Welcome to sarahniemela.com! This new site is long overdue. My daughter Katie designed the original one many years ago. I thought she did a very good job...she has a four-year degree in Graphic Arts. But she is a busy mother now and can only use her talents part-time.

I made a special doll for a friend of mine many years ago. She now has passed it on to her granddaughters for them to cherish!

Years ago my husband and I took a week long trip to upstate New York so I could take a class with renowned sculptor Philippe Faraut. It was such a wonderful week. We stayed at a bed and breakfast and each day I got to go off to sculpt!

After a few years of sculpting I decided to send out some photos (pre-computer days) to some doll galleries. I got a response back from All Dolls and was able to sell a few dolls to them!

A little history of Rush Creek Studio

Once I discovered polymer clay (with my “clay mother” Maureen Carlson), I began with jewelry making. Maureen started getting magazines with these wonderful dolls that looked so real! I was quite fascinated and told myself, “I could do that!”