I sewed many things for the kids including clothes and quilts. When I turned 30, I received my first "professional" sewing machine - a Bernina 1130. To earn extra money I began making bridesmaid dresses. Eventually I got a serger and started my own business doing custom window treatments.
 

Several years later, my sister-in-law gave me a book by Debbie Mumm. I read it cover to cover and was inspired to take my craft to another level. I have always been drawn to American Folk Art, which was prevalent during 1776-1876, and collected quilts from this era. It has its own qualities of vigor, honesty, inventiveness, imagination, and a strong sense of design, as does needleturn applique, which I learned while working at the Painted Pony 'n Quilts quilt shop in La Porte, Texas.

I also learned a lot from the Lakeview Quilt Guild that I belonged to at the time. I started Cabin Fever Designs in 1995 while I was working at the Painted Pony and designed "Folk Art Angel" as an exclusive block of the month. Traditional folk art colors are very dark and muted, and I wanted to add my own flair. I began bleaching and over dyeing cotton fabrics and used them to create my Folk Art Wedding Quilt.

I took the Folk Art Wedding quilt to Quilt Market in Houston in 1997 and it was a hit! Everyone liked it so much that the next day someone from Moda came to my booth and asked me to design fabric for them. My first line was presented in St. Louis at Spring Market in 1998.

I started travelling and teaching around the same time.

Fabric design is a beautiful, rewarding process. I start out with antique fabric swatches, most often form France. My collections are inspired by these designs to which I translate into my own palette of soft, muted, romantic colors.

My journey has led me to a new home designing fabric for RJR. I am returning to my roots and going back to the look everyone fell in love with in the beginning! The sumptuousness of France, romance, roses, and extravagance for the home inspired my fabric line Sumptuous Living. It think it's important to beautify our surroundings so that we feel like we are living a luxurious lifestyle even if we have to cut back in other ways. Sumptuous Living is about indulging in beauty to make life more pleasant visually and texturally.

At this time in my life with my children grown and out of the house, I have been given an opportunity to become the gypsy that I was born to be. It is a wonderful thing to see the world with mature eyes and in the company of a loving companion.

I met my new love, Martin, in Galveston and the romantic in me knows that it was meant to be - destiny. We share the desire to explore every corner of the world. Martin is British and has travelled extensively in his industry as a hyperbaric welder/diver in the oil industry. Now as a project manager, he and I plan to visit all the many places he has already seen and many more that neither of us has seen.

Through my fabrics and quilts, you will share in our journey as we explore and experience new places. My designs will reflect the beauty of the English countryside or perhaps the history and elegance of Provence ... maybe even the colors and vibrancy of India...