These local artists combined their Etsy stores into this Kettering shop

When Dayton artist Charity Yingling was 12, she turned the family shed into a small gift shop. She had lots of seashells from her family vacations that she and her friends used to create jewelry, wreaths, and other beach-inspired items. She always had that entrepreneurial spirit.

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Now she and business partner Caleb Thomas have their own art store at Town & Country Shopping Center called C & C Studios.

“I’ve been a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for 12 years, and I love their products. I had done art shows and festivals for years. People wanted to get more of my art and asked me where my shop was, so I set up an Etsy shop,” said Yingling. “After a year and a half, I talked Caleb into joining me in a new business endeavor.”

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C & C Studios combines their Etsy shops, Charity’s Stamping Studio and Thomas’s Art2BHad.

Open since May of this year, they sell Yingling’s paper art and Thomas’s paintings. Her handmade cards and home decor items are described as “vintage with a little bit of farmhouse style.” She has also up-cycled antique windows into message boards and perpetual calendars.

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“The store is going well; probably better than I thought it would be,” said Yingling, a self-taught artist. “I’ve always wanted to have a business and be my own boss.”

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She also teaches private art lessons from her home studio in Dayton. Thomas is a Dayton resident who also offers painting lessons in his home studio. He’s sold paintings to customers around the country, including Alaska, California, Texas, and Florida. He likes to paint portraits of famous people like Taylor Swift, Henry Cavill and Johnny Cash.

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“I deal mostly with oils, though I’ve done some murals with acrylic. I like to paint almost anything, from people, nature, and animals to abstract,” said Thomas. “I’m going to be having a great deal of new, digital art available in the shop soon.”

He said one of his best paintings is a depiction of the Disney castle, which took him about a month to complete. He attended the Bowling Green School of Art for one year.

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They both offer custom-made art. Yingling has done custom wedding, shower, birthday, sorority and other event invitations; Thomas offers custom oil portraits.

C & C Studios has many special classes and events throughout the year. Besides the Scrapbook Crop in September, there will be a Holiday Stamp Camp Class on Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 21. For $50, guests can create 13 make-and-take items: Christmas cards, ornaments, and decorations.

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WANT TO GO?

What: C & C Studios Scrapbook Crop

Where: Town & Country Shopping Center, 354 E. Stroop Road.

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16

Cost: $50 full table/$40 half table

Shop hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday

More Info: 937-572-1911 | https://squareup.com/store/c-and-c-studios

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