Meet Nicole

My Creative Journey

As a child, I dabbled in many crafts.

During my teen years, and into my 20's, my focus was on performing arts. Running from school to the theater, rehearsing lines or dance numbers, performing in choir, or managing a stage play was how I expressed myself. Fast-forward a bit. I met my amazing husband Chris while was on the stage singing wearing a cute little red dress. Ha ha! He still likes to remind me of that. Two years later, we were married. I became an instant stepmom to two wonderful boys. I soon craved a crafty hands-on hobby.

I started scrapbooking our family memories with all the crazy adventures of my boys. The performing arts were beginning to take a back seat. Although my singing was taking me to really high places in the industry, my commitment to my family took priority. Who had time to gig and do theater with two young active boys running around? My boys Eric and David were the reason I started quilting.

One day I took them to an ice cream shop after soccer practice, and there was a quilt shop in that shopping center that I had never noticed it before. The window displays had pulled me in like a tracking beam. David had even said, "Let's go inside!" That shop's stunning fabrics, thread, and quilts overwhelmed my senses. After a couple more visits to drool and caress all the pretty things, I was finally ready to start quilting and that was it, I was bitten by the quilting bug.

Growing up, I admired my great-grandmother and aunties' Hawaiian Quilts but never believed I would be good enough to try; it felt too sacred. But after taking a quilting class at my local quilt shop, I was ready to try my hand at Kapa (Hawaiian Quilting.) I love the variety that comes with quilting, from detailed, intricate handwork to the fast zooming around of machine quilting with my Bernina. Quilting is a beautiful and vast art. Quickly after my journey into the textile art of quilting, yarn and needles were in my hands, and I was attempting to learn the art of knitting. I thought my self at first, and then thought I was no good at it and almost gave up. But after trying a few things differently I as well on my way. I love the heavy tactile and almost rhythmic musical feel of knitting.

In addition, this craft helped me to be more grounded and feel more in control during stressful or chaotic times. So I quickly took to knitting, and the journey it has me on has been sweet and fulfilling. I even dabble in spinning yarn when I can fit it in. The feel of fiber on your fingertips that you spin into yarn and then can knit all yourself is very gratifying. Some of you might think, ok, wait, you don't do any more singing, acting, or dancing? For a few years before the pandemic, I was heavy into ballroom dancing and shaking my thang as I love the Latin-Rhythm dances. I even did some competitions. I miss that and can see myself doing more of that in the future. I still sing with my family and friends and have picked up playing the drums. Most of my music is made while jamming in our garage. I sing and play drums, my dad plays bass, and my husband plays the guitar.