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SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The Shelby Township Senior Center has announced that Suzanne D’Andrea is its featured artist for the months of July and August.
D’Andrea has set up her display at the Shelby Township Senior Center, inside the Shelby Township Activities Center, 14975 21 Mile Road, and it will be there until the end of August.
Her art is a modern farmhouse type of decor, and her business is called Everyday is Saturday Designs. Her business focuses on outdoor double-sided porch boards, farm signs, home décor, wreaths and party planning. Although as of last summer she has started to take advantage of the numerous craft shows around Michigan, most of her business is from custom orders.
You can find her many designs and samples on her Facebook site at facebook.com/EverydayisSaturdayDesigns.
She said that coming up with the name of her company was simple for her.
After 38 years of teaching as a special education teacher-consultant, D’Andrea retired. Now it feels like every day is Saturday and she can do what she wants. But she needed something to fill up her time, and she had always been very crafty, so she took up painting.
With the help of her husband, Walt, in prepping the wood, her business evolved into a full-time occupation, and she needed help. She knew who to enlist — her best friend, Linda Anstess — and that is where it all began.
D’Andrea taught Anstess to stencil, and now they paint three to four days a week together. Linda was also an educator, and their friendship goes back more than 35 years.
Anstess said she loves working with D’Andrea to create interesting pieces.
“Suzanne is without a doubt one of the most creative, hardworking crafters I know. Her ability to look at an object or picture and re-create it in her own design is outstanding,” she said.
Jacquelyn Stillwell, D’Andrea’s daughter, said she is very proud of her mother and all that she has accomplished.
“My mother has a true eye for design. She can take a variety of silk greenery, flowers, ribbon and produce a wreath, bouquet, cake stand or wedding arch. She just made all the arrangements for my wedding a few weeks ago. It was amazing,” Stillwell said.
D’Andrea said she hopes to continue painting and growing her business over the next few years. When she is not painting, she spends most of her time with her seven grandchildren, who range in age from 1 to 10 years old. She watches a lot of baseball games and soccer games, and they travel together, which she loves the most. She also enjoys time with her goldendoodle, Moe.
