Photo credit Ernie Agtarap, Metuchen Living

I can hardly believe it-- 15 years ago today we moved to New Jersey.  Just a few months later, in an effort to meet people and get out of "mommy mode" for a bit, I signed up for a stained glass class at a shop in Somerville, NJ.  The class ignited a fire inside me and I started down a path I hadn't considered before.  For the next ten years, I took over a small, windowless room in our basement and spent every naptime working on glass art.  The set up was awful; there was no ventilation, it was dark, and crowded. I kept my eye on a corner of our backyard where, in 2010, we broke ground on my studio. Today, my "commute" spans the length of our deck-- 20 feet from our backdoor to my workspace.  Coming up above ground means windows, ventilation, and light-- and lots of space!  This studio is my own little version of paradise.  Inside, the stained glass pieces I custom build for my clients give them a little window into their own paradise-- using their imagery, colors, and style.  Today I  celebrate 15 years in NJ and 5 in paradise.