springchick

I live in Muskegon, MI with a great guy who spends way too much time playing Mob Wars on Facebook, two pug dogs (Gus - Black and Cooper - Fawn) and a tabby cat named Albert. I have 4 grown, married daughters and 5 beautiful grandchildren. Muskegon is located along the western edge of Michigan. Having always lived within easy distance of Lake Michigan, I cannot imagine not living near the lake -- it is a part of my soul. I am the Office Manager and Computer Technician at a youth camp in West Michigan and don't think there is any job I would rather be doing.

I love the outdoors and enjoy hiking, camping, boating and letterboxing. I am an avid photographer and my camera is always with me as I feel that great pictures are often more about being in the right place at the right time than about technical expertise. My favorite place to get away is Michigan's Upper Peninsula which provides endless opportunity for hiking and photography.

My primary interests in swapping are hand-carved rubber stamps and handmade books, although I like anything handmade that is functional, interesting, unique and/or beautiful. I particularly like handmade bags and earrings, but do not make them (thank goodness for Etsy!). I also love music and enjoy making mix CD's. One thing I have never done but would like to try when time permits is making a zine.

I collect maps and postcards from places around the world and enjoy meeting new people and learning about them and the places where they live. I love to travel, but don't have opportunity to do so nearly often enough. I have a particular fondness for Switzerland as I lived there as an exchange student when I was a teenager.

I love good, strong coffees in all flavors, but otherwise am not really into food items for swapping. Also, please no overly religious themes, no obscenity and nothing cutesy please -- I do not do hearts, die-cuts, stickers, fuzzy little animals, glitter or smiley faces.

In my basement I have an ever-evolving awesome art space where I can often be found into the wee hours of the morning. Over the years I've tried a little of everything -- picked up this, then that...

I have settled into soft-block carving, print making, handmade journals, collage and art journaling. Occasionally I will do ATC's, artist postcards, altered books and miscellaneous mail art. I have a large collection of rubber stamps, both store-bought and hand-carved which I use mostly in my journals. I especially like quotes, words, alphabets, abstract designs and nature-themed stamps. I love fibers and often add them to my journal pages in creative ways. In my journals I do both art and journaling using a variety of medium -- markers, acrylic paints, stamps, scrapbooking papers, found papers, ephemera, photographs, magazine clippings, watercolors, more markers. Lately I've been into doodling.

I am a paper junkie, especially for anything unusual, handmade or of natural fibers. I also tend to hoard fabrics that can be made into bookcloth.

My taste in music includes adult contemporary, alternative, indie, rock, folk, americana, roots rock, country, classic rock, prog rock, electronica, new age and instrumental piano.

My all-time favorite musicians are the Cowboy Junkies, Camel, Eric Clapton, Collective Soul, Elton John, R.E.M., Ryan Adams, Nanci Griffith, Natalie Merchant and Chely Wright.

Lately I've been listening to Carbon Leaf, Guster, The Fray, Waking Ashland, Jack's Mannequin, Lifehouse, Five for Fighting, Mat Kearney, Brett Dennen, Anna Nalick, Brandi Carlile, We the Living, Griffin House, Hannah Scott...

I tend to favor dramas with underlying angst and strong, yet vulnerable, female characters.

Some of my favorite movies are The Painted Veil, The Piano, Snow Falling on Cedars, The Color Purple, Girl with the Pearl Earring, Closer, Mulholland Drive, The English Patient. The movie "Little Women" has long been a favorite for my girls and me -- when they were growing up we would all snuggle up on the sofa and watch it every year at the holidays.

I am also a sucker for a good chick-flick, especially anything with Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts or Kevin Costner. I once stayed up all night watching back to back showings of Pretty Woman on TBS.

Flower -- Lily

TV Show -- The Amazing Race (check out the new cast and get ready... Sept. 28th!)

Color -- Red

Cold Beverage -- Iced Tea

Type of Music -- Alternative/Indie

Season -- Autumn

Footwear -- Flip-Flops

Non-US Place -- Switzerland

Place to Escape -- Michigan U.P.

Food -- Pizza

Scent -- Fresh Cut Grass

Poet -- Sylvia Plath

Art Supply -- Handmade Paper

Band -- Cowboy Junkies

Accessory -- Handbags

Indulgence -- New Art Supplies

Art Embellishment -- Funky Fibers

Decorating Style -- Traditional/Classic/Clean

Candy -- Gummi Bears

Board Game -- Scrabble

Ice Cream -- Edy's Coney Island Waffle Cone

Article of Clothing -- White Tee Shirts

Decorating Colors -- Greens/Brown/Blue/Tan

Author -- John Updike

Movie -- Little Women

Holiday Song -- "Little Drummer Boy"

Fast Food -- Subway

Quote -- "Be who you appear to be and appear to be who you really are."

originality, thunderstorms, peanut butter on rye toast, serendipity, open windows, photography, solitude, vintage, sunsets, logic puzzles, pepperoni pizza, root beer, blue jeans, gummi bears, flip-flops, crisp sheets, wildflowers, babies, retro, chili dogs, dark coffee, long walks, antiques, carrot cake, watermelon, etsy, board games, hot showers, pasta, jigsaw puzzles, roller coasters, chinese food, quotations, poetry, back roads, pecan pie, plump bedding, iced tea, tomatoes, hard cheese, smoked fish, white tees, museums, riding the train, natural fibers, campfires, roadtrips, bloody marys, country inns, seafoam without the chocolate, unplanned weekends, the color red, writing letters, fresh smells, learning new things, simplicity, grandchildren, anything handmade, organization, romance, lighthouses, history, autumn, realism, abstract art, postcards, ipod

chocolate, mcdonald's, beer, dirty dishes, talking on the telephone, air conditioning, dishonesty, self-pity, intolerance, mustard, pumping gas, fake, nail polish, grocery shopping, snobs, traffic, pollyannas, rap music, box stores, clutter, illogical reasoning, schedules, selfishness, science fiction, litter, jim carey, bad grammar, feather pillows, pessimism, malls, heavy jackets, high-heeled shoes, glitter, baths, styling products, sushi, idleness, wine, chain restaurants, humid days, prima-donnas, excuses, drama, bad breath, rap music, indecisiveness, cooking, large jewelry, waiting, broken promises, cabbage, smoking, cutesy, stickers, gaudy, control freaks, floral smells, fussing with my hair, cell phones, excess, fretfulness