a little ART CAN'T HURT

next door

In my shop there is a green door.

When I can't find the kids I have a pretty good idea of where to look.

Through this green door is a wonderful place...

For little readers (and big readers too!) this is a slice of dream pie!

I can always count on finding my kiddos right here - tucked back in the children's corner...devouring the books.

The shopkeepers have made it so homey and welcoming!

Little rugs to sit on and this most amazing table made using covers of old books!

My shop is so happy to have this delightful bookstore as a neighbor!

If you're ever in the Goshen, IN area stop in at Better World Books and find yourself a treat!

projects at work

The out-of-ordinary projects have been coming in of late and I've been crazy-busy!

It's a good "problem" to have!

The Notre Dame Hockey team were CCHA Champions this year and made it to the NCAA Frozen Four.

I was given the poster signed by the team and decided to add some deco corners to the mat and mount an ND hockey puck in the center. This now hangs in a local pub.

This jersey is an ND women's volleyball jersey. #8 is Frenchy's number (their setter) and it's signed by the team.

My framing techniques when mounting & framing jerseys varies - some I pre-stretch with matboard or foamcore inside the shirt to fill it out. Others I cut an opening to pull thru the lower half of the jersey so it doesn't bunch up and look awkward. This is one of those jerseys I had to pull thru to the back of the matboard. Below the signatures the jersey extends another 8 inches or so and it wasn't needed and cutting the jersey is NOT an option. 

This piece was a retirement gift for the manager of our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Special projects require special care.

When framing objects as in a shadowbox you need to be specific with your framer about what you want the end result to look like.

I prefer to lay out and measure objects on the spot so the customer can share their thoughts about the project with me up front. I always take a photo of the layout or sketch a detailed diagram of the items and have the customer review it before placing any supply orders or taking any deposits.

Make sure your framer does the same.

Remember, these are YOUR projects and they should be how YOU want them, not how your framer tells you they think they should be.

Have any framing questions or projects you need help with? Send me an email and I'll be glad to help you!

going global

I have an Art-O-Mat in my shop.

A WHAT you say? Well take a look at the website and educate yourself.

You'll thank me later.

They're very cool and are all about getting exposure to the arts and artists from around the world.

I wanted to map out where the machines were so I thought globally.

You can find these fantastic machines as far away as Vienna, Austria and Canada!

I really just love the gallery-in-a-box concept.

I plan on placing pins into the globe at the site of each machine,

but for now it hangs in my front window above a display of the miniature pieces of art.

And that's my Art-O-Mat there in the background.

They're refurbished cigarette machines that dispense ART instead of CANCER STICKS.

Yeah, mini-soapbox for ya. Sorry, but I don't like smoking.

To make the globe we used a $3 beach ball as a mold for our paper mache.

Used a flour/water mixture, a little newspaper and we were cookin'!

Mamie was a big help with the project but couldn't believe how it dried out our hands!

And I have to credit hubby and Trev for the wonderful faux ocean paint job.

I credit the idea for this design to Kiki magazine.

It's a great one for young girls - positive and encouraging.

Couldn't find it at the library or my local mom-n-pop bookstore, but it's worth the trip to Borders or B&N!

When's the last time you took on a messy project?

Try one - it's just so much fun!

bubbly machine

Thank you Amy Butler and Moda for the wonderful fabric designs that now adorn my soda machine in the shop.

When inspiration strikes you gotta respond!

Not just any ordinary project will do...no siree!

So if you're in the neighborhood and feel the need to sip on a carbonated beverage...

...we're at your service!

And the labels are in the process of being made -

we've got cherry coke, sprite, root beer, cream soda & orange soda.

**note: hubby did the fantastic spray adheasive job here - isn't it perfect?!**

oh, and I got some fabric on my skirt...

...but I meant to do that - and LOVING that I can wear open toe shoes now!

Aren't these shoes kickin?! I'm a heel-wearer, what can I say.

Can't wait for flip-flop season!

(skirt back panel view)

These fun fabric touches perked up an otherwise-on-its-way-to-Goodwill skirt that I've had for years!

Wonder what all of you have been doing with your stashes of possibility...

local read

Where did last week go?

Time flies when you're sick.

I have polka-dots in my throat. Not pretty.

I worked from home (did the books, ordering, etc) but ventured into the shop a little on Thursday, Friday & Saturday.

But this little find made my day! I'm featured in a local mag along with a few other framers. 

The interview happened a few months ago and I sort of forgot about it.

 

All the photos on the left page are of projects I've done. I was really happy with what they wrote too - almost word-for-word what we talked about over the phone.

