MINNEAPOLIS GIFT & ART EXPO

NOV 1-3, 2024 - MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Melissa Becker and I am the founder of VIR Natural Grooming Products for Men. I have committed my career to learning the most I can about men’s hair and the grooming products that can take it to the next level.

How did you get started in this business?
I spent 6 years of my early career as platform artist and educator with American Crew. I traveled the nation educating stylists on how to cut hair and how to style the latest trends using different products. During this time (and even currently) I work behind the chair as a men’s hair designer. I have found that guys prefer to use grooming products made from natural ingredients! My clientele has inspired me to create these products along with helping me test them and telling me exactly what they want in a product.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your business?
My favorite moments since creating VIR are when our customers get as excited about our products as we do! Whether it’s a new or repeat customer, when we see your love for our products that’s what keeps us excited to continue making more!

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
We are currently working on a NEW clay-based styling product that will be launching in the fall of 2024!

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
At the Gift and Art Expo people can look forward to seeing a variety of men’s grooming products from us including beard oil, hydrating shampoo, styling products and shave and body bars.

Instagram: @virproducts
Facebook: @virformen
www.virformen.com

Who are you and what do you do?
Hi, my name is Isa and I’m passionate about painting and traveling. As a flight attendant, I’ve been able to travel to beautiful destinations that later serve as sources of inspiration for my paintings. My favorite subjects to paint are still life, landscapes, and abstracts. When I’m not flying, you can find me painting in my home studio and spending time with family.

How did you get started in your art / business?
Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it? I needed to find a short name for my Etsy shop, so I came up with IsaStudioArt for the three initials of my first name ISA.

Have you always been passionate about art and design?
Yes!! From an early age, I’ve always find a paint brush in my hand.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?
I love the joy my paintings bring to people’s lives, especially when someone feels a connection to my work and wants to display it in their home.

What is the latest thing you have been working on?
I’m currently working on a collection of spring flowers, called “Spring Bouquets.” I’m also working on a collection of larger abstract paintings. What I love about creating abstract art is the element of surprise— you never know exactly how they’re going to turn out. I enjoy playing with color and texture, layering different hues and materials to create depth and complexity.

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
I’ll be bringing a variety of still life, landscape and abstract paintings. I’ll also be bringing seasonal Christmas-themed paintings, such as nativities, angels and winter scenes, in addition to ornaments, handmade cards and prints.

Website: www.IsaStudioArt.com
Instagram & Facebook: @IsaStudioArt

Who are you and what do you do?
Betty Jean Christian, creator of BJChristian Designs handmade jewelry. I’ve been artistic for as long as I remember and have played in many different types of art media, but for the past 20 years I am finding much joy in creating jewelry from wire and beads. Mostly I prefer gemstone beads combined with the wire but I use a variety of bead materials; pearls, Swarovski crystals, wood, etc. I make all the wire components in my pieces and this wire is sterling silver, 14K gold-filled, and copper.

How did you start working in this particular craft?
I came across wirework jewelry and have been enjoying this for the past 20 years. I bought how-to books, tools, and started bending with copper wire. I fell in love with it. I still have my very first bracelet and wear it occasionally. I soon began including sterling silver to my designs, and then gold-filled wire.

What is your favorite thing to create?
At the moment bracelets are my favorite thing to create. One of my styles of bracelets is double strand which is really fun, and I like to mix lots of different types of materials for these bracelets.

What was your first memory of making something?
I have been artistic and creating things my whole life. When I was a toddler, I hid under the bushes in front of our house making mud pies in the dirt after the rain. That was the first memory.

What do your customers love most about your products?
When I am at a show, or anywhere talking about my jewelry and someone says, "What fun designs!", it is the best compliment. In that statement, they really get it. When I create my designs it is a fun process of enfolding from start to finish.

What sets your designs apart from others?
You will notice that most of my jewelry pieces contain a spiral of some sort. I have always been attracted to spirals, and have been doodling them as long as I can remember. Its meaning is about creation, evolution, journey, and enlightenment. Spirals are found in the plant kingdom, throughout nature, and in the symbolism of every indigenous culture on Earth.

