Q: Tell us about your childhood, your family and pets, where you grew up, and when your creativity began.
I was born and partially raised in NW Montana (Flathead Valley) near Glacier National Park. My parents were divorced when I was very young, so when I was with my mother we lived in Northern Idaho and when I was with my dad we were in Montana. I think my heart was always in Montana, and I went to live there full time in my freshman year of High School. Both of my parents were creative in different ways.

My father had a junk yard and was always building something for us kids to ride on. We had a wealth of mini bikes, go carts, snow mobiles and junk cars to drive around on the back roads. My mom was always quilting on an old treadle sewing machine or crocheting. I don't really remember a time when someone wasn't creating something around our house.

I think my creativity began when my dad didn't have a lot of Christmas ornaments nor the desire to spend money on them. My brother and I went out one year and cut a Christmas tree and brought it home on the snow mobile. We spent hours making things to hang on it. It was amazing what we came up with... I remember using Walnut shells, tin can lids, popcorn, etc. The funny thing now is that I don't remember the actual Christmas, but both my brother and I remember that tree and all the work we put into it o this day. It was probably the most "Charlie Brown" tree you ever saw, but we were thrilled with it.
 

I left Montana in 1989 and moved to western Washington. As a single mother of one, I didn't have a lot of employment possibilities in Montana. I had a brother and sister living here that I didn't get to grow up with, so I saw it as a perfect opportunity to live closer to them. So, my daughter Erin and I packed up and moved. 6 months later I met my husband Keith. We dated for several years (both of us were pretty cautious) and got married in 1993. My husband has been a god send to this family. He has taken my daughter and her children on like they are his own. He is "dad" and "grandpa" to the kids and they all love him to pieces. Since then we took custody of our oldest grandson Jeremy in 1995 and still have him with us. We have 2 cats, Smokie and Jeremy's cat Buddy. My daughter got married in 2001 so our family added a son in law, Brandon. We also have 2 smaller grandchildren now, Zoe Lynn who is now 4 and Kai Aurther who is now 2. I keep telling my daughter I'll take all the grandchildren I can get, but she tells me I'm done now.

Q: To what do you attribute your talents and what inspires you?
I can't really say. I think the freedom to make things with what ever we found as a kid is what I contribute my talents too. If we hadn't had the freedom to use what was around, I probably wouldn't be very creative now. Both of my parents were always willing to help with the extra glue, string or whatever when we had a project going on, so it seems like I was always encouraged.

Everything inspires me... a new ink pad color, reading magazines, visiting stores and seeing the displayed art work. I have been know to have to get up in the middle of the night to write down and idea that I just had so I don't fall asleep and forget it.

Q: How did you find PWA?
I found PWA via an Auntie Amy's convention at the Tacoma Dome a few years back. I met some ladies from another group we belong to, one of which was Sue Lorang who told me all about PWA and suggested I join the group. It's all history from there.

Q: When did you begin stamping?
It must have been the summer of 2001. I was visiting a cousin of mine back home in Montana and she insisted we stop at a stamping store near her house so she could pick something up. She had been telling me about stamping for quite some time and was trying to get me to learn how to do it. I kept thinking that I didn't need another craft to get into and shrugged her off. Well we stopped by the Stamp Store and they were doing some demo's at the time. I wandered around the store while my cousin shopped and watched everyone doing different things and got totally hooked. I came home from that trip to find a local stamp store here going out of business. I went to the going out of business sale and spent $300.00 and haven't looked back since.

Q: What is your favorite stamping technique?
What ever I am working on at the moment. I like it all!! To tell you the truth, my favorite things are non card things... books mostly... I took a class from Kate over a year ago and got totally hooked on book binding / book making. I love it!!

Q: Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides Stamping?
I used to do a lot of quilting when all the nieces and nephews were younger. Everyone got a baby quilt from me when they were born. I haven't done so much of that lately though. How many quilts can one person actually use... I also have enjoyed needlepoint, cross stitch, etc.  I even took up tole painting at one point. If it sparks my interest I at least give it a try.

Q: Will you show us some pictures of your stamp/craft room?
Sure. It's not much compared to the others I've seen, but it's mine and I love having the room to put things.