Thursday, April 30, 2009

Of Thanks, Frames and Sisters

All of you sweet stitchy bloggers deserve another giant THANK YOU for all of your kind and thoughtful messages this week. I so appreciate your understanding.

Look what was ready at the framer this week! Yep, it's Lo How a Rose making her framed entrance!


I'm very happy with the way it turned out, and it's now ensconced next to my bed. Lo fits in perfectly.

So now I have to ask you a question. Do any of you, like me, have a knack for choosing the most expensive mouldings? Truly, every time I'm in there to pick out a frame, it's always some hideously expensive moulding, and after seeing it next to my stitching, I can't live without it. I'm somewhat envious of those of you out there who frame your own things. I say somewhat because I don't really wanna do that. I'm stingy with my time, and framing isn't how I wanna spend it. Until I'm retired and have more extra time, I'll keep trying to earn enough money to pay for my framing. I'm still secretly laughing about my dad thinking that my mom and sister and I can frame all three ATS's for $500 (hee, hee, hee). We can never, ever let him know the true total price of all three frames. He'd never recover from the shock.

Wanna hear about a couple of new Sisters? The Sisterhood of the Rose has welcomed two new stitchy buds: Melissa in Vancouver, Canada, and Hazel in England. Exchanging a couple of notes with them has been very fun. Adding these two sweet ladies has put us up to nine members! I'm wondering if one of our members will win Edgar's copy of LHaR. We'll see.

When/if you email me about the Sisterhood (or anything else), it occasionally gets caught in the spam net. If I don't answer right away, I'm not being rude (like usual), I just haven't checked my spam box yet.

Did you see the fabulous prizes that the BBD ladies brought back from France for the lucky winners of their contest? Outstanding items. I want to fondle them. The items, not Alma and Barb. In fact, I'm feeling rather covetous (that feels like a word, but I'm not certain) of those items. But I'm very happy for the winners, and surely they'll enjoy their new treasures.

OK, I'm off to stitch in the purple chair. Wanna know what tomorrow's number is? 3. Yep, three weeks 'til the last day of school. Work has been somewhat drama-filled this week, and I've been less than willing to deal with it. Hopefully, it's just temporary emotional overload, and my serenity will return soon. The end of this school year is bittersweet, as they'll be closing my morning school. I'll save that for another post. Adam and Eve are calling me.

Happy Friday tomorrow ... make some fun.

19 comments:

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

Oh yeah, Doris! I can never pick an inexpensive frame. NEVER! Even the smallest thing ends up costing me a boat load but, I like what I like and am willing to pay for it. I love frames by themselves but I have become a big fan of fillets so I love to add them as well (tack on more money!). Plus, I always frame with museum glass (tack on more money).

I LOVE the frame you selected - gorgeous!!!

Ellen said...

I love your "Lo How A Rose" framed, just gorgeous. Welcome more sisters to the Sisterhood of the Rose.

Hugs

tintocktap said...

Your Lo How a Rose looks really beautiful in its frame!

Diane (di) said...

Lo How a Rose is beautiful and I love the fabric you chose Doris. As for framing... yeesh! I never, ever pick the inexpensive frame either. The last piece I framed was St Petersburg (Chatelaine). It was HUGE ($), suede mat ($$) and (like Terri) I added a fillet ($$$). They told me the price, I cried (they were not impressed), paid (ouch), went home and drank heavily. But when I picked it up, it was soooooo worth it. Just don't tell my DH ;)

Siobhán said...

Oooh Doris, that is beautiful!! And yes, I am in the crowd of people who find the most expensive frame moulding. I'm actually now at the point where I just tell the LNS ladies to not show me anything above $10/universal inch, and if it's a smaller piece, try to stick around $8 or under. Then, they lay out a bunch of choices and I flip them over to check the prices and choose depending on how long it took to stitch the sampler, how much I like the moulding, and ultimately, how much it costs. I tried doing my own framing and it's much like doing my own finishing--I could probably get better if I tried, but I prefer to be stitching!

