Facebook Challenged

I admire people aged 70 & better who have embraced this exciting time of technology we live in. I don’t want to be one of those people who says ‘I’m too old to learn that’.
So when I hear everybody’s on Facebook, I’m thinking ‘I should be there too’, so I sign up. It took me 2 weeks to get a picture on it, and another 2 to get pics I want to share – I kinda thought that was the whole idea; to share pics.
But no – you’re supposed to talk to people – or ‘comment’ to their comments. Ok, I’m game – so I post a comment – whoops, I think I’m talking to myself. Didn’t push right button.
Ok, maybe there’s another way - write on their wall? Write on a wall?? I used to get in trouble for that!! Especially when it was someone else’s wall. Ekkk – now who am I talking to? Did I just tell the whole world that? Or is it just the person whose pic I’m looking at? Or is it all 7 of my friends? Picture this: the Kathy cartoon when pulling her hair out.

Here’s what I’ve learned:
Other people have much more exciting lives than I do – I better step it up or start lying about it.
There are multitudes of people out there with your name! That’s just scary – talk about identity theft!
Get in touch with my old High School friends? No thanks, don’t want to relive those memories.
The bottom line is that you are creating an open diary for your friends to read – Did I remember to post that I just finished breakfast?

Don’t hear me saying that I’m doing this kicking & screaming - I love this stuff. So if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll help my mother-in-law set up her facebook page; it will make me feel young again!
-Pat-

But doesn’t it need to match?

But doesn’t it need to match? It is a question I hear often.
A client will bring in a piece of art, and say ‘I want a black frame for this’, when you can see a totally different direction for the art. So when asked the reasoning for a black frame, usually the answer is ‘I’ve got another piece framed with a black frame that is going to be next to this one, so doesn’t it need to match?’ Well, my answer is ‘What are you trying to achieve? If it is a gallery look, then yes, you probably do want the frames to match.’
Or, ‘I’ve got a very contemporary home, so this art needs a very contemporary frame’, and I’m visualizing a traditional gold frame on the art.
There are many frames that will fit a piece of art, the trick is to keep an open mind, and explore the possibilities. I have a mix of frames in my home – some match, some don’t depending on what I’m trying to achieve.
The picture below is a hallway in my home. I don’t think there are any 2 frames alike, and I can say the same for the people in the pictures! These are pictures of my family, past & present, so I want each piece to reflect the feel of the art (the period, say 1920, for instance), or the personality of the person. Or maybe it’s a wedding, or a school picture. All of these pieces are very close together, but it works for me.

The next picture is in a bedroom, so I want a calmer feel. Even though I have chosen pink as the primary color, it is a subdued value, and the 1 piece becomes more of a focal piece, but notice the chair, table & lamp – very traditional. The pillow & art offer a bit of the unexpected. Traditional & contemporary mix better than you would think.

Here’s my advice on how to make it work:
Pick a theme – in the case of the bedroom, I chose color. For the hallway, it was more important for the personality of the art to come through, creating an eclectic mix.
Open your mind – look at an assortment of frames. Frame the art, not the color of the wall. Remember why you chose that particular piece of art - you like it; if the frame works with the art, you will love it too. The bottom line is ‘If you love it, it will work’.

-Pat-

Creative Planning

After a four-year search, I’m excited to say that my husband and I have found property we plan to build on! I am reminded, as I’m playing around with the furniture arrangements on our blueprints, of the fun I used to have playing with colorforms and doll houses as a child. Same concept really, only I doubt our home will have as playful of a pallet...

Of course, the first thing in my mind is the placement of our art. I’ve always envisioned decorating our future rooms around our art. The artwork gives me a clear vision of what the pallet should be in each space. If you think about it, check out your art and you can usually find a neutral to work with and great accent colors to pull out! Working in the art and framing industry has given me the ability to collect more art than furniture at this point in my life, so it should be a pretty easy place to start.
It is a pretty exciting feeling to go from placing your home plans on paper/in your head into something of reality.

So the next time you see a child playing with a dollhouse, or taking that flat white plastic prong out from the middle of pizzas so they have an ottoman for their dolls-just think to yourself, they may very well be building tools to decorate their own home one day!

80's Mickey Mouse Play House Colorform

You'll never look at that plastic pizza prong the same again! :)

~Barbara Ann~

Hiking and Biking Trails in Northwest Indiana

Spring is finally making its much-anticipated arrival here in Chicagoland. Hyper little kids like me have been cooped up inside for far too long. We’ve had a few days of absolutely beautiful weather, a teaser of the season to come; I had a chance to get out and enjoy it. Thanks to the great network of trails in Northwest Indiana, we can see some amazing sights, enjoy the outdoors, and get a good workout all at the same time. IndianaTrails.org is a great website to check out all the action. It has all the maps, information, and trail resources for the entire state of Indiana.
I’m a big fan of the Erie-Lackawanna Trail, which is a paved trail running from Highland to Crown Point. I can walk, people watch, and check out all the cute pets scampering about this section of trail, while my friends rollerblade and ride bikes. It’s only minutes from my home in Highland, with lots of convenient places to park.

Two other trails our readers may be interested in are the Prairie Duneland Trail that runs from Hobart to Chesterton, and the Calumet Trail, from Chesterton to Michigan City. The first is known for its natural beauty and the second runs on the South side of Indiana Dunes State Park. Full maps are available at IndianaTrails.org.

I challenge everyone to get out on the trails this spring, spend some time with the family (and some time in the sun) and take some great pictures while you’re there.

~Tracy~