Our Story

Ten years ago, while waiting in line inside Santas cottage, my 6-year-old daughter was full of anxious anticipation.  She kept drifting back touching and staring at an ornament sitting on the Santa's helpers sign in desk.  One of Santa's really sweet helpers approached us and asked if my daughter would like the ornament and if I would allow it.  Of course, I said yes....anything to help my girl feel more at ease.  A few days later, I found my daughter sitting quietly still with the ornament in her hand.  At first, I was very concerned because she rarely sat still and quietly as she had been diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD.  I said to her "I see that you have your ornament?"  She said, "I am playing."  I watched her play for a minute and then asked if I could play.  I instantly felt the soothing sensation that had been washing over her as the sound of the click and the satisfying sensation of the pressurization at my fingertips took effect.  This was unbelievably "sense -ational"!  That night when she went to bed I deconstructed and reconstructed the ornament.  The next day her and I went to get the supplies to make more.  We changed some aspects to make it click more smoothly and I made them in whatever color combination she wanted.  The days that followed were filled with hours of soothful clicking, lining them up and stacking them in various ways.  She was in love!!  We began sharing them with her closest friends and they instantly loved them as well.  So, we began making and casually selling them in a small local boutique.  Unfortunately, the boutique closed a handful of months after our endeavor, so we put the idea to the side in order to pursue other activities to help our Aspie girl grow and thrive.  She was in just about every sport and dance you can imagine.  Sometimes 3-4 different activities in a season.  She loved to move her body....she needed the feedback to regulate her nervous system.

Fast forward to age 15, my daughter is a pitcher for her high school and travel ball team and has been playing for 10 years.  Suddenly, as the skill level got higher and more demanding, we started to notice some very alarming health concerns and symptoms whenever she was on the mound or in the field.  She had to be pulled off the field or out of lessons a handful of times with dizziness, tachycardia, being overheated and extremely exhausted.  At home, we noticed she had begun conserving her energy so that she would have enough for lessons, practices and games.  This was so out of the ordinary for her.  She was passing out at home and experiencing on and off dizziness that seemed to come out of the blue.  Speaking of blue, she started noticing her hands and feet turning a bluish-purple color for no apparent reason.  At her 16-year checkup I mentioned our concerns and were immediately sent over to pediatric cardiology.  They did a tilt test and found that she has Dysautonomia.  The cardiologist also ordered an echo and exercise stress test.  Once all the results were in, we found out she had 3 valves regurgitating during the echo and a misshaped left ventricle all of which were listed as congenital defects - meaning since birth.  The reality set in that she could have been one of those kiddo's that simply collapse into cardiac arrest for no apparent reason on the field. During this time of discovery, I decided to leave my 25-year career in order to accommodate her many doctor's appointments and therapy sessions.  I also needed to help her adopt the new lifestyle and significant diet modifications prescribed for her which is no easy feat 16 years in and with a teenage no less.  Additionally, I found myself asking "what can I do, in addition to my husband's efforts, to support our financial livelihood but still support my sweet girl."  Afterall, she was 16 and should be at the peak of her teen years looking forward to so many new and exciting adventures but alas, everything was flipped upside down for her.  As I prayed and looked for guidance God whispered......."start making the cubes again, the world needs peace and calming more than ever."  That quiet whisper was such a blessing which has led us down a road I never imagined possible.  There is new life for our sensory art cubes, a copyright and this wonderful new retail venture that I hope you will be a part of.  We are so very happy to share our "sense-ational" art with you!! 

With lots of love, 

Momma Bear at Sensefeely Art