Q: Tell us about your family and pets.
Joe and I have been married now for 38 1/2 years and I thank God often that I am fortunate to have such a great guy to stick by me with my health ups and downs and who agrees with me that our love is even better now than it was when we were young. We have an adult son and daughter and one granddaughter who blesses us every day with her sunshine. My Dad just celebrated his 87th birthday and his health is still good enough that he is a huge help to us. He lives about 45 minutes from us and in the same town as my sister and brother.

We've always had animals of one sort or another, especially when the kids were still at home. Currently we have Olga, a Siberian Husky, and a 16+ year old cat named Toqhai (which means 'little mischief' in Chinese. We also have a black and white cat named Chloe and rounding out the pet parade are Molly and Millie, our pygmy goats. Our Granddog, Winston, is a Boston Terrier and brings fun and joy to our lives.
 

Q: Tell us about your childhood, where you grew up, and when your creativity began.
I am the firstborn in a family of 3 children. My parents were married 61+ years when Mom died of cancer in 2001 and they modeled a happy marriage and good work ethic to all of us. I was born in Idaho but moved to Washington State when I was one and have lived all my life here except for two years we spent in Gresham, Oregon. I grew up in a small coal mining town full of people from the "old country". I can remember feeling like an outsider because I wasn't Catholic and didn't have 'vich' at the end of my last name. My Dad was a forester for the State of Washington and every summer there was a crew of young men living next door to us who worked all summer fighting fires and in the woods. We weren't supposed to fraternize with the crew boys but my sister has been married to one since 1972. Ü

The first crafting thing I remember doing was an embroidered pot holder in second grade. It's still in my cedar chest after all these years.

Q: To what do you attribute your talents and what inspires you?
I enjoy creating whether it be a stamping project or a good meal. Any talents I have come directly from the Lord, who created me and gives me grace to face each day. Kianna inspires me because she is such a good "out of the box" stamper. Often I go a long stretch of time without putting a card together but rarely does a day go by that I don't at least color for a few minutes on one of the images I've stamped and embossed. I enjoy taking those colored images and matching them up with cardstock, embellishments, leftover scraps of paper and backgrounds. It's especially fun to put together an image with a background I made ages ago. I am also inspired by the joy others feel when they get a card in the mail.
 

Q: How did you find PWA?
Marianne C. and I met on the internet and became stamping buddies and she is the one who mentioned PWA and introduced me to Suzanne and Brian over lunch. I'm so glad she did!!!

Q: When did you begin stamping?
My very first stamp was bought for me by our daughter in about 1988. It was a border stamp of flowers and she thought I would enjoy stamping on the envelopes I sent out. In about 1994 I was invited to a Stampin Up party and it was instant addiction for me! My style has changed somewhat but I still have and use many of the first stamps I bought.

Q: What is your favorite stamping technique?
I enjoy trying all of the new things as they come along, but my favorite, and the one I always go back to, is detailed painting with radiant pearls, Twinkling H20's, watercolor crayons or colored pencils. I love the look of collage but my brain must be too logical to put things hodge podge on paper, because I am never satisfied with what I do.

Q: Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides Stamping?
Before stamping I always had 2 or 3 counted cross stitch projects going at one time and I occasionally sewed. Now I'm fortunate if I get the mending done. Ü I spend as much time as I can with our Granddaughter, Kianna, and I volunteer in her classroom and at her school. We are active in our church and I am a Deaconess. I started playing the piano in second grade and played for school and church choirs for many years. I have some health issues that make it very difficult so I rarely play anymore. I also enjoy other papercrafts such as iris folding, origami and quilling.

Q: Will you show us some pictures of your stamp/craft room?
When I told my husband that I needed pictures of my craft room he asked "Which one?!?" That's because I have stuff spread from here to there. I have a large, dedicated area in a detached garage plus I have iris carts and supplies around my rocking chair in the bedroom. There are also two large cabinets and two more Iris carts in the computer room. I have been incredibly blessed with tables, racks, cabinets, storage units and miscellaneous items to furnish my craft areas. My dh works at a home improvement store and is a great scavenger. He generously shares with me what won't fit in his own shop, although he would tell you that the only things he gets for his shop are the ones that I can't quickly find a place for in mine. lol