UPDATE September 2024: USPS domestic mail seems to be taking about a week or longer -- 6-8 postal biz days or more; I'll be wrapping up my current swaps and taking a break for the busy mail season (November-December).

I like to send my swaps out EARLY within the first 1-2 postal business days (I'll mark it as 'sent' after dropping it into the mailbox, so depending on postal routines that may or may not match the actual postmark date), and I generally will rate within a day of receiving. If you are missing a swap or a rating from me, or if you get something fallen to pieces or has postage due, please let me know and I'll try to fix it right away! I usually remember to take pictures of my swaps before sending, but will be happy to resend as needed.

🎈 👍 I pledge to rate promptly! 🐘 ☂️

Hi there! I'm Tracey (she, her) and I live in California. I am a crafter, reader, knitter, sewist, negligent gardener, amateur birder, and sender of postcards and friendly greetings. I also play the ukulele and dabble in watercolor. I really don't do all that much collage-y crafts (though I do appreciate the art that people here on s/b are so skilled at creating!), so I'd prefer not to receive a lot of scrappy paper ephemera bits--I am trying very hard to destash/not accumulate more clutter right now, but as many crafters know, this is an uphill battle. :)

I love plants, but have managed to kill a fair number of them, including so-called "foolproof" snake plants, pothos plants, ZZ plants and succulents, so I would not, in all fairness, call myself "a plant person."

🌱 🌿 🌼 🍃 🥀 🍂

I am definitely, however, a dog person, though I don't have any pets at the moment, and am partial to animals and nature.

🍄 🌲 🌲 🌲 🦝 🍄

In Progress

--I am still trying to learn/practice Spanish (as well as very, very basic Mandarin). Si quieres escribir en español, me encanta practicar.

--I'm still working on destashing and decluttering all the things. I haven't actually bought anything new in ages, but it still seems endless...

--my latest thing is making (very amateurish but still cute) small rubber stamps out of chunky gum erasers (part of the stash I'm working on putting to use). So far I've made a couple of simplified darumas (with eyes pre-filled in, meaning a wish already fulfilled) and a 2-color strawberry.

I read a varied mix of nonfiction and fiction, graphic formats and e-audiobooks, with a few teen and children's titles. Some books I have recently enjoyed:

• Jeopardy! (not the same without Alex💜, but I did enjoy watching Amy Schneider win game after game after game)
• PBS Nature / NOVA, because Science!
• Bob's Burgers
• The Amazing Race--and its Canadian spin-off, plus Tough as Nails when I can catch it. I prefer the nice contestants to the nasty back-stabby ones that frequent the other reality shows.
• Any shows that feature dogs being adorable, or (just some suggestions) any shows titled "More Bears!" "Hey, I'm a Dolphin!" or "There's a Raccoon in There!"

In case it helps you, here are some things I wouldn't mind finding in the mailbox:

• art that you made. If it is fan art, you'll want to also include an explanation in case it refers to something I am not hip enough to know about (extremely likely).
• a zine
• some green tea or rooibos tea ☕. I also love a nice cup of black tea! Decaf is good too :)
• unused USPS postage stamps, any denomination (1-cent, 5-cents, 29-cents etc. - forever stamps are always good too)
• postcards, new or vintage - I don't mind handmade (see above: "art that you made"), and interesting ad cards are welcome if they fit the swap!
• a tarot reading (I don't have a Book of Shadows or anything but I do have a deck that I use occasionally and I think it'd be interesting to see how other people practice their art)
• book recommendations
• something Hufflepuff or 🦡 badger-themed, for House Pride 💛🖤 (I do not support JK's transphobic comments, however, so I would appreciate if you not buy any officially licensed merch that she might gain profits from.)
• vintage sewing notions (buttons, trims, etc.)
• comic strip that made you laugh
• funny pictures of animals (cut out from a magazine, etc.)
• favorite gluten-free or veggie recipes, or easy one-pot/Instant Pot recipes

I'll do my best to pass on items that aren't my thing, but please do not send:

• religious items, unless called for in the swap. I do celebrate holidays, but I don't associate any spiritual significance to them.
• flyers from a sports equipment store
• reminder that I am WAY past due for a dental visit
• beetle larvae or smooshed spiders (unless called for in the swap!) I'm easily disgusted by slimy/mushy things and also don't really care for gory/horror, but friendly monsters are alright.
• anything that is moldy (fun fact: items returned to the library with visible water damage have to be discarded because they may develop a mildew which can then spread to the other books on the shelf!)
• things that are hateful or demeaning towards other people