Beachy Bits

I'm slowly collecting things that say beach to me...and since i'm returning to California Sunday for a month I'm appreciating them more today

a simple lamp filled with black sand from a local beach

the doormat (from WalMart)

the shutterdogs (all the way from the East Coast)

here's how they look in place

all the outdoor light fixtures are these (they look super cool at night)

lots of shells and candles

more shells and sunsets

and who doesn't need a "slipper" candy dish?

or a monstera leaf dish?

and our funky outdoor showers

with cool "whale tale" towel hooks

Matting an Art Project

As promised, I'm going to attempt to explain matting.  It looks way more complicated than it is...just takes a steady hand, SHARP blades and the right tools.  Since I paint, have my things hanging in two galleries, it can get VERY expensive to have a professional framer do my framing.  I had to learn the technique in self defense a long time ago...now I just do it because it's fun and as I explained in my "how to frame" post, I paint in really odd sizes.
First, supplies you need.         the art work
                                               a piece of matt board (acid free is best)
                                               same size piece of foam core (1/8" or 1/4")
                                               pencil
                                               matt knife (box cutter)
                                               ruler (straight edge...with a metal edge)
                                               framers tape (masking tape will yellow and damage art work over time)
                                               matt cutter (if you want beautiful 45 deg bevels)

First, determine the size you want your finished matted piece to be.  Usually I'll allow for 3" sides on my cut mat, so measure the "window" you want surrounding your art and add 3"

Set the cutting edge of your matt cutter to 3"

Slide your already cut to size mattboard into the cutter face down.  Use the straight edge of the cutter to draw a pencil line on each side.  This will give you the start and stop point for the bevel cutter.

Here's how an intersection will look

Clip the bevel cutter onto the slide rail and depress the thumb lever that controls the blade, slide the unit across the matt board and release the blade when you reach your pencil line

Stopping and starting at each pencil line, cut all 4 sides

Pop out the center piece you've cut and you should have a beveled window that will surround your art

Next, hinge the mattboard to the foam core. Butt the 2 pieces with both pieces right side down and tape along the TOP of the assembly with framer's tape (could be the short dimension or long depending on the orientation of your work)  The one I'm showing happens to be a vertical piece

Next, lay your artwork on the foamboard and center within the window of the cut matt

Use a small piece of framer's tape and attach the art work to the foamboard

Artwork should be securely held and beautifully framed within mattboard

And, after framing, here's what it looks like

oops, different piece of art, but you get the idea!

Now, if you're TOTALLY confused, please look at this video...

it is very well done and a lot easier to understand.  The matt cutter is an investment, I think around $160 from Dick Blick...but if you frame alot, well worth it.

Touristing in Hawaii

I have a friend visiting this week (Chris went home to the mainland for work).  We have done all kinds of fun touristy stuff I never seem to have time to do.

We played golf at Hapuna

We went whale watching

and this morning we took a helicopter tour of the island

first...the kilauea volcano

and then along the Hamakua Coast

The Big Island of Hawaii is very cool

Kipp's New Pot

Kipp did the coolest project yesterday and I just had to share.  Her sweet husband Andrew gave her a Silhouette for Christmas...and after finishing our nautical etched glassware for the boutique she's been looking around for something new to use it for.  She took an ugly old brown pot from the yard and turned it into this!

They lived in London a couple of years ago (after Andrew finished his MBA at Oxford)

so all things British are near and dear to them.

These are the steps though I don't have many pictures;

Select an image you'd like to be the border design on your pot 

(Kipp purchased a Silhouette pattern, apparently they have many different "city" designs)

Cut the design out of vinyl 

Take a pot or vessel (flat or squarish sides will work best I think)

Adhere the cut vinyl to the base of the pot 

(probably cleaning the pot first would be best)

Spray the pot with heavy duty spray paint (appropriate for outdoor use)

Remove the vinyl...and...you've got a cool new pot

Frame Assembly

As I said in my last post, I've sold some paintings recently and have been painting, matting and framing some new "inventory". Thought I'd share how I frame my work.  Since I don't paint to conventional dimensions e.g. 8x10, 11x14, 16x20... (I just paint and then whatever size it matts out to is what I have to frame) I have to order custom frames.  It's WAY too expensive to have my things framed so I do it myself.  I found a great company online Documounts. They sell unassembled frames in lots of styles and in ANY size you need.  They give great discounts for multiple orders (like 5 frames...not necessarliy all the same size) so it comes out super reasonable.  It doesn't take any special tool (other than a $4 brad pusher) so anyone can do it.  You'll need:

the frame

the artwork

a ruler

a drill (for pilot holes) 

a screw driver

glue

a piece of glass (hardware stores usually can cut window glass for you)

glass cleaner/paper towel

brads

brad pusher

picture wire  

Begin by laying out the frame sections to make sure all the corners

meet each other and the dimensions are right.

Add a bit of glue to each end

press corners together (maintaining 90 degree angle)

and insert plastic corner key (provided by Documounts)

here's how it should look

be sure to wipe off excess glue from frame with damp towel

measure and mark 1/3 of the way down from top on each side piece

drill a pilot hole 

screw in the wire hanger (provided by Documounts)

drop in glass and clean THOROUGHLY 

(any lint or bits of stuff will SHOW!!!)

time to put in the artwork

turn it face down onto the glass surface. holding the assembly, flip over

and check to make sure there aren't any bits of dirt

showing between the glass and the matted artwork

this is the most important tool...a brad pusher.  It has a little piston inside

that actually pushes the brad into the wood frame 

(very cool and easy and only about $4 at the hardware store)

I use 2 brads per side (unless the frame measures more than 20" per side)

The brad goes in the pusher head first, then when you push on the handle

the pointy end of the nail goes into the wood (duh)

next, cut a length of picture wire about 4" longer than

the width of your frame. Loop one end through the hanger and 

twist it back on itself

then do the other side

clean the glass on the front...

and you have a custom framed piece

I have more matting to do...I'll show you how I do that

next time.