Lacey Haltenhof’s business, “The Laced Brush,” has been decorating window fronts throughout the Illinois Valley, illustrating each store’s unique characteristics. She’s painted downtown windows in La Salle, Peru, Ottawa, Streator, Earlville and Morris, turning a hobby into a thriving entrepreneurial venture.

“I just remembered how fun it was to dip a paintbrush, put your headphones on and kind of zone out,” Haltenhof said. “I didn’t necessarily think I was going to make a business out of it. It was just going to be a little hobby.”

Haltenhof launched her business by painting a banner with her friend for a Galentine’s event and posted it online, hoping to gain traction. She designed a few more banners for free before landing her first job — a welcome home banner for a newborn.

Wanting to expand into window painting, Haltenhof offered her services to Downtown Nutrition in Ottawa free of charge.

“Pretty quickly after that, I was going all over doing windows and that was super fun, because I got to leave my studio and talk to business owners,” she said.

Beyond window painting, she also offers kids’ coloring sheets, custom banners for various occasions, gift bags and table runners.

Downtown Nutrition owner Rebecca Hess said she’s proud to support Haltenhof and witness how far her small business has come in a short time.

“I’m really happy she’s been able to expand in so many different ways,” Hess said. “A lot of people love seeing them. They catch your eye as you go by and I enjoy being able to collaborate with her on social media and do reels for each other.”

With community support, Haltenhof launched her business in July. Much to her surprise, the response was overwhelming.

“I was always an artist — like 100%,” she said. “I got a small scholarship to (Illinois Valley Community College) for fine arts. It’s always something that I wanted to do, but in the back of your head, you’re like, how do I become a working artist?”

The challenges of starting and maintaining a business remain, particularly the demand to show up consistently on social media.

“I found out real quick it could make or break you,” she said.

Haltenhof films herself completing projects from start to finish and has gained a large social media following with 1,000 followers on Facebook and 13,000 likes on TikTok.

Her most-watched TikTok video features Santa with curlers in his hair, blowing a massive pink bubble at an Earlville hair salon, with more than 80,000 views.

“That was so fun to paint,” Haltenhof said. “I was given a lot of creative control.”

Haltenhof said she’s proud of what she’s accomplished, already hitting her yearly goal by completing a mural for More on Main in Ottawa.

“It was a big moment for me,” she said. “I had never done anything like that. I just felt so honored and blessed and thankful that someone would want me to paint a permanent piece on their wall.”

Jen McMullen, owner of More on Main in Ottawa and Streator, said she was convinced Haltenhof could complete the mural based on her previous window work.

“The customers love it,” McMullen said. “There have been all kinds of comments and people are really impressed. One comment I heard was that it’s so unique – you know it doesn’t look like she copied it from someone else. And she doesn’t.”

With her yearly goal already completed, Haltenhof is looking ahead.

“I would love to have a brick-and-mortar shop,” she said. “Maybe a sip-and-paint studio. I thought it was really fun for me after school when I was little to take art classes. I don’t know if anyone does that right now, but I think it would be cool to give art lessons.”

Her dream store would offer classes, sell her own art and showcase local artists.

Her advice for young artists and entrepreneurs: go for it.

“Don’t worry about how you’re going to look to other people,” she said. “Just really try to stay in your lane, focus, do what makes you happy and nine times out of 10 you’re going to be fulfilled from it and that will be enough – or you’ll be pleasantly surprised and people will be attracted to whatever you’re doing.”

To book Haltenhof, email thelacedbrush@gmail.com.

To see her previous work, visit her Facebook, Instagram or TikTok pages.