My old report cards mention my creative imagination, my sense of humour, that I lack self control, and am giggly. My husband says I’m still the same.

I was born in Derby, England, and in 1980 my family moved to Canada. I still have memories of living in England: the smell of Grandma Mary’s soap, the fireplace at Grandad Bike’s house. My Canadian childhood was playing with My Little Pony toys on campsites in Algonquin park, spending hours with Barbie dolls, drawing and crafting. I remember visiting the ‘writer in residence’ at our local library and showing her pop-up books that I had made, thinking it would get me a job at twelve years old.

I thought that one day I’d be a fashion designer like Vivienne Westwood, or a children’s book author like Beatrix Potter. I was fixated on Marilyn Monroe. I listened to Kate Bush and David Bowie. I thank my parents for nourishing my artistic soul through artsy night classes. I remember going to Lollapalooza with my dad, who helped me set up a booth and sell backpacks that I had made; he looked a little out of place reading his book, but was there to support his daughter all the same.

It was my high school art teacher who wrote in my sketch book, “Have you thought about pursuing fashion design?” I moved to Toronto to study Fashion Design at the International Academy. During that time I took my mom to see Phantom of the Opera. I was in awe of the lavish world created on stage. Two more years at the Academy studying Costume Design led to my first job working on the Toronto stage production of The Lion King. I quickly found my way to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada where I’ve been working in the wardrobe department for twenty seasons.

While in the theatre world, I still continued to write short stories. I can see the characters, real in my head - almost like a memory - and they become more vivid the more I think about them.

These days, I’m working on my second illustrated book, still building costumes, and dressing up in items from my tickle trunk whenever I can.