MooseTrack Boutique is a home- based business selling mostly online or at Holiday Craft Fairs. Artist/Owner Deena Steward specializes in beautiful portraits of her clients’ “fur babies” burned into basswood, maple, or cherry plaques. She also creates unique gemstone and bead jewelry.
“I love animals,” Steward says. “Over the years, we’ve had dogs, ferrets, bunnies, fish, frogs, turtles – all with their own unique personalities and quirks we remember.” You can see the love she puts into her pet portraits on her website, MooseTrackBoutique.com.
“I love being creative, whether it is making jewelry, sketching, photography, graphic design, glass blowing, or developing websites.” Steward has only been engraving/burning wood since 2020. “I started out small, making gifts for friends and family, then offered my skills as a fundraiser for the Sugarloaf Volunteer Fire Department. Hearing the stories about each fur baby, whether it had passed or not, was really enjoyable and helped me imagine the pet while I worked.”
Seward does all the work on her products herself. “Nothing is farmed out to other countries. I purchase most of my wood from other locally owned, Front Range businesses.” She also donates a portion of sales, as well as finished pieces and gift certificates, for auctions at animal-related organizations. Some of those she’s donated to include W.O.L.F.; Animal Friends Alliance; Larimer, Peak to Peak, and the Longmont Humane Societies; and the National French Bulldog Rescue.
While there are other artists online who offer pet portraits, Seward sees herself as distinctive: “Some engravers will take a client’s photo and engrave the exact image onto wood. Sometimes it works out, but it looks like a photo. I take the time to create a sketch which is focused on the face of the fur baby. I work with the client to capture the personality and create a timeless piece of art. The client approves the sketch prior to my engraving the final piece.” She especially loved hearing about each fur baby “as well as hearing back from the client that they (or the person they gave the plaque to) loves it!”
While the bulk of her business is online and through craft fairs, Seward started out selling (and gifting) to friends and family. As well, some of her work is on display at two locally-owned Front Range pet stores: Wagz Pet Market in Fort Collins and Riley’s Natural Pet Supply in
She’s also actively looking for other locally- owned businesses to display her work (hint, hint, Ned shops).
Seward moved to Fort Collins from her home state of California in 1993. She had worked as a sports photographer, as a contractor for Hewlett-Packard, and as a website designer until recently, when she and her husband moved 3/4 time to Sugarloaf. They became permanent Peak to Peak residents this year.
She wants to continue using her skills to help raise funds for animal- related organizations as well as local community services like volunteer fire departments and senior-oriented resources.
MooseTrack Boutique is located at 169 S. Peak Lane, Boulder, Colorado 80302 (Sugarloaf Road). Please check out the MooseTrack website at MooseTrackBoutique.com to see the amazing variety of animal portraits and jewelry designs Seward offers. She’s also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MooseTrackBoutique and instagram at www.instagram.com/ moosetrackboutique/.
She can also be reached by email at moosetrackboutique@gmail.com or by phone at 720-432-9949.
