Stylish Blogger Award

Hello my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

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My little Patch of Dirt was selected and received this Stylish Blogger Award from Maria Vanderform over at   http://craftymariasstampingworld.blogspot.com/2011/01/stylish-blog-award.html. This is all too much for me and I didn't know what to say. To quote Maria "Never in my wildest dreams" would I have ever thought this would happen to me and My Little Patch of Dirt! Go check out Maria's blog and you will see exactly why she received this award, she is extremely talented and I really like her style.
As part of the rules for getting this award you have to tell your readers 8 things about yourself and pass this Award on to 8 other talented crafters. Maria and I share many things in common unbeknown to us. Here is my attempt to tell you all 8 things about my self.

1) I have been stamping for about 9 years now and fell in love with stamping/ paper crafting the first time my BFF Carey (Roscoe's Mom) put a stamp in my hand. In addition, I have been making all sorts of crafts since I was a little girl. I won my first Art prize when I was 8 years old for a creation I called "Charley Jo Hobo A Go Go Cha Cha Cha Jr. and That ain't All."  Our teacher dumped a bunch of scraps of yarn, materials, buttons, noodles, beans, dried flowers, ribbon, yarn, paper, glue and what nots on a table, we were told to go to town and Charley was created! Oh what a crafters dream that was!
2) I started this blog in May of last year, so that I could participate in the first annual Blog Hop on VC_Rocks.This year will be my third year participating in VC_ Rocks and I was recently asked to be apart of the Moderator Team, as the Classroom Moderator/Coordinator. I will give you all more information on VC_Rocks in April. It is a fun fast paced group of crafters who have a virtual SU convention on line. It is a blast you must join us!
I always open my post with "I hope this post finds you all well and happy" I did some special needs service work many years back. I would read mail to the elderly. One of my ladies I read for , her friend always started her letters  with "I hope this note finds you well and happy". I thought that was very endearing. From then on when ever I send a letter to my friends I use this introduction.
3) I left my husband when my daughter Jeanne' was 4 years old and I raised her as a single parent. (worlds hardest job) During that time I worked full time and went back to school. I earned a Baccalaureate of Arts Degree in Business Management and went on to earn a Masters of Arts in Organizational Management.
4) When my DD was 11 I had an industrial accident at work, (where I was a Optician/ Trainer/ Manager) because of that accident I could not walk for over a year and a half and suffered Migraines until recently. I had to learn to walk and find a new career which lead to the degrees and various jobs. My passion is teaching. The best thing about the accident is along the way I met my BFF Carey and learned to stamp. Both are life savers.
5) I have been a Stampin'up Demonstrator I think coming on 3 years now and love every minute of it. I was mostly a hobbyist until last year when I met several ladies and have established two regular group of gals who have classes with me. (Hi Ladies). I am always on the look out for another group (smile).
6) I met my DHoney 6 years ago through some friends. A girlfriend and I were going to purchase a Christmas
Tree and needed some help. So we went to a friends shop, I asked for a "Big Strong Man" Jeff jumped up and said "I'm a Big Strong Man" I said (while pointing my finger at him) "You'll do just fine"!!! (wink :) and we have been together ever since. He asked me to marry him 3 years ago and we will do so when time and money permit. He bought me a beautiful ring (smile) and our little patch of dirt that we call home.Together we have two adult children who we are really very proud of . My daughter Jeanne' (pronounced Ja-nay it's French) and his son Rick. They are both 25 and great human beings.
7) We have two big, sweet dogs Bear and Marley Retriever/Labrador mix who are brothers and are 5 years old now.  We also have three cats total Bob an orange tabby who is ours and two black cats that are my daughters, Mama and Tat ( sisters) short for Tatiniqua which I think means wild woman- which she is. (Maria I used to have a black cat named Mischief too.)
8) My third love is gardening and flowers. This is my first home and when we bought My Little Patch of Dirt it was a new structure and literally a patch of dirt. It has been a yearly experiment to see what grows and what lasts through he grueling desert summers and the freezing winters. Finding out what grows in shade and in direct sunlight in this climate is an adventure. Iris seem to be the most resilient and I keep splitting them and planting them where ever there is space avail.

Thanks for reading these fun facts about me and my life on My Little Patch of Dirt. It was harder that I thought! Now I must award 8 more creative bloggers so I can pass this award on. I will do this in the next day or so and keep you posted.
Now it is your turn go create something fun.