I grew up with a mother who was extremely artistic and creative. Although I only have a 1/8th of my mother's abilities from an artistic standpoint and our taste was quite different, I was able to learn from some of her skills. I love decor and colors. I find pure joy in decorating and pulling pieces together to create a completed theme. Full-time I am a counselor. I love my job and what I do on a
daily basis. Outside of work, I am an avid gardener, starting my plants from seed indoors under grow lights during the winter, and planting them in my 50ft x 6ft veggie garden along with flowers in my garden bed in the front of my home. I enjoy cooking and challenging myself to create new dishes. But one of my biggest passions has always been floral arrangements. I love artificial flowers and how realistic and breathtaking some pieces are that can last for many years opposed to real flowers. My mother always had artificial floral arrangements throughout the house. The colors she chose were vibrant and coordinated perfectly. Her favorite stores were craft stores and we were frequent customers, always purchasing something to create. When my mother passed away, it was a struggle for me. My trips to craft stores were not the same. Her paintings now hang throughout my house and bring warmth to me whenever I look at them. One day, I decided to create two floral swags for the outside of my home. That trip to the craft store was painful because I did not have my mother to consult with, to shop around for two hours with, to create something with. But, once I got home and began to create my swags, I felt at peace. It was as if she was there with me. Creating these pieces is something I do for fun as a hobby. But it is also something that keeps the traditions I had with my mother and her natural creativity alive. I hope that you love my pieces as much as I love making them and have a little piece of my family tradition in your home one day.