October 2015: Dee Beattie

Nervous is what I felt, when asked to be featured as a spotlight artist for OSA.  Although I was actively involved with OSA from 2002 to 2008, when we moved into a smaller home my intention of having a great craft room never materialized.

My OSA stamps are carefully packed away in my art cart, for a day when I can stamp again.  When I do have time to stamp it is , short , fast and quick to make a few cards and I just go for a simple easy streamlined card.

What fills my days now is my work with underprivileged children.  I work in a large high school as an inner city youth worker.  I support students that have social/economic barriers and help them access the resources that they need to succeed in school.   One of the families from my school had desperate times and I took in 1 of the 6 children to live with me.  I now have 5 of the children living in my home as a foster mom.  They have now lived with me for 2 years and it looks like they may be with me a little longer.  So currently I have a 6 year old boy, twin 8 year old girls, 11 year old girl, and 13 year old boy.  The oldest boy will soon go live with his father.

My husband had a terrible accident two years ago and is now no longer able to work,  so I have also a second job tutoring children with Dyslexia.  I have opened up a private practice and work many hours as so many children need help.

This year I was blessed with the birth of my first grandchild.  A baby girl.  I am so pleased to be a grandma.  My son and his wife live very close to me, so I get many hugs a week and that is my favorite thing in the world.  Brooke is now 3 months old.

One craft I have worked hard to incorporate in to my life is sewing, and I have picked up a stash of beautiful oriental fabrics and have been making quilted tote bags as gifts for friends and myself.  I have always loved to sew, and my goal is to incorporate my love of Asian art and making Asian quilts.  I recently learned an exciting technique to incorporate my stamping into quilting and I hope to start a project in the next few months.  I will post it on my blog, so please drop by my blog at http://deecraft.blogspot.ca

Lately I have been thinking about all the wonderful people I have met via OSA.  I have been to Holland a few times and had visits with Annemiek, Happy Beppie, Carla, and Geke.  Many of you have sent me cards and become wonderful pen-pals.  I cherish you all.   We have been so lucky to get connected and be together on the screen, sharing techniques and ideas.  One of my favorite stamps was inspired by Sonia Evans.  She sent me a card one day with this stamp.  I quickly fell in love with this stamp and bought it and have made it many times.  I have worked with all of my foster children to use this stamp as well to make many cards.  I had them make one for their  grandmother.  Colouring with pencil crayons and gamisol is a wonderful way to buffer the edge of stress.  It is a great way to spend time with kids.