Design Roots Cards

Artistic endeavors were in the cards for this landscape architect turned stationary scripter.

Heather Bloem’s crisp and contemporary greeting card graphics have grown so much in popularity that, about a year ago, she turned it into a full-time gig.

“I’ve always loved graphic design and card making, but until last year it was just a hobby,” she says. “I love playing with textures, fonts and color, and I’m inspired by nature in a lot of ways.”

The former is evidenced by birds perched on straight tree limbs, thick symmetrical grass blades and rows of elephants — in pleasingly unnatural elephant colors — that appear on her Design Roots cards.

Bloem recently took a short break from card making to give birth to a little girl, but she’s now back in full swing, accepting custom orders and drawing up ingenious new concepts.

WEBSITE: design-roots.net

CONTACT: hbbloem@mac.com or 214.724.1087

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Good news for those furry family members who love to chew on everything. (No, not your crazy cousin Eddie). This neighborhood-based line is dedicated to the dogs. Samantha Abedin, who as a child learned to sew from her grandmother, was happily in the business of crafting fashionably feminine and nostalgic-looking purses, when a donation of high-end sample fabrics got her thinking outside the handbag and about the bones that her schnauzer Snoopy, who was recently diagnosed with diabetes, liked to chew into an unrecognizable rawhide wad.

“I decided to make him a dog bone [from the fabric samples] to comfort him,” Abedin says. “He seemed to love it, so I made my terrier Yahoo one as well.”

That marked the birth of her company, Big Boy Bones.

Now, if you’re thinking that letting dogs chew on expensive fabrics is extravagant — think again. At just $10 each, these bones are built to last.

Big Boy Bones

Think Outside The Gift Box

“Yahoo usually destroys any toy you give him the very first night and his bone lasted him over a month, which was amazing.”

The handmade bones come in a plethora of patterns fit for all breeds from the frilliest little pups to the biggest toughest hounds. After Abedin started making them for friends’ dogs, the brand took off.

Big Boy Bones are now available in six area stores, and Snoopy, who was feeling pretty bad back when this all started, has bounced back into life.

“He serves not only as the inspiration for Big Boy Bones,” Abedin says, “but also as the CEO, traveling with me for as long as our Texas summers will allow.”

WEBSITE: bigboybones.com; samanthaabedin.com (purses)

IN STORE: Unleashed, 5151 Samuell; Green Pet, 315 N. Bishop

CONTACT: 214.503.3455; Samantha@ bigboybones.com

What goes well with a Big Boy Bone?

Delicious stocking stuffers. Flying Doggies makes homemade oven-baked dog treats from organic ingredients — your pup will woof ’em down. And co-owner Joe reider will deliver the prettily packaged canine cookies to your door. Visit myflyingdoggies.com.