The Birth of Canned Ham Decals

As with most things, Canned Ham Decals was birthed to meet a need that could not be found. Jim Lovelace, of Central Oregon, had created a business in 2004 based upon supplying decals for restoration enthusiast whose goal was to restore old engines and tools. He was approached with the desire to create decals for old vintage travel trailers a few years later so that old faded decals could be replaced with fresh new ones, thus bringing back the vintage trailer to its original glory. Shasta and Kenskill were the first two decals which quickly proved to be the catalyst in an untapped market. The birth of this branch of decals did not come without its struggles and challenges. Several vintage brands had faded to the point of nearly unrecognizable detail. It took hours of research to recreate proper size, font, color and design. Due diligence paid off as the request for more and more brands came pouring in. Through trial and error, it was found that using premium vinyl to print the product on was best, as it was the same material used to produce emblems used on aircraft, boats and other modes of transportation that were highly vulnerable to rapid wear and tear. This ensured a high quality product that could stand the test of time.

The business had grown large enough that keeping up with orders between the engine and tool decals and the vintage trailer decals became overwhelming. Separating the two only seemed the next realistic and logical step. In 2021, Linnaia Jervis, Jim’s daughter, took over the vintage trailer side of the decal business. Continuing her father’s work, this self taught graphic artist has increased the number of available brands to over 100 and over 300 individual decals. She matches his attention to detail and has expanded her artwork to include other merchandise such as screen printed t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other items upon request. She states that no order is too large or small and each one comes with a guarantee of customer satisfaction. Linnaia’s enthusiasm to grow this business even larger is evident in her work.  Be sure to watch out for this up and coming young woman as she takes Canned Ham Decals to new levels and makes it possible for your restoration dreams to come true!