Q: Tell us about your family and pets.
I have a small house that is full of people, pets - so that means lots of laughter, silliness and just good times. There's my sweet hubby, of 13+ years, Scott. I've two great sons, Phillip who's nearly 18 and graduates from High School this year and is planning on majoring in Computer Assisted Graphic Design at Ball State in Spring of '07. At least I hope I got that major right. I also have a fine ROTC cadet, Chris, who's turning 16 (aaah - two teen drivers!) and a proud member of the Drill Team. (Phil is the slight dark haired Harry Potter look-alike, Chris is the taller, heavier blond).

I also share a home with my FIL, Kyris and his fur-kid, a westie named Fred. Fred has to share with 3 cats - AJ, a grey tuxedo who's approx. 10, Demon Stanley - a silky black kitty who's approx. 3, and a real scaredy cat, and his brat - the infamous studio mascot - Loki, a 2 year old orange tom. He really is master of chaos and destruction.

Q: Tell us about your childhood, where you grew up, and when your creativity began.
I'm a military brat from birth - I was born on Armed Forces day! My childhood was adventure and travel - lets see, Germany (several cities, mostly south west), New Jersey, Texas, Alabama - I can count nearly 10 different schools before graduating high school. I married 2 servicemen and was even in the military myself for a while, so I've been traveling the globe ever since. Scott promises me that the travel will slow down now...LOL, we'll see.

My creativity started very young. My mother, grandmothers, aunts, uncles and even my father all have artistic talents somewhere (singing, crafts, needlework, models/miniatures, etc). My great-grandfather was a fine carpenter.

My family didn't have a lot of money growing up (5 of us on a Sgt.'s salary) so we made a lot of the gifts we exchanged. I picked up a needle in elementary school and learned to sew my own clothes by 14. I've always drawn and doodled - my favorite "toy" was a box of crayons and lots and lots of gray newsprint paper.

Q: To what do you attribute your talents and what inspires you?
God gives us each a talent - it may be a you're a fantastic cook, or you're a wiz with needle and thread, or you've got a way with words, perhaps you have a gift of song or music. Mine is taking ideas to paper, drawing and creating with paper, pen, or paint. Whatever talent I have, came from Him, a blessing. (BTW, I can't play any instruments and I can't carry a tune in a tin bucket, and I'm a sloppy, messy cook, LOL).

As for what inspires me...wow. Everything! Anything! Nature - all seasons offer something. There's this country road I take, a short cut from the grocery store. It runs right along the Shenandoah River - I find myself slowing down to watch the moon on the water, or the afternoon sun, or even the cold gray winter light.

There are magazines, art, and even other artists and crafters - their work will inspire me too. And I can't forget to mention PWA classes and the sharing that goes on the PWA yahoo group.

Q: How did you find PWA?
Melissa Baldwin told me about the group and an image challenge they did with some stamp sets I designed for The Stamping Studio.

Q: When did you begin stamping?
I got my first stamp back in 93, but I didn't really start stamping as a hobby until 1998-99. I had to clean out my craft room and was selling off some stuff (I was at one time a professional crafter - painted wood, tole painting, beading, jewelry making, quilting and xstitch). I found that sad stamp and went online, got hooked on buying stamps on ebay, became a SU! demo, then a TAC demo (my demo # was under 400), and it's snowballed. LOL

Q: What is your favorite stamping technique?
Hmm...I like lots of techniques. I'm a person who likes the challenge of mastering new skills - so my usual favorite is what ever new technique I'm trying to master, learn and exploring. A disproportionate amount of my work is color book - filling in detail images with color, be it pencils, markers, watercolors, etc. Stamping is so therapeutic, I don't have to miss those coloring books of my youth - remember when you were a kid and you'd concentrate so hard on staying in the lines and picking just the right crayon for a flower or such? Ah..stamping.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides Stamping?
I still call myself a quilter (still keep my stash of fat quarters) - though stamping takes up the bulk of my crafting time. I do sew, I like to express myself with some odd outfits - I could SO do Project Runway! LOL I have a few cross stitch pieces to complete. I scrapbook, which is a wonderful excuse to shop and play with more paper. I haven't painted or done any woodworking in a while (big equipment and noisy too). I have done flower arranging (for a florist even) and do the occasional piece for my home or for family / friends. I do the occasional craft project - I'm a Carol Duvall groupie. LOL And I worked (and hope to work again) as a picture framer. I also still have a couple craft drawers full of beads and jewelry findings, but I no longer do the fine jewelry or smithing I've done in the past, the stuff I do now is mostly costume jewelry and beads.

I'm a CSI and Law & Order junkie. I DVR nearly every episode. Satellite is so great, with the 150+ channels, I can watch my favorite shows nearly 24 / 7. I love a good mystery. It's kind of a game with my spouse to see how soon I can solve the case that is airing.

I do read, books even! Everything from cheesy romance novels, science fiction to classics, to pretty geeky "literature & philosophy". Hmm, I have ADD, can you tell? Grandmother always said "idle hands are the devil's workshop" - so I'm safe, right?




Q: Will you show us some pictures of your stamp/craft room?
I have some photos online, I'm tempted to take a candid shot of the current state of my studio - a royal mess! (But it's been messier...)