About

                        

My mom was given the nickname, Mickey, in college

and it and it stayed with her for the rest of her life. 

It was the magical way that she lived her life and the way she celebrated the lives of the people 

she loved that is the inspiration for mickeysjoy.

We were a military family so we moved around more than most. To stay in touch, my mother took up letter writing. She was an extraordinary writer who spent countless hours sending cards and letters to the people she loved. Each day, she would find time to sit, coffee in hand, surrounded by her stationary, note cards, and fancy address labels, and write her notes of well wishes, sympathy, or encouragement. For her, it was never a task but a beloved ritual. Staying in touch, and telling people how special they were to her, brought my mom immense happiness.

My parents were both loving
people who were dedicated to
designing a life that was full of
rich experiences.  My father's
passion for art was evident in the winter-y scene he took time to paint, every year at Christmas, on our living room window. My mother's gregariousness and natural ability to create a cozy home meant our home was always filled with people. Our family life was filled with ritual, tradition, and beauty. It was never about extravagance. It was never about perfection. It was all about taking the extra effort to make the celebrations of life, even the everyday celebrations, enduring.

In 2008, I  married the love of my life and a partner who supports me in all my wacky pursuits. Greg was there, scissors and glue in hand, as we took care to make sure our small wedding had its personal touches. He never had a chance to meet my father but he did have some time to get to know and love my mother. It was really Greg who encouraged me to bring my vision of mickeysjoy to life. I will be forever grateful to him as it gave me an opportunity to share my story and pursue my love of creating.




Three years, after that, my best friend Kim, and I retired from a thirty year teaching career that we both loved.  We have been through most of life's experiences together. She is the sister that I never had. Now, Kim stands with scissors and glue in hand, creating, supporting, and keeping me focused. What celebration of life would be complete without the element of friendship? My dream is that mickeysjoy will be a sort of collaborative journey. Perhaps you'll find something in my shop or my blog that you can incorporate into your own celebrations of life. Maybe my stories will just rekindle fond memories or make you laugh. Either way,  I'll be celebrating with you. Please stay in touch, I'd love to hear from you.