As much as I wanted to, I wasn't able to be a stay-at-home-mother to my first two children.  I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do that with my youngest son though.  I also got to focus my attention a bit more on me while I was a stay-at-home-mom.  Once my youngest started school, I decided it was time for me to go back to work.  I don't get to spend nearly as much time as I want to playing around with graphics, but I am still around and update the site as often as I can.

I'm a graphics freak and anyone who knows me will testify to that.  So many times, I've come across sites like this one and am amazed at all the great work out there.  Being able to share what little talent I have with you is just the coolest thing for me! My tastes in graphics change all the time and I'm a "learn-by-doing" kind of person so this is also a way for me to learn how to try new designs, layouts, and lots of new techniques.  I need an outlet - somewhere, some way I can show and share all of my creations.  I certainly don't consider myself an “artiste” my any means, but I would like to think that some of what I create appeals to others - especially those that use Paint Shop Pro.

There are a couple of reasons for me doing this...

After a couple of years at this, I've finally realized that not all people are as honest as they make themselves out to be over the internet.  When I first started out, I have to admit that I didn't know or understand what copyright meant and I did things that I'm not proud of.  But once I learned how to respect the copyrights of others, I changed.  Unfortunately, more often than not, I've found that others are not so willing to change.

I also want to continue learning, but in order to do that, I need more tools to work with.  Since I am a stay-at-home-mom, there's one income now.  Frankly, we just don't have the extra cash to spend on things like software programs or drawing tools and paint.  The money's got to come from somewhere, so this is my plan. =)  It's a win-win situation.  I win because I get to buy some of the software programs I've been dying to have and members win because they get to use what I create and share with them!

I re-married in December of 1997 and we moved to Hawaii where I then found myself in Human Resources industry and worked for two sister companies in the same building, one of them being a computer training school and the other was a staffing agency.  How does that happen?  Well, the idea was people would attend the school and then find job placement through the agency.  While my primary responsibility was with the staffing agency, I reaped some of the benefits of the computer training side, such as some free classes here and there.  In the end, I was offered the opportunity to teach at the school to teach basic business software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint - Microsoft Office products.  I wasn't cut out for that - I'd much rather be a student than a teacher.  Besides, I wanted to be a full-time mom and left the workforce for a little while.

Once the internet was introduced to me in 1997, I wanted to study web design and managed to take a couple of classes on certain aspects of it, but then discovered that graphics interested me more.  After my youngest son was born, I decided to become a stay-at-home-mom and like most people, couldn't afford to dish out $500+ for Photoshop so I had to settle for the next best thing.  That of course, was/is Paint Shop Pro.  I have Photoshop now, but I still come back to PSP.  I'm not sure if it's because I'm so comfortable with the program, or if it's the PSP community that that keeps me coming back.

I work full-time for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, in Little Rock.  More specifically, I work for the Vocational Rehabilitation side.  So far, I've enjoyed what I do and have found it very gratifying to know that I am able to help those with disabilities find and/or maintain employment through this agency.  I've even learned quite a bit of American Sign Language too, so now I'm able to communicate with the deaf/hearing impaired...slowly, but I am getting better at it.