OcalaMom.com

Just thought I would take a minute to say hello to everyone. I am rarely there, but saw the link on Facebook and thought I would drop in. It is nice to see this kind of a group available in this area!

My name is Ana Maria but I am known by "Ria", or "Renmeleon" which is short for The Renaissance Chameleon (my business name). I work from a home-based studio and have owned my own business for over 20 years now. I am an illustrator, paper artist, and author, as well as a web designer. My greatest accomplishment though is my little girl who is soon-to-be seven years old.

I love being a mother more than anything else in my life, she is the answer to all my whys and I've waited my whole life for her. Her father and I are divorced but I am blessed in that we are the best of friends. He is a phenominal person and father, we just make better friends than partners. I've been seeing someone else for a couple of years now so we are doubly blessed as my boyfriend is really good with her. He is fluent in Latin (Classical studies) and is studying to become a teacher.

I start back to college next week, very excited to be, and I am a homeschool mom to my daughter. I was also recently picked up by a local newspaper so things are quite busy now. I do a lot of charity work and run two paper arts groups online, one specifically for charity fundraising.

I am getting more involved in the community and was recently honored to be a Creative Facilitator at the Appleton Museum of art. If you came in on a weekend during January you probably met me; I was running a hands-on art space in conjunction with one of the exhibits.

I look forward to be active here, as I am able, and I hope that this finds you all well and in good spirits.

Brightest blessings,
Ria

Hi Ria,
You sound like you have a lot of cool stuff going on!
Welcome!
What are you going to college for?

Yup yup. Never dull. Thank you!

My BFA in Visual Communications, Digital Design. Pretty much the degree for what I have been doing already. Doing it to expand my skills, get the updated software, and the piece of paper that qualifies me for bigger freelance work.

Hi Ria! Welcome!

Congrats on all your accomplishments! Sounds like you really love what you do!