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Hello Swappers!

HOLIDAY SWAPS 2022: It's my favorite time of year for swaps! If you are wondering what to send me in terms of holiday cards or tuck ins, the answer is really ANYTHING. I am happy to receive cards and items pertaining to any of the winter holidays, religious/non-religious and holiday characters from any region of the world (think Yule Lads or Krampus). I like glittery and non-glittery cards. I love washi samples, stickers (both sheets and flakes), printables, stuff for junk journals, postcards, tags, ribbon, fabric, etc. I also especially love handmade items. I'm excited for the tuck ins I plan to include in my envelopes and can't wait to swap with all other Holiday loving folks!

ABOUT MY POST OFFICE: 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 try to review everything I receive and return on a case by case basis. Sometimes my mail carrier just sends things back immediately (usually if there is over $3 postage due.) 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! Also- some of my swaps may arrive with a random piece of cardboard in them. This is because there is a particular gentleman at my PO who opens the envelopes and adds CLEAN cardboard if he thinks they are not thick enough. (He says my thinner packages will get caught in machines) It's weird, I know. But I like this guy, and I generally like my PO so I don't say anything, haha! I just don't want anyone to think I'm sending random garbage.

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 became very important to me during Covid. 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 I’ve 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.