sommerstern7

I am an elementary teacher from Ohio and began teaching in 1994 in an urban, inner city school. As a result, I have taught every grade at both the primary as well as intermediate level, yet have been able to avoid middle school all these years as I have always believed that it takes someone very special to teach this age group and still be alive to tell about it when the year is over (lol)!

I studied Mass Communications at Taylor University and graduated with a degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting from Ashland University. I did my post graduate studies in Education and received a Master's Degree in Education for grades K-8 from the Ohio State University (go Bucks!).

My first language was German and I spoke it before I learned English due to the amount of time I spent with my German Grandparents who also spoke Serbian. I also know some French, but it is very limited. I have always been intrigued by the Italian language and was fortunate enough to vacation in Italy for my honeymoon where we took a cruise ship (the Costa Mediterranea Cruise line) through Venice, Bari, Corfu Greece, La Valletta Malta, Naples (where we were honored to tour the Lost City of Pompeii), and finally Genoa. Someday I would like to find a way to depict, in miniature, all of the ancient beauty and richness of time & history seen in the ancient architecture and castle ruins throughout our visit-- as it was absolutely unforgettable.

My husband and I have been married for almost 8 years (August 2004). Between us, we have 4 boys--two of them are my stepsons, one is his stepson, and one we have together--literally we are a HIS, MINE, and OURS Family-lol! We also have a beautiful Doberman named Draco (and yep-he's a boy too).

My husband is the Principal Technologist for a large multi-media company and is absolutely awesome at what he does. He also has a hobby that he enjoys as a very accomplished musician of three bands--a rock band/Cheater Black, an alternative band/Yellow #5, and a jazz band called Voodoo Garden. I love hearing him perform as well as going to his shows. He plays Bass guitar (sometimes Lead guitar depending on the song) and also performs a lot of Vocals. Although he isn't the lead singer in any of these bands, I think that he should be as he can sing Tool's "Sober" better than Maynard himself (and I'm not exaggerating). I must say that after almost 8 years, my husband can still make me blush and still gives me butterflies with just a glance. Also he is easily the funniest person I know and I am constantly laughing or smiling at his humor.

Our family enjoys spending time together, going to see movies, sporting events, going swimming, family vacations, Chuckie Cheese (we never seem to be too old for that place--even at 19), playing video games (I personally hate video games-they bore me but I can dollhouse during that time right?), and of course, listening to any of "Dad's" bands perform (which isn't that difficult since Band Practice is at our house in his studio every Thursday night for at least one of them. In turn for my unabashed pride and support, my husband is very supportive of my hobby, has been see and proudly introduced at many miniature shows, house parties, and events, and often offers the financial support needed for many of the results of my miniature scavenger hunt finds that I sequester at these shows-lol! His most recent purchase for me was a gorgeous Siamese cat that was meticulously handcrafted by the very talented Bridget McCarty at her exhibit at the recent NAME National Convention in Cleveland. This is currently my favorite piece of miniature inventory.

I have been a member of NAME (the National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts) since 2007 and began collecting and playing with miniatures at the age of 4 when my Oma (German for Grandma) gave me two large tins filled with tiny Linde Kaffe plastic people and furnishings (1:48 scale) which once belonged to my mother. The miniatures each apparently came as surprises found inside various German Coffee cans available back then. Oma and I would later build my first dollhouse together out of an old wooden crate, wallpaper and carpet remnants, and a shiny foil Christmas card picture of a fireplace glued to the wall which "warmed" the tiny living room . We used wooden spools topped with square or rectangular tile for tables, a small cosmetic mirror hung on the wall for personal grooming, and 2 small cardboard Q-tip containers covered in fabric made very nice beds. We sewed little pillows by hand- stuffing them each lovingly with a cotton ball. I remember how Oma and I would work on creating little things for my crate-house every weekend that I would go stay with her and my Otta (Grandpa), and I have been absolutely in love with the world of miniatures ever since!!! It was about 2 years after my beloved crate-house that I received a Barbie sized house from my parents--a HUGE 1:6 scale white colonial house. This house would later get upgraded to the beautiful Harrison Mansion which I officially declared proudly as my first real dollhouse...

My beloved Grandparents have been gone now for over a decade (Oma died of emphysema in 1995), and my Dad passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of stage 4 lung cancer in April... but every time I pick up my miniature work and make something new, build a little house, or make a piece of furniture-- every time I look at my beautiful Harrison Dollhouse that I know my Dad struggled financially to buy for me to surprise me one Christmas morning... every time I even think about miniatures and dollhouses, it is like I am sitting with my Oma in her sewing room, crafting treasures for my little crate-house. It is like seeing the happiness and pride in my Dad's eyes when he gave me the house that he and Mom lovingly picked out for me that Christmas morning, so long ago when I was not even twelve. Doll houses and miniatures are so much more to me than just a hobby... It is family on Christmas morning. It is the warmth of my Oma's hands and heart as she took the time to craft and sew with her little grandaughter. It is the love in my Dad's eyes as he presented his daughter with a gift that he sacrificed for financially during a time that that sacrifice was not even thinkable. My beautiful dollhouse is my own personal "Gift of the Magi" which means more and more to me with each passing year because I understand more and more what it meant for those involved in presenting this precious gift to me as well as the gift of time spent in giving me a love and appreciation for it.