Local artisans create personalized signs, wreaths

Whether it’s making wooden signs fit for a porch, planters for planting things, or a customized wreath to have for the upcoming holiday season, the Front Porch Girls have never been busier. A craft group comprised of Erica Welch and Lindsay Jenkins, the two decided to team up to combine their talents under a single enterprise after a chance meeting through a commissioned sign. The two hit it off, and eventually the idea of combining their similar hobbies came up.

“We ended up pushing each other to pursue our hobbies in a more serious manner, and all of a sudden, we were starting a business,” Jenkins said.

Welch works out of her garage, where she crafts wooden signs, and Jenkins works in her basement-turned-workshop, where she makes planters and wreaths.

Both have worked on crafts for people who wanted to support sports teams (whether local or national), but they’ve also worked with clients wanting a more customized item.

“I’ve made personalized signs with names, specific sayings and even ‘Shh— the baby is sleeping,’” Welch said.

Welch gets her ideas from a variety of places, such as Etsy or Pinterest, but people also send her ideas of what they’d like her to make.

“I think people like what I do because it’s personalized to what they want. It is their school, their team, their favorite color or saying,” Welch said.

Jenkins also started to branch out into cheerleading, basketball, soccer, softball and baseball. Like Welch, Jenkins is flexible in crafting wreaths with last names, monograms and other unconventional ideas that people might have.

“I love to decorate my wreaths with florals. I have a special love for hydrangeas… [but] I try my best to use florals that are in season. I think it is important to make what I think looks best and that often means not doing what everyone else does. I want unique designs that are my own,” she said.

“I feel wreathmaking gives me purpose to make people smile, such as when they get home from a long day and see a beautiful wreath hanging on their door or to greet family and friends with a joyful hello for the holidays,” Jenkins said.

“I enjoy making crafts — I would make things for friends and family but was always hesitant to promote my stuff. Lindsey and I pushed each other to get our names and products out there and figured let’s do it as a team. So here we are. The Front Porch Girls,” Welch said.

Prices vary depending on the item and scope of the commission, but signs typically run from $30 to $50, and wreaths $20 to $55.

For information or to see what they’ve been making lately, visit the Front Porch Girls’ Facebook page. Alternatively, you can reach out to Welch or Jenkins on Facebook.