PolkaDotParliament

Hello and thank YOU for taking the time to look at my profile! Why the name Polka Dot Parliament? Well, I am a collector of OWLS and a group of owls is called a PARLIAMENT. I also have a great love of polka dots!! PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOG AT: www.thepolkadotparliament.typepad.com

I am currently working at a fabulous little place called HOME. I am a stay at home mother of a wonderful and highly spirited 15 month old boy. I was a United flight attendant for many years, and am now enjoying the stability of having a daily routine. I am currently in school for Graphic Design and just recently bought my first MAC!! It is so awesome!
I am described mostly as being eccentric, out going, opinionated and zany!! I have filled our small home with lots of interesting eye candy! When people come to our house for the first time, they usually say WOW. My husband and I both have very eclectic taste... There is never a dull moment around here with an active toddler, 3 dogs, 4 finches ( a group of finches is called a CHARM) and a tortoise named Shelly! I am Ohio born and raised ( I heart OHIO) but have lived all over the world, and am currently living in Sunny Southern California. I love California's rainy days because I don't feel obligated to leave the house-unless it is to go shopping IN DOORS! I love anything vintage... cards, fabric, handwritten letters, etc., doll heads, BLYTHE dolls, photos and scrapbooks. I also love Hello Kitty and have been a HK fan since 1975. I have been to the Hello Kitty amusement park in Japan, have rode in many HK taxi cabs, I have jewelry in all price ranges adorned with Hello Kitty, I have a Hello Kitty tattoo and I even tried on a tacky HK wedding dress while searching for my perfect wedding gown... butI didn't get it!!! HA! I also HEART peacocks, kewpie dolls, storks, fairies and gnomes, birds, skulls, skeleton keyes.. the list goes on and on! I go to the Long Beach Antique Swap Meet every month and have bought items ranging from old photo albums to antique doll heads... to a ONE man BAND!! I have been "hired" to make tiaras and party hats for friends and children's partys... I also enjoy scrap booking although I scrapbook on a more edgier side. Please check out my flickr photos to get a better understanding of my work!

I love anything edgy and slightly twisted in a "dreamesque" way ... altered art/mixed media style. In one breath I will say that I love "sweet" pink shabby chic items and in the next breath I will say I love dark slightly twisted items, too. I wait patiently (ok not so patiently) for the SOMERSET STUDIO magazines to come out each month and then pour over just about every page. I subscribe to several ezines and enjoy learning about new techniques. I am currently enrolled in a art workshop in March where I will be working and learning along side the craft queen: Teresa McFayden of Silver Bella. I enjoy making crowns, tiaras, altered scrap books, acrylic scrapbooks, jewelry trees, altered books (one of my favorite art things to do is alter books), knit, sew, paint, and any kind of paper crafting! Recently I have taught myself to solder and needle felt. I especially enjoy browsing craft stores... and I actually went into labor at Tall Mouse!!

I like just about all music. And I love how certain songs can take you back to specific times in your life. If I had a "super" power it would be the ability to really SING. I still have daydreams of being in a smoky bar, looking drop dead gorgeous, and walking up to a piano and starting to play and sing while the man who broke my heart is drowning his sorrows at the bar... especially after he hears my awesome voice!! LOL!!! ONE THING THAT IS HUGE FOR ME is that I prefer to listen to vinyl. I love albums, and my husband and I have spent many a Sunday listening to our extensive record collection. I am really hoping to give our son the joy and appreciation of listening to old albums, there is nothing like it!! Although I do cheat and have a ZUNE!! Its difficult to play a record and drive!!

Wicked, the Twilight Series, The Life of Pi, Water for Elephants, The Witching Hour.. and I am always open to suggestions...I am actually doing the book crossing club, too. And swap-tree!!!

I ADORE the theater, way more than the BIG SCREEN. I have seen a lot of plays and productions all around the world, including productions at the Sydney Opera House. I recently had the opportunity to see WICKED in LA and it was phenomenal!! I also really like Cirque du Soleil. The first time I saw "O", it was like being in the best dream I have ever had! I love the interesting tone that Cirque sets and how they portray the dark side of beauty!

Besides the Parliament I have several other collections including belt buckles, albums, designer handbags (A lady carries a handbag, A horse eats out of a purse), Hello Kitty jewelry, antique jewelry, tiaras and crowns. I also just started a BLYTHE doll collection. More on my dollies below!

I am VERY interested in blogging. I subscribe to Somerset Studios blogging magazine, which is seriously amazing! I also watch and read several blogs each day... including Teresa McFayden, Bakerella, Little Pink Studio, Pink, and the Pioneer Woman (PW's is my favorite BLOG...FABULOUS!!). I didn't share web addresses because I am not sure is that is permitted on SB... Although I am constantly amazed with the internet and the capabilities of my MAC,I also love SNAIL MAIL. I love to send snail mail and I love love to receive it! I do way TOO MUCH on line ordering... just so I can have something coming in the mail. I am sure my mail person thinks I have a crush on him... LOL!!

I am planning on being an excellent swapper. Nothing makes me madder than people who FLAKE OUT! I actually "broke up" with one of my all time favorite bloggers/artists because her shipping was AWFUL!! If I have promised to send something... I will. But if for some reason you are not receiving it.. LET ME KNOW and we will work it out IMMEDIATELY!! Flaking isn't an option for me... I love to party plan (can you say fairy tale wedding... carousel, Halloween Eve, horse and carriage... my son's 1st birthday: a train, Elmo, handmade party hats for each child, face painting, etc...and Christmas party- cupcakes, fresh mistletoe, gift exchange, tons of handmade goodies and fun... AND all of this champagne taste on a beer budget...)!! So... LOVE TO PARTY PLAN) and anyway...I can not wait to host my own swap... hosting a swap seems like an online party!! YAY!!! Hope to swap with ya soon!!! XO!! XO!!

I just started collecting Blythe dolls. I got my first one from my BFF, and she is a blonde Ashton Drake blythe... a NEO. I named her Luceathia and I love her! I also just got a customized Blythe... she is awesome... she is wild. I would love to start or learn how to customize Blythes...