Tell us about your family and pets.
My husband Craig and I have been married for 16 years. Both of us are native Minnesotans but we met and married in California. We taught in the Palmdale School District for 4 years before moving back to Minnesota. I had been offered a job in Cambridge, MN. It's half way between both of our families. Craig teaches 5th grade in the Anoka District. I taught Middle School Math and Reading for the Cambridge-Isanti District. Teaching 7th and 8th graders is not for everyone but I loved it. I guess I was just as goofy as they can be! I am now "retired" due to my Multiple Sclerosis. I am the stay at home mom that has kids in school. It gives me time to stamp before all the after school activities that require Mom's Taxi Service.

We have two beautiful and intelligent daughters. Emily is 13 and Anna is 12. Emily plays volleyball and golf for the school. Anna is a golfer and swimmer specializing in the backstroke. Can you imagine doing the backstroke for 50 yards in less than a minute? I can't even get in the water in that amount of time! Both are fun to watch at their games and meets. Craig is an intense golfer so the girls definitely take after him! When they go to the course, I go and stamp!

We share a little lake cabin on one of Minnesota's 15,000 lakes with some of my brothers and sisters. It's very peaceful. Just a summer place to go relax, swim and fish. The girls bait their own hooks and take off their own fish - that's where they take after me.

My parents live in Rochester, Minnesota - home of the Mayo Clinic. Both are in their late 70's. I try and take the girls to see them as much as I can. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. But no one is named Greg, Marsha, Peter etc. Most live in the state so I see them a bit more than others.

As I mentioned in my little Design Team write-up, we have a Huge Springer Spaniel named Jake and a Diva cat named Darla. Craig and Emily hunt pheasants in the fall so Jake is our hunting dog. Darla is a beautiful white Himalayan/Persian mix. I took a "how smart is your cat" quiz online. Out of 20 possible, she scored a one. I am so happy she has her looks!

Her toys of choice are tinfoil balls. We do play fetch and she retrieves them mewing until I throw them again. I tell everyone that I am home schooling the pets. Except their only interest is in gym class and nap time.

Tell us about your childhood, Where you grew up and when your creativity began.
I was born and raised in Rochester, MN. I am the youngest girl, number 5 out of 6 kids in the family. My "little" brother stands a foot taller than me. I was always into crafts growing up. I did needlepoint, crocheting, etc. My mom is very artistic and creative. She is a true artist, sketching and painting. I didn't feel I was really "creative" until I was teaching. I used my creative energy in my classroom with my projects and lessons. It wasn't until I moved back to MN and found all these great projects at the local Ben Franklin that I started making things. I spent a lot of time making what I call "Wish Boxes" for a local boutique. They are like a prayer box. I decorate them all inside and out, adding in a tablet for wishes and a tag explaining the box. Many people order them for wedding and baby showers so guests can write wishes for the family. Every box is different.

What Inspires you?
My Inspiration comes from friends, books, blogs, magazines- really all sorts of things. I have different moods and switch ideas often. Spending a week creating one style of cards and something else the next. I am never bored. I absolutely have fallen in love with ATC's. I trade them with people all over the world. I also started a yahoo group a few years ago called the Glitter Gals and Guys. We do all sorts of small trading of cards, ATC's and tags, etc. We are always looking for new members.

I also have a very twisted sense of humor. A lot of times, I love to make cards and ATC's that reflect my funny side. Goofy stamps from obscure companies are my favorite findings on the internet.

How Did you find PWA?
Actually, I was working for a magazine and wrote to Suzanne about using some of PWA's products for my work to be published. We struck up conversations via email. After the magazine folded, I was left with the PWA items. I offered to make samples for Suzanne. I also started to shop at PWA and joined the Yahoo group.

When did you begin stamping?
I went to a friend's house about 10 years back and made these hideous Christmoose cards. Oh my, were they ugly! I should have saved one!

I started to attend my neighbors "stamp camps" she would have at her house. There I got going after making pins and goodie bags - something other than ugly moose cards! Then as with any addiction, I got hooked and couldn't stop! I "collect" Halloween and Elvis stamps. I say I collect them because they don't always get used. But they do need to come home with me and take up permanent residence in my stamp room. Plus Halloween is my favorite Holiday!

For the past five years I have been a member of our local stamp group called the Glitter Gals. We meet every Wed. I teach the class about once a month. All of the gals have kids my age! They are a fun bunch!

My favorite stamping Technique is distressing everything and anything. I love all the distress inks and find myself edging something with them. But my techniques change all the time.

Do you have any other hobbies or interests besides stamping?
I am a certified member of Delta Phi Scrappa. It's a sorority that has scrap booking weekends. Our first time there (I go everywhere with my sister) we had to wear pledge beanies! They have a sorority pledge and song. It's a total get-away. We wear pink and black (My fav. Colors) all weekend. I travel with my sister Mary all over at least once a year. We have been to New Orleans a few times (Pre-Katrina), Las Vegas for the Rubber Stamp Round-Up and Memphis so I could finally see the home of the king.

I do collect Elvis stuff. You will see some of it in my stamp room pictures. - I am on the lookout for the Elvis painted on velvet picture. I read constantly and have my own Nintendo DS (which is pink) to play once in a while. Each Halloween I set up a whole Halloween town that is part of the Dept 56 collection. That's in between petting the cat, walking the dog and taking a nap every day.