JossieAyame

9 October 2023
Well, an update is long overdue... In June I finally found a new job but although I love the job itself, travelling so far to the office 3x a week and running my jewellery business on the side was just too much for me, so now I am home with burnout and depression.
Two positive things have happened though - Ritsie (my cat with cancer) is doing surprisingly well and even the oncologist can't believe how healthy he is. Most cats with this type of cancer don't live another year even with the treatment, but he has gained weight and has energy like a kitten again, even getting zoomies multiple times a week! We are so glad we decided to try the treatment instead of putting him to sleep as they suggested (since the treatment is so experimental and usually does not give the cat more than a few months longer to live). His checkups are also less frequent now so his vet bills are manageable.
The other positive thing is that finally after over 15 years of living with extreme pain due to suspected endometriosis and adenomyosis, I will be getting a hysterectomy on 10 November. When I finally found a doctor that actually listened to my story and everything I have tried and agreed to the surgery I nearly cried. I can't wait to not have to live with this pain anymore.

27 February 2023
I've dropped out of every upcoming swap and won't be joining swaps for the foreseeable future. Everyone at my entire workplace lost their jobs today and I am absolutely devastated because this was my dream job. I don't know what the future holds, but right now I am in a very very dark place. I have been struggling with my physical and mental health for a while now and this was just the breaking point.

7 November 2022
Please DO NOT message me asking me to rate you for electronic swaps if you only sent the swap two days prior. My cat is sick with cancer and I am not online much. I will still rate you within a reasonable amount of time.

19 October 2022:
It's been a rough few months... We almost lost Ritsie due to complications following his surgery. Luckily he has completely recovered from those issues. Unfortunately they were not able to remove any of the tumor due to its location, but he has been on his cancer treatment for about 2 months now and he is doing a lot better. However these medical bills were a lot more than anticipated (3000+ euros since July, and now 280 euros every month for the rest of his life or until the tumor is gone) so I will not be joining swaps (other than electronic swaps) again for the foreseeable future.

8 August 2022:
After completing my open swaps I will be taking a break from Swap-bot. My 16 year old cat, Ritsie, was just diagnosed with cancer and has to go for surgery to remove the tumor. Due to the stress and extra vet bills (already almost 1000 euros just from the tests, plus another 1000 for the upcoming surgery) I can't afford to participate in swaps right now.

9 February 2022:
Last week I got my official ADHD diagnosis! After searching for what's "wrong" with me my whole life, I finally have an answer. It's going to take some time to accept this, even though I have suspected ADHD for a while. I would love to receive some ADHD positive items like stickers, motivational quotes, etc to help me in this self-acceptance journey!

Extremely important if you are sending me something from outside of the EU:
If you are sending me a letter, tea or anything else in a normal envelope:
- Just address and stamp the envelope as usual :) No extra steps required
If you are ordering something from Etsy and having it sent directly to me:
- No extra steps required, because Etsy already adds tax to the order.
- If you order from a different marketplace or website based outside of the EU, and it doesn't already add tax when you pay, that means they are not registered on the EU OSS system, and I would have to pay tax on it
If you are sending a package that you are sending yourself:
- You MUST fill in a customs declaration, make sure to mark the contents as a gift, and mark the value under 45 euros. As of 1 July 2021, we need to pay import duties and VAT on all commercial packages from outside of the EU, regardless of their value, and all gifts valued at 45 euros or more.
- Do not send your package in the name of your business, as these are taxed regardless of whether they are marked as a gift or not.
- If I get a request for an invoice for a swap package that did not have a customs declaration attached, I will ignore it and these packages will be returned to sender.

Hi everyone! I'm Josslyn, but I mostly go by Jossie or Joss. I'm a 30 year old alternative model from South Africa now living in Belgium. I speak English and Afrikaans fluently and am moderately fluent in Dutch - I would love a Dutch penpal to further improve my language skills!

