make you who you are. I just ask any discussions like this take place with an open mind and heart and always focus on compassion and empathy, rather than anger or an insistence that there is only one "right" way to think.
Thank you for swapping with me!!
In the past few months since I started swapping Iβve become OBSESSED with decos! I love them all- the beautifully made art ones, taped ones, any theme and from any country! I prefer the ones with specific themes. Feel free to send me extras in any swap. I also am normally more than happy to take homers, but please just send me a quick note to double check first.
I love original art, hand colored items, collage, ephemera, washi and, of course, STICKERS!
Your handmade postcards will make me happy.
As far as subjects go, I am really open to receiving anything you think is beautiful, but here are a few things I particularly enjoy:
Animals: birds (especially parrots and cockatoos), fish, cats, snakes, frogs, turtles
Plants: ferns, cactus, trees, wetland plants
Natural history: ancient creatures, geology, crystals and fossils, ancient peoples
Vintage: Victorian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, mid century style, Georgian/Jane Austen style... really anything vintage is fun to me.
Places/culture: Local landmarks and history from where you live, regional recipes, fairy tales, folktales, mythology
You: Mostly I want to hear about YOU. What, Who and How do you love? What makes you tick?
Thank you for swapping with me!
The Indigo Girls, Michael Franti, O.A.R., Dar Williams, Mumford and Sons, Travis, The Avett Bros, Carol King, The Head and the Heart
I LOVE musicals especially Hamilton, Rent, Les Miserables, Wicked and some of the old classics like Fiddler on the Roof and The Sound of Music
I love so many books that I can't even begin to list them all here.But here is a list of 10 books that I loved enough that I read them two or more times. (In no particular order.)
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My Life in France by Julia Child
Union Street by Pat Barker
Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
I am also in a book club that focuses on self improvement and spiritual growth. We've read many wonderful books, but my favorites have been "Women Who Run with the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, "Soul Craft" by Bill Plotkin and "Big Magic" by Liz Gilbert.
I am a perpetual crafter and love to keep my hands busy. Right now I'm especially loving collage with paper, but I also like fabric collage, embroidery, knitting, coloring and watercolor.
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Hosted |
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5.0000 | 244 | 1 | 1 |
Completed | Fives | Threes | Ones |
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220 | 256 | 0 | 0 |
Type 1 | Type 2 | Type 3 | Uncategorized |
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3 | 78 | 139 | 0 |
Comments
I found so many beautiful items you made on your instgram account I wish I had your talent - Instgram fun #2-
Thanks so much for the envie of decos, love swapping these with you! And dang, you always have some REALLY NICE ones to send my way! I love all your pages and it was so cool to see the zentangle doodling on the orange one :)
Thanks so much for angeling Create a Deco for Your Partner from last year! You made a beautiful deco for me, and I look forward to seeing it full one day.
Wow!! Thank you so much for returning my full deco!! I haven't lived at that house for 8 years, that's amazing it's finally full. That was when I'd barely started doing decos, IDK what I was thinking with those thick embellishments. Thank you so much for returning it. <3 <3 <3
I just received your touristy leaflets, sent as a CPG Dec wish, thank you so much! I loved getting to know about your little Bavaria :)
Thank you for adding to my CPG Coloring Collab postcard in round 20. It was completed in round 22 and was sent home. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for the awesome xmas ornament from my December Wishlist at CPG!! I hope these covid related things all become a thing of the past soon!! Hope you had a fab holiday and all the best for the New Year!!
Thank you for my CPG wish and making my Birthday special
Thank you so much for the encouraging letter and song lyrics you sent for the December CPG wishlist. I love your ideas, and I had never heard the back story of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day before β€οΈ This happy mail really means a lot to me.
CPG Dec wishlist- Thank you for the Christmas card and cat stickers. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!π