Tigz Designs: artistic creations for all occasions

Lori Cameron has turned a passion for card making into a successful business

by Danielle Cameron — January 01, 2010

Lori Cameron has turned a passion for cardmaking into a successful business. — Bill Cameron photo

Long-time Creston resident Lori Cameron had always enjoyed the art of card making—so when she started Tigz Designs in 2006, it was no surprise that the home-based business took off with great success. She has since expanded her range to incorporate personalized hanging and magnetic calendars with photos and embellishments, candy packets for different occasions, business cards and more—all customizable according to the customers’ wishes.

Cameron also sells boxed sets of personalized notes with company logos or photos of choice, children’s cards that include suckers or puzzles, and amazing photography cards highlighting everything from fun animal shots to beautiful B.C. scenery. Many of her materials either come directly from nature or are handmade.

“It inspires me to think that one of my cards might bring a smile to someone’s face or to help a person express themselves to someone special in their life,” said Cameron. “I love designing—coming up with new things, using different materials.”

Cameron takes particular pride in her pet cards, featuring gorgeous and sometimes hilarious photos of her own pets and other animals. What makes these even more special is the fact that she donates a portion of her proceeds to Creston’s PAWS (Pet Adoption and Welfare Society), a group dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of animals in need.

“In June, 2008, I started contributing $1 per sale of each of my pet cards to PAWS,” explained Cameron. “Knowing how PAWS has helped save many pets and how they have been working hard to establish a full-service animal facility in the Creston Valley, I thought I could help them out. Between the sales and donations, Tigz Designs was able to donate $300 from June to December of last year. When word got out, several people such as Amanda Wells from Tails Pet Supply in Rossland, Donna Nelson, PAWS, Marianne from Shalakaus Shepherds in Creston, and several other people started sending me photos to use as their donation to help PAWS.”

Another factor in the success of Tigz Designs is the customer service that Cameron offers.

“No matter what a customer has asked me to do, I always enjoy working with them to come up with something special for them,” said Cameron. “I had a lady from England that found my website, and she had family in Port Coquitlam. She knew she couldn’t get a card sent from her address to arrive in time for her little nephew’s birthday. She had me mail it directly from Creston, along with a gift. It is very important to me to have a customer happy with the service I offer, no matter how big or small the order is.”

Cameron finds inspiration in many places. “Sometimes it will be a funny picture of an animal, sometimes beautiful scenery,” said Cameron, “sometimes when a customer calls to tell me they want something that I have never done before. I once got asked to design Christmas tree ornaments from pictures of a gentleman’s current and past pets. It was to be a Christmas gift for his wife. Also when someone wants a card made up and tells me a bit about the person it’s for, that always inspires me to come up with something unique for them.”

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