I planted some Martin House gourds in my front flower bed so that my grandchildren could make birdhouses. By the time that the gourds had grown and dried, they had lost interest but I was hooked!

Five years and hundreds of gourds have passed and I now have my poor husband plowing up half of our back yard for the "Gourden" every spring. The front porch is usually covered with Egg Gourd vines through out the summer months.

When I decided to make lamps- I taught myself how to slump glass (with the help of my sister Kathy) and a kiln was added to the studio.

When I started using seed beads (for the Native American inspired pieces) I taught myself bead weaving and brought home a bead loom.

When I decided to add copper to my gourd art- I taught myself metal smithing which added a jewelers saw and torch to my tool box and a jewelry section to my ETSY shop.

Jewelry led to the need for inexpensive chain –which lead to learning to Viking Weave.

One thing always leads to the next- and a new adventure begins…