My dear friend, Jewelled Trellis, tagged me! When you get tagged, you tell the world 10 things about yourself. This is such a great way to get to know outstanding artisans. Some of my favorites are at the bottom. If you appear there, you have been tagged! Either way, give them a visit to see why they are my favorites!1) I own my business, work from my home studios (yup, got more than one...what can I say? I need space!), I'm a mother to two teenagers and one young adult, step-mother to three young adults and "Granny" to three little ones who are my step-daughter's kids.
2) I was born and raised in upstate New York and have hated it all my life. The warmth and the ocean calls me every year. I get cold in temps less than 75 degrees!
3) I, too, suffer multiple artisan disorder. I began selling my oil paintings at craft shows right after I graduated high school in 1985. At the same time, I was messing around with beading and began showing them several years later. I have been known to make and sell everything from stuffed animals to hand quilted quilts to papier mache items in addition to artwork and jewelry.
4) I have focal hand dystonia that affects my hands and forearms. Basically what happens is that my brain sends signals to my hands and forearms to painfully spasm while I am doing certain tasks (holding the phone, writing, driving, holding a book while reading, stringing beads, crocheting, knitting and hand sewing mainly). I have learned to create using techniques that do not aggravate the dystonia because I REFUSE to let it get in the way of my business.
5) I fell in love with buttons at 8 years old. We would visit my Grandma Meyerhoefer every weekend, who was very poor raising 9 children alone as Grandpa died early from stomach cancer. She didn't have toys for me to play with, so she would pull out her button tin for me to go through. I loved running my fingers through them, sorting them, etc. Now, buttons take me back to Grandma's. The buttons I use in my jewelry cannot be found in button tins, however. I get them from antique button auctions! Yes, they really do exist!
6) I have a degree in NeuroPsychology, minored in biology and Fine Arts. Why am I not a neuropsychologist? I couldn't afford to finish the Doctorate :( Maybe someday.
7) My family room is slowly becoming my library. I adore books and reading. I get most of my books free from BookMooch. Check them out if you love to read!
8) I have been an entrepreneur since a child. I had regular yard sales (with my stuff) and lemon aid/ice tea stands. When I was 10, I made candy and took them around the neighborhood to sell to the neighbors. Several years later, I would sell my crafts at my yard sales, not that the crafts sold very well, but I loved doing it.
9) I have a deep interest in World War II and have been studying it for probably 15 years. I read everything I can get my hands on!
10) I am an avid gardener and my dream is to have 50% of my property consisting of gardens. So far, I am probably at 20%. Every year, I put a new garden in. Presently, I have a huge memory garden, a frog pond garden, my vegetable garden, the back patio garden, the Japanese garden, rose garden and a small walkway garden in the front. Oh, and another kidney garden by the road. Next year, I will be putting in a native garden.
Now, I am tagging (in no particular order):
1) The Ad Master - great online marketing info.
2) The Queen Speaks - Katherine keeps me in stitches!
3) WillOaks Studio - beautiful gardens and such...
4) KitchenRetro - crazy ads from the past...
5) EntrePod - Mama ASID has spoken...
6) Lovely Purses - Duni's great creations among other things...
7) KreatedByKelly - fellow button lover...her stuff looks like candy!
8) Les Bijoux Crea-Lune - she has an art with stones I simply do not have!
9) Pink Pooch Designs - amazing bracelets!
10) Originals By Terri - yummy jewelry...and she has a giveaway going on right now!
Wow...that was so hard to narrow that down to 10!
