I'm a 37 year old wife, mother (kids 16 & 18). I own the stationery shop on Etsy, “Light in the Mailbox” (Find me on Instagram and YouTube @Lightinthemailbox which has just become by full-time career after 13 years of teaching! During my teaching career I have taught K-8 art, speech/language therapy, special education, and English to Chinese students, and most recently, 1st grade. I live in a small town in Missouri, USA. I'm so excited to build my collection of postcards, ATCs, mail art, zines, and other good stuff and get to know swappers and artists from around the globe. My current obsession is making, swapping, and collecting zines! My favorite things are travel, reading, sketch journaling/urban sketching and mixed media, planners, gardening, vegan cooking. I also enjoy calming/grounding exercises such as yoga and meditation. As far as art, I have a diverse taste! Find me on Instagram @shawshanewcomb for pics of my art, ATCs, handmade postcards, journals, and other randomness! Warning: there may be spoilers for some swaps on my IG page.

I love to travel and in 2019 I took a trip to England, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, and France. Pics on my IG! If you're from one of these places, I love receiving postcards that remind me of my short time there!

I pretty much like all styles and I'm excited to get all swaps! I promise to send out swaps on time and rate as soon as I receive. If I haven't rated because I haven't received the swap, I will to message you before I give a bad rating (I understand that international swaps take longer). I'd appreciate the same courtesy- I don't flake- please message me if you didn't get your swap from me!

For sender's choice mail art, I always prefer a handmade postcard (sent naked) or a zine over other types of mail art. But, I appreciate any type!

The ABCs of my likes! Being added to constantly...

A- Asian (like traditional Asian art, for example), alpacas, ATCs, Aliens, abstract art, autumn themed

B- Bob Ross, non-english book pages, Britain, Bible accessories, bicycles, bamboo, bonsai trees, Bookmarks, beach, body positivity, berries, birds, boho/bohemian style

C- Collage, cacti, cityscapes, coffee, constellations, circles, clocks, colorful, cats, canning jar images, cherries, coffee cups, candles, coins (non-USA), Colorado, crystals, Christmas (at the right time of year), Current events (examples: covid/mask themed postcards, things pertaining to electric vehicles or tech, protest/cause themed cards), conspiracy theories, cartoons from the 80's/90's, cartoons specific to your country (if outside the USA)

D- ducks, die cuts, dots, dream catchers, desert, desserts (illustrated like cupcakes & ice cream), decorated envelopes, Daryl Dixon

E- Elephants, emus, Europe, embossed images, 80's, environmentalism, eco-friendly, Earthy/pagan

F- Fabric scraps, fabric charm squares, ferrets, flapper girl style, France, feathers, fairy houses, fish, Firebirds(car), fat quarters, fall themed

G- gelli prints, glittery things, galaxy, Gaia, "Greetings from (your place)"

H- hedgehogs, Harry Potter, hummingbirds, hearts, handmade envelopes, honeysuckle, handmade postcards, handmade stickers, Holiday themed (at the appropriate time of year)

I- Italy, international stamps

J- jewel tones, jets/planes

K- kawaii

L- Layers, llamas, lace, Libra, leaves, Marvel's "Loki"

M- Mixed media, mandalas, Missouri, mushrooms, meditation, mountains

N- Nature, natural products and materials, 1990's, narwhals, note cards with envelope, New York

O- old-fashioned things, ostriches, owls

P- Paris, postcards, pastels, Prague, puppies, baby pink, plants, plus-size models (female), propaganda-esque postcards

Q- Queens/kings/royalty from your country, quotes

R- Ravenclaw, raccoons, roses, recycled

S- Sugar skulls, strawberries, stamps, succulents, sewing, simple sewing patterns, squirrels, stickers, stamped images, sparkles, steampunk, stitched elements, Singer (sewing machine) merchandise, sunflowers, snails, sushi, Slytherin (for my kid)

T- Tea, teacups, teapots, travel, trees, 1920's, turquoise, teal, two-dollar bills, Tao Te Ching, turtles, Trans-Ams (car), Tombow Brush markers, Thomas Kinkade artwork

U- Urban sketching, umbrellas, unicorns, UFOs, upcycled

V- Vintage book pages, vintage magazine pages, vegan, vintage pin-up girls

W- wabi-sabi, washi tape, watercolor, whimsical, wildflowers, willow trees, windmills, witchy (but not satanic)

X-..........uhmmm...?

Y- yoga

Z- zentangle, zen, zines

I appreciate every piece of mail I get, whether in a plain envelope with a short note with user name, or in an elaborately decorated envie. It all makes me happy to open my mailbox!

Dislikes: Tourist postcards from RANDOM places and you're just trying to get rid of a random postcard, food (I have so many allergies, it’s difficult), anything applied to skin (again, allergies) small paper scraps, anything blatantly morbid/gory/meant to induce fear, hunting/animal cruelty.