xxkarenlxx

I am living the American Dream. I am beading my heart out and taking care of my amazing husband. We've been married for 12 years now and are still best friends. I have a 22 year old son who recently was hired into a local Fire Department.

I love beading, my pet stingray, my dog Holly, the colors green, teal and purple, trying new tea, gel pens, things that are colorful, reading, learning new things, camping, travel, sharing my stuff, writing long chatty letters, and spending time with the people that are important to me.

I live three blocks from Lake Michigan and vacation as often as possible in a place surrounded by water. My favorite vacations currently revolve around cruising and Puerto Vallarta, MX. I find a kind of peace in the water that I've not experienced anywhere else. I am fascinated by tropical fish and creatures that call the ocean home. If it isn't a stingray, then the more colorful the better.

I don't have much appreciation for coffee, licorice, being lied to, and people who don't honor their commitments.

If you are sending to me, I'd appreciate it if you would use real stamps for postage when possible. I really like to see different stamps. Thanks a bunch.

I owe:

onephatcat - embellishments went out Oct 8

AuntieM - assorted blank notecards went out Oct 8

smilesandsunshine - went out on Aug 7

I'm patiently waiting for:

Bar of handmade soap and baggie of buttons from Craftybeachgirl in One on One Traders You Pick Two

Please, please, please, If I tag you on a forum tag I'll (usually) tell you when your item(s) went into the mail. (I admit that sometimes I do forget to sent the e-note.) If you don't receive ssomething after I've told you I'll send it, please let me know and I'll resend.

Please also know that if you send me something and I don't send you a thank you note or post a note on your page it is because I didn't receive anything from you. Not because I am thoughtless. I feel odd telling someone that I didn't receive because they usually feel obligated to resend, and that really isn't fair. (Yes, I can have this both ways :P )

My taste in music runs the gamut from hair bands such as Warrant and Cinderella to current bands like Hinder and Bare Naked Ladies with a compliment of Celtic music and such classics as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I also am partial to country and jazz. Some of my other favorites (not mentioned above) are: Harry Connick Jr., Sarah McLaughlin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nickleback, Tim McGraw, John Mayer, Norah Jones, and Metallica. I also have a deep appreciation for songs that tell stories.

In no particular order, and just a few: 10 Things I Hate About You, Blast From the Past, Pushing Tin, A Knight's Tale, the original Good Bye Girl, Braveheart, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Drop Dead Fred, Hackers, The Princess Bride, The Boondock Saints, The Deep, Into the Blue, The Harry Potter Movies, The Lethal Weapon series, Rounders, the Oceans 11, and 12, White Oleander, Some Kind of Wonderful, Billy Madison, National Treasure, 50 First Dates, Fool's Gold and The Color of Friendship.

Seems like most of my favorite television isn't here any more. I loved Boston Common, Yes Dear, Friends, InJustice, Dharma and Greg, Still Standing, Smith and Oz. As far as shows that haven't been cancelled yet, when time allows I watch Medium, Saving Grace, Bones, Dexter, House, The Riches, The Shield, The Most Dangerous Catch, The Closer, Iron Chef America, Intervention, and the original CSI. I enjoy the specials the Food network puts on where people have a certain amount of time to build a cake or a sugar sculpture.

Beading, Rubber stamping, beading, sewing, bead weaving, crochet, beading, cross stitch, beading, enameling, bead embroidery, letter writing & emailing, and beading. And next on the list when I have some time will be lampworking. I already have all the equipment except the gas tanks and the flashback arrestors. Oh, and did I mention beading?

I also love to read. I enjoy just about every genre except military history and I'm not much on romances. Fairy tales and folk lore hold a special fascination for me. My favorite authors include Dean Koontz, J.K. Rowling, Janet's Fitch and Evanovich, and Michael Crichton.

I'm also looking for the books listed below. Paperback and previously loved are more than welcome.

The Manhattan Hunt Club - John Saul

Brother Odd - Dean Koontz

Sundays at Tiffany's - James Patterson

Losing It and Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time - Valerie Bertinelli

Series of Unfortunate events books 3 through end - Lemony Snickett

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

Freakonomics - Stevens Levitt and Dubner

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

Son of a Witch - Gregory Maguire

Harold and the Purple Crayon - Crockett Johnson

Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

Any Dresden Files book - Jim Butcher

Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman

The Sisters Grimm

Any of the vampire books out now.