About me, ekkk...... well here it goes : My parents (and my in-laws) are my heroes, my friends are family, my husband is my everything and my kiddos are the center of my universe. ... too much?? I know, but its all true!!

I love to be super organized (as much as my kids let me), I peruse online shopping almost daily, and I spend loads of my "spare time" painting something. "Fabulous, Amazing, and Gorgeous" are words I probably use way too often, but I just can't help it.

I graduated with degrees in Portrait Photography and the other in Commercial Photography from OIP&T. In 2001, my dad and I remodeled his old welding shop to become my new Heirloom Portrait Design studio. Over 20 years later (eek!!), I have been published in magazines and books, I have received awards regionally, my artwork is on display in hospitals and offices and even billboards (I really can't believe it myself).!

Thank you so much for getting to know me (and a bit of my silliness). I am excited to meet you and hope to talk to you soon!

Hi friends, I'm Sara

I'm so glad you are here!

He is a team player, with loads of kindness to all. Robotics Club and Track are his loves and he gives it 110%. Running the 400 relay is his favorite (who is this kid)!! Adam is a a SENIOR this year, letting him grow up is so hard!!♥

Adam : 18

Meet my crew

Watch out, she is my mini me. Loves to create and paint something everyday. "Can we get ice cream" is a question asked too often with a smile you can't resist. Loads of hugs everyday with a heart so big, this sweetheart gives me pure happiness in my day.

Joslyn : 16

Graham the Bam Slam....loves all things his older brother does. Cruising on his bike, playing games on the computer and loves eating homemade spaghetti sauce. When he grows up he wants to be a aerospace engineer. Can totally see that, right?!

Graham : 11

This little bundle has brought all of us such joy. She is the happiest little girl that just laughs out loud all the time and warms our hearts. She gives hugs and kisses, saying "hi": to everyone, takes great care of her babies, and loves cheese more than anything else she has ever ate!

Maeve : 6

The people that make my world Complete

The best day, all ready to start the week & new opportunities to get things accomplished! I know, I know...I'm one of "those" people!

Best day of the week : Mondays

He is my high school sweetheart. we dated for almost 7 years and now married for over 20! So basically, we grew up together and still Nick is my best friend that couldn't ever live without!

My best friend in the whole world♥ : Nick

I wake up in the morning excited because I can have my coffee!!! Black coffee for breakfast & chocolate for snack, yum, yum!! Don’t worry everyone, I do eat a real lunch, LOL :)

Best breakfast : Coffee

It was a real working bus for Minster Schools.... we made it into our own customized RV camper. So far travelled to 19 states and counting!!! Her name is Epic Trails. and it brings our family adventure! ....It is now painted teal & pink ( my true favorite colors)!

Yep folks, we camp In a school bus

I always have a wood project in the works. Which is problematic, our small garage is hardly used for vehicles, just projects ....sorry hubby!

Who doesn't love a wood project

Family project of giving and sharing books with the community. If you are on a drive or a walk and see this little library, please stop by to pick out a book!

Speaking of projects : littl' library

The studio lives in our town’s oldest building — a blacksmith shop from the 1850s, full of hand-hewn beams, wooden walls, and stories older than any of us.
Mom and Dad gave it new life in the 1980s when they bought it for Eilerman Welding. As kids, my siblings and I would walk over after school, huddle around the little space heater, warm our fingers (and almost our jeans), and sneak Little Debbies on bar stools while Dad worked. We learned very early how to duck behind the front desk when the welding mask came down — and how to properly sweep a real shop floor (the kind of sweeping that builds new muscles and maybe a blister or two).
Summers and college breaks meant working alongside Dad — running shears, bending metal on his clever custom jigs, and those sweet, dusty breaks where we just got to talk. I’d leave darker than when I started, and it never mattered.
When Dad built the new shop and I graduated, the real adventure began. Weekends home became a labor of love: gutting decades of black soot, ripping out old insulation, electrical, plumbing, giant sliding doors, hoist systems, and chimney after chimney — brick by brick. Dad was right there with me every step, along with my fiancé (now husband), friends, and family when we needed extra hands.
The best part was uncovering the beauty hidden underneath. I rented a sandblaster, bought mountains of silicone sand, and spent many cold Ohio weekends blasting 170-year-old wood. The upstairs was magical — less worn, full of history, and apparently a secret whiskey-bottle graveyard. We learned to duck flying bottles like pros. 😄
Nine months later, the studio was ready. We got married, opened the doors a week after, and started this dream together — first from a rent-free renovated chicken coop while working other jobs to keep it going.
It wasn’t always easy, but every hard lesson and every helping hand made me stronger. Mom and Dad, thank you for showing me what generous, steady love and belief look like. I hope one day I can stand beside my own kids the way you stood beside me — cheering, sweating, and helping their biggest dreams come true.
With so much love and gratitude,