Alyssa Shirek
January 30, 2006

No matter your gift-giving handicap, there is a never-fail Grand Forks solution to quell your sleepless nights. That cure contains piggy banks, ornaments, photo collages, picture frames, teddy bears, balloons and champagne glasses. Need more details? You got 'em.

At Details Personalized Gifts, located in the Columbia Mall and at the corner of 3rd Street and Demers in East Grand Forks , you can get any of those things - and more - made just for your sugar plum. "They give us the details and we make it special," said Daneen Curley, the store's owner.

She added that growing up, she never had anything with her name on it, so she wanted to give young people the opportunity to have things that were made just for them, and she loves doing it. "What better job than to doodle all day," she said.

Since 1999, Details has enjoyed its home in EGF, but will soon be making a permanent move to the Columbia Mall after a successful holiday season, according to Curley. Right now, though, the EGF store is hosting a moving sale, so all items are marked down to 20 percent off.

Curley calls her store the "home of the pudgy personalized piggy bank," specializing in five different sizes of the ceramic gifts, starting at $7.99. The "pig painters" adorn the bank with anything a customer wishes, from names to flowers to martini glasses. "I've seen some weird stuff," attests Courtney Bedore, a store employee and UND student. She says her favorite piggy bank was the "Grandma and Grandpa's casino fund."

The senior general studies major joins fellow UND students Karina Wittman and Addy Ruth at the shop. Bedore and Wittman agree that the store has been a great place to work during college. "I've always enjoyed coloring," said Bedore.

 "I like to doodle," added Wittman. She has been an employee at the shop for six years. The dietetics major says the shop's offerings are "really special" and has some suggestions for gifts for your Valentine.

Details is offering a Valentine's Day special, including a picture frame and teddy bear for $29.99. The artists personalize both the frames and the bear's feet.

Bedore says she prefers the picture frames. "You can adorn them with cheesy love quotes for your heartthrob," she said.

Orders can be placed over the phone or in person. They are currently working on a Web site, so customers can place orders online. Details ships to anywhere in the United States and to some Canadian provinces. They can be reached in the Columbia Mall, right next to Helzberg's Diamonds, or by phone at 738-0610 .

From the University of North Dakota The Dakota Student , January 30, 2006 .