Susie Atkinson, a 31 year resident of Costa Rica, having retired at the age of 70 when she sold Pacific Edge Eco Lodge needed a hobby to keep her creativity active. Mosaics interested her having always been in some artistic or adventuristic field. She considers herself to be the first "flower child", being born and raised in her mother's flower shop and becoming a florist by 10.  Leaving the nest but still wanting to be her own boss, she worked at several of the Hollywood Blvd department stores doing window dressings and interior displays.  With a move out of Los Angeles city area living the hippy life, she supported herself with Macrame and named that venture "Knotty Things".  Needing more income, she learned silk screen printing and started "Waterfront Productions" and became the first direct printer on T-shirts in the Antelope valley. Wanderlust strikes, she went to LAX and asked what is the next flight to the other side of the world.  Singapore became her new base where she learned to sail and moved onto a sailboat eventually becoming "Captain Susie" for 10 years.  Finally in 1992, she threw out the anchor here in Costa Rica.  She was one of the few gringos in the Escaleras area and built Pacific Edge road and Pacific Edge Eco Lodge, which hosted for 28 years many of the people that now call Costa Rica home.

Mosaics has now became her new hobby and adventure, creating "Fun Functionals" - mosaics that are not just art but functional items.