What does everyone Do/Did for a Living/Career?

[victoriasews]

My college degrees in Spanish and Recreation totally prepared me for working in a greenhouse growing and selling roses and perennials and helping customers try to landscape their homes. lol

After 10 years of marriage I had 2 babies in 14 months. How I loved being a mom! Luckily my engineer husband could take care of us and let me homeschool the girls through graduation. When they went to college I got into fabric and worked at a quilt shop where I learned by guessing how to longarm quilt. After 3 years, hubby bought me my own machine and now I work close to full time quilting.

[bobbipatillo]

Great to know you all a little better.

I have been, for 17 years, an EMT at an automotive test facility where I am the "safety nazi" for all the employees there.

DH is a retired police investigator. 3 years ago

I have been married for 27 yrs, have 2 grown children and 2 wonderful grandsons in North Carolina.

I have been quilting for 2+ yrs, love piecing and petting my fabric collection. I bought my LA 2 yr ago and quilt for myself, a few friend quilts and fund raiser quilts with my DSIL.

[newellyn]

Wow, I love this topic, such interesting stories,

I began a career as a School Bus Driver in 1977 in a suberb of Seattle, moved up to driver trainer and then Dispatcher. Ultimately became a school administrator as Director of Transportation near Portland, OR. My DH, of 44 years, retired 5 years before I did and we began thinking about our future. We have always had a weekend home in Seaside, OR and decided we wanted to be there full time. We knew we had to build a bigger garage for a couple of hot rods we have so I jumped on the opportunity and we built a two story building with my studio on top. I thought I would quilt professionally but as retirement got closer and I listened to one more angry person call me names over the phone I realized I really wasn't interested in offering customer service to anyone ever again. I happily quilt for myself only.

We have 3 children, 2 in Portland and 1 here in Seaside and 8 grandchildren ages 3 - 21. Life is GOOD!!

[Kay Anderson]

Hi Everyone,

I started my working life as a hair dresser in 1970. Was married and had 2 great kids. Divorced in 1985, remaired in 1986 to my wonderful husband of the past 23 years! We have 5 wonderful grandchildren, 4 boys and 1 girl. I was an engineering tech. for 27 years. Civil Engineering mostly, but also in Earth Station Radio Antennas, did some work for Nasa there. I've been sewing since I was 6, it is my passion. Love designing, use a lot of different computer programs, AutoCad, AutoSketch, Pre-Design to name a few. I'm a country girl by raising, but have lived a city life for the past 23 years. Love, Love, horses, and everything about nature and travel. I came to LA quilting in 2006 after becoming disabled after a double hip joint replacement. I love quilting!! And I love all of you too!

[Rae50]

This is a great thread1 It's interesting and fun reading about everyone.

My first real job (other than babysitting) was working at the candy counter at our local theater. I also worked as a part-time elementary teacher's aide during high school study halls. During college I worked at a local grocery store summers and holidays. I earned a degree in elementary education and married DH one week after graduating. We had met and dated some in high school, reconnected while I was in college and have been married for 37 years. Since DH had a job in Northwestern PA, I had to leave NY state and couldn't get a teaching job. I worked part time for Penneys, then went to work full time for Grants. I was there for almost a year when I got a job at the local telephone company holding several different positions over 5 years and had a daughter during that time. DH got transferred, we moved to near Pittsburgh, PA. I was able to stay home with our daughter and did some daycare babysitting to bring in a little extra money. I also did a lot of sewing, knitting, and crocheting. During this time, we had a son. DH got transferred again and we moved to the Philadelphia area. I finally got to use my degree and taught nursery school for 5 years. Another transfer moved us to our present location and I again became a stay at home wife/mother. I continued to pursue creative outlets with sewing and crafts. In 1994 I started to quilt and did a few tied quilts. I then progressed to hand quilting and learned to quilt on DSM. I finally purchased a longarm in April of this year. My kids are 33 and 29. I have a great DIL and SIL and 3 adorable granddaughters with another baby due in March. My life now consists of spending time with retired DH, quilting, getting together with friends and family, babysitting for local granddaughters, and traveling to Western Illinois to spend time with DD, SIL, and oldest granddaughter.

