Right outside of Kent State’s campus is a local artist hard at work in her home studio. She is folding, printing and constructing her hand designed greeting cards with her two cats, Meeka and Dizzy, at her side.

“Doing something creative with my life, was always a sure thing,” said Susan Hazel Rich, owner, creator and illustrator of her newly started business Hazelmade.

Hazelmade is an illustrated line of greeting cards and home goods; all of her products are hand-drawn by her. She uses a sketchpad to draw out her ideas, and then scans them into a Photoshop program to be refined for printing.

“Our paper goods are printed on sustainable and environmentally conscious paper,” said Rich. “It’s all in the details for Hazelmade.”

Her designs are sent to wholesale printers in Michigan. She has selected two family owned companies who have a commitment to quality and the ability to print in small increments.

“U.S. made product and Midwest made product is very important to my business motto as well,” said Rich.

She is always creating work she is passionate about. The inspiration for Hazelmade comes from her love of vintage pieces; she loves the 1960s retro patterns including the simple, old-fashioned telephones, typewriters and mixers prevalent of the era.

Rich is originally from from Chesterland, Ohio in Geauga county. She attended Kent State for graphic design and upon graduation headed west to Colorado. She completed a two-year internship in the Aspen Valley of Fort Collins, Colorado for the next eight years.

She married her husband in Colorado, Charles Malone, who is currently an Advisor in the Honors College of Kent’s main campus. Rich and her husband were hoping to move back to Ohio, but got as close as Big Rapids, Michigan. After 2 years they relocated to Kent, Ohio this past June.

Hazelmade has been featured in numerous magazines in Ohio and Michigan including a few art blogs. She has shown her work at over 25 different art and wholesale shows including the Avenue for the Arts in Michigan and the Cleveland Bazaar.

Rich is currently teaching magazine design in Franklin Hall in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication two days a week when she is not working on her business.

Hazelmade has a full-line online website, as well as an Etsy shop for customers to purchase her printed goods.