From Handmade Gifts to Heirloom Metal
Hi, I'm Heather! While Smittenware officially opened in 2021, the truth is that I’ve been a "maker" my entire life.
Since I was very young, I was the girl who handmade every single Christmas gift. I didn't just buy things, I poured hours into creating them. From cross-stitched ornaments and polymer clay figurines to mosaic picture frames and a hand-sewn snowman quilt for my mom, my hands were always busy making something special.
I even dipped my toes into Etsy back in 2008 with handmade jewelry, but the common thread has always been the same: an obsession with the process of creating something from nothing.
When the pandemic hit, I needed to find that creative spark again. I turned to art as a refuge -- a way to find light during dark times. What started as self-care quickly blossomed into Smittenware: a new way to share that lifelong love of art and design with you.
The Evolution of a Studio • In those early days, I focused on custom illustrated keepsakes, loving the personal connection they brought. But as my design language matured, I shifted toward the purest source of joy -- our pets -- capturing the goofy grins of dogs and cats on drinkware, garden flags and prints.
The Strength of Steel (2024) • By 2024, I wanted to take that spirit of the "handmade" and give it real permanence. I expanded into architectural metal art, trading my canvas for heavy-duty steel. I moved from delicate threads to industrial materials, finding a new way to bring texture and shadow into modern homes.
Today: A Studio for the Modern Home • Whether you are here for a massive 72-inch statement piece to anchor your great room, a piece of coastal line art for your sanctuary, or a personalized greeting for your front porch, you are supporting a studio built on a lifetime of intentional design. My medium has changed from clay and thread to steel and ink, but the goal remains the same: to create art that defines a space and makes you proud to call a house your home.