I love dyeing my hair weird and wonderful colours - it's currently split dye UV reactive green and black (although it's mostly been varying shades of green and black for years now, I do sometimes change it to blue or purple for a month or so every once in a while). I also love body modifications and have a few piercings and tattoos. I love hearing the stories behind other people's tattoos. I'm also very much into the goth subculture and everything it entails.

I have three beautiful kitties, Ritsie, Mavis and Lily!

I love traveling and hope to be able to travel more soon. I particularly love visiting places with medieval history with castles and forests. I literally picked the city I now live in based on the fact that it has a castle in the city centre :D I also love viking and celtic history. I could spend the entire day inside museums learning about history.

I am the founder of The Darker Side of SB and Swapping in Belgium! as well as co-founder of the Swappers in South Africa group along with @Hoosfoos

I have a 3DS & Nintendo Switch and play Pokemon (and Pokemon Go!) so message me if you'd like to exchange friend codes :)

I reuse packaging wherever possible! I am trying to buy less disposable plastics and boxes.

I'm into the following crafts:
* Bone wall art - I am still very new at this but having lots of fun with it! All bones used in my creations are ethically sourced
* Jewellery making (elegant beaded jewellery using stainless steel and glass beads - see my website link - I also do some electroforming and have completed a silversmithing course)

Supplies are always appreciated!

I also like doing private swaps with other crafty people :)

I also have a 3D printer and enjoy printing fun things with it. I would love to learn how to design my own models for printing at some point.

Here are some things I like if you're looking for inspiration:
* ADHD or autism positive themed items - motivational or funny quotes, stickers, etc! For example, my friend bought my a sticker pack with quotes like "Hyperfocus squad", "5 minute memory club" with a goldfish, etc. Any fun ADHD or autism related items are welcome!
* Anatomical themed items, especially hearts
* Animals - bats, rabbits, cats, ravens, rats and wolves
* Bones, skulls, wet or diaphonised specimens (all ethically sourced please). I also love art that has these themes
* Botanical themed items, especially ferns, ivy and mushrooms. Also floral designs in black and white
* Cat toys or other items for my cats
* Classic horror - I love Nosferatu, Dracula, Elvira, Frankenstein, Vampira etc inspired items!
* Coffins
* Colours - black, ivy / forest green, neon green (only as an accent colour), dark blue and dark purple
* Cooking and baking recipes (I am not vegan, but my mother is, so I do not mind receiving vegan or vegetarian recipes! Please check the next section though for food allergies)
* Dark cottagecore, fairycore, forestpunk, goblincore, mosscore & witchcore aesthetics
* Creepy cute / spoopy items - especially cute black cats, bats or ghosts
* Crystals (I am really connecting with Labradorite lately, but any crystals will be appreciated)
* Dried or pressed flowers
* Fantasy (elves, dragons, magic, mythical creatures, etc - I'd LOVE to receive something jackalope themed!)
* Gaming related items (see favourite games)
* Harry Potter (I'm a proud Slytherin)
* Lace and velvet
* Letter sets & note cards
* Medieval, Renaissance & Middle Ages themed items - anything to do with castles, fashion, monarchs, etc. My favourite era in history is the Tudors but I love hearing about these eras of history all over the world!
* Moon themed items
* Mythology - particularly Celtic, Egyptian and Norse
* Plague doctors
* Pokemon (my favourite Pokemon are Pikachu, Ninetales, Eevee, Umbreon, Espeon & Mimikyu)
* Postcards - I prefer non-touristy postcards with art, or postcards with castles or other medieval elements
* Rubber stamps - specifically small ones that I can use for makeup (hearts, bats, spiderwebs, fairy wings, etc)
* Runes - Elder or younger Futhark. I have a strong connection with Kenaz and Raidho
* Scents - if you are sending me anything scented, I absolutely love berries (especially cherries), vanilla, patchouli, cinnamon, liquorice, ginger, peppercorn and coffee
* Self-care / love / acceptance related items. Also items with self love related quotes
* Spooky things
* Socks (EU39/UK6/US8) - I love fun socks, especially fluffy socks or socks with a spooky, Pokemon, animal (my favourite animals, or some woodland animals like squirrels, deer, foxes, etc), geeky, fantasy or food (burgers, pizza, sushi, etc) theme. When it comes to socks I don't care if they aren't necessarily spooky / gothic themed because I usually wear them with my platform boots so they aren't visible - my favourite socks I own are fluffy pink and purple striped Cheshire Cat socks!
* Tarot / Oracle card deck - I've been looking for the perfect decks for quite some time now. I am specifically looking for one with forest animal imagery but don't mind receiving a different kind to start with!
* Taxidermy themed or inspired items (no actual taxidermy - my cats try to eat them)
* The Addams Family (I love Wednesday and have a huge tattoo of her on my thigh)
* Victorian themed items, especially cameos, filigree, damask and lace!
* Viking & Celtic inspired items
* Washi tape - I love gothic style washi tape with things like moons black cats, ravens, bats, forests, damask, cameos, etc, as well as Pokemon washi
* Witchy and Pagan themed items (I have a gravitation towards Celtic, Norse and Egyptian symbolism)

