The way Jill Quednow-Peterson sees it, the business world is too uptight.

She is doing her part to change the method without changing the result. After all, the nature of business is to sell a product or a service. If Quednow-Peterson can't help her clients do that, she fails.

"I want it to be distinctive. Something that will set that person or business apart from others. I also want it to be uplifting and inspirational for all to see," she said.

Quednow-Peterson is the daughter of Gary and Nancy Quednow, Austin. She has a younger sister, Lisa Quednow-Bickler. She graduated from Pacelli High School in 1989, attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls without graduating and then went to work for a living.

"I moved to Minneapolis and worked in floral sales," she said. "Then, I started designing greeting cards. I always enjoyed greeting cards and their messages and thought that was something I could do someday. When I was young, I used my babysitting money on cards, so the interest was always there."

She married Troy Peterson in 1995. He graduated from St. Paul's Academy in 1989 and works for Reverse Mortgage. He has two children, Jolyn, a daughter, 14, and Terry, a son, 12.

The husband has also finished his apprenticeship as a silversmith.

Every successful marriage is one made in heaven, but this marriage is, in part, successful because it was made at art fairs.

That's where, the husband, sells his original silver jewelry and Quednow-Peterson sells her greeting and note cards, plus stationery.

"All my cards are, I think, happy in nature," Quednow-Peterson said. "I like to make people feel better about themselves and life. I want my cards and their messages to be uplifting; even inspirational. I want them to be low-cost with a high-impact."

She calls her business the Sweet Basil Company and along with her husband, the silversmith, the couple visit art fairs, gift and crafts shows and sell their products at retail outlets, including Black Bart's / Nemitz's in Austin (her father's business) and the Hardy Geranium, also in Austin.

"Everyone of the greeting cards has original art and an original message," she said.

The business cards and other promotional material she designs also contains Quednow-Peterson's original art and design, but, of course, the message is "more serious."

Bakers, painters, other artists, decorators and consultants are among her business clients.

If she has a trademark in her work it is the dragonfly.

The husband also has a trademark, but it is more subtle. He credits an uncle, Josef Peterson, a professional artist, with being his inspiration as a silversmith.

If the uncle's artistic influence isn't felt by Peterson, the Native American influence from the American Southwest will be there.

That an the metal fabrication technique he uses combine to make Peterson's silver-work distinctive.

"I enjoy making something out of nothing or making something better," said Peterson.

The husband designed the couple's wedding rings.

The couple visited the wife's parents last weekend for a holiday open house party.

Silver work and greeting cards and stationery side-by-side. Also, the ubiquitous refrigerator magnets, but these, Quednow-Peterson's creations, designed, she said, with the same careful attention as the others.

One: art in its free form: metal fabricated into beautiful objects.

The other: business art designed to make people smile.

"Someday I want my business to be has huge as Hallmark," she said.

For more information, go to sweetbasil@qwest.net

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com