Doreen247

I'm enjoying life on the young side of my middle years (assuming I live to be 120 yrs like I'd like to - no, I'm not close to 60 yet - although there are days my body sometimes feels like it). Been through some serious ups and downs through the years, and thanking the dear Lord that I'm still kicking and able to rejoice in that fact: I woke up to another day of discovering what wonderful things are in store for me today! Yay!!!

I have been blessed with two children - two boys - who have both grown up and moved out on their own. The older of the two lives in a neighboring state, and the younger of the two lives in a distant town in my own state. I so enjoy those times when we get to visit in person, but also on the phone or via the computer. My younger son got married in 2009. So now I have another female in the family to do some arting and crafting with on occassion after having spent the past 20-some years living as the only female in the house with three males. It's nice when we can get together and have "girl-time". She's the one who introduced me to Swap-bot.com.

I live in North Dakota, in the middle of the state, surrounded by wide open prairies and your basic small town life. I like it here. Having grown up in a family where we moved around every year, or every other year, as a child . . . I have to say I've certainly sprouted roots here in this state. I came here way back in 1981 to visit my sister and have stayed ever since. It was fun seeing so much of the US while living in many different areas of the country from the south through the mid-west. Plus I've had the pleasure to living overseas for awhile and also travelled a little bit in Europe. I enjoy meeting lots of different people across the country and seeing so many different ways of life.

My husband and I still have three "kids" here at home. They are our fur-babies: two chihuahuas and a border collie-black lab mix. We got the dogs when the boys were little. They're all getting pretty old now; the little ones are 15 and 13 yrs old, and the larger hunting dog is 12 yrs old. Now that it's just the two of us, we've decided these will be the last of our pets. That way we can take the opportunity to do some traveling and see more of the world around us when they pass on. Meanwhile, they have us trained pretty well!

Ginger

Sparky

Sugar . . . I am saddened to say that we no longer have Sugar. It brings tears to my eyes to think of it, but she seemed to be struggling, in pain at times, having seizures at times and other health issues related to old age. We took her to the vet to put her to sleep - she passed on Saturday, March 5, 2011. I miss her.

I enjoy listening to all kinds of music and tend to "mix it up" by switching radio stations and going for a wide variety of CDs. It can be anything from Classic Rock from the 70s, Country and Western (both old school and the newer artists), a bit of Jazz, the Blues, Big Band, Christian, Hip-Hop, Barbershop Quartets, Acapella, Hill Country Folk Art and Bluegrass or even a full Orchestra playing. The only music I'm not particularly fond of is Rap - it usually strikes me as "angry music" and Heavy Metal is completely wrong for me. I enjoy life too much to focus on morose or angry music and sounds that are not at least a little bit uplifting.

There are really too many artists I like to narrow it down and say I have a favorite. That all just depends upon what mood I'm in as I tend to go through cycles listening to the old stuff on old 33rpm record albums, cassette tapes or the newer CDs or tunes on my iPod.

When I take the time to read (often before falling asleep) I like to pick from a romance, a mystery, a biography, a sci-fi or time-travel fiction, or anything to do with making stuff. Most of the books in my house have to do with creating things: quilts, sewing, scrap booking, doll making, crafts, painting, knit or crochet, beading and jewelry making, stained glass or wood-working, gardening, cooking, etc.

I also like to learn new things on my computer. So I have a number of books dealing with web designing and programming, learning photoshop and digital scrapbooking. I like to stay busy making things with my hands and learning new techniques.

Here, again, with movies I have a wide range of interests and a large collection of those old VHS tapes and DVDs that I can pop into the player while I sew or work on a project. My hubby and I get out occassionally to watch a show at the theatre, but will more often rent something from Blockbuster if we want to see something new. Over the years I've picked up quite a lot of movies on-sale. So if I'm not listening to the radio while working, there's likely to be a movie playing to "keep me company". I like to pick up the "chick flicks" when I'm out on my own, but if my hubby's along he just rolls his eyes at those selections. At those times when he is with me, it's usually action, sci-fi, murder mystery or one of the graphic novel/comic book remakes or a karate/tae-kwon-do type flick. As a resident in a house with guys I've seen my share of that kind of stuff. What more can I say . . . the old "let's be democratic and all have a vote" means we took home three guy films for every chick flick. Go figure . . . :)

Chuck!!! It has to be Chuck! That's my favorite! Every Monday night . . . plus we picked up the DVDs of previous seasons when they became available. I like Chuck . . . can you tell?

