Each moment I spent with my grandmother was a lesson to be learned. She was someone that always wanted to learn new things. Once she learned them, she taught them to others. The greatest gifts that my grandmother gave me, was not a Barbie, or a camera, or the many other items she spoiled me with. The greatest gifts was the time she spent with me, the things she taught me, and the love she showed me. She was a special little lady. She had spunk like no other person I know. She always told me, "  Nikki, you need to save your money for a rainy day, you never know when you will need it."

  When I was a young child she would make breakfast for me and she would serve me orange juice in a plastic champagne glass. To her, everything had to be special, and fun. Keeping things simple, never meant that you couldn't have fun, or that you couldn't make things fancy, it just meant you had to be more creative.

My grandmother sewed,cooked, baked, quilted, painted,designed, was a gardener, and much, much more! All the things she did, she did with the greatest amount of frugality. Grandma always liked to do arts and craft projects. These would keep me occupied for hours. She would use simple everyday things and turn them into something new and exciting, into something,"fancy".  She had a special art room in her house. In that room had a dresser, not filled with clothes, but filled with things she had saved. She saved everything, from popsicle sticks to empty Aunt Jemima syrup containers. Every time I think of that room, it makes me smile.

My grandmother believed in doing things for yourself. If you had leaking pipes in the bathroom, then you read a book about plumbing and fix it yourself. If you wanted to decorate your home, you look at magazines and do the research, no need to hire a decorator. She saved her money for important things, for "rainy day' things, for emergencies. She was a wonderful person, a loving wife, an attentive mother, and an exciting and facinating grandmother.

I will never forget the life lessons she taught, I miss her terribly. We lost her in death just 8 short months ago, but the lessons she taught will live on for an eternity.

The attached pictures are of a "photo shoot" we had together several years ago. She was supporting my goal as an aspiring photographer.