Hi I am Vesna.  I became a passionate crafter by accident, even though I come from a line of life-long makers.  My mom and grandmothers crocheted and knitted and weaved and sewed.  I was born and raised in Macedonia and for generations in our culture it was a custom to give dowery of handmade items for the home when the daughter gets married.  I don’t remember being very artsy/crafty when I was growing up.  But I did learn to crochet from my mom probably around age 10.

I was 15, when I schemed to get out of town and see the world.   By 16 my wish came true and I set sail (well I flew actually) to the land of opportunities: The United States of America. For a year I lived Virginia as an exchange student with a very kind couple and their daughter who was just a year older than me.  I went to high school, I learned to speak English, we took road trips, we went to the beach.  It was fun!  Through series of events I ended up going to college and eventually got married here in the USA.

At some point in my 20 I got interested in crocheting.  I remembered the basics from my mom for anything further I relied on a book called “The Happy Hooker” by Debbie Stoller.  As I got better I started to experiment with crochet and beads.  And as I got better at that I got interested in making jewelry.  Later on I took a sewing class.  I made a button down shirt with two left sleeves.  Maybe garment making wasn’t my calling but I got good at tearing apart existing garments and made them into something new.  I was recycling!  I took a soldering class.  I made more jewelry.  I learned to bake shrinky drinks, and made even more jewelry with that!  I experimented with stitching fabric onto paper and made greeting cards.  I bought a couple of stamps to use with my card making, and then a few more, and a few more and I now have three boxes full.  I carved my own stamps when  I couldn’t find what I needed.  I got my hands on any crafty project or workshop that presented itself, preparing myself for the day when I will be a professional crafter!

Today in my small studio, tucked at the back of my house you will find: two sewing machines, a cart full of paints, a chest full of fabric, a basket of clothes to repurpose, a suitcase full of beads, a few boxes of odd and mismatched trinkets, lace, ribbon, paper……and who knows what else.

So welcome!  Nice to meet you.  I hope you find a project that will catch your interested and inspire you to make something.

Official Bio: I am a mixed media artist with a passion for recycling and using the left over textiles and papers that were destined for the landfill.  My work has been published in over a dozen publications by Stampington.  I have taught classes at Chandler Parks and Recreation, Craft Rave in Phoenix and online on Skillshare.com