No other creature has tried to cut short my life more times than the barn swallow. My first encounter happened well before the internet. I didn’t know what kind of bird it was at the time. I couldn’t look it up.
Too young to provide an accurate description of this winged angel of death. All I remember is what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a swoop. If I think hard, I see a flash of feathers with a weird long tail, trying to end me. There’s so much chirping.
After years of dive bombing, I ended up knowing many barn swallows well. Until recently though, I never took a good look at them. I never wanted to. They are really quite pretty. I like it when they aren’t moving.
I’ve lost count on the amount of bird portraits I’ve created. When I want to fill a frame, I like to paint, draw, or print a bird. It’s my favorite way to study them. Birds shouldn’t be kept. Birds shouldn’t be close enough to hold. Birds need to be free. Unless I paint one. Then that will cost ya.
Like many creatures just trying to live, the barn swallow isn’t often celebrated. Or maybe just not by me. Winged angel of death isn’t entirely accurate. If anything, it’s redundant. Currently, I see them as Audubon introverts acting like, Why are you here? You’re in my barn. You’ve over stayed. Get out. I need you out. I will now usher you out. Or I will kill you.
And I totally get that.
I designed this like the first reclaimed wood tabernacle frame I made, but a different color. Wanting to go a step further, I made an arched insert. It started to feel a wee bit religious. Then I remembered what bird made me pray to Jesus and another bird was born.
Barn Swallow
8’ x 10’
Acrylic on gml panel
#pictureframing #custompictureframing #customframer #tabernacleframe #artistsoninstagram #ajoyframing #barnswallow #reclaimedwood #framedesign #vancouverwa #vancouverusa #smallbusinessowner #craftsmanship #acrylicpainting #pnwartist #handmade #livedtotellaboutit #birdportrait #birdlovers
It’s called The Stage.
And I went for some drama!
This is a 1920’s reproduction of a Japanese woodblock print created by Hishikawa Moronobu.
I elevated and floated the paper on a dark charcoal mat. To keep the museum glass up and away from the art, I created a very deep bevel to surround the piece. The bevel is wrapped with silkscreened Japanese chiyogami paper. I searched and searched for the perfect pattern. I may have squealed and clapped when I found it. Finishing off the presentation is a solid core rag mat with slightly elongated sides. I wanted the whole thing to be a little wider, more like a stage.
Playing off the patterned fabric within the art, I textured the corners, then applied gold metal leaf rubbed back to reveal wedgewood blue. I matched the gold and blue of the bevel paper. For contrast, the rest of the frame is matte black with rust rubbed edges. The contrast is striking.
I inherited this print. It’s not a piece I would’ve purchased but it has sentimental value. I love framing so much, when a piece sparks an idea, like this print did, I have to go for it even if it takes a long time to complete. Before the pandemic, I was going to pay someone to make a kobe corner frame for me because I didn’t know how. Amid the pandemic, I learned a thing or two. Mostly movie quotes.
It’s a beaut, Clark! A beaut!
#customframing #customframes #customframed #asianart #japaneseprints #pictureframes #pictureframer #ajoyframing #smallbiz #smallbusiness #vanwa #vancouverusa #framemaker #creativeframing #woodblock #woodblockprint #woodblockprinting #custompictureframing
A couple weeks ago I thought: What would a mid century shaped picture frame look like if it was made out of reclaimed fence boards? I have a bunch of boards. I’m on a mission to find creative and cool ways to use them. What if the outside wasn’t square? Can asymmetry work with weathered wood?
I feel like a cross between Carrie Bradshaw and Bob Vila right now and I’m just going to ride that high. On today’s episode of This Old Frame in the City we talk angles.
And how it’s hard to cut them when you don’t know what you’re doing, when all you’ve ever known is 45 degrees, when you probably don’t own the correct tools, but you’re determined AF to make the frame. (And Grandma, if you’re reading this, AF stands for Art & Frames).
She’s not reading this.
