craftysocialworker

I am a a graduate student at the school of Social Work at New York University. Growing up the only thing I ever wanted to be in life was an artist. I worked toward that goal by majoring in fine art in college at the University of Maryland. Though I love to create things, I knew that I did not have the desire to try to be an old fashioned professional artist.
I did know that I must find a way make art the center of my life. I while living in Portland, Oregon after college I lucked into a job organizing an art program for a drug and alcohol rehab for kids. We had no budget so I learned to make so many things from trash and nature. What an amazing experience. It was my job to look at craft blogs all day. I stayed there for 2 1/2 years and decided I had to go get my graduate degree.
So, here I am at the tail end of my 2 year adventure in New York city. I am also planning to either pursue art therapy or use creative arts and crafts in my therapeutic work. Art Art Art either way.
I am looking forward to moving on June 1 to the beautiful, quiet, tranquil, and liberal town of Burlington, Vermont with my girlfriend and our 2 kitties. Can't can't wait!

I really have an eclectic pallet, but I am horrible at categorizing so forgive me now.

I love the Indie stuff. Living in Portland exposed me to a lot of that. The Dandy Warhols, the Thermals, Death Cab for Cutie, Radiohead, Elliott Smith, The Shins, Joanna Newsom, Modest Mouse, Rilo Kiley, Peter Bjorn and John, Sufjan Stevens, TV on the Radio, the White Stripes

I like the agro-girl stuff: Sleater Kinney, old school Ani DiFranco, Le Tigre, Tori Amos, Tegan and Sara,

some folky/countryish: (but only the really good stuff) Lyle Lovett, Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch, Kris Delmhorst, Patty Griffin

get nastalgic for the old-school: Bob Dylan, Allman Brothers, Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, The Who, Janice Joplin

and soft-core hip-hop: The Fugees, Lauren Hill, Outcast, Jurrasic 5

also have a weakness for poppy stuff: Jack Johnson, fru fru, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, you know the like...

I'm feeling really exposed here!

my absolute very favorite is Pearl Jam. it'll just never go away for me.

ok, now I'm just naked.

I really do love everything crafty. I couldn't pick a focus in art for college because I wanted to do it all, sculpture, photography, painting, drawing, mixed media...you name it

and the same applies for crafts:

I have been really into making jewelrey with beads and silver wire for a while.

I have enjoyed some bouts in scrapbooking but have turned my love for the paper arts to cards, oragomi, and mixed media stuff.

I love love love to cook and bake because I love love love to eat.

I just got a sewing machine and have been going to town with that. I have been felting old sweaters and sewing them into stuffed animals and hot-water-bottle-cozies.

I love to crochet and really want to get better at knitting (though the gratification is not as instant)--they just have funkier patterns overall.

I still mess around with photography quite a bit and love to collage.

I just got some soldering materials and want to try stained glass and microscope slide pendants and much more.

Someday I'll really set up that darkroom. I got as far as having the equiptment once, but no space to put it in. I'm in love with the old-fashioned hand developing of film and pics.

I have been learning more and more about gardening over the years but I'd really like to work at it when I move to Vermont.

I'd love to get better at sewing and making clothing, quilting, or fun objects like stuffed animals with my sewing machine. I'd love some fabrics, patterns, or sewing accessories.

I'd like to start collecting cool stamps, punches, embossing stuff and things for paper and other crafts. I really want to try my hand at ATCs.

I want to break open my soldering tools and make things with glass and metals.

I'd love to get deeper into the jewelry making some day and try casting molds or fusing glass.

Any and all crafting supplies, including-

paper with patterns and textures, punches of any kind, stamps and pads, colorful or fun pens

beads of any kind (i really love glass and crystal with beautiful colors or shapes), wire, chain and other jewelry accessories, i love earrings, pendants, bracelets, and charms

I love yarn of different widths, colors and textures, knitting but mostly crochet accessories.

For candy I love love love dark chocolate. I love toffee, nuts, caramel, malt, coffee, mint(especially with chocolate), peanutbutter (especially with chocolate), cookies, biscuits, wafers, fruity, gummy (but quality gummy that is a little harder like Haribo and wine gums), I love sour, sweet, rich, chewy, crunchy, melting, hard, soft. I just love candy can you tell? The only flavors I don't enjoy are black licorice and fake cinnamon. Other than that, I love it all. I really love trying new things and getting candy that I cannot get here in the states.

*I Love Lucy- my absolute favorite since I was a kid. Lucille Ball is my personal hero! What a strong, empowered, talented woman! * Project Runway * Ace of Cakes * From Junky to Funky, Crafters Coast to Coast, B Original, Marthat Stewart Crafts, Creative Juice, Knitty Gritty, Craft Lab, Styleicious (pretty much everything DIYnetwork) * Martha Stewart Show (although it's not the same after the whole jail thing) * Iron Chef * Grey's Anatomy * The Office * Friends * Will and Grace (c'mon it's Jack and Karen) * Gilmore Girls (a sick pleasure)

• my partner, who is my best friend
• my two kitties (although I still swear I'm a dog person)
• to ski
• to travel
• to play
• trees of all shapes and sizes
• fall leaves
• Gerbera dasies
• to lay around and watch tv or movies
• to sleep in or just wake up and lay
• the color green- mainly Olive/Lime Green (especially with an turquoise blue, a chocolate brown, and/or a rosey pink)
• anything colorful (not pastel)
• patterns and textures
• anything handmade
• chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate--the darker the better
• coffee--again the darker the better
• Ok, anything sweet really (but not fake cinnamon flavor or licorice unless it's red)
• exotic things-anything with a cultural feel
• all animals but monkeys and pigs are the cutest!
• things that are cleaver or witty
• reusing objects for a completely new purpose
• trying new things
• going the extra mile to making other people feel good