Jenni Kotecki-Artist/Writer

Me…Who am I? First of all I am a wife of a wonderful husband,who is very patient through all of my artistic endeavors. I am also a mother of three wonderful, very energetic boys. We also have two chihuahuas Mr. Wailan and Howl Jr.

Lit'l Crabie Creations is operated out of our kitchen, dining room or anywhere I can find a clean space. I paint at the kitchen table while my boys do their homework. When I'm painting I like to have a lot of energy in the room and at my house, energy is never in short supply!

Lit'l Crabie was born when my infant son William was sick with colic and a milk allergy. I searched for something, anything to relief him of discomfort and the only thing I could find was hot water bottles. These bottles were hard and bulky and didn't fit on a small infant or toddler. They also smelled like rubber, which was not very comforting. I searched the stores and the Internet and found nothing. I came up with a crab in shape of a heart. The bottom of the heart fits on the lower part of the infant and toddlers stomach. I then wrote and illustrated a book about a crab that wasn't feeling well. The crab has been tossed around in the ocean and needs a warm place to take a nap. He crawls up on the beach and finds his shell, crawls inside and then goes to sleep.

In the middle of designing my crab, The Food and Drug Association pulled all of the infant cold medicines off the shelves. I then incorporated the aromatherapy shell on top of the crab to help relief cold symptoms as well as stomach discomfort. A consumer can put fresh herbs in a sachet or a simple tea bag that has been warmed up in the microwave for 10 seconds into the Velcro pocket of the shell.

I have just finished my new book "In His Garden" and will began working on "The Busy Bee". Busy Bee is similar to the comfort crab and has a book to accompany him about a toddlers very busy day.

When I'm not drawing or painting I love tutoring children with their Handwriting. I feel that the handwriting of a person is an extension of their own artistic expression. In order to be able to personalize handwriting we need to have a firm foundation. I love to help these children start with that strong foundation in order to make their own unique mark in the world.