After I figured out my angles, I slowly and carefully cut out the V shape. I failed to consider that the saw blade would inevitably remove the weathered edge. That was devastating. I sanded and toned the edges to restore the rustic appeal. It looks like a natural raw edge again. It had to have that edge. Balance in the world, restored.
I had enough of the same board to make a complimentary frame and why not make a pair? Make the other one in reverse. I love anxiety and stress. Let’s make something difficult more complicated. It was worth it.
I used a different batch of reclaimed wood to create the inner frame/lip, which I would finish, once I found some art. It’s hard to believe I found this perfect Honky Tonk duo after I made the frames. Waiting to paint the inner lip, so I could appropriately color match and detail, tied it all together. I’m thrilled I discovered these prints by @lostlagoontattoo on Etsy. They made my “What if I made…”🤔vision come to life. Check them out!🙌🏻
Honky Tonk harmony with a retro twang and a star✨ i.e. frame design ✨is born.
#customframes #customframing #custompictureframing #framemaker #reclaimedwood #reclaimedmaterials #honkytonk #midcenturymodern #pictureframer #pictureframingideas #pictureframes #ajoyframing #vanwa #smallbusiness #vancouverusa #womenownedbusiness #mcmstyle #midcentury #alittlebitcountry
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!
This framed bouquet is for the biggest AJoy and Tom Jones fan on the planet. I don’t like sharing the spotlight with that man but anything for Carol. It’s her day.
The painting is an original gouache on paper. It was inherited from a family friend in 1991. It was either purchased by that friend or her sister on one of their many adventures all over the world in the 50s or 60s. It’s a little bit of mystery.
Regardless of the back story, my mom has always loved it. To keep it safe, it was tucked away out of sight, out of mind several times over and over. Always to be rediscovered, admired, a declaration, “I will frame this!” made, and then kinda forgotten about again.
Then finally last summer I made the frame and fillet for it while making tons of other frames and fillets but had to put it off finishing it. I was just too busy.
Personal projects and gifts get put aside for a few months lately. That’s okay. I might just come up with something new to try. I do love new designs. And then one night I popped out of bed at 3am: What if I scalloped the edge of a fillet?
A framing fever dream.
That little extra time made something extra special for Carol. She’s 74 today! Still never afraid to tell you where to shove it if need be. We love her.
🚨 ONE WEEK LEFT 🚨
Time is running out to enter my Reach for the Raffle and support Camp Starlight 💛✨
Donate to my Reach for the Stars campaign benefitting @camp_starlight for your chance to win a custom 4x6 cross stitch made by yours truly (stitched with love and mild profanities 🪡).
“But Jenna… what am I supposed to do with a floppy little fabric square?”
I got you.
My incredibly talented friend Alana (@ajoyframing ) is stepping in to create a custom, hand-made frame to go with the winner’s cross stitch. Because apparently presentation does matter. When I completely botched sizing of the piece pictured (on brand for me... shut up), she turned it into something even more beautiful.
So yes, you’re getting a one-of-a-kind (possibly a little sweary) cross stitch AND a stunning custom frame. Honestly… I’m tempted to enter my own raffle.
✨ HOW TO ENTER ✨
• Donate $10 = 1 entry
• Donate $50 = 5 entries
• Donate $100 = DOUBLE entries (20 entries!)
• Donate $200+ = you automatically get a cross stitch (no competition necessary, but will not be in a custom frame, fyi 😌)
Already donated?? Thankyouthankyouthankyou! 💛 Your entries are already in. Want better odds? You know what to do.
Winner drawn April 1 🎉
Link in bio to donate. Help send kids to Camp Starlight and maybe win some slightly chaotic art + a very beautiful frame ✨
“Can you make a frame for a gift card that looks like one of those old ‘IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK GLASS’ cases?”
This story behind the gift card is really, really sweet. It was given to my client some time ago and now she’s gifting it back. Before she did though, she wanted to kick it up a notch because of the history behind the original gesture. It’s special.
It’s for a free cup of coffee.
Need I say more? In this economy? No.
