KayeShapaker

Tell us a little about yourself, your family, your job, your home, etc.
I am a 52 year old SAHGM (stay at home grandmom). I have three adult children and my husband and I have been married for 34 years this year. He is truly my best friend! Our son is married and lives out of state, our middle DD is married and has given us 2 beautiful grandchildren with a third due in June. She lives about 35 miles away so we get to be with the babies often. Our grandson is 3 1/2 and our granddaughter is 2. Our baby DD is getting married in March of this year. She, also, lives out of state. I
used to work full time and traveled all over the US. That got old...my primary focus in life these days are fun with DH and fun with the grandbabies!

How did you first get involved in stamping?
Jackie Ward, also of this list, got me hooked on this. I met Jackie in Las Vegas for a scrapbooking convention. Jackie and I went shopping at Stamp Oasis and that was the end of that, LOL!

What is your favorite technique?
I'm not sure I have been at this long enough to have a favorite technique. I am still a "newbie" when it comes to techniques. I love shadow stamping, polished stone, watercolors, DTP, radiant pearls, etc., etc.--I love just about everything and wish I could, through osmosis, inherit some of the talent on this list! There are so many techniques yet to be learned....

What is your favorite card you have ever made: one you are the proudest of?
I really couldn't say. I will love one card I make so much until I learn another technique and then I will have a new favorite. In comparison to the talent on this list, my cards are pretty simple.

What are your favorite stamp companies and why?
My favorite stamp companies--hard question as I don't usually look at the brand names first...Magenta would be one. The newer Hero Arts stamps would be another. Jay Warner from this list had me meeting her at a booth at a convention that carried a lot of Just for Fun stamps that I love also. I look for stamp design more than I look for brand names.

What are your favorite type images you use in stamping?
Like most stampers I think, I started in with cutsey stamps and now only use those on rare occasions. Linda Jackson of this list has sent me some beautiful cards with still life type scenes which started me on those. I loved a lot of cards that Michele sent me and fell in love with dragonflies. Linda E. has sent me some beautiful florals and prompted me to get floral corner stamps and some pretty floral scenes. I am trying tag art and Jay W. got me interested in collage type stamps when she sent me a beautiful card.
Lorri made me fall in love with the floral/batick look, but haven't learned how to do that yet. V sent me a card that makes me want to learn how to do collage. I guess all this to say, I don't have any one style of stamp that I could call favorite.

What are your favorite colors?
Green is my personal color favorite, but I love roses and blues of all shades and earthtones, etc. In stamping, I use them all!

What is one dream you have that you wish could come true?
Quite frankly, that there would be peace and love throughout the world that begins in each family and between all friends...that people would realize what things are truly important in life.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Meanness of any kind.

Anything else you would like to share? Like things you collect, things that make you happy.
Like most of you, I collect stamps! Seriously, I love china and glass and the like and have a bit of that around. I am a self-taught quilter--but never seem to have enough time to get everything done. I love to make quilts--especially for the babies! I like to sew crafty type things--placemats, tablecloths, baby bibs, etc. Things that make me happy are my husband, my children and my grandchildren. Our children are very close to us and to each other, so even though we live in three different states--spread across the country--we all remain very close in contact and in heart. My grandchildren put such a big smile in my heart with their unconditional love.