Ok, ok.... when I was growing up on my parents vegetable and turkey farm, no one would have ever called me a Farm Girl. I certainly didn't want anything to do with the whole farming thing, and I ran away to the city as soon as I could. Now, I'm spending a lot of time rediscovering the art of living simply- and I've found that in my new view, apparently that means living on a farm. But the joke's on me! Now I'm stuck- married to a die-hard city dweller in the middle of Oregon's second largest city. Well, while I'm working on getting him to agree to move out of the city, I'm working on making our life here richer and fuller.

So.... yeah... then there's the Hubs. Julian. He's my rock. He is so good at taking care of me I can almost forgive him anything. He makes the money so we can afford our extravagant green-living, crafty making, from scratch cooking lifestyle. Please note the mild sarcasm.... as we can't afford anything. But he tries! If I could choose right now, I'd have a small property with a couple cows and pigs, chickens and prune trees, apple and pear trees and a large vegetable and herb garden. For right now, I am sufficing with a few large pots of herbs- and I will try some veggies in pots this summer. I have faith that we'll get the space we need to have the life we want. And Julian would get his castle and pirate ship.

I have been surrounded by craftiness and art since I was born! Growing up, I watched my mom knit and sew, my aunts painted and made everything around them beautiful, my dad could create anything from a little wood and metal... it was only natural that I would be inspired to try to be artsy with everything I do as well. I have tried numerous numerous crafts and hobbies from paper crafting to bookmaking to fiber arts to beading!

Having four siblings and growing up on a farm, we sort of lived by the adage "make do or do without" so I am a big fan of recycling used things into something else, and using the supplies you have available.

In recent years, I have narrowed down my numerous hobbies to sewing, block cutting and general DIYing (Do It Yourself-ing). I also consider my interest in herbs, cooking and even homeschooling as hobbies! That seems like a lot, but it's signifigantly fewer than I have experimented with. On this site, I am providing links that I have found, having to do with most of the crafts I've experimented with though.

I am also a mama to a 4 year old smarty pants who I would like to grow up with an appreciation of art and crafts. Having her has inspired me to do even more with my own hands, starting with making her cloth diapers and clothes, and has even led to making a special balm when she was diagnosed with Eczema. I make most of my own homeschool supplies for teaching my daughter, whom I teach in German.