Hag53

NOTE: @twistersmom is my sister who lives here with me. She has been cleared by admin to use the same exact address as mine. thank you!

Here it is heat of summer here in Vermont, which can be pretty uncomfortable for me an old Vermonter whose blood must be pretty thick from all the long cold winters!

So, for me it's quite a bit of time in my studio! I've been doing some pocket letters and atcs, but the most fun for me now are books - books made from decks of cards, handmade books, altered books and all manner of journal books.

Crafting is an important part of my life. I find that my true joy is in creating what I'm inspired to create so signing up for swaps far in advance for things that can't be made until partners are assigned is not what I'm best suited to right now.

I want to create from my heart rather than a strict set of guidelines and regulations, which I think means my partner gets the best of me, the part of me that is connected to my subject and my craft. I prefer general guidelines over anything too specific so those are the swaps I'll be joining and hosting.

My favorite crafts to swap include:

Dotees, quilties and sewn patches

Goddess, art and spirit dolls

Pocket letters and atcs

Handmade Books - Altered Books - Journals

I have a rather general profile. That's because although I want people to know about me, I don't want to stick myself in a rut when it comes to experiencing life which includes swapping.

I want the people who send to me to feel safe and confidant that whatever they do for me, it will be, ‘good enough’. All this requires is that a person makes their best effort. And, if they haven’t made their best effort that remains with them because I don’t feel qualified to judge another’s truth or reality.

Mandy is my daughter. She died on June 8th in the year 2010. She was thirty-five years old. I have been on a journey of grief and healing every since.

The first year after her death almost killed me.

The second I worked on some scrapbooks and started a spiritual art journal that may have saved me.

It's been more than six years now and it seems that I may have found my 'new normal'. It's different than before Mandy died. I'm different. I've learned things on a heart and soul level that I would not have learned any other way.

I've come to the time in my grief that I am able to begin celebrating her life. I do that in many ways. I carry her essence in my heart and love to express it through art and deeds alike.

I carry within the sorrow of her death, but also, I carry within the glow of her light.

Mandy did love snowmen. She wrote in her journal:

"They come to life all fluffy and beautiful during a cold, dark time of year, then they melt away at a warm sunny time of year. They are here when needed most." Mandy Foster 2009

And so I do love and collect snowmen in celebration of her life.

I am pagan, but absolutely not anti anything else. I'm calm and open minded. The path of the Goddess speaks the most truth to my heart, but I'm deeply respectful of anything that speaks truth to the hearts of others.

I make journals of all kinds, quilties, patches and beaded art dolls. I also dabble in mixed media. I use a variety of things in my projects!

Fabric 6x6 or larger

Beads, prefer glass

Charms any theme

Scraps ribbon lace or Buttons

Samples of washi tape

Playing cards - any amount

Anything snowman including old greeting cards

Ephemera in the following themes:

Pages and images from books and magazines

Snowman

Vintage ladies

Wild cats

Mother or Motherhood

Goddess - Fairies - Mystical - Pagan

Butterflies frogs dolphins Red Hat

Owls spiders

Quotes and Sayings

Cancelled postage stamps

Images of older Hag-like women

Napkins for Mod Podging - all themes

Embroidery threads, floss, beading thread

Broken or otherwise unwanted jewelry