JEDDAH: Sisters Khairiah and Renad Dahlan recently became the creators of a simple, yet unique, business idea. They make hand-made personalized frames, which are becoming increasingly hard to find in the consumeristic world. The frames contain letters inside small house models arranged to look like a town. The frames, which are made of wood and Jasmin-scented clay that does not need to be baked to harden, are lit at the sides and can be made with your colors of choice. If you are passionate about coffee, why not throw in some coffee beans or coffee cup models to the frame? Or why not have the letters of a name hand-carved or put inside the houses? “We came up with the ‘build-your-own village’ idea after visiting the beautiful city of Bruges in Belgium,” said Renad, 23. “We were inspired by the city’s night lights and amazing landscapes.” Their idea quickly became popular among business owners and consumers alike. “We once got a phone call from staff at one of the oldest and most famous schools in Jeddah offering to set up a booth for our work at a big event they hold every two years,” she said. “The school, which has been around since 1966, chose us because they like our idea. This type of recognition keeps us going.” Their business venture has not been without obstacles. “There are hardly any small manufacturing facilities that include production and storage areas for creative entrepreneurs.” The sisters, who began advertising their work on social media and eventually set up stalls at several events in Jeddah, would like to own a shop and eventually carve a niche for themselves so they can become an international brand name.