Hi everyone! I'm Ann known as Dockside on Splitcoast. I don't remember how I stumbled onto SCS but once I did I was hooked and hooked good! I lurked for a short while and then signed up 8 years ago. After about 10 months I did my first upload and was so worried it hadn't gone I sent it twice! My on-line name reflects my love of the cottage and lounging around on the dock drinking wine. I am so surprised and pleased to be invited to the dirt pile! I know the level of talent represented here and am sure I will be stretched, challenged, and enlightened - probably all at once! Going to have some fun too.

My family moved the summer before I entered High School so we registered late. Even though I wanted to signup for art all that was left was typing. Little did I imagine that touch typing would be such a wonderful skill to have in the age of computers ...and how helpful it would be for commenting on SCS! I took art throughout the rest of High School but at graduation decided it would probably be easier to support myself through science than art. So science it was in University.

I retired after 32 years with the Ministry of the Environment (Provincial Government) about 5 years ago. I started out on the bench analyzing environmental samples and spent the next 10 years in the laboratory quality assurance and audit fields. I finished off in compliance being responsible for enforcing environmental regulations specifically The Safe Drinking Water Act and the regulations under it. My husband of 40 years retired 2 years before me and spent his time making a beautiful crafting space in the basement. It is large enough to host my scrapbooking and card making buddies. Think I will keep him around for another 40 years!

Like many of you I came to card making via scrapbooking. My neighbour hosted a Creative Memories party and that, combined with the realization that my many digital photographs weren't getting printed, started me into scrapbooking. With a small (ha, ha) addition of a few stamps and inks I was launched into the world of card making.

I still enjoy gardening, photography, spending time at the cottage, cooking, and reading. I share my home with my husband (and his hobbies), a chocolate standard poodle, 2 adult children, and a selection of orchids. The orchids are a remnant of a previous hobby and much reduced from the 80 plants I once had. Looking forward to the next 6 months!