Other shows that appear on our flat screen are the alphabet shows: NCIS, CSI, etc. Usually my hubby has dibs on the remote control when he gets home from work. If I don't like what's playing, I head off to my Scrapping/Computer room or my Sewing Studio. There's always lots to do when tv is boring.

Right now my interests are on quilting and scrapbooking for the most part. I've dabbled in just about everything you could think of at one time or another in the past. I have a love for art and making stuff. My first time through university was for a double major in Graphic Arts (printing and the printing processes) and Fine Arts. I didn't really minor in anything, but did two majors because I was tossed between doing the thing I loved - Fine Art (mainly painting and drawing) - and trying to decide if I could make a living at it . . . so did the 'safe' thing and also completed the major in Graphic Arts for the more commercial (and thus more fiscally self-supporting) choice. It's been a pull between the two sides of me - do what I want or do the responsible thing. A few years ago I started back to school through on-line courses to learn Web Programming. It has been interesting learning new skills with that. There is a lot to learn! I'm not done learning yet . . . I feel I don't know enough to be a professional at it yet. Far from it.

Color: Green, but I love the combination of cream, tourqoise blue and red. I love earth colors that are serene like the greens and browns or teals and browns - reminds me of being outdoors and taking a walk in the woods. Most of my huge stash of quilting fabrics tend to be darker as I was going through a country-folk art-primitive phase for so long (still love that) but lately when I've purchased fabrics I've been drawn to more lighter and brighter colors - more pure, vivid colors seem refreshing in contrast.

Style: Midwest Modern, Scrappy quilts, Quirky and Clever uses for repurposed items, Handmade but finished and more refined, not so much raw-edged and haphazardly put together, Contemporary Country, garden inspired and cooking inspired (like with cupcakes).

I'm a dog person, not a cat person - allergic to cats, so they bring up some deep emotional aversions and seem not so nice to me (my worst asthma attack left me not breathing for 7 minutes and went code blue for a time - yikes - thanks to exposure to a combination of second-hand cat dander and cigarette smoke!)

I'm intriqued with the Minimalist Lifestyle and keep checking out sites pertaining to this. But in real life I have way too much stuff to even be anywhere near being a Minimalist. My plan is to use it up, give it away, or organize it neatly. Working on those things!

My favorite beverage is Iced Tea - English Breakfast tea or a good strong black tea variety. My second choice is any of the fruity varieties. I like it hot on these cold North Dakota days and nights (like when it's -40 degrees!), too. One might make the case that I have a "drinking problem" as I almost always have a glass of iced tea, juice or water with me at all times of the day or night. I sip on something throughout the day. When it's not iced, it's hot tea to warm me up when I get cold.

I like gadgets and machines. I've got lots of mechanical tools from sewing machines, embroidery machines, serger, cameras, computer and various programs for digitizing machine embroidery and making digital art. I like to tinker with other tools that make crafting and art easier - like grommet and eyelet setters, punches, binding tools, my cricket, my accu-quilt Go fabric die cutter, etc.

I joined Sisters on the Fly a few years ago, but don't have a Vintage Travel Trailer yet. That is something I want to get and do some tin can camping sometime in the next couple years. But I have gone tent camping with my hubby and boys, fishing in hubby's boat and done the outdoor adventures. I like nature and getting outdoors at times throughout the summer. If you came to my house you would see a few "fish" themed things along with the quilts and various art stuff.

I am interested in drawing and have recently been drawn back to (hee, hee . . . a pun!) Pen & Ink art. I am fascinated by cartoonists and think it would be fun to learn the art of cartooning. I would love to one day make my own graphic novel.I might be fun to get some comic books in swaps. I loved them as a kid, and seem to be revisiting them with this comics and graphic novel idea. Lately I've also become interested in the art of Zentangle. I have just barely begun to get involved in this stylized drawing format. When I have free time, I spend time reading up on on-line sequential art, graphic novels and those fun Zentangle websites. It's fascinating the way artists use lines and visual texture created with pen and ink drawings to tell a story.

