What do you give a carpenter for Christmas?

When a client found a bunch of old rulers, she wanted to have her husband "the carpenter" make this frame.  There was only one problem, she wanted to give the frame to him for a Christmas gift.

She called me and asked if I could turn a bunch of old rulers into a frame?  I told her to bring them to me and I would give it a try.  After talking to her about her ideas, and giving her a few of my own, I began to work on the challenge ahead of me.

I looked them over to decide
 where they would be best located within the frame. Then I started cutting and glueing.

I used rulers as fillets in the mat openings.

I used rulers for the inside walls.

One thing that I found fun as I worked on this was that the rulers were from places here in the Denver area.   As you can see, I put a ruler with "Denver Colo." along the top rail on the frame (see below).
Another thing I found fun was the phone numbers.  Notice the Spruce-9828 (bottom rail).  Anyone remember having phone numbers like that?

Finished with photos installed!

I sure hope this "measured" up to his standards, being a carpenter and all.  Whew!!!

Ginger Lecher's Art will be coming down January 7th.

We had a great turn out and many sales of her collection of works by herself and artists she admired.
It has been a great privilege having the gallery filled with her works the past few months as well as the times she showed in the past, and sadly we have to take them down.   They will be replace by new works by June Davis, Cindy Haase, and Virginia Unseld.

If you have not had a chance to come in now is the time to:  As we still have many of works on display.

THANK YOU GINGER, for giving us all such great memories, through your art.

These are a couple of her works that were bought the night of the show
and framed later with lovely framing to complement the masterful work of Ginger.

This one has sold!!
Sunflowers by Kathy Berls.



Just a few of the many works sold!!

Thank you!!! 

Another frame repair for Edward Curtis Gold tones:

Photo was taken after I got started on the refinish,
as you can see by looking at the upper right,
this frame came in a very shinny cooper and very bright
corners.

Photographer Edward Curtis used this style of frame for framing his photo's.
Mostly his Gold Tones.  This frame had been refinished and changed from the look that he used.
My customer wanted it brought back to it's original look.

This is in progress:   After applying a mud I mixed up and
applying color to it, I then began toning down those
extra shinny corners.

This is the finished frame.

Now this frame looks like the others, he so famously
used on his photo's

Ginger Lecher's Art

We have installed Ginger Lecher's Art and it looks wonderful.  Ginger will be greatly missed by everyone how knew and loved her, a very sweet, talented and Dear Lady!!

As per the wishes of her bother, the proceeds on all sales will go to The Raymond Wentz Foundation.
This is a great organization dedicated to helping Cancer Patients and their families with the costs related to Cancer and other basic needs:  (They give unrestricted grants to cancer patients struggling to meet basic daily needs – a roof over their heads, food on the table, and heat in the winter. They are the only organization in Colorado that gives unrestricted grants directly to needy cancer patients).
For more information on The foundation visit http://www.raymondwentz.org

There will also be more information and someone present from the foundation at this event on Saturday Evening.

The prices on all of the pieces in her private collection of other artist, are figured on the art only,  no extra cost for the framing will be included.
Our desire is to get the art sold, so it can be enjoyed by all of us who knew her, and anyone who loves art, and finds that special piece that touches their heart and wishes to have it in their home.

We have her work on the wall and various places around the gallery,
this work includes some quick studies and unfinished pieces
from the collection of work she did through out the years.

"Mostly Pastels--A few Oils, and Watercolors"

"Also included with her works are some of her private collection"

These works include media of water color, oil, and pastels.  By William Condit, Tim Deibler, Kathy Berls, Teri Hoyer, Kevin Wechbach, M. Barton, Bilodeau, Robert Spooner and others.

Make sure to make it by the night of the show October 19th for 6:00-8:30 P.M. or any time while it is up thru December 31st.

Remembering a Friend

Mark your calendars for this very special upcoming event and art show:

Belmar Frame & Art displayed Ginger's art from time to time in the last few years, and in her honor is displaying her art once again, along with some of her private collection. 

