Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Collins.
Gina, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Every May is difficult for me being an only child. May is the anniversary of my dad’s passing in 2011. In May 2017, a coworker and friend asked me to make a selfie frame for him and his wife’s daughter. She was having a college send-off party and they thought it would be a great way to take pictures at the party.
I thought it would be a good distraction. It would also allow me to get back to my love of drawing/painting, designing, and creating that started in high school and continued through college. It would also be a way to honor their special father-daughter bond and to do something unique to celebrate that connection. During this time, I also realized I had about six other friends with graduating seniors that I needed gifts for. As a single parent of two teens, working in education, I did not have extra money to buy gifts for each high school senior.
After making my first frame, I decided to make more to give to my family and friend’s kids as graduation and send-off party gifts. They posted their pictures on social media and the texts and calls started rolling in for more. I thought it would be a fun way to generate extra money before summer, thinking eventually, orders would slow or die down completely. Boy, was I wrong! I began getting orders for birthdays, schools, businesses, baby showers, and even holiday parties. Frame Your Day is a testimony to how you can overcome dark times by shining light on the lives of others.
Has it been a smooth road?
As a first-time business owner, I encountered a few bumps in the road.
Initially, people would call or text orders. Until one day, my phone froze up with no way to turn it back on and it had not been backed up to the cloud or computer. I had orders that I could not retrieve! When my new phone arrived, I scrambled trying to remember who I talked to about frames and asked clients to resend their information. It was then I decided I needed a better platform to manage orders and to advertise, so I created Business Facebook and Instagram pages. I’ll always be able to access orders in the future.
Another hurdle was time. I work full-time and have two teens. Most of the lettering and artwork on the frames are handmade, cut, and/or painted. I did not have the money for a machine that cuts letters, such as a Cricut, so I decided to “hire” my kids to help. My daughter helps with the letters and painting and my son is responsible for clean-up and re-organizing between frames so that I have a clutter-free area at the start of each frame. They both help with design ideas and order scheduling and they receive a portion of each frame. They are learning to manage money and how to run a small business.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Frame Your Day – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Frame Your Day specializes in custom selfie/photo frames that are used for picture taking at parties and special events. Frames are individually designed to fit the client’s theme and colors. They can also serve as a unique way to promote and advertise your business.
Unlike online photo borders that you simply download and crop around your picture, Frame Your Day customizes each frame to make a unique piece of art for your special occasion, event, or business. The letters and artwork can include 3D hand cut and/or painted wood lettering or images. It also allows for a business company logo to be included as a printed image.
Frame You Day selfie/photo frames come with the option of handles attached to the back. This allows the frame to be held without covering the artwork on the front. Some clients choose frames without handles and place cork board or dry erase board behind the frame to make it into a functional wall decoration after their event. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional, friendly customer service and look forward to framing your day!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Cedar Hill is a growing community of people that care about and support each other. It still maintains a small town feel even though its population is ever increasing. We have a premier shopping area, Hillside Village, that is a great, safe place to shop and eat without having to drive into Dallas or Arlington. There are a number of nearby parks, trails and recreation facilities and activities that cater to the outdoor enthusiast or weekend warrior. Because of its fast-growing pace, the highway and main streets can get very congested on weekends and holidays, but road expansion is currently underway and I look forward to its completion. I’m glad I’ve made Cedar Hill and the Best Southwest area my home.
Pricing:
- Frames start at $40.00
Contact Info:
- Phone: 972-460-6342
- Email: selfieframeyourday@gmail.com
- Instagram: selfie_frame_your_day
- Facebook: Frame Your Day @SelfieFrameYourDay
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
