Sometimes it’s those special touches that make a house a home. Check out some of the whimsical items from The Artisan Group of designers for one-of-a-kind items for your special place you call home…
Java Jane Designs
Andie Dietz, founder and owner of Java Jane Designs, does more than create personalized gifts. As her customers often remark, Andie’s artwork “captures the heart.” Her elegant creations feature stunning black and white letters of the alphabet photographed from architectural details artfully arranged to spell a name or word. Each custom keepsake is thoughtfully designed and meticulously handcrafted with the gift recipient in mind, making it the ultimate keepsake for commemorating special moments such as weddings, housewarmings, anniversaries, and baby showers. Andie developed her signature photography style through a love of travel and exploration. Her whimsical photographs evoke a sense of stillness and beauty, highlighting elements of forgotten architecture that are often rusty and weathered, but yet delicate and ornate. Andie’s elegant handcrafted custom artwork is shared with clients around the globe celebrating life’s biggest moments and has been featured in galleries and high-end gift boutiques throughout the US. You can visit her shop at www.JavaJaneDesigns.etsy.com.
Shara’s Paperie
Confections by Shara’s Paperie opened in 2008 after the success of our brick and mortar personalized gift, stationery and invitation store, Shara’s Paperie. Confections is a unique online gift shop that allows visitors to shop and add their own personal design touch to a wide range of products. Our product line includes personalized pillow cases, clipboards, magnetic dry erase boards, cell phone cases and much more.
Be sure to check out our website www.shopconfections.com to find your favorite products and designs. The Confections line offers a look that is completely unique and appeals to a wide variety of clients by blending illustration with graphic design. The line’s exclusive designs and flexibility with customization make Confections by Shara’s Paperie stand out in the market of personalized gifts, stationery and invitations. When the Confections line was introduced to Memphis in September, 2008, they achieved nationwide reach with the summer 2009 launch of www.shopconfections.com. Notable projects include designing custom coasters for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open in 2009, being featured in the Parents Magazine 2010 Holiday Gift Guide and the Women’s Day Magazine 2011 Kids’ Holiday Gift Guide as well as participating in a luxury gifting lounge for the Golden Globe and Oscars award ceremonies.
Taradara
Taradara is sewing company owned by Tara Rex {aka TRex}. This creative soul has brought ‘pretty’ to electronic accessories with her whimsical award winning covers. Taradara iPad covers have won ‘Best Product of the Year’ at the 2011 Moms in Business Unite Conference Inventor Showcase in Denver. Her iPhone covers are in the hands of celebrities who attended the Golden Globes. Taradara’s iPhone AND iPad covers are in the hands of the top Macworld journalists as well. Not only does she make covers, she makes wallets, passport covers, card holders, and much more at prices that will fit anyone’s budget. Taradara is an up and coming handmade business and an inspiring Mompreneur. You can visit her blog at taradaramadeit.com to learn more about TRex and see her amazing products. www.etsy.com/shop/taradara
On Your Feet
When Gary Hirsch was growing up he had a lot of nightmares. On these nights he would sit with his father in the kitchen and draw the monsters from his nightmares. They would stay up for hours and his Dad would help him name these creatures. One his father leaned over and said, “ You know, If you can draw them, then you can also erase them.” So Gary would draw and erase and 
after a while the nightmares came a bit less frequently. These days Gary is obsessed with doodling robots…on dominos. These little guys are designed to interact with the viewer, to give you outrageous compliments (Joy Bot), tell you how much you are loved (Love Bot), Help you be brave (Brave Bot), etc. It’s all about the story they tell the viewer, they help you have a conversation with yourself. Of course the Bots don’t actually talk, but something about them allows people to imagine that they do, and somehow this helps them feel better, and that is what makes them so much fun. Gary has shown his work in galleries, streets, and museums in Cleveland, Melbourne, Chicago, Seattle, and in his current home of Portland Oregon where you can see his large public works commissioned by the city. Gary has shown his work in galleries, streets, and museums in Cleveland, Melbourne, Chicago, Seattle, and in his current home of Portland Oregon where you can see his large public works commissioned by the city. When not painting Gary runs a 12 person creative consultancy On Your Feet (www.oyf.com) that uses improv theater and visual art to help some of the world’s most successful companies (Nike, Intel, Disney, and others) communicate and relate…all while having a ridiculously good time.
Helena Pion Photography and Design
37-year old Helena Pion was born and raised in Portugal, but life and love brought her to British Columbia, Canada. Having always worked as a translator, in 2009, she pursued her true passion and ventured into selling her creative photography work in an online US shoppe, and hasn’t looked back since. She quickly began designing as well, and everything is available on a variety of products you can easily personalise, if you so wish. From invitations to mobile cases, the customer can alter the templates for free simply with a couple of mouse clicks. Her shoppes showcase a myriad of textures, patterns, nature and macro photography on items that are useful as well as trendy. A truly ingenious idea for this photographer & designer’s work! www.zazzle.com/helenapion
Dave Dilli Photography
Dave Dilli has been photographing the beauty of the desert southwest for more than the past decade. His photographic style has evolved over time to what is now a vivid representation of the mood and essence of the scene as he felt it when the image was taken. From the softness of a delicate sunrise reflecting off the stillness of a lake, to the dramatic and visceral moods generated by a desert monsoon, Dave strives for the image to display the mood and emotions that he felt when the image was taken.
Dave has been a featured artist at the Raw Natural Artists Phoenix Showcase in 2011, and well as numerous other local art exhibits. Based in Phoenix Arizona, Dave Dilli Photography displays images from throughout California, Utah, Arizona and beyond. Visit him at www.Davedilli.com
Tina Dean Designs
Tina Dean Designs (“TDD”) is an upscale eco handbag company based outside of Washington, DC in Stafford, Virginia. Tina Allen specialize in upcycling/repurposing plastic bags and VHS tape into beautiful, useful accessories that are eco-friendly, easily cared for and fashionably fabulous. She is a mom-preneur and crochet artisan,and she meticulously handcrafts each item. She has been featured as a Small Business of the Day on Fox Small Business, on Fredericksburg.com, and on GoGreenAmericaTV.com. She recently, through The Artisan Group, gifted Cari Cucksey (of HGTV’s Cash & Cari) and was thrilled when Cari personally named the tote. You can see the Cash & Cari Tote here as an example of her work..
Seasons Of Wool
One of the items in the gift bags for the Golden Globe gift lounge was a pair of lightweight felted alpaca cuffs. The cuffs are knit from a lace-weight alpaca, then shrunk to size. Each pair of cuffs was then needle felted and embellished in one of 5 styles, all related in some way to the natural world. The cuffs are designed to be worn alone, or with gloves or mittens for added warmth. Felted wool and alpaca are hypoallergenic, odor resistant, thermal (keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer), water resistant and quite durable (comparable to leather).
In her shop, Lucy Chapman specialize in using natural fibers and repurposed materials to create usable felt works of art. You’ll find a wide range of products for the fashion conscious and outdoorsman alike. She offer hats, mittens, fingerless gloves, purses, totes, recycled sweater blankets, baskets, and more. she always welcome custom orders and loves to make a treasured piece that will last a lifetime. www.seasonsofwool.etsy.com
