Tonya Boezi is our TriangleMom2Mom mom of the week. She recently started a business that transfers children's artwork onto a variety of items. Sounds like a good idea for school fundraisers.

Here's Tonya ...

Mom2Mom: Tell us about yourself.

Tonya: I am a full time mom as well as a full time business owner, this equates to working overtime like every other mom in the world!

I am the mother to a 12-year-old son who actually was the inspiration for my business - Works of Art.

My son loves to draw and I have always enjoyed his artwork, yet there is only so much space on the refrigerator and elsewhere to display his works of art. I loved the concept of childrens artwork being transferred onto various items but I had some ideas about other more unique items that his artwork would look great on. Needless to say, after I made a few glass rings and gave some to friends with their childrens artwork on them I started getting requests from other people to make some with their favorite artwork on them.

The idea slowly grew from this experience into the fund raising organization that it is today. I will always be grateful to my son and his first creative drawing of a butterfly that was the inspiration for having a job that I love!

Works of Art NC is an art-based fundraising company that transfers children’s artwork onto a variety of items. We have many products that no one else in this industry offers. Children achieve a real sense of pride and confidence seeing their artwork on our finished products and the parents actually enjoy this type of fundraiser as they are receiving high quality, custom made goods with their favorite artists’ work on them! Due to the customized nature of our items, parents typically will spend more than they might on other less personal fundraisers. These products also make great gifts, which in turn has helped to increase the amount of money raised for our schools.

We really pride ourselves on the quality and uniqueness of our items. It is our goal that we offer a desirable selection of products to choose from as well as offer items that you won't find elsewhere. We even have several handmade items to choose from. We also work hard so that our fundraisers do not add any undue burden onto the schools PTA. A good f undraiser should not only provide revenue for the school but it should also provide excellent customer service.

Our specialty is providing personalized attention and taking care of every detail for our customers. Since we are a local company we are available to come out and handle anything our clients might need us to do. We have a vested interest in our local school system as all of our children attend Wake County Public Schools. Our goal for all of our clients is to provide them with a profitable, fun and hassle free fundraising experience!

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite family place in the Triangle?

Tonya: My favorite family place in the triangle is our own home!! Yes, I am a homebody at heart and nothing makes me happier than to hang out at our house with my husband and son just talking, watching movies and laughing.

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite place for yourself in the Triangle?

Tonya: One of the better kept secrets in the Triangle, until now I guess, is the Miller Motte Technical College in Cary.

The students there who are learning to be masseuses have to work on actual people in order to hone their skills You can get a wonderful massage for about half the price!

Mom2Mom: What's your favorite ritual with your son?

Tonya: My favorite ritual with my son is at bedtime. We just hang out on his bed before bedtime and he winds up unloading lots of information about his day, good and bad. It is a low pressure way to reconnect and learn about what is going on in his life outside of the home.

Mom2Mom: What did you eat for dinner last night? Can you share the recipe?

Tonya: Dinner last night was spaghetti and meatballs. My husband is Italian so this is his mothers "recipe". For any of you out there who are Italian or are married to one, you know that red sauce with meatballs does not actually have a recipe, you are taught it by look and taste. My mother-in-law could no more tell me how much basil is in her sauce than I could tell you how to rocket to the moon! The way I learned to make this is by watching her do it over the years. If anyone wants to know the recipe, call me and you can come over to watch. Entrance fee is a bottle of red wine to go with dinner!

Mom2Mom: What's your guilty pleasure?

Tonya: Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!!!!!

If you know a mom we should feature, e-mail me! And read about other local moms at TriangleMom2Mom.com/meet.