Picture Perfect Holiday Gifts for the People You Love
The stores are packed
every year around this time with people looking for
the perfect gift for that special someone in their
life. But how much of an impression is that serving
platter, sweater or bottle of wine going to make?
“Not much of one,” says Paula Piper of
Walnut Creek, Calif. “The best present for someone
you really care about is one that’s personalized.”
Piper has been giving her husband, her kids and even
herself personalized presents for years.
Each time a holiday, birthday
or other special event rolls around, Piper presents
her family members with another custom-framed treasure.
“We recently moved into a new home and as a
special present to myself and my family, I had portraits
of each child custom framed. They’re now hanging
up in the hallway leading to my kids’ bedrooms.
Thanks to the presentation, they look more like works
of art than photographs.”
“That’s the beauty
of custom framing,” says Kim Ahern of the Art
and Framing Council. “It exponentially enhances
the beauty of a piece by allowing you to showcase
the photograph, painting, collectible or memorabilia
that’s important to you. Custom framing makes
whatever you frame uniquely yours and preserves it
for years to come. It then becomes a family heirloom.”
Ahern also points out that custom
framing lends itself well to matters of the heart.
Sentimental things like wedding invitations, wine
labels and roses can be preserved and given to loved
ones to commemorate special occasions. When holidays
and birthdays loom, your custom-framed pieces make
great one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends.
Just be sure to get your items to your framer at least
two weeks before you need them, she adds.
One of Piper’s favorite
framed photos in her home is a picture she took of
her 9-year-old daughter. “Cydney is a competitive
gymnast and we took a precious photo of her doing
a split in a field of grass and flowers. I had the
image matted in shades of purple to bring out the
purple flowers, and behind the conservation glass,
it really pops.”
When Piper’s family puts
up this year’s Christmas decorations, among
them will be a custom-framed shadow box featuring
artwork her daughter did in kindergarten. “I
had a piece of canvas she had painted along with a
sketch she had done of a candy cane framed with matting
all around it,” says Piper. “When she
grows up and has kids of her own some day, I’m
sure it will be precious to her.”
Ahern has a beloved heirloom
of her own, a custom framed collection of antique
Christmas ornaments that once belonged to her mother
and grandmother. “I had them custom framed so
I don’t have to worry about them getting broken,”
she says.
Piper feels that "contrary
to popular belief, custom framing isn’t really
all that expensive." A good framer will work
within your budget and there are many different options.
“I take advantage of specials at my local frame
shop and don’t spend much more than I would
have for a really nice store-bought frame."
But, she concludes, "The
difference in price is really meaningless when you
see the end result."
To learn more about custom framing,
log on to the Art & Framing Council’s Web
site, www.artandframingcouncil.org and click on the
section, “For the Public.”