[ThreadWaggle]

Wow, we are a diverse bunch!

I have a History degree. I met Matt in college and put him through his Masters managing restaurants in Atlanta. When he graduated and we moved to AZ the one thing I knew I did not want to do was work in a restaurant. I lucked into an inbound call center job as a tech support rep for Intuit. I LOVED that job! We were only in AZ for 3 years, I found another tech support job when we moved to Raleigh and I was with the new company for 5 years. I loved the customers but the company was iffy at best.

Right after I left my job, Matt decided to go back and get his Ph.D. Since I was not working I was able to go to my parents house for the semester he was on campus and quilt for 3 months with my Mom. It was fantastic! His company laid him off while he was on campus, but he was in the best place he could have been to find a better job.

He had planned to buy me the longarm when he graduated, but due to the new job requiring us to live in No. VA for a year we waited until we moved back to NC to purchase the machine.

So, now I am a full time quilter and I love it. Matt does tease me about my awful morning commute. Downstairs to the the expresso machine and then back upstairs to my studio. After all, the traffic on the stairs can be challenging with 2 large dogs trying to convince me to allow them in the studio.

[matildanme]

I'm 47 yo, very happily married for 22 years, proud mum of 2, girl child is 20 and my boy is 15. Also we have a beatuiful dog. Thus far I've worked in a pharmacy, in fashion (retail) which is funny as I'm not at all fashionable, an invoice clerk, a receptionest, I've nannied, been a physio assistant and a demonstrator of craft gadgets at craft shows. Most of the above I've worked part time while staying home with my children. I am indeed blessed. My quilting is my hobby and it pays for itself I love my life

[Calicoquilter]

Boy, aren't we a diverse group! I have a degree in Criminal Justice and am currently working as a Police Records Clerk and I type the police reports that the officers dictate. I work third shift (11PM to 7AM) and I love it. You usually see me lurking around in the wee hours of the morning on this site. I started out in Dearborn, Michigan, then moved to West Jordan, UT and now live in Germantown, WI. For about 12 years in the middle, I worked at the Reference Desk at a local library. (the hours were better when my kids were young) I have been married for 29 years next month and have two grown daughters. Right now, my Liberty is mostly for personal use. I was hoping to make it into a business when I retire but there are so many longarmers around here that I don't know if that will ever happen.

[Kerstin]

This is a very exciting thread ... it's nice to know more of you all

After school I did a training as a bank employee - just to satisfy my parents. At that time I was to shy or cowardly to do something interesting for myself and against my parents expectations. After two years training and one and a half year working I quit and went to university. I'm an art historian and worked after the studies at an art museum. But jobs are very rare in museums. So ten years ago when I had no job I did a one-year training as a webdesigner and worked for seven years in this job at the local universitiy, I was responsible for the central websites of the uni. (btw I hope this forum won't never be misused!!! I know there is a lot of abuse at the internet!) I quit this job two years ago because the work was more and more bureaucratic and the influence of intrigueing profs was very irritating.

I now live with my 83year old grandaunt (which I'm almost closer than to my mum, she's a lovely little lady). She's not in need of permament care yet but I am very glad to have my studio in the house to be there if she needs help.

Since last year I am self-employeed with an textile studio doing felting, sewing and since this summer also QUILTING :D And because even at the beginning there is not much money to earn I'm sometimes jobbing at an organic wholefood shop.

Live is short and I think now it's time to do what I really want. Most likely we just have one live to make the best of it

[RitaR]

Nothing very exciting in our earlier life. Married my ex boyfriends buddy, the ex was our best man. The minister was 45 minutes late for the wedding because a buddy from Alaska was on base and he lost track of time!

As for me, there just was no money in a foster home for college, no transportation to any jobs except field work. That paid for my glasses, book rentals, the student card, dang never could remember that card, something like a GPS. General Activities Card!!!