This design had to fulfill some criteria as far as I was concerned: The color had to be bright and color match the object, it should look like welded metal, it has to have white capital letters on the glass, and, most importantly, a hammer.
The frame is a wood shadowbox covered with my faux metal finish complete with faux “welded” corners. I love this look! Especially with the bright paint over “rusted” edges of the frame.
The glass decal font is called ‘coffee menus’. A big thank you to my local print shop (Fast Signs) who helped me figure out this details. They also printed my logo stickers for the back of my finished pieces.
Finally, the tiny hammer is actual metal. I imbedded a few magnets under the frame finish to hold it in place. It looks like it’s floating on the side of the frame. And it can easily be removed to bust out the glass if it comes to that! Or you could just open it up from behind but desperate times call for desperate measures.
It’s for coffee.
🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
My last project of 2025: Mark’s portrait and frame
This was given as a gift on what would’ve been Mark’s birthday. I was commissioned to create a charcoal portrait and frame for my client’s mom of their dearly departed brother and son.
2025 was so full of frames and frame samples. It exhausted me like never before. I’m not going to pretend like this wasn’t a tall order at the end of a hectic year but nothing was going to stop me from showing up for this custom request.
Without hesitation I said yes even though I hadn’t drawn a portrait in years. I really enjoy it so I’m doing it. Also, I didn’t have any frames suitable for portraiture in my opinion. I need some. Why not add more variety to my frame line? I designed this one specifically for this portrait but in doing so, as always, I created endless possibilities with my 30+ color options.
What’s different here: I used leftover western red cedar for lip, not hemlock. It’s flipped on the side which is smoother. It’s more absorbent for color washing than hemlock. I really love how the lip looks like a charcoal drawing itself. I felt like this achieved the proper level of brightness and separation from a heavy, dark frame like a mat or liner would do. It’s a good, strong portrait frame. I will develop this line further while remembering how the first frame came to be.
Not wanting this tribute to be so monochromatic, even thought that’s the nature of a charcoal drawing, I asked the thoughtful gift giver if Mark had a favorite color. If a color comes to mind when she thinks of him, because I’d like to incorporate that color into the frame. Hulk Green. Mark loved the Hulk when he was a kid.
💚
Last photo: Mom with Mark (used with her permission) Thank you, K and K!
Designed by Donna Erwin at Columbia River Gallery in Troutdale, Oregon
And I made that frame! 😊
I’ve had a recent uptick in frame requests outside of my typical western, rustic, and folk range. I’m feeling pretty good over here. I definitely want to be pushed outside of comfort zone from time to time.
And yes, I have made kobe corner frames in past but since I’m a self taught frame maker, it’s not something I offered or promoted at the trade show. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of delivering on the level I wanted.
However, when Donna asked if I could make her a kobe corner frame for this 😍 dreamboat of a print, I said yes.
And then it turns out to be the best one I’ve ever made!
Thank you to everyone who has ordered frame from me this last year. I’m making the frames that I never thought I could make. I’ve definitely been pushed to the limit but I’m doing it! I’m really excited to make more.
I have no business making new profiles right now as my sample production seems to have slowed to a crawl with all the other business things on my plate. I just couldn’t fight this one. I needed the joy that only a unique, full package frame job can provide.
Over the past few years I’ve framed several tiki art pieces. I created each frame and matting design from scratch. I really love the style. I enjoy finding shapes within the art then bringing them into the frame. It exercises my brain like a good crossword puzzle.
This project was no different except I already make this profile. What a relief. This is my rounded corner barnyard frame (D101-001R) with added notches and a second layer of ‘rustic’ to enhance its primitive form.
And the fillet (F142-003X) is something I already offer, too. Look at me no longer needing to reinvent the wheel. However, in this case I tweaked the color to blend into the background which lets the yellow in the face remain the boldest yellow. Sometimes I just can’t leave well enough alone.
The mat is one of a kind. I painted it, color washed it, and then sanded it. I’m sure there’s a color match out there, but in this economy, I’m making it from my scrap pile. I’d make it out of the shirt off my back if came to that. However, not many pieces call for old, tattered flannel or sweatshirt from a tourist trap. The texture, as a result of sanding, looks like crepe paper. It vibes really well with the paper the art was created on.
