My first love has always been art, as far back as I can remember, I always had a pad of paper with me wherever I went, sketching or doodling to pass the time. Throughout my school years, art, in one form or another, was always the first class I made sure to fit into my schedule.  Painting, drawing, and sculpture work in high school progressed to throwing pottery, print making, and metal work in college.  In the midst of college, I married my high school sweetheart in 1987.  I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin Stout, and set out for a career in Interior Design.

 

       I worked in the residential design field for 12 years, and although I loved my work, I found myself becoming bored with the grand projects of others, and began to feel the yearning for something more.  In 1993, my husband and I were overjoyed with the birth of our daughter Kendal, what a wonderful addition to our little family!  Over the years, I had always had an art project of some sort brewing, whether it was designing a new garden feature, changing the decor of yet another room in our home, or just something crafty, but in the summer of 1999 everything changed, for I had entered my first bead store!  It had hit me, the addiction of beads, according to my husband's account, I was in that store every day, little does he know it was more like 2 times a day. 

      Over the next year, my habit grew more controllable, and I actually began creating more pieces than I was buying beads.  Slowly people started noticing the bracelets on my wrists, inquiring where I had purchased them, and eventually talking me into parting with them, which was no easy feat!  From this was born Coliebug Beads, named by and after my daughter, Coliebug coming from her middle name Nicole, which has long been my nickname for her.  In the fall of 2001, I purchased a kiln and a torch, and set up shop to start making my own lampwork beads.  I now am making beads fulltime and loving every single minute of it. I have finally found my passion, actually I think it somehow found me!