getting to know you

[pin1056]

Wow i've been here over 2 years and never seen this thread

I'll add:

I'm 53, divorced after 32 years (all friendly we just grew apart), mother of 4...... 3 girls 25, 24 and 20 and a boy 28.

I emigrated to Australia from Newcastle England 30 years ago with the then hubby ....he's back living and working in the UK and the 'kiddies' seem to go back and forth....hopefully next year my mam and me are going over for a visit as she will be 80 and has two older brothers left over there (think its a bucket list thing )

I have a boyfriend/man friend/partner (what do ya call it at this age? ) of 7 years ...it never was meant to last this long so we will see how it goes....never getting married again thats for sure!!! hmmmm unless i meet a millionaire

I've been mini'ing for a bit over 2 years and love it....i also craft, quilt and make cloth dolls....enjoy reading and crosswords also suduko puzzles of which i can do the hard ones but rarely the easy ones (no idea how that works :woohoo: )

I'm not working but would like more money for mini's

I live in Sydney with one 'kiddie' still at home ( her boyfriend never goes home but i refuse to admit he lives here too ) although it seems to be a revolving door the other 3 come and go....there should be a no return policy

I think thats about it really

[havanaholly]

Linda, our friends (who are older than you!) have boyfriends & girlfriends (live-in or drop-in).

[mesp2k]

I'll join the, 'I didn't know about this & what a great subject', club...better late then...

Just color me nerd...

I've always enjoyed drawing. As a kid all you had to do was hand me a pad & pencil & I was quiet & happy for hours on end.

In my preteens I built a town out of wood blocks & cardboard on top of an old ping pong table. I built it for my matchbox cars, also had a city made from Kenner's Girder & Panel set. It had streets, sidewalks, telephone poles, grass & trees. The series 'Peyton Place' was on TV at that time, so I copied the story lines to my mini town - it became very provocative. I also built a Christmas room box from scraps (guess I was green & didn't know it) I displayed it at the local library & got such a great response that I became hooked on minis!

I attended a small art school & majored in sculpture. Then I became interested in computers - drawing & programming. CNC would be right up my alley, combining sculpture & computers (drawing/programming) all in one. But because of the price tag I guess I'll stick with the free 3D Sketchup programming & building things by hand (especially minis). I've always liked miniatures - 'cause they're manageable, lightweight & safe? For instance - if I built a mini skyscraper & it fell over because of my poor engineering skills - no biggie, as opposed to a real skyscraper collapsing, with millions at stake - collateral damage & all - too rough for my little brain (any shrinks out there wanna tackle that one!)

I'm originally from Massachusetts. Worked different jobs for awhile. Then I stumbled into a wholesale antique (reproductions) place. I do computer programming for them - among other things (many hats).

I met my DW just as her occupation therapy department was closing down. A friend she went to school with had settled in North Carolina - said there would be a guarenteed job there for her. Well we moved south - I still worked (long distance) for the same company. We lived there for a few years then my DW's 18 year old nephew died unexpectedly. We went back to Westerly, RI where my DW is orignally from, for her nephews funeral - while we were back a job opened up for her. Also she wanted to be near her 80 years+ parents & her family, so back we moved. Phew! My DW has a son - he's attending Law School - my DW says he didn't get his smarts from her or her X. I say, "at least he looks like he's your son...if he didn't I'd be ask'n a lot of questions!"

I worked at a quaint little antique/rare book shop for a while. I still do long distant work for the wholesale co. in Mass., & some computer stuff & carpentry locally. I make my own hours - I like that!

I'm a bit of a home body - my DW is the traveler, & she loves kayaking. We go bicycling & hiking together & to the beach or walking a long the shore. Just regular folk... :woohoo: < just look for these two people...

[havanaholly]

DH & I are flat-water kayakers; we also hike & bike, have two tandem bikes & one tandem kayak.

[KathieB]

I've been here a good long time, too, but failed to post.

I'm 69 years old going on eternity. I'll have to live that long to finish all of the doll house kits stacked in the basement. (My DH, Lloyd, put a "House for Sale" sign on them a while back. They're still here.)

