So, my first article. 

I grew up in Sweet Home, Oregon which is a small town at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.  Head east and you're on the way to majestic mountain scenery, beautiful lakes, and the high desert.  Head west and you're at the central Oregon coast, one of my all time favorite places.  I attended Willamette University in Salem, and then moved away to begin my career in a high-tech company.

I now live in Austin, Texas and have a family consisting of my husband Mike and two college-age children -- Sean and Shelley.  Mike is a programmer, and yep, met him at work.  Sean's heading in that direction too.  Shelley is heading into the sciences as well, with an eye on medical school.  We have a variety of fish, and two cats -- Spot and Hazel who like to "help" when I am working with the stringy parts.

I am now nearing the end of my long and challenging career in the computer industry.  For the last ten years or so I have been very involved in quality systems and project management, both of which involve a great deal of interacting with other people and depending on teams to get major work accomplished.  I have learned to appreciate and value diversity -- in team members, in job assignments, and in new business challenges.  

I see the same value of diversity when looking at possibilities for creating a piece of art.  You need elements that are leaders -- like a glorious art bead or a striking silver pendant.  But if an entire team or piece of art is made of leaders you have a screaming mess.  So I also look for the quiet support crew, the high-energy "sparklers" and a structure that blends and accents the best of everyone.

Individualized Adornment is primarily jewelry now.  But there are lots of other things to adorn in addition to necks, wrists and ear lobes.  Think about handbags, belts and other accessories, your pets, your desk at work, your home. . . . 

I have been involved with some aspect of creative arts nearly all my life.  I have spent serious time developing skills in fashion design and sewing, quilting, knitting, needlepoint, and am now totally enjoying metal smithing and jewelry design.  You'll see various elements of this checkered past put together in my work.

A girl's just gotta have fun!

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