Photonerdjen

The synopsis: Just a crafty photographer chilling in the Illinois country with my two dogs and awesome husband.

The long and not so short of it: I am a midwest transplant; I grew-up in New Hampshire, then went to Portland, OR for college, moved to Seattle for five years and then came to Chicago for law school. Yeah, didn't like the law as much as I believed I would. SO, I became a photographer, a fine art photographer focusing on macro photographer to be exact. I also do still practice as an attorney, specifically offering legal assistance to other artists, crafters and generally creative type people.
My husband and I just bought a big ol' victorian out a ways from Chicago...yeah, we're THAT far out, closer to Rockford than Chicago.

In full disclosure, I was on Swap-bot a year or so back, but I can't seem to log into that account, @terralily I apparently deleted everything, including the email address attached to it. I was very frustrated with the quality of swaps I was receiving and, more pressing was the fact the house we were renting was being foreclosed on. Thanks, landlord for not paying your mortgage. So, I left...in a bit of a haste. All swaps should have been taken care of by myself or I asked the person who was going to send to me to send to my partner(I think this was for at most two swaps). If that didn't happen please let me know.

We're now fully moved in and set-up, so I thought that it might be nice to have an additional creative outlet that didn't involve commerce.

Harry Potter!!!!
Hmmmm, law school didn't exatly leave a whole lot of time for reading and recently I've been really into autobiographical type books, but not strict biographies, more like The Happiness Project, Julia and Julie, Hundred Mile Diet, The Art of Eating In...stuff like that.
I've always enjoyed Christopher Moore, Jane Austen,

Firefly, House, Bones, Castle, Glee, Lie to Me, Family Guy, Numb3rs, Project Runway(though not so much since they moved to Lifetime).
I don't actually watch that much TV because we don't have cable. Which was the best decision ever!

Anything photo related
Paper crafts, but I don't do a whole lot of actual scrapbooking
Journaling
Painting
Jewelry
Sewing, although I'm not all that great at it

I've tried knitting and I just can't seem to get into it, but I am learning to crochet and don't mind it as much.

I have such a wide range of music tastes that I think I may push itunes's recommendations to the limit. Some favorites are:
- Dar Williams
- Barenaked Ladies including their kids album
- Jack Johnson
- Ke$ha
- Alison Krauss
- The Glee Cast
- Bob Dylan
- Rihanna
- Sean Mullins

I would much prefer to receive a well-thought out or well-done swap than extras. If I adore something you've made or if I can tell you put a great deal of effort into something I will give a heart.

I will nott give a heart simply for throwing some extra things UNLESS those extras clearly relate to the swap or are just super cool.

Please don't send me(unless of course the swap requires it):

1. food or candy items

2. anything super cutsey (Mary Englebright, Kawaii, Anne Geddes...that kind of stuff.)

3. anything religious-y unless it is art (if you would study it in an art history class, then it is probably ok but I know Jesus loves me, I don't need a pin/sticker telling me that)

4. smelly things...if you can smell it from more than two feet away it is too stinky...especially Cherry, blech. :)

If in doubt, hold on to it, either yourself or someone else will appreciate it far more than I.

If you REALLY want to send extras here are some things I would totally use:

1. Stamps...old, new, US, foreign...I love 'em all

2. Postcards... I especially love old used postcards...I like to read what someone once shared with loved one.

3. All things penguin

4. Art- photos or postcard of pieces of art

5. Photographs of...pretty much anything

6. Travel related items

Please make sure there is enough postage on your letter/package. I've gotten too many with out enough and now the post office is making go there to pick them up. They used to leave the little envelope, but not any more.

If the envelope isn't flexible, they will probably call it a "package". Stupid, I agree, but I'm not making the rules. Some POs may be cooler than others, but clearly mine isn't. I didn't mind 20 cents here of there, but this whole having to go to the PO to pick up something...lame.

AND if I send you something and there isn't enough postage, please tell me and I will send you some stamps. I buy the fun ones. :)