Among my earliest memories is listening on summer evenings to my grandparents' stories on their porch in Oklahoma. I made up stories, too, like why little people didn't come to occupy the little houses of leaves and twigs that I made in the woods.

As a child, I was read to, given books as presents, collected Cracker Jack and gumball machine prizes, made dioramas in shoeboxes, vignettes for paperdolls, and wrote stories on thin onionskin paper in tiny handwriting so it would last longer. And I made up bedtime stories for my younger brother and sisters as they added details lying beside me in bed night after night.

In the early 70's I filled a type tray with miniatures and worked with my daughter on her dollhouse. As an English teacher, I made up stories to illustrate lessons and encouraged my students to create settings to show what they had learned. In the 80's I discovered the adult world of miniatures and started taking miniatures to school. I have been living happily ever after, telling stories and making miniature settings; especially since retirement.

My friend and fellow miniaturist Tayna Miranda-Zayas was the first person to say, "Wanna, you have to have a website." She has guided, taught and encouraged me through this website's creation and launching in 2001 until now, and I shall be forever grateful. Tayna sells wonderful silks and other fabrics and metallic notions, etc., that are great for dolls and other miniature uses. I hope you will check out her website.

I have always been a storyteller, as was my mother. I used to take notes as she talked, and in 2005 this site was shut down for several months as I began scrapbooking the family stories. As I learned more about my graphics program, I began creating logos and using photographic backgrounds, which then carried over to these pages, as well. During that period I also took new pictures of some of the old projects, showing much more close-up detail. I also learned why I never "completed" certain projects, winding up in a kind of creative paralysis - not wanting to go forward without finishing what I had started but not understanding why I couldn't. Now I know that some of my miniatures only exist long enough to tell a certain story, and that is enough. I felt guilty before I realized this, however.

Now, fortunately, I can happily put them aside even if they aren't in a complete setting, and long after they are discarded, or remade, or given away, through the pictures on this website they will stay real for me and hopefully for others, too.

I have tried to separate my more obvious stories into slightly-straighforward and fantasy, but I am not sure how to categorize them all, frankly. I leave it up to you as to whether you Wanna Believe or not.

I hope you enjoy your visit and will return.