Creativity has been the constant thread in my life, from childhood crafts and sewing classes to a career blending journalism and design. For 40 years as an art director and marketing professional, I loved projects that let me make something beautiful.

In my spare time, I make things—embroidering, sewing, and creating bead jewelry—to calm my mind. Now retired in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, I’ve started a new chapter as an artisan, inspired by a view of the pines outside my studio. Making is not just what I do, it’s who I am.