Artist Profile

Follow me at www.inspirationfibers.com

Shop at www.inspirationfibers.etsy.com

I'm Amanda, and this is my life. I'm an only child that was raised in an Air Force family but has settled in Western New York trying to create a life for her own family that's different than anything she's ever experienced. I mean, come on, what does an only child know about raising four kids, or an Air Force bratt know about creating roots, or a suburbanite know about farming? I'm a bit of a fish out of water doing things her way (there's that only child mentality).

The family in Texas 2010I attended the Univeristy of Alaska Anchorage and earned my very useful degree in English Literature, and then went on to work in journalism and marketing before figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up. It all clicked when I ended up working for a yarn shop, the Embraceable Ewe, for 5 years teaching knitting, crochet and running the shop while our third child was young. I loved it, but my husband and I wanted to change the direction of our life to involve outreach to troubled kids and give our own children a broader view of the world. We feel we've been called to start a sheep farm that will be open to inner-city children, so that they can enjoy the country and learn about animals and where their food comes from. Inspiration Fibers, as a blog and on-line fiber store, is a natural fit for our lifestyle and my artistic expression. My priorities are faith, family, farm, fiber, in that order (well, maybe farm and fiber are interchangeable, but the four Fs sound really good). If something at the bottom is suffering it's because my energies are needed somewhere at the top.

Our farm has been three years in the works, and we should finally get to purchase sheep this spring (2011). This past year and a half has included two moves, renting a farm house that was very akin to camping, the birth of our fourth child, my oldest son starting High School, living with my in-laws for four and a half months and re-launching my business. It's all calming down as we head into Sept 2010, and my in-laws' house is almost finished being built. We're prepared to get down and dirty and really make it all come together in 2011.

Goofy Stuff: I'm intimidated by car washes and public pools (it's a rule thing), I'm terrified of snakes (but I've owned one as a pet), my arch enemy is laundry and sometimes I think I run my own business simply to have an excuse for a messy house.

Kids: Matthew, Brendan, Morgan and Kat

Pets: Dog (Hunter--standard poodle), cat (Hemi--fat house cat), barn cats (Oliver, CC, Garfield and Willow)

Animals: 4 Shetland Sheep, 2 llamas, various chickens and ducks