WAKE FOREST, N.C. — A Wake Forest woman has turned her passion for arts and crafts into a thriving small business, bringing custom wood and acrylic gifts to homes and Christmas trees nationwide.
Donna Clayton, owner of Falcon Ridge Designs, began her journey during the COVID-19 pandemic, selling locally before expanding to Etsy.
“I saw there were laser cutters out there,” she said. “I’d never seen one, so I took the jump. I used the money I had made from vinyl and I bought my first laser — that started all of it.”
Her living room now doubles as a home office, transformed to house her 1,000-pound laser cutter.
Among her top sellers is a delicate wooden Christmas ornament featuring North Carolina’s state bird, the Cardinal. Clayton said she sells wholesale to businesses in tourist destinations.
“Everyone goes on vacation, and they bring home an ornament from where they went to add to their Christmas tree” she said.
In addition to ornaments, Falcon Ridge Designs offers personalized key chains, trivets, stickers, earrings, frames, and even a charcuterie board engraved with guides for food placement.
Clayton designs many of the items herself and collaborates with other designers, prioritizing materials sourced from North Carolina and women-owned businesses.
“Because that’s literally how we all grow,” Clayton said. “I’m putting money directly back into the local community, putting money back in people’s pockets to pay for their kid’s things. That’s super important to me, it’s why I do what I do, it’s for my kids.”