Just six months after opening Collage, the Paper Arts Store, in downtown Oak Harbor, owner Naomi Schneider is moving to a larger location just down the street due to steady business growth.

Tuesday’s card-making class was booked, with a total of eight students, and Thursday’s class only had a couple of spots left.

She attributes her business’ success to an increasing interest in the card-making classes, as well as scrapbooking and other types of arts and crafts.

“Art is in the moment,” Schneider said. “When you’re into art, you’re just there.”

Not only does Schneider love sharing her love of arts and crafts, but she appreciates the sense of community and togetherness that the classes create.

“Women are getting together, socializing, becoming friends,” Schneider said. “Truly I love the classes… I love to get people excited about art.”

Currently at 665 S.E. Pioneer Way with just over 600 square feet, the arts and crafts store is moving just up the street next month to 651 S.E. Pioneer Way into the former location of Michael-John’s Trading Post, where she will more than double her space with 1,400 square feet.

While Schneider is still prepping the new space for the move, she expect to be relocated the beginning of August. In the new space, she will be able to have up to 12 participants per class, and create a permanent classroom space, instead of the make-shift temporary one she has in the back of her current shop.

The store offers various arts and crafts products, including rubber stamps, specialty and hand-made paper, paints, ribbons, stencils, and variety of other items to personalize any card, picture frame, artwork or gift.

“She’s got a great business and if you’ve been in her store, it’s well laid out and has great inventory,” said Kathy Reed, director of the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “Every time I’ve been in there she had everything I needed… and other things I didn’t need. She obviously knows what she’s doing that that’s key to any business.”

Roya Devenport of Oak Harbor has been attending the classes at Collage since she first opened in January.

Devenport described the classes as “absolutely wonderful.”

Praising Schneider as a “marvelous teacher,” Devenport said that Schneider is always open to new class ideas and is knowledgeable about how to best use almost every product.

“I just sent out two hand-made cards this week,” Devenport said. “It really shows the person that you really took the time to think about them in a more personal way. And they don’t throw them away because they are hand-made with love.”

For more information about classes, email ngscol

lage@gmail.com or call 360-320-1363.