I started to mini in 2006. We'd moved from New Orleans to mid-Missouri after Katrina and I was looking for something to do. I met an enabler here and haven't looked back. I've won a couple of HBS Creatin' contest awards for non-house projects. I made the travel trailer into a Mardi Gras Float and bashed the 1:12 Houseboat into a 1:24 home with a two-story ballroom. I joined two Adams kits to make a two-room cottage for Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.

I draw on a lifetime of crafting, woodworking, etc. Am currently working on a quilt shop in a dollhouse my father built for my sister and me more than half a century ago.

In real life I've worn several hats -- art teacher, travel coordinator (arranging tours for golfers all over the world), export manager for a warehouse distributor, head hunter, director of an historical association. My proudest accomplishment is establishing and nurturing a desktop publishing company that boasted a couple of dozen titles -- Civil war history and Virginia tour books -- when I sold it.

I'm an avid family genealogist and have enjoyed researching my Czech ancestors as well as Lloyd's Creole family. His is far more interesting, with 19th century Spanish sea captains and sail makers, French trappers, Cuban cigar makers. It's a real New Orleans gumbo.

No children at home now, so we're beginning to stretch our traveling legs both to visit far-flung family and places of interest to us.

I've grown up in miniatures nurtured by the good advice from the members this forum and have enriched my life by meeting many of them in person. I hope to meet many more!

[Gee]

Linda, believe me, millionaires are so overrated.

[KathieB]

Linda, believe me, millionaires are so overrated.

I would like the opportunity to disprove this first hand, please.

I have for decades been looking for a sugar daddy, but it seems that in this day of women's lib, they now want to go dutch. *sigh*

[nuttiwebgal]

oh Kathy you crack me UP!

nutti ;)

[Momof2Moos]

I've been meaning to post on this for a while, but it's hard to get enough time to type with the kiddos!

*I have two little boys that I put above all else. They are currently 3 years and 3 months.

*I have a habit of putting my wants on the chopping block to more for the kids, but I think they will appreciate it when they get older.

*I have been doing all sorts of crafty things since I was a kid: drawing and painting and lots of whatsits

*I have just started doing "minis" but I used to make all my stuff for my Barbies and I was a big fan of digging out mud cities in the yard for these tiny little animals I had.

*I never got a degree in college because I still don't know what I want to do. It seemed silly to be going to school and spending money on it, having no idea what direction I wanted to go.

*I like to read, but not often. I think I get into these grooves where I read a ton and then I'll go for awhile without reading at all. It must be the kids.

*A lot of my mini techniques are taken from RL things on HGTV.

*In real house modifications, I would rather do everything myself because I think when you take the time and the effort to create it or fix it on your own, you not only learn something, but you appreciate it more.

*I used to be a rockstar on the clarinet, but I haven't touched it in years and now I am not sure I know how to read music anymore!

*I am a thrifty person. Everything can be saved, restored, rescued and used again somehow. I refuse to pay full price for stuff and I think I would be that way even if I was a millionaire. I buy off brand and out of department stores. I am always price comparing and noticing that I can get things cheaper at another location.

*I love a good pair of shoes but rarely get a chance to wear anything other than my tennis shoes or grungy flip flops. ;)

I'm positive their is more interesting stuff about me, but my coffee has worn off and my brain will be shutting down now. I think some lunch and work on the CC is definately in order now.

[sexyfeet]

I have been shying away from this topic for quite some time now, not quite sure why but anyway here it goes. I am 37 years old and have been married to a wonderful man for almost 16 years ( July 9th is our Anniversary). We have been together for 20 years, we started dating in High School so yes it is true High School sweet hearts we are!! We have three beautiful children 15, 13, and 10.

I have always had a thing for anything crafty and always made all of my own dolls clothes, dolls and such as a child. I always had a very good immagination and could keep myself busy for hours on end. I love to read and next to my dollhouse and other craft projects it is my favorite pass time. I sew, however I do this in spurts. I tend to get into a groove where I will sew tons of things over a span of time and then I will not sew for what seems like forever. I have always made my childrens halloween costumes, however now that they are getting older they are losing interest.

I run a daycare for children out of my home and absolutely love it. I teach dance lessons in the evenings during the winter months. I have an education in Early Childhood Development.

