Howdy!
I’m Christopher, and I’m so glad you’re here 🤓
Thank you for joining From Field to Frame: Curiosities You Keep.
Whether you’re here for nature study, creative inspiration, hands-on learning with your kids, or all of the above, I’m genuinely excited to explore alongside you.
What From Field to Frame Is…
Every 1–2 weeks, I’ll send you a letter that includes:
🌿 From the Field
Thoughtful learning : bug facts, insect biology, preservation tips, and natural science made approachable.
🛠 At the Worktable
Hands-on ways to explore : activities, experiments, art ideas, writing prompts, and printable puzzles or games.
📚 Worth Exploring
One carefully chosen resource : a book, video, guide, or tool that’s fun, engaging, and worth your time.
My goal is simple: to help you (and your kids) explore the natural world with curiosity and wonder, right from your own home or backyard, in ways that are meaningful, real, and lasting.
"We are all meant to be naturalists, each in his own degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things."
A Little About Me : And Why From Field to Frame
I was… that kid. You know? The one flipping rocks, peering into the brush, and coming home with jars and pockets full of things that made my mom nervous 🤓. Beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers… The stranger, the better! Praying mantises were my favorite. They were so alien and strange. Finding one felt like discovering something from another planet.
That curiosity and wonderment of nature never left me. It only grew into a lifelong love of the natural world, creativity, and preservation.
In 2015, I launched my business Grit & Grain AZ, originally selling pieces from my personal collection. They sold faster than I ever expected they would have. Soon people were asking me for more. That was my “AHA!” moment. There was something special about turning discoveries from the field into pieces you could keep for a lifetime.
During the years I homeschooled my children, I saw just how intentional, hands-on learning can be so powerful and rewarding for them. Especially when nature is at the center. Parents, artists, and others would find me at markets, on social media, or in groups, and inquired about the same things over and over :
"My kids would LOVE this.”
“I wish there was a way for them to learn how to do it themselves.”
“Do you teach in person classes?”
“Do you have a store?”
They envisioned framed butterflies, beetles, and other curiosities on their walls. Collection bins and drawers with specimens labeled by hand. Lessons that teach in engaging, tangible ways with information that actually sticks.
🚫 They didn’t want another worksheet.
🚫 They didn’t want a disposable craft kit.
✓ They wanted something real and fantastic.
✓ Something their kids could hold, be proud of, and keep.
That’s why I created From Field to Frame: Curiosities You Keep ~ A space where we explore, create, and connect … together.
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."
A Small Thank You for Joining 🎁
Use code FIELDTOFRAME10 and enjoy 10% off your first order at my Etsy shop:
👉 Grit & Grain AZ on Etsy
I’d Love to Hear From You
Hit reply and say hello 👋
Tell me what bugs you or your family are obsessed with, what you’re hoping to learn this year, or what specific topics you’d love to see me cover.
I read every message ✉️
You can also find me sharing ideas, behind-the-scenes work, tips, and plenty of winged things on Instagram at @gritandgrainaz 🪲📸
Thank you again for being here. I’m truly glad you found your way to this little corner of curiosity.
With wonder,
-Christopher A.
Grit & Grain AZ / From Field to Frame