After I graduated, I worked the summer in the fields while himself spent almost 3 months in Miami Beach in Flight School.. I stayed in WA . When he returned in Aug. we were married, and lived in Tacoma.

Hubby in AF.. I either had a hubby or I didn't, weeks or days gone, weeks or days home. I didnt do much.. read, puzzles, talk with new mothers next door and other GI couples we knew. Had our first two, a boy, then Girl while living in Tacoma. After the oldest was born, I took a job at a Vetinary Hospital. Small Animals. helped clean, with Billing, reception, surgery, shots etc. Loved all but Wrong Way Corigan, his REAL Name. Had to wear lead gloves to clean his cage and water and feed him. He attacked them every time. The other was Buck, and he attacked everyone even his owner.

When we went to Tx. I got started in ceramics and had what we called a kitchen shop. Just small stuff, no fancy tools, or molds, etc.. and I did have a small kiln to fire things in. That was our vacation money.

Moved to Tex. in 1961 Had another boy then a girl. The boy, Terry was deaf. and as usual with a disadvantage, they have a second one, and his was a muscle disorder.. it caused his muscles to never relax. Oh I Guess beginning in junior high school, he looked more and more like Charles Atlas was built. In Tex. I had to make two trips per day, 33 miles each way and round trip 66 miles per day for 5 years to get him to and from School. Wore out a lot of tires, too. Close to 8,000 miles only when he was in the car so double that, for the miles we drove. There was only a private school available.. Sunshine Cottage, near the Tea Garden and Zoo.

When we went to Tx. I got started in ceramics and had what we called a kitchen shop. Just small stuff, no fancy tools, or molds, etc.. and I did have a small kiln to fire things in. That was our vacation money.

We all did fine.. finally after 8 1/2 years we got to move out of Tex. to Calif. He went to Thailand during VN war and flew mostly reconasince, a lot of the refugees to the US, and a couple medivac loads too. He finally retired in 1978. began driving school bus, switched to gas truck.

The move cost a lot more to live, like rent was 3 times what we'd been paying, meat and dairy products were about double, fresh vegies about the same. fishing license way over the top.. gas was higher, lol rent went from $77 a month to $220. a month. Auto license was way over tex. insurance, etc.

While there, they had public school for Terry and bus service to and from home. That was a relief.

I worked for a time in a Big Ceramic factory, until the owners daughter wanted a job.. I lost mine. Then went to WT Grants Department store, was in charge of Pets, Toys, Lamps, throw rugs, hardware, and something else, can't remember. must have hated it, oh, and I also got to cut keys. Had my turns at the register, that was fun. Then like now, WT Grants began closing the small stores, or larger if they weren't as productive as the home office thought they should be. Our store closed, and a few weeks later Hubby came home from Thailand, and we were kept on the west coast, so moved about 90-100 miles, from San Jose, up to Napa.

I opened a Ceramic shop and was doing quite well, until I bought a ton of slip (liquid clay we poured into molds) and couldnt pull out from under it. I replaced cost of all the slip, the firings, the paints, on the condition they stick with me, as I'd found out what the problem was, and not one came back, so I closed.

.. I eventually took a part time job in Massens Fabric shop. Was fun, worked with a few ladies that were a lot of fun, and we worked well together. He, the owner went belly up selling teddy bears dressed in western, or night gown and jammies, wedding gown and tux etc... it took off, then fell flat.

I was lucky to not HAVE to work, but would have liked to work for the disadvantaged. Having a little sis with Downes, which I raised for several years after Mother died, and a handicapped son, I think it would have been fun, but couldn't get accepted as a volunteer anywhere because of his statis of Active Duty. Just gave up before he retired.

In 1995 Terry died, and the boss decided to close the distributorship Himself had been working for, for over 18 years, delivering gas..

We sold the house and bought a nice, and big motor home and became Snow Birds.

Loved that, when I could get him to stop and use the car to drive and see something. He just liked driving down the highway. Thats not touring. We were to do that for 3 or so years, and 9 years later, we bought a house and settled down here.

