mlparlee

I consider myself a mixed-media, Mexican pop-art, iconic, folk-artist. My main mediums are polymer clay and metalwork, but I also dabble with paper, cloth, glitter, ephemera and anything else shiny. Most of my work consists of creating shrines honoring Frida, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and other mexican icons. I absolutely love anything Dia de los Muertos! I tend to like bright, bold colors, like orange, yellow, red, turquoise, green. I'm new to swap-bot, but am an experienced artist. I have my work in shops in New Mexico and Texas, and do several juried art shows a year. I hope to start teaching classes on polymer clay mosaics and metal embossing in the near future. I met this group of awesome women on the Crafty Chica cruise (2008), and they turned me onto Swap-bot. Love it so far!!

I love all types of music! Latin, Funk, Motown, World. I do tend to steer clear of Metal, Classic Rock and Country!!

I'm really into adventure books right now (yes, Harry Potter included). I also love books by Latin authors, particularly Victor Villasenor. If you haven't read "Rain of Gold", you're missing out. I also throw in the occassional craft book!!

Organic bath and body products, organic chocolate, thrift stores, recycling anything, traveling, amazon.com, other crafty chicas, buying art supplies, trying to figure out how to make something from an art book, skulls, shrines, vegetarian cookbooks and organizing! (I am vegetarian and I eat mostly locally grown organic foods.) No candy or lotions or lip balm unless they are organic!! I use a lot of Premo! polymer clay. I like day of the dead and our lady of Guadalupe anything; ephemera, images, rubber stamps. I could use any broken rhinestone jewelry, bottle caps, religious or Day of the Dead images, small wooden boxes.

non-organic body products, Disney anything, I'm not a scrapbooker, I can't really sew, pastel colors, stickers, anything that smells like cigarette smoke. Please no food, teas, coffee. I do like unusual embellishments/ephemera, but nothing too cutsie. I don't like animal related items. No Americana art. Please no misc. things you are trying to get rid of!! No kid stuff.

I love LOVE love art supplies. The nearest craft store (Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby) is three hours away, so if you feel like sending supplies feel free (especially anything from the Crafty Chica Line -coming out in August) (I can only get what's online. Would love to get ahold of the Loteria cards or the inspiration cards!!) *rubber stamps, images, ephemera with day of the dead, Frida, or religious icons *Premo! brand polymer clay in dark colors *broken rhinestone jewelry (no glass or plastic) *Stickles brand glitter glue (any color) *mini-satin roses (any color) *Pearl-ex powders *Lumiere paints *micro glitters *glass heart ornaments *metal wings *organic chocolate *organic bath and body products *ephemera that can be added to alters/shrines *bottle caps *heart and/or crown shaped brads *blank, colored greeting cards *liquid Scupley *mini- cala lillies *anything considered Mexican pop/folk art *anything by Artchix! *small shadow boxes or mint tins *fine glitter, black especially

and as for colors: bright colors, gold, black, silver, purple or white. No neons or pastels.

I am starting to get into sewing, mainly purse-like bags, so any help on this would be great. Mainly fabrics, thread, trims, and images in bright colors.

For any of you Seasick Chicas, send anything you like, I think all of our tastes are similar enough, that I will love anything!!!

****I am trying to get my hands on the Crafty Chica Inspiration Cards set #3, the Dia de Los Muertos set, (they are not available online). If you can get them and want to trade, let me know!!!

*candy *sewing items (unless they are Latin or Mexican themed materials) * Kawaii stuff *yarn or knitting stuff *buttons *French country or Americana *anything pastel *anything with animals or cute babies on it *googley eyes *stickers *tea or coffee *lotions, candles, or incense *journals *dolls *die cuts or small bits of misc. paper

**unless you think I will like it!