Painted rocks. It all began when I was about 8. Mom was clued in early to my enthusiasm to create by the abundant tempura paint art made in kindergarden and the crayon/marker masterpieces on my bedroom wall. She encouraged me to explore my creativity, and wasn't surprised in the least when one afternoon I declared that I was going to paint some rocks from the back yard and walk door to door on our block in attempts to sell them.

Part of the enjoyment was making them. But another part was the amazement that people actually bought them. Now I know that being 8, and little, and cute, and the fact that I was selling them for a quarter each all had parts in the successful sale of said rocks. But it planted the seed in my brain that eqauted: jasmine + make stuff + sell stuff = money for Pac-Man cards and swedish fish! Ever since then I knew that I wanted to make art and things that people enjoyed.

To further this idea, I learned how to sew using the PFAFF Hobby machine Mom got me for a highschool graduation present. Then went off to colIege and got my Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in 1995 from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. While there I took woodworking, metalsmithing, and jewelry construction. While the course load was heavy, I always found time to make things for myself. Quilts, clothes, accessories. People often asked where I got them and it felt nice when they were surprised that I made them.

I take alot of pride and care in the things I make. I also get a tremendous sense of happiness and accomplishment. I love figuring out how to make things I like in stores by myself. I take time to make sure the quality is high and the construction is solid. And I still get that fluttery feeling I got by selling rocks.