Anna van Schurman said...

Lo looks great!

I don't know how it happens, but I always end up picking the cheapest frame! The one that's on sale or being discontinued or something. I'm always shocked by how little it costs. Of course, I don't frame my own stuff with glass or matts--except Toy Gatherer, because someday I'll put it in storage, and also don't hate me, but I get a discount at the NH framer because my dad helped get her biz started.

And my LNS Strawberry Sampler is having a framing sale this month. 20% off everything, including labor. I've got to see if I can sneak some pieces in (seeing how the income stream is what it is...)

Is that too much bragging? I should stop.

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

I got the Quaker Christmas piece framed professionally last year and oowie at the price. I try to find frames at lower prices, like EBAY and frame myself. I have found some cool ones half-off at Hobby Lobby. I use mounting board and frame myself and save so much money. But if I could afford to, I would also have each piece professionally done.

Jan said...

Your Lo looks fantastic, Doris!! And I too invariably always manage to have to have the most expensive, or close! It is a scary thing, but we have to rationalize how dear the piece is to us, and how much love and effort went into it's creation! So that said, I just save up and get framing done when I have some extra income. Works for the most part, but I still have lots to get framed, just hanging around in that chest, where I keep them!

Deb said...

I love the frame you chose for Lo! It is such a perfect compliment for it. And I hear you on the frames. My first quote on framing ATS was (sit down here) $900. The second quote - $500. I finally went to Michaels or Joanne's and paid a little over $300. But our community is having a framing class and that's where I'm going. I have a boatload of stuff that I've never framed just because of the price. Highway robbery is all I can say!

Edgar said...

Your "Lo" is simply gorgeous and yes I also with the rest pay out the wazoo for framing!!! Hence my looking in estate sales for older re-furbishable frames I can use.

Ranae said...

I love your "Lo How A Rose" it's so beautiful in the soft colrs.
I love to frame my own pieces. I find them at michaels. And the odd shaped ones came from garage sales and auctions.
But when I do need it professionally done, yes! I too pick the most expensive one.

Katrina said...

Love the moulding you chose! It's so pretty.

Natasha said...

I have yet to take anything to be framed.. mainly cause of sticker shock. I would love to be one of those that can fram my own things. I am envious of those that do and more so of those that do in under a day...Yours is beautiful! I do have a question did you stitck woth the colors suggested or do your own conversion?

Take Care
Natasha

Von said...

I think I've only had one piece of my stitching professionally framed so far - many years ago for a wedding gift for my husband's brother and wife. The main reason is I suffer from the same framing malady as you, choosing the expensive frame. :D

But I think Lo is worth special treatment. What a beauty. :)

Loraine said...

Laughing about your framing dilemma, as I always spring for the expensive frames as well! I've even started re framing pieces that I tried to frame myself several years ago. It gives the pieces new life, and they look oh-so-much-better with the new frames. I'm also getting rid of mats. Everything use to have a mat, and I've learned that was just a great way for the framer to earn a few extra bucks.
Love your finish, it is so cute! Speaking of coveting, I'm coveting your finish. One more fabulous chart to add to my wishlist!
Have a great week! School is almost out, hurray!

Hazel said...

Thank you for the warm welcome to the sisterhood! Your Lo looks graet! xx

Brigitte said...

Oh Doris, Lo looks terrific, the frame you chose is perfect for it.
I can't say anything about framing because I have never had anything framed so far. I once framed a gift by myself, all my other stitched things are in the drawer.

Anonymous said...

Hi Doris....your Lo' is GREAT!!! and guess what? I was the winner of Edgar's book. I didn't sign up for the sisterhood and thought about it but for some reason I just didn't. guess it was "divine intervention" b/c now I've got my own hardback book coming my way!! woohoo...I'm so excited!
robin

Roberta said...

Since I am a 'rose' fan, just loved 'LO' the frame is wonderful, framing is so expensive, but makes our stitching look so nice!

Need to know more about the "sisterhood of the Rose"!!

Roberta