About Us

Debra Ellifson grew up on a family farm near Osseo, a small town in West Central Wisconsin. Always interested in art and handiwork, Debra spent her high school years in love with oil painting. She later owned and operated a ceramics shop with her mother in Grand Junction, Colorado where she spent her time painting and enjoying her art. However, she gave up her painting after moving back to Wisconsin with her family and putting all her energy into raising her two small sons. (They wanted to paint too! The floors, the walls, everything.)

With both of her children now grown, Debra needed a creative outlet to fill all her newfound extra time. She decided to try decorative painting with acrylics. Debra's first project was a hand painted flowerpot for her mother-in-law, which was to be a present for Mother's Day. When she took it to the local greenhouse to have it filled with matching flowers, the owner requested hand painted pots to sell, and Designs by Debra was born. In addition to the flowerpots, we now sell hand painted birdhouses, mailboxes, tinware, glassware and much more. This business has become a great way to make extra cash to fuel Debra's addictions to shoes and spoiling her granddaughter.

Debra paints in a studio in her home. With the benefit of her sibling's marketing skills and creative imaginations to spur her on, the orders have been pouring in and she paints on any surface that sits still long enough to put a brush to it. However, she wouldn't be able to keep up without the help of her wonderful and patient husband, Randy. He is a carpenter by trade, and helps with woodworking projects, base-coating and sealing products. Life is wonderful in the marvelous Midwest!