Home Area: Lake Arrowhead, CA

Favorite music : I love classic rock from all the eras and have quite an eclectic iTunes list. It's a treat to go to the theater, so I always have some new musical soundtrack in my list. I crank up the music and sing along while I'm creating.Favorite Food: Fresh food simply prepared works for me. I could live on fresh fruit, good cheese, and heavy bread.

Favorite Snack: I have a terrible sweet tooth. I think chocolate is a food group. I'd travel barefoot through snow for good gelato. I never say no to See's candy.

Favorite Drink: Tea! I like it hot with milk in the morning and iced in the afternoon. I enjoy an occasional micro brewed beer or margarita.

Favorite Color: Green in any shade finds its way into every area of my life.

A Bit About Tami I'm passionate about many things in life. I've been an avid reader for as long as I can recall. I practice yoga. I enjoy the tactile experiences of ink, paint, or dirt on my hands. I learned to cook and sew from my mom and all the other amazing quilters and cooks in my family. I get a thrill when a student learns something. Seeing that aha moment is better than any paycheck. I enjoy a good game of bunco, yahtzee, scrabble, or rummy when I can convince somebody to play with me. I adore geology, roller coasters, swimming, white water rafting, yard sales, travel, fabric, live theater, art, gardens, and the ocean. Life is an adventure and each day is a gift. I've been married to my best friend's college roommate for 20 years. He asked me to a fraternity formal and we've been going on adventures together ever since I started feeding him. We have a teenage son who adores fishing, science, and rugby along with all the usual teenage things. Our family also includes two completely spoiled dogs, Mabel the Dachshund and Shelly the Viszla. Family vacations almost always include a national park, a museum, an art gallery, and a microbrewery. We live in a rural mountain community in the middle of busy southern California. We like the serenity of the area and the proximity to all things city within a short drive. I believe that I can have it all in life, just not all at the same time. I've worn many hats, and look forward to wearing many more. I held down a variety of jobs as a teenager and in my college years. I worked for 12 years as a social worker in various capacities in our county after college. I've been a substitute teacher in our school district for the past 9 years with a 2 year break in the middle when I home schooled our son. I've been teaching at the local stamp and scrapbook shops for a few years now. I'm on staff with Scrapbook News and Review magazine.