thredz

I guess it's time to start admitting I'm an artist. I really resisted that term for decades, because my "art" tends to be somewhat structured, or "built"; not the wildly freely drawn, painted, sculptured or photo-realistic art I enjoy and revere. I tend to be more of a "drafter" than a "draw"-er. I started as a stencilsmith, went crazy over X-stitch, played with wall-paint, knitted kitties 'til my paws were sore, rolled poly-clay into knitting needles (my biggest seller yet!), and have been gluing things that were NEVER meant to be sticky for a few years now. I would choose buying rubber stamps and paper over food (my DH has to remind me to eat and feed the kids sometimes), [ALERT!!! read that parenthetical statement! I am so ashamed; my favorite book of all time is "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" and this has been sitting in my profile for the last 3 years!] Ahem, I MEANT: (my DH has to remind me to eat sometimes, and feed my kids), but try to keep my crafting on a shoestring budget (makes recycling all the more fun!). My sibs and I just split up the family photo collection and I am using my ancestors in ways they never could have imagined. I love swapping; it has been the responses to my swaps that has led me deeper into training, larger and more complicated projects and an eagerness to see just how far I can go with this newly-named, but always present craftiness. I am mostly self-taught: I'll buy a magazine or watch someone at their craft and then go home and try it myself. I taught myself to bead last January and have already sold quite a few pieces. My financial goal has always been to offset some of the expenses my myriad obsessions seem to demand; so far there has been some success...

I like: Cats, not dogs. Prim, not country. Linen, not spandex. Small towns, not big cities (although I dig big city-museums). Prose, not pulp. Minutiae, not gargantua.

I have an inordinate amount of STUFF. My basement overfloweth. I joined SB to see what other craft-artists out there are doing. So, if you get me as a swap-partner, please rest assured that I will be thrilled by the little things you put effort into: a piece of your original work (ATCs, mini-watercolors, etc.), a piece of ephemera that tickled you, or, if you can part with any, photos - or photocopies of your photos - of glamour gals or guys from the 30's, 40's or 50's will just about send me over the edge. I also collect vintage buttons (the fasterners, not the pins), but I never do anything with them, so 1 or 2 cool ones will suit me just fine; send the matched sets to a knitter of sweaters; she/he will be frothy with pleasure!

Married, middle-aged, middle-class, slightly mentally ill

Anything w/a lot of intelligence in the creation--even if it's a silly song, it's gotta have brains in the making of it. From Haydn to the Boss to Pink; I love 'em all. I want Natalie Merchant played at my funeral. I like most of the chick groups; KD Lang's "49th Parallel", and other folkies, but I cannot abide Country. Not even the crossovers; ick. Paradoxically, Dolly Parton is one of my favorite human beings.

I am really digging all the "Sunshine" movies--excellent film-making. I didn't get "Babel" at all--then I found out it had sub-titles that I hadn't turned on! ;) Sometimes, it's just gotta be a little easy for me: Jonny Depp anyone?

I don't mind being disturbed by the subject matter of a movie, but I do mind when the creator sets out to do only that. I like redemption, or a least a glimmer of hope.

My favorites of all time are the Gods Must be Crazy, the original Poseidon Adventure, and The Year of Living Dangerously (although Mel has fallen WAY down the list recently). Willow and Princess Bride. And the seventies' Mel Brooks movies. And the Marx Brothers. My husband has just reminded me that I love "The Shootist". He can dream.

Trivia question: Does anyone remember "Let's Kill Uncle"?

I'm a "Law and Order" junkie. And the guy who produces it, and who does the voice-over live on the same island I do! I like "House" and "The Closer", no way on the reality shows; but love documentaries. The Daily Show is the only news show I can stomach.

Water for Elephants The Lovely Bones The Color of Water A Long Way Home A Place of Greater Safety all of Jane Austen (duh) all of John Cheever all of Louise Erdrich most of Margeret Atwood Dave Barry, Chris Hiassen, Bill Bryson, Jimmy Buffet historical fiction (Leon Uris, etc.); The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society biographies...the list goes on and on.

Papercrafts, Beading, Altered books, ATCs, Rubber Stamping, Ephemera, Old photos, knitting, ceramic and poly clay, Needlecrafts and Needlework design, and whatever I pick up next...