Beauty products I love:
* False lashes - interesting or really long ones!
* Glitter & gems to stick on my face
* Makeup brushes - currently looking for a small fluffy brush to blend eyeshadow, and a tiny brush for making dots
* Perfume
* Press on nails - spooky themes or black with accent details

Candy / food / recipes etc I like:
* Berries & berry flavoured things
* Caramel (especially salted caramel)
* Chocolate - any kind but my absolute favourite is ruby chocolate! No nuts or fruits though please - chocolates with other things like gummy candy, caramel, etc inside are fine!
* Cinnamon
* Coffee
* Fudge
* Ginger
* Gummy sweets
* Liquorice
* Marzipan
* Sour candy
* Sweet things
* Tea - Any green or black tea is a winner for me. My favourites are berry, ginger, cinnamon, liquorice and masala, but I love trying new things!
* Turkish delight - this is my absolute favourite treat but I haven't been able to find any since moving to Belgium, so I would love to receive some!

Please don't send me any of the following:
* Baby / children related things - I am childfree by choice and so are all of my friends so I don't even have anyone to gift things like that to
* Bath products - our boiler is only on in the morning when I am still sleeping, so I cannot bath at our current apartment unless I get up early :(
* Bookmarks - I've recently received three new bookmarks so I have enough for now!
* Cartoon / Hello Kitty / Kawaii items (cute cat items are the only exception)
* Christmas themed items. I grew up in a family that did not celebrate Christmas so it means nothing to me (when I enter stocking stuffer swaps I don't keep the items as stocking stuffers, I open them right away. But of course in these kinds of swaps I do not mind Christmas themed wrapping papers or cards as they might be part of the swap requirements)
* Colours - gold, copper, pink, brown, khaki and orange
* Dia de los Muertos or "sugar skull" themed items
* Foam cut outs (the ones used in scrapbooking and paper crafts) - the texture grosses me out!
* Fridge magnets - our fridge is not magnetic so I have nowhere to put them :(
* Girly or super colourful items
* "Happy Halloween" items or other things with Halloween specific quotes. I love Halloween imagery all year round, not just for Halloween
* Jewellery - I have my own jewellery business and mostly wear my own creations to promote my brand (the only exception is jewellery from my Etsy wishlist, or handmade by my swap partner)
* Ouija board related items
* Makeup - I am a promoter for Notoriously Morbid Cosmetics and almost exclusively use their products
* Postage stamps - I sometimes keep a pretty stamp that was on a swap I receive, but I don't really collect stamps
* Religious items or symbolism (including Gothic crosses! NOTHING to do with religion please, EXCEPT Norse / Celtic or other pagan imagery. Please no pentagrams though - pentacles are fine if the point is facing up)
* Skull and crossbones items (the pirate style - other skull or bone themed things are fine!)
* The Nightmare Before Christmas items (other Tim Burton related items are fine)

Please don't send me any recipes / tea / candy, etc containing the following:
* Fish
* Mint
* Nuts
* Orange or orange flavourant (I'm allergic!)
* Spicy / hot food
* Tea - Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Rooibos
* Tomatoes - yes I know you probably won't be sending me tomatoes, but please keep this allergy in mind when sending me recipes as I am extremely allergic!