I'm not at all close with my family so my DH and my children are really all I have in life. I started the mini hobby because I needed a distraction from the heartache of real life! I have to say that it has done wonders for me and I am loving each and every minute of it so far. I am currently in the process of a relocation so life has been extremely stressful for me over the past few months. I have only a week and a half left until moving day so I'm hoping once it is over with that things will calm down and eleviate some of the stress. I am not looking forward to getting back into the job search once again, most of the children I am looking after right now I have been looking after since they were babies and they are now 4 and 5 years old. I am going to find it very hard to leave them as they are much like my own children, I have been looking after them for so long.

Okay well that is enough about me, my life really isn't all that interesting so I won't bore you with anymore of the details.

[LLyn M.]

Wow, forgot all about this site..even though I wrote here last year. I forgot some

things to say...like maybe I can be long-winded!! I turned 60 last January-a fact

which totally amazes me! How could I be 60 when I feel as I did at 40,or 25,or

even 5 yrs old...I just feel like ME! I have two sisters,almost 10 and 8 yrs. younger than me.We have lost both of our parents but we three" girls" are very close. My favourite colors are blue,lavendar and green but my ultimate fave is Scarlet -a nice bright red!

I love,love,love to read-with books I can hold in my hand not that cyber book stuff.

My fave author is Elizabeth Goudge.I own all of her books."The White Witch" is my fave of hers.I also love the Harry Potter series and have discovered Twilight Saga which I

also adore.I love arguing politics and religion-two social "no,no's" but find the ensuing

ruccus stimulating.Nothing violent,mind you just stimulating!I so believe in God and reincarnation.Have come from a line of psychic women-also very interesting.Have

often had periods of my life when reality wasn't so much fun and that's probably

how I got started in the mini world.It's very much fun to create whatever you wish!

The Greenleaf site is my fave site and have spent many happy hours learning,

drooling,creating......oh, and did I mention I was apt to be "long-winded"?!! LOL! :hug: "

[kandykidsaturn]

I'm Megan

Favorite color is purple

I'm a teacher, a special ed teacher to children with autism

I like to do all things crafty, sewing, painting, jewlery making, etc.

I love my cats

I have a daughter, 7

I've been married since October 2009

I love to read

I've been trying my hand at crochet, I'm not too good at it.

I collect fairies, specifically from Fairie Glen Fairies

Silverchair is my favourite band

I have an odd obsession with pink flamingos and llamas.

I love to play video games.

I'm pretty much a computer nerd.

I love to read.

I think thats about it!

[lauradrodriguez]

I'm relatively new here, but can't pass up the opportunity to post my two cents here:

I am 28 and I grew up in poverity, being homeless several times during my life. I have looked to art as an emotional outlet ever since I can remember and I am building a dollhouse in order to fulfill one of my biggest childhood dreams. I am of Hispanic (Puerto Rican on my Dad's side) and English (The Mayflower, Richard the Conquerer, King Henry I, etc.) on my mother's side.

Both my mother and father's family were farm families, with my father's family growing coffee in Puerto Rico and my mother's family growing your normal variety of crops in Southern Ohio. I have two younger brothers still living and a sister who has passed on. I also lost my Dad last August (he died suddenly while driving and his van came to rest on some train tracks [i'm still not sure how he made it there without hitting anything] - thank God he wasn't hit by a train). My mother is still here, but I take my ability to create and fix things from my Dad. I started my current dollhouse, The San Franciscan, in order to keep my mind off of missing him (it doesn't work completely, but it helps).

I am graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science in May, and have spent the past five years working in different capacities for the U.S. Department of Education and serving on the local advisory Board for our Public Transportation system. I am also a long time sufferer of Depression and think the illness is greatly misunderstood by most people. Mental Health is one of the most important things to maintain in order to live a happy life and just because someone has to see a therapist a few times a month, doesn't mean they are crazy: in fact, I think most people today could probably benefit from talking to a professional sometime in their lives.

I married the love of my life, Christopher who I met online 8 years ago and we couldn't be from more different backgrounds, but we compliment each other well and I count myself tres lucky to have found him. We don't have kids yet, but we have four wonderful cats (Pinche, Ozymandias, Penelope and Oliver) who we love and spoil very much!

Things that interest me: politics, animals, crafting/carpentry, antiques, music, gardening.

