Meet Kayla Heaton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Heaton.

Kayla, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
About five years ago, I started going on mission trips quite frequently. I would bounce back and forth between Nicaragua and Guatemala and the amount of money I needed to be able to go on each was not just sitting in my bank account. I have always been artistic and decided to start painting and making things for friends and family as a way to fundraise for the trips. My primary product was hand-painted journals.

About three years ago, I was denied the vacation request to go back to Guatemala and on a whim, quit my full-time job. I picked up several side jobs to make ends meet – one being a DIY studio where we taught customers how to paint and make signs. Working there not only allowed me to improve my talent, but it showed me what my passion truly was and that is all things art.

I ended up having to jump back into corporate America a year ago. I sat behind a desk all day, rarely picked up a paintbrush, I was bored and I hated it! Around Christmas, I had friends reach out for me to help make gifts and doing so was like a reminder of how much I loved it. So, I decided to do something about it.

At the first of the year, I decided to stop doing art through my personal social media pages and created Mission Heart Designs. Around the same time, my best friend had a baby and I made the cutest door hanger to announce it at the hospital (humble brag, I swear)! After posting a picture of it and getting such a positive response, I began to post previous work I had done and that’s when MHD began to really take off!

Has it been a smooth road?
While it has been a pretty easy journey, it’s not always been smooth!

Being an artist is all about being creative and allows you to in a way, go off the grid – BUT sometimes that can be pricey and sometimes you have to create things two or three times before perfecting it. I’ve thrown away a lot of money trying new paints and techniques but in the end, it’s always allowed me to perfect my craft.

Another struggle would be juggling the full-time workload Mission Heart Designs brings me with a full-time job. I have prided myself on being a one-woman-show but sometimes it’s tough! I don’t use any of the vinyl machines and hand-letter and paint everything I do which is sometimes time-consuming. I’ve had to cancel plans last minute, skip out on events, and tell people “I’m sorry, I can’t,” more times than I would like to admit to finish a deadline.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I like to tell people that Mission Heart Designs does anything you need that involves lettering or paint but it has extended and branched off into so much more. I am a calligrapher, artist, and woodworker. I specialize in a lot!

One of my favorite things is weddings – addressing envelopes, creating custom logos and signage are just a few of the things I do! My favorite part about weddings is helping a bride’s vision come to life to make her day the best. one. ever!

Another specialty of mine is door hangers and custom home decor. From a Welcome sign on your front door to signs for the mantel or over your bed. Being that all of my work is hand-lettered and painted, I am able to completely customize it to the customer’s preferences.

While I am known for all of the above, one of the pieces I have become known for lately is my Custom Handwriting Signs. I take recipes, letters, and cards (anything with writing, really) from loved ones, here or that have passed, and transfer them onto a sign. It allows you to display it in your home or office and always have a piece of them with you. They make special gifts and seeing customer’s reactions when they receive it will always be my greatest joy.

Aside from being able to totally customize product, I feel as though my work ethic and creative eye set me apart. You can order things online or have them printed out all day long. I strive to be authentic and in doing such, I make sure that my work could be replicated but it wouldn’t ever truly be the same. I like to work with customers to hear their vision and see what they really like and in turn produce something they completely love! As a business owner, being able to make these visions come to life is something I will always be proud of!

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
No matter the location, I feel as though Atlanta is a good place for this type of business. Your clientele will always vary because everyone’s style is different but if you are able to broaden your horizons and not afraid to step outside of what you know, there’s no limit, really.

To anyone starting out, I would recommend starting out in your own little neighborhood. When I began MHD, my sole customer base were the ones that knew me personally. As time went on, word of mouth and social media have become my friends, allowing me to expand my territories.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @missionheartdesigns
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/MissionHeartDesigns

Image Credit:
Kathryn Elisabeth Photographs, Lavishly Rugged Events, Hutson Photo Art + Modern Events

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