What's your favorite item you sell?
I love making bracelets that include a variety of gemstones. Each one turns out so unique. When I finish one of these pieces I hold it in my hand and feel the energy of the stones together and with the metal and all the funky wire components, and it just feels good. I love it when the buyer of these pieces feel it too. Hard to explain.

How do you usually prepare for the holiday season?
Every Christmas I would receive an art or craft kit to complete so I was exposed to a lot of different art activities growing up. As an adult I've played in many different media, pottery, woodburning, woodworking, and sewing.

Website: www.bjchristian.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bjchristiandesigns

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bjchristiandesigns

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Kacie Schady, the founder of Love and Light Botanicals. I create high performance natural skincare from start to finish. I want to maintain a real connection with our customers, so every detail is important. I don’t outsource anything and I’m the only employee. 

 www.earthwickandfirecandles.com 

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Keyona Elkins, and I started my Minneapolis-based online boutique, Ellekin, after struggling to find cute, fashion-forward clothes that met my personal sustainability criteria. At Ellekin, I curate affordable, sustainable women’s clothing in sizes XS-3X. The pieces are colorful, fun, bold, and all priced under $100. Everything is made with ethical labor practices and low-impact fabrics, giving you fun fashion that doesn’t come at the expense of people or planet.

What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?

Being selected to participate in Fashion Week Minnesota last spring was a highlight! I showed six looks from Ellekin on the runway, did a short interview about our sustainable practices, and hosted a pop-up shop that allowed attendees to shop the looks straight off the runway. It was amazing to meet so many like-minded sustainable fashion lovers!

What is the latest thing you have been working on?

I launched semi-custom embroidery this year! Using organic cotton T-shirts, I embroider various fun designs that customers can customize with their preferred colors, names, favorite slogans, etc. These pieces are also more sustainable because they’re made to order, which reduces unsold inventory and waste!

What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?

Ellekin has so many cute sustainable winter styles, perfect for gifting or just treating yourself! I’ll have all the best recycled polyester sweaters, organic cotton tees, recycled cotton sweat sets, and organic bamboo basics there to shop!

What valuable experience/knowledge did you have before starting your art/business?

I got my Bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design in 2017, and interned at a trend forecasting agency in college. I then worked for Target as a Technical Designer on womenswear brands for six years. During my time there, I interned for a local fashion magazine and earned a Certificate in Sustainable Product Design and Supply Chain from Utah State University and the Outdoor Industry Association. Running Ellekin now lets me have a hand in every part of the business, from creative directing photo shoots to selecting specific fabrics, which I love!

What sets you apart from others?

There are lots of cute, cheap clothes out there, but very few of them are sustainably and ethically made like Ellekin’s! The material a garment is made from accounts for most of its environmental impact, so I only offer fabrics that are low impact when it comes to factors like global warming potential, fossil fuel depletion, chemistry impact, and water usage. My brands and factories must also ensure safe working conditions and pay workers a fair or living wage. I also give preference to brands whose factories are third-party certified (WRAP, Fair Trade, Fair Wear) to be ethical.

What do your customers love most about your product(s)?

Ellekin customers love that they have a one-stop-shop for sustainable, ethical clothes that are also cute and trendy! They don’t have to do a ton of research, since all our items meet their sustainability criteria, and they don’t have to spend a fortune on a new outfit, since all our pieces are under $100.

www.shopellekin.com
Social Media: @ShopEllekin on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube

Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Carlyn and I am a Project Admin for a manufacturing company. My day job is very computer based, I spend most of my time looking at spreadsheets and our ERP system, so it doesn’t allow for very much creativity.

How did you get started in your business?
I started Ponderosa Sky Designs in the summer of 2021 because I was feeling uninspired in my day job and in need of a creative outlet. I had been watching Instagram videos for months of other women making stunning and vibrant jewelry out of what looked like playdough, but turned out to be polymer clay. In mid-June I finally bought a sample kit of clay and started playing around with it, I was instantly hooked. I had found my outlet!

