Jess12

I currently work as a naturalist at a state park. I love being outside and teaching kids (and adults too) about the wonders of nature. I think being outside is an important part of childhood and hope to inspire parents and kids to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer. My current goal is to earn a Jr. Ranger patch or pin from every Michigan State and National park that offers them.

When I have free time I enjoying crafting, baking, reading, and hiking. I have recently started canning and making my own jams. It's a lot of fun!

I like to collect old things. My big favorites right now are colorful glass insulators, interesting rocks, mason jars, teal printed pyrex dishes, and 1950's and 1970's kitchen things.

I love decorated envelopes! (If they have real stamps, that is even better!) They make mail that much more fun :)

I am usually up for a private swap for candy, art journals, or profile goodies. Message me if you’d be interested!

I love books! I love to read them and collect them. I've been reading a lot of young adult fiction lately. I am currently reading ‘Furiously Happy’ by Jenny Lawson and highly recommend it!!!

My current favorite authors are (in no particular order)- Madeleine L'Engle, Richard Louv, Shel Silverstein, Jeff Wheeler, Lois Lowry, Suzanne Collins, Gary Paulsen, Wendy Mass, Reif Larsen, Jerry Spinelli, Daniel Quinn, Jenny Lawson, and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I like to dabble in many different arts and crafts.

I love to take pictures and I take my camera everywhere with me. I really like to take pictures of things many people would overlook, like peeling paint or lichen on tree bark.

I've recently learned how to sew (well) by hand. I am now trying to learn how to quilt with my sewing machine.

I knit occasionally, usually scarves and beanies.

I paint every now and then, but not as often as I'd like.

My favorite thing to do is to take random bits and pieces and make them into things. I was stuck on lamps for a while and made four or five. I also was making a lot of trees for a bit too.

Art journaling has become my new crafting obsession and I'm loving it! So many different things to do in one place and with some many mediums. :)

I have also rediscovered my love of embroidery and have been spending a lot of time making hoop art. I hope to make enough hoops to create a fun display in our living room.

Favorite Colors- greens (pretty much any green except for the dark/dirty olive like colors), blues (any blues, but especially teals and bright blues), silver, chocolate brown, and orange every now and then.

Favorite Smells- vanilla, chocolate, warm bread, warm cookies, fresh fruit (except for raspberry and cranberry because those give me hives), dry leaves, CAMPFIRE!!!, rain, forest/woods, coffee.

Favorite Animals- dogs (but not small ones-except corgis and Portuguese podengos. I love them both!), otters, owls, Canada geese, porcupines, sloths and wombats. If I could have any animal as a pet I would choose a wombat and name him Watson Wombat :)

I don't watch much tv, but I love the shows Switched at Birth and Atypical.

I also enjoy cooking shows (minus Bobby Flay-he bugs me for some reason). I really like Good Eats, Cooks Country/America’s Test Kitchen, and Diners, Drive-In's and Dives.

I like the interior design shows and yard fix-up ones too. Anything like that is great for crafting inspiration. Especially the garage sale shows :)

LIKES ~cute owls ~John Muir ~quotes ~pens with smooth, flow-y ink ~new Crayola crayons (the best kind!) ~pretty stationary ~old metal things ~smallish wooden boxes ~Emily Dickinson ~skeleton keys ~colorful knee socks ~embroidery ~Rachel Carson ~ROCKS! (I love rocks especially if they are unique colors/patterns/or heart shaped) ~pretty glass small bottles/canisters ~Neil Armstrong ~glass insulators (colored ones) ~nature inspired things -small/medium sized notebooks (with or without lines) ~National Park things ~Vintage or new ASL (American Sign Language) items ~Canada geese ~camping ~pyrex bowls/serving wares (especially teal) ~spoon rings (size 5.5-6) ~chocolate and candy from other countries (especially Dumle from Finland and E. Wedel Bombowa from Poland) ~washi tape ~corgis ~Jr. Park Ranger patches ~light-weight scarves ~smashed pennies ~old thimbles (the metal, usable, non-touristy kind) ~Kinder Hippos ~hoop art

DISLIKES

~I have allergies to soy, nuts, except hazelnuts ("may contain traces of…" is fine), melon, raspberries, cranberries, bell peppers, chamomile, microwave popcorn, and most flowers. Please do not send me things with these flavors or scents as I cannot make use of them. Thank you.

*pink/purple or super girlie things. *glitter *cats *clowns *dip mixes (I tend to be allergic to their ingredients) *bath items (lotions, soaps, bath fizzes) *sour things *makeup items