I grew up around horses and fell in love with them early on — not just how they look, but who they are. When I was 16, I bought my first horse, Etch-A-Sketch, a striking black and white overo paint mare with markings you couldn’t miss. I wanted pictures or models that actually looked like her, but nothing ever quite felt right.

​

So I tried painting a Breyer model myself — and that’s when it clicked. Every animal is truly one of a kind, and I wanted a way to capture that individuality in a meaningful, lasting way. That idea eventually grew into Michelle’s Custom Keepsakes, where I get to combine my love of animals and art to help others preserve the spirit of the animals they love most.