I've been working with the very talented and skilled Fatima Donaldson (falacreative.com) for nearly a year talking about updating my website to reflect my new work, particularly my jewelry designs.  I started working with art since childhood observing my maternal grandmother operate her flower shop and create her fabulous arrangements.  She cared for me while my mother & father were young teachers in the late 1950's and were at work.  My single uncle who now lives with me and my family, lived & cared for my grandparents in their family home until they died.  He too, was a teacher and I'd love to help him decorate his classroom bulletin boards as a child. He then became his school district's Diagnostician and after retirement, a child psychologist in private practice.  He helped his mom on weekends with her flower shop and to this date at nearly 80 years old, hasn't lost his creative touch.  My dad's mom was a great cook and gardener ~ a "home" artist.  Between them all, I was bound to end up creating, and I'm so thankful for those wonderful genes!  As far as I can remember, I learned to love and respect angels ~ my uncle and mother collected them while teaching me how to pray and give thanks for all of my blessings.  During the polio epidemic, I wasn't able to escape and ended up contracting polio at 2yrs old immediately after my second dose of the live polio vaccine. The vaccine had only been around for a few years and they hadn't perfected it yet causing a lot of us toddlers to get polio.  I was fortunate to have contracted only a slight case since my parents sought out medical help for me early on and just in time before the illness got the best of me.  I definitely had angels guarding me!  Then in college having been in the horrible car wreck caused by a drunk driver that resulted in the death of my young 21 year old husband who was a senior in college with a whole life ahead of him.  I was just 18 ~ and in my second year of college, after graduating from high at 16.    It's not coincidence that I paint angels.  I absolutely love to create my whimsy designs and hope you enjoy them too.  My good friend Linda who as an adoption counselor many years ago that asked me to design a place card for each of their foster parents attending their annual banquet. That was 20 years ago. From that little placecard project, my whole life pretty much changed ~ not realizing then.  Linda, I think was one of my earth angels that believed in me and took the time to support and inspire me.  I thank my lucky stars for my friend Linda.  Besides loving angels, I loooooove jewelry too!  I learned that from my mom.  Her motto was always the bigger, the better!  I like that motto too.  My good friend Loretta who creates beautiful rosaries, taught me the basics of beading a few years ago and it opened up a whole new world for me.  She still my favorite teacher (and friend).  I'm not only including more of my angel designs in my jewelry, but I've been collaborating with my art friend and talented metalsmither Susan Urband with pieces.  She creates fabulous fine silver pendants and charms that I incorporate into my necklaces and bracelets.  Recently, we've been working on enamel painting, and co-creating some cool earrings and pendants.  Last month we rented a booth together at the huge Warrenton-Round Top Antique & Art Festival introducing our jewelry designs. I'm very proud to say that we were a hit!  We were invited to share space with 8 other fabulous artists at the popular Campbell Building (in Warrenton) for Warrenton-Round Top's spring Festival. We're so excited!  So please be sure to mark you calendars for the last weekend in March through the first weekend in April ~ and come out to visit Susan and I.  Okay friends, I truly hope you like my art prints and art jewelry featured on my website ~ and hope too, that you'll like my work enough to share it with your world.  As often as possible, I'll be adding my new inspirations so please visit frequently!  Until later.......