Biography
Deborah J. Birdoes was born in Whiting, Indiana, the second of ten children and the oldest of five girls. Her family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1958 where she attended grade school, high school, and college. Phoenix was also where her artistic talents were first showcased on “Romper Room”, a local talent show for kids. Upon graduation from college and marriage to her high school sweetheart, Deborah began the long and rewarding task of raising a family and developing her talents as her faith grew.
Early in grade school she fell in love with words after reading The Velveteen Rabbit. From that moment something was birthed in her. In high school she collected quotes in a metal recipe box. The gifts she asked from her boyfriend, now her husband, were quote books and poetry. After her children were born, Deborah started writing poems about her everyday life and feelings. One of the first poems that she recalls writing was called "The First Day of School," in which she captured the thoughts of her five year old and her thoughts on having to let go. This grew into a passion.
In 2001 she started to get visions of what Scripture was saying and created “Jewelry with a Message (TM).” Each piece of jewelry was a visual reminder of what Scripture was saying. Each piece was accompanied by a poem or a special message.
HSN and two of the largest distributors of jewelry picked up her designs. The poetry set her apart from all others. “I remember reading the poetry at jewelry trunk shows and people would be crying because it touched an emotional chord in them”. After her father’s death she wrote poetry that expressed how she felt not knowing her Memorial jewelry and Poetry would become successful. “I just continued to do what I loved most and that was expressing how I was feeling and creating a visual reminder of what I felt.”
The poetry would not stop. “I was at an Elton John concert and wrote on my phone the words to the poem “Wings of Comfort”. I carried a notepad because the words and the ideas would not stop.” Four years ago, she got deathly ill and was in the hospital over a month. When Deborah started her chemo, the only thing that brought her comfort was walking upstairs and writing poetry.
Today, Deborah is the first to tell you that her poetry and jewelry ideas come from the Lord. They are all His ideas. Her poetry and jewelry are now distributed throughout the world and Deborah has written well over one thousand poems about life and her experiences.
View the Deborah Birdoes Poetry Collection