More than 20 years ago I began selling my illustrated poems at the French Market until it became a business rather than a passion.

Then I made handmade jewelry for another vendor who was a native New Orleanian. I ran his business all summer, and by the end of the season, I'd done so well that 30 other vendors asked me if I’d work with them! One of them was a candle maker.

I agreed, and after about 6 months of working together, we decided to open a storefront on Wilkinson Row in the French Quarter, in addition to working at the French Market. We became 50/50 partners…just in time for Hurricane Katrina!