While snowbirding, I bought a Jerry rigged DSM which was cut and made longer, as my love of the HQ frame and My DSM lasted about 3 inches.. at the endd of a quilt thats about ALL the area that could be stitched. tollerance lasted about that many weeks, with the DSM.

Here when I determined from the forum, what machine to buy, is when I began making quilts and quilting something besides a meander.

Now I just stay home, quilt or piece and quilt quilts for customers, do the QoV free, and enjoy most of the gals in the guild. some, well, they don't like me either, so no problem there.

We have been married 51 years in Aug. and with new Dr.s we are trucking right along.

enjoy the board, laugh myself silly sometimes, cry a lot, and wish I could stand ya all in a row, the lama too, and give each a huge hug..

God Bless you all, stay well, safe and happy.

Rita and himself.

[Busy Quilting]

I spent 4 years in BEd at Sydney Uni, ( Bachelor of Education) then in 1980 started teaching children in their first seven years of school.

Met my husband inn April, Married him in October so 29 years intwo weeks time. Continued teaching full time while I had my son (1983) and daughter (1985).

Resigned from teaching in 2002. Opened and operated a Cartridge World Franchise before selling it in 2007 to move to Queensland.

Now teaching at the LQS, and quilting for others ( and loving it) since I bought my Millenium in February 2008.

Lyn

[Gator]

WOW, I'm really impressed with everyone's story. Keep them coming. Every job/story is important:cool:

[mrmquilt]

I was a heavy material handler for a book manufacturer for a couple of year out of high school. I was in great shape but it just about killed me.

I quit that job for an apprenticeship as a die maker. Got my journeywomans card, met my husband, had a baby and quit to stay at home with my son. He is now 13 and we have a daughter 7.

2 years ago I started my LA business and recently started selling hand dyed fabric, dyes, and hope to teach workshops. I guess you could say that I am trying to become a dyewoman now.

Great thread.

Michele

[shelleywa]

Wow! What an interesting bunch you all are!

I was born in the UK and started RN training in Derby, and after I qualified, I worked in ICU for a short while, then went on to do my Midwifery training. 40 deliveries and one year later, I started work as a midwife, which I loved. In between all this, I married my husband ( and still am, now for 31 years) and had two children, Then we decided to emigrate! At one stage, we had 5 applications for various places all over the world! Originally we wanted to go to Canada, but at that time, they didn't need nurses ( my husband is also a nurse). So we came to Australia 23 years ago! And we love it! Perth is a beautiful city. I got a job as an RN in ICU after I arrived here ( took a year off first to settle the kids), after that I worked as a phlebotomist ( blood tests etc) , then as an RN in an MRI unit. After that I was able to return to midwifery, which I'm still working in. I can only now work in the Antenatal Clinic because of a back injury at work; no more getting down on all fours helping mums to give birth! Although I've enjoyed what I've done, I'm transitioning to full time quilting. I think it's almost time to hang up my stethoscope! Working two days a week at the ANC brings much needed funds (especially as I've just upgraded to a new Millie!) , but my quilting business of 3 years is doing well and supporting itself generally. I love quilting, and wish I'd done this earlier! I've also been a patchworker for over 20years and have been teaching PW for 9 years. I've also got three grandchildren, ( one in heaven.) I am also active in my local church together with my husband and so we lead a full life!

This is a bit long, but thankyou for the opportunity of sharing my life with you all.

Shelley

[eswindy]

I was raised on a farm in Minnesota, worked hard milking cows,bailing hay to culivating an plowing fields. Got married to my first husband in 1966 when I was 18 years old. We got 3 wonderful children and 9 great grand kids. I worked as waitress and later in life we started our own business selling Mobile Homes. I was a sales person, I did all the bookkeeping, cleaning, decorating the homes, typing all the finanial papers and more. This husband cheated on me from the day we were married, got another women pregnant after we were married only 2 months, after many more of his affairs the last one at the his age of 53 ran off with a 18 year old. I divorced him. I still live off his income! Lawyer did a good job!

