about

What is Kio Kreations?

Kio Kreations is an all-encompassing creative services company. Started by Kristen Janes (formerly Kristen Henschen) in 2004, Kio Kreations has grown to include floral design, graphic design, product design, fine art, and other creative services.

An Artist from the Start

Kristen Janes has a creative background in both art and floral design. Beginning at the age of 3, Kristen showed an interest in drawing. One of the first “masterpieces” she created was an aerial view of Milwaukee’s Summerfest drawn from memory at the tender age of 4. Her parents encouraged her artistic talents and enrolled her in art private classes until high school. While in high school, Kristen took art and entered in various art shows and competitions. Her love of art throughout her childhood and adolescence led her to pursue art in college and eventually as her career.  While attending college, Kristen took on a variety of creative jobs including drawing a comic strip for the NIU NorthernStar newspaper and teaching art classes at the Art Attack School of Art. Kristen graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Illustration. She then accepted a position at a company in Elgin as a product and graphic designer, which eventually landed her in Woodridge for 4 additional years as a product designer most of which were spent designing wedding products.  In addition to designing products and packaging, Kristen also researched trend, directed photo shoots, created presentations, and presented designs & trend reports to clients.

A Blooming Career

At the age of 8, she was taught how to arrange flowers by her mother who was formerly a florist. She excelled at floral arranging so much so that she garnered various awards as a youth/ teen at the Lake County Fair in both 4-H and Open Class horticulture competitions. When Kristen was 14, she got a work permit and began her first job at Balmes’ Florist in Gurnee. While in college, in addition to her art-related jobs she also worked at The Glidden Campus Florist, and after moving to her current hometown of Naperville, Illinois, she worked briefly/seasonally for Phillip’s Florist in Naperville. After working in 3 floral shops over the course of 12 years, Kristen decided that she preferred to do weddings and corporate events and made that one of Kio Kreations’ primary focuses. Since 2004, Kio Kreations’ floral design client base has more than doubled every year and continues to rise.

Creative Overload

In addition to art & flowers Kristen also loves to share her passions to others. As a volunteer, she lends her creative talents to teaching drawing, cartooning, paper-making & floral design to Kane County 4-Her’s. She also has taught floral design at the Chicago Botanic Garden for their annual Roadside Flower Sale. She continues to teach private art lessons and seasonally offers classes in art and floral design at her local Park District.

Along Came Amy

Perhaps the best addition to Kio Kreations is Amy Christian, who joined the company in Spring of 2008. Amy has been a huge asset to me. She has helped us to look more professional through her gorgeous event photography and her endless creativity and quick thinking have proven to be highly benefitial time and time again. I am so lucky to have Amy as part of my team!

Kio Kreations goes LLC

In 2009, Kio Kreations went from a sole-proprietorship to an LLC (limited liability company) thus fulfilling Kristen’s goal of owning her own creative services company. Thanks to many of her dedicated (and vocal) past and present clients, Kio Kreations continues to grow into what it is today: a business providing creative services to hundreds of clients around the country.

More Talent Joins the Team!

In late July/early August Tara Etrheim and Monica Simpson joined the Kio Kreations team!

Tara comes to us with a degree in Interior Design and is currently working on a photography degree. Originally from Minnesota, she and her husband (of just over a year) live just down the street from me (but technically one town over) in Aurora.

Monica and her husband recently moved back to the area after living in Florida for a while. While in Florida she worked as a florist and is a former school teacher as well! She is originally from Antioch, Illinois which is near where I grew up (Gurnee, IL).

They have already proven to be great additions to the team and the 4 of us are busy with weddings virtually every weekend which is fabulous!

To read reviews of Kio Kreations check out our testimonials page. Additional reviews are also posted on WeddingWire.

To contact me click here.

Our Bios:

Name: Kristen Janes (formerly Kristen Henschen)
Title: Owner/Lead Designer/Creative Director
Specialties: Illustration, Floral Design, & Graphic Design
Degree/s: B.F.A in Illustration from Northern Illinois University (2004)
Wedding Consulting Certificate from Harper College (2007)
Affiliations: Naperville Art League Member, Kane County 4-H Volunteer, Morton Arboretum Volunteer, Chicago Botanic Garden Volunteer

Name: Amy Christian
Title: Associate Events Coordinator/Freelance Photographer & Designer
Specialties: Photography, Graphic Design, & Day-of-Coordination
Degree/s: B.A. in Graphic Design from International Academy of Design & Technology (2009)
Wedding Consulting Certificate from Harper College (2009)
Website: http://www.acdesignphotography.com/

Name: Tara Etrheim
Title: Assistant Events Coordinator/Freelance Photographer & Decor Designer
Specialties: Interior Design & Photography
Degree/s: B.A. in Interior Design & Management from Mankato State University, Minnesota (2006)
Assiociate’s in Photography from College of Dupage (in progress)

Name: Monica Simpson
Title: Assistant Floral Designer
Specialties: Floral Design for Weddings
Degree: B.S. in Elementary Education from Illinois State University (2003)