Two summers ago, Hannah Paavola and Rachel Dutcher, juniors, were feeling “artsy.” So they picked up some cheap canvas shoes at Target and made them their own with Sharpie.

What began as an art project one summer day turned into a real business for Paavola. She now sells custom pairs of colorful, hand-painted canvas kicks that she claims are made with love for $30 to $45.

The first pair of shoes Paavola made for another person was also the first pair she made using paint, rather than Sharpie.

“[Using paint for the first time] was a little-nerve racking; it was an experiment,” Paavola said.

Paavola gave her first customer free shoes, but there was a catch. Lauren Moberg, junior at Totino-Grace, was asked to be a promoter – a PR girl – for the custom shoes. She has helped bring in around five customers.

“I wear them around school and tweet pictures of them, and people kept asking me where I got them. I tell them all about Hannah and they are always super interested,” Moberg said.

If you’re interested in having hand painted shoes made by Paavola, you could map it out – but most don’t. No two pairs of Paavola’s free-handed creations ever look alike.

“Most people just give me a theme to go off of. The most specific request I’ve ever gotten was to write ‘Jump Around’ on the side and to include a badger,” Paavola said.

Paavola enjoys that creative aspect of her business.

“I really like working off a theme. Once, I had a girl come to me and say ‘I want shoes that look like the beach,’ so I got to do anything that related to the beach, like palm trees and sail boats,” Paavola said.

The majority of the orders Paavola gets are for graduation gifts. These particular gifts are designed to be fun, unique spirit wear for colleges.

Paavola recently received a request for shoes with a University of Wisconsin – Madison theme. The school fight song was written on the shoes’ tongues.

Tony Baker, junior, has a pair of shoes made by Paavola. His theme was camping and the outdoors.

“The shoes I got turned out very nice. I would buy another pair,” Baker said.

Paavola is very dedicated to her business and her customers’ satisfaction. She is so committed that she has brought a pair to work on during her AP World History class.

The perks of having your own business are abundant, according to Paavola. The business gives her a chance to make money and express herself creatively, while doing a relaxing activity that she enjoys.