Handmade Brilliance { local } : Orange Blossom Shop

Question: Could these two gals (and their kids!) be any cuter? Answer: No. You are all in for a real treat. These handmade wooden frames are to die for. Add a frame to your Christmas list, like now. Say Hello! to Shauna and Courtney:

1. Tell us your story. What brought you to now?

Our names are Shauna and Courtney and we are Orange Blossom Shop!

Shauna: Courtney and I have been friends for over 10 years, we both went to the same high school, but just at different times. We live just down the street and around the corner from one another. Courtney and I started off selling magnet boards and chalkboards. We found that we wanted to make something a little more unique, and something with a little more of a "Wow" factor. We came across this idea and instantly fell in love! Our first frame that we designed was the Aly frame. When we saw the prototype for it we instantly fell in love! Then we painted it, and fell even more in love... And that's why we decided to name all of our frames after our children. Our kids love that they have a frame named after them! Hopefully we can squeak out at least 4 more styles so all the kids will get a chance to have their own frame named after them. Courtney doses all of the vinyl in our shop, I do all of the digital designs and we both do the frames.

Courtney: I have always done different little businesses but was always looking for something new.  That is when Shauna and I took our ideas and put them together and we now have Orange Blossom Shop.

2.  Outside of creating, what do you do?

Shauna: We both LOVE to play volleyball and both played at Westwood high school and we still play on a city league team together. It's our outlet, because between the 2 of us we have 8 kids! I have 5 and Courtney has 3. We both serve on our kids' PTO together, so we stay really busy with all of the things that go along with being a mom.  I also LOVE to shop. 
Courtney: I am a mom, wife, PTO Treasurer, Realtor and serve in my church and love to coach and play volleyball.

3.  What does handmade mean to you?

Shauna: I think more than anything I just appreciate the process of someone making something from scratch. I'm continually amazed by the unique things people create! I love to see people's creativity at its' best.
Courtney: It means putting your blood, sweat and tears into creating projects!

4. What handmade item do you cherish the most?

Shauna: My mom made me a volleyball quilt my senior year of high school. I've always loved it because it reminds of all of my fun high school volleyball memories. State champs baby! :)
Courtney:  I have a necklace I purchased that I absolutely adore but I also have some new holiday décor that I love too!

5. What's your secret in life? Any words to live by?

Shauna: I truly believe there is so much happiness to be gained by helping and serving others. 
Courtney: Come what may and love it! Life is full of different twists and turns and we can’t control every minute so I try to embrace it as it comes and make the best of it.

6.  Where do you draw inspiration?

Shauna: I think Courtney and I get our inspiration from each other. We work together to come up with different ideas and products. 
Courtney:Shauna.  We are continually on the phone discussing different ideas and thoughts.

7.  Share with us your top 5 favorite websites:

eighteen25.blogspot.com. Those girls are just so talented and creative! I love to see what they will come up with next. 

houseofsmiths.com. Shelley Smith is amazing! I want her to come decorate my house :)

nieniedialogues.com.  I'm slightly obsessed with Stephanie Nielson and all that she has gone through the past few years. Such an inspiration.

people.com.   What can I say? It's my guilty pleasure :)

pinterest.com.  I love the ideas I get from here.

8. Where did creating start for you?

Shauna: It's funny, I never really considered myself a creative person. I would say it's only been in the past couple years that I've discovered my creative side. 
Courtney:   I have no idea I started doing lots of different designing on the computer about 6 years ago.

9. Where do you sell your items?

We sell our products on etsy.com (etsy.com/shop/orangeblossomshopaz) and at various local boutiques here in the valley.

10. Give a shout-out to a fellow handmade artist like yourself!

Shauna:Etsy by Betsey. She makes the cutest pillows and table runners! They are perfect to decorate with for the holidays.

Another one is Pure Heart Creations on Etsy. We both ordered necklaces from her and we love them! She has such cute stuff in her shop

Courtney:Etsy by Betsey, Bubba Mae