First and foremost I absolutely must give credit to the creative genius who breathed life into Gabrielle's Little Secrets. It is with immense pride and gratitude that I thank my son, Kevin, for his creative genius, infinite patience, ability to capture and express my visions, and countless hours invested in the creation of logos and web pages for all of my sites!

Over the years I have been asked many times how the name "Little Secrets" came to be my shop name, so I thought I'd share that story with you here. A very long time ago as a young psychologist I experienced an event that gave me pause. It was during this time that I left psychology and became a Special Education teacher in a small rural town in Mississippi. My students were adolescents and young adults who had been diagnosed with severe and profound mental retardation and Autism. After working with these ladies and gentlemen for only a few weeks I realized how creative and resourceful they were, and decided that I was unwilling to simply teach them the same basic life skills that they had been learning repetitively for years. Heck, they already knew that stuff, and by not challenging them to grow further they were bored! So I decided to introduce them to a craft, and was hopeful that by doing so they might be able to make some money to take trips and buy much-needed supplies. As I had been making jewelry, soaps, bath salts, perfumes, etc. since the early '60s, I decided to introduce my hobbies into the classroom environment. The response from my students, their families, and the administration was humbling. I had everyone's unconditional support. Not only did my students put forth their absolute best efforts, but they dedicated themselves to mastering the crafts. Every day they gave me their unconditional best. Soon we were in business; one Psychologist turned Special Education teacher and nine severely and profoundly mentally retarded adolescents. We were a motley crew to be sure.

As the years passed we grew and became a well-oiled team. My ladies and gentlemen demonstrated creativity and skill beyond all possible expectations, and with this proficiency came a newfound pride that was a privilege to see. Within a year we started selling our products at trade and craft shows, with my students directly manning the booths and selling the products themselves. They loved it! However, as would be expected they would often be asked by patrons and family members how they made the soaps, salts, jewelry, etc. Because of their exceptionalities, explaining was either not possible or terribly difficult for them. So one day when one of my students with Down Syndrome was feeling very frustrated because he couldn't answer the questions to his satisfaction, I told him to tell anyone who asked that it was "our little secret"; thus, Little Secrets was born.

During my time with those exceptional young ladies and gentlemen one of my ladies with Down Syndrome won High School Homecoming Queen, and went on to win the title of Miss Congeniality in both Mississippi and Louisiana, and the International "Yes I Can" award. Those delightful ladies and gentlemen taught me that anything is possible, even when faced with obstacles we can neither see nor understand.

When I finally said adieu to my role models, we had danced the night away at every Homecoming and Prom with the hottest dates anyone could ever want, and always arriving in style in a private limo! With the profits from our little classroom business, we had taken field trips to the New Orleans Zoo, Dixie National Rodeo, Jackson Planetarium, Mobile shipyard, and Gulf Coast to name a few of our "hot spots." During my time with them, all of my ladies and gentlemen held down real jobs in addition to our entrepreneurial endeavors, and were saving their money for things that were meaningful to them.

As the years passed I was honored to walk all of my students across the stage to receive their High School certificates. When I walked the last three across the stage I knew it was time for me to move on. They had done their job, and thanks to them I was now ready to move on with my life.

So with that said, a bit about me...................I was, and remain a free spirit. I'm a native Southern Californian who was so very fortunate to have grown up during some of the most important and exciting years of our recent history, the 60's! I saw Joplin, Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, and most of the greats of that era in concert many, many times. I made the cover of the Free Press when Bear of the Canned Heat called me on stage during a concert.

I was also an oxymoron. I was a flower child who believed that my brothers and sisters who served our country in the Vietnam War deserved respect and support, and I have worked to give them that support for the last 50 years.

I was a street kid from a very early age, then a foster kid, and finally an emancipated minor at 16. In 1989, with less than an 8th-grade education, I decided that my sons deserved more than I could give them as an uneducated single parent, so I took the GED and went to school. I completed my Ph.D. in 1996. It was not easy by any stretch of the imagination. I worked 3 jobs and took 20-24 hours each semester, including summers. It was worth it. My sons are good men, good fathers, and good husbands. It was indeed worth it. I do remember one year though, as I was finishing my graduate work, my youngest son came into the room and said "Mom, I'd like to see more of you than the back of your head." I cried.

I still go to concerts every chance I get. I enjoy dancing in my kitchen and under the stars, holding hands with the right guy, who I'm still waiting to show up (wish he'd hurry-I'm getting old!); I enjoy working in my yard, making jewelry, soap, perfumes, and bath salts.

Now across the span of more than 6 decades, and through a series of very strange twists of fate, I've ended up in Texas. I'm a retired Psychologist and University Professor, entrepreneur, a strong advocate for the rights and protection of animals, retired mother of 2 amazing sons, and proud grandmother of 7 perfect grandchildren.

I live a simple and quiet life with my rescued furchild, Shiva, and somehow amid the confusion it all works out. I have finally found peace in my Golden years and I'm loving it!