The first time Joy Hannan-Copanezos' husband laid eyes on what's now known as a "KiDoodles" creation, he asked "What is that?" When she told him it was a piece of jewelry she'd made from a drawing their 3-year-old daughter made and that she was planning to give it to the child's day-care director, his advice was, "You'd better explain it to her."

"It was funny looking, but totally adorable," Joy Hannan-Copanezos recalled. "It was a typical 3-year-old's drawing, with squiggly hair, a big head, and hands sticking out the side. I looked at the drawing and made a little pattern and cut it out by hand and soldered wire for the hair and legs and made the head out of sheet metal. It was a little dancing figure."

That was 15 years ago, and Hannan-Copanezos, who lives in Kill Devil Hills, said her technique hasn't changed all that much. The metalsmith specializes in turning children's artwork into professional silver and gold jewelry and other items. Although most of her work is more popular with moms, she also creates KiDoodles in the form of cufflinks, tie bars, key chains and money clips.

Metal maven: With a bachelor's degree in metalsmithing from Syracuse University, Hannan-Copanezos, 53, went on to work at a high-end jewelry store in Atlanta, where she created pieces and also worked as shop forewoman. When her daughter was born, she started to work at home, and sold her jewelry at several shops and galleries. So when she made that first piece of jewelry for "Miss Martha" from her daughter's drawing, Hannan-Copanezos combined a child's imagination with an artist's technique.

Brilliant idea: Hannan-Copanezos's idea, which popped into her head in the middle of the night, she said, clearly struck a chord with many mothers. "When I gave it to Miss Martha, she was thrilled and everybody around just went nuts. There was a woman standing there who immediately handed me two of her children's drawings and wanted me to make her something. She's the one who convinced me to go into business. She said, 'You need to do this. There are just so many parents out there who would love this.' " Apparently, she was right, because once Hannan-Copanezos started to advertise in parenting publications, the orders rolled in. So she set up a Web site and started to sell online as well.

Off season: Christmas and Mother's Day are Hannan-Copanezos' busiest times for KiDoodles. Otherwise, she finds time to make her own creations. "I make rings with precious and semiprecious stones, necklaces, all kinds of stuff." She doesn't sell those online, only at shows and a gallery in the Outer Banks. She does a few shows a year, including CenterFest in Durham (Sept. 15 and 16 this year) and the Ocrafolk Festival (June 1-3.)

Crunch time: As busy as Hannan-Copanezos gets, "I've always just worked until I got them done. I've never hired anybody else to help me," she said. "I'm a mother, and I love these drawings. I want my hands on each drawing. I don't want to farm it out. This isn't just jewelry. The drawings are just so precious, and the jewelry is more than a pin to put on your coat. They're you. They're special."

Close to customers: "People send me their kids' photographs all the time and sometimes their poetry. I have a little wall where I put it," she said. "There are kids that I've seen grown up. One grandmother gets charms for her daughter's charm bracelet every year, for 12 years now. It's not Christmas until I hear from this woman." Sometimes there are horror stories of sick or dying children, she said. "I get heartbreaking stories every year. That's why this jewelry is not just jewelry. They all have a story and it's as unique and special as the child who designs it."

Kiddie-art critic: Girls, especially on the coast, draw a lot of mermaids, Hannan-Copanezos said. Also big on the list are angels, hearts and butterflies. "Boys will draw the monsters and robots, and they don't do as much detail." Regardless of the object, "everything everyone draws usually has a smiley face," she said. Sometimes she spots a budding artist. "I've told the parents, frame this and encourage your kid to draw some more," she said. "I did get a note once from a child who became an artist."

Family flair: Hannan-Copanezos's personal collection of KiDoodles spans decades. "I only wear my kids' art, but they haven't drawn for me for a while." Her daughter is now 18 and she has a 14-year-old son. "My husband is a remodeling contractor and every day he wears little tack pins on his shirt that the kids drew of him. One is like Mr. Potato Head and the other is a circle face with arms and legs."

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