I guess you could say I’m a compilation of many things. A daughter of the south, an avid Francophile, with a little Grateful Dead from my college years sprinkled in. I grew up in a century old house under the shade of a grand Magnolia tree in rural southern Virginia. When my sisters were listening to Beach Boys records, I was designing clothes for Malibu Barbie.
I received a BA in English from University of Richmond. It was there that I met my husband Regis and fell in love with all things French. We reared our two sons in a typical suburban existence in northern Kentucky, but recently we bought a row house in an eclectic urban neighborhood in Cincinnati. And one other thing. Somewhere along the way, I developed an uncontrollable fetish for pugs.
the marathon
It’s true. In my mid-forties (yikes!) I ran my first marathon, the Flying Pig in Cincinnati. Not only did I run all 26.2 miles of it, but I did it without an embarrassing fanny pack or a fuel belt loaded with 17 bottles of Gatorade. It was so life-changing, I even wrote a book about it, The EveryWoman’s Guide to Marathoning. This book does include a training schedule, but it is more inspirational than technical. Don’t worry if you’re a couch potato; I was too!
the business
In 2007 I launched my own company, It’s a Wrap Ideas, which started as a cottage industry but quickly grew into a nationwide wholesaler of beautiful handmade and embroidered items. I mostly sold to independent boutiques, but some of my larger customers included Ballard Designs and Pottery Barn. Having sold my company in 2014, I’m now busy completing all those personal projects placed on the “back burner.” Hence, my year of making beautiful things.
contact
Have something to say? Just want to hang out with me? I’d love to hear from you. Send your questions and comments to myfrenchtwist@aol.com.
