Q:  Tell us about your family and pets.
I'm married to the best husband and father in the world, Rick (aka "The Voice", as Suzanne calls him!!). We have five kids: Bryanna 14, Scott 13, Madison 7, Lauryn 6, Candyce 5. We also have 2.5 cats: Milo, Macchiato, and Jasper. Jasper is a neighborhood cat who has adopted us. He comes over to eat, drink, and sleep on a comfortable bed or couch when it's cold and rainy outside. I have three younger brothers (Joe, Matt, and Theodore), four nephews and one niece.

 
Q:  Tell us about your childhood, where you grew up, and when your creativity began.
I think I had a pretty normal and uneventful childhood. I was born in Montegut, Louisiana and we moved up to Seattle (the area is now known as Shoreline) before I was two. My parents bought a house and they stayed in that house until all the kids were grown and out of school before moving to Vancouver, WA. My youngest brother and his family still live in that house!!

While my parents never moved, I sure made up for it after moving out of their house when I was 18!! First I moved to Lake City (WA), then Edmonds (WA), then Lynnwood (WA), then Orem (UT), then Kerrville (TX), then Seattle (WA), then Sparks (NV), then Seattle (WA), then Kerrville (TX), then San Antonio (TX), then Kirkland (WA), and finally Vancouver (WA). Unless some strange alignment of the planets happens (or pigs start to fly) we will be here for at least 20 years. I want the house paid before we move again!!

My creativity began when I was 8 and my Grandmother decided it was time I learned to make cookies. Growing up I was never good at art, but I could cook and sew anything!!
 
Q:  To what do you attribute your talents and what inspires you?
I'm honestly not sure of any real talents... maybe I have a different definition of talent and that's why it's so difficult to see anything in me. I can cook, sew, do anything on the computer and languages come easily to me. I can see something once and copy it easily.
 
My inspiration comes from memories of my Grandma, my husband, my children, and my friends. Maybe it was growing up in Seattle, but I absolutely need grey days every now and then to be happy... I'm kinda weird that way!!
 
Q:  How did you find PWA?
I joined PWA on November 6, 2003 after Julie Poe mentioned buying microbeads and tape from Suzanne on Creative Stamping Friends. I know a bunch of us went and checked it out and joined the Yahoo Group. It wasn't long after joining (and ordering) I got a personal phone call from Suzanne because I didn't live very far from her - and we've been good friends ever since!!
 
Q:  When did you begin stamping?
I began stamping in 1995 when I was introduced to Stampin Up. I didn't own any other brand of stamps until 2004!! Can you believe it?!?! I still have mostly SU sets, but I also have Dream Impressions, CTMH, Inky Antics, Stampendous, Uptown Design, PWA, and some unmounted from various people on PWA!!
 
Q:  What is your favorite stamping technique?
I love all techniques!! I guess if I had to choose I would say Polished Stone, though I love just clean and simple stamping too. I adore the vintage look but I don't stamp that way often. I think microbeads are fabulous too, and I try to incorporate them in almost everything I make!!
 
Q:  Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides Stamping?
I like crafting in general. I'm really into glass blocks, dominos, and scrapbook boxes. Cooking and baking relaxes me like nothing else. I collect cookbooks and I like making cookbooks for people using their old handwritten family recipes. I used to sew all the time but not so much anymore. I enjoy reading books when I have the time - and I always make time for Harry Potter!! I love doing things on the computer and the elementary school loves it too!! And, I am a charter member of the Fontaholics Club with over 10,000 fonts on my computer!!
 

Q:  Will you show us some pictures of your stamp/craft room?
My stamping room is in the dining room. We decided to use the room built for the dining room as a TV room and use the family room as a dining room/craft room/Mary's computer room. Our table seats 8 and it's really big so it just fit better for us to switch rooms. I also use the closet under the stairs for my paper and I still have a couple 7-drawer iris carts and three big boxes in the garage that I haven't unpacked yet.