Have you always been passionate about art and design?
I have always enjoyed dabbling in crafty things, but I haven’t ever thought of myself as someone who is naturally inclined to towards the fine arts. I think that is what I love so much about polymer clay, it feels more like an adult playdough than a form of sculpture. It has allowed me to express my artsy side without even realizing that’s what I was doing.

What motivates you to create?
Now, 2+ years later, I have made this creative hobby into an actual business! I have been lucky enough to create special collections for friends’ weddings, participated in 15+ art fairs and had a booth at the last two Twin Cities Pride festivals. My motivation now is to increase my skill with polymer clay, but I have also been recently branching out into other mediums, like stained glass. My hope is that one day I’ll be able to leave my day job and do art full time!

Will you be featuring any special holiday items?
I am working on a holiday collection that will include items such as 3D snowflake earrings, stained glass ornaments and snowman necklaces.

Ponderosa Sky Designs

ponderosaskydesigns.etsy.com
www.instagram.com/ponderosa.sky.designs
www.facebook.com/Ponderosa.Sky.Designs

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m a full-time cabinetmaker by day, woodworker by moonlight. (My clothes are always dusty.) Taking photography in high school developed my attention to detail. Woodshop allowed me to become comfortable with tools and my creativity took off.

Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
I was a 20-ounce preemie with few complications, other than hammertoes as I grew older. I had surgery on both feet in January 2020, right before the pandemic, and had lots of time to think about my longboard business. HammerToe fell into place.

What valuable experience/knowledge did you have before starting your business?
I grew up working at our family business, Juanita’s Fajitas, at the Minnesota State Fair. I learned how to function within large groups of people in a hectic environment, quality control and efficiency.

How does the city you live in influence your work?
With our beautiful trails and lakes in the Twin Cities, it’s great to cruise around on a handmade board on wood grown locally, when possible.

www.hammertoellc.com

www.instagram.com/hammertoe_longboards

Who are you and what do you do?
I grew up in rural(ish) Minnesota and now reside in the suburbs with my husband, Sergio and my dog, Kona. I served nine years in the Minnesota National Guard. I made the decision a few years ago to discontinue my military service after my second deployment to the Middle East in 2019. I wanted to find a hobby that I could dedicate my spare time to, so I began researching potential hobbies and I came across candle making! While still deployed, I ordered a beginners candles making kit to see if it was something I would enjoy. I wasn't even home for two weeks yet and I started making candles. I fell in love and knew this was something I had to do!

Is this a full-time business for you?
Nope! Just a bonus, fun “side hustle” that allows me to escape into a mad scientologist. I am actually a paralegal by day.

Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
Great question! "Re" is used for reuse and repurpose. There are so so many items that are thrown away these days. I enjoy finding new life to old items. "Coop" is inspired by the initial vision of this small business to be operated out of a retired chicken coop off my great-grandparent's old farm. And "MN" is obviously in the name because that is were this business was inspired! And I have lived my whole life in Minnesota!

How did you get started in your business?
It was an idea for about 5 years before the launch in 2020, though candle making was not the original idea. I made some repurposed bedroom furniture with my aunt for my new home at the time. It was something we both enjoyed doing and wanted to do more of. But as you know, life gets busy. This was the initial thought behind ReCoop. But then I thought, why not have the best of both worlds and make a candle hobby turned veteran owned small business!? Repurposed furniture, still could be a path ReCoopMN takes, but decided to focus on candles and wax melts (for now - baby steps!). ReCoopMN officially launched on my 30th Birthday!

What do you think sets your designs apart from others?
I am proud to say that most materials I use are made in the USA! Each candle and wax melt are made and hand poured in my home. All of the candles are eco-friendly, made from 100% American soy wax, cotton wicks, and hand poured into mason jars. Each scent is tested by me to ensure you are getting a high quality candle and the most out of your purchase, in hand selected scents that invoke memories, best moments, and tell a story with every candle!

www.recoopmn.com

www.instagram.com/recoopmn

www.facebook.com/recoopmn