Greetings! Allow me to introduce myself and share a bit about my background. I am Bonnie Gruemken, a native to the North Hills of Pittsburgh, it’s always been home! My lifelong career path was in the insurance industry. After celebrating 30+ years, I recently retired.
While insurance helped create security in life, it never fulfilled my creative passion. I have always had a desire to work with my hands, create things and upcycle items to give them a new purpose.
In 2018, my husband and best friend of 29 years passed away unexpectedly. I was lost and life became shattered. I needed to find new purpose at the age of 57!
I met a nice group of women who took me into their circle and we became friends. One of those women is Jacquie, and we became close friends. She has an art background so we found we had a lot in common. We started making our “forever flowers” as a way to spend time doing what we enjoy while creating beautiful pieces. After we gave our pieces to our friends, we decided that if we were going to keep creating we needed to start selling our work. We started attending craft shows and in 2022, created our business “Two Friends Creative Designs.” We wanted a name that describes our business and that’s exactly what our business is, two friends creating beautiful artwork.
We now welcome you into our creative friend circle of new life, hope and happiness!
I am Jacquie Ricketts, a native to Pittsburgh for the past 50 years. I graduated college in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in photography and ceramics.
Formerly I was an art teacher and resident at the North Hills Art Center from 1980-1985. Currently I operate as the Banquet/Event Manager at Shannopin Country Club. In 2019/2020 my staff and I received the Best Wedding Venue Award.
It has been a great career since 1990 helping people celebrate life. Covid came in 2020 making me realize I worked my life away. Now I'm looking to retire from Shannopin at the end of 2023 and pursue my creative side in the crafts and arts again. I have always had a love for bright colors in flowers and Mother Nature. Looking up at the clouds in the sky, the sunrise and sunset, rain and rainbows and La Luna! This has always been my inspiration.
My passions are attempting to save the earth and four legged fur babies. I have a rescue home of 5 - 2 canine and 3 feline fur babies which I love.
As my life has come full circle I reflect on how I started, pursuing my life career as an artist. My middle years were spent helping people celebrate life events. I will end my working years exploring my artistic side with my dear friend Bonnie through our business, Two Friends Creative Designs.
Studio shot of where we design and build our creations.
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