I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself creatively. When I was little I was completely uninhibited and would perform for anyone who was willing to listen and watch. I made up my own songs on my little yellow, plastic guitar and insisted on pursuing my musical talents with a “real” guitar. Upon getting said guitar I promptly gave up my musical career for something else . . . dancing and gymnastics! Yes, I would cartwheel, tumble, and shimmy all over the place and I loved every second of it . . . until, that is, I realized people were really watching me. I wasn’t going to stand for this and, you guessed it, my future career as a performer fizzled. SO . . . still longing to be creative, I decided to turn to a more quiet and reserved form of self-expression . . . drawing and painting. Over the years I have created a slew of greeting cards and my family was convinced that I should become the next big artist for Hallmark. Clearly that never happened, but who’s to say what the future may hold! Things really began to take shape, however, when the world of friendship bracelets was introduced to me. I was CRAZY about making friendship bracelets and taught myself how to make all different types of patterns. I was seriously a knotting fool! At the age of 11 I began selling my bracelets to the guys on the Buffalo State College hockey team! In retrospect, I was an entrepreneur at heart but it took awhile for me to truly realize my dream and make it a reality. In 2003, with an infinite amount of support from my husband, Ranard, I developed Painted Beauty Jewelry. It feels absolutely amazing to have this opportunity to do something that I love. Life is too short to spend it doing something you don’t enjoy and aren’t passionate about. I am, and will always be, extremely thankful to have such a tremendous amount of support from Ranard (my biggest fan), as well as my entire family. They are all my dream builders and with their love I feel like anything is possible.
“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~ Joseph Campbell
Ranard and I have been very happily married for over five years now. Ranard is, without question, too good to be true. I am the luckiest girl to have found such an amazing man to share my life with. We share our home in Cornelius, NC with our only child . . . our four legged, furry friend named Pal (she’s an American Dingo, but she won’t eat your baby ~ she is a big baby!). Yes, we are well aware that “Pal” is a bit androgenous, but SHE is the cutest little thing ever (despite wearing a pink “necklace” Pal is often referred to as a HE – – so sad).
Together, the three of us are my perfect definition of what LOVE is . . .
Jewelry Journal 
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