DYI FRAMING

I hate paying big money for anything but once in a while I have done that. We all have. Mercifully I recognize my mistakes and learn do better for myself. Once and only once I got suckered into having something professionally framed at a big chain. They were having a "sale". Perhaps if they weren't so overpriced to begin with, they might have some repeat customers. Anyway I made the mistake and learned from it. Now I only buy frames at yard sales. I carry a smalll book with the measurements I need. I always have a shopping list anyway so it's no trouble to keep my book with me. I also carry a small tape measure. I know what I need and when I see something that I can use I pick it up for a dollar or two. Sometimes I let the people keep the art work if they like. I'm clear that I only want the frame. Most of the stuff stinks anyway. I picked up a great unframed abstract on ebay once, It was long and narrow and I bought a frame that was just a bit bigger. To make it work, I painted the cardboard backing black so that in the places where there is no picture, it's barely noticable. The painting is well protected and hangs in the kitchen safe from dirt and grease. I buy a lot of small unframed prints on eBay which are lovely. I have had a couple professsionally matted to drop into a standard size frame. If there is a small framing shop in your town, you can sometimes get mats cut professionally for less than twenty dollars. My husband wants to try his hand at cutting mats, but right now his plate is pretty full. Though a few times he has used his mitre saw to cut down some frames and that's good too. With a little ingenuity and patience anything is possible. Every once in a while I pick up a frame with a mat and re-use both. Nobody knows that the work wasn't professionally framed.