I find jewelry-making to be a rewarding experience.  It gives me some personal time, and allows me to make something beautiful.  My favorite is stringing beads into bracelets, necklaces, etc.  I don't do too much work with wire or seed beads yet, with a toddler running around, I have to be able to start and stop in an instant, and those disciplines don't always allow for that.  I'd like to focus on animal-themed jewelry, because almost everyone has a favorite animal!  I've started with rats, and have done some turtles and butterflies as well.

 

I have quite a few animals who reside in my home.  I have 3 cats, a box turtle, 5 cockatiels, 1 green-cheek conure, a 55-gal fish tank, 3 dogs- a 14 year old mutt, a 12 year old Chihuahua, and a 9 month old Siberian Husky.  Oh yes, and the rats.  I'm not even going to tell you how many I have.  Too many.

 

My other hobby is breeding and showing fancy rats.  I know it sounds a little odd, but rats are wonderful, smart, clean pets.  I am interested in genetics, and love the puzzle that is the rat-breeding fancy.

 

In my free time (yeah, right!) I enjoy crocheting, cross stitching, photography and sewing.