We had our 3rd Painting Away Ovarian Cancer this last weekend and they just get better and better.  We truly enjoyed the company of so many fine ladies.  Here are a few photos of this year's event.

Thanks Jean for all your hard work, putting this together every year.   You do such a wonderful job with everything.  (Cupcakes donated by Sugar Art Cakes by Kassie)

It's alway a special and emotional time when Dr. Kian Behbakht and Jean Murr share with everyone. 

Everyone leaves with paints, canvas, and easel,  (provided by C.O.C.O. Colorado Ovarian Cancer Organization); also aprons (donated by anyone who wants to sew an apron together).  The food and beverages are also funded by C.O.C.O with Jean's help putting it all together.
All of the students receive special gifts that have been donated from many different sources.
No one goes home empty handed.

It is so much fun to see all the paintings take on their own uniqueness,  they all turn out so different, with the different color choices and techniques used.

This year we did a community painting that we all painted on and signed.  

This is such a special time of sharing with friends and family.  Many new friendships are formed.

Thanks to all you wonderful women.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you always. 

THE "STATE OF MONTANA" FRAMING AN OVERSIZE (2 PIECE) MAP

 This oversized Map of Montana was a two piece project and had to be spliced together.

 Both of the inside edges had excess paper on them and had to be trimmed off so that the two edges would come together to create the appearance that it was all one piece of paper.

Trimming off the inside edges
this process was also done to the other
side of the map

 After some thought we found that we should leave 1/4" of the right side of the boarder to allow the left side to overlap by 1/4".  This was needed to be done so as not to have any gapping down the center where the two piece met up with each other.

Figuring out how to make this happen

Due to its size, and allowing for the ease of positioning this large map, it was then mounted on two separate pieces of foam core and the foam was trimmed off all the way around both pieces.

Notice how the edge is overlapped by 1/4"

If you look closely
you can see the printing of the map
 does not go all the way to the edge on this piece.

The two pieces were then mounted again to another piece of board to give it rigidness and extra support.  (not shown)

A flat liner was used to keep the glazing (a conservation acrylic due to size and weight) 

off of the map itself.  This is to protected the map from mold and mildew often present due to 

climate changes in a piece after time.

A close up was taken to show the seam where the two pieces came together.  

The completed piece after framing
(If it where not for the color difference of the two pieces of paper it would be hard to
notice the seam at all)

Painting Away Ovarian Cancer Session

Belmar Frame & Art: Creative Matting

Belmar Frame & Art: Creative Matting: PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES!  Those who  vote  will be put in a drawing to win a 5 x 7"  Bone photo frame! Over the ...

Creative Matting

PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES! 
Those who vote will be put in a drawing to win a 5 x 7"  Bone photo frame!

Over the many years of framing, I have had to come up with some very interesting and challenging idea's.  I had to dig into the archives for these,  hope you enjoy!



This is one of my all time favorites.  I was framing some of the items worn by a priest--what better to do than create a stain glass mat.  Turned out great, but have not ever done it since.

#1

What else does one do with baseball articles and tickets than to have the traditional Yankee's pin-stripe running through the matting.

#2

What do you do when a customer brings in a "shoe box full of photo's" and wants them all in one frame?  Make a collage mat!

#3

Similar concept, only a themed mat!

#4

Or when your customer brings in a "bag full of old wrapping paper and ribbons".  Ahhh??

#5

How about "hundreds of New York - Broadway theater tickets"?

#6

Made a 3-D piece out of  postcards!

#7

I painted black and blue stripes on a silver mat, to match the patrol cars on this one.

#8

Of course there is always the flag swoosh introduced to me by a great friend and fellow framer.  Thanks Linda!

#9

Just adding a few things to keep things interesting.

#10

#12

#11

Matching the mat to the art.

#13

#14

Inlay the mat for floating objects.

#15

#16

Last one is the baptismal dress, with gathered fabric matting.

#17

  CAST YOUR VOTES!!!  BY AUGUST 31st.  THANKS