I then worked selling Mary Kay cosmetics and did computer repair. I remarried in 1997 at the age of 49 to whom I thought was my soul mate, but after 12 years of married he this year ran off with my best friend! While married to him I became a Harley Davidson biker, Not me at all. I still worked at computer repair and taught adult classes on Microsoft word and excell. In 2001, we moved from Sturgis, SD to Watertown, SD and opened our own business Mechanic shop. I did all the bookkeeping, cleaning the shop and even torn down motors and transmissions. We lived in a run down old office building next to the shop.

I started pieceing quilts for christmas gifts, My husband was pleased because his mother was a quilter as while as his sisters. We both made the decision to purchase the used APQS Liberty and include this into our business. We were in the process of remodeling our living space and making the front into a quilt shop with hwy frontage, when he ran off with my best friend. (Divorce not final yet) I lived with my daughter for 3 months, bless my son-in-law for putting up with my crying, depression and having me around that long.

So here I am trying to make a new life for my self! I rented a 2 bedroom duplex. The Liberty is in my large dining room and I am in the process of cleaning it up after being exposed to the remodeling and storage for 6 months. New leaders with zippers and new wheels. Learning how to do things by myself. I have 3 customer quilts wanted for me to get my self and the machine ready. ( Glad to have patience customers)

At the same time as my move, my son moved out of town and his daughter my granddaughter wanted to finish her senior year here in Watertown. So she is living with me, now at the age of 61 being a mother to a teenager is great, she keeps me busy because she does'nt have her driving license yet or a car. (Now if I can get her to study that drivers book, she can take the test LOL, she thinks she can pass with out studying the book)

My future only God knows that! mean while, I will do my quilting and computer repair business and hopefully get a part time job to keep my head above the bills.

This forum has been a blessing for me, keeps my mind on a future and not dwell on the past. Thank you to all of you, I feel you all are friends!

[Betsy]

This has been very interesting reading. You are all so smart and talented. I'm afraid I'll sound a bit boring but here goes...

Before marriage I had some part time jobs while in college with the most interesting being a tour guide in a gold mine. I married young (20 yrs old). My first son was born three months premature and has had health problems ever since. He was not expected to live but is now 25 years old with moderate/severe autism. I have always had to stay home to take care of him. I tried going back to school to finish my degree several times but could never quite manage with my husband being transferred so often. (15 moves) We have been blessed with two more sons ages 23 and 18. I never expected to be the mom of a handicapped child but it has been the biggest blessing of our lives. My sons are compassionate and caring and always ready to step in to offer a helping hand.

I really enjoy quilting for other people and for myself. It feeds that creative spark in me and best of all I can work from home!

[SandraC]

Betsy, you're story isn't boring at all!!!

[Betsy]

I reread it after I posted it and it sounds almost tragic!!! I probably never would have gotten a college degree anyway because I had ADD when it came to choosing a major. I have 140 credit hours in everything from English, Art, Music, Nursing and Science. So I can take your blood pressure, paint you a picture, write you a poem and recite chemical formulas. I guess it all comes in handy for a quilting career!

[Kay Anderson]

You make me laugh Betsy! LOL We all have a lot of stuff between the lines. Having a child with medical problems is a challenge for anyone. Anyone who will rise to the needs of others each day is a keeper in my book. My daughter has epilepsy and my son has MS. Both are grown and married with children of their own and I love al of them and would do anything for them.

[kimmiequilts]

I've been married to my best friend for almost 32 years and we have 4 great kids and 3 furry grandpups. Our kids are all adults, DD will be 30 tomorrow, DS #! is 27 and wed this past April to a sweetie, DS #2 is 23.5 and dating a great gal, he still lives here due to the economy, DS #3 is 21, a police officer and the proud Dad of Bandit the German Shepherd that arrived here a week ago. I too married at the tender age of 20, we bought our first house a year later.

