Summer Shadowboxes

It's been too long and summer is now on the downside...sigh!! I've had some very....interesting projects come in that called for some tricky shadowboxes. It has really kept me on my toes....brain engaged...which is good, they say the mind is the first thing to go??!!

This box consisted of a shadowbox with extender and then fitted with another shadowbox flipped upside down with the rabid holding the metal object at the back....7" in all!!



Shadowbox and extender.....





















Multi-layer shadowbox....









By far , creating shadowboxes are my favorite...even when they are a rush order (K.M.!!)....the finished product never ceases to be more than expected...LOVE THAT!!

Making room for moulding!!

Beveled Edge is so excited to be adding a new line of moulding. We have had to carpet two more walls in the store and while we were at it we recovered the back assembly table...facelift!! I love the smell of new carpet...they should make a car-tree smelly thing of it. The line of moulding also includes new liners in a fabulous black and umbria.

Dan's Carpets did a wonderful job hanging the new walls and covering the table. A big shout out to them!!

Come on by and take a peek at the new styles and colors...we are loving them!!

Sentimental Cross Stitch...

Made this in memory of my dad, March 25, 1922--Sept. 23, 1983....Gayle Pugmire

There is nothing more satisfying than creating something with your own hands...so imagine a piece of hand work that is done for the purpose of embracing a memory of a loved one. Gayle did just that...

I'm excited to get this back to her in AZ!! Thank you for letting me frame this for you and thank you for all you did while I visited!!

Not just for artwork...

Lisa is a lapidarist....rock guru...she brought in some old slotted cases she found at an antique shop to store and organize her stones. Since her workshop gets very dusty she wanted lids on them (or doors if she chooses to hang them) to keep the dusting of the little compartments to a minimum. She wanted to keep the "old" feel so we picked a matching barnwood.

I took an outside measurement of the case and matched the outside measurement to the frame. Then siliconed glass in the rabbet and hinged the frame to the box using brass hinges which looked aged.

Each box is a different size and some have additional side pieces which makes the hinging a bit difficult but the finished product is exactly what she wanted and even exceeded her expectations....i LOVE when that happens!!

Mounting and Framing of canvas...

We recently received two reproductions of artwork by Gustav Klimpt....The Kiss and Water Serpents II. They came from a customer serving in Afghanistan. He purchased them online and had them mailed to us in art tubes.

The paintings are wonderfully pop-y in color with accents of bright golds and bronzes. They followed the originals well but had a flare of the copy cat artist's take of Klimpt's pieces.

Since they came rolled they needed to be mounted first before framing. Up until a few years ago the canvas being made was very natural and it was easily stretched then made super taught by a soft spray of water which made the linen tighten. Now the man-made canvas won't do that as water will just bead and roll off waxey "fabric". So what I've found to keep it nice and tight and cost effective is mounting on a hard board like masonite. It also protects the canvas from being poked through when moving the artwork or a sugar crazed child with a pencil!!

I can't wait for Cory to come home....he's suppose to hop a helicopter in three days...not only am I grateful for his sacrifice so I can keep living the American Dream, but I'm thankful for his safe tour of duty. Hurry home Cory we have sushi to eat and art to admire!!

Cory is home safe and he really likes his Klimpt's!!!

Stitch in time....

For all you nimble fingered, eye strained, weavers of art....this blog is for you!! I'm going to lay down a few ground rules of stitching for posterity with the end means of framing.

When purchasing your fabric remember to give at LEAST 1.5 inches of selvage for stretching and pinning PAST the image size...which means...your stitching image may be 5x7 and you want a 3/4" boarder of your linen showing before your matting begins (that adds up to 6.5 x 8.5) NOW tack on another 1 1/2 inches to each side for stretching and pinning purposes. 9.5 x 11.5 is the size of fabric you should begin to stitch with.

You can zig-zag or serge the edges so they don't fray....that's a nice touch to work with, BUT if you have 6" of excess Aida cloth we are going to trim it or you'll have a fat bump of fabric bulging out the dust paper backing. (*shudder*)

Remember when your piece has heavier side by side stitches in some areas and sparse or bare patches in others the tendency of the fabric is to pull and become tight which means it's harder to square up your piece when pinning it. Be consist ant in your stitch tension.

Embroidery hoops leave a mark!! Invest in some scroll frames.

We are framers not dry cleaners!! Please don't expect a pristine stitchery if you let your cat sleep on your stitching basket and every neighbor and family member man handle while ooooo'ing and ahhhhhh'ing over your hard work without washing their hands first. Launder it before you bring it in please.

And finally please...Please...PLEASE remember...you have spent countless hours on this piece, make it last, use conservation products when framing. Spend a little extra because your efforts are worth the rag mats and museum glass!!

P.S. We highly recommend you choose Beveled Edge Framing :)

Cuts like a knife....part II (eat your heart out Bryan Adams)

Box is made...lined with suede and harware inserted from the back...

hinge hardware is attached (holy moly that was a rough one)....uuuuurg.....uuuuug....pant, pant

Whew!!....it fits nicely!!

looking good so far...looking good...*holding breath*

........TA-DAAaaaaAAAaaaaa!!!

Don't you LOVE museum glass!!...you didn't even know it was there did you??

So I will sleep a little better having this rush job outta' the way!! And...Girl LOVED it!!