About the Creator
Hi! My name is Nicole, and I am a full-time wife to my husband Kyle, a full-time mommy to my three amazing children, and a full-time costumer (and yes, I know that adds up to a lot more than 100% but I make it work!). Crafting runs in my genes, and finally after 30+ years with nothing to show for it, I've finally devoted the time, creativity, and love to sharing what now comes so naturally...
Born into a crafting family wasn't so easy. I have clear memories of my mother and grandmother painting cat faces perched on wooden dowels (I think they were supposed to be paper towel holders?). Yes, it sounds really creepy to me, too! But, I assure you, it was pretty popular in the 1980s. They would also sew the most elaborate Halloween costumes for my sister and me every year -- until it became cooler to buy the cheap, chincy costumes at the stores (yuck! -- I have made a promise to my daughter and future children to never go that route). And so the crafting gene was passed from my grandmother (who, not to mention, sewed all the bridesmaid dresses for my aunt's wedding) and onto my mother and sister.
My mother (as seen in the picture below) started her first of many business in that same glorious decade, 1980 -- puffpainting apparel and accessories. Remember that fad?! My mom was a pioneer in the industry. She sold the crap out of puffpaint shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and visors (and gifted them, too!). But, (not) so sadly, the puffpaint fad ran its course, and my mother ventured onto her second business -- friendly plastic earrings. Give me a round of applause for those fellow crafters who remember the hype that friendly plastic earrings created. I still remember my mom giving me a pair to give to my 8th grade buddy at school (I was in 1st grade at the time). And boy, did she LOVE those earrings. Again, though, the friendly plastic died. My mother -- always in front of the up-and-coming trends -- went on to style and create more sophisticated jewelry, using glass beads, Czech and Austrian crystal, etc for a more polished, Norddies-type crowd. And not so surprisingly, my mother has created a new line of jewelry -- recycling vintage pieces and making them relevant for today's fashion (check out her JaynesJems Etsy site!). What a great crafting role model! Enough about my uber-creative mother...now for my sister.
Born into a crafting family wasn't so easy. I have clear memories of my mother and grandmother painting cat faces perched on wooden dowels (I think they were supposed to be paper towel holders?). Yes, it sounds really creepy to me, too! But, I assure you, it was pretty popular in the 1980s. They would also sew the most elaborate Halloween costumes for my sister and me every year -- until it became cooler to buy the cheap, chincy costumes at the stores (yuck! -- I have made a promise to my daughter and future children to never go that route). And so the crafting gene was passed from my grandmother (who, not to mention, sewed all the bridesmaid dresses for my aunt's wedding) and onto my mother and sister.
My mother (as seen in the picture below) started her first of many business in that same glorious decade, 1980 -- puffpainting apparel and accessories. Remember that fad?! My mom was a pioneer in the industry. She sold the crap out of puffpaint shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and visors (and gifted them, too!). But, (not) so sadly, the puffpaint fad ran its course, and my mother ventured onto her second business -- friendly plastic earrings. Give me a round of applause for those fellow crafters who remember the hype that friendly plastic earrings created. I still remember my mom giving me a pair to give to my 8th grade buddy at school (I was in 1st grade at the time). And boy, did she LOVE those earrings. Again, though, the friendly plastic died. My mother -- always in front of the up-and-coming trends -- went on to style and create more sophisticated jewelry, using glass beads, Czech and Austrian crystal, etc for a more polished, Norddies-type crowd. And not so surprisingly, my mother has created a new line of jewelry -- recycling vintage pieces and making them relevant for today's fashion (check out her JaynesJems Etsy site!). What a great crafting role model! Enough about my uber-creative mother...now for my sister.
(From left to right:
my sister, my mom, and me, 2006)
My sister, Michele (as seen in the picture on the left), exemplified the creativity gene early. I remember her always doodling these amazing fonts on her school binders, notebooks, and our ever-present whiteboard (having an at-home whiteboard in the '90s was so cool). She even mastered calligraphy in junior high (which saved me tons for not having to pay for a calligrapher for my wedding invitations -- thanks, Sis!) But more than writing, we knew dance would play a huge role in her life. Not only did she excel as a child, but she even started a dance studio with a fellow dancer (check out her studio!) and continues to teach competition dance teams (not to mention work at Google). Did I mention my family members are also a bunch of over-achievers?!
As for me...
I was a tomboy and a bookworm. For most of my childhood and adolescence, I played A-ball (traveling) softball for one of the top Northern California teams, and any time that I had away from the sport, I had my nose in a book. I even remember spending my $5/week allowance money on a new book every week! School and softball were everything to me. I was Salutatorian of my 8th grade class, played varsity softball all four years, ranked in the top 5% of my high school scholastically, graduated Cum Laude from UCLA, and was Valedictorian of my Dental Hygiene class. SImply, I loved to study.
I was a tomboy and a bookworm. For most of my childhood and adolescence, I played A-ball (traveling) softball for one of the top Northern California teams, and any time that I had away from the sport, I had my nose in a book. I even remember spending my $5/week allowance money on a new book every week! School and softball were everything to me. I was Salutatorian of my 8th grade class, played varsity softball all four years, ranked in the top 5% of my high school scholastically, graduated Cum Laude from UCLA, and was Valedictorian of my Dental Hygiene class. SImply, I loved to study.
(From left to right: my husband, me, and Livia at 4 mo. old)
Things changed when I met my husband, and then EVERYTHING changed when we had our daughter. A feminine, womanly, retro-spirit emerged from my soul when I married my husband, and even more so when I held my daughter in my arms for the first time. I wanted so badly to awaken my creative genes by invoking the artistic spirit of my grandmother, mother, and sister. I knew that I wanted my daughter to have the same type of memories that I hold onto. They are nothing but warm, joyous memories that I'll share forever.
With the love that I have for my husband and FOUR children, along with the spirit of my grandmother, mother, and sister, I learned to crochet, knit, sew, craft, and cook, and thus gave life to livialovia.
With the love that I have for my husband and FOUR children, along with the spirit of my grandmother, mother, and sister, I learned to crochet, knit, sew, craft, and cook, and thus gave life to livialovia.
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