I mostly listen to goth music (goth rock, post punk, wave, etc), folk metal and power metal, with a bit of symphonic metal and neo-folk. Here are some of my favourite bands:
Absurd Minds, Angus McSix, Assemblage 23, Avantasia, Battle Beast, Beast In Black, Boy Harsher, Brothers Of Metal, Cruex Lies, Depeche Mode, Diary Of Dreams, Eluveitie, Elvenking, Empathy Test, Epica, Faun, Fields Of The Nephilim, Finntroll, Gloryhammer, Heilung, Joy Division, Korpiklaani, The March Violets, Merciful Nuns, The Merry Thoughts, Molchat Doma, NU:N, Nosferatu, October Burns Black, Ordan Ogan, Serious Black, She Past Away, Sisters Of Mercy, Solar Fake, Sonata Arctica, Twin Tribes, Ultra Sunn, Undertheskin, VNV Nation, Wardruna, Wind Rose, XIII. Stoleti.

Movies:
The Addams Family & Addams Family Values, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Beetlejuice, Despicable Me, Elvira Mistress Of The Dark, Frankenstein, Frankenweenie, Harry Potter, Hotel Transylvania, Lord Of The Rings, Nosferatu The Vampyre, The Princess Bride, Resident Evil, Underworld, Van Helsing, World War Z

TV Series:
The 100, The Addams Family (original 1964 series), American Horror Story, The Big Bang Theory, Forever, Game Of Thrones, The Good Place, iZombie, Modern Family, Pokemon, Ru Paul's Drag Race, Shadow And Bone, A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Superstore, The Tudors, Van Helsing, Vikings, The Witcher, Z Nation

Alice Madness Returns, Bioshock Trilogy, DOOM, Dragon Age, Dying Light, The Elder Scrolls (Online, Skyrim & Morrowind), The Legend Of Zelda, Pokemon, Splatoon, Stray, The Witcher Trilogy, Vampyr.

Sent:
* Random fabric swatches stuffed envie to @usacricket (received)
* "I've Got What You Want" tag to @Nevermore (received)
* "I collect...send to the person above you" tag to @Purplmyst (received)
* Global Swap Tag to @piratecaptainmo (received)
* Destash tag to @notme78 (received)
* "I've Got What You Want" tag to @TeaP (received)
* "I Offer Tag - Europe" to @notme78 (received)
* "I wish for....." to @SatisHuman (received)
* Menagerie Tag to @GrrrMeoww (received)
* Menagerie Tag to @Lonestarchild (received)
* "Quick! I need... Tag" to @52901m
* Surprise Tag to @Ikat78 (received)
* I Offer Tag - Europe to @meeltje57 (received)

Received:
* Kawaii Memosheets Envie from @missxkay
* "I've Got What You Want" tag from @sjayana20
* Stamped notecards from @user2637
* "I collect...send to the person above you" tag from @mgallardo68
* Destash Tag from @Lonestarchild
* "I've got what you want" tag from @GrrrMeoww
* "I Offer Tag - Europe" from @thelocalman
* Global Swap Tag from @user6937
* Menagerie Tag from @JuneRosebud
* "Quick! I need... Tag" from @Emzycal
* Surprise Tag from @bblue
* I Offer Tag - Europe from @itsnobody

Pending
* Receiving Menagerie Tag from @pkpeace

I have been flaked on by:
* @cancerianmoon626 for Pokemon Card Swap #1 and Pokemon Pen Pal - Generously angeled by @brokenwings - Thank you!
* @threelittlebirds411 for "I wish for....." tag. They have since deleted their account