I always like to begin the new year with a project or two around the house. It provides a focus for all the empty time leftover after the busy holidays. It's also the perfect time to get some inside-the-house projects done before our focus shifts to the outdoors. This year I freshened up the hall bathroom with new paint. I chose a Sherwin Williams color called "Sea Salt". It's a soft green/blue/gray color. It was the first time I used Sherwin Williams paint. My first choice in paint is always Benjamin Moore, but I thought I'd give S.W. a try. The paint was a very nice quality and went on smoothly. The only thing I didn't like was the odor of the wet paint. It was very strong and off-putting for me. It was fine after it dried.
I was very excited to pick up my cross stitch samplers from
The Frame Shop and Gallery in Buchanan, VA. Barbara, the owner, did a fantastic job with these. First, it is so pleasing just walking into this shop. The store is old. The outside entryway is tiled in black and white and the beautiful store front windows make it feel like you are stepping back in time. The interior walls are red brick with a high ceiling and it's arranged beautifully with gifts and framing items. My only other framing experiences have been at Michaels, where it's crowded and, to me, overpriced. This time with Barbara was calm and pleasant and she gave me all the time I needed to search for just the right frames. I didn't want mats and I wanted the samplers to be 'cozy' in their frames. Her finished work is top notch. She used conservation glass and installed spacers so the stitching would not touch the glass. Opening the brown paper wrapping on each frame was like opening a Christmas gift. Having the new samplers hanging in our home will give us enjoyment for many years to come. I highly recommend The Frame Shop and Gallery for any local folks who need framing.
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| This is the sampler Chelsea stitched for me for Christmas. It's our house! |
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| This is my sampler, begun in 1999 and completed in 2017. Whew! |