I babysat a lot when I was younger and my first real job was in a fabric shop 'The Stitchery' in Lake Hiawatha, NJ. My parents still live there, in the town, not the shop! I was already addicted to sewing and every other craft before I started working there and it was so much fun to make sample garments for my family for free. I sewed for others including patching jeans for the guys that would come into the shop. I can pretty much patch jeans so that you can hardly notice the patch.

After the shop I did work study while in HS at a local Bank. I worked in the transit dept., ran the machine that encodes and tallies all the checks and deposit slips from the tellers. Over the holiday shopping season we would be there until midnight or later. We were paid OT and fed, imagine that today?????

After that I worked at and Insurance Co. doing assigned risk auto accounting and then legal collections. I really hated the legal collections and went back to the bank for a few months until I found a job at another Ins. co doing the same work, they'd just moved to the area and it was fun to be in the core group to start.

Not long after starting I got pregnant with our daughter and knew that I wouldn't work after she was born if we could swing it. I skipped all the computer training (what a dummy I was) and worked on clearing out there old accounts, which I really did well at.

Had my DD and became a stay at home Mom, always sewing or crocheting or crafting something. Then I became a Tupperware rep and then a manager, with the free car and everything. That didn't last as they wanted a piece of my soul practically and the car I owned was much nicer than the free one!

Had another baby in 1982, DH had gone back to school and finished his bachelors and we moved to Wichita, KS to work for Boeing. We grew up as a couple there with our 2 babies. It only took 2 years for the tornado warnings for me to want to be back east, so DH got a job with RCA in Camden, NJ and we moved back.

After awhile I became an Avon Lady and we had fun, the kids and I delivering the orders. We delivered phone books one year for Christmas money.

Had another baby in 1986 and then the last one, my bonus baby in 1988. I continued to sew clothes and made a few scrap quilts on my own, then took a Saturday class to make a Log Cabin quilt and got hooked. Learned how to do everything wrong, they didn't teach about precision! But succeeded in making a king quilt and it's on my bed now, a bit faded in spots but still there! I worked at the original AC Moore store in Moorestown, NJ doing floral arranging for a few years and then we moved to PA to be closer to my family who all live in north NJ.

I started taking classes at my LQS, loved it and stopped sewing clothes, they have to bribe me to make repairs these days!

In 2001 I started working at the LQS and did some designing and teaching. I ran a small satellite shop for a year and then went back to the main shop. I worked there until the fall of 2007. I bought my Millie in 2005 at Spring Quilt Market in Kansas City and have been busy ever since. I still teach at the quilt shop but mostly I run the house for 5-6 adults and 4 dogs and quilt. My husband built my studio a year and half ago and it's my refuge from the craziness!

That's my story!

[dnice]

This is a very interesting thread in getting to know everyone.

I am the Director of Manufacturing Development at ARE Accessories. (http://www.4are.com) We manufacture truck caps and tonneau covers from aluminum and fiberglass. Prior to this position I have worked as a Quality Engineer/Manager for the heavy truck suspension industry, Director of Quality for a coatings company, Various engineering positions in the automotive glass industry, paper industry, and plastics. I also worked in Washington DC for a non-profit organization as Statistical Project Manager. You probably have firgured out that I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Operations management and a master's degree in Industrial Statistics. (I can hear the moans about the statistics:P:P:P:P.) Yes I love working with data and numbers.

I have travelled internationally and dream of one day getting to Australia and New Zealand. I am married to a wonderful man that I met during my career in the paper industry. We dated for 5 years before I said yes. I was having to much fun travelling all over. I have a Step-daughter, Beth and she is married. Vincent is her son that sometimes calls me Grandma or Ms D. I also have a Dylan (golden retriever) and Harlette ( domestic cat that runs the house.)

Quilting is my relaxation mode from my day. My Grandmother was the first to teach me quilting at the age of 7 then I met a friend Linda when I first started working who was interested in quilting. We took several classes together and then the rest is history. Some day I will have my own Millie but until then I will rent time from Joyce.

