Featured Artist: JStinson

"The most important thing in my life are family and friends. They are and always will be my reason for living. Next month I will have been married to a supportive, loving, and understanding man, Warren, for 45 years. If you ask him to secret to our successful marriage, he will say, ' We have been happily married for this long because Joni has always let me have her way'! That will give you some insight into both his humor and tolerance!

We have two wonderful sons, Scott and Patrick and three of the prettiest, smartest, and sweetest grandchildren on earth.They are Sydney 13, Mason 10, and Olivia 9.

The anthropologist Margaret Mead who studied Native American life said, 'Native households always consist of a mother, father, children and 6 dogs.' We don’t live up to her ideal as we have only three. Ours are: an Akita named Lasha, a sheltie named Trunks, and our oldest is a terrier named Buddy.They are never far away. Each has a story to tell. All were rescued and are loved.

We have been lucky to have many close friends throughout the years and always welcome more!

I used to read, bead, sew, crochet, knit, paint, and do needlework. Then I had a family, a career as a Registered Dietitian and Medical Nutrition Therapist in Long Term Care and in private practice. Life happened. Many of these hobbies were continued periodically but only to meet a need, to make a gift, or for personal diversion.

Then several years ago, I took my grandchildren to a Pow Wow and it dawned on me that the vendors did not have much 'middle of the road' merchandise for sell. It was all very high-end sterling silver and turquoise type jewelry or very traditional, predictable, and sometimes not particularly well done on the lower end.

I had a vision that day. I envisioned that there were people who would like to by affordable, nice, native but with a more contemporary flair items. That day I said, 'I’m going to drag out my looms, beads, silver, etc and at this Pow Wow next year I will be vending.' Ghi-Goo-ie Designs was born that day. The rest is history. We have been on the Pow Wow trail of treasures and pleasures ever since!

The name Ghi-Goo-ie may arouse curiosity in some. Ghi-Goo-ie was my Great, great, great, great, great, great Grandmother’s name. She was also the grandmother of Chief John Ross who was the Principle Chief of the Cherokees from 1827-1866. Her name translates in Cherokee to Sweet Heart. Thus hearts are frequently used in many of my designs. I hope my use of her name honors her and all the ancestors between us.

Everything I make is symbolic in some manner. The history of our people, our culture, and our way of life is so rich that there is never a drought for ideas. There is Mother Earth, The Water Beings, Father Sky, the many , color, shape, form animal totems and natural beauty to inspire one everyday everywhere. I talk to the beads and they talk to me. And sometimes this communication results in a beautiful piece of jewelry, which surprises even me!"

I also love to please my customers and many are repeat year after year. I have watched their children grow from Pow Wow to Pow Wow. I get pleasure when I see them proudly wearing something they purchased from me the year before. So, the rewards are not just monetary, though I have to admit that I do like to gain a little wampum along the way It is my pride in the product, the pleasure it brings to others, and their stated plan to return again next show that gives me the greatest pleasure.

I met Joni out of pure fate. She convo’d me to let me know that she loved one of my pieces. I thanked her, and we convo’d back and forth for a bit, then stopped. One day she asked me questions about Teams on Etsy and as a result we have started a very nice friendship.

Joni is a wonderful person, has a great sense of humor and her beading is wonderful! Her work is available at Etsy.com specifically at http://www.jstinson.etsy.com She is very comfortable taking custom orders!

Joni is a member of the Etsy BeadWeavers Street Team, Etsy Boomer’s Team (or Bbest Team) and Etsy Beads. Joni also teaches beading at Blue Earth Intertribal School of Native American Studies in Omaha, NE. She has also been invited by the United States Department of Interior to participate in their National Park Service's "Artist in Residence" program.

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