Gramma's Student

Gramma taught me to knit, embroider, and sew at an early age. She believed that kids should never have idle hands! But I always loved these endeavors, although knitting never really took. Gramma must have pumped out 100 afghans in her life time. She knitted every evening.

She also got me out in the garden and had me plant things and dig and transplant like I knew what I was doing, but I didn't, but somehow I did it. Gramma had that way of teaching you things, by asking you to help her and then you just learned.

And I would be so proud as the summer progressed and her gardens were so beautiful and she would always tell everyone - "Niki helped me with this - she did this!" Even tho I had done only a very small part.

As a child I always drew, colored. I made two whole sets of papers dolls - blond haired mom and dad with 3 boys and 3 girls (I think I was influenced by the Brady Bunch) and a dark haired family with 3 boys and 3 girls! I would study the Penney's and Sears catalogs clothes pages and design clothes for all the paper dolls, colored in crayon or colored pencils.

Each family member had several sets of clothes with their names on the back. I also made furniture out of folded paper. I worked on these for hours! The neighbor girl would come over an play with them with me. (Wish I still had them - I remember the day I made the decision to throw them away as I was 'too old' for them now.)

In high school I started making candles and tie-dying everything in sight! My parents even set up a hotplate for me downstairs (unfinished cold basement) so I would leave the kitchen alone! I also made a huge batik with appropriate 60's style flowers. (Gave it to a friend for his van.)

I started making beaded necklaces then - didn't we call them hippie beads? Joined the macrame craze. I loved all my art classes in school, but never thought of myself as one of the "artistic kids". But I wished I was.

I have always needed a creative outlet. I *have* to create. And I have experimented with and enjoyed many types of art and crafts over the many years. I would say I am completely self-taught. Something piques my interest, and I teach myself to do it.

For me, Mosaic work pulls together all the different things I have worked on. And there is so much to still explore in the mosaic medium, I continue to be enthused about it.

I have always been a journal keeper. I have boxes filled with journals; journals filled with writing, drawings, clippings, photos, and wanderings. I tried keeping a blog a few years ago (it's here ) but, without a clear focus, I drifted away from it.

Now, in a different time, with a subject I am immersed in and want to write about, I expect to post here often. So please come back!