Life is GOOD and I am happy. Thanks for letting me really introduce myself.

[bobbi]

Wow, what a great subject!

I think one of my “theme” songs would be “I’ve looked at life from both sides now...” I’ve been “adored and ignored”...LOL

In a nutshell...

20 year modeling career, TV, radio, print, ramp, spokesperson, etc. 8 years Real Estate Salesperson, Property Manager specializing in hostile takeovers and reorganizations of commercial, residential and self-storage properties... 5 years fabric/craft/gift shop owner, pattern designer-dolls, quilts, wearable art, primitive furniture. For 18 years, I also sold advertising for radio, newsprint, magazines, etc... I loved helping people build their businesses!

Now, I quilt! I love who I am now, not having the pressure to look a certain way, but to be accepted by my quilting peers for my 2nd greatest love... Quilting, designing, enjoying my friends and family! My children will always be my greatest accomplishment and my first love... They are great men, 45, and 42. Still keep contact with my steps - 32, 31, and 26... Love my grandchildren and enjoy them so much!

I always thought I'd be married for 50+ years, I'm jealous of those of you with long marriages... However, I'm not inclined to want to to that again.... These days my mind is filled with quilting designs, not dinner plans! LOL

It's a joy to get to know each of you and hear your stories... We each have a unique footprint we will leave on this earth!

Love to you all!

[mitzi]

Okay - here goes (I don't share much about myself). I have been blessed with a good life - no major tragedies as of yet, but nothing spectacular either - pretty constant, even road. I was born and raised in a small town in Northern Minnesota and have been living in the Minneapolis area since 1977. I have been a legal secretary/legal administrative assistant since 1977, and have worked with one lawyer in products defense litigation for 20 years. I have also worked with additional lawyers throughout the years. I have been married for almost 25 years (10-20-09 marks our 25th anniversary), and we have two boys in college. I purchased my LA and the IntelliQuilter a year ago and went into business right away as I needed to earn extra money to help pay college loans. I have been blessed with a great start to the business, and I pray that it continues. My goal is that in 8 years I can retire from the legal work force, but still make money to enjoy the retirement years a bit more.

[Suzie W.]

Originally posted by sagebrushquilter

Just out of curiousity...what does everyone do for a living/career? Or did?

I will go first. I am a Materials Engineer, own a soils/concrete laboratory with my husband. We perform Contract Management/Quality Control/Quality Assurance (CM/QA/QC)work for independent contractors and numerous gold/copper/silver mines throughout the state of Nevada.

I am also a full time mom to my 7 kids, ages 2-12. Happily married to my first and only husband of nearly 14 years.

Lastly, I quilt for fun and relaxation. It is my 'me' time.

Alright, how about you?!?!

[TAQuilts]

Well it's taken me a few days to remember:D But this is my life. I've been married to the same DH for 37 yrs. We have a DD who's 35, with no children. I've worked at the same grocery chain for 38 yrs. My current position is GM manager, I've done everything from Clerk to Store Manager but found being a mgr and working 60 hrs + was to much. I like my hrs now.

My grandmother taught me to sew, I sewed clothes, curtains and crafts all my life, but I never made a quilt until about 5 yrs ago. In HS I was a roller skating car hop loved that job. I did my stint in ceramics and as a Dec. painter, even had my own pattern line and was published in magazines. But returned back to sewing and fell in love with quilting. Of course I Just had to buy myself a long arm:). I LA quilted at a shop nearby for customers until it recently closed. When I retire in a few years I plan to start my quilting business. I loved seeing and doing customer quilts. For now I'm happy PPP on my own stuff. My goal is to design and sell patterns and quilts plus get good enough at LA'ing to enter shows.

Life has been mostly good. We've lived in the same house for 31 years. Have a shack at the Beach which will have a shop for me;) My lucky DH is now retired, he's a rock hound now and has 5 tumblers going full speed. He plans to sell his pretty polished beach rocks alongside my quilts.

This jount down memory lane has been fun, Thanks.

Terry