Her effervescent, excited-to-greet-each-new-morning attitude is the quintessential ingredient to her success in her field.

"I'm a pretty happy, laid back person, taking life as it comes and assuming the punches are just gonna roll me up on the beach! A good attitude is my most valued asset in life," she said.

"My favourite everything comes and goes and can change at the drop of a hat. Right now I'm loving the idea of summer - but only because we're just getting into it!

"I'm not sure I consider myself either a collector or an artisan. I enjoy the building process and the hunt for the perfect pieces for those projects, but I don't have a collection of things to pick from. I do consider myself a bit of an artist, but we'll see how the new line turns out before I can call myself an actual Artisan - it's definitely something to aspire to!"

Among the titles she does give herself is foodie.

"A perfect day for me includes re-runs of 'Top Chef' and creating food! I love to cook, especially bake, and am working right now on mastering French cooking techniques. In my fantasy life the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) opens a school right here in Albuquerque that I could attend. I also like cake decorating, but have no formal training, so my cakes are kind of 'interesting.'"

Brooks is a member of the International Guild of Miniature Artists (IGMA) and National Association of Minaiture Enthusiasts (NAME) in addition to CDHM. Her CDHM Gallery is always fully stocked and her pieces are available at her own website at www,casbahminis.com plus occasionally on Ebay and Etsy from $85 USD up.

"I love the way CDHM displays our work and will always have a full house," she said.