I was born 7^th of December 1966, to proud parents Vincent and Olive Murray. My mother had four children in a previous marriage, but I was my fathers only pride and joy. There was an eight year gap between myself and my next older sister, so I enjoyed quite a lot of attention from my two brothers and two sisters. My sisters loved to dress me up in costume and fancy dress, and I think perhaps that may have been the start of my life long love affair with fabric, colour and textures

My mother was, and is, a very industrious woman, always ready to create something from nothing. Mum taught me to sew at a very young age, and from memory, I think I was about six years old when I had my first go on our old Singer treadle sewing machine.

Sewing and craft was everything to me. I had boxes and bags of fabric scraps that were donations from family, friends and neighbours who new of my passion. I would make endless collections for my Barbie dolls, and as I grew older, I began to sew clothing for myself.

I left school in year ten, and spent three years in the workforce, mostly as a dental nurse, before I decided that it was time to further my education, and study Fashion Technology Certificate I and II. It was a full-time TAFE course taking two years to complete, and very intense with attending around 40 hours per week of classes, and completing loads of work in my own time. It was the most rewarding thing that I've ever done for myself, and I managed to represent Newcastle a couple of times. The most prestigious event being the Gown of The Year, which was sponsored by the Lions Club of Adamstown, and held in Melbourne.

I graduated in 1987, and soon after, my partner Garry, proposed, and we were married in September 1988.

My son Jacob was born in December 1989, and in 1990, I launched a children's wear label, Mugwumps. I spent twelve years designing, manufacturing and marketing the label, with my daughter Emily-Rose, arriving in 1992. The label had been very successful for me, but the time came when I had to decide if my children's wear business was going to take me into the future. I realised that my dream all along was actually to make beautiful gowns from the luxe fabrics and textures and trims that I had admired as a child.

In 2002 I abandoned the label, and set about promoting myself as a dressmaker. I was inundated with work, and I found it to be interesting, exciting and challenging everyday. I discovered that there was a place in the bridal market for me, and in 2005, with more than twenty years of professional experience, I began to specialise in bridal and formal wear, and really started to live my dream.

I think of myself as being tremendously blessed. I have a wonderfully supportive and loving husband. Two beautiful children, of whom I am enormously proud of. A step son Jarrod, whom I am also very proud of and a step daughter-in-law, Dominique, whom is a beautiful young woman, and the first to become a part of my extended family.