What I love about this profile is not only the shape but the contrast. It creates a wonderful, wriggly outline that will work well with a variety of pieces—not just tiki. I hope to bring this profile design into my sample collection. I look forward to sharing new directions in 2026! In the meantime, pray to the tiki gods that I can stay focused, stay healthy, and definitely stay focused.
Two of my favorite things together! An original 1935 Ruth Taylor map of Michigan and a custom frame from @ajoyframing . We are excited to be selling these independent handmade frames. Art for your art. #customframing #artsandcrafts #ruthtaylor #maps #michigan
AJoy Honky Tonk frames are ready to Do Si Do!
Inspired by mid-century design with that Western flair I can’t live without, I first created this mirrored pair 3 years ago for two small prints using some reclaimed fenceboards. They were a hit! (Look back on my instagram profile to see them)
At that time, I was moving away from reclaimed fencing because it wasn’t what I wanted to use for custom orders. It was too dirty, thin, and brittle for large frames, plus my source would eventually run dry. The boards varied greatly in size and weight. I needed something that I could easily source, looked rustic, and easier to chop. I found it with rough-sided, western red cedar boards. Even my wood has to be Western for me to be happy.
It’s just a quick 10-step process to make that new lumber look old. I’m kidding it’s not quick at all but far quicker than aging outside for years. And it’s definitely 10-steps. I had finally honed in the weathering process just in time to receive this custom order.
One of the many highlights for me at WCAF was being asked if I’d be willing to make this design for a shop if they had a custom order. A true surprise because these frames weren’t even at the show. They had a photo saved on their phone. 🥹 🥰 A of couple months later an order came together and I was able to put it all to the test.
Yes, I can make these frames in custom sizes! These two are much larger than the original set, approx 18” x 24” vs 8” x 10”, but are just as cool, if not cooler bc of the size. I’m confident I can make them using any of my available finishes as well. We have some great potential here! DM for pricing. I’m working on small display as a selling aid because in this case, a corner sample just won’t do.
#customframing #customframes #pictureframemaker #pictureframes #midcentury #honkytonk #pictureframers #womenwoodworkers #handmade #smallbizlove #vancouverusa #vancouverwa
I can’t stand a bad corner. It’s the reason I make closed corner frames. I have more control over the end result. A bad corner will destroy me. If I see a gapped corner on a frame, I have the same reaction Ace Ventura has in that room full of taxidermy.
If I’m in a room with poorly joined frames, I’ll find a way out. I’ll ask to use the bathroom only to search for an exit. My friends think partake in the Irish Goodbye because I’m an introvert.
No. It’s because the restaurant we were at had screws drilled through frame as a hanging system plus bad corners. This is a lovely room of death (to craftsmanship). Take care now. Bye bye then. I say silently as not to draw attention. Also, I’m done being social.
Another reason I make closed corner frames is the opportunity to manipulate the shape.
Typically, that shape is a rounded corner but today it’s a kaboom shape. Or maybe a blast.
I felt like the shape amplified this dude’s mood. Or my mood probably. The shape is perimenopause.
Do not taunt the shape.
And definitely don’t chew too loudly by it.
Truthfully, the shape is very much mid century retro. I’ve designed several tiki-inspired frames over the years. This is the first one using cedar and hemlock. My two best good friends at work.
Ok! The whole reason I’m posting today, as I’d prefer to go slightly off the rails, but i must FOCUS and PROMOTE: This shape can be possibly with any of my wide profiles.
This design is a variation of the AJoy Folk Frame Collection. My second best selling sample collection at WCAF. If you ordered a set, you’ll receive this color combo. A wider base and a shape shift can be requested.
This frame collection looks wonderful with vintage advertising, folk art, needlepoints, and tiki!
#customframes #custompictureframing #framemaker #pictureframes #handmade #tiki #ajoyframing #vancouverwa #smallbusiness #womenwoodworkers
