I have always loved beautiful delicate things, colour and making things with my hands.  As a child I began knitting and sewing - just like my mum - and she taught me how to fancy work (embroider designs that had been traced/printed on to linen) and finish the pieces with crochet edgings.  By my early teens I had many finished pieces safely stored in my glorybox in preparation for the day when I would be married and set up a home.  I was twenty years of age when I married Keith (after almost 5 years of courtship) and by the age of twenty three we had two lovely children - Melissa & Rodney.  Days were spent ideally taking care of my home and family and knitting and sewing all clothes for myself and the children.  However, as the children reached their teenage years, they wanted to wear "designer label" clothes and so my hands once again returned to needlework, mainly counted thread work - cross stitch pieces or pieces incorporating decorative stitches with cross stitch. 

After 17 years of being a stay-at-home mum, I opened a little shop (naming it Expressions) selling special greeting cards and gifts and after a few months, in a corner of the shop, I set up a needlework area and began teaching classes.  I can still vividly remember the day I read a magazine article on the very first Spirit of Cross Stitch Festival that was to be held in the U.S.A. and saying to my husband, Keith, "I'd love to go to that", and in March 1993 my dream became a reality as I attended the Spirit of Cross Stitch in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  I had the most wonderful experience and met so many amazing teachers, designers and needlewomen.  On returning to New Zealand, and after owning it for 5 years, I sold my shop, as from my overseas experience and from my needlework having become a passion, I knew my life would never be the same.  The following year I attended my first needlework trade show in Charlotte, North Carolina and began importing and selling prestigious needlework supplies and designs from my home and by mail order and supplying exclusive New Zealand needlework retailers.  Since that first trip I have been privileged to have attended the Spirit of Cross Stitch Festivals at Des Moines, Iowa and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, also Danish American Days at Lichfield, South Carolina (as the guest of Pat Carson of Designs by Gloria & Pat, Inc.) and spent time there with Ginnie & Ken Thompson and their daughter, Meg Shinall.  Jyette Horbesgaard was the tutor at Danish American Days and since that time, she and her husband have become really special friends.   We had a very special time together one Easter weekend when Jytte & Neils were here in New Zealand a few of years ago.
 

I have also had the pleasure
of designer and tutor,
C.A. Wells (pictured)
 of  CA's Eclectic Collection
and
Pat Carson
of  Designs by Gloria & Pat, Inc.
staying at our home
and their conducting special needlework classes.

 The ladies who attended these classes were
treated to an unforgettable experience.