I was home writing my obituary because I had just gotten laid off from my sixth job, when The Oprah Winfrey Show came on T.V. "Do what you love and the money will follow" was the topic. "Wow! Is that even possible?" I thought. I put down my pen and sat and watched the show. It gave me hope! If she could do it, I could do it too. My dream was to be a successful artist and my passion is shoe shopping, so I painted a scene of me shopping in a shoe store – Bergdorf Goodman's, of course! Chandelier and all! I painted happy pictures of me shopping as well as all of the other things I love to do.

Then I got back out there and started to pound the pavement. I only had one pair of shoes suitable to go on job interviews, so I would spray paint them different colors to match different outfits. Then one day it started to rain, the puddle turned blue, my feet started to turn blue, and the blue started to run up my pantyhose. I immediately ran home, horrified. When I got home, my new boyfriend asked me, "What are you going to do now?" I replied, "I'm going to work for you, because if we end up together you better make a lot of money because I love to shop for shoes." He owned a small construction company so I designed a logo, printed business cards and stationary, and got letters of recommendation from happy customers. Off I went selling air conditioning and refrigeration door-to-door.

I worked very hard for him. I really wanted to go shoe shopping. I got him the Roxy Night Club account and some of the hottest night spots in New York. I got him accounts at fabulous restaurants where I couldn't afford to eat. I now had a reason to get out of bed in the morning! After a while, he had so many new accounts because of me, that he paid me to stay home and paint instead of selling refrigeration as a reward for my hard work! I was finally doing what I love. Now all I had to do was wait for the money to follow just like Oprah said it would.

My boyfriend had been saving a portion of my sales commissions and one day presented me with a check for $5000. He said: "You can either buy a fur coat or I'll make you a deal. Use this towards a trade show booth at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York at Art Expo, and I will work with you for one year and finance your business. After one year, if this is not a viable business you will need to get a job." So I did the Art Expo and displayed my artwork and hand-painted furniture with images of me doing what I love most. They were all very well received. He said, "Congratulations! Now you have your own business".

Money was still tight, and I still couldn't afford to buy a new handbag so I made one. And then one day a woman saw me carrying my handbag. She loved it so much that she chased me through an airport to stop me to ask where she could get one just like it. She asked me who designed it and where I got it. I replied, "I am the designer and this is my only bag!" It featured the scene I had painted of me shopping at Bergdorf's. She was disappointed but I was inspired. After that experience, I decided to take my bag to one major retail store to see if anyone would sell it.

I presented some of my bags to Henri Bendel's and the buyer said, "They are really cute. When can I get them? I asked "When would you like them?" She said she wanted them for the Christmas season, which was only three weeks away! I thought to myself, "Oh my God, I am never sleeping again". But I did it. I made the holiday deadline. I was in Bendel's. My dream was continuing to come true! Then while I was having my first trunk show, a lady said," I have never seen anything like these. Tell me about the handbags". I told her the story about the lady in the airport and she said, "That's a great story. I'm a producer with Extra and I'm going to put you on television". She put me on television! At another trunk show, a very nice gentleman said, "Your bags are so unusual. What celebrities have these? I said, "Not enough, know anyone?" The next thing I knew, I was asked to gift the celebrities at the Tony Awards.

Now everything started to happen! I became the Official Female Artist of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. Debbie Brooks handbags were named the "Favorite Accessory" by W Magazine and I was invited to paint the 1st and 2nd Big Apple Fest apple live on The Today Show. Next, I suddenly had a celebrity following including Sarah Jessica Parker, Molly Sims, Iman, Serena Williams and Mariah Carey. Mariah is even a collector. Today more than 125 celebrities own my handbags. The money came just like Oprah said it would.

I ended up marrying that wonderful, supportive boyfriend and together we have created a successful business. While watching that episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, I made a pact with God that if I ever became successful I would give back to others. I love working with charities, and always felt a deep desire to give back, so I contacted Dress for Success. I donated artwork and bags to them, and made special custom bags for Patti Label and Iman. Patti Label loved hers so much she said, "I am having dinner with Oprah tonight and I am taking it with me!" I wanted so bad to tell her that Oprah is the reason I am able to give her a bag but there just wasn't time.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Cerebral Palsy Foundation, American Heart Association, The Octoberwoman Foundation, all are charities with which I have worked. But my best success to date was with the Avon Foundation, for which I designed a custom bag that raised thousands for breast cancer research. I am currently working on a project called LUNCH4LUNCH in Uganda to feed school kids and orphans. The program features lunch coolers designed by me with artwork that the Ugandan school kids drew of Silverback Apes. When school kids in the U.S. buys a lunch cooler, the proceeds from it pay for lunches for kids in Uganda. I hope to make a huge difference in the lives of these children.

Fashion makes a statement and that statement has the ability to empower people and increase awareness of cultural issues. My bags are conversation pieces, so I believe I have been given a special gift to contribute to society and inspire others, just as Oprah inspired me. Maybe someone out there will hear my story, put down their pen and follow their dreams just like I did. That would be my greatest accomplishment yet.