Frame Maker

Memories In The Making

A christening dress, signed baseball, or the china or silver passed down from your grandmother. These may be things we want to keep, but we’re not sure what to do with them. Framing can be an artistic way to display these treasures, and The Frame Maker in Benton can make it happen. The business can also meet your more standard requests, such as framing family photos or paintings. Preserving your precious items for years to come is their priority.

Owned by Tammy Iosbaker, The Frame Maker recently moved to the Military Plaza shopping center after her previous marketplace location closed in downtown Benton. The new space provides a roomy, open space for the custom frame shop, as well as a gallery for Saline County artists and makers to showcase their work. She is actively seeking artists to fill the space.

Art and design have always interested Tammy and she’s been in the framing business for more than thirty years. 

“Our industry has seen a lot of change and advancement since I first began, in how all types of art and objects are to be handled and framed,” Tammy says. “There is always something new to learn and educate yourself about better methods and materials, always striving to do no harm in the process.”

The Frame Maker provides attention to detail and customer service that can often be missed in big retailers. From the design work all the way up until customers pick up their items, all work is done locally by the same person. 

“I treat every project a customer brings to me as if it were mine, and I want the best options to be presented for the piece,” Tammy says, noting that she carries quality materials and products and doesn’t allow the use of products that can cause irreversible harm to a person’s art or treasures.

The Frame Maker can frame almost anything. “It’s about telling a story,” says Tammy. “Younger people today inherit these shoeboxes of memories, and they don’t know what to do with them. They opt for a more minimal lifestyle and often get rid of these items, but what they don’t realize is framing those pieces can tell and show a beautiful story if you approach the project the right way,” she says. Items such as art, needlework and textiles, custom mirrors, children’s art, photography, works on canvas, sports collectibles, certificates and documents, historical items—Tammy can frame them all. Another skill she’s known for is framing objects in a shadow box. 

“Custom shadowboxes are one of my favorite things,” Tammy says. “Turning a family piece of history, some special memory, or achievement that is just stored in a box somewhere, into a work of art that others can enjoy over the years is such a great accomplishment for me. I also do some limited repairs and restoration work and have several other professionals whom I refer or work with to help people restore damaged items they might think beyond repair.”

Custom matting options, along with hand-lettering and glass options, help make The Frame Maker’s finished pieces truly works of art. All work is done with preservation in mind, using reversible methods, which gives customers assurance that what they bring in will last for years to come.

Tammy says she plans to have a grand re-opening before Christmas on Saturday, December 3rd from 10am-2pm, and she’s currently taking custom framing orders for gifting. She adds that gift certificates always make a wonderful present. People who mention they saw the shop’s ad/article in this magazine will receive 20% OFF a custom framing order. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for more upcoming events and offerings. νJillian Jacuzzi