A sweet surprise

Hello all.  I received a package in the mail from a reader wanting to help me remove my errors without using duct tape!  She sent this darling little two pocket pouch with these perfect little tweezers, and this fabulous laying tool.   It's so smooth that I kept holding it and rubbing it like a worry stone!  Remember those?

Without a local shop, as many of us, I never saw these tools and she was gracious enough to write a little note with beautiful handwriting (yes!) about these tools being so helpful.  Thank you again Carole!  We meet some wonderful people blogging, don't we?   

I finally came up with some relief for my wrist.  See this swollen bump?  This entire side is killing me and radiates up the arm.  The brace they keep giving me immobilizes the thumb which is not helping one bit.  I need to stabilize the opposite side.  Long story short, I did my own thing and turned the brace around.  It worked.  I can't move the wrist to the left and that stopped the pain.  My thumb is now free and can bend to hold a piece of linen, and although wearing it backwards is not comfortable at all, it certainly helps.

  Now for another decision that I'm pondering.  Glass?  No glass?  My latest frame will come in with museum glass but after seeing another display of the product, it will still reflect my windows.  I had a talk with the local framer and we discussed the glass debate.  Many of her customers frame without, and the majority of the antique pieces she got in, never had glass.

 

I'm tired of seeing the curtains and windows instead of the samplers.  (And that old chandelier I need to sell.) That's Fanny taped over the reflection as a little test.  Then I removed the glass from a framed piece and really liked it.  Such a different mood and look!  Texture, no reflections, clarity.  I'm thinking.... what the heck?  I'll keep the glass, marking and wrapping each individually, and have the option of returning it to the frame if I change my mind.   I have many pieces that are cupboard tucks, little pillows, sewing bags, box lids.....I wasn't worried about them, and they would certainly get more dust than a vertical piece.  I can't picture Margaret's or Glenna's samplers without glass, and after all these years, I'm a little uncomfortable thinking that mine will look unfinished.  But I'll try it.  The framer recommends the canned air dusters be used every couple months and no direct sun, which wouldn't be a problem.  She also told me that the film collecting on the inside of the glass is actually off-gases from the styrofoam, certain mats, types of threads, even the unsealed wood edges. 

 I asked her for a discontinued frame sample that I could use to check my mounting margins.  Wasn't that a long overdue good idea?  What a great help this will be.  Next visit I will ask for a straight piece she has no use for to help with long edges.

One more thing.  I happened to notice my followers have reached 400.  May not stay at that number because I lose a few every once in a while.  But thank you.  Really.  Thank you!   I have a lot of decisions to make this weekend.  One of them will be whether I should have another thank you offer.  Of what?  Hmmm.

I'll be back tomorrow after drawing a name for the charts.  I see that some of you are interested in one design but I originally stated that they are one offer so I'm sorry I can't separate them.

Thank you to all followers, new and old, and for everyone taking the time to visit.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate your interest.

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