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December 29, 2025
STURGEON BAY – As Door County’s sole Master Certified Picture Framer, Janine Buechner said she knows a thing or two about what it takes to properly handle, preserve and present items new and old.
Dedicated to the art and craft of preservation framing, Buechner said she has used her skills in owning and operating Blue Moon Framery in Sturgeon Bay, located at 185 E. Walnut St.
She said she credits her family’s long history of saving and preserving items for influencing her approach to the business.
“My grandpa was a garbage man for the City of Chicago, so you can imagine all the things he found to save,” she laughed. “I inherited that [saving mentality from him] and see the worth in things that are banged up or damaged. I’ve been fixing broken things my whole life. In our family, my dad would always say, ‘We can make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.’”
An early start
Buechner said she began drawing at a young age and pursued art throughout high school.
“There were local juried shows I wanted to participate in, and they required your artwork to be framed nicely,” she said. “Not having a job at the time, I went and spoke with the local framer, Melanie Croke, and she took pity on me and let me work off the framing she did for those shows.”
Buechner said she hit it off with Croke, who took her on as an apprentice.
“That is how I learned framing, got my foot in the door and learned the basics,” she said. “Then I went off to art school in Milwaukee, and after that, I had several different jobs over the years.”
Buechner said while working as a jailer for the sheriff’s department, she realized how much she wanted to follow her passion for framing.
“Nobody is very happy in that [jail] setting, regardless of what side of the bars you’re on,” she said. “I feel like I grew up a lot in that job, so that’s what really helped me decide framing is what I wanted to do.”
Once she decided to pursue framing professionally, Buechner said she landed a job at the Paint Box Gallery in northern Door County.
“I want to say that was maybe the first art gallery on the [Door County] peninsula,” she said. “After working there for several years, I moved over to the local, independently owned art supply store and did their framing for 10 years. While there, that’s where I did my extra studying and education to gain my certification.”
Buechner said not many framers hold the Master Certified Picture Framer designation, which is offered by the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA).
“I think I’m one of maybe three in the state and fewer than 100 in the world,” she said. “I really love my job.”
Though many states don’t have Master Certified Picture Framers, Buechner said she sees the certification as an important credential.
“So much damage is done to artwork by framers who have the best of intentions but maybe weren’t shown the correct materials and process,” she said.
Going off on her own
Buechner said as the world was thrown into chaos during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to start her own business, launching Blue Moon Framery in September 2021.
“I started the business in the old Nicolet Bank [in Sturgeon Bay],” she said. “A couple purchased the bank and rented out space to small businesses. It was a great spot to start, but eventually, I moved to my new location [on Walnut Street]. I have more warehouse space for my work area, and it’s working much better.”
Though the majority of her work is framing and frame restoration, Buechner said she is “dipping her toes” in art restoration.
Currently, she said she is working with a conservator in Milwaukee, learning how to repair damaged artwork and restore frames that are missing pieces.
“I have 100 hours in restoration basics, so the next class I’ll be taking will be focusing on fire and water damage,” she said. “It’s just another service I’ll eventually be able to offer to clients.”
For now, Buechner said she offers a full range of framing and frame restoration services.
“With [artwork] restoration, for now, I’m comfortable working with minor areas of damage – smaller projects,” she said. “That doesn’t necessarily just mean a small painting – it could be a large painting but with a small problem.”
While continuing her training in artwork restoration, Buechner said the range of potential projects makes it hard to know in advance what she’ll be able to fix.
“I feel confident in the skills I’ve developed so far, but artwork restoration is not a quickly mastered skill,” she said.
Shadow boxes
Buechner said one of her favorite offerings are shadow boxes – framed, glass-fronted displays for three-dimensional objects, memorabilia and other cherished items.
Unlike traditional picture frames, Buechner said shadow boxes provide depth, allowing for the display of items such as medals, awards or keepsakes.
She said they are often used to preserve and highlight personal treasures in a decorative manner.
“I adore doing shadow boxes,” she said. “So often, people are left with things from family members who have passed away, and they just don’t know what to do with them.”
Buechner said that’s where Blue Moon Framery can help.
“What do you do with all of those things?” she said. “You bring them to me, and I put them in a shadow box. I turn it into a cherished family heirloom.”
Buechner said part of the appeal of shadow boxes is they are challenging to design and assemble.
“Everything I do is preservation, so I’m not gluing anything down – everything can be reversed,” she said. “I’m hand-stitching, wrapping things or supporting things with wire and invisible supports.”
Buechner said she is currently working on a shadow-box project that features a christening gown from the 1800s.
“The great-grandma hand-stitched this gown, and I want to say 20 family members were christened in it – she has all of their names written down,” she said. “There are all sorts of other items the family is going to include in this shadow box – photos, handmade lace, a bonnet, a handkerchief square and even socks.”
Each shadow box she creates, Buechner said, involves working with a piece of history.
“The older the better, and the longer the story, the better,” she said. “I really love hearing the story behind these things and why they are special. It’s something that can be passed down through the generations.”
Scheduling is key
Buechner said running the business on her own requires careful attention to scheduling and time management.
“My scheduling is a little different,” she said. “With it being just me, I see clients Monday, Tuesday and Friday. I’m also in on Wednesday and Thursday, but I designate those days to complete framing projects. My scheduling system is very important, so if you need to see me, you have to schedule a time.”
Because framing is both an art and a specialized skill, Buechner said she is content managing the business on her own.
“In the warmer months, my sister will come in and help with office work and answering the phone, but I recently decided no more phone,” she said. “Most of the time, it’s just solid spam calls anyway, and it was such an incredible waste of time. It’s also extremely difficult to keep stopping in the middle of what I’m doing.”
Buechner said customers with questions or those looking to schedule a time should contact her via email at Janine@bluemoonframery.com.