My hubby is good at learning languages (along with English he knows Spanish, a good amount of French and a bit of German. He has wanted us to learn a language together for the past couple of years (as a bonding type activity and to do something new and interesting together). Last year he wanted us to learn Russian. We never got around to doing that. So this year when it was announced at our church that they would be offering a Biblical Hebrew class we signed up for it. We just started on this project Jan 2011. There is LOTS to know! For me it is both fascinating and a bit intimidating. Pray for me - for understanding and that I can learn it quickly, easily and smoothly. It is a challenge! And if you run across anything written in Hebrew it might be fun to try to decipher it. Although I'm not Jewish, it would be fun getting some Hebrew related items in a swap for figuring out the language. I hear there's a difference between the current spoken Hebrew and the old Biblical Hebrew - although I don't know enough about it at this point to know the difference! :)

I have a ventriloquist dummy - named Clyde - that I purchased way back in October 1994. At one point he accompanied me to church when I used to teach Sunday School class to the children when my kids were little. There was a short time frame of summer puppetry fun for the kids where Clyde came to visit with them. As part of the kids programs I taught the kids to make their own puppets out of foam and fabric and we put on a program for the parents and congregation reciting our bible verses and songs. Each child had their own bird puppet. They were so cute - both the children and the puppets! Clyde now keeps me company in my scrapbook/computer room. Here he is modeling a couple of my swap items.

Clyde shows off in a fancy leopard skin cowboy had and colorful scarf. "Howdy pardners . . . and all you lovely ladies!"

I see others have Wish Lists on their profiles. I can see this might be a good idea if I get involved in enough swaps and my swap partner needs hints. Hmmm . . . what to post? I am a Christian who does not get real involved with most of the holiday hoopla (like Halloween, Easter bunnies, Santa Claus, etc). Some of that is cute, but we just don't get carried away with excessive decorating and such. We're pretty mild mannered about it all.

1. Quilting/Sewing stuff? (I worked at a sewing machine dealership for many years, as well as a sewing/quilting store, so I'm pretty well stocked on most stuff) Maybe some of the stuff you always use up and run out of? Threads? Small quilting tools? Something new on the market? Fabric? Beads, Heat-set Crystals, Snaps & little decorative doo-dads? I do spend a great deal of time sewing.

2. Scrapbooking stuff? (I'm fairly new at this, but have been collecting some stuff for awhile) Papers? Chipboard letters? Adhesives? Eyelets? Ribbon? Rubber & Clear Stamps? Ink? Glitter? Metal embellishments? Specialty scissors? Paper punches?

3. I enjoy drawing and sometimes paint. Any kind of art related stuff would be fine. Colored pencils? Pens? Markers? Art tools? Drawing papers? Small 2 oz. bottles of Delta Ceramcoat acrylic paints?

4. I like to cook and bake. Perhaps some small kitchen gadget? Cupcake sugars or decorating tools? Favorite tried and true recipes? Spices? Mixes (nothing with MSG, please)? Thanks, but no coffee. I like chocolate, pie, cakes and cupcakes. Ooooh, I should start a diet . . . hmmm . . .

5. Household items. Candles? Postcard in the mail? Purse-size tissue packets? Colorful postage stamps?

6. Web Programming tools. Okay, I KNOW these are pricey, but one thing on my Big Wish List . . . I could use help with colors and the hexadecimal codes for colors. (Plus they're pretty to look at!) If you happen to run across any of those color charts, posters or color cards that show the colors with the six digit codes (http://html-color-codes.com/) a very good chart (http://www.visibone.com/products/browserbook.html) and the ultimate chart (http://www.visibone.com/products/everythingbook.html) . . . I would be in heaven to get ahold of some charts and info like that!

7. Ever since I was a little girl I have been pulling the stamps from any mail I receive. They all get tossed into my Cancelled Stamps container. Over the years I have amassed quite a lot of lovely, colorful stamps. I've yet to assemble them properly into a collector's book, though. I think it would be fun, when I receive my swap mail and packages, to have some beautiful stamps afixed to my mail. So, if you are willing, please post them with a variety of stamps - not just the typical "forever" stamps. If you feel this is too much of a bother, that's okay, too. It just seems the perfect time to get additional postage stamps to add to my collection. By the way, I usually try to adhere at least one or two (if not more) colorful stamps to my packages . . . even if I have the post office add more additional postage with their postal meter. That way, if you are into this, you'll get some from me when I am your swap partner.

Hope that gives you enough of an idea to get you going. I'm running out of ideas and my mind is getting boggled. Seems like I'm asking for a lot . . . pick and choose? or even something that's not listed? I'm flexible.

A big, huge THANK-YOU goes out to:

@bobogrl -- Thank you so much, Deb, for angeling the Recipes in a Mini-Zine: Mexican Food (http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/86476) when @MommytheMaid flaked on me. You did a wonderful job with your first zine, Deb! The recipes look good, and I loved the letter you enclosed as well. Thank You!