Shelley is the maker behind Her Keepsake Garden. She lives in Redding, in Northern California, where the summers are long, the light is generous, and the hummingbirds never seem to be in a hurry.

Her love of gardening and flowers comes from her mom, who was always in the garden. Some of Shelley's sweetest memories live there — among the blooms, beside her mom, with the sun on her shoulders. These days, Multiple Sclerosis makes gardening itself difficult. So Shelley found another way back to the garden: she makes art for it.

Each piece begins as something someone else let go of — teapots, teacups, trinkets, flowers, miniature books, and whole tea sets, discovered at yard sales, the Salvation Army, and places like that. Shelley gathers them patiently and turns them into one-of-a-kind keepsakes. The hummingbirds and butterflies you'll find in her work are there on purpose — they remind her of her mom.

Shelley has always loved puzzles, and making these pieces is a puzzle of its own — one that helps her memory and calms her on the days when MS makes things harder. When her brain isn't cooperating and frustration creeps in, her friend and nurse Kathy sits down and creates right alongside her until the calm comes back.

And through all of it is her daughter Brittney — her constant support. Brittney has taken care of her mom for years, raised well over $100,000 to support the fight against MS, keeps her stocked with everything she needs to make her art, and makes sure Shelley always has a place to create and stay calm.

These pieces bring Shelley great joy, because every single one reminds her of her mom. Thank you for being here at the beginning — the garden is patient, and so are we.