I believe in unique, customized weddings completely tailored to the two people who are getting married. Because of that belief, generic invitations that you buy straight from a box just will not do. Couples deserve to have every piece of their wedding customized to fit who they are, including their invitations – the first thing guests will see from their wedding. So when I found a lovely artist in the Northeast Wisconsin area who started offering custom invites from her shop, I knew she would be a perfect addition to my Vendor Love series! Teagan, owner of A Drop in the Water, specializes in the fine-art of watercolors and is now bringing that talent into custom wedding invitations and signage. I met with her in her beautiful historical home studio to admire her work, drink coffee and discuss the new pieces she is creating for her shop.

When did you start your business?
I officially started my Etsy shop last February, but I have been doing custom paintings for people since early last fall.

What interested you about your craft? Why start your own business?
I had always wanted to paint, but never had the confidence to actually try. But one day I finally decided to try and haven’t looked back since! Painting is so beautiful, just the act itself. You are pouring your entire soul into colors and lines. It’s like a whole other language. I wanted to share my passions with other people. I love making people happy and my favorite thing is handing a customer their painting and their face just lights up.

What kind of schooling/training have you had?
I took an art class my last semester of senior year in high school, and that’s it. The rest is self-taught, with help from wonderful tutorials on Pinterest and YouTube.

How would you describe your style?
I think my style is very minimalistic.

What are some of your unique offerings?
I started my shop with custom floral and calligraphy pieces. For weddings, I offer a lot of custom wedding paintings, like schedules or signs. Now, I’m getting into the wonderful world of invitations (which I’m loving!) I also offer watercolor greeting cards on my etsy shop and I love customizing those to fit my clients. So if you ever need unique thank you cards that truly show your appreciation towards others, you should check that out!

Favorite part of weddings (or the wedding planning process?)
I love studying the decor at weddings. The colors, the way the venue is decorated, and the centerpieces are always my favorite things to be surprised by at weddings.

Favorite business experience?
My favorite business experience would be the first time I ever sold a painting. It happened way before I had even thought about actually making my love of painting into a business. I had painted a cute red fox at my mother’s dining room table and she walked by and said, “I’ll pay you ten dollars for that.” I told her she could just have it, but she refused. She kept saying how much she wanted to support me in my passion. My mother has always been my greatest supporter and I believe she always will be.

Any Helpful Tips for Brides searching for their wedding invites/signage?
Look for something that speaks to you. You don’t have to be traditional, as long as you’re staying true to yourself. Have fun with designs and fonts and play around with colors! Don’t be afraid to go big, bright and bold!

What is in store for A Drop in the Water’s future?
I have partnered with the Exodus Road, a organization that empowers the rescue of victims of sex slavery and human trafficking, to bring people a new watercolor series this summer! For this series all sales and proceeds will go directly to their mission. I’m super excited about this, because the fight against sex slavery is a huge passion of mine. In our world there are over 27 million slaves, half of which are children and 80% are female. It’s a problem that isn’t going to go away by itself and I want to do my part to end it.

Tell us more about Teagan!
I am married to an awesome guy, who also happens to be a coffee roaster, so free coffee every morning is always a plus! I have an adorable cat named Phoebe, whose favorite thing to do is dip her paws in my coffee cup when I’m not looking. Most people would probably never guess this about me, unless they really knew me, but I am a huge nerd. I know my Doctor Who, Marvel and Lord of the Rings history, probably more than any normal person should. I also really enjoy being in the kitchen, creating new recipes and experimenting with old ones.

Details about your business:
Website: Etsy – A Drop in the Water
Facebook: Teagan Olivia Sturmer

To purchase one of Teagan’s paintings to help support the fight against sex trafficking, click here – Song of Freedom