Barbara Louise Nelson was born on October 5, 1948, in Detroit, Michigan. She and her family moved to Fairview Park, Ohio where she graduated from Fairview High School. She attended Miami University in Ohio for two years, then finished her baccalaureate degree at Arizona State University. She majored in Art and Art History, and subsequently worked in a number of art galleries in the San Francisco Bay area. Barbara and her husband, Robert Christiansen, and their son, Ivor Christiansen, eventually moved to Traverse City, Michigan. She took the required training and exam to earn her Certified Picture Framer status and, in 1994, she published an article in the magazine Décor on the finer points of forming "perfect" joints while making a wooden picture frame.

Barbara died peacefully on September 26, 2023. She is survived by her husband, Bob, and their beloved son, Ivor, of whom she was so proud. Barbara is also survived by her sister Dorothy Nelson. She was predeceased by her older sister, Carol Nelson, and their parents Grey and Carolyn Nelson.

Barbara was known for her creativity, quick wit, expertise in all things art-related, and love of books. She was a tireless student of English grammar and the etymology of words. She was devoted to her husband and son, with whom she shared her passion for lifelong learning.