Things you probably don't know: though I am hispanic, I do not speak spanish, but I do speak French

My favorites: cats, the color red, victorian design, century homes, music, comedies (the Office, Warren the Ape, The Daily Show) and for some reason, shows about supernatural powers or beings: Charmed, the Ghost Whisperer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch: I am also addicted to pizza!!

~Laura

P.S. I hope I don't freak anyone out here with my description!

Edited August 17, 2010 by lauradrodriguez

[havanaholly]

Not at all. What we think of as mental illnesses are most often due to imbalances of brain chemicals.

[lauradrodriguez]

Thanks Havana! I don't let many people know I have depression, and I am high functioning so I doubt some people would believe me anyway!

~Laura

[Momof2Moos]

Laura, I think there is something that is so peaceful and methodical about mini's that it could certainly help you with depression. It really is more than a hobby, I think it kind of works like a homeopathic medicine. In my life, it is a great stress reducer (the kids make me want to pull out my hair some days!)

I like shows about supernatural things, too! Would love to do a mini of Halliwell Manor!!!!! And a roombox of Supernatural would be divine, too.... well, hellish actually.

[Ravenshooter]

I love to :

• Travel
  
• the beach
  
• Shooting clays
  
• going to my son's baseball games
  
• horses
  
• camping
  

[AmyC]

favorite color is red.. pink is a close second..

if it's miniature, i love it..

i collect crafting goodies of all sorts and started to teach my daughter how to be creative and make things.. she loves it already..

if there's anything i'd love to have, a garden.. i miss pulling weeds, as odd as that sounds..

not terribly exciting, but i can be exciteable..

[Reliving My Childhood]

Hmmm, this is an old thread that Ravenshooter just revitalized. I read back many, many posts and am suprised not only by how many similarities we all have besides minis, of course but also how different we are and yet still can come together on this one subject.

• Red. Anything red. My toes are always painted red. My eye glasses are red (you GO Sally Jesse). My F250 is red. I always carry a red purse. I have a touch of red in every room of my house. At Christmas, I bring out dozens of cardinals and poinsettias.
  
• I collect dirt, sand & rocks. When people go to places of interest (especially out of the country), we always ask them to bring back a rock or some sand/dirt. We have rocks from the base of glaciers and volcanos, sand from Jerusalem, dirt from Auschwitz, just everywhere. The dirt/sand gets saved in corked spice jars. The rocks are in a large basket on my fireplace hearth.
  
• I've been married for 26 years to an electrician. He just retired and still doesn't get anything done on the 'honey do' list. He has every tool in the world so I'm never without his help or advice. Neither of us still have any idea how to put my Dremel to good use, though.
  
• I have a 20 year old son in college (plus 2 from my husband's first marriage... 44 & 40 years. He wants to be a pediatrician specializing in teens/pre-teens. He feels there's too much of a gap for kids that age... they're too old to sit in the room with the bunnies and kitties on the wall but too young to go to a general practicioner who's just trying to shuffle people through the door.
  
• I got started doing minis when my son started driving. With so much time on my hands not having to cart him from clarinet lessons to football to friends to the mall, I needed to occupy myself. I pulled out an old plywood dollhouse made by my Mom back in the 70s; it was mouse and water damaged but I cleaned and sanded and glued it. Once it was repaired, I set about decorating it. Since I had nowhere to start, I did what everyone does to ask a question... I went to the internet. WOW!!! Who knew?! I know minis have been around forever but think of how hard it was to share and buy and create when it was just you and only you?!
  

[AmyC]

[*]I collect dirt, sand & rocks. When people go to places of interest (especially out of the country), we always ask them to bring back a rock or some sand/dirt. We have rocks from the base of glaciers and volcanos, sand from Jerusalem, dirt from Auschwitz, just everywhere. The dirt/sand gets saved in corked spice jars. The rocks are in a large basket on my fireplace hearth.

I too collect rocks from different places and ask people to bring one back from where they visit..

What are the glacier and volcano rocks like? That's pretty super!

I also have pink beach sand from Bermuda. My husband worked there for a while before coming to live with me here (he's not originally from Bermuda though.) He brought me a container of sand. While I was there, I gathered some shells and rocks..

Shells are also a favorite.. especially tiny shells..

[havanaholly]

Growing up in Florida, I've been a sheller most all my life. DH collects "interesting" rocks. So far the only sand we have as a collector's item is a small jar of black sand DS#1 brought back from Mt Suribachi (both DH & DS#1 were Marines, so this stuff is holy).

