Contestant Data
Name: Cheryl Springer
Hometown: Castle Rock, CO

I am 36 years-old and moved to just south of Denver 11 years ago from Kenosha, WI to marry the man of my dreams. We met 13 years ago, dated for 3 months, were apart for about 2 years then I moved 1,000 miles to marry him. I know it's sappy but true. Here we are still happily wed after more than a decade. So far so good, knock on wood.

I have always loved stained glass but didn't know how to get started. Last Christmas my husband decided that I needed a hobby. He suggested I try stained glass. At first I was reluctant to try it because I thought "I have NO creativity at all, how can I do that?" Since we've been together I've learned to accept that he IS right, at least sometimes. So I read lots of books and many boards and asked tons of questions. Unfortunately, there are no classes within 50 miles of me so I am self-taught. I do tend to be a "read all about it then jump in with both feet" kind of gal so I went for it and have NO regrets. I wish I had done this years ago, what fun! I am a horrible perfectionist so I don't feel anything I do is good enough to sell. I may need to sell stuff some day to support this addiction but I generally don't sell my work. I make suncatchers, panels, boxes and lamps for gifts and I do donate panels to auctions for charity. I recently finished the wizard from the Dreamworld book for myself. It came out great! Last spring we finished our basement (my husband's brainchild) and included a computer lab (for him), a playroom (for our 8 year-old son), and an 18' X 16' stained glass room. I'm in heaven. I knew I married him for a reason. When I'm not doing glass my husband tries to get me to do all kinds of outdoors stuff in the name of fitness (yuck, I think he's trying to collect on insurance, hehehe) like hiking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting and rollerblading. Sometimes I would rather be glassing, reading, crocheting or playing with our 3 cats.

I needed a new challenge so thought I would enter this contest for grins and to get those creative juices flowing and maybe learn a thing or two.

Happy Glassing and good luck to all!!