In 1971, Meikka - still Margot - signed up for a course and went to Hornsey College of Art for 3 years following a Diploma in Art and Design, majoring in Ceramics. There she met many esteemed ceramic potters of the day like Bernard Leach, Lucie Rie, Hans Coper and Mo Jupp. Her marriage to Lew, however, suffered. Lew started a new job heading up HR for the British Gas industry. Their son, Marc, was still in boarding school in Solihull, West Midlands until 1972, and that year her daughter, Nikki started a university course in Norwich. Meikka had to travel so far from Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey to Hornsey in north London that she needed to take a room during the week. Eventually they found that they could not continue as a couple and divorced 2 years later.

It was at this point, after the divorce, that Meikka decided to change her name completely by deed poll and chose to make her name be in tune with her birthdate, following Numerology precepts. She then also set up her own pottery in London and sold her work on the Portobello Market in Notting Hill Gate. In the last years of college and early years of setting up her pottery she met and loved the ceramicist, Mo Jupp, who was a huge influence on her but did not, sadly in the end, become a longer term love. Later in the 1980s, Meikka set up a pottery in Amersham and moved to Chesham and she was able to sell her work on the new Covent Garden craft market when it opened. It was  hard work, but she loved it. 

However, she finally decided to make another career change to follow her other keen interest - organic foods. She bought a wholefood shop in Wisbech and moved there in 1986 - a month after her 1st grandchild, Jessica was born to Nikki. Nikki went up and stayed with her for a month and they were able to help one another with the shop and the baby!