[AmyC]

Used to live by a bay, so shells were aplenty then.. a ton of teeny, tiny clam shells washed up one day, scoffed as many as i could..

I intend on using those to make mini picture frames with shells.. then i'll put a beach pic in the frame for the dollhouse..

i love making mini frames.. greatest little tool i bought was the mini miter box

[Wolfie]

Most of you don't know me, but I have many albums on here. And even those of you who do know me, don't really know me.

Things I enjoy besides miniature dolls, dollhouses, etc.

Cooking and baking - many many things. Unfortunate hobby.......makes you chubby. Love making turnovers filled with fruit or pizza stuffing!

Playing my keyboard - used to have a piano, played for years. Took lessons from 6 years old through my teens. Accompanied my singing voice with it. Now just play the heck out of my keyboard when I get the chance.

Took operatic singing lessons - was a mezzo soprano - then throat surgery for GERD destroyed my voice somewhat. Took voice lessons from 10 until 21 years. Now I croak when I call my dog.

Have three wonderful cameras now. Love photography. Favorite camera - Canon EOS 30D, next favorite camera - Canon PowerShot A3000, and lastly Large Sony Cybershot. I use them all - not all at once, but love each one for it's capabilities.

My pets - Australian Shepherd, Princess. Benga Cal - Poetry Man. Ginger Cat - i.e., orange and white kitty - Tigger. All beloved.

Horseback riding - loved riding, don't have the opportunity now since I was 32 years old. Don't know if I could even be tossed on a horse now. Still love the brutes!

Dollhouse building. Have 27 kits in the basement packed for the move. Love building, decorating, playing with, showing them off. Roomboxes as well.

Scroll Saw - I love my DeWalt! It was one of the most wonderful birthday presents ever! Besides miniatures, I've been making things for the new house, planters, bookshelves, shelves for decorative items, key chains, dish racks, and my pride and joy I never dreamed I would want, a fancy paper towel holder for the kitchen.

Music - I love listening to and enjoying music. Mainly classical, middle eastern, and dance music. Love the disco type music! I was a professional dancer for many years - hence the middle eastern music.

Sewing - sign, all packed away, add to that a bit of knitting and even a bit of crochet.

Computer. Been working with computers since 1978.

My Treadmill - try to log about 10 miles a week.

My solitude up here on the mountain. I will soon be giving it up for a small neighborhood about 121 miles from here. Bigger house, a studio in the basement, easy access for wheelchairs, etc.

My binos for watching birds, bears, etc. from a safe distance.

Driving my new car. Back in January we didn't mean to go hunting for elk, but one hunted us down and wrecked our car, totaled it. No we were not hurt, but the elk died. We were pretty frightened, happened in a snowstorm when we were only going 30 to 35 MPH as we couldn't see much. Blinding blizzard conditions. Came into the car on the driver's side, rolled onto the hood, crashed it's back through the front window on the passenger side where I was sitting, and rolled up onto the roof and behind us. Doug has not driven much since, and in the last two months, no more driving for him at all. Anyway got another car, and I love it. Suburu like the other one, an outback legacy, green/gold in color, and I adore it. Love driving it!

Walking is a favorite activity of mine. Now that the snow is gone, I'm walking more. And enjoying it very much. Bad weather? Doesn't stop me, my treadmill has a view to die for.

Watching and feeding the birds. Hummingbirds and darling little chicadees and others. Even the ravens - I feed them my meat scraps. They love Auntie Wolfie.

Watching the deer, elk, bear and other wildlife in my yard. I'll miss them when we move, but there is a large herd of mule deer, horses and cattle close to the new house that I want to buy.

Heavenly! I grew up on a farm in the 40's and early 50's, so it will be like going home.

There is more, much more, but it would take up too much space!

[havanaholly]

Oh, Wolfmeister, how I have missed you! I wondered if you'd moved yet. I've been doing beaucoup knitting & crocheting 1:1 since our own move, we're hunting around for someone to build us a workshop.

[Wolfie]

Haven't move yet Holly. the house is listed, but still snow up here in places and people just aren't looking up in this area yet. We had to lower our price considerably, but can't go much lower or we can't afford a new house. LOL

Nice to hear from you too!