My love of all things shiny and sparkly started the Christmas my brother and I took my mother's old costume jewlery apart and made ornaments for our Christmas tree. What fun we had!! I can close my eyes and see that pile of beads, sequins, pins and fancy trims!! My mother still has some of those ornaments.
Over the years, I have explored a number of creative outlets - cake decorating, quilting, sewing, knitting, cooking, painting t-shirts (does anyone else remember those over-sized, painted and sequined t-shirts of the '80s - or was that just a Texas thing?) Then I took a Beginning Jewelry Assembly class at our local bead store, Nomadic Notions, and was hooked. I love working with wire and metal - add some fire and I am having some serious fun!! I've also been known to try my hand at glass fusing and glass beadmaking. But metal is my passion.
By 2006, it was clear that metal, beads and jewelry design were taking over our home. What had started out in one tool box, had quickly expanded and was overflowing the three additional tool boxes, sewing room closet and dining room table. For Christmas that year, my dear husband converted the sewing room to my jewelry design studio - complete with shelves, storage drawers, work surfaces, pictures on the wall and sunshine coming through the window. My little piece of heaven on earth.
One of my favorite things about my studio is how much my dogs, Missy and Sadie, love sleeping in here with me while I work - until I start with the hammers or drill!! Check out my blog, "Missy & Sadie's Excellent Adventures", and you'll get to know Missy and Sadie. 
