mganddg

I’m a working-from-home longarm quilter. I’ve been married for 24 years & have two teenage girls at home, 19 & 15. Our son was 10 when he passed away March 19, 2009 due to complications associated with Marfan Syndrome. My heart aches for him every day.

I live in a 220 year old house along the Susquehanna River in Lancaster, PA: USA. Besides us humans, we also live with two white kittens, a whippet, and a lab.

I got married young to my high school sweetheart. Though we were both born in NJ, we met in PA, then moved to CA, MD, MI and landed back in PA when we began our family.

I spent many years working towards my Nursing BS but when my 3rd child was born with special needs, I dropped it all to be a full-time mommy. I've spent 10 years off & on homeschooling my kiddos. Though right now my youngest is enrolled in the public high school, I'll always cherish those years we spent learning & growing together in that different lifestyle. I still miss it at times.

Nowadays, I feel privileged that other's entrust me with their quilt tops & that I GET to quilt as my job!! I list items I've made on etsy as well.

My very favorite hobby is reading! I love love love to read, though I never seem to have much time during the day to do so, I always MUST end my day with reading in bed. I have an eclectic taste, but some of my favorite authors include: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Sue Monk Kidd, Beverly Lewis, Stephenie Meyers, Suzanne Collins, Charlaine Harris, Jennifer Chiaverini, Patricia Cornwell, Earlene Fowler, Tory Hayden, and Jodi Picoult to name a few... I also love to delve into non-fiction books on writing & self-exploration especially in spirituality, the supernatural, and/or memoirs.

I love to create things with my hands that have a useful purpose, such as tote bags, purses, bookmarks, table runners, place mats, quilts, etc. Most of these require some form of sewing, and then I enjoy both hand-quilting & machine-quilting these items. My near & long-term goals include learning how to add bead work to my sewn items and/or entering a quilt competition.

I enjoy other forms of hand-stitching such as: stitchery (simple form of embroidery), cross stitching, and I've just picked up needle punch.

I love to write... emails, journaling, letters, blogs (check mine out!), and have two novels brewing in my head. I've never written anything so long, but it's another goal of mine. I've recently become a member of International Pen Friends & am excited to begin writing to the list of penpals I received!

I dabble a bit in scrapbooking... and I love to get out in nature to hike, swim, and walk/jog with my lab.

I collect thimbles, post cards, and book marks.

I love handmade items, stationery, pens, books, journals, photo albums...

I don't necessarily have a favorite color... I tend to dress in blues, blacks, whites, various hues of browns & pinks; my old house is decorated in period correct colors of dark greens, reds, & blues; but lately I'm drawn to bright colors that have never been my style!

I love the beach & in my dreams I live on a private beach...

I love God but promise not to shove Him or my beliefs down your throat!

I like to be comfy~ my favorite outfits include sweats & slippers.

I love to rewatch favorite movies.

Anything handmade by you! (jewelry, wearables, knitted, crocheted, quilted, tatted, wooden, hand-dyes, ornaments, book marks)

Journals: new or altered. Prefer paper to be lined but enjoy an unlined one now & then

Bookmarks: handmade or not, florals, inspirational, scenic, hobby specific, silly

Fat Quarters/Fabric: any really~ I incorporate all colors & patterns but 100% cotton is preferred

Felt: in all colors

I collect thimbles: all kinds, shapes, & sizes

Sewing notions: small scissors, ribbons, lace trim, needles, etc. (you almost can't go wrong here!)

Flavored coffee & teas (no decafs please)

Skulls, fairies, lime green, comics, silk