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Something for everyone: The biggest attraction of Feel Good Frames is the buyer's ability to customize the work. "About 65 (percent) to 70 percent of our products are completely personalized," Roupas said, either through filling out forms at stores or online. "Like there might be a frame with a baby carriage and the baby's name and birth date, or a wedding frame that says 'Shelley and Tom, Happily Ever After.' " Other popular occasions for personalized frames are graduations, Mother's and Father's Day and vacations. The ornaments are circle-shaped flat frames that can be hung on the tree. "We started them in Christmas of 2005 and they're just huge. Everybody wants to show off their photos on their trees." This year she added bulletin boards to the mix. "I was inspired by my children. They do tons of art. So I made one that says 'Thomas and David's Art.' I love hanging their art. It's great for them and I love to see it up."

Giving back: Roupas donates 10 percent of proceeds from online sales of ornaments to the Eastern North Carolina chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "My mom and both grandmothers died from blood cancer, and my dad has been fighting blood cancer for nine years," Roupas said. "My mom was only 54 when she died. That gives me an added element of purpose and drive to do well."

Her story: As to what the future holds for Roupas, "I don't have a big, lofty vision. I'd like to continue to design and create really fun, functional products that make a house like a home. When I started it, my goal was to create something that would work for me and my family. If you want it to happen, you can make it happen. Everybody's got their own story."

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