January/February 2002

Framed!

Perfect ways to present your pictures

Have a fun time choosing creative frames for your favorite photographs of these picture-perfect islands. Those shown here are just a few of the wide variety offered by some local shops.

Natural Choices
It makes sense that you’ll find a terrific selection of photo frames at Moto Photo of Sanibel, Inc. Photographer Kathy Beekman, the shop’s owner, has a good eye for taking pictures and displaying them, so don’t forget to ask her for advice. “All frames do well because people come to pick up their photos and then pick out frames,” she notes. This composite resin frame is decorated with sea turtles in chartreuse, gold, yellow, and cream. The manufacturer, Frame·ology of United Design Corp., offers other versions with wood storks and rainbow trout. Or choose this charming wooden frame, of different shades of purple, which has dried flowers and a butterfly embedded in glass. It’s made by Prinz, a company whose motto is “Today, Tomorrow, Forever.” 1700 Periwinkle Way at Jerry’s Shopping Center, Sanibel, 941/472-4414.

Rustic or Refined
For a change of pace, try the rustic look of these recycled frames made with old farmhouse wood salvaged from around the United States. Or go for an even more unusual look, from India, of alabaster veneer over wood. Both styles are available at Trader’s Store & Café. The company’s Sanibel retail manager, Marguerite Jordan, explains that the frames accommodate 5-by-7-inch photographs and can be displayed standing horizontally or vertically. 1551 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/395-3151; Viva: A Traders Bistro, 15050 Captiva Drive, Captiva, 941/395-9494; or 26501 South Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, 941/949-0756.

Frames of Reference
“Picture frames sure are popular. People love to take photos on the island and
then put them in matching frames,” says Angie Giacchino, assistant manager of Wilford & Lee on Sanibel. This matte-finish ceramic frame with colorful tropical fish is from T.I. Designs, which also puts birds and alligators on its frames and on little clocks. A starfish, sundial, and
cockle enliven this beige-colored rope frame. It comes in several sizes and is “Designed in the Heartland, Crafted Around the World” by Midwest of Cannon Falls. 2009 Periwinkle Way at Tahitian Gardens, Sanibel, 941/395-9295; 13300-6 South Cleveland Avenue (U.S. 41 at Cypress Lake Drive), Ft. Myers, 941/481-3711; or 8787 Tamiami Trail North (U.S. 41 at Vanderbilt Beach Road), Naples, 941/514-4224.

Marine Theme
New at The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum store are soft-polished aluminum frames featuring multicolored transparent insets of shells, starfish, and other sea life. They look great in front of a window or in a lighted hutch, where the orange, purple, blue, or red insets take on differing hues. The rectangular frames, made by African Express, Inc. of Ashland, Massachusetts, hold 3 1/2-by-5, 4-by-6, or 5-by-7-inch photos. Perennial favorites at the store, according to assistant Marion Wright, are handmade Peruvian wooden items such as this photo frame. Its gold, sand-like background is decorated with whimsical shells. Matching pieces include a mirror, umbrella holder, small chair, and magazine rack. Also new is a blue-stained wooden frame with a hemp hanger that’s topped by a salmon-colored, resin starfish. Or stand it up and let the starfish dangle. The frame, from Wang of Memphis, is made for a 3 1/2-by-5-inch photo. 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, 941/395-2233 or 888/679-6450. www.shellmuseum.org.