Meet Megan Jarvis | Owner & Creator of The Jarvis Home

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Jarvis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
One of my favorite quotes states “The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul” – Dieter F Uchtdorf. I believe everyone has a desire to create, we all just find different ways to fulfill that desire. By education, I am a nurse. I take care of children who are often extremely sick. I love what I do, but it can be very mentally and physically draining. I often have to sort through the emotions that come with seeing children die. My small business is one of the ways that I am able to cope with the stresses of my job. I love creating things of beauty out of ordinary items. For me, that means woodworking and making homemade jams and jellies. When I build and make things, I love to put my headphones in and just loose myself in the creation. In our early dating years I had told my husband a handful of times (somewhat jokingly) that my dream job was to be a carpenter. I had never really done any woodworking before, but I would often see projects of family members and friends, and it seemed like it would be something that I would enjoy. One year for my birthday my husband got me a miter saw. Many people thought it was silly that he would purchase me a saw. They figured he was buying it for himself. I really didn’t even know how to use it, but with his help I learned. To this day, I LOVE that birthday gift. I use it to create things of beauty that didn’t exist before. I am also so grateful to have a husband who pushes me to pursue my dreams and tells me that I can be successful in doing anything that I put my mind to.

I make picture frames that help to showcase peoples beautiful families and artwork. I make framed mirrors and frame inspirational quotes to beautify people’s homes. Sort of by accident I realized that there are many people who love my homemade jams and jellies, so I expanded my woodworking business to include that. While that combination of things might seem odd to some, it is what works for me, and it is what I enjoy. I am so glad that as a society we are going away from trying to fit people and ideas into fictitious boxes of what is ‘normal’, It allows me to express myself and fulfill the deep desire of my soul to create things of beauty.

To sum things up, my small business isn’t just a way for me to make a few extra dollars on the side. It is something that helps to keep me grounded through a challenging career, being a mom to 2 cute little boys, and the everyday struggles that make up my life. I get to be a part of an amazing community of people who try to support local businesses and families, and who push me to be my best self.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
While my art isn’t art in a traditional sense, I view my woodworking and my frames as artwork. Picture frames were the first product that I came into the world of business with. I wanted people to have a beautiful way to frame their artwork and photos. Since that first market, I have expanded my products from just picture frames, but frames are my far my favorite thing to create. It definitely isn’t easy, Especially when people can easily go to target, Walmart, and IKEA and purchase picture frames at a fraction of the cost I am able to sell them for. Each of my frames is handmade. What starts as an oversized piece of wood and some raw glass becomes a beautiful frame. One that is going to withstand the test of time. It isn’t cheaply made, and it isn’t going to fall apart. I love when people come to me with sentimental or special artwork that has been sitting in storage somewhere because they did’nt know how to frame/display it. An important lesson that I have learned is that my time is valuable. I know that my products aren’t the cheapest, but there is value in what I do. I have also learned that supporting small and local businesses often means paying a little more, but that is a price I am willing to pay. I love supporting my neighbors and friends, and I love that it allows them to have the same satisfaction of creating things of beauty that I feel when I create.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Things that would definitely be included on our itinerary: Eating at Jalapeño Bucks
Exploring and hiking out at lost Dutchman
Seeing the planes and the museum at falcon field
Drinks at swig
Local markets
Boating on canyon and saguaro lakes

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My supportive and loving husband who tells me to never give up, and that I can do anything I set my mind to.

The Made With Love Market gals who helped introduce me into the amazing community of small business owners and creators and help to supply a place for our community to shop local, trendy, and handmade items.

The Desert Garden Market gals who helped expand my business to include jams and jellies, and for providing a beautiful seasonal market opportunity for other creators like myself to sell our goods.

Instagram: @thejarvishome