From L to R: Beatles album & cards framed, baby clothes framed, badges framed, glass canes framed.

Hey, I'll take free publicity anytime!

puzzling night

There's a project I've been working on for some time.

I referenced it in this post.

I received a few emails asking me what it was I was working on.

Well, here it is!

It's the world's largest puzzle...framed! (technically there is one larger that just debuted in early 2008 - but this one was in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records)

Friday we had a special event at the shop. It was a family-gathering of sorts.

Lucene Harstine, the woman who spent 2 years assembling this puzzle saw it framed for the first time. Her family had secretly contacted me months ago and commissioned me to frame it, as a gift AND surprise to Lucene.

(Lucene, in turquoise coat, seeing the framed puzzle for the first time)

(Lucene & her eldest son, Dan - she was in shock and very emotional and that was BEFORE she realized all the family that was there too!)

Lucene is a local teacher and started doing puzzles when her kids were young (she has 8 children!) to keep them busy during Christmas Break each year.

It became a game for the kids to search out bigger and more difficult puzzles to complete.

After they were grown and left home, Lucene continued doing puzzles.

Two years ago her eldest son and his wife bought this puzzle from FAO Schwartz as a "gag gift" for Lucene.

They never thought she would complete it.

So this is a big thing for their family!

(Lucene, in green blouse, greeting family who drove in from Ohio)

(There were reporters there to interview Lucene as well - it was a busy night!)

The family brought in hors dourves, drinks and I think the last bunch of them left around 9:30pm!

The gathering that night ended up including 7 of her 8 children and 13 of her 14 grandchildren!

It was beautiful - the pride everyone was beaming with, the family ties and love all around!

Everyone was so delightful and fun! The kids were even good - and there were A LOT of them!

They were just so darn proud of their Grandma!

(the kids loved hanging out in the front window with the puzzle)

The job was a challenge but an honor at the same time. They entrusted me with this prized possession, and that's never something I take lightly. Whether it's a large puzzle or a small child's drawing; I take good care of your pieces.

So, if you ever wondered how large an item can be and still be framed: 9.75 ft. X 7 ft. 

So far...

a lot of candy

I had to close the shop Friday as soon as I ran out of candy.

The mob of kids with their disappointed faces overtook me.

We had 462 trick-or-treaters!

WOW!!!!!

Since our kids were spending the holiday with their other folks we didn't do any dressing-up this year, but we did vote on our favorites that came thru the shop.

Doug's favorite costume: the nome

My favorite costume: pile-o-leaves

The day before we visited Nana in the hospital. 

She was finishing up chemo Round 7! Yahoo!!

The kids put Halloween tattoos on her head, had a pizza party & dug into her bag of candy she had waiting for them. She's got the good times documented on her blog, Journey With Sus.

You won't believe the pumpkin hat!

the doors

I'm trying to put the 4th out of my head.

It's just too disturbing. I'm not watching any news until at least Thursday.

So instead I'm gearing the shop up for November's First Fridays event.

It's gonna be big!

Designed this raw-bulb "chandelier" to illuminate a new display of work by a local artist.

I know...I know...they're not "eco-friendly" bulbs. They're the only ones in the whole shop that aren't though, remember this post? 

The new bulbs just didn't look right to me. Sorry.

This guy's paintings are great but his drawings are incredible!

Just a snippet of his work. His name is Dave and I'll talk more about him later.

Don't want to show too much just yet.

Gonna put the art on this circle of old doors all hinged together.

They're smack-dab in the middle of the shop.

I was inspired by Sesame Street.

Remember the mis-matched doors around Big Bird's nest?

Doesn't that photo just bring back memories?

I could never pick JUST ONE character as my favorite.

Grover has to be one of the best though! SUPER Grover!

Anyway, I'm off to get some shut-eye and gear up for Friday.

Hope to see you there!

(view looking up at the light fixture - I built it out of an old picture frame)

goin' green

43 bulbs later, Accents is officially as eco friendly as can be.

more baby clothes

This silk dress with bloomers is a piece I just finished working on. It's approx. 75 years old and had a few stains, but with some creative fabric gathering and stitching I was able to hide many of the soiled spots.

The beaded ornament included was made by a family member of my client. It is from 1890 - we scanned the back of it before shadowboxing it and placed the scan on the back of the piece so future generations could see the writing and the date.

Working on pieces such as this one take a lot of patience and attention to detail. If you have something like this and want to have it custom framed, ask to see something (or pictures of pieces) that the framer has done in the past. I've seen so much work pressed between glass and fabric (a no-no) or pulled so taunt that the clothing resembles a bear-skin-rug and your piece deserves the best of framing practices.