FASTFRAME RETAILERS OFFER INSPIRATIONAL
FRAMING PROJECTS TO SHOWCASE KEEPSAKES

Vacations, weddings, awards and achievements, sports events, concerts and graduations are some of the life events we build our memories around. Unfortunately, the mementos and souvenirs tend to disappearl—usually in boxes and drawers. These precious items are at risk of being lost, forgotten or damaged. Nobody wants a crowded home, but nobody wants to get rid of keepsake items either. The ideal solution for these items is not to hide them away, but to store them on display in what framers often call “inspiration boxes.” These framed shadowboxes are the perfect way to or idea for keeping your memories out of the drawer and in your home—without them getting in the way. Your local FASTFRAME store is ready to assist you with framing your priceless mementos. Here are some examples:

WEDDING MEMENTOES, CARDS & PINS
“What’s especially unique about this piece is that it’s an era piece,” Stevens says. “I included matches from the wedding in the piece because, at that time, everyone smoked.” These little touches are truly what makes the piece exclusively your own. Another “uniquely-your-own” project by Stevens is a personal collection of trinkets such as Hard Rock Cafe pins, shown below. Tom Stevens of FASTFRAME in Fair Oaks, Calif., made this special piece to preserve and display a collection of mementoes from his wedding.The casual look and feel of this piece is a perfect way to display memories without feeling rigid or crowded. In addition, Stevens made this piece multi-dimensional by floating the wedding invitation and including several three-dimensional objects such as wine glasses, the cake topper and even the cake knife.

HONOR A VETERAN
This piece by Greg and Yvette Prybylski of FASTFRAME in Stamford, Conn., is adorned with a plaque reading “Our War Hero” featuring a soldier from WWI. It includes patches, medals and a restored photograph of a customer’s relative in uniform. The customer simply brought in her memorabilia to collaborate with the framer on a perfect layout for the piece. “When the customer came in and saw the finished piece, she actually started crying,” Greg Prybylski says. “What a great way to display such personal items.”

ATHLETIC GLORY
Linda Cozad of FASTFRAME in Richmond, Va., took her son’s basketball gear from his high-school years and turned them into a personal inspiration piece that he can treasure and reminisce on for years to come. “I try to make the pieces as personal as possible,” Cozad says. “I always tell people to bring in more than they think could possibly put into the box. You’d be surprised how much actually fits and looks great in one.”
For this piece, she included her son’s jersey, newspaper clippings, team photos, award plaque, letters and stripes. She mounted everything on matboard in his school colors. Whether displaying personal items or gifting them to someone else, an inspiration piece is the perfect way to pull memories out of hiding to preserve them for years to come.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Pat and Greg Stewart, co-owners of FASTFRAME in Mesa, Ariz., often find creative ways to show off their client’s personal articles. Framed wine bottles are a great way to commemorate life markers. Shown here are two pieces created as a gift for a customer’s son going to school. The bottles were from his 21st birthday. One of the Stewarts’ top framers, Jamie Smith, made two sink mats with silicon behind museum glass to achieve the unique floating effect.
To display a young child’s pictures, the Stewarts matted their grandson’s artwork and picture in a flat frame. The frame’s unique qualities lay outside-of-the-box, with a raised beveled frame and a stuffed bunny attached to the corner. The Stewarts memorialized their deceased pooch in this tribute to their favored pet, Nugget. “We included a few condolence cards people sent us,” Pat Stewart says. “It’s a very personal piece, your pets are like your family.” Many inspiration pieces are made to remember vacations and include souvenirs, pictures and postcards from the trip. They are often fun and bright, as is this one from the Stewarts’ trip to Puerto Vallarta.

For more ideas, visit your local FASTFRAME professionals. Once you’ve selected suitable framed art for your your special someone, your custom framing specialist can provide assistance either through a home consultation or in-store instruction.

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