My first cards were hand-drawn and hand-colored (with Crayola markers), sold mostly to my aunties when I was about 8 years old. I liked to draw tiny things- little houses, little animals, little people, and cards were the perfect vehicle. Drawing was something I loved from a very young age, and my parents were always very supportive. My mother let me use her college Prismacolor pencil set when I was a kindergartner! Being sensible midwesterners (a teacher and a nurse), they may have hoped that I would go for something a little more lucrative in life than a bachelor of fine arts degree, but they never let on.

In college, I focused mainly on painting, my instructors pushing me to oil paints and oversized canvases. I had some great instructors at the University of Minnesota in Duluth, and I still love the smell of turpentine and a painting studio, but looking back at some of those college paintings makes me wonder what I was thinking! It didn't take long post-graduation for me to return to the smaller sizes I had always gravitated to, and the subject matter I had always loved.

Art was always part of my life, something I did in my free time, as (like many art majors) I worked full-time in food service throughout my twenties. I knew I didn't want to be a lifer in the deli where I was working. I felt like I was neglecting my creative self. When the deli changed a policy that required me to work more hours, I made the scary decision to quit (after 9 years of service!) and pursue art full-time.

There were many revisions to those first card designs, but before long I started to get the hang of it. That was about 12 years ago. My artwork for the cards is always changing, always evolving. I add several new designs each year. Every card is made completely by hand. I even cut and score the paper myself. I'm looking forward to growing my business, and am always open to new ideas.