Brittney Swicionis, Owner, Board & Brush Creative Studio
Brittney Swicionis, owner of Board and Brush Creative Studio in Cape Girardeau, believes in giving back to the community through her business. She donated DIY projects to the Red Cross to encourage people to donate during last year's blood shortage, taught young people about entrepreneurship, and helped find animals waiting to be adopted. We have done so through initiatives such as the use of Board and Brush's social media accounts. family. She wants communities to be intentional about where they spend their money and time, and choose to support their communities by patronizing local businesses.
Ms. Swissionis started working at Board & Brush in June 2019 and acquired the company in September 2020. She says Board and Brush is a place for people to relax, unwind, have fun, meet new people and build a sense of community.
“This is a place where people gather,” Swissionis said. “If Board and Brush can bring joy to the moment, connect with colleagues, or create connections that help real estate agents buy closing gifts, that’s what I want this business to be. [that, to be] It's very community-oriented. ”
The business offers a variety of wooden DIY projects that customers create in the studio, including options such as porch signs, clocks, trays, coat hangers, and planters. Swissionis says DIY projects can be customized with a last name, year, or a child's or pet's name, making them the perfect gift to show intentionality and thoughtfulness.
Swicionis says groups are always welcome to come DIY together. You can come alone to create a project, connect with new people in the studio, or just enjoy some alone time.
Here, Swicionis shares three tips for creating a thoughtful gift for your loved one's home.
1. Think positively about upcoming holidays and events.
High-quality handmade projects make beautiful gifts for Mother's Day, weddings, baby showers, and other special holidays and events. If he wants to create something himself, Swicionis says it takes him at least two months to schedule a workshop at a local studio. This will give you enough time to complete the project without rushing.
2. Always keep a neutral color palette in mind.
Even if you like bright colors, that doesn't mean they'll work well in someone else's home. When gift-giving, Swissionis says it's important to keep the color palette and design simple so that it fits well in any area of the recipient's home.
“Some people say, 'I'm not creative.' Don't worry, you don't have to be,” Swissionis says. “There's a lot of self-doubt in one's sense of creativity, and we eliminate that.”
3. Trust the process.
It's okay to make mistakes and it's okay if your project isn't perfect. It's about making something yourself and choosing a project, paint, or stain color that expresses your own creativity. The workshops will use stencils for designs, and staff will teach you how to properly sand, distress the board, and create different looks with washes, dry brushes, block paints, and more. It will then help you remove imperfections in your project.
“Nothing's ever going to be perfect. Life isn't perfect. But with Board and Brush, we're trying to make you feel like you're an artist,” says Swicionis. “Even if you do something difficult, in the end the memories will remain.”