While living in Spain in 2004 I traveled to Lisbon on a trip and discovered an amazing material being used for wallets and handbags. That material was cork. Originally I thought the cork textile was leather or suede only to be updated on cork as a textile. I was then educated on the sustainability as well as the aesthetic value of this cutting-edge product.

After several forays to source the factory in Portugal, I was eventually successful. I then decided to test the handbags at a holiday bazaar on the naval base In Spain. The handbags and accessories were loved and had the same fascination that captured me.

In 2006 it was time to say adieu to my lovely years in southern Spain and look forward to setting up my cork handbag business. I set up a house and business on lovely Amelia Island in north Florida and got to work- some of my local accounts have included the very special White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, and the Amelia Island Plantation spa. Other locations include boutiques as well as museum shops throughout the U.S. and Canada.

I was ready for a fun side project, so off I went…

I thought to myself, why not reintroduce the fortune cookie with quality/gourmet ingredients and messaging geared for a playfully sophisticated audience?

​I am now happy and pleased to introduce Cookie Quips being launched at the annual autumn wine festival of my favorite wine shop, Amelia Island Wine Company