PerkyGiraffe

After deleting my introduction about 5 times, let me start here again, and hopefully this is as eloquent as the first time I wrote it!

I find the idea of swapping fascinating and am happy to have found a site that caters to that. I think it's a great way of social networking that doesn't solely involve the internet. My DH and I live with our two dogs just outside of the city where they have lots of room to run. We moved in August and have been getting settled ever since (including doing some renos...so tiring!).

I'm big into creating things and being a creative person in general. It's important to me to make things that other people appreciate and will treasure. I also like learning new skills, which has kept me kind of busy when it comes to my favorite "hobby of the month" if you will. Right now I'm very much into quilting, and building on those skills. I also enjoy doing tutorials for other people on some of the things I think might make a difference to them. The last one I completed was a full reference on how to build an elegant looking diaper cake for a new mom. :)

Ideally, I would eventually like to do some fabric design. I'm big into self taught graphic design on my notebook and would eventually like to translate that into something tangible. Plus, it's so hard to find funky stuff that I would love to use on a quilt in the stores - so if nothing else, there is some extra incentive!

This is a somewhat random list I guess, which I think will get better with time, but might help with my first few swaps:

• Quilting
• Sewing
• Funky fabrics
• Soft flannel
• Good quality thread
• 100% Cotton Fabric!
• Fat quarters for quilting!!!
• Big buttons
• Horses and equestrian sports/stuff
• Dogs!
• Outdoors, camping, hiking, etc.
• Good recipes
• Nicely done hemp friendship bracelets
• Interior design
• Pretty or unique pincushions (I would LOVE LOVE LOVE a cute little cupcake pincushion!)
• Well taken photographs
• Hand made cards
• Lip balm
• Stamps and embossing stuff
• Keys (The kind with the open end, as if you'd see on a necklace - especially the intricate ones that make you wonder where they came from.)
• Christmas ornaments (I'm a collector, what can I say!)
• Jewelery - Specifically silver stuff, and anything unique!
• Books
• Quilting magazines
• Beads - I'm thinking about starting to incorporate some bead work into my quilts, so some nice beads would be great!
• Hair elastics, clips, pins, combs, etc. (I'm obsessed! And you can never have enough!)
• Anything Superman (For DH! Hehe...)
• Tassimo stuff that I can't get in Canada - This would automatically be an awesome swap for me! DH and I love our Tassimo but are getting bored of the things we can get. I would absolutely be head over heels for some of the teas you can get in Europe, etc. :)

That's all I can really come up with for now, but I'll be adding as I go. I know there's more for sure. :)

Right now I'd say these are my top picks, and what I spend the most time on:

• Quilting
• Sewing
• Embroidery
• Drawing
• Baking (I consider this a craft! Specifically fancy well decorated cakes and cupcakes!)
• Blogging (Figured I'd throw this in as making tutorials on crafts is a big thing I'm spending time on right now too!

Part of a slight fear I have on Swap bot is to continually receive things that will only clutter up my spaces and that don't have much use. That being said, here is a brief list of things that I'd prefer not to receive if at all possible:

• Knick Knack type things
• Coins (unless perhaps a necklace pendant)
• Thoughtless or poorly put together items
• Black licorice
• Junky items
• Toys (no kids yet, so unless it's for the dogs I have no use for it!)