My fascination with jewelry and beads started at a young age. We lived near the beach in Southern California and I was always picking up shells and turning them into necklaces. Instead of having a lemonade stand like my friends, I had a jewelry stand where I would sell my seashell creations. When I was twelve my mother took me to my first bead store in Downey, CA. I was in heaven!!! She bought me and my sister trade beads and I still have the necklace I made from that first bead.