09/04/2026
Oh hi, it’s Afton! The girl behind Belle Âme ✨
I just have to say, I seriously LOVE what I do—being a hand lettering artist. I never thought in a million years that this is what I would do. I went to college for 6 years and got a bachelor’s degree in French, and I ended up going a completely different route 🤷♀️
It’s interesting how life takes you down certain paths. I’ve always been a creative person, which I think I get from my mom and grandma. As a kid, I loved scrap booking and doodling on any scratch piece of paper I could find. I’ve always valued pretty handwriting, so I kind of just taught myself!
I started out hand painting quotes on wood signs at the start of 2020, and I honestly thought that’s where I would stay. But demands are constantly changing, trends come and go, and I’ve had to learn to roll with the punches over the last 6 years. I’ve learned that change is OKAY and it can lead you to new and exciting things that are better in the long run. This little business of mine has definitely not always gone the way that I wanted, or hoped. But I think it’s finally starting to evolve into what I truly want it to be. And that thrills me to no end!
This journey hasn’t been easy. Things are a lot harder now that I’m a mom. My time is very limited. A lot of times I don’t feel creative and I get sucked into the comparison trap on the daily. There have been many tears shed, hair pulling, and some days where I feel pushed into a corner so much that I feel I just have to give it all up.
Since becoming a mom, I feel it has led me towards the path I’ve wanted to take this business all along. Personalized items that make YOU feel special. Because life is too short! The little things are meant to be enjoyed.
I hope all this rambling helps show the real me—the artist behind all of this madness. You can find me chasing my toddler around, a crispy Dr. Pepper in hand. Sweating in my garage covered in saw dust and paint, or binging true crime podcasts in my j***y craft room while I create.
