#ditzdesigns
Ditz Designs by the Hen House | Norwalk, Ohio
The Ditz family and my own have a rich history, as my sister worked for Ms. Ditz on the retail side, our fathers worked for the same company, and I was good friends with and attended school with her brother. We shared our faith in God and also shared our small town of Norwalk. Such history would make it a necessity to share this story, as every bit of it is a Sweetness of Ohio™.
I visited my friends at the Hen House on North West Street and couldn’t believe my eyes! The growth since my sister worked for Ms. Ditz all of those years ago, was breathtaking. I was amazed at the quality of the products, but more-so at the genuine happiness of the employees. Every person there greeted me with a warm smile and cheerfully shared their projects with me and we all discussed where they might end up in the world- Australia? Japan? Italy? - All coming from the hands of my neighbors.
Joyce Ditz, founder of Ditz Designs, began her journey to the Hen House in 1978 by creating handmade puppets for an educational school program about the dangers of smoking, while serving as a board member of the local chapter of the American Lung Association. Her success with these creations inspired her to open The Hen House in 1980. Today, her daughter Debbie and granddaughter Samantha continue to embrace the ideals of caring and nurturing, and also the blessings of approaching life as the wonderful gift it is.
I was honored to be invited to a dinner party with Debbie and her husband, Rob, along with their daughter Samantha. Among the guests was the talented author and producer all the way from California, Lyn Sisson-Talbert, of Jingle-Jangle: A Christmas Journey. More talents were shown throughout the evening as Debbie revealed her magic in the kitchen with a rich and fresh pasta dish and a seasonal asparagus salad, after every plate was practically clean, we all caught up over a tasty dessert. We talked about upcoming projects, California life, and the talented creations the Ditz family may be offering in the future.
Pictured from the left: Lyn, Debbie, Samantha, & Rob
Our time together was filled with laughter, prayer, excitement, and love. Once home for the evening, I couldn’t help but think fondly of the beautiful hand-made bears that my family had made by the Ditz’s over 40 years ago and thanked God for all of the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my friends and family.
“This business is loved and run by three generations, who share their faith and talents with the world through their own hands, and that’s what I call Sweetness of Ohio™.” Much Love, Tara