Q: Tell us about your family and pets.
Met my first Australian husband in 1982 and came to live in Sydney Australia, Have 2 beautiful girls Keira who is 19 and Emma 13 from my first marriage, they are also very creative, not so much now since one has a boyfriend and the other is more interested in clothes and makeup and hair dyes. They live with their dad in Sydney and we fly them to us every school holidays to visit.

I am 5 years into my second marriage to Michael who was born in California and grew up in Michigan, USA. We met on the internet while he lived in Texas and I lived in Sydney Australia. It was to be 2 years before his paperwork allowed him to come to Australia. He is a systems engineer so we are both creative in our own way.

We do not have any pets as we rent our place and no pets are allowed. I'm actually quite scared of animals but have had a dog very briefly 3 years ago but had to give it away as I couldn't cope with it on my own when Michael was posted to Arizona.

Q: Tell us about your childhood, where you grew up, and when your creativity began.
I was born in Fiji in 1960 of third generation Chinese descent. I grew up in an almost third world country with no oven and no hot water, I think everyone else had a stove and hot water but just not us as we were very poor. With climate range of 22-40C you don't want hot water except for some cold days. I lived there until I was 22. Then I lived in Sydney for 16 years and then moved to Adelaide for 3 years and now have been in Melbourne for 2 years, I feel like a gypsy but I am all the more richer for meeting all new friends in my travels.

My creativity began when I was old enough to sew, I would make gorgeous dresses for myself in weird designs I created off the top of my head. I remember playing with my cousin and drawing with chalk and wetting the chalk and paper to see what evolved, making mudcakes and using prized flowers to decorate it. I always remembered being smacked and didn't know what for, on looking back I know now I was being creative and no one else recognized that.

Even when I put food out on a plate I try and assemble it in a pleasing way. No I am not anal, otherwise I would have a spectacularly clean craft room.

Q: To what do you attribute your talents and what inspires you?
I think my mother is creative, she loves doing things with her hands but what she does and what I do are totally different LOL, she tatts, quilts, things I think are too hard and time consuming. The only thing we have in common is beading-the ones with holes. My girls also inspire me and I learn a lot from them and we do crafts together which is so good. So get out there and do something with your kids and parents-it is such a wonderful bond and gives you great memories.

Q: How did you find PWA?
For the life of me I cannot remember, I thought I was only a newbie in this group but Suzanne says I am one of the dinosaurs that joined. So if any of you dragged me into PWA, let me know and I'll personally bead you! I have "met" so many lovely people on PWA I would love to give you all a hug for the beautiful friendships that have evolved and have a cuppa with you and create with you...one can only dream.

Q: When did you begin stamping?
May 2003, I went to meet an older lady at our church to see her make her hand made cards, she introduced me to another lady who made her own paper for her cards and she told me about a local stamping group online and that's when it exploded. I now eat, sleep and drink crafting, been published in local stamping magazines, teach online and at classes. Demonstrate at craft shows and at clubs.

Q: What is your favorite stamping technique?
Right now I'd have to say its using alcohol inks, luna lights and H2os, I just keep finding ways of pushing their limits and using them outside the box.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides Stamping?
I like to read, watch movies, write the old fashioned way err type to friends and family and post by snail mail. I love taking photos as well. Oh I forgot my one great love-cooking, I cook all sorts of foods and am not afraid to experiment.



Q: Will you show us some pictures of your stamp/craft room?
Eeeek, ok I warned you it's messy. I have a very small room, its only 8x8 feet with a small closet. I was told not to move out of my tiny room as I make too much mess in the rest of the house. It's driving me bonkers tripping over everything and taking forever to find an ingredient to make a card.