By Jim Knippenberg
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Lori Siebert is totally boxed in, but it's OK because the boxes aren't boxes. They're art.

Lori Siebert, right, with Sandy Weinstein, left, and Melissa Gliebe. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

Here's one decorated with a flag and patriotic sayings. Here's a simple one with a big star and the word hero. Others have angel wings, woodsy scenes, mosaics, even embroidery. Some are empty, some are filled - one has twinkle lights, another has a pop-up Christmas scene, still another has a puppet.

Ms. Siebert is founder of the Blue Sky Box Project, a charity auction on eBay through Monday. The sale items are 25 handmade wooden boxes - 7 inches by 10 inches by 5 inches - decorated by the likes of Target designer Todd Oldham, his sister Robin Oldham, and big-name illustrators Joel Nakamura, Raphael Lopez and Greg Ragland.

Proceeds benefit Cincinnati's First Step Home, a long-term residential treatment center for women looking to kick their drug and alcohol addiction.

"I can't think of a better thing to do than get these women help so they can get out there and put their talents to use. It's win-win for everyone," says graphic designer Ms. Siebert, a 41-year-old Taylor Mill mother of two who, with husband Steve, founded Olika, a Swedish word she likes because it has an array of meanings - different, various or eclectic. Those are three qualities she tries to infuse into her business and charity work.

The Over-the-Rhine design and product development firm is in a renovated 1847 building that Ms. Siebert has decorated with '50s accessories, handmade dolls and hand-painted furniture.

This is the second Blue Sky auction. The first, two years ago, made $6,000. "That broke my heart," says Ms. Siebert, "because these things really are fine art. In some cases, artists work three weeks on them.

This year, she hopes to make $25,000. "I mean, look at them. They're art. Real art."

Artists like participating, she says, because it gets their names out there and gives them a chance to donate something. They get to do anything they want, but they do have to follow a theme. This year it is "Peace, Love, Hope."

"The artists take this seriously. And so do I. It has been an 18-month project that has taken maybe 20 percent of my work week. I get a lot of help from Sandy Weinstein and Melissa Gliebe, (designers of Cincinnati's Tin Box Studio), but it's still a major job. By now, though, it's starting to wind down."

Then it's back to a 40-hour work week, right? "40? Try 70. I always think that once I finish a project, I'll have a quiet week ahead. But then there's another project." Right now, those projects are for an assortment of clients, including Target and Bath and Body Works. Recently completed projects include work for Universal Studios' Islands of Adventure and Nickelodeon.

"It's strange the way we work. Right now, we're working on design and product for Thanksgiving and Christmas 2003, and spring 2004. You get a little schitzy working on three seasons at once, and you get even schitzier trying to keep them separate.

"That explains the long hours. But I'm lucky because I'm doing something I love and something I'm passionate about."

Like artsy boxes? "You know what I really love about this project, besides the good it does? I love sending out a simple object to all these creative people and seeing how totally different they come back."

The artists would second that. After a story about the project appeared in How magazine, Ms. Siebert was flooded with requests from artists who wanted to join in. "We were too far along to take on any more," she says, "but isn't that a wonderful position to be in? God, I wish Picasso was still alive ... I'd snatch him up just like that."

Before she tries, how about 10 questions?

When I can't sleep I . . .

Get up and write notes to myself - ideas that come in the middle of the night, a list of things to do the next day, that sort of thing.

I made my first dollar by . . .

Selling a drawing I did of a clown for $10. I was in the second grade.

One thing I really want to do but haven't yet . . .

Learn to sing. I once traded design services for voice lessons, so I guess I'm an OK singer now but I'd like to be really, really good.

My dream job would be . . .

Theatrical set design and costumes. Sometimes when I go to the theater, I sit out there and I want to scream "Freeze," so I can go on stage and inspect things.

One thing I'd do differently with the Blue Sky Project . . .

Get more help. I'd form a team and delegate responsibility. I'm OK delegating on work things, but I'm not so good at doing it with my charities.

People would be surprised to find out I'm . . .

A Kentucky girl who likes to drink beer in the driveway with my neighbors. People always think designers lead a high-design kind of life. We don't.

The best thing that ever happened to me . . .

Was figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up. By that I mean matching what I do every day, my job, with my passion, art.

If time and money was no object, I'd . . .

Work in my studio at home painting, drawing, quilting, and not go to a single meeting. In my jammies all day long. I'm going to get there someday. It's my vision.

When I'm bored I . . .

It doesn't happen very often because there's always something to do between kids, husband, parents, my business, charity. Always something.

One thing I wish you had asked me . . .

Why I'm sitting here doing an interview when I should be working. It's because I want to get the word out so we can raise a lot of money - an amount that reflects the work that went into the project. It breaks my heart to see some of these go as cheap as they do.

To participate in the auction, go to www.ebay.com.; click on "search," then "search by seller." Enter yogiw in the search box to find pictures of each box, artist bios and bidding procedure. To see them in person at Olika, 1600 Sycamore St., call 241-4550.

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com.