In 1906 a very brave little girl immigrated from Italy. She was my grandmother, Louise Monforte. She was 6 years old. She landed in Ellis Island like so many others looking for a better life in the United States. She married my grandfather, Anthony, who I never met...he died before I was born. I hear he was an amazing painter. They had four boys. My grandmother who was all of 4' 10" had it all under control even when the depression hit.... I love the stories my father would tell about his family during that time. Even though conditions were way worse than what we are seeing right now, they somehow had a way of making light of things. Hmmm....

I was looking for some thread in my mother's sewing room and I came across these wooden spools... These spools, according to my mom, belonged to her...Louise Monforte...almost 60 years ago....My grandmother was a textile designer and she worked very hard her entire life...now seeing these spools of thread and getting ready to launch my own textiles...I feel a bit humbled, very grateful for the sacrifices she made, and very much connected to the past.