Bio
I grew up in rural Oregon, the oldest child of three children, encouraged by my mother and grandmothers to sew, craft, paint and make music. I have always needed a creative outlet to provide some balance in my life.

I have been an Emergency Nurse for nearly 20 years. The stress of my profession has made it even more important to have that creative outlet. I enjoy playing music, bicycling and sailing.

I also enjoy making things with my hands. I have made jewelry and stained glass windows, pencil drawings, polymer clay millefiori buttons, beads and barrettes, ATCs, and fabric journals. But by far the most rewarding and consistent art form has been the creation of cloth dolls.

I started making simple country dolls in the mid 1990s, selling them at craft fairs. I soon tired of making the same thing over and over. Then I found the Internet, and was astounded by the quantity and caliber of cloth doll makers. I met Judi Ward and other Northwest doll artists. I took a class with Judi, and fell in love with the medium and the vast potential that existed. I began obsessively collecting cloth doll books and cloth doll patterns, and took a few online classes. I started designing my own dolls in the late 1990s, developed a website, and began publishing cloth doll patterns as well.

I am one of the founding members of the “Reigning Dolls & Bears” club, which meets monthly in St. Helens, Oregon. The club is an active one, with lots of doll challenges, round robins and teaching opportunities.

I’ve participated in many challenges and exhibits, including the Antelope Valley Doll Show, the Hoffman Challenge and the Treasures of the Gypsy Challenge. In 2005, my Hoffman and Gypsy dolls were among the winners. I’ve also had a booth at the Crossroads Doll & Bear Show, and do my part to introduce collectors to the cloth doll world. I’ve had two dolls on the cover of Soft Dolls & Animals magazine (March 2005 and March 2006 issues), and hope to contribute more patterns in the future.

Some of my short and long-term goals